Divine protection during plague epidemic
In Badr of 6th June 1907 there is an announcement by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, printed in a large font size, addressing those Muslim religious leaders who accused him of fabricating revelation. He says that he has written the book Haqiqat-ul-Wahy (just then published) to prove his case to them. In this announcement he cites as an example of Divine revelation to him the following: inni uhaafizu kulla man fi-d-dar wa uhaafizu-ka khassa, the interpretation of which is that God will protect everyone within his house from plague which was raging then all around in Punjab, and in particular the Promised Messiah himself would be protected.
He goes on to say that this prophecy has been fulfilled over the previous eleven years. He then challenges those who call this revelation a human fabrication to swear on oath that “may the curse of Allah be upon him who denies true revelation from God”, while Hazrat Mirza sahib would swear: “may the curse of Allah be upon him who fabricates revelation from God”. That is, each party invokes the curse of Allah upon itself, in case of being false. Also he challenges them to make a similar prophecy about themselves, as he made about himself.
He adds that the prophecy does not mean that each and every one of his followers will be safe-guarded from this disease, but that it relates to those of perfect faith, whose faith is not mixed with some weakness. It is interesting to note that in the same issue of Badr there is an excerpt about an incident involving Maulana Muhammad Ali, taken from the magazine Tashhiz-ul-Azhan, which had just then been started by Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, son of the Promised Messiah. In this particular talk, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad relates that once Maulana Muhammad Ali, who then lived in a part of the Promised Messiah’s house, fell ill with high fever and believed that he had contracted plague. The Promised Messiah writes that when he heard this he went to see Maulana Muhammad Ali and said to him without the least hesitation: If you have got plague then our Movement is based on falsehood. “Saying that, I felt his pulse and there was no sign or trace of a fever”, says he.
Not only as a reported talk as here, but the same incident has also been recorded in written form by the Promised Messiah in his book Haqiqat-ul-Wahy (see Sign number 103 on page 253).
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was absolutely sure that Maulana Muhammad Ali could not have contracted plague because (1) he had full belief that his revelation was from God, and (2) he knew that Maulana Muhammad Ali was a follower of perfect faith. He did not for one moment entertain the thought that the Maulana could really have caught plague as his faith may be less than full and perfect.
It is also interesting to note that in Haqiqat-ul-Wahy he mentions two incidents when his own relations actually contracted plague, one being his wife’s brother Mir Muhammad Ishaq (see Sign number 143, pages 327-329) and the other his son Mirza Sharif Ahmad, grandfather of the present Qadiani Khalifa Mirza Masroor Ahmad (see pages 87-88, footnote). In both cases, the Promised Messiah mentions his great anxiety and extreme worry that if the boy died then his opponents would have the opportunity to falsify his revelation mentioned above. Indeed, he says he cannot describe the shock he felt at this thought. He then had recourse to special prayer to Allah to avert such a calamity, and the prayers were accepted.
The contrast is quite clear between the incident involving Maulana Muhammad Ali on the one hand, and the incidents involving the two family members of the Promised Messiah.
From Dr. MAS:
Thanks for this entry.
The learning point for me was as follows:
The Qadiani Jamaat accuse Maulana Muhammad Ali of having weak faith as he thought he had the Plague.
On the contrary, being a humble servant of Allah he was worried that he had contracted the disease, and this was only because of his utter humility. The reality is that one can only be truly pious if one sees ones weaknesses and is in the constant struggle (Jahd) to amend these.
Your comment really answers the Qadiani allegation in that the Promised Messiah had complete faith in his piety and was therefore willing to put his claim on the line.
From Zahid Aziz:
In connection with the Qadiani criticism, please note that, as stated in this article, the version of this incident related orally by the Promised Messiah was published in Tashhiz-ul-Azhan, the magazine started and edited by Mirza Mahmud Ahmad. Badr has quoted it from there. The incident was therefore accepted by them at that time in the same light as we accept it.
From Dr. MAS:
A very valid point indeed.