This speech was delivered in Qadian, India, on 30th May 1947 after Maghrib [early evening] Prayers by His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra), Second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
Translated by Zafir Mahmood Malik for The Review of Religions translation team. The Review of Religions takes full responsibility for any errors in translation.
‘There is a profound couplet written in Mathnawi Rumi [1]:
ہر بلا کیں قوم را حق دادہ است
زیر آں گنج کرم بنہادہ است
Which means it is the practice of God Almighty that whenever a calamity befalls the Muslims – and this principle is not exclusive to the Muslims alone – in fact, whenever God Almighty places a people through a trial, then:
زیر آں گنج کرم بنہادہ است
“A treasure of blessings is hidden behind those trials.” In other words, once they pass through this trial, Allah the Almighty manifests such blessings for them that serve as the means of strengthening them. This is an absolute truth. There is no doubt that when believers pass through trials, tribulations and difficulties, Allah the Almighty always manifests certain things which increase them in their faith, and are a means of proving His truthfulness and grandeur. If we ponder over the life of the Holy Prophet (sa) we see that each trial and difficulty that he suffered resulted in so many miracles that it not only strengthened the faith of the believers, but it proved to be a source of blessings and divine mercy for all their generations until the Day of Resurrection. Every single incident in the life of the Holy Prophet (sa) where he faced difficulty, struggle or pain, it proved to be a source of innumerable signs.
Owing to the increased torture and evil ploys of the disbelievers of Makkah, some Companions migrated to Abyssinia, but even through this migration, countless signs were manifested. When the disbelievers of Makkah placed a boycott on the Holy Prophet (sa) and the other Muslims, the Holy Prophet (sa) and his companions became confined to the Valley of Abu Talib for three long years. But even during this time, many signs and blessings were witnessed. When the enemy caused the Holy Prophet (sa) pain during the journey to Taif, even then, we see countless signs. When the Holy Prophet (sa) migrated from Makkah to Madinah under the command of Allah the Almighty, even this became a source of countless signs. Similarly, countless signs were witnessed in the Battle of Badr we see signs; even the Battel of Uhud, during which the Muslims suffered greatly, and many eminent companions were martyred, it still manifested many divine signs; in the Battle of the Ditch, many signs can be witnessed; the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah and the Battle of Hunayn also contained signs. Then there was the Battle of Tabuk, which was a great trial for the Muslims, also contained countless signs. Most of all, the greatest trial upon the Muslims was when the Holy Prophet (sa) passed away, but even then we can witness countless signs. In short, throughout the life of the Holy Prophet (sa), whatever anguish he suffered, any amount of pain he experienced, whatever sorrow he felt and whichever trial he went through or difficulties he faced, Allah the Almighty manifested signs hidden behind every single one of those experiences. And every single one of those incidents contained within them the means for the success and progress of the believers.
Let us take the example of the Battle of Uhud; this battle was an enormous trial for the Muslims. Further adding to this trial was that before the battle had commenced, the Holy Prophet (sa) sought advice about whether they should fight whilst remaining in Madinah or go outside. In reply to this, initially the hypocrites said that they ought to go outside to fight, but later they were the ones guilty of treason in that when the Holy Prophet (sa) had made preparations to go outside to fight, they refused to go with him saying, “What sort of battle is this! It is akin to putting oneself in the jaws of death!” In this battle, the Holy Prophet (sa) and his companions suffered great loss and hardships. 70 companions were martyred, among which 5 were from the Muhajirin and 65 were from among the Ansar. Furthermore, these companions were among the most pre-eminent of the HolyProphet’s (sa) followers; one could say that their demise shook all of Madinah. This battle is also counted as one of the most severe battles fought by the Muslims because in this very battle, the Holy Prophet (sa) sustained injuries, and even his tooth was broken. [2] Then, some of the companions that were fighting to the left and right of the Holy Prophet (sa) and taking the blows were also martyred. Their bodies were piling on top of him, and there was no way to escape death, however, God Almighty safeguarded the Holy Prophet (sa).
When the Holy Prophet (sa) was injured and fell unconscious, this time was a grave test and trial for the companions. They did not have the strength to fight any more, and until he regained consciousness, the companions thought that the world had collapsed around them, because they thought that if the Holy Prophet (sa) had passed away, continuing to fight would be futile. The outcome of this could have resulted in them stumbling during these testing times, but even during this instance, we see countless signs of Allah the Almighty, which increases the faith of Muslims and they come to learn just how these trials contain within them the most sublime signs of Allah the Almighty. By way of example, during times of trial, anguish and difficulty, one’s morals come to light. Unless one undergoes affliction, their true morals cannot be gauged. We observe that the morals displayed by people during times of comfort, ease and happiness are forgotten when they experience difficulties, anguish and pain. Whenever a person goes from a state of peace to a state of restlessness, they forsake all of their good morals and act discourteously.
In our country, the affluent people of Delhi and Lucknow are renowned for their good morals, and the rich of both areas seek to excel one another. The people of Delhi say that they are more civilised and courteous. Owing to the Syed dynasty in Lucknow, usually any aristocrat from there is referred to as “Mir Sahib” and since the Mughals ruled over Delhi, any aristocrat from there is referred to by the title of “Mirza Sahib”. Delhi today is not the same it used to be some fifty years ago, but some forty or fifty years ago, upon seeing a person in Delhi, one would refer to them as Mirza Sahib. Similarly, if one learns that a person is from Lucknow, he would automatically be referred to as Mir Sahib.
There is a famous joke that two men were waiting at a platform for a train. One of the men was from Delhi, and the other was from Lucknow. There was some time before the train arrived. After the formal greetings, when they learnt that one was from Delhi and one was from Lucknow, they both tried to excel one another and tried to show that they were more courteous and civil than the other. Each one of them tried to impress the other with his morals. Thus, each one of them began speaking in their own particular manner, and after every statement, one would say “my dear Mir Sahib” and “my dear Mirza Sahib”. One would say, “My dear Mir Sahib, the event transpired as such…” and the other would lower himself and say, “My dear Mirza Sahib, it transpired in such a way…” Thus, each one of them left no stone unturned in order to impose their etiquettes on the other. A short while later, the train arrived at the platform. The gentlemen from Lucknow said: “My dear Mirza Sahib, after you.” The gentlemen from Delhi replied: “My dear Mir Sahib, after you.” The Lucknow gentlemen said: “Sir! I could never be so impudent. I insist, after you; do not let me be guilty of impertinence.” This continued for a while; the gentlemen from Lucknow would bow down and say, “my dear Mirza Sahib, I insist, you must board first,” and in the same manner, the man from Delhi would submit with the utmost humility and insist saying, “my dear Mir Sahib, only after you.” They continued this until the whistle of the train sounded. Upon hearing this, both individuals ran towards the same compartment and just about managed to grab hold of the railing for the door. The situation was such that because the door was small, both of them became stuck in the doorway, and neither of them could go inside. Both of them began pushing and shoving each other and even went to the extent of exchanging heated words. One would say, “Worthless person! Either go inside yourself or let me pass,” and the other would say to let him pass instead. Subsequently, they began hurling profanities and slurs against one another, using words such as “wretched” and “rascal”.
In short, when a person goes through a trial and endures hardships, one instantly forgets their greater morals. Just see how the two gentlemen would submit before each other, addressing one another with civilities such as “dear Mirza Sahib” and “dear Mir Sahib” and to where the situation changed that they began calling each other a “rascal”, “scoundrel” and “wretched”. Thus, when a person is in comfort and ease, one displays their morals; however, as soon as a person begins to face difficulties, they forget all that and try to gain as much advantage over the other as possible.
With regards to the morals of the people from Lucknow, I am reminded of a humorous incident that took place with me. I was married at a young age, and at the time of my marriage, I was somewhere between 14 and 15, which one can consider as “young”. At the time, Dr Khalifa Rashiduddin used to reside in Agra. Although we had visited Uttar Pradesh on many occasions, we were unfamiliar with their set customs. We would stay with our close relatives and would often be scolded by our elders. I had never heard of the words “Qibla” or “Hazrat” [3]. Nonetheless, in the days of my wedding, when I went to Agra, Dr Khalifa Rashiduddin invited some dignitaries of the city for a meal in my honour, among whom was the city magistrate. When the dignitaries had their meal and were about to leave, the magistrate came to me and out of respect, he would greet me with utmost humility. I honoured him in the manner I was accustomed to, as I did not know how to bow [in the same way]. However, upon seeing him bow in the manner he did, I thought to myself, ‘What is he doing? I am finding it very hard to control my laughter seeing his gestures of respect.’ I am unable to do anything but laugh, even now at something I did then. It so happened that after meeting me, when the magistrate turned away, I began to impersonate him. Coincidentally, when the magistrate reached the door to leave, he remembered that he needed to do something and turned back. I was completely oblivious to the fact that he had returned and continued to impersonate him. As soon as I looked up, I saw him standing there. Upon seeing him, I was utterly embarrassed over the fact that what must he be thinking. Thus, they carry out so many formalities which have no limits. In reality, one only learns about someone’s morals in times of difficulty and hardship.
For the Holy Prophet (sa), the Battle of Uhud was a true test of patience. Prior to this time, no one had made an attempt on his life, but in the Battle of Uhud, not only was he attacked, not only did he lose some of his teeth and not only was he badly wounded, but whilst the Holy Prophet (sa) lay unconscious, the enemy trampled over him and the bodies of his companions. It was the first time in the Holy Prophet’s (sa) life that he experienced such a thing. But even in this battle, we see an example of the Holy Prophet’s (sa) outstanding courage and excellent morals, and how he showed compassion to the people and granted comfort to them.
The events of this battle demonstrate the Holy Prophet’s (sa) superlative moral condition as well as the unparalleled sacrifices of his Companions. I speak of that time when the Holy Prophet (sa) was returning to Madinah after the battle had ended. The women of Madinah had become extremely anxious on hearing news of the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (sa). But when they heard the Holy Prophet (sa) was returning, they waited at a short distance outside of Madinah to welcome him. Among them was his sister-in-law, Hamnah bint Jahsh (ra). [4] Three of her close relatives had been martyred during the battle. When the Holy Prophet (sa) saw her, he told her, “to grieve over her loss.” (This was an Arabic idiom, which implied that “I am informing you of the death of your relative.”) Hamnah bint Jahsh (ra) replied, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Who shall I grieve over?” The Holy Prophet (sa) answered, “Your maternal uncle Hamza (ra) has been martyred.” Upon hearing this, Hazrat Hamnah said,
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
“Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return”
and then said ‘May God elevate his status, he died for a noble cause.’ Then the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Hamnah! Now grieve over another loss”. Hazrat Hamnah (ra) replied “O Messenger of Allah (sa)! Whom shall I grieve over?” He answered, “Your brother Abdullah bin Jahsh (ra) has also been martyred.” “Hamnah (ra) again said,
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
“Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return, all praise is due to Allah, he died for a noble cause.” The Holy Prophet (sa) then said, “Now grieve over another loss”. Hazrat Hamnah (ra) replied, “O Messenger of Allah (sa)! Whom shall I grieve over?” The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, “Your husband was also martyred.” When she heard this, tears fell from Hazrat Hamnah’s (ra) eyes, and she let out a sigh in anguish, expressing her grief and sorrow. Witnessing this, the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Look how strong the bond is between a husband and wife! When I informed Hamnah of the death of her maternal uncle, she said,
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
‘Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return’, When I informed her of the death of her brother she once again said,
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
‘Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return’, but when I informed her of the death of her husband, she heaved a sigh and expressed her sorrow and grief and was unable to hold back her tears.” The Holy Prophet (sa) then said, “In such circumstances women forget all their close relatives and blood-relations and they remember their loving husbands.” Thereafter he asked Hazrat Hamnah (ra), “What made you express sorrow after hearing about the demise of your husband?” She replied, “O Messenger of Allah! His son came to my mind as to who would now take care of him.” The Holy Prophet (sa) said to Hamnah (ra), “I pray to God Almighty that He grants you someone who takes even better care of them than your husband.” [5] It was a result of this prayer that Hamnah (ra) was married to Hazrat Talha (ra). They had a son, Muhammad bin Talha. From history we learn that Hazrat Talha (ra) did not show as much love and compassion to Muhammad bin Talha as he did to the previous children of Hamnah (ra). People would say that no one could love their step-children as much as Talha (ra) did. All of this was due to the prayers of the Holy Prophet (sa).
Subsequently, the Holy Prophet (sa) continued his journey. At the time, Sa’d bin Mu’adh was holding the reins of the Holy Prophet’s (sa) mount. He was walking alongside it, elated and the cause of his happiness was the fact that he was bringing the Holy Prophet (sa) safe and sound back to Madinah. Hazrat Sa’d bin Mu’adh’s elderly mother, whose eyesight had weakened, was also among the women who came to welcome the Holy Prophet (sa). Because previously they had received news that the Holy Prophet (sa) had been martyred, now that they discovered that he was alive and well, they came out of Madinah due to their unbound love for him. When Hazrat Sa’d (ra) saw his mother, perhaps a thought crossed his mind that he ought to mention to the Holy Prophet (sa) just how anxious she was to meet with him and that despite old age and a weakened eye sight, she managed to come out to greet him; and so he said: “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! My mother! O Messenger (sa) of Allah! My mother!” The Holy Prophet (sa) ordered for the mount to be stopped. When his mount came near to the elderly woman and stopped, the Holy Prophet (sa) said to her: “Dear lady! It saddens me to mention that your young son, Amr bin Mu’adh was martyred in the battle.” The old lady, who was restless in her wait to catch a glimpse of the Holy Prophet’s (sa) countenance, raised her head and looked towards him with her blurred vision and said: “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Let the matter go. Why would you say such a thing? Now that you are alive and well, I have forgotten all my other worries.” [6]
Thus, ponder over these incidents and reflect how much the Holy Prophet (sa) worried about the feelings of others; if anyone was upset, he would sympathise with them. After this, the Holy Prophet (sa) told the elderly lady and all the sisters whose relatives were martyred to rejoice over the glad tidings that all the men that were martyred would be gathered together in paradise by Allah the Almighty. All of them prayed to Allah to protect the loved ones they left behind. The Holy Prophet (sa) then prayed: ‘O Allah! Appoint good protectors for those whom the martyrs of Uhud left behind.’
From this incident, we learn the extent of how the Holy Prophet (sa) consoled and comforted the loved ones who had been martyred in Uhud upon his return. This was despite the fact that he himself sustained injuries, his closest relatives were martyred, as were his dearest companions. Yet, he was not worried in the slightest about his own sorrow; instead, at each opportunity, he would console the people of Madinah. In a time when one has just faced so many difficulties, pain and sorrow, aside from the Holy Prophet (sa), nobody could have shown such compassion to others. In such times, people usually do not even wish to speak to others, let alone provide them with words of comfort.
When the Holy Prophet (sa) entered Madinah, owing to his injuries, he felt faint, and so the companions helped him dismount. It was time for the Maghrib [prayer performed after sunset]; he offered the prayers and went home. The news of the loved ones that were martyred reached the women of Madinah, and so they began to cry. When the Holy Prophet (sa) heard the women crying, his eyes welled with tears as he was unable to bear listening to the pain felt of the Muslims. The Holy Prophet (sa) said:
وَ لٰکِنْ حَمزۃ فَلا بَوَاکِیَ لَہُ
in other words, “My uncle and milk sibling was also martyred. But there is nobody to lament over his death.” The companions were always eager to fulfil even the smallest of the Holy Prophet’s (sa) wishes and desires, and would strive to make sure that no matter how small a wish it may be, that it is always fulfilled. As soon as they heard the Holy Prophet’s (sa)sentiments and feelings, they ran home and told their women to stop crying for their relatives, and to go to the Holy Prophet’s (sa) house and wail and lament for Hamza (ra). During this time, because the Holy Prophet (sa) was exhausted, he went inside to rest. Hazrat Bilal (ra) called the Adhan [call to prayer] for the Isha prayer; however, realising that the Holy Prophet (sa) was exhausted, Hazrat Bilal (ra) woke him for prayer when a third of the night had passed. When the Holy Prophet (sa) woke up, women were still howling and shrieking over the loss of Hamza (ra) in his home. The Holy Prophet (sa) enquired as to what was going on. He was informed that the women of Madinah were mourning the loss of Hamza. The Holy Prophet (sa) said: “May Allah have mercy on the women of Madinah; they have shown sympathy to me.” He further stated: “I was already aware that the Ansar loved me dearly.’ He then added: ‘To howl and shriek in this manner is displeasing to Allah the Almighty.” The companions stated: “O Messenger of Allah (sa)! This is a habit of our people; if we do not cry and wail in this manner, we cannot relieve our feelings.” The Holy Prophet (sa) replied: “I do not stop you from crying. But tell the women that they should not slap themselves, pull out their hair, nor tear their clothes in their grief. If they are overcome with emotion and wish to cry ,they may do so.” [7] From these incidents, one learns about the condition of the Holy Prophet’s (sa) sublime morals in that, despite sustaining injuries and being in pain, he respected and cared for the feelings of other people to such a degree.
Then in historical accounts, it is written that when Hazrat Ali (ra) returned from the Battle of Uhud, he handed Hazrat Fatimah (ra) his sword and said, “Clean this, for today this sword was wielded in a remarkable manner.’ The Holy Prophet (sa) heard this and said, ‘Ali, it was not only your sword which excelled, rather many of your brethren used their swords exceptionally.’ He then mentioned the names of six or seven companions saying, ‘Their swords were by no means inferior to yours.” [8]
Thus, the Holy Prophet (sa) could not tolerate for his son-in-law to say something that would upset the sentiments of the other companions. This shows that the Holy Prophet (sa) was mindful and considerate over even the smallest of things. The lasting effects of the Battle of Uhud were so grave that people became petrified, thinking that it would embolden the enemy, or they were fearful as what would happen next. Under such precarious circumstances, a person usually overlooks these small matters; however, the Holy Prophet (sa) offered support and comfort to every single person. When he consoled Hamnah bint Jahsh (ra) and reminded everyone just how deep a bond a wife has for her loving husband, the Holy Prophet (sa) indicated that men should show kindness to women and they should not scold or admonish them for trivial matters. When a woman leaves behind her loved ones and begins living with her husband, then justice dictates that they should be treated with honour and respect as opposed to quarrelling with them over each and every matter. On the one hand, these words of the Holy Prophet (sa) consoled Hamnah bint Jahsh, and on the other hand it served as a command to show kindness to women. Similarly, when the Holy Prophet (sa) saw that the women of Madinah were crying and lamenting over the loss of their own men [who had been martyred], the Holy Prophet (sa) thought that the Muhajirin [migrants from Makkah to Madinah] and relatives of Hazrat Hamza (ra) may feel as though there is no one there for them, thus to giving due consideration to their sentiments, the Holy Prophet (sa) said: “Is there no one to cry for Hamzah?” Then, when the women of Madinah began to howl and shriek over the death of Hazrat Hamzah (ra), the Holy Prophet (sa) stopped them from mourning a loss in this manner. This means that if it was the Holy Prophet’s (sa) desire for people to lament over the loss of Hazrat Hamzah (ra), he would not have forbidden it later on. When the Holy Prophet (sa) expressed his sadness that there was no one to mourn for Hazrat Hamzah (ra), his intention was only for the sake of compassion [for others], and when he stopped the people from crying and lamenting over him, even then the Holy Prophet (sa) only had compassion in mind, because although the Holy Prophet (sa) forbade the women from shrieking and howling, he also said that they showed sympathy towards him. He further stated that he knew from before that the Ansar [natives to Madinah] have more compassion for him. From this, the Holy Prophet (sa) meant that they should not feel bad that they were stopped from mourning [in that way]. He forbade them and also thanked them.
We can see just how incredible and outstanding this practice was that was adopted by the Holy Prophet (sa) in such a delicate time. At a time when one’s close friends and relatives have been killed, and they are injured themselves, and on top of that, the days ahead seem perilous, no person could have shown so much character as did the Holy Prophet (sa).
Then in the Battle of Uhud, the Holy Prophet (sa) was injured so badly that he fell unconscious. News about his martyrdom began to spread. The outstanding morals exhibited by him when he gained consciousness were extraordinary to say the least. After the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa), Hazrat Umar (ra) recalled his extraordinary morals displayed during the Battle of Uhud after he regained consciousness. He stated, “O Messenger of Allah (sa)! May my mother and father be sacrificed for you! The disbelievers broke your teeth, they injured your face, they trampled all over you and harmed your loved ones, relatives and friends; but O Messenger (sa) of Allah, in the face of all these trials, you simply uttered,
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
‘O Allah! Forgive my people for they know not’” [9]
In other words, when the Holy Prophet (sa) was regaining consciousness after suffering from all the pain and injury, the only words that were uttered from the lips of the Holy Prophet (sa) was a prayer for the enemy: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ which was to say “O Allah! They do not know of my status and were unable to recognise me, therefore, forgive them! Had they recognised me, they would never have acted in this way.” How great were these morals shown by the Holy Prophet (sa)! At each step, he set an example before the world, the likes of which was never matched previously, nor will it be matched in the future.
For the Holy Prophet (sa), his tooth breaking or him suffering other injuries were only temporary, but the words of the Holy Prophet (sa) اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ will be remembered until the Day of Judgement, and until then, we will present this statement of our beloved as proof of those who hurl abuse at him. We will ask them to show some consideration as to who they are targeting. Would they abuse someone who suffered torment and persecution for 13 years continuously, simply for the reason that he said he worshipped the One God? Would they abuse the one who was forced to leave from his beloved homeland, who was beaten and hurt, whose teeth were broken, whose dear friends were martyred, whose closest relatives were mercilessly killed? But despite all these, his reply to these atrocities committed by his enemies was: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ. Ask them, whether abusing such a perfect and outstanding individual is just and honourable?
Often, we see that when a person is inflicted with pain by the enemy, they resort to using extremely foul language. Rage and fury boils in the heart of such an individual, and he wishes that God would ruin and destroy the enemy. Even though in most cases, the enemy cannot even harm that individual as much as the enemies of the Holy Prophet (sa) harmed him. Despite this, we see that usually a person is driven by seeking revenge against their enemy. However, the outstanding morals shown by the Holy Prophet (sa) during times of great distress are so great that there will never be a greater model until the end of time. This was the same enemy who conspired to kill him day and night; it was the same enemy who inflicted all sorts of torture upon the Holy Prophet’s (sa) relatives and companions; it was the same enemy who compelled the Holy Prophet (sa) to migrate from his dear homeland and it was the same enemy – who after the Holy Prophet (sa) settled in Madinah – came to wipe out the Holy Prophet (sa) and the Muslims without leaving a trace. But the Holy Prophet (sa) simply says: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ he overlooks the fact that this very enemy were the ones who made Muslims lay down on the scorching sand; he overlooks the fact that it was this very enemy who used burning hot iron to brand the people who accepted Islam; he overlooks the fact that it was this very enemy who banished the Muslims to Shi’b Abi Talib for three years; he overlooks all these cruelties inflicted by the enemy upon him from time to time and with great pain and fervour, the Holy Prophet (sa) prays: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ‘O Allah! They failed to recognise me, otherwise they would never have treated me in this way!’
I say that just this incident from the Battle of Uhud is enough to break down even the most stone-hearted enemy, and upon hearing this incident, even the staunchest enemy of Islam would be compelled to say that “never before has there existed a person with greater morals than Muhammad (sa), nor will there be anyone in the future.” Aside from the other things written in the Introduction to the Study of the Holy Qur’an, I penned a brief life sketch of the Holy Prophet (sa). Aside from English, it is being translated into Gurmukhi and Hindi. The translation was sent to Patna for proofreading with a Hindu professor. I received a note from him saying, ‘After reading this, I was unable to hold back my tears. Since I was unaware of these incidents and also about the Holy Prophet’s (sa) life, we have been in the dark all this time. If there is some delay in the publication of this book, please kindly send this draft to me.’
Thus, hundreds of years have passed since these incidents in the life of the Holy Prophet (sa), but its memory will remain until the end of time. How extraordinary is this sign demonstrated by Allah the Almighty in the Battle of Uhud. Thus, how correct is the saying:
ہر بلا کیں قوم را حق دادہ است
زیر آں گنج کرم بنہادہ است
[To every people upon whom God has put through a trial,
Beneath that very burden He has hidden a treasure of blessings]
This [battle of Uhud] is such a magnificent sign that if we present this incident to our enemies, we can convince them. How sublime were the morals of that individual about whom this event transpired; and to harbour enmity against him is akin to harbouring enmity against God.’
After the Adhan [call to prayer] for the Isha [late-evening] prayer, His Holiness (ra) spoke at length with Sayyid Munir Al-Husni Sahib in Arabic. Following this, His Holiness (ra) said:
‘Munir Al-Husni Sahib was just mentioning that despite opposition due to Ahmadiyyat, his family members always appoint him to represent them in all important matters and the people of his tribe always put him forward to deal with all their affairs.
Munir Al-Husni Sahib is an educated person. Mian Mughla, another member of our Jama’at, is uneducated. Currently, his children are studying in Madrastul Ahmadiyya and they belong to the Jhang area. He heard of Ahmadiyyat from somewhere, and owing to his virtuous nature, he came to Qadian to enquire about Ahmadiyyat and returned having pledged allegiance. When his family members learned that he had accepted Ahmadiyyat, they began beating him and caused him emotional and physical pain. They separated his utensils for food and drink. The area he lives in is famous for theft. Among the people there, theft has become such a common habit that they do not deem theft to be morally wrong, nor do they see it as against the Sharia. In Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Jhang and Lyallpur [10], theft was so common that the Deputy Commissioner [Police] of these areas prepared a report in which he stated that theft had become so common among the inhabitants of these areas that they see it as a profession just like farming, and they cannot survive without committing theft. Therefore, he stated that theft should not be counted as a crime in these areas. This matter is so prevalent that even the elite leaders and chiefs are involved in this “profession” and some are known for being experts in stealing metal; some of these thieves are called “the King” and some are known as “the Emperor”. The thieves that operate on a smaller scale set aside a portion for these wealthy chiefs. After committing a robbery, they send the portion of the chiefs to their homes, and say that they stole such and such’s buffalo, therefore, they are due x amount.
Prior to accepting Ahmadiyyat, a member of our Jama’at was also known as “the king”. He would recount his stories and said that even when he stopped stealing, he would still receive shares from other thieves who would come to his home to give it to him and that thieves would openly say to him that he was their chief. This member of ours accepted Ahmadiyyat in 1918, and after that, he abandoned this “profession” and repented for his deeds.
Thus, Mian Mughla states that his brothers once robbed a person and stole a few of his animals. The owners of the animals went out in search for their animals and traced them down to their house. They said to Mian Mughla’s father that his sons had stolen their animals. Mian Mughla’s father denied it, but the owners said, “We refuse to believe you, but if Mian Mughla says that your sons did not steal the animals, we will take his word for it.” Hence, the father of Mian Mughla went to him and said, “Listen, only you can save us from this crime. So go and tell them that your brothers did not steal their animals.” Mian Mughla replied, “I cannot lie, especially since I have seen it with my own eyes that they stole those animals. How then can I lie about it!” Upon this, his father and brothers gave him a good thrashing and said, “Don’t you dare speak the truth. Can you not show even that much sympathy for your brothers?” The brothers said to their father to go and tell the owners that Mughla had become a kafir [disbeliever]; how then could they accept his word for it? Thus, Mian Mughla’s father and brothers went to see the owners of the animals and said, “Mughla has become a kafir, how then can you accept his testimony?” They replied, “This is true, he is a kafir, however, he never lies about anything. That is why we will only accept his testimony and nobody else’s.” The father and brothers came to him again and said, “They are asking for your testimony. So come with us and prove our innocence.” Mian Mughla went with them, and in front of a large gathering, he said, “I have seen my brothers bring these [stolen] animals with my very own eyes.” Upon this, Mian Mughla’s father and brother gave him another thrashing. Thus, no matter how much people oppose Ahmadiyyat, if there is a special task to be carried out, they will always ask an Ahmadi to perform it. How great is this as proof of the truthfulness of the Community that even the opponents cannot help but admit that Ahmadis speak the truth.
الفَضْلُ مَا شَهِدَتْ بِهِ الْأَعْدَاءُ
“True virtue is that which even an enemy testifies to.”
(Anwar-ul-Uloom, Volume 19, pp. 49-65)
(Published in Al-Fazl, 15th, 16th, 17th and 21st September 1961)
ENDNOTES
[1] Mathnawi Rumi, also spelt Masnavi is a famous six-volume poetic work of the Islamic scholar, Jalal al-din Muhammad Rumi. It contains over 25,000 couplets in the Persian language and for centuries has been regarded as one of the most influential texts of Sufi thought in Islam. [Translator]
[2] Ibn Hisham, Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 3, [Cairo, Egypt: 1936], 84-85
[3] Qibla and Hazrat are both respectful forms to address a man, similar to how one would use “Sir” or “Sire” [Translator]
[4] ‘Ali ibn al-Athīr, Usd al-Ghābah Fī Maʿrifat al-ṣaḥābah, Vol. 5, 428.
[5] ‘Ali Ibn al-Athir, Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, Vol. 2, [Lebanon, Beirut: 1965], 163.
[6] ‘Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi, Al-Sirat Al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 2, Bab Dhikr Maghaziyah [Cairo, Egypt, 1935), 267-268.
[7] Ibn Hisham, Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 3, [Cairo, Egypt: 1936], 104-105
[8] Ibid, 104
[9] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitab Ahadith al-Anbiya, Hadith No.3477
[10] Lyallpur was the former name of the Punjab city of Faisalabad, Pakistan [Translator]
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