3

That light of high degree that was bestowed on perfect man was not in angels, was not in stars, was not in the moon, was not in the sun, was not in the oceans and the rivers, was not in rubies, emeralds, sapphires, or pearls; in short, it was not in any earthly or heavenly object. It was only in perfect man whose highest and loftiest and most perfect example was our lord and master, the Chief of the Prophets, the Chief of all living ones, Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. That light was bestowed on this man and, according to their ranks, upon all those who bore the same colour to some degree. This dignity was found in its highest and most perfect form in our lord and master and our guide, the immaculate Prophet, the righteous one, testified to by the righteous, Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

I always wonder how high was the status of this Arabian Prophet, whose name was Muhammad, (thousands of blessings and peace be upon him). One cannot reach the limit of his high status and it is not given to man to estimate correctly his spiritual effectiveness. It is a pity that his rank has not been recognized, as it should have been. He was the champion who restored to the world the Unity of God which had disappeared from the world; he loved God in the extreme and his soul melted out of sympathy for mankind. Therefore, God, Who knew the secret of his heart, exalted him above all the Prophets and all the first ones and the last ones and bestowed upon him in his lifetime all that he desired.

He is the fountainhead of every grace and a person who claims any superiority without acknowledging his grace is not a man but is the spawn of Satan, because the Holy Prophet has been bestowed the key to every exaltation and he has been given the treasury of every understanding. He who does not receive through him is deprived forever. I am nothing and possess nothing. I would be most ungrateful if I were not to confess that I have learnt of the true Unity of God through this Prophet. The recognition of the Living God we have achieved through this perfect Prophet and through his light. The honour of converse with God, through which we behold His countenance, has been bestowed upon me through this great Prophet. The ray of this sun of guidance falls like sunshine upon me and I continue illumined only so long as I am adjusted towards it.

O all ye who dwell upon the earth, and O all human souls that are in the east or in the west, I announce to you emphatically that the true reality in the earth is Islam alone, and the True God is the God Who is described in the Qur’an, and the Prophet who has everlasting spiritual life and who is seated on the throne of glory and holiness, is Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. The proof of his spiritual life and holy majesty is that by following him and loving him we become recipients of the Holy Spirit and are favoured with the bounty of converse with God and witness heavenly signs.

The man who in his being and his attributes and his actions and through his spiritual and holy faculties set an example of perfection, in knowledge and action and in sincerity and steadfastness, and was called the perfect man was Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].... The man who was most perfect as man and as Prophet, and came with full blessings, and who through a spiritual revival and resurrection manifested the first Judgement in the world and revived the dead world, that blessed Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets, the leader of the righteous ones, the pride of the Prophets, was Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Our Lord, send down on that beloved Prophet that mercy and blessing that Thou hast not sent down on anyone since the beginning of the world. Had that grand Prophet not appeared in the world then we would have no proof of the truth of lesser Prophets like Jonah, Job, Jesus son of Mary, Malachi, John, Zechariah, etc. Though they were favourites and honoured and were beloved ones of Almighty God, they are under obligation to this Prophet that they were accepted in the world as true Prophets.

O Allah, send down Thy blessings on him and on his people and on his companions, all of them. Our last word is that all praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

When we estimate justly, then out of the whole series of Prophets, we find one of high courage and alive and greatly dear to God, the Chief of the Prophets, the pride and the crown of the Messengers, whose name is Muhammad Mustafa and Ahmad Mujtaba [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. By walking under his shadow for ten days one obtains that light which before him could not be obtained in a thousand years We have found every light by following the immaculate Prophet and whoever follows him will also find it and he will become so accepted of God that nothing will be impossible for him. The Living God, Who is hidden from people, will be his God and all false gods will be trodden under his feet. He will be blessed everywhere and Divine Power will be with him. Peace be on him who follows the guidance.

Now under heaven there is only one Prophet (sas) and only one Book. The Prophet is Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] who is higher and more exalted than all Prophets and is the most perfect of Messengers and is the Khatam-ul-Anbiya’, and the best of men by following whom we find God Almighty and all the veils of darkness are lifted and the signs of true salvation are witnessed in this very life. The Book is the Holy Qur’an, which comprises true and perfect guidance and effectiveness, through which knowledge and understanding of the Divine are obtained and the heart is purified of human weaknesses; and being delivered from ignorance, heedlessness and doubts, a person arrives at the stage of complete certainty.

[Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 1, pp. 557-558, sub-footnote 3]

There have been millions of pure-natured people in the world and there will be more in future, but we have found the best of all of them and the highest man of God, whose name is Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

We shall leave aside any mention of the holy ones from among those people whose circumstances have not been described in detail in the Holy Qur’an. We shall express our view only with regard to the Prophets who are mentioned in the Qur’an like Moses, David, Jesus and other Prophets [peace be on them]. We affirm it on oath, calling God to witness, that if the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] had not come into the world, and the Holy Qur’an had not been revealed, and we had not seen with our own eyes the blessings that we have witnessed, the truth of all past Prophets would have remained doubtful in our eyes.

No reality can be gathered from mere stories, for it is quite possible that they may not be true and it is also possible that the miracles that are attributed to these Prophets might be exaggerations, for no sign of them is visible today. We cannot even ascertain for certain from the Books revealed in the past that God truly exists, or that He speaks to man. But through the advent of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] all these stories became real. We now realize not merely as a statement, but as a matter of experience, what converse with the Divine means and how God’s signs are manifested and how prayers are answered. All this we have discovered by following the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and what other people relate as stories we have witnessed it all. We have attached ourselves to a Prophet who manifests God to us. A poet has put it beautifully:

Muhammad of Arabia, King of both the worlds;
Whose threshold is safeguarded by the Holy Spirit.

How shall we express our gratitude to God who bestowed upon us the good fortune to follow the Prophet who is a sun for the souls of the righteous as there is a sun for the bodies. He appeared in a time of darkness and illumined the world with his light. He was neither tired nor fatigued till he purified all parts of Arabia from associating partners with God. He is the proof of his own truth for his light is present in every age and true obedience to him purifies a person as the clear and transparent water of a river cleanses dirty linen. Who has come to us with a sincere heart and has not witnessed that light, and who has knocked honestly on that door for whom it has not been opened? But the pity is that most people prefer the lower life and do not desire that higher light should enter into them.

Knowledge of Allah’s Attributes Granted to the Holy Prophet

This means: O my Lord! Grant me perfect knowledge of Your greatness, Your ways and Your attributes.

Reading these two verses together, we find that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] became the foremost of the Muslims because he was the most learned in the knowledge of Divine understanding. For this reason, his Islam is the highest of all and he is the foremost of the Muslims. Another verse also indicates the vastness of his knowledge as is said:

This means that: God Almighty has taught you what you could not have learnt by yourself, and by His grace you are blessed more than anyone else.

That is to say, the Holy Prophet surpassed everyone in his knowledge and understanding of the divine and God Almighty perfumed him with the fragrance of divine understanding more than anyone else. Thus, God has appointed knowledge and understanding as the principal means of obtaining a true concept of Islam.

Though there are other means for obtaining such knowledge, like fasting, Prayer, supplication and carrying out all the Divine commandments, the number of which exceeds six hundred, yet the knowledge of the Greatness of God and of His Unity and of His attributes of Glory and Beauty is basic for everything. He who has a heedless heart and has no understanding of the Divine, cannot obtain the strength to observe the fast, perform Prayer, make supplication, or occupy himself with doing good. All righteous action is incited by understanding of the Divine and all the other means proceed from it and are its issue.

The beginning of this understanding is the reflection of God’s Rahmaniyyat and is not the result of any action or any prayer, but is a gift of pure grace. He guides whom He wills and He lets go astray whom He wills.

This understanding is then fostered by righteous action and good faith, till it assumes the form of revelation and descending in the word of God, illumines the whole expanse of the bosom with the light which is called Islam.

Excellence of Obeying the Holy Prophet (sas)

At the stage of perfect understanding, Islam does not remain a mere phrase, but all its reality that we have described is achieved and the human soul prostrates itself humbly before Divine Unity. Thereupon, from both sides it is announced: Whatever is mine is thine. That is to say, the human soul cries out and confesses: Lord whatever is mine is Thine; and God also speaks and conveys the good news: O My servant, the heaven and earth etc. that are with Me are with thee also. This stage is indicated in the verse:

Say: O my servants who have committed excesses against your own selves despair not of the mercy of Allah, surely Allah will forgive all sins.

In this verse instead of: O servants of Allah; the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was commanded to say: O my servants. This verse was revealed in this form so that God Almighty might convey the good news of limitless mercies and might comfort those who are broken-hearted in consequence of their sins. Thus, Allah the Glorious desired to exhibit a sample of His mercies and to make it manifest to what extent He honours His faithful servant with special favours. By adopting the form: Say: O my servants; God in effect said: Look at My beloved Messenger and see at what high rank he has arrived through his perfect obedience to Me that now all that is Mine is his. He who desires salvation should become his servant. That is to say, he should obey him so perfectly as if he was his slave. Then whatever sins he might have committed will be forgiven him. The word ‘abd in Arabic idiom also means slave as it is said:

In the verse to which we have drawn attention, it is indicated that he who desires salvation should establish the relationship of a slave with this Prophet. That is to say, he should not step outside his commandment and should consider himself bound to his obedience as a slave is bound and he would then obtain salvation. One pities those benighted souls who bear such rancour towards the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] that they consider that names like Ghulam Nabi, Ghulam Rasul, Ghulam Mustafa, Ghulam Ahmad and Ghulam Muhammad, amount to associating the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] with God, whereas the verse indicates that these names are a means of salvation. As ‘abd implies that a person so named should refrain from every kind of freedom and self-direction and should be completely obedient to his master, therefore, the seekers after truth have been urged that if they wish to attain salvation they should adapt themselves to this condition. This verse has the same connotation as the verse:

Perfect following demands that devotion and full obedience which is conveyed in the expression ‘abd. The verse: Say: O my servants; means in effect: Say: O my followers, who are involved in sins, despair not of mercy of Allah; for Allah, through the blessing of your following me, will forgive all your sins. If the word servants in this verse is construed as meaning the servants of Allah, the meaning of the verse is perverted for it cannot be true that God Almighty would forgive all idol worshippers and disbelievers without their believing in and following the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Such an interpretation would be contrary to the express directions of the Holy Qur’an.

It should be remembered that the purport of the verse is that those who become the sincere servants of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] will be bestowed the light, the faith, the love and the passion which will deliver them from all that is beside Allah, and they will be freed from sins and will be bestowed a pure life in this world and they will be delivered from the narrow and dark graves of human passions. This is indicated by the Hadith:

The Holy Qur’an is full of the idiom that the world had died and that God Almighty revived it through sending the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] as is said:

In the same way, it is said with reference to the companions of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]:

The help of the Holy Spirit is that it revives the hearts, delivers from spiritual death, bestows pure faculties, pure senses and pure knowledge, and carries a person to the station of nearness to God through certain knowledge and conclusive arguments.... This knowledge on which salvation depends cannot be obtained without that life which is bestowed through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Qur’an affirms it emphatically that that spiritual life is obtained only through following the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and that all those who repudiate obedience to him are dead and do not possess that life. Spiritual life means the intellectual and active faculties which are brought to life by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Qur’an shows that the commandments of God to which He desires man to conform are six hundred. In consonance with this the wings of Gabriel are also six hundred. Till the egg of humanness lies under the wings of Gabriel bearing these six hundred commandments, it cannot hatch the baby of being completely lost in Allah. The reality of man has the capacity of six hundred eggs. A person whose six hundred eggs are covered by the six hundred wings of the capacity of Gabriel is the perfect man whose spiritual birth is perfect and whose life is perfect. If one looks with care one finds that the spiritual issue of the egg of humanness which by the blessing of the following of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] were born to the Holy Spirit, are more perfect and complete than the spiritual children of all the other Prophets. This is indicated by the verse:

Revival of the Faith in Unity Through the Holy Prophet (sas)

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 Mecca 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 Mecca 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 (sas).

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 recognized that great Prophet (sas) who set forth thousands of examples of true sympathy with mankind. I perceive, however, that the time has arrived when this Holy Messenger (sas) would be recognized. 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.

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.

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.

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].

Bounties of Allah Upon the Followers of the Holy Prophet (sas)

We should not let a doubt enter our minds 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-ul-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 recognizer 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:

[Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 1 pp. 529-532, sub-footnote 3]

The claim of our Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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’ [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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.

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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] are not mere stories. By obeying the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

The proof of spiritual life is to be found in the blessed person of the Holy Prophet [peace and thousands of mercies of God be on him]. 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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.

To the degree that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. This is affirmed in the Word of God as it is said:

I am the practical and living proof of this Divine promise. You will recognize 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.

The necessary consequence of following in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. 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:

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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him], 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] in 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.

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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him], 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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.

Advent of Holy Prophet (sas) 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, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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-ul-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 Ruhul-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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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 (sas) 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 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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] have mentioned this station. As the station of Jesus and myself is such that metaphorically it can be described as sonship, in the same way, the station of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is so grand that past Prophets have metaphorically described the appearance of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] as the appearance of God Almighty and his coming has been described as the coming of God Almighty.

It is not only Jesus who has described the advent of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] 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 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-ul-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 [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

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.16

The words: ‘The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man,’ are a metaphorical description of the awe-striking advent of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. (See Isaiah, Chapter 42). Many other Prophets have used this metaphor in their prophecies concerning the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

Holy Prophet (sas)’s Station of Intercession

The question of salvation and intercession is a grand religious subject and the whole purpose of following a religion culminates in it. For testing the truth of a religion, it is a clear and open criterion through which it can be known with full satisfaction that such and such religion is true and from God. It is absolutely correct that a religion which has not set forth this question properly or which is unable to show among its followers with clear distinction present samples of those who have attained salvation, needs no other argument to establish its falsehood; but the religion which has correctly displayed the true reality of salvation and has put forth such men in its present stage, into whom the spirit of salvation has been fully breathed, has set a seal on its being true and from God.

It is quite clear that man by nature feels that he stands in need of a strong hand to help him out of hundreds of kinds of negligence, veils, onslaughts of the self, weakness, and ever-prowling darkness, as well as continuous fears and doubts from the various kinds of worldly trials and tribulations. Inasmuch as man is weak by nature, he cannot for one moment trust himself to emerge from the darkness of the ego. This is the testimony of human conscience. Besides, common sense also demands that an intercessor is needed for salvation, for God Almighty is in the highest station of Holiness and Purity, and man is in the extreme pit of darkness and sinfulness, and on account of lack of relationship and resemblance, the average human person is not fit that he should attain salvation by receiving Divine grace direct. Therefore, Divine Wisdom and Mercy demanded that some perfect individuals, who possess a special purity in their nature, should serve as a means of approach between mankind and God Almighty. They should be people whose natures should have taken on a portion of heavenly qualities and a portion of earthly qualities, so that on account of the appropriateness of their heavenly qualities they should receive Divine grace, and on account of their earthly qualities, they should convey this grace which they have received from above to mankind.

It is quite correct to say that men of this type, on account of the perfection of their heavenly and earthly qualities, possess a special distinction among men. They are in a way a different kind of creation. The eagerness which they possess for the manifestation of God’s glory and greatness, and the faithfulness with which their hearts are filled, and the upsurge of sympathy for human beings that they are bestowed, is such an extraordinary matter that it is difficult for others to imagine. It needs to be remembered, however, that all these persons are not equal in rank and that some are at a high level of the natural superiorities, and others are at a lower level and still others at a level which is even lower.

The pure conscience of a reasonable person can easily understand that the question of intercession is not something fake or artificial. On the contrary, there are built-in precedents thereof in the Divine scheme of things. The law of nature, too, bears witness to it. The philosophy of intercession can be understood as following. The root word for intercession in Arabic (shuf‘a) means a pair. So intercession (shafa‘at) indicates that a necessary quality of an intercessor is that he should be related to both sides. On one side, his soul should have a strong relationship with God Almighty as if through perfect union he formed a pair and a connecting link with the Divine, and on the other, he should also be closely attached to mankind as if he were part of their limbs. In short, for intercession to take place, both these elements are necessary.

That is why Divine Wisdom created Adam in such manner that from the very beginning he established these two relationships in his nature. One relationship was established with God as is said in the Holy Qur’an:

When I have perfected him (Adam) and have breathed into him My spirit, do ye all angels fall down in prostration at once.

This shows that with the creation of Adam God established a relationship with him by breathing into him of His spirit. This was done so that man should have a natural relationship with God. In the same way, it was necessary that Adam should have a natural relationship with mankind; as they would be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, they would partake of the spirit which was breathed into Adam and thus Adam would naturally be their intercessor. It is necessary that a person who has descended from him should partake in the righteousness which has been bestowed upon Adam by the breathing into him of the spirit, as is obvious that the young of an animal partake of the qualities and actions of their father. This is also the essence of intercession that a natural heir should partake of the qualities of his ancestor. As we have explained, the root word for intercessor in Arabic derives from pair, which also means consort. Thus, a person who is by nature the consort of another will partake of the qualities of the latter.

This is the basis of the inheritance of qualities. A man’s child partakes of human qualities and the foal of a horse partakes of the qualities of a horse. In other words, this inheritance is deriving benefit from intercession. As the essence of intercession is the relationship of consorts, a person who desires to benefit from the intercession of another must have a natural relationship with that person so that he should be given whatever has been bestowed upon the nature of the other. This relationship subsists in human nature as a gift that one person is part of another, and it can also be promoted by acquisition. When a person desires that there should be an increase in the natural love and sympathy that he has for mankind such increase can be achieved in proportion to the circle of his nature. In the same way, love surges up in the heart of one person for another and increases to such a degree that the lover can find no comfort without the company of the beloved, and in the end the intensity of his love affects the heart of the other person also. He who loves another to the extreme is the one who wishes him well sincerely and in a perfect manner.

Thus, love is at the root of intercession when it is accompanied by a natural relationship, for without a natural relationship the perfection of love, which is a condition of intercession, is not possible. In order to invest human nature with this relationship, God Almighty did not create Eve separately from Adam, but created her from Adam’s rib as is said in the Holy Qur’an:

God created Eve as Adam’s mate from Adam so that Adam’s relationship to her and her progeny should be natural and not artificial. This was done so that the relationship and sympathy between the children of Adam should be lasting, inasmuch as natural relationship is lasting and non-natural relationship is not lasting for it lacks the attraction which characterizes natural relationship. Thus, God created naturally both kinds of relationship which Adam should have had, with God and with mankind.

It is thus obvious that the perfect man, who is capable of being an intercessor, must be one who partakes perfectly of both these relationships, and without this man cannot be perfect. After Adam also, the way of God was that both these relationships were considered necessary for a person who was to be an intercessor, that is to say, one relationship was that the heavenly spirit was breathed into him and God established such a relationship with him as if He descended upon him, and the second relationship was that of the consortship of mankind which was strengthened between Adam and Eve and mutual love and sympathy which shone forth between them more brightly than between others. It was because of this that these people were attracted to their wives. And this is the most apparent sign that they possess the spirit of sympathy for mankind. This is indicated by the Hadith:

That is to say, the person who is most kind to mankind can only be the one who is kind to his wife. For he who treats his wife harshly cannot possibly behave beneficently towards others, inasmuch as God having created Adam, made his wife the first object of his love. Therefore, he who does not love his wife or has no wife to love, cannot attain to the status of a perfect man and lacks one of the conditions of intercession. Even if he is sinless, he is not capable of intercession. He who marries a woman lays the foundation for himself of sympathy with mankind, for a wife becomes the means of establishing a wide circle of relationships and, when children are born, this circle is widened even more. The children in turn find wives and thus their children too come to have grandmothers and uncles of their own. In this way, such a person becomes habituated towards love and sympathy and the circle of this habit being extended, his sympathy is extended towards everyone. But those who are reared in celibacy, find no opportunity of extending this habit and their hearts are left dry and hard.

Sinlessness has nothing to do with intercession, because ‘Ismat—sinlessness—only means negation or avoidance of sin. The definition of sin is that a person should earn punishment by deliberately breaking the commandments of God. It is thus clear that sinlessness and intercession are not interrelated for minor children and congenital idiots are also sinless for they are not capable of wilful disobedience. Nor do they earn punishment in the estimation of God on account of any action of theirs. They are entitled to be considered sinless, but are they entitled to be intercessors for mankind and to be called saviours?…

As I have just explained, it is necessary for an intercessor that he should have a deep relationship with God, as if God has descended into his heart and his humanness having died he has become the subject of heavenly manifestations, and his soul has melted and flowed like water towards God and has arrived at the extreme point of nearness to Him. It is also necessary for an intercessor that his heart should be overpowered with sympathy for the one for whom he desires to intercede, and the intensity of his agony should make him feel as if his limbs are separating themselves from his body and his senses are all scattered. His sympathy should carry him to a stage which exceeds that of father and mother and every sharer in sorrow. When these two conditions are created in a person, he is united on the one side with the heavenly station and on the other with the earthly station. Then both sides of the scale are in balance, that is to say, there is a perfect manifestation of the heavenly and also a perfect manifestation of the earthly and he is thus suspended midway between the two.

Referring to the Holy Prophet’s station of intercession, the Holy Qur’an affirms his status as the perfect man by saying:

This means that: The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] ascended towards God and approached as near to Him as was possible and acquired all the perfections of nearness and partook fully of the heavenly station, and then leaned perfectly towards the earthly station and arrived at the extreme point of service and worship and partook fully of the pure essentials of humanness, namely love and sympathy for mankind, denoting earthly perfection. Thus, he arrived at the point of perfection on the one side in the love of God and, on the other, in the love of mankind. As he approached God fully and then approached mankind fully it became the case of one chord between two bows and thus fulfilled the condition for intercession. Indeed, in His Word, God bore witness for him that he occupied a place between God and mankind like a common chord between two bows.

That is to say: The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was commanded to inform people that he had become completely freed from himself and that all his worship was wholly for God.…

This verse indicates that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] had become so devoted to and lost in God that every breath of his life and even his death had become wholly God’s, and that his ego and the creation and means had no part in his being, and that his soul was prostrated so sincerely at the threshold of God that nothing else had the slightest share in it.…

As the love of God, and arriving at a high station in nearness to Him, is a matter of which other people cannot be aware, God Almighty made manifest such of the actions of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] as show that he had adopted God in preference to everything else, and that every particle of his was so saturated with the love and greatness of God that his being was like a mirror for the full observation of Divine manifestations. The effects of the perfect love of God, which can possibly be imagined, were all displayed in the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

Holy Prophet (sas)’s Nearness to God Almighty

God does not create another god like Himself, because His attribute of Unity and of being Peerless, which is eternal, prevents Him from doing so.…

But He does create a sample of His Peerless Being by investing one of His creation, as a reflection, with His attributes which in reality belong to Him alone. There is an indication of this in the Holy Qur’an in the verse:

Here by the possessor of high ranks is meant our Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] upon whom were bestowed the highest ranks which are the reflection of Divine attributes and he became a mirror reflecting God, thus manifesting in a perfect degree, the vicegerence of God for the perfection of which not only mankind but the whole universe was created. This is a very fine point and our opponents, who are unaware of these fine points, and are not acquainted with these Divine mysteries, will wonder how out of millions of human beings only one person could achieve the rank of perfect vicegerence of God, which is the reflection of Godhead.

This is not the place to enter into a detailed exposition of this matter, but we consider it necessary to point out, in order to make it clear to a seeker after truth, that it is Divine law which is in accord with His attribute of Unity that, Himself being One, in His manifestations of His attribute of creation, He pays regard to Unity. If we reflect deeply over what He has created, we would find that the whole of creation is so adjusted that it is like a straight line, one end of which is raised high and the other end of which is sunk low. On the last point of the highest part is a man, who in his human capacity is above the whole of mankind, and at the lowest end would be the soul possessing a defective capacity which due to this extreme loss is close to senseless animals.

If we look at the planetary system, we find this phenomenon further supported. God Almighty has perfected His creation by starting with the smallest particle and carrying it to the largest body, the sun. In this planetary system, God has doubtless created in the sun so grand, beneficial, and blessed a body that there is no other body which is its equal at the highest end. Thus observing the highest and the lowest ends of this system, which are always present before our eyes, we can understand that the spiritual system which has also proceeded from Him, is arranged in the same manner. It also has the same high and low points. The works of God Almighty are similar and balanced. He is One and in the manifestation of His works, He loves Unity. Discord and confusion have no place in them. So dear and appropriate is His method that all His works follow a system and are adjusted to each other.

Finding a proof in every direction and having observed ourselves, we accept His law that all His works, spiritual as well as material, are not divergent and confused, but follow a wise system and are part of an arrangement which, beginning with the lowest, proceeds to the highest and that this uniform method is loved by Him. Accepting this, we have to confess that as in the material system, beginning with a particle, God has carried His creation up to the great body, the sun, which combines in itself visible perfection, than which no material body is greater. In the same way, there must be a spiritual sun, that is situated at the highest point of the spiritual elevation.

Now the question is, who is the perfect man described as ‘the spiritual sun’ and what is his name. It is not a matter which could be settled by simple reason. Because, except for God Almighty, none else possesses this distinction, and for the matter of that, who can carry out by the exercise of reason alone this tremendous task, that keeping in mind millions of God Almighty’s creatures and comparing their spiritual powers and faculties, he should single out and identify the greatest of all. Without doubt, rationally speaking, no one can make such a claim. True, for investigating such lofty and equally profound phenomena, revealed scriptures do constitute one means to achieving it, in which God Almighty, prior to the coming of the Holy Prophet (sas), indeed thousands of years before him, described fully the address and identity of the perfect man.

The person whose heart is guided by Allah and who believes in revelation and reflects on the prophecies that are mentioned in the Bible, will be bound to confess that the perfect man who is the spiritual sun, by whom the highest point has been filled, and who is the last brick of the wall of Prophethood, is Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. The point of the highest exaltation of that good personified, who is situated at the highest point of the spiritual line, that is to say, Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] which had been determined for him by Divine decree, has been exhibited palpably in the world of manifestation. As God has said with reference to the high dignity of this great Prophet:

By this exaltation in rank is meant the highest point of the spiritual line which has been bestowed upon the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] overtly and covertly. This benign being, who is good personified, is higher and more perfect than the three types of God’s favourites and is called the perfect manifestation of Godhead.

The three types of nearness to the Divine are illustrated by three resemblances; by pondering on these the reality of the three grades of nearness can be appreciated. The first type of nearness is illustrated by its resemblance to the relationship between servant and master as God has said:

This means that the believers, who in other words can be called obedient servants, love their Lord above everything else.

Just as a sincere and faithful servant, by witnessing the continuous beneficence and many bounties and the personal qualities of his master, advances in his love and sincerity so much so that he acquires a similar temperament and follows the same way as that of his master, on account of the personal love born in his heart. Thus he desires fulfilment of his master’s wishes quite like the master himself. The same is the attitude of the faithful servant towards God Almighty. He too, progressing in his sincerity and fidelity, arrives at a stage where he ceases to be himself, and assumes the colour of his Noble Master.…

The second type of nearness to God resembles the nearness between father and son as God Almighty says:

This means: Remember Allah the Glorious with such spontaneous love and fervour, as you remember your fathers.

It should be remembered that a master begins to resemble a father when love for him becomes extremely intense and love which is purified of all selfishness settles in the heart as if it were part of it. Then all the eagerness of love and the strong attachment to the beloved is felt as natural and so appropriate to one’s nature and so much a part of it that it does not seem to have originated in any effort. As a son on thinking of his father feels spiritual relationship with him, in the same way a believer feels this relationship; and as a son displays the features of his father and resembles him in his ways and manners, the same is the case with the believer.…

The third type of nearness resembles a person’s own reflection. As a person views his own reflection in a large clear mirror and beholds the whole of his form together with all his features reflected in the mirror; in the same way, in this third type of nearness all Divine attributes become reflected clearly in his being and this reflection is more complete and perfect than the resemblances which have been mentioned before. It is obvious that a person beholding his own reflection in a mirror finds it in exact accord with himself. That degree of resemblance cannot be acquired by anyone else through any device, nor can it be found in a son. This degree of nearness is achieved by one who is placed so equally between the two chords of Divinity and servitude, is so related to both as if he has become the very same and by removing his own self from between, serves like a mirror. That mirror being faced in two directions obtains the impress of the Divine by reflection from one direction and from the other direction it conveys all grace according to the capacity of different temperaments to those who are adjusted to it. This is indicated in the Word of God:

This means: He then came close (to Allah Almighty), and then descended (to communicate the divine injunctions to humanity). In ascending high he arrived at the extreme point of nearness to God and between him and God there was left no veil, and then he descended towards mankind and between him and mankind there was no veil left. As he was complete and perfect in his ascent and descent, his place becomes that of a chord between two bows. He approached close to the chord of Divinity and that of servitude, or even closer than can be imagined.

The line that divides a circle equally is a chord between two bows. This chord lies between the Benefactor and the beneficiary. At its extreme perfection, which is the ultimate point of all perfections, it resembles the centre of the circle which is the middle point of the chord. This point is the heart of the perfect man and is equally related to the bow of Divinity on one side, and to that of servitude on the other. This is the highest point of the lines that might be drawn from the centre to the circle. Although there are many other points in the chord between the two bows, yet with the exception of the point of the centre, other Prophets and Messengers and righteous persons can share in those points. The central point represents the perfection which the master of the chord possesses in a high and special and distinctive manner in which no other person can be a sharer with him in the true sense, but by following and obedience one can become a sharer by way of reflection.

The name of this central point is the reality of Muhammad, which is the source of all verities in the world. In truth, the line of the chord has expanded from this central point and its spirituality is charged in the whole of the chord, the holy grace of which has been bestowed upon the whole chord. The first and highest manifestation of the world which the Sufis describe as the names of Allah, is this central point which in the idiom of men of God is called the personal point of Ahmad Mujtaba and Muhammad Mustafa and in the idiom of the philosophers, it is named primary reason. This point has the same relationship to the other points of the chord which the Grand Name of God has to the other names of God.

In short, the mirror that reflects the perfect man, and the fountainhead of all hidden verities, and the key to all certainties is this very point which is the ultimate cause of all the mysteries of the beginning and the end and the reason for the creation of the low and the high. To visualise it is beyond the power of all reason and understanding. As all life receives grace from the life of God Almighty, and all beings have come into existence through His Being, and all determination is the result of His determination, in the same way, the point of Muhammad, by the command of God, affects all ranks and degrees according to their various capacities and temperaments.

As this point combines, and indeed sums up all Divine ranks (by way of reflection) and all dimensions of the universe (as source and reality), it epitomizes, therefore, all stages of the universe, namely, souls and intellects—in whole or in part—and all physical stages to the end of their limits. In the same way, being the reflection of Divinity, it resembles Divine ranks as a reflection in the mirror resembles the original; and the basic Divine attributes, that is to say, life, knowledge, will, power, hearing, sight and speech with all their branches, are reflected in it in a complete and perfect manner. The central point which is suspended between God and His creation, that is to say, the personal point of our lord Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] cannot be confined merely to the word of Allah as the title of Jesus has been so confined, inasmuch as, this Muhammadi point combines in itself as a reflection all the Divine ranks. That is why Jesus has been likened to a son on account of the deficiency from which he suffered; for the reality of Jesus is not a complete manifestation of Divine attributes, but is only one branch out of its many branches. As a contrast, the reality of Muhammad is a complete and perfect manifestation of all Divine attributes. For this reason, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] has been likened in heavenly Books to a reflection of God, the Glorious. His station is one of the father rather than that of the son. The imperfect nature of the teaching of Jesus and the perfection of Qur’anic teaching, as compared with all other revealed teachings, is also due to this, for incomplete grace is bestowed upon the incomplete and perfect grace is bestowed upon the perfect.

Of the resemblances to God on the part of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] which are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, is the verse:

That is to say: The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] on account of his nearness to God, is like the chord between two bows and even closer.

It is obvious that on the higher side of the chord is the bow of Divinity so that when the whole soul of Muhammad, on account of its intense nearness and clearness, advanced from the chord and approached even closer to the ocean of Divinity, it fell into that limitless ocean and his particle of humanness was lost in that ocean. This advance was nothing new or recent, but had been determined in eternity and it was worthy of being described in heavenly Books and revealed writings as the perfect manifestation by way of reflection of Divinity and a mirror which reflected God Himself. Another verse of the Holy Qur’an in which this resemblance has been clearly mentioned is:

Those who swear allegiance to thee swear allegiance to Allah; Allah’s hand is above their hands.

People who swore allegiance to the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] did so by putting their hands in his hand. In this verse, God Almighty metaphorically referred to the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] as Himself and described his hand as His Own hand. This expression has been used concerning the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] on account of his extreme closeness to God. This is indicated also in the verse:

Say: O my servants who have committed excesses against your souls, (i.e., committed grave sins) despair not of the mercy of Allah. Allah will forgive all sins.

Now it is obvious that mankind are not the servants of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and indeed all Prophets and non-Prophets are the servants of God Almighty, but as the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was closest to God, this idiom was employed in his case. In the same way, God Almighty has bestowed names upon the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] which are Divine attributes. The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was named Muhammad, which means greatly praised. Great praise in reality belongs to God Almighty, but was bestowed upon the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] by way of reflection. In the same way, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] has been named ‘Light’ in the Holy Qur’an , which illumines the world, the Mercy which safeguards the universe against decline, and ‘Compassionate’ and ‘Merciful,’ which are the names of God. In many places in the Holy Qur’an it has been indicated and also expressly mentioned that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is the perfect manifestation of the Divine and that his word is the word of God and his advent is the advent of God. In this context one of the verses of the Holy Qur’an is:

Announce: Truth has come and falsehood has disappeared, falsehood is bound to perish.

In this verse ‘Truth’ signifies God the Glorious, the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and by falsehood are meant Satan and the satanic group and satanic teachings. Here God Almighty included the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] in His own name and the advent of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] became the advent of God Almighty, the majestic advent in consequence of which Satan with all his hosts ran away and his teachings were brought into contempt and his forces suffered a great defeat.

On account of this perfect resemblance the Holy Qur’an mentions in Surah Aal-e-‘Imran that God took a covenant from all the Prophets that it was incumbent upon them to believe in the greatness and majesty of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and to help in their propagation. For this reason, beginning with Adam right down to Jesus all Prophets and Messengers confessed the greatness and majesty of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Moses [peace be on him], by announcing that: God came from Sinai and arose from Seir and shone forth from Mount Paran,31 which clearly shows that the manifestation of Divine Majesty reached its climax at Paran and the sun of righteousness shone in its full glory at Paran. The Torah tells us that Paran is a mountain of Mecca where Isma‘il, the ancestor of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] made his dwelling. This is confirmed by geographical maps. Even our opponents know that no Prophet has been raised in Mecca except the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Consider, therefore, how clearly has Moses borne witness that the sun of righteousness that would rise at Paran would shed the fiercest rays and that the progress of the light of truth will arrive at its climax in his blessed person.…

The purport of all this is that the grades of nearness to Allah are three and that the third one which is the perfect manifestation of Divinity and is a mirror reflecting God, pertains admittedly to our lord and master Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] whose rays illumine thousands of hearts and are cleansing numberless bosoms of inner darknesses and are leading them to eternal light. It has been well said that:

Muhammad of Arabia, King of both the worlds;
Whose threshold is safeguarded by the Holy Spirit.

How fortunate is the person who accepts Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] as his leader and the Holy Qur’an as his guide. O Allah, bless our lord and master Muhammad and his people and his companions all of them. All praise is due to Allah Who has guided our hearts to His Own love and to the love of His Messenger and the love of His favourite servants.

The Holy Qur’an has set this matter out in an excellent allegory, which we produce below and which is a fine piece of Qur’anic exegesis and is of crucial importance for the final understanding of the present discussion.

This means that: Allah is the light of heavens and the earth, that is to say, every light that is visible in the heights or in the depths, whether in souls or in bodies, whether personal or acquired, whether overt or covert, whether inner or external, is a bounty of His grace. This is an indication that the general grace of the Lord of the worlds encompasses everything and that nothing is without His grace. He is the source of all grace and the Cause of causes of all lights and the Fountainhead of all mercies. His Being is the support of the whole universe and is the refuge of all high and low. He brought everything out of the darkness of nothingness and bestowed upon it the robe of existence. There is no other being who exists in his own right and is eternal, or is not the recipient of His grace. The earth and heaven and mankind and animals and stones and trees and souls and bodies, all owe their existence to His grace.

This grace encompasses everything like a circle. For being the beneficiary of this grace, there is no condition attached. As compared with this there is a special grace which has conditions attached and which is bestowed only upon those individuals who have the ability and capacity to receive it, that is to say, on the perfect individuals who are Prophets, the best and highest of whom is Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. As that grace is a fine verity, therefore, God Almighty, after mentioning the general grace, has described the special grace for the purpose of expounding the light of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] in an allegory so that it should be easily understood.

The translation of the remaining part of the above verse is: That light is exemplified (by the perfect man, the Messenger) as if there were a lustrous niche (by which is meant the breast of the Holy Prophet—peace and blessings of Allah be on him). In the niche, there is a lamp (meaning Divine revelation). The lamp is contained in a crystal globe as bright as a glittering star, (meaning the pure and holy heart of the Holy Prophet—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)—which in its nature is free from all dirt and opaqueness, like a clear mirror and has no relationship except with God). That mirror is as bright as a glittering star, which shines in heaven with great glory (meaning that the heart of the Holy Prophet—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—is so clear and bright that its inner light is displayed on its outer surface flowing like water). That lamp is lit with the oil of a blessed tree, (which is an olive tree). (By this is meant the being of the Holy Prophet—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—which is a collection of diverse types of blessings and the grace of which is not confined to any place or age or direction, but is everlastingly flowing and will never be cut off). The blessed tree is neither of the east nor of the west (that is to say, the nature of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] suffers neither from excess nor from deficiency and has been created in the best mould). The oil of the blessed tree by which the lamp of revelation is lit, means the fine bright reason of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] together with the natural high moral qualities which are nourished by the clear fountain of his perfect reason.

The meaning of the lamp of revelation being lit up by the high moral qualities of the Holy Prophet—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—is that the grace of revelation descended upon them and they were the cause of the descent of revelation. There is here also an indication that the grace of revelation was in accord with the nature of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] the explanation of which is that revelation descends in accord with the nature of the Prophet to whom it is vouchsafed. For instance, the temperament of Moses [peace be on him] was compounded of glory and wrath; so in accord with it the Torah was revealed in the framework of a majestic law. Jesus had a temperament which was meek and gentle and so the Gospel teaches meekness and gentleness. The Holy Prophet was by temperament extremely firm and steadfast. He disliked to be unduly lenient, nor did he like to be wrathful on every occasion. Instead his was a sagacious temperament that paid due regard to the demands of the occasion. Therefore, the Holy Qur’an was also revealed in an appropriate and moderate mould which combines severity and kindness, awe and compassion, and hardness and softness. In this verse, God Almighty has disclosed that the lamp of the revelation of the Qur’an has been lit from the oil of a blessed tree which is neither of the east nor of the west, but is in accord with the moderate temperament of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] which has neither the severity of the temperament of Moses, nor the softness of the temperament of Jesus but is a compound of hardness and softness and of wrath and compassion and displays perfect moderation and is a combination of majesty and beauty. The high moral qualities of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] are referred to in another place in the Holy Qur’an in the words:

This means that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was created with such perfection of high moral qualities as could not be exceeded. The word ‘azim, which has been used in the verse, signifies in Arabic idiom, the highest perfection of the species. For instance, when it is said that a tree is ‘azim, it means that it possesses all the length and breadth which it is possible for a tree to possess. Some lexicologists have said that ‘azim signifies greatness which is beyond human ken. By the word Khulq, when used in the Holy Qur’an, and also in other books of wisdom, is meant not merely good behaviour and kindness and gentleness. Khalq and Khulq are two distinct words which are used in juxtaposition to each other. Khalq means the physical body which God bestows on man whereby man is distinguishable from other animals. Khulq means the inner qualities by virtue of which the reality of humanness is distinguishable from the reality of animals. Thus, all the inner qualities which distinguish a man from animals are comprised in Khulq. As the tree of human nature is based on moderation and is free from excess or deficiency, which is found in the faculties of animals. Almighty Allah points to this by saying:

The word Khulq, when it is not accompanied by any pejorative qualification, always means high moral qualities. These high moral qualities comprise all the inner qualities which are found in man as clear reason, quick understanding, good memory, good remembrance, chastity, modesty, steadfastness, contentment, piety, high resolve, perseverance, justice, trust, generosity in its proper place, sacrifice in its proper place, benevolence in its proper place, beneficence in its proper place, bravery in its proper place, gentleness in its proper place, forbearance in its proper place, indignation in its proper place, courtesy in its proper place, respect in its proper place, compassion in its proper place, kindness in its proper place, mercy in its proper place, fear in its proper place, love in its proper place, love for God and withdrawal towards God, etc.

The oil would well-nigh glow forth even though no fire were to touch it (that is to say, the reason and all the high qualities of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] were so perfect and appropriate and delicate and bright, that they were ready to be lit up even before the receipt of revelation). Light upon light; that is to say, that many lights were combined in the blessed being of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and on those lights descended the heavenly light of Divine revelation and thereby the being of the Khatam-ul-Anbiya’ [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] became a combination of lights.

Spiritual Ascent of the Holy Prophet (sas)

The Me‘raj (spiritual ascent) of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was his complete withdrawal from the world, and its purpose was to disclose the heavenly station of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Every soul has a point in heaven beyond which it cannot proceed. The point of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was the ‘Arsh. The Companion on high also connotes God. Thus, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was honoured above everyone else.

The journey of the Me‘raj was not with the physical body, but was a vision of the highest type, which in effect was experienced in complete wakefulness. In such a vision, a person according to the capacity of his soul, can journey through the heavens with a body of light. As the soul of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] possessed the highest capacity, therefore, in his journey of Me‘raj, he arrived at the highest point of the universe, which is described as the Great Throne. This journey was the vision in a sort of wakefulness. I do not call it a dream, nor was it a vision of low status. This was a vision at the highest stage, which is clearer and brighter than wakefulness. I myself have experience of this type of vision.

Meaning and High Station of the Seal of Prophethood

The perfect man to whom the Holy Qur’an was revealed, was not limited in his vision, nor was there any deficiency in his sympathy in the sharing of sorrows. Both from the point of view of the time and of the place, his soul was charged with perfect sympathy. He was, therefore, bestowed a full share of the manifestations of nature and he was made Khatam-ul-Anbiya’, which did not mean that no one would from then on receive any spiritual grace from him, rather that he possessed the seal of Prophethood and that without the attestation of that seal, no grace can reach anyone, and that for his people, the door of converse with the Divine would never be closed. Beside him, there is no Prophet who possesses the seal of Prophethood. It is only by the testimony of his seal that a Prophethood can be bestowed for which it is a condition that the recipient must be a follower of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. His high courage and sympathy did not wish to leave his people in a condition of deficiency and were not reconciled to the door of revelation, which is at the root of all understanding, being closed. Yet, in order to preserve the sign of the closing of Prophethood, he desired that the grace of revelation should be bestowed through obedience to him and that this door should be closed to anyone who was not his follower. God appointed him Khatam-ul-Anbiya’ in this sense.

Thus it was established till the Day of Judgement, that a person who does not prove being his follower through true obedience and who does not devote his full being to obeying him, cannot become the recipient of perfect revelation. Direct Prophethood has been ended with the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]; but Prophethood by way of reflection, which means the receipt of revelation through the grace of Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] will continue till the Day of Judgement, so that the door of perfection of mankind should not be closed and this sign should not disappear from the world that the high resolve of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] desired that the doors of converse with the Divine should remain open till the Judgement Day and the understanding of the Divine, which is the basis of salvation, should not disappear.

I affirm it with full confidence that the excellences of Prophethood attained their climax in the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. The person who sets up a movement in opposition to him and puts forward some verity outside his Prophethood and withdraws from the fountain of Prophethood is false and an impostor. I say it plainly that a person who believes in anyone as a Prophet after the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and breaks the seal of his Prophethood, is accursed. That is why no Prophet can arise after the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] who has not with him the seal of the Muhammadi Prophethood.

The Muslims who are opposed to us are involved in the error that they believe in the coming of an Israeli Prophet, who would break the seal of Prophethood. I say that it is a manifestation of the spiritual power of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and of his everlasting Prophethood that 1,300 years after him, the Promised Messiah has appeared under his training and instructions with the same seal of Prophethood. If this doctrine is kufr, I hold this kufr dear. But those whose reason has been darkened and who have not been bestowed any share in the light of Prophethood cannot understand this and hold it as kufr; whereas, this is a matter which proves the perfection of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and his everlasting life.

There is no need to follow the Prophethoods and Books which passed before the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] as Muhammadi Prophethood comprises all of them, and beside it all ways are closed and all verities are included in it. No new verity will arrive after it as there was no verity before it which is not included in it. Therefore, all Prophethood ends with this Prophethood; and so it should have been, for everything that has a beginning, has also an end, but the Muhammadi Prophethood is not deficient in beneficence. It is more beneficent than all other Prophethood. Following this Prophethood, one reaches

God in a very easy manner, and by following it one is bestowed the bounty of Divine love and Divine converse more than was possible before.

Its perfect follower cannot be called simply a Prophet for this would be an insult to the perfect Muhammadi Prophethood. He can be called a follower of the Holy Prophet and a Prophet, both together, for in this there is no insult of the perfect Muhammadi Prophethood, but its grace shines forth even to a greater degree.

We affirm that the person who moves away in the slightest degree from the law of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is a kafir. When anyone who turns away from following the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is a kafir in our estimation, then what about one who should claim to bring a new law, or should make a change in the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] or should abrogate any commandment?

In our estimation only that person is a believer who truly follows the Holy Qur’an, and believes it to be the last revealed Book, and accepts the law that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] brought into the world, as everlasting, and makes not the slightest change in it, and loses himself wholly in following it, and devotes every particle of his being to its cause, and does not oppose it intellectually or by his conduct. It is then that he would be a true Muslim.

Istighfar of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Most Christians, on account of their ignorance of the reality of Maghfirat—forgiveness—imagine that a person who seeks Maghfirat, is disobedient and sinful. A deep reflection over the meaning of Maghfirat makes it clear that it is the one who does not seek Maghfirat of God Almighty who is disobedient and vile. As every true purity is bestowed by Him and He alone safeguards one against the storm of passion, it should be a preoccupation of His righteous servants to constantly seek Maghfirat from that True Guardian and Protector.

If we were to seek an illustration of Maghfirat in the physical world the best illustration would be that Maghfirat is a strong and unbreakable dam which is erected to hold back a flood. As all strength and all power belongs to God Almighty, and a man is weak in his soul as he is in his body, and seeks water from the Eternal Being all the time for the nurture of the tree of his being, and cannot keep alive without His grace, Istighfar, in its meaning that we have set out, becomes necessary and essential. As a tree puts forth its branches in all directions, as if it spreads its hands towards the surrounding spring of water, pleading for help that its greenness should not decline and that the time of its flowering and putting forth fruit should not be lost, the same is the case with the righteous. To supplicate the Fountain of real life for the water of security to safeguard spiritual life, or to promote it, is described in the Holy Qur’an as Istighfar.

Reflect on the Holy Qur’an and read it with care and you will alight upon the reality of Istighfar. The dictionary meaning of Maghfirat is a covering which is designed to safeguard against a misfortune. For instance, water is an element that covers up the defects of trees and is thus Maghfirat. Consider what would be the condition of a garden which receives no water for a year or two. Is it not true that its beauty will be destroyed and there will be no sign left of its greenness? It will produce no fruit and no flowers. Its inside will be burnt up. Its green and soft leaves will dry up and fall down; and dryness overcoming it, all its limbs will fall away from it like the limbs of a leper. Why will all these calamities overtake it? Because the water upon which its life depended was not available. This is referred to in the verse:

As a good and noble tree cannot flourish without water, in the same way, the good word of a righteous person cannot flourish till a pure spring refreshes its roots by flowing in the stream of Istighfar. Thus the spiritual life of a person depends upon Istighfar through the stream of which the true spring reaches the root of humanness and safeguards it from drying up and dying.

The religion which does not set forth this philosophy is certainly not from God, and a person who claims to be a Prophet or a Messenger or righteous or pure-natured and turns away from this spring is certainly not from God. Such a one derives not from God Almighty, but from Satan, the root meaning of which is death. He who does not desire to draw that true spring to himself and does not fill this spring to its brim from the stream of Istighfar, in order to make his spiritual garden flourish, is a Satan, that is to say, he will die for it is not possible that the tree should flourish without water. Every arrogant one, who does not desire to make his spiritual tree flourish from this spring of life is a Satan and will be ruined like Satan. There has been no righteous Prophet in the world who turned away from the reality of Istighfar and did not desire to flourish through this real spring. It is true that our lord and master Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] supplicated more than anyone else for this flourishing and therefore God caused him to flourish and be fragrant more than all other Prophets.

Majesty and Humility of the Holy Prophet (sas)

In the two blessed names of the Holy Prophet, Muhammad (sas) and Ahmad (sas), there are two separate excellences. Muhammad (sas), which means greatly praised, signifies majesty and greatness and carries the flavour of being a beloved one, for a beloved one is praised. It is necessary, therefore, that it should signify majesty. But Ahmad (sas) has the flavour of a lover for it is a lover’s part to praise and he praises the beloved. As Muhammad (sas) signifies majesty and greatness, Ahmad (sas) signifies humility.

His life as a Prophet was divided into two parts; one spent in Mecca which extended over thirteen years and the other spent in Medina extending over ten years. His Meccan life illustrated his name Ahmad. During that period his time was spent weeping before God, in seeking His help and in supplication. He who is fully informed of his Meccan life knows that no lover could ever equal the tears the Holy Prophet (sas) shed and the supplications he made during that period in search of his Beloved, nor can any lover ever do so in future.

His weeping was not for himself but was on account of his awareness of the condition of the world. The worship of God had disappeared and God Almighty, having put faith in his soul, had inspired him with a joy and delight. He naturally desired to communicate this delight and love to the world, but when he observed the condition of the world and the capacities and natures of the people, he was confronted with great difficulties. He wept over this condition of the world so much that he put his life in danger. This is indicated in the verse:

This was his life of supplication and was the manifestation of his name Ahmad. At that time he was concentrating in a grand manner and the concentration manifested its effect in his life in Medina at the time when the significance of his name Muhammad was revealed, as is indicated in the verse:

He who is familiar with the mode of expression of the Holy Qur’an knows that sometimes the Noble and Merciful One uses an expression for His special servants which is apparently derogatory, but which in its context signifies great praise. As God Almighty said with regard to the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]:

It is quite clear that the well-known and familiar meaning of the term Dall, of which lexicologists are too fond, is ‘misguided’. Thus the verse would mean that God found you misguided and guided you; whereas, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was never misguided, and a Muslim who believes that at any time in his life the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was misguided, is a faithless kafir and guilty of violating the Shari‘ah. The verse should be understood by reflecting upon the context in which it is placed, which is that Allah the Exalted first stated about the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]:

Allah the Exalted found thee an orphan and helpless, and He gave thee shelter by Himself and found thee Dall (in love with Himself) and drew thee towards Him and found thee indigent and enriched thee.

Holy Prophet (sas) – the Grand Reformer

Holy Prophet (sas) Brought Morals to Perfection

In meekness and gentleness, Moses stood higher than all the Prophets in Israel and no other Prophet in Israel, whether Jesus or anyone else, approached the lofty station of Moses. The Torah bears witness that in meekness and gentleness and in moral qualities Moses was higher than all the Prophets in Israel. The third verse of the twelfth chapter of Numbers says that Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.

God has in the Torah praised the meekness of Moses as He has not praised any other Prophet in Israel. It is true, however, that the high moral qualities of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] that are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an are thousands of times more exalted than those of Moses. God has said that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] combined in his person all the high moral qualities which were found in the different Prophets and said with regard to him:

The word ‘azim in Arabic idiom is used as connoting the highest quality of a thing. For instance, when a big tree is called ‘azim, it would mean that it possesses all the height and width and bulk that is possible for a tree to possess. Thus, this verse means that all the high moral qualities and excellent characteristics which a human being can possess, were all present in the fullest degree in the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Thus, this is the highest possible praise. This is also indicated in another verse:

Meaning that: God has bestowed His grace upon thee in the largest measure and no Prophet can be equal in rank with thee.

This praise is mentioned in Psalm as a prophecy concerning the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] as is said: Therefore, God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows (Psalms, Ch. 45).44

[Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 1 pp. 605-606, sub-footnote 3]

Holy Prophet (sas)’s Superiority Over All the Prophets

The Holy Qur’an shows that every Prophet was a follower of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] as is said:

In this way, all Prophets became followers of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] combines the names of all the Prophets in himself inasmuch as he possessed all their diverse excellences. So he is Moses and Jesus and Adam and Abraham and Joseph and Jacob. This is indicated in the verse:

Meaning that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] should combine in himself all the diverse guidance which other Prophets had brought.

This shows that the dignity of all Prophets was combined in the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]; and his name Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] also points to this, for it means greatly praised, and great praise can only be imagined when all the varied excellences and special qualities of the different Prophets are combined in the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. There are many verses in the Holy Qur’an which set forth clearly that the being of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] on account of its qualities and excellences, was a combination of all the Prophets. Every Prophet finding in him an appropriate relationship with himself imagined that he would come under his name.

At one place the Holy Qur’an sets forth that this Prophet has the closest relationship with Abraham.47 In a Hadith of Bukhari, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] says that he has a close relationship with Jesus and that his being is combined with the being of Jesus. This confirms the saying of Jesus that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] would appear under his name and so it happened that when our Messiah [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] appeared, he completed the incomplete works of the Messiah of Nazareth and bore witness to his truth and cleared him of the calumnies which the Jews and the Christians had uttered against him, and thus gave pleasure to the soul of Jesus.

Divine revelation is a mirror in which the perfect attributes of God Almighty are seen, according to the inner cleanliness of the Prophet who is the recipient of the revelation. As the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was higher than all the other Prophets in the purity of his soul, the expansion of his mind, his chastity, modesty, sincerity, trust, fidelity and love of the Divine, God, the Glorious, anointed him with the perfume of special excellence in excess of any other Prophet. His bosom and heart which were broader and holier and more innocent and brighter and more loving than the bosom and heart of any who had passed before him, and who were to come after him, were considered worthy that such Divine revelation should descend upon him as should be stronger and more perfect, higher and more complete, than the revelation vouchsafed to all those who were before him and all those who were to come after him, and which should serve as a clear, wide and large mirror for reflecting Divine attributes. That is why the Holy Qur’an possesses such high excellences that the brightness of all previous books is cast into the shade before its fierce and brilliant rays. No mind can put forth a verity which is not already contained in it and no reason can present any argument which is not already presented in it. No speech can affect the hearts so powerfully as the strong and full of blessings effect it produces upon millions of hearts. Undoubtedly it is a clear mirror reflecting the perfect attributes of the Divine in which all is found that is needed by a seeker to arrive at the highest grades of understanding.

The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was the best of the Prophets and had a higher status than all the Messengers, and God desired that as by his personal qualities he was the Chief of all the Prophets, so from the point of view of his overt services also, he might be proclaimed to the world as better and higher than all. Therefore, God Almighty extended his beneficence to the whole of mankind, so that his efforts and his endeavours might be generally manifested and should not be confined to a particular people, as was the case with Moses and Jesus, and so that enduring severe persecution from every direction and every people, he should be entitled to the great reward which will not be bestowed upon other Prophets.

It is my belief that if, leaving the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] aside, all the Prophets who had preceded him had combined to perform the task and to carry out the reform which the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] performed and carried out, they would not have been able to do so. They had not the heart and the strength which had been bestowed upon the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. If anyone should say that this shows disrespect towards the other Prophets, he would be guilty of uttering a calumny against me. It is part of my faith to honour and respect the Prophets, but the Holy Prophet’s superiority to all other Prophets is the principal part of my faith and my whole being is saturated with it. It is not within my power to exclude it.

Let my unfortunate opponent, who is sightless, say what he pleases, but our Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] performed a task, which all the others combined together, or separately, could not have performed.

The holy books of the Jews state clearly that a saviour like Moses will be sent for them. This means that he would appear at a time when the Jews would be passing through a state of suffering and humiliation as was imposed upon them in the time of Pharaoh. Then they would be delivered from torment and disgrace by believing in him. There is no doubt that our lord and master Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was the personage for whom the Jews had been waiting throughout the ages and in whom the prophecy of the Torah was most clearly fulfilled. When the Jews believed in him many great kings were raised among them. This is clear proof that God Almighty forgave their sins because of their accepting Islam and had mercy on them as was promised in the Torah.

The greatness that was bestowed upon Jesus was on account of his following the Holy Prophet Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] for Jesus was informed of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and believed in him and attained salvation through his belief.

Now we compare Jesus with the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] in the matter of the treatment accorded to them by the governments of their respective days and how their prestige and Divine support were manifested. When we do this, it becomes clear that in contrast with the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] Jesus not only fails to exhibit signs of Godhead, he even fails to demonstrate the signs of a Prophet. When the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] sent his message to the rulers of his time, the Roman Caesar, on receipt of the Holy Prophet’s message, breathed a sigh that he was caught among the Christians and that if he had been free, it would have been a matter of pride for him to present himself to the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and to wash his feet like a slave. But a wicked and evil-hearted ruler, the Chosros of Iran, was affronted and sent soldiers to arrest the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. They arrived in Medina towards the evening and told the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] that they had been sent to arrest him. The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] disregarded what they had said and invited them to accept Islam. At that time the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was in the mosque accompanied only by three or four companions, but the royal emissaries were trembling in awe of him. In the end they asked what answer should they take back concerning his arrest to their lord. The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] asked them to wait till the next day. The following morning when they came, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] said to them: He whom you call lord and god, is no god. God is the Being Who is not subject to death or destruction. Your god was killed last night. My True God set up his son Sherweh over him and last night he was killed by the hand of his son. This is my reply.

This was a great miracle witnessing which thousands of people of that country believed in the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] because in fact Khusro Pervez, the Chosros, had been killed that night. This is not a statement like the vague statements of the Gospel, but is supported by historical evidence. Mr. Davenport has also mentioned this event in his book.

As against this, the lack of esteem in which Jesus was held by the rulers of his time is well known. Probably the Gospels still contain the record of Herodius sending Jesus to Pilate as an accused person. He remained for a time in custody and his godhead did not come into play. No monarch said that it would be a matter of pride for him to serve Jesus and to wash his feet. Pilate handed him over to the Jews. Was this his godhead? What a contrast is there between the two persons who encountered similar circumstances, but with opposite results. In one case, a proud and arrogant monarch was incited by Satan to order the arrest of the claimant to Prophethood, but he was overtaken by the Divine curse and was murdered with great humiliation at the hands of his own son. In the second case, a person whom—regardless of his real claims—his extravagant followers raised to the heavens, was in fact arrested and sent into custody of the cruel police as an accused person from one town to another.

Miracles of the Holy Prophet (sas)

A time was when the Evangelists proclaimed through the streets and lanes most impertinently and falsely that no prophecy had been made and no miracle had been shown by the Holy Prophet Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Now is a time when God Almighty in addition to the thousands of miracles of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] which are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and in the Ahadith, has shown hundreds of signs which no opponent has been able to counter. We have throughout proclaimed gently and meekly to every Christian and other opponent, and we still proclaim, that it is necessary for every religion which claims to be true and from God Almighty, that it should produce men who, as the deputies of their leader, guide and Messenger, should prove that that Prophet is living by virtue of his spiritual blessings and has not died.

It is necessary that the Prophet, who is followed and is believed in as an intercessor and saviour, should be everliving through his spiritual blessings. He should be so obviously seated on the throne of honour and exaltation and glory that his shining face and his sitting on the right hand of the Eternal and Ever-Living, All-Sustaining and All-Powerful God should be established by powerful Divine lights. Loving him perfectly and obeying him perfectly should necessarily produce the results that his follower should be bestowed the bounty of the Holy Spirit and heavenly blessings, and obtaining light from the lights of his beloved Prophet he should dispel the darkness of his age and should furnish eager people with that firm and perfect and shining faith in the existence of God which burns up all desire of sin and all the passions of a low life. This is the proof that that Prophet is living and is in heaven.

So how shall we express our gratitude to our Holy and Glorious God that He bestowed upon us the strength to love and obey His beloved Prophet Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and then by bestowing upon us a full share of the spiritual grace of that love and obedience, which is true piety and a true heavenly sign, proved to us that our dear and exalted Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] has not died, but is sitting on the right hand of his Powerful King on the Throne of Exaltation and Glory in the highest heaven. O Allah, send down Thy blessings, bounties and peace upon him.

Now let someone tell us who is proved to possess such spiritual life beside our Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Does Moses possess it? Certainly not. Does David possess it? Certainly not. Does Jesus possess it? Certainly not. Does Raja Ram Chandra or Raja Krishna possess it? Certainly not. Do those Rishis possess it concerning whom it is said that the Vedas were revealed to their hearts? Certainly not. It is useless to mention physical life, because the real and spiritually beneficent life is the one which, resembling the life of God Almighty, sends down light and certainty.

To attain long physical life is no matter of pride. Some of the Egyptian monuments are thousands of years old, and the ruins of Babylon are still in existence which are the home of owls, and in this country Ajudhia and Bindraban are all old cities and many old monuments are found in Italy and Greece. Through their long continued existence, do all these monuments partake of the glory and exaltation which is bestowed on the holy ones of God on account of their spiritual life?

It is clear that the proof of such spiritual life is found only in the case of our blessed Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. May God’s mercies in their thousands keep him company.

More than three thousand miracles were shown by our lord and master, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and his prophecies were numberless; but it is not necessary for us to put forward those miracles which were shown in the past. One grand miracle of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is that the revelation vouchsafed to all other Prophets has been cut off, and their miracles have been left behind, and their followers are empty-handed and are left only with old stories; but the revelation vouchsafed to the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] has not been cut off, nor have his miracles been cut off, but are always displayed through his perfect followers who are honoured with obeying him. On this account the religion of Islam is a living religion and its God is a Living God. In this age also this servant of the Lord of Honour is present. Thousands of signs in support of the Messenger of Allah and the Book of Allah have been shown by me, and I am almost daily honoured with the converse of God Almighty.

When a person arrives at this exalted stage of meeting with God, he sometimes performs acts which appear to be beyond human power and have the colour of Divine Power. For instance, during the battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] threw a handful of gravel at the opposing force not accompanied by any prayer, but with his own spiritual power, which affected the opposing force in such an extraordinary manner that everyone’s eyes were struck by the gravel and they were rendered sightless and began to run around in confusion and helplessness. This miracle is referred to in the verse:

When you threw the handful of pebbles, it was not you who did throw, but it was Allah Who threw;

Meaning that it was Divine Power that was working behind the scene and it did that which was not within human power.

In the same way, another miracle of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] which was the splitting of the moon, was displayed by Divine Power. It was not accompanied by any prayer as it happened merely by his pointing at the moon with his finger which was filled with Divine power. There are many other miracles which the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] worked purely with his power and which were not accompanied by any prayer. On many occasions, he multiplied water so much by dipping his fingers into a cup of water that the whole host and their camels and horses drank of it and yet the original quantity of the water was not diminished. On many occasions, by putting his hand upon three or four loaves of bread, he satisfied the hunger of thousands. On some occasions, he blessed a small quantity of milk with his lips and a company of people drank from it and were filled. On some occasions, by adding his saliva into a well of brackish water, he rendered it sweet. On some occasions, he healed severely wounded people of their injuries by placing his hands upon them. On some occasions, he replaced the eyeballs of people which had fallen out in consequence of some injury received in battle and healed them with the blessings of his hand. In this way, he did many other things by his personal power behind which worked Divine Power.

If the Brahmus and the philosophers and the followers of nature of today refuse to accept these miracles, they are to be excused for they cannot recognize the station at which a human being is endowed with Divine power by way of reflection. If they laugh at these things they are also to be excused for they have not progressed beyond their childish condition and have not reached any degree of spiritual maturity. Their condition is far from perfect and they are happy that they should die in that imperfect condition.

But one pities the Christians, who having heard of some similar, but of a lower degree of, events in the life of Jesus, put them forward as an argument in support of the divinity of Jesus and allege that the reviving of the dead by Jesus and the healing of paralytics and lepers by him was by his own power and not by any prayer, and that this is proof that he was truly the son of God and even God himself. It is a pity that they are unaware that if a human being could become God by performing such exploits then our lord and master, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was much more entitled to such divinity for he performed mightier miracles than were displayed by Jesus. Not only did the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] work these extraordinary miracles himself, but left a legacy of a long series of them among his followers till the Day of Judgement, which has been in evidence always in all ages and will continue to be in evidence till the end of the world. The impress of Divine power which has been experienced by holy souls among the Muslims is difficult to match from among other people. Then what folly is it to believe in someone as God or as the son of God, on account of these extraordinary events. If a man can become God by performing such exploits, there would be no end to the number of gods!

We wish to point out that the miracle of the splitting of the moon is not an event that the Muslims put forth as proof of the truth of Islam and as a principal argument in support of the truth of the Holy Qur’an. Out of thousands of internal and external miracles and signs, this was also a natural sign which is supported by historical proof. If overlooking clear proofs we are to suppose that this miracle has not been established, and if we are to interpret the relevant verse of the Holy Qur’an as the Christians or the followers of nature, or those who repudiate external events interpret it it would do no harm to Islam. The truth is that the Word of God has wholly relieved the Muslims of the need of relying upon other miracles. It is not only a miracle in itself, but on account of its blessings and lights, it produces miracles.

The Holy Qur’an comprises in itself such perfect qualities that it is in no need of extraordinary miracles. The presence of external miracles adds nothing to it and their absence would disclose no defect in it. The beauty of the Qur’an is not decked out with the ornaments of external miracles. It comprises in itself thousands of strange and wonderful miracles which can be witnessed by the people of every age. It is not necessary to refer only to the past. The Qur’an is such a beautiful beloved that everything derives ornamentation from it and it is not dependent upon anything else for its own ornamentation.

Those who doubt the miracle of the splitting of the moon have only one objection to make, and that too a false one, that the splitting of the moon is contrary to the law of nature. The naturalists contend that by exercising his reason, man can find out nothing but nature and its laws. That is to say, the observation of the universe indicates that everything material and non-material by which we are surrounded is part of a wonderful system for its existence and continuance and for its effect. This system is inherent in everything and never departs from anything. Whatever nature has designed will happen without fail in the same way.

We accept all that, but does it prove that Divine laws are limited only to our present observation and experience and that there is nothing more left? To believe that Divine Power is unlimited is of the essence of the Divine system; it ensures that the door of intellectual progress should always remain open. What a mistake it is to put forward the proposition that whatever is beyond our understanding or observation is outside the law of nature! Once we admit that the laws of nature are unending and unlimited, we cannot in principle reject anything new because it seems to be beyond our reason. We should assess the matter on its proof or lack of proof. If it is proved we should enter it in the list of the laws of nature, and if it is not proved we should confine ourselves to affirming that it is not proved. We would not be entitled to say that it is outside the law of nature. To hold anything as being beyond the law of nature, it is necessary that we should encompass all Divine laws which are eternal as within a circle and our intellect should fully comprehend all that God’s Power has revealed from the beginning up to now and that He will reveal through Eternity.…

In any event, if we believe that the Powers of God Almighty are unlimited, then it would be madness to hope to encompass all His Powers. For if they can be confined within the measure of our observation, then how would they be unlimited and unending? In such case, we are not only confronted with the difficulty that our finite and incomplete experience should comprehend all the Powers of the Eternal God, but there would arise a much greater difficulty that by limiting His Powers He Himself would also be limited and we would be affirming that we have discovered all the reality of God Almighty and that we have arrived at its depth and bottom. Such an assumption would be disrespectful and destructive of faith and would amount to a total denial of God.

I enquire that if the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] who had announced his claim that the moon had been split by the pointing of his finger and that the disbelievers had witnessed it with their own eyes, though they called it sorcery, was not true in his claim, then why did his opponents keep silent and why did they not call the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] to account that he had not split the moon and that they had not called anything sorcery, nor refused to accept anything that had happened as an event? Why did they remain silent and keep their mouths shut till they had passed away from this world? Does not their silence, which was inconsistent with their opposition and with their eagerness to contend against and question everything, certify that they were held back from speaking by some severe obstruction? What could that obstruction be except that the event was true?

This miracle occurred in Mecca when the Muslims were very weak and helpless. It is a matter of surprise that the sons or grandsons of the opponents of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] also did not utter anything in contradiction of the event, for if the claim of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was mere falsehood and had received great publicity, they should have written and published books in exposing it. When the Muslims continued to bear witness to it openly before thousands of people, and their evidence is found recorded in the books of that time and hundreds of thousands of Christians, Arabs, Jews, and Magians, etc. did not dare to contradict it, it is clear proof that the opponents had witnessed the splitting of the moon and that there was no room left for contradiction.…

We would like to add that the event of the splitting of the moon is recorded in the reliable books of the Hindus. Biyas Ji has recorded in the Mahabhartah that in his time the moon had been split into two and had again come together. He attributed this, without any proof, to Biswamtar as his miracle It seems that this event was well known among the Hindus even at the time of the writing of the history of Farishtah, whose author has recorded in his eleventh discourse, on the authority of the Hindus, that the Raja of Dharka, which was a town situated on river Phanbal in Malwa and is perhaps now known as Dhara Nagri, was sitting on the roof of his palace and he saw that the moon had suddenly split into two and had then come together. On investigation the Raja discovered that it was a miracle of the Arabian Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and he became a Muslim.

The miracles and signs that were bestowed by God Almighty on our lord and master, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] were not confined to his time, but will continue till the Day of Judgement. In the past ages, no Prophet was included among the followers of another Prophet, though he helped the faith of the previous Prophet and believed in him, but the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] has been bestowed this special honour that he is Khatam-ul-Anbiya’; one, because he achieved the climax of all the excellences of Prophethood; and, secondly, because there will be no Prophet after him who would bring a new law nor any Prophet who is not his follower. Everyone who is honoured with converse with the Divine, achieves it through his grace and through his mediation and is known as his follower and not as a direct Prophet. He has been accepted to such a degree that today a minimum of 200 million people of every rank are Muslims and stand before him as his servants. Great and powerful kings who conquered a portion of the world, fell at his feet like humble slaves. Even today, Muslim kings regard themselves as his humble servants and descend from their thrones at the mention of his name.

It is worthy of consideration whether this glory, this splendour, these thousands of heavenly signs and Divine blessings can be bestowed upon a false one. We take great pride in the fact that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] to whom we have attached ourselves, was bestowed great grace by God. He is not God, but through him we have seen God. His religion which has come to us is a mirror of Divine Powers. Had it not been for Islam, it would have been difficult in this age to appreciate what Prophethood is and whether miracles are possible and whether they are part of the law of nature. This puzzle was resolved by the eternal grace of that Prophet and it is due to him that we are not mere story-tellers like other people, but enjoy the support of God’s light and His heavenly help. We are unable to express adequately our gratitude that God Who is hidden from others, and the inner power which is beyond the concept of others, and the Lord of Glory, have been disclosed to us by the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

Holy Prophet (sas) Alone Is the Living Prophet

The miracles that were performed by all the other Prophets came to an end with them; but the miracles of our Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] are fresh and alive in every age. Those miracles being alive and not having succumbed to death is proof that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is alone the living Prophet and that true life is that which has been bestowed on him and not upon any other. His teaching is a living teaching because its fruits and blessings are experienced today as they were experienced 1,300 years before. We have before us no other teaching by acting on which a person might claim that he has been bestowed its fruits, blessings, and graces and that he has become a Sign of God. By the grace of God Almighty, we find the fruits and blessings of the Holy Qur’an present among us, and we still find those graces and signs which are bestowed in consequence of true obedience to the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

Thus has God Almighty established this Movement so that it should be a living witness to the truth of Islam, and should prove that those blessings and signs which had appeared 1,300 years ago have appeared in this age also through perfect obedience to the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Hundreds of signs have so far been displayed. We have invited the leaders of all peoples and all religions that they should exhibit the signs of their truth in opposition to us, but there is not one of them who can put forth a practical sample of the truth of his religion.

The promises of success which God Almighty gave by the Glory of His Divinity in opposition to all opponents, all enemies, all deniers, all the wealthy, all powerful rulers, all philosophers, all followers of other religions, to that humble, weak, poor, unlearned, untrained one, and which were fulfilled at their time and continue to be fulfilled, could not be the work of any human being, nor can any honest seeker after truth have any doubt concerning them. That poor, lonely and humble person announced the spread of his faith and the establishment of his religion at a time when he had no one with him except a few indigent companions, and the total number of Muslims could be contained in one small room and their names could be counted on the fingers of two hands, and who could be destroyed by a few men of the town. They were opposed by the rulers of the earth and they had to deal with the peoples who were determined to destroy them and whose numbers ran into millions. But now look at the ends of the earth how God Almighty spread those few weak people all over the earth, and how He bestowed upon them power, wealth and kingdom, and how for thousands of years thrones and crowns were bestowed upon them. There was a time when their number did not exceed the number of the members of one family and today they are counted in hundreds of millions. God had said He would safeguard His Word, and is it not true that the teaching which the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] conveyed as coming from God Almighty in His Word is still safeguarded in that Word and there have always been hundreds of thousands who have committed the Holy Qur’an to memory. God had said that no one would be able to match His Book in wisdom and understanding, in beauty of composition, in comprehending the knowledge of the Divine, and in setting forth religious arguments, and so it has proved.

If anyone questions this, let him come forth and produce its match, and let him produce from any other book the equal of the verities, fine points, and wonders which we have set forth in this book from the Holy Qur’an with the promise of a reward of ten thousand rupees. So long as he fails to do so, he is convicted in the estimation of God. God had promised that He would take Syria out of the possession of the Christians and would bestow it upon the Muslims. So it came about, and the Muslims became the heirs of that land. All these claims are accompanied by Divine Power and Might. They are not merely like the boasts of astrologers that there would be earthquakes, famines, epidemics, plagues and the assaults of nation against nation, etc.

By following the Word of God and through its effect, those who obey the Holy Qur’an, and believe sincerely in the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and love him, and consider him better and holier and more perfect and more exalted than the whole of creation and all Prophets and all Messengers and all holy ones and all that has happened or might happen, continue to partake of those bounties and drink deliciously and copiously of the draught that was given to Moses and Jesus to drink. They are lit up with Israeli lights and enjoy the blessings of the Prophets who were descendants of Jacob. Holy is Allah, repeat, Holy is Allah!! how high is the status of the Seal of the Prophets (sas) and how grand is the light the humblest of whose servants arrived at the ranks that we have mentioned. O Allah, send down Thy blessings on Thy Prophet and Thy loved one, the Chief of the Prophets, the best of Messengers and the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad, and his people and his companions and bestow Thy bounties and peace upon them.

The Christian divines, Pundits, Brahmus, Aryas and other opponents of our time need not wonder where are the blessings and heavenly lights in respect of which the followers of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] are sharers with Moses and Jesus and where is the heritage of those lights which are bestowed on Muslims and from which all other people and followers of other religions are debarred? To set their doubts at rest, we have stated it several times in this footnote, that we are responsible for setting forth the proof of these things before any seeker after truth who would be ready, on witnessing the particular superiority of Islam, to become a Muslim.

In the second sub footnote,52 we have set out in brief, how God Almighty manifests His Divine powers and graces and blessings in the case of Muslims, and how He has promised and given good news of events that are beyond human power. So if any Christian divine, Pundit or Brahmu denies these things, on account of his inner darkness, or any Arya, or a follower of other faiths, is truly and sincerely a seeker after God, it is incumbent upon him that like a true seeker, he should discard all pride, arrogance, hypocrisy, worship of the world, obstinacy and contention and, seeking only the truth and wishing only for it, should come straight to us like a poor and humble person and should then be patient, steadfast, obedient and sincere like the righteous so that by God’s will he might arrive at his object. If even now anyone turns away he becomes witness to his own lack of faith.

Holy Prophet (sas) and the Holy Word of God

The Holy Qur’an emphatically affirms that it is the Word of God and that our lord and master, Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is His true Prophet and Messenger, on whom that Holy Word has descended. This claim is clearly set forth in the following verses:

Allah is He beside Whom there is none worthy of worship. All life and sustenance is from Him. He has sent down to thee this Book in accordance with truth and the requirements of truth.

O mankind, the Messenger has indeed come to you with Truth and with the requirements of truth.

We have revealed this Discourse to you in accordance with the requirements of truth and with truth has it descended.

O mankind, there has come to you a manifest proof from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a clear Light.

Allah will forgive their sins and improve their lot, who believe and perform good deeds and believe in this Book which has been revealed to Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him], and also believe that it alone is the truth.

There are hundreds of other verses in which the claim has been put forward clearly that the Holy Qur’an is the Word of God and that Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is His true Prophet. But the verses that we have set out should suffice.

We would remind our opponents that this claim is not put forth in any other book as forcefully as it has been put forth in the Holy Qur’an. We are very eager that the Aryas should show from the Vedas that the four Vedas claimed to be the word of God and set forth clearly that they were revealed to such and such a person at such and such a time. For a book, on behalf of which it is claimed that it is from God, it is a primary necessity that it should set forth this claim clearly. It would be an impertinence to attribute to God a book which gives no indication of its being from God.

A second matter which is worth mentioning is that not only has the Holy Qur’an claimed that it is from God and that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is the Messenger of Allah, but has also established this claim with strong and powerful arguments. We shall set forth all these arguments in their order, but for the moment we present the first argument so that seekers after truth should be able to compare in this respect other books with the Holy Qur’an. We also invite every opponent that if this method of proof establishes the truth of a book and is found in their books also, they should set it forth in their papers and journals; otherwise, we would have to conclude that their books lack this proof of high degree. We affirm with full confidence that this method of proof will not be found in their religion and if we are in error, they should prove it.

Grand Revolution Brought by the Holy Prophet (sas)

That first argument which the Holy Qur’an has set forth in support of its claim of being from God Almighty is that sane reason holds it to be a strong argument for accepting a true Book and a true Messenger of God, that they should appear at a time when the world should be plunged in darkness, and people should have adopted paganism in place of the Unity of God, vice in place of purity, wrong in place of justice, and ignorance in place of knowledge, and a Reformer should be sorely needed. Then such a Messenger should depart from the world when he should have accomplished his work of reform in a fine manner and should have been safeguarded from his enemies while he was occupied in that work. Like servants, he should have appeared under command and should have departed under command. In short, he should appear at a time when the age should demand that a heavenly Reformer and Book are needed and he should be called back in accordance with a revealed prophecy after he had firmly planted the tree of reform and a grand revolution should have appeared.

We state it with great pride that the brightness with which this argument has been established in support of the Holy Qur’an and our Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] is lacking in the case of other Prophets and other Books. The claim of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was that he had been sent to the whole of mankind; so the Holy Qur’an convicts all people of being involved in all types of paganism and vice and disobedience as it says:

That is to say, that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] should warn all people that on account of their misconduct and false doctrines, they have been accounted very sinful in the estimation of God Almighty.

The word Warner that has been used in this verse concerning all the peoples, which means to warn the sinners and evildoers, is a sure indication that the Qur’an claimed that the whole world had been corrupted and that everyone had given up the way of truth and good behaviour, inasmuch as a warning is meant for the disobedient and pagans and evildoers, and a warning is administered to offenders and not to the well behaved. Everyone knows that it is only the vicious and faithless ones who are warned, that it is the way of Allah that a Prophet is a bearer of good tidings for the good and is a Warner for the evil ones. When a Prophet is designated as a Warner for the whole world, it would have to be accepted that by the revelation vouchsafed to that Prophet, the whole world has been held to be involved in misconduct. This is a claim which the Torah did not make in the case of Moses, nor the Gospel in the case of Jesus, but was put forward only by the Holy Qur’an. Then it was said:

Meaning that: Before the advent of this Prophet you had arrived at the brink of hell;

The Jews and the Christians were warned that they had perverted the Books of God and had led all the people in every type of mischief and misconduct, and the idol worshippers were charged with worshipping stones, men, stars, and the elements and that they had forgotten the True Creator and were guilty of devouring the property of orphans and of killing children and of doing wrong to their partners, and that they had transgressed beyond measure in everything. It was said:

That is to say: Beware that the whole earth had died and would now be revived afresh by God.

In short, the Holy Qur’an charged the whole world with Shirk—paganism, misconduct and idol worship, which are the source of evils, and held the Christians and the Jews to be at the root of all evil and set out all the types of vices in which they indulged. The Qur’an drew such a picture of the misconduct of the world that except in the case of the age of Noah, no other age appears to resemble it.

We have contented ourselves with citing only a few verses and would urge our readers to study the Holy Qur’an carefully so as to discover how forcefully and with what effective words the Holy Qur’an has set forth that the whole world had been corrupted and had died, and that mankind was standing on the brink of hell. It urged the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] to warn the whole world that it was in a serious condition. A study of the Holy Qur’an reveals that the world was steeped in paganism, idol worship, misconduct and all manner of sin, and was sunk in the deep well of vice.

It is true that the Gospel mentions some of the misconduct of the Jews, but it nowhere said that the whole world had been corrupted and had died and had become filled with paganism and misconduct. Nor did Jesus claim that he was a Messenger to the whole world. He addressed the Jews, who were a small people and inhabited a few villages within sight of Jesus. But the Holy Qur’an mentions the death of the whole world and describes the evil condition of all peoples. The Jews were the descendants of the Prophets and professed faith in the Torah, though they did not act in accordance with it; but at the time of the revelation of the Holy Qur’an, in addition to all sorts of corruption in conduct, their doctrine too had been corrupted. Thousands of people were atheists and thousands denied revelation and all sorts of evils were rife on the earth. Jesus mentioned the misconduct of the Jews who were a small people, which shows that the Jews were then in need of a Reformer. But the argument that we put forward in the case of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] to affirm that he was commissioned by God, that he came at the time of general corruption and was called back after effecting a full reform, and the presentation of both these aspects in the Holy Qur’an, and his calling the attention of the world to it, is a matter which is not to be found in the Gospel and indeed not in any other Book except in the Holy Qur’an.

These arguments are put forth by the Holy Qur’an itself and it claims that its truth is established by a consideration of both these aspects. It appeared at a time when misconduct and false doctrines had become widespread and the world had drifted far away from truth, reality, Unity of God and purity. The affirmation of the Qur’an in this respect is confirmed by a study of comparative history. There is evidence of the confession of every people that that age was so full of darkness that every people had become prone to creature worship and that is the reason that when the Holy Qur’an charged all people with misguidance and evildoing, not one of them was able to prove its innocence. Observe how forcefully God Almighty speaks of the vices of the people of the Book and describes the death of the whole world. He says:

This means that: The believers should not behave like the people of the Book who were given the Book before them and a long time passed and their hearts were hardened and most of them became disobedient and vicious. Remember that the earth had died and that God is now reviving it. These are signs of the need and truth of the Holy Qur’an which are being explained to you so that you might understand.

Now you will realize that we have not put forward this argument from our own mind, but that it is the Qur’an that puts it forward and after setting forth both parts of the argument, it says that:

These are Signs in support of the truth of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and the Holy Qur’an which have been set forth so that you might reflect and arrive at the reality.

The second part of this argument is that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was called back from the world to his Lord at a time when he had completed his task fully and this is also clearly set forth in the Holy Qur’an, as Allah the Glorious says that:

Meaning that: By the revelation of the Qur’an and by the reform of the people, I have perfected your faith and have completed My favours upon you and have chosen Islam as your religion.

This was an indication that the revelation of the Qur’an had been completed and it had carried out surprising and wonderful changes in eager hearts and had perfected their training and that Divine favour had been completed for the Muslims.

These are the two aspects which are the purpose of the advent of a Prophet. This verse announces forcefully that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] did not depart this life till Islam had been perfected by the revelation of the Qur’an and the proper training of the Muslims. This is a sign of Divine origin which is not bestowed on a false claimant. Indeed before the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] no true Prophet had shown this high example of perfection that on the one side the Book of God should be completed in peace and on the other side the training of people should be perfected and the disbelieving people should be defeated in every direction and Islam should be victorious on every side.

This means that: The succour and victory that had been promised having come and you having seen, O Prophet, that people are entering into Islam in great hosts, then praise and glorify God, that is to say, confess that whatever has happened was not your doing but was the grace and beneficence of Allah, and supplicate Allah in final Istighfar for He is Oft-Returning with compassion.

When Prophets are urged to Istighfar, it is wrong to conclude that this means that they have to seek forgiveness like sinful people. In their case, it is a confession of their nothingness and humility and weakness and is a respectful way of seeking His help. As these verses affirm that the purpose of the advent of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] had been fulfilled, that is to say, thousands of people had accepted Islam and this was an indication of the approaching death of the Holy Prophet—he died within a year of the receipt of this revelation—it was natural that as these verses had given pleasure to the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] he should also be concerned that the garden having been planted, what about its future irrigation? So God Almighty, in order to remove this concern of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] urged him to Istighfar.

The meaning of maghfirat is so to cover up a person that he should be safeguarded against calamities. Thus, mighfar means a helmet. Istighfar means that the calamity that is feared or the sin that is apprehended, may be covered up and stopped from becoming manifest. In this case it was to convey reassurance to the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] that he should not grieve over the faith, that God Almighty would not let it be destroyed and would ever turn to it in mercy and hold back the misfortunes which could follow upon some weakness.

It is a clear proof of the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and of the truth of the Holy Qur’an, that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was sent into the world when by its circumstances, it was demanding a grand Reformer and that he did not die, nor was he killed, till he had established the truth upon the earth. When he appeared as a Prophet, he at once proved his need by the world and condemned every people for their paganism, unrighteousness and wrong-doing. The Holy Qur’an is full of such admonition, for instance:

Blessed is He Who has sent down the Holy Qur’an to His servant that he may be a Warner to all the peoples; that is to say, he was to warn them of their false doctrines and their going astray.

This verse is proof, and the Qur’an claims, that the Holy Prophet (sas) appeared at a time when the whole world and all the people had been corrupted; and his opponents have accepted this claim not only by their silence, but also by their confession. It follows that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] had come at a time when a true and perfect Prophet should have appeared. Then when we consider the time at which he was called back, we find that the Qur’an very explicit that he was called back when he had completed his task. He was called back after the verse was revealed that the code of teaching for the Muslims had been perfected and all that had to be revealed in that context had been revealed. Not only this, but it was announced that the support of God Almighty had also been perfected and that people in large numbers had accepted Islam. It was also revealed that God had filled their hearts with faith and righteousness and had made them averse to disobedience and vice. They had acquired good morals and a great change had taken place in their morals, conduct and souls.

Then was revealed the Surah al-Nasr, the purport of which is that all the purposes of Prophethood had been fulfilled and Islam had achieved a victory over peoples’ hearts. The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] announced that this Surah indicated the approach of his death. He then performed the Pilgrimage and called it the Farewell Pilgrimage, in which he delivered a long address from the back of a camel and called upon the people to bear witness that he had conveyed to them all the commandments which he had been commissioned to convey to them. Everyone confirmed in a loud voice that he had conveyed everything to them. The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] then pointed to heaven and said three times: Bear witness, O Allah. He then said that he had admonished them at length as he might not be with them in the following year. He then returned to Medina and died the following year. Send down on him Thy blessings and peace, O Allah. All these indications are given in the Qur’an and are confirmed by the history of Islam.

Can any Christian, Jew or Arya put forward the instance of any of their Reformers whose advent was at the time of great need, and whose departing was after the fulfilment of that need, and whose opponents bore witness to their own unrighteousness and misconduct? I know that no one outside Islam can offer this proof. It is obvious that Moses was sent for the destruction of Pharaoh, and to rescue his people from his tyranny, and to guide them along the right path. He was not concerned with the corruption of the world. It is true that he rescued his people from the tyranny of Pharaoh, but could not rescue them from Satan, nor was he able to lead them into the Promised Land. The children of Israel were not able to purify themselves at his hands and repeatedly fell into disobedience, till Moses died while they were still in that condition.

So far as the disciples of Jesus are concerned, the Gospel bears witness to their condition; no further explanation is needed. Nor is it a matter unknown, as to how little Jesus was able to guide the Jews for whose guidance he had been sent as a Prophet. If the Prophethood of Jesus were to be judged by this measure, one would be compelled to affirm that it is in no way established by this standard.

The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was raised at a time when the whole world was involved in paganism, misguidance and creature worship and all peoples had abandoned true doctrines and forgetting the straight path, every group was following its own innovations. Idol worship was rife in Arabia, Persia was committed to fire worship, in India in addition to idol worship, creature worship of diverse types was widespread. Many books had been written, whereby scores of human beings had been deified, and the foundation of Avatar worship had been laid. According to Rev. Mr. Bourt and several English writers, no religion had been so corrupted as the Christian religion and it had fallen into serious disrepute on account of the misconduct and wrong doctrines of its ministers of religion. In Christian doctrine not one or two persons, but several objects had been deified.

The advent of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] at this time of general misguidance, when the circumstances demanded an exalted Reformer and there was great need of Divine guidance, and his illumining a whole world with the Unity of God and righteous conduct and his putting an end to paganism and creature worship, which is the mother of all ills, are clear proof that he was a true Messenger of God and was superior to all Messengers. His truth is established by the fact that in that age of general misguidance, the law of nature and the way of God demanded a true Guide.

It is the eternal law of the Lord of the worlds that when some type of suffering reaches its climax in the world, Divine mercy addresses itself to its removal. When through a prolonged drought people are faced with extinction through famine, God, the Compassionate, sends down rain. When hundreds and thousands of people begin to die of an epidemic, the air is cleansed by some means or some remedy becomes available. When a people is caught in the wiles of a tyrant, a just and compassionate ruler appears. In the same way, when people forget the way of God and abandon His Unity and worship, God Almighty, having bestowed perfect insight upon a servant and having honoured him with His word, sends him for the guidance of mankind so that he should reform the corruption that had set in.

The truth of the matter is that Providence, Who sustains the world and supports its existence, does not hold back or suspend any of His attributes of beneficence. Every one of His attributes manifests itself on its proper occasion. As it is established by sane reason, that to overcome every calamity, the relevant attribute of God Almighty manifests itself and it has been established by history, and by the confession of opponents, and by the clear affirmation of the Holy Qur’an, that at the time of the advent of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] this calamity was at its height, that all the peoples of the world had abandoned the straight path of the Unity of God and all sincerity, and of Divine worship, and it is known to everyone that it was the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] alone and no one else, who reformed that corruption and rescuing a world from the darkness of paganism and creature worship, established it on the Unity of God, then it follows inevitably that he was a true Guide from God Almighty. Almighty Allah has set forth this argument in His Holy Book in the following verses:

We call attention to the fact that the three elements that we had mentioned which lead to the conclusion that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was a true guide, are mentioned in an excellent manner in these verses. First the hearts of the misguided ones, who had been caught in error over centuries are likened to a dry and dead land, and the Divine word is described as the rain which comes from heaven, and an indication is given of the eternal law that in case of drought Divine mercy always rescues mankind from destruction. It is indicated that this law of nature is not confined to material water, but that spiritual water also certainly descends at a time of hardship, that is to say, when misguidance becomes general. In such circumstances, Divine mercy comes into play for certain to overcome the calamity that affects the hearts.

Then these verses point to the second element that the whole earth had been corrupted before the advent of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and finally a reference is made to the fact that those spiritually dead had been revived through this Holy Word of God. The conclusion is that this is a sign of the truth of this Book and seekers after truth are invited to conclude that the Holy Qur’an is the Book of God.

As this argument establishes the truth of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] it also establishes his superiority over the other Prophets, inasmuch as the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] had to contend against the whole world and the task that was committed to him was in truth the work of a thousand or two thousand Prophets.

The time of the advent of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] needed a grand Divine Reformer and heavenly guide, and the teaching that he set forth was true and was greatly needed and comprised everything that fulfilled the needs of the time. That teaching was so effective that it pulled hundreds of thousands of hearts to the truth and impressed on hundreds of thousands of minds that:

He fulfilled the ultimate purpose of Prophethood, that is to say, teaching the principles of salvation so perfectly that no other Prophet was able to fulfil it to such perfection in any age. These facts compel one to bear eager witness that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was a true guide from God.

There is no remedy for a person who denies out of bigotry and obstinacy. Such a person could even deny the existence of God, otherwise all these signs of righteousness and truth which are combined so perfectly in the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] cannot be established in the case of any other Prophet. Let him who dares come forward to show them to us.

Our Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was a great Reformer for the proclamation of truth, and restored to the world the truth that had been lost. No Prophet shares with him the pride that he found the whole world in darkness and by his appearance that darkness was converted into light. He did not die till the people among whom he had appeared had cast aside the garment of paganism and had put on the robe of the Unity of God. Not only this, but also they achieved high grades of faith and performed such works of righteousness, fidelity and certainty which are not matched in any part of the world. Such success was not achieved by any Prophet other than the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

It is a strong argument in support of the truth of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] that he was raised in an age when the world had fallen into deep darkness and called for a grand Reformer. He departed the world at a time when hundreds of thousands of people had abandoned paganism and idol worship and had adopted the Unity of God and the straight path. Such perfect reform was particular to him that he taught a people who were at the level of animals, the ways of humanity. In other words, he converted wild beasts into men, and then turned them into educated men, and then made them men of God, and breathed spirituality into them and created a relationship between them and the True God. They were slaughtered like sheep in the cause of God and were trodden under foot like ants, but they did not abandon their faith, and marched forward in the face of every calamity.

Doubtless, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was a second Adam and indeed was the true Adam for the establishment of spirituality through whom all human excellences arrived at their perfection, and all good faculties were devoted to their proper task and no branch of human nature was left barren. Prophethood ended with him not only because he was the last Prophet in point of time, but also because all the excellences of Prophethood reached their climax in him. As he was a perfect manifestation of Divine attributes, his law had the qualities of both majesty and beauty. That is why he was named both Muhammad and Ahmad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. And there was no miserliness in his Prophethood; Indeed, it was destined for the benefit of the whole world since the beginning of time.

Steadfastness of the Holy Prophet (sas)

That Prophet is superior to all other Prophets who is the great Instructor of the world, that is to say, he at whose hands the great corruption of the world was reformed and who re-established on the earth the Unity of God which had been lost and had disappeared. He overcame all false religions by proof and argument and removed the doubts of every misguided one. He provided the true means of salvation by teaching the right principles for which it was not necessary to crucify an innocent person, or to remove God from His true and eternal station and to put Him in the womb of a woman. Thus, his beneficence and his grace exceed those of everyone else and his rank is higher than all. History points out, and the heavenly Book is a witness, and those who have eyes are able to observe, that the Prophet who is thus established as superior to all other Prophets is Muhammad, the chosen one [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

It is worthy of note how steadfastly the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] adhered to his claim of Prophethood right till the end, despite thousands of dangers and hundreds of thousands of opponents and obstructers and threateners. For years, he endured misfortunes and hardships which increased daily and rendered success apparently hopeless, and by enduring which patiently he had not in mind the achievement of any worldly purpose. On the contrary, by putting forward his claim of Prophethood, he lost what he had and purchased a hundred thousand contentions and invited a thousand calamities to overtake him. He was expelled from his home, was pursued by slayers, lost his home and all it contained and was poisoned several times. Those who were his well-wishers began to wish him ill and those who were his friends turned into enemies. For a long period, he had to bear hardships, to be steadfast under which was not possible for a cunning impostor.

When after a long time Islam became supreme, the Holy Prophet collected no wealth for himself, nor did he raise any structure, nor did he seek any means of comfort or luxury, nor did he derive any personal benefit from anything. Whatever came to hand was spent in taking care of the poor, the orphans, the widows and those burdened with debt. He never ate his fill. He was so straightforward that by his plain speaking and his preaching of the Unity of God, he made enemies of all the peoples of the world who were sunk in paganism. He converted his own people into enemies first of all, by forbidding them idol worship. He upset the Jews for he stopped them from indulging in diverse types of creature worship and exaltation of their divines and from misconduct. He stopped them from denying and insulting Jesus which caused them great heart burning, and they became his bitter enemies, and began to cast about for means of destroying him. In the same way, he annoyed the Christians for he denied the godhead of Jesus and his being the son of God, and denied his being the crucified saviour. The fire worshippers and the star worshippers were also annoyed with him for they were also forbidden to worship their deities. The Unity of God was proclaimed as the sole means of attaining salvation. Were these the ways of winning the world?

The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was straightforward and was ready to lay down his life for God, and turned wholly away from any hope or fear of people, and put his trust wholly in God, and being devoted to the will and pleasure of God, he cared not what calamities he would have to endure through preaching the Unity of God and what hardships might be inflicted upon him by the pagans. He endured every hardship and carried out the commandments of his Lord, and fulfilled all the conditions called for by his preaching and admonition, and attached no importance to any threat that was held out to him. I say truly that of all the Prophets there was none who put his full trust in God on all occasions of danger and went on preaching against paganism and creature worship despite all his enemies and was so steadfast and persevering as the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

The calamities and hardships that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] had to endure during the thirteen years of his Meccan life cannot be imagined. My heart trembles when I think of them. They demonstrate his high resolve, his generosity, his perseverance and his steadfastness. What a mountain of steadfastness he was that no difficulty could shake him in the least. He did not slacken for a moment in the discharge of his duty, nor was he sorrowful. No difficulty could weaken his resolve. Some people out of misunderstanding enquire: why did he have to encounter all these misfortunes and difficulties when he was the loved one of God and His chosen one? I would say to them that water is not discovered till one digs in the earth and splits it through several feet. It is only then that agreeable water is found which is the basis of life. In the same way, delight in the cause of God Almighty can be procured only by steadfastness and firmness under difficulties and misfortunes. How can those who are unaware of this spiritual experience ever taste and feel the delight of facing hardship? How on earth can they imagine that whenever the Holy Prophet (sas) faced trouble, a spring of felicity and delight welled up in his heart, reinforcing his faith in God and in His love and succour.

Divine Support for the Holy Prophet (sas)

Is it not a matter for wonder that a poor, powerless, helpless, and unlearned orphan who was alone at a time when every people possessed a plenitude of financial, military and intellectual means, brought such a bright teaching that he silenced everyone with his conclusive arguments and clear proofs? He pointed out the mistakes of those who were claimed as great philosophers. He exhibited such power that he pulled down rulers from their thrones and put poor people on them in their place. If this was not Divine support, then what was it? Can anyone overcome the whole world in reason, knowledge, strength and force without Divine support?

Who was with the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] when he first announced to the people that he was a Prophet? Did he possess the treasury of any king relying on which he took on the whole world as his opponents, or had he at his disposal a force relying on which he had become secure against the attacks of kings? Our opponents know that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was at that time alone and helpless and without any means. It was only God, Who had created him for a great purpose, Who was with him and was his sure support.

On five occasions, the life of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was in serious danger and had he not been a true Prophet of God, he would certainly have been destroyed. One was the occasion when the disbelieving Quraish had surrounded his house and had sworn that they would kill him that night. The second occasion was when pursuers had arrived with a large body of men at the entrance to the cave in which he had taken shelter along with Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). The third occasion was when he had been left alone in the battle of Uhad and the Quraish had surrounded him and attacked him in a body but were foiled of their purpose. The fourth occasion was when a Jewish woman gave him meat to eat which had been saturated with a fatal poison. The fifth occasion was when Khusro Pervaiz, Emperor of Persia, had made up his mind to destroy him and had sent his emissaries to arrest him. His delivery on all these dangerous occasions and his ultimate triumph over all his enemies is conclusive proof that he was righteous and God was with him.

Perfect Morals of the Holy Prophet (sas) In Adversity and Victory

Prophets and saints are raised so that people should follow them in all their moral qualities and that all seekers after truth should tread the path along which God has made them steadfast. It is obvious that high moral qualities are proved by their exercise on the proper occasion and it is only then that they are most effective. For instance, forgiveness is praiseworthy when the wronged one has the power to take revenge, and piety is trustworthy when it is exercised at a time when means of self-indulgence are at hand. God’s design with regard to Prophets and saints is that every type of high moral quality should be manifested by them and should be clearly established.

To fulfil this design God Almighty divides their lives into two parts. One part is passed in hardships and under calamities, in which they are tormented and persecuted so that those of their high moral qualities might be manifested which can only be manifested during great hardship. If they are not subjected to great hardship, it cannot be affirmed that they were faithful to their Lord in the face of all calamities and pressed further forward in the face of hardships. They are grateful to God Almighty that He chose them for His favours and considered them worthy that they should be persecuted in His cause. God Almighty afflicts them with misfortunes so that their endurance and steadfastness and fidelity might be manifested and they might illustrate the proverb that:

Perfect steadfastness is not manifested in the absence of great hardships, and is appreciated when a person is greatly shaken. These calamities are spiritual bounties in the case of Prophets and saints, through which their high qualities, in which they are matchless and peerless, are manifested and their ranks are promoted in the hereafter. If they were not subjected to severe trials, they would not be awarded these bounties, nor would their sterling qualities be demonstrated to the common people. Their high resolve, fidelity and bravery would not be universally acknowledged. They became matchless, peerless, unique, unreachable, and so perfect and brave as if each of them were a thousand lions in one body and a thousand leopards in one frame. Thus, their power and strength held high in everyone’s estimation and they arrived at high ranks of nearness to God.

The second part of the lives of Prophets and saints is perfected in victory, prestige and riches, so that such of their high qualities might be demonstrated for which it is necessary to be victorious, to possess prestige, riches, authority and power. To forgive one’s tormentors, and to forbear from one’s persecutors, and to love one’s enemies, and to wish well to one’s ill-wishers, not to love riches nor to be proud of them, and not to be miserly and to open wide the gates of beneficence and generosity, and not to make riches the means of self-indulgence, and not to make power an instrument of tyranny and transgression, are all qualities for the demonstration of which it is necessary to possess riches and power. These qualities are demonstrated when a person possesses both wealth and authority.

As without passing through a time of trial and misfortune, and also a time of prosperity and authority, these two types of high qualities cannot be manifested, the Perfect Wisdom of the Divine demanded that Prophets and saints should be provided with both these types of opportunities which comprise thousands of bounties. But the sequence of both these conditions is not the same for everyone. Divine Wisdom ordains in the case of some that the period of peace and comfort should precede the time of troubles, and in the case of others, troubles precede Divine help. In some these conditions are not apparent and in others they are manifested to a perfect degree. In this respect the foremost was the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] for both these conditions were imposed upon him in their perfection in such order that his high qualities were illumined like the sun and thus was fulfilled the verse:

The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] having been proved to be perfect in both types of high qualities, thus proved the high qualities of all the Prophets, inasmuch as he confirmed their Prophethood and their Books and manifested their being the favourites of God. This repels the objection that the moral qualities of Jesus [peace be on him] in respect of both these types were not established to a perfect degree, and indeed they were not established even with regard to one type. It is true that Jesus showed steadfastness under distress, but the perfection of this quality would only have been demonstrated had Jesus obtained authority and superiority over his persecutors, had forgiven them from the bottom of his heart as the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] having obtained complete victory over the Meccans and others and having them at his mercy, forgave them, with the exception of a few who had been condemned by God to undergo punishment for their specific crimes. Having achieved victory, he announced to them:

On account of this forgiveness which had appeared impossible in the estimation of his opponents, who considering their own misdeeds deemed themselves already condemned to death, thousands of people accepted Islam within an hour. The steadfastness of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] which he had demonstrated for a long period under their severe persecution became illumined in their eyes like the sun. It is part of man’s nature that the greatness of a person’s steadfastness is illustrated perfectly when he forgives his persecutors after obtaining power over them. That is why the high qualities of Jesus in the matter of steadfastness and meekness and endurance were not fully demonstrated and it did not become clear whether his steadfastness was by his choice or was under compulsion. Jesus did not acquire power and authority over his persecutors so that it cannot be determined whether he forgave his enemies, or would have avenged himself upon them.

As a contrast, the high qualities of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] were demonstrated on hundreds of occasions and their reality shone forth like the sun. The qualities of generosity, beneficence, sacrifice, bravery, piety, contentment and withdrawal from the world were demonstrated more clearly and brilliantly in the case of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] than in the case of any other Prophet. God Almighty bestowed great treasuries upon the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and he spent them all in the cause of God and did not spend a penny on self-indulgence. He raised no structures and built no mansions, but spent the whole of his life in a mud hut, which was no different from the dwelling of the poorest person. He behaved benevolently towards those who had persecuted him and helped them in their distress out of his own resources. He lived in a small adobe hut and slept on the ground and ate of barley bread or went without food. He was granted abundant wealth of the world, but he did not soil his holy hands with it and always preferred poverty to wealth and meekness to power. From the day of his advent to the day when he returned to his Companion on High, he attached no importance to anything except to his Lord. He gave proof of his bravery, fidelity and steadfastness in battle against thousands of enemies, solely for the sake of God, when death appeared a certainty.

In short, God Almighty manifested such high qualities as benevolence, piety, contentment, bravery and all that pertained to the love of the Divine in the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) the like of which had not appeared in the world before him, nor will appear after him. In the case of Jesus, these high qualities were not clearly established for they can only be proved in a period of power and riches and these were not granted to Jesus. Thus in his case, both types of qualities remained hidden as conditions for their demonstration were not present, but this objection which can be raised against the deficiency in the case of Jesus has been repelled by the perfect example of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] inasmuch as his beneficent example perfects and completes the case of every Prophet, and through him whatever had remained hidden or doubtful in the case of Jesus and other Prophets shone forth brightly. Revelation and Prophethood came to an end in that holy person in the sense that all excellences reached their climax in him. This is the grace of Allah. He bestows it upon whom He wills.

God Almighty divided the life of our Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] into two parts, one of pain and troubles and suffering and the other of victory, so that during the period of suffering those qualities might be manifested which belong to the period of suffering, and in the period of victory and power, those qualities might be demonstrated that cannot be established without power. Thus, both types of qualities were clearly established in his case by his passing through both these periods. By reading the history of his period of distress, which extended over thirteen years in Mecca, it becomes clear that he demonstrated those qualities which the perfectly righteous demonstrate in the period of distress, that is to say, trusting in God and abstaining from complaining and not slackening in his work and not standing in awe of anyone, in such manner that the disbelievers believed on witnessing such steadfastness and bore witness that unless a person had full trust in God, he could not endure suffering with such steadfastness.

When the stage of victory, power and prosperity arrived the high qualities of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]—his forgiveness, generosity, bravery—were demonstrated so perfectly that a large number of disbelievers observing those qualities believed in him. He forgave his persecutors and gave security to those who had expelled him from Mecca and enriched their needy ones. Having obtained authority over his principal enemies, he forgave them. Many people, observing his high qualities, testified that unless a person came from God and was truly righteous, he could not possess such qualities. That is why the old rancour of his enemies was immediately removed. The Holy Qur’an testifies to his exemplary morals in this verse:

This means that: Tell them that my worship and my sacrifice and my life and my death are all for God alone, that is my whole life is devoted to manifesting the glory of God and providing comfort for His creatures so that with my death they might regain spiritual life.

Greater than all honours is the honour of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] which has affected the whole Islamic world. His honour revived the world. In Arabia, adultery, drinking and fighting were rife. Human rights were completely disregarded. There was no sympathy for mankind. Even the rights of God were repudiated altogether. Stones and plants and stars were invested with Divine attributes. Diverse types of shirk were widespread. Not only man but even human genitals were worshipped. If a person possessing a sane nature were to observe those conditions even for a short while he would behold a terrible scene of darkness, wrongdoing and tyranny. Paralysis strikes on one side, but this was a paralysis which had struck both sides. The world had been completely corrupted. There was security neither on water nor on land.

The Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] appeared in this age of darkness and destruction, and reformed perfectly both sides of the balance and reestablished the rights of God and the rights of man on their true centre. The moral power of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] can be estimated by considering the condition of the age. The persecutions to which he and his followers were subjected and the treatment that he accorded to his enemies, when he obtained power over them, demonstrate the height of his rank.

There was no torment that Abu Jahl and his companions did not inflict upon the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and his devoted companions. Poor Muslim women were tied to the feet of camels which were then driven in opposite directions and their bodies were thus torn asunder; their only offence being that they believed:

He endured everything with steadfastness and when Mecca fell, he forgave his enemies, reassuring them: No blame shall lie on you this day. This was the perfection of high moral qualities which is not found in any other Prophet. Send down Thy blessings O Allah on Muhammad and his people.

True Victory of the Holy Prophet (sas)

The community of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] had developed such unity and spiritual oneness that through the spirit of Islamic brotherhood, they had all become like the limbs of one body. The rays of the light of Prophethood had so coloured their daily lives and their overt and covert conduct, that they had become the reflections of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. This great miracle of inner change, through which rank idol worshippers became sincere worshippers of God and those who were sunk in the world every moment established such strong relationship with God that they shed their blood like water in His cause, was the result of their spending their lives in full sincerity in the company of the true and perfect Prophet (sas).

The life of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was a life of grand success. In his high moral qualities, his spiritual power, his high resolve, the excellence and perfection of his teaching, his perfect example and the acceptance of his prayers, in short, in every aspect of his life, he exhibited such bright signs that even a person of low intelligence, provided he is not inspired by unreasonable rancour and enmity, is forced to confess that he was the perfect example of reflecting Divine qualities and was indeed the perfect man.

Have you any notion what was the strange event that occurred in the desert country of Arabia when hundreds of thousands of the dead were revived within a brief period and those who had been misguided through generations put on Divine colour, and those who were blind obtained sight, and those who had been dumb began to speak of the understanding of the Divine, and the world underwent a revolution which had never been seen or heard of before? It was the supplications during dark nights of one who had lost himself in God which raised a clamour in the world, and manifested such wonders as appeared impossible in the case of that unlearned helpless one. Send down Thy blessings and peace, O Allah, on him and his people according to the amount of pain and anguish he felt for his Ummah, and pour down upon him the lights of Thy mercy forever.

Whatever happened in the beginning of Islam was the result of the supplications of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] which he had submitted to God Almighty with his tears in the streets of Mecca. All the grand victories which changed the entire aspect of the world were the result of his prayers. The weakness of his companions may be judged from the fact that in the battle of Badr, between them they possessed only three wooden swords.

The reform that was carried out by our lord and master, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] was very sweeping and general, and was acknowledged on all hands. This degree of reform had not been achieved by any previous Prophet. If anyone studies the history of Arabia, he would come to know how bigoted the idol worshippers, Jews, and Christians of the time were, and how much their reform had been despaired of for centuries. Then the teachings of the Holy Qur’an, which were wholly opposed to them, proved so effective that they swept aside every false doctrine and every vice. Drinking was abolished, gambling was discarded, infanticide was put down and everything that was opposed to compassion and justice and purity was suppressed. It is true also that offenders were suitably punished for their offences. No one can, however, deny the greatness of the reform that was carried out.

Devotion to the Holy Prophet (sas)

In our estimation, there is no greater testimony than the testimony of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. My heart trembles when I hear that any person who is confronted with a decision of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] does not accept it and turns away from it.

The Muslims are a people who are ready to lay down their lives to uphold the honour of their Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. They would prefer to die rather than endure the disgrace that they should make peace and become friends with such people who are occupied day and night with abusing the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] and mention his name with contempt in their books, journals, and announcements and use vile language with reference to him. Such persons are not the well-wishers even of their own people, for they create numberless difficulties for them. I tell you truly that it is possible for us to make peace with the serpents of the jungle and the wild beasts of the forests, but we cannot make peace with those who do not refrain from speaking ill of God’s Prophets and who consider that abuse and vituperation mean victory. True victory is that which comes from heaven.

The insults that have been offered to Islam and the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him], the attacks that have been made against Divine Law and the apostasies and heresies that have become widespread, cannot be matched in any other age. Is it not true that in a short while in India alone a hundred thousand people have become Christians, and more than sixty million books have been published in opposition to Islam, and people belonging to high families have lost their religion, and those who used to describe themselves as the descendants of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] have put on the garment of Christianity and have become his enemies, and numberless books full of vile abuse of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him] have been published? My heart cries out with tears that if these people had murdered my children before my eyes, and had cut to pieces my sincere friends, and had killed me with great humiliation, and had possessed themselves of all my property, I would not have been so pained and my heart would not have been so hurt as it has been pained and hurt by the insults offered to the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him].

Poems in Remembrance of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Al-Qasidah – An Ode in Praise of the Holy Prophet (sas) (Arabic Poem)

O fountainhead of Divine grace and knowledge!
All creation flocks towards you like the thirsty.

O ocean of the grace of the Generous Benefactor!
Multitudes throng towards you holding empty cups.

O sun of the kingdom of beauty and grace!
You have illumined the face of deserts and dwellings alike.

A nation had the honour to behold you and another heard
Of this full moon that has enchanted me.

They shed tears in remembrance of your beauty;
And the pangs of separation from you make them cry.

O ye who in his light and radiance is like the sun and the moon;
And has illumined the day with his light.

O full moon of ours, O the sign of our Gracious Lord!
O the most guided of all guides, and the bravest of all the brave.

He is genial, gracious, bounteous, lover of righteousness;
Generous, and one who has excelled all the youth.

He surpasses all creation in his perfection and beauty;
In his glory, and his pleasant nature.

No doubt, Muhammad is the best of creation;
He is the elect of the elect and chief of chiefs.

All excellence attained perfection in his person;
The bounties of every age reached their climax in him.

I call Allah to witness that Muhammad is His vicegerent;
Through him alone access is possible to the Divine court.

He is the pride of every pious and holy person;
In him does the spiritual army take pride.

He is superior to all those who attained nearness to Allah in earlier times;
For the criterion of excellence is virtue, not time.

A light drizzle often precedes rain;
But there is a world of difference between the two.

He is the one and only archer whose arrows never miss the target;
He is the master archer whose arrows hit the target and kill the Satan.

He is like a heavenly garden: I see his fruits;
Whose bunches have been lowered towards my heart.

Verily ‘Isa—Jesus—quietly breathed his last, but our Prophet is alive;
God is my witness, I have had the honour to meet him.

I swear by Allah! I have witnessed his beautiful countenance;
With my own eyes while sitting in my house.

Our Holy Prophet is alive—of this I am a witness;
And I have been blessed with the fruit of converse with him.

I had the honour of witnessing his blessed countenance in my early youth;
He graced me with his presence when I was wide awake.

Surely, I have been brought back to life by his life-giving grace,
Praise be to Allah, What a miracle! What a life he has granted me!

O my Lord, shower Your blessings upon the Holy Prophet,
Ever and always, here and in the hereafter.

O my master! I have come to your door as the one wronged and aggrieved;
For my people have hurt me by calling me a kafir.

Do look upon me with mercy and compassion!
O my master, I am the humblest of your slaves.

O garden of my delight, never for a moment,
Am I without the remembrance of your countenance.

Overwhelmed with longing, my body yearns to fly towards you;
If only I had the power to fly!!!

Qualities of the Holy Prophet (sas) (Arabic Poem)

The world forgot its light drizzle,
When they saw the torrential rain from this leader.

We have found you to be the haven of refuge;
Hence after finding such a great haven,

We are no longer afraid of adverse circumstances,
Nor are we scared of the horrors of any sword.

In many a contest,
Between me and the opposing hordes,
I emerged victorious, honoured,
And a recipient of divine succour.

The Faith of Muhammad (sas) (Urdu Poem)

I let my fancy fly in all directions,
But I did not find a faith like the faith of Muhammad.

There is no religion which shows the signs of truth;
This fruit I tasted only in the garden of Muhammad.

I tested Islam myself—It is light upon light;
Wake up, I have informed you in time.

Come, O ye people! Herein you will find the light of God;
Lo! I have told you the way of satisfaction.

Today those lights are surging in this humble one;
I have coloured my heart with every hue of those lights.

Ever since I received that light from the light of the Prophet,
I have joined myself with the True One.

Countless blessings and peace be upon Mustafa (sas);
Allah is my witness: from Him I received this light.

My soul is forever wedded to the soul of Muhammad (sas);
I have filled my heart to the brim with this elixir.

I swear by your countenance, O my dear Ahmad (sas);
For your sake alone, have I taken up all this burden.

O my Beloved! I swear by Your Uniqueness;
I have forgotten all about myself in Your love.

The Perfect Prophet (sas) (Urdu Couplets)

The ignorant of Europe say: “This Prophet is not perfect;
What was the difficulty in spreading faith among the uncivilised?”

But to convert the uncivilised into civilised people is a miracle;
Which manifests the meaning of the secret of Prophethood.

He brought the light from heavens, he himself was light;
What is the harm if he was born among an uncivilised people?

What difference does it make to the light of the shining moon;
Whether it rises from the border of Rome or from Zanzibar?

Grandeur of Ahmad (sas) (Urdu Couplet)

Beyond all thoughts and imagination
Is the status of Ahmad (sas);
Whose servant, you can see,
Is the Messiah of the age!

Our Leader (sas) (Urdu Poem)

He is our leader, who is the source of all light;
His name is Muhammad (sas); he alone is my beloved.

All Prophets are holy, one better than the other;
But from the Almighty, he is the best of the creation.

He is far better than those before him, he is a darling in his qualities;
Every eye is focused on him, he is the full moon which dispels all darkness.

Those who came earlier, were fatigued halfway; He it is who brought us to the shore;
May I be a sacrifice; he alone is the guide.

He removed the screen, and showed the secret path;
He joined the hearts to the Beloved, such a friend he is!

That Friend, beyond all physical limitations, that Unseen Beloved;
We saw through him, so he is the true guide.

Today he is the King of faith; the Crown of the apostles;
He is pure and holy, this is his eulogy.

All commandments ordained by the True God were demonstrated in practice by him;
He revealed all secrets, an excellent gift is this.

His vision is far-reaching like a telescope, his heart is close to the Friend;
In his hands is the light of faith; he is the fountain of light.

He revealed the weighty secrets of faith; He is the King who grants wealth.
I am a sacrifice at that light; I belong entirely to him;

He is all, what worth do I possess? This is the final verdict.
That Unique Beloved is the source of all learning; All else is a mere tale, this is the truth unblemished.

We found everything through him, O Allah You are a witness;
He is that manifestor of Beauty, who showed us the Truth.

We were blind of the heart, with hundreds of knots upon the hearts;
The one who opened the locks is this very Mujtaba—accepted one.

Fire of Devotion to the Beauty of Muhammad (sas) (Persian Poem)

I am ready to offer my heart and soul
For the beauty of Muhammad (sas);
My body is merely the dust of the lane
Treaded by the progeny of Muhammad (sas).

I have seen with my heart’s eye
And heard with perceptive ears;
The trumpet of the beauty of Muhammad (sas)
Echoes everywhere.

This ever-flowing water which I distribute
Freely among God’s creatures;
Is but a drop from the ocean
Of the excellences of Muhammad (sas).

The fire that burns within me
Is the fire of the love of Muhammad (sas);
The water that I possess
Is from the sweet and pure water of Muhammad (sas).

Manifestation of the Eternal God (Persian Poem)

Except the Lord of Mercy,
Who can ever comprehend the lofty station of Ahmad (sas).
He effaced himself to such an extent
As if the letter ‘M’ had fallen away from the name ‘Ahmad’ (sas).76

So lost was he in the Beloved Lord,
That because of his extreme love
His person became the very similitude
Of the Gracious Lord.

From his holy countenance
Emanates the fragrance of the True Beloved;
His divinely inspired person and its attributes
Became the very mirror of the Eternal Lord.

Even if I am accused of heresy and disbelief,
I cannot help saying:
There is no loftier Divine Throne
Than the heart of the Holy Prophet—Ahmad (sas).

God be thanked
That despite opposition on the part of the worldly-wise
I would court a thousand and one troubles
For the sake of that Spring of Grace.

By the grace of God
And by His bounties
I am an enemy of the Pharaoh and his hordes,
Because I love this Moses of mine—the Holy Prophet (sas).

The unique and exalted station
Of the Holy Prophet (sas) as revealed to me (was so passing strange) that
I can’t help proclaiming it aloud If only I could find
One eager heart along the path.

This alone is my wish, my prayer, and my firm resolve
That may my heart and soul be sacrificed
In the sacred path of love
For the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas).

The Status of Ahmad (sas) (Persian Poem)

Who loves the Eternal Friend with all his heart,
And whose soul is in communion with the Beloved.

He who is the recipient of divine favours,
And has been brought up like a child in the lap of God.

In generosity and beneficence, he is like the spring rain;
His bounties and favours are like those of the sun.

He is ever merciful and is the sign of divine mercy;
He is gracious and is the manifestation of divine grace.

His countenance is so blessed that one glimpse of it
Transforms an ugly face into a beautiful one.

Like a star, his enlightened soul has lit up
Countless hearts which were full of darkness.

He is so blessed that his coming
Signifies the mercy of the Lord of all the worlds.

He is Ahmad of the latter days, it is for his light
That human hearts became brighter than the sun.

He is more beautiful than all the progeny of Adam;
He is purer than the purest pearl.

From his lips issues forth the fountain of wisdom;
His heart overflows with the water of Kauthar—the heavenly stream.

For the sake of God, he repudiated all else;
On land and sea there is none like him.

God has granted him the lamp
Which is forever immune from any danger or windstorm.

His arrow has demonstrated its swiftness in every field;
His sword has displayed its skill everywhere.

He proved the helplessness of idols to the world;
He plainly showed the power of the One, All-Powerful God.

Lest the idols, their makers, and worshippers
Should remain ignorant of the power of God.

He loves truth, straightforwardness and uprightness;
He is the enemy of falsehood and evil.

He is the master, yet he is a servant to the helpless;
He is the king, yet he is like a servitor to the weak.

The compassion that the world received from him,
None has ever experienced even from a mother.

He is intoxicated with the wine of the Beloved’s love;
For His sake, he is so prostrate and humble.

For everyone with insight, he is the sign of the Gracious God;
He is the proof of God for all who have eyes to see.

Out of compassion, he is the help of the helpless;
With his loving kindness, he shares the grief of the grief-stricken.

His countenance exceeds the sun and the moon in beauty;
The dust of his threshold is more fragrant than musk and ambergris.

How can the sun and the moon be like him?
In his heart shine hundreds of suns of divine light.

I who am so well aware of his beauty,
Will give my very life, while others offer their hearts.

Of what use are to me the two lips and the sweet basil,
When I have fallen in love with that beautiful face.

His beauty pulls at the strings of my heart;
The powerful one drags me along with great force.

I found him to be the light of the eyes;
And in its impact, his love is like the bright sun.

Resplendent became the face that did not turn away from him.
He found the remedy, who held on to his threshold.

Everyone who dares enter the ocean of faith without him,
Misses his port at the very outset.

He is unlettered, yet peerless in knowledge and wisdom;
Can there be brighter testimony than this?

God granted him that elixir of knowledge and understanding;
Before whose dazzling light, every star paled into insignificance.

Every excellence is culminated in his holy person;
Without doubt the reign of all Prophets ended with his coming.

He is the sun for all time and space;
He is the guide of all—the black and the brown.

The meeting point of the ocean of knowledge and recognition of Allah;
Combining in him the attributes of the sun and the shade.

For seekers, there is no guide except him;
For pilgrims, there is no leader other than him.

His is the exalted station whose intensity of light
Would scorch the wings of the Holy Spirit.

He gave to the people the elixir of life
And rescued them from the jaws of the dragon.

No one could equal his knowledge or power;
He has humbled the pride of the arrogant.

What need has he that anyone should glorify him;
To praise him is an honour for the one who praises.

He resides in the beautiful garden of purity and grandeur;
Far above the imagination of those who praise him.

We are the humble servants of all the Prophets;
We lie like dust on their threshold.

Grant me wisdom, as You have granted me a yearning heart;
Grant me the wine, as You have granted me the goblet.

O my Lord God, for the sake of Your chosen one,
Whom You supported at every step;

Hold my hand with compassion and generosity;
Be my Friend and Helper in all my affairs.

Leader of the Lovers of God (Persian Poem)

That sovereign of all the world;
Whose name is Mustafa—the chosen one;
Who is the elite of the lovers of the True God;
Who is bright like the midday sun.

Verily, all light is due to his light;
He who is accepted by him is accepted by God.
He is the one that, for life, is the flowing water;
And a limitless ocean of spiritual insight.

He it is in support of whose truthfulness and excellence,
Hundreds of incontrovertible proofs and arguments have been made manifest to the world.
His countenance radiates the light of God;
His path manifests the works of God.

All Prophets and truthful ones are his devotees;
They are like dust at his doorstep.

Love for him elevates one to the heaven;
And transforms one like the lambent moon in purity.

He demonstrates to the Pharaohs of every age,
Hundreds of signs like that of the white hand of Moses.

Praise and Appreciation of the Holy Prophet (sas) (Persian Poem)

Can I ever succeed in adequately praising the exalted leader;
Whom the heaven and earth and both the worlds cannot praise enough?

The station of nearness that he has achieved with the Eternal Beloved
Is beyond the ken of all those who have ever attained nearness to God.

None in this world can even dream of
The favours with which the eternal beloved continues to visit him.

He is the leader of the elect of God and king of the company of lovers;
His soul has traversed every stage of union with the Beloved.

That blessed one who is the manifestation of divine signs,
Came as a mercy from the Nourisher of all the worlds.

His is the exalted and unique station in the divine court;
Which is beyond the reach of the elect and the great.

He is Ahmad of the latter days,
Who is the source of honour for those who came before;

For those of the latter days he is the leader,
Haven of refuge, security and strength.

No one on the Day of Judgement will attain salvation,
But through his intercession.

He surpasses all and every kind of excellence;
The heavens are a mere speck of dust compared to his great resolve.

He manifests the light which had been hidden since eternity;
He is the source and exordium of sunrise, which was hidden since eternity.

The chief of the heavenly congregation and a proof of God on earth;
A great and powerful sign of the existence of the Creator.

Every vein and particle of his being is the abode of the Eternal Beloved;
His every breath and particle is imbued with the beauty of the Friend.

The beauty of his countenance far exceeds a hundred suns and moons;
The dust of his threshold is superior to a hundred pieces of musk for Tataristan.

He is beyond human reason, thought, and imagination;
How can thought dare reach out to that limitless ocean!

His soul is the first to proclaim: ‘Bala’—‘Yes, indeed!’
He is the Adam of faith in the Unity of God;
Even before the creation of Adam,
He had communion with the Beloved.

It is embedded in his nature to lay down his life
For God’s creatures;
He is ever ready to sacrifice himself for the downtrodden;
And he is the help of the helpless.

At the time when the world was filled
With idolatry and polytheism;
No heart wept blood
But the heart of that sovereign.

No one was aware of the evil of polytheism
And the filth of idols;
Ahmad’s soul alone was cognizant of it:
His heart was lost in Divine love.

Who knows and who is aware
Of the cries of the intercessor
Which arose for the sake of mankind
In the silence of the cave.

I cannot fathom the pain,
The agony, and the distress,
Which brought him to the cave,
So troubled and full of anguish.

He was afraid neither of the dark,
Nor of loneliness;
He did not fear death,
Nor was he scared of scorpions or snakes.

He deeply loved his people,
He was devoted to mankind and the world;
He cared little about his bodily comfort,
Nor about his personal needs.

He raised cries of pain
For the good of mankind;
Day and night he was preoccupied
In supplication to God.

His humility and prayers
Caused a great commotion
In the heavens:
The angels too were moved to tears

At last, because of his humility,
His prayers and supplications,
The Lord turned with compassion
To the dark and gloomy world.

The world was rocked
By a great storm of sin;
In every land people became blind and deaf
Because of sin and polytheism.

In the time of Noah,
The world was filled with every mischief;
No heart was free
From darkness and dust.

The devils had ruled
Over every body and soul;
Then the All-Powerful Lord appeared in glory
To the soul of Muhammad.

His grace encompasses alike
The black and the white;
He it is who sacrificed his life
For the sake of mankind.

O Prophet of Allah!
You alone are the sun of the path of righteousness;
No pious or righteous one, without you
Can find his way to the right path.

O Prophet of Allah!
Your lips are the life-sustaining fountain;
You alone are the guide
To the path of the True Lord.

There is the one who seeks to hear your sayings
From Tom, Dick and Harry;
There is another who doesn’t have to wait:
He hears directly from your own lips.

The ultimate point of knowledge for those who know,
Is the knowledge of your face;
For the truthful, steadfastness and loyalty to you
Is the height of truth.

Without you no one can ever attain
The wealth of true knowledge;
Even if he dies in the exercise
Of unlimited devotion and worship.

To bank on one’s own efforts
Without the love of your countenance,
Is to be naïve
For he who is unaware of your face,
Can never see the face of virtue.

Each moment a new light is attained
Through the love of your countenance,
Which the seeker cannot attain
In a whole lifetime.

Of the wonders of the universe,
Whatever is beautiful and sublime;
I clearly behold in you.

No time is better than the time
Spent in your love;
Nor is any pastime more pleasant
Than that devoted to your praise.

Since I am cognizant of your unlimited virtues,
I am eager to sacrifice my life for you;
Whereas others are content with their services.

Everyone supplicates for himself
In his prayers, but;
O my garden of eternal spring!
I supplicate only for your progeny.

O Prophet of Allah!
I am lost in love with every particle
Of your holy person;
Were I to have a hundred thousand lives,
I would bequeath them all
To be sacrificed in your path.

What is the truth about submission to you,
And love for your countenance?
It is a panacea for every heart,
An elixir for every lacerated soul.

How worthless is the heart,
That does not bleed for you!
How useless is the life,
That is not sacrifice for you!

Because of your love,
My heart does not fear death;
Look at my steadfastness:
I am walking to the scaffold With a smile!

O mercy of God!
We have come to you seeking your mercy;
Like us, there are hundreds of thousands of hopefuls
Waiting at your threshold.

O Prophet of Allah! I offer my being
For your lovely countenance;
This head of mine, lying heavy on my shoulder,
Is but an offering in your service.

Ever since I have been allowed
To witness the light of the Holy Prophet;
His love, like a spring,
Has been gushing forth from my heart!

The fire of devotion
Emanates from my breath like lightening;
O weak hearted companions!
Move away from my proximity.

Ever since I saw his countenance in a vision,
My heart is in ecstasy;
My very being, my body, and my soul,
Are but an offering at the altar
Of his body and his countenance.

I see hundreds of thousands of Josephs
In the dimple of his chin;
I see countless Messiahs
Being born by his breath.

He is the sovereign of the seven continents;
He is the sun of the East and the West;
He is king of both the worlds;
He is a haven for the humble.

Successful is the heart,
Which treads faithfully in his path;
Lucky is the head,
That is sacrificed for that warrior.

O Prophet of Allah!
The world is dark with disbelief and idol worship;
It is time you revealed your face
Which is bright like the sun.

O my beloved! I see the light of God
Reflected in your countenance;
I see the heart of a wise person
Intoxicated with your love.

Lovers and the enlightened
Recognize your station;
But the eyes of the bat
Cannot see the bright midday sun.

Everyone in this world has a beloved, but;
O beloved of rosy countenance!
I am devoted only to you.

Out of the entire world,
I have fallen in love with your lovely face;
I have forsaken my own self for you.

What is life?
To be sacrificed it in your path;
What is freedom?
To be like a prey in your captivity.

As long as I live,
Your love will always dwell in my heart;
As long as blood flows in my heart,
It will always be sustained by my love for you.

O Messenger of Allah!
My ties with you are very strong indeed;
I have been devoted to you
Ever since I was a suckling infant.

At every step I have taken towards Allah,
I have seen you as an invisible helper,
A supporter and a guide.

In both the worlds,
So strong is my affiliation to you:
You have nourished me
Like a baby in your lap.

Recall the time when you revealed
Your countenance to me in a vision;
Recall the time when you visited me
With great longing and eagerness.

Call to mind the kindness and favours
That you showered upon me;
Call to mind the glad tidings
You conveyed to me from the Lord.

Recall the time, when in full wakefulness,
You granted me a glimpse
Of the loveliness of the charming face
And the beauty which is the envy of Spring.

Muhammad (sas) Is the Proof of Himself (Persian Poem)

There is a wonderful light in the person of Muhammad;
There is a wonderful ruby in the mine of Muhammad.

Alas for the hearts of those unworthy ones;
Whom turn their backs upon the hospitality of Muhammad.

If you wish to be delivered from the stupor of the lower self;
Come and join the ranks of the lovers of Muhammad.

If you desire a proof of his truthfulness, become his lover;
Muhammad himself is the proof of Muhammad.

My body craves to be sacrificed for the dust of Ahmad’s feet;
My heart is ever eager to die for Muhammad.

By the tresses of the Prophet of God!
I would die for the illumined countenance of Muhammad.

Cut me to pieces or burn me to death,
I will not turn away from the court of Muhammad.

For the sake of faith, I fear no one in the world;
For I am coloured after the faith of Muhammad.

How easy it becomes to renounce the world,
When remembering the beauty and grace of Muhammad!

Every particle of my being has been sacrificed in his path;
I have witnessed the latent beauty of Muhammad.

I know not the name of any other teacher;
I have studied at the school of Muhammad.

I have nothing to do with any other beloved;
I am a prey to the loving ways of Muhammad.

Search not for my anguished heart in my bosom;
I have surrendered it to the lap of Muhammad.

I am the merriest among the birds of Paradise;
That have built their nests in the garden of Muhammad.

You have illumined my heart and soul with love;
My life is an offering to you, O Muhammad!

Were I to sacrifice my life for him a hundred times;
Alas! it would not be worthy of the high station of Muhammad.

So awe-inspiring is the station granted to this champion;
No one can even dare to compete with Muhammad.

The path of the Lord God, which mankind has lost;
Seek it in the progeny of Muhammad.

Beware, O denier of the status of Muhammad
And of the manifest light of Muhammad!

Even though miracles are no more;
Come and witness them among the devotees of Muhammad.

Muhammad (sas) Is Our Leader and Guide (Persian Poem)

His love that entered our bodies with the milk of our mothers;
Became our very life, and will last till death.

He is the best of the Prophets and best of the creation;
Prophethood found perfection in him.

We drink deep the water of his fountain,
Whoever has been satiated, has been satiated by it.

Whatever revelation or inspiration is granted to us;
Is because of him, not because of us.

Through him are we blessed with guidance and perfection;
Without him, meeting the Eternal Lord is impossible.

To follow every one of his commandments is ingrained in me;
Whatever is proven to be from him is my faith.

1 ‘Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe! You also should invoke blessings on him and salute him with the salutations of peace.’—al-Ahzab, 33:57 [Publisher]

2 Ta Ha, 20:115 [Publisher]

3 ‘So am I commanded, and I am the first of those who submit.’—al-An‘am, 6:164 [Publisher]

4 al-Nisa’, 4:114 [Publisher]

5 al-Zumar, 39:54 [Publisher]

6 ‘A believing slave is better than an idolater.’—al-Baqarah, 2:222 [Publisher]

7 ‘Say, If you love Allah, follow me: then will Allah love you and forgive you your faults.’—Aal-e-‘Imran, 3:32 [Publisher]

8 Bukhari

9 al-Hadid, 57:18 [Publisher]

10 al-Mujadilah, 58:23 [Publisher]

11 Aal-e-‘Imran, 3:111 [Publisher]

12 ‘Allah has set a seal on their hearts.’—al-Baqarah, 2:8 [Publisher]

13 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.

[Publisher]

14 ‘Say, If you love Allah, follow me: then will Allah love you.’—Aal-e-‘Imran, 3:32 [Publisher]

15 ‘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.’—al-Hujurat, 49:8 [Publisher]

16 Isaiah 42:1-4, 13 [Publisher]

17 al-Hijr, 15:30 [Publisher]

18 al-Nisa’, 4:2 [Publisher]

19 al-Najm, 53:9-10 [Publisher]

20 al-An‘am, 6:163 [Publisher]

21 ‘Some of them He exalted by degrees of rank.’—al-Baqarah, 2:254 [Publisher]

22 ‘Some of them He exalted by degrees of rank.’—al-Baqarah, 2:254 [Publisher]

23 al-Baqarah, 2:166 [Publisher]

24 al-Baqarah, 2:201 [Publisher]

25 al-Najm, 53:9-10 [Publisher]

26 al-Najm, 53:9-10 [Publisher]

27 al-Fath, 48:11 [Publisher]

28 al-Anfal, 8:18 [Publisher]

29 al-Zumar, 39:54 [Publisher]

30 Bani Isra’il, 17:82 [Publisher]

31 Deuteronomy 33:2 [Publisher]

32 When our moon cast a glance of love at our heart,
Our dark heart was transmuted into pure silver.

Every moment the all-encompassing grace of my beloved continues to invite;
Although who are not of us continue to bar the way.

Day or night, I lie like dust in my beloved’s lane;
What other sign could there be of our good fortune and honour!

[Publisher]

33 al-Nur, 24:36 [Publisher]

34 ‘Allah is the light of the heavens and the Earth.’—al-Nur, 24:36, [Publisher]

35 al-Qalam, 68:5 [Publisher]

36 ‘We have created man in the best of creative plans.’—al-Tin, 95:5 [Publisher]

37 Ibrahim, 14:25 [Publisher]

38 ‘Haply thou wilt grieve thyself to death because they believe not.’—al-Shu‘ara’, 26:4 [Publisher]

39 ‘They prayed for victory, and as a result thereof every haughty enemy of truth came to naught.’—Ibrahim, 14:16 [Publisher]

40 al-Duha, 93:8 [Publisher]

41 al-Duha, 93:7-9 [Publisher]

42 al-Qalam, 68:5 [Publisher]

43 al-Nisa’, 4:114 [Publisher]

44 Psalms 45:7 [Publisher]

45 ‘You shall believe in him and help him.’—Aal-e-‘Imran, 3:82 [Publisher]

46 al-An‘am, 6:91 [Publisher]

47 Aal-e-‘Imran, 3:69 [Publisher]

48 ‘That is Allah’s grace; He bestows it on whom He pleases.’—al-Jumu‘ah, 62:5 [Publisher]

49 ‘Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe! You also should invoke blessings on him and salute him with the salutations of peace.’—al-Ahzab, 33:57 [Publisher]

50 al-Anfal, 8:18 [Publisher]

51 Ornaments adorn all the beauties in the world;
But you are so beautiful that you beautify the ornaments themselves.

[Publisher]

52 The reference is to the second sub footnote in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, which starts on page 293 in Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 1. [Translator]

53 Aal-e-‘Imran, 3:2-4 [Publisher]

54 al-Nisa’, 4:171 [Publisher]

55 Bani Isra’il, 17:106 [Publisher]

56 al-Nisa’, 4:175 [Publisher]

57 al-A‘raf, 7:159 [Publisher]

58 Muhammad, 47:3 [Publisher]

59 al-Rum, 30:42 [Publisher]

60 al-Furqan, 25:2 [Publisher]

61 Aal-e-‘Imran, 3:104 [Publisher]

62 al-Hadid, 57:18 [Publisher]

63 al-Hadid, 57:17-18 [Publisher]

64 al-Hadid, 57:18 [Publisher]

65 al-Ma’idah, 5:4 [Publisher]

66 al-Nasr, 110:2-4 [Publisher]

67 al-Furqan, 25:2 [Publisher]

68 ‘Allah, Who is the Fountainhead of grace, guidance and providence bears witness: We did send Messengers to the tribes and nations before thee; but they were corrupted because of the misguidance of Satan; so the same Satan is their partner this day. This Book has been revealed so that it may settle their differences and the truth may be declared manifestly. The fact is that the whole earth had died; Allah sent down water from heaven and brought this dead to life. This is a sign of the truthfulness of the Book, but it will benefit only those who would listen, i.e., are seekers after truth.’—al-Nahl, 16:64-66 [Publisher]

69 There is no one worthy of worship except Allah. [Publisher]

70 ‘Steadfastness is higher than a miracle.’ [Publisher]

71 ‘Thou dost surely possess high moral excellences.’—al-Qalam, 68:5 [Publisher]

72 ‘No blame shall lie on you this day.’ [Publisher]

73 al-An‘am, 6:163 [Publisher]

74 There is none worthy of worship except Allah. [Publisher]

75 Ahmad is a name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas). [Translator]

76 Ahmad is composed of four Arabic letters—Alif, Ha, Mim, and Dal. When the Mim is dropped, the three remaining letters—Alif, Ha, and Dal—make the word Ahad, which is an attribute of Almighty Allah, meaning Unique. The line purports to say that by freeing himself completely from his own self, the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah upon him] became a true manifestation of Allah, the Unique.

Exalted Status of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Knowledge of Allah’s Attributes Granted to the Holy Prophet

Excellence of Obeying the Holy Prophet (sas)

Revival of the Faith in Unity Through the Holy Prophet (sas)

Bounties of Allah Upon the Followers of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Advent of Holy Prophet (sas) Is Like the Coming of God Almighty

Holy Prophet (sas)’s Station of Intercession

Holy Prophet (sas)’s Nearness to God Almighty

Spiritual Ascent of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Meaning and High Station of the Seal of Prophethood

Istighfar of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Majesty and Humility of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Holy Prophet (sas) – the Grand Reformer

Holy Prophet (sas) Brought Morals to Perfection

Holy Prophet (sas)’s Superiority Over All the Prophets

Miracles of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Holy Prophet (sas) Alone Is the Living Prophet

Holy Prophet (sas) and the Holy Word of God

Grand Revolution Brought by the Holy Prophet (sas)

Steadfastness of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Divine Support for the Holy Prophet (sas)

Perfect Morals of the Holy Prophet (sas) In Adversity and Victory

True Victory of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Devotion to the Holy Prophet (sas)

Poems in Remembrance of the Holy Prophet (sas)

Al-Qasidah – An Ode in Praise of the Holy Prophet (sas) (Arabic Poem)

Qualities of the Holy Prophet (sas) (Arabic Poem)

The Faith of Muhammad (sas) (Urdu Poem)

The Perfect Prophet (sas) (Urdu Couplets)

Grandeur of Ahmad (sas) (Urdu Couplet)

Our Leader (sas) (Urdu Poem)

Fire of Devotion to the Beauty of Muhammad (sas) (Persian Poem)

Manifestation of the Eternal God (Persian Poem)

The Status of Ahmad (sas) (Persian Poem)

Leader of the Lovers of God (Persian Poem)

Praise and Appreciation of the Holy Prophet (sas) (Persian Poem)

Muhammad (sas) Is the Proof of Himself (Persian Poem)

Muhammad (sas) Is Our Leader and Guide (Persian Poem)