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Objection that he did not perform the Hajj

An objection raised against the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, is that he did not perform the Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah).We translate below his own reply to this allegation from his book Ayyam-us-Sulh, published 1899, pages 167–169 (see Ruhani Khaza’in, v. 14, pages 415–417).

Translation of his reply

Objection: Despite being able to afford it, he has not performed the Hajj?

Answer: This objection exposes your level of knowledge of the shariah, that you consider lack of means as the only condition under which Hajj is excused. Due to wasting your life in worldly entanglements, you did not know even the simple teachings given in the Quran, Hadith and books of Islamic law, according to which it is not only lack of means but several other reasons are allowed by Allah as valid grounds for not performing Hajj. One of these is danger to health. Another is lack of security along the route or in Makkah itself. Allah the Most High says: “Whoever is able to find a way to it”.{1}

It is strange that, on the one hand, the malicious ulama bring a ruling from Makkah that I am a kafir, and then tell me to go to the Hajj. They know that if the ruling of being a kafir has been issued from Makkah then that city has become a place of trouble (fitna) for me, and God requires us to avoid going to places where there is trouble. So I cannot understand this objection. These critics know that during the days of trouble and disorder in the land the Holy Prophet Muhammad never performed the Hajj. It is established from the Hadith and the Quran that one must refrain from going to places where there is trouble. What kind of an evil ploy is this, that they tell the people of Makkah that I am a kafir and then raise the objection again and again that I have not performed the Hajj? — We seek refuge in Allah from their evil.

One should ponder why they are so concerned that I have not performed the Hajj? There can be no other reason except that they have planned within themselves that if I went to Makkah I would be pursued there by a group of wicked people who would announce loudly that I am a kafir who ought to be sentenced to death. If a Divine order came, I would ignore taking precautions, but until then the conditions set by the Shariah must be observed. To save oneself from places of trouble is the way of the prophets. In Makkah the reins of government are in the hands of people who have the same views as those who call me kafir. Since the people here regard me as deserving of being put to death, will the people there punish me any the less? Allah says: “and do not cast yourselves to destruction with your own hands”.{2} I would be a sinner if I knowingly took a step towards destruction by going for the Hajj. To take a step in contravention of the command of God is a sin. Performing the Hajj is a conditional command, dependent upon certain conditions being fulfilled. However, the command to save oneself from places of trouble and from destruction is absolute, without any conditions. So you should ponder as to whether we should follow an absolute command of the Quran or follow a conditional command despite confirming that its conditions do not apply.

Apart from this, I ask you people this question: When the Promised Messiah would appear, would it be his first duty to rescue Muslims from the dangerous tribulations of the Dajjal or to go to perform the Hajj as soon as he appears? If, according to the Quran and Hadith, the first duty of the Promised Messiah would be to perform the Hajj, not fighting the Dajjal, then those verses and reports should be put forward so that they can be acted upon. If the first duty of the Promised Messiah, for which he will be appointed according to your beliefs, is the killing of the Dajjal, which I interpret as destroying false creeds by means of arguments and signs, then that is what must be done first. If there is any integrity and fear of God, then the question must be answered whether the Promised Messiah, after coming into the world, would first have the duty of performing the Hajj or he would first fight the tribulations of the Dajjal. This issue is not intricate at all. The answer can be found in Sahih Bukhari or Sahih Muslim. If the evidence from the Holy Prophet, may peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him, is that the first task of the Promised Messiah is to perform the Hajj then I shall do it under any circumstances, whatever may be the consequences.

However, the first work of the Promised Messiah is to combat the tribulations of the Dajjal. Until I am free of this work, to turn towards the Hajj would be to go against the prophecy of the Holy Prophet. My Hajj will take place when the Dajjal, having forsaken unbelief and Dajjal-like activities, will perform the circuits of the House of God (tawaf). {See author’s footnote below.} For, according to authentic Hadith reports, that will be the time of the Hajj of the Promised Messiah. See the hadith in Sahih Muslim which says that the Holy Prophet saw the Promised Messiah and the Dajjal performing Hajj at almost the same time.

Do not put forward that the Dajjal will be killed, for the heavenly weapon in the hand of the Promised Messiah does not kill anyone bodily, but kills their unbelief and false ideas. In the end, a group from among the Dajjal will become believers and perform the Hajj.{3} So, at the time when the Dajjal will start to think about belief and Hajj, those will be the days for us to perform Hajj. Now is the first task upon which God has set us, the destruction of the tribulation of the Dajjal. Can a man do any work against the will of his Master?

Author’s footnote: Let no one raise the objection here that in my book Izala Auham it is written that the Dajjal will perform the tawaf with ill-intentions as a thief goes around houses with bad intentions, but my present explanation is contrary to it. Dajjal is in fact the name of a group of mischief makers who wish to spread on earth worship of others than God and impurity. A careful reading of the Quran and Hadith reports shows that while a group of the Dajjal will forever be planning to cause harm to the true religion, and their tawaf will be like that of thieves who make circuits around houses at night, but another group, whom God will grant spiritual sight and guidance, will perform the tawaf by having gained faith and guidance. Therefore the real significance of this hadith report is that it will be fulfilled in both senses. Hence, external events also show that some Christians appear to be prepared to accept Islam, having abandoned the Christian religion in their hearts, while others, in the manner of thieves, are seeking to lay desolate the House of God and making deceitful plans of all kinds.


Translator’s notes

{1} The Quran, 3:97.

{2} The Quran, 2:195. The next verse, 2:196, is about the Pilgrimage.

{3} Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad has written here: “My Hajj will take place when the Dajjal, having forsaken unbelief and Dajjal-like activities, will perform the circuits of the House of God.… In the end, a group from among the Dajjal will become believers and perform the Hajj.” He seems to be indicating that the Muslim world in general will only give up opposition to him and accept him at the time when his work and mission have resulted in the acceptance of Islam by the Western nations.

A glimpse of the fulfilment of the vision of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, mentioned above, in which he “saw the Promised Messiah and the Dajjal performing Hajj at almost the same time” was seen at the Hajj in July 1923 when the famous British convert to Islam, Lord Headley, performed the Hajj in the company of Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, one of the most prominent followers of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. For further details of their Hajj, please visit this link: www.wokingmuslim.org/pers/headley/hajj-egypt.htm


A later reply

In a talk reported in the Ahmadiyya community newspaper Badr, dated 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.”


A further later reply

In the Lahore Ahmadiyya Urdu organ Paigham Sulh, 12 November 1914, an article begins as follows:

“In Paisa Akhbar it has been published, under some name, that the Founder of the Ahmadiyya sect declared Hajj to the House of God as unnecessary… In fact, the proprietor and the staff of Paisa Akhbar are well aware that the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Hazrat Mirza sahib, the Promised Messiah, due to frailty and suffering ailments, which rendered him unable, gave much money to a man to go and perform the Hajj on his behalf and that of his family. Then, after his death, his son Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, along with some companions, went to perform the Hajj and returned therefrom.

Paigham Sulh, 12 November 1914, p. 4, col. 1.

Paisa Akhbar was a well-known Muslim daily newspaper.

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