(1920) Present to Kings by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

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A PRESENT THE

liRlNG

TO RINGS

Ti^.AJsSLATION

OF

TUHFAr=UL=MULUK A

IIAZBAT MIBZA BASHIH-UD-DIN

Second Succ^^ssor of

Y

tlir

TO iliS

HiGMNKSS

I

UnTEllFKOM

T'lK

MAHMUD AHMAD,

Promised Messiah, /

NiZAM OF HYDERABAD.

PUBLISHED BY

SADR ANJUMAN-1-AlJMADIYYA, Quad inn,

Vk

T^injab, India.

Planted at the Artistic Printing \Vorks.

J^

lOAN STACK

A New

English Translation of

the Holy Quran. The Anjoman-Tftraqqi

Qadinn,

Islam,

Punjab,

India,

undertaken

iiai

to

an authentic English Translation with copious Explanatory notes, etc The Aujuraau ha apixjinted for this purpose a baartl of translators thoroughly versed in Western learning and highly proficient in Islaraie Theology. It publish

proposes

one following the other

to bring out this tr inslation in thirty regular instalments,

as

soon as possible, so that the anxious public may not be kept long in suspense. Some idea of the 8[>ecial features of this first instalment is already out.

The

Translation

written

be had from the specimen pages which

m-xy

ap;ilic.ition.

The

in up,>er.Tiost si>ace

and

a bald

in

dowa

beautiful

every pa;'e

is

Below

hand.

may

be supplieil on Arabic text

connts depend upon

cease to live, tliere

when Islam

is

itself is

no value

nigh being

daily proving strangers

addicted to

to

in

lost

their

kinds of vices, and

all

life.

If the

and the Mussafmans are

religion -and faith

in

are

becoming

is

vanishing

God

from their hearts, and wherj if a man calhi himself a Mnssalmnn he merely follows a cnstoni, at such a time to devote one's

mind

to material prosperity,

foofish piece of work-

The

hearts of the Mussalmans.

and first

to

be

object

jubilant over it is a revive Islam in the

is to

however, they should remain strangers to it, then their material advancement can certainly be no source cff joy. Islam is the soul of the Mussalmans, and If.

when that is lost, there is little value in all these embellishments. These have only to do with the present life, but when the water of life runs dry, they become a soiirce of pain instead of It is a pity that instead of tiying to rehabilitate of the Mussalmans is fixed upon- those in attention the Islam, possession of worldly power and the influence which left them

pleasure.

through loss of governing power they now seek

to regain by modern learnings It would not they had kept in. view the main object and

trade and by proficiency in

have mattered

if

side by side hai continud the worldly competition hut entirely to lose sight of the main object and to be al)sorbed in the world and in the meantime to let the real disease orow :

worse

is

certainly a most dangerous sign.

ISLAM IN THIAL. The consequences which have already resulted through the indifference to Islam are a more than sufficient eye-opener. There are thousands of men who have already abandoned Islam and embraced other faiths. Men whose forefathers considered a pride and honour to follow the precepts of Islam, bjvv Not to speak of point to a thousand defects in this religion. it

others, even from

among

the descendants of the Holy

(peace be on him) there are scores of families

ed Christianity.

Even from

this class,

Prophet

who have embrac-

which for the sake of

the Holy Prophet has been held in universal esteem for the thirteen

last,

hundred years, have sprung up men who now stand

20

(

upon

)

the public stage and openly abuse the holy person

of

the

Prophet (peace be on him) and give public expression to their If any body should look aversion to Islam. closely into the condition of the Mnssalmans, he would find

who

is

many

a

Mussalman

not only altogether ignorant about Islam, but lias contrac-

ted an aversion to

it,

and

this state of things is not confined

India alone but prevails in Islamic countries, Islam other lands.

is

all

Even

countries.

treated with as scant

Islam has been

left a fossil

to

in the so-called

respect

and instead

of

as

in

being

'

considered worthy of admiration is deemed to deserve every blame. The faith which was the goal of all creation and in reference to which God had said, " Enter ye the religion of God in troops " would now seem to deserve the verdict '^Leave

Hundreds of thousands of ye the religion of God in troops." men have already abandoned the faith and the majority of those who consider themselves within the pale of Islam have only the outward aspect of Mnssalmans; their hearts have been estranged from the faith quite as much as of those who have discarded even the name of Islam, or ignorant about Islam and the Christians or the

to say the least,

know

Hindus.

they are as

much

do There are thousands who are

as little about its

truths

as

ignorant even of the formula of the unity of God. These statements are altogether free from exaggerations, and there is Men who think about the nothing of fancy about them. subject

know

that the present condition

of

the

Mussalmans

is

Thus, the time is crying really what has been described here. that this age is an age of decline, not only for the Mussalmans^

but also for Islam, because Islam has ceased to find a place in human hearts. If there had been a loss merely of temporal power, it might have been said that the age is a time of trial

Mussalmans, but the fact that people have ceased to have any acquaintance with Islam save by its name would go to show that the trial is not for the Mussalmans alone but also

for the

for Islam.

perhaps be urged that even now there are thousands of thousands, of men who perform the Nemaz, hundreds nay that five times a day prayers are ofiered in the mosques, that It will

(

21

)

hundreds of people perform the pilgrimage in the days of the Eaj^ that hundreds of thousands of Mussalmans keep the fasts in the days of

pay th Zakat,

Bamazan^ so,

though

that there are it

is-

true

people are ignorant of Islam there

mind

is still

men who number of who knows

rich

a section

It should, however, be borne precepts. that the object for which prophets are raised is not

Islam and practises in

many

that a large

its

men should offer their prayers in a particular form or that they should leave their native lands and travel in foreign parts or that they should endure hunger for certain days of the years or that they should give away a portion of their wealth, that

because in the absence of any ulterior purpose to burden men is not only foolish but is rather doing them a positive injury. If, therefore, any man should perform

with these onerous tasks the

Nemaz but reap no fruit thereof and be

not even aware of the

meaning of prayer, then there is little to be pleased with in Nemaz, The followers of other creeds do also offer devotions.

true his

How

then does it happen that these devotions do not bear same fruit as is borne by the devotions of a true Mussalman. The reason is that their devotions are void of that essence which is found in Islamic prayer. They are like a shell which the

has an outward resemblance to Islamic devotions, but is inwardly void of the properties which are found in the latter. If then the Nemaz of the Mussalmans should also be bare of the essence which gave it superiority to the worship of other faiths, there would remain no. difference between them, for as

a matter of fact the is

concerned.

It is

latter

exceeds the former so far as severity

seen that

among

the Hindus there

is

in

vogue many a form of worship the severity of which can in no way be rivalled by the Islamic Nemaz. For example, some of them would take their stand of a morning before tiie rising of the sun and turn their faces to the east, and as soon as the sun

makes ing

all

appearance would fix their eyes upon its disc mutterthe while certain MaiUras, and thus they would stand

its

throughout the day with their eyes fixed upon the sun and would not turn them away for a moment till it has sunk below the horizon. Or in winter time some of them would stand iu

22

(

)

cold water to perform a devotion and in

sit

the sun atid kindle several

inflict

upon themselves the

Now, therefore,

tions.

become empty

summer would arpund them and thus

tortures of

severity the devotions of

also

fires

if

hell.

Thus

in

respect

in

of

men outdo the Islamic devoNemaz of the Mussalmans should

these the

of its true essence,

it

will cease to

have any

superiority to these forms of worship.

THE aUALITIES OF TRUE ISLAMIC PRAYEE. In the Holy qualities of Islamic jH'xJ

I

J

;lA>:sviJ

)

Quran Almighty God has described the ^Nimaz in the following words ]yLa) ^ :

''

.

j_j^ij

Nlmaz

deters

men from

]

I

indecencieii

and from evil ways.'' But we find that, with rare exceptioni, the Mussalmans in general attend the mosques and offer their prayers, not only the obligatory ones but even the optional ones,

but when they leave the mosques they eschew no manner of

They- speak lies, they receive bribes, they practise they shun not breach of trust and avoid not

sin.

deception,

fraudulent practices in trade-

thousand kinds of

Mussalmans perform

Nimaz

sins.

their

In short, they are engaged in a then can it be said that the

How

Nimaz

?

Had

they performed

their

in conformity with the conditions fixed

by Islam, their hearts would have been purified, the foulness of sin removed and they secured against all vice and wickedness. Because in

Nimaz, God has kept hidden secrets such that whosoever perit with proper embellishments and attends to the condi-

forms

by God for its performance forthwith perceives a change in himself, and many days need not elapse before a special faculty develops within him by which he can discern what tions assigned

is evil.

He

is

made wary

of the

most secret vices and

is

endowed

with the pover of recognising the most hidden sins which are not recognised by others. On every occasion angels give him " Beware, here is a sin. Take heed." He is warning saying given the power to fight with the devil, in as much as in his

Nimaz he declares the holiness of God and extols His praise and God does not choose to endure an obligation, but from Himself gives the best of rewards for the

actions

of

His

23

(

.

Thus, when

)

Nimaz a man

prostrates himself before Hie Creator in utmost humility and fear and trembling, creaturefl.

and makes use -

of all the forms of humility

any country have

God

then

in

raises

him up, and

just as

God speak

make him

holy,

and as he has

fame

His angels

in the world

My holiness, do you extolled My praise, do you and as he has shown in My

;

presence the utmost humbleness and holiness of

him esteem and

give

to

" This servant of Mine has declared

also spread his

also

one declares

the praying

the holiness of God, even so does saying:

which the people of

the sense of subordination,

fixed to express

do you

spirit,

To

elevation of rank."

this idea also

points the tradition which occurs last in Bukhari's collection

^ *'

^^h^'^

^i)

^jh"'^

)

^^ ^ ^^^ ^ ^^^ ^^^ ^ )

There are two Kalemas (sentences) which

'^i^^

:

^'^*^

vj

on the

feel light

tongue, but are heavy in the balance and are very pleasing to " lacvx-wu *^J the Rahman, vis., is^km *JIJ i^^s^i Holy j ^jJa*J

is

God and

)

deserving of

)

^

all praise,

)

holy

is

^

God, the Great."

And

show that Nimaz is merely an elucidation of these two Kalemas and that the import of all the different operations in the Nimaz amounts to the same, ^ l>.*** i>asvj j aXJ ^ ^^** reflection will

)

^jJaJ

)

dJL)

)

To

declare God's holiness, to extol His praise

and

to

proclaim His greatness, these are the things on which stress In short, the purport of these has been laid in Nimaz Kalemas and that of Nimaz are identicaUi^^imas being a

and the Kalemas only an abbreviated subject detailed in Nimaz. Now, if one expression should carefully consider this tradition, one would find stated therein all the facts of which mention has been made above detailed

exposition,

of the

and that in the following manner. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of God be [on him) says ^ ji^J ^ ^^^ His to extol God's praise and to That is, to declare holiness, )

proclaim His productive of

greatness,

many

To understand

fruits

)

^

though apparently easy, are really and are very heavy in the scales.

this proposition

it

should be borne in mind

M

(

that

man

animal, vegeIs, by origin, a combination of certain and mineral parts and naturally has a predominating

table

affinity for the

He is lifted through the things of the earth. is guided by His guidance. It thus happens

grace of

God and

that

a

if

words,

if

man

is

cut

we assume

a

know nothing

to

life

or, in

other

of Heavenly books,

of a beast, his only activity will

be

and drink, and he will be innocent of all those moral and all the which mark man's superiority to the beast

eat

traits

;

faculties will

with which God endowed him for his advancement

remain latent and he will be powerless to make use of

them. of

from heavenly guidance

off

man

such a one will lead the to

)

Thus we

beasts.

They know

satisfy their

lusts.

people who are deprived very similar to that of the nothing save to eat and drink and to

see

Heavenly books,

that those

lead

It

a

life

would, then, appear that because

derives his origin from matter, his

predilection,

unless

man

he

is

guided by God, is towards things material, and unless he receives light from God, he can not discover a way for the

development of his soul. Only when he receives gjuidance from God does he begin to progress beyond the stage of other animals, and to the extent a man advances in spirituality does he differentiate himself from characteristic begins to this

show

other animals, and itself

in

liis

actions.

a

special

Keeping

in view, the significance of the above appear- to be that if human nature, which is a

essential fact

tradition

will

combination of animal qualities, be placed with all its animal instincts into one of the scales of a balance, and in the other scale be placed all the consequences and fruits of those

Kalemas, then the scale containing these Kalemas will sink. And it is plain that when one of the scales of a balance sinks the other goes up. Thus the lower the scale containing man's actions will sink, the higher will rise the scale in which is

placed the nature of the man, and the higher it rises, the nearer will the nature approach to Divinity, because (by reason of being free from all defects and the centre of all excellence) God's Seat is high. Thus the fact of the scale of actions

sinking or proving heavy signifies the exaltation of

man which

is

(

it its

necessary consequence.

traditions, the

)

It is for this

reason that in the

consequences of good works and piety have been

described as exaltation. Again the words " exalt me,'* in which the Mussalmans have been taught to pray, bear the same significance, that

"

may the scale of my good deeds prove be exalted.'* On the other hand, if the may^ scale containing the animal nature of man should prove heavy the scale of good deeds would be ligliter and would rise in the heavy so that

air

is,

I

and would prove

To

even deeper. verse of

no benefit

of

also

man, who would sink points

the

following

:

&j

meaning

to the

same purport the Holy Quran the

*'0f

y

4/"

ii)

whomsoever the

he will attain an elevated

is

AJkj

)

j

^

good deeds will be heavy, but of whomsoever, the scale of

scale of

life,

good deeds will be light and will not outweigh his animal qualities, he will fall into Havia by which is meant a deep pit which sinks ever lower and lower in depth. The same is the sense of also the following verse

:

meaning "If We wished We might have raised him by means of Our signs, but he contracted such an attachment with the earth that he would not leave

idea that

when

his errors

Again the traditions which speak

it."

and

of paradise as a height

ol hell as a

depth point

to the

sam

man bacome heavy, then weight and man inspite of his animal

the good deeds of a

lose

their

nature begins to be elevated and his virtues prevail over hit rices

and make

them

extinct,

and man ultimately

attaint

on high. On the other hand, the man whose good deeds are few and insufhcient to elevate him, will have the scale containing his good deeds gone up and the

paradise which

is

scale containing his self will sink deeper

tion to his sins

From

and

will

this proposition

have

may

being degrees in heaven and

and deeper in propor-

place in heU. which is beneath. also be derived the fact of their its

hell,

because in proportion as a

man's good deeds increase in weight

will the

man

rise

higher

26

(

and higher and

)

attain a lofty station,

will preponderate will sink ever

and those whose

deeper and enter

evil

deedi

so even

hell,

those whose evil deeds will weigh extremely heavy will have the of

scale

their

good deeds

lifted

very high and the opposite

icale containing their selves will fall into Aafalaa safilin.

In short, in the above tradition

God

has'explained that the

acts of declaring His holiness, extolling His praise

and proclaimsuch are His plentiful producers of beneficial greatness ing fruits that the balance for measuring the actions of the man is

heavily swayed

by them and

his

rank

reason for this has been stated in the words

is

The

elevated.

^a. ;^

1

lc'

)

mi

^H^

that these Kalemas are producers of such plenteous rewards because they are pleasing to the Rahman. An ' Rahman ' has been ignorant man might think that the word

meaning

introduced merely for the

sake of rhyme. Such an opinion man not one of whose

would be grossly unfair to the great words is vain or useless. The word ' used in th

tradition for the sake of

grave significance. In these words

Rahman

'

has not been

rhyme, rather

^^^

J

J)

.

)

it

has very

^5^ua. the

Holy

Prophet (peace and blessings of God be on him) has explained the reason of the heaviness of the Kalemas sii ^ li* J

^>laxJ

]

ili] ^j ^y**'

i^Axij

^

to

the effect that the reward for '

'

them does not appertain to the attribute of Rahimiyat alone? " but also follows from the attribute of Rahmaniyat^''^ because the Kalemas have the power to attract the latter attribute of the Almighty God. It should be remembered that by God's attribute of Rahmaniyat is meant that attribute by which favours are bestowed upon man without any toil or trouble on his part, and by Rahimiyat is meant that attribute which descends upon man in reward for some action of his. And since human

actions are finite, their rewards, however liberal

they

may

be,

must after all be finite, and so it appears from the Holy Qur-an and the traditions that the rewards of good deeds are received ten-fold, seventy-fold and even seven hundred-fold or even in But nevertheless the reward is properstill larger measure.

27

(

)

tioned to a certain extent with a view to the

But the

work.

favour that appertains to Rahmaniyatj since it is not bestowed in return for any action, can have no limit assigned to it. Thus

^

by the words ^*.a. y) ^ Vxxis^ the Holy Prophet has signified that the reward for other devotions is derived from the Rahimiyat, but

of

attribute

attract the attribute of

man

j

the

afore-mentioned Kalemas In other words when

Rahmaniyat.

God

declares the holiness of

or extols

his prais

or

proclaims His greatness, not only is the attribute of Rahimiyat Bet into motion, but the attribute of Rahmaniyat also comes

and descends upon him, and because this descent Rahmaniyat bears no reference to deeds but is in the

into operation of

nature of a favour, therefore the scale of good deeds grows

very heavy, because when the attribute of Rahmaniyat descends jointly with the attribute of Rahimiyat, no limit

can be set to the magnitude of the

The

real

U J i>^ ^ to

)

fact

is

you in a goodly

"

same

one speaks

address,

it

"^

of

then

is it

J

you-

address

in reply

you should say

How

)

meet that

is

form

For instance,

address.

peace,''

creatures

"When

better

peace be on you,"

on you be

God has commanded His

^ }yi^ h^^i Ahh^)

Ui/* ^'-**-

use in reply some the

result.

^

t^^i

possible

or to

should

at

^^c

least ^ *'

)

^JfAc

that

j

M^J

)

And

God who

is

the possessor of limitless treasures and the giver of the best rewards should not deal with His creatures in the same

way ?

Yes,

He

does

so,

and assuredly He does

so.

For instance

has been related in the holy traditions *' When My creature takes one step towards Me, I advance two steps towards Him, and when he walks fast towards Me, I run towards him.'

it

:

to this rule, when any creature speaks about God " then God, on the one' hand, Holy art thou, oh God

Agreeably saying

"

!

him his reward for the devotion, and on the other hand commands that he should be made holy because. He has said, U J i>^^ l|i/ ^-^i^ b yi^ (address him with a better address And when God commands in resor at least the same address) " Be thou holy," then how can any pect of any of His creatures gives

;

)

]

.

28

(

)

when God Thou art most worthy of praise,'* then- does God make him worthy of praise, and when ho declares the greatness of God, then God makes him great. Thus

of his sins

his

to

remain

Creator,

a creature speaks in reference

? Similarly ''

!

in declaring the holiness of

proclaiming His greatness

God, in extolling His praise and in there is received, on the one hand,

the reward for the devotion and, on the other, God's attribute of

Rahmaniyat being set into motion makes the devotee pure, praiseworthy and great. This is why the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of God be on him) has said in the tradition,.

Now

since

Nimaz

is

in every portion of

and

and

praise

the Holy

a detailed exposition of these Kalemas, and

it

there

is

the declaration of

greatness,

Quran yiJ j )

^IxJ^sraJ

|

consequently

^

^^xS

'i

l^l^J

men from indecencies and evil ways), man performs his Nimaz and makes

God's holiness

God )

says

|

in

{Nimae

deters

because the more

a

declaration

of the

God, the more does God make his good deeds and the exaltation of the

holiness, praise

and greatness

heavy the scale

of

of

proceeds apace- And since sin is the result of affinity with matter, the more a man is raised above the world, the smaller grows his affinity with matter and consequently he is

man

made more and more

secure from sin.

THE REAL NATURE OF THE PRESENT DAY DEVOTIONS. It

thus follows that

if

a

man

performs his

declares God's purity and His praise and

Nimaz and

experiences no elevation of his nature nor any purification, but on the contrary

remains

still

with

still

a foulness, then obviously Tashlh (declaration of holiness) Thus the fact of Mussal(extolling God's praise).

there must be

afflicted

some defect

many

is his

and Tahmid mans' performing their Nimaz and persevering with the same is no proof that they are good or that there is left among them any true

religiousity,

because

when

produce the results which are proper

to

their

Nimaz does not Nimae must

them, the

29

(

)

marrowless and a thousand defects must have entered into

\)G

U which

have destroyed

its fertility.

Similarly with reference to Zakat the Holy lj

.^A^jj

5

(-*;v^^

^

^'^

C*^

I?'*'

'^^

sj"^

Quran has ^aid "^^ Prophet! take zaJcat

from out their wealth and by this means purify them both outwardly and inwardly." No.v those people who pay Ziltat but nevertheless experience no purification, whose (legal alms)

possessions are not honestly acquired, but on the contrary who legitimate or illegitimate means to

avail themselves of every

add

them, and the love of the world is not cooled in their how can it be said of such people that they really pay

to

hearts,

Zahat.

Again, after announcing the commands relating to Boza (fasting), ^J

y^h

Almighty God has added.

benefit of this age 'i'he

said

I

men

loly

r^

)

^wj

^J

)

^^

for the

so that

;

but forsook not lying, (lod had no

fasts

need that they sliould go Imngry l^i.

aJLJ

)

commands

tind that

men who kept

the

aXj

His

they may turn God-fearing." But in men keep fasts and still are bare of pietyProphet (peace and blessings of God be on him) it was not the object of God to see men go hungry

we

that

,^^UilJ

" Thus does God rehearse

rrv^*^

^'*

J^

c^-^

*^^^

'^

^

1

J-^

;

as in the following tradition

*^J

1

J^- ;

'

c^

y-

J* Lj^

^

c^^

J**^ 'j ;^ )^ J ^* \j^ Tlierefore, if inspite of keeping the fasts men should not grow in piety, then obviously their fasts are not of the kind intended in the Holy Quran, because the reason for making fasting dj

)^^

)

^*.^

A/*

ohlioratory

?

was

'^^

to

^^

^^

*^^

'

cj^i^* *^

produce piety and not to keep men hungry that Ho should command men to suffer

What need has God useless hunger.

With regard to Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) it has been commanded, J)J^ ^ 3 (3 ^**' ^ J *^^^* ; ^^ f ^^ e/*-' f ^^* 5 whoso in this month resolves upon Hajj, must Then ^svJ) nor quarrel during the Hajj''* But not lust, nor '

^

'

transgress,

the

indignity

with which Hajj

presumably well known

to

is

treated

Your Highness.

in

these days

is

Far from aban-

(

30

)

this time the Hajj, doning fighting and quarreling during seems to have been specially set apart for these purposes.

In short, though there are some people who still carry out of the precepts of Shariat (religious law) they do it in a that their actions fail to produce the effect which ought to

some

way

have been produced. their of

Their Nlmaz, theirRoza, their Zakat and

Haj/ are just the kind

whom

of actions

sometimes assumes the

performed by players one king and takes his seat

role of

and holds his court, though actually he is a beggar. Though for a while he styles himself a king and a number of men waits upon him and plays the part of attendants and he commands over them, yet there

is

no

reality in

it all

;

neither

it

makes him

a real king, nor his companions become his attendants and his slaves, and the assumption of kingly role gives him none of the

and authority which are the prerogatives of a king. These people too, like true Nlmazis (worshippers) outwardly privileges

perform the ablutions, enter mosques, go through the Nimaz^ but all their works are mere make-believe. This worship of theirs has no value in the sight of God, because otherwise (God protect us from such a thought) it will amount to saying that these people fully perform the labour, but God But the word

Promised Messiah.

)

J ;ij

can never

mean

Neither in the Holy Quran nor in the Hadis

Jjh'

^z*

if

anywhere any mention of coming from the sky. It is therefore wrong to read the word J \i) (Avill be raised) into there

is

^'*-*"'l

J>^. merely

J)k'

^'*

used in reference

reference to

J^^

word

^

to express his been used in has v^ (production)

Promised Messiah

the

to

dignity, just as the

._5

The word

(anti -Christ).

been used in reference

m^'xis^ *iJ

)

ufc.>

I

^XjiU

'

v.^^

Similarly tho

tha sense of

IAj^ J

^

yi.*liaJ

word

jjli.

^C)

)

)

I

yl'h

^^^

J jji

Thus the word him)

there

is

^

^*-

Jy

;

ut.U)

;

yUc

^

M

y )yif

J^J

)

I

^i

J ;J

I

Ji

I

)

>5

^yb^y}

has been used in the Holy Quran in

(creation) as in the verse ,*->

^j) yi v>j

oil

has also

Jj ji

Holy Prophet (peace be on him)

to the

as in the verse

^ J y^

and has been

l^^^aj

signifies

J^ jJ

is still alive

is

and

UJ

t^ UJ ^iiilc

*X^J

)

UJ

ji

)

J5 ^

J

^^3

5

no proof of the will

)i

I

fact that

Jesus (peace

come down from the sky, because

here no mention of the sky in the Hadis.

(53

(

)

THE STORY OF THE DAJJAL. now

turn to disprove the other popular notion that since the Dajjal has not yet made Ids appearance, it is not still time for the Messiah to appear. I would say in reply that the Dajjal has already appeared, l)ut people have failed to recog nise Idm. The meaning of the wor

its

were al together beyond the power of For example, it was the practice of the Christians to take in the Mussalmans by such arguments as '* the following Mark, how our Messiah is still alive while '' ^' Our Messiah used to bring the your prophet is dead this

as

the Christians to face.

;

dead '^

to

life,

Our Messiah

your prophet did not bring any dead to life.'* is sitting in tiie sky, your prophet lies buried

under the sand."

'-Your prophet will not visit the earth again,

but our Messiah

will

it

of

its

once more come to the earth

corruptions, and

it

to

purge

he who will overthrow the

is

'^

Now, say truly, which of the two The argument was such as could not possibly be escaped by the Mussalmans, and most of them fell a prey What the reformer did was to establish by to the deception.

perils of the latter days." is

superior ?

"

He thus notions. powerful arguments the falsity of all such of Christians. the clutches the from Mussalmans the saved

And

now

is

Ahmadi

is

the situation

hears that an

that wherever a

present to

Christian Missionary

meet him, he never ventures

to enter upon a disctission and soon makes himself scarce from the place. And only a few years ago the Rev. Or. Lefroy, the Lord Bishop of the Punjab, issued a circular forbidding

the

Missionaries

to

hold

discussions

tecause such discussions always of

the

Christians.

By proving

with

resulted

in

that Jesus

the the

Ahmadeest discomfiture

died a

natural

74

I

death, the new reformer gave a now the Mussalmans are for all

)

fresh lease of

times saved

life to

Islam,

f rom"_falling

and

a prey

to the Christian missionaries. I grant that the belief in the natural death of Jesus had always existed among a small section of the Mussalmans, and that among the early Muslims, that was the view that had

Nevertheless, no one

general acceptance. ^reformer

ever

made use

of

this

weapon

Islam, and this was a special part

before

the present

in

defence of

the

remained

that

to

be per-

formed by the Promised Messiah.

AHMAD'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST CHRISTIANITY. Nor did the new reformer the Ohirstians that the bodily ascension to perform nr

liis

with merely telling

rest content

Islam did not subscribe

:

when

fulfilled

a person

mised Messiah and instead

Messiah was foretold,

of

sets

there

a second time.

up

for

still in

Now

a claim to be

which

the

the Pro*

Divine

being visited bj

work

does actually perform the

)

for

wrmth,

advent of th*

the

reason

left any ground for promise of God has already been fulfilled, is it still justified to shut one's eyes to and to facts which would redound to the glory of Islam facts is

rejecting his claim ?

say that not

when

Further,

now but

the

some future time

in

the promise will

when

be

the claimant have been fulfilled the duties

Promised Messiah, then Promised Messiah.

HIS

it

WORK

destined

rate

all

to

I shall

foes.

those errors

to

may

say, that he

the the

notice the I

to

do not, enume-

which had found their way into the Mussalmans and the reform effected

in them, this epistle would attain to too great a length. I

is

concerned the defence of

now proceed

by the Promised Messiah. enter into details, because were I

different sections of the

for

OF INTERNAL REFORM.

internal reform effected

however, wish

hands of

the

at

does necessarily follow that he

All the works mentioned above

Islam from outside

come the hour

will

When

fulfilled ?

made

the

Muslims aware

of

the

Briefly,

true

object

Quran, and agreeably to the eternal law of God, against the hardest opposition and the foulest asfrom the Ulemas, he came out victorious through God's

and purpose

of the Eloly

persions grace,

and founded a community which

very large following.

Hindustan there are his message.

at

this

time counts a

In every corner of the

now

to

Beyond the

be found men,

limits

of

Punjab and

who have

accepted

Hindustan the movement

has spread its influence in Arabia, Syria, China, Egypt, Africa and even in England. It has now begun to attract the notice and although it must be of the people of foreign countries ;

admitted that the impression made in foreign countries is it was very recently small, still this is due only to the fact that that the missionary

work

in those countriea

was commenced.

It

(

80

)

IS, moreover, a Divine law that in the beginning all religions Smallness of the number of followerg spread very slowly.

therefore, ought not to

What

movement.

is

make one doubtful to

be seen

gaining or losing in numbers.

A

is

similar

objection

against Islam by the infidels of Arabia, to which

following reply

truth

of the

'"of

any

whether the movement

is

was taken

God gave

the

:

Do they not see that We have been daily Bhortening the land from near its b )rders ? Will they, in spite of this meaning

:

fact, still believe that it is

they

who

come out

will

victorious ?

In other words, when eyery day they saw Islam growing and themselves dwindling in numbers, then how could they believe that

it

was they who would come out victorious.

The

movement founded by the Promised Messiah is governed by the same law- It is daily growing in strength. case of the

It

began with only one man and already

every land.

This progress

the hands of this

is itself

community Islam

has

it

a proof will

its

that

followers in

rery soon at

triumph orer

all

other

religions of the world.

THE AHMADEES. Thus

work

of internal reform achieved by the Promised Messiah consisted in founding a community which Is a model of piety and purity. Even our enemies will bear

the

testimony to the fact that as soon as a the tenoar of his

life

man

undergoes a change

turns an Ahmadi,

and a reformation

is

wrought within him, such that if a comparison be made between his past life and his new life, a difference can be seen like that of the Nadir from the Zenith. There are thousands

who have increased

in sincerity to

an extent as

to

become the

Holy Companions and who think it nothing their life, their property, their homes, their friends

counterparts of the to sacrifice

and

their relations for the sake of their

the worldly of

God

men

faith.

In the

yes 'of

they pass as poor and weak, but in the sif ht

they possess such a dignity that no one who persecutes those who oppress

them can ever meet with happiness, and

(

them

81

)

sure to meet with disgrace and discomfiture.

are

It

may"

be possible and is natural that some small section of the community should still be weak, not having succeeded in deriving full benefit from the teachings of the Promised

But such weakness can not be an argument against all communities there?

Messiah.

the truth of the movement, because in are sure to be found

some members, who are more backward

than others, even the Holy Companions being no exception to the rule, among whom even till the last days of the Holy.

on himj there continued Prophet (peace be

With

hypocrites.

the

exception,

community God.

the

section

favour of

at

to exist

of

therefore,

a part of,

such a small

large are the objects of the special

Your Highness may realise that a people who see everyday manifestations of Divine fresh signs of God and witness such power ty,

as to

how

make them

feel the actual

presence of the

be their faith, strongly grounded must

A

Almighand how rapid never ventures

thief must be their progress in sincerity. a of policeman. How then to commit a theft in the presence the known Almighty power of God and can they who have

seen

it

working before their

eyes, venture to

approach a sin

?

hearts a greed or How can they continue to bear in their world ? Thair hearts will be washed of all the for longing out will be as clean as one freshly come impurities and they of result the that God to the bath. Thanks, then, be

from

Promised Messiah is daily the prayers and labours of the ever of increasing success. manifesting itself in the shape

ONE AHMADI-A MARTYE. membei*8 the story of one of the I will here relate briefly how God which will show to Your Highness of this community of members of the sincere has strengthened the hearts ^tlus Abdul Latif was one of the leadmg

community.

men

Moulvi Syed that at He was held in such high respect U was Khan. Habibullah the Amir of His

of Afgharustan.

the coronation

Majesty

(

he who was selected

82

)

He heard about

perform the function.

to

down

the Promised Messiah and came

Qadian to see him. When he returned to Kabul, he was met by a powerful The Amir was obliged through the outcry of the oppositionto

Ulemas to place him under confinement. Re challenged all the Ulemas to meet him in a discussion regarding the claims nobody ventured to accept the Ulemas pronounced against him he should be stcn >d 'o death. More than once

of the Promised Messiah, but

At

challenge.

the fatwa that

the

last

the

all

Amir urged him

to

renounce,

at

outwardly, his

least

opinion but he remained steadfastAgain, at the time of the execution the Amir repeated the request, but he only replied, " would have is is the day of

To-day

me

go

It

?

When

to fulfill."

nounce the

my

What way

'Id.

means

all

failed

to

am

I

to-day going

persuade him

him

truth, then they cruelly stoned

even under the storm

you

it

covenant of God that

the

is

showed not the

of stones he

re-

to

But

to death.

least

sign

of perturbation.

The above event

show

will

Your Highness the nature in \h.e minds

to

the faith the Promised Messiah has implanted his followers,

and that not

in the hearts of unlettered

of

of

men who

sometimes venture upon such deeds through sheer foolhardiness but in the minds of learned men, like Moulvi Syed

Abdul

Latif,

who

are

wont

to

accept opinions

only

after

thorough deliberation and r^search.

LOYALTY TO GOVERNMENT A FUNDAMENTAL ARTICLE OF HIS TEACHINGSBesides the general reforms, special feature of the

work

of the

1

wish

to

mention here on

Promised Messiah and tha*

is

the inclusion into the articles of his discipleship the condition of loyalty to the governing power. Ha has in almost all his

works enjoined upon

his followers

to

observe

the stri^^test

government under which they m ly chance He goes so far as to say that whoever is not faith^l

fealty towards the to live.

to

hia

ruler,

or

conspires

against

the

authorities

.

or

88

(

)

obstructs the performance of their followers.

be said

to

commands,

is

not of his

This was such a useful piece of reform as might have put the whole world under an obligation,

brought peace where before prev.iiled daily disturbances and quarrels and many an act of rebellion. And not becAJise

in

it

words of mouth

alone, but practically, the

so well impressed upon the

Ahmadis have given

the

community

lesson

that on

practical evidence of

the British Government, and havo not for once

any

agitation,

however

slight,

they

enjoined

to

operation, and should

he

will,

loyalty

to

participated

in

the

for

British

Nor

according

render

it

perfect

is

Government,

whichever government the Ahmadis may

rather under are

their

against the government.

meant

this injunction exclusively

has been

every occasion

live,

obedience and co-

any Ahmadi transgress the commandi

to the clear

order of the

Promised

!Je3siah,

cease to deserve the name.

coireLusioir-aaAViTY or the claim heed

FOR ATTENTION '.

I

am now

Highness

will

to close this

going be pleased

to reflect

and hope that Your on the points raised in the

letter

If Your Highness wishes it, I might send to Yotir Highness such books as would throw further light on the claims of the Promised Messiah. A more useful way it might

same.

Your Highness desire it, that I should send to Your Highness some Ulemas who might attend upon Your Highness for a fortnight or three weeks, and Your Highness might have

be,

if

discussions with tiiom upon

Since

the

claim

of grave Cj^iuvstion

of

all

questions of importance.

being the Promised

moment, and

it is

Messiah

is

a

incumbent upon every on

I trust professing to be a Mussalman to ponder upon the same, Your Highness will give the matter the fullest consideration.

Mpiovjvor,

Your Highness may remember

Yt.ur llighness's part has not alone, but that

it will

its effect

that

any action on

confined to

always be imitated

Your Higness

by a considerable

84

(

)

Your Highness's subjects. Thus the acceptance of a truth by Your Highness will not be the acceptance of a truth cue single individual, but very likely it will prove to be the

section of

by means will

guidance of thousands, and

of the

be set

down

Your Highness's

to

their

all

On

credit.

rewards

the other hand,

a rejection by Your Highness will not he a rejection by Your Fllghness alone, but will be the cause of keeping back thousands

which Your Highness will be answerable before God ;^ because before that King of kings, princes and peasants are 1 alike liable to render accountshave now discharged the. for

duty that was

laid

on

me

in the

command

Highness the particulars relating to remains for Your Highness

seal

of

movement.

to

Your

It

now

choose whether to accept or to blessing of following the vicegerent of the

rare

reject this

submit

to

this

to

which exceeds

a blessing

prophets,

in

value

the

sovereignty of the whole world.

THIS IS A BLESSED AGE It

AND SHOULD BE VALUED.

one of the favours of Almighty God that He has

is

us in this blessed time. Millions of men, of great and learning and wealth, have left the world longing in piety vain to see the CtTne of the Promised V^essiah. Though the created

Promised Messiah still

among

is

now departed,

yet those

Blessed therefore

the living.

is

who saw him

the time.

are

Another

time will come when powerful kings will enter the following of this Messenger of God- But fortunate are they who are the first For another age will come when men to receive this blessing. will

wish

of those

to give

who

up kingdoms

if

so they

lived near the time of the

A PRAYER TO Last

of

I

all,

pray

to

God

might get the dignity Promised Messiah.

GOD. that

he

and grant Your Highness

may open Your

opportunity to Highness's heart, think over my words, because without His favour nothing can

come

to pass.

goiiin^and

and

I

tlie

address this epistle to Your Highness under a

it is

my

belief that the

command was

not giren

(

to

me

85

)

in vain, that sooner or later this epistle of mine

productive of some momentous result which

will

will

be

bring about

a mighty change in the destiny of the land, because God's words never go in vain May He grant that in the blessings which are soon to come, Your Highness may have a considerable share.

Peace be on Your Highness-

Yours

truly,

MIR2A MAHMOOD AHMAD, Second SuccesBor of the Promised Messiah, Qadian^ Punjab.

1

The Teachings

Islam

of

MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD,

The Promised Messiah and Mahdi, and Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Qadian. This book deals with the following five fundamental doctrines of religion from the Muslim point of view The (I) :

ph)\sical,

man

moral and spiritual conditions of man,

in the after

the state of

(2)

{H) ihe real object of the exislenc* of hiai and the means of its attainment, (4) the effect of actions in the present life and the life to come, (5) the sourcef: of Divine life,

knowledge.

OPINIONS. Theosophical Book Nr.tes presentabion of ihe Faith of :

yet

come

*'

The

best and most

Muhammad

which

attractive

we have

across."

*' An exposition of the teachings The Indian Spectator there is nothing Koran in a very attractive form disputatious and nothing which is not drawn direct from :

of the

.

.

,

,

.

the Koran.''

The English A/az7: *' A summary of really Islamic ideas." " A The Indian Review very entertaining and pleasant reading,- lucid, comprehensive and philosophical evokes admirauon. The book deserves to be in the hands of those every Muhammadan student and also in the libraries of :

to know something of Muhammadan religion," " f*ure The Spiritual Journal, Boston Gospel." The Bristol Times and Mirror i'' Clearly it is no ordinary persni who thus addresf^es himself to the West." The Muslim Revieu' '.''The reader will meet with many true, prnfouud, original and inspiring ideas which would interest the Mu>l!ms and non-Muslims alike, btrongly commended." The Si'otsman:'* Suie of & v/elcome by the students of

who wish

:

compai-rttive religion."

Mr.

George

Bain,

Wick Paris Carnegie

Free

The ideas are very thoughtful." Library Mary A. tinnt, Aurora, iZZinois :" Plain explanation of the teachings of Islam." Mr, P. E, Kidavu Koya, Kalpeni Island divine knowledge."

:

Fuhlie

and concise " Fountain of

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