I have read this edict from end to end. If Allah so wills, a treatise of mine, named Dafi‘ul Wasawis, exposing how wrong and contrary to facts are the allegations this edict is based on, is going to be published very soon. Still, I do not, in the least, grieve at their taunts and curses nor do I have any fear. On the contrary, I am glad that by calling me the Infidel, the Rejected, the Accursed, the Dajjal, the Prevaricator, the Unbeliever, the Damned, nay, the Arch-infidel, Mian Nadhir Hussain, Shaikh Batalwi and their followers have been able to give vent to their inner feelings. This would have been impossible, had they shown due regard to honesty, integrity and piety. Also, they had no other way of getting over their great grief at the successive wounds which they received at the hands of my incontrovertible arguments and acrimonious veracity, other than to resort to abuse. I feel glad when I reflect that according to the history of the People of the Book and the four Gospels, the gift that the Jewish Jurists and Scholars had ultimately presented to Messiah(as) was similar curses and ridicule. Therefore, being the 'Like-of-Jesus(as)', I should be very happy to hear these curses. As Allah, the Exalted, has bestowed on me the Essence of Messianic attributes of ‘Isa(as) to destroy and annihilate the very essence of Dajjaliyyat, so has He destined that I should also have a share of the humiliations and afflictions that are part and parcel of the Messiah(as). The only grief I have is that in preparing this edict Shaikh Batalwi had to be more dishonest than the Jewish Scribes. This dishonesty and fraud is of three kinds. First, some people who were not qualified to give verdicts as religious scholars, were declared to be such in order to swell the number of Ulema charging me with disbelief. Second, seals of certain people, who have no learning and are openly involved in immoral and even nefarious activities, were affixed to the verdict, and they were deemed to be great scholars and abstemious followers of the Law. Third, Batalwi Sahib, cleverly, fraudulently, and of his on accord, added to the list names of some learned and honest persons who had not actually put their seal on the verdict. I have documentary proof about these three kinds of people. Batalwi Sahib or anyone who doubts it should arrange a public gathering in Lahore at which they should demand the proof from me.
Charging someone with disbelief is nothing new. It is a tradition these Maulawis have inherited from their ancestors. Whenever they hear something fine and subtle, they instantaneously get beside themselves, and since God, the Exalted, has not endowed them with wisdom to fathom the depth of the matter or understand the true nature of abstruse mysteries, they hasten to pass verdicts of disbelief out of stupidity. Not a single revered saint have they spared. And yet they themselves say that when the Mahdi(as) will come the Maulawis will declare him to be an infidel and so will they do to Jesus(as) when he descends from heaven.
In response to all this, I say, well, Gentlemen, I seek refuge with Allah from all of you! The Holy One, Himself has been protecting His saints from your mischief, otherwise you would have devoured all the saints of the Umma of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa) like witches. Your foul language was directed against all the saints of the former as well as latter times. You are yourselves fulfilling the very signs that you relate.
It is strange indeed that they (the Ulema) have no gracious presumptions about each other either. Only a short time ago, three hundred had affixed their seal on an edict, published in Madarul Haq, declaring that the Muwahhids were irreligious. When such denouncements are so common and cheap, why should one fear them? But, it is regrettable that Maulawi Nadhir Hussain and Shaikh Batalwi have employed a great deal of forgery in their edict and ruined their Hereafter with all sorts of calumny.
In this short booklet, I can not go into the details of the dishonesty which Shaikh Batalwi has employed, with the consent of Shaikh Dihlwi, in his Edict of Disbelief, and has thus spoiled his record book of good deeds.
As an example, I quote here a letter by a Maulawi Sahib and the verses that he has composed. He writes:-
To,
The Blessing of the Almighty, the Reformer, the Messiah and the Mahdi(as) of the Age Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), may his blessing perpetuate.
After due Islamic salutation, I respectfully wish to submit that after the departure of your Grace from Patiyala, the residents of the town harassed me so much that they even debarred me from offering prayers in the mosque. So, I gave a written statement to some of my friends, to the effect that I hold the same beliefs as the Ahl-e-Sunnahwal Jama‘at; that I consider the denial of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat, the existence of angels, miracles of the Prophets and Lailatul Qadr to amount to atheism and disbelief. Muhammad Hussain, the Managing Editor of Isha‘at-us-Sunnah, has incorporated this same writing in the Kufr Nama that he had prepared about you. When I learnt about this, I wrote to Maulawi Muhammad Hussain Sahib that my statement should be expunged from the verdict because I believe that whosoever accuses Hazrat Mirza Sahib(as) of being a disbeliever, is himself a disbeliever and an atheist. Maulawi Sahib has not replied this letter. Later on I learnt that he has included my name in the list of those who endorse the verdict and published it. This is the truth about my verdict. I, a most unworthy person, have taken the oath of allegiance as at your blessed hand. For God's sake, I beg you, do not consider me as one outside the pale of your Jama‘at. I repent of this sin of which I am innocent and turn to Allah, the Exalted for His Mercy. I apologize to you and beg your pardon. I am also writing below a few verses that I have written about you out of my fervent devotion and love. And I request that my statement and the verses may be printed and published. The following are the verses: -
O Mine of Munificence! It is a blasphemy to declare you a Disbeliever;
And these Seals and Verdicts are the Highwaymen, sitting on the path of Generosity.
Oh! How I long to sacrifice my life and wealth for your sake;
I solicit the Omnipotent to make it possible for me to fulfil this desire.
I turn away from you? God forbid!
I adore your face, O Leader and Defender of the Faith!
Faith, that was dead, has regained vitality and strength with your advent;
How could I possibly turn away from your holy discourse O my Revered sir?
There is no affinity between me and faithlessness and straying;
As long as I live, I shall be in at thy service and I shall be the most obedient and sincere of your servants.
These ogres on the path of Truth attacked me repeatedly,
They would have robbed me, had not God's Munificence guided me.
These people of Jewish character do not know your worth;
Therefore, I hear them reproach you as was the Prophet of Nazareth(as).
Anyone, who calls you a disbeliever, that very instant, becomes a disbeliever himself;
May Allah, the Exalted, protect me from such a dastardly band.
O Resplendent Sun! Be merciful to me, the blind one, and connive at whatever faults you perceive in me;
As I am truly and sincerely penitent.
As long as blood runs through my veins, I shall remain your slave from the core of my heart;
Be gracious to me as I am standing at your door with all due humility.
With your arrival, the Moonlight of the Faith of Ahmad has become fully bright;
O Full Moon, you have appeared on the fourteenth night.2
You have appeared exactly on time, according to the glad tidings of the Holy Prophet(sa);
Peace on you! O Mercy of the Glorious God, O my Great Chief.
All the problems of the True Faith have you solved;
And you are reviving the Faith by the Grace of the Gracious God.
As a favour, you have converted my heart and my soul to Islam;
I would be faithless indeed if I do not sacrifice myself at your threshold.
The humble one,
Maulawi Hafiz ‘Azim Bakhsh of Patiyala
May 24, 1892
P.S. If space could be spared in your booklet, may I request that the following announcement from my respected, kind teacher also be published.
The edict, that Maulawi Muhammad Hussain Batalwi has published in his magazine Isha‘atus Sunnah about our Imam and our Master, our Messiah and the Messiah of the world, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian(as), also bears the name of Maulawi Muhammad ‘Abdullah of Patiyala among its signatories. Some friends mistakenly believe it to be myself and some have sent letters to me in this regard. The editor of Isha‘atus Sunnah has further confused the people by adding this note against this name: 'This Maulawi Sahib also was previously a disciple of Mirza Sahib(as).' I would like to inform one and all that Maulawi ‘Abdullah of Patiala is some other person who never was nor is a disciple of Mirza Sahib(as). As far as this humble one is concerned, he is still the humble follower of the one who pines for his people and languishes for the faith of Islam.
The Humble Announcer:
Muhammad ‘Abdullah Khan
Teacher of Arabic,
Muhindar College,
Patiyala.
Dhul qa‘dah 4, 1309 Hijra
1 So that the liar may be disgraced. [Translator]
2 Fourteenth century of the Hijra. [Translator]