The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at

After reciting tashahhud, ta‘awwudh, and surah al-Fatihah, Huzoor (rta) recited the following verses of the Holy Quran:

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Huzoor (rta) said:

I have recited verses fifty-two through fifty-five of surah al-Zukhruf. There are two points in these verses that need special attention. Firstly, when Pharaoh incited his people to reject Prophet Moses (as), he presented specific reasons. One of the reasons was that Prophet Moses (as) was an ordinary man and had no standing in society. Secondly, he was not eloquent in his speech and could not express himself properly. The Prophet Moses (as) acknowledged this himself. He implored God:

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Meaning: ‘O my Allah, my chest is straitened [I cannot express myself fully], and my tongue is not fluent; therefore, please excuse me and send them Aaron instead.’

A Special Sign of Wickedness

Pharaoh fabricated some additional reasons as well. Allah Almighty says:

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Meaning that: ‘Pharaoh frightened his people, and, in effect, coerced his people to obey him.’ Therefore, they agreed with him and rejected a Prophet of God.

Allah did not say that since these people rejected a Prophet for fear of their Pharaoh that they should not be liable and that they are innocent; rather, He points out:

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That they were a wicked people, who agreed with a tyrant out of fear and rejected the Prophet of the time.

In this verse, one of the many important points to be noted is that tyrants can only rule or suppress wicked people. If there is no wickedness in people, then no tyrant can suppress them. At such times, one should seek the forgiveness of Allah. When a ruler becomes a tyrant and a usurper, one sees two patterns of behaviour. Some weak oppressed people are crushed under his tyranny; yet, they do not change their stand and do not give up their faith. The Holy Quran has not used the word ‘fasiq’ for them anywhere. However, there are others who change their faith under the pressure of a ruler and start saying or writing things contrary to their beliefs. This condition is called ‘fisq’ in the Holy Quran.

A Repetition of the Time of Moses (as)

Unfortunately, the same events and situations that occurred in ancient Egypt are being repeated in Pakistan. Arguments and allegations always made against the divines of the time are being duplicated today against the Promised Messiah (as).

An Analysis of the Irrelevant Objection About Stammering

In the White Paper, published by the government of Pakistan, one of the objections is exactly the same objection raised by the Pharaoh against Prophet Moses (as). It is written:

Mirza Sahib was not able to correctly pronounce Arabic words. He was not able to phonetically distinguish Arabic letters with similar sounds; for example, the letter ‘Qaf’ versus ‘Kaf ’. Occasionally his audience would object, but Mirza Sahib was not able to say anything in his defence.5

They have given this reference and then used the caption ‘Qadiyaniyyat—A Grave Threat to Islam’. If the Promised Messiah (as) stammered, and could not say some words properly, how could this possibly be a ‘grave threat’ to Islam? Just how foolish can one be? One could understand the caption of this publication if there were ample reasons for danger.

Their own belief is inconsistent with this objection. In the Holy Quran, Prophet Moses (as) acknowledges:

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‘I cannot speak fluently and Aaron is more eloquent.’

If stammering is in fact objectionable, then why did Almighty Allah choose the one who stammered and was less eloquent? In fact, the Holy Quran has recorded that the Prophet Moses (as) could not speak eloquently, but despite that people believe him to be a true Prophet. In addition, people do not believe that the Prophet Moses (as), despite his stammering, was a ‘grave threat’ to his religion. Yet, when they talk about the Promised Messiah (as) they repeat the same objections raised by the Pharaoh. It is a Divine decree that skeptics repeat the same objections against Prophets that were made by earlier people.

In their commentaries, a lot of tales are written about stammering. It is written in Tafsir Ruhul Ma‘ani, part 19, p. 65 that:

Because of the atmosphere of suppression, the Prophet Moses was not able to speak clearly. This is a common experience. For example, when even the most eloquent people are struck with extreme grief, their hearts are overwhelmed, and as a result their speech falters, and they cannot express themselves.

Whatever justifications are given, one can easily find references about the lack of eloquence of the Prophet Moses (as) in different commentaries of the Holy Quran. For example, Fath-ul-Qadir, part. 3, p. 363, Tafsir Jalalain, p. 408, Tafsir al-Khazin, part. 3, p. 237, etc.

There is documented evidence about well-recognised Muslim divines who stammered. Have these people forgotten Hazrat Bilal (ra), whom Hazrat ‘Umar (ra) addressed as Syeduna Bilal [our Master Bilal]? Bilal was not able to pronounce the Arabic alphabet correctly. He called the adhan7 saying:

as-hadu al-la ilaha illAllah

Instead of:

ash-hadu al-la ilaha illAllah8

The Companions (ra) of the Holy Prophet (sas) used to cry when they heard it. They would not get angry with Hazrat Bilal (ra), nor would they declare him a ‘grave threat’ to Islam. Instead, they would be overwhelmed with grief, remembering that he called the adhan in the same way during the life of the Holy Prophet (sas).

Hazrat Husain (ra) also used to stammer. It is written in Tafsir Ruhul Ma‘ani, part 16, p. 183 that:

Hazrat Husain (ra) used to stammer. In commenting on this, the Holy Prophet (sas) stated that Husain had inherited this stammering from his uncle Prophet Moses (as).

In Tafsir Ruhul Ma‘ani, part 16, p. 183, the following is written about Hazrat Imam Mahdi.9

It has been stated that the awaited Mahdi would also stammer. And when he will not be able to express himself, he will strike his left thigh with his right hand.

Now if the Imam Mahdi has come with the so called ‘grave threat’ as prophesied, then we would have to accept this danger, as this is a sign of his truthfulness.

It should be noted that this entire discussion is based upon a ‘reference’ in the White Paper, which cites the daily al-Fazl, September 14, 1938. This ‘reference’ does not exist anywhere in the September 14, 1938 al-Fazl. Look it up in the al-Fazl, there is no mention at all in the entire newspaper. The whole reference has been fabricated. One wonders at the moral deprivation of this government which resorts to fabricating an entire reference just to deceive the world.

Another Baseless Objection

Another objection is that:

After receiving basic education in his ancestral village, Mirza Sahib was employed in the office of the deputy commissioner in Sialkot as a junior clerk with a salary of 15 rupees per month. Some writers have written that Mirza Sahib was expelled from his home by his father as a punishment for embezzlement. This was the reason that he had to leave Qadian and take up a menial job in Sialkot. He was employed for about four years and left it in 1885.10

This objection has two parts. One is that he was employed at a salary of 15 rupees per month, implying that he was a very insignificant person. This also implies that God could not have chosen him to be a Prophet, which thereby repeats the same objection raised by the Pharaoh. The second aspect of this objection is that Prophets do not work for someone else. In addition, the Promised Messiah (as) is being falsely accused (God forbid) of theft. Supposedly, he had to leave home as a punishment for this theft.

We have researched to determine where anyone could possibly have found such an incident as a basis for such an allegation. We found in the biography Siratul-Mahdi, Vol. 1, p. 43–44, narration no. 49:

Once the Promised Messiah (as) went to Sialkot to collect his grandfather’s pension. Mirza Imam-ud-Din, a member of his family, went after him, snatched the money, and ran away. After this, the Promised Messiah (as) did not return to Qadian because he deemed it better to earn some money by finding a job, rather than going back to his family after incurring the loss.

This incident illustrates the innocence, righteousness, and modesty of the Promised Messiah (as). The person who robbed him was a non-Ahmadi and a staunch enemy of the Promised Messiah (as). But now, the allegation (of theft) is levelled against the Promised Messiah (as). The opposition must have read this narration and thought that it could be used as an accusation. Their allegation against the Promised Messiah (as) is a total lie and a baseless accusation. There is a testimony of a person on record (who later became the Promised Messiah’s (as) worst opponent) that the Promised Messiah (as) spent his entire life in a state of utmost righteousness.

If one looks at the past to understand the reason for such an accusation against the Promised Messiah (as), one sees that accusations of theft were levelled against previous Prophets of God by similar people. Obviously, they would not spare a person whom they consider to be an impostor and a false Prophet.

In the Holy Quran, it is noted that the brothers of Prophet Joseph (as) stated (with reference to Benjamin) that the Prophet Joseph (as) had also committed theft. Here, it is obvious that the Holy Quran has presented this accusation to be a false one, and it does not accept it; rather, it has mentioned this incident to let us know that Prophets are falsely accused and even tormented. Unfortunately, some Muslim commentators have accepted this accusation to be true in different commentaries, including Jalalain, al-Khazin, Fath-ul-Qadir, and Ruhul Ma‘ani. The presumed theft has been investigated under this Qura’nic verse.11

The commentators disagree about what was stolen, but they all agree that the Prophet Joseph (as) was a thief (God forbid) as well as a Prophet of God. And despite their acceptance that this theft did occur, it did not pose a ‘grave threat’ to their faith or to the world of Islam.

Now, let me tell you what are the different speculations of the item that the Prophet Joseph (as) supposedly stole. Some commentators say that it was a statue made of gold. Some say it was a chicken. Some say it was not even that valuable, and that it was an egg, not a chicken. Others say that he stole some food, but he did so to feed the poor. In short, these people accept such outrageous accusations about Prophets and yet have no doubt about their Prophethood. So, it is not surprising that they should fabricate such a totally false accusation against the Promised Messiah (as).

As far as the character of the Promised Messiah (as) is concerned, there is an account of Mr. Munshi Siraj-ud-Din, the father of Maulavi Zafar ‘Ali Khan Sahib, who knew the Promised Messiah (as) in Sialkot, when the alleged incident occurred. Talking about that time period he states:

We can say on the basis of eyewitness accounts that even in his young age, he was a righteous and pious divine. After work [his employment in Sialkot], he spent all of his time in the study of religion. He would rarely socialise.12

Maulavi Muhammad Husain Batalavi writes:

The author of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, according to the observation and experience of friends and foe, is—13—a follower of the religion of Hazrat Muhammad (sas) and a righteous and truthful person.14

With regards to the question of Prophet working as an employee, these Deobandi and Ahl-e-Hadith accusers themselves acknowledge and accept that a Prophet can work as an employee of a non-Prophet. In the Holy Quran, Almighty Allah has clearly mentioned the employment of the Prophet Joseph (as). Moreover, there is no logic to the statement that a Prophet cannot work as an employee. Why can he not? They are unable to offer any argument for this assertion. There is no basis, nor any reference to support it. As I mentioned earlier, the Holy Quran clearly mentions one such Prophet who served as an alien nation and, of his own, indicated his desire to head the department of finance. An Ahl-e-Hadith scholar, Maulavi Thana’ullah Amritsari, writes the following regarding the Prophet Joseph (as):

We find it in the Holy Quran that Prophet Joseph administered the government of a non-believer king. The ways of any single Prophet is exemplary conduct for us.15

The Ahl-e-Hadith, in its October 15, 1946 issue, writes:

From the time of the Prophet Joseph to the time of the Prophet Jesus, there have been many Prophets who were subservient to the governments of their time.

One wonders why those Prophets did not become a ‘grave threat’ to their religion?

Replies to an Objection About Ancestry

Another objection raised against the Promised Messiah (as) is that:

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani traces his ancestry to the Moguls of the of Central Asia. According to his earlier writings, he belonged to the Barlas sect of the Moguls. [This cites a reference to Kitab-ul-Bariyyah, 2nd ed. 1932, p. 134.] Later on he declared that he had received revelation that he is of Iranian descent. He probably made this claim so that he could fulfil the Hadith of the Holy Prophet (sas) that praised Iranian Muslims for their effort in the propagation of Islam. However, till the last moment of his life, he was not able to determine his exact ancestry. First, he claimed to be a Mogul, and sometime later, he stated that he has some relationship with sadat i.e., and that he is from the progeny of the Holy Prophet (sas). In the end, he made the claim that according to the revelation, he was of Iranian descent. He acknowledged that with the exception of a so called vision, he had no evidence that he was of Iranian descent.16

In this concocted story, there are many points worth noting, which I will recount separately. One aspect of this objection is that he claimed to be of Iranian origin, so that he could prove himself to be the fulfilment of the Hadith in which Iranian Muslims are praised for their part in the propagation of Islam. This is a distortion of facts.

They did not have the courage to narrate the original Hadith. In the Hadith, no mention is made about Iranian Muslims serving Islam. What is mentioned is that faith will ascend to the Pleiades. In one version of the Hadith, ‘one person’ is mentioned and in another version ‘persons’ (in plural) are mentioned.

It is narrated that while explaining a verse of Surah al-Jumu‘ah, the Holy Prophet (sas) put his hand on the shoulder of his Companion Hazrat Salman Farsi (ra) and stated that if faith ascended to the Pleiades, then ‘one man’ or ‘some men’ from among them will bring it back to earth. They did not have the courage to narrate this Hadith. They have intentionally distorted the words of the Holy Prophet (sas) as if he praised the role played by Iranian Muslims in the propagation of Islam, and that is why the Promised Messiah (as) is presenting himself as being of Iranian descent.

As far as the ancestry of the Promised Messiah (as) is concerned, the Promised Messiah (as) states:

My genealogy is from the Mogul Barlas. According to the documents of my ancestors, which have been preserved, my ancestors came to this country from Samarqand. They had around two hundred people from among their servants, subordinates, and family accompanying them. They entered this country as honoured nobility.17

Then he states:

As it is commonly understood, this family is known as the Mogul family. But God, the Knower of the Unseen, Who is aware of the reality of the situation, has repeatedly made it known to me through His sacred revelation that this is a Persian family and He has called me a ‘Son of Persia’.18

According to the government of Pakistan, a person whose ancestral descent cannot be verified as being of either Persian or Mogul origin, and whose ancestry can be questioned regarding whether or not it actually included Sayyed19 women, is without a doubt a ‘grave threat’ to Islam. But the fact is that there is no contradiction between these three. Because of a lack of understanding, they see a contradiction. As a matter of fact, all three are correct. Research shows that the ancestors of the Promised Messiah (as), as he himself claims, came from Samarqand. In this day and age, Samarqand is not included in what we call Iran. Historians would call people from Samarqand, Moguls. What about the Persian descent? Almighty Allah informed the Promised Messiah (as) of his descent by revelation, and for him nothing was more reliable.

Therefore, looking at the current geographical divisions, on the one hand he acknowledges that his ancestors did come from Samarqand, and he also acknowledges that historians describe them as Moguls. The Promised Messiah (as) also stated that although there is no obvious reason to believe that he is of Persian descent, as he does not have any way to ‘prove’ it, but God (the Knower of the Unseen) has informed him that: ‘You are of Persian descent.’

Geographic boundaries change with historical developments. There is no fixed and permanent line defining the borders between countries. It is stated in the Encyclopaedia Britannica that at the time of the Emperor of Iran, Firuz Shapur, who ruled about 300 years before the Holy Prophet (sas), Samarqand was the capital of the border state of the Persian empire, Sog Diana. The distance from Samarqand to the border was more than 120 kilometers, which is how far the Iranian Empire had spread. It is also written in the Encyclopaedia Britannica that in the time of Khusro Pervez, the king at the time of the Holy Prophet (sas), Samarqand was a part of the Persian empire and remained part of Iran for many centuries thereafter.20

The Promised Messiah (as) was informed by Almighty God, Who knows the Unknown. It was absolutely correct and there is no discrepancy in his statements. It is an established fact that the ancestors of the Promised Messiah (as) migrated from Samarqand, which at the time was inhabited by people from Persia. These inhabitants of Samarqand were known as Persians.

The question of the Promised Messiah (as) being a Mogul or not is a secondary issue. Those Moguls who settled in India became Indian Moguls, and those who settled in Afghanistan became Afghani Moguls. Therefore, this is not a big issue. However, if one pursues the matter, we find the following proof from the experts. They say that even if someone is known as a Mogul, it does not necessarily refer to the same Moguls who came from Mongolia.

Mr. Stanley Pool, in his authentic book on the history of Mogul Emperors, Medieval India under Mohammedan Rule, writes:

The term Moghul … and came to mean any fair man from Central Asia or Afghanistan, as distinguished from the darker native Indians. The various foreign invaders, or governing Muslim class, Turks, Afghans, Pathans, and Moghuls eventually became so mixed that they were all indifferently termed Moghuls.21

There is nothing to be surprised. First of all, it is a meaningless objection whether the Promised Messiah (as) was Mogul or not. The Promised Messiah (as) only says that: we are called Moguls; I am not aware what the facts are. It is possible that history may be wrong. Even historians acknowledge that the possibility of being mistaken is definitely present.

There is no doubt as far as the Promised Messiah (as) being of Persian descent is concerned.

Satanic Obstacles in the Path of Good

Another major objection is:

Some of his close relatives were strongly opposed to him. One of them, Mirza Sher ‘Ali, was his brother-in-law and the father-in-law of his eldest son, Mirza Fazl Ahmad. He had a dignified appearance with a white beard, and he carried prayer beads in his hand. He would sit near Bahishti Maqbarah and whoever would come to see Mirza Sahib would be advised in these words:

Mirza Sahib is my close relative. Why did I not accept him? The reason is that I am well aware of his condition. I know that this is a business, which he has set up to defraud people. In fact, his income was low, his brother had deprived him of his inheritance, and therefore he started this charade. You people receive books and advertisements and think of him as a great divine. We are well aware of his reality. We live with him day and night. I am telling you these things for your own benefit.22

This is the objection, which was raised to pronounce the Promised Messiah (as) as a ‘grave threat’ to Islam. But the fact is that a similar charge is levelled at the Holy Prophet (sas). He was the best and greatest of all Prophets. The universe was created for his sake. Yet, his closest relatives became his staunch enemies. In the Holy Quran, one such enemy is called Abu Lahab. Not many people know his real name, but he was the uncle of the Holy Prophet (sas). Abu Lahab’s mission in life was to dissuade people from seeing the Holy Prophet (sas), claiming that he was a boy of the family and that Abu Lahab knew him well. The Quraish [Prophet’s own tribe] would also try to mislead people by telling them that the Holy Prophet (sas) was (God forbid) a tyrant, a sorceror, and a madman. They said he was (God forbid) a magician, a liar, and an impostor.

These opponents, while levelling accusations against the Promised Messiah (as) did not realise that they were repeating the same allegations, which were made against the best among men, Hazrat Muhammad (sas).

A reference to the speech of Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad (ra) [Musleh-e-Mau‘ud (ra)] is made in this White Paper. What Hazrat Musleh-e-Mau‘ud (ra) was telling us was that there was a man from the family who used to sit along the pathway and try to deceive people, but no one would listen to him. It is reported that he was once sitting and saying the same things when two simple farmers were coming to Qadian. He stopped them and started making his normal comments. Since he looked like a respectable person, they listened to him very attentively. When he finished, one of the farmers grabbed him and said to his companion, ‘We used to hear that Satan sits in disguise on the path of Prophets’. [He then said,] ‘This person is that Satan. God’s word is fulfilled that a Satan sits on the path of every good. If you have never seen that Satan, now you can see his face’. What has been presented is a distorted version of this incident. In the White Paper, they are trying to give the impression that Hazrat Musleh-e-Mau‘ud (ra) really considered Mirza Sher ‘Ali to be an important person and that he believed what Mirza Sher ‘Ali said to be true.

These people should realise that much greater Satans have passed before during the time of other Prophets and even amongst the relatives of other Prophets. The fact is that when people becomes blinded by enmity, they do not realise what is being said. They ignore what has already happened in history. There are many other references of opposition to Prophets by their relatives, but there is no need to go further.

Unbelievable Deception

They have written in this official booklet:

Mirza Sahib spent his early life in extreme poverty and deprivation. He himself states that he did not have the hope of earning even ten rupees per month, because he had very few assets and capital.23

This glaring deception is amazing. The Promised Messiah (as) has written that he did not care about his property. He did not even know where it was located. He spent his time in the remembrance of Allah, study of religion, mosque or among the poor. He distributed his meals among the poor, whereas these opponents paint a different picture.

The fact of the matter is that the whole world knows about his early life. Their own religious leaders, who became his worst enemies, have testified in his favour. Even Sikhs and Christians have testified to this. The childhood of the Promised Messiah (as) was exemplary. He accepted poverty though he had wealth. He would leave the table full of food, take out his portion of food and distribute it among the poor. At times, he would not be left with any food and had to go without eating. At other times he would eat simple food worth very little. But to these opponents, the Promised Messiah’s (as) way of life is perceived as a ‘grave threat’ to Islam. They issued a wake up call to all Muslims of the world that here is a man so ‘threatening’ to Islam that he gives away his food to the poor.

The Epitome of Accusations

The next objection is the epitome of accusations. They say that:

As soon as he made the claims (of being a Divine Reformer, recipient of Divine revelation, and a Prophet), he received an abundance of gifts, donations, etc., such that in his last years, his income had increased many fold. In 1907, his income had reached up to 250,000 rupees. At that time, it was a great honour to have property valued above 100,000 rupees. In the later years of his life, he had an abundance of wealth. His lifestyle had become so luxurious that even his own followers started criticising and disliking it.24

On the one hand they make this allegation, and on the other hand, they accept such Prophets as true Prophets whose lifestyle is proverbial. It is narrated about Prophet Solomonas that he had such an abundance of jewelry, gold, and wealth that one does not find its equivalent in recorded history. It is written that he had 200 shields and 300 armors made of pure gold. Biblical accounts of his wealth are even more astonishing. It is written:

All of King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all of the household articles in the palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days.25

It is also written:

Then the King made a great throne inlaid with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. The throne had six steps, and its back had rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests with a lion standing beside each one. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at each end of the step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any kingdom.26

Then it says:

The King made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone … 27

There was so much gold, so much wealth, and so much splendour that silver had no value. The more one reads, the more one is amazed.

The short account about the Prophet David (as) and the Prophet Solomon (as) written in the Holy Quran indicates an empire that would not be seen ever after. With all their imperial pomp and splendour they are still true Prophets and were not a ‘grave threat’ to their religion. The Promised Messiah (as) however, is a ‘grave threat’ to Islam, because of the wealth he had accumulated (according to their erroneous claim). This is such a great lie and such a tremendous calumny that one is amazed at their total lack of the fear of God in their opposition to Ahmadiyyat.

Kings Shall Seek Blessings From Thy Garments

Let us read the opinion of the Promised Messiah’s (as) disciples about him and about the condition they found him in after he made his claim:

Once, several people who had come to attend the Jalsa Salana28 did not have any winter clothing. Nabi Bakhsh Numberdar29, a resident of Batala, requested comforters from the home of the Promised Messiah (as) and started distributing them amongst the guests. After the Isha30 Prayer, he came to see Hazrat Sahib31 and found him sitting with his hands in his armpits. One of his sons (most likely Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II (ra)) was sleeping nearby, and the Promised Messiah (as) had covered him with his overcoat. At this, he realised that when he had asked for comforters for the guests, the Promised Messiah (as) had sent out his own warm clothing as well.

This is an example of the ‘imperial’ lifestyle of the Promised Messiah (as). These are the actions that bother the people accusing him (God forbid) of living a life of luxury. The narrator continues:

I said that Huzoor (as) has no warm clothing left. It is very cold. He replied, ‘Guests should not have any inconvenience. As far as I am concerned, the night will pass anyway.’ I came down and reprimanded Nabi Bakhsh about taking the personal bedding of the Promised Messiah (as). He became regretful and said that he could not take it back from the person who he had given it to. Then, I asked for bedding from Mufti Fazl-ur-Rahman—or someone else, I do not remember the person for sure—and took it upstairs. The Promised Messiah (as) stated, ‘Give it to some other guest. I do not even sleep most of the time.’ Despite my insistence, he did not take the comforter, and asked me to give it to some other guest. Then, I brought it back.32

In Siratul Mahdi, vol. 3, p. 122–123, an incident is reported as following:

Another person told me that in my young age I used to accompany the Promised Messiah (as) as a helper during his journeys. It was his routine that he would ask me to ride the horse, while he himself would walk along side; and sometimes, when I would really insist, he would ride for a short time and then ask me to ride for the rest of the journey. And when we would arrive at our destination—because in those days things were inexpensive—Huzoor (as) would give me some money for my meal. [This was the Promised Messiah’s (as) ‘imperial pomp’ and ‘splendour’.] He himself would only get a few pennies worth of food, and he would eat very little.

Let us hear another disciple who writes:

The Promised Messiah’s (as) family had gone to Ludhiana. I went to meet Huzoor (as) at his home. The room was freshly built, and it was cool. I sat down on the bed and fell asleep. At that time, Huzoor (as) was strolling while he was writing something. When I suddenly woke up, I saw the Promised Messiah (as) was lying on the floor near my bed. I was embarrassed, and I stood up quickly out of respect for him. The Promised Messiah (as) asked me with great affection and love, ‘Maulavi Sahib, why did you stand up?’ I apologised, ‘How can I sleep on the bed when Huzoor is lying on the floor.’ He smiled and said, ‘Go back to sleep without any hesitation. I was watching out for you. Children were making some noises, and I was stopping them so that your sleep would not be disturbed.’33

This is the ‘grave threat’ to Islam. What would be left of the Islam of these maulavis in the presence of such pious people? This is the real ‘threat’ that the maulavis are hiding from the public.

Hazrat Maulavi ‘Abdul Karim (ra) testifies that on one occasion, the Promised Messiah (as) stated under oath:

I cannot describe the pleasure and delight that I get in my dependence on Almighty Allah when my wallet is empty. This condition is much more delightful and satisfying compared to when my wallet is full.34

It is clear that whatever the Promised Messiah (as) would get, he would spend in the way of Almighty Allah and in the service of Islam. Whenever his pocket was empty, he would enjoy his poverty, because he had firm faith that Almighty Allah would provide for his needs. There were occasions when large groups of guests would come when the Promised Messiah (as) had no money left, and he had to sell his wife’s jewelry to accommodate them. But on every occasion, Allah helped him and his work continued. This is the ‘luxurious’ lifestyle that the government of Pakistan is objecting to in this booklet.

[Hazrat] Munshi Zafar Ahmad (ra) narrates:

Once after Maghrib Prayer, the Promised Messiah (as) was waiting for supper on the roof of the Mubarak Mosque with some guests.

I am describing his lifestyle, which according to his opponents is ‘imperial’ and ‘pompous’.

At that time, an Ahmadi friend, Mian Nizam Din—a resident of Ludhiana who was very poor and wore clothes that were like rags—was sitting about four to five people away from the Promised Messiah (as). During this time, a few respectable guests came one after another sitting near Huzoor (as). Each time, Mian Nizam Din was pushed further away, to the point where he had reached the place where people had taken off their shoes. Meanwhile, the dinner was being served and the Promised Messiah (as), who was observing everything, took some bread and curry and asked Mian Nizam Din, ‘Come Mian Nizam Din. Let us eat inside.’ After saying this, Huzoor (as) went into the room attached to the mosque, and Huzoor (as) ate together with Mian Nizam Din out of the same bowl.35

This is the imperial splendour and grandeur that they are calling a ‘grave threat’ to Islam. They are also claiming that the Promised Messiah (as) left behind unimaginable wealth for his relatives. Let us look at the life of the Promised Messiah (as) the day before his demise. Hazrat Bha’i ‘Abdur Rahman Qadiani (ra), a new Muslim, testifies:

On the eve of the day that Huzoor (as) passed away, he was about to go out for a ride in a horse carriage. He specifically instructed me: ‘Mian ‘Abdur Rahman, tell the driver of this carriage very clearly that we have only one rupee and that he should only take us as far and back as that one rupee will cover.’36

My aunt, the late Hazrat Nawab Mubarkah Begum Sahibah37 states:

At the time of death of the Promised Messiah (as), our mother called us and said: ‘Children, looking at the empty home do not think that your father has left you nothing. He has left an enormous treasure of prayers for you in the heavens, which will nourish you according to your needs.’38

The people in this age who themselves indulge in extravagance, the people who sell their faith for money, the people who indulge in lies and slander to earn their living; the people who do not hesitate to accumulate worldly fortunes by forsaking the signs of Allah, they are the people accusing the Promised Messiah (as) (God forbid) of accumulating excessive wealth and living a life of luxury after making the claim of being a Divine Reformer. If this were so, then every conniving liar and impostor would make such a claim. History tells us otherwise. Those who come from God are treated differently. They are victimized, their properties are confiscated, their belongings are looted, their followers are persecuted, their businesses are destroyed, their entire life’s works dwindle before their very eyes. This is the treatment of the true claimants; but, impostors are treated differently. How can one say that the Promised Messiah (as) was treated differently? The reality is that from the day Hazrat Adam (as) was born, to the time of the Promised Messiah (as), the world has witnessed the same phenomenon. One who is popular and has all the amenities claims that he is from God, and all his friends and relatives become his worst opposition. His own people oppose him, and his friends become his enemies. Attempts are made to deprive the claimant of everything. And this is what happened with the Promised Messiah (as). Despite this, Allah’s help and succour are showered upon him. But the authors of this governmental pamphlet do not realise this. They have not learned the lessons of history. They do not understand the kind of service that they are rendering to Islam by making these filthy, nonsensical, and baseless accusations.

Think about the condition of Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra). The same Abu Hurairah (ra) who would pass out because of hunger. People would hit him with their shoes thinking that he was suffering from seizures; because in those days, the Arabs thought this was the treatment for epilepsy. In reality, the poor man would be unconscious due to extreme hunger and not due to epilepsy. But Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) was enduring this for the sake of God, Who does not let anyone’s sacrifice go to waste. There came a time in the life of Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) when Khusro’s empire was vanquished, and Hazrat ‘Umar (ra) presented him with a handkerchief, which the Emperor carried in his pocket as a symbol of grandeur and glory. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) spit on that handkerchief and said, ‘Bakh-e Bakh-e Abu Hurairah’, meaning, Abu Hurairah, look at the status that you have achieved in obedience to the Holy Prophet (sas). Today you are spitting on the handkerchief of Khusro.

It is true that the Promised Messiah (as) was provided in abundance by God, but to his final day he kept on spitting on these worldly riches. He never valued them. There was a time when he used to eat the leftovers, which we do not deny. This was not due to his poverty, but was because he had no interest in this world. Then there came a time in his life when hundreds of thousands started eating from his table with the wealth that was granted to him by God Almighty, and every Prophet is treated in the same manner.

Today, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at is being treated in the same manner. In the future, the same treatment will continue with your children. The opponents will keep on burning in their jealousy, and they will be consumed by this fire. But Almighty Allah will keep on blessing your lives and your wealth, and by God, those days will come when you will spit on the handkerchiefs of emperors like Caesar and Khusro and say, ‘Bakh-e Bakh-e Abu Hurairah.’

O, Followers of the Promised Messiah (as)! How grand is your station today that God has granted you the status of spitting on the garments of kings? It will be the kings who will be in such a condition that they will be vying for the garments of the Promised Messiah (as) to absorb Allah’s blessings from them. Those clothes, which will apparently be in a poor condition and faded by that time, will be treated with the utmost precautions so that they are not torn apart. With God as my witness, a time will certainly come when kings shall seek Allah’s blessings from his garments. They will send peace and blessings upon him, and they will invoke the curse of Allah on those people who without fearing God levelled these types of filthy and false allegations against the Promised Messiah (as)!