A Misconception Removed

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Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la A Misconception Removed H A D RAT M IRZA G HULAM A HMAD OF Q ADIAN The Promised Messiah and Mahdi as Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jam a ‘at ISLAM INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS LIMITED

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A Misconception Removed English rendering of Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la (Urdu) © Islam International Publications Ltd.Urdu text first published in 1901 Many Urdu editions published since First English Translation (A Misunderstanding Removed) Published in UK in 1978 Present Revised Edition (New Translation) Published in UK in 2007 Published by: Islam International Publications Ltd Islamabad Sheephatch Lane Tilford, Surrey United Kingdom GU10 2AQ Printed in UK at: Raqeem Press 'Islamabad' Tilford, Surrey GU10 2AQ Cover Design by: Adnan Rashid ISBN: 1 85372 912 4

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iii About the Author Born in 1835 in Qadian (India), Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi as , remained dedicated to the study of the Holy Quran and to a life of prayer and devotion.Finding Islam the target of foul at- tacks from all directions, the fortunes of Muslims at a low ebb, faith yielding to doubt and religion only skin-deep, he undertook vindication and exposition of Islam.In his vast corpus of writings (including his epoch-making Br a h i n-e-Ahmadiyya ), his lectures, discourses, religious debates etc., he argued that Islam was a living faith and the only faith by following which man could establish contact with his Creator and enter into communion with Him.The teachings contained in the Holy Quran and the Law promulgated by Islam were designed to raise man to moral, intellectual and spiritual perfection.He announced that God had appointed him the Messiah and Mahdi as mentioned in the prophecies of the Bible, the Holy Quran and A ha d i th.In 1889 he began to accept initiation into his Community which is now established in one hundred and seventy-six countries.His eighty books are written mostly in Urdu, but some are also in Arabic and Persian.After his demise in 1908, the Promised Messiah as was succeeded by Hadrat Maulaw i N u r-ud-D i n ra , Khalifatul Masih I.On the death of Hadrat Maulaw i N u r-ud-D i n ra in

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iv 1914, Hadrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad ra , who was also the Promised Messiah’s as Promised Son, was elected as Khal i fa.Hadrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad ra remained in office for nearly fifty-two years.He died in 1965 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Hadrat Hafiz Mirza Nasir Ahmad rh , the Promised grandson of the Promised Messiah as.After seventeen years of meritorious service he passed away in 1982.He was succeeded by his younger brother, Hadrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad rh as Khalifatul Masih IV who, having led the Community to its present strength and global recognition, passed away on the 19 th April, 2003.Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Khalifatul Masih V at is the present head of the Community and enjoys the distinction of being the great-grandson of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as.

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v Publishers’ Note Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la (A Misconception Removed)— written by Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi as , in 1901—deals with some misconceptions regarding his claim.The Promised Messiah as goes into exhaustive detail to define the true nature of his status as a Prophet and Mes- senger of God, and explains at length how his Prophethood does not in any way contravene the concept of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat (the Finality of the Prophethood of Muhammad sa ).Apart from resolving once and for all the extremely vi- tal and contentious issue of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat, Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la is also the last word in settling the dis- pute between those who believe the Promised Messiah as to be a Prophet of God and those who do not.This English rendering was done by Mr.Munawar Ahmad Saeed (USA).It has gone through several revisions the first of which was done by Dr.Rasheed S.Azam (USA).The manuscript has also been thoroughly and painstakingly revised at Wak a lat Ta s n i f Rabwah, for which I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr.Muhammad Shafiq Sehgal, Raja A.Mannan and Tahir Mahmood Mubashar.We are also grateful to Mirza Anas Ahmad Wak i lul Ish a ‘at Rabwah and his team specially Mr.Shahid

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vi Publishers’ Note Mahmood Ahmad and Mr.Shaikh Naseer Ahmad for transliteration of the text and preparing the index.Please note that the words in the text in normal brack- ets ( ) and in between the long dashes—are the words of the Promised Messiah as and if any explanatory words or phrases are added by the translator for the purpose of clarification, they are put in square brackets [ ].The name of Muhammad sa , the Holy Prophet of Islam, has been followed by the symbol sa , which is an abbrevia- tion for the salutation S allall a hu ‘Alaihi Wasallam (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).The names of other Prophets and Messengers are followed by the sym- bol as , an abbreviation for ‘ Alaihissal a m (on whom be peace).The actual salutations have not generally been set out in full, but they should nevertheless, be understood as being repeated in full in each case.The symbol ra is used with the name of the companions of the Holy Prophet sa and those of the Promised Messiah as.It stands for Ra di All a hu ‘anhu/‘anha/‘anhum (may Allah be pleased with him/with her/with them).rh stands for Ra h imahull a hu Ta‘ a l a (may Allah have mercy on him).at stands for Ay- yadahull a hu Ta‘ a l a (may Allah, the Mighty help him).In transliterating Arabic words we have followed the following system adopted by the Royal Asiatic Society.

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Publishers’ Note vii ا at the beginning of a word, pronounced as a , i , u preceded by a very slight aspiration, like h in the English word 'honour'.ث th , pronounced like th in the English word 'thing'.ح h , a guttural aspirate, stronger than h.خ kh , pronounced like the Scotch ch in 'loch'.ذ dh , pronounced like the English th in 'that'.ص s , strongly articulated s.ض d , similar to the English th in 'this'.ط t , strongly articulated palatal t.ظ z , strongly articulated z.ع ‘, a strong guttural, the pronunciation of which must be learnt by the ear.غ gh , a sound approached very nearly in the r ' grasseye ' in French, and in the German r.It re- quires the muscles of the throat to be in the 'gargling' position whilst pronouncing it.ق q , a deep guttural k sound.ئ ’, a sort of catch in the voice.Short vowels are represented by: a for (like u in 'bud'); i for (like i in 'bid'); u for (like oo in 'wood'); Long vowels by: a for or (like a in 'father');

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viii Publishers’ Note i for ى or (like ee in 'deep'); u for و (like oo in 'root'); Other: ai for ى (like i in 'site') ♦ ; au for و (resembling ou in 'sound').Please note that in transliterated words the letter 'e' is to be pronounced as in 'prey' which rhymes with 'day'; how- ever the pronunciation is flat without the element of English diphthong.If in Urdu and Persian words 'e' is lengthened a bit more it is transliterated as 'ei' to be pro- nounced as 'ei' in 'feign' without the element of diphthong thus '  ' is transliterated as 'Kei'.For the nasal sound of 'n' we have used the symbol ' ń '.Thus Urdu word '    ' is transliterated as 'mei ń '.* The consonants not included in the above list have the same phonetic value as in the principal languages of Europe.We have not transliterated Arabic words which have become part of English language, e.g., Islam, Mahdi, Quran ** , Hijra, Ramadan, Hadith, ulema, umma, sunna, kafir, pukka etc.♦ In Arabic words like  (Shaikh) there is an element of diphthong which is missing when the word is pronounced in Urdu.* These transliterations are not included in the system of transliteration by Royal Asiatic Society.[Publisher] ** Concise Oxford Dictionary records Quran in three forms—Quran, Qur’an and Koran.[Publisher]

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Publishers’ Note ix For quotes straight commas (straight quotes) are used to differentiate them from the curved commas used in the system of transliteration, ‘ for ع , ’ for ء.Commas as punctuation marks are used according to the normal usage.Similarly for apostrophe normal usage is followed.Publishers

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1 1 2 Some members of my Jam a ‘at, who are less familiar with my claim and its supporting arguments, and who have neither had the chance to study my books in depth, nor have they spent enough time in my com- pany to be fully informed, sometimes counter an objection raised by an opponent with an answer which is entirely contrary to the facts.Thus, notwith- standing their adherence to the truth, they have to suffer embarrassment.Only a few days ago, one of them was confronted with an objection that the person to whom he had sworn allegiance claimed to be a Prophet and Mes- senger, and the reply given was a mere denial, which was not correct.The fact is that in the Divine revela- tions of which I am the recipient, words such as 'Messenger', 'Apostle' and 'Prophet', appear not once, but hundreds of times.How then can it be correct to say that such words have not at all been used? The 1 In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.[Publishers] 2 We praise Allah and invoke His blessings upon His noble Prophet sa.[Publishers]

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2 Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la fact is that such words are found with much greater clarity and lucidity now than ever before.Even in Br a h i n-e-Ahmadiyya , which was published some 22 years ago, these words appear in no small number.For instance, one of the Revelations found in Br a h i n- e-Ahmadiyya reads: 3 (See Br a h i n-e-Ahmadiyya , p.498) In this Revelation, this humble one has been clearly addressed as 'Messenger'.Later on in the same book, there is this Revelation regarding myself: i.e., 'Allah’s Messenger in the garb of Prophets as.' (See Br a h i n-e-Ahmadiyya , p.504) In the same book, close upon the above Divine Communication, is this Divine revelation: 4 in which I have been named 'Muhammad' as well as 'Messenger'.Then there is this Divine revelation re- corded on page 557 of Br a h i n-e-Ahmadiyya : 3 He it is Who has sent His Messenger, with guidance and the Religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over all other religions.[Publishers] 4 Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are hard against the disbelievers, tender amongst themselves.[Publishers]

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3 'A Warner came unto the world.' another rendering of which is: 'A Prophet came unto the world.' At several other places in Br a h i n-e-Ahmadiyya , I have similarly been addressed as 'Messenger'.Thus if someone were to ask how it is possible for another Prophet to come after the Holy Prophet sa who is Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n , 5 the simple answer is that no Prophet—new or old—can come in the manner in which you people seek the descent of Jesus as in the latter days, while you also believe that he will be a Prophet and that he will continue to receive Prophetic revelation for forty years, and will thus surpass the period of the Holy Prophet’s sa Prophethood.Such a belief is undoubtedly sinful.The verse: 6 and the Hadith: 7 categorically testify that this belief is totally false.I myself am strongly averse to such beliefs and I reso- 5 Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n : The Seal of the Prophets.[Publishers] 6 But he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets.— Al- A h z a b , 33:41 [Publishers] 7 There is no Prophet after me.( Bukh a r i , Kit a bul Fa da ’il, B a bu Fa da ’ili Ali bin Ab i Ta lib ra ; Muslim, Kit a bul Fa da ’il, B a bu Min Fa da ’ili Ali bin Ab i Ta lib ra.) [Publishers]

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4 Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la lutely believe in the verse: 8 This verse contains a prophecy of which our opponents do not have the least idea.In this prophecy God Al- mighty says that, after the Holy Prophet sa , the door of prophecies has been closed till the Day of Judgement, and that it is no longer possible for a Hindu, a Jew, a Christian or a nominal Muslim to assume the title of 'Prophet'; and that all the doors leading to Prophethood have been closed except the door of S i rat-e- S idd i q i , 9 i.e., losing oneself in the Holy Prophet sa.Thus he who comes to God through this door is clad, by way of Z ill , 10 in the same mantle of Prophethood which is the mantle of the Prophethood of Muhammad sa.As such, his being a Prophet is not a matter for jealously, for he does not derive this status from himself but from the fountain of the Holy Prophet sa ; and, that too, not for his own glory but for the glory and majesty of the Holy Prophet sa.For this reason, in heaven he is named Muhammad sa and 8 But he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets.—Al- A h z a b, 33:41 [Publishers] 9 Complete devotion to the Holy Prophet sa , such as was shown by Hadrat Abu Bakr S idd i q ra.[Publishers] 10 Z ill or Z illiyyat signifies such complete devotion to the Holy Prophet sa , and such self-effacement that a person begins to reflect the image of his Master sa.[Publishers]

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5 Ahmad sa.Thus the Prophethood of Muhammad sa , in the final analysis, returns to Muhammad sa , albeit by way of Bur u z , 11 and to no one else.So, the verse: 12 means that: 13 In short, my Prophethood and Messengership is only by virtue of my being Muhammad sa and Ahmad sa , and not in my own right; and I have been given this name because of my complete devotion to the Holy Prophet sa.This does not in any way change the true connotation of Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n , but the descent of Jesus as from heaven would certainly change it.It should also be remembered that the literal mean- ing of Nab i 14 is one who discloses the unseen after 11 Bur u z : Spiritual manifestation; or the person who is the spiritual mani- festation of a Prophet as or Saint.[Publishers] 12 Muhammad sa is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messen- ger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets as.—Al-A h z a b, 33:41 [Publishers] 13 Muhammad is not the father of any man of this world but he is the father of men of the hereafter because he is the Seal of the Prophets as and there is no way of receiving Divine grace except through his intermediary.[Pub- lishers] 14 Nab i : Prophet.[Publishers]

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6 Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la having been informed by God.Therefore, the title of Nab i would be justified wherever this connotation would apply.A Nab i has to be a Ras u l , 15 for if he is not a Ras u l he cannot be the recipient of knowledge of the unseen, as indicated by the verse: 16 Now, taking this connotation into account, if the ap- pearance of a Nab i is denied, it will be tantamount to believing that this umma has been deprived of Divine address and converse, because whosoever discloses matters of the unseen on the basis of Divine knowl- edge would necessarily be a Nab i within the connotation of the verse: 17 Likewise, anyone who is sent by God will be called Ras u l.The only difference is that, after our Holy Prophet sa till the end of days, there cannot be any Nab i who is granted a new shariah.Nor can anyone be granted the title of Nubuwwat 18 unless it is through the Holy Prophet sa , and unless a person has arrived at 15 Ras u l : Messenger.[Publishers] 16 He does not grant anyone ascendancy over His domain of the unseen, except him whom He chooses as His Messenger.—Al-Jinn, 72:27-28 [Publishers] 17 He does not grant anyone ascendancy over His domain of the un- seen….—Al-Jinn, 72:27 [Publishers] 18 Nubuwwat : Prophethood.[Publishers]

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7 such a stage of complete devotion to him sa that he too is named Muhammad and Ahmad in heaven.19 The key to this mystery is as follows: The true connotation of Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n requires that if anyone calls himself a Prophet while there remains the slightest veil of estrangement, 20 such a person will be guilty of breaking the Seal of Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n.But he who is so lost in the Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n sa that he receives his sa name and reflects his sa countenance, will, on account of this complete unity and harmony, be called a Prophet without contravening the Seal; for he is Muhammad sa , though by way of Z ill.Thus, despite the claim of Prophethood by the person who is named Muhammad and Ahmad by way of Z ill , our lord and master Muhammad sa would still be the Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n , inasmuch as this second Muhammad is a reflection of the same Muhammad sa and bears his name.But Jesus as cannot come without breaking the Seal inasmuch as his is a separate and distinct Prophethood.And if no one can become a Prophet or a Messen- ger, even by way of Bur u z , then what would be the 19 He who falsely claims to be a Prophet is an infidel.[Publishers] 20 Estrangement between him and the Holy Prophet sa.[Publishers]

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8 Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la meaning of the prayer: 21 22 Let it be remembered that I do not deny being a Prophet and a Messenger in this connotation.It is in this very connotation that the Promised Messiah has been designated a Prophet in S a hih Muslim.If one who is bestowed knowledge of the unseen by God Almighty cannot be given the title of Prophet, then tell me what else should he be called? If you say that he should be called Mu h addath, I would counter that no lexicon attributes to Ta h d i th the connotation of 21 Do bear in mind that Muslims have been promised every reward that was given to earlier Prophets as and men of God.Among these rewards are the Revelations and tidings which qualified the earlier Prophets as to be called Nab i.The Holy Quran closes the door of the knowledge of the unseen to everyone but the Nab i and the Ras u l , as is evident from the verse: a Therefore, one must be a Nab i if he is to be given clear and unambiguous knowledge of the unseen.The verse: b testifies that Muslims are not deprived of the knowledge of the unseen.Also, in keeping with the connotation of this verse, knowledge of the un- seen requires Prophethood and Messengership.But since it cannot be received directly, one has to accept that the only way left open for receiving this gift is through Bur u z, Z illiyyat and completely losing oneself in the Holy Prophet sa.Do reflect upon this.[Author] a He does not grant anyone ascendancy over His domain of the unseen, except him whom He chooses as His Messenger.—Al-Jinn, 72:27-28 [Publishers] b On whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings.—Al-F a ti h ah, 1:7 [Publishers] 22 Guide us in the right path—the path of those on whom Thou hast be- stowed Thy blessings.—Al-F a ti h ah, 1:6-7 [Publishers]

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9 disclosure of the unseen, while Nubuwwat means the disclosure of the unseen.Nab i is a word common to both Arabic and He- brew.In Hebrew it is pronounced N a b i and its root is N a ba, meaning to prophesy on the basis of knowledge received from God.A Prophet is not necessarily a law-bearer, but Prophethood is a Divine gift through which matters of the unseen are revealed.Since I have myself witnessed the clear fulfilment of about a hundred and fifty Divine prophecies, how can I deny for myself the title of Nab i or Ras u l ? Since God has Himself bestowed these titles upon me, why should I forsake them for fear of anyone else? I swear by God Who has sent me—and cursed be those who fabricate lies about Him—that He has sent me as the Promised Messiah.Just as I believe in the verses of the Holy Quran, so do I believe—without the least difference—in the manifest Revelation which has been revealed to me, and the truth of which God has demonstrated to me through repeated signs.I am ready to swear in the precincts of the Holy House of God [ Baitull a h ] that the pure Revelation which de- scends upon me is the word of the same God Who spoke to Moses as , to Jesus as , and to the Holy Prophet sa.The earth has borne witness to my truth as has the heavens.Both have proclaimed that I am the Vicege-

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10 Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la rent of God.But it was necessary, in accordance with the prophecies, that I should be denied.This is because those whose hearts are in veils do not accept the truth.I know that God will surely support me as He has al- ways supported His Messengers as.No one can stand against me, because Divine support is not with them.Wherever I have denied being a Prophet or Mes- senger, it has only been in the sense that I have not brought an independent law nor am I an independent Prophet.I am a Messenger and Prophet only in the sense that I have received spiritual grace from the Messenger sa whom I follow, and, having received his name for myself, and through him, I have received knowledge of the unseen from God.But I have not come with a new law.I have never denied being called a Nab i (Prophet) in this sense.Indeed it is in this very sense that God has addressed me as Nab i and Ras u l ; and it is in this sense that I do not deny be- ing a Nab i or Ras u l.As for my statement: 23 it only means that I am not a law-bearing Prophet.However, it must be borne in mind and should never be forgotten, that, despite being addressed as Nab i and Ras u l , I have been informed by God that this bounty 23 I am not a Messenger and have brought no book.[Publishers]

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11 has not descended upon me directly.There is a holy being in heaven whose spiritual grace is with me and he is Muhammad, the Chosen One sa.It is on the basis of this relationship, and by merging myself in him, and by receiving his names—Muhammad and Ahmad sa — that I am a Ras u l as well as Nab i , which, in other words, means that I have been commissioned by God and I receive knowledge of the unseen from Him.Thus the Seal of Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n remains intact, for I have received his name by way of reflection and Z ill, through the mirror of love.If anyone takes offence as to why Divine revelation has addressed me as Nab i and Ras u l , it would be fool- ish of him to do so, for my being a Nab i and Ras u l does not break the Seal set by God.24 It is evident that just as I say about myself that God has addressed me 24 What a wonderful arrangement! In this way, neither the Seal of the prophecy of Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n is broken, nor are the Muslims as a whole deprived of the fruits of Prophethood which are referred to in the verse: a But, on the other hand, nothing would be left of Islam if Jesus as —whose Prophethood was established six hundred years before Islam—was to come back again, in contravention of the verse Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n.In answer to this we can only expect abuse from our opponents, so let them abuse.b [Author] a He does not grant anyone ascendancy over His domain of the unseen… —Al-Jinn, 72:27 [Publishers] b And the wrongdoers will soon know to what place of return they shall return.—Al-Shu‘ar a ’, 26:228 [Publishers]

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12 Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la as Ras u l and Nab i , likewise do my opponents say about Jesus son of Mary as that he will come again after our Holy Prophet sa.Since Jesus as is a Prophet, the same objection—of the breaking of the Seal of Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n— will be raised against him as is raised against me.But I say that, after the Holy Prophet sa , who was Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n , there can be no objec- tion whatsoever to my being addressed as Ras u l or Nab i , nor does this break the Seal.I have stated repeat- edly that, in accordance with the verse: 25 As Bur u z , I am the same Prophet Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n sa.It was twenty years ago, in Br a h i n-e- Ahmadiyya , that God named me 'Muhammad sa ' and 'Ahmad sa ' and declared me to be the Holy Prophet sa.Thus, the status of the Holy Prophet sa as Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n is by no means in peril due to my Prophethood, since the Z ill is never independent of the original.Since I am Muhammad sa by way of Z ill , therefore, the Seal of Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n remains intact, and the Prophethood of Muhammad sa remains confined to Muhammad sa.This means that in all events it is Muhammad sa who remains the Prophet and no one else.25 And among others from among them who have not yet joined them.— Al-Jumu‘ah, 62:4 [Publishers]

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13 Since I am the Holy Prophet sa by way of Bur u z , and all his perfections and excellences, including his Prophethood, are reflected in the mirror of my Z illiy- yat , where then is the person who claimed to be an independent Prophet? If you still do not accept me, then you should know that it is written in your own books of Hadith that the Promised Mahdi will be like the Holy Prophet sa , both in character and appearance.His name will corre- spond to the name of the Holy Prophet sa —which means that he will be given the name Muhammad and Ahmad; and that he will belong to the Holy Prophet’s sa household.26 It is written in some Tradi- 26 It derives from my ancestral history that one of my great-grandmothers was from a noble Sayyed family and a descendant of Hadrat Fatima ra.This was confirmed by the Holy Prophet sa , who said to me in a dream: a He named me Salm a n which means two Silms.Silm in Arabic denotes rec- onciliation.This means that it is decreed that two kinds of reconciliation would be brought about through me: The first is internal reconciliation, by means of which the internal malice and rancour would be removed; and the second is external reconciliation, which will put an end to all the causes of external enmity, and, by manifesting the excellence and greatness of Islam, will attract people of other religions towards it.It appears that the one who has been referred to in the Hadith as Salm a n b is also none other than my- self, because the prophecy of two reconciliations cannot be applied to ….contd on next page...a Salm a n is from the people of my household on the disposition of Hasan ra.[Publishers] b Al-Mustadrak ‘Ala s - S a hih ain, Kit a b Ma‘rifatus- S a ha ba, Dhikr-e-Salm a n F a rs i ra.[Publishers]

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14 Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la tions * that 'He shall be from me'.27 This is a very sub- tle hint that he will derive his spiritual existence from the Holy Prophet sa and will be a reflection of his spirit.This notion is strongly supported by the words which the Holy Prophet sa used in describing his rela- tionship with the Promised Mahdi as , for he went so far as to give him his own name.This clearly signifies that the Holy Prophet sa wished to describe the Prom- ised One as his own Bur u z , just as Joshua was the Bur u z of Hadrat Moses as.And it is by no means nec- essary for the Bur u z to be the son or grandson of Sahib-i-Bur u z.28 What is essential is that, in respect of spiritual relationship, the Bur u z must have emerged from Sahibi Bur u z , and this mutual gravitation and relationship between the two must have been ordained from the very beginning.It would be wholly contrary to the splendid wisdom of the Holy Prophet sa that he should omit the description of the true connotation of …contd from previous page… the former Salm a n.a I declare on the basis of Divine revelation that I am Persian by descent and, according to the Hadith recorded in Kanzul ‘Um- m a l, the Persians are not only Israelites but are also among the Ahl-e-Bait.b In a vision, Hadrat Fatima ra placed my head on her lap and thus showed me that I too belonged to her progeny.This vision is recorded in Br a h i n-e- Ahmadiyya.[Author] a Hadrat Salm a n F a rs i ra [Publishers] b Kanzul ‘Umm a l , Vol.12, Hadith 34132, 34133.[Publishers] 27 Abu D a ’ u d, Kit a bul Mahdi, B a b I [Publishers] 28 Sahib-i-Bur u z: The Prophet or Saint whose spiritual image is manifested in the Bur u z.[Publishers]

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15 Bur u z and should rather say that he [the Promised One] would be his grandson.What has this to do with Bur u z ? If such a relationship was indeed necessary for Bur u z , then why was the less perfect relationship of grandson preferred to that of a son? The fact is that while in His Holy Book Allah has negated the father- hood of the Holy Prophet sa , He has given the glad- tidings of a Bur u z.If this concept of Bur u z was not true, then why were the Companions of the Promised One designated as Companions ra of the Holy Prophet sa in the follow- ing verse: 29 One has to deny this verse before he denies the con- cept of Bur u z.People who think in physical terms, sometimes link the Promised One to the progeny of Hasan ra , sometimes to Husain ra , and sometimes to ‘Abb a s ra.But what the Holy Prophet sa really meant was that the Promised One would be his heir, just like a son, i.e., he would inherit his name, his character, his knowledge, his spirituality, and would reflect his very image.He will acquire nothing on his own but will ac- quire everything from the Holy Prophet sa , and will so lose himself in him sa as to reflect his sa very image.Just 29 And among other from among them.—Al-Jumu‘ah, 62:4 [Publishers]

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16 Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la as he would acquire—by way of Z ill —his name, char- acter and knowledge, so would he also acquire his title of 'Prophet', for the image formed by the Bur u z is never complete unless it reflects the excellences and perfections of the original in every aspect.Since Prophethood is the hallmark of a Prophet, it is essential that it too should be reflected in the image formed by the Bur u z.All Prophets as have continued to believe that a Bur u z is a complete reflection of his original, so much so that even their names become identical.Thus, just as it is evident in this context that naming some- one Muhammad sa and Ahmad sa , by way of Bur u z , does not make two Muhammads or two Ahmads, likewise, addressing someone as 'Prophet' or 'Messenger'—by way of Bur u z —does not break the Seal of Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n , for the person of the Bur u z has no independ- ent existence.The Prophethood of Muhammad sa , therefore, remains confined to Muhammad sa alone.All Prophets as are agreed that Bur u z involves no duality, as his status conforms to this Persian verse: 30 30 I have become you and you have become me, I have become the body and you have become the soul; So none should henceforth say, You are one and I another.[Publishers]

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17 On the other hand, if Jesus as comes back to the world, he cannot do so without breaking the Seal of Kh a ta- mun Nabiyy i n.In short, the term Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n is the Divine Seal which has been set upon the Prophethood of Muhammad sa.It is now impossible for this seal ever to be broken.What is possible, however, is that the Holy Prophet sa may appear in the world in the form of a Bur u z, not once, but even a thousand times, and may, by way of Bur u z , proclaim his Prophethood with all its splendour and perfection.The advent of such a Bur u z was ordained by God Almighty, as He says: 31 Prophets are never jealous of their Bur u z for he re- flects their own image and character, but they are jealous of others.Just consider how Prophet Moses as wept and cried on the night of Mi‘r a j and expressed his envy that the Holy Prophet sa had left him far be- hind.Just imagine how hurt the Holy Prophet sa would be if God were to say that there would be no Prophet after him, and yet He were to send Jesus as in contra- vention of His own word! Thus, Prophethood by way of Bur u z neither detracts from Khatm-e-Nubuwwat, nor breaks the Seal; but the advent of any independent 31 And among others from among them who have not yet joined them.— Al-Jumu‘ah, 62:4 [Publishers]

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18 Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la Prophet would hit at the very core of Islam.And it would be extremely derogatory to the Holy Prophet sa to imagine that the monumental task of vanquishing the Dajj a l should be performed by Jesus as and not by him.It would also amount—God forbid—to falsify- ing the verse: 32 This verse contains an implied prophecy that Prophethood has now been sealed till the Day of Judgement, and no one—with the exception of the Bur u z , who is the Holy Prophet sa himself—has the power to receive such manifest Divine knowledge as is received by Prophets as.Since I am the Bur u z of Muhammad sa that has been ordained since eternity, I have, therefore, been granted Prophethood in the form of Bur u z , and the entire world is powerless to stand against it, for a Seal has been set upon Prophethood.A Bur u z of Muhammad sa was destined to come in the latter days with all the perfections of Muhammad sa , and so he has come.Now this is the only window through which one can get water from the fountain- head of Prophethood.To sum up, Prophethood or Messengership in the form of Bur u z does not break the Seal of the Finality 32 But he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets.—Al- A h z a b, 33:41 [Publishers]

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19 of Prophethood, but the idea of the descent of Jesus as does break the Seal, as it necessitates the negation of the verse: 33 The Holy Quran does not contain even a hint of this absurd and un-Islamic doctrine, and why should it, for it runs against the verse mentioned above.On the other hand, the coming of a Prophet and Messenger in the form of Bur u z is substantiated by the Holy Quran, as is evident from the verse: 34 There is a beautiful subtlety of expression in this verse.While it clearly mentions the people who will be counted among the Companions ra , it does not ex- pressly mention the person who was to come as the Bur u z , i.e., the Promised Messiah, and through whom those people would come to be counted among the Companions of the Holy Prophet sa and considered to be under his guidance.This deliberate omission is in- tended to signify that the Bur u z in his own right would be a non-entity, therefore, his Prophethood or Messengership in the form of Bur u z would not break the Seal of Finality.This is why the verse treats him 33 But he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets.—Al- A h z a b, 33:41 [Publishers] 34 And among others from among them.—Al-Jumu‘ah 62:4 [Publishers]

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20 Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a la as a non-entity and presents the Holy Prophet sa in his place.The appearance of a Bur u z has similarly been promised in the verse: 35 It means that in his time Kauthar would be mani- fested, i.e., springs of spiritual blessings will flow freely and a great number of people will become true adherents of Islam.This verse looks with disdain at the need of physical progeny and promises, instead, progeny by way of Bur u z.Although God Almighty has blessed me with the honour that I am both an Is- raelite and a Fatimite, and I partake of both bloods, I still give precedence to the spiritual relationship, which is that of Bur u z.The aim of this discourse is that while my ignorant opponents accuse me of claiming to be a Prophet or Messenger, I myself make no such claim.I am neither a Prophet nor a Messenger as they think.But I am a Prophet and a Messenger in the way that I have just explained.Therefore, false and evil is the thinking of the one who mischievously accuses me of claiming to be a Prophet and Messenger.It is only by way of Bu- r u z that I have been made a Prophet and a Messenger, and it is on this very basis that Allah has repeatedly 35 Surely We have given thee abundance of good.—Al-Kauthar, 108:2 [Publishers]

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21 named me His Prophet and His Messenger, but only by way of Bur u z.My own self comes nowhere in be- tween, rather it all belongs to Muhammad Mu st af a sa.Thus it is that I have been called Muhammad sa and Ahmad sa.Hence, Prophethood and Messengership have not been transferred to anyone else.What be- longed to Muhammad sa remains with Muhammad sa.On him be blessings and peace.Humbly, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadian 5 th November, 1901

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23 Index A ‘Abb a s ra — 15 Abu Bakr S idd i q ra — 4 Allah — 5 Arabic — 9 B Baitull a h Promised Messiah as is ready to swear in the precincts of, that the revelation which descends upon him is the word of God — 9 Br a h i n-e-Ahmadiyya — 2, 3, 12, 14 Bur u z appearance of a, has been promised in — 20 coming of a Prophet and Messenger in the form of, is substantiated by the Holy Quran — 19 involves no duality — 16 is never complete unless it reflects the excellences and perfections of the original in every aspect — 16 Joshua was the, of Moses as — 14 Prophets are never jealous of their, — 17 the Holy Prophet sa may appear in the world in the form of a, not once but even a thousand times — 17 D Divine prophecies Promised Messiah as has witnessed clear fulfilment of about a hundred and fifty, — 9 F Fatima ra — 13, 14 in a vision of the Promised Messiah as , placed his head on her lap — 14 H Hadith — 3 — 13 he [he Promised Mahdi] shall be from me — 14 Promised Mahdi will be like the Holy Prophet sa — 13 the Persians are not only Israelites but also among the Ahl-e-Bait — 14 Hasan ra — 15 Holy Prophet sa — 3-9, 12, 13, 15, 17-19 may appear in the world in the form of a Bur u z , not once, but even a thousand times — 17 Husain ra — 15 J Jesus as — 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 17, 19 descent of, in the latter days will be as a Prophet — 3 if Jesus comes again the point of breaking the seal of Khatm-e- Nabuwwat will arise — 12 Joshua was the Bur u z of Moses as — 14 K Kanzul ‘Umm a l — 14 Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n — 3, 5, 7, 11, 12, 16, 17 contains an implied prophecy — 18

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24 Promised Messiah as says his coming as Z ill of the Holy Prophet sa does not change the connotation of, — 5 Khatm-e-Nubuwwat complete devotion of a claimant of the Prophethood to the Holy Prophet sa does not break the seal of, — 7 if Jesus comes again the point of breaking of the seal of, will arise — 12 Knowledge of the unseen Muslims are not deprived of, — 8 only a Nab i and Rus u l is given the, — 8 L Law-bearing Prophet after the Holy Prophet sa there can be no, — 6 M Moses as wept that the Holy Prophet sa had left him far behind — 17 Muhaddas — 8 N Nab i a, has to be a Ras u l — 6 denial of a, will be tantamount to believing that this umma has been deprived of Divine address — 6 is a word common to both Arabic and Hebrew — 9 literal meaning of, — 5 P Persians are not only Israelites but are also among the Ahl-e-Bait — 14 Promised Messiah as — 8 God named, Muhammad sa and Ahmad sa — 12 has both Isaelite and Fatimite blood — 20 in a vision Hadrat Fatima ra placed his head on her lap — 14 is Persian by descent — 14 is the Holy Prophet sa by way of Bur u z — 13 meaning of that, would be an heir of the Holy Prophet sa — 15 one of his great-grandmothers was from a noble Sayyid family — 13 Resolutely believes in Khatm-e- Nubuwwat of the Holy Prophet sa — 4 the earth and the heavens have borne witness to the truth of, — 9 vision of, that Fatima ra placed his head on her lap like a mother — 14 Prophethood — 5, 9 after the Holy Prophet sa no one can be granted the title of Nubuwwat unless it is through the Holy Prophet sa — 6 all the doors leading to, have been closed except the door of S i rat-e- S idd i q i — 4 in the form of Bur u z does not break the seal of the finality of, — 19 knowledge of the unseen requires, — 8 Prophethood of the Promised Messiah as companions of the Promised Messiah as have been designated as Companions of the Holy Prophet sa — 15 he has been given the title of Nab i and Ras u l only because of the Holy Prophet sa — 11 he has denied only being an independent Prophet — 10

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25 he has not come with a new law — 10 he was called 'Prophet' in Divine revelations — 1 meaning of — 10 Promised Messiah as said some members of Jam a 'at unknowingly reply in denial of my Prophethood — 1 'Prophet' for him appeard in no small number in Br a h i n-e-Ahmadiyya — 2 Q Quranic verses — 3 — 5 — 6, 8 — 8 — 8 — 11 — 11 — 12 — 20 R Revelations of the Promised Messiah as — 2 — 2 — 2 A Warner came unto the world — 3 S S i rat-e- S idd i q i only the door to Prophethood is open of, — 4 T Tahd i th — 8 Z Z ill is never independent of the original — 12 of a Prophet comes in the same mantle as that Prophet — 4 the Promised Messiah as says his coming as, of the Holy Prophet sa does not change the connotation of Kh a tamun Nabiyy i n — 5

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(Eik Ghala t i k a Iz a la) is an English translation of Eik Ghala t i K a Iz a la written by the Promised Mes- siah as in 1901.The book addresses the issue of the true nature of the Promised Messiah’s as status as a Prophet and Messenger of God and explains at length how his Prophethood does not in anyway contravene the concept of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat.The verse of Kh a taman Nabiyy i n contains a prophecy that none except a Z ill of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa can come after him.The Z ill is never independent of the original.It is written in the book of Hadith that the Promised Messiah will be like the Holy Prophet sa.The belief that Jesus Christ himself will come to this world will change the connotation of Kh a taman Nabiyy i n.Denial of a Nab i (Prophet) is tantamount to believ- ing that this umma has been deprived of Divine address and converse.Only, door for a law bearing Prophet has been closed after the Holy Prophet sa.The Promised Messiah as says: 'Whenever I have denied being a Prophet or Mes- senger, it has only been in the sense that I have not brought an independent law nor am I an independent Prophet.' The coming of a Prophet and Messenger in the form of Bur u z (spiritual manifestation of a Prophet) is substantiated by the Holy Quran.

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