A General Notice to My Entire Community

Concerning a Resident of Jammu Named Charagh Din

The person in question has published perhaps one or two announcements concerning the plague after claiming to support my Movement and stating that he belonged to the Ahmadiyya Community as he had taken bai‘at. Portions of these announcements were briefly read out to me, but I had not yet heard the objectionable part. Thus, I consented to their publication believing this to be of no harm. Regrettably, however, because of the number of people with me at the time and other distractions I was unable to listen to certain dangerous remarks and inappropriate claims contained within the footnotes. Out of goodwill, permission for the publication of these announcements was granted.

Now, when another of Charagh Din’s essays was read out last evening, it came to light that this essay was dangerous and noxious, even pernicious to Islam and was overflowing with senseless and false ideas from beginning to end. In it, he writes that not only is he a Rasul [Messenger], but a Messenger with great resolve. Moreover, he writes that his mission is to bring about peace between Christians and Muslims, and reconcile the mutual differences between the Quran and the Gospel; he would do all of this as a disciple of ibn Maryam [the son of Mary] and be called a Rasul.

As everyone is aware, the Holy Quran has never claimed that it would reconcile with the Gospel or the Torah. In fact, it declares that these books have been subjected to interpolation and alteration, and that they are defective and imperfect. Moreover, the Quran claims that it alone has been crowned with the distinction 1. It is our belief that the Gospel, the Torah, and other similar books bear no value in comparison to the Holy Quran, and that they are indeed imperfect, interpolated, and altered. All good is found in the Holy Quran, as is intimated in the following revelation, which was recorded twenty-two years ago in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya:

See page 5112 of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya. This means: ‘Say to them, “See that I am a man just like yourselves; I have received the revelation that God is One, He has no partner, and all good is comprehended in the Quran.” Good-natured people understand the truth of this matter.’

So, what book should we seek besides the Quran. How can we consider it to be incomplete? God has told me that the Christian faith has died completely, and the Gospel is a lifeless and incomplete word. Can there be any comparison between that which is dead and that which is alive. We cannot reconcile with Christianity in any way as it is entirely worthless and false. Today, there is no book that exists beneath the heavens other than the Holy Quran. Twenty-two years ago, the following revelation was recorded in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya on page 2413 in relation to myself:

This means that the Jews and Christians will never reconcile with me. (Here the term ‘Christians’ applies to the priests and other promoters of the Gospel.) Then it was revealed that these people have unjustly fashioned, out of their own fancy, sons and daughters for God, and they do not understand that ibn Maryam was a humble man. If God should so desire, He could create another person like ‘Isa bin Maryam [Jesus son of Mary] or someone who is even better than him, as He has indeed done; but God is One, without partner, He is free from death and birth, and there is none like unto Him. This [revelation] indicates that the Christians had gone on raising a clamour that the Messiah too, in his nearness to God and eminence of person, was unique and without partner. Now, God says, look here, I will create his match, who shall in fact be superior to him and his name is ‘Ghulam Ahmad(saw)’, meaning, the servant of Ahmad(saw) [i.e. the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw)].

Life-giving is the goblet of Ahmad(saw),
How dear is the name Ahmad(saw).

There may be a hundred Prophets, but I swear by God,
That the greatest of all in rank is Ahmad(saw);

I have eaten the fruit of the orchard of Ahmad(saw),
My garden is the word of Ahmad(saw).

Speak no more of Ibn Maryam [the son of Mary],
Superior to him is Ghulam-e-Ahmad(saw) [the servant of Ahmad(saw)].

These verses are not mere poetic caprice; they are an exposition of truth, and if evidence does not establish that I have been granted greater support than the Masih ibn Maryam [Messiah son of Mary], then I am a liar. God has supported me, not for my own sake, but for the sake of the Prophet who has been wronged [i.e. Muhammad(saw)]. The remaining translation of this revelation is that the Christian people will make plans to inflict harm, and Allah will also make His plans, and those will be days of tribulations and say: ‘O God, grant me a space in a holy land.’ This is a kind of spiritual migration, and until now, the way I understand its meaning is that, ultimately, a transformation will occur in the land and the world will begin to shine with piety and truth.

Now just consider for a moment how poles apart we are from the Christians. They declare that holy person to be a liar whom we consider to be the paragon of all creation. To achieve any reconciliation both parties must first strike a compromise. But given the extent to which our religion and our Book consider the religion of Christianity utterly foul and unholy, as indeed it is, how then can there be any agreement between us. In view of this vast religious divide there really can be no room for compromise. Rather, the only end is that false creeds are vanquished, and the virtuous people of the world accept the truth and then will the world come to an end.

We have no agreement with the Christians from a religious perspective. In fact, our response to them is this:

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What kind of an impure prophethood is this, to which Charagh Din has made a claim? How shameful that a person who proclaims to be my follower can make the reviled claim that he is a Messenger sent by the Masih ibn Maryam in order to reconcile between these two religions. [The curse of Allah be upon the disbelievers].

In the Holy Quran God says that the ill [doctrines] of Christianity would well-nigh cause the earth to burst thereat and the heavens to break into pieces. How can we seek reconciliation with this [belief]? Furthermore, despite his utter lack of sense, understanding, and piety, Charagh Din claims to be a Messenger of Allah and thereby ridicules the system of God and belittles the station of Messengers and Prophets. Owing to his uncultivated intellect he has failed to grasp that although in earlier times certain Messengers were sent to support others in their very lifetimes—as was the case with Harun [Aaron] who was raised alongside Hazrat Musa [Moses]—Khatamul-Anbiya’ [the Seal of the Prophets] and the Khatamul-Auliya’ [the Seal of the Auliya’] are exempt from this practice. Just as no one was divinely commissioned alongside the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, or raised as a Messenger in his time, and all of his Companions followed one guide, similarly, at this time, everyone follows one guide; no one else has the right to claim that he is, God forbid, a Messenger.

I have not come accompanied by two angels alone, but with thousands. In the sight of God, praiseworthy are those who have long assisted me for years on end. In my view and in the estimation of God their help has proven true. But what of Charagh Din’s help? His presence and absence have made no difference at all. This organised effort on my part has been ongoing for almost thirty years now, whereas he has sprung forth only a few months ago. I cannot recognise his appearance well enough to even identify him. He has not lived in my company for any length of time. I cannot imagine what service he might render me. Will he assist me in manifesting the sign of writing Arabic prose or in the exposition of hidden Quranic truths. Will he aid me in the intricate discussions I engage in for the advancement of natural and philosophical argumentation that rebut the Christians and followers of other religions? I know that he is bereft of all these areas of knowledge. The error of his nafs-e-’ammarah [self that incites to evil] has made him conceited. So from this day forth he is cut off from my Community, until he publishes a detailed confession of repentance, and forever disavows the foul ministry to which he has made a claim.

How lamentable that the unfounded manner in which he has exalted himself has led him to defame my true helpers, and confer upon the repugnant faith of the Christians a status of parity with Islam. I care not for such people, for they can neither harm nor help me. Our Community should completely stay away from such a person. Because I was not fully acquainted with his writings I allowed him to have them published, but now such writings ought to be torn into pieces. [And peace be on those who follow the guidance].

Announced humbly by,
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian
23 April 1902

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