An Important and Unavoidable Appeal

Natural human weaknesses compel us to live as part of society and to seek and foster mutual cooperation. This fact is so self-evident that no reasonable person will contradict it. The constitution of our physical bodies is a sufficient proof of the need for collaboration. Our hands, feet, ears, nose, eyes, etc., and all our internal and external faculties have been fashioned to work in concert with one another. Without their mutual cooperation, normal human activity would be impossible and the human body would become dysfunctional. An action that requires both hands cannot be performed by one and a path that has to be travelled on both feet cannot be traversed on one. In much the same way, all our successes, whether pertaining to this world or the hereafter, are dependent upon the help and cooperation of others. Can any individual accomplish anything, mundane or spiritual, entirely on his own? Certainly not. People who share common objectives realize them only by joining hands. This is all the more true with regard to great endeavours that aim to serve and benefit humanity at large—they cannot be accomplished single-handedly without cooperation. Even the Prophets, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon them, who excelled all mankind in their trust in God, commitment to His cause, fulfilment of His obligations and striving for righteousness, were compelled by this natural law to announce:

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God, too, testifies to this inherent human need in His revealed Law by commanding us:

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Sadly, most Muslims have forgotten this blessed command and have completely discarded the very principle on which the success and future of their faith depends, whereas people of other faiths, whose scriptures do not even stress such cooperation, have adopted it in their eagerness to propagate their faith. Consequently, their teachings are spreading fast. Look at the zeal the Christians are showing these days for spreading their faith and the strenuous effort they are making. They have access to tens of millions of rupees for publishing new literature. An average affluent person in Europe and America contributes more towards the propagation of the Gospels than do all of the wealthiest among the Muslims. There is a large Muslim population in India and some of them are quite wealthy and well-placed, but when it comes to spending in a good cause, most of them (with the exception of a few chiefs, ministers and officials) are found to be indifferent, apathetic and tight-fisted. They only indulge in their own passions and desires, and their minds stink of apathy and indifference. They have scant regard for Islam and its needs; but when their own honour and prestige are at stake they do not hesitate to part with their entire wealth. Those who show courage and resolve for their Faith (such as His Excellency Hazrat Khalifa Syed Muhammad Hassan Khan Bahadur, the Prime Minister of Patiala) are so few and far between that they hardly need to be counted on one’s fingers. Of course, some among them do spend in the cause of religion, but it is more as a ritual than a genuine desire to fulfil a real need. For instance, if one person builds a mosque, another will do the same merely out of rivalry. They will spend thousands without stopping to think if their money has served any real purpose. They do not realize that the most urgent need of this day is to spread religious teachings and that if people lose their faith there will be no one left to fill these mosques. They imagine that they can fortify their faith by building high and formidable minarets and embellishing them with beautiful marble, while they pay scant attention to the spiritual strength, loftiness and beauty [of Islam] that is presented by the Holy Quran and illustrated in the verse:

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Having become slaves of form and ritual like the Jews, they have no interest in inviting the world to the comfort and shade of the blessed tree of Islam. They fail to fulfil their religious obligations when the occasion arises. Indeed, they do not know how to fulfil them, nor do they care to learn. It is true that huge sums are spent every year by our people in the name of goodness and charity; but, sadly, few realize what true charity is. They spend blindly without any care or appreciation of the circumstances. Having thus emptied their pockets and exhausted their emotions, they fail to move a muscle when a real need presents itself, and try to make up for their former extravagances by resorting to miserliness and disregarding their obligations. These are the people whose generosity and benevolence does not spring from the true depths of their hearts but from their egos. Some people, for instance, build mosques in their old age, seeing it as an easy way to attain the bliss of the hereafter and a ready-made house in paradise. But when it comes to real acts of piety, they would not be at all perturbed if the ark of the Faith were to sink right before their eyes or Islam were to be destroyed in an instant. The Faith may perish for all they care! All their pain, all their concern, all their devotion, and all their daily dealings, pertain to the material world, but even in this aspect they have not been able to progress as much as other nations. Everyone who honestly tries to reform the ummah only ends up lamenting their apathy and callousness. The cry of [Alas for our people] is heard all around. I cannot speak for others, so I will recount my own ordeal.

It is in view of the widespread corruption and chaos prevalent in this age that I have written Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, wherein I have made the truth of Islam more evident than the shining sun with the help of 300 incontrovertible rational arguments. Since this book amounts to a clear victory over the opponents of Islam and satisfies the heartfelt desire of the Muslims, I naturally assumed that the affluent among them would appreciate its worth and lend their wholehearted support in overcoming the difficulties in its publication. Such has been my disappointment, however, that I am lost for words to describe it. !! [Allah alone can be depended upon for help. And Allah is the Best and Most Abiding!!]

Some people, far from helping me, have caused me a great deal of trouble and anxiety. I sent 150 copies of Part I to some affluent Muslims, hoping that they would readily buy it and send advance payment for the whole book, which is not a great amount. Thus, this religious objective would be easily accomplished and countless people would benefit from it. Therefore, I wrote almost a hundred and fifty letters apprising them of the situation, but, with the exception of two or three generous souls, no one bothered to reply or return the books. The money spent on post is certainly lost; but if the books are not returned, it will seriously imperil the whole endeavour. It is a pity that, instead of help and cooperation, I have received injury at the hands of my brethren. If this is how they intend to defend Islam, then all efforts to serve the Faith are doomed. I most humbly request these gentlemen that if they do not wish to make advance payment for the books, they should at least post them back to me. I will consider this a great favour and kindness on their part; otherwise, the first part will have to be re-printed at considerable expense. These are not copies of some newspaper whose loss would make no difference. Each part of the book is indispensable, without which the whole remains incomplete. Dear brothers! I urge you, in the name of God, to do away with apathy and heedlessness and stay away from such indifference in matters of faith. Try to appreciate my difficulty: if I do not have all parts of the book, what am I supposed to give to the buyers, and how am I to ask them for the advance payment that is so crucial to the publication of the remaining parts? The entire project shall become stalled and a religious objective that we all share will run into unnecessary difficulties.

Man expects good from others, I expect no good from you;
The least I can I ask is: Do not do evil unto me.

I have also been distressed by the remarks of some unintelligent people who are in no position to make valid observations in matters of faith because of their ignorance and indifference. When it was announced that the cost of the publication would be around 9,000 rupees, they started creating hurdles with hypocritical remarks instead of readily offering their support in view of the low price of the book and high cost of publication. They have been questioning the need for this book in the presence of such a vast corpus of religious literature. I do not care about such objections, for I know that the worldly-minded have their own interests at heart and always try to evade their religious obligations lest they have to part with a few pennies. But since, by denigrating this serious effort, they are trying to deprive people of its immense benefits and are sparing no opportunity to sting as is their wont, and since I do not want anybody to be misled by their senseless talk, I would like to reiterate what I said in Part I, that Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya has not been written without a true and urgent need. Had another book been able to fulfil the same objectives, I would have readily endorsed it and devoted myself to its propagation. In that case, it would have been pointless for me to sweat blood for so many years and to have wasted a cherished part of my life on something that had already been accomplished. But to my knowledge there is no book that comprises all the arguments and proofs that I have collected and whose publication is so crucial in this age for establishing the divine origin of Islam. I saw no choice but to publish it to meet this exigency. Let those who doubt produce a book like it. Otherwise, continuing with senseless talk and barring the creatures of Allah from a source of grace is a great sin.

Bear in mind that the observation made above is no attempt at self-praise. If I have undertaken some research that the eminent scholars of the past did not, and if I have advanced arguments that they did not, it is only because every age has its own requirements. This neither elevates my humble position, nor takes anything away from their lofty status. Living in times when corrupt ideas had not spread to such an extent, they mostly had to deal with misguided beliefs which people had inherited from their forefathers. No doubt, the approach they adopted proved sufficient to correct the ills of their times. We, on the other hand, live in an age in which corrupt beliefs are spreading so forcefully that past methods have proven seriously inadequate. This age calls for thorough investigation and research to cure its ills and, as with every age, it requires its own new literature. The reason, as stated above, is that there are times when the disorders abate, and at other times they intensify. Sometimes they arise in one way, and at other times, in a different way. When an author seeks to redress them, he has to identify, like an skilled physician, the nature and extent of the illness and suggest the best possible remedy. This remedy should be administered in the most suitable way, bearing in mind the nature and severity of the illness. If a book fails to adequately address the problems of its contemporary readers, it is useless and ineffectual; it does not have the power to penetrate the heart of the sceptics and root out their doubts. With even a little reflection, our critics will realize that the forms of corruption that have presently engulfed the world have no parallel in history. Whereas people in the past mostly fell prey to blind following, the danger we face today is the misuse of reason. Whereas people of the earlier ages were corrupted by senselessly following irrational ideas, they are now being led astray by false reasoning and logic. This is why pious and eminent scholars of the past did not have to employ the kind of arguments and reasoning that we have to employ today. The new light of our age (woe if this be light) is vitiating the spirituality of the newly educated. Instead of glorifying God, they glorify themselves; instead of following His guidance, they take themselves to be the guides. Today’s youth are generally inclined towards finding rational explanations and causes for all things, but on account of insufficient knowledge and wisdom, they end up being led astray rather than being guided. Perversion of thought and perception has greatly impaired their power to draw rightful conclusions. The profusion of divergent thoughts and ideas has thrown people of lesser understanding into great confusion.

Sophistic rhetoric has further confounded the minds of the youth. Things that were self-evident and perfectly rational have become dubious in their eyes and what is totally absurd is hailed as absolute truth. Actions that are inconsistent with human dignity are termed as the epitome of civilization, while true civilized behaviour is downplayed and ridiculed. It was in this backdrop, and for such self-styled scholars who blow their own trumpet, that I wrote Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, which contains 300 incontrovertible, rational arguments for the divine origin of the Holy Quran—the Word of God to which these people have so arrogantly turned their backs. It is perfectly clear that he who is enchanted by reason can only be satisfied by reason, and he who is misled by reason can only be guided back by reason.

Every believer ought to realize how this book, which comprises 300 rational arguments, will benefit mankind and dispel the doubts of all sceptics and reveal the light of Islam in all its glory and splendour. Only those who do not reflect upon the plight of the age, or ignore its ills and their consequences, or have no interest in faith, or bear no love for God and His Messenger(sa) will ignore such an important project. Friends! In these turbulent times Islam can only stand its ground if it repels the besieging forces of misguidance with an equal force and defends itself against the enemy onslaught with the mighty power of truth. The pitch darkness that has engulfed the world will only be dispelled when a vast number of proofs in support of Islam enlighten the world and the rays of its truth spread in all directions. In these times, which are riven with differences, spiritual unity can only be brought about by a closely reasoned book, which not only reveals the profound secrets of the ultimate reality but also helps man reach the true source of the reality upon whose knowledge depends the contentment of hearts.

Dear elders! It is extremely naive to think that we can defend our religion in this age without employing the most effective rational proofs and arguments. Look around and see how opinionated people have become and how adversely the progress of rational sciences has affected their thinking. Educated people have developed a strange kind of liberalism. Their conceited hearts are devoid of the bliss that springs from simplicity, humility and purity. Most of what they learn draws them away from religion; and many, on account of their compounded ignorance, try to assume the role of philosophers even before they have learned to undertake proper research.

Have mercy on your children, your community and your countrymen and pull them towards the truth and rectitude before they are irretrievably drawn into falsehood. You will thus be doing a great service to your children. And the world, too, will find out that in comparison with Islam, the other religions are devoid of substance. The divine law of nature teaches us that effort and striving is most often the means to success and that those who are neglectful and indolent remain for the most part deprived and unfortunate. If you strive to spread the truthfulness of Islam, which is truth, God shall never allow your efforts to go in vain. He has blessed us with hundreds of incontrovertible proofs for the truth of Islam whereas our opponents are empty-handed, and He has established us on the truth while others rest on falsehood. They cannot even remotely imagine the kind of genuine enthusiasm that a righteous person has for demonstrating the glory of the One God. And yet, relentless effort is something so effective that the followers of falsehood can also sometimes reap benefits from it. Their efforts, like those of a persistent thief, can bear fruit once in a while. Take the Christians, for instance, whose principles appear absurd even at a cursory glance, and yet the consistent efforts of their missionaries have resulted in the growing popularity of their faith, so much so that each year they proudly publish reports of four to eight thousand people joining their ranks. The latest estimates of Christian conversions given by Father Hacker of Calcutta are worrying, to say the least. He writes that whereas there were only 27,000 Christians in India fifty years ago, the number has now risen to 500,000. !! [To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return!!4] Elders of Islam! Do you await a time of an even greater spread of misguidance? There was a time when Islam was the living illustration of the Quranic verse:

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And look at what is happening today! Do your hearts not bleed at this calamity and are you not overwhelmed by anguish? O men of knowledge and wisdom! It is not so hard to understand that the corruption that has resulted from religious ignorance can only be eliminated through the spread of religious knowledge. It is with this objective in mind that I have written Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, wherein I have demonstrated the truth of Islam so unequivocally that it will bring final victory to Islam in all the long-standing disputes.

Also, remember that the appeals that I have made for assistance in its publication are solely for the benefit of all Muslims. It is obvious that a book, whose publication cost runs into thousands and whose price has been fixed at less than half of its actual cost—from twenty-five to ten rupees—so as to make it easily accessible to the Muslims, cannot be published without the help and cooperation of generous Muslims. I pity those who, in response to my appeals, say that they will buy the book only after all its parts have been published. They should bear in mind that this is not some kind of business enterprise. I have no interest in their money, except insofar as it helps the cause of Islam. Now is the time to help when it is needed. Offering help afterwards will be like administering medicine to one who has already recovered; it would not merit any reward.

One is left to wonder how the love of the Faith has disappeared from people’s hearts. They spend thousands for their own honour and prestige without giving it a second thought, but start making all kinds of excuses to avoid serving the matters pertaining to faith—the ultimate objective of this transitory existence. They profess to believe in God and the hereafter, but the truth is that in reality they neither believe in God nor in the hereafter. If they were to consider for a moment as to how much, out of their God-given wealth, they have spent for the gratification of their own egos in a year and compare it with what they have spent for the sake of God towards the welfare of mankind in the entire course of their lives, the realization of their own duplicity will put them to shame. But who will bother to reflect in this way and who can remove the veils that cover the hearts!

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It was in view of such parsimonious and worldly-minded people that some of my revered friends—who, you can rest assured, are ardent lovers of the Faith—being human, have suggested that it was perhaps not a good idea to write a voluminous book that would require so much money to publish. I humbly submit to them that if I had omitted to record hundreds of truths and verities that have caused the book to gain such volume, its very purpose would have been defeated. As far as the question of raising the funds is concerned, my friends need not alarm me. Let them know that I have greater trust in my Omnipotent and Magnanimous Lord than a close-fisted miser has in his coffers, whose keys are tucked away in his pocket. God, who has power over all things, will defend His Faith and His Oneness. He will come to the aid of His servant.

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Printed at Safir-e-Hind, Amritsar