The closing years of the nineteenth and the opening years of the twentieth century witnessed the transition from one epoch of human history to another. Since then, man’s daily increasing knowledge of the laws of nature and his growing mastery of its forces have added a new dimension to human life on earth. This tremendous upheaval has released a bewildering variety and complexity of problems in every sphere of life. While some sort of adjustment and co-ordination are in the process of being worked out in the physical sphere, moral and spiritual values are demonstrably fighting a losing battle and there does not appear to be much chance of their making a firm stand, leave alone advancing boldly forward against the forces of disintegration.
The prospects are bleak and cheerless. The safeguarding of these values is pre-eminently the task of religion, and religion appears supine on the ground and helpless in this confrontation. It seems more than likely that it may soon be swept out of the way by the surging forces of so-called modernity and progress. The terrible truth is that all progress is impelling mankind towards chaos and annihilation rather than towards security and prosperity. The physical and the material have become the sole concern and pre-occupation of man. He is totally beguiled and has no thought to spare for the morrow and the Hereafter. Yet, what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?
Is there, then no help, while the guides and guardians of the spirit are beginning to repudiate God Himself, by asserting that God is no more than the center of our being, and proclaiming boldly: God is dead?
Indeed, there is: “Allah-there is no God but He, the living, the Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining. Slumber seizes Him not, nor sleep. To Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that will intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He pleases. His knowledge extends over the heavens and the earth; and the care of them burdens Him not; and He is the High, the Great.” (The Quran 2:256)
If this is so, why does God not manifest Himself in this age as He has done so in the past? Why are His attributes not in operation today, as they were in the past? When it is said: “God is dead”, why does not God proclaim: “I am not, I am the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Sustaining”?
God’s attributes are eternal and are in operation all the time. He manifests Himself today as He did in ages past, and by the same tokens, He furnishes guidance, adequate for all contingencies, at all times. He reveals Himself constantly to those of His servants who strive after Him.
All the contingencies and complexities of this epoch lie open before Him, and He has, in His perfect wisdom, made provision for all of them. Only He has left it to the free choice of each of His creatures to choose and follow the Path of guidance and security or that of error and ruin.
The comprehensive guidance is contained in the Quran, the verbal revelation vouchsafed to the Prophet of Islam (on whom be peace) during a period of 22 years (610-632 AC). The Quran prophesied a spiritual Second Advent of the Holy Prophet in the latter days (62:4). Indeed, a spiritual Second Advent of many Prophets, e.g., Jesus Christ, Buddha, Krishna, has been foretold in various scriptures and holy books of different faiths, and the time of their advent appears to have been the same, namely, the end of the nineteenth century of the Christian era. Now, a moment’s reflection would show that all these prophecies were to find their fulfilment in the advent of one person, for Truth is indivisible, and guidance for mankind and the remedy for the ills of the age must be uniform, comprehensive, and consistent.
The Promised One was Ahmad of Qadian (1835-1908) who became the recipient of revelation in 1876, which continued with increasing frequency till his death (26th May 1908). He was a sincere and devoted servant of the Holy Prophet of Islam and was a person of blameless life and of the highest spiritual stature. In 1891 he proclaimed that God had revealed to him that he was the Promised Messiah of the latter days. One of his revelations described him as the champion of Allah in the chamber of Prophets. He announced that one of his principal functions was to set forth from the Quran, in the light of revelation vouchsafed to him, the guidance needed by mankind in the epoch that lay ahead, which he described as bearing the same relationship to his age as the age of Adam. In the discharge of that function, he displayed before the wondering eyes of seekers after Truth a vast and seemingly limitless treasury of knowledge, philosophy, guidance, wisdom and truth from the Quran. In fact, he disclosed to mankind a new and splendid spiritual universe which was contained in the Quran. The moral and spiritual values inculcated by the Quran and illustrated in their perfection by the Holy Prophet were revived by him, so that men could profit not only from his precept but also from his example. In short, he was appointed to set forth God’s answer to the vast complexity of the problems of the coming epoch.
He enjoyed communion with his Maker and pointed out the way to that communion for all seekers, so that today, in far comers of the earth, his disciples are blessed with that experience and bear testimony to it.
His prophecies continue to be fulfilled in all parts of the earth and furnish testimony to his righteousness and the truth of his claim.
The guidance set forth by him has proved the salvation of millions to whom it has brought peace of mind and inner serenity in the midst of a world beset with turmoil and all kinds of tribulations.
This small booklet sets forth in a nutshell some of the events of his career, furnishing glimpses of his life and character wholly inadequate to satisfy the ardent and eager curiosity of a scholar or a seeker, but better than no information at all. Indeed, the absence of an authentic and comprehensive account in the English language of his life, character and message, has been a serious gap which must be filled to counteract the malaise which is corroding the foundations of moral and spiritual life over the greater part of the globe. This booklet was written in Urdu by his son and Second Successor, Sahibzada Mirza Bashir-ud-Deen Mahmood Ahmad (1889-1965) in 1916, only eight years after Ahmad’s death, and was first published in English in 1917. This date should be kept in mind by the reader to obviate misunderstanding and confusion. The author himself accomplished the fulfilment of one of the grandest prophecies of the Promised Messiah, made and widely published in February 1886. He became the Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement in March 1914, and led the Movement, in the face of the severest opposition which on occasion swelled into bitter and brutal persecution, from one victory to another, till his death in November 1965.
Zafrulla Khan
The Hague
July 1967