Now, the point to ponder is what benefit the doctrine relating to the life of Jesus has brought to the world. Has it resulted in moral and practical reform or has it given rise to evil? The more one ponders over this fact, the defects of this doctrine become all the more evident. I truly say that Islam has sustained immense harm owing to this doctrine, so much so that nearly four hundred million people have converted to Christianity. They have forsaken the true God to deify a humble mortal. The ‘benefit’ which Christianity has brought to the world is apparent. The Christians themselves have admitted that many immoralities have spread in the world due to Christianity. For when one is taught that their sins are now the burden of another, such a person becomes audacious in committing sin. Indeed, sin is a lethal poison for mankind, which has been spread by Christianity. Such being the case, the harm of this doctrine continues to increase manifold.
I do not say that the people of this age are at fault alone for believing in the life of the Messiah. Nay, some among the people of the past too were mistaken, but even in their error, they remained worthy of divine reward. For it is written, قَدْ يُخْطِئُ وَيُصِيْبُ, that is, on certain occasions a mujtahid[1] errs and on other occasions, he is in the right. But in both cases, he receives divine reward. The fact is that this matter remained hidden from them because this is what divine will had so desired. Thus, they remained in ignorance and, like the People of the Cave[2], this truth was not disclosed to them. In this context, I also received the revelation:
أَمۡ حَسِبۡتَ أَنَّ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡكَهۡفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُواْ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا عَجَبًا [3]
Similarly, the issue relating to the life of the Messiah is a remarkable secret. The Holy Qur’an clearly and lucidly establishes the death of the Messiah and the hadith also substantiate this fact. Further, the verse that was recited to deduce the same, on the day that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, passed away also confirms this. However, despite this matter being so manifest, God Almighty concealed it, and kept it hidden for the Promised One. And so when he appeared, he disclosed this secret.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), The Advent of the Promised Messiah (Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2016), 15-17.
ENDNOTES
[1] A scholar of Islam who strives to come to a conclusion on religious matters on the basis of his own analytical reasoning, in light of the fundamental sources of Islam, namely, the Holy Qur’an, sunnah and hadith.
[2] The People of the Cave is a reference to the early Christians who took refuge in catacombs to save themselves from persecution at the hands of various idolatrous emperors. For more information, please see Short English Commentary of the Holy Quran by Malik Ghulam Farid, under chapter 18 verse 10.
[3] ‘Do you think that the People of the Cave and the Inscription were a wonder among Our Signs?’ The Holy Qur’an, 18:10
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