The Promised Messiah (as) wrote over 80 books in Arabic, Urdu, and Persian. Excerpts of his collected works have been translated into English and organised by topic.
The Review of Religions is pleased to present these excerpts as part of a monthly feature. In this issue, the Promised Messiah (as) explains how the Holy Prophet (sa) revived the true message of God Almighty and enabled his followers to attain a high rank and spirituality.
This is the second part of a multi-part series.
Extracts from The Essence of Islam – Vol.I, pp. 208-216.
Revival of the Faith in Unity Through the Holy Prophet (sa)
The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] came into the world to bestow hearing on the deaf, who had continued in that condition for hundreds of years. Who is blind and who is deaf? The one who does not accept the unity of God and who does not accept this Prophet who revived the unity of God on the earth. The same Prophet who converted the wild ones into men and then converted them into men possessing true moral qualities, then dyed them in the divine colour of those who establish their relationship with God; the same Prophet, the sun of righteousness, at whose feet thousands of those who had died of paganism and atheism and evil living were revived and came to life and a sample of the Judgement Day was exhibited. It was not mere talk like that of Jesus. The Prophet who appeared in Makkah and dispelled the darkness of paganism and that of the worship of man, was the true light of the world, who found the world in darkness and bestowed such light upon it that he converted a dark night into day.
What was the world before his advent and what did it become after it? This is not a question that is difficult to answer. If we are faithful our conscience will tug at us to persuade us to believe that before that great personage the greatness of God had been forgotten by the people of every country and it had been assigned to avatars, stones, stars, trees, animals, and mortal men, and despised creation was seated in the place of that Lord of Glory and Holiness. It is true that if these men and animals and trees and stars were in fact God, Jesus being one of them, then this Prophet was not needed, but if they were not God, the claim that our lord Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] made on the hill of Makkah has a grand light attending upon it. What was that claim? It was that God, having found the world in the deep darkness of associating partners with God, had sent him to dispel that darkness. It was not only a claim, but a claim fully established by the Holy Prophet (sa).
If the superiority of any prophet can be established by such works as proclaim true sympathy with mankind exceeding that of all other prophets, then, O ye people, arise and bear witness that in this respect Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] has no equal in the world…Blind worshippers of creatures have not recognised that great Prophet (sa) who set forth thousands of examples of true sympathy with mankind. I perceive, however, that the time has arrived when this Holy Messenger (sa) would be recognised. If you wish, you might record my statement that henceforth the worship of the dead will decline daily till it disappears altogether. Will man set himself up against God? Will a despised drop frustrate the designs of God? Will the projects of mortal man disgrace divine commandments? O ye who can hear, listen, and O ye who can reflect, consider and remember that truth will be proclaimed and he who is the true light will shine forth.
—Majmu‘a Ishtiharat, Vol. 2, pp. 305-307.
It is my personal experience that to obey the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] with a sincere heart and to love him, ultimately makes a person beloved of God. God creates in his heart a burning for His Own love, and such a one, withdrawing his heart from everything else, leans towards God, and his affection and desire remain only for God Almighty. Thereupon, a special manifestation of divine love falls upon him and, bestowing upon him the full colour of love and devotion, pulls him towards itself with great force. He then overcomes his passions, and from every direction, extraordinary works of God Almighty appear as signs in his support and to help him.
—Haqiqat al-Wahi, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 22, pp. 67-68.
It is my personal experience that through invoking blessings upon the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him], divine grace in the shape of wonderful light proceeds in the direction of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and is absorbed into his breast and then issuing therefrom numberless streams of it reach everyone deserving them according to his capacity. Certainly, no grace can reach anyone without the agency of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Invoking blessings on the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] brings into movement his throne from which these streams of light issue. He who desires to obtain the grace of God Almighty should invoke blessings on him persistently, so that divine grace might be moved.
—Al-Hakam, 28 Feb. 1903, p. 7.
One night, this humble one invoked blessings on the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] to such a degree that my heart and soul were filled with its fragrance. That night, I saw in my dream that angels were carrying water skins full of light into my house, and one of them said to me: These are the blessings that you invoked upon Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].
Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani Khaza’in Vol. 1, p. 598, sub-footnote 3.
Bounties of Allah Upon the Followers of the Holy Prophet (sa)
We should not let a doubt enter our minds about how a mere follower can partake of the names, attributes, and praises of that accepted Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. It is true that in reality, even a Prophet cannot share equally in the holy excellences of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Indeed, even all the angels cannot claim equality in that respect, let alone that anyone else should share in his excellences. But O seeker after truth, may God guide you aright, listen carefully to this. With the object that the blessings of that accepted Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] should be displayed forever and that the perfect rays of his light should confound and refute his opponents, God Almighty has made the following arrangement by His wisdom and mercy. Some individuals out of the followers of Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] who obey him with thorough humility and falling prostrate on the threshold of humbleness are completely lost to their ego, being found by God like a clear mirror, exhibit the blessings of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] in their humble selves. Whatever praise is bestowed upon them by God and whatever signs and blessings are manifested by them, the true source of all their praise and the perfect fountainhead of all those blessings is the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. In reality and in their perfection, those praises are worthy only of him and he is their perfect exemplar, but as the follower of the way of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] becomes through his perfect obedience like a reflection of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him], the divine lights which are focussed on and manifested in the holy being of the Holy Prophet are also manifested and reflected in his followers. The appearance in the shadow of the whole form and manner of the reality is a matter that is not hidden from anyone. This shadow is not established in itself, and no superiority is in reality present in it. All that appears in it is a picture of the real one, which is manifested in the reflection. Do not, therefore, consider it a loss that the inner lights of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] reach those who are perfectly obedient to him out of his followers.
Two great matters result from this reflection of lights, which, like permanent grace, manifests itself in some members of the following of Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. One is that the extreme perfection of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is thereby displayed; for a torch from which other torches can be lit and are ever lit, is better than a torch from which no other torch can be lit. Secondly, the perfection of the Muslims and their superiority over the followers of other religions is established by this permanent grace and the proof of the reality of the religion of Islam are furnished afresh and reliance is not had only upon the past. This is the manner in which the lights of the truth of the Holy Qur’an shine forth like the sun, and the proof of Islam is established conclusively as against its opponents, and the disgrace, humiliation and frustration of the enemies of Islam is made manifest. They observe in Islam those blessings and light the like of which they cannot find in the ministers and pundits of their own religion. Consider this well, O true seeker, May Allah help you in your search…
How great is the station of the Khatam al-Anbiya’ [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and how excellent is the bright effectiveness of this sun of righteousness that obedience to him makes someone a perfect believer and someone else a recogniser of God and bestows upon a third one the rank of a Sign of Allah and a Proof of Allah and bestows upon him divine praise.
—Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani Khaza’in Vol. 1, pp. 268-271, sub-footnote 1.
Ever since the appearance in the world of the sun of righteousness in the blessed person of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] up to this day, thousands of persons who possessed the capacity and the ability, by following the divine word and obeying the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him], have arrived at the high ranks that we have mentioned and continue to do so. God Almighty continuously bestowed upon them such favours, bounties, support and help that it is proved to those possessing clear sight that such people are divine favourites, who are under the grand shadow of divine bounty and are recipients of great grace. Observers can see clearly that these people are honoured with extraordinary favours and are distinguished by wonderful signs and perfumed with the fragrance of love and enjoy the pride of being accepted of God. The light of the All-Powerful so fills their companionship, their attention, their resolve, their moral qualities, their way of living, their joy, their anger, their desire, their dislike, their movement and their rest, their speech and their silence, and their outer and inner selves, as a clear and transparent glass receptacle is filled with excellent perfume.
By the grace of their companionship and their relationship and love, that is achieved which cannot be achieved by great effort. By establishing a relationship with them and thinking well of them, one’s faith assumes a new complexion and strength is gained for the display of good morals. The tendency of the ego towards clamour and sinfulness begins to be restrained and contentment and sweetness are generated. According to one’s capacity, the eagerness of faith surges up, and love and devotion are manifested, and delight in the remembrance of Allah increases. A person who keeps their company for a long time is compelled to confess that in the strength of their faith, in their moral qualities, their cutting off from the world, their attention towards God, their love of the Divine, their kindness towards God’s creatures and in fidelity, acceptance of the will of God and steadfastness, they occupy such high rank as is not equalled in the world. Sane reason immediately discovers that the chains and shackles in which other people are bound have been removed from their feet, and that the narrowness and constriction whereby the bosoms of other people are constricted and fatigued, have been removed from their bosoms. They are honoured by continuous converse with the Divine and they are accepted as a means of approach between the Divine and His eager servants for the purpose of gaining direction and guidance. Their brightness illumines other hearts.
As vegetation bursts forth at the approach of spring, in the same way, at the advent of such holy persons, natural lights surge inside pure souls and the heart of every fortunate one desires to bring into display, with full effort, its capacities, and is delivered from the veils of deep sleep, and is relieved of sinfulness, the stains of vice, and the darkness of ignorance and unawareness. Their blessed age has such a characteristic and there is such spreading of light in it that every believer and seeker after truth, according to the strength of his faith, without any apparent cause, perceives in his soul an expansion and an eagerness for religion and an increase in and strengthening of resolve. Every sincere one receives the benefit of the delicate perfume which is bestowed upon them on account of their perfect obedience, according to the degree of his sincerity. Those who are eternally unfortunate obtain no share of it, but continue to increase in their enmity, envy and ill will, and finally fall into hell. This is indicated in the verse:
خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ1
—Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 1 pp. 529-532, sub-footnote 3.
ENDNOTES
1. ‘Allah has set a seal on their hearts.’ – The Holy Qur’an, 2:8.
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