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In these few pages are recorded the testimonies of some saints and majadhib3 who had foretold about my advent long before me. Among these is the prophecy of a majdhub Gulab Shah, who passed away from this transitory world thirty or so years ago. Although this prediction has been recorded on page 707 of Izala Auham, it is being published again because the narrator has now related it with all the details and it is his desire that this prophecy should be published as a separate announcement.

The narrator, Mian Karim Bakhsh, relates the prophecy with such great conviction and firm faith, that were a seeker of truth to listen to him attentively, it would definitely move his heart in a complete and astonishing way. Now, in May 1892, I asked Mian Karim Bakhsh to come to Luddiyana and kept interviewing him about this prophecy. I asked him to relate it on oath at several gatherings. He was asked to swear that he would tell the truth and nothing but the truth and that he would only relate what he could remember with perfect certainty and would not say anything that bore even a shadow of doubt or ambiguity. He was also told that if he told anything that was in the least dubious or contrary to the facts, he would be held accountable for it before God. In fact, to verify his truthfulness, he was solemnly told: 'You should give thorough consideration to this matter and understand that if you say even one word that is contrary to fact, the sin would be on your head. And, on the Day of Resurrection you will be accursed and suffer ignominy like calumniators.' He was also repeatedly told: 'O Mian Karim Bakhsh, you are an old man and you are said to have spent your whole life with fear of God and you have been regular in your prayers and fasting. Remember that if this prophecy of Gulab Shah about my humble self, that you narrate, is dubious or untrue, then by relating it all your previous acts of piety would become annulled and void. Do not take offence, but you must clearly understand that you shall be cast into Hell for telling such a lie. If you are not sure about the whole truth, then do not let your faith be ruined for my sake. I can be of no assistance to you either in this world or in the next. Whosoever is held guilty before God shall have to enter Hell, where he shall neither live nor die. Cursed is he who offends his Creator by uttering falsehood. Most unfortunate is he who ruins all the pious acts of a lifetime by committing one crime. Remember, if someone forges a lie against God Almighty merely to please me or proclaims a false dream, vision or a revelation, in my eyes he shall be worse than a dog and filthier than swine. I shall have nothing to do with him in this world or the next, because he will have displeased his beloved God by uttering falsehood for the sake of a despicable creature. If we become audacious liars and do not fear God not for our calumnies, then dogs and swine are a thousand times better than us. Hence, if you have committed a sin, you must repent so that you may save yourself from complete perdition. You must understand that God shall never allow a liar to go unpunished. And, as far as my mission is concerned, it is not dependent on the testimony of any human being. He Who has sent me is with me and I am with Him. His refuge suffices me. He will never allow His servant to perish nor let His messenger go to ruin.

All this was repeatedly said to Mian Karim Bakhsh at several different gatherings. But, having listened to it all, he responded with such anguish in his heart, that the audience were moved to tears. From every word that he spoke, it was evident that he was filled with the fear of God and was indeed telling the truth. He narrated the prophecy with tears running down his eyes and with such anguish that it made the listeners tremble. That day it became absolutely certain that this prophecy had permeated his entire being and his faith had greatly benefited by it. Therefore, I have set out the following announcement from him, which he has dictated having sworn on the name of God Almighty. The fair-minded and discerning readers will have no difficulty in realizing what a superb testimony this is.

In addition to this, there is also another prophecy which a godly man named Ni‘matullah, renowned in India as a saint and seer of true visions, has written in a poem. He passed away seven hundred and forty-nine (749) years ago and this also is the time that has elapsed since the poem which contains this prophecy was written. When Maulawi Muhammad Isma‘il Sahib Shahid was trying desperately to have his mentor, Sayyid Ahmad Sahib, recognised as the Mahdi of the age, he got hold of this poem and did all he could to prove that the said prophecy applied Sayyid Sahib. He even published this poem in his book. However, in no way can the conditions and signs mentioned in the poem be applied to Sayyid Ahmad Sahib. It is true that he who will come to fulfil the prophecy has been named 'Ahmad', it is written that he will appear in India and it is also mentioned that he will appear in the thirteenth century (of the Hijra). A cursory glance can make one imagine that all the three conditions are fulfilled in Sayyid Ahmad Sahib. A little reflection, however, will show that this prophecy is not at all relevant to Sayyid Ahmad Sahib. It is clear from the verses that the Promised Messiah(as) will not appear in the beginning of the thirteenth century, rather his advent will be at the end of the century after several great events, disasters and catastrophes. That is to say, he will appear at the turn of the fourteenth century. It is obvious that Sayyid Ahmad did not live to see even the middle of the thirteenth century, how then can he be called the Mujaddid of the Fourteenth Century? Moreover, Sayyid Sahib himself never made the claim which is ascribed to him, nor can any statement of his be presented which contains such a claim. Besides, in his poem, Shaikh Ni‘matullah Wali has said that he who has to come will also be called the Mahdi and ‘Isa(as) (Jesus); and it is well known that Sayyid Ahmad had never claimed to be ‘Isa(as). Furthermore, these verses also indicate that his son, who will have the characteristics of his father, will succeed him. It is also clear that Sayyid Ahmad Sahib never made a prophecy about such a perfect, righteous son, nor did he have any son who was imbued with the spirit of ‘Isa(as). These verses also indicate that after being commissioned, the reformer will live for forty years, while it is well known that Sayyid Sahib passed away from this transitory world just a few years after his advent. It is evident from Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya that I was commissioned to revive the faith at the age of forty, about eleven years ago. According to the prophecy mentioned in Izala Auham:

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it appears that the tenure of my mission will extend to forty years. And it is Allah Who knows best.

The expectation that Sayyid Ahmad will return to this world, is similar to the expectation regarding the coming of Elias(as) and of Jesus(as). Many simple and ignorant people are wasting their lives holding fast to this belief. The truth of the matter is that it is God's practice that He sometimes gives the news of the coming of a deceased prophet through some saint or recipient of revelations. By this He only means to convey that another person possessing his disposition and characteristics will appear. For example, Malachi(as), one of the Israelite Prophets, had foretold that Elias(as), who had been raised to Heaven, would come back to this world and that unless and until he came back, the Messiah(as) would not appear. The Jews stuck to the literal meaning of this prophecy so tenaciously that when Jesus(as) appeared they refused to accept him. Although Jesus(as) repeatedly explained to them that the name Elias(as) only referred to John(as), son of Zechariah(as), also called Yahya(as), they continued to look towards the sky, expecting Elias(as) to descend in person. Thus, because of their insistence on the literal meanings, they rejected two prophets, Jesus(as) as well as John(as). They claimed that these were not true prophets, for, had they been true, Elias(as) would have descended from heaven before their very eyes, as God had foretold in the Holy Scriptures. Hence the Jews are still expecting Elias(as) to descend from heaven. These unfortunate people do not know that Elias(as) has already descended from the heaven and so has the Messiah(as). Alas! How literal adherence to words of prophecies has harmed the world and yet it does not realize its error!

A Sahih Hadith relates: 'O ye Muslims! In the latter days you will behave exactly like the Jews and follow their footsteps in every way, to the extent that if a Jew had been guilty of adultery with his mother, you too will do the same.' Read and reflect on this Hadith, along with the case of Prophet Elias(as) and the issue of the coming of the Promised Messiah(as), which has caused such an uproar in this age. Use your wisdom and reflect how the verdict of Jesus(as) has completely demolished the prevalent belief of the Jewish Ahl-e-Sunnahwal Jama‘at regarding the coming of Elias(as). What became of their consensus? Think and try to understand. Did Elias(as) descend from the Heaven, or was it John(as) the son of Zechariah(as) who was meant by Elias(as)? Allah, the Exalted, has repeatedly said in the Holy Qur’an: 'O Muslims! Do not tread the paths of the Jews and do not make the mistakes they made nor hold the views because of which they were called dogs and swine.' A truly wise person is he who takes lessons from the fate of others and avoids stepping where others have stumbled. Alas! Like the Jews you are digging the same pits to destroy yourselves and your people. Just take the trouble of going to the Jewish scholars and ask them why the Jews did not accept Jesus(as) and John(as). The answer you will receive will be that the signs of the appearance of the Messiah(as) which are written in their Scriptures and Traditions are that Elias(as) will descend from heaven first, that the Messiah(as) will be a king, and that he will be at the head of an army. Since Elias(as) has not descended from heaven and kingship was not bestowed on the Son of Mary(as), therefore, he is not the true Messiah(as).

Just reflect! How similar is the case of the Promised Messiah(as) to that of Elias(as). You must also bear in mind that a number of Prophets appeared before Jesus(as), but none of them explained that 'Elias' meant some other person. Up to the very time of Jesus(as) it was the unanimous belief of all the Jewish scholars and rabbis that Prophet Elias(as) himself would come back to this world. It is strange indeed that even the recipients of revelations were not told that this belief was utterly false. Their scriptures said in so many words that the Prophet Elias(as) would return to this world. At long last, God Almighty revealed this secret to the Messiah(as) that the Prophet Elias(as) was not going to come in person, rather his return to this world implied the coming of someone like him and that person was none other than the Prophet John(as). The fact of the matter is that prophecies contain many hidden meanings which become manifest only at their appointed time, and even the great sages remain unaware of them. How truly has someone said:

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It is probable that Sayyid Ahmad or one of his righteous disciples received a revelation that Ahmad will come back to this world and they thought that Sayyid Ahmad Sahib himself would return to this world after a short absence. Examples of such misunderstandings are found among other peoples as well. People do not pay attention to the Allah's practice and, disregarding the meanings that are probable and in accordance with the ways of Allah, accept those that are absurd and baseless. The second coming of Sayyid Ahmad, for which our 'Muwahhid' brethren are waiting so eagerly, is actually a similar sort of mistake. Gentlemen! The 'Ahmad' who was to come has come! You might as well say that Sayyid Ahmad has come back, for believers are like one being:

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Alas! How people ignore the fact that every man must die and that God never suggests the return of a dead person in the physical sense. No righteous person is made to suffer death and its agony twice. The absurd thought that Jesus(as) son of Mary(as) is alive in Heaven, has created much trouble and mischief in the world. In fact this is the only basis for the Christians claim about the godhead of Jesus(as). This belief has gradually led them to think that God has now become idle and has relegated everything to His son who is alive. This is the basic argument which the Christians have in support of the divinity of Jesus(as), and in this our Ulema are assisting them. The truth is that Jesus(as) is dead. The Holy Qur’an affirms his death in the same words that are used for other deceased. In Sahih Bukhari, the Holy Prophet(sa) has verified the death of Jesus(as) and, according to Ibni ‘Abbas—a great and eminent Companion—the verse 'Tawaffa' denotes the death of Jesus(as). Moreover, Tibrani and Hakam quote a saying of the Holy Prophet(sa) which has been related by Hazrat ‘A’isha(ra) that Jesus(as) lived to the age of 120 years. In the same Hadith, the Holy Prophet(sa) says that his own age would be half that of Jesus(as). This obviously means that if Jesus(as) has not yet passed away, then our Holy Prophet(sa) may still be alive as well.

There is yet another point which one learns by pondering over the Word of God. When love of Allah, the Exalted, leads a man progressively towards truth and righteousness and he gives up his selfish and carnal desires, he reaches the ultimate stage of the purification of his soul. This is when he comes out of the dark abyss of his ego and its passions; and his body, which is the throne of the soul, is fully cleansed of all carnal dust and smoke and he becomes like a drop of crystal clear water. At this stage, in the sight of Allah, he is the pure soul that has emerged after the carnal self has melted away, and has, in complete obedience to his Lord, acquired a resemblance with the angels. It is at this stage that he deserves to be called Ruhullah8 or Kalimatullah.9 This is also what we understand from the Hadith:

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quoted by Ibni Maja and Hakam, that only he can attain the perfect status of Mahdi(as) who has first become ‘Isa(as). This means that when a person becomes so perfect in devotion to Allah, that he become a pure soul, only then does he become 'Ruhullah' in the sight of Allah and is known in heaven by the name of ‘Isa(as). God Almighty bestows upon him a spiritual birth, which is purely by His Grace and not through a corporeal father. To be so completely free from all kinds of darkness of the corporeal self, as to become soul incorporeal, is the consummation of self-purification and self-annihilation for the sake of Allah. This is the state of ‘Iswiyyat which Allah bestows to perfection upon whomever He pleases. And the highest stage of Dajjaliyyat, according to:

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is that a person becomes progressively more and more inclined towards mundane desires till he falls into the abyss of darkness and becomes darkness itself. He acquires a natural amity with darkness and an innate antagonism to light. The existence of Dajjaliyyat, as opposed to ‘Iswiyyat, is imperative, because opposites can only be recognized by contrast. These opposites have existed since the time of our Holy Prophet(sa). He called Ibni Sayyad Dajjal and said to Hazrat ‘Ali(ra): 'You bear a resemblance to ‘Isa(as)'. This was when the seed of ‘Isa(as) and Dajjal was sown. With the passage of time, as the darkness of Dajjal grew, so did people with the true spirit of ‘Isa(as) continue to appear to oppose it. This went on until the perfect Dajjaliyyat emerged in the last days, because of the vice, sin, disbelief, and transgression that prevailed all over the world like it had never done before. The Holy Prophet(sa) had prophesised that such conditions would prevail in the latter days. Hence it was necessary that there should also be a full manifestation of ‘Iswiyyat to counter it. It must be remembered that 'Dajjaliyyat' is a term that signifies all those evils the prevalence of which in the latter days was foretold by the Holy Prophet(sa). Hazrat Muhammad(sa) has mentioned several hundred of its ramifications or branches. The Maulawis, who prefer to follow the convention in total disregard of the Holy Qur’an, are also branches of the tree of Dajjaliyyat. They recite the Holy Qur’an but do not understand it. In short, today Dajjaliyyat is spreading its numerous tentacles in all directions like a spider. The disbeliever with his disbelief, the hypocrite with his hypocrisy, the drunkard with his drunkenness, and the clerics with their habit of preaching without practising and their malice, are all spinning the net of Dajjaliyyat. This net can only be demolished with a heavenly weapon and that weapon can be effectively used only by the ‘Isa(as) who is to descend from the same heaven. ‘Isa(as) has indeed descended, and God's promise was bound to be fulfilled.

I will lay out the prophecies that I had promised to do. Keeping to the chronological order, I think it will be appropriate to first relate the prophecy of Ni‘matullah Wali along with the prophecy of the Holy Prophet(sa), and then the prophecy of Mian Gulab Shah as it was related by Mian Karim Bakhsh.

Ni‘matullah Wali lived in the suburbs of Delhi and is famous as one of the renowned saints of India. With reference to his Diwan, 560 Hijra is believed to be the time of his appearance. The date of the publication of the book which contains this prophecy is Muharram, 25, 1868. Thus, forty-one years have elapsed since these verses were published. These verses are included in the booklet Arba‘in Fi Ahwalil Mahdiyyin published on the date already mentioned. And, as I have already said, the object of including these verses in the booklet was to try and establish Sayyid Ahmad Sahib as one of the Mahdis. Undoubtedly, people have greatly erred in understanding the Ahadith that mention the prophecy of the Holy Prophet(sa) about the coming of a person named Mahdi. In general, it has been erroneously assumed that the word 'Mahdi' invariably refers to 'Muhammad son of ‘Abdullah' who has been mentioned in some Ahadith. But a careful study reveals that the Holy Prophet(sa) has foretold the coming of several Mahdis. One of them has been called Sultan-e-Mashriq(as)12 in Hadith; he has to appear in an eastern country, like India; while the country of his origin must be Faras (Persia). In fact, it is he concerning whom is written in a Hadith that even if faith ascended to the Pleiades, he would bring it back even from there. Yet another sign concerning him is that he will be a farmer. In short, it is a definite and proven fact that several Mahdis are mentioned in the Sihah Sittah,13 and one of them will appear in the Eastern countries. But some people have been confused by the amalgamation of these Ahadith. However, the point which deserves most attention is that the time of advent of one Mahdi(as), as foretold by the Holy Prophet(sa) is the same in which we live, and he has called him the Mujaddid of the 14th century (Hijra) as, God willing, I shall later elaborate. Anyway, though it is definitely clear that a great Mujaddid will appear in India at the beginning of the 14th century [Hijra], it is quite arbitrary to declare that this prediction applies to Sayyid Ahmad Sahib, because, as I have already pointed out, Sayyid Sahib did not even live to see the 14th century (Hijra).

Now I will present some verses of Ni‘matullah Wali about the Mahdi(as) of India with comments.