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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 the status of the Holy Prophet (sa) and the miracles he displayed.
This is the third part of a multi-part series.
Extracts from The Essence of Islam –Vol. I. pp. 216-226.
The claim of our Holy Prophet (sa) shines forth like the sun and it is a great proof of his eternal life that his grace flows eternally. Even in this age a person who obeys the Holy Prophet (sa) is raised from the dead and is bestowed a spiritual life not merely in imagination, but through the display of his righteous effectiveness and of heavenly help and blessings and extraordinary support of the Holy Spirit. He becomes a unique person from among all mankind, so much so that God Almighty talks to him, discloses His special mysteries to him, communicates His verities to him, manifests the signs of His love and favour in him, causes His help to descend upon him, places His blessings in him, and makes him the mirror of His Rububiyyat. Wisdom flows from his tongue, and the fountains of fine points burst out of his heart. Hidden secrets are made manifest in him. God Almighty bestows a grand manifestation upon him and comes close to him. In the acceptance of his prayers, in the opening of the doors of understanding, in the disclosure of hidden mysteries and in the descent of blessings upon him, he ranks high and is supreme over all others.
Having been commissioned by God Almighty, this humble one despatched several thousand registered letters to well-known opponents of Islam in Asia, Europe and America about these matters, so that these matters might be conclusively established. I invited them that if anyone claimed that spiritual life could be achieved by any other means, without following the Khatam-ul-Anbiya’ (sa) he should come forth in opposition to me, and that failing this he should come to me as a seeker after truth, in order to witness the blessings and signs that are bestowed on me; but no one offered to come with sincerity and good faith and by keeping aloof they proved that they are all floundering in darkness.
—A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 5, pp. 221-222.
We know for certain that the greatest Prophet of God and His best beloved is Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. The followers of other prophets are in darkness, having nothing with them except old stories and tales. But the Muslims always receive fresh signs from God Almighty. Therefore, among Muslims there are found many persons of understanding, who believe in God with such certainty as if they beheld Him; but other people have not this certainty concerning God Almighty. Therefore, our soul bears witness that the true and right religion is Islam alone…
The miracles of our Holy Prophet (sa) are not mere stories. By obeying the Holy Prophet (sa) we experience those signs ourselves and, through the blessings of observation and experience, we arrive at complete certainty. How high is the status of that perfect and Holy Prophet (sa) whose prophethood always furnishes fresh proof to seekers, and by the blessings of witnessing continuous signs, we arrive at the stage where we see God Almighty with our own eyes, as it were. Thus, true religion is that and the true Prophet is he, the fresh spring of whose truth should always be witnessed. To rely upon mere stories which are subject to all kinds of exceptions does not commend itself to the wise. Hundreds of people have been deified in the world and they are believed in on the basis of hundreds of old tales, but the truth is that the true miracle worker is he the river of whose miracles never dries up. That person is our lord and master the Holy Prophet (sa).
In every age, God Almighty has raised someone to display the signs of that perfect and holy one. In this age, He has sent me with the title of Promised Messiah. Signs are being shown from heaven and all sorts of extraordinary events are coming to pass. Every seeker after truth can come and stay with me and witness these signs, whether he is a Christian, a Jew or an Arya. All these are the blessings of our Holy Prophet (sa).
محمد است امام و چراغ ہر دو جہاں محمد است فروزنده زمین و زمان
خدا نگویش از ترس حق مگر بخدا خدا نما است وجودش برائے عالمیاں [1]
—Kitab al-Bariyyah, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 13, pp. 155-157, footnote
The proof of spiritual life is to be found in the blessed person of the Holy Prophet (sa). Profitless is the life which has no beneficence and useless is the existence which has no grace. There are only two lives which are worthy of praise. One is the life of the Ever-Living and Self-Existing God, Who is the Source of all beneficence; and second is the life which is beneficent and points to God. We can show that such was the life only of the Holy Prophet (sa) to which heaven has borne witness in every age and does so today. He who does not lead a beneficent life is dead and not alive. I call God to witness that He has furnished to me proof of the everlasting life and full glory and perfection of our master Muhammad (sa) to whom all obedience is due, and through following him and loving him I have seen heavenly signs descend upon me and I have found my heart filled with the light of certainty. I have witnessed so many divine signs that through their manifest lights I have beheld my God.
—Tiryaq al-Qulub, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 15, pp. 139-140.
To the degree that the Holy Prophet (sa) appears in the extreme of meekness and humility, to the same degree does he seem to be aided and illumined by the support and light of the Holy Spirit, as he has demonstrated in action and conduct. The circle of his lights and blessings is so vast and extended that its sample and reflection is visible eternally. The divine grace and bounty that is descending in this age is obtained only through following and obeying him. I say truly that no one can be held to be righteous and the winner of the pleasure of God Almighty, nor can he be the recipient of the bounties, blessings, understandings, verities and visions which are bestowed at the highest degree of the purity of the soul, till he is completely lost in his obedience to the Holy Prophet (sa). This is affirmed in the Word of God as it is said:
[ 2] قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ
I am the practical and living proof of this divine promise. You will recognise me through the signs of those who are loved by God Almighty and are His friends which are set out in the Holy Qur’an.
—Malfuzat, Vol. I, pp. 203-204.
The necessary consequence of following in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet (sa) the essentials of which are his love, respect and obedience, is that a person becomes the beloved of God and his sins are forgiven, and if he has swallowed the poison of sin, that poison is rendered harmless through the antidote of love and obedience. As a person can get rid of a disease by the use of medicine, in the same way, a sinner can be purified of sin. As light dispels darkness and an antidote destroys the effect of poison and fire consumes, in the same way true obedience and love prove their effect. As fire consumes in an instant, the eager doing of good for the manifestation of God’s glory acts like fire in consuming the fuel of sin.
When a person believes sincerely in the Holy Prophet (sa) and accepting his greatness, follows him with eagerness, love and obedience, so much so that through perfect obedience, he arrives at the stage of non-existence, he, on account of this close relationship with him, also partakes of the divine light which descends upon the Holy Prophet (sa). Then as light and darkness are opposed to each other, his inner darkness begins to be dispelled till no part of it remains inside him and, being strengthened by light, good of the highest type proceeds from him and the light of the love of God shines forth through all his limbs. His inner darkness is wholly dispelled and he enjoys light intellectually as well as in conduct and by the combination of these lights, the darkness of sin departs from his heart.
It is obvious that light and darkness cannot subsist together, and thus the light of faith and the darkness of sin can also not subsist at one place. If such a person has not been guilty of any sin, his power to commit sin is suppressed altogether and he becomes eager to do good as Almighty Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:
[ 3] حَبَّبَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَزَيَّنَهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ
—Review of Religions—Urdu, Vol. I, No. 5, pp. 194,195.
The position of being loved and accepted by God and of becoming His friend, the signs of which have been briefly set out, cannot be achieved without implicit obedience to the Holy Prophet (sa). It is not possible for a Christian, an Arya, or a Jew, to show the signs and proofs of his acceptance by God in opposition to a true follower of the Holy Prophet (sa). There is a clear way of determining this. No opponent, Christian or other, of a righteous Muslim who is a true follower of the Holy Prophet (sa), can stand up and claim that he will exhibit the same type of signs which appear from heaven in support of the Muslim, or will display similar hidden mysteries as are displayed by him, or similar divine help through acceptance of prayer, which might be manifested by him, or natural occurrences of the same type which might appear in his honour, or a prophecy of divine favours or a prophecy warning an enemy of his of his dire end. None of them will come out to oppose a true follower of the Holy Prophet (sa) this manner, inasmuch as their hearts bear witness that they are liars and that they have no relationship with the True God Who is the Helper of the righteous and Friend of the faithful.
—Tasdiq al-Nabi, pp. 45-46 or Maktubat-e-Ahmadiyya, Vol. 3, pp. 78,79.
To believe in God’s messenger is a condition precedent to believing in the unity of God. One cannot be separated from the other. A person who claims to believe in the unity of God without following the Holy Prophet (sa), possesses only a dry bone which has no marrow and is holding a dark lamp which gives no light. Anyone who thinks that a person who believes in God as One without associate and does not believe in the Holy Prophet (sa) will yet achieve salvation, has a leprous heart and is blind and has no notion what unity of God means. Satan is better than him in his profession in the unity of God, inasmuch as Satan, though he is disobedient, yet he believes that God is present, and such a person has no faith in God.
—Haqiqat al-Wahi, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 22, p. 122.
Advent of the Holy Prophet (sa) is Like the Coming of God Almighty
If it is asked that if the Messiah and I have attained to this rank then what rank is left for our lord and master, the best of the Messengers, Khatam-ul-Anbiya’, Muhammad (sa), the chosen one, the answer is that it is a high and exalted rank which is special to him, the appreciation of which is not possible for anyone else, let alone that any one else should be able to achieve it…
The degrees of nearness to God and love of God from the point of view of spiritual rank are of three types. The lowest degree, and even that is very high, is that the fire of divine love should warm the heart possibly to such a degree that the warmed heart might acquire the qualities of fire, but that it should lack the brightness of the fire. When the flame of God’s love falls upon this degree of love the warmth generated by that flame in the soul is described as contentment and satisfaction and is sometimes named an angel.
The second degree of love is where the fire of divine love, which is generated by the union of two loves, warms the heart to such a degree that it produces a brightness which is not inflammatory. It is described as Ruh al-Qudus – the Holy Spirit.
The third degree of love is where a burning flame of divine love falls on the eager ribbon of human love and sets it afire and, assuming control of all its particles, makes it a complete and perfect manifestation of itself. In this condition the fire of divine love not only bestows a brightness upon the human heart, but simultaneously the whole being is set on fire and its flames illumine the surroundings like the bright day, and no darkness is left and the whole of the being is converted into fire with all its full qualities. This condition which is created by the union of the two loves like a flaming fire is known as Ruh al-Amin, the Spirit of Security, for it bestows security against every darkness and is free from every opaqueness. It is also called the strong faculty, for it is the most powerful revelation, stronger than which cannot be imagined. It is also called the high horizon, inasmuch as it is the manifestation of the highest form of revelation. It is also described as: He saw what he saw; for an appreciation of this condition is beyond the imagination or thinking of the whole of creation. This condition has been bestowed upon only one human being who is the perfect man with whom the whole human system has come to an end and the circle of human capacities has been perfected. In truth, he is the highest point of the extended line of God’s creation which is the ultimate of all grades of exaltation.
Divine wisdom having started the creation from the lowest point carried it to this highest point, the name of which is Muhammad (sa) and the meaning of which is greatly praised, that is to say, the manifestation of perfect excellences. As by his nature the station of this Prophet (sa) was at the highest, so externally also he was bestowed revelation and love at the highest level. This is the high station which neither Jesus (as) nor I can reach; its name is the station of getting together and the station of perfect unity. The previous prophets who have prophesied the advent of the Holy Prophet (sa) have mentioned this station. As the station of Jesus (as) and myself is such that metaphorically it can be described as sonship, in the same way, the station of the Holy Prophet (sa) is so grand that past prophets have metaphorically described the appearance of the Holy Prophet (sa) as the appearance of God Almighty and his coming has been described as the coming of God Almighty.
—Taudih-e-Maram, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 3, pp. 62-64.
It is not only Jesus (as) who has described the advent of the Holy Prophet (sa) as the appearance of God Almighty, but other prophets in their own prophecies have used similar terms and have metaphorically described his advent as the appearance of God Almighty, and because of his being the perfect manifestation of God, have called him God. In the Psalms of David, it is said:
Thou art fairer than the children of men; Grace is poured into thy lips; Therefore God hath blessed thee forever (i.e., You have been granted the station of Khatam al-Anbiya’).
Gird thy sword upon Thy thigh, O most mighty; with thy glory and with thy majesty.
And in thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness: therefore, God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Psalms 45)
The words: ‘Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: the sceptre of Thy Kingdom is a right sceptre;’ are metaphorical; the purpose being to display the spiritual glory of the Holy Prophet (sa).
A similar statement appears in Isaiah, where it is written:
Behold My servant whom I uphold; Mine elect in whom My soul delighteth: I have put My Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth Judgement in the Gentiles.
He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth Judgement unto truth.
He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set Judgement in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law…
The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war.[4]
The words: ‘The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man,’ are a metaphorical description of the awe-striking advent of the Holy Prophet (sa). (See Isaiah, Chapter 42). Many other prophets have used this metaphor in their prophecies concerning the Holy Prophet (sa).
—Taudih-e-Maram, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 3, pp. 65-67 footnote.
ENDNOTES
1. ‘Muhammad is the Imam and light of both the worlds;
He it is who illuminates time and space.
For fear of offending God, I dare not call him God, but, by God;
For mankind, the Holy Prophet is the sure guide to Him.’
2. ‘Say, If you love Allah, follow me: then will Allah love you.’– The Holy Qur’an, 3:32.
3. ‘Allah has endeared the faith to you and has made it look beautiful to your hearts, and He has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience hateful to you.’ – The Holy Qur’an, 49:8.
4. The Bible, Isaiah 42:1-4, 13.
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