The Messiah Has Come: Knowledge of the Holy Qur’an

The Promised Messiah & Imam Mahdi, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908)

Raziullah Noman, Canada

وأُعطيتُ تأثيرًا من الله خالقي

وتأوي إلى قولي قلوبٌ تطهَّرُ

‘I have been granted a holy influence from Allah, who is my Creator; Those who are pure of heart turn towards my work.’ [1]

One of the signs of the true prophets of Allah is that they are given the true meanings of the Holy Scriptures. One of the signs of the latter-day Messiah which is agreed upon by all Muslims, is that he would revive Islam. According to the Holy Qur’an, only those who are pure can understand the Holy Qur’an. In the time of the Promised Messiah (as), we see that Allah the Almighty gave him the true understanding of the Holy Scripture and no opponent of his could accept his challenge regarding this.

Regarding the rules for an accurate commentary of the Holy Qur’an, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) writes:

‘The fourth criterion is to meditate upon the meanings of the Holy Qur’an with the purity of one’s own self, because purity of the self has a certain affinity with the Holy Qur’an, as Allah says:

لَا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ[2]

which means that the verities of the Holy Qur’an are disclosed only to a person of pure heart, for the two have an affinity with one another. Such a person recognizes these verities, and smells them, and his heart cries out that this indeed is the true way. The light of his heart is an excellent criterion for evaluating the truth. Unless a person is endowed with this quality and treads on the narrow path which the prophets (as) have tread, it is only prudent that he should refrain from impertinently and arrogantly assuming the role of a commentator of the Holy Qur’an. Otherwise, his commentary will be based upon his own inference, and this is something which the Holy Prophet (sa) has forbidden. He has said:

من فسّر القرآن برأيه فأصاب، فقد أخطأ

That is, he who interprets the Holy Qur’an based on his own inference, does an erroneous interpretation even though he thinks he has done well.’ [3]

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) then writes:

‘Steeped as they are in worldly worries and immoralities, how can they ever hope that the deeper verities of the Holy Qur’an will be revealed to them, for the Book clearly says:

لَا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ

[4]

Listen carefully as to the ultimate purpose of my advent, which is to renew and reaffirm Islam. This should not be construed to mean that I bring a new law or Shariah or that new commandments or a new book will be revealed. Not at all. If somebody so thinks, he is highly misled and devoid of faith. Let it be clear that prophethood and the Shariah have found their total and absolute expression in the person of the Holy Prophetsa. There can be no new divine law. The Holy Qur’an is the last and perfect book, it does not admit of any change, not even of a dot or a mark. Nevertheless, it is also true that the blessings and bounties of the Holy Prophet (sa) and the rewards of the Holy Qur’an’s teaching and guidance are unending. They are to be seen in every age, ever fresh in their pristine purity. It is for the demonstration of these rewards and blessings that God Almighty has appointed me. The dire state that Islam is in today is not a secret. Everyone agrees that Muslims suffer from all sorts of shortcomings and decadence. They are degenerating in every aspect. They pay only lip-service to Islam, their heart is not in it. Islam has become like an orphan. Such are the circumstances in which God has sent me so that I may support Islam as its guardian’ [5]

On another occasion, the Promised Messiah (as) stated:

‘The fourth sign is about the profundities and subtleties of the Holy Qur’an. The verities of the Holy Qur’an cannot be disclosed to anyone but to him who is purified.

لَا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ

[6]

I have repeatedly asked my opponents to write a commentary on a chapter of the Holy Quran. I will do the same and then the two may be compared. But no one has dared to take up this challenge.’ [7]

The criteria for understanding the Holy Qur’an is that one must be spiritually pure and the commentary of the Promised Messiah (as) is a testimony to his purity. It is not possible that Allah revealed all of the secrets of Islam to someone who did not meet this requirement. This is another sign for the truthfulness of the Imam Mahdi (as) and anyone who reads his commentary will realize this.

ENDNOTES

1. The Miracle of Ahmad, page 120.
2. The Holy Qur’an, 56:80.
3. Blessings of Prayer, pages 29-30.
4. The Holy Qur’an, 56:80.
5. Lecture Ludhiana, pages 43-44.
6. The Holy Qur’an, 56:80.

Malfuzat, Vol. 1, page 183.