Qadianism - A Critical Study

Contents

Preface

Part I - The Historical Background of the Rise of

Qadianism
Chapter I - Muslim India in the Nineteenth Century
Chapter II - Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani
Chapter III - The Qadiani St. Paul
Part II - On the Road to Prophethood
Chapter I - Mirza as Champion of Islam
Chapter II - The Mirza Becomes Messiah
Chapter III - From Messiah to Prophet
Part III - Some Aspects of Life and Character
Chapter I - Mirza's Life after the spread of his Message
Chapter II - Seedling of the British
Chapter III - Prophet as Mud-Slinger
Chapter IV - An Unfulfilled Prophecy
Part IV - The Qadiani Movement - A Critical
Analysis
 Chapter I - Independent Religion and a Parallel Community
Chapter II - Revolt against Muhammad's Prophethood
Chapter III - The Lahori Branch
Chapter IV - Contribution of Qadianism to the Muslim World

Bibliography

PREFACE
In the name of Allah, the Benevolent, the Merciful

Towards the end of December 1957, and in the beginning of January

1958, an International Islamic Colloquium was held in Lahore under
the auspices of the Punjab University in which a large number of
distinguished and noted scholars of the Muslim world and Western
countries took part. Quite a few outstanding ulama representing
Middle Eastern countries were there. Despite having received an
invitation to participate the writer was unable to reach Lahore until
after the colloquium had ended. The points that had been raised
during the colloquium continued to be debated by many people.

The scholars who had come from Egypt, Syria and Iraq to participate
in the conference showed considerable keenness to collect correct
information about the fundamental beliefs and doctrines of Qadianism,
the well-known religious movement of India and Pakistan. This
curiosity on their part was justified and natural. For, it was in this part
of the world that Qadianism was born and developed. Hence, from
here alone authentic material and information could be procured. The
Pakistani and Indian friends of these guests felt the existence of a
serious lacuna: the absence of any book on the subject in present-day
Arabic, which could be presented to them. It was owing to this feeling
that when the writer reached Lahore. He was instructed by his spiritual
teacher and guide, Hazrat Maulana 'Abdul Qadir Raipuri, to write a
book on this subject in Arabic.

During his trips to the Middle East and his stay in Egypt and Syria, the
writer had himself had felt the need of such a work, but the subject
had failed to capture his imagination. The subject was on the whole,
out of tune with his temperament. Despite his repeated efforts, the
writer did not succeed in forcing himself to study any of Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad's writings. Hence, when he undertook the task, he had little
familiarity with the subject. But the request had been made from a
personage, the compliance of whose wish was a matter of deepest
spiritual satisfaction to the writer, and this enabled him to devote
himself to a. thorough study of Qadianism. Within a few days the room
where the writer was staying at Lahore changed into a full-fledged
library on Qadianism. The work then started in earnest and for one
month the writer remained so deeply immersed in the subject that he
lost almost all touch with the outside world and bad his mind free for
no other subject.

The writer's mental framework being that of a student of history, he

launched upon his intellectual journey from the very beginning of the
movement surveying every stage in its progress and development.
The writer's observations, therefore, moved along the lines through
which Qadianism had passed during its course of development. This
approach helped the writer to grasp the real nature of the Qadiani
movement, its gradual evolution, and its motivating factors. This
approach uncovered a number of aspects which might have remained
hidden otherwise. The writer delved deep into the writings of the
founder of this movement, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, and it is
through this first hand source that he has tried to arrive at
unprejudiced conclusions, trying to maintain the detachment of a
historian in respect of the message, the movement, and the practical
achievements of Qadianism. The result of this study has been
published in the form of al-Qadiyani wa al-Qadiyaniyah in Arabic.

After the book had been prepared, Hazrat Maulana 'Abdul Qadir
ordered its translation into Urdu. Since actual excerpts in Urdu were
required for the Urdu edition, an entire library of books available only
in Lahore was required once again. Another trip was made as a result
of which this book was rendered into Urdu. This Urdu edition could
better be regarded as an independent work because a number of
valuable additions and modifications have been made during the
process of its preparation. For some time literature on controversial
religious subjects has had a peculiar language and style, so much so
that this language and style have come to be regarded as part and
parcel of religious writings. This writer has not considered himself
bound by this polemical tradition. This book has been written with
historical objectivity rather than the bigoted zeal of a
debater. This will perhaps disappoint those who have been used to
polemical writings. For this the writer offers no apology. The class of
people for whom it has been written and the purpose which actuated
its writing did not warrant any other style of expression.

The writer thanks all those friends and well-wishers who have been a
source of guidance in the study of the subject, who provided him with
the material needed for writing this book and for facilitating the
completion of the work. If this book serves Islam in any way, all such
people share its reward.

The writer wishes to impress on his readers one thing: wisdom

requires that a person should refrain from risking even as trivial a thing
as one's monetary savings and should be careful in choosing the
people to whom such things should be entrusted. If wisdom demands
such precaution in worldly affairs, it should not be difficult to guess
what a tremendous amount of precaution should be exercised in
the matter of faith on which depends a person's salvation and his
felicity in the eternal life of the Hereafter. It is evident that in such a
matter one should exercise extreme precaution; one should try to use
one's discretion to the utmost, and to divest oneself of all emotional
predilections, worldly attachments and material interests. This book,
through its authentic and systematically arranged information obtained
from the statements and writings of the founder of Qadianism himself
and through authentic historical information about the movement, can
prove of help to many a person to arrive at an intelligent appreciation
of Qadianism.

11, Rabi al-Awwal, 1378 S. ABUL HASAN ALI NADWI

Part I - The Historical Background of the

Rise of Qadianism
Chapter I-1 - Muslim India in the
Nineteenth Century
The nineteenth century is a period of unique importance in modern
history. It is the century in which intellectual unrest and various kinds
of conflicts and tensions reached the climax in the Muslim world. India
was one of the main centres of this unrest and tension. Here the
conflicts and tensions between the Western and the Eastern cultures,
between the old and the new systems of education, in fact, between
the old and the new world views, and between Islam and Christianity
were mounting. The forces concerned were locked in a fierce struggle
for survival.

The movement began at a time when the well-known struggle of 1857

for the country's independence had been suppressed. This had
shocked the Muslims to the core; their hearts were bleeding, and their
minds paralysed. They were confronted with the danger of double
enslavement: political as well as cultural. On the one hand, the
victorious power, the British had launched upon a vigorous campaign
to spread a new culture and civilization in India. On the other hand,
the Christian missionaries were scattered all over India bent upon
active proselytisation. To be able to shake the confidence of Muslims
in their own beliefs and to make them skeptical as to the bases of the
Islamic Shariah, even though they might not be converted to
Christianity, was deemed by them an important enough achievement.
The new generations of Muslims, which had not been thoroughly
grounded in Islam, were their main target. The schools and colleges
which were introduced along the foreign pattern were the main fields
of their activity directed at spreading intellectual confusion. The efforts
were not altogether unsuccessful and even, incidents of conversion to
Christianity began to take place in India. But the main danger of that
period was not apostasy (in the sense of ostensible conversion from
Islam to Christianity), but skepticism and atheism. Religious debates
between Muslim ulama and Christian missionaries took place
frequently, leading in general to the victory of the ulama of Islam. This
established the intellectual superiority and greater vitality of Islam as
against Christianity. Nevertheless, intellectual unrest, skepticism, and
weakness of faith grew apace.

This was one aspect of the situation: the situation vis-a-vis the
external menace. Looked at internally, the situation was even worse.
Mutual disagreements between Muslim sects had assumed frightful
proportions. Each sect was busy denouncing the other. Sectarian
polemics were the order of the day, leading often to violent clashes,
even to bloodshed and litigation over controversial sectarian issues.
The whole of India was in the grip of what might be termed a sectarian
civil war. This too had given birth to mental confusion and created
breaches in the Muslim society and disgust in the people and had
considerably damaged the prestige of the Muslim ulama and of Islam.

On the other hand, immature sufis and ignorant pretenders of spiritual

excellence had reduced the Sufi orders to a plaything. They gave wide
publicity to their trance utterances and inspired pronouncements. One
found people everywhere making overly extravagant claims and going
about proclaiming their ability to perform astounding miracles and to
receive messages from on High. The result of all this was that the
Muslim masses had developed an uncommon relish for things
esoteric, for miracles, for supernatural performances, for inspired
dreams and prophesies. The more a person had to offer people by
way of these things, the greater was his popularity. Such people used
to become the centre of popular veneration. Hypocritical darvishes
and cunning traders of religion took full advantage of the situation.
People had developed such a liking for esoterics that they were
readily prepared to accept every new fantasy, to support every new
movement and to believe in every esoteric claim, however baseless
and imaginary. Muslims were generally in the grip of frustration and
had fallen prey to defeatism. The failure of the struggle of 1857 and of
a number of other recent religious and militant movements was fresh
in their memory. Many of them had despaired, therefore, of bringing
about any change and reform through normal processes and a large
number of people had begun to await the advent of some charismatic
personality, some divinely appointed leader. At places one heard that
at the turn of the century the Promised Messiah would make his
appearance. In religious gatherings people commonly referred to the
numerous forms of misguidance and evil which were to appear on the
eve of the Doomsday. Prophesies and esoteric statements such as
those of Shah Niamat Ullah Kashmiri helped people to forget the
bitterness of the current situation and strengthened their morale.
Dreams, prophesies and other esoteric pronouncements had
magnetic appeal and kept their spirits high.

The province of Punjab, in particular, was the centre of mental

confusion and unrest, superstitions and religious ignorance. This
province bad suffered for eighty years under the yoke of the Sikh Raj,
an overbearing military tyranny. During this period the religious belief
and devotion of Muslims had weakened considerably. True Islamic
education had been almost non-existent for long. The foundations of
Islamic life and Islamic society had been shaken. Their minds were
seriously in the grip of confusion and perplexity. In brief, to borrow the
words of Iqbal:
The Khalsa (Sikhs) took away both the Qur'an and the sword,
In their realm, Islam was just dead.
This situation had paved the ground in the Punjab for the rise of a new
religious - movement based on novel interpretations and esoteric
doctrines. The temperament of a good number of people of the region
where this movement arose has been portrayed by Iqbal in these
words:
In religion, he is fond of the latest,
He stays not for long at a place; he keeps on moving;
In learning and research he does not participate,
But to the game of Mentors and Disciples, he readily succumbs;
If the trap of explanation anyone lays,
He walks into it quickly from the branch of his nest.
It was towards the end of the nineteenth century that Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad appeared on the scene with his unique message and
movement. For the spread of his message and for the fulfillment of his
ambitions, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad found a fertile ground and a
congenial period of time. He had numerous factors to his advantage:
the general unrest in the minds of people, the exotic loving
temperament of the people, the general despair with regard to the
efficacy of moderate and normal means of reform and revolution, the
decline in the prestige of and confidence in the ulama, the popularity
of religious debates which had vulgarised the religious curiosities and
propensities of the people and made them, to a large extent, free-
thinkers. Furthermore, the British rulers (who had had a bitter
experience with Mujahidin movement in Sudan and elsewhere and
felt, therefore, considerable consternation for the spirit of jihad and the
religious enthusiasm of Muslims), warmly welcomed this new religious
movement, which pledged loyalty to the British government and even
made this loyalty an article of faith and whose founder had had a long
and close association with the government. All these factors provided
the congenial atmosphere in which Qadianism came into existence,
won converts and developed into an independent sect and religion.

Chapter I-2 - Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Qadiani
(This chapter purporting to lay down the biographical outlines of the
founder's life is based chiefly on the statements and writings of the
Mirza himself, supplemented by the work of his son Mirza Bashir
Ahmed, Sirat al-Mahdi, and other standard works of the Qadianis.)

Family Background

Genealogically Mirza Ghulam Ahmad belonged to the Barlas branch

of the Moghuls. (Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Kilab al-Bariyah, p. 134 n.)
But after some time he came to know by means of 'inspiration' that he
was, in fact, of Persian origin. To quote his own words:
"The revelation (ilham) about me is that: Were it that faith was hanging
from the Pleiades it would still have been seized by the man from
Persia. (This tradition occurs in the Sihah with a little variation of
words. In some reports there occurs the phrase 'Rijal Min Faras' (men
from Persia) instead of Rajul (a man). The ulama and the mujahiddin
interpret this hadith to refer to Salman al-Farisi and other ulama and
holy men of Persia famous for their devotion and service to the cause
of faith including the Imam Abu Hanifa, who was also of Persian
origin. ) And then, there is also a third revelation about me: Verily,
those who disbelieved the man from Persia disproved their religions.
God is thankful for his endeavour. All these 'revelations' show that our
forefathers were Persian. And the truth is what Allah has made
manifest." (Kitab at-Bariyah, p. 135 n.)
In one of his works he writes:
"It should be remembered that apparently the family of this humble
one is that of the Moghuls. No record has been seen in the history of
our family showing that the family was Persian. What has been seen
in certain records is that some of our grandmothers were of noble and
noted Sayyid families. Now it has come to be known through the word
of God that ours is a Persian family. We believe in this with all our
conviction since the reality, in respect of genealogies, is known to
none the way it is known to Allah, the Exalted. It is His knowledge
alone which is true and sure and that of all others, doubtful and
conjectural." (Arabain, Vol. 11, p. 17 n.)
Mirza Gul Mohammad, the great grandfather of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
owned considerable property. In Punjab, he had a good-sized estate.
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had mentioned in detail the "aristocratic pomp
and splendour of this ancestor of his, his habit to feed a large number
of people at his table, and his religious influence." (Kitab al-Bariyah,
pp. 136-42 n.)

After his death, his estate declined and the Sikhs confiscated the
villages of that estate. This decline continued to such an extent that no
other land remained in the ownership of his grandfather; Mirza Ata
Mohammad, except Qadian. Later on, the Sikhs occupied even that
and drove the Mirza's family out of Qadian. During the last years of
Ranjit Singh's rule, Mirza Ghulam Murtaza, the father of the Mirza
Ghulam, returned to Qadian and the Mirza later received five villages
out of the landed property of his father. (ibid, pp. 142-44 n.)

The Mirza 's family maintained very loyal and cordial relations with the
recently established British power in the Punjab. Several members of
the family had shown great enthusiasm in consolidating the new
government and had come to its rescue on several critical occasions.
To cite the words of the Mirza himself:
"I come from a family which is out and out loyal to this government. My
father, Murtaza, who was considered its well-wisher, used to be
granted a chair in the Governor's Durbar and has been mentioned by
Mr. Griffin in his History of the Princes of Punjab. In 1857, he helped
the British Government beyond his power, that is, he procured
cavaliers and horses right during the time of Mutiny. He was
considered by the Government to be its loyal supporter and well-
wisher. A number of testimonials of appreciation received by him from
the officers have unfortunately been lost. Copies of three of them,
however, which had been published a long time ago, are reproduced
on the margin. Then, after the death of my grandfather, my elder
brother Mirza Ghulam Qadir continually occupied himself with service
to the Government and when the evil-doers encountered the forces of
the British Government on the highway of Tammun, he participated in
the battle on the side of the British Government."' (Web Site Editor
Reference: Kitab-ul-Barriah, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 13, P. 4, 5, 6, 7)
Birth, Education, Upbringing
The Mirza was born during the last phase of the Sikh rule in the year
1839 or 1840 at Qadian in Gurdaspur District. His own writings show
that at the time of the struggle of Independence, in 1857, he was
"sixteen or seventeen years old." (Kitab al-Bariyah, p. 146, n). Mirza
Bashjruddin Mahmood in his Address to the British Crown Prince in
1922, has mentioned the year of his father's birth to be 1837 (p. 35).
According to this, in 1857, his age would be 21. This alteration seems
to have been made in order to vindicate the Mirza's prophecy which
has been mentioned by him as a Divine inspiration in the following
words: "We shall cause you to live a good life for eighty years or close
to that" (vide Arabain, Vol. 111, p. 39).
The Mirza received his education up to the Middle Class at home. He
studied books on Grammar, Logic and Philosophy under the guidance
of Maulavi Fazl-i-Ilahi, Maulavi Fazl-i- Ahmad and Maulavi Gul 'Ali
Shah. He studied Medicine from his father, who was an experienced
physician. During his student life, the Mirza was very studious. To
quote his own words:
"During those days I was so thoroughly engrossed in books as if I was
not present in the world. My father used to instruct me repeatedly to
curtail my reading, for, out of sympathy for me he feared that this
might affect my health."
This, however, did not continue for long. Under the insistent pressure
of his father, the Mirza had to engage himself in the endeavour to get
back his ancestral landed property which subsequently led to litigation
in law courts. He writes:
"I feel sorry that a lot of my valuable time was spent in these
squabbles and at the same time my respected father made me
supervise the affair of landlordship. I was not a man of this nature and
temperament."
The Mirza later took employment with the Deputy Commissioner of
Sialkot for a small salary. He remained for four years in this service,
that is, from 1864 to 1868.1 During this period he also read one or
two, books of. English. More over, he also took the examination of
Mukhtar but flopped. In 1868, he resigned this job and came to
Qadian and began to look after his landed property. But most of his
time was spent on reflecting on the Holy Quran and studying works of
Tafsir and Traditions.

Moral Disposition

From his very childhood, the Mirza was very simple. He was unaware
of worldly matters and appeared to be a little absent-minded. He did
not even know how to wind a watch. "When he had to know time, he
took out the watch from his pocket and began to count, starting from
one. And even then, while he counted with his finger he also kept on
counting the figures aloud lest he should forget." He could not just look
at the watch and find out what time it was. Due to absent-mindedness,
it was difficult for him to differentiate between the shoes of the left and
the right feet. Mirza Bashir Ahmad writes:
"Once some one brought for him gurgabi (a kind of shoes used in
Punjab). He put them on, but could not distinguish between the right
and the left. Often he used to wear them on the wrong feet, and then
feel uncomfortable. Sometimes when he would be hurt by the use of
the wrong shoe, he would get irritated and say that nothing of those
people was good. Mother said that she had inscribed signs indicating
right and left on the shoes for the sake of his convenience and yet, he
used to put the shoes on the wrong feet. Hence she later removed the
signs." (Web Site Editor References: Seerat-ul-Mahdi, Vol. 1, P. 180
and Seerat-ul-Mahdi, Vol. 1, P. 67)
Due to very frequent micturition the Mirza used to keep earthen-
marbles in his pockets. He also carried Jumps Of gur for he was
excessively fond of sweets.

Mirza's Physical Health

In his youth, the Mirza was so afflicted with hysteria that sometimes he
used to fall down unconscious, as a result of hysteric fits. The Mirza
used to interpret these fits variously as hysteric and melancholia. He
also suffered from diabetes and copious urination. Mentioning at one
place that "I am a permanently sick person," he adds:
"Headache and giddiness and insomnia and palpitation of the heart
come by fits and the lingering ailment in the lower part of my body is
that of diabetes. Often I urinate up to a hundred times during the day
or night. And all the other disorders of debility and exhaustion, which
are the natural results of such excessive urination, have also fallen to
my lot."
In his youth, the Mirza engaged himself in vigorous spiritual exercises
and courses of rigid self-discipline. He also fasted continuously for
long periods of time. In one of his long spells of spiritual exertion, he
fasted continuously for six months. In 1886, he passed another period
of exclusive worship and prayer at Hoshiarpur. Later on, due to ill
health and debility, he had to give these up. On March 31, 1891, he
wrote to Nuruddin: "Now my health can no longer bear the rigours of
supererogatory devotion and even a little bit of severe devotion and
meditation or contemplation causes illness." (Web Site Editor
Reference: Maktoobat-e-Ahmadiya, Vol. 5, No. 2, P. 103, dated March
31, 1891)

Economic Condition

The Mirza began his life in ordinary circumstances: a life of hardship

and poverty. But as his mission spread and he became the spiritual
head of a prosperous sect, he grew prosperous and began to lead a
comfortable life. He, too, was conscious of this change in his state: the
ostensible difference between his earlier and later periods of life. In
1907 he wrote:
"Our living and our well-being had depended solely on the meager
income of out father. Among outsiders, none knew me. I was an
unknown person, living in the desolate village of Qadian, lying in a
corner of anonymity. Then, God, according to His prophecy, turned a
whole world towards me and helped us by such continuous victories
that I have no words to express my thanks. Considering my own
position, I did not hope to receive even ten rupees a month. But the
Exalted Allah, who raises the poor from dust and brings the arrogant
down to the earth, helped me to such an extent that up till now I have
received about three hundred thousand rupees or, may be, even
more." (Web Site Editor Reference: Haqiqat-ul-Wahy, Roohany
Khazaen, Vol. 22, P. 220-221; Haqiqat-ul-Wahy, P. 211-212)
In the footnote, he adds:
"Although thousands of rupees have come by means of money orders,
yet more have been passed on to me directly by sincere friends as
gifts, or in the shape of currency notes enclosed with letters. Some
sincere people have sent currency notes or gold anonymously and I
do not even know what their names are."
Marriage and Children

The Mirza's first marriage took place in 1852 or 1853 with one of his
own relatives. This wife gave birth to two sons: Mirza Sultan Ahmad
and Mirza Fazal Ahmad. In 1891, he divorced the lady. In 1884, he
took another wife, the daughter of Nawab Nasir of Delhi. The rest of
the offsprings of the Mirza were all from this wife. Three sons were
born from her Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood, Mirza Bashir Ahmad
(author of Sirat al-Mahdi) and Mirza Sharif Ahmad.

Death

When in 1891 the Mirza declared that be was the Promised Messiah
and, later on in 1910, that he was a prophet of God, the Muslim ulama
began to refute and oppose him. Among those prominent in opposing
him was Maulana Sana ullah Amritsari, the editor of Ahl-i-Hadith. On
April 5, 1907, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad issued an announcement in
which, while addressing the Maulana, he wrote:
"If I am such a big liar and impostor as you portray me in each issue of
your magazine, then I will die in your life-time, for I know that the
lifespan of a mischief maker and liar is not very long and ultimately he
dies an unsuccessful man, during the life of his greatest enemies and
in a state of humiliation and grief. And if I am not a liar and impostor
and have been honoured by God's communication and address to me,
and if I am the Promised Messiah, then I hope that, with the grace of
God and in accordance with God's practice, you will not escape the
punishment of the rejecters (of Truth). Thus, if that punishment which
is not in man's but in God's hand, that is, fatal diseases like plague
and cholera, do not afflict you during My life-time3 then I am not from
God." (Web Site Editor Reference: Badr, April 15, 1907)
One year after the publication of this announcement, on May 25,1908,
the Mirza fell ill, being afflicted with diarrhea at Lahore. Along with
loose motions, he also had vomiting. He was put under treatment at
once, but weakness increased and his condition became critical. The
next day, on May 26, he breathed his last in the forenoon. About his
death his father-in-law Mir Nisar Nawab has stated:
"The night on which Hazrat Mirza Sahib fell ill, I was asleep at my
place. When he felt very uncomfortable, I was awakened. When I went
to Hazrat Sahib he addressed me and said, 'Mir Sahib I am ill with
cholera'. After this, in my opinion, he did not speak a clear word till he
died the next day after ten o'clock." ( Hayat-i-.Nasir, P. 14, ed. Shaykh
Yaqnb Ali Irfani.)
The dead. body was carried to Qadian. On May 27, 1908 the burial
took place and Hakim Nuruddin became his successor, the first
Khalifah of the Qadiani movement.

Chapter I-3 - The Qadiani Saint Paul

Hakim (Hakim means a physician practicing the traditional system of
Greek-Arabian medicine (Translator)) Nuruddin Bhairawl occupies a
position of unique importance in the history of Qadianism, second only
to that of its founder. In fact, some observers are of the view that the
said Hakim was the real brain behind the movement, that the
intellectual currents of this movement sprang from his mind.

Birth and Early Education

Hakim Nuruddin was born in 1258 A.H. (1841 A.D.) in Bhaira, District
Sargodha (Punjab). (These are based on Akbar Shah Khan
Najibabidi's Mirqt al-raqzn Hayat Nuruddin. Najibabadi was a pupil of
the Hakim. These biographical details were related to him by the
Hakim himself at the time when Najibabadi was his student as well as
a devout follower.) Thus in 1857, he was 16 years of age, and was
younger than the Mirza by just one or two years. His father, Hafiz
Ghulam Rasul, was an imam in a mosque in Bhaira, and was a Faruqi
by lineage.

The Hakim's early education took place in his home-village. He read

the books on Fiqah in Punjabi language under the guidance of his
mother. Then he went to Lahore. He was taught Persian by Munshi
Qasim Kashmiri and learnt calligraphy from Mirza Irhim Dayrawi. But
neither of the two attracted him. Both his teachers were Shias. In 1272
A. H. aka 1855 A. D., he returned home and remained for some time
studying under Mir Haji Sharfuddin. It is around this time that he
began to learn the Arabic language systematically.

Under the influence of a bookseller who belonged to the movement of

Sayyid Ahmad Shahid, there arose in him the urge to translate the
Holy Qur'an, and he anxiously read Taqwiyatul Iman and Mashziriq-al-
Anwar. A little later, he returned to Lahore and acquired some
knowledge of Medicine. While his education was at a very advanced
stage, he took employment with the Normal School, Rawalpindi. There
he taught Persian and at the same time learned Arithmetic and
Geography from another teacher. After passing a tahsil examination,
he became headmaster in Pindi Dandan Khan and once more
resumed the study of Arabic. After four years, he ceased to remain in
service and began to devote all his time to his own studies. For some
time, he studied under Maulavi Ahmaduddin (who was known as
Buggiwale Qazi Sahib). Then, his love for knowledge made him travel
to several parts of India. In Rampur, he resumed his studies, studied
Mishkat-al-Masbih under Maulana Hasan Shah, Sharah-i-Wiqayah
under Maulavi Azizullah Afgbani, Usul of al-Shashi and Maibazi under
Maulina Irshid Husain; the Diwan of al-Mutanabbi under Maulavi
Sa'dullah; Sadra, etc., under Maulavi 'Abd al-'Ali, and the higher books
on Logic like Mir Zahid Riaalah and Mir Zahid Mulla falal, half-
heartedly. At this time, he enthusiastically supported Isma'il Shahid
and sometimes used to speak to his teachers with great boldness.
From Rampur, he moved to Lucknow and began to study medicine
under a famous physician, Hak-im 'Ali Husain. When 'Ali Husain went
to Rampur on invitation from Nawab Kalb-i-Ali Khan of Rampur,
Nuruddin accompanied him. During his stay in Rampur he further
studied literature under Mufti Sa'dullab. On the whole he remained
with Hakim 'Ali Husain for a period of two years and then went to
Bhopal to complete his education in Arabic and to study Hadith.
Bhopal, in those days, had become a great centre of learning. The
Governmental patronage of knowledge and learning had attracted a
good number of scholars. In Bhopal, he stayed with and was
patronised by Munshi jamaluddin Khan, the Chief Minister. During his
stay, Nuruddin took lessons in Bukhari and Hidayah from Maulina
Abdul Qayyum (the son of Maulana Abdul Hal Burhanwat, who was a
Khalifah of Hazrat Sayyid Ahmad Shahid). From Bhopal he went on a
visit to the Holy cities of Mecca and Medina, to complete his education
and also in order to attain other worldly felicity' ( An interesting
anecdote is related in this connection, which was narrated by
Nuruddin himself. While leaving for the Holy cities, he asked Maulana
Abdul Qayyum to tender him some advice. He said, "Never become
God or Prophet." Abdul Qayyum explained that by 'not becoming God'
what he had meant was that, if any of his desires were frustrated, he
should not feel greatly dejected, for to be able to do what one likes is
the attribute of God alone; by 'not becoming the Prophet' he meant
that if people rejected his fatwas, he should not deem them to be
condemned to hell, for it is the disobedience of the Prophet alone
which condemns one to hell (Mirqat al-yaqin, p. 79).

In Mecca, he studied Abu Da'ud under Shaykh Muhammad Khazraji,

Sahih Muslim under Sayyid Husain and began to study Musallam al-
Thuhut under Maulana Rahmatullah Kayranawl, the author of Izhar al-
Haqq. Sometimes, he had heated discussion with his teachers and
showed trends towards non-conformity and exaggerated confidence in
the soundness of his own views and intelligence. (Mirqat at-laqin p.
95-97.)

At Mecca, be finished his study of Abu Daud and Ibn Majah under
Shaykh Muhammad Khazraji. In the meantime Shah Abdul Ghani
Mujaddidi had arrived in Mecca. Later on, when Shah Mujaddidi
returned to Medina, the Hakim joined him and after taking an oath of
allegiance to him remained as his student for six months.

Occupation

After pilgrimage and visit to the Holy places, Nuruddin returned to his
native place, Bhaira and stayed there for some time. During his stay
he debated with people - as to whether the current customs and
usages conformed to the teachings embodied, in the collections of
Hadith; this turned some people against him. This led him to realise
the ignorance and stagnation of the common people and his own
superiority and intellectual excellence. He also went to Delhi during
the Durbar of Lord Lytton and there met Munshi jamaluddin Khan, the
Chief Minister of Bhopal, who brought him to Bhopal. After a short stay
at Bhopal, Nuruddin once more went back to Bhaira and began
practising medicine there. Soon his reputation as a successful
physician spread and he was invited by the Maharaja of Jammu to
serve him as his personal physician. For a considerable period of time
he served the ruler of Jammu, Poonch and kashmir and gained
considerable influence there by dint of his ability as a physician, and
his eloquence, knowledge and wit. He had become a very close
confidant of the Maharaja and, thus, quite powerful.

An Ardent Follower of Mirza

There were many similarities of character and temperament between

Hakim Nuruddin and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. It is difficult to say how
they came into contact with each other. Their first meeting, however,
took place at Qadian in 1885. When the Mirza wrote Bardhin-i-
Ahmadiya, Nuruddin wrote a book supporting it. His admiration for the
Mirza increased so much so that he took an oath of allegiance at his
hands and accepted him as his spiritual guide, his leader, and pledged
to follow him. The following letter of Nuruddin shows the depth of his
Attachment to the Mirza.
"My master, my guide, my leader: Assalam-o-Alaykum wa Rahmat
ullah,
It is my prayer to be ever present before you and to learn from you all
that for which the Imam of the age has been made the Mujaddid. If it is
permitted, I would resign my job and spend day and night in your
exalted service; or, if it is ordered, I would give up my present
engagements and go around the whole world, summoning people
towards the true religion and would lay down my life in this cause. I
am a martyr in your cause: whatever I have is not mine; it is yours.
Respected guide and mentor, with utmost sincerity I say that -if all my
wealth and belongings are sacrificed in the cause of religious
preaching, I will have achieved my purpose. If the buyers of Barahin in
advance are uneasy at the delay in the publication of the book, please
permit me to render the humble service of paying them all their dues
from my pocket.

"Respected pir and guide: this worthless one, ashamed of himself,

says that if this offer is accepted it would be a pleasure for him. What I
mean is that I may be permitted to bear the entire cost of printing
Barahin and that what- ever proceeds there might be from its sale,
should be spent on your needs. My relationship with you is the same
as that of Faruq (with the, Prophet) and I am prepared to sacrifice all
in this path. Please pray that the end of my life be like that of Siddiqs
(the truthful ones)."
Nuruddin's faith in the Mirza was very deep indeed. It so happened
that when the Mirza wrote Fath-i-Islam and Tawdih al-Maram
someone asked Nuruddih, before he had seen these books, if any
other Prophet could come after the Holy Prophet. "No", he replied.
"And if someone claims to be a Prophet?" he was asked. 'Nuruddin
replied that if someone did claim so, it would be seen whether he was
truthful or not; and that his claim would be accepted if he was truthful.
After narrating this incident, Nuruddin himself adds:
"This was just the case of prophetbood. My faith is that even if the
Promised Messiah were to proclaim himself to be the bearer of, a
Shariah and abrogate the Quranic Shariah, I will not reject that claim.
For, when we have accepted him (i.e. the Mirza) to be truthful and to
have been commissioned by God, then whatever he will say will 'Of
necessity be true and we will have to think that the (Quranic) verse in
respect of Khatim at yin (the last of the Prophets) has a different
meaning." (Sirat al-Makd;, pp. 96-99.)
During Disassociation with the Court of Jammu, Nuruddin wrote Fasl-
ul-Khitab in four volumes under the guidance of the Mirza in which he
refuted Christianity. He kept on contributing very magnanimously to
the publication of the works of the Mirza and quite often the Mirza took
large sums of money as loans from him and praised him for his
religious enthusiasm his readiness to help the religious cause and his
large hearted generosity. The famous couplet of the Mirza about
Nuruddin is:
"How good would it be, were every one - in the Ummat a Nuruddin;
That would be so, if the light of faith burnt in the heart of everyone."
For several reasons, particularly , the intrigues of the courtiers, the
Maharaja's attitude towards Nuruddin subsequently changed. In 1893
or 1894, his service with the Maharaja was terminated and Nuruddin
returned to Bhaira. After a brief stay and practice of medicine there he
moved to Qadian permanently and dedicated his life to supporting the
Mirza and spreading his movement.

Accession to Khilafat

On the Mirza's death on May 26, 1908, he became his first Khalifah.
The followers of the Mirza paid their allegiance to him and be was
proclaimed to be the "Khalifah of the Promised Messiah", and
"Nuruddin the Great." For quite some time Nuruddin remained hesitant
whether he should consider those who did not believe in the Mirza's
prophethood to be unbelievers. Later, he was converted to the view
that they were unbelievers. There was some controversy about his
nomination as the Khalifah. Some people strongly opposed it. On one
such occasion he said:
"I say by God that it is God Himself who had made me the Khalifah.
So, who now has the power to snatch from me the robe (literally the
covering sheet) of this Caliphate? It was the Will of God Himself and
was in the light of His Own wise consideration to make me your Imam
and Khalifah. You can attribute to me a thousand shortcomings. They,
in fact, will be attributable not to me, but to God Himself who
appointed me the Khatifah." (Review of Religions, Qadian, V61.14 No
6, p. 234"(cited from Ilyas Barni's Qadiyani Mazhab).)
On another occasion he said:
"God has made me the Khalifah. Now, neither can I be dismissed
(from Caliphate) by your biddance nor has anyone the power to
remove me. If you force me any further, bear in mind that I have at my
disposal many Khalid bin Walid who will punish you as (Khalid bin
Waild had punished) the apostates. ( Tashkhiz at-Azhan, Vol. 9 No. 11
cited by Barni. )
Nuruddin remained the Khalifah of the Qadiani movement for six
years. On March 13, 1914, he fell from a horse and died. A few days
before his death, his tongue had ceased to functional. (The Daily Al-
Fadhl, Qadian, 23 Februlry, 1932, (cited from Qadiani Mazhab)) He
nominated Mirza Basbiruddin Mahmood, the eldest son of Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad, to be his successor and Khalifah.

Temperament

A study of Nuruddin's life shows that he possessed a mercurial nature

and remained a prey to mental conflicts during the greater period of
his life. From the very beginning he had a bent towards "free-thinking".
First of all, he freed himself from the bonds of the four Muslim schools
of jurisprudence and carried his non-conformism to an extreme. Then
he came under the influence of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan's literature
and assimilated his way of thinking. This was the time when some
elementary knowledge of physical sciences was finding its way to
India and the rationalists among Indian Muslims were becoming
deeply impressed by it. Those who had a religious inclination
attempted to harmonise Quranic teachings with scientific knowledge. If
this harmonisation presented any difficulty, they tried to overcome it by
offering far-fetched interpretations of Quranic verse and, the Quranic
terminology. Nuruddin's teaching of Tafsir was, representative of this
intellectual trend." ( A good example of his way of thinking is found in
the Tafsir of his pupif Maulavi Muhammad Ali Lahori (His Tafsir is
found in English as well as Urdu). )
In Sirat al-Mahdi, Mirza Bashir Ahmad writes:
"In the beginning Hazrat Nuruddin, the first Khalifah, was deeply under
the influence of the way of thinking and the work of Sir Sayyid. But,
subsequently, due to contact with Hazrat Sahib, this influence
gradually wore off." (Sirat al-mahdi, Vol. 1, p. 159.)
But a study of his ideas as well as those of his disciples makes it
evident that either because of the influence of Sir Sayyid's ideas or
because of his own predilection, he remained the same all his life. His
mind lead been moulded into a rigid frame and his mental attitudes
had become too hardened to change.

A more careful study of his life reveals that along with his
enlightenment and rationalism, there was a strong superstitious
element in his personality. Despite all his non-conformism and
rationalism, he attached great importance to 'dreams' and
'inspirations'. It has been observed that not infrequently people who
stand for intellectual freedom, in fact, for intellectual revolt, also have
an inherent trait of superstitiousness. Their frame of mind is basically
apologetic. Such people keep on raising the banner of revolt all their
lives against certain institutions or personalities, but, at the same time,
when they submit before someone, their power of free-thinking and
independent judgement is totally paralysed. Man's life is a strange
combination of action and reaction; and his personality a complex of
divergent, even mutually conflicting elements. Nothing is more difficult
to understand and analyse than the driving urges of a man's
personality.

Part II - On the Road to Prophethood

Chapter II-1 - Mirza as Champion of Islam
We have covered so far a part of the life of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, his
life in his township in district Gurdaspur where we saw him immersed
in the study of religious books. His works published after 1880 indicate
that the main subjects of his study were different religions, particularly
Christianity and Indian religions such as Sanatan Dharma and Arya
Samaj.

This period is known for the religious polemics. The educated people
of the time had a relish for religious debates and controversies. We
have already seen that Christian missionaries were busy propagating
Christianity and refuting Islam. The British Government, which was
officially the defender or the Christian Faith, patronised these
activities, considering India a gift of Jesus Christ. On the other hand
were the preachers of the Arya Samaj movement, who were
enthusiastically trying to undermine Islam. The British who were aware
of the dangerous possibility of inter-communal concord in India, a
manifestation of which was the struggle for Indian independence of
1857, found it expedient to encourage religious controversies. The
British political interest was served by these controversies in so far as
they led to mutual hatred, intellectual bewilderment and moral chaos
in the country so that the religious communities of India might be
disposed at least to tolerate a government which sought to protect all
of them and under whose shadow all could carry on their holy
debates. In such an atmosphere, anyone why rose to defend Islam
and falsify other religions naturally attracted the attention of all
Muslims.

The ambitious and farsighted Mirza chose this field for his adventures.
He undertook to produce a voluminous work to demonstrate, on one
hand, the truth of Islam, the Divine origin of the Quran, and the
Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah by rational arguments and, on
the other, to refute Christianity, Sangtan Dharma, Arya Samaj and
Brahmo Samaj, etc. He named this book Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah.

The Barghin and the Mirza's Challenge

The writing of Bardhin started in l879. (Sirat at-Mahdi, Vol. 11, p. 157.)
The author undertook to put forward one hundred arguments in
support of Islam. In this undertaking, the Mirza also had
correspondence with other learned people whom he requested to
communicate to him their views to assist him in this venture. Those
who complied with his request included Maulavi Chirdghall, who was a
noted colleague of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan. The Mirza included some
of his articles and researches in his work. At long last this work, which
was anxiously awaited by hundreds of people, did break into print in
four volumes. Along with this book, its author also published an
announcement in Urdu and English and sent it to rulers and ministers
of States, to Christian clergymen and to Hindu pandits. In this book,
the Mirza announced for the first time that he had been appointed by
God to demonstrate the truth of Islam and that he was prepared to
satisfy the followers of other religions about his religion. The
announcement categorically stated: I
"This humble slave (the author of Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah) has been
appointed by the Glorious Almighty to strive for the reform of God's
creatures and to show to the ignorant the straight path (which leads to
true salvation and by following which the light of heavenly existence
And of Divine pleasure and graciousness can be experienced even in
this world) in the manner of the Israelite Prophet of Nazareth
(Messiah) with utmost humility and self-denial, self-abasement and
gentleness. It is for this purpose that Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah has been
written, of which thirty-seven is to be found in parts have been
published. Its summary the announcement enclosed with this letter.
But since the publication of the whole book would require a long time,
it has been decided that this letter along with the English
announcement should be published and one copy of each sent to the
honourable priests of Punjab, India and England and other countries ,
wherever possible." (Supplement to Barahn-i-Ahmadiyah, Vol. I by
Merajuddin Umar, p. 82)
The Mirza challenged the world to come forward with any book
parallel to this one and invited the representatives of other religions to
prove the truth of their religions by the same or even lesser number of
arguments than he had put forward. He wrote:
"I, the author of this book, Baraheen-i-Ahmadiyah, make this
announcement with the promise to make a reward of 10,000 rupees to
the followers of all faiths and religions, who deny the truth of the
Glorious Quran and the Prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa
(God's benediction and salutation be on him) and in support of it I
commit myself to a formal legal undertaking and a Sharei pledge that,
if any of these deniers can show that their scriptures have as many
and as sound arguments as found in the Holy Quran and which we
have mentioned herein to demonstrate the truth of the Glorious
Message and the veracity of the Apostleship of the Khatim-al-Ambiya
(God's benediction and salutation be upon him) which have been
derived from the Sacred Book (Quran) itself; or if they cannot come
forward with an equal number of arguments, then half, or a third, or a
fourth, or fifth of the number of our arguments; or if they find that
impossible, then at least to refute our arguments one by one then, in
either of these cases, provided three authors accepted by both the
parties, unanimously express the view that the condition has been
fulfilled in the manner it should have been fulfilled, the announcer (of
this announcement) shall hand over to such a respondent without an
excuse or hesitation the occupancy and ownership of his property
valued at Rs. 10,000. (Barghzn-f-Ahmadiyah, Vol. 1, pp. 17-22.)
The Mirza called upon the Muslims to make monetary contributions to
this great service, which he wanted to render to the cause of Islam
and to participate in it generously. (See litimis-i-Zarari in Brdhfn, Vol.
1.) It seems that, the response of Muslims to this call was not as
enthusiastic as the Mirza had expected. In the later volumes of
Barahin, he has mourned their lack of enthusiasms. The
announcements which formed the preface of the book are significant.
In them, we find some indications of the driving forces of the Mirza's
personality. In them, we notice his habit of boastfulness and self-
adulation and his confidence in 'heavenly signs' as means of
establishing his claims and persuading people. Along with all that, the
statements unmistakably smack of his commercial mentality. (Arz-i-
Zurrarl ba Halat-i-Majbnri. Brahin, Vol. 1.)

Preaching and Politics

In the third and fourth volumes of Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah, the Mirza

openly praised the British government and enumerated at length its
acts of benevolence towards Muslims in the sections entitled, 'An
Important Appeal to Islamic Associations: The Precarious Condition of
Muslims and the English Government.' In this appeal he, urged all
Islamic Associations to prepare a joint memorandum and send it to the
government with signatures from all prominent Muslims. He also
reiterated the services rendered by his family to the British and
stressed the impermissibility of jihad.

Thus we find that even the first work of the Mirza was not free from
panegyrics to the British government and from political admonitions to
the Muslims to remain loyal to the British.

The Magnunx Opus

The Mirza worked on this book from 1880 to 1884. After the
publication of the fourth volume there came a long period of gap and
the fifth and the last volume appeared in 1905, that is, full twenty-five
years after the commencement of the work. In the fifth volume the
author mentioned that the publication of the last volume had remained
in suspension for twenty-three years. During this period a large
number of people who had paid in advance for all the five volumes but
had received only four volumes had passed away. Several other
people who had paid in advance had expressed their disapproval and
resentment at not receiving the promised volume for which the Mirza
apologized in the fifth volume. In this volume, he has also mentioned
that previously he had in mind to bring forward 300 arguments to
prove the truth of Islam, but later he gave up the idea. In the same
way, instead of fifty, be would bring out only five volumes. The reason
for this change of mind was that the difference between the two
figures was merely that of a zero. In his own words:
"Earlier I had thought of writing 50 volumes, but now I have confined
myself to writing five since the difference between the figures fifty and
five is just that of one dot (that is zero). Thus the promise has been
fulfilled by the publication of five volumes." (Preface of Barahin-i-
Ahmadiyah, Vol. V, P. 7.)
In Sirat al-Mahdi, Mirza Bashir Ahmad writes:
"Now that four volumes of Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah have come out in
print, its preface and notes all relate to the time of publication and it
contains very little of the original work, that is, not more than a few
pages. This can be gauged from the fact that out of the 300
arguments which he had written the Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah contains
only one argument and that too not in a complete form." (Sirat al-
Mahdi, Vol. 1, p.7.)
Anyone who studies Bardhin-i-Ahmadiyah is bound to be impressed
by the author's prolificity, perseverance and diligence. These virtues,
at best, could stand him in good stead as a successful debater and an
able writer on religious polemics with Christians and Arya Samajis. In
this huge work, however, one does not find any worthwhile research.
Nor does one find that familiarity with the sources of Christianity, its
ancient literature, its doctrines and history, and that grasp of its
fundamental concepts as one finds, for example, in the works of
Maulana Rahmatuilah Kayranwi (d. 1309 A.H. / 1891 A.D.), the author
of lzhar al-Haqq and Izalat al-Awham. Nor does one find that
sweetness and elegance of expression, and that originality and
brilliance of argument that one finds in works such as those of
Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanawatwi's (d. 1297 A.H./ 1879 A.D.)
Taqrlr Dilpizir and -Hujjat al-IsiFim.

Inspirations and Bragging

The reader also frequently encounters in the Mirza's book references

to his Divinely inspired revelations, to miracles and to Divine
communications and prophecies, and, last but not the least, his
boastfulness. All this leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth and
transforms the book which claims to embody a sober academic
discussion and a dignified religious debate, into a work of personal
bragging - a work in which, again and again, the author stoops to self-
advertisement and self-glorification.

The central theme of the book is that Divine inspiration had not
ceased and should not cease. This inspiration itself is the most
powerful proof of the validity of any claim and the truth of religion and
faith. Whoever will follow the Holy Prophet perfectly will be endowed
with the external and internal knowledge which had been granted
originally to the Prophets, and the person will, therefore, become
possessed of certain and categorical knowledge. The intuitive
knowledge of such people would resemble the knowledge of the
Prophets. It is these people who have been called Amthat in Hadith
and Siddiq in the Quran. The time of their advent would resemble the
time of the advent of the Prophets. It is such people who will establish
the truth of Islam and their inspiration will be of a categorical nature. (
Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah, Vol. 111, 231 and 244.)

In trying to prove the continuity of this inspiration, he cites his own

inspirations and writes:
"We have several examples of this inspiration before us. But in the
one which, took place just now at the time of writing these notes in
March 1882, it has been revealed as a prophecy that through this
book and on becoming informed of its contents, the opponents will
ultimately be defeated; that seekers after Truth will find true guidance;
perversion of belief will be uprooted; and people will help and turn
their attention and come around (me) etc., since God will put this into
their hearts and direct them to it. (Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah, Vol. III, p.
238.)
This has been followed by a more recent lengthy inspiration which is
almost an entirely incoherent collection of different Quranic verses.
This inspiration embraces about forty lines of the Barahin and contains
about fifty-three or fifty-four Quranic verses, interspersed with a few
Traditions of the Prophet. Besides, there are a few sentences by the
Mirza himself which are an example of what might be termed as poor
Indianized Arabic. The last lines of the inspiration which contain a
comparatively smaller proportion of Quranic verses, read as follows:
"Live in the world like a stranger or traveller. Become one of the
righteous and the truthful. Bid whatever is good and forbid whatever is
bad and send your salutations to Muhammad and his progeny. Prayer
alone brings man up. Verity I will raise thee towards Myself and I have
put love from Me (in the hearts of people). There is no god but Allah.
So, write and let it be published and sent to the world. Grasp Unity (of
God), Unity (of God), O people of Iran and give glad tidings to those
who believed that they have a standing with their Lord. And read out
to them what has been revealed to thee from thy Lord And do not
swell thy face for the creatures of God and do not get tired of people.
The people of al-Suffah? And who are the people of al-Suffah? Thou
shalt see their eyes wet with tears and they will send their salutations
to thee. O Lord of ours! We heard a herald calling towards belief, a
sumrnon towards Allah, and a bright lamp. Be of hope!"(Barahin-i-
Ahmadiyah, Vol. 111, p. 242.)
In the same way, an inspiration has been reproduced in the fourth
volume of the same book. This inspiration too is an incoherent
conglomeration of Quranic verses and Quranic expressions. It also
contains some very obvious errors of Arabic language and grammar
(which have been indicated by us by question marks):
"And when it is said to them believe as men believed they say: Should
we believe as they believe who are stupid? Beware! it is they who are
stupid, but they know not, and wish that you should compromise with
them (?) Say: Un-believers! I worship not that which you worship. It
was said to you: turn to god but you turn not; and it was said to you,
subdue your souls, but you subdue them not. Doest thou seek of them
any reward that feel burdened (in accepting your message). No, we
brought Truth to them (gratuitously) and it is Truth to which they are
averse. God is pure and free from whatever they attribute to Him. Do
people think that they would be left by merely saying: We believed,
and they would not he Put to an trial? These people love to be praised
for deeds which they have not performed, while nothing is hidden from
God and nothing is good which God does not make good and no one
can restore him to His favours who has fallen from His grace."
(Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah, Vol. IV, P. 509.)
Apart from these revelations in the Arabic language there are two
revelations in English as well. (Ibid, pp. 554 and 556.)

Mirza's beliefs in the Barahin

In the four volumes of Barahin (published 1880-1884), the Mirza

expressed merely the view that ilham (Divine inspiration) had not
ceased and would not cease, and that the legacy of the Prophets
continues in respect of inspired comprehension of things, in respect of
the illumination of faith and categorical knowledge. In this book he has
also frequently mentioned that be had been commissioned by God to
reform the world and spread the message of Islam; that he was
mujaddid (renovator) for the present age, and that he bore
resemblance to Jesus (peace be on him)." (Sirat at-Mahdi, Vol. 1, p.
39. ) In this book he also adheres to the notion of the ascension of
Jesus to the heaven and that be would return to the earth. In the
appendix to his book, Nuzul al-Musih, published in 1902, and in
volume V of Barahin, which came out in 1905, the Mirza has admitted
that he used to subscribe to the above view and has even expressed
his surprise at his having believed in the ascension and return of
Jesus. In Barahin he had also strongly rejected the idea of any fresh
revelation and of the advent of any new Prophet. The reason for this
belief was that the Quran and its teachings were in no danger of being
distorted nor was there any danger of Muslims reverting to pre-Islamic
ignorance and paganism. On the contrary, he admitted that the
attitude of the polytheists, owing to contact with the monotheists is
gradually tending towards monotheism. This being the case -that the
main dangers which revelation and prophethood seek to avert were no
longer real- there was no need for any new Shariah or any fresh ilham
(inspiration). This also established the termination of prophethood with
the advent of the Holy Prophet:
"Now, since it is rationally impossible and inconceivable that the true
teachings of the Glorious Furqan will be distorded or changed, or the
darkness of polytheism and worship of God's creatures would
predominate again it is also rationally inconceivable that there should
be a new Shariah, or the sending down of a new inspiration (ilham).
For, that which leads to impossibility is itself also impossible. Thus, it
is proved, that the Holy Prophet was in reality the last of the prophets
(Khalim-I-Rusul). (Bardahin, Vol. IV, p. III n.)
Reception of the book

It seems that the book was enthusiastically welcomed in the religious

and academic circles of the country. Indeed the publication of this
work was very well-timed and the Mirza, as well as his friends,
publicised it With great zest. The secret of the success of the book
seems to lie in the fact that it challenged other religions and, instead of
apologising on behalf of Islam, it took the offensive against them.
Noted among those who appreciated and enthusiastically supported
this book was Maulana Muhammad Husain Batalawi. In his magazine
Isha at al-Sunnah, he wrote a long review eulogising the book in six
issues of the magazine. (Vol.Vlll 684 nos., 6-11. ) In this review, the
book was lavishly praised and commended as a great academic
achievement of the time, a masterpiece of research and authorship.
Not much later, the Maulana felt alarmed at the big claims and
'inspiration' of the Mirza and, subsequently, became one of his
staunch opponents. On the other hand, there were many who were
alarmed even by his first book and who began to feel that its author
had set himself on a path which would lead him, in the near future, to
claim prophethood for himself. Among these farsighted people were
the two sons of the late Maulana Abdul Qadir Ludbianawi, Maulana
Muhammad and Maulana Abdul 'Aziz. The Ahi-i-Hidith 'ulama of
Amritsar and some ulama of the Ghaznawi family opposed him from
the very beginning and denounced his inspirations as fantasies. (Set
isha at al-Sunnah, June, 1884. Vol. Vil, No. 6)

This book brought the Mirza out of obscurity and put him on the stage
of public renown, so that countless eyes were turned towards him. In
Sirat at-Mahdi, Mirza Bashir Ahmad has aptly observed how this book
brought the Mirza to the limelight:
"Before writing Barahin, the Promised Messiah spent a life of
anonyirnity and in this isolation his was the life of a darwish. Before
Barahin, he had become known to some extent as a result of his
having written a series of articles in some newspapers, but all this was
very meagre. In fact, it is the announcement of Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah
which, for the first time and for good, placed him before the country
and introduced him to those interested in academic and religious
matters. The eyes of the people began to turn in amazement towards
this anonymous villager, who had promised to write a great book
about the truth of Islam in such a challenging manner and with the
promise of a huge sum of money as reward (to any one who could
refuse his arguments). Thus the sun of guidance which bad already
appeared on the horizon, now began to rise higher. Later the
publication of Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah created an extraordinary stir in the
religious circles of the country. In general, the Muslims welcomed him
as a great 'Mujaddid'. As for the opponents of Islam, this book came to
them as a bombshell and created great turbulence in their camp.
(Sirat al-Mohdi, VoL 1, pp. 103-104. )
The Mirza himself says the following about his life before the
publication of Barahin:
"This was the time when nobody knew me; when nobody was either in
favour of or opposed to me, for, at that time, I was a non-entity; I was
just one among the people, hidden in the corner of anonymity.
(Tatimmah Haqtqat al-Wahy, pp. 27-28.)
He adds:
"All the people of this town (i.e. Qadian) and thousands of other
people are aware that at this period of time I was in fact, like a dead
body which had been buried in the grave for centuries and no one
even knew whose grave it was. (lbid, p. 28. )
Debates with Arya Samajis

In 1886, the Mirza had a debate with Murli Dhar of Arya Samij, in
Hoshiarpur. He has written a full-fledged book about this debate,
Surmah-i-Chashm-i-Arya (Kohl for the eye of the Arya). This is the
second of his polemics on religions and religious sects.

The topic of the first day's debate was the rational and historical proof
of the miracle of cleaving the moon. The Mirza not only strongly
affirmed this miracle, but the miracles of other prophets as well. He
showed that the occurrence of miracles and supernatural incidents
was rationally possible.. He took the position that because of the
inherent limitations of man's intellect, knowledge and experience, he
bad no right to deny miracles and thus make the claim to comprehend
this vast universe in its entirety. He repeatedly stressed that the
knowledge of man was very limited and the range of possibilities very
wide. (Surma-i-Chashm-i-Arva pp. 557,) (so that the notion that man's
knowledge could be comprehensive was untenable). He also stressed
that in religious matters, faith in the unseen was essential and that this
was not in conflict with reason, for the latter could not be all
comprehensive in its range. In fact, whatever rational objections the
Mirza pointed out to the belief regarding the ascension of Jesus to the
heavens and his descent in future and his stay in the heaven for
several centuries and the so-called 'rationalist' trend in his later
writings can best be refuted by the arguments that he himself
advanced in this book. The personality of the author in this book is
quite different from the one in his later writings.

These two books made the Mirza excessively self-appreciative; he

became aware of his ability as a writer and debater and became
confident that he was capable of initiating a new movement and
influencing his environment. It seems that this discovery proved to be
the turning-point in his life. Henceforth, instead of debating with
Christians and Arya Samajis he turned towards Muslims and began to
challenge them to debate with him.

Chapter II-2 - The Mirza Becomes Messiah

Influence of Nuruddin
We have seen earlier that when Nuruddin was in jammu in connection
with his employment, the Mirza was staying in Sialkot, where he was
employed in the District Commissioner's office. The two had a number
of things in common: both relished religious controversies and
debates and both were ambitious. It seems plausible that each of
them was influenced by the other's personality. Hence,
correspondence between them began in 1885. In the collection of the
Mirza's letters, the earliest letter to Nuruddin that we find is dated
March 8,1885. This correspondence continued without break and
became so intimate as to include family and matrimonial problems. In
January 1888, the Mirza undertook a trip to Kashmir in order to meet
Nuruddin and stayed with him for a month. The Mirza kept Nuruddin in
touch with his inspirations, inspired predictions, and novel pieces of
information and research. He even complained to Nuruddin about the
opposition of the ulama and the alleged view of some of them that he
was not a Muslim. In a letter of July 15, 1890, he wrote to Nuruddin :
"And I have heard that these people have begun to call me in hushed
tones a kafir. It was known from this that the Exalted Allah wants to
show something great." (Makiiibit-i-Ahmadiyah, Vc)l. V, p. 79.)
Up till then (i.e. 1890), the Mirza had only claimed, that he was a
mujaddid and that he had been commissioned by God and , according
to Mirza Bashir Ahmad, he continued to say that he had been raised
to reform the people in the manner of the Messiah of Nazareth and
that he had a certain resemblance to him. (Sirat al-Mahdi, Vol. I, p. 39.
) In the Barahin he expressed the opinion that the absolute
predominance of Islam which has been promised in the Quranic verse
: 'It is He who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of
Truth to proclaim it over all religions' would be fulfilled through the
Promised Messiah, whose return to the world had been mentioned in
the Traditions of the Prophet. As for himself, he merely resembled the
Messiah in respect of the first phase of his life, that is, his life on earth.
In his own words:
"This, verse ('It is He who has sent His Apostle') is a prophecy which,
in the physical and political senses refers to the Messiah; and the
promise of complete predominance of the religion of Islam, which has
been made will be fulfilled through the triumph of the Messiah. And
when Hazrat Masih (upon him be peace) will come into this world,
Islam will spread all over the world, to all lands. But it has been
revealed to this humble one that, in view of his poverty and humility,
his trust in God and his sacrifice, and in respect of signs and
illuminations, he is an examplar of the first phase of the life of Messiah
and that the natures of this humble one and of the Messiah are
extremely alike as if they were two pieces of the same substance, two
fruits of the same tree; and the similarity goes to such an extent that
the distinction is very minor." (Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah, Vol. IV, p. 495-
98.)
Nuruddin's Advice

In the life of the Mirza as well as in the history of Qadianism, the year
1891 is very crucial. It is in the beginning of this year that Nuruddin, in
one of his letters, advised the Mirza to proclaim himself to be the
Promised Messiah. (Although in his letter Nuruddin used the
expression Replica of the Messiah, the study of Fath-i-Islam and
Izalatal-Awham shows that Replica of. the Messiah and Promised
Messiah were treated as synonymous terms and were used by the
Mirza interchangeably. To cite an instance) We have not been able to
see this letter of Nuruddin, but the reply sent by the Mirza refers to this
advice of Nuruddin. This letter of the Mirza is included in the collection
of his letters and is dated January 24, 1891. This letter reveals the
intellectual sources, the behind-the-scene director of the play, the
actual author of Qadianism. The following is an excerpt from this
historic letter:
"It has been said by you, Sir, that there is no harm in proclaiming
myself to be the Promised Messiah even independent of the one
referred to in the Damascene Hadith. This humble one has no need of
becoming a replica of the Messiah. I merely want Allah to include me
among His humble and obedient servants. But we cannot escape from
being put to test. The Exalted Allah has made trial the only way to
advancement, as He says: "Do men think they will be left alone on
saying 'We believe, that they will not be tested ? (Maktubat-i-
Ahmadiyah Vol. V, No. 2, p. 85.) (xxix, 2)
"This descent does not mean the real descent of the Messiah, the son
of Mary; it is only a figurative expression which, informs the coming of
the one like the Messiah which, according to Divine pronouncements
and inspirations, is this humble one."
What were the real motives of this advice? Was it merely Nuruddin's
farsightedness and ambitious nature or had it been made on some
kind of encouragement from the powers-that- were? It is difficult now
to say what actually lay behind the advice. As for the latter possibility,
it appears nor far-fetched at all if we bear in mind the historical
background of the rise of this new movement. The situation was that
the British had witnessed the religious movement of Sayyid Ahmad
Shahid and had been put to considerable difficulty owing to that. In
more or less the same period of time, there had risen another
movement in the Sudan, led by the Sudanese Mahdi, and this too had
given the British a very hard time. It is not unlikely that the British
should have hit upon the desirability of the rise of a reliable religious
leader of their choice. If such a leader was able to win the confidence
of the Muslims, through his services to the cause of Islam, and
capture the religious imagination of people by his religious zeal, he
could serve as a good means to secure the British against the threat
of anti-British religious movements. And since the Muslims already
believed in the advent of the Messiah, their acceptance of such a
person as the Messiah could not have been ruled out. Such a
Messiah, if he preached loyalty to the powers-that-were in the name of
God and Islam, could be of great service to the cause of the British.
Nothing, however, can be said with complete certainty. Nevertheless
the above cited letter of the Mirza remains a significant document, and
might have the clue to the origin of Qadianism.

What is worth remembering at this point is that so far as the prophets

of God are concerned, their mission does not depend on outside
suggestions. They receive revelation from the heaven and are
categorically informed of their position and mission. Their hearts are
full of conviction and from the very first day they announce and keep
on stressing what they believe to be the truth. Neither their own faith,
nor their summons, depends upon someone else's drawing their
attention towards it. From the very first day they keep on saying:
This am I commanded and I am the first of those who bow to His
Will. (Quran, VI:163)
Belief about Jesus

The return of Jesus is an established article of creed in Islam. (The

ascension of Jesus to the heavens and his return to the World in the
future is one of those beliefs of Muslims, which have their basis in
Qur'an and is also proved by Prophetic Traditions, and in which
Muslims have believed consistently. Ibn Kathir says that the Prophetic
Traditions regarding the return of Jesus are numerous enough to be
regarded as one supported by an unbroken chain of transmission. Ibn
Hajar also quotes Abul Husain Abari in Fatah-al-Bari regarding the
tawatur of Traditions on this question. Shawkani has written a treatise
just on this subject entitled Tasdiq fi ma ja fi al-muntazir wa at-Dajjal
wa al-Masih. None of the important religious personalities has been
recorded as denying this belief, not even the Mutazilah. Ibn Hazm, in
his renowned work Al-Fisal fi al-Milal wa al-Nihal, writes that this belief
is established by the unbroken continuity of transmission. This
question has been discussed in detail in Anwar Shah Karhmiri's Aqidat
al-Islam. As for the rational aspect of the question, if one accepts the
omnipotence of God and affirms the perfection of His Attributes, one
can have no reason to doubt the possibility of statements found in
those traditions whose authenticity and continuity are established. In
an age of such tremendous scientific progress as ours when a number
of things which were considered hitherto impossible are taking place
before our own eyes, when man-made satellites revolve round the
world after every few hours, when man has begun to pace the outer
space, the idea that a man should ascend to the heavens and stay
there alive for a certain period of time can hardly be regarded as
inconceivable. To put forward objections which are based on Greek
concepts of astronomy or on other worn-out notions appears palpably
childish in this age of scientific advancement. Muslims have known
this and have believed in it.

Traditions from the Prophet mention it and, moreover, owing to the

adversity of circumstances the Muslims had developed a mood to
expect that some great, divinely inspired personality would appear
suddenly and set things right for them. As the, thirteenth century of
hijrah drew close to its termination, this state of expectancy became
even more intense. Nuruddin, therefore, had reasons to presume that
in view of the popularity won by the Mirza by his religious services his
claim to be the Messiah was likely to be accepted by Muslims.

The Mirza accepts the suggestion

The manner in which the Mirza declined to accept the suggestion

made by Nuruddin, and the spirit of humility and piety which he
evinced in his letter on that subject are very valuable and add to his
prestige. But for anyone who studies his works in a chronological
order, it is hard to retain this feeling of respect for long. For we find
him quite soon accepting the suggestion of Nuruddin - which he had
turned down earlier - of proclaiming himself to be 'the Replica of the
Messiah.'

If we survey the works of the Mirza, the can be very easily divided into
two phases. The first phase consists of those works in which he seeks
merely to prove, the validity of Islam and repudiate other religions. In
these works, there is no claim of being the Messiah. This is followed
by the phase when he did make that claim and went on making
several other claims about himself, each more boastful and grandiose
than the previous one. The first book that he wrote during this phase is
Fath-i-Islam, published in 1891, the year which marks a major turning-
point in the career of the Mirza. In this work, we find him claiming to be
the Replica of the Messiah and the Promised Messiah. (Mirza Bashir
Ahmad writes in Sirat al-Mahdi: "The Promised Messiah had written
Fath-i-Islam towards the end of 1890. This is the first treatise in which
he mentioned himself to be the Replica of Messiah and that the
Messiah of Nazareth had died. In other words, this was the first
proclamation of the claim of being the Promised Messiah." (Vol. 1, pp.
267-268). This shows that the author too regards 'Replica of Messiah'
and 'Promised Messiah' to be synonymous terms.) (7. See Barahin-i-
Ahmadiyah, Surmah-i-Chashm-I-arya and Shahna-i-,Haq. )
"If you are honest, then be thankful and make prostrations of gratitude
for this is the time for which your noble fore-fathers kept waiting until
they passed away, the time which was awaited by innumerable souls
who have journeyed (to the next world); for verily, you have found that
time. Now it is for you to value it or not to benefit from it or not. I shall
say this again and shall not cease announcing that I am he who has
been sent at the proper time in order to reform people so as to revive
religion afresh in their hearts. I have been sent in the same way as the
one who was sent after Kalim Allah ......... and whose soul, after great
many pains during the rule of Herodius was raised to the heavens. So,
when the second Kalim Allah, who, indeed, was the first; and the
leader of the Prophets, came for the suppression of other Pharaohs,
the one concerning Whom it has been said. We have sent to you (O
men) an Apostle, to be a witness concerning you even as we sent an
apostle to Pharaoh; (LXXXXX : 15) then he too, who - is similar to the
first Kalim in respect of his work, and yet nobler in rank than he was -
promised a Replica of the Messiah. And this Replica of the Messiah, -
having been given the power, nature and characteristics of the
Messiah, the son of Mary descended from the heaven in an age,
similar to his age, and around almost the same time that elapsed
between the first Kalim and Messiah, son of Mary, i. e, in the
fourteenth century. And this descent was spiritual in the same way as
after having risen; perfect people come down in order to reform
people. And he too came down in a period similar in every respect to
the period of the descent of the Messiah, the son of Mary, order that it
remain a sign for those Might those who understand." (Fath-i-Mdm,
pp. 6 and 7.)
Even though, this piece of the Mirza's writing is terribly puzzling and
complicated (and perhaps deliberately so) it clearly, shows his new
claim that he is the 'Replica of the Messiah'. Three of his works,
namely Fath-i-Isram, Tuwdih-i-Matram, and Izala-i-Awham, all deal
with the same subject and frequently repeat this claim. In Fath-i-lsam
at another place the Mirza writes:
So aside from the resemblance 'With other venerable ancestors
bestowed on this humble being, there is also a special resemblance
with the nature of Hazrat Masih (upon him be peace) and it is because
of this resemblance that this humble one was sent after the name of
the Messiah in order to shatter to pieces the crucifixional belief.
Hence, I have been sent to shatter the cross and exterminate the pigs.
I have come down from the beavens, accornpanied by angels on my
right and left. (Ibid., p. 9 n.)
In his Tawdih-i-Marzam, which is his next book after fath-i-lsam he
makes this explicit statement:
With a certain degree of disagreement Muslims and Christians believe
that Messiah, the son of Mary, was raised from this elemental
existence to the heavens and that in some other age be will tome
down from the heavens. I have written about the error of this notion in
my treatise and have also stated that this descent does not mean the
actual descent of Messiah, the son of Mary; it is rather a metaphorical,
expression informing of the advent of Replica of the Messiah and
which, on the basis of information and inspiration from God, applies to
this humble one. (Tawdih-i-Mardm, p.2.)
Fanciful interpretations

Since Nuruddin had a wide knowledge of the Traditions from the

Prophet, he used to draw the attention of the Mirza towards the
difficulties in justifying his claims and also used to help him in solving
those difficulties. The problem, as to how to relate the attributes which
had been mentioned with regard to the Messiah, required
extraordinary intelligence. Here are a few examples of this intelligence
and of its having run riot.

The Traditions on which the Mirza based his claim of Messiahship

also mention a number of details relating to the descent of the
Messiah. One of these is that the Messiah would descend in
Damascus. Now, if the Mirza had been the promised Messiah, how
could this be justified in the light of the above mentioned tradition? It is
obvious that Damascus and Qadian are far away from one another.
Nevertheless, the paradox did not occur to the Mirza. It is Nuruddin
who drew his attention to it. Let us refer once more to the Mirza
himself on this question:
"This humble one had so far not occupied himself with trying to find
out the signification of this (i. e. Damascus), when a friend and trusted
lover, Maulavi Hakim Nuruddin came here to Qadian and he made a
request to turn towards God to reveal the significance of Damascus
and the two other ambiguous terms which occur in the Tradition
concerned in Muslim. Since in those days, I was sick and my mind
was incapable of strenuous exertion I was unable to attend to these
matters. Only a little bit of effort to the explanation of a word that is,
the reality of Damascus was revealed to me. (Izala-i-Awham, pp. 32-
33.)
Later, he explains his inspired discovery of the meaning of Damascus
in these terms.
Thus, it should be clear that in the interpretation of the word
'Damascus' it was revealed to me by God that that town has been
called Damascus which is inhabited by a people who have the nature
of Yazid, who follow the practices and ideas of the filthy Yazid, in
whose hearts-there is no love for God and the 'Prophet, no veneration
for the commandments of God, who have become wont to follow their
desires, whose enslavement to the commands of the baser self is
such that even the blood of the pure and the sacred appears to them
as easy and trifling, who do not believe in the Hereafter and for whom
the existence of God is a complicated problem which eludes their
understanding. And since the physician should come to the sick, it
was essential that the Messiah should appear among such people.
(Ibid. pp. 33-34n.)
Thus, 'the descent of the Massiah in Damascus' clearly indicates that
there is someone who is a Replica of the Messiah, who also
resembles Husain owing to the resemblance between these two
venerable personalities (the Messiah and Husain), and who will,
descend in order to warn the Yazidis for they are akin to the Jews.
(Ibid p. 34.)
Later, be writes
"Damascus has been used merely in a metaphorical way. (Ibid., p.
34.)
He also adds:
"Then He told me that these people had the nature of Yazid and this
town (Qadian) is similar to Damascus. So, the Exalted Allah sent this
humble one down to this Damascus for a great purpose (at the
eastern side, next to the white minaret of the mosque wherein
whosoever entered became safe. Blessed is the One who sent me
down at this place. (Ibid., p. 68.)
Two yellow sheets

In interpreting the Traditions which mention certain details of the

descent of the Messiah and in applying them to himself, the Mirza
indulges in great extravagance of imagination, puts forward the most
far-fetched meanings, and comes forward with the most ridiculous
notions - as if he were sure of the absolute gullibility of his readers.
For instance, his opponents pointed out that the Traditions on the
basis of which he had argued his case and upon which he had based
his claim also stated that, at the time of his descent, the Messiah
would be clad in two yellow sheets. Replying to that, he says:
"I am a permanently sick man. And the two yellow sheets which have
been mentioned in the Traditions as those which would be worn by the
Messiah when he would come down, these two sheets are with me
and these are, according to the science of interpretation of dreams,
two ailments. Hence, one of these sheets is on my upper part so that
headache and giddiness and insomnia and palpitation of the heart
come to me in the form of fits. The other sheet which is on the lower
part of my body is diabetes which has afflicted me for quite a long time
so that often I have urinated a hundred times during the night and day,
and due to this frequency of urination I am afflicted with all those
ailments of debility which generally result from such a disease.
(Appendices of Arbacin, Nos. 3 and 4, p. 4. )
Eastern minaret of Damascus

Traditions from the Prophet also mention the eastern minaret of

Damascus as the place where the Messiah would descend. Instead of
interpreting it in some other fanciful manner, as was his wont, what he
did in this case, was to have a minaret constructed in the eastern part
of Qadian. He made this decision in 1900, according to Sirat al-Mahdi,
and invited people to donate generously. (See the announcement
regarding the'Minaret of Messiah', in Khutba-i- Ilhamiyah, P. 1.) In
1903, he even laid its foundation. (Sirat al-Mahdi, Vol. 11., p. 154.) Its
completion, however, could not take place during his life-time, and
was Accomplished by his son Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood.

Satire and Ridicule

The three above mentioned works also crudely reveal the Mirza's bad
temper. They are full of satire and ridicule directed against opponents
and contain such bitter vituperation that these books can hardly be
reckoned among the books befitting the dignity of any serious cause.
The style and mode of expression adopted by the Mirza in these is not
even becoming of sober and dignified writers, not to speak of prophets
and religious reformers. The manner in which he scoffs at belief in the
survival and the return of the Messiah to the earth and at those who
subscribe to it reminds one of the type of wit associated with court-
jesters rather than with serious intellectuals. Moreover, the kind of
debating skill and quibbling which he employs had nothing to do with
the prophetic mode of expression. While trying to point out the rational
impossibility of the Messiah's survival in the heavens, he writes:
"Among others, one objection is that even if we were to assume that
the Messiah did reach the heavens, along with his terrestrial body,
then it would force us to admit that that body is bound to be affected in
the heavens, by the effects of time, like all other human and animal
bodies and that this passage of time will inescapably and inevitably
lead some day to his death. Thus in such a case, it will have to be
accepted in respect of the Messiah that after having completed his
course of life, he must have expired in the heavens (In the Mirza's
days neither the, physical sciences had developed to the present
extent nor was man in possession of that extent of empirical
knowledge about the outer space and other planets so as to visualise
that terrestrial concepts of time and space are not absolute and that
measurements of time and space beyond the gravitational sphere of
the earth might be quite different. He, therefore, could neither
appreciate the possibility that a thousand years of this world could be
equal to just a moment in some other world" or, that there might be a
world which is quite different from our own in respect of change,
death, feelings, requisites for survival, etc. Man seems to have the
inalienable weakness of having blind faith in the knowledge and
information of his own time and tends to deny all that has not been
known or experienced till that time. In the words of the Quran, "Nay,
they charge with falsehood that whose know ledge they cannot
compass, even before the elucidation thereof hath reached
them", and must have been buried in the graveyard of the inhabitants
of some planet (the possibility of habitation on which is being accepted
in the present times). And even if we were to assume his being alive,
there can be no doubt that he would by now have become a decrepit
old man and will hardly be capable of rendering any religious service.
Under such circumstances, his coming down to the earth seems
hardly of any consequence except an unavailing botheration.) (Izala-i-
Awham, pp. 25-26.)
At other place, he makes the following comment on that part of the
Tradition which mentions that the Messiah will "kill the swine."
"Will the excellent task that will be undertaken by the Messiah after he
comes down to the earth merely be to go around, accompanied with a
pack of hounds, hunting pigs? If this is true, then Sikhs, Chamars and
Sansis and Gandils who love pig-hunting have, reason to be glad, for
they will prosper. (Izala-i-Awham; p. 21.)
At another place he makes the following observation about the future
descent of the Messiah:
Watch out lest you are deceived by someone who first boards some
balloon And then alights from it in front of you. So, beware! Don't
mistake such a person for the son of Mary because of your
established belief. ( Ibid., p. 143. )
At still another place he refers to the same question in the following
manner:
Brethren, this question stood on two legs:

"(1) One, the descent of the son of Mary from the heavens with his
terrestrial body, towards the end of time. This leg has been broken by
the Glorious Quran and also some Traditions by informing of the death
of the Messiah, son of Mary.

"(2) The second leg was the appearance of the promised Dajjal
towards the end of time. Now this leg bas been broken into two pieces
by the unanimously agreed Traditions of Sahih Muslim and Sabih
Bukhari which have been reported by important Companions and also
by calling, Ibn Sabd to be the promised Dajjal and, at last, by killing
him after making him join the body of Muslims. Now that both the legs
of the question have been broken, bow and with whose support can
this corpse which lacks both the legs stand up after these thirteen
countries"?(Ibid., pp. 133-34.)
Here is another example of his- writing:
"Can it be proved that there has been a consensus regarding the
Traditions that the Messiah will go around hunting pigs in woods and
that Dajjal Will circumambulate around Kabah and that the son of
Mary will perform the obligatory cicumambulation of the Kabah like a
sick man, supported on the shoulders of two men? Is it not known that
the exegetists of these Traditions have been letting their conjectures
loose limitlessly ?" (Izala-i-Awham, p. 214)
At another place, he bad the following to address to the Ahl-i-Sunnah
(Lit. 'One of the path'. A term generally applied to the largest sect of
Muslims who belong to one of the four juristic schools of orthodox
Islam.) scholars:
"O respected maulavis! While the death of the Messiah is generally
proved by the Noble Quran, certain Companions and Exegetists have,
from the very beginning, been continuously killing him (that is holding
that Jesus is dead-Translator). Then, why do you adopt your attitude
of unavailing stubbornness? Let the God of Christians die. How long
will you go on calling him the living one, the undying? Is there any limit
to this?" (Izala-i-Awham, p. 235.)
Impact of Modern Knowledge

The works of the Mirza written during this period also show that he
was deeply impressed with the advancement of natural sciences and
with the scientific knowledge which was evoking great interest and
curiosity in India in his days. The level of scientific knowledge attained
by the West by that time would appear to be rudimentary when judged
by the present level of scientific advancement. However, the Mirza's
acquaintance of the scientific knowledge was second-hand and very
superficial. It seems that one of the main preps of his rejection of the
idea of the return of the Messiah was that the idea ran counter to the
accepted facts of modern science. He thought that such a belief would
expose religion to the ridicule of the educated people. He wrote in
Izala-i-Awham:
"In this philosophically-minded age, which has speedily brought with it
mental refinement and intellectual advancement, it is a big error to
think that one would be able to achieve religious success while
holding on to this beliefs. (It is hard to say how and why the Mirza
believed in such metaphysical proportions as revelation, angles,
paradise, hell, etc. and how he accepted the demand of religion.
Indeed, the very heart of religion is guided by faith in the realities
beyond the ken of human perception. The above excerpt only
illustrates the extent to which he was mentally overawed by
"modernism", and how he, like other superficial writers and ill-
educated people of the nineteenth century, had deified modern
science without appreciating its actual domain and its inherent
limitations.) If such baseless things were to spread in the deserts of
Africa or among the desert-dwellers of Arabia or in some islands of the
sea or among groups of wild people, they might spread easily. But we
cannot propagate such teachings which are totally opposed to reason
and experience and natural sciences and philosophy and which also
cannot be proved (to have originated) from our Prophet (upon him be
the salutation and peace of God); rather traditions which are quite
opposed to these are being proved among the educated people. Nor
can we present them to the scholastically inclined people of Europe
and America, who are getting rid of the absurdities of their own
religion. How can they (whose minds and hearts have been
illuminated by the light of new sciences) believe in such things which
are out and out an insult to God and constitute an abrogation of the
principles of His Book ?" (lzala-i-Awham, p. 135.)
While reading passages such as these, one finds it hard to believe
that they could have been written by the author of Surma- i-Chashm-i-
Arya; by the same writer who had strongly argued in favour of the
possibility and actual occurrence of miracles and had refuted the view
that metaphysical notions could not be denied on the basis of reason
of limited human experience.

In this book the Mirza has argued on the basis of the Jummal (The
reckoning of the alphabets by a system in which the letters have
different powers) numerals and here his mode of argument becomes
very close to that of the missionaries of the Batiniyah sect who used to
employ these numerals as evidential arguments even in. respect of
fundamental religious beliefs.
"My attention has been drawn through Kashf (Revelation of any
secret, to a mystic or saint by the grace and power of God) towards
the powers of nick letters of the following name wherein I have been
informed of the Messiah who was to appear at the end of the
thirteenth century. (God has told me) that He had already kept in view
the era (of Messiah's appearance) in giving this name (to me); and
that name is, 'Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani'. The powers of the
letters of this name add up exactly to 1300, and in this township of
Qadian there is none except this humble one whose name is Ghulam
Ahmad. In fact, it has been put in my heart that at this time there is
none except this humble one who has the name 'Ghulam Ahmad
Qadiani.' And this has been a favour bestowed by God to this humble
one that He, the Pure One, reveals the mysteries to me through the
powers of alphabetical letters." (lzala-i-Awham, p. 90.)
At another place he writes:
"Now it is proved by this research that, the Quran contains the
prediction of the coming of the Messiah, the son of Mary, towards the
end of time. The time of the appearance of the Messiah, which has
been fixed by the Quran as 1400 (A.H.) has also been accepted by
many saints on the basis of their kaslif. The Quranic verse 'And We
certainly are able to drain it off (It should be noted that this verse
refers to rain, and the whole verse reads thus: "And We send down
water from the sky according to (due) measure and We cause it to
soak in the soil; and We certainly are able to drain it off (with ease,).
(XL: 18) ) has letters which, according to the jummal, make up the
figure of 1274; and this points to the moonless nights of the Islamic
lunar months containing a hidden pointer to the rise of a new moon.
And this mystery is latent, according to jummal system, in the letters of
Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani." (lzala-i-.Awham.Vol. 11, p. 338. )
In these books, while trying to explain the Traditions from the Holy
Prophet and arguing that they referred to him, the Mirza has been
extremely heedless of all rules of exposition of such texts, giving full
rein to his fancy. In fact, it is hardly conceivable that anyone should
take such liberty in explaining even the writings or compositions of
ordinary writers and poets not to say of Traditions from prophets. To
suit his purpose, the Mirza has taken the position that the words of the
Traditions are of a figurative or metaphorical nature. Again, in this
respect, he seems to be following in the footsteps of the Batinis, who
used to explain religious terms - about whose text as well as meaning
there is an unbroken continuity of agreement - in a far-fetched and
ridiculous manner, without any Toxicological or rational basis to
support them. It is thus that they had opened the flood-gates of
atheism and nihilism.
In Izala-i-Awham, the Mirza repeatedly asserts that knowledge about
the son of Mary and Dajj had not been completely clear to the Holy
Prophet and that in this regard God had endowed him only with some
brief hints." (Ibid., Vol, 11, p. 346.)

The Messiah in Kashmir

The Mirza, kept on "reflecting" about the death of the Messiah till, in
the end, he concluded that his death had taken place in Kashmir and
that it was there that he lay buried. In this connection, according to his
wont, he did a lot of hair-splitting which shows the fertility of his
imagination even if the level is childish. He has tried to prove that the
pronunciation of Kashmir in Kashmiri language is "Kashir", and it
appears that this word, in fact, is a compound Hebrew word,
composed of 'K' which is used to denote similarity, resemblance, etc.
and of 'Ashir' which in Hebrew means Syria. Thus the word 'Kashir' in
Hebrew meant 'like Syria'. On this basis, the Mirza went on to add that
when Jesus (peace be upon him) migrated from Palestine to that part
of India, which due to the excellence of weather, agreeableness of its
seasons and its greenery and freshness had close resemblance to
Syria, God named it "Kashir", in order to comfort and gratify him. The
excessive use of the word led to the dropping of 'a' with the result, that
it became 'Kashir.' Then, he proved that the tomb of 'Budhasaf'
(popularly known as the "prince"), in the Khan Yar locality of Srinagar,
was in fact the grave of Jesus. In trying to support this piece of
research, he marshalled all possible far-fetched arguments, with the
result that his writing on the point appears closer to poetry and fiction
rather than what is normally considered to be academic writing. The
unbridled speculations of the Orientalists, who are noted for making
the mountain out of a mole-hill simply pale into insignificance when
compared with. the Mirza's Writing. (See Barahin, p. 228.)

This brings us to a definite milestone in the spiritual experiences and

claims of the Mirza. At this stage, he categorically claims to be the
"Promised Messiah" and tries to prove this by his so-called 'rational' as
well as traditional arguments.
Chapter II-3 - From Messiah to Prophet
An objective, but critical, study of the Mirza's writings gives one the
impression that his claims proceeded along a gradually ascending
scale. All this seems to have been planned very carefully and the
Mirza appears to have exercised great patience and precaution in
moving from one stage to the other. In the beginning, he expressed
the opinion that inspiration, intuitive experience and categorical
knowledge were an essential concomitant of completely following the
Prophet - a natural stage at which one arrives as a result of losing
oneself am obedience to the Prophet. He does not explicitly claim
himself to be a prophet, but talks about prophetic attributes and
characteristics and tries to prove that these attributes and
characteristics are bestowed upon the followers of the Prophet -
particularly upon the more perfect ones - by virtue of their following the
Prophet. This logic and its premises were bound to lead the Mirza,
sooner or later, to proclaim himself to be a prophet. It appears that
throughout these years, he remained busy paving the way and trying
to create the proper atmosphere for such a proclamation. He seems to
have been trying to assess whether the devotion of his followers had
reached the stage where they would not mind accepting even this
claim, as they had accepted the rest of his claims.

Proclamation of Prophethood

At last that event did take place. In the year l900, Maulavi Aabdul
Karlim, the preacher of the Friday sermon, gave a sermon in which he,
used the words Nabi (Prophet) and Rasul (Messenger) for the Mirza.
This caused great irritation to Maulavi Sayyid Muhammad Ahsan
Amrohawi. When Maulavi Abdul Karim came to know of this, he gave
another Friday sermon in which be addressed the Mirza, requesting
him to contradict his belief, if he was wrong in considering him to be a
prophet and Messenger of God. After the Friday prayers were over,
Maulavi Abdul Karim caught hold of the skirt of the Mirza's apparel
and requested him to correct him in his beliefs, if they were erroneous.
The Mirza turned around and said that he, too, held the same belief.
Meanwhile, Maulavi Muhammad Ahsan had been greatly agitated by
the sermon and in anger was pacing the floor of the mosque. On
Maulavi Abdul Karim's return, he began to quarrel with him. When
their voices rose very high, the Mirza came out of his house and
recited the Quranic verse: "O ye who believe! Don't raise your Voice
above the voice of the Prophet." (This event is based on the report of
a speech of Sayyid Sarwar Shah Qadiani at an annual conference
held in Qadian, and published in al-Fadhl, Vol. X, No. 51, dated
January 4,1923.. See also Haqiqat al- Nubuwat, p 124.) (XLIX.2)

Thus, the sermon of Maulavi Abdul Karim inaugurated a new phase in

the career of the Mirza. This sermon provided him with the much
needed assurance that his followers had such an unquestiong faith in
him that they would accept whatever claims he might make. The
Mirza's own son, Bashiruddin Mahmood, has very ably described this
development by pointing out that the Mirza used to claim himself to be
invested with the attributes which could be found in none except a
prophet and yet he used to deny his being a prophet. When he
became conscious of this inconsistency and became aware that these
attributes were untenable with his denial of prophethood, he
proclaimed himself to be a prophet. He writes:
"In short, since in the beginning the Promised Messiah thought that
the definition of Nabi is the one who brings a new Shariah or
abrogates some injunctions or is a prophet directly (appointed by
God): so, even though all the attributes and qualities required of a
prophet were found in him, he used to decline from designating
himself a prophet. When, later on, he became aware that the nature of
his claims is that of a prophet and not of a Muhaddath, he proclaimed
himself to be a prophet." (Haqiqat al-Nubuwat, Vol. 1, p. 124.)
However, whether the Mirza refrained from proclaiming himself to be a
prophet till his misunderstanding was removed and he was
commissioned by God to proclaim his prophethood, or he had been
waiting all this while for an opportune moment to make this
declaration, there is no doubt that he was ultimately led to making the
proclamation of his prophethood which was the logical result of his
earlier claims.
Elucidation and Challenge

As stated by Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood, the question was finally

decided in 1901 and the Mirza began to write about it explicitly in his
writings. The collection of articles called Arbain (The Mirza-had
promised to write forty treatises on the subject but he concluded the
series only after the fourth one. See Arbain, Vol. IV, P. 14.) is full of
declarations and explanations about this new mission. This frankness
increased steadily. In 1902, he wrote a treatise entitled Tuhfat al-
Nadwah, which was addressed to the ulama, who were taking part in
the deliberations of the Nadwah Conference held at Amritsar in. In this
treatise, he wrote:
"Thus, as I have repeatedly said, what I recite unto you is categorically
and certainly the word of Allah, in the same way as Quran and Torah
are the words of Allah, and that I am a Zilli (Reception of the revelation
through the grace of Muhammad (peace be on him) has been called
"Zilli nubuwah" by the Mirza. See Haqfqat al-Wahy p. 28.) and Buruzi
(This kind of prophet, according to the Mirza does not receive it)
prophet of God, and every Muslim is obliged to obey me in religious
matters. And every one who has received information about me, even
though he be a Muslim, but does not consider me arbiter in his affairs,
nor recognizes me as the Promised Messiah, nor considers my
revelations as coming from God, he is liable to punishment in the
heavens for he has rejected what he bad to accept at its proper time. I
do not merely say that I would have courted (the disaster of) death
had I been a liar; I also say that I am true even as Moses and Jesus
and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on them) were true,
and that God has shown more than ten thousand signs to uphold my
claim. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be on
him) has testified and the earlier prophets had indicated the time of my
advent, which is the present time. The Quran has also indicated the
time of my debut during the present times. Both the heavens and the
earth have borne testimony in my support; nor is there a prophet who
has not testified in my favour. (Tuhfat al-Nadwah, p. 4.)
In the same vein is what he wrote in Haqiqat al-Wahy:
"So, of all the people of this ummah, I am the only one who has
received this large portion of Divine revelation and knowledge about
the Unseen. None of the saints of this ummah, who have preceded
me, was given such a big share of this bounty. (This is merely a claim,
and it is based on lack of religious knowledge and is against historical
facts. In the ummah of Mohammad (peace be on him) there have
been so many saints who have been graced by divine inspiration, but
none ever claimed it to be a revelation, nor claimed prophethood on
that basis). For this reason, I alone was chosen to prophethood for his
own self, but for the majesty of his prophet. It is for this reason he
claims, that his name in the heavens is Muhammad and Ahmad. This
means that the Prophet Muhammad's nubiwah was received
ultimately by (another,) Muhammad. although in a buruzi way, and not
by any body else". Ek Ohattr ka Itilah, p. 5.
All the later writings of the Mirza are full of similar categorical
elucidations of his claim to prophethood. These are too many to be
mentioned in this book. All those interested in a more detailed study of
it should study his haqiqat al-Wahy, and Bashiruddin Mahmood's
Haqiqat al-Nubuwat.

Independent Prophethood

The works of the Mirza also prove that he believed himself to be an

independent prophet and bearer of a Shariah. In Arbain, he defined
the Shariah-bearing prophet as one whose revelation contains positive
commandments and prohibitions and who makes some regulations
even though these commandments and prohibitions might have been
embodied in the scripture of some former prophet. According to him, a
Shariah-bearing prophet need not bring an altogether new set of laws.
Then he goes on to declare himself to be such an independent
Sitariah-bearing prophet. To cite his own words:
"Apart from this, you should know what is Shariah. Whosoever laid
down some commandments and prohibitions through his revelation
and framed some regulations for ummah becomes the bearer of a
Shariah. So, even according to this definition, our opponents are
blameworthy, for my revelations contain commandments as well as
prohibitions. For instance, take the inspiration:
'Say to the believers to lower down their eyes and guard their hidden
places -This is purer for them.' (xxvi.30)

"All this is found in Barhin-i-Ahmadiyah. It contains commandments as

well as prohibitions and the same is the case with my revelations till
today - they contain both commandments and prohibitions. And if you
say that by Shari'ah is meant that which contains new regulations then
this is wrong. The Exalted Allah says: 'And this is in the Books of the
earlier Revelations; the Books of Abraham and noises' (LXXXVII, 18-
19), which means that the Quranic teachings are also embodied in
Torah. (Arbain, appendix 4, p. 7)
The fact that the Mirza abrogated a number of those important and
categorical injunctions of the Shariah, which have been continuously
supported by Muslims, also shows that he considered himself to be
the bearer of an independent Shariah and regarded himself as one
entitled to determine what was religiously obligatory or prohibited. One
of the examples is the attitude he showed in respect of the question of
jihad. Even though jihad is a textual Quranic injunction supported by
the unbroken belief and practice of the ummah throughout the
fourteen centuries of our history and is supported by the Prophetic
Tradition, 'jihad will continue till the Day of Resurrection,' but the Mirza
prohibited it. In connection with the abrogation of jihad, just one
excerpt from 'his writings on the subject will suffice:
Jihad, that is the harshness of religious wars, has gradually been
lightened by God. During the time of Moses there was such harshness
that even, acceptance of belief could not save a man from being killed,
and even suckling babies were put to death. Then during the time of
our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the killing of
the children, the old and women-folk was prohibited. Then, for certain
nations, instead of accepting the faith, payment of jizyah was
accepted as the means of saving them from punishment. Then, in the
time of the Promised Messiah, the injunction of jihad has been
absolutely repealed. (Arba'in, Vol. 4, p. 15n. For more detailed
statements of the Mirza on the subject see Section 2 of Chapter III of
the book.)
Excommunication of the Deniers of Mirza's Prophethood
The natural and logical consequence of the claim to be a prophet was
that all those who declined to believe in the new prophethood should
be declared unbelievers (kafirs). The Mirza himself recognized that
only a Shariah-bearing prophet was entitled to declare all those who
did not believe in him to be kafirs. He writes:
"This point is worth remembering that to call those who reject one's
claim as afiis is worthy only of those prophets who bring from God a
Shariah and new injunctions. But all others besides the Shaiah-
bearing (prophets), that is, mulham (Divinely-inspired) and muhaddath
(recipients of Divine Communication), no matter how high their station
is in the sight of God and no matter how highly honoured they are by
God, rejection of their claim does not render anyone an unbeliever."
(Tiryaq al- qulub, p. 130n.)
Nevertheless, all the subsequent works of the Mirza are replete with
denunciations of those who denied his Prophethood as kafirs. A few
examples will suffice:
"During these days, the foundation of a new sect will be laid in the
heavens and in order to support this sect, God will blow (His trumpet)
"Be" and by the sound of this "Be" every fortunate one will be drawn
towards it except those who are eternally doomed and have been
created to fill up the Hell. (Barahin-i-Ahmadayah, Vol. V, pp. 82-83. )
In his inspiration which the Mirza published on May 25, 1900, he said:
"I have received inspiration that whosoever will not follow thee and.
will not enter into thy oath of fealty then such a disobeyer of God and
the Prophet will dwell in Hell. (Mi'yar al-Akhar, p. 8 (cited from Qadiani
Mazhab).)
Take another instance:
"God had revealed to me that every one who has received my call and
has not accepted it is not a Muslim." (Zikr al-Hakim, No. 2, p. 24,
compiled by Dr. Abdul Hakim, quoted from al-Fadhl January 15,1935.
)
At another place, the matter has been dealt with in greater detail:
"Kufr denotes two categories (of disbelief): first, that a person denies
Islam itself and does not recognize the Holy Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be on him) to be the messenger of God. The
second (category of) disbelief is, for instance, that he does not believe
in the Promised Messiah and considers him false in spite of the matter
having been made clear and even though God and the Prophet had
emphatically urged that he be recognized as true, and there had been
similar emphatic instruction in the books of the earlier prophets. Thus,
since he is the denier of the command of God and His Prophet, he is a
kafir. And if one were to look at the matter closely, both these
categories of kafir are basically the same; for the person who does not
accept the command of God and His Prophet despite his having
recognized it to be so, he does not believe in God and the Prophet
according, to the explicit texts of. the Quran and the Hadith. (Haqiqat
al-Wahy, pp. 179-80)
This constitutes an article of the Qadiani creed. Its former head, Mirza
Bashiruddin Mahmood writes:
"All those Muslims who have not been integrated in the oath of fidelity
to the Promised Messiah, regardless of whether they had heard his
name or not, they are kafirs and outside the fold of Islam. (Aina'-i-
Sadaqat, p. 35 (cited from Qaddiani Mazhab))
It is because of this belief that all non-Ahmadis are kafirs, the Islamic
legal ordinances in respect of kafirs have been considered by the
Qadiani group to be applicable to those who are outside the fold of
their religion. The Qadiani have, therefore, been prohibited from
having matrimonial relations with Muslims. In one of his speeches,
Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood observed - "One of the ordinances of the
Promised Messiah, and an important one too is that no Ahmadi may
give his daughter in marriage to a non-Ahmadi. This ordinance is
mandatory for every Ahmadi. (Barkat-i-Khilifat, Collection of speeches
of Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood, p. 15, (aited from Qadiani Magzhab)).
In Anwar-i-Khilafat, he remarks: "A person asked him (i.e. Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani) again and again and put forward several
pressing difficulties. Nevertheless, he instructed him to keep his
daugther at home for all her life, but not to give her in marriage to a
non-Ahmadi. When after the Mirza's death, the said person married
his daughter to a non-Ahmadi, the first Khalifah, Hakim Nuruddin not
only forbade him from acting as an Imam of the Ahmadis, but also
excommunicated him from the Ahmadi group and did not accept his
repentance during the six years of his Khilafat despite his repeated
apologies and repentance. (pp. 93-94. )

Elaborating on the same theme at another place, he goes on to say:

"The position of non-Ahmadis in relation to us is the same as that fixed
for the ahl-al-kitab (A follower of one of the revealed religions that is, a
Jew or a Christian.) in relation to a believer by the Wise Quran, which
instructs that a believing man may marry an ahl-al-kitab woman, but
may not give a believing woman in marriage to an ahl-al-kitab.
Likewise, an Ahmadi may bring a non-Ahmadi woman into the fold of
his Marriage; but an Ahmadi woman, according to the Islamic Shariat,
may not be given in marriage to a non-Ahmadi male. Huzur (the
Mirza) says: There is no harm in accepting a non-Ahmadi woman in
marriage, for marriage with ahl-al-kitab women is permitted. Rather,
such a marriage is useful, because thus one more person receives
true guidance, (but) one should not marry one's daughter to any non-
Ahmadi. If you can have (a non-Ahmadi woman), take her. But to
giveaway (an Ahmadi woman in marriage to a non- Ahmadi) is sinful".
(al-Hakam, April It, 1908 (cited in Qadiani Mazhab).
In the same way, praying behind a non-Ahmadi is not permissible. The
Mirza himself wrote:
"This Divine Message shows that those who declare (the Mirza to be)
kafir and adopt the path of falsification (of the Mirza) are a doomed
people. Hence, they do not deserve that any one of my jamaa (group)
pray behind them. Can anybody offer prayers behind someone who is
dead? So, keep in mind that, as God has informed me, it is prohibited
for you - it is absolutely prohibited for you - to pray behind anyone who
declares (me to be) kafir or falsifies (me), or is hesitant (to follow me).
(Arba'in, Vol. 111, p. 34n)
Pursuing this logic, participation in the funeral prayers of the Muslims
too has been prohibited for the Qadianis. According to the Qadiani
mouthpiece al-Fadhl, the Mirza did not offer prayer at the funeral of his
son (late Fadhl Ahmad), because he was a non-Ahmadi. (Al-Fadhl,
dated 15th December, 1921.). Mian Bashiruddin Ahmad, in a letter
published in al-Fadhl, even goes so far as to say: "I believe that it is
not permissible to offer prayers at the funeral of those who pray
behind non-Ahmadis, for such a person, in my view, is not an Ahmadi.
(Al-Fadhl, dated 13th April, 1926 ). He also expressed the view that it
is not permitted to offer prayers at the funeral of even a non-Ahmadi
infant. The argument was that just as prayers could not be offered at
the funeral of a Christian child, even though he was innocent, one
could not offer prayers at the funeral of a non-Ahmadi child. (Al-Fadhl,
Vol. 9, No. 72 and Vol. X, No. 32,)

It was, in compliance with this injunction, that even though Chowdhry

Sir Zafrullah Khan, then Pakistan's Minister for External Affairs, was
present at the funeral ceremony of Mr. Jinnah, he did not participate in
the funeral prayers.

One of the corollaries of accepting this belief is that. whatever

religious duties one had performed prior to entering into the fold of
Qadianism, would be deemed to be all null and void. In reply to a
query raised by a Qadiani, he was informed: "Whosoever performed
his obligatory pilgrimage at the time when his (i. e. the Mirza's) claim
had become well- known and the proof of its validity had been made
evident to the people of the country in general and the Mirza had
interdicted praying behind a non-Ahmadi lmam, then that person's Hajj
will not be reckoned as having been performed by him. (al-Hakam,
(Qadian) of May 7, 1934.).

Incarnation and transmigration of soul

Some of the writings of the Mirza indicate that he also believed in the
doctrines of incarnation and transmigration of souls and that the souls
and essence of the prophets (upon all of them be the peace of Allah)
were embodied in the person of the prophets one after another. In
Tiryaqal-Qulub, he writes:
"Thus, as has been accepted by the Sufis, the levels of existence are
cyclical. In this way, Abraham (upon him be peace) was re-born in
respect of nature, temperament and familiarity of, heart, two thousand
and five hundred years after his death in the house of Abdullah, the
son of Abd al-Muttalib, and was called by the name of Mubammad.
(Tiryiq al-Qulub, p. 155 n.)
He also writes:
"At this place, this point needs to be remembered that during the
periods of the internal degeneration of Islam, the spirituality of our
Prophet (upon him be the peace and benediction of Allah) manifests
itself and this incarnation of the essence of Muhammad shows itself in
the form of some perfect follower. As for what has been reported in
the Traditions that al-Mahdi would be born and that 'his name would
be my name and his mode of conduct be (like) my mode of conduct' -
if these Traditions are correct -, then the reference is to the descent of
his spirit, as I have mentioned above. (Aina' i-Kamalat-i-lslam, P. 346.)
In another, of his works he wrote:
"It has been made known to me through kashf that when Jesus was
informed about this sacriligiousness which has spread from the
Christian people to the whole world, his soul moved for spiritual
descent. Thereafter, God, according to His promise, granted him his
replica, and in it was infused the Messiah's courage and character and
spirituality, and the two, that is the Messiah and his replica, were firmly
integrated as if they were two parts of the same matter. Thus, in this
sense, his being became the being of the Messiah, and the yearnings
of the Messiah descended into him - and it is the descent of these
which, in inspirational terminology, has been described as the descent
of the Messiah. (Ibid., pp. 254-55.)
Two advents of the Prophet

The Mirza also declared that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be on him) has had two advents. He said :
"And know that our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him),
in the same way as he was sent in the fifth millenium, was also sent
towards the end of the sixth millenium, in the form of the Promised
Messiah.
He even felt that this second advent was stronger, more perfect, and
brighter than the first one:
"Rather the truth is that his spirituality (upon him be peace) at the end
of the sixth millenium, that is, in these days, is more vigorous and
stronger and more perfect than in those years; rather, it is like the full
moon. (Ibid., p. 181)
Mirza's boastfulness

The boastfulness of the Mirza in respect to his prophethood and his

attainments is a noteworthy feature of his life. This reflects a particular
kind of psychological complex and we need not try to analyse it.
However, his urge to express his greatness was so pressing that he
proclaimed himself to be of the same status as all other prophets. To
quote one of his couplets:
He who gave the cup to every prophet,
Gave it to me filled to the brim!
Later, he proclaimed himself to be possessed of the virtues of all
prophets. To quote him again:
Although prophets there have been many,
In Divine inspiration I am not less than any. (Khutba-i-Ilhamiya, p. 99)
He, further, went on to claim:
Every prophet became alive when I was raised;
Every Apostle lies hidden beneath my garment. (Ibid., p. 100. )
Not only this, he proclaimed that it was he who had brought about the
perfection of the human race; that without him, this garden of
humanity was incomplete:
The garden of Adam which, had been incomplete far,
Has now burst into bloom, complete with leaves and fruits. (Barahin-i-
Ahmadiya, Vol. V, p. 113.)
He also seems to, believe that the attainments of prophethood and
spirituality evolve with the passage of time, so that these attainments
had found their most perfect form in his own personality. He wrote:
"In the same way, the spirituality of our Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be on him) appeared in the fifth millenium and that time was
no the apex of its advancement, but the first step towards the highest
point of its perfection. Then, that spirituality radiated itself towards the
end of the sixth millenium, that is, during the present time, in the game
way as Adam was created towards the end of the sixth day by the
command of Allah, the Best Creator. And the spirituality of our
Prophet, the best of the prophets, made its manifestation in a member
of his ummah so that this spirituality might reach the perfection of its
manifestation and predominance of its light, as God had promised in,
his Radiant Book. So, I am that promised manifestation; I am the
promised Light. (Khutba-i-ilhamiya, pp. 177-78.)
In Ajaz-i-Ahmadi he even tries to place his miracles and signs above
those of the Holy Prophet. He says:
For him the moon was cleaved, but for me both the sun and the moon
were eclipsed. So, will they still deny? (Ajaz-i-Ahmadi, p. 71.)
These boastful claims of the Mirza provided sufficient ground for his
staunch followers and successors to build further on that foundation,
as has always happened in the history of sects and religions. It is no
surprise, therefore, that many of big followers explicitly declare him to
be superior to most of the prophets. Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood, the
son and second successor of the Mirza, wrote the following:
"Many prophets have passed in the world, but their disciples did not
go beyond the stage a of muhaddath, except for our Prophet (i. e.
Muhammad), whose benediction became so effluent that besides
many muhaddath, one achieved even the status of prophethood. And
it is not only that he became a prophet, but having attained perfection
by way of reflection of the one whom he followed, went even ahead of
some of the great prophets. (Haqiqat al-Nubuwat, p. 257.)
The enthusiastic followers of Mirza Bashiruddin, however, did not stop
even at that. The mouthpiece of the movement, al-Fadhl, wrote:
"The Promised Messiah was a prophet. His position, by virtue of his
status, was that of the disciple and the reflection of the Noble
Messenger (upon him be peace and blessings of Allah). As for other
prophets (upon them be peace), he excelled many of them; may be,
he excelled them all. (al-Fadhl, Vol. XIV, No. 85, dated April 29, 1927
(cited in Qadiani Mazhab).)
Part III - Some Aspects of Life and Character

Chapter III-1 - Mirza's Life after the

Spread of his Message
Early Life

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had started his life in poverty. In the early part
of his life, the situation was that a big part of his landed property had
already gone and there was no other means of income. In his own
words, he was concerned only with the dinning table and the bread.
(Nuzul-al-Masih, Ist Edition, p. 118.) Prior to the spread of his fame,
he had spent twenty-five years of anonymity. To cite own words again:
"In fact during this period I was like a dead body, buried for centuries
in such a manner that it was not even known whose grave it was.
(Tattmmah Haqiqat al-Wahy, p. 28.) This state of affairs lasted until
the appearance of the Mirza, as an author and champion of Islam.
Then, his fame spread as a preacher and spiritual leader. He claimed
to be the "Promised Messiah", and subsequently, an independent
messenger of God.. In this phase, things changed for him. We see
him from now on as the spiritual guide and leader of a nascent
religious community and a prosperous group of people. Gifts poured in
from all sides and he became the centre of adoration and love of
thousands of people. It is obvious that the Mirza's prosperity in this
period of his life owed itself to his religious movement. It is religious
sentiment alone which led the people to make sacrifices in order to
help the Mirza financially. The student is bound to feet curious as to
the effect of this changed circumstance upon his life and character.
The Mirza had risen in the name of a great religious cause and had
come forward with the highest possible religious claims about himself.
How far was his life in conformity with the ideals of this cause and the
big claims he made about himself? Making a comparison between him
and the noble life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) would be sheer insolence. What can possibly be done is to
compare his life and character with those followers of the Holy
Prophet, who have championed the religious cause of Islam and have
won popular admiration among Muslims as their true spiritual leaders.

Character of Religious Reformers

A study of the history of inspiring religious personalities and dynamic

religious movements in Islam makes one thing quite evident. Even
while experiencing fame and the availability of material riches, these
noted religious personalities showed tremendous indifference towards
worldly ambitions, an admirable sense of self-contentment and great
sacrifice, and an ever-mounting keenness to strive for nothing except
the felicity of the next life. The entire life of such people was
subordinated to the conviction that 'the next life constitutes the real
life'. Their motto seems to have been the saying of the Prophet: "O
God there is no life except the life of the Hereafter." They passed
through worldly life the way a traveller passes through the various
stages of his journey, always keeping the following saying of the Holy
Prophet before their eyes:
"What is my concern with the world? My relation to world is similar to
that of a rider who stays (for a while) under the shade of a tree, then
gets up and leaves. (Reported in Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.)
Their life embodies, to an appreciable degree, the following
description of the life of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), by
one of his friends:
"He was weary of the world and its bloom and loved night and its
darkness. He was, by God, profuse in tears, immersed in reflection,
wondering at the march of time, always critically watchful of himself
(literally, always addressing his soul). The dress that pleased him was
the rough one; and the food that pleased him was the coarse and
simple one. (Sifat al-,Safwah, Vol. 1. p. 122.)
Not to mention the great personalities of the early period of Islam, nor
even Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, who was a rightly guided caliph, we refer
here only to personalities of much lower stature when compared with
men of the above-mentioned genre. Among the humble followers of
the Holy Prophet, one comes across, among other great rulers, whose
self-denial, detachment, piety and scrupulously absolute indifference
to worldly life, its vanities and its false glories constitute man's pride
and have left an indelible ampress on history. Nuruddin Zangi,
Salahuddin Ayyubi, (The biographer of the Sultan and his close
confidant Qadi Ibn Shaddad writes: "The Sultan had left only 47
dirhams as his inheritance! He left no estates, no house, no property,
garden, village or cultivated area. in his burial, not even a cent was
spent from his legacy; all was brought on loan, including even the
grassloads for the grave. The arrangement for burial was made by his
Minister Qazi Fadil by some permissible and legitimate means". And
he was the sovereign of Syria, Egypt, the Sudan, Iraq, Hijaz and
almost the whole area that is now known as the Middle East. (Al-
Nawadir-i- Sultania, p.) Nasiruddin Mahmood, Muzaffar Halim and
Aurangzeb Alamgir: the lives of all these are excellent examples of
indifference to the world and of self-denial. Even during the lifetime of
the Mirza, there were numerous God-loving persons; who had no love
for wordly riches, and who distributed every cent of what they received
among the poor and the needy. The more people turned towards
these men and the more they received by way of gifts from people, the
greater was their detachment from these riches. In the life-time of the
Mirza; we find such illustrious men of God, as Maulana Fazlur
Rahman Ganj Muradabadi, Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi,
Maulana Syed Abdullah Ghaznavi, Maulana Muhammad Naim Frangi
Mahli, who were admirable examples of Muslim piety and austerity.
(See an account of their lives in Nuzhat ul-Khawatir,Vol.VIII.)

A Sign of Prophethood

Thus, a pure, self-denying life, whose character remains unruffled by

vicissitudes of poverty and wealth was not unknown to the Mirza. In
fact, he reckoned it to be a proof of the truth of the Holy Prophet's
prophethood. He wrote:
"And, when after a long time, Islam became supreme he (i.e. the Holy
Prophet) did not accumulate any treasure for self-enrichment and self-
glorification; nor did he erect any building or monument; nor did he
devise means for a life of royal ease or luxury, nor did he seize any
other opportunity for personal benefit. Whatever came was all spent
on taking care of the orphans and the poor, on the widows and on
those in debt; as for himself, he ate not even once to his full
satisfaction. (Bardhin-i-Ahmadiyah, Vol. 1, p. 117)
Religious Teacher or Political Leader

Now, let us attempt to study the Mirza's life according to the above-
mentioned standard, which he himself recognizes as a criterion of
piety. What we note in regard to the Mirza, however, is the marked
change in the two phases of his life: his earlier life of anonymity and
poverty and the latter phase, when he was adored by his followers
and received lavish presentations from them. Instead of finding in his
conduct any resemblance to the saintly and angelic lives of the
religious personalities of Islam, we find his life resembling that of
world-seeking political leaders or founders of non-religious
movements. In the last phase of his life (when a man is conscious that
the time of his reckoning and meeting with God is close), we find him
rolling in prosperity and luxury in a manner which reminds us of
political careerists, rather than of sincere servants of the cause of
God. This question assumed such importance that it caused
uneasiness among his sincere and close followers, some of whom
were, in the end, forced to give vent to their feelings of uneasiness
and disgust.

Family Life of the Mirza

Among the followers, Khwaja Kamluddin was particularly suspicious

and discontented with the luxurious way in which the Mirza's family
lived. He mentioned to his friends that the ladies of his own family,
who had observed the luxurious life and the high standard of living of
the Mirza's family, were not prepared at all to make sacrifices and
remain content with a simple, austere life in order to save money for
the cause of the movement. Once he told Maulavi Muhammad Ali (a
former Amir of the jamaat-i-Ahmadiyah, Lahore), and Maulavi Sarwar
Shih Qidiyani, a noted scholar of the Qadiani movement:
"I have a question for which I have no answer. Please provide me with
one. Formerly we us cad to tell our ladies that we should live the lives
of the Companions who ate meager and coarse food, and were rough
dress and gave away whatever they could save to the cause of God.
We urged them to do the same. By means of the admonitions, we
used to save some money and send it to Qadian. But when our ladies
themselves went to Qadian and came to know of the actual situation
by living there, they defiantly came to us and told us that we were
liars. They said that they had seen the manner in which the lives of the
Prophets and Companions were being lived in Qadian! Not even a
fraction of the comfort and luxury enjoyed by the women in there is
available to those outside (Qadian), even though their money is of
their own earning while the money used by them (i.e. in Qadian) is
that which is for national purposes, and is national money. Hence,
they said, we were liars who had been deceiving them and that they
would never again be deceived by us. Hence, they refuse to give us
any money to be sent to Qadian.

Khwaji Kamaluddin also added: "There is a favourite reply which you

give to the people. This cannot bold in my case, for I know things
personally". (Kashf al-ikhtilaf, p. 13 cited in Qadiani Mazhab)
Objections relating to Financial Matters

It seems that the public kitchen, which was in the charge of the Mirza
himself, had caused grave doubts in the minds of many of his sincere
followers. This controversy went quite far. Among those who protested
the most important was Khwaja Kamaluddin. Maulavi Muhammad Ali
supported him. On one occasion the Khwaja told Maulavi Mohammad
Ali:
"What a shame. You are aware how arduously the money of the
people is collected and then this money is not spent for the national
purposes for which people donate it, after slashing off their
expenditures even on their bare necessities. Instead, the money is
spent to gratify personal desires. And, then, the amount of money too
is quite large. It is so large that only if the money specified for public
kitchen was managed properly, it alone would be sufficient to meet the
requirements of those projects, which were started and then have
been lying in suspense for want of funds. (Ibid., p. 15.)
These objections also reached the ears of the Mirza and he felt greatly
incensed. Maulavi Sarwar Shah writes the following:
"I have reliably come to know that the Promised Messiah (upon him be
the salutations and peace of God) has expressed great sorrow that
despite his declaration that it is the desire of God that the
management of the public kitchen remained in his hands, and that if
anything else were to happen the public kitchen would come to an
end, yet persons like the Khwaja are such that they constantly ask him
to entrust the management of the kitchen to them and have invidious
doubts about him. (Kashf al-lkhtalaj, p. 14)
Before his death, the Mirza referred with grief to the accusations of
misappropriation of funds. In a letter to Maulavi Hakim Nuruddin,
Mirza Bashiruddin writes:
"The Hazrat (i.e. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad) said shortly before his (fatal)
illness that the Khwaja (Kamaluddin) and Maualvi Muhammad Ali,
etc., cast aspersions about him that he had misappropriated national
fund. They should not do so, (he said) or else it would not have good
consequences for them. He said that the Khwaja had brought a letter
from Maulavi Muhammad Ali the same day. He added that Maulavi
Muhammad Ali wrote that the expenditure on the kitchen was quite
meagre and asked what happened to the rest of the thousands of
rupees which had been received. When he came home, he expressed
great anger and said : 'These people consider us to be
rnisappropriators. What do these people have to do with this money?
If I were to disassociate myself all income would cease.' Then (on
another occasion) when a deputation had gone to collect funds for
construction works, the Khwaja said to Maulavi Muhammad Ali: 'The
Hazrat (Mirza) himself lives a life of great comfort and luxury and
teaches us to donate by reducing our expenses.' To this Maulavi
Muhammad Ali replied that although this could not be denied, this was
an element of human shortcoming in him; and, now, why should it be
essential for us to follow this element of human shortcoming in the
Prophet. (Letter of Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood to Maulavi Hakim
Nuruddin.)
A novel Sources of Income

One of the biggest sources of income was the sale of title to burial in
the "heavenly graveyard" at Qadian. This had been instituted by the
Mirza himself, who had ingenuously laid down the terms and
conditions for buying the title to burial there. The high price of this title,
as well as the temptation-provoking manner of announcement (For
details see the Mirza's treatise al-Wasiyat, pp. 11-23.), conjures up in
one's mind the Memories of the sale of indulgences by the Catholic
Church during the middle ages. This, however, gave the Qadiani head
quarters a permanent and large source of income. This, in fact,
developed into one of the most important departments of the Qadiani
movement. Al-Fadhl, the official Qadiani mouthpiece has aptly
observed: "The 'heavently graveyard' is such a central point of this
movement and an institution or department of such dimensions that it
excels in importance all other departments." (at-Fadhl, Vol. XXIV, No.
65, dated September i5,1936.)

What has all this led to? Qadian before the partition, and now
Rabwah, its successor in Pakistan, developed into a quasi-religious
state. In this state, the "Prophetic family" of Qadian, and its head,
Mirza Bashiruddin Alahmood, (This was written when Mirza
Bashiruddin Mahmood was alive and was head of the Qadiani
movement.) enjoy all the appurtenances of governmental power, all
the authority which is vested in a religious dictator and a despotic ruler
and all those opportunities of self-indulgence which are available to
the most wealthy and powerful men of today. The inner life of this
"spiritual and religious centre" and the moral character of its head
remind one of Hassan ibn Sabbih and his Fort of al-Mut, which was a
mysterious centre of religious despotism and licentious self-
indulgence in the fifth century of Hijrah. (For details see Rahat Malik,
Dawr-i-Hazir ka Mahabi Amir.)

The first Khalifah of the Mirza, in Haqiqat-al-lkhtilaf, by Maulavi

Muhammad Ali, p. 50. On this subject we have confined ourselves to
the statements of the closest confidants of the Mirza, otherwise there
is a good deal of material worth studying in such books as al-Zikr al-
Hakim by Dr. Abdul Hakim.

Chapter III-2 - Seedling of the British

Great Britain and the Islamic World

In the early part of the nineteenth century, the onslaught of European

powers on the world of Islam had already started and their authority
and influence had spread to several Muslim countries. In this eastward
expansion of European nations, Britain was in the forefront. She was
in the vanguard of the military advance as well as economic and
political predominance over Eastern countries. India and Egypt were
already under her occupation. Ottoman Turkey was one of the main
fields of British diplomatic operations and conspiracies. Her political
ambitions also menaced the Arabian Peninsula.

In India, the British domination had virtually been established even

before 1857. The successors of Shahjahan and Aurangzeb had
become idle pensioners of the British and were paralysed politically.
The reins of power in the subcontinent were in the hands of the
British. In 1799, the gallant career of Tipu Sultan came to an end with
his martyrdom and the way was paved for further British penetration.
Being confident of the stability of the British power in India, the
Christian missionaries had launched upon their proselytising
endeavours. The first targets of these missions were, naturally, the
Muslims from whom the British had snatched their political power. The
principles of Islam began to be ridiculed. The country was led to social
breakdown and moral anarchy. The Islamic bases of social life were
shaken. Western civilization began to make inroads into the homes of
Muslims and into their hearts and minds. Atheism began to catch the
imagination of educated young men and developed almost as a fad.

The reaction against all these led to the famous Indian struggle for
independence of 1857, which, as it is well known, was led by the
Muslims. The British emerged as the triumphant power and India
became part of the imperial domains of the British Crown. The
infuriated victors took their revenge to the full upon the rebellious
Muslims, who were responsible for the "Mutiny". The British launched
on a policy to systematically humiliate them. They hanged many
members of the aristocracy and quite a few ulama. They confiscated
their awqaf (religious endowments), closed on them the avenues of
respectable employment and completely weeded them out of the
country's administration. (Details are given in W. W. Hunter's Our
Indian Mussalmans and Sir Sayyid Ahmad's Asbab-i-Baghawat-i-
Hind.) Thus the Muslims had become members of a humiliated and
vanquished nation. Their situation reflected the eternal reality
embodied in this Quranic verse:
"Kings, when they enter a country, despoil it and make the
noblest of it meanest."
In this country, the position of the British was not merely that of
ungodly and tyrannical rulers. They also represented a culture which
became the mainspring of atheism, moral cynicism and social anarchy
in the country. In practice, they were opposed to all those values,
religious and moral standards, on which the Islamic way of life rests.
They were a criminal nation whose history was replete with wrongs
perpetrated against the world of Islam.

The attitude of Prophets

Now, if we were to consult the records of the prophets and their true
successors and sincere followers, they clearly indicate that they have
always opposed and resisted tyrants and wrongdoers and have
abstained from whatever might support or strengthen such despots.
The following statement of Moses (upon him be the peace of God)
found in the Holy Quran is significant:
O my Lord ! For that Thou hast bestowed Thy grace on me never shall
I be a help to those who Sin."
The resentment that he had against unbelief and tyranny, and their
standard bearers, is also borne out by the following prayer which he
made to God in respect of Pharaoh and his courtiers:
"Our Lord! Thou hast indeed bestowed on Pharaoh and his chiefs
splendour and wealth in the life of the Present, and so, Our Lord, they
mislead (men) from Thy path. Deface, Our Lord, the features of their
wealth and send hardness to their hearts, so that they will not Believe
until they see the grievous penalty."
God Himself instructs the believers to adopt the following attitude with
regard to tyrants and oppressors :
"And incline not to those who do wrong or the Fire will seize you ; and
ye have no protectors other than God; nor shall ye be helped."
Then there is a well known Tradition:
"The best (kind of) jihad is (to proclaim) the word of Truth in the face of
a tyrannical ruler."
The Holy Prophet, his noble Companions and his true successors
never cooperated with any power, which stood for falsehood and
injustice. Their tongues were never soiled with praises and eulogies of
tyrants. The history of Islam is replete with courageous expressions of
protest and revolt against oppressors. There is no period in Islamic
history and no area of the Muslim world, which has not witnessed this
noble struggle.

Protagonist of the British Imperialism

But contrary to the illustrious teachings of the, Holy Quran and the
spirit of Islam and in violation of the noble example of the Prophets,
their companions and their followers, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who
claimed to be a God sent messenger, was full of praise for the
greatest force of evil of his age - the British Government. He never
tires of praising that very government, which had been the usurper of
Islamic dominions, the greatest rival to the temporal power of Islam,
and a great standard-bearer of atheism and moral degeneration. He
praises the British with a vehemence which casts doubt on the
motives of any conscientious man, not to say of a prophet. From the
very beginning, he was so greatly concerned with praising the British
that there is hardly any work of his which has remained immune from
flattery. We have already noted that in his first book, Barahin-i-
Ahmadiyah (vol. I) he had lavishly praised the British, had recounted
their benevolent achievements and services, had assured them of
Muslim loyalty, and had expressed his views against the doctrine of
jihad. These trends persisted in his writings right up to the end of his
life. He almost produced a whole library of books on the subject. In
these books, he returned again and again to assuring the British of his
unswerving loyalty and recounted the services of his family to the
British, along with his own support. At a time when the feeling of
Islamic self-respect was in need of being aroused and the nation
needed the impulse to resist its oppressors, he again and again
repeated that jihad had become out of date. Below are a few excerpts
from the Mirza's own writings to illustrate his trend of thought:
"The greater part of my life has been spent supporting and defending
the British Government. And I have written so many books regarding
the prohibition of jihad and obedience to the British that, were they to
be gathered together, they would fill fifty book cases. Such books
have been disseminated over all the countries: Arabia, Egypt, Syria,
Kabul and Rum. I have always endeavoured that Muslims became
true well-wishers of this Government and their hearts were purged of
baseless traditions about the bloody Messiah and the bloody Messiah
and those fanatical teachings which corrupt the hearts of the stupid."
(Tiryaq al-Qulub, p. 15.)
At another place, he propounds allegiance to the British as one of the
two pillars of faith :
"My religion, which I have been explaining again and again, is that
there are two parts of Islam: one, to obey the exalted Allah, and,
second, to obey the government which has established peace and has
provided its shadow of protection as against oppression. Such a
government is the British Government. ("Ishtihar Government Ki
Tawajjuh ke Lai'q" in Shahidat al-Oyr'an, p. 3,)
In a request to the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab on 24th February,
1893 he wrote:
"The other thing worth mentioning is that from my early age till now,
when I am about sixty years of age, I have been engaged, with my
pen and tongue, in an important task to turn the hearts of Muslims
towards the true love and good will and sympathy for the British
Government, and to obliterate the idea of jihad from the hearts of the
less wise among them, since it stands in the way of cordiality and a
sincere mutual relationship. And I notice that, my writings have had a
tremendous influence on the hearts of Muslims and hundreds of
thousands of people have changed. (Tabigh-i-Risilat, Vol. VII, P. 10.)
At another place he observes:
"I have, written scores of books in Arabic, Persian and Urdu with the
view that jihad against the benevolent government was in no way
justified; rather, wholehearted obedience to it was a religious duty. I
had these books published at great cost and then had them distributed
in Islamic countries. And I know that, these books had a great
influence even in this country. The people, who owe allegiance to me,
are growing into a party whose hearts are filled to the brim with
sincere fidelity to the Government whose moral condition is excellent; I
think they will be a boon to this country for they are wholeheartedly
ready to sacrifice themselves for the government. (Arizah Baali-i-
Khidmat Government Aliyah Angrezi min janab Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Qadiani Saheb, cited in Mir Qasim Ali Qadiani's Tabligh-i- Risalat, Vol.
VI, p. 65. )
At yet another place he wrote:
"The service which has been rendered, for the sake of the British
Government, was that I published and distributed in this country and
other Islamic countries about fifty thousand books, treatises and
leaflets, stating that the British Government is the benefactor of
Muslims and therefore it should be the duty of every Muslim to obey it
sincerely and heartily feel grateful to it and to pray for it. And, I had
these books published in different languages, that is, Urdu, Persian
and Arabic, and then distributed them in all the countries of Islam, so
much so that I had them distributed even in the two holy cities of
Islam, Mecca and Medina, and, as far as possible, also, in the capital
of Rum - Constantinople, and Syria, Egypt and Kabul and many other
cities of Afghanistan. The result was that hundreds of thousands of
people gave up their filty ideas about jihad, which had permeated their
hearts due to the teachings of ignorant mullas. I am proud of this
service which I have been able to render, and no Muslim of British
India can boast of a parallel record. (Sitara-I-Kaiseriah. p. 3.)
Abrogation of jihad
The Mirza's main concern was jihad which, indeed, had caused the
greatest worry to the British, not only in India but in all Muslim
countries (quite a number of which had already been occupied by the
British). The Mirza proclaimed jihad to have been abrogated for ever
and put forward this as the sign of his being the Promised Messiah.
He proclaimed:
"Thirdly, the clock which will be installed in some part of the wall of this
minaret, would signify that the people should realise that the time for
the opening of the doors of the heavens has arrived. From now on,
there shall be no terrestrial jihad and wars shall cease. It has been
mentioned earlier in the Traditions that when the Messiah would
come, wars for the sake of religion would be prohibited. From now on
whosoever shall raise the sword for the sake of religion and slay the
infidel's by proclaiming himself to be a ghazi, he will be a disobedient
rebel of God and His Prophet. Open Sahih al-Bukhari and read the
hadith about the promised Messiah, that is, the one in which there
occurs the expression which means that when the Messiah will come
jihad would cease. Now the Messiah has come and it is he who is
speaking to you. (Khutba-i-libamiyah, Appendix entitied lshtihar
Chandah Minaratal Masih )
He regards this abrogation of jihad as the greatest object of his
advent. To cite his own words:
In short, I have not come in order to stimulate war and strife. I have
appeared in order to open, in the manner of the first Messiah, the
doors of peace. If the foundation of peace is not amidst us, then our
whole religious order is useless and it is also meaningless to believe
in it. (Tiryaqal-Qulub, p. 335)
At another place, he becomes even more explicit:
"I believe that as my followers increase, the believers in the doctrine of
Jihad will decrease. For, accepting me to be the Messiah and Mahdi
itself means the rejection of the doctrine of jihad. (Tabligh-i-Risalat,
Vol, p. 17)
Citadel of the British Government
In his Arabic treatise Nurul-Haq he went as far as to say that he m-as
the citadel and amulet for protecting the British Government :
I am entitled to assert that I am unique in respect, of these services.
And I am entitled to say that I am an amulet and. a citadel to protect it
from afflictions. My Lord has given me glad tidings and has said that
He will not chastise them as long as I am among them. So, the
Government has no parallel and equal to me in supporting and
assisting it and the Government shall know this if it is capable of
knowing people. (Nural-Haq, p. 34)
Seedling of the British

In an application submitted to the Lieutenant-governor of Punjab, on

24th February 1898, he wrote:
"I have to submit that in regard to a family which has proven itself to
be loyal; had ever been prepared to make sacrifices for the
Government during the last fifty years; of which the respectable
officials of the exalted Government have borne weighty testimonies in
their official letters about its being all long a well-wisher and servant of
the British Government; which is the self-implanted seedling (of
loyalty), the Government should exercise utmost caution and make all
possible efforts to know about it and pay attention to it. The
Government should also instruct its lower officials that they should
look towards me and my group with the eyes of kindness and
benevolence in view of the established -loyalty and sincerity of this
family. (Tabligh-i-Risalat,Vol.VII, p.l9.)
In another application he refers to himself and his group as 'those who
had been brought up as tried and true friends of the British: those who
bad earned a good name with the Government and had enjoyed its
merciful kindness.'

Cause of opposition to Missionaries

The Mirza was possessed of such a profound feeling of loyalty for the
British that he used to adopt numerous measures in order to assuage
the deep hatred and resentment of Muslims against the British. His
enthusiastic opposition to the Christian missionaries, according to his
own view, was also motivated by the same desire. The efforts of these
missionaries to repudiate Islam and to slander the Holy Prophet,
according to the Mirza, had infuriated the Muslims and was likely to
prove detrimental to the interests of the British Government.' Hence,
he showed great zeal, out of expediency and With deliberation, 'in
order that the popular Muslim fury might abate and they might
somewhat calm down He writes:
I also confess that when some of the writings of priests and Christian
missionaries became extremely severe and 'exceeded moderation'
and especially when very filthy writings began to appear in Nur
Afshan, a Christian paper from Ludhiana, and when these writers
used, God forbid, derisive language with regard to our Prophet (upon
him be the peace and benediction of Allah), I feared that in the hearts
of Muslims, who are a sentimental people, these words might have a
highly provocative effect. In order to subdue their indignation, I thought
that the proper policy would be to write rejoinders to these writings in a
somewhat harsh manner, so that the towering anger of these easily
inflammable people could be suppressed and no breach of peace in
the country might take place. (Tiryaq al-Qulub. Appendix 3, p. 31
entitled "A Humble Request to the Exalted Government")
Spies of the British

The impact of these teachings, propagated with religious sanctions,

was that loyalty to the British and zeal to serve it became an integral
part of the Qadiani outlook and character. It is not surprising that the
British Government found from among them quite a few, who sincerely
and loyally served the cause of the British and did not hesitate even to
shed their blood for them. In Afghanistan, there was an enthusiastic
Qadiani preacher by the name of Abdul Latif. The main task that he
had undertaken was to purge the Afghans of that spirit of jihad
because of which the Afghans had never tolerated the rule of any non-
Muslim power over their land, and which had always been a source of
headache to the British. It was due to this kind of preaching that the
Afghan Government executed him. Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood has
mentioned this on the authority of an Italian author. He says :
"The Italian author writes that Sahibzada Abdul Latif was martyred
because he preached against jihad and the Afghans had begun to fear
that the spirit of freedom of the Afghans would weaken and the British
would predominate. (al-Fadhl, August 6, 1925)
He adds:
Had our people in Afghanistan remained silent and refrained from
explaining the Ahmadi viewpoint in respect of jihad, they would not
have been blameworthy from the viewpoint of the Shariat. But they fall
victims of the excessive zeal they had for the British Government, they
courted punishment because of the sympathy for it which they had
imbibed at Qadian. (14. lbid)
In the same way, certain papers and letters were found with Mulla
Abdul Hakim and Mulla Nur Ali Qadiani which proved that they were
disloyal to the Afghan government and were agents and spies of the
British. Al-Fadhl, the Qadiani mouthpiece, published this piece of
news from Aman-i-Afghan:
"The Minister for Home Affairs of the Afghan Government has
published the following announcement:

"Two persons of Kabul, Mulla Abdul Hakim Chahar Asiai and Mulla
Nur Ali, a shopkeeper, had become enamoured of Qadiani beliefs and
used to mislead people from the right path by preaching that creed.
The people, who were angered at this, filed a suit against them. The
result was that these persons having been proved guilty were
transported at the hands of the people to the realm of non-existence
on Thursday, Rajab 11. Against them there bad also been pending a
suit for long and letters of foreigners of a conspiratorial nature and
harmful to the interests of the Afghan kingdom had been captured
which proved, that they had sold themselves to the enemies of
Afghanistan. (Al-Fadhl, March 3,1925. )
In his address of welcome to the Prince of Wales on January 19,
1922, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood proudly mentions all these
incidents making it clear that all these sacrifices were because of their
loyalty to the British. (A Present to His Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales, pp. 7-8.)

Miscalculation

Looking at the power, consolidation and extent of the British Empire,

the Mirza believed that the British power in India would remain for
ever. Hence, tying up their own fate with that of the British Empire,
and identifying their own future with the future of the British, seemed
very wise and an act of great political farsightedness. And, indeed,
from someone who is shorn of deep religious and political insight such
a conclusion was not strange. It was impossible for the Mirza to
foresee that not even half a century would pass after his death, when
the seemingly unshakable power of the British would be shaken and
the power which he considered to be "the shadow of God" and "refuge
of religion" would leave India, lock, stock and barrel, and, not only that,
it would collapse the world over.
'The servile manner in which the Mirza has given expression of his
loyalty to this un-Islamic, indeed, anti-Islamic power, and the zeal he
has shown in preaching to the Muslims that they ought to relish their
state of political enslavement as a boon, is unbecoming of the position
which he claims for himself. lqbal has stressed this contradiction in
some of his verses which say:
The Sheikh is a murid of the Firagi Lord,
Speaks be, though, from the heights of Badyazid.
He said : Religion's glory lies in slavery;
And life consists of the lack of ego (khudi).
He reckoned the state of- others to be a-blessing;
Danced around the cathedral, and fell down dead."
Chapter III-3 - Prophet as Mud-Slinger
Sort-spokenness of the Prophets

The Prophets of God and their pious followers have always been
known for their graceful and decent mode of expression, patience and
calm endurance, largeheartedness and magnanimity. Benevolent
even to their enemies, they returned good wishes for abuses;
benediction for curses; humility for insolence; and temperance and
gracefulness for niggardly meanness. Their tongues were never soiled
with abusive and filthy language. To sting people by harsh satires and
invidious sarcasms, to Scoff and jeer at the people, to pinch them by
vulgar attacks - all these are far too low to be found in their noble
lives. If they were ever forced to refute or denounce someone, they
did so in clear, simple terms. They never stooped to adopt abject
methods such as attacking the opponent's birth, denigerating his
lineage, or ridiculing him in the manner of a court-jester. Their
expressions, whether they were in favour of someone or against him,
bear the mark of the decency and elegance of their natures and the
nobility of their minds. The Companions have left the following
account of the Holy Prophet Mohammad's discourse:
"The Messenger of Allah (upon him be the peace and blessings of
Allah) was neither brash-tongued by nature nor by will, nor did he ever
indulge in undignified talk in marketplaces." (Tirmizi)
The Prophet himself laid down the norm of speech for the believers:
"The believer is not wont to attacking or cursing people nor lies or
uses harsh and fvolgar expressions." (Tirmizi)
On the, contrary, according to the Prophet, the characteristic of a
hypocrite (munafiq) is that "whenever he quarrels, he resorts to
abuses." (Bukhari and Muslim. )

The Mirza himself admits that those who have been endowed with
religious and spiritual leadership ought to be possessed of
forbearance and selfcontrol, forgiveness and patience. He writes:
"Since the Imams encounter all kinds of wicked, lowly and filthy-
tongued people, they have to have a moral calibre of the highest order
so that they might not be stirred by egotistic anger or faitaticism and
thus people are not deprived of their 'blessings. It is a matter of great
shame that someone is called "the friend of God" yet he remains
afflicted with base morals and is incapable of: bearing obloquy with
composure. As for a man who is called the spiritual Icader of his age
(Imam-i-Zaman), if he is so thin-skinned that even the least
provocative remark sends him into a fit of rage, such a person can in
no way be considered the Imam of his age." (Zururat al-Imam, p. 8. )
But contrary to the expectations raised by these words, the manner in
which the Mirza has dealt with his critics - and these included some of
the most respected religious scholars and spiritual leaders - brings
him out as a person who lacked even the most elementary sense of
decency and decorum. "Offsprings of harlots" seems to have been
one of the favourite nicknames which he very often gave to his
opponents. (See for example. Apna-I-Kamalat-i-Isalam, p. 547. Nur al-
Haq, Vol. I, p 123. Anjam-i-Atham, p. 282, etc.)

The 'best' specimens is of his abuses are found in his Arabic writings -
prose as well as poetry. Here are a few of them:
"Now, since these people abuse me, I have already taken off all their
clothes and have reduced them to irrecognisable carcases." (Anjam-i-
,Atham, p. 158.)

"These enemies have become the swines of our wilderness and their
women are even worse than bitches." (Najm al-Huda, p. 15.)
An Arabic poem indited by the Mirza to denounce one of his
opponents, Maulvi. Sa'ad Ullah of Ludhiana, is much too unseemly to
be reproduced here. (Ibid. pp. 281-82)

For such illustrious religious personages of his time, as Maulan

Muhammad Husain Batalawi, Maulana Sayyed Nazir Husain
Muhaddith Dehlawi, Maulana 'Abdul Haq Haqqani, Mufti 'Abdullah
Tonkwi, Maulana Ahmad 'Ali Saharanpuri, Maulana a Ahmad Hasan
Amorhi, and Hazrat Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, he used
invectives, such as, 'wolves and dogs', 'accursed satan', 'blind devil',
'the gang of abductors', 'the doomed', and the accursed', etc. (See the
long letter of the Mirza in Arabic in Anjam-i-Atham, pp. 251-52.) In the
same way, he composed a satirical poem about the well known
scholar and spiritual leader of his time, Pir Mihr 'Ali Shah of Golra. A
few of its couplets reads:
"So I said : O Land of Golra, upon thee be curse. Thou hast been
accursed because of the accursed ones; and thy abode shall be the
place of torment.

"This petty man, like lowly people, has addressed me in abusive

terms.. Every man is tested in the time of hostility." ( Ijaz-i-Ahmadi, pp.
75-76.)
These abuses were often not enough to gratify him. On such
occasions be would not merely curse his opponents but write the word
'curse' with regard to them a certain number of times. For instance,
with regard to Maulana Thana' Ullah Amritsari, he wrote the word
'accurst' ten times consecutively. In regard to Christians, he wrote this
word one thousand times. (See Nur al-Haq, pp. 121-25)

This, indeed, makes a queer reflection on his nature.

We would close this section by reproducing just a few more examples

of the Mirza's vituperations against his opponents. Addressing the
ulama he wrote:
"O debased class of Maulavis. How long will you conceal the truth?
When will the time come for you to give up your Jewish habits? O
tyrant Maulavis, pity be on you, that you made the cattle-like common
folk drink from the same cup of falsehood of which you bad drunk."
(Anam-i-Atham, p. 2i n)
He also wrote:
Of all animals, the filthiest and most repellent is pig. But filthier than
pigs are those who, owing to their base desires, conceal the testimony
of truth. O corpse-eating Maulavis! O filthy spirits! Pity be on you for
you have concealed the true evidence of Islam out of hostility. O
worms of darkness! How can you hide the radiant rays of truth?"
(Ibid).

"Will these people be prepared to swear? No, never. For they are liars
and are eating the carcass of falsehood like dogs." (bid., p. 25 n.)
This subject is neither pleasant for the author, nor palatable for the
readers. We, atherefore, close the chapter leaving it for the readers to
guess the bloom of the Mirza's spring on the basis of the few flowers
of his garden we have presented here as specimens.

Chapter III-4 - An Unfulfilled Prophecy

In 1888, when the Mirza was fifty years old, he asked one of his
relatives, Mirza Ahmad Beg for the hand of his young daughter,
Mubammadi Begum. The Mirza made it clear that he had been
commissioned by God for that task and God bad promised him, in
unequivocal terms, and that this marriage would, therefore, certainly
take place.

In a leaflet which was distributed on July 10, 1888 the Mirza wrote:
"The Omnipotent and Omniscient God has asked me that I should
seek the hand of the elder daughter of this man (Ahmad Beg) and
should tell him that good conduct and courtesy to be shown to him
would depend on this (i.e. his acceptance of the marriage proposal);
her marriage with me would be a source of blessing and a sign of
mercy for her father and that he would have his share in all those
blessings and mercies which have been laid down in the leaflet dated
February 20, 1886. But, if he declines to marry her, then the girl would
meet an extremely tragic end. The other person to whom she would
be married would die within two and a half years after the day of
wedding and so would die the father of the girl, within three years, and
her household would be afflicted with discord and poverty and
adversity and during the intervening period the girl would encounter
several events of unpleasant and grievous nature." ( This
announcement has been reproduced in full by the Mirza in Ai'na-i-
Kamalat-i-Islam, pa 286. It has also been reproduced by Qasim Ali
Ahmadi in Tabligh-i-Risalat, Vol. 1, pp. I I 1-18.)
In his work, lzala-i-Awham, he mentions this prophecy in the following
manner :
"By way of prophecy the Exalted God revealed it to this humble one
that ultimately the elder daughter of Mirza Ahmad Beg, son of Mirza,
Gulam Beg Hoshiarpuri would be married to me. These people would
resort to great hostility and would place obstacles in the way, but in
the end, it would surely take place. The Exalted God will, by all
possible means, bring her to me, whether as a virgin or a widow, and
will remove all impediments and will, of necessity, fulfil this task, and
none will be able to prevent it." (Izal-i-Awham, p. 198. )
Significance of the Prophecy

This problem related to the family life of the Mirza and normally such
problems should be of little interest to a historian. There are millions of
people who strive for the hand of the girl of their choice. Some of them
succeed, others do not. But the endeavour of the Mirza to marry this
particular girl is a case of uncommon significance, in so far as the
Mirza put it forth as the criterion of judging the veracity of his claim to
prophethood. After mentioning his prophecy that he would ultimately
marry the said girl, he said : "This should be clear to the people that
there, can be no better criterion of testing our truth or falsehood than
our prophecy." ( Ai'na-i-Kamalat-i-lslam, p. 288.)

One might perhaps be inclined to think that misunderstandings in

respect of the messages from the unseen world are possible, for
sometimes people misinterpret these messages by mixing up the
words of inspiration. In respect of this prophecy of the Mirza, however,
there is no question of any such possibility. The challenging tone of
the prophecy rules out all such possibilities. In his own words :
"The prophecies, which are presented before opponents for the
purpose of vindicating some claim, contain a peculiar kind of light and
guidance since the inspired ones, who, by concentrating their attention
on God, generally succeed in having a clear concept of their meaning
and nature." (Izala-i-Awham, p. 202. )
It is also possible that some people might not attach much importance
to this prophecy of the Mirza, because of his habit of making
prophecies all too frequently. It is true that his writings are replete with
prophecies. This particular prophecy, however, has a uniqueness of
its own in so far as the Mirza put if forward as a heavenly sign and as
a verdict in his favour. He not only made this prophecy the criterion of
his own truth and falsehood, but also of the victory or defeat of Islam.
On July 10, 1888 he announced:
"Then, when I repeatedly meditated in order to seek clarification and
elaboration of the prophecy, it was made known to me that God has
predetermined that the elder daughter of the addressee (i.e. Mirza
Ahmad Beg) will ultimately be married to this humble one (after all
irnpediments had been removed) and this event will make the
irreligious people (true) Muslims, and provide guidance to the
misguided. (Ai'na-i-Kamalat- i-Islam, p. 286, and Tabligh-i-Risalal, Vol.
1, p. a16.)
The original inspiration in Arabic in this connection when translated
into English reads:
"They falsified our signs and they had been laughing at them for long.
So, God will be your helper in dealing with those who are obstructing
this task and in the end they will bring this girl to you. There is none
who can put off, the words of God. Your God is Omnipotent, so that
whatever happens, takes place by His will. You are with Me and I am
with you; and you shall shortly reach the stage where at you shall be
praised. This means that even though the stupid and ignorant people
indulge in vilification and utter unbecoming words for you, out of their
inner corruption and invidious understanding, but they will ultimately
feel ashamed after they have witnessed the succour of God and, as a
result of the manifestation of truth, there will be praise for you all
round." (Ai'na-I-Kamalta-I-Islam,p. 286; Takligh-l-Risalat, Vol. 1, p.
116.)
It was still possible for people to forget the matter. But the Mirza was
so confident about the fulfilment of this prophecy that he kept on
reiterating it in an increasingly forceful and confident manner. He said:
"Wait for (the fulfillment of) the prophecy mentioned in the
announcement of July 10, 1888, along with which there is also
appended the inspiration: 'And they ask thee if this is true. Say: Yes,
by my Lord, it is true and you can not prevent it from taking place. We
have Ourselves wed thee to her. There is none to change My words.
And on seeing the sign they will turn their faces aside and will say:
This is a thorough deception, and a thorough magic.' (Asmani Faisla,
p. 40. )
In his letter addressed to the ulama and spiritual mentors of India an
Arabic, the Mirza said :
"Predestination is bound to prevail and God has finally decreed it and
so the time for it (i.e. marriage) will inevitably come. By the One who
has sent to us Muhammad al- Mustafa and made him the best of
messengers and the best of creatures, verily this is truth and you will
see it and I shall make this news the criterion of my truth and
falsehood. And I did not say this until I was informed about it from
God." (Anjam-i-Atham, p. 223)
Emphasising the significance of this prophecy and stressing it to be
the sign of God, he said:
"In respect of this (prophecy), some of the fair-minded Arya authors
have also borne witness that if this prophecy were fulfilled, it would
indeed be an act of God. And this prophecy is against a harsh people
who, it seems, have drawn the sword of enmity and spite, and
whosoever knows the state they are in, will be well aware of the great
significance of this prophecy. Everyone who will read the
announcement, no matter how prejudiced he is, is bound to agree that
the content of the prophecy is beyond the capacity of man. (Izala-i-
Awham, p. 199.)
When he felt agitated about the realization of this prophecy owing to
some serious illness, which caused him the suspicion of being close to
death, he received fresh inspiration to reassure him.

He writes :
"Soon after this prophecy was revealed and had yet to be fulfilled (as it
has not been fulfilled as yet, that is, by April 16, 1891), this humble
one encountered a severe ailment bringing him so close to death that
he got even his will drawn up. At that critical moment, the prophecy
almost came before his eyes and it appeared that the last moment
had come and that the next day would be his day of funeral. At that
time he thought of this prophecy; that, may be, it had some other
meaning, which he had not understood. Then, in that critical condition,
he received the inspiration: This thing is truth from thy Lord. Why dost
thou doubt?" (Ibid.)
Thus, the Mirza's marriage with Muhammadi Begum was a settled
matter - a matter which had been decided upon in the heavens and,
hence, there was no possibility of any alteration. He announced that
this was not only the criterion of his veracity, but also of the veracity of
the One who had communicated it to him. And since he considered
himself to be the true representative and advocate of Islam, and his
own prestige to be synonymous with the prestige of Islam, he
regarded the matter as one involving the victory of Islam itself.

Mirza Stoops to Conquer

But as luck would have it, Mirza Ahmad Beg spurned the proposal and
decided to give his daughter in marriage to another relative of his,
Mirza Sultan Muhammad. The Mirza (Ghulam) came to know of it.
Owing to his exuberant enthusiasm and his intense confidence in
regard to his ultimate success, the matter had already come to public
knowledge. It had been mentioned in newspapers and magazines and
had become an interesting topic of conversation. Hindus, Sikhs and
Muslims all were keenly interested in the developments relating to this
case. The Mirza's matrimonial affair had evoked even greater interest
than that of the royal families. The numerous challenges which he had
published from time to time had rendered the matter even more
delicate and complex. The members of the girl's family (who had
religious differences with the Mirza and whose family pride had been
hurt by his public announcements), categorically rejected the Mirza's
proposal. From the Mirza's point of view, however, the matter had
become so serious that the establishment of matrimonial relationship
had become inevitable. He had announced the prophecy in such
categorical and definite terms that it was hard for him to back out of
that position or to reinterpret the prophecy to mean something else
than what it apparently meant.

Theoretically, however, the Mirza believed that the inspired person

should strive for the fulfillment of his own prophecies and that there
was nothing incompatible between this effort and his position as the
recipient of an inspired prophecy. (He writes: "If Divine revelation
makes something known as prophecy, and if it is possible that a man
should fulfil it without fanning up a fitnah (evil) and resorting to
illegitimate means, then making efforts for the filament of such a
prophecy is not only permissible, but also commendable (masnun) "
Haqiqat al-Wahi, p. 191). It was because of this view that he himself
had the eastern minaret constructed at Qadian, for it had been
mentioned in the Tradition concerning the return of Jesus. Following
the same principle, he set out to persuade, by all possible means, the
father and other relatives of Muhammdi Begum to accept his proposal.
He resorted to all the means of inducement and intimidation
(terrorisation) which he could possibly employ. In his request, as well
as the announcement of July 10, 1888, both these aspects ---
inducement and intimidation -- are quite evident. In the event of the
acceptance of the proposal of marriage, he had promised Divine
reward; whereas in the case of its rejection, he had threatened them
with ruin.

The Mirza also wrote letters to the relatives of Muhammadi Begum, to

her father, Mirza Ahmad Beg, to her uncle, Mirza 'Ali Sher Beg, to her
aunt and to other relatives, who could have exerted some influence on
the decision about her marriage. He asked all these people, with great
meekness and humility, to use their good offices in his favour. To
Mirza Ahmad Beg (the father of the girl), he wrote:
"If you accept what I say it will be a matter of benevolence and
gratification and kindness towards me and I will pray to the Most
Compassionate One for your long life. I promise you to transfer one
third of my property to your daughter and I say honestly that. I will give
you whatever you will ask of me. (Kalmah-i-Fazl-i-Rahmani, by Qizi
Fazl Ahmad (cited in Qadiani Mazhab). This book is a collection of the
Mirza's letters to the relatives of Muhammadi Begum. The letters are
authentic and even the Mirza did not deny having written them. )
In another letter to Mirza Ahmad Beg he wrote:
"I still make a request to your honour, with humility and respect that I
have for you, not to refrain from this (marriage) relationship. For this
will be a means of great blessing for your daughter and the Exalted
Allah will open the doors of divine grace which you do not even
conceive of (Ibid.)
In a letter to Mirza 'All Slier Beg he wrote:
"If the people of your household had joined together and tried to
persuade your brother, why should he not have given his consent? Do
I belong to a low caste so that it would be a shame to marry the girl to
me? On the other hand, he kept on seconding my proposal, but, quite
recently, I have been left at the mercy of his brother and now all have
United on the question of the girl's marriage. What do I have to do with
a girl? She might be married to anyone. This was merely a test: those
whom I considered to be my own and from whose daughter I wanted
to have offspring and my heirs, are now thirsty of my blood. They are
now after my honour and want me to be put to shame and to have a
blackened face. It is up to God to dishonour whomsoever He wills. But
so far as these people are concerned, they indeed want to hurl me
into the fire. (kalma-i-Fazl-i-Rahmani, by Qazi Fazl Ahmad (cited in
Qadiani Mazhab. )
To Mirza Ahmad he also wrote:
"You will perhaps be aware that the prophecy of this humble one has
become known to thousands of people and in my opinion, there would
be perhaps more than one million people who have been informed of
this prophecy..... In Lahore, I found out that thousand's of Muslims
fervently pray in the mosques after (congregational) prayers for the
fulfillment of this prophecy. (Ibid.)
The Mirza also came to know that 'Izzat Bibi, his own daughter-in-law
(wife of his son, Mirza Fazl Ahmad), and the mother of 'Izzat Bibi, the
wife of Mirza Ali Sher Beg (who was also the aunt of Muhammadi
Begum), were opposed to the Mirza's proposal and favoured the
marriage of the girl to Mirza Sultan Muhammad. This infuriated the
Mirza and he wrote the following to 'Ali Sher Beg (the father-in-law of
his son, Fazl Ahmad):
"I have already written a letter to her (i.e. to the wife of Mirza Ali Sher
Beg) that if she did not give up (pursuing) her idea and did not prevail
upon her brother (i.e. Mirza Ahmad Beg) to prevent this marriage (with
Mirza Sultan Mohammad), then, as your own intention appears to be,
my son Fazl Ahmad too will not be able to keep your daughter ('Izzat
Bibi) in his marriage. Rather, the very moment the wedding (of
Muhammadi Begum) will take place, Fazi Ahmad will divorce your
daughter. And if he does not divorce her, I will declare him to be no
longer regarded as my son and will disinherit him. 'But if for my sake
you oppose Ahmad Beg and try to prevent him from carrying out his
design, then I am at your disposal on all counts with my heart and
soul. Fazl Ahmad is still obedient to me. I will convince him in every
way possible and will endeavour to rehabilitate your daughter. Then
whatever I have shall belong to her." (Kalma-i-Fazl-i-Rahmani.)
The Mirza also prevailed upon 'Izzat Bibi, his daughter-in-law, to write
to her mother that, if they did not change their mind, the Mirza would
have her husband divorce her and thus ruin her family life.(Ibid)
After Muhammadi Begum's marriage, Fazl Ahmad did divorce Izzat
Bibi. Another son of the Mirza, Sultan Ahmad, and his mother, were
also of the same view as the members of Muhammadi Begum's
family. Hence, consistent with what he had said earlier, the Mirza
declared Sultan Ahmad to be no longer regarded as his son. Besides,
he disinherited him and divorced his mother. (Tabligh-i-Risala, Vol, Il,
p. 9.)

However, even after the marriage of Muhammadi Begum to Mirza

Sultan Muhammad (on April 7, 1892) the Mirza did not despair. He
kept on saying that ultimately the girl would become his wife. In 1901,
he made the following statement under oath :
"It is true that that woman has not been married to me. But she will
certainly be married to me as has been stated in the prophecy. She
has been married to Sultan Muhammad, I say truly that in this court
(i.e. the world) where people have laughed at things which were not
from me, but from God, a time will come when the events will take a
strange turn and the heads of all will be downcast with remorse.

"The woman is still alive. She will inevitably come to my wedlock. I

expect this to happen, rather, I have full faith in this. These are
divinely-ordained matters and are bound to-occur." (Al-Hukm, August
10, 1901 (cited in Qadiani Mazhab and Tahqiq-i-Lathani)
In his first announcement, the Mirza had prophesied that the person,
to whom Muhammadi Begum would be married, would die within two
and a half years after the marriage. This period elapsed and Mirza
Sultan Muhammad remained alive, enjoying a happy married life. This
forced the Mirza to extend the lease of his life. In his announcement of
September 6, 1896 he wrote:
"The time for divine punishment is conditionally predestined, which
can be put off by fear (of God) and turning (towards God), as the
whole of the Quran testifies. But so far as it relates to the prophecy,
that is, the marriage of that woman to this humble one, that is
assuredly predestined and cannot be waived off, for, in the Divine
revelation it is clearly stated that 'My words will never change'. For, if
they were to change, the words of God would be false. Tabigh-i-
Risalat, Vol, 111, p. 115.)
In the same announcement, he explains another reason for the
postponement of his prediction:
"The Quran tells us that the duration indicated in such prophecies
belongs to the category of conditional predestination. Hence, owing to
the appearance of factors causing some change or alteration
postponement of the stipulated term and period does take place. This
is Divine Law and the Quran is replete with this. Hence, for every
prophecy which is made through inspiration or revelation, it is
essential that its fulfillment should conform to the Divine Law, as
embodied in the Books of the Exalted God. And, at the present time,
another benefit aimed at from this is that those aspects of Divine
knowledge which have been lost sight of by the people should once
again be manifested and thus insight into the Quran should be
renovated." (Tabligh-i-Risalat, Vol. III, p. 117.)
Thus, the Mirza insisted that his prophecy was true and he had no
doubt about its ultimate fulfillment. He again insisted that :
"I say again and again that the prophecy about the son-in-law of
Ahmad Beg (i.e. Sultan Muhammad), is assuredly predestined. Wait
for it. If I am a liar, this prophecy will not be fulfilled and my death will
come." (Anjam-i-Atham, p. 31n.)
Mirza Sultan Muhammad had a long life. He took part in the first world
war. He was wounded during the war but survived and remained alive
long after the Mirza had died.

As for the Mirza, he died in 1908 and his wedding, which according to
him had taken place in the heavens, could not take place on the earth.
In the opinion of his more staunch followers, however, nothing can as
yet be said unequivocally; for, so long as human life is in existence,
there is still possibility of the realization of this prophecy. Hakim
Nuruddin, the successor of the Mirza, has given a queer explanation
of the matter, but very much in tune with Qadiani casuistry. In the
'Review of Religions', he wrote the following in connection with the
death of the 'Promised Messiah' :
"Now, I would like to remind all the Muslims who have had and still
have faith in the Noble Quran that since those addressed in it include
also their offsprings, successors and those like them, then, can this
prophecy not include the daughter of Ahmad Beg or the daughter of
that daughter? Does your law of inheritance not apply the regulations
regarding daughters to their daughters? And are the offsprings of the
Mirza not his agnates? I had often told dear Mian Mahmood (Mian
Bashiruddin Mahmood, a son of the Mirza and the second head of the
Qadiani movement after Hakim Nuruddin) that even if the Mirza were
to die and this girl did not enter into his wedlock, my adoration of him
would remain unshaken." (Review of Religions, Vol. VII, no. 726, June
and July, 1908, p. 279 (cited from Qadiani Mazhab))
Part IV - A Critical Analysis of the Movement

Chapter IV-1 - Independent Religion and a

Parallel Community
One of the illusions about Qadianism is that its emergence merely
signifies the addition of one more sect to the large number of already
existing sects and schools in Islam and that the followers of
Qadianism are, at the most, a new sect. Thus, the popular impression
is that Qadianism does not represent a unique phenomenon in the
history of Muslim sects and juristic schools.

A careful study of Qadianism is bound to shatter this illusion and to

convince every unbiased student that Qadianism is a religion by itself,
and the Qadianism a separate religious community (ummah), parallel
to Islam and the ummah of Islam. The following statement of the
Mirza, which has been cited by the former head of Qadiani movement,
Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood appears to contain no exaggeration. He
said:
"The words, which came out from the lips of the Promised Messiah,
keep on reverberating in my ears. He said that it was wrong that our
disagreement with others lay merely on the questions of the death of
the Messiah or certain other similar issues. He mentioned in detail that
we differed from them in respect of the Essence of Allah, in respect of
the Holy Prophet (upon him be the peace and benediction of God), in
respect of the Quran, of prayers, of fasting, of pilgrimage, and, in
short, in respect of each and every part (of religion). (Khutba (Sermon)
of Friday, al-Fadhl, July 3, 1931.)
Mirza Mahmood also affirmed that owing to these differences the first
caliph of the Mirza had declared that "their Islam (i.e., the Islam of
Muslims) is different from our Islam. (Khutba (Sermon) of Friday, al-
Fadhl, December 3, 1914)
In the entire history of Islam, there is one movement alone which
appears to bear some resemblance to Qadianism in the sense that,
while it kept its activities confined to Muslims, it attempted to found a
system of beliefs and practices parallel to that of Islam, and thus
endeavoured to build, as if it were, a state within the state. This was
the Batinite or Ismailite movement with which Qadianism bears a
striking resemblance. (See Dr. Zahid Ali: Hamara Ismai'li Mazhab aur
us ka Nizam.)

The Qadiani movement tries to build a new structure of religious

beliefs and practices as distinguished from that of Islam. It tries to give
an orientation of its own to all aspects of religious life. It provides its
followers with a new prophet, a new focus of devotion and loyalty, a
new religious mission, a new spiritual centre, and a new set of holy
places, new religious rituals, new leaders and new heroes. It is this
feature of Qadianism which marts it out from all other schools and
sects, which exist side by side within the bosom of Islam, and raises it
to the-level of a full-fledged independent religion. It definitely tends to
lay the foundations of a new ummah on the basis of new religious
teachings, and a new mould of religious life. The result is that for
those who enthusiastically choose to join the fold of this movement,
the old institutions and personalities which claimed their devotion, are
replaced by new ones, and thus they develop into an ummah all by
themselves, independent of all others and, by virtue of their peculiar
connaturality of emotional predilections, outlook and the resultant
veneration for the new religious institutions formed around Qadianism.
This tendency towards isolation, this trend to distinguish themselves
from the Muslims has been a part of Qadianism from the very
beginning and has since gone the whole length that the Qadiani have
now become wont to compare Qadiani rituals and holy places with
Islamic rituals and holy places, declaring the former to be parallel and
equal to the latter. The companions of the Holy Prophet, for instance,
occupy a central position in the religious system of Islam. The
Qadianis place the companions of the Mirza on the same pedestal as
the companions of the Holy Prophet. A responsible Qadiani reflects
this trend of thinking in the following words:
"To make distinction between the two groups, that is, the companions
of the Holy Prophet and those of the Mirza, or to declare either of the
two to be superior, on the whole, to the other, is not right. In fact both
these groups are part of a single group: the difference is one of time
alone, They had been trained under the earlier Prophet while these
got instruction at the time of the later prophetic advent." (Al-Fadhl,
May 28, 1918. )
In the same manner, they consider the grave of the Mirza to be similar
and comparable to the resting place of the Holy Prophet. Al-Fadhl,
published on behalf of the Training Department of Qadian, once
deplored the religious insensitivity of those who came to Qadian to
participate in the religious conference, etc. and yet did not pay a visit
to the grave of the Mirza.
"What is the state of the man who comes to Qadian, tile Abode of
Security (Darul-Aman), and does not bother to go a couple of steps
further to pay a visit to the Heavenly Cemetery: in it is that purified
grave (Rawdha-i-mutahharah) (It is significant that the same term is
generally used by the Urdu ; peaking Muslims for the grave of the Holy
Prophet.) wherein lies buried the body of that chosen one of God to
whom the most superior of all prophets sent his salams, and with
regard to whom the Khatim al-Nabyin said: "He will be buried beside
me in my grave. Thus, the radiance of the Green Dome of Medina is
reflecting itself on this White Dome where one can partake of the
blessings which are peculiar to the radiant resting place of the Holy
Prophet (upon him be the peace and blessings of Allah). How
unfortunate is the man who, in the Great Pilgrimage (Hajj-i- Akbar) of
Ahmadism, should remain deprived of this blessing. (Al-Fadhl, Vol. X
No. 48. )
Owing to the religious and spiritual importance of the township of
Qadian in Qadianism, being the nursery of a new prophethood and the
new centre of 'Islam', the Qadianism reckon it among the holy places
of Islam such as Mecca and Medina, and never fail to mention it along
with them. In one of his speeches Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood said:
"By venerating Medina we do not affront the House of Kabah. In the
same way, when we venerate Qadian, we do not affront Mecca or
Medina ........... The Exalted God sanctified all these three place and
chose them for the manifestation of His Light." (Al-Fadhl, September
3, 1935)
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had himself drawn a parallel between Qadian
and the Holy land of Mecca. In one of his couplets he said:
"The land of Qadian is now a place of veneration. Thanks to the rush
of people, it is now a sacred area." (Durr-i-Thamin, p. 52)
The Mirza even thought that Qadian has been referred to in the Quran
itself, that the far-away Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Aqsa) mentioned in the
Quran. (xvII. 1) refers to the 'Mosque of the Promised Messiah' in
Qadian. He wrote:
"In the same way as God had taken the Holy Prophet specialty from
the sanctified Mosque (in Mecca) to Jerusalem, so He also shifted him
temporally from the time of the Glory of Islam, the time of the Prophet
himself, to the time of the blessings of Islam, the time of the Promised
Messiah. Hence from this point of view, which is the spiritual
transportation of the Holy Prophet to the extremity of the time of Islam,
the far-away Mosque (al-Masjid al-Aqsa) means the mosque of the
Promised Messiah which is located in Qadian and in respect of which,
in Barahin-i-Ahmadiyah, God has said: "Blessed, blessed and every
blessed thing We shall make therein." And this word 'mubarak'
(blessed) which has been used nominatively, is in accord with the
Quranic verse 'And We blessed that which is around it.' Therefore,
there is not the least doubt that there is reference to Qadian in the
Quran." (Tazkirah tor Mujmu'ah-i-Wahy-i-Muqaddas, pp. 345 46)
The logical consequence of these beliefs was that the followers of the
Mirza developed the practice of making annual pilgrimage to Qadian
and they began to regard this act as sacredotal as the Hajj itself. It is
no surprise that the Qadiani leaders proclaimed visits to Qadian to be
a "shadow of the Hajj", and, for those who are incapable of going to
Mecca, they proclaimed it to be Its substitute. Mirza Bashiruddain
Mahmood said:
"Those alone who have resources and are rich can go on pilgrimages.
Although in the beginning divine movements spread and flourished
among the poor, only those who have resources and are rich are able
to go on pilgrimage. The poor are exempted by the Shariah.
Therefore, God fixed a Zilli Hajj so that those whom He wants to
employ in the progress of Islam, and the poor, that is, the Muslims of
India, should be able to participate in it." (Al-Fadhl, December 1, 1932)
In this regard the Qadianis went so far as to rate these visits to Qadian
even higher than the pilgrimages to the Mecca. This, too, was a
natural corollary of their belief in Qadiansm as a new religion, which
has its own centre of gravity and has undertaken to provide religious
sustenance to its followers. It is for this reason that a Qadiani leader
observed:
"In the same way as the former Islam without Ahmadism, that is,
without Hazrat Mirza Sahib, is a dry Islam, so is the Meccan Hajj a dry
Hajj without this Hajj, because in these days the objectives of Hajj are
not fulfilled there." (Paygham-i-Sulh, Vol, XXI, No. 22)
This trend among the Qadianis to assert their distinct entity and their
consciousness of being the followers of a new religion and their
feeling that Qadianism had opened a new phase in history reached
such a point that they even introduced a new calendar of their own
which has special names of the months. The twelve months of the
Qadiani calendar, according to its official organ, al-Fadbi, are as given
here Salh, Tabligh, Aman, Shahadat, Hijrat, Ihsan, Wafa, Zuhor,
Tabuk, Ikha, Nubuwat, Fath.

Indian Islam

Thanks to this isolationist trend and the belief in a new prophethood,

the spiritual, intellectual and political centre of the Qadianis soon
ceased to be the Arabian peninsula with its holy cities of Mecca and
Medina. Then loyalties began to turn instead towards Qadian, the
birth-place of the new religion. It was natural that the Qadianis should
became increasingly cool towards Arabia. Hence, those Indian
nationalists, who felt that the idea of the one nationhood of India was
threatened. by the fact that a great part of the Indian population was
deeply attached to a foreign country and its religious centre, its
spiritual personalities, its holy places and its most cherished memories
of history all lay outside the boundaries of India, felt greatly relieved in
so far as Qadianism was a purely Indian movement and its spiritual
centre lay not outside, but within India. This appeared to them as a
very salutary development: a factor which could help the development
of a common nationhood in the country.

This orientation of Qadianism was for obvious reasons welcomed with

great zest by those nationalists of India who have always complained
that Hijaz has been the real centre of the loyalty of Muslims and that
they are always wont to look towards Arabia. To such people this
movement appeared as a new ray of hope. A Hindu writer, Dr.
Sbanker Das Mehra, has very ably represented this standpoint. He
has clearly grasped the change in outlook that results from embracing
Qadianism. He has also realised the fact that instead of being an
Islamic sect, the Qadianis believe in an independent religion and
constitute a separate religious community, and that they are engaged
in propagating a new religion and building a new community. Dr.
Mehra writes:
"The most important question that confronts the country is in what way
can national feeling be inspired among the Indian Muslims. At times
pacts and agreements are concluded with them, at times we bargain
with them, and at times attempt is made to persuade them to unite.
But nothing proves of any avail. The Indian Muslims have come to
consider themselves a separate nation and they keep on singing
praises of Arabia, day in and day out. Had they the power, they would
christen India as Arabia. In this darkness, in this state of despair, the
Indian nationalists and patriots see only one glimmer of hope. That
glimmer of hope is the movement of Ahmadis. The more Muslims will
be attracted towards Ahmadism, the more they will begin to consider
Qadian to be their Mecca and will become, in the end, lovers of India
and true nationalists.

"The progress of Ahmadism among Muslims can alone deal a death-

blow to the Arabic culture and Pan-Islamism. Let us study the Ahmadi
movement from the national point of view. From the land of Punjab
there arises a man, Mirza Gulam Ahmad Qadiani, and summons the
Muslims:

"O Muslims! I am the prophet whom God has promised to send in the
Quran. Come! Gather under my banner. If you don't come, God will
not forgive you on the day of judgement and you will abide in hell.

"Without entering into any discussion about the truth or falsehood of

this claim of the Mirza, I would like to point out the change that takes
place when a Muslim becomes a Mirzai. A Mirzai Muslim holds it as
his, creed that:

(1) From time to time God sends someone to guide people. Such a
person is the prophet of his time.

(2) During the time when moral confusion prevailed in Arabia God sent
Hazrat Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be on him) as His
Prophet to that country.

(3) God felt the need of a prophet again and so He sent the Mirza in
order that he should guide the Muslims.

"My nationalist brethren will ask : What have these beliefs to do with
nationalism? The reply is that when a Hindu becomes a Muslim, his
loyalty and devotion are transferred to the land of Arabia; similarly,
when a Muslim becomes an Ahmadi, his angle of vision changes. His
devotion to Hazrat Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on
him) begins to decrease. Besides, if his caliphate had been in the past
in Arabia and the land of the Turks, now it comes to Qadian. Mecca
and Medina then remain holy places for him 'merely in a traditional
sense.

"An Ahmadi, whether he is in Arabia, Turkistan, Iran or in any corner

of the world, turns towards Qadian for spiritual salvation. The land of
Qadian is the land of salvation for him and therein lies the secret of
the superiority of India.

"Every Ahmadi will have love for India for Qadian is in India. The
Mirza, too was an Indian and his Caliphs who are leading this sect till
now are all Indians."
He adds:
"This is the one reason why Muslims look at the Ahmadi movement
with suspicion. They know that Ahmadism is hostile to Arabic culture
and Islam. In the Khilafat movement too Ahmadis did not join hands
with Muslims. For, instead of Turkey or Arabia, they want to establish
the Khilafat at Qadian. This fact, no matter how disappointing to the
common Muslims who are always dreaming of Pan-Islamism and Pan-
Arab solidarity, is a matter of great joy for a nationalist." (Dr. Shankar
Das Mehra's article in Bande Matram, April 22, 1932, (cited in Qadiani
Mazhab, by Prof. Iyas Barni).
Chapter IV-2 - Revolt against Muhammad's Prophethood
The belief, that religion has now been perfected, that Muhammad
(peace be on him) is the last messenger of God, and that Islam is the
last message of God to mankind and the most perfect way of life, is a
Divine gift and an bonour conferred exclusively on this a ummah. It is
for this reason that a Jewish scholar had said to Hazrat Umar (may
God be pleased with him) that there was averse in the Quran Which
the Muslims recite. Had that verse been found in the Jewish Scripture,
they would have regarded the day of its revelation as a day of national
rejoicing and celebration. This Jewish scholar was referring to the
Quranic verse which proclaims the termination of prophethood and the
perfection of Divine benediction:
This clay have I perfected your religion for you, completed, My Favour
upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.
Umar did not dispute the majestic glory of this Divine proclamation. He
only said that the Muslims needed no new celebration for the verse
had been revealed on a day which is a day of great devotion and
congregation in Islam. The day on which this verse had been revealed
was the day of two Ids: the Day of Arafah and Friday.

Security Against Intellectual Chaos

This creed has stood as a great barrier against the disintegrating

movements which arose from time to time in the wide expanse of the
world of Islam. It is this creed which prevented Islam from becoming a
plaything of false pretenders to prophethood and hypocrites. This
creed has been like a fortress wherein this ummah took refuge from
the inroads of imposters and adventurers who tried to demolish the
entire structure of Islam and to replace it by a new structure. It is,
again, this very creed which maintained the religious and ideological
unity of this ummah to an extent no other prophet's ummah has been
able to do in the past. Had this creed not been there, Muslims would
have disintegrated into numerous ummahs, each of which would be
having a separate centre of spiritual inspiration, a distinct heritage of
cultural traditions and history, and a different set of heroes.

Implications of the Termination of Prophethood

The belief that prophethood has been terminated is a matter of great

honour and distinction for mankind. This, in effect, proclaims that
mankind has reached the age of maturity and attained the capacity to
respond to the last message of God. It means that human beings no
longer require any fresh revelation and further heavenly
communication. This belief inspires self-confidence. For man knows
that religion has assumed its perfect and final form and man need no
longer look backwards; that humanity need no longer look towards the
heavens for fresh revelation; rather, it should now direct its efforts to
make good use of the resources created by God. And in trying to
fashion its life according to the fundaments of religion and morality, it
has to look now only towards the earth and towards its own self. This
creed directs the vision of man to the future. It provides an incentive
for the creative utilization of man's capabilities. It fixes for man the
right goal and points to the direction in which man should proceed for
the achievement of that goal. Without this creed, man would be in a
state of doubt, diffidence and hesitation. He would always be looking
towards the heavens, instead of looking towards the earth. He would
always feel uneasy about his future. Every now and then some
pretender would rise to tell him that "the garden of humanity had
remained incomplete" and that it was his advent which had given it its
full bloom; leaving man to remain diffident that if it had remained
imperfect so far, what was the guarantee for the future! Thus, instead
of striving to water that garden, he would always remain waiting for
some gardener to come out from above and do the needful.

Qadiani Insolence

Among the different anti-Islamic movements which have arisen in our

history, Qadianism is unique. For, if other movements bad been
directed against Islam as a whole, Qadianism is a conspiracy which is
specifically directed against the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be
on him) and challenges the finality of Islam and the unity of Muslims.
By repudiating the finality of prophethood, Qadianism obliterated the
very borderlines which distinguish this ummah from all others. Dr. Sir
Muhammad Iqbal has clearly brought out the innovation impudently
set afloat by Qadianism:
"Islam is essentially a religious order which has defined limits, that is,
belief in the Unity and Omnipotence of God, faith in the prophets and
termination of prophethood on the advent of His last Messenger,
Muhammad (peace be upon him). Faith in the last mentioned creed is,
in reality, the distinguishing feature between a Muslim and a non-
Muslim and a determinant whether a certain individual or group forms
part of the Muslim community or not. Take, for example, Brahmo
Samaj, which has faith in God and acknowledges Muhammad as a
Prophet of God, but its votaries cannot be treated as Muslims, for, like
the Qadianis, they believe in the continuance of revelation and do not
regard the Prophet of Islam as the Last Prophet. As far as I am aware,
no sect of Islam has ever tried to go beyond this line of demarcation.
In Iran, the Bahaites denied this essential creed but they also
confessed that they constituted a distinct religious order and were not
a sect of the Muslims. We believe that Islam, as a religion, has been
revealed by God; but, Islam, as a social order, owes its existence to
the person of the Blessed Prophet. The Qadianis have, in my opinion,
only two ways open to them. They should either follow the Bahaites or
accept the creed in regard to finality of Muhammad's prophethood in
toto, with its fill implications, and give up those far-fetched
interpretations which are designed to let them remain within the fold of
Islam with a view to enjoying political benefits." (Iqbal : Haf-I-Iqbal, pp.
136-37. )
In another article on the subject, Sir Muhammad Iqbal wrote:
"Muslims are unusually sensitive in regard to those movements which
pose a danger to their unity. Therefore, every religious group which
deems itself historically associated with Islam, but has its bases in a
new prophethood, and, treats every Muslim not having faith in its
revelations as a non-believer, would be regarded by the Muslims as a
danger to the unity of Islam. This is because the sense of Islamic unity
springs from the belief in the finality of Muhammad's prophethood."
(Ibid. pp. 122-23)
He adds in the same article that:
"It is obvious that Islam which claims to unite its different sects on the
basis of a uniform creed for all, cannot show any sympathy to a
movement which presently endangers its own solidarity and is fraught
with the danger of further dissension to humanity in future." (Ibid. pp.
122-23)
Proliferation of Prophets

The natural outcome of the Mirza's preaching against the idea of the
finality of prophethood was that the halo of sanctity and veneration,
honour and dignity around the office of prophethood was gone. The
eloquence he waxed on stressing that the process of prophethood had
not stopped, the importance be attached to "inspiration", enhancing it
to be considered the basis of prophethood, was bound to reduce
prophethood to a child's play, even though his argument supporting
the continuity of prophethood was, confined merely to his own case
and - he considered himself to be the, last prophet. To borrow the
remarks of Iqbal:
"The founder's own argument, quite worthy of a medieval theologian,
is that the spirituality of the Holy Prophet of Islam must be regarded as
imperfect, if it is not creative of another prophet. He claims his own
prophethood to be an evidence of the prophet-rearing power of the
spirituality of the Holy Prophet of Islam. But if you further ask him
whether the spirituality of Muhammad is capable of rearing more
prophets than one, his answer is "No". This virtually amounts to
saying, "Muhammad is not the last Prophet, I am the last." Far from
understanding the cultural value of the Islamic idea of finality in the
history, of mankind generally and of Asia especially, he -thinks that
finality, in the sense that no follower of Muhammad can ever reach the
status of Prophethood, is a mark of imperfection in Muhammad's
Prophethood. As I read the psychology of his mind he seems to be
interested only in his own claim to Prophethood; for he avails himself
of what he describes as the creative spirituality of the Holy Prophet of
Islam, but, at the same time, limits this spiritual creative capacity to the
rearing of only one prophet, i.e., the founder of the Ahmadiyya
movement. In this way the new prophet quietly steals away the finality
of one whom he claims to be his spiritual progenitor." (Speeches and
Writings of Iqbal, pp. 150-51.)
What eludes the grasp of people of normal intelligence is the
confinement of Muhammad's prophet-rearing spirituality to one person
alone and that it should have produced no-results during the thirteen
hundred years prior to the advent of the Mirza and that it is not
capable of producing any other prophet in the future! It is this logic of
things which has made Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood to make the
following observation:
"The Exalted God says about the unbelievers that they did not form a
true estimate of Allah and have come to think that the treasures of
God have become exhausted and hence He mould not now give
anything to anybody. In the same way, (such people) say that no
matter bow much a man advances in righteousness and piety and
even if he goes ahead of several prophets in divine gnosis and
spirituality, God will never, never make him a prophet. This concept is
owing to a mis-estimation of God, otherwise I say that not one but
thousands of prophets will be born." (Anwar-i-Khalafat, p. 62)
This trend of denying the finality of prophethood emboldened several
people to lay claim to prophethood. So far as we know about the
history of Muslim India, there had been none except Akbar who has
had the cheek to deny the finality of prophethood and try to promote a
new religion. However, even Akbar had not done all that with the
outspokenness and vehemence of the Qadianis. The door of
prophethood flung open by the Mirza attracted Many an adventurer
and pretender. In 1355/1936 Professor Ilyas Barni mentioned seven
such pretenders. However, were one to undertake a thorough census
of the pretenders in the province of. Punjab alone even their number
would be much more than seven. This sudden proliferation of
'prophets' caused concern even to the Qadianis and Mirza
Bashiruddin Mahmood remarked:
"Look at the number of claimants to prophethood who have arisen
from the ranks of our own party. Of these, but for one, I believe that
none of these is consciously lying. The fact is that in the beginning
they received inspirations and it would be no surprise if they receive
them even now. But the mishap was that they erred in the
interpretation of their inspirations. I personally know some of these
people and I can testify that they possessed sincerity and fear of God.
The Exalted God alone knows how far this opinion is correct, but in
the beginning they were sincere. A part of their inspirations was from
God, but the mistake was that they did not grasp the wisdom of the
inspirations and foundered." (Al-Fadhl, January 1, 1935)
Dissension Among Muslims

The very idea of the extent to which Muslims will become divided
among themselves and the tragic disintegration that will follow as a
result of the rise of these new prophets makes a Muslim tremble with
fear. Secular trends of thought have made people disinclined to make
claims of divinity and prophethood. What would happen, however, if
the writings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and the preachings of his
followers awaken this idea and there is a proliferation of 'prophets' all
over the Muslim world; and each 'prophet' begins to denounce all
those who do not come tinder his banner as Kafirs. What a colossal
intellectual, and religious chaos would follow? The world of Islam
would become divided into different hostile religious camps and who
knows if Muslims too will not experience the religious wars which
devastated Europe a few centuries ago. Thus, the ummah which had
been raised in order to weld the whole of humanity into one fraternity
would itself become divided against itself. This danger was realized by
one of the followers of the Mirza, Maulavi Muhammad Ali. Muhammad
Ali did not realise, however, that the door to this danger had been
opened by his leader, the Mirza himself. For, in the history of Islam,
the Mirza is the only person who initiated a full-fledged movement to
prove the unceasing continuity of prophethood. Anyhow, the views of
Muhammad Ali are noteworthy:
"Reflect, for the sake of God, that if the belief of Mian Sahib (That is,
Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood. In fairness, however, it should be noted
that Mahmood was not the proponent of this idea; he merely reiterated
the views of his leader and father Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.) is accepted
that the prophets will continue to come and that thousands of prophets
will come, as he has written explicitly in Anwar-i-Khilafat, will not these
thousands of groups denounce one another as Kafir? And so, what
will happen to Islamic unity? Let us assume that all those prophets will
be confined to the Ahmadi group alone. Then, how many factions will
there be in the Ahmadi group After all, you are aware of what
happened in the past, how one of these groups became favourable to
and another opposed to the Prophet after his advent. Then, will that
very God who has expressed the will to unify all the peoples of the
world at the hands of Muhammad (peace and blessings of God. be on
him), will He now divide Muslims into numerous factions, each one of
them calling the other Kafir, having no Islamic relationship and unity
among themselves. Remember that if the promise to make Islam
predominant over all religions, in the future is true, then that tragic day
when thousands of prophets will go about with their own separate
factions, when there will be thousands of separate exclusive mosques,
each with its own group of mentors of true belief and salvation,
denouncing all other Muslims as infidels, will never dawn in the history
of Islam. (Ridd-i-Takfir-I-Ahl-i-Qiblah, pp. 49-50)
A Dangerous Hypothesis

A hypothesis of the Mirza which causes unrest in a Muslim's mind and

opens the door of chaos and anarchy in Muslim society is his view that
"Divine revelations and communications" are essential for the validity
of a religion and a natural outcome of obedience to God and earnest
endeavour in His way. In his view, the religion in which "Divine
revelations and communications" do not continue unceasingly is a
dead and false religion; rather it is a Satanic religion which leads
towards the hell. If the followers of a religion , who apply themselves
to the practice of austerities and devotion remain deprived of the
honour Divine illumination despite hard efforts and sacrifices in the
way of God, they are misguided, unfortunate and blind. In Barahin-i-
Ahmadiyah (Vol. V), he wrote:
"What honour, what position, what influence and what Divine strength
does that prophet possess, whose followers are merely blind,
sightless people, whose eyes have not been opened by Divine
communication? How stupid and false is it to believe that after the
Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be on him), the door of
Divine revelation has been closed for ever; and in the future, till the
Day of judgement, there is no hope of it being opened again. Keep on
worshipping mere fables and stories! Can such a religion, in which
there is no direct relationship with God, be a religion in the real sense
of the term. What then remains in such a religion except paying
devotion to mere fables. Even if a person were to sacrifice his life in
His way, even if he were to lose himself completely in striving to gratify
Him and prefer Him to everything, even then He does not open the
door of His knowledge and does not honour him with communication! I
swear in the name of Exalted God that there would be none in this age
who would be more averse to such a religion than I. I call such a
religion Satanic and not a Divine one, and believe that such a religion
leads to hell." (Brahin-i-Ahmadiyah, Vol. V, p. 183)
Logical Consequences

Assuming "Divine communication" as essential for knowledge and

salvation and holding it up as the criterion for the truth and veracity of
a religion, the Mirza turned religion into a highly complicated and an
immensely straitened affair even though God had made it simple and
practicable. God says:
"God intends every facility for you. He does not want to put you to
difficulties."
"And has imposed no difficulties on you in religion. (XXII. 78)

" On no soul doth God place a burden greater than it can bear." (II.
286)
But if Divine communication is essential for knowledge and salvation,
there can be nothing more difficult than religion. For, by nature, an
overwhelming majority of people are not disposed to that kind of
communication. No matter bow hard they try, the door of Divine
communication will always remain closed for them. Then, there are
those, who do have a natural predilection for this, and others there are
who do not have the leisure or the Divine help to undertake the
vigorous striving essential for such a spiritual achievement. The
universal religion which has been designed for the salvation of the
whole of mankind and summons all towards God cannot possibly
impose such impossible conditions for obtaining the knowledge of
God, His propinquity and blessings and salvation.

If one were to study the Holy Quran from one end to the other, one
could never find direct communication from God mentioned as an
attribute of the believers or of those who merit salvation. Instead, one
finds verses which mention characteristics such as those given in the
following verses.
"The Believers must (eventually) win through: those who humble
themselves in their prayers)" (xxIII:1-2)

"And the servants of the Merciful (God) are those who walk on the
earth in humility." (xxv: 63)
Or one might even turn the first page of the Quran to find these
verses:
"Alif, Lam, Mim. This is the Book; in it is guidance, sure, without doubt,
to those who fear God; who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in
prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them." (xI, 1-3).
Nowhere does one find Divine communication mentioned in the Quran
as essential for being rightly guided or for achieving salvation. On the
contrary, the stress is primarily on faith in the Unseen. And faith in the
Unseen means a man's acceptance of facts relating to supra-physical
matters which can not be grasped by reason or senses alone, an
acceptance based on faith in God's prophet (who had been chosen by
God for His revelations). Now, if one were to accept the Mirza's view
that Divine communication is essential for true knowledge and
salvation, the need for faith in the Unseen becomes superfluous and
the persistent Quranic stress on it difficult to comprehend.
Furthermore, we have before us the lives of the illustrious companions
of the Holy Prophet. One might ask: how many of them were
honoured by Divine communication? How many can be proved by
history or Hadith (Traditions) to have enjoyed that privilege? Nobody
who knows the history of those times and understands the
temperaments and the circumstances of those people - in fact, no one
who grasps human psychology and nature can say that these
companions of the Prophet of God - and their number exceeds the
figure of one hundred thousand - had enjoyed Divine communication.
When such is the case in respect of the companions, what can be said
of those who came after them?

Repudiation of Prophethood
The concept of Divine communication as mentioned above was, in
fact, a hidden conspiracy, a clandestine revolt against prophethood as
such. If this process were to be considered a widespread one and one
of unceasing continuity, prophets would no longer remain necessary
at all. The Quran and other scriptures link true guidance, knowledge of
God, of His Attributes, of His will and all matters relating to the Unseen
world, with prophethood. The Quran mentions, in the words of the
truly-guided believers:
"Praise be to God who hath guided us to this (felicity): Never could we
have found guidance, had it not been for the guidance of God. Indeed,
it was the truth that t e Apostles of our Lord brought unto us."(VII : 43)
At another place, while refuting polytheistic and pagan notions, God
says :
"Glory to thy Lord, The Lord of Honour and Power; (He is free) from
what they ascribe (to Him). And peace be on the Apostles. And Praise
be to God, the Lord and Cherisher of the Worlds!" (xxxvii.: 180: 82)
The Quran also explains the purpose of the advent of prophets as
follows:
"That mankind after (the coming of) the Apostles, should have no plea
against God." (iv : 165)
If one were to examine carefully the concepts preached by the Mirza
regarding the continuity of Divine communication and takes note of his
view that it was essential for one's salvation, it would reveal not only a
spirit of revolt against the finality of prophethood, but would reveal
symptoms against the very idea of prophethood. In fact, if these
concepts were to be taken seriously, religious faith would become
something akin to the spiritual feats such as occultism which are
becoming popular in the present times.

Source of Divine communication

Then, what is the criterion of these communications? And what is the

guarantee that these communications did not reflect either the inner
being of the person himself, or his environment, or his peculiar
upbringing, or his subconscious desires or else the complex of factors
related to his heredity? Those who have studied the ancient
collections of these communications know that the bulk of them
consists of completely erroneous hypotheses and concepts which had
their origin in ancient mythology. Look at the spiritual experiences and
Divine communications of the neo-Platonists of Egypt. Were they not
merely geared to the support of the idolatrous mythology and
philosophical hypotheses of the time? Even during the Islamic period,
some of the people, who had a deep faith in things such as Divine
communication and craved for gnosis, mention having met Aristotle
and having talked to him, which reflects the peculiar mental outlook of
ancient philosophy or Greek mythology. And if one studies the Divine
communications which the Mirza claims to have received one finds in
them incontrovertible reflections of the time and environment of his
life, his upbringing, his subconscious urges; on the whole, a reflection
of the degenerate and decadent society in which he had been reared
and, wherein he preached his message. In fact, these
communications contain far enough evidence to force anyone who
knows the political history of modern India to the conclusion that the
real source of the Mirza's inspiration was the political authority ruling
over the country. Iqbal, who was a man of rare insight and had also
studied the Qadiani movement thoroughly, has made the following
observation:
"I dare say the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement did hear a voice,
but whether the voice came from the God of Life and Power or arose
out of the spiritual impoverishment of the people must depend upon
the nature of the movement which it has created and the kind of
thought and emotion which it has given to those who have listened to
it. The reader must not think that I am using metaphorical language.
The life-history of nations shows that when the tide of a people begins
to ebb, decadence itself becomes a source of inspiration; inspiring
poets, philosophers, saints and statesmen and turning them into a
class of apostles whose sole ministry is to glorify, by the force for a
seductive art or logic, all that is ignoble and ugly in the life of their
people. These apostles unconsciously clothe despair in the glaring
garments of hope, undermine the traditional values of conduct and
thus destroy the spiritual virility of those who happen to be their
victims. One can only imagine the rotten state of a people's will who
are, on the basis of Divine authority, made to accept their political
environment as final. Thus the actors who participated in the drama of
Ahmadism were, I think, only innocent instruments in the hands of
decadence." (Iqbal Speeches and Writings, pp. 157-58.)
Chapter IV-3 - The Lahori Branch
The branch of Qadianism which has had its headquarters until
recently at Qadian and was later transferred to Rabwah under the
second Khalifah and the Mirza's own son, Bashiruddin Mahmood, has
made the Mirza's prophethood its fundamental article of faith. With
great frankness and courage this group adheres to this belief. No
matter how objectionable this creed might be from the Islamic view
point, this group deserves the credit for having adopted a clear and
categorical standpoint and showing moral courage. It is also beyond
doubt that this group faithfully represents the teachings of the Mirza, in
so far as he had claimed prophethood for himself in clear and vigorous
terms.

But the standpoint of the Lahore branch, whose leader until a few
years ago was Maulavi Mohammad Ali (d.1952), is enigmatic to the
core. Anyone who has studied the writings of the Mirza knows that he
explicitly claims prophethood and regards all those who disbelieve in
his prophethood to be Kafirs. If the meanings of words are fixed, and
they have to be taken in the sense in which the speakers of that
language understand them, and if Mirza had written his books in order
to convey his message to his compatriots, then there can be no doubt
that he did say that he was a prophet, that he had received revelation,
that he was entitled to prescribe divine ordinances and injunctions,
that he was the bearer of shariah (Divine Law), and that the one who
rejected him was a Kafir and doomed to hell-fire. But Maulavi
Muhammad Ali seems to have had greater sympathy with the Mirza
than he had for himself or his offsprings have for him. It appears that
Maulavi Muhammad Ali is keen to protect the greatness of the Mirza
and his religious services and perhaps is trying, both consciously as
well as subconsciously, to keep his own deep attachment to, and
veneration of the Mirza intact and, at the same time, to spare his soul
and his religious conscience the torment caused by the Mirza's
shocking claim to be a prophet and the consequent ex-communication
of the Muslims, who rejected him, as Kafirs. Muhammad Ali tries to
show that the Mirza never claimed prophethood in the technical sense
of the word. Wherever the Mirza used terms like prophethood
(nabuwah) revelation (Wahi) and disbelief (Kufr), in Muhammad Ali's
opinion he used them in a mystical (Sufi) sense: that is, these words
have an allegorical and metaphorical import. It is obvious that if well-
known and commonly used religious terms were to be taken as
sufistic mysteries, or as allegories and metaphors, then the writings
and statements of any person can be interpreted in all possible ways
and no connotation can be fixed for any piece of writing.

Maulavi Muhammad Ali considers the Mirza to be the greatest

Mujaddid and reformer of the fourteenth century (of Hijrah) and, above
all that, the Promised Messiah. It is at this point that the two branches
of Qadianism meet. Even in his commentary of the Holy Quran, there
are indications that he considered the Mirza to be the Promised
Messiah. For instance, at one place in his Urdu commentary of the
Holy Quran he writes:
"Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be on him) was sent to all
mankind and his time extends to the Day of judgement. And, hence to
consider oneself to be in need of some other messenger or prophet is
ingratitude to this great benefactor. Thus, the prophecy about the
advent of the son of Mary in the Hadith can only-mean that someone
of this ummah will come bearing resemblance to the son of Mary. This
corresponds to the prophecy of the second advent of Elijah (Ilyis)
which was fulfilled by the coming of John (Yahya) in the manner of
Elijah. This statement of the Noble Quran prevents Jesus from coming
back personally to the Muhammadan ummah." (Tafsir, Buyan al-
Qur'an, Vol. 1, p. 317.)
In his works, too, he generally refers to Mirza as "the Promised
Messiah". (See for instance, his al-Nabuwah fi al-Islam and also
Radd-i-Takfir ahl-i- Qiblah.) However, here we would confine
ourselves to a glance at his commentary of the Holy Quran in order to
find out his religious attitudes and tendencies.
A study of his Commentary of the Holy Quran shows that Muhammad
Ali's mind had almost completely assimilated Sir Sayyid Ahmad
Khan's mode of thinking as well as his method of interpreting the
Quran. His close contact with Hakim Nuruddin and his lessons in
exegesis (Tafsir) of the Quran from the latter further reinforced the
tendencies he had imbibed from Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan. Infact,
Mohammad Ali is a typical example of the kind of people found among
the Muslims today. He is keen to present Quran before the modern
world and before those educated in the modern tradition. At the same
time, his own mental framework and his intellectual upbringing prevent
him from accepting facts relating to the Unseen World and the facts
not comprehended by limited human intellect. He represents,
therefore, the attitudes of those Muslims who have accepted all the
results of modern scientific researches, or to be more accurate, they
have accepted the well-known concepts of science -as distinguished
from scientific facts- as axiomatic and have set them up as the
criterion for the acceptance or rejection of everything, including the
teachings of religion and the contents of heavenly scriptures. Such
people have a frame of mind which is, on the whole averse to belief in
the Unseen World and in miracles. At the same time, they also have a
religious inclination which makes them disinclined to repudiate the
clear texts of the Quran. Hence, they try to strike a middle path. They
interpret the Quranic texts relating to the Unseen World and miracles
in such a manner as would not go counter to the concepts and ideas
in vogue in the present times. In short, it is an attempt to make Islam
palatable to the modern mind. To achieve this end, Muhammad Ali
interprets Quranic verses in a highly arbitrary and exotic manner. He
goes to a ridiculous length of casuistry in order to support his
interpretation on the basis of the feeblest of evidences. In these
explanations he sets aside all that might stand in the way of making
Quran conform to the whims and inclinations of the modern man. The
accepted principles of Tafsir, the rules of language and literature, the
known usages of terms, the understanding of these terms on the part
of the companions of the Prophet and Arabic-speaking people, the
exegesis of the earlier scholars, all these are rejected out of hand to
show that Quranic verses have nothing which can be regarded as 'out
of fashion' in the present age. In this his comments are very similar to
those of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan. Below are a few examples which will
show Muhammad Ali's adventures in the realm of Quranic exegesis:
In the Second Chapter of Quran it has been said that when Moses
(peace of God be on him) prayed to God (for water for his people in a
wilderness), be was asked to strike with his staff. This made twelve
springs gush forth and the twelve tribes of the Israelites drank to their
full. The Quranic verses read:
"And when Moses prayed for water for his people, We said: Strike the
rock with thy staff. So there flowed from it twelve springs. Each tribe
knew its drinking place."
If one were to interpret this verse in the light of the words in which this
incident has been conveyed and in the way it has been understood by
all since the day it was revealed to the Prophets, one would be forced
to the conclusion that this was a supernatural event brought about in a
manner contrary to the natural law of causation. However, such an
occurrence is, obviously, contrary to normal human experience and
runs counter to our understanding of physical and geological laws.
This forced Muhammad Ali to interpret it in quite a novel way. Let us
reproduce what he hag to say on the point:
"The words idrib bi asa ka-l-hajara may be translated in two ways,
strike the rock with thy staff, or march on or go forth or hasten, to the
rock with thy staff. Darb means striking, smiting, marching on, going
from place to place, setting forth a parable, and carries a number of
other significances. In fact, darb is used to indicate all kinds of actions
except a few (Taj al-" Arus). When arda (land or earth) is its object, it
carries the significance of going about or seeking a way. Thus daraba-
l-ard or darab fi-l-ardhi, both signify he journeyed in the land or went
forth in the land (Arabic-English Lexicon by Lane). The object of idrib
here is al-hajar which means a rock or a mountain to which there is no
access. 'Asa ordinarily means staff or rod, but its primary significance
is a state of combination (Taj al-I'Arus and Lane's Lexicon), and the
word is metapborically used to speak of a community. Thus, of the
Khawarij, a Muslim sect, it is said Shaqqa asa-l-Muslimina (lit. they
broke the staff of the Muslims which means that they made a schism
in the state of combination and union, or in the community of the
Muslims-Lisan al-'Arab). Hence, the words may mean strike the rock
with thy staff, or march on to the mountain with thy staff or thy
community. What the words of the Quran signify is either that Moses
was commanded by God to smite a particular rock with his staff from
which water flowed forth miraculously, or to march on to a mountain
from which springs flowed, (Muhammad (Ali's English Commentary, p.
29.)
What is significant about this interpretation of the verse put forth by
Muhammad 'Ali is that the latter alternative has been preferred by him
because affirmation of miracles appears old- fashioned and
"unscientific".
(2) Another instance is his explanation of the following verse:
"And when you killed a man, then you disagreed about it. And Allah
was to bring forth what you were hiding. So, We said: Smite him with a
part of it. Thus Allah brings the dead to life and He shows you His
signs that you may understand."
Now, the general Muslim interpretation of the incident is that an
Israelite had been killed and the Israelites were not succeeding in
tracing out the murderer. The successors of the dead asked Moses to
find out from God who the murderer was. Earlier, the Israelites had
been asked to slaughter a cow which they had done after
considerable hesitation and with a feeling of remorse. In order to show
the wisdom and reward of their compliance with Divine
commandment, God ordered them to smite the dead man with some
part of slaughtered cow which would make the dead man tell the
name of the murderer. This was a very effective means of teaching
the Jews the blessings of honouring and obeying God's
commandments. In fact, anyone who goes through these Quranic
verses without any preconceived notion is bound to interpret it in no
other manner. But since this involved a categorical affirmation of
miracle, Mohammad Ali explains the verses quite differently:
"The story generally narrated by the commentators to explain this
passage is not based on any saying of the Holy Prophet, nor is it met
with in the Bible. The very indefiniteness of the incident is an
indication that it refers to some well-known event in history, and as
almost all incidents of the stubbornness of the Jewish nation prior to
the time of Jesus have been mentioned, it becomes almost certain
that this incident refers to Jesus himself, as it was with respect to his
death that disagreement took place and many doubted his death. This
reference becomes stronger when we compare the incidents narrated
here with the same incidents as narrated in the fourth Chapter vv.
153-57, when after enumerating almost all the incidents narrated here
in the three previous sections, the Quran goes on to accuse the Jews
in the following words "And they are saying: Surely we have killed the
Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah: and they killed
him not nor did they crucify him, but he was made to appear to them
as such, and those who differ therein are surely in doubt about it; they
have no knowledge representing it, but only follow a conjecture" (4:
157). The part quoted answers exactly vv. 72 and 73, only the name is
omitted here. The comparison makes it clear that it is the apparent
killing of Jesus that is referred to here, the words that you killed
(Arabic : qataltum) are used, because in the first place the Jews
asserted that they had killed him, and, secondly, because
metaphorically a man may be said to have been killed when he is
made to appear as if he were dead." (Muhammad Ali's English
Commentary, p. 34.)
As for the part of the verse which mentions the order to smite the dead
body, he explains the phrase "a part of it", as follows:
" The construction of the phrase idritrbuhu bi ba'di-ha is rather difficult,
but a comparison with 4: 157 makes the meaning clear. Darb .........
conveys a number of significations. It means striking as well as
likening, and as an instance of the latter significance we find in the
Quran itself, where it is said Yadribu-Ilahu-l-Haqq wa-l-Batila, Allah
compares truth and falsehood."

"In ba'di-ha (lit, a part of it) the personal pronoun ha i.e. it refers to the
act of murder. The act of murder was not completed in the case of
Jesus, as the Gospels show, for after he was taken down from the
cross his legs were not broken as in the case of the thieves. The
meaning of the sentence is therefore according to the signification of
darb that we adopt: strike him with partial death, or liken his condition
to that of the partially dead man, and thus he was made to appear as
a dead man, as stated in 4:157. There is no other case of murder or
an attempted murder in Jewish history of which the whole nation could
be said to have been guilty, and which might answer to the description
of these two Verges. (Ibid., p. 35)
This type of reasoning is fairly illustrative of the mentality we have
spoken of above. In order to avoid affirming a miracle, all kinds of
involved reasoning is employed, including the contention (see the
above citation) that the feminine pronoun was used as masculine and
the incident of Jesus (peace be on him) was tagged on to these
verses, without there being for it any contextual relevance
whatsoever.

(3) The Quran repeatedly mentions that to provide evidence of his

prophethood, Jesus made from clay the form of a bird and then he
breathed into the model which sprang into life and flew into the air like
a real bird.
"And I made for you from clay the form of a bird, then I breath into it
and it came a bird with Allah's permission."
The verse obviously suggests a miracle. In order to avoid that,
Muhammad Ali gives an out-and- out figurative interpretation of the
verse. His interpretation of the verse is novel since he assigns an
altogether novel signification to the four terms used in the verse:
Khalq, tin, nafkh, and tair. Khalq according to him, here means the
determining of a thing. As for tin and nafkh, he says "Man is spoken of
as being created from tin or dust, which stands for his humble origin,
but the nafkh or breathing into him makes him deserving of respect by
the angels." Then comes the word tair which, says Muhammad Ali,
means a bird just as the word asad (lit, a lion) is figuratively used for a
brave man. In a parable, it is quite unobjectionable, says Muhammad
Ali, to take the word fair as signifying one who soars into the higher
spiritual regions and is not bent low upon earth or earthy things. In the
light of these novel significations given to the words, Muhammad Ali
considers the verse to mean:
"So that is meant here is that Jesus, by breathing a spirit into mortals,
will make them rise above those who are bent upon the earth, and the
apostles of Jesus, who were all men of humble origin (which is
referred to in the word dust in the parable), whose thoughts had never
risen higher than their own humble cares, left everything for the
master's sake and went into the world by the command of the master
preaching truth. Here was, no doubt, mere dust having the form of a
bird, which the messenger of God converted into high-soaring birds by
breathing the truth into them." (Muhammad Ali's English Commentary,
p. 144)
(4) The Quran mentions Solomon enumerating the favours of God
unto him. He said:
"On man, we have been taught the speech of birds, and we have been
granted of all things."
Since knowledge of "speech of birds" is contrary to normal human
experience, Muhammad Ali considers the knowledge of speech of
birds to mean Solomon's use of birds for conveying messages. In his
own words:
"Solomon's understanding of the speech of birds may imply that he
made use of birds to convey messages from one place to another,
these messages being metaphorically called the speech of birds."
(Ibid)
The following verse reads:
"Till when they came to the valley of the ants, the she ant said: "O
ants, enter your abodes."
Here again Muhammad Ali gives a free rein to his imagination.
According to him, Wad al-Naml does not mean, as it apparently does
and as it has been interpreted by exegetists, the 'valley of ants', but
the valley of an Arab tribe called Banu Namlah, and the word namlah
(she-ant) mentioned in the verse has been explained by him as
follows:
('It is the name of a tribe........ The name Namlah used also to be given
to a child in whose hand an ant was placed at its birth, because it was
said that such a child would be wise and intelligent. (Ibid., p. 731.)
(5) In the Quranic chapter entitled Saba it has, been mentioned about
Solomon:
"But when We decreed death for him, naught showed them (the jinn)
his death except a creature of the earth who ate away his staff."
(xxxxv: 14)
The Muslim exegetists in explaining this verse point out that Solomon
was having his temple constructed by jinn. When he came to know
that the time of his death had arrived, he explained the plan of
construction to the jinn, shut himself up in a house of glass; and
devoted himself to the worship of God. In this state, the angel took the
breath of life out of him. His corpse kept standing by the support of a
wooden staff. The jinn kept on working for long. None sensed that
Solomon had died. When the construction was completed, the staff
which had supported his corpse fell down because of its having been
eaten up by a motif. It was then that his death became known. The
jinn also realised the limitations of their knowledge of the Unseen.
Their human followers too came to realise that. Had the jinn become
aware of Solomon's death by virtue of their capacity to know the
Unseen, they would have got rid of the humiliation they had been
enduring so long.

Now, since all this could be accepted, only if supernormal things are
affirmed, Muhammad Ali again comes forward with a strange
explanation. This is what he has to say on the question:
"The reference in the creature of the earth that ate away his staff is to
his son's weak rule, under whom the kingdom of Solomon went to
pieces. It appears that Solomon's successor, Rehoboarm, led a life of
luxury and ease, and instead of acting on the advice of older men, he
yielded to the pleasure-seeking wishes of his companions (Kings:
12:13), and, it is to his luxurious habits and easy mode of life that the
Holy Quran refers when it calls him a creature of the earth. The eating
away of his staff signifies the disruption of the Kingdom. The jinn, as
already remarked, mean the rebellious tribes who had been reduced
to subjection by Solomon, and who remained in subjection to the
Israelites for a time, until the Kingdom was shattered.(Muhammad Ali's
English Commentary, p. 825.)
(6) Another example of the same trend is his explanation of the
following verse :
"And he reviewed the birds, then said: How is it I see not hudhad, or is
it that he is one of the absentees." (27:20)
The word hudhud has been understood as signifying a particular
species of birds (hoopoe). The same view is corroborated by the
context because a little earlier there is a mention of Solomon's
knowledge of the speech of birds and, again, since it is the birds that
he is reviewing. But since it is not normal that a human being should
converse with birds and call it to account and the bird should explain
its conduct before him, Muhammad Ali let his imagination loose and
interpreted hudhud as the chief officer of Solomon's Department of
Intelligence. He wrote:
"By Hudhud is not to be understood lapwing, but a person of that
name. In many languages many of the proper names given to men will
be found to be identical with the names of animals. The Arab writers
speak of a king of Himyar as Hudad (Lisan al-Arab), which is almost
identical with Hudhud mentioned in the Quran ....... The verses that
follow show clearly that Solomon was speaking of one of his own
officers ......... "
In his Urdu Tafsir he elaborates the situation, pointing out that Hudhud
was an intelligence officer and that when Solomon reviewed the birds,
who were used to carry on intelligence work, he found the officer of
the intelligence department, Hudhud, absent. (See his Tafsir at-Bayan,
VOL. 111, P. 1413)

(7) The Quran mentions the existence of a distinct species called jinn,
inter alia, in the following verse :
"Say: It has been revealed to me that a party of the jinn listened, so
they said: Surely we have heard a wonderful Quran. (LXXII: 1)
(Muhammad Ali's English Commentary, pp. 731-32,)
The testimonies of Quran and Hadith, the continuity of Muslim belief,
as well as human observations, are too overwhelming on the question
to warrant the denial of existence of a separate species of ethereal
beings. Muhammad Ali too could not explicitly reject this belief as
erroneous. He merely seems to evade the question. He tries,
therefore, to give other meanings of the term, depending upon the
contexts in which the term occurs. At one place he considers the word
jinn to signify "great potentates or powerful leaders who, through their
importance and detachment from the masses, do not mix freely with
them, so they remain distant or "hidden" from their eyes. "(Muhammad
Ali's English Commentary, pp. 306,) No less strange is his feat of
imagination in trying to explain that the term in the Quranic verse
mentioned above refers to Christians. (Ibid., p. 1107) He regards the
opening verses of this chapter as prophetical, "speaking of some
future time when Christian nations forming the bulk of mankind-such
being one of the significances of the word jinn (Lane's Lexicon)-will
accept the truth of the message brought by the Prophet." (Ibid., p.
1107)

These are just a few examples. The huge Commetary of Muhammad

Ali is replete with such distortions under the immature impression that
modern science was opposed to belief in miracles or in the occurrence
of an event which is of a supernatural order.

At this point a sound thinking person is bound to ask himself the

question: did the Companions of the Holy Prophet, who were the first
addressees of the Quran, and in whose mother-tongue the Quran was
revealed and who had the honour of having been instructed b the Holy
Prophet himself, also understood the same import of the verses as
has been explained by this new-fanged exegetist? Did they also think
that "strike the staff on the rock" meant "march on to the mountain with
thy community"? Did they also think that "And strike him with part of it"
meant "kill him only partially"? Did they also think that the claim of
Jesus of "Creating birds out of clay" meant "infusing the spirit to rise
above earthly concerns"? Did they also think that "the speech of birds"
meant "message-carrying birds", that the "creature of the earth"
referred to Solomon's son, Rehoboam, and that "jinn" meant the
"Christian nations of Europe"? In the same way, did any of the
followers of these companions, or any Arab linguists, or scholars and
exegetists understand something similar to what Muhammad Ali
understood from them? It would be bard to say 'yes', for we have
before us the entire treasure of tafsir literature and it testifies to the
originality of Mohammad Ali's brain. None of the profound scholars of
Arabic and its literature can even imagine that these verses could, by
any stretch of imagination, mean what this non-Arab scholar thinks
they mean, almost for the first time after more than thirteen hundred
years.

This being the case, one is left wondering about the significance of the
Quranic claim of being a 'clear book' which has been revealed in 'clear
Arabic.' The Quran itself makes the claim in these words:
"And surely this is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds' The faithful
spirit has brought it on thy heart so that thou mayst be a Warner in
plain Arabic language." (XXVI: 192-95)
"These Are the verses of the Book that makes manifest.
Surely we have revealed it-an Arabic Quran-that you may
understand." (XII: 1-2).
Another verse says :
"And certainly We have made the Quran easy to understand. Now, is
there any one who will ponder"? (LIV: 17)
If Muhammad Ali's approach were to be considered sound, it would
mean that for more than thirteen hundred years the Quran remained
an incomprehensible mystery, an unsolved puzzle. To disregard the
obvious meaning of Quranic verses, to set aside the well-known rules
of Arabic language and grammar, to neglect the interpretations of
Quran made by the companions of the Prophet, to overlook the
context of relevant Prophetic Traditions - all this means subjecting the
Quran to distortion and reducing it to a plaything. This is a great
danger and portends ill for Muslims, if people promoting this kind of
approach find an encouraging response from them. Long ago, Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad made a very apt remark About the Tafsir of Sir Sayyid
Ahmad Khan. Nothing could apply more adequately to the Tafsir of
Muhammad Ali. He said:
"These interpretations of the Holy Quran which were neither in the
knowledge of God's Prophet, nor in the knowledge of his companions,
nor in the knowledge of saints and aqtab and ghawth and abdal, nor
have any direct or indirect textual evidence, have caught the
imagination of Sir Sayyid."
Chapter IV-4 - Contribution of Qadianism to the Muslim World
Now that we have studied the life of the founder of Qadianism, traced
the evolution of its doctrines, and noted its doctrinal emphasis, etc.,
we are in a position to attempt historical evaluation of Qadianism and
see what achievements go to its credit in the history of the reformist
movements in Islam? What has it given to the present generation of
Muslims? What has been the practical outcomes of this religious
hullabaloo which has been going on for about three quarters of a
century? The founder of the movement has bequeathed a whole
library of his works on all kinds of religious subject, particularly
controversial matters, and they have been under discussion for over
seventy years, What is the essence of these works and what ate they
really driving at? What is the message of Qadianism for the present
age?

To answer these questions, we should cast a glance at the Muslim

world itself wherein the movement arose. We should also have a look
at the state of the Muslim world during the second half of the
nineteenth century, and its problems and difficulties.

The most important event which took place during this period of time,
which can be ignored neither by a historian nor a reformer, is the
aggression of Europe on the Muslim world, particularly India. The
educational system that came in its train was devoid of the spirit of
god-consciousness and the culture which sprang from this new world-
view was permeated with ungodliness and sensuality. The world of
Islam fell an easy prey to this nascent, but militarily well-equipped,
European power because it had become impoverished in all respects:
in respect of faith, of knowledge, and of material resources. This was
the time when a conflict of colossal importance took place the conflict
between religion (and Islam alone was in the field to represent
religion) and the ungodly and materialistic culture of Europe. This
conflict gave birth to a large number of political, cultural, intellectual
and social problems-problems which could have been solved only
through strong and unshakable faith, profound and extensive
knowledge and extraordinary self-confidence and perseverance. To
encounter this situation, the Muslim world needed a great spiritual and
intellectual personality, who could infuse the spirit of jihad (struggle) in
the Muslim world, unite the Muslims, be able to withstand the least
distortion of Islamic teachings, bring about a rapprochement between
the eternal message of Islam and the restless spirit of the present age
by dint of his strength of faith; intellectual acumen, and meet squarely
the challenge of the zestful and buoyant West.

This was one aspect of the problems faced by the Muslim world of that
time. The other aspect of the Muslim world was that it appeared to be
infested with religious and moral ailments, the most gruesome of
which was the rise of doctrines and practices which bore the imprint of
polytheistic influences. Tazids and graves were worshipped. People
swore in the names of others than God. Innovations in religion were
popular everywhere and superstitions and meaningless beliefs were
rampant. This situation called for a reformer of tremendous
dimensions: a reformer who could rage the Islamic society of anti-
Islamic influences, remind the Muslims of the true doctrine of Tawhid,
and stress the obligation of adhering to the Sunnah of the Prophet; in
short, one who could thoroughly purify the religious life of Muslims.

Besides this, the contact with foreign nations and a materialistic

culture had begun to corrode the Muslims socially and degenerate
them morally. Moral degeneration had gone to the extent of
unabashed sinfulness; love of extravagant and luxurious living to the
extent of licentious self-indulgence; docile obedience to their rulers to
the extent of intellectual subservience and loss of self-respect; and,
the tendency to imitate the Western culture and the way of life of their
British masters to the extent of the repudiation of the teachings of
Islam. The situation obviously demanded the rise of a great crusader
against these degenerating tendencies, a crusader who would put a
stop to the tidal waves of moral and intellectual decline and counteract
the harmful effects of political slavery and its offshoot of ihental
bondage.

Again, there was the problem in of ignorance: the ignorance of even

the rudiments of Islam on the part of a great majority of Muslims. As
for the people educated along modern lines, they were unaware of
Islam, of the normative principles of the Muslim way of life, of the
history of Islam, and of the greatness of their own past, and were, on
the whole, pessimistic about its future. Islamic religious sciences were
in a state of decay and the old centres of learning appeared to be on
the verge of collapse. All this meant that a new, vigorous educational
movement was needed, a movement to set up new schools and
madrasas, as well as to produce forceful books in order to improve the
knowledge of Muslims about their religion, awaken their religious
consciousness and create in them a deep faith in the teachings of
Islam.

Even more important than all these was another crying need of the
Muslim world: the need to summon the Muslims in the manner of the
prophets, to live a truly Islamic life characterised by strong faith and
righteous action. It is this alone which entitles the Muslims to the help
of God, to their predominance over the enemies and to their salvation
in this world as well as in the next and every kind of felicity and
honour. The fact is that the real need of the Muslim world has never
been, nor will it ever be a fresh religion: all that it has needed is a
fresh and deeper faith in Islam. Never has the world of Islam needed a
new religion or a new prophet. It has meroy extent of unabashed
sinfulness; love of extravagant and luxurious living to the extent of
licentious self-indulgence; docile obedience to their rulers to the extent
of intellectual subservience and loss of self-respect ; and the tendency
to imitate the Western culture and the way of life of their British
masters to the extent of the repudiation of the teachings of Islam. The
situation obviously demanded the rise of a great crusader against
these degenerating tendencies, a crusader who would put a stop to
the tidal waves of moral and intellectual decline and counteract the
harmful effects of political slavery and its offshoot of ihental bondage.
Again, there was the problem in of ignorance: the ignorance of even
the rudiments of. Islam on the part of a great majority of Muslims. As
for the people educated along modern lines, they were unaware of
Islam, of the normative principles of the Muslim way of life, of the
history of Islam, and of the greatness of their own past, and were, on
the whole, pessimistic about its future. Islamic religious sciences were
in a state of decay, and the old centres of learning appeared to be on
the verge of collapse. All this meant that a new, vigorous educational
movement was needed, a movement to set up new schools and
madrasas, as well as to produce forceful books in order to improve the
knowledge of Muslims about their religion, awaken their religious
consciousness and create in them a deep faith in the teachings of
Islam.

Even more important than all these was another crying need of the
Muslim world: the need to summon the Muslims in the manner of the
prophets, to live a truly Islamic life characterised by strong faith and
righteous action. It is this alone which entitles the Muslims to the help
of God, to their predominance over the enemies, and to their salvation
in this world as well as in the next and every kind of felicity and
honour. The fact is that the real need of the Muslim world has never
been, nor will it ever be a fresh religion: all that it has needed is a
fresh and deeper faith in Islam. Never has the world of Islam needed a
new religion, or a new prophet. It has merely been in need of a fresh
faith in, and fresh enthusiasm for, the eternal truths: the beliefs and
the teachings last of all the prophets, Muhammad (peace be on him).
This faith is adequate enough to encounter the evil tendencies that
might arise in any age and resist the new temptations that the
changing time brings along with it.

In response to the crying needs of the Muslim world mentioned by us

there arose numerous personalities and movements in the Muslim
world. They made no big claims, nor did they try to create a new
ummah. All they did was to fulfil these important needs as best as they
could, and in so doing they inspired a great number of Muslims. They
neither tried to promote a new religion, nor invited people to fall
around some new prophet, nor did they create anarchy in Muslim
ranks. They wasted none of their capabilities in futile tasks. Such
personalities and movements proved to be an unmixed blessing to the
Muslim world, their mission was free from all possibilities of harm and
their work commendable beyond any shadow of doubt. Without having
lost anything, the Muslims benefited from them and to them they owe
a heavy debt of gratitude.

At such a critical movement, in the most crucial area of the Muslim

world, India, which was the main scene of intellectual and political
conflicts, there also arose Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to initiate a new
movement. What is noteworthy about him is that he totally disregarded
some of the most important problems which were confronting the
Muslim world in his days and focused all his attention on one question
alone. Now, what was it? The question of the death of Messiah and
the claim on his own part to be the Promised Messiah. Whatever time
and energy was left after concentrating on this issue was spent on
propagating that jihad bad become prohibited and that loyalty to the
British Government was a religious imperative. For about a quarter of
a century these very questions continued to be debated by him at
great length. If the writings of the Mirza on the question of Messiah
were to be expunged from his works, hardly anything of significance
will be left in them.

Moreover, it is also to be noted that the Mirza raised the standard of

his prophethood and declared all those who did not accept his claim
as kafirs, in a Muslim world which was already torn by dissensions. By
so doing, however, the Mirza raised an iron wall between himself and
the Muslims. On the one side of this wall there are a few thousand
followers of the Mirza and on the other side is the rest of the Muslim
world which stretches from Morocco to China and has great
personalities, virtuous movements of reform and valuable institutions.
They stand isolated from and opposed to the whole of this world. Thus
he unnecessarily added to the difficulties of Muslims, further
aggravated their disunity and added a new complication to the
problems facing them.

The Mirza has made no worthwhile contribution to the intellectual and

religious heritage of Muslims, which would call for his recognition and
because of which he might deserve the gratitude of the present
generation of Muslims. Nor did he initiate a broad-based movement
for the revival of Islam which could profit the Muslims as a whole, nor
help Muslims to solve any of the major problems facing them, nor did
his movement contain any message for the contemporary civilization
which is in the grips of a major crisis and is interlocked in a life and
death struggle. Nor can he even be credited with any significant
achievement vis-a-vis the expansion of Islam either in India or Europe.
His message remained addressed to the Muslims and of necessity
could only lead to mental confusion and unnecessary religious
squabbles within the Muslim community. If the Mirza can be
considered successful, it is only in so far as he bequeathed to his
family the legacy of spiritual leadership and worldly prosperity, the
legacy of a kind of theocracy in which respect he is comparable to the
Agha Khan and his ancestors.

The fact is that it is merely a set of favourable circumstances and not

any inner vitality, which accounts for the survival of Qadianism for
several decades. It owes a good deal to the intellectual bewilderment
found in India and particularly in Punjab in his time. Qadianism is also
indebted to the dominance of the British in India, which had weakened
the bases of Islamic life so that the rising generation of Muslims had
become profoundly ignorant of the teachings of Islam and the
characteristics and attributes of prophethood and true spiritual
leadership. It owes a debt of gratitude to the encouragement and
patronage it received from the British rulers. Had it not been these
factors, Qadianism which bases itself mainly on inspirations, dreams,
fantastic interpretations of religious texts and dry, and lifeless
theological quibbling, which have no moral and spiritual message for
the present age, nor any imaginative solution for the problems of our
time, could never have remained alive as long as it has managed to
do in this degenerate and confused generation. It seems to me that
we have been punished by God for the ingratitude that Muslims have
shown to Him in the past by deviating from the teachings of Islam, and
the crimes we have committed by not fully recognizing the true
Servants of the cause of Islam, who rose amidst us. For all these
crimes we have received what we unfortunately deserved this
intellectual plague and the rising up of this man amidst us who has
sown the seeds of periapt discord and Disunity.

A few years ago while lecturing at. the University of Damascus on the
movements of reform and revival of true Islam in the past, I made the
following observation about Bitinite movement which appears worth
reproducing in the context of Qadianism. When I read the histories of
Baatinite movement in India, a Ikhawan at-saja, of Bahaism in Iran
and Qadianism, it seems to me that when the founders of these
movements read the history of Islam and the life of the Prophet it
struck them that a man, all by himself stood up with a mission in
Arabia, without any money to back him, or any army to support him;
he summoned people towards a creed, towards a religion and not
after very long there came into existence a new ummah, a new state,
and a new future. They also noticed that single-handed he changed
the direction of human history and forced events to flow into a different
channel. The ambitious natures of these men then whispered to them:
"Why not try?" These people knew that they had intelligence,
remarkable mental capabilities and organising ability. They thought,
therefore, that history might repeat itself in their case, following the
natural pattern of cause and effect. These people had expected the
same kind of miraculous success to crown their efforts, as had
crowned the efforts of the unlettered Prophet of Arabia in the sixth
century, for, they thought that human nature remained always-the
same, and if it had responded to Muhammad in the past, there was no
reason who it should not respond to them now.

These persons did have a glimpse of the greatness of Muhammad

(peace be on him), who carried his movement to a successful end, but
could not seethe Divine support which was his real strength, nor the
Divine Will of which be was an instrument.

The result was that for a very short period of time, the efforts of these
ambitious people did bear some fruit. There gathered behind them a
following, sometimes of several hundred thousand people. Some of
them, (e.g. Bitinites) even succeeded in establishing a state of their
own (the Fatimide State), which for some time covered a fairly wide
area from Sudan to Morocco. But all this remained only as long as
they were able to maintain their organizational efficiency, their
wizardry and their secret administrative network. But when these
things were gone, all their power and glory also became a poignant
Memory of the past. With the loss of worldly power, the religious
movement shrank and obscured and lost all significance for human
life. Against this is the true Islam preached by the last messenger of
Allah (peace be on him). It constitutes today, as it constituted
yesterday, a great spiritual force in the world, the guiding star and
inspiration of a great ummah. It still possesses a distinctive culture
which sprang from the spirit of its teachings. It is still the religion of a
number of states and peoples. The sun of Muhammad's prophethood
is still shining brilliantly in the sky. Never in history has it suffered an
eclipse and it never will."

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From Islam (submission to Allah)
to Kufr (Disbelief)
Religious Periods of Life of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani
(In light of his own Writings)
1.Just an average Sunni Muslim 7.An Apostate and New Prophet
2.Superior to the Great Muslims 8.The Lord of Hindus
3.A Disciple Prophet 9.Incarnation of All Prophets
4.The Promised Mehdi 10.The Son of God
5.The Promised Messiah 11.The Christian God
6.Reincarnation of Muhammad 12.God Like
Just an average Sunni Muslim
In his childhood and youth, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani was taught the
principles of the Sunni School of thought. Mirza Ghulam's writings
during this period adhered to the authentic Islamic teachings.
Particularly, he believed in the Finality of Prophethood and the role of
Jesus(pbuh), as the promised Messiah. The writings of this period are
the ones that the Qadianis put forth in trying to claim that Mirza
Ghulam Qadiani was a Muslim and did not deviate from Islam.
Here are some of his writings from this period:
"The Quran does not sanction the advent of any prophet
after the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad(SAW) whether
he is a new one or old one. All the knowledge that a
prophet possesses is taught by the angel Gabriel and the
door of Gabriel's descent to impact the revelations of
prophethood is closed for ever. How can a prophet come
now without having access to the revelations of
prophethood."
(Izalat-ul-Auham, Page 761)
"I consider that man who rejects the doctrine of Last
Prophetship is a disbeliever and outside the pale of Islam."
(Tableegh-i-Risalat, Vol 2, Page 44 -
Also read out in Congression of Jama Masjid, Dehli,
Oct. 23, 1891)
"I believe in all the items of faith as prescribed by the Sunni
School of Islam and I accept everything that is according to
the Quran and Hadith. I fully subscribe to the doctrine that
Muhammad is the last of all Prophets, and that any claimant
to Prophethood after him is an impostor and a Kafir. It is my
belief that the revelations of Prophethood started with Adam
and closed with the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him)".
(Majmuha-Estaharet, P. 230-231; Tabligh-i-Risalat, Vol
2, Page 20 -
Also appeared in a Qadiani poster dated Oct 2, 1891;
20 Shaaban, 1313 A.H.)
It is unfortunate that someone with such standard Islamic beliefs, in a
few short years, turned away from the fold of Islam and claimed to be
a prophet of Allah(SWT) who was receiving divine revelations.
Superior to the Great Muslims
During this phase of his life, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani claimed to be
superior to the Companions and descendants of the Prophet(SAW).
When he fell short and was not able to support his lofty claims, he
resorted to attacking the character of these great individuals.

Here are some of his writings from this period:

"Now leave your quarrels regarding the old Khilafat. A living
Ali is among you. Why should you look for a dead Ali?" (Al-
Hakam, Vol. 4, Nov 10, 1900)
"They accuse me of having placed myself above Hasan and
Husain. I tell them again that it is really so, and that God will
prove it very soon."
(Ijaz-ul-Masiah)
"Hundreds of Husains I have in my collar." (Al-Hukum, Jun
16, 1904)
"It is a pity that people do not see that the Quran has not
given Husain even a sonship. It has not even mentioned his
name. Even Zaid is better than Husain, for his name is
mentioned in the Quran".
(Nazul-i-Masiah, Page 45)
A Disciple Prophet
At this phase, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani commenced planting the seed of
his Kufr by claiming to be in communication with God and a "partial
prophet".
Here are some of his writings from this period:
"There is no doubt that this humble self has come to
this Ummah as a Muhaddis (one who speaks to God) who in
other sense is likely a prophet, though not a full fledged
prophet, nevertheless, he is a partial prophet and one, who
rejects him, incurs the chastisement of hell to certain
extent."
(Touzeh-ul-Maram, Page 18)
"At first I thought I had no similarities with Christ who was a
prophet and one of the most favorites of God, and if there
 were any signs of the grace of God manifested in my favor, I
used to consider them as a token of partial favor; but later
on, God's revelations began to pour upon me like rain, and
this brought a change in my beliefs and I was given the
appellation of prophet but it was a prophet in one sense and
disciple prophet in another sense."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 149-150)
Obviously, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani was in total dark regarding the
Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad(SAW) dealing with the Finality of
Prophethood. Specifically, he must have not known the following two
authentic Hadith at the time he made such claims:
You (Hazrat Ali) are related to me as Aaron was
related to Moses(pbuh). But no Apostle will come
after me.
(Bukhari, Muslim
Musnad recorded a similar hadith ending in 'Behold
there is no prophethood after me.')

If ever there arose a person from among my people

who would hold communion with God, it would be
none else but 'Umar bin Khattab.
(Bukhari , Muslim, Tirmidhi)

We do know that neither Hazrat Ali nor Hazrat Umar(RAs) ever

claimed to be a prophet or in communication with Allah(SWT); this
would mean that Prophet Muhammad(SAW) himself foresaw the
advent of impostors, like Mirza Ghulam Qadiani, and warned us not to
accept their claims. Incidently, the claims of this false "prophet" are no
different than those of recent impostors: David Koresh, Jim Jones, and
Charles Manson.
The Promised Mehdi
The next logical step for Mirza was to raise himself to become the
Promised Mehdi. Since he was counting on the ignorance of masses,
he was not worried about the fact that he did not fulfill any of
Islamic prophecies regarding Mehdi.
Here are some of his writings from this period:
"Mirza Sahib also claimed to be the promised Mehdi, not the
Mehdi who was engaged himself in conquest and bloodshed
but the reasoning Mehdi who would vanquish his opponents
by arguments. He called himself Promised Mehdi and
superior to numerous prophets."
(Me'ar-ul-Akhyar, Page 11)
Obviously, Mirza Ghulam was unsuccessful to even vanquish his
opponents by argument and discussion. He was rebuffed and ridiculed
easily by both Muslim and Christian Scholars alike. His only
accomplishment was to show that he could find some simple minded
individuals who would follow his false claims.
The Promised Messiah
Not quite happy at being just Mehdi, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani decided to
give himself a quiet promotion by declaring himself to be the Messiah
foretold by all religions of the world! Once more, since the naive and
impressionable villagers he was initially dealing with were uninformed
of the prophecies regarding the Messiah, he was not concerned with
being exposed.
To explain the fact that he -- unlike the foretold Messiah -- did not
descend from the heavens in the company of angels, he invented a
fairy-tale regarding Jesus Christ(pbuh): in this tale Jesus(pbuh) is
crucified, but does not die nor is raised to God to fulfill his future
mission as the promised Messiah. Instead, he recovers from his
injuries and escapes to Kashmir (India) where he lives for eighty six
more years, does not preach Islam, and does not leave any traces of
his living there!
Here are some of his writings from this period:
"So you are blessed. The Messiah has come to you. God,
the Powerful has placed His hand on him and bestowed His
eloquent speech upon him.... You are blessed. The Mehdi
of the time had come to you with abundant riches and
 endless wealth.... You people, I am the Messiah of
Muhammad's line and I am Ahmad al-Mahdi."
(Khutba Ilhamia, Page 60, 61, 98)
"Give up all mention of the Son of Mary: Ghulam Ahmad is
far greater."
(Dafi-ul-Bala" Page 20)
"It is my claim that I am that Christ about whom all the
sacred scriptures have prophecied that his advent will take
place in the last days of the world."
(Tuhfa-i-Gooladia, Page 195i)
"I swear by That God who controls my life that He sent me
and He had named me a prophet and He has called me the
Promised Christ and has established my claims with great
signs that number above three lakhs. [3 million miracles!]"
(Tatimma-i-Haqiqat-ul-Qahi, Page 68)
It is indeed a loss to humanity that no one witnessed even one of the 3
million miracles Mirza Ghulam Qadiani insisted that he performed!
Either his mission as the "Promised Messiah" was a total failure
(since he only caused hatred among Muslims, Christians, and Hindus
and did not bring unificaion of the mankind) or he was an impostor.
Since the promise of Allah(SWT) regarding the Messiah can never fail,
we stand by the opinion that Mirza Ghulam Qadiani was an impostor.
Reincarnation of Muhammad(SAW)
As a Muslim, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani knew too well that the advent of a
new prophet is impossible. However, dealing with people who did not
understand the original Arabic text and were unaware of the extensive
body of Hadith clearly opposing any form of prophethood, Mirza
Ghulam resorted to deceptive translation of the Holy Quran to claim to
be a superior reincarnation of the prophet Muhammad(SAW)!
Here are some of his writings from this period:
"I am that same prophet , the very Incarnation of the "Seal of
Prophets" and twenty years back in the Book Baraheen-i-
Ahmadiah, I was called by God by the names of Muhammad
and Ahmad and was declared by God Himself to be the very
prophet in fresh and blood."
(Eik Ghalati-ka-Izala, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
"Muhammad has again come among us. His new position is
an improvement on his earlier visitation. If any man wishes
to see Muhammad, akmal (more competent), then he should
see Ghulam Ahmad, in Qadian."
(Al-Badr, Oct 5, 1906; Written by a poet and published by
Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
"It is a fact that Muhammad(pbuh) worked only three
thousand miracles... My Miracles exceed one million in
numbers."
(Ijaze-e-Ahmadi, Page 79; Tadhkira tul Shahadatain, Page
41)
"It is possible for a man to attain a spiritual position higher
than any other man; if any man wishes, he can rise even
above Muhammad(pbuh)."
(Daily Al-Fadl, Jul 17. 1992, Mirza Basheer al-Din Mahmud
Qadiani)
"As for him (Muhammad), the moon was eclipsed but for
me, two bright moons have eclipsed (solar eclipse). How
dare you deny it? If his Kalam (words) were a miracle, a
sign, my Kalam is also a miracle."
(Ijaze-e-Ahmadi, Page 79)
"This verse, 'He is the Messenger of God and the seal of
Prophets' contains a secret allusion to prophecy and that is
that the coming of prophets is sealed for ever, and except
for the prophet incarnate who is no other than the prophet
himself, will have the faculty of receiving revelations from
God openly like the prophets of old. Since I was destined to
be the Prophet that was to come, I was destined to be the
Prophet that was to come, I was made the prophet
Incarnate."
(Eik Ghalati-ka-Izala, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
How fortunate for Mirza Ghulam Qadiani to have been the person to
discover this "secret allusion" and try to use this "allusion" to misguide
uninformed people!
An Apostate and New Prophet
By now, everyone should have noticed the pattern of Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani. He was indeed a person with an ego that needed continuous
feeding and boosting. He had elevated himself to be better than
Prophet Muhammad(SAW), whom we are told was the greatest man to
ever live. Yet, he was not happy! He was still partially bound by the
Quran and Hadith of the Prophet(SAW) and, to break free, he needed to
attain full prophethood!
Here are some of his writings from this period:
"The true God is He who sent His messenger to Qadiani."
(Dafi-ul-Bala, Page 11)
"How can I discard God's revelations which has been
coming to me for the last twenty-three years. I believe in
this sacred revelation as I believe in the revelations before
me."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 15)
"We claim to be Rasul (Messenger) and Nabi (Prophet)."
(Al-Badr, March 5, 1908, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
"I have been given what no other man in the universe has
been given."
(Tadhkira, Page 658)
"Lo! We have sent unto you a messsenger as witness
among you, as we once sent a messenger unto Pharaoh."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 101)
"Fear not. Lo! The messengers fear not in my presence."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 91)
"I swear by God in whose hand lies my existence and say
that it is He who has reputed me and called me a prophet
and the Messiah."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Appendix, Page 68, Mirza Ghulam
 Qadiani)
"He (Mirza Ghulam) is a prophet of God and the like of every
prophet."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 79, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
"I am the only person selected from amongst the adherents
of Islam for the reception of the revelations and knowledge
of the unseen. As no other Saint of this community has had
a so big a share, the title of Nabi has fallen to my lot alone."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 391, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
"We sent you (Mirza Ghulam) indeed as our mercy to the
worlds."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 82, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
"I (God) shall stand by this (Mirza Ghulam) prophet."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 87, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
"We have given thee abundance."
(Anjam Atham, Page 58; Tadhkira, Page 652)
Muslims should recognize the last three claims to be plagiaries of the
verses of the Holy Quran. Mirza Ghulam Qadiani shamelessly quoted
verses revealed some 1300 years earlier as new revelation made to
him! This, like the rest of his claims, was a forgery.
[Read: A Proof of the Finality of Prophethood]
The Lord of Hindus
Since Mirza Ghulam Qadiani lived in India, it was an astute and
calculated move on his part to reach out to the Hindus of the society,
by calling himself the Hindu Lord, Korishna. This also amounted to a
promotion, since a Lord is better than a simple Prophet!
Here is his claim from this period:
"Just as the Aryan people are awaiting the coming of Shri
Krishna. I am the same Krishna, and this claim is not only
mine but God repeatedly revealed to me that I am the same
Krishna, the King of the Aryans to come in the last days of
the World."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 45, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
Incarnation of All Prophets
Mirza Ghulam had claimed to be a prophet, however his character
was incompatable with that of all prior Prophets(pbut) and he was not
capable of performing miracles. We have already seen hints of his
attempt at boosting his claim by making false accusations against
prior Prophets(pbut); at this stages, he tries to make himself the
beneficiary of all the good characters of all the Prophets.
Here is his claim from this period:
"Whatever was given individually to each prophet has been
collectively given to me."
(Nuzul-e-Masih, Page 99)
"One into whom God entered is in the garb of the prophets."
(Anjam Atham, Page 53)
"I am the Messiah of the time and I am Moses on whom God
conferred His speech. I am Muhammad and Ahmad, the
selected one."
(Taryaq-ul-Qulub, Page 3)
"My Lord has established the likeness between Adam and
myself: Allah made me Adam and gave me all that was
given to the Father of mankind."
(Khutba-e-Ilhamia, Page 253-254)
"There was no prophet whose name was not given to me, as
I was told in the "Baraheen Ahmadiah that I am Adam, I am
Noah, I am Issac, I am Jacob, I am Ismail, I am Moses, I am
Abraham, I am Jesus, and I am Muhammad. In the capacity
of a prophet Incarnate."
(Tatimma-Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 84, Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani)
The Son of God
You will be surprised to see how far Mirza was willing to take his
claims! We allow his own writings, alleged by him to be revelations
from God, to speak for themselves:
"You are unto me as my son."
 (Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 86; Tadhkira, Page 526, 642)
"Listen to Me, My Son"
(Al-Bushra, Vol 1, Page 49)
"God has preferred you above everything else."
(Tadhkira, Page 469, 579, 638)
"You are from me and I am from you: your appearance is my
appearance."
(Tadhkira, Page 650, 700)
"If thou hadst not been, I (God) would not have created the
heavens."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 85; Istifta, Page 604, 649)
"You are from our water and they are from dust."
(Anjam-e-Atham, Page 55; Tadhkira, Page 204)
"The Heavens and the earth are with you as they are with
Me."
(Anjam-e-Atham, Page 52; Tadhkira, Page 65 (2nd
Edition))
"Listen to Me, My son; Thou art from My water and they
(other people) from dust..."
"Christ and I (Mirza Ghulam) are in a position wherein we
can be metaphorically termed as sons of God."
(Dafi-ul-Bala, Page 6; Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 86; Arbain,
Page 34, by Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
"Thou art as a son to Me; Thou art like My children; Thou art
as dear to Me as My Unity."
(Tauhid and Tafrid, by Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
"I have dismounted the heavens for thee and for thy sake I
shall manifest My signs."
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 94)
We only need answer this by the following Surah of the Holy Quran:
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;
Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
 He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;
And there is none like unto Him.
(The Holy Quran, Al-Ikhlas, 112)
The Christian God
Apparently, the wealth (Zakat) he had hoarded over the years and the
prestige of being compared with all the Prophets(pbut) had blinded
Mirza to authentic Islamic teachings. His disbelief grew even more, as
shown in the following passages of his later writings:
"Prophet Daniel has termed me as Michael, in his book; and
in Hebrew, Michael literally means, 'one like God'".
(Arbain, No. 3, Page 25, By Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
(Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 17, Page 413)
'"God, Holy ghost, and son, when combined, constitute the
Holy Trinity,". Mirza Ghulam Ahmad represents God as
riding a dromedary likens Him to a Tendwa (octopus) and
call Holy Ghost as female and God as male. He talks of
God as descending the heavens, praising Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad from His Throne, sending peace on, and praying for
him. He describes Him as sleeping, walking, and
performing good and bad actions and glorifying the name of
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.'
(Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Page 78 and 103; Izala-i-Auham, Page
67; Tauzih-ul-Maraam, page 21)
May Allah(SWT) have mercy on us for reproducing theses blasphemous
teachings of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani.
God Like
May Allah(SWT) have mercy on us for reproducing these authentic
writings of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani. We allow his own writings, alleged
to be divine revelation, speak for itself:
"I am given the power to cause death and to give life from
the Lord, the all-Powerful."
(Khutba Ilhamia, Page 55-56)
"Such is your command: that when you intend a things, you
 say 'Be' and it exists."
(Haqiqatul Wahi, Page 105; Tadhkira, Page 525, 656, 826)
"Oh Ahmad, your name will be completed but My name will
not be completed."
(Anjam-e-Atham, Page 52; Tadhkira, Page 51)
"Allah praises you in the heavens. He praises you and
comes unto you."
(Anjam-e-Atham, Page 55-56; Tadhkira, Page 276 (2nd
Edition))
"The God of Muhammad manifested Himself to Ahmad of
Qadian, and He in the form of Ghulam Ahmad radiated His
light."
(Al-Hakam, No. 5)
"You are unto me as my Oneness and my Soleness."
(Anjam-e-Atham, Page 51; Tadhkira, Page 66, 304)
"I dreamt that I was Allah and I believed that I was really
he."
(Aina-i-Kamalat, Page 564)
"God stands where you (Mirza Ghulam) stand."
(Al-Bushra, Vol 2, Page 24)
"I saw that I was God, and believed that I was He, and in
that condition I was saying, 'We intend to create a new
system and a new heaven and earth.' Then, I said 'We
decorated the Lower heaven with Lights; and added, We
shall create men out of the extract of earth'."
(Kitab-ul-Bariya, Page 78; Aina-i-Kamalat, Page 564)
May Allah(SWT) guide all sincere individuals to the right path of
Islam and away from the teachings and claims of Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani.
Qadiani Changes to the
Translation of the Holy Quran
In an attempt to give their cult an appearance of validity and misguide
uninformed individuals, the Qadiani (Ahmadiyya) leadership has
tampered with authentic meaning and interpretation of the Holy Quran,
as related to us by Prophet Muhammad(SAW). They promote an
incorrect translation of the Holy Quran written to support the
blasphemous claims of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani, the founder of the
Qadiani (Ahmadiyya) Movement.
There is among them a section who distort the
Book with their tongues: (As they read) you would
think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the
Book; and they say, "That is from Allah," but it is
not from Allah: It is they who tell a lie against Allah,
and (well) they know it!
(The Holy Quran Al-E-Imran 3:78)

In these pages we will, by the leave of Allah(SWT), expose the

hypocrisy and absurdity of their ways. The Qadiani (Ahmadiyya )
translation of the Quran we refer to is the one completed by Malik
Ghulam Farid, under the auspices of Mirza Tahir Ahmad Qadiani, the
current leader of the movement. [The Cover Page of the Qadiani
Fake Translation of Quran we refer to].
1. The Holy Quran, Al-Baqara 2:4.
Two authoritative and authentic translations of
this Ayah follow:
And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and
sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the
assurance of the Hereafter.
(Yusuf Ali Translation)

And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee

(Muhammad) and that which was revealed before
thee, and are certain of the Hereafter.
 (Pickthal Translation)
2. In the footnote of their Translation of this Ayah, Qadianis
have sneaked in an interpretation that has no foundation in
the Holy Quran or any of the authentic Hadith of the
Prophet(SAW). They claim that the Holy Quran tells us of
two advent of the Prophet Muhammad(SAW):
First one took place in the person of Hazrat
Muhammad(SAW) of Arabia in 7th century of Christian
era;
The second (reincarnation) took place some 1300
years later in the person of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani, the
founder of Qadiani (Ahmadiyya Cult)!
[Read: Qadiani Fake Translation of Quran 2:5]
Apparently, Qadiani leadership hopes to trick uninformed
individuals into believing that theirs invention has a foothole in
traditional Islamic teaching! To the contrary, Muslims are
ordered (as an article of faith) to believe that Prophet
Muhammad(SAW) of Arabia is the last of the prophets and the
Holy Quran is the last of the revelations. Islam categorically
rejects the concept of reincarnation of the dead. In this light, do
you believe Qadianis (Ahmadis) have any legitimate basis for
even suggesting such an outlandish idea? [Read: A Proof of the
Finality of Prophethood]

3. The Holy Quran, As-Saff 61:6

Two authoritative and authentic translations of this ayah
follow:
And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: "O
Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah
(sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came)
before me, and giving Glad Tidings of a Messenger
to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad."
But when he came to them with Clear Signs, they
 said, "this is evident sorcery!"
(Yusuf Ali Translation)

And when Jesus son of Mary said: O Children of

Israel! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah unto you,
confirming that which was (revealed) before me in
the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a
messenger who cometh after me, whose name is
the Praised One. Yet when he hath come unto them
with clear proofs, they say: This is mere magic.
(Pickthal Translation)
[Comment: the name Ahmad means "Praised One"
in Greek]
4. Qadianis claim that this Ayah was revealed to prophesy the
arrival of Mirza Ghulam-Ahmad Qadiani and not the prophet
Muhammad(SWT)!

Obviously, they are hoping that the individuals reading this

claim are unfamiliar with the historic fact that
Prophet(SWT) was named both Muhammad and Ahmad at
birth and that he was the prophet who followed
Jesus(pbuh) (as foretold in this verse). Additionally, the
Islamic doctrine of the Finality of Prophethood and
authentic Hadith of the prophet Muhammad(SWT) all confirm
the fact that Mirza Ghulam's claim was a form of disbelief.

Finally, Mirza Ghulam's name was not Ahmad, as Qadiani

leaders would like their victims to believe; his name was
Ghulam-Ahmad, meaning the "Servant of Ahmad". Isn't it a
pity that Qadianis (Ahmadiyya) are trying to displace the real
Master with the servant through these false claims?

Let's look at one Authentic Hadith of the Prophet

Muhammad(SWT) which should suffice to convince all sincere
Muslims who the Ahmad mentioned in the Quran is:
 I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am the effacer and
infidelity shall be erased through me; I am the
assembler. People shall be assembled on
Doomsday after my time. And I am the last in the
sense that no prophet shall succeed me.
(Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Muatta')
5.

6. The Holy Quran, Al-Imran 3:54-55.

Two authoritative and authentic translations of these ayat
follow:
And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and
Allah too planned, and the best of planners is Allah.
Behold! Allah said: "O Jesus! I will take thee and
raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the
falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make
those who follow thee superior to those who reject
faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all
return unto me, and I will judge between you of the
matters wherein ye dispute.
(Yusuf Ali Translation)

And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah

schemed (against them): and Allah is the best of
schemers.
(And remember) when Allah said: O Jesus! Lo! I am
gathering thee and causing thee to ascend unto Me,
and am cleansing thee of those who disbelieve and
am setting those who follow thee above those who
disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then unto
Me ye will (all) return, and I shall judge between you
as to that wherein ye used to differ.
(Pickthal Translation)
7. Qadianis (Ahmadiyya) claim that the interpretation of these
verses, as taught to us by prophet Muhammad(SAW), is
 false! They insist that since Mirza Ghulam Qadiani also
claimed to be the Promised Messiah, the prophet
Jesus(pbuh) must have died (ignoring ayah 5:117 telling us
"Allah raised Jesus to himself")! They claim that
Jesus(pbuh) was crucified (ignoring ayah 4:157 telling us
"nor crucified him") but that he was not dead when he was
lowered from the crucifix. When Jesus(pbuh) recovered,
Qadiani leaders claim, he escaped to Kashmir, India, where
he lived for some 86 years in peace, died, and is buried.
[Read: Qadiani Fake Translation of Quran 3:55-56]

Naturally, Qadianis can not explain why neither Quran

nor Hadith of the Prophet(SAW) ever put forth this idea or
mentioned Kashmir as the living and burial place of
Jesus(pbuh). On the contrary, every authentic Hadith of the
Prophet(SAW) teaches us that Jesus(pbuh) was raised to
heaven and will descend, in the company of Angels, as the
promised Messiah. In fact, these same hadith negate the
false claim of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani, who was born to an
Indian couple and did not descend from heavens.

More importantly, perhaps, Qadiani leaders can explain to

us why there are no dependable historical evidence of
Jesus(pbuh) having lived in Kashmir! This great Prophet of
God had a profound effect on humanity by preaching for
only three years in Jerusalem. How come after eighty six
years of peaceful preaching, as Qadianis claim, a similar
effect did not develop in Kashmir? Did Jesus(pbuh) retire in
Kashmir and somehow, unlike all other great
Prophets(pbut) of Allah(SWT), did not live and die preaching
Islam? Obviously, their conjecture in this regard is absurd
and without any merit.
8.
 9. The Holy Quran, An-Nisa 4:157-158.
Two authoritative and authentic translations of these ayat
follow:
That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus
the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";- but they
killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made
to appear to them, and those who differ therein are
full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only
conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him
not:- Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and
Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise;-
(Yusuf Ali Translation)

And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah,

Jesus son of Mary, Allah's messenger - they slew
him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto
them; and lo! those who disagree concerning it are
in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof
save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for
certain. But Allah took him up unto Himself. Allah
was ever Mighty, Wise.
(Pickthal Translation)
10. The conjecture Qadiani (Ahmadiyya) leadership are
advancing with regard to this verse is that Jesus(pbuh) was
crucified by the Jews, but that he did not die on the cross;
he died later from natural causes in Kashmir! It should be
obvious that Mirza Ghulam Qadiani needed to advance this
baseless claim to declare himself the promised Messiah; to
this end, he shamelessly resorted to changing the meaning
of the Holy Quran and rejecting hundred of
authentic hadith of the Prophet(SAW).
11.

12. The Holy Quran, Al-Maeda 5:117.

Two authoritative and authentic translations of this ayah
 follow:
"Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst
command me to say, to wit, 'worship Allah, my Lord
and your Lord'; and I was a witness over them
whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take
me up Thou wast the Watcher over them, and Thou
art a witness to all things."
(Yusuf Ali Translation)

"I spake unto them only that which Thou

commandedst me, (saying): Worship Allah, my Lord
and your Lord. I was a witness of them while I dwelt
among them, and when Thou tookest me Thou wast
the Watcher over them. Thou art Witness over all
things."
(Pickthal Translation)
13. Qadianis (Ahmadis) translate the phrase "Thou didst take
me up" as "Thou didst cause me to die" to support their
baseless doctrine regarding Jesus(pbuh)'s death and burial in
Kashmir. Obviously, they do not know all the
Authentic Hadith of the Prophet(SAW) about
Jesus(pbuh) returning as the Messiah before the day of
Judgment, establishing Islam on earth, and ruling for forty
years before dying. Jesus(pbuh) will indeed return, rule, and
then die. After his death, Allah(SWT) will watch over the
people, until the day of Judgement. When Jesus(pbuh) and
the rest of the humanity are risen from the grave (the day of
Judgement), Jesus(pbuh), like all other Prophets(pbut), will be
asked to bear witness against his followers and he will
testify as foretold in this verse.

The following verse of the Holy Quran supports this Islamic

doctrine:
And there is none of the People of the Book but
 must believe in him [Jesus] before his death; and
on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against
them;-
(The Holy Quran; An-Nisa 4:159)
14. Every Christian and Jew will come to accept Islamic view of
Jesus(pbuh) when Jesus(pbuh), himself, descends from the
heavens, brings peace, and rules the world. They all will
believe this before "his [Jesus'] death". This verse is very
clear in supporting the idea that Jesus(pbuh) has not yet died,
since not all people of the book believe in his true mission
and message.
15.

16. Mirza Ghulam Qadiani claimed that the following verse

revealed in the Holy Quran to prophet
Muhammad(SAW) were revealed and intended for him and
not the prophet Muhammad(SAW)! We have followed each
verse with a reference to Qadiani (Ahmadiyya) book where
the claim is made:
The Holy Quran, Aal-Imran 3:31.
Say: "If ye do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love
you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-
Forgiving, Most Merciful."
(Claim made in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 82)
The Holy Quran, Al-A'raf 7:158.
Say: "O men! I am sent unto you all, as the
Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongeth the
dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no
god but He: it is He That giveth both life and death.
So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the
Unlettered Prophet, who believeth in Allah and His
words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided."
 (Claim in Tadkirah, P. 352, 4th Edition)
The Holy Quran, Al-Anfal 8:17.
It is not ye who slew them; it was Allah: when thou
threwest (a handful of dust), it was not thy act, but
Allah's: in order that He might test the Believers by
a gracious trial from Himself: for Allah is He Who
heareth and knoweth (all things).
(Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 70)
The Holy Quran, Isra 17.1.
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a
Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the
farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in
order that We might show him some of Our Signs:
for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all
things).
(Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 78)
The Holy Quran, Al-Kahf l8:110.
Say: "I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the
inspiration has come to me, that your Allah is one
Allah: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him
work righteousness, and, in the worship of his
Lord, admit no one as partner.
(Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 81)
The Holy Quran, Al-Kahf 18:27.
And recite (and teach) what has been revealed to
thee of the Book of thy Lord: none can change His
Words, and none wilt thou find as a refuge other
than Him.
(Claim in Haqiqat-u1-Wahi, P. 74)
 The Holy Quran, Al-Anbiya 21:107.
We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures.
(Claim in Arbaeen, No. 3, P. 23)
The Holy Quran, Al-Ahzab 33:46.
And as one who invites to Allah's (grace) by His
leave, and as a lamp spreading light.
(Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 75)
The Holy Quran, Ya-Sin 36:1-3.
Ya Sin.
By the Qur'an, full of Wisdom,-
Thou art indeed one of the messengers,
(Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 107; Tadkirah, P. 479)
The Holy Quran, Al-Fath 48:1.
Verily We have granted thee a manifest Victory,
that Allah may forgive thee of thy faults of the past
and the future.
(Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 94)
The Holy Quran, Al-Fath 48:10.
Verily those who plight their fealty to thee do no
less than plight their fealty to Allah: the Hand of
Allah is over their hands: then any one who violates
his oath, does so to the harm of his own soul, and
any one who fulfils what he has covenanted with
Allah,- Allah will soon grant him a great Reward.
(Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 80)
The Holy Quran, Al-Fath 48:29.
Muhammad is the messenger of Allah; and those
 who are with him are strong against Unbelievers,
(but) compassionate amongst each other...
(Claim in Ek Ghalati ka Izala, P. 3; Tadkirah, P. 94, 4th
Edition)
The Holy Quran, An-Najm 53:3-4.
Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire.
It is no less than inspiration sent down to him:
(Claim in Tadkirah, P. 378)
The Holy Quran, An-Najm 53:8-9.
Then he approached and came closer,
And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or
(even) nearer;
(Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 76)
The Holy Quran, Ar-Rahm.an 55:1-2.
(Allah) Most Gracious!
It is He Who has taught the Qur'an.
(Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 70)
The Holy Quran, As-Saff 61:9.
It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance
and the Religion of Truth, that he may proclaim it
over all religion, even though the Pagans may
detest (it).
(Claim in Tadkirah, P. 387-388, 4th Edition)
The Holy Quran, Al-Muzammil 73:15.
We have sent to you, (O men!) a messenger, to be a
witness concerning you, even as We sent a
messenger to Pharaoh.
 (Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 101)
The Holy Quran, Al-Kauthar 108:1.
To thee have We granted the Fount (of Abundance).
(Claim in Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, P. 102)

Mirza Ghulam Qadianis's Service

to his True Masters
(In light of Qadiani own Writings)
Mirza Ghulam of Qadian made a number of outlandish claims: from
being the Promised Mahdi and the Promised Messiah to a
reincarnation of Hazrat Muhammad(SAW) and a prophet with
new Sharia. In this article we will examine one of the possible motives
for these claims.
Mirza Gul Muhammad, the great grandfather of Mirza Ghulam was a
landlord of substantial power and influence in the district of Punjab,
India. In his writings, Mirza Ghulam speaks in detail of his dynasty's
aristocratic splendor. However, after the death of Mirza Gul and the
occupation of the region by Sikhs, nothing remained of the great
fortune of the Mirza's family. Toward the latter days of Ranjit Singh's
rule, when the British influence in the Punjab region had become
established, Mirza Ghulam Murtada, the father of Mirza Ghulam,
moved to the village of Qadian and was granted five adjacent villages
as property.
The family of Mirza were indebted to and remained very loyal and
cordial towards the established British rule. In his writings, Mirza
Ghulam boasts, with excessive pride, of his father's loyalty to the
British Government and the fact that he was honored with a seat in the
Governor's darbar (cabinet). He also mentions his own unflinching
gratitude to that Government. Apparently, the feeling of loyalty for the
British had been ingrained in Mirza's very soul ever since his
childhood.
Yet, the overwhelming majority of Muslims did not share this sense of
gratitude toward the British power. After all, the British had taken
power away from the Muslims, who had peacefully ruled India for over
1000 years; had established an ungodly and tyrannical government;
had opened the way for missionaries to attack and ridicule the
principles of Islam; and had influenced the younger generation with
Western cultural values resulting in social anarchy, ethical demise,
and atheism among the gullible.
In reaction to this, the Muslims led Indians through the famous Indian
struggle for independence of 1857. Due to the disloyalty of a small
minority who sided with the British, the heads of the movement and a
number of Ulama were seized and hanged, and the British emerged
as the triumphant rulers of the entire India. The Muslims became
object of further ridicule and subjugation; they were denied access to
respectable employment or government assignments; their religious
endowments where confiscated by the government; and their way of
life became once more under attack.
Through it all, Mirza's family sided by the British Imperialism and
served the government, as well as they could. Let's review some of
the writings of Qadianis to try to shed some light on the service of
Qadianism to the British Imperialism.
1.Mirza and His Family Servants of 6.Qadianism and British Protect
the Imperialism Each Other
2.The Nature of Mirza's Early 7.Mirza's Loyalty Knows no Limit
Associates 8.Spying Against Muslims and
3.A New Article of Faith is Born Freedom Lovers
4.Jihad against British Abrogated 9.Jihad Directed against Muslims
5.The Reason for Qadianism is Allowed
Summarized by Mirza 10.Confessions of Mirza
Mirza and His Family Servants of the Imperialism
Mirza Ghulam proudly wrote:
"My father was a well-known landlord in this country and he
enjoyed great eminence in the Government's offices. He
was a true devotee and well wisher of the British
Government. In the mutiny of 1857 (the Muslim
independence movement against colonialism is called
'mutiny' by Mirza), my father supplied fifty horses and riders
to aid the British Government. For this favor to the
Government, he was very popular among the officials."
(Izala-e-Auham, P. 58, footnote)
"The benevolent Government is aware of the fact that we
are from among their servants, their sympathizers and well
wishers. We have come to their aid with a firm mind in every
hour of need. My father was held in close and high esteem
by the Government; and our services to this Government
held clear distinction. I do not think that the Government has
forgotten these services of ours. My father, Mirza Ghulam
Murtaza, son of Mirza Ata Muhammad Al-Qadian, was a
great well wisher and friend of this government and enjoyed
great respect from among them. Our loyalty has been
proven beyond doubt. Rather our fidelity was proven among
the people and became clear to the government officials.
The Government may confirm this from the officers who
came to this side and lived among us; so that they may tell
what sort of life we lived, and how faithful we have been in
serving their Government."
(Noor-ul-Haq, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 8, P. 36-37; Noor-ul-
Haq, Vol. 1, P. 27-28)
"I come from a family which is out and out loyal to this
government. My father, Mir Ghulam Murtaza, who was
considered its well-wisher, used to be granted a chair in the
Governor's Darbar (cabinet) and has been mentioned by Mr.
Griffin in his 'History of the Princes of Punjab'. In 1857, he
helped the British government beyond his means, that is he
procured fifty (50) cavaliers and horses right during the time
of the mutiny. He was considered by the government to be
its loyal supporter and well-wisher. A number of testimonials
of appreciation received by him from the officers have
unfortunately been lost. Copies of three of them, however,
which had been published a long time ago, are
reproduced in the margin (in English). Then, after the
death of my grandfather, my elder brother Mirza Ghulam
Qadir remained occupied with service to the government
and when the evil-doers encountered the forces of the
British government on the highway of Tanmmun, he
participated in the battle on the side of the British
Government (under General Nicholson he killed several
freedom fighters). At the time of the death of my father and
brother, I was sitting in the sidelines; but, since then, I have
been helping the British for seventeen years with my pen."
(Kitab-ul-Barriah, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 13, P. 4, 5, 6, 7;
Shahadat-ul-Quran, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 6, P. 385-387;
Ishtihar Wajib al-Izhar, Sept. 20, 1897, P. 3-7; appended
with Kitab-ul-Barriah)
"I am scion of a family which the English Government
acknowledges to be faithful to it. British officers have also
admitted that my father and my people are amongst those
who served the Government in all sincerity and with heart
and soul. I can not find the words to express my homage
and gratitude to the beneficent Government on account of
the peace and composure which we have found as subjects
of the Government. For this reason, we - myself, my
father and my brother - have girded up our loins that we
will exhibit the favors and advantages of this
Government, make obedience to it incumbent on the
people and embed it in their hearts."
(Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 7, P. 8-9)
It is unfortunate to see how Mirza Ghulam proudly boasted about his
father and brother having fought on the side of the British and against
the Muslims. Nevertheless, in these very brief passages, Mirza
expresses his immense gratefulness for all the benefits his family has
enjoyed under British rule and indicates to have no goal but to
somehow convince Muslims to become obedient and subservient to
the British Imperialism. He was apparently ignorant of the following
verses of the Holy Quran:
O ye who believe! Take not into your intimacy those
outside your ranks: They will not fail to corrupt you.
They only desire your ruin: Rank hatred has already
appeared from their mouths: What their hearts
conceal is far worse. We have made plain to you the
Signs, if ye have wisdom.
(The Holy Quran, Al-e-Im,ran, 3:118)

O ye who believe! take not for friends and

protectors those who take your religion for a
mockery or sport,- whether among those who
received the Scripture before you, or among those
who reject Faith; but fear ye Allah, if ye have faith
(indeed).
(The Holy Quran, Al-Maeda, 5:57)
As indicated before, Mirza's family was not alone in having this feeling
toward the British imperial powers. A few other influential and wealthy
families had received similar favors from the government and saw it in
their own best interest to promote the interest of the government and
plot against the Muslim Ummah.
She said: 'Kings, when they enter a country, despoil
it, and make the noblest of its people its meanest
thus do they behave'.
(The Holy Quran, Al-Naml, 27:32)
To Mirza, the best way to control the mind of "simple-minded Muslims"
was through religion. Thus, his "religious mission" was born.
The Nature of Mirza's Early Associates
Mirza Ghulam wrote:
"The majority of people who have joined my sect are those
who are either holding eminent posts with the British Court,
or the goodly rich men, their servants and friends or
businessmen, lawyers or those educated in the modern way
or such famous scholars, servants and noblemen who have
either served the British Government in the past or are
serving it at present or their relations or friends who
accepted the influence of their elders and the weekly
holders of the office of the caretakers of some religious
orders. In short, this is a party which is the protege of
the British Government from whom it has earned good
name and who is worthy of the Government's favors. Or it
consists of people who are related to me or are among my
servants."
(Poster dated Feb. 24, 1897;
Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 7, P. 18, recorded by Qasim Ali
Qadiani)
Indeed, the people who initially joined the calling of Mirza Ghulam
consisted of the very same people who were indebted to the newly
established British government. Having found Mirza's aim to be their
own, they provided him with the seed money to start his movement
and took every opportunity to praise and glorify each one of his
insignificant undertaking.
Slowly, they managed to convince some of the naive people of the
village of Qadian and neighboring region that Mirza Ghulam was a
formidable and well respected Muslim scholar; someone whose object
was to defend and promote Islam and the Islamic way of life. Unaware
of the truth purpose of Mirza's movement, Muslims of the village of
Qadian began investing in the movement they hoped would prove to
be their weapon against the decadence of the society.
A New Article of Faith is Born
Having been quickly raised to the status of a "scholar", Mirza Ghulam
began fulfilling the promise he had made to his British supporters. It
was time to deliver on his promise and make sure that Muslims would
not try to repeat the uprising of the 1857. The first step was to make
obedience to the anti-Islamic British government an article of faith. He
declared:
"It has been proven from my continuous seventeen year
long speeches that I am faithful and sincere to the English
Empire from the core of my heart and soul. I am the son of a
father who was also a friend to this Government. My faith is
to obey this Government and love the people; These are the
conditions set for my devotees and followers who take the
oath of allegiance to me. I have stressed this clause under
the fourth item of my pamphlet Shuroo-al-Baiat (oath of
faith) which has been distributed among my devotees and
followers."
(Kitab-ul-Barriah, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 13, P. 10; Kitab-
ul-Barriha, P. 9, Supplement)
"I published the provisions of faith so that these may
become a constitution for my sect and for everyone who
follows me and I have named it as: 'Completion of the
Mission and requirements of Fealty'. I have sent one copy to
the Government so that it may know that I have planned for
my followers to be faithful to the British Government."
(Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 7, P.16)
"No doubt my faith and doctrine, which I stress, is that
Islam is composed of two parts. One is obedience to
Allah and the other is obedience to the
Government which has created peace and under whose
protection we are safe from oppressors - that is the British
Government.
(Shahadat-ul-Quran, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 6, P. 380;
Shahadat-ul-Quran, P. 86)
His son and a ruler of the Qadiani (Ahmadi) movement emphasized
this fundamental doctrine of Qadianism:
"The promised Messiah included among the conditions of
 fealty faithfulness to the English Government and said:
'Whoever does not obey the Government, takes part in
demonstrations against it or does not enforce its orders is
not a member of our community'."
(Tohfatul-Mulhuk, P. 123; by Mahmood Ahmad Qadiani)
Compare Mirza's devotion to the non-Muslims with the promise
Moses(pbuh) made to Allah(SWT):
He said: "O my Lord! For that Thou hast bestowed
Thy Grace on me, never shall I be a help to those
who sin!"
(The Holy Quran, Al-Qasas, 28:17)
Jihad against British Abrogated
However, Mirza's goal was to weaken the unity of Muslims and ensure
no further uprising would occur. To achieve this, he hoped to demolish
the very doctrine of Jihad against the oppressive regime in control of
India. He wrote:
"I have been writing in favor of the British Government from
the past seventeen years. During all these seventeen years,
in all the books which I wrote and publishes, I have been
advocating to the people to be loyal to the British
Government and have tried to persuade them to be
sympathetic and obedient to government officers. I have
given convincing lectures against Jihad and, as a matter of
policy, I wrote many books in Arabic and Persian and
published them in Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and
Afghanistan abrogating Jihad and spent thousands of
rupees in this propaganda."
(Al-Barriah, Sept. 2, 1867, No. 3)
"I have filled shelves with books which I wrote in praise of
the British, especially about the abrogation of Jihad in which
many Muslims believe. This is a big service to the
Government. So I hope for an appropriate and good
reward."
(Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 7, P. 19)
 "I have spent most of my life in 'yeamanship' (supporting
and defending) of the British Government and in
opposing Jihad. I continued my efforts till the Muslims
became sincerely faithful to this Government."
(Tiryaq-ul-Qulub, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 15, P. 155; Tiryaq-
ul-Qulub, P. 15, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani)
However, all his writing did not bring about the desired effect. Even as
a make-believe scholar, he did not possess the authority to change
the Sharia of Islam and to abolish Jihad. At about this time, he claimed
in succession to have been nominated Mahdi and Messiah. Obviously,
his claim to being Mahdi and Messiah contradict all
authentic hadith regarding these two prophesied personalities.
However, he was not concerned since he was dealing with people
who after a few generation of rule by non-Muslims (first by Sikhs and
then the British) had grown uninformed about the true doctrine of
Islam. Mirza Ghulam's real aim by making these claims is somewhat
exposed in his following writings:
"Let the Government ascertain through inquiry whether or
not it is a fact that thousands of Muslims who dub me as
a Kafir and who deem it their duty to condemn and
persecute me and my followers who are to be found in large
numbers in the Punjab and India. One of the reasons
behind this attitude is that, quite against the sentiments of
these foolish Muslims, I published thousands of posters to
demonstrate heartfelt gratitude to the British Government
and sent books to Arabia, Syria, etc. My claims are not
without proof. If the Government so likes, I can produce
conclusive proof in support thereof."
(Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 7, P. 13; Letter to British Lieutenant
Governor)
"I believe that as my followers increase, the believers in the
doctrine of Jihad will decrease. For, accepting me to be the
Messiah and Mahdi itself means the rejection of the doctrine
of Jihad."
(Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 7, P. 17; Letter to British Lieutenant
Governor)
 "From today, the order of manly Jihad by sword is
abrogated, by the commandment of God. From now on,
anyone who lifts a sword against the unbelievers and calls
himself a Ghazi will be considered to oppose the Prophet of
God - the Prophet who had informed 1300 years ago
that Jihad with sword will be abrogated in the time of the
Promised Messiah. Thus, now after my arrival, there is
no Jihad. From our side we have raised the flag of Peace."
(Author: actually, the prophecies state that Jihad will be
abolished after everyone becomes a believer in Islam and
there are no oppressors or enemies of Islam to fight.)
(Khutba-Ilhamia, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 16, P. 28-29)
Collection of Advertisement P. 295, Vol. 3; Khutba-Ilhamia,
P. 28-29; Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 9, P. 47)
Mirza Ghulam and his associates went on publishing in favor of British
control and even tried to convince Muslims in other Muslim countries
that a British government would be in their favor!
"From my early days till now that I am sixty years old, I have
been engaged, with my pen and tongue, in the important
task of turning the hearts of Muslims to faithful loyalty to the
British Government and to create the feeling of goodwill and
sympathy for the Government; and that I obliterate false
notions like Jihad from minds of the foolish among
them, as it is these ideas that prevent them from
establishing an open-hearted and sincere link with this
government... I have not only made the Muslims of British
India sincerely obedient to the British Government, I have
also written a number of books in Arabic, Persian and Urdu
to apprise Muslims of other Islamic countries of the peace,
prosperity and freedom under the benevolent protection of
the British Government."
(Kitab-ul-Barriah, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 13, P.
350; Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 7, P. 10; Letter to Lieutenant-
Governor of Punjab, Feb. 24, 1898)
"For the sake of the British government, I have published
fifty thousand books, magazines and posters and distributed
 them in this and other Islamic countries. I have stressed that
the British Government is the benefactor of the Muslims and
it is, therefore, incumbent upon every Muslim to extend his
faithful obedience to this Government, express gratitude
from the bottom of his heart to that (government), and pray
for it. And I have written these books in Urdu, Arabic and
Persian and have distributed them throughout the entire
Muslim world, so much so that they have reached the two
sacred cities of Mecca and Medina; and, as far as possible,
also in the Capital of Room - Constantinople and Syria,
Egypt and Kabul and many other cities of Afghanistan. As to
the best approach, these have been published in Istanbul
and in the different cities of countries like Syria, Egypt and
Afghanistan. It is as the result of my endeavors that
thousands of people have given up thoughts of Jihad which
had been propounded by ill-witted mullahs and embedded in
the minds of the people. I can rightly feel proud of this
that no other Muslim in British India can equal me in
this respect."
(Sitara-e-Qaisaria, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 15, P.
114; Sitara-e-Qaisaria, P. 3-4; Letter to Queen
Victoria; Khutba-Ilhamia, Appendix)
This stance was confirmed repeatedly by high officials of the Qadiani
movement. Here are two comments from Maulvi Muhammad Ali, who
later on created the Lahori faction:
"This sect, which is known as Ahmadiyya, is endeavoring
both day and night to erase the nonsensical idea
of Jihad from Muslim minds."
(Review of Religions, Vol. No. 1, P. 12, 1902; by Maulvi
Muhammad Ali)
"It is binding upon the British Government to be aware of the
services of the Qadianis by every care as their Imam (Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad) spent twenty two years of his life preaching
to the people that Jihad is Haraam (forbidden) and is strictly
abrogated. He not only propagated this idea in India, but
also in other Muslim countries such as Arabia, Syria and
 Afghanistan."
(Review of Religion, No. 1, P. 2, 1902; by Maulvi
Muhammad Ali)
Yet, the Holy Quran is clear on the fact that opposing the oppressors
is a duty of every Muslim:
And why should ye not fight in the cause of Allah
and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and
oppressed)?- Men, women, and children, whose cry
is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose
people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee
one who will protect; and raise for us from thee one
who will help"!
(The Holy Quran, An-Nisa, 4:75)

And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or

oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in
Allah; but if they cease, Let there be no hostility
except to those who practice oppression.
(The Holy Quran, Al-Baqara, 2:193)

Those of the believers who sit still, other than those

who have a (disabling) hurt, are not on an equality
with those who strive in the way of Allah with their
wealth and lives. Allah hath conferred on those who
strive with their wealth and lives a rank above the
sedentary. Unto each Allah hath promised good,
but He hath bestowed on those who strive a great
reward above the sedentary;
(The Holy Quran, An-Nisa, 4:95)
The Reason for Qadianism Summarized by Mirza
"The greater part of my life has been spent in supporting
and defending the British Government. I have written and
published so many books against the theory of Jihad and
the need for obedience to the British that if all these tracts
 and books were put together, it would take
fifty almiras (large trunks) to accommodate them. I have
distributed these books to all the countries: Egypt, Syria,
Kabul (Afghanistan), and Room (Turkey). It has always
been my aim to convert these Muslims to have true faith
in the British Government and to discard from their minds
the baseless traditions of cruel Mahdi and bloody Maseeh,
as well as instigating the idea of Jihad, which mislead foolish
people."
(Tiryaq-ul-Qulub, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 15, P. 155; Tiryaq-
ul-Qulub, P. 15/25)
"For the last twenty years, I have been publishing books in
Persian, Arabic, Urdu and English, in which I have been
repeatedly and passionately persuading the Muslims to
become sincere loyal subjects of the Government. It is their
duty and, if they do not fulfill it they will be sinning against
God. I have also been insisting upon them to discard absurd
notions like those ofJihad and a blood-thirsty Mahdi which
have no basis in the Quran. Even if they are not prepared
to give up these wrong notions, the least they are duty
bound to do in this sphere is that they should not show
ingratitude to this benign Government and should not
become sinners against God by committing any act of
disloyalty against it."
(Tiryaq-ul-Qulub, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 15, P. 488-
489; Tiryaq-ul-Qulub, P. 307)
Obviously, Mirza's goal was not so much to abrogate Jihad, but only
declare it Haraam against the British Government and to convince
Muslims to surrender to British domination!
Qadianism and British Protect Each Other
It should be by now clear that Mirza and his family owed a debt of
gratitude to the British imperialists. For them, their continued success
ran hand-in-hand with the success of the British government. Mirza
and his close associates made it incumbent upon their followers to
pray, spy, kill, and die for the interest of the British government. Mirza
Ghulam did not hesitate to show his pride for his exemplary service to
the British government and was not shy in expressing that, in return,
he expected protection and compensation from them.
"My Arabic publications were merely for lofty purposes and
my books were in continuous supply in the Arab world until I
felt they were bearing fruit - some Arabs came to see me
personally and some contacted me through the mail. Some
called me bad names and others were enlightened and
agreed with my mission, seemingly in search of the truth. I
have spent a lot of time on these publications, so that for
nearly 11 years I have published these books and have
never neglected this duty. I am therefore entitled to say
that I am unique in respect of these services to the
government and that I am like a fortress and an amulet
for this British Government. I am he who safeguards them
from evil. God has revealed to me and said: 'When you are
among them, God will not punish them.' So, there is no one
equal and similar to me in serving this Government and, if it
is capable of knowing people, it will realize the value of my
services."
(Noor-ul-Haq, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 8, P. 44-45; Noor-ul-
Haq, Vol. 1, P.33-34)
"God, the Exalted as a token of His special favor, has made
the British Government protect and shelter me and my
followers. The peace we enjoy here under the British
Government can not be found in Mecca al Mukaramma or in
Medina al Munaawara... You want me to become the enemy
of my own comfort?"
(Tiryaq-ul-Qulub, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 15, P. 156; Tiryaq-
ul-Qulub, P. 26)
"In fact, we owe a heavy debt of gratitude to this (British)
Government. If we stop, even Mecca or Constantinople
would not give us refuge. How can, then, we cherish in our
hearts any idea against it!"
(Malfoozat-e-Ahmadia, Vol. 1, P. 146)
High ranking Qadiani officials clarified this point even more:
"Verily, the British government is our shield. We move
forward and on and on under the protection of this shield. If
this shield is removed, we would be torn and pierced by a
volley of poisoned arrows from all direction. Our interests
are linked with this Government to such an extent that its
ruin will be our ruin and its progress our progress. Wherever
the British empire spreads, we find a field for our
mission."
(Al-Fadl, October 19, 1915; by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad)
"The Muslim Ulama accuse us of cooperation with the
England and taunt us at our happiness at their victories. We
ask: Why shouldn't we be happy? Why shouldn't we rejoice?
Our Imam has said: 'I am the Mahdi and the British
Government is my sword.' We rejoice at this victory, and we
wish to see the glare and lightening of this sword in Iraq, in
Syria, and everywhere. He has said: 'Verily, Allah had sent
down angels to lend support and help to this Government'."
(Al-Fadl, No. 22, 12 July, 1918, by Mohammad Amin
Qadiani)
The verdict of Allah(SWT) is forthcoming:
The Unbelievers are protectors, one of another:
Unless ye do this, (protect each other), there would
be tumult and oppression on earth, and great
mischief.
(The Holy Quran, Al-Anfal, 8:73)

Do the Unbelievers think that they can take My

servants as protectors besides Me? Verily We have
prepared Hell for the Unbelievers for (their)
entertainment.
(The Holy Quran, Al-Kahf, 18:102)
Mirza's Loyalty Knows no Limit
After a missionary distributed blasphemous literature against the holy
Prophet(SAW) and his wives(RAs), Mirza Ghulam declared that
demonstration against the British Government, "God's Shadow on
Earth", was strictly Haraam (prohibited). When he was rebuked by
the Ulama, he proudly stated:
"We suffer all tribulations for the sake of our beneficent
Government. We shall bear these in the future also as it is a
duty of ours to thank it for its beneficence and kindness
towards us. Undoubtedly, we will sacrifice our soul and our
property as a ransom for the British Government.We
continually pray for their height and might secretly and
openly."
(Arya Sharm, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 10, P. 81; Arya
Sharm, P. 79-80)
Subsequent to that, he deliberately uttered blasphemy against
Jesus(pbuh) and his family, so that the fury of his ignorant followers
may somewhat abate and the status quo may prevail.
"I also confess that when some of the writings of priests and
Christian missionaries became extremely severe and
exceeded moderation, and especially when very filthy
writings began to appear in Nur Afshan, a Christian paper
from Ludhiana, and when these writers used, God forbid,
such words with regard to our holy Prophet (upon him be
peace and benediction of Allah), then by reading such books
and papers, I feared that in the hearts of Muslims, who are a
sentimental people, these words might create a highly
provocative effect. Therefore, to calm down wrath of the
Muslims, I considered it expedient that proper policy would
be to reply to these writings somewhat harshly so that the
enthusiasm of easily inflammable people is suppressed and
no breach of peace in the country takes place."
[Read: Mirza Ghulam's Tirade against Jesus(pbuh) for
more]
(Tiryaq-ul-Qulub, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 15, P. 490;
Tiryaq-ul-Qulub, P. 309-310, Appendix 3; A Petition to
 British Government)
Mirza did not stop at anything to keep and increase the good fortune
of his family in this earthly existence. Yet, the Holy Quran
admonishes the believers:
Therefore stand firm (in the straight Path) as thou
art commanded,- thou and those who with thee turn
(unto Allah); and transgress not (from the Path): for
He seeth well all that ye do.

And incline not to those who do wrong, or the Fire

will seize you; and ye have no protectors other than
Allah, nor shall ye be helped.
(The Holy Quran, Hud, 11:112-113)
Spying Against Muslims and Freedom Lovers
In his quest to ensure that every attempt at resurgence against the
British powers would be crushed in infancy, Mirza Ghulam instructed
his followers to maintain a secrete list of Muslims opposed to the
regime and submit these to the authorities:
"For the Attention of the Government from ... Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad, Qadian...

Whereas, it is expedient to make a list of the names of such

stupid Muslims who consider British India a country of
enemies of Islam against whom Islamic Sharia enjoins war
and therefore such rebellious Muslims hide mutiny in their
hearts;...

Whereas, it is proposed to lay out a format - example below

- in which names of such ungrateful individuals should be
preserved for all times; although by the good fortune of the
British India such Muslim mutineers who are hiding rebellion
in their hearts are few;

Whereas, it is a most opportune time to identify those

insurgents who are having secret designs against the
 Government;

Whereas, we are moved by the political well-wishing of

our generous Government to make a list of names of
these wicked men who by their beliefs prove their
seditious nature;...

We Resolve, to inform the Government, in all our

humility, that such lists of names shall remain in our
custody as 'Political Secrets' till such time that the
Government demands it from us. We fully trust that our
sagacious Government shall keep these statements in their
offices treating them as a 'National Secrete'."
(Majmua Ishtaharat, Vol. 2, P. 227-228;
Collection of Posters, Vol. 2, P. 227-228, No. 145; Rabwah)
"For the welfare of the government, it is good policy to
prepare a list of those Muslims who are against the British
government inwardly and who consider this country as an
enemy country. We hope that our wise government will keep
these lists as State Secrets in safe custody in one of its
offices. The following are the names and addresses of such
persons."
(Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 3, P. 11)
This same form of spying was also carried out by other members of
the Qadiani movement in other Muslim countries. The following is the
account of two Qadiani missionaries who were executed in
Afghanistan:
"The Minister of Interior of Afghanistan Government has
published the following announcement:

Two persons living in Kabul, Mulla Abdul Halim Chahar

Asiani and Mulla Nur Ali, shopkeeper, had become
enamored with Qadiani beliefs and used to mislead people
from the right path by preaching this creed. The people
angered at this, filed a suit against them. The result was
that, having been found guilty, they were transported at
 hands of the people to the realm of non-existence on
Thursday, Rajab 11. Against them, there had also been
pending another case for a long time and harmful letters to
the interest of the Afghan kingdom had been captured
which proved that they had sold themselves to the
enemies of Afghanistan."
(Al-Fadl, March 3, 1925; Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood
proudly mentioned this in his address to Price of Wales on
Jan. 19 1922 and Friday speech on August 6, 1935)

"... Sahibzada Abdul Latif (Qadiani) was martyred because

he preached against Jihad and the Afghans had begun to
fear that the spirit of freedom of the Afghans would be
weakened and the British would predominate... Had our
people in Afghanistan remained silent and refrained from
promoting the Ahmadi viewpoint in respect to Jihad, they
could not have been blameworthy from the viewpoint of
the Sharia. But they fell victim to the excessive zeal they
had for the British Government; they courted punishment
because of that sympathy which they had imbibed at
Qadian."
(Al-Fadl, August 6, 1935; by Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood)
The truth is that even other military powers of the era mistrusted
Qadianis:
"The whole world considers us to be the agents of the
British. That is why an explanation was called from a
German Minister, when he attended the opening ceremony
of the Ahmadiyya building in Germany, as to why he had
attended the celebration of community which was the agent
of the British."
(Al-Fadl, Nov. 1, 1934; by Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood)
"I went to Russia only to preach Ahmadiyyat. But because
the good aims of Ahmadis are interrelated with the aims and
objects of the British Government, I was anxious to serve
the Government and do my duty by it."
(Al-Fadl, Sept. 28, 1923, By Mubashshir Amin Qadiani)
Jihad Directed against Muslims is Allowed
Mirza Ghulam made faithfulness to the oppressive regime an article of
his faith and banned Jihad against non-Muslims; however, he
indicated that his followers should be willing to lay down their lives in
the way of British government, the survival and expansion of which
meant the survival and growth of his establishment. His followers lived
to this standard and even went as far as fight on the side of the British
during the conquest of the Iraq and Turkey. Apparently, shedding the
blood of oppressors and Kafirs is absolutely Haraam in Qadianism;
but, it is acceptable to shed the blood of oppressed Muslims!
"I have written scores of books in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu
with the view to (preach that) Jihad against the benevolent
government was in no way justified; rather, whole hearted
obedience to it was a religious duty. I got these books
published at great cost and then had them distributed in
Islamic countries. And I know that these books had a great
influence even on this country and those people who owe
allegiance to me, they are growing into a party whose hearts
are full to the brim with sincere fidelity to the Government
whose moral condition is excellent; I think they will be a
boon to this country and are wholeheartedly ready to
lay down their lives for the Government."
(Arizah ba-ali khidmat Government, Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol.
6, P. 65)
The Qadianis heard the call of their Sire, Mirza Ghulam, and rejoiced
at the fall of Iraq and Turkish Empire to the British Empire:
"Hundreds of Ahmadis joined the British Army to conquer
Iraq and shed their blood on the way."
(Al-Fadl, August 31, 1923; by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad)
"We thank God a thousand times on the victories of Britain.
This surely is a cause for our joy and happiness as our
imam used to pray for her victories and advise his sect to
pray for her. Also, the doors of our call towards
Ahmadiyyat which where hitherto barred, have been
opened. All this is because of the extension of the
 British empire over other countries."
(Al-Fadl, Nov. 23, 1918; by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad)
"(in a challenge to Muslim Ummah) ... We will be victorious
and you will surely be brought before us like criminals and
on that day you will meet the same fate which befell Abu
Jehal and his party on the occasion of the conquest of
Mecca."
(Al-Fadl, Nov. 23, 1952)
The evidence shows that Qadiani (Ahmadi) leadership had engaged in
the plot to attack the religion of Allah(SWT), they failed as per
Allah's(SWT) promise.
Fain would they extinguish Allah's light with their
mouths, but Allah will not allow but that His light
should be perfected, even though the Unbelievers
may detest (it).
(The Holy Quran, Al-Tawba, 9:32)

They swear by Allah that they said nothing (evil),

but indeed they uttered blasphemy, and they did it
after accepting Islam; and they meditated a plot
which they were unable to carry out: this revenge of
theirs was (their) only return for the bounty with
which Allah and His Messenger had enriched them!
If they repent, it will be best for them; but if they
turn back (to their evil ways), Allah will punish them
with a grievous penalty in this life and in the
Hereafter: They shall have none on earth to protect
or help them.
(The Holy Quran, Al-Tawba, 9:74)
Confessions of Mirza
In a letter to the British appointed Lieutenant Governor of Punjab,
Mirza Ghulam explained the true nature of the relationship between
his movement and the British government.
 "This petition that I present before Your Excellency along
with the names of my followers does not have any aim other
than that you may appreciate the eminent services which I
and my forefathers rendered you. Hereby, I beseech and
hope from the exalted Government that they protect the
family which has proven through fifty years of extreme
faithfulness and sincerity that it is most loyal to the
Government and ready to make sacrifices; a family whose
friendship and service has been accepted and attested by
the highest officers of the all-powerful Government in their
letters and memorandums; and that this family is a family of
sincere servants. So, this Government should be mindful
when dealing with its own self-implanted seedling, with
due attention, and should order its officers to take into
consideration the devoted services of this family and give
preferential and sympathetic consideration to me and my
followers."
(Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 7, P. 19; Petition of Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani to Lieutenant Governor of Punjab)
After some Christian missionary had accused Mirza to have taken side
with the Muslims, Mirza Ghulam was quick to compose another letter
to the British representative in which he denied all the charges.
"(after reiterating the services Mirza and family were
rendering to the British)... all this should not go to waste
and, God forbid, that the British government should get any
ill feelings in its heart about their long-time faithful and well-
wisher family. It is impossible to stop these people from lying
about us due to religious difference, jealousy or personal
reasons. We only request that the government should
take good care of this self-implanted seedling family
which has continually proven itself to be a faithful and
devoted (jan-nesar) family for fifty years and about which
there are issued letters from the British government attesting
to their faithfulness and servitude for a long time; Also, direct
the subordinates that they render special consideration to
me and my family due to our proven faithfulness; and our
 family has never hesitated in shedding their blood in the way
of British rulers and did not stop from laying down their lives,
nor do they now. In light of our prior services, it is our right to
ask that the British government provide us with full favors
and special attention, so that people don't get encouraged to
insult us without reason. Here are the names of few
members of my Jamaat:..."
(Kitab-ul-Barriah, Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 13, P. 350)
From its very conception, the goal of the movement founded by Mirza
Ghulam of Qadian was in clear contrast to the interest of Islam,
Muslims, oppressed people of India, and freedom and peace loving
people everywhere. Mirza Ghulam and his "mission" engaged,
"openly and secretly", in operations aimed at weakening the unity and
faith of Muslims, so that armed victories of British Imperialism would
be assured. While Mirza Ghulam, his family, and his close associates
were superbly compensated for their effort and were being planted
throughout British colonies and the Western world, the subjects of the
British Imperialism suffered inhuman treatment by the British
Imperialism.
His own son and the second Caliph of the movement once expressed
a complaint levied against his father:
"Mirza's over enthusiasm which smacked of servility and
flattery towards the British Government lead even his
followers to criticize his action as below the dignity of a
claimant to Prophethood."
(Al-Fadl, July 7, 1932; by Mirza Mahmood Ahmad Qadiani)
However, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, the great Muslim philosopher and
poet of the Indian subcontinent and a contemporary of Mirza Ghulam,
expressed the views of Mirza Ghulam beautifully in the following
verses:
"The Shaikh is a murid (lover) of the Farangi (foreign) Lord;
though he speaks from the heights of Bayazid.
He said: Religion's glory lies in slavery;
and life consists of lack of ego (Khudi).
He reckoned the state of others to be a blessing,
 danced around the church, and died."
(from: Pas Che Bayad Kard Ay Aqwam-i-Sharq)
Obviously, the aims and interests of Qadiani leaders are in
opposition to those of Islam and Muslims.

How do Qadiani (Ahmadi) Missionaries

Operate?
The followers of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani refer to themselves
as "Ahmadi Muslims" and pretend to belong to the Sunni school of
thought (individuals who follow the example and teachings of Prophet
Muhammad). They approach individuals, who have never heard of
Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat), and, relying on their financial and political
resources and baseless missionary arguments, try to
convert Muslims into Qadianism.
They try to acquire new members by relying on traditional missionary
techniques:
Misrepresenting the holy Quran, hadith, Muslim scholars,
and historical records;
Attempting to discredit devote Muslims and alienating their
victims from the ummah;
Preaching the appealing message of Islam at a ritualistic
level;
Misleading those who have not heard of Islam or Mirza
Ghulam Qadiani;
Confusing those with a very elementary knowledge of Islam;
 Building prayer halls, schools, and missionary houses to
earn the trust of the needy.
They recruit new missionaries by:
Bribing and buying the services of officials;
Offering financial and material incentive to weak individuals;
Funding the work and life of missionary workers in the West.
Followers of other faiths, after having unsuccessfully attempted the
missionary method of attacking the Muslims, seem to have
abandoned their ways and be now supporting the Qadianis (Ahmadis)
with their work! Why would they feel so strong about supporting
these "self-professed Muslims"?
Naturally, except for the elite in the Qadiani (Ahmadiyya) Mission and
those who follow the cult in way of loyalty to the way of their fathers,
not too many individuals are aware of the core doctrine of Qadianism
(Ahmadiyyat). For over a century now, the Qadianis (Ahmadis) have
refused to make a complete translation of their books available in
other languages. While they boast about having distributed their false
translation of the holy Quran in dozens of languages, they have
refused to translate the writings of their own founder in any other
language (original writings are mostly in Urdu, Persian, and
Arabic)! What are they hiding?
The enemies of Islam and the modern colonialists trying to enslave
the Ummah are afraid of the resurgence of Islam; they fear the unity of
Muslims and their spirit of Jihad. They know too well that a Muslims
converted to Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) is a blindly obedient person
who will never move against the will of his/her masters. These
unbelievers will stoop to anything to achieve their goal and certainly
have no qualms about condemning many souls to hell, in the process.
Every Muslim should strive very hard to spread the true word of Islam
and to expose the hypocrisy of the Ahmadiyya Mission Against
Islam.
BE AWARE OF QADIANIS'
MISINTERPRETATION OF QURAN
Deception by Any other Name
The heirs of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani's fortune are attempting to mislead
the humanity by using the name, teachings, and images of Islam.
The Qadiani leadership's selection of the name "Ahmadiyya" for their
cult represents their first attempt at deception. They do not mention
the reason behind their insistence to be called "The Ahmadiyya
Movement in Islam": It is simply an attempt at deception on their part.
Muslims know that Ahmad is one of the names of the last prophet
of Allah(SWT), Muhammad(SAW) of Arabia. Mirza Qadiani�s parents
named him Ghulam-Ahmad, which means the Slave of Ahmad.
Apparently, his parents were following a very common practice by
naming their son after the last Prophet(SAW). Mirza�s complete
name was Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani.
According to the Indian tradition, the followers of Mirza Qadiani are
expected to call themselves Mirzais or Qadianis to indicate a
closeness to their leader. Obviously, their selection of the middle
name of their spiritual leader is against the norm and is intended to
somehow associate the ideas of the Mirza with the name of our
beloved Prophet, Muhammad(SAW) of Arabia.
The heirs of Mirza Qadiani justify their claim by referring to a cunning
alteration of the meaning of the Holy Quran. In his interpretation, Mirza
Qadiani claimed that the verse "Whose name shall be Ahmad" [The
Holy Quran, As-Saff 61:6] -- foretelling the arrival of Prophet
Muhammad(SAW) -- actually refers to him! In fact, taking advantage
of his middle name, Mirza Ghulam and his followers have twisted the
meaning of the Holy Quran and claimed prophethood for their leader.
Muslims everywhere are reminded to call the followers of Mirza
Qadiani solely as "Qadianis". The use of the name "Ahmadi" –
founded on deception and misrepresentation of the Holy Quran is
injustice to Islam – and following a false prophet is forbidden (Haraam)
upon the believers.

The Purpose of Qadianism

(Ahmadiyyat)
Doctrines of Islam Feared the Most
Attacks faced by Islam and Muslims
The Role of Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat)

Doctrines of Islam Feared the Most

The enemies of Allah (SWT), wishing to enslave the humanity to a
relentless pursuit of the transient allures of this life, have always been
very weary of two Islamic doctrines:

1. The Islamic belief in Allah(SWT)'s limitless mercy, knowledge,

and power that propels every Muslim to shape his/her life for
the sole purpose of achieving closeness with Allah(SWT) in
the hereafter. This means that a Muslim strives to live in
accordance with the instructions of Allah(SWT) and is willing
to selflessly sacrifice his/her time, talent, property and very
life in the cause of Islam and humanity.
2. The oneness of the Muslim Ummah, based in the common
belief in Allah(SWT), Muhammad(SAW), and the
Holy Quran, is reinforced through the rituals that
all Muslims - regardless of national origin, socio-economic
class, race, gender, and age - routinely follow.

Attacks faced by Islam and Muslims

It is natural, then, to expect the enemies of truth, brotherhood, justice,
and freedom to attack these doctrines in their relentless pursuit to
weaken Muslims, both individually and as a nation. These are some of
their favorite methods:
Direct Attack
Terrorism directed toward Muslims;
Military Intervention.
Indirect Attack
Ridiculing the doctrines of Islam by:
Attributing derogatory terminology
(fundamentalist, intolerant, backward, ...) with
Islam and Muslims;
Making fun of Muslim scholars thought speeches,
 poetry and movies;
Making fun of Islamic lifestyle;
Withholding science and technology from Muslim
nations and blaming the society's lack of
progress on Islam;
Supporting, through higher education (PHDs,
MDs, Professors), those individuals who can be
trusted either not to practice Islam or reject its
doctrines as useless and outdated;
Glorifying successful public personalities who
reject the ideals of Islam;
Sponsoring and supporting political leaders who are
willing to slowly convert the society to an unIslamic and
immoral system, designed for better exploitation of
individuals and resources;
Supporting organizations and individuals who reject
Islamic doctrine through false publications against the
character of the Prophet(SAW), authenticity of the Holy
Quran and all Hadith, and the doctrines of Islam;
Imprisoning legitimate Muslim scholars on false
charges;
Planting pseudo-scholars who preach a very
destructive and baseless version of Islam;
Making divisive, extremist, and heretic movements and
Sects within Islam;
Planting new and alternative man-made "religions".
Throughout the history of Islam, shortsighted individuals have resorted
to such tactics to control the masses and undercut their innate desire
for justice, equality, and freedom. The "Indirect" method has been
proven to be the least costly to them - in terms of the loss of life,
overall expense, and the long-term success. By relying on this
method, the exploiters hope to gain the control of the masses in a
slow, calculated fashion. They, in effect, hope to brainwash the
Muslims generation after generation, until most "Muslims" can not
recognize truth fom falsehood and will mindlessly become slaves to
every whim of the immoral and the powerful.
We pray that Allah(SWT) will bestow upon us the wisdom to see these
stealth methods of attacks used by the enemies of Islam.

The Role of Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat)

The Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) cult was created and is being promoted
by the enemies of Islam, for the sole purpose of weakening and
dividing the Muslim Ummah, at the time when the colonial powers
were seeking to prepare the Muslim world for exploitation. Setting
aside the unIslamic teachings of the Mirza Ghulam Qadiani (ie.
rejecting the Finality of Prophethood, claiming to be a second Advent
of Prophet Muhammad, belying the verses of the Holy Quran, abusing
Jesus Christ, and striving to create extremism and hatred between
Muslims and Christins), the doctrine of Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) differ
from Islam in its open pursuit of making the masses obedient and
subservient to the interests of immoral, unjust, and tyrannical rulers.
The following are among such doctrines of Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat),
as advocated by its founders:
Every Qadiani (Ahmadi) must be willing to sacrifice his/her
wealth and life for the Government (which at the time was
the British Empire) in charge, regardless of the actions of
the regime;
No Qadiani (Ahmadi) can participate in demonstrations
and Jihad against an oppressive or unjust Government;
Qadianis (Ahmadis) are to follow every teaching of Mirza
Ghulam Qadiani (their prophet), even when it is in clear
contradiction to the teachings of Islam.
Qadianis (Ahmadis) are expected to hold Qadian (India) and
Rabwah (Pakistan) as their holy cities;
Qadianis (Ahmadis) are taught to feel superior to Muslims
 and are expected to try to convert Muslims into Qadianism,
by referring to false and baseless missionary arguments;
Qadianis (Ahmadis) are to believe that Muslims are
unbelievers;
The Qadiani leadership would like you to believe that Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani was a prophet of Allah(SWT) and that his instructions,
contradicting the verses of Quran, common sense, and the inspiration
of every freedom and justice lover individual around the globe, were
not simply an attempt to enslave a nation to the foreign powers of the
era! They would like us to believe that Mirza's attempt to divide the
nation and make it obedient to the oppressors, exploiters, and
aggressors of the era were not the act of a self-serving individual, but
those of a prophet of God!
However, historic evidence proves, without a doubt, that Mirza
Ghulam Qadiani was engaged in spreading propaganda in support of
the tyrannical British Empire of his time. As he confessed in his own
reports to his British overlords, he appointed himself to his post of
prophethood to "remove the spirit of Jihad (struggle for freedom and
independence) from the mind of ignorant Muslims".
The evidence documented on our site at http://www.irshad.org/ will
leave no doubt for any believer that Mirza Ghulam Qadiani was no
more than a pretender and an opportunist. In fact, high level Qadianis
are very well aware of this fact and have been actively engaged in
activities to hide and confuse the evidence. Obviously, they are more
interested in carrying out the mission of their misguided founder and
propagate their wealth generating organization, than saving souls.
Sadly, most of their followers are kept in the dark regarding the
unIslamic role of the movement they are supporting.
We should strive hard to inform every unfortunate Qadiani
(Ahmadi) of the deceptive claims of the Movement they have
somehow become affiliated with.
How does Qadianism
(Ahmadiyyat) differ from Islam
According to the tenet of their faith, the Qadianis (Ahmadis) are
required to study, accept, and follow the works, "revelations" (wahi),
and writings of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani. In his books, Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani makes the claim that he is in direct communication with God
and ordains it upon his followers to believe in "Islam" according
to his revelations. We have summarized here some of the differences
between Qadianis (Ahmadis) and Muslims. It should be obvious that
most of the beliefs instructed by Mirza Ghulam Qadiani contradict
verses of the Holy Quran -- not to mention hundreds of
authentic Hadith and Islamic doctrine.
It is unfortunate that many of the people who have been tricked into
accepting Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) are unaware of this aspect of the
Qadiani (Ahmadi) doctrine. Since the rituals of Qadianism resembles
that of Islam and much of their terminology is stolen from Islam, many
Qadianis are under the impression that they are following an Islamic
school of thought. They continue to blindly send their donations to the
Qadiani (Ahmadi) leadership thinking they are supporting Islam, when
in reality they are helping a non Islamic cult. For the most part, the
followers of Qadianism neither have a good grasp of Islam nor have
access to the complete writings of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani -- which are
mostly written in Urdu -- and are not aware of his various claims.
The following are some of the difference between Islam and
Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat ):
1. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) is based on the belief that Mirza
was an improved second reincarnation of hazrat
Muhammad(SAW).
2. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) rejects the concept of absolute
 Finality of Prophethood in hazrat Muhammad(SAW), as
confirmed in Quran, Hadith, Sunnah of the Holy
Prophet(SAW), Tradition of Companions, the writings of
Muslim Scholars and personalities, and concensus of the
entire Ummah for almost 1500 years.
3. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) maintains that Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani was a Prophet (nabi and rasul) of God.
4. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) rejects the concept of completion
of the revelations of Allah(SWT) in the Holy Quran.
5. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) holds that Mirza Ghulam Qadiani's
revelations (Books) were on the same level as all prior
revelations (Quran, Bible, Torah). In their view, simply
following Quran and Sunnah, as Muslims have done since
the beginning of Islam, is not a basis for living a righteous
life and gaining the pleasure of the Creator. Interestingly, the
Qadiani leadership has refused to allow a translation of
these books, so that everyone may become familiar with the
irrational teachings and contradictory claims of the founder
of their organization.
6. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) rejects authentic Hadith based on
Mirza's alleged revelations and teaches his personal
interpretation of the Holy Quran. Qadiani (Ahmadiyya)
leadership has forged several unauthentic translations of the
Holy Quran to try to confuse and mislead uninformed
individuals.

7. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) teaches that Jesus(pbuh) had

been crucified, but did not die from his injuries. Instead, it
advocates the view that Jesus(pbuh) recovered from his
injuries, escaped to Kashmir (India), where he lived for
another 86 years, and is buried there.

8. Whereas Jesus(pbuh) is acknowledged as a great prophet

of Allah in Islam, Mirza Ghulam took the liberty of making
 demeaning and vulgar remarks against him and his honored
mother, rejected his miracles, belittled his mission and
denied his return before the Day of Judgment. It is such
unbecoming teachings that have resulted in hateful
retributions by extremist Christians evangelical groups
against Muslims, Prophet Muhammad(SAW), and Islam.
9. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) maintains that Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani was "the promised Messiah". The Qadianis
(Ahmadis) reject the advent of Jesus Christ(pbuh), son of
Mary, as the Messiah, just before the Day of Judgment.
10. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) teaches that Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani was also the promised Mahdi (guided one).
11. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) teaches that Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani was also the expected Hindu lord, Krishna.
12. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) intollerantly declares the entire
manking, except for those who naively accept the irrational
notions and contradictory claims of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani,
to be unbelievers and bound for hell. Qadiani leadership has
announced all Muslims to be unbelievers and has forbidden
its followers from wedding their daughters to Muslims,
praying behind Muslims, and offering prayer on their
deceased - be it a child or an adult.
13. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) teaches that struggle for freedom,
independence and self-determination against the tyranny,
extremism and oppression (Jihad) of those military powers
that support Qadianism has been made Haraam.
14. At its birth, being a protoge of the oppressive British Empire
of the time, Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) required complete
devotion and obedience to the British Government, as an
article of faith. While freedom loving people around the
globe were rising up against the British subjugation,
Qadianis were being required to be willing to sacrifice their
wealth, talent, and soul in the cause of the Crown. Britain is
presently the headquarter of the Qadiani Movement.
 15. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) holds two cities in India (Qadian)
and Pakistan (Rabwah) as holy as Mekkah and Madinah.
Qadianis (Ahmadiyya) are supposed to perform Hajj by
attending their annual congregation, instead of visiting
Mekkah.
16. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) maintains that Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani was superior to all the Prophets(pbut) of Allah(SWT).
17. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) refers to the companions of Mirza
Ghulam Qadiani as Sahaba and his wives as Mother of the
Believers (Ummahatul Muminin).
18. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) advances the notion that many
verses of the Holy Quran were revealed to Mirza Ghulam
Qadiani and that many of the praises of Prophet
Muhammad(SAW), mentioned in Quran, were really intended
for Mirza Ghulam Qadiani.
19. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) claims Mirza's Mosque at Qadian
(India) to be Masjid-ul-Aqsa.
References to the Qadiani books requiring these beliefs are provided
on various articles at this site. If you have been tricked into accepting
Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) without being told of these and other truths,
please be assured that our quotes are based on authentic writings of
the founders of that organization. What you have fallen in love with is
Islam and not Qadianism. The door of salvation remains open to all,
but you will need to take the first step, you must be seeking the truth
to receive guidance.
Has not the Time arrived for the Believers that their
hearts in all humility should engage in the
remembrance of Allah and of the Truth which has
been revealed (to them), and that they should not
become like those to whom was given Revelation
aforetime, but long ages passed over them and
their hearts grew hard? For many among them are
rebellious transgressors.
(The Holy Quran, Al-Hadid, 57:16)
We beseach Allah(SWT) to guide all sincere individuals to the right
path and save them from the mischievous ploys of the enemies
of Islam.

The Death of Mirza Ghulam

Qadiani
(In light of Qadiani / Ahmadi record)
Say: "Verily those who invent a lie concerning Allah
will not succeed. This world's portion (will be
theirs), then unto Us is their return. Then, We make
them taste a dreadful doom because they used to
disbelieve."
(The Holy Quran, Yunus, 10:69-70)
For years, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani attributed outrageous lies
to Allah(SWT): he claimed to be Mehdi, the Promised Messiah, a
reincarnation of Muhammad(SAW), a new improved Prophet, Hindu
Lord, and a manifestation of God. He said he was in direct
communication with Allah and claimed that his revelations were divine
in nature. It is fitting that Allah(SWT) made his death a testimony to
his falsehood. His sudden death proved his following prophecies to
have been untrue:
1. His prophecy that he (Mirza) will live to be 80 or more years
old;
(He died when he was only 68 year old.)
2. His prophecy that he would marry Muhammadi Begum,
before his death;
(He never did marry Muhammadi Begum.)
3. The claim (and Mubahala challenge) that Moulvi Sanaullah
of Amristar, his arch opponent who had openly called him a
liar and an impostor, will die before him;
("The liar will die first" - Mirza died first!)
4. His prophecy that Dr. Abdul Hakim, one of his opponents
who had called him a liar during an open debate, will die
within Mirza's life time;
(he said "The liar will die first". But, Mirza died first!)
5. The prophecy (and Mubahala challenge) that Mr. Abdullah
Atham, a Christian who had debated with Mirza Ghulam and
put him to shame, will die before him;
(Mirza had said: "the liar will die first" - Yet, Mirza died first!)

6. His revelation that Allah(SWT) will bestow upon him a great

new son, a sign of Allah(SWT)'s presence and proof of his
prophethood;
(Mirza died without having another son.)

7. His claim that Allah(SWT) had revealed to him that he would

marry many more virtuous women;
(After the prophecy, he did not marry anyone else.)
 8. His prophecy that he (Mirza) will marry a widow, before his
death;
(After the prophecy, he did not marry anyone else.)
9. His prophecy that he will die in Mekkah or Medina.
(Mirza died in the city of Lahor; he never saw Mekkah or
Medina.)
Indeed, Mirza Ghulam's death was a sign of Allah(SWT)'s displeasure
with him. He died from the disease he feared the most in a wretched
condition and in utter disgrace, as he himself had stated:
"To turn out a liar in his own prophecy is biggest disgrace of
disgraces."
(Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 15, P. 382)
Let's review the record of Mirza's death as recounted by his closest
followers and actual witnesses to his death.
Bashir Ahmad, the son of Mirza Ghulam, wrote in his biography:
"My mother informed me that 'the first attack of looseness of bowels
upon the Promised Messiah occurred when he was at his dining room
table. Later, I started pressing his legs and he lay in comfort and slept
and soon I too slept. After a short while, he again felt the call of nature
and he used the bathroom a couple of times without awakening me,
After this he felt very weak; he shook me up and laid down on my bed.
I recommenced pressing. In a few minutes he told me to go to bed
but I refused and continued to press. Once again he had an urge and,
being too weak to go to the lavatory, I made arrangement for him
close to the bed. He sat down and relieved himself. Next, he laid
himself back on my bed and I started pressing again. His weakness
grew intense; he had another motion, accompanied this time by
vomiting. This paralyzed him so much that when trying to lay back on
the bed, he fell on his back and hit his head on the bed post. His
condition alarmed me...'."
(Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 1, P. 11-12; Sirat-ul-Mehdi, P.109)
Mirza Ghulam's father in law, Mir Nasir Nawab, recorded in his
autobiography:
"The night his holiness fell ill, I was sleeping in my room. When his
illness grew severe, they woke me up. I went over to his holiness and
found him in great pain. He addressed me saying: 'I have been
stricken with cholera.' After this, he did not utter a single intelligible
and coherent word till he died on Monday, after ten O'clock in the
morning."
(Hayat-i-Nasir, P. 14)
Mirza Ghulam used to say that cholera or plague is the sign of
Allah(SWT)'s wrath on mankind for their wrong doing! It is fitting
that his last words were the admission that he had been stricken with
the disease he was so fearful of. The witnesses present at his bed
side recorded:
"Huzoor (Mirza Ghulam) could not talk two hours before death. Dr.
Mirza Yaqoob Baig and Dr. Syed Mohammad Hussei Shah were the
attending physicians. Huzoor asked for paper and wrote on it: 'I have
too much dryness. I can't talk.' and some other words which could not
be read."
(Al-Fazl, Vol. 25, No. 274, November 24, 1937)
"As his condition became precarious, we stayed by him and continued
treatment, but his pulse stopped by 10:15 A.M., on the 26th May, 1908
he breathed his last."
(Al-Hakam, Mary 28, 1908)
We can not imagine what Mirza Ghulam might have felt when the hour
of death approached and Allah(SWT) shut his mouth and tongue so that
he could neither repent (proclaim Kalima) nor utter any more lies.
And who can be more unjust than he who invents a
lie against Allah, or says: "I have received
inspiration," whereas he is not inspired in anything;
and who says, "I will reveal the like of what Allah
has revealed." And if you could but see when the
wrong-doers are in the agonies of death, while the
angels are stretching forth their hands (saying):
"Deliver your soul! This day you shall be
recompensed with the torment of degradation
because of what you used to utter against Allah
other than the truth. And you used to reject His
 signs (revelations) with disrespect!"
(The Holy Quran, Al-Anam, 6:93)
Mirza Ghulam's death irrefutably proves that the prophecies he
attributed to Allah(SWT) were fabricated by him and his associates. The
irony is that, to impress his followers, he had proclaimed his
prophecies to be the ultimate sign of his truthfulness and stated:
"If what I have said does not happen exactly, I am prepared for every
punishment. My face should be blackened and I should be hanged. I
swear by the Mighty Allah that what I have said will happen. It
must happen. It is possible that the earth may be changed for another
earth and the sky may be replaced by another sky, but it is not
possible for God's word to change -- prepare for me a cross if my
falsehood is exposed and curse me more than the Satans and the
evil persons are cursed."
(Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 6, P. 293; Jang-i-Maqaddas, P. 188)
"To Judge my truthfulness or lies, there is no better test than my
prophecies."
(Roohany Khazaen, Vol. 19, P. 288)
We ask Allah(SWT) to deliver all sincere seekers of the truth from
the clutches of the Qadiani leadership

In the Name of Allah, The Most Compassionate, The Most

Merciful, The One and Only.
His Love and Peace be upon Syedna Muhammad, after whom
there is no Prophet, and upon his family and Companions. Insha
Allah, Masha Allah
CAN AHMADIS/QADIANIS
ANSWER?
by Illias Suttar
 Cash Reward: 10,000,000/ - (approx. US$ 250,000.00)
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad�s claims of Imam Mahdi and Promised
Messiah
have now been proven conclusively false.
If anyone can prove the points of this article to be wrong in the
Supreme Court of any reputed country like UK, USA, German, Japan,
Pakistan, India, Israel, etc., he will receive cash reward of Pak
Rs.10,000,000/- (Ten Million).
1. You can prove my arguments wrong in the supreme court of
any country like USA, UK, Israel, India, Pakistan, Germany,
France, Italy, etc.
2. You can prove my arguments wrong even in my absence!!!
3. A Qadiani / Ahmadi judge is also acceptable even in my
absence!!!
4. The first Qadiani / Ahmadi to make the case against me will
get cash reward Rs.25,000/- (Twenty Five Thousand) before
the start of the arguments.
5. In Pakistani newspapers, I have advertised that if any
Qadiani / Ahmadi will come to me for discussions, I will pay
Rs. 500/- cash to him.
6. If any non-Ahmadi / Qadiani brings an Ahmadi / Qadiani,
then he will get Rs.500/- cash for bringing the Ahmadi /
Qadiani.
Introductory Notes
Alhamdolillah, they have been intellectually defeated. A
Prominent Ahmadi, Mr. Ahmad Baksh Channa, a Qadiani Murabbi
for years, has embraced Islam along with other several others
who witnessed the written debate.
In the following article, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani�s claim of
being the Mahdi and the Promised Messiah have been conclusively
proven to be wrong, by bringing to light contradiction in his own
argument from his books. The particular argument of Mirza Sahib
which was claimed to be dazzling like the sun, and according to his
followers made his opponents ran way from him like lambs run away
from lion, has been proven wrong beyond doubt. Since the fallacy of
these claims have been exposed, Mirza Sahib�s claim of being a
Nabi or a Prophet also automatically becomes bogus. A True Nabi
cannot make false claim.
This article was originally made public, before 1982. More than 16
years have passed but no one has been able to deny the points
of this article or prove the contrary. The points of this article have
been twice put to the present IVth "Khalifa", Mirza Tahir Ahmad
Qadiani, but he has maintained complete silence. I even went inside
the Ahmadiyya Hall, an Ahmadi Center in Magazine Line, Karachi,
where I distributed this article in the hall and spoke to those who were
coming inside to pray. I attended the funeral of one learned Qadiani.
In the graveyard, as well as in the funeral bus while coming back, I
explained the article to them. On 4-7-1983, Mr. Rahim Younus
Qadiani wrote from Dhaka, Bangladesh, that one learned Ahmadi is
going to answer to me. Almost 15 years have passed away, but till
now there is no answer. Naseem Ahmad, gave a reply to "Can
Ahmadis Answer?" and entitled it, "An Ahmadi Answers". The
grandson of the "Khalifa" Mirza Tahir, Mubasshir Ahmad composed it
on the computer. However, later on, after nearly 5 hours of
discussions, the grandson said that now only he has understood the
question. He promised to return with proper reply. He went away
never to return again.
I have had written discussions with many other Qadianis as well.
Those who are interested can get copies of such correspondence
from me. It is interesting to see how they have expressed views
opposite to what Mirza Sahib has written. Many Qadianis have even
admitted that Mirza Sahib has made a mistake, but they take the plea
that Mirza Sahib was a human being and so he could make a mistake.
However, time will make them realize, Insha Allah, that it wasn�t a
small mistake. This grave mistake was committed while trying to
prove his claims to the office of Imam Mahdi and Promised
Messiah. If the arguments put forward to prove his claim have
been proven wrong, naturally the claim was also wrong. If one
claim is wrong the whole Ahmadiyyat becomes a heap of debris.
I had offered Rs. One Crore (10,000,000) to any Ahmadi who will
defeat me in any Supreme Court. One Ahmadi, Naseem Ahmad of
Karachi, accused me that One Crore will not be paid, if I loose the
case. He said that, to start the case, Rs.15,000/- cash will be needed.
I even offered Rs.15,000/- in advance, which he refused to accept. Did
he knew in his heart that he will be a loser?
The facts mentioned in this article, which have embarrassed Qadianis
during the discussions, are taken from the following four books of
Mirza Sahib:
1. Masih Hindustan Mein
2. Chasma-e-Masihi
3. Anjam-e-Atham
4. Kashti-e-Nuh
An interesting development is that the present "Khalifa" of Qadianis
has warned his followers about me. He spoke for more than two hours
on their so-called Muslim Television Ahmadiyya and cautioned the
Qadianis that a "Fitna" (temptation) is going to come. To save the
faith from that "Fitna" (temptation), he reminded his followers of
miracles which were to be remembered when facing the "Fitna"
(temptation). Mentioning Zia ul Haq�s plane accident, he claimed that
this accident happened to Zia ul Haq because of what he had done to
the Qadianis.
Obviously, it is an intellectual defeat for the "Khalifa" and the
whole Ahmadiyya Community. Instead of coming up with logical
arguments to counteract my proofs, the "Khalifa" has taken refuge in
so-called miracles. Miracles or perhaps some Accident? Allah knows
best. I am producing this article here with a challenge to all Qadianis /
Ahmadis. Try to prove my arguments wrong in a Court of Law and get
Pak. Rs.10,000,000/-.
1. Extract from Daily Newspaper �Inqilab� Karachi, Pakistan
of 27th December 1997 in which the reporter gave an
 interview of an important Ahmadi / Qadiani:
"Illias Suttar is in such a way after us as if he has nothing else to
do. For a long time we gave him no lift thinking that it does not
matter if someone keeps on barking. But now it seems as if he
will not only bark but will bite us. And we will have to take 14
injections to save our lives. We Qadianis and Ahmadis are so
scared of Illias Suttar as if he is a ghost�� Illias Suttar is not
wanting any property from us, he is just wanting an answer to his
article: 'Can Ahmadis / Qadianis Answer?'"
2. On 12/12/1997, Chowdhry Mobasshir Ahmadi who is the
grandson of the "Khalifa" of Ahmadis / Qadianis said in the
presence of 5 or 6 persons in the shop of Mr. Aslam in
Qartaba Market, Bahadurabad, Karachi: "Announce on my
behalf: I will give a fantastic reply – but there is no time
limit".
Comments by Religious Scholars
1. Maulana Muhamad Yusuf Ludhianvi, Chief Editor of Urdu
Weekly Khatm-e-Nubuwat, Karachi Pakistan was so highly
impressed by the article that he said: "I tried to make my
book like your article"; he even gave a reward to affirm his
appreciation for times to come.
2. I gave my article to Hazrat Bashir Ahmad Shah Jamali, Mufti
of Jamia Atta-ul Uloom, Shah Jamal, Dera Ghazi Khan,
Pakistan. After 3 or 4 days, he said: Religious scholars have
written many books on this subject, but your article is from
Allah. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad�s book "Anjam Atham" with
the help of which Mirza Ghulam Ahmad�s claim of being a
Nabi, Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi has been
conclusively proved wrong, the publication date of this book
is 22/1/1897. The date on our earth when Hazrat Bashir
Ahmed Shah Jamali said "Your article is from Allah" was
22/1/1997. One century complete from Mirza sahib's claim,
no difference of year, month, or day: one exact century. I
replied: "Your comment was also from Allah". He was very
 happy.
3. Dr. Syed Rashid Ali (MRCP) is the head of the Dept. of
Medicine, Dibba Hospital, Dibba Al-Fujairah, United Arab
Emirates. He is the honorary Secretary of "Anjuman-e-
Muhibban-Mustafa" whose branches are working in at least
5 countries. He took permission on the phone and put this
article on the Internet.
4. Qari Muhammad Yar Farooqi, the Imam of Muhammadi
Masjid, street no.4, Bath Island, Karachi, said: "Allah has
done through you what He did not do through ulemas.
For you I pray everyday taking your name.
5. Maulana Abdul Shakoor who teaches in "Jamia Anwarul
Islam" said: This article must be included in the syllabus of
the Madrasahs.
6. Mr. Hanif Motiwala who is doing research on Ahmadism /
Qadianism since 1968 said: "I never got such a wonderful
point". He has himself written a number of articles about
Ahmadism / Qadianism. He has acclaimed my article
as "Moajjaza of Khatm-e-Nabuwat" and has written an
article in this regard which has been printed in several
magazines.
7. On 2/3/1998, I (Illias Suttar) accompanied by Sarwar Rao,
Chief Editor, Monthly Newsnet (International), Karachi, went
to Al Noor Hall in Gulberg, Karachi, which is the prayer
place (mosque) of Ahmadis / Qadianis). I met the Imam
Sahib whose name is Mr. Dawood. I asked him to start a
case in any supreme court to prove wrong the points of my
article. He replied that "We do not recognise the judges of
the earth. We have left the decision (on Illias Suttar�s
article) in the Hands of the Judge in the sky"!

In the Name of Allah, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful,

The One and Only.
His Love and Peace be upon Syedna Muhammad, after whom there is
no Prophet, and upon his family and Companions.
 Insha Allah, Masha Allah
CAN AHMADIS/QADIANIS ANSWER?
by Illias Suttar
Cash Reward: 10,000,000/ - (approx. US$ 250000.00)
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad�s claims of Imam Mahdi and Promised
Messiah
have now been proven conclusively false.
Cash Reward Rs: 10,000,000/- (approx. US$ 250,000.00)
Main Article
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad rejected the fundamental Muslim doctrine of the
second coming of Hazrat Isa ibne Maryam. Instead, he claimed that
Hazrat Isa had died his natural death and even claimed to have
located his grave in Khanyar Street, Srinagar, Kashmir. Mirza Sahib
wrote a book "Jesus in India" where he gave a detailed account of
what he claimed to have actually happened at the cross. According to
him Jesus was put to the cross by the Jews on Friday; Jesus fainted
and Jews thought that he had died. He was buried; but three days
later, he regained consciousness and came out of the grave. He was
33 years old at that time. He met his disciples and secretly migrated to
India, where he died at the age of 120 years. Let us have a look at the
following extracts from this book:
"Hence, I shall prove in this book that Jesus (Peace be upon him)
did not die on the cross neither did he go up to the heavens nor it
should ever be hoped that he will return to the earth from the
heavens; rather, he died at the age of 120 years in Srinagar in
Kashmir, and his grave is in the Khanyar Region of Srinagar."
(Maseeh Hindustan Mein, (Jesus in India) Roohani Khazain, vol.15,
p.14)
"Authentic narrations of hadith prove that our holy Prophet
(pbuh) said in the person of Jesus two such qualities were
combined which were not present in any other prophet.
Firstly, he lived his full life, i.e. he was alive for 125 years.
Secondly, he toured most of the parts of the world�now it is
obvious if he had ascended to heavens at the age of only 33
years, then the tradition of 125 years would not have been
correct, neither he could have toured at such a young age of 33.
These traditions are not only mentioned in the authentic and
ancient books of hadith, but they are so popular among all the
sects of Muslims that none can be imagined more famous."
(Maseeh Hindustan Mein {Jesus in India}, Roohani Khazain, vol. 15,
pp. 55-56)
Christian Era (AD) begins with the birth of Hazrat Isa ibne Maryam
(Jesus) in 1 AD. Hazrat Isa, according to Mirza Sahib, died at the age
of 120 years, meaning 120 AD. Now, let us examine the following
extract from "Anjam-e-Atham", written by Mirza Sahib:
"The Holy Quran clearly says that the Masih was lifted to the
heavens after his death. Therefore his descent is symbolic and
not real. And in the verse �Falamma Tawaffeteni� it has been
clearly manifested that death of Hazrat Isa (pbuh) has already
taken place. Because the meaning of the verse is that the
Christians will go astray after the death of Hazrat Isa (pbuh) and
not during his lifetime. So if we assume that Hazrat Isa (pbuh) is
not yet dead, then we will have to agree that the Christians are
not yet digressed, and this is absolutely false. Rather the verse is
saying that the Christians remained faithful only until the life-time
of Hazrat Isa (pbuh). From this it becomes known that corruption
had already begun during the time of Disciples. If the period of
the Disciples had been such that the Christians had still been on
right path, then in this verse Allah would not have linked it with
the life-time of Hazrat Isa (pbuh) only, but would have included
the life time of the disciples as well. Thus at this juncture a very
good point of the period of corruption in Christianity is illustrated
and which is that IN TRUTH, during the time of the Disciples
themselves, the seeds of SHIRK (associating partner with God)
were sown in Christianity.
(Anjam-e-Atham, Roohani Khazain, vol. 11, p.321)
The important points from the above extracts are:
 Mirza Sahib claims to give proof from hadith that Hazrat Isa
died at the age of 125.
He asserts that Christians were on right path only during the
life time of Hazrat Isa.
He states that Hazrat Isa was not made God or son of God
during his life time.
Seeds of SHIRK (Trinity) were sown after the death of
Hazrat Isa. During the life time of Hazrat Isa, there was no
possibility of such a digression. Mirza Ghulam Ahmed is
quoting the verse "Falamma Tawaffeteni" (5:117) from
Quran, implying that Allah is guaranteeing protection from
such corruption (Shirk i.e. Trinity) during the life of Hazrat
Isa only.
Since Mirza Sahib has stated in his book "Jesus in India"
that Hazrat Isa died in 120 AD, the seeds of association of
Partners with Allah (i.e. Trinity) could not have been planted
before 120 AD. This means that Hazrat Isa was made God
and son of God only after the year 120 A.D. Before 120
A.D., not even one single individual could have held the
belief that Hazrat Isa is God or son of God.
Thus, the year of 120 A.D. became a turning point.

(Chasma-e-Maseehi, Roohani Khazain, vol. 20, p.375)

"And in the very first instance, he (Paul) implanted the bad
seedling of Trinity in Damascus. And this Pauline Trinity started
from Damascus. It is towards this that hadith Shareef has hinted
that the future Maseeh will descend on the eastern side of
Damascus."
(Chasma-e-Maseehi, Roohani Khazain, vol. 20, p.377)
In this book, Chasma-e-Maseehi, Mirza Sahib has clearly stated that
St. Paul was responsible for the doctrine of Holy Trinity and thus
turning Hazrat Isa into God. It is a well known fact that St. Paul died in
64 AD or 67 AD. The book �The 100� gives the year of his death as
64 AD. Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics says:
"That he suffered martyrdom at Rome there can be no doubt�the
date will lie between A.D. 64 and 67, most probably nearer the
former than the later limit."
(Encyclopaedia, vol. 9, p.694)
Final Arguments
1. In the book "Jesus in India", according to Mirza Sahib,
Hazrat Isa died in 120 AD.
2. In the book "Anjam-e-Atham", Mirza Sahib has clearly stated
that the seeds of Trinity were not sown until 120 A.D.
3. In the book "Anjam-e-Atham", Mirza Sahib has clearly said
that St. Paul made Hazrat Isa God.
4. Paul died in 64 or 65 A.D. where as Hazrat Isa died in 120
A.D. Therefore Paul died at least 55 years before Hazrat
Isa. (Jesus)
5. Since Paul must have given the doctrine of Trinity during his
life time, this means the Hazrat Isa was made God at least
55 years before his own death. In other words, by 65 A.D.
Hazrat Isa was made God/Son of God while he died 55
years later in 120 A.D.
6. While he (Jesus) was alive in Kashmir, he was being
worshipped as God in Palestine.
7. Thus Mirza Sahib�s commentary on the Holy Quran�s
verse 5:117 (Falamma Tawaffetenni) in his book "Anjam-e-
Atham", that Christians made Hazrat Isa God after the death
of Hazrat Isa in 120 A.D., becomes absolutely wrong.
Is this a small mistake for a man claiming to have been divinely
ordained to be Messiah, Mahdi and a Prophet? Such a grievous error?
So obviously and utterly wrong! So conclusively wrong!
On Page 135 of his book "Anjam Atham", Mirza Ghulam Ahmed says:
"If Jesus is alive in the heavens, then the Christians must be on
the right path (on earth)".
Will the Qadianis / Ahmadis reflect?
(Please see point no. 6 above.)
If Mirza Sahib were alive and this question had been put to him, could
he have said: "I am a human being and I can make mistakes"? Mirza
Sahib had claimed help of Allah in these arguments. Can Allah be
wrong? No! Only the claim of Mirza Sahib is wrong. If he can be wrong
in one thing, what proof is there that he is not wrong in other things?
The reason for Mirza Saheb's entire exercise of trying to prove
that Hazrat Isa (pbuh) had died was to establish his own claim of
being the Promised Messiah and Mahdi. His argument was that,
since Hazrat Isa has died, he will not return, as that would be
against the principles of Allah. Thus, someone else will have to
take up the role of Hazrat Isa and that someone is none other
than Mirza Sahib himself! However, the above arguments have
proven conclusively that Mirza Ghulam could not substantiate his
claim of being Imam Mahdi and the Promised Messiah. Therefore,
he is neither Imam Mahdi nor the Promised messiah. As a
corollary, he is not a Prophet, because a true Prophet will not
make a false claim. Q.E.D., Q.E.D., Q.E.D., Q.E.D., Q.E.D.
Another Interesting Point
He secretely migrated to India, lived there for 87 more years, and
died at the age of 120 in Srinagar, Kashmir. He kept no contact with
the people of Palestine for these 87 years. People in Palestine did not
know that Hazrat Isa was alive in Kashmir and Hazrat Isa did not know
that the people in Palestine had begun to worship him as God and son
of God. Therefore, (according to Qadiani claims) in the original land
(Palestine) where he was sent as Messenger and where he was made
God and son of God, he kept careful watch only till the age of 33 and
for the remaining 87 years of his life he kept no watch over them at
all! What a glaring mistake (in tafseer)!
Remember: All this is Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani�s assertions
and we have only his words for them. Will the Qadianis, his followers,
kindly clarify the above points or rectify their belief?
May Allah help them to understand what is right and what is wrong
and give them the courage to follow the right path. Ameen.
All praise to Allah. His Love and Peace be upon His Noble Prophet,
Hazrat Muhammad and upon His family and Companions.

Sir Syed vs Mirza Saheb

The Qadiyanis are very proud of saying that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Sahib was the first man after so many years who said that Jesus
(Hazrat Isa) (pbuh) did not go to the heavens ,but died on earth in
Kashmir. Mr. Nasim Ahmad, who wrote "An Ahmadi Answers", said
that Mirza Sahib first came to know from Allah about Hazrat Isa�s
natural death on earth in the year 1891.
Mr. Nasim Ahmad should know that Sir Syed had made a similar claim
9 years before, in the year 1882, in his Tafsir of Quran Majid.
Sir Syed wrote his Tafsir of Quran Majid in 6 volumes as follows (see
page 335 of the book "Sir Syed Ahmad Khan" by Fazal Karim):
Part 1 in year 1880
Part 2 in year 1882
Part 3 in year 1885
Part 4 in year 1886
Part 5 in year 1892
Part 6 in year 1895
In part no.2, year 1882, in Sura Maida, verse no. 117, Sir Syed layed
claim to the death of Hazrat Isa (pbuh).
9 years later in 1891, Mirza Saheb copied Sir Syed. Is it in good
taste that Qadiayanis are boasting today about Mirza Sahib's
plagiarism?
In the name of Allah, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful,
The One and Only.
His Love and Peace be upon Syedna Muhammad, after whom there is
no Prophet, and upon his family and Companions.
 Insha Allah, Masha Allah

CAN AHMADIS/QADIANIS ANSWER?

by Illias Suttar
More Contradictions
I wish Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Sahib were Alive!
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian claimed to be Imam Mahdi and
Promised Messiah, Two in One. It is an accepted Muslim doctrine that
Hazrat Isa (Jesus) (pbuh) will descend from heavens and will help
Imam Mahdi in the propagation of Islam and fill the world with justice.
When people asked Mirza Ghulam about Jesus, the son of Mary,
Mirza Sahib replied that Jesus will not descend from heavens because
he never went to heavens; rather he went to Kashmir, where he died
at the age of 120! In support of his claim, Mirza Sahib wrote a book
called �Messiah in India (Maseeh in Hindustan)�.
Quran says celibacy not prescribed in Christianity, but Mirza
Sahib says the opposite.
Mirza Sahib says:
"And just as Injeel has preached celibacy, similarly in Buddha�s
teachings it is desired; and just as an earthquake came on
putting the Jesus to the cross, similarly it is written that an
earthquake came on the death of Buddha. Thus the main reason
for all such similarities is that out of good fortune for the
Buddhists, Maseeh came to Hindustan and stayed for a long time
amongst Buddhists and they received detailed knowledge on his
life and his preachings. Consequently it was inevitable that a
great part of that teaching and ceremonials should have found its
way into Buddhists records for Jesus was respected and taken
for the Buddha by the Buddhists These people therefore
recorded his sayings in their books and ascribed them to the
Buddha."
(Maseeh Hindustan Mein, Roohani Khazain, vol.15, P.78)
On the other hand, the Holy Quran says (57:27) that monasticism was
invented by Christians. Monasticism includes all ways of detaching
oneself from mankind, specially state of celibacy:
"Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps;
and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the
Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those
who followed him. But monasticism they invented - We ordained
it not for them - only seeking Allah�s pleasure, and they
observed it not with right observance. So, We give those of them
who believed their reward, but many of them are evil-livers." (al-
Quran 57:27)
But contrary to this verse, Mirza Sahib says that Hazrat Isa (pbuh)
preached the doctrine of Chastity and Celibacy. Who is to be
believed? The Holy Quran or the word of Mirza Ghulam?
Hazrat Isa pbuh - Prophet for Bani Israel or
Prophet for Buddhists?
Bagwa Matteyya, whose other name was Maseeh came to this land,
because the failure of a prophecy makes that religion bogus."
(Maseeh in Hindustan, Roohani Khazain, vol 15, p.84)
"Every Buddhist must necessarily profess the belief that five
hundred years after the Buddha, the Bagwa (white) Metteyya did
appear in their land."
(Maseeh in Hindustan, Roohani Khazain, vol. 15, p.92)
"There can be no doubt that he came in the colours of Buddha
and the Book of Oldenburg with reference to Buddha�s Book,
Lkavati Sutta, it is written that the followers of Buddha used to
console themselves with the hope of future that they will achieve
the fruits of salvation by becoming the follower of Metteyya. i.e.
they had confidence that Metteyya will appear among them and
they will attain salvation through him, because the words in
which Buddha had given them the hope of Metteyya they were
clearly proving that his followers will meet Metteyya. Now with
this statement of this book, confidence is generated in the heart
that God had created means of their guidance from both
sides�and no one can doubt that those moral teachings and
spiritual ways which were established by Buddha, the teachings
of Hazrat Maseeh have regenerated them in this world."
(Maseeh in India, Roohani Khazain vol. 15 pp. 81-82)
How could Hazrat Isa (pbuh) go to preach among non-Bani Israel
on the basis of divine revelation of Buddha? Is this not against
our and your faith which states that Hazrat Isa (PBUH) was sent
to Bani Israel only? To further clarify that Hazrat Isa (pbuh) went to
all Buddhists whether they were Israelites or not, Mirza Sahib quotes
Buddha as saying that Hazrat Isa (pbuh) will come from outside to the
land of Prophecy, Magadh, in which the people were dark. And
Buddha himself was dark. And since all the Buddhists are included in
this prophecy, common sense says that non-Israelites are also
included, since all Buddhists were not Israelites.
Another Hypocrisy of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

(Maseeh in Hindustan, Roohani Khazain, vol. 15, p.81)

Gospel of Barnabas and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad�s

Ignorance
Mirza Sahib says:
"After all that has been stated, it should be kept in mind that the
Gospel of Barnabas, which must be available in the British
Museum, it is stated that Jesus was not crucified nor did he die
on the Cross. Now we can very well say though this book is not
included in the Gospels and has been rejected summarily, yet
there is no doubt that it is an ancient book and it belongs to the
period in which the other Gospels were written. Is it not open to
us to regard this ancient book as a book of history of ancient
times and make use of it as a book of history?"
(Masseh in Hindustan, Roohani Khazain, vol. 15, p.21)
Perhaps Mirza Sahib did not read the Gospel of Barnabas
himself, for in the Bible of Barnabas, it is clearly mentioned that
Hazrat Muhammad (SAAW) will be the last Prophet, and only false
Prophets will come after him. Please see the following extract from the
Bible of Barnabas:
"Isa (pbuh) said in that Messenger�s coming who will wipe out
all false ideas about me. His religion will spread all over the earth.
Sardar Kahin asked: After the coming of the Messenger of God
will more Prophets come? Isa(pbuh) said: After him not true
Prophet will come. But many false Prophets will come."
(Gospel of Barnabas, Urdu Edition, p. 143)
"Then the disciples asked: O Master, who is that man who you
mention will come to earth? With great happiness Isa (pbuh)
replied: He is Muhammad (SAAW), Messenger of Allah. When he
will come, just as rain brings out fruits from earth when there has
been no rain for a long time, in the same way with the unlimited
Mercy and Blessings with which he will come, he will be the
cause of many good and virtuous deeds."
(Gospel of Barnabas, p.228, Urdu Version)
Mirza Sahib admits that the gospel of Barnabas is an ancient historical
document, written at the same time as other Gospels. He presents
one of its statements to support his claim. But what he didn�t know
was that it not only mentions the coming of Hazrat Muhammad
(SAAW), but also the finality of his Prophethood or did he? If he had,
what right did Mirza Ghulam have to claim that he is a Prophet? Why
did he take one statement as a proof and ignored the other
one. Perhaps he had never read the Gospel!

Is Adam (pbuh) still alive? Did Mirza Sahib die at

the age of 30?
"There is another important statement by the Holy Prophet.
During his last illness, the Holy Prophet said to his daughter
Fatima: �Once a year Gabriel used to recite the Quran to me.
This year he recited twice. He also told me that every succeeding
Prophet has lived up to half the age of his predecessor. He told
me that Jesus, son of Mary, lived to 120 years. Therefore, I think, I
may live to about 60 years."
(Invitation to Ahmadiyyat (Da�awat-ul-Ameer), p.17)
Based on this formula, some of the future prophets (if at all there are
some, and there should be at least three of them if you accept the
Qadiani interpretation of the verse of Khatme-Nabuwwat) will have
following ages:
Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qadiani ??? 30 years old
Next assumed prophet 15 years old
Next assumed prophet 7 and half years old�and
so on.
So according to the extract on page 17 taken from "Invitation to
Ahamadiyyat", Hazrat Adam (pbuh) should have lived up to 122880
years. Which means that he is still alive. In fact, even Hazrat Sheesh,
Noah, Abrahim and Ismail (pbut) should all be alive
now. Furthermore, if Mirza Sahib is a prophet, he should have
died at the age of 30 only, that is half the age of the previous
Prophet. Did Mirza Sahib become Prophet after his death? Still more
interesting, if Prophets will continue to come, then just a few Prophets
down the line we would be having one who is a newborn!! This
statement of the Holy Prophet (SAAW), if at all authentic, clearly
means that there will no Prophet after Hazrat Muhammad (SAW),
because the next Prophet will have to die at the age of 30 and the
next at 15 which means he will not even be an adult.
Date : 24-4-1998 Fax 92-21-4933559 Email : Salt@www.fascom.com
The Qadianis/Ahmadis after facing academic and intellectual defeat
have started preaching by saying "keep this book beneath your pillow,
and the Holy Prophet (SAW) will come in dream saying that Mirza
Saheb is a true Prophet and Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi". In
the article "Will all sects go Heaven and only one to Hell?" I have
shown that all sects are dreaming the Holy Prophet (SAW). The
Barelvis, the Deobandis, etc. and now even the Ahmadis/ Qadianis
are dreaming. Since all sects cannot be right, therefore dream is no
basis of truth.
Hence the cartoon above of Taj Mahal with picture of Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad. The people ask Mr. Mirza to give answer to Illias Suttar�s
article "Can Ahmadis/ Qadianis Answer?" Mr. Mirza replies: "Let those
who call us liars keep calling so. Let us live in our world of dream".
In September / October 1995, the present leader of Ahmadis /
Qadianis Mr. Tahir Mirza said: "One fitna (Temptation) is coming.
Protect your faith from this temptation by remembering miracles done
by Allah in favor of Ahmadis/Qadianis. One such miracle was the
plane accident of President Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan".
On 04-07-1983, Mr. Rahim Younus wrote from Bangladesh that Illias
Suttar should stop preaching among Ahmadis/Qadianis and should
learn lesson from the fate of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who was hanged till
death.
So, the question is that what will be the fate of Illias Suttar? He will die
in plane accident or will be hanged or in some other way be punished?
On 2nd March, 1998 Illias Suttar accompanied with Mr. Sarwar Rao
visited Noor Hall (Ahmadi Center) and asked Mr. Dawood, the Imam
of the Hall, to contest Illias Suttar�s article "Can Ahmadis / Qadianis
Answer?" in any Supreme Court of the World.
The Imam (Mr. Dawood) said: "We do not believe in the Judges of the
earth. We have left the decision on Illias Suttar�s article in the Hands
of the Judge in the sky".
Mr. Ahmad Baksh Channa who left Ahmadiyat/Qadianism and
became a Muslim said : "The article of Illias Suttar has shaken
the building of Qadianism."
The building has fallen now. In the above cartoon, we read:
Illias Suttar, Second Floor, 19 Commercial Area, Bahadurabad,
Karachi-74800, Pakistan. Ph – 92-21-4937221