The Verdict of the Quran and Sunnah

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The verdict of the quran and sunnah

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The verdict of the quran and sunnah In reply to the booklet: Fai s alah A p Karei n [Judge for Yourself] Islam International Publications Tilford, Surrey

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah An English rendering of: Fai s alah Qur’ a n-o-Sunnat k a Chalei G a , Kis i Airay Gharay k a Nah in Translated from Urdu into English by: Naveed Ahmed Malik First published in Urdu in UK: 1991 First English translation published in UK: 2013 © Islam International Publications Ltd.Published by: Islam International Publications Ltd.Islamabad, Sheephatch Lane Tilford, Surrey GU10 2AQ United Kingdom Printed in UK at: Raqeem Press Islamabad, Tilford, Surrey For further information you may visit www.alislam.org ISBN 978-1-84880-076-2

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Contents Preface..............................................................................vii The Verdict Shall be Based Upon the Holy Quran and Sunnah................................................................................1 The True Significance of Exalting the Throne of the Promised Messiah as............................................................7 The Status of the Promised Messiah as.............................11 The Second Advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa 13 The Limits of Spiritual Progression..................................19 ‘Greater in Status than Before’..........................................23 Contextualizing H al a l and H ar a m..................................27 Revelations Regarding Qadian Misrepresented............29 The Progeny of Hadrat F at imah ra....................................35 Concluding Comments......................................................41 System of Transliteration.................................................47 Glossary............................................................................51 Index................................................................................53

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Preface In 1991, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community published an Urdu booklet entitled, Fai s alah Qur’ a n-o-Sunnat k a Chalei G a , Kis i Airay Gharay k a Nah in.The present work, The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah is an English rendering of that booklet.The original work was written as a point-by-point rebuttal of numerous allegations levelled against the Community in a booklet published by Majlis Ta h affuz-e-Khatm-e-Nubuwwat entitled, Fai s alah A p Karei n [ Judge for Yourself ].Abdut-Ra h m a n Y a q u b B a w a , a maulav i of the Deoband i sect and author of that booklet, records statements of the Promised Messiah, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian, his Khulaf a ’ (Successors), and other Ahmadi Muslims out of their context in order to attack the Community.He does so, ostensibly, to defend the honour of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Ironically, however, scholars at an historic debate held in Jhang, Pakistan, concluded that it was B a w a Sahib’s own sect of Deoband i s that was judged to be most in contempt of the high status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.

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viii A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself Judge for Yourself focuses its attacks primarily on Ahmadi beliefs concerning the status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Most of its content alleges that Ahmadis believe that the status of the Promised Messiah as was higher than that of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa (God-forbid), which is an unthinkable notion for Ahmadis.It also alleges that Ahmadis believe Qadian is mentioned in the Holy Quran; the Holy Prophet sa ate food that is h ar a m (unlawful); and that the Promised Messiah as insulted the blessed progeny of the Holy Prophet sa.The present work, The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah, effectively responds to these allegations, and in doing so, definitively exposes the tactics of B a w a Sahib as deceitful, and the beliefs of his own elders as patently un-Islamic.It is a must read for Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis alike, who wish to learn not just who is on the path of truth, but also who is most certainly not.The English translation was rendered by Naveed Ahmed Malik and assisted by Khawar Mumtaz (Kuwait).Valuable service was also offered by Amir Mahmood Rana (Bahrain), Naeem-ud-Din Tahir Mahmood, Luqman Tahir Mahmood and Ayyaz Mahmood Khan.May All a h the Almighty reward them all abundantly.A m i n.Munir-ud-Din Shams Additional Wak i lut-Ta s n i f London, August 2013

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The Verdict Shall be Based Upon the Holy Quran and Sunnah Majlis Ta h affu z -e-Khatm-e-Nubuwwat Multan has published a leaflet entitled, Fai s alah A p Karei n [Judge for Yourself].This leaflet is authored by ‘Abdur-Ra h m a n Y a q u b B a w a.Before answering the objections raised in this leaflet, we would like to relate an interesting event, as a preface, to give some context for our readers.A historic debate took place in Jhang [The Punjab, Pakistan] between the members of the Deobandi [Muslim] sect and other Muslims on the topic of ‘Who is in contempt of the high status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.’ This debate took place under the watchful eyes of the Government.Both parties, desiring impartial judgment, agreed upon certain knowledgeable and wise people to serve as arbitrators.Moreover, a statement was written and signed, witnessing that parties will accept the verdict of the respected arbitrators.The debate took place peacefully and orderly under the protection of the police in Bangla Knoll.The respected arbitrators, taking God as their witness, stated with humbleness and humility that it was necessary for them to carry the unpleasant task of expressing their verdict.And in the presence of both parties, they were unanimous in their written verdict that it was the Deobandis

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2 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself who were in contempt of the lofty status of the Holy Prophet sa.For details, see the publication Mun az arah Jhang, published by the Far i diyyah School, Sahiwal [The Punjab, Pakistan].An image of the actual verdict is given on page 294 of that publication.Today, these same Deobandis—already proven guilty of insolence towards the Holy Prophet sa —are accusing the lovers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa of insolence.Respected readers, we now proceed to assess the validity of each and every accusation, and then follow-up with our response.
The Promised Messiah as writes in Arabic: ( I‘j a z-e-Ahmad i , p.71, R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.19, p.183) B a w a Sahib has translated the above Arabic couplet of the Promised Messiah as as follows: For [the Holy Prophet sa ] the sign of a lunar eclipse was manifested, And for me both lunar and solar eclipses have been manifested.How, then, can you persist in denial? B a w a Sahib is so blind at heart that he is unable to see to whom he is actually objecting.In reality, his objection applies to a H ad i th of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.All religious scholars know that

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 3 both the lunar and solar eclipses were prophesized by the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , not by the Promised Messiah as.All scholars also know that a lunar eclipse took place at the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.The Promised Messiah as has presented it as an evidence of the truthfulness of the prophecy of the Holy Prophet sa , and no Ahmad i scholar has ever given it a different connotation.B a w a Sahib fails to realize that this prophecy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa has been preserved as a shining verity for the past 1,400 years.No religious thinker has ever raised the objection that, since only a lunar eclipse occurred for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , why should both the sun and moon be eclipsed for the Promised Mahd i , which would then somehow give the Mahd i superiority over the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.It is only B a w a Sahib’s odd thinking that conjured up this novel allegation, in order to ‘prove’ that the Promised Messiah as has presented this as a sign of his own superiority over the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.If this does not show that B a w a Sahib’s intentions are crooked, then what does? On the surface, these attacks seem to be on the Promised Messiah as , but in reality he is attacking the firmly established religious precepts that bear the seal of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa himself.A large number of ulema had accepted the H ad i th containing the prophecy of lunar and solar eclipses, and prior to the claim of the Promised Messiah as the prophecy of the lunar and solar eclipses was very well-known in the subcontinent.Only after the advent of the Promised Messiah as did the ulema start to label this as a saying of Hadrat Im a m B a qir rh.This is so that they can recuse themselves of the obligation to accept the Promised Messiah as , considering that the lunar and solar eclipses did take place on their appointed dates,

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4 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself during the lifetime of the Promised Messiah as , in 1894 and again in 1895.The obligation of accepting the Promised Messiah as is another subject in and of itself.Presently, the point under consideration is the notion that two eclipses rather than one (to show his superiority) cannot be attributed to the Promised Messiah as.Even if this prophecy is not to be accepted as a H ad i th of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , it is still well-established as a prophecy of Hadrat Im a m B a qir rh , who passed away more than 1,200 years ago.Hadrat Muhammad Ibni ‘Al i al-B a qir rh was the grandson of Hadrat Im a m H usain ra and the son of Im a m Zainul-‘ A bid i n rh.Millions of Shia Muslims consider him an Im a m.He was raised amongst the family members of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.His method of relating events did not include the citation of the entire chain of narrators; rather, he would simply relate to others what he had heard.That is why we cannot judge traditions related by him using the traditional standards of verification.Instead, keeping in mind the high status and ranking of his dignified personage, as well as his good deeds and piety, whatever he attributes to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa should be given due consideration.Now whether or not B a w a Sahib accepts it, millions of Shia Muslims are bound to accept this tradition of Im a m B a qir rh , and a number of Sunni scholars give weight to this tradition as well.No matter how hard B a w a Sahib tries to twist the facts, he cannot deny the reality that Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as , the Promised Messiah and Mahd i , did not make this prophecy.If it was made by someone other than the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , then it would have been Hadrat Im a m B a qir rh.So then the question is whether or

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 5 not Hadrat Im a m B a qir rh related this tradition in order to show the Im a m Mahd i ’s superiority over the Holy Prophet sa.It must also be noted that this tradition can be found in the book of H ad i th entitled, Sunan Ad-D a r Qu t n i , which is highly regarded by Sunni scholars.Further, B a w a Sahib has shown us here some glimpses of his dishonesty as well, seeing as just two couplets later, in the same poem, the Promised Messiah as writes: How can the shadow be different from its principal; Therefore, the light that shines in him, shines upon my face as well.( I‘j a z-e-Ahmad i , p.71, R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.19, p.183) The Promised Messiah as further states: Whatever signs appear in my support are, in fact, all miracles of the Holy Prophet sa.( Tatimmah Haqiqatul-Wahi , p.35, R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.22, p.469) To conclude, while these aforementioned texts of the Promised Messiah as are decisive on this matter, B a w a Sahib goes about hiding them from the simple-minded public.In view of his blatant dishonesty, all his objections lose their credibility.

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The True Significance of Exalting the Throne of the Promised Messiah as B a w a Sahib makes the following revelation of the Promised Messiah as the basis for his objections: Many thrones have descended upon the earth but your throne has been placed above all others.( Haqiqatul-Wahi , R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.22, p.89) Drawing from this, B a w a Sahib alleges that the Promised Messiah as claims that his takht [throne] was—God forbid—exalted above the throne of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Readers will note that nowhere does the Promised Messiah as mention the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa in this statement.B a w a Sahib’s claim is akin to misinterpreting the following verse of the Holy Quran in which the Jews are addressed:

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8 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself 1 I exalted you above the peoples.Someone may claim, by virtue of this verse, ‘Since the Jews have been favoured as “above the peoples,” this includes the Muslim people as well.One can only ask such twisted-minded people to use their reason.Certain statements relate to a particular age, or are for limited periods of time.Similarly, certain matters are omitted or implied in an eloquent address.An educated person can glean the true meanings of such statements, but to take such writings and apply meanings to them which are absolutely wrong is contrary to honesty.Whatever exaltation the Ban i Isr a’i l [Children of Israel] attained to in the Holy Quran was to be for a limited time, not for eternity; and this is something all Muslims and non-Muslims can comprehend.Similarly, the revelation mentioned by the Promised Messiah as belongs to a specific age, and the throne of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was never included in the period of time referred to in this revelation.The explanation of this revelation is, however, mentioned in another revelation of the Promised Messiah as , wherein he was told by All a h that: ( Arba'in , no.2, R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.17, p.353) 1 S u rah al-Baqarah , 2:48

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 9 This revelation is similar to the revelation, ‘Many thrones have descended upon the earth, but your throne has been placed above all others.’ The only difference is that the Promised Messiah as provides a clear commentary about this revelation in his own words.After reading it, every fair-minded person will be satisfied that neither in the exaltation mentioned here, nor in the aforementioned prophecy was there—God forbid—any comparison being made at all to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Indeed, such a comparison is tantamount to blatant heresy according to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.Now let us look at the explanation put forth by the Promised Messiah as in Urdu: I have exalted you above all the people of your time.(Ibid., p.364) Hence, in the presence of this explanation by the Promised Messiah as , attributing any other meaning to him is patently unjustified.

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The Status of the Promised Messiah as B a w a Sahib raises an objection to the following excerpt from Hadrat Mirz a Bash i r Ahmad’s ra book, Kalimatul-Fa s l : Each and every Prophet is given excellences according to his capacity and mission.Some are given more and others less, but the Promised Messiah as was bestowed prophethood only after he attained the sum total of excellences of the prophethood of Muhammad sa , and he became capable of being called a zill i nab i [a Prophet by way of reflection].Hence, the title of zill i nab i did not set him back, but moved him so far forward that it brought him into the companionship of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.( Kalimatul-Fa s l , p.113) It is well known that the Urdu phrase ‘ pehl u mei n kharh a hon a ’ used for ‘companionship,’ in the above citation is an idiom employed in divine scriptures that in no way implies equality in status.To indicate equality, the appropriate Urdu terms are hamm mar t abah [alike in status] or hamm pallah [equal in rank].It seems

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12 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself that B a w a Sahib is either unaware of these idiomatic expressions in Urdu, or he is purposely misleading the public.Being in the companionship of someone denotes closeness, not equality in spiritual status.Just like a child that stands by the side of his father, in the same vein, nearness has been represented in the Gospels, wherein it is written that Prophet Jesus as sat at the right hand of God.( For details see : Matthew 26:64; Mark 16:19; Luke 22:69; etc.) The words of Hadrat Mirz a Bash i r Ahmad ra cannot be cited as an argument against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.Further, those who acquainted with his writings know well that he would never envisage the status of the Promised Messiah as as equal to that of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ; rather, he believed any such thought tantamount to kufr [disbelief].Hence, companionship refers only to nearness to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Whereas others followed at some distance behind the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , All a h the Almighty ordained that the Im a m Mahd i —on account of his perfect followership and sincerity—should attain a nearness to him like that of an excellent student who walks alongside his teacher; or like an obedient son who feels elated walking alongside his father.In effect, the Promised Messiah as received the privilege of standing alongside the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.If this is objectionable, then the belief that Jesus as is sitting at the right side of God is cause for far greater objection.

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The Second Advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa B a w a Sahib has quoted the following statement, from page 105 of Kalimatul-Fa s l : In the present condition, does any doubt remain that in Qadian, All a h the Exalted again sent down Muhammad sa so as to fulfil His promise? This is actually a testimony to the greatness of those prophets for whom a second advent is ordained, as stated by Hadrat Shah Wali’ull a h Mu h addith Dehlv i rh : ( H ujjatull a hil-B a lighah, vol.1, ch.H aq i qatun-Nubuwwati Wa Khaw as uh a ) That is, the Prophet highest in rank is one who has a second advent; and the intention of All a h the Exalted for this second

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14 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself advent is that he may cause to bring the people out of every kind of darkness into light and that his people be the best of the ummah, established for the benefit of the mankind.Hence, his first advent would also include the purpose of the second.So in this way too [i.e.a second manifestation], the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa received the highest rank, greatness and an esteemed status.All a h the Almighty Himself, whilst promising the second advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , says in the Holy Quran: He it is Who has raised among the Unlettered people a Messenger from among themselves who recites unto them His Signs, and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and wisdom, although they had been, before, in manifest misguidance; and among others from among them who have not yet joined them.He is the Mighty, the Wise.( S u rah al- Jumu‘ah, 62:3N4) Hadrat Abu Hurairah ra relates that when S u rah al-Jumu‘ah was revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , he and other Companions ra were sitting near the Holy Prophet sa.Abu Hurairah ra humbly asked, ‘O Prophet of All a h, who are these “people of the latter days”?’ The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa did not answer and kept quiet.Again the same question was asked and again the Prophet sa remained silent.When the same question was asked a

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 15 third time, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa placed his hand on the shoulder of a companion named Hadrat Salman al-Farsi ra and said: ( S a hih al-Bukh a r i , Kit a but-Tafs i r, Tafs i r S u rah al-Jumu‘ah) That is, even if the faith were to ascend to the Pleiades, a man from among them [i.e.the people of Persia] would bring it back.It is worth noting that the question put to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was simply ‘who are the a khar i n [people of the latter days],’ and yet the answer he gave was very comprehensive.He said that when faith would depart from this world, a man of Persian origin would bring it back to earth.In other words, when a man from among the people of Persia revives the faith, the people who believe in him and follow him would be the ‘people of the latter days.’ They would be the ones deserving the title of ‘ minhum ’ [from among them], which means that they will be counted among the Companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.This verse contains a prophecy of the coming of a Prophet in the latter days who would be a manifestation of the second coming of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.If that were not the case, then there would have been no reason to name a people who were to be born after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa —and would thus never see him—as the Companions of the Holy Prophet sa.We advise people whose thinking is in line with B a w a Sahib’s to take heed: criticizing the promises of All a h the Almighty is not just ignorance; rather, it is tantamount to severe disobedience to Him.

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16 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself The prophecy of the second advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa —destined to take place by way of reflection—was to be fulfilled in the person of the Promised Mahd i as , who was to bring the faith back to this world.It was he who was the one whom our sages called ‘the complete reflection of our lord and master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.’ He was his shadow, the reflection of his light, and to such a degree that his inner conscience became the same as that of Hadrat Muhammad sa.The following three examples prove this point clearly.First, Hadrat Im a m ‘Abdur-Razz a q K a sh a n i rh says: ( Shara h Fu sus il- H ikam, printed in Egypt, p.52) That is, the Mahd i who will come in the latter days will be a follower of the Shariah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Except for the Holy Prophet sa , all the other Prophets and saints ( auliy a ’ ) would be followers of the Mahd i , because his inner self ( b at in ) is the inner self of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Hadrat Im a m ‘Abdur-Razz a q K a sh a n i rh has declared the inner self of the Im a m Mahd i as to be the inner self of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ; and in doing so, declares him to be the reflection, zill and bur u z of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.Second, Hadrat Shah Wali’ull a h Mu h addith Dehlvi rh , in his book, al-Khairul-Kath i r , writes:

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 17 That is to say, it is the right of the coming Messiah in the ummah of Muhammad sa that he be the reflection of the Holy Prophet’s sa light.People think that when the Messiah descends onto the earth he will be just an ummat i [follower].This is not so.Rather, he will be the complete elucidation of the comprehensive name ‘Mu h ammad’ and his second advent.Hence, there is a great difference between him and an ordinary ummat i.In this statement, Hadrat Shah Wali’ull a h rh recognizes the coming Messiah as a complete reflection of the Holy Prophet Mu h ammad’s sa light and his perfect shadow.Finally, Sheikh Muhammad Ikr a m S abr i writes: ( Iqtib a sul-Anw a r , p.52, with reference to Bay a nul-Muj a hid , p.150)

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18 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself In other words, it was none other than the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa who appeared as Adam as at the very beginning of life on earth; meaning, the spirituality of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa was manifested in the form of bur u z [spiritual reappearance] in the person of Hadrat Adam as.And it was none other than the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa who was to appear in the latter days in the form of Kh a tamul-Wil a yat [the Seal of Sainthood] as the Im a m Mahd i.In this way, the spirituality of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would be reflected and manifested in the Mahd i.Hadrat Mirz a Bash i r Ahmad ra mentions this same promise in his book, Kalimatul-Fa s l.If this is objectionable, then the objection does not lie with Hadrat Mirz a Bash i r Ahmad ra , but with God Himself who promised this in His Holy Book.

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The Limits of Spiritual Progression B a w a Sahib has falsely attributed the following statement to Khalifatul Masih II [Second Successor to the Promised Messiah] Hadrat Mirz a Bash i rud-D i n Ma h m u d Ahmad ra , in order to establish that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community—God forbid— disrespects the glory of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.It is alleged by B a w a Sahib that the following statement is from the newspaper Al-Fazl, July 17, 1922: It is absolutely true that every person can progress and attain a higher and higher status, even beyond that of Mu h ammad, peace and blessings of All a h be on him.This statement is neither in the Al-Fazl of July 17, 1922 nor anywhere else.This lie and utter fabrication of B a w a Sahib is of the sort upon which blatant liars always rely.B a w a Sahib proves he is a master of fabrication and dishonesty: he not only attributes false

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20 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself statements to others, but also makes tall claims of his statements being irrefutable.In reality, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra , to whom this statement was attributed, held no other belief about his holy master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , than this: Neither has any mother ever given birth to a child, nor will a child be born until the Day of Judgment, who can be greater than Muhammad sa , the Messenger of All a h.(Friday Sermon delivered by Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra , February 11, 1944, published in The Al-Fazl Daily, Qadian, June 16, 1944.p.8, vol.22, no.39) This is also the belief of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, but take note of how B a w a Sahib twists matters with his lies.The reference that he gives in Al-Fazl also mentions the same belief as the one above by Khalifatul Masih II, which is that no one can surpass the status of Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.He states: We say that God Almighty has not restricted anyone from surpassing the status of the Holy Prophet sa.If anyone has the will to do so then he can try, but he will not be able to do so, because no one is capable of offering the sacrifices that have been offered by the Holy Prophet sa.It is obvious that the possibility of surpassing is different from actually surpassing.The possibility of surpassing only means that every person has the opportunity to advance, and that the path is not closed, but rather open for anyone; however, since no one has exceeded the status of the Holy Prophet sa , this establishes that no one else can display the love of All a h that has been exemplified by

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 21 the Holy Prophet sa.Ordinary people aside, not even Hadrat Ibr a h i m as , M u s a as and ‘ I s a as [Abraham, Moses and Jesus] could demonstrate that ability.Elaborating further on the same topic, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra states: If someone asks me whether anybody can achieve a status higher than the Holy Prophet sa , I tell them that All a h has not closed that door.But show me a man who can move faster than the Holy Prophet sa on the path of achieving nearness to God.Something hypothetically happening is clearly different than it actually happening.All a h tells the Holy Prophet sa in the Holy Quran to say to the Christians that if God had a son, he [i.e.Muhammad sa ] would be the first one to worship him.But this does not mean that God has a son.Similarly, we do not say that there is anyone in the world who has surpassed the status of the Holy Prophet sa.We say that if anyone wants to exceed his status he may try, for God has not closed that door; but the reality is that never has any mother ever given birth to a child, nor will a child ever be born until the Day of Judgment, who can be greater than Muhammad sa , Messenger of All a h.( Ibid.) Thus, in addition to stating the logical possibility of surpassing the status of the Holy Prophet sa , it has been clearly stated that in reality this will never happen up to the Day of Judgement.All men (whether in the past, present or future) are in a race for attaining nearness to God Almighty, and no one has been prevented from

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22 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself participating, nor have their feet been bound so as to cause them disadvantage in this race.Were that the case, it would be unjust.So it is not appropriate to reject the theoretical possibility.However, the empirical reality is, in the words of Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra , ‘that neither has any mother ever given birth to a child, nor will a child ever be born until the Day of Judgment, who can be greater than Muhammad sa , Messenger of All a h.’

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‘Greater in Status than Before’ In an effort to prove that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is guilty of insolence against the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , B a w a Sahib has quoted the following two couplets from a poem by an Ahmadi Muslim by the name of Qadi Z ah u rud-D i n Akmal: Muhammad sa has once again descended among us, And he is greater in status than before.He who wishes to see Muhammad sa O Akmal, Should see Ghul a m Ahmad as in Qadian.These couplets can neither be associated with the Community’s teachings nor can the poet be construed as someone who can officially state the beliefs of the Community.If that were the case, all communities would be put to trial based on the statements of nominal members, and keeping peace within any sect or society would become impossible.If it is alleged that Akmal Sahib is trying to establish that the person who has appeared in Qadian as a bur u z of Muhammad sa is higher in status than the one who was born in

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24 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself Makkah, then this belief has nothing to do with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.Any fair-minded person who is acquainted with the writings of the Promised Messiah as can never attribute this belief to the Ahmadiyya Community.The Promised Messiah as spent his entire life in complete submission to the Holy Prophet sa.He was so deferential that in utter humility he compared himself to the dust of the alleyways belonging to the progeny of the Holy Prophet sa.Fervently in love, he writes: My life and heart are an offering for the graces of Muhammad sa ; I am equal to the dust of the alleys belonging to the progeny of Muhammad sa.Let us examine the facts regarding Akmal Sahib’s poetry.At times, in keeping with their poetical style, poets say things which do not comprehend the true essence of their thoughts, and it is often the case that poets have to clarify their own work.Accordingly, the false impression created by these couplets was painful for all Ahmad i s who read it.Indeed it was various Ahmad i readers who were the first to express their displeasure about the style of writing—before any opponent ever took issue with the poem—and sought an explanation; the poet himself then explained his meaning, as follows:

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 25 The aforementioned couplet is in great respect in the Court of Muhammad Mu st af a sa [the Chosen One].God, who knows the secrets hidden within the hearts, is witness that even my subconscious never considered any personality to be in any way comparable to the Seal of the Prophets sa.All a h the Almighty knows better that by writing this couplet—‘And he is greater in status than before’—I never imagined that I was bringing anyone in comparison with Holy Prophet sa.Rather, what I said was that Muhammad sa has descended—that is, his second coming has taken place.This is the belief of all Ahmad i Muslims.It is neither by way of incarnation nor by the transmigration of souls, but it is the descent which is his spiritual manifestation, as All a h has mentioned in the Holy Quran: 2 Surely every hour that follows is better for thee than the one that precedes.By virtue of dur u d shar i f [invocation of blessings upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ] and noble deeds, not only is such a believer blessed, but the status of Holy Prophet sa is also raised and would continue to be raised because there is no limit to God’s bounties.Therefore, I have said only that the blessings and munificence of Muhammad Mu st af a sa [the Chosen One] are descending once again, and that his descent can only mean that his 2 S u rah a d - D u ha , 93:5

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26 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself glory is being manifested more than ever before.No other person is mentioned in this couplet; in fact, the final couplet of this poem is: That is, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as has attained the status of the Promised Messiah as a consequence of his complete submission to, and perfect followership of, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa.( Al-Fazl , Aug.13, 1944) It is clear from the aforementioned explanation that this interpretation does not merit criticism.If someone insists that this interpretation has been fabricated by the writer, and the verse actually carries its literal meaning—which is what B a w a Sahib alleges—then it is his right to do so.But no one can deny the verity that among the knowledgeable, the interpretation that is provided by the poet is considered to be the most reliable.If someone disregards this principle, then he is free to attribute his own meaning to Akmal Sahib’s poem and curse him; but the said belief can never be associated with that of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.We proclaim once more: if the meaning attributed by B a w a Sahib is indeed true, then this couplet is worthy of immense criticism and censure.However, the Ahmadiyya Community can never be made the target of such criticism.

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Contextualizing H al a l and H ar a m B a w a Sahib has quoted a partial extract, out of context, from a letter written by the Promised Messiah as in order to raise another allegation.The excerpt reads: The Holy Prophet sa and his Companions [...] would eat cheese made by the Christians, even though it was widely alleged that it contained lard.( Makt u b, Al-Fazl Qadian , Feb.22, 1924) This is a lengthy letter, the summary of which is that something h al a l [permissible] should not be classified as h ar a m [prohibited] based merely on suspicion.In this very regard, the Promised Messiah as has also mentioned the practice of the Holy Prophet sa.It is unclear what issue B a w a Sahib is raising.It seems that he merely wishes to deceive the general public in order to inflame their passions.If he was at all familiar with Islamic literature, he would know that Hadrat Sheikh Zainul-‘ A bid i n bin Abdul Aziz writes in his book, Fat h ul-Mu‘ i n Shar hu Qur’atil-‘Ain (compiled 982 Hijra; Egypt), under the heading of B a bu s - S al a t :

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28 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself It was believed that jokh (a type of cheese) is made with lard, and the cheese of Syria is made of liquid lard.Someone brought it to Holy Prophet sa and he ate it and did not ask any questions [in regards to it].The above translation is taken from the magazine, I z h a rul- H aqq Darb a rah Jaw a z T a‘ a m Ahl-e-Kit a b , which was published by Extra Assistant Commissioner Khan Ahmed Shah in 1875.It was based on the aforementioned H ad i th.This magazine has been endorsed by various ulema, including Maulav i Nadh i r H usain of Delhi.In sum, either B a w a Sahib is totally ignorant of Islamic literature, or he is knowingly resorting to falsehood.If he possessed even an iota of honesty, B a w a Sahib would attack his own great leader, Maulav i Nadh i r H usain of Delhi and the ulema of his ilk, before attacking the Promised Messiah as ; and were he possessed of such courage, he would first criticize Hadrat Sheikh Zainul-‘ A bid i n bin Abdul-‘Az i z.

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Revelations Regarding Qadian Misrepresented B a w a Sahib had recorded the following three excerpts from the literature of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.First excerpt: Qadian is the mother of all townships; thus, whoever does not maintain relations with Qadian will be cut off.You should fear that someone may be cut off from among you.How long will this fresh milk last? Even the milk of mothers dries up.Did or did not the milk dry up from breasts of Makkah and Madinah? ( Haq i qatur Ru’y a , p.46) Second excerpt: Whoso does not come to Qadian, or at the very least carry a desire to migrate, a doubt exists as to whether his faith is true.[...] With regard to Qadian, All a h the Almighty has proclaimed the following:

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30 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself It is absolutely true that blessings similar to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah descend here.The Promised Messiah as himself has said: The land of Qadian is now honoured, By crowds of people it is a holy land.( Man s ab-e-Khilafat, p.33, by Mirz a Bash i rud-D i n Ma h m u d Ahmad ra ) Third Excerpt: The names of three cities are mentioned in the Holy Quran: Makkah; Madinah; and Qadian.( Khutbah Ilhamiyyah , R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.16, p.20, footnote) These above-noted statements are only partial excerpts.Further, B a w a Sahib did not disclose that the third excerpt, from Khutbah Ilhamiyyah [ The Revealed Sermon ], narrates a vision, and is not the speech of the Promised Messiah as [but that of God Almighty].He attempts to give readers the impression that comparing the blessings which descend in Qadian to those of Makkah and Madinah is somehow disrespectful to those two holy cities.Someone filled to the brim with prejudice may argue such things, but it would not be difficult for a well-meaning person to take note that much greater honour has been assigned to Ch a chra n Shar i f, homeland of Hadrat Khaw a jah Ghul a m Far i d rh.In fact, the following belief, presented by one his followers in poetic form, is commonly known in the Siraiki area:

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 31 Ch a chra n appears to be like Madinah and Kot Mithan like Baitullah; Apparently, it is our beloved Farid, but deep within, it is All a h.No one at the time of this poem’s publication considered it worthy of criticism, nor do they now.Every sensible person understands that such statements are but a testament to divine blessings, the purpose of which is to make plain that the Light of All a h shines upon Makkah and Madinah, and by their means, All a h’s Light also descends upon such villages.The question of whether or not these villages possess the same status as Makkah and Madinah—God forbid—does not even arise.Accordingly, H a j i Imd a dull a h Muh a jir Makki used to say: Wherever this impoverished one should reside, That place shall be Makkah and Madinah and the Tomb [of the Holy Prophet sa ].( Khairul-Af a d a t , Malf uza t Maul a n a Ashraf ‘Al i Th a nv i , published by Id a rah Isl a miyy a t Lahore, August 1982) Similarly, Sheikhul-Hind [the Sheikh of India], Maul a n a Mahmood H asan, has said the following about Maulav i Rash i d Ahmad of Gangoh in elegy:

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32 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself People—who still maintain zest for knowledge and wisdom in their bosoms— Will wander in Ka‘bah, asking for the way to Gangoh.By comparing your enlightened tomb to Mount Sinai, I keep pleading again and again ‘show me your face.’ See how simple I am.(See Mersiyah , by Mahmood H asan, President Deoband, p.6–17, published by Ma t ba‘ Bil a l i , Sadhora, Ambala Distt.) One wonders, how do those who inflame the emotions of simple Muslims—in particular those affiliated with the Deobandi sect and whose highly respected elder’s words these are—forget to issue a fatwa of disbelief against him? And why did they not think to kindle a fire of opposition against him and all of his followers? These words, which highly respected Deobandi elders often repeat with great pomp, are very dangerous.In truth, if insolence has been committed, it is in these words.It is claimed that the distant towns and villages are not receiving blessings from Makkah; rather, in the blessed alleys of Makkah—which were honoured by the blessed feet of our beloved lord and master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa —people of faith cannot achieve peace until they ask the way to Gangoh.In other words, Makkah and Baitull a h [i.e., the Holy Ka‘bah] are but a compass, and Gangoh has become the town of the qiblah —God forbid.

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 33 Let us examine other statements.‘All a mah Iqb a l writes about India: It is the homeland of Gautama; and a sanctuary honoured by Japan, For the lovers of Jesus, it is a small Jerusalem.( B a qiy a t-e-Iqb a l , p.328, Publisher: A ’ i na-e-Adab Chowk M i n a r, An a rkali, Lahore, Second Edition, 1947) Hadrat B a b a Far i dud-D i n Ganj Shakar declares that: A dervish must cover 70,000 spiritual stations.At the first station, the dervish reaches a stage where he offers his five daily prayers before God’s Throne along with its residents; and whenever the dervish returns from there, he always sees himself inside the Holy Ka‘bah.When the dervish returns, he sees the entire world between his fingers.( Anw a r-e- Sa br i , by Ha fi z ‘Ubaidull a h Sa br i , Islam i Kutub Kh a nah, Gujranwala, p.118) Then we have Sul ta nul-Mash a ’ikh [the King of the Sheikhs] Khaw a jah Ni za mudd i n Auliy a ’, known as the ‘Devotee of All a h,’ who states: On one occasion, I became very eager to make the pilgrimage to the Holy Ka‘bah.I had decided to pay a visit to Pakpattan [a city in Pakistan] before setting off for the Hajj.Upon reaching the

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34 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself noble city of Pakpattan, I was honoured to encounter H u du r Sheikhul-Islam Hadrat B a b a Sahib ra , and the purpose of my performing the pilgrimage was fulfilled and I obtained even greater rewards from All a h.He further states: After some time, the eagerness to perform the Hajj again dominated my thoughts, so I once more visited Pakpattan and All a h further bestowed special bounties upon me.Sul ta nul- Mash a ’ikh , with tears in his eyes, said with his blessed tongue: That is the way to the Ka‘bah; But here is the way to the Friend.( Anw a r-e- Sa br i , by Ha fi z ‘Ubaidullah Sa br i , Islam i Kutub Kh a nah, Gujranwala, p.172) Now, will B a w a Sahib make these statements the subject of his reproach as well? If he possesses the audacity, let him try.

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The Progeny of Hadrat F at imah ra B a w a Sahib quotes the following statement from a book of the Promised Messiah as , Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a lah [ A Misconception Removed ]: According to the H ad i th recorded in Kanzul-‘Umm a l , the Persians are not only Israelites but are also among the ahl-e-bait 3 [people of the house].In a vision, Hadrat F at imah ra placed my head on her lap and thus showed me that I too belonged to her progeny.( Eik Ghala ti K a Iz a lah , Ru ha n i Khaz a’ in , vol.18, p.213) In an effort to spread his hateful views, B a w a Sahib did not publish the entire vision, which, incidentally, the Promised Messiah as mentions in a footnote on the very same page from which the above noted excerpt is taken.These maulav i s have no shame.Although Hadrat F at imah ra is referred to as a mother figure, with the 3 Kanzul ‘Umm a l , vol.12, Hadith 34132, 34133

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36 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’— Judge for Yourself Promised Messiah as proclaiming himself to be from her progeny these maulav i s cannot desist from exposing the filth of their souls.Adopting such an attitude towards a personality so pious and respectable as Hadrat F at imah ra is highly disrespectful unbearable.We reproduce below the entire event as narrated by Promised Messiah as.Readers will thus be able to understand that the maulav i s are deliberately hiding the truth by publishing excerpt in an effort to validate their hateful views and mislead people of thei r own ilk.In the footnote below the above excerpt, the Promised Messiah as has discussed the vision in detail He writes: After Maghrib P rayer, while I was fully awake, I was overtaken by a slight numbing of my faculties […] and had a wonderful experience.First there was a sound of some people walking fast […] and then five very dignified, holy, and handsome personages came into my vision.They were the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of All a h be upon him, Hadrat ‘Al i , H asan, H F at imah Az-Zahr a ’, may All a h be pleased with all of them.One of them, and I think it was Hadrat F at imah, may All a h be pleased with her, out of great affection and kindness like a loving mother, placed this humble one’s head upon her thigh.Then I was given a book concerning which I was told: ‘It is a commentary on the Holy Quran, which has been compiled by ‘Al i and no bestows it upon you.’ [All a h be praised for all this].( Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya , part 4, p.503 sub- footnote 3, R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.1, pp.598–599 sub- footnote, See also To h fa-e-Golarhviyyah , p.31 sub-footnote 3) Judge for Yourself to be from her progeny , of their own such an attitude towards a personality so pious and and entirely below the entire event as narrated by the will thus be able to understand that publishing only an hateful views and mislead r own ilk.In the footnote below the above -quoted the vision in detail.rayer, while I was fully awake, I was overtaken by and had a wonderful experience.First there was a sound of some people walking fast and then five very dignified, holy, and handsome personages came into my vision.They were the Holy Prophet, may peace and H usain and be pleased with all of them.One of be pleased with her, out of great affection and kindness like a loving mother, placed this humble one’s head upon her thigh.Then I was given a book concerning which I was told: ‘It is a commentary on the and no w ‘Al i be praised for all footnote 3, footnote, See also

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 37 Read each and every word of this vision and you will discover that it describes that the Five Holy Ones [the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , ‘Al i ra , F at imah ra , H asan ra and H usain ra ] entered the room and were standing therein.One of them, most likely Hadrat F at imah ra , like a compassionate and kind mother, brought the Promised Messiah as close to herself.He was a child so young in age that his height barely reached above the knees of this compassionate and kind mother.The scene shown to the Promised Messiah as in this vision is that of a mother who keeps her child close to herself out of love and affection.Now, to lewdly deride such a vision can only be the work of someone with an impure character.With the exception of one who cares not the least bit for the sanctity and respect of the ahl-e-bait [i.e.family of the Holy Prophet sa ], who can ridicule this pure vision? As far as visions are concerned, many saints from the ummah have related visions of a similar nature.Anyone who reflects upon them can easily ascertain that the ones guilty of insolence and of abusing the ahl-e-bait are not the people of visions, but rather those who draw the wrong conclusions about such visions.If those given to criticism were alive in the times of the great elders, would they have raised such sordid objections against them as well? For example, Hadrat Im a m Ab u H an i fah rh saw that he was gathering the blessed bones of Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , choosing some but not others.He awoke out of fright from this dream.(For details see: Tadhkiratul-Auliy a ’, ch.18, Kashful- Ma h j u b, Urdu translation, p.106)

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38 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself Then, Hadrat Sayyed ‘Abdul-Q a dir Jil a n i rh states: And that I saw in the dream that I am in the lap of Hadrat ‘ A ’ishah ra and suckling on her right breast.Then I took out her left breast and suckled on it.At the same time, Hadrat Muhammad sa came inside.( Qal a ’idul-Jaw a hir, F i Man a qibush- Sheikh Abdul-Q a dir J i l a n i , published in Egypt, p.57) These are just two examples of visions granted to the indisputable elders for our readers to consider.In contrast, the following vision belongs to a famous elder of Silsilah Q a diriyyah Mujaddidiyyah , Hadrat Shah Muhammad Afa q (d.August 14, 1935), who narrated it to one of his followers, Fa d lur-Ra h m a n Ganj Mur a dab a d i.(Note that Shah Muhammad Afa q is among the elders of the Deobandi sect.) [Following a long series of honorific titles for Maul a n a Fa d lur-Ra h m a n covering more than two lines, e.g.‘the Guide of the shariah and the way,’ and ‘the Knower of the secrets of truth and knowledge’] it is written: [...] Maul a n a Fa d lur-Ra h m a n stated personally that once, Hadrat ‘Al i ra asked me to go to his home.I was embarrassed by the thought of going, so I hesitated.Hadrat ‘Al i repeated his request, saying ‘Go ahead, you have my permission.’ So I went.Inside, Hadrat F at imah ra was seated.She exposed her blessed breast and embraced me, chest-to-chest, and kissed and fondled me excessively.( Irsh a d-e-Ra h m a n i , p.42, printed Kh a nq a h Moniger) B a w a Sahib’s judgement is confusing.If in a vision someone sees Hadrat F at imah ra as his mother, B a w a Sahib vehemently raises cries

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 39 of ‘insult’ and ‘abuse’ against him; yet he feels no shame when reading the aforementioned ‘vision’ of Maul a n a Fa d lur-Ra h m a n.The fact is that visions require interpretation, but if they are not interpreted in the light of sane reason, understanding and insight, the results can become extremely repulsive.The responsibility of inappropriate interpretations lies not with the great seers of visions, but with those who misinterpret them; or instead of interpreting, attribute literality to them and proceed to expose their wretched inner selves.

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Concluding Comments In the end, we present a few statements of the Promised Messiah as which demonstrate that he was an earnest follower of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , inebriated with love for him and for the members of his household.Nowhere in the entire world of literature can you find a parallel to the love and devotion that the Promised Messiah as has expressed in his poetry and prose towards his lord and master, Hadrat Muhammad Mu st af a sa [the Chosen One].Moreover, he has imparted to his Community a true understanding of the station of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and the members of his household.To accuse such a person of abusing the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa is a great calumny.1.The Promised Messiah as expresses his love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa in his Persian poetry as follows: I am ready to offer my heart and soul for the beauty of Muhammad sa.

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42 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself My body is merely the dust of the lane treaded by the progeny of Muhammad sa.I have seen with my heart’s eye and heard with perceptive ears, That the trumpet of the beauty of Muhammad sa , echoes everywhere.This ever-flowing spring of divine verities which I am distributing freely among God’s creatures, Is but a drop from the ocean of the excellences of Muhammad sa.( Majm u ‘a-e-Ishtih a r a t, vol.1, p.97) 2.In Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya , he writes of his love for the ummah: In acquiring divine light, love for the members of the household of the Holy Prophet sa plays a great part.A person who attains nearness to God does so by virtue of spiritual inheritance from those righteous and holy ones and becomes their heir in respect of all his knowledge and spiritual insight.( Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya , part 4, pp.502–503 sub-footnote 3, R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.1, pp.597–598 sub-footnote 3) 3.Earlier in the same excerpt, he speaks of his servitude to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa :

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 43 This humble one is one of the lowly servants of the great Prophet sa , who was the Chief of Messengers and the Crown of all Prophets.If the other Messengers are Ha mid, 4 he is Ahmad, 5 and if they are Ma h m u d 6 he is Muhammad sa.7 ( Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya , R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.1, p.594, sub-footnote 3) 4.Expressing his love for Islam and the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , the Promised Messiah as writes in Arabic: All a h knows that I am a lover of Islam and a sacrifice for, and a servant of, the Best of Creation Ahmad Mu st af a sa [the Chosen Prophet of God].( A ’ i na-e-Kam a l a t-e-Isl a m , p.388, R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.5, p.388) 5.Emphasizing the importance of following the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , the Promised Messiah as writes: [...] We have found every light by following the immaculate Prophet and whoever follows him will also find it and he will 4 He who praises Allah.5 He who praises Allah to the ultimate point.6 One deserving praise.7 One deserving the ultimate praise.

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44 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself become so accepted of God that nothing will be impossible for him.The Living God, who is hidden from people, will be his God and all false gods will be trodden under his feet.He will be blessed everywhere and Divine Power will be with him.[Peace be on him who follows the guidance.] ( Sir a j-e-Mun i r , R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.12, pp.82–83) 6.Again on the same subject we read: All this honour has been conferred upon me solely by virtue of being a follower of a Prophet sa whose spiritual rank and high standard is largely hidden from the world, and he is none other than Muhammad Mu st af a [ the Chosen One], may peace and blessings of All a h be upon him.( Chashma’-e-Mas ihi , p.23–24, R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.20.p.254) 7.In his illuminating exposition on revelation, Haqiqatul-Wahi , the Promised Messiah as writes: I have, by the sheer grace of God, and not on account of any merit of my own, been accorded a full measure of the bounty that was bestowed before me on the Prophets and Messengers as and the Chosen ones of God.It would not have been possible for me to be granted this bounty had I not followed the ways of my lord and master, the Pride of the Prophets, the Best of Mankind, Muhammad sa.Whatever I have been given, I have been given due to this adherence and I know through my true and perfect knowledge that no man can reach God except through following the Holy Prophet sa nor can anyone arrive at a full understanding

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The Verdict of the Holy Quran and Sunnah 45 of God except through him.( Haqiqatul-Wahi , R uha n i Khaz a ’in , vol.22, pp.59–65) 8.Showing how the Promised Messiah as considered the Holy Prophet sa his very shelter, he said: Aside from the Greatest and Best of the Messengers, Hadrat Muhammad Mu st af a sa [the Chosen One] and his pure and comprehensive H ad i th, and the true Light of All a h and His undoubted Word, what other shelter is there for us to turn to, and whose face is more beautiful that would attract us.( al- H akam , Nov.8, 1898, p.6) 9.Expressing gratitude for the fruits that come from faithfulness to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , he says: Verily, loving of the Word of All a h, and acquiring love for the pure speech of the Holy Prophet sa and gaining of the pure love and relationship with the people of God is a blessing which is bestowed upon distinguished and sincere people of God.As a matter of fact, this is the basis of great advancements towards perfection, and the seed by which a tree of certainty and advancement of knowledge and strength of beliefs emerges, and indeed the fruit of deep personal love of God.( al- H akam , March 3, 1899, p.3) 10.The Promised Messiah as then explains that all his and his Community’s blessings and success comes from following the path of Islam.

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46 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself I know it for certain that under all circumstances, my Community and I shall be granted the support and help of God, so long as we tread upon the straight path, follow the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa earnestly and completely, make the sublime teachings of the Holy Quran our way of life, and exhibit these teachings through our practice and condition, and not just words.If we follow this path then surely remember that even if the whole world should come together to destroy us, we would not perish, because God will be with us.( al- H akam , Sept.24, 1904, p.4) To the fault-finders we submit one final excerpt, from the Promised Messiah’s as Persian poetry: Next to God I am inebriated with the love of Muhammad sa ; If this is infidelity, then by God I am a great infidel.His love has penetrated inside my body so much so, That I have been freed from everything personal and totally filled with the passion for that beloved.

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System of Transliteration Please note that according to our system of counting Quranic verses, the verse Bismill a hir-Ra h m a nir-Ra hi m (In the name of All a h, the Most Gracious, Ever Merciful) is counted as the first verse of the chapter which it precedes.Some publishers of the Holy Quran, however, begin counting following Bismill a hir-Ra h m a nir- Ra hi m.Should the reader not find the relevant verse under the number mentioned in this book, he or she is advised to deduct 1 from the number.For example, if this book quotes Ch.35: F at ir: 25, then some copies of the Holy Quran will list the same verse under Ch.35: F at ir: 24.The name of Muhammad sa , the Holy Prophet of Islam, has been followed by the symbol sa , which is an abbreviation for the prayer ( ) S allall a hu ‘Alaihi Wa A lih i Wasallam (may peace and blessings of All a h be upon him and his progeny).The names of other Prophets as and messengers are followed by the symbol as , an abbreviation for ( / ) ‘ Alaihissal a m/ ‘ Alaihimussal a m (on whom be peace).The actual prayers 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

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48 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself Promised Messiah as.It stands for ( / / ) Ra diy all a hu ‘anhu/‘anh a /‘anhum (may All a h be pleased with him/with her/with them).rh stands for ( ) Ra h imahull a hu Ta‘ a l a (may All a h’s blessing be on him).aa stands for ( ) Ayyadahull a hu Ta‘ a l a (may All a h, the Almighty help him).In transliterating Arabic words we have followed the following system adopted by the Royal Asiatic Society: 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 requires 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.

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System of Transliteration 49 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 ); i for ی or (like ee in deep ); u for و (like oo in root ); Other: ai for ی (like i in site ); 8 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 ; however 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 pronounced 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 n.Thus the Urdu word    is transliterated as mei n.9 8 In Arabic words like
 (Shaikh) there is an element of diphthong which is missing when the word is pronounced in Urdu.9 These transliterations are not included in the system of transliteration by The Royal Asiatic Society.

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50 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself The consonants not included in the above list have the same phonetic value as in the principal languages of Europe.We have not transliterated most of the foreign words which have become part of English language, e.g., Islam, Mahdi, Quran 10 , Hijra, Ramadan, , ulama, umma, sunna, etc.Curved commas are used in the system of transliteration, ‘ for ع , ’ for ء.Commas as punctuation marks are used according to the normal usage.Similarly, normal usage is followed for the apostrophe.10 Concise Oxford Dictionary records Quran in three forms—Quran, Qur’an and Koran.

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Glossary Ahmadiyya Muslim Jam a ‘at— The Community of Muslims who have accepted the claims of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian as the Promised Messiah and Mahd i.The Community was established by Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as in 1889, and is now under the leadership of his fifth khal i fah — Hadrat Mirz a Masroor Ahmad (may All a h be his help).The Community is also known as Jam a ‘at-e-Ahmadiyya.A member of the Community is called an Ahmad i Muslim or simply an Ahmad i.Al h amdulillah— A phrase from the Holy Quran meaning, all praise belongs to All a h alone.All a h— All a h is the personal name of God in Islam.To show proper reverence to Him, Muslims often add Ta‘ a l a , translated here as ‘the Exalted’, when saying His Holy name.Bur u z— Spiritual reappearance.Refers to the spiritual second advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa in the person of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as.Hadrat— A term of respect used for a person of established righteousness and piety.

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52 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself Holy Prophet sa — A term used exclusively for the Founder of Islam, Hadrat Mu h ammad, may peace and blessings of All a h be upon him.Holy Quran— The Book sent by All a h for the guidance of mankind.It was revealed word by word to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa over a period of twenty-three years.Im a m Mahd i — The title given to the Promised Reformer by the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa ; lit.Guided Leader.Mu h ammad— Proper name of the Holy Prophet sa of Islam.The Promised Messiah— This term refers to the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jam a ‘at, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian.He claimed that he had been sent by All a h in accordance with the prophecies of the Holy Prophet sa about the coming of al- Im a m al-Mahd i (the Guided Leader) and Messiah.Sunnah —Practice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa of Islam.S u rah —A term in Arabic referring to a chapter of the Holy Quran.Z ill— Z ill means a reflection.The title of Z ill i Nab i , given to the Promised Messiah as , means that he reflected the prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and had no independent status.

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Index A khar i n who are the, as mentioned in the Holy Quran, 15 Allamah Iqbal couplet in honour of India, 33 Bangla Knoll debate held at, 1 Barahin-e-Ahmadiyyah cited on Promised Messiah's love for the Holy Prophet sa , 42 Ch a chra n Shar i f alleged honour of, 30 Companionship meanings of, in religious context, 12 Complete reflection The Promised Mahd i as the complete reflection of the Holy Prophet sa , 16 Deobandi contempt of the status of the Holy Prophet sa by, 1 Hadrat Baba Far i dud-D i n Ganj Shakar on 70,000 spiritual stations, 33 Hadrat F at imah ra seen as the mother in a vision by the Promised Messiah, 35 Hadrat Im a m Ab u H an i fah rh vision of collecting the bones of the Holy Prophet sa , 37 Hadrat Im a m B a qir rh saying of, 3 style of narrations by, 4 Hadrat Khalifatul Masih II ra on the high status of the Holy Prophet sa , 20

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54 A Review of the Booklet ‘ Fai s lah A p Kare in ’—Judge for Yourself Hadrat Sayyed ‘Abdul-Q a dir Jil a n i rh in a vision, saw himself in the lap of Hadrat 'A'ishah, 38 Hadrat Shah Wali’ull a h rh saying that the Promised Messiah as would be a complete reflection of the Holy Prophet sa , 17 on the exalted status of the Holy Prophet sa , 13 Hadrat Sheikh Zainul Abidin bin Abdul Aziz cited, 27 H ar a m something should not be declared as, based on speculations, 27 Holy Prophet Muhammad sa Promised Messiah’s as love and devotion for, 41 prophecies by, of the solar and lunar eclipses, 3 quoted on the identity of the people of the latter days, 14 reflection of, in all Prophets, 18 Shah Wali'ullah on the status of, 14 Jews exaltation above the people of their age, 8 Kh a tamul-Wil a yat prophesied appearance of, in Imam Mahd i , 18 Khawaja Ni za mudd i n Auliy a ’ on the honour of his visit to Pakpattan, 33 Makkah and Madinah unquestionable honour of, 31 Maul a n a Fa d lur-Ra h m a n vision of, about Hadrat F at imah, 38 Maulav i Rash i d Ahmad of Gangoh elegy in honour of, cited, 31 Promised Messiah as love and devotion for the Holy Prophet sa and his progeny, 24 on the grand status of the Holy Prophet sa , 5 on the importance of following the Holy Prophet sa , 43 prophecy of lunar and solar eclipse about the advent of, 3 Prophet Jesus as significance of sittng at the right hand of God, 12

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Index 55 Qadi Z ah u rud-D i n Akmal couplets of, along with his own explanation, 23 Qadian honour of, 30 Shaikh Muhammad Ikr a m S abr i cited, 17 Sunan Ad-D a r Qu t niyy H ad i th recorded in, 5 Visions require interpretation, 39 Z ill and Bur u z The Promised Mahd i to be, of the Holy Prophet sa , 16

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