Ameerrul Momineen Speaks To Ahmadis

37 Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih IV, Speaks to Ahmadis The following speech of Hazrat Ameerul Momineen was delivered in Urdu at the Mahmood Hall, London on the 30th April, 1984. It has been rendered into English and is published on the responsibility of the Editorial Board of “The Review of Religions. ” In the few days after promulgation of the Ordinance that I spent in Rabwah, Ahmadis by the thousands, with deeply hurt feelings, arrived in Rabwah for consolation. Residents of the various parts of Rabwah, almost in a state of frenzy, congregated in Masjid Murbarak and offered prayers there. It is virtually impossible for those living abroad to imagine the incredible change that has taken place in the sentiments of the Ahmadis living in Pakistan. Their inherent energy has been multiplied at least a hundred times and their keen desire to sacrifice their all is overwhelming. There was never any question of offering them sympathy as they did not need it. They were so keyed up for action that I had to restrain them by continuous reminders of the vows they had undertaken at the time of Ba’ait. They were restrained in the name of Allah. I made it clear that not a single Ahmadi should, at any time, even under extreme provocation, behave irresponsibly. I reminded them of the pledge they had made in the name of Allah, and the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, to obey me. Furthermore, I told them that I could only permit them to supplicate and wail before God Almighty and they were not permitted to be beyond that limit. Throughout Pakistan, in small and in commodious mosques, in the mornings and the evenings, the restraint and self-discipline imposed on them left them with a cooped up feeling and their distress could be compared to animals being slaughtered. In intensity, the heart- rendering supplications currently made by the followers of the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, far exceed those of the followers of Prophet Yunus, peace be on him. I explained to them that the restraints imposed on them should channel their sentiments of distress towards Him and until I chalked out AMEERUL MOMINEEN SPEAKS TO AHMADIS 38 the course they were to adopt, they should pray and supplicate with the greatest of humility and force. Such force which could only flow from deeply hurt and helpless hearts and could shake and demolish the metaphorical ramparts of the heaven — Your sentiments of distress will and must remain with you until God Almighty, brings about a change and produces conditions under which suffering will, through His Divine grace, change into a period of relief. I can clearly see the impact of the recent developments which have enhanced the Jama’at’s spiritual and moral values to incredible heights. This result could not possibly have been produced by normal preaching spread over a hundred years. This is Allah’s will and decree. Pakistani Ahmadis have set aside completely, all other concerns, worries and objectives. They are prepared to offer their lives and if permitted, thousands are prepared to be slaughtered each day. Ahmadis know that their opponents are completely unaware of the resolve and the spirit of sacrifice that has been granted to them. We are resolved that even if the period of sacrifices demanded of us spreads over centuries, nay, thousands of years, we shall be found steadfast. We shall not ever feel that we have been let down nor shall we plead for mercy from the oppressors. Our redress lies with Allah and Allah alone. We plan to continue our struggle with all our might, with great steadfastness and without ever being overtaken by fatigue. The results, of course, depend on the will of the Almighty, and we are happy to leave the consequences to Him. In the face of Divine decree, the most powerful nations that appear like solid rock, get blown into smithereens. According to the recently promulgated Ordinance, Ahmadis in Pakistan are not permitted to portray themselves as Muslims, either by word of mouth, or a written word, or by their conduct, or bearing. If they do, they are liable to be imprisoned for three years. They are not permitted to send on the Companions of the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, such blessings as have been enjoined by the Holy Quran. They have been prohibited from using Quranic terminology, even though they fully believe that it is incumbent upon them to conduct their lives in accordance with Quranic instructions. They are not allowed to say ‘Azan’. In short, they are prevented from doing all such things as would reveal their reverance and love for the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, and the Holy Quran. Paradoxically, the reasons forwarded for this unjust embargo is that 39 REVIEW OF RELIGIONS by such conduct, the sentiments of Muslims are deeply and unbearably hurt. The Ordinance suggests that the law is being amended to prohibit the Ahmadis “from indulging in anti-Islamic activities.” It then proceeds to prohibit Azan; use of Islamic terminology and places of worship being described as mosques. Can these, by any stretch of imagination, be described as “anti-Islamic activities”? By one stroke of the pen, contradictory connotations are now attributed to words which have been used since time immemorial. Those in authority pretended that they had no option but to follow this horrible and despicable course which has resulted in an ugly scar on the attractive face of Islam. For the very first time in history, a political government has, in the name of religion, imposed such an incredible decision. By torture, truth has often been extracted in the past but for the first time in history, a poli- tical government is attempting to force people to tell lies. As you are aware, an Ahmadi believes from the bottom of his heart, that he is a Muslim; that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger; that the teachings contained in the Holy Quran are incumbent on him to follow; that he has faith in the Unity of Allah, in the existence of heaven and hell, the angels, the Day of Judgement, the past Prophets and the Books revealed to them. As long as an Ahmadi holds these beliefs, and unless he lies, there is no course open to him except to consider himself a Muslim. Regardless of what others say or feel, no power on earth can force him to testify contrary to this belief. How can anyone holding such beliefs be forced to say that he is not a Muslim; that he does not believe in the Unity of Allah, nor in the prophethood of Hazrat Muhammed, peace be on him; nor in the Holy Quran as the Book of Allah. Nevertheless, the Ordinance requires such a declaration from Ahmadis before they can lead a normal life in Pakistan. However incredible it may seem, the Ordinance suggests that the declarations and professions of their faith by Ahmadis deeply and unbearably hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims of Pakistan. Thus Ahmadis have no right to proclaim that there is one God; He has no peer and Hazrat Muhammed Mustapha, peace be on him, is a true Prophet of Allah. They have no right to say that they believe in the Holy Quran to be the last of the revealed Books of Allah, in which there cannot be any change or alteration; that they have faith in the angels, and in the certainty of the Day of Judgement. AMEERUL MOMINEEN SPEAKS TO AHMADIS 40 Under such conditions, can one imagine any greater torture? With this Ordinance, all normal and generally accepted values seem to have been set aside and norms of civilised conduct seem to have been reversed. Wise, far-seeing and living nations do offer great sacrifices, but they always attempt to gain maximum advantage against every sacrifice made. It is for this reason that I have instructed the Ahmadiyya Jama’at to restrain themselves. When Allah wills and the time is right to invite Ahmadis to “Shahadat”; the world will witness that by His grace and mercy, not only young, but the aged, the children and the women, will also be found willing and eager to offer their lives in sacrifice. Every true Ahmadi will go forward in the full belief that his sacrifices will exalt him and will heighten his spiritual stature. Our opponents have evil designs. What has become apparent to you today, had been foretold by Allah through certain visions and through faculties with which I have been bestowed. A careful study of my first Sermon and the inaugural address during the Annual Jalsa will reveal to you that I had warned the Jama’at as to what was in store for us. Since then, time has been spent in heart-felt humble steadfast supplications. I have been seeking guidance from God Almighty, to enable me to prepare the Ahmadiyya Jama’at for the events to come, so that I may not be guilty of neglect. Without scare-mongering, to the best of my ability, and in accordance with faculties bestowed on me, by reference to several examples in the Holy Quran and the avenues chosen and suggested in the Holy Quran, I have attempted to convey the message. Those with insight could understand clearly what I meant. Beginning with the advent of Noah, peace be on him, right up to the days of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, one can clearly see a pattern. Only those who were willing to accept death were given life. Only those who were prepared to accept the hardships of hell were rewarded with the gardens of heaven. Through His mercy and grace, Allah has bestowed on us the Holy Quran through the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, which omits nothing and contains guidance on matters small and big. It explains intricate questions in detail and in easy-to-understand terms. 41 REVIEW OF RELIGIONS What we Ahamadis have been subjected to in Pakistan has no parallel in the annals of history. By His mercy and grace, the mainstay of our life is the love for the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, and for the Holy Quran. What value and attraction can a life have for us in which we are prevented from reciting the Holy Quran and declaring our love and allegiance to the Holy Prophet of Islam? A devoted Ahmadi gave expression to his feelings in these terms: “Our problem is not the fear of death; it is in fact the fear that we may have to live a life in which it would be a crime to give expression to our great love for the Holy Prophet, peace be on him. This is our real problem, i.e., how to pass our days under these constraints. This is our problem to which Jama’ats all over the world have to devote their undivided attention. We are one body and we shall act in complete accord in accordance with the directions given. Even a slight prick in any part of the body spreads sympathetic pain throughout. We have to remain organised as one unit and be like beads of a rosary, devoted to the Unity of Allah. If you are true to your vow of allegiance (Ba’ait), this is the course that you have to follow. Now I need the services and assistances of every single Ahmadi. The time when I asked for a portion of you has passed, and a stage has been reached when I demand all that you have. As a result of the Ba’ait to win the pleasure of Allah, you have sold your all, and nothing belongs to you anymore. The Holy Quran also states: Allah has bought from the believers in return for heaven (Jannat) their entire existence and all their possessions. What you have already sold is not yours anymore, and for the great international struggle, everything is needed. The spiritual revolution that seemed centuries away will begin to appear in a matter of years. Every Ahmadi is a caller to Allah, and his entire life is devoted to the cause. The only difference, however, is that he is himself responsible for his financial provisions. Current conditions demand that we stake all and devote to Allah all our energies, all our knowledge, all our skills. The best use of our power of expression, our contacts in their entirety, our faculty of logical and careful consideration, our periods of rest and leisure to the last moment, have now to be presented on a platter to Allah, the Almighty. We must resolve that with our prayers, supplications, and efforts in every direction, until such time as we are able to alleviate the grinding hardships being suffered by our Pakistani Ahmadi brethren, and until such time as the Pakistani nation does not AMEERUL MOM1NEEN SPEAKS TO AHMADIS 42 realise that they are inviting the wrath of Allah by following the means which they have adopted, we shall not rest. We are true Muslims and we have been described as such by Allah Himself. As Muslims are peace loving, they do not create disorder. By the grace of Allah, Almighty, the Ahmadiyya Jama’at is law-abiding and peace-loving, and will fully comply with instructions from Allah and the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, in this regard. Our course of action is being determined by the Holy Quran, and this is their assurance that no danger can come from us. We are Muslims who do not create problems for others. We are enjoined to react by supplicating to God Almighty in the hours of darkness and to present to Him all our problems and hardships. He is the Master and we are not appointed as the Police. We are helpless. When the Master, however, is appraised and we completely submit to His will, and are prepared to accept His will, the Promised Messiah says, how can the creation stand in defiance of the Creator? This is the line of reaction which is to be followed, protected and maintained. I will now mention some dreams and visions which relate to the current events. At a later stage, I will give out a vision of the Promised Messiah which also relates to the current situation. At this stage I will mention some dreams seen by members of the Jama’at. Often Divine instructions are received through various sources. Those who see the dreams do not quite realise their import, but they are often pregnant with messages just for me, for which confirmation is contained in another dream seen by another person altogether. Ever since I have become Khalifatul Masih, not in a single dream has my person been associated with roses. Recently, on the same day, I received two letters, one from Pakistan, and another from abroad stating that they felt they were in danger and then saw a vast area spread with roses. Allah arranged for two independent persons to see a similar dream to reassure me that it was not a coincidence. Often Allah conveys messages to me through other believers. The prophet Lot, peace be on him, also received messages in that manner. Similarly, I received several messages clearly indicating impending 43 REVIEW OF RELIGIONS danger and containing assurances of Allah’s protection. There were indications that some who would not desist from wrongful acts would attract the wrath of Allah. We must, therefore, pray for the Pakistani nation with great humility and earnestness. We are indeed desirous of revenge, but the kind of revenge that the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, extracted, which resulted in the bitterest enemies turned into closest and beloved friends and followers. This was the Holy Prophet’s revenge, and this is what we shall aim at. It is in the context of such a sweet revenge that I am reminded of a Companion of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, who was asked to describe the features of the Holy Prophet. He was visibly distressed at being asked this question, and after repeated requests, he admitted, that until he became a Muslim, he hated his opponent so bitterly that he never had the urge to look at him. And after becoming a Muslim, he could not look at his face out of respect and reverence. Reverting to revenge we must measure up to Quranic standard, which is that hatred should be replaced by love. It has been made clear that this unrivalled prize is reserved for those who are steadfast. When one’s brother is being slaughtered with a blunt knife, it is unimaginable that a heart-felt prayer would be offered for the assailant. Normal reaction would be to the contrary. On such occasions, we are enjoined to be steadfast and to exercise extreme self-control. A prayer offered under such provocation cannot but be accepted. Prayers offered by the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, under similar conditions, produced miracles. You should follow his shining example in your reactions. I will now refer to two dreams which cannot by any stretch of the imagination be attributed to the subconscious and are clearly Divine messages. Clearly, there is no need for despondency. We wail and cry but not out of despondency. Allah, the Almighty, has bestowed on me firm resolve. If all the powers of the earth collide with Ahmadiyyat, without a doubt they will be fragmented and destroyed. Allah, the Almighty, will bestow upon me the courage and resolution required of me for the completion of my mission. I will never retreat. I am a true follower of Muhammed Mustapha, peace be on him, and that of the Promised Messiah, peace be on him. There is not the slightest trace of cowardice in my genes. It is not because of lack of courage that I am hold- AMEERUL MOMINEEN SPEAKS TO AHMADIS 44 ing you back and am pleading restraint. It is due to the finest teachings and in order to conform to the highest traditions, that I am restraining you from inappropriate actions. Cowards are never enabled to follow the path that I am treading. To discard the normal concept of revenge calls for courage and resolution. The Holy Quran assures those who follow the example of the Holy Prophet that they will not go wrong if they are steadfast like the Holy Prophet was. I am relating the dreams not to depress you, but to ask you to take courage. Current events cause us great concern, but not a single Ahmadi in Pakistan has reacted with fear. Even when our opponents with all the resources of the Government behind them, were threatening to kill us and destroy us and burn our abodes, our children went about normally and cheerfully. A worker of our Central Offices, a couple of weeks ago, saw a dream which has a message for our Jama’at — He saw me digging a well alone. The hole in the ground had reached great depth, but I continued digging. At that stage, a person named Nazeer Ahmad Khadim (Nazeer means warner, and therefore, suggests danger) tells me that maulvis are shouting abuses and are asking for the digging to be discontinued. Despite profuse sweating, I continued digging and did not even bother to look up. Instead, I replied: I do not care what they say, I will continue to do the task entrusted to me by my Allah and I will utilise all I have for the fulfilment of the task. Previously, one would dig fifty to sixty feet a day, now it is necessary to dig thousands of feet a day. After a pause, I say: Nay, a time has come when I have to dig hundreds of thousands of feet a day. After this, I resumed digging. After a while, I became invisible, but on descending to the bottom, it is noticed that I am not alone, but am accompanied by people from different nations, of different colours, who are engaged in digging with great apparent pleasure. Digging continues until water table is reached, and instead of water, a honeycomb appears, from which honey is oozing out. Every drop turns into a beautiful and shining pearl. He says, he had never seen such pearls before. (Of course, there are messages in this dream). I then, standing right there say: We must not stop and must keep on digging till we reach the depth where Abraham, peace be on him, laid the foundation of Ka’aba. 45 REVIEW OF RELIGIONS This indicates the great target set for the Jama’at, in the field of our primary mission of propagation of Islam. We can no longer be satisfied with fifty or sixty people joining our movement per day; we need thousands, nay, hundreds of thousands of converts per day to join the Movement. Until the purpose for which the First House of Allah was built has been fulfilled, i.e., faith in the Unity of God has been established in the world, we shall not stop. Sayyeda Mehar Apa saw another dream that I was in the middle room of Qasr-e-Khalifat in Qadian in the position of Sajdah (prostration) which continues for a long, long while. She witnessed that my tears formed a pond which is likely to become a rivulet. Suddenly, all drops assumed the shape of beautiful shining pearls. Then she noticed Hazrat Musleh Ma’ud, may Allah be with him, standing, watching. Turning towards him, Mehar Apa says: See what is happening. Don’t you see your tears will be transformed into beautiful shining pearls which indicate success. Honey is the blood of Jama’at Ahmadiyya which will be shed in the path of Allah and will become a cure for the human race. Allah has destined these successes for us and no power on earth can alter our destiny. Such a thing is absolutely impossible. Fulfil your vow of allegiance (Ba’ait) and rest assured of total success. I swear by the Almighty Allah who has custody of my life, that if you follow my wishes and my instructions in total, and do not go beyond, and sacrifice all for winning the battle of Ahmadiyyat, surely you will succeed, and no power on earth can interfere with your success. It is time for us to accelerate our pace. Has it ever happened that increased opposition to the Jama’at has resulted in its weakness? Of course not. After every episode of opposition the Jama’at has emerged stronger. It is true that never in the past has opposition been so debased, merciless and vile but it is also true the success coming from Allah will also be unprecedented. If you follow the advice of the Promised Messiah and show steadfastness, you will witness miracles. Succour will come to you from Allah on the wings of the angels, and the latter will perform chores for you, beyond comprehension. I am in fact, in a way enjoying the present episode. When we have parted with everything and have presented it to Allah, how can we be AMEERUL MOMINEEN SPEAKS TO AHMADIS 46 afraid of being looted? We shall derive satisfaction and pleasure from offering sacrifices for His sake. We must remain courageous and we must impart courage to others. We must not, in the slightest deviate from the example of the Holy Prophet and we must firmly establish mankind’s faith in the Unity of Allah. Any harm that comes to the simplest and the most helpless Ahmadi in Pakistan, will deeply injure our feelings. Your prayers will bear fruit. Worldly considerations are not our concern. He who has Allah with him does not care. The episode will last but a short time. By the grace of Allah, success has been decreed for us. May He protect us and give us the courage, wisdom and ability to perform such tasks as will please Him; may His loving glances be directed towards us, Amen! There are three to whom Allah will not speak, nor will he purify them or look at them and who will be afflicted with painful torment: an aged adulterer, a lying ruler, and an arrogant beggar. (The Holy Prophet) ********************** A Muslim is obligated to hear and obey whether he likes it or not, except when he is required to do something that is sinful, in which case there is no obligation to hear or to obey. (The Holy Prophet) ********************** When you are among your goats in the desert and call the Azan raise your voice for whoever of the jinn and men and whatever hears the farthest sound of the voice of the muezzin shall bear witness to it on the Day of Judgement. (The Holy Prophet)