This address was delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra), the Second Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community on 25th June 1944, in Qadian, India
Translated by Zafir Mahmood Malik for The Review of Religions translation team. The Review of Religions takes full responsibility for any errors in translation.
After reciting the Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) stated:
God Almighty has made life rather strange for man. Aside from the very Being of God Almighty, everything is, within its own right, both necessary and unnecessary. It is only the Being of Allah the Almighty which is absolutely necessary. In the correct time and place, a particular thing may seem vital, and it can seem as if it is the absolute focal point around which everything in the world revolves. But despite this, after a while it ceases to exist. Albeit some of its effect and influence remains for a certain time, the world continues as normal. Then, certain people come to prominence about whom the world thinks that perhaps it could not function without them. They too pass on from this world, and for a short while, they leave behind a legacy. But in line with God’s decree, people develop an affinity with the circumstances of their own era and subsequently consider a new person to be extremely essential.
When Allah the Almighty created Prophet Adam (as), the world [civilisation] was in its infancy. People were unaware of what types of creation God Almighty would create in the earth. The novel form in which God Almighty sent down His word, and the manner in which He sent down His word, and in this manifestation, was unprecedented before the time of Adam (as). Aside from their faith, people had no other reason to believe that this form of communication would be sent down ever again. Man is a slave to his own experience. How difficult would that time have been when the companions of Prophet Adam (as) thought about the time that Adam (as) would depart this world? They did not have an example before them through which they could have envisaged that Adam (as) could have a vicegerent. They saw all of God Almighty’s blessings in the form of Prophet Adam (as). For them, imagining someone who would garner more blessings than what they witnessed in Prophet Adam (as) was an absurd notion, because they had not witnessed any man greater than Adam (as).
In short, Adam (as) – whose teachings are not found anywhere other than in the Holy Qur’an, and whose moral reformation cannot be found in any history book – was, for the time he lived in, as important to his people as water and air are to sustain life. They considered Adam (as) to be the means of establishing their spiritual lives, and considered Adam (as) to be the result of their spiritual life. But then the day dawned in which God Almighty’s decree came into effect, and he was no more. How painful that must have been for the followers of Adam (as)! How empty and left in the dark would they have felt inside. However, that generation passed, and so too did the subsequent generation. In similar succession, many generations passed by and the value of Adam (as) diminished in their hearts, to the extent that they even forgot about the One Who bestowed this honour on Adam (as) in the first place; i.e., they forgot about God Almighty. They severed all ties with God and confined all their efforts to acquiring worldly gains.
It was at this point that God Almighty sent Prophet Noah (as) to the world, or at least, it is Prophet Noah (as) who has been deemed worthy of mention for us. Indeed, some other personalities may have existed in between, but the next important personality mentioned by the Qur’an is Prophet Noah (as). The people who accepted Noah (as) would have thought that they emerged from darkness into light. They left a life of solitude and began to enjoy the company of a prophet. Just imagine how a new life was breathed into them through the latest word of God Almighty, and listening to the divine knowledge contained within it. Imagine their conviction and elation when they discovered that their belief that God’s word and light would no longer descend on the earth was false. They must have pondered how, after having become completely consumed with worldly pursuits, God Almighty once again extended His hand towards them to take them out of the pits of darkness and thrust them into the light of divine cognisance. But even the people in the time of Noah (as) would have thought what greater blessing can be granted to man after Prophet Noah (as) and what further blessings could one attain? They would have thought that they were the recipients of the final blessing bestowed by God Almighty. They would have rejoiced at the fact that they were content in their lives and that they had been saved from a life of loneliness and estrangement. They would have thought that God is now with them, and they were with God.
Then, in line with God’s perfect wisdom, a time came when Prophet Noah (as) passed away. The condition of the followers of Noah (as) at that moment can be easily understood by us, as we have the honour of belonging to a community of a prophet; however, others cannot even begin to comprehend it. For them, it was as if a radiant sun suddenly transformed into darkness or a bright, glistening moon became hidden. The radiant countenance of Allah the Almighty, as it were, that once shone forth all the time, had now retreated into the veil of oblivion. They must have thought that the world had now fallen into an abyss of destruction. However, the light of faith that was ignited by Noah (as) in the hearts of the people was still burning ablaze. Owing to this faith, it may have dawned upon them that just as Allah the Almighty sent Noah (as) after Adam (as), it was possible that He may appoint someone after Noah (as). Thus, a small ray of hope remained alive in their hearts, but this ray of hope also inflicted a deep wound and would give them such pain and anguish, that people who do not belong to the community of a prophet cannot even begin to comprehend.
Subsequently, after an unspecified amount of time had elapsed and after many changes and several smaller rays of hope, through His grace, God Almighty sent Abraham (as). The same condition overcame the people of Abraham (as) that was prevalent among the people in the time of Noah (as). Having observed the progression of human intellect in that era, God chose to send prophets in succession to guide the people. Thus, He sent Isaac (as) to one nation and Ishmael (as) to another. Thereafter came Jacob (as), followed by Joseph (as). This succession continued, and the people were illuminated with divine light. However, a time came when the world descended into the depths of darkness, and misguidance prevailed. Devoid of fresh signs of God Almighty, the people languished in spiritual desolation. This era of misguidance persisted until the advent of Moses (as), who once again rekindled the bond between man and God.
Thereafter, prophets came one after another in order to guide the people. Prophet David (as) was sent in this world, as was Solomon (as), Elijah (as), John (as), Jesus (as) and eventually our master, the Holy Prophet (sa) appeared. When Adam (as) was commissioned, the people in his time thought that God Almighty had created a special light and something completely novel had happened. They thought, how could something like this occur again? Based on their own experience, they considered Adam (as) to be the first prophet and thought he was the last prophet. This same concept began to creep into the hearts of the people in the time of the Holy Prophet (sa). The fact of the matter is that every prophet is so magnificent that their followers think that he is the last prophet. The Holy Qur’an mentions that when Prophet Joseph (as) passed away, his followers said that no prophet would appear after him. [1] In reality, the prophets are such alluring personifications of God Almighty’s benevolence, compassion, kindness and favour that, having witnessed them, people cannot fathom that such a personality will ever appear in this world again.
However, the Holy Prophet (sa) was someone regarding whom it was claimed that he was the Seal of the Prophets [Khatam al-Nabiyyin] and that the Shariah brought by him was the final Shariah. According to God Almighty, this meant that the Holy Prophet (sa) would be the last law-bearing messenger and that now, if any messenger or reformer were to appear in this world, he would do so through the spiritual blessings of the Holy Prophet (sa); he would be a servant and student of the Holy Prophet (sa). However, those who witnessed him and those among them who were unaware of the matters pertaining to the future, perhaps thought that the Holy Prophet (sa) was the last light to descend upon the earth. They also thought that perhaps God would never take back this light, and it was for this reason that the death of the Holy Prophet (sa) was such a big shock to them, that they did not have the strength to bear it, and indeed this is exactly what transpired.
When the Holy Prophet (sa) passed away, this matter was so calamitous for the companions that they even momentarily forgot the extensive teachings that the Messenger (sa) of God had conferred upon them for 23 years consecutively. This Messenger (sa) clearly explained to them that once a person passes on from this world, they can never return. He made it absolutely clear to them that every person who sets foot on this earth must one day depart from here. Thus, a messenger whose teachings contained all these matters and even clarified that he too would one day pass away, still had a noble and eminent follower of his stand up and say: ‘Whosoever says that Muhammad, the Messenger (sa) of Allah has passed away, I will strike his neck with my sword!’[2] This may come as a surprise to those members of our community who did not witness the passing away of the Promised Messiah (as) and, upon reading this incident, may question why the companions thought that the Holy Prophet (sa) would not pass away. However, if they ponder over this from this point of view, they will not find it hard to understand that when a person has a deep bond of love with another, their departure can be incredibly difficult for the heart to bear. And when that dreaded hour comes, it can send a person into a state of shock and restlessness. The couplet of Hassan (ra) composed on the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa) captures the sentiments in a truly remarkable manner. When the Holy Prophet’s (sa) demise was confirmed, he stated:
کُنْتَ السَّوَادَ لِنَاظِرِيْ فَعَمِيَ عَلَيَّ النَاظِرُ
[مَنْ شَاءَ بَعْدَکَ فَلْیَمُتْ فَعَلَیْکَ کُنْتُ أُحَاذِرُ[3
Meaning, ‘O Muhammad (sa)! You were the pupil of my eye, so I became blind with your demise. [After you, it makes no difference to me if someone dies, for I was only fearful of your demise.’]
It ought to be remembered that the significance and beauty of this couplet is that the composer became blind later on in his life, and his sight had deteriorated even before that. Thus, for him to say that ‘you were the pupil of my eye and with your demise I have lost my sight’ meant that, despite being blind, he did not deem his blindness to be an issue while he was in the presence of the Holy Prophet (sa). Even though he lost his physical sight, he was happy, cheerful and overjoyed because he knew that he was able to see through his spiritual eyes. He had a pupil through which he could see God. Despite not having the use of his physical eyes and thereby not even being able to see a watering can or a glass, what did it matter, for he had the pupil through which he could see the God Who created him. What is the joy in looking at a watering can or a glass, or to be able to see colours? The real delight is for man to be able to see his Lord. However, on this day, the pupil of his eye has been taken away; those spectacles have been taken away as a result of which:
فَعَمِيَ عَلَيَّ النَاظِرُ
‘O People! Previously, you used to call me blind, but in reality, I have become blind today!’
مَنْ شَاءَ بَعْدَكَ فَلْیَمُتْ
‘My wife is still alive, my children are with me as are my friends and relatives. But I have no concern if any one of them now passes away; whoever will die, so be it, their demise will not cause me as much pain and anxiety as this death.’
فَعَلَیْكَ کُنْتُ أُحَاذِرُ
‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah! I feared only this particular day, lest my [spiritual] sight be taken away from me.’
The Holy Prophet (sa) lifted the Arabs from the depths of utter darkness and saved them from ruin. He rescued them from complete humiliation and set them on a path of remarkable progress. Witnessing this transformation, the respect and admiration the companions had for the Holy Prophet’s (sa) benevolence reached a level unparalleled by those who came after them. Still, time passed, and continued to pass, until a period arrived when the love of the Holy Prophet (sa) remained only on the lips of the people, and no longer resided within their hearts. Although the light of God Almighty endured in written form, it had been extinguished from the minds of the people. The world turned away from God, and the joy once derived from His nearness, was replaced with the fleeting allure of worldly pursuits. Just as a tree may be uprooted and replanted elsewhere, so too were people severed from the field of God and firmly rooted in the domains of Satan. Their surroundings became engulfed in evil, and all their pleasures and satisfactions stemmed from satanic pursuits. It was at such a time that God Almighty sent the Promised Messiah (sa) for the guidance of the people. His advent left them astonished, for they believed that after the Holy Prophet (sa), no one would come who would receive the blessings of God Almighty in such a manner as to stand with certainty and assurance before Him. Those with vision and understanding accepted the Promised Messiah (as), experiencing the same emotions as a lost child who finally finds comfort in its mother’s lap. They saw the people who had been distant from God for centuries return to His fold through this very individual. No one can measure their happiness or comprehend their satisfaction. Whilst those people who thought that God Almighty would never send a prophet after the Holy Prophet (sa) could not contain their anger, at the same time, the believers [who accepted the Promised Messiah (as)] could not contain their joy and happiness. They began thinking that after countless calamities, they would not face another tragedy. Thus, every person who accepted the Promised Messiah (as), except for those whom Allah willed – though their faith may not yet have reached perfection – did not hold the notion that the Promised Messiah(as) would never pass away. However, each one was firmly convinced that, at the very least, the demise of the Promised Messiah(as) would occur only after their own death.
However, the day inevitably arrived when all those who had believed they would depart from this world before the Promised Messiah (as) found themselves still alive, while God Almighty had called the Promised Messiah (as) to Himself. This period proved to be an immense trial for the true believers, and the sorrow they endured inflicted a wound so deep that it seemed unbearable. Yet, the undeniable truth remains that whatever comes from God Almighty must ultimately return to Him, and man must submit to the ever-changing circumstances of life. It is for this reason that the Promised Messiah (as) stated:
‘So dear friends! Since it is the practice of God from time immemorial, that God Almighty shows two Manifestations so that the two false joys of the opponents be put to an end, it is not possible now that God should relinquish His practice of old. So do not grieve over what I have said to you; nor should your hearts be distressed. For it is essential for you to witness the Second Manifestation also, and its Coming is better for you because it is everlasting, the continuity of which will not end till the Day of Judgement. And that Second Manifestation cannot come unless I depart. But when I depart, God will send that second Manifestation for you which shall always stay with you…’[4]
Allah alone knows how long the Community will uphold its condition, how long the light of Allah will remain among us, and how long we will continue to cling to this light. Nevertheless, this long cycle serves as a testament to how one event followed another. When people forgot the past, God would send another means through which the world could once again attain joy and contentment. Yet, from beginning to end, one constant remained. With the advent of Prophet Adam (as), the true understanding of God was established. Though Adam (as) passed away, the ever-living God remained. Prophet Noah (as) then came and revived the true understanding of God. But even after he passed away, God continued to exist. Prophet Abraham (as) appeared, and with him, once again, the true understanding of God was restored. When Abraham (as) passed away, our Living God still remained. Similarly, Prophets Ishmael (as), Isaac (as), Jacob (as), Joseph (as), Moses (as), Jesus (as), and the Holy Prophet (sa) all appeared in this world, and God Almighty stood with every single one of them. Every one of them departed, yet our God remained alive, is alive now, and will live forever. Every person who forges a connection with Him shall always find himself rooted in the earth, which is watered by the mercy of God. And will not find himself like a plant which is uprooted from the fertile earth and planted in a desolate and barren land.
Thus, remember well that physical procreation leads man towards death and annihilation, although it serves as a source of joy and comfort for him. However, spiritual procreation – whereby a pure soul becomes the means of nurturing another pure soul – completely eradicates sorrow and grief from the world, because this type of relationship does not die, nor can it be annihilated. If people wished they could live forever, and the only way to achieve that is for every generation to remain firmly attached to God Almighty through the Second Manifestations of God’s Power. Each new generation should not only remain firmly attached as its predecessors did; rather, they ought to excel them. This is because if spiritual procreation comes to an end, then that is actual death, whereas if physical procreation comes to an end, it is only a temporary tragedy.
Look at the example of the Christians, you may declare them whatever you wish; whether they have rejected God, you can say they worship the Trinity, you can call them idolaters or whether you say they have gone astray. But they have one thing which compels Muslims to lower their heads in front of them, and that is the Muslims were given a promise in Surah al-Nur in the verse regarding successorship [5] that caliphate would remain among them and so the caliphate among the Muslims was established in line with this promise. However, the Muslims lost this caliphate established by God Almighty due to their own foolishness. But the Christians established their successors [i.e. the papacy] themselves, and it remains among them till today despite the passing of 1900 long years. Look at the Pope, the Christians afford him the same status as a caliph. Despite the fact that their religion did not guide them towards this, they looked towards the practice of God Almighty in the past and deemed it in their best interest to establish a caliphate among them and derive benefit from this longstanding practice. From a religious standpoint, they are in complete ruin; they have abandoned the essence of good deeds and immersed themselves in the world. They disobeyed the commandments of God Almighty, yet until this day, they have held firm to this institution. Even today, the Pope is considered equal to any European king or ruler. Some people even say that they received kingship owing to the Pope. This is the thing that made them successful. If the Muslims acted in this way, they would not have to see this day. They vanquished the [rightly guided] caliphate and then to comfort their hearts, they decided to give the title of caliph to each king. But can a wooden cow ever be equal to a real cow? A person would never be overjoyed by looking at a wooden cow, but no matter how weak or gaunt a real cow may be, they would be pleased upon seeing a real cow, even if it did not give milk.
The Muslims showed ingratitude to the caliphate established by God Almighty and destroyed it with their own hands. Having failed to understand the blessings associated with it, they then decided to give temporal kings the title of a caliph and owing to this, they became deprived of the blessings of a true caliphate. It is now the responsibility of our community to rectify this negligence and mistake and to ensure that the Ahmadiyya Caliphate is so firmly established that until the Day of Judgement no enemy will dare to meddle with it, and through its spiritual blessings, unity and organisation, it brings the entire world into the fold of Islam.
Undoubtedly, as I mentioned previously, the world continuously moves on ahead in a way that in each era, people think of themselves as more advanced than the people who were before them. The people then come and go as has been decreed for them, and when this happens, the people exclaim, ‘What will happen now?’ Yet a century does not pass by when the people begin saying that they are now more intelligent and the people before them were ignorant and unacquainted with the correct sciences. Hence, those people regarding whom, at one stage, it was said that there could be no success without them, are declared to be fools and ignorant by those who come after them. However, a spiritual connection is not like this, whereby one calls the other ignorant, nor does one become despondent in the same manner when a physical relationship becomes severed. There is no doubt that a person who has established a relationship with God Almighty can suffer from anguish, but they will never become despondent. Sorrow and anguish are something that Allah the Almighty has created in this world as a prerequisite for spiritual advancement. If one does not feel anguish [for another], then it is considered to be showing disloyalty towards your fellow man, and if one becomes despondent, then it is considered disloyalty to God. That is why on one occasion, the Holy Prophet (sa) stated: ‘The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, but we will say only what our Lord has commanded.’[6]
Thus, whilst we experience many delights in this world, one should understand that all these delights are temporary. One should try their level best to forge a true relationship which removes death from the equation. Death can only be counted in the real sense when one believes that they have been deprived of something that has no equal. With regards to spirituality, one’s true relationship is with God Almighty and this bond is only severed when one forms a bond with Satan. Therefore, even death cannot sever the bond formed with the True Beloved. Likewise, in the physical world, when such a person’s friends or relatives pass away, they do not become despondent, because they understand that this separation is only temporary and a day will come when we will be reunited with them again. But when one does not have a relationship with God Almighty, then every death, every separation, every split seems like it is eternal, and their heart is thrown into a perpetual cycle of despondency and darkness.
(Al-Fazl, 24th May 1960.)
Anwar al-‘Ulum, Vol. 17, pp. 335-346.
ENDNOTES
1. ‘And Joseph did come to you before with clear proofs, but you ceased not to be in doubt concerning that with which he came to you till, when he died, you said: “Allah will never raise up a Messenger after him.” Thus does Allah adjudge as lost those who transgress, and are doubters.’ – The Holy Qur’an, 40:35.
2. Ali Ibn Al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 3 (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), 221.
3. Sharh Diwan Hassan bin Thabit (Karachi, Pakistan: Araam Bagh), 221.
4. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), The Will (Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd, 2005), 7.
5. ‘Allah has promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely make them Successors in the earth, as He made Successors from among those who were before them; and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them; and that He will surely give them in exchange security and peace after their fear: They will worship Me, and they will not associate anything with Me. Then whoso is ungrateful after that, they will be the rebellious.’ – The Holy Qur’an, 24:56. [Publisher]
6. Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab Qaul al-Nabi Inna bika la Mahzunun, Hadith No. 1303.
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