Al-Haq Mubahathah Ludhiana

The Ludhiana Debate

Background

The Promised Messiah(as) at this point of time (1891) was facing the full fury of misguided ulema who had launched an agitation against him. The Promised Messiah(as) was ready for all this and he decided to take them all turn by turn who were calling him an imposter and a liar.

This book contains an account of the debate which the Promised Messiah(as) had with Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi. The controversy with the Promised Messiah(as) began with the publication of Fathe Islam. A lengthy correspondence had taken place between the Promised Messiah(as) and Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi in which Hazrat Maulavi Hakim Nur-ud-Din was also involved. While the Promised Messiah(as) kept the tone of correspondence polite and in gentle language, Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi was often found to be writing not only in abusive language but also making baseless allegations.

The Book

Finally, it was settled that a debate would take place in Ludhiana on July 20, 1891, at the house of Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi. The debate continued for 12 days and it was to be carried on in writing, by exchange of signed papers, which should be written by the parties concerned during the meeting and read out in public. It was also agreed that the writing of the paper was not to be interrupted. During all these 12 days, Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi never touched upon the real subject—the claim of the Promised Messiah(as) to be the Promised Messiah. All the time was taken up by Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi in explaining the importance of the hadith.

The Promised Messiah(as) explained in his papers the relative position of hadith and Quran and said: “The authority of the Quran is supreme.” The Holy Quran says: “In which hadith would they believe after Allah and His verse (45:7).”

The Quran is the Hadith of God and there can be no better and a more authoritative source to find the truth. If, therefore, we come across any hadith which is directly opposed to the expressed Word of God, and defies all possible efforts at reconciliation, we shall have to discard that hadith outright. If, however, the contradiction is only apparent, we should try our best to reconcile the two; and if we find that the hadith is not opposed in anyway to the expressed and clear words of the Quran, we should accept it, provided of course that it is otherwise authentic.

The Promised Messiah(as)’s last paper was written on July 29, 1891, but was read on July 31, and it stated:

Those who look upon me as an imposter and regard themselves as righteous and pious, should know that I am prepared to vindicate the verse. “Do ye work according to the Quranic verse. Do ye work according to your ability;” I too will work, let us fix forty days for this purpose and seek some heavenly distinction and the one who comes out righteous in this manner and is able to reveal some Divine secrets through His assistance shall be considered truthful.

Listen to me, all ye who are present here, that I declare on a most solemn oath, that if Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi, by turning to God, can show any heavenly sign or reveal any Divine secrets, as I can do, I am prepared to be slaughtered with any instrument that my opponents like and they can claim also from me any damages they like. A Warner came into the world and the world accepted him not, but God accepted him and established his truth with mighty signs. In conclusion, I have to say that I end this discussion … It is not right to lengthen the preliminary matters any more. I am, however, prepared to carry on the debate once the original subject regarding the claims that I have made, is settled.1

The directness with which the Promised Messiah(as) invited Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi to cut short the irrelevant discussion created an immediate effect and the three hundred people who were attending the public meeting realized that the Maulavi was playing an evasive game.

Specimen of Writing

Regarding the Book and sunnah as authorities I believe that the Book of Allah is to be preferred to all. If the purport of a hadith is not opposed to the Book of Allah, it would be accepted as authoritative, but we will not accept an interpretation of a hadith which is opposed to the clear text of the Holy Quran. So far as possible, we shall try to interpret a hadith so that it should be in accord with the clear text of the Book of Allah, but if we come across a hadith which is opposed to the text of the Holy Quran, and it cannot be interpreted in any other way, we would reject it as spurious, inasmuch as God, the Glorious, has said: In what discourse apart from Allah and His commandments will they believe? (45:7). This means that if the Holy Quran is conclusive and positive about a matter and its meaning is clear, a believer should not accept a hadith which is clearly opposed to it. To the same effect is the verse: In what discourse thereafter will they believe (7:186). According to these verses a believer must accept the Book of Allah without condition and should accept a hadith conditionally. This is my stand.2

Impact

The impact of this debate was such that the whole province of the Punjab was talking about the claim of the Promised Messiah(as). The Promised Messiah(as) wrote two open letters again inviting the Muslims of Ludhiana to discuss the basic question, i.e., the Death of Jesus.

The whole town of Ludhiana was in agitation because of the falsehood invented and spread by Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi against him. Therefore, Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi was ordered by authorities to leave Ludhiana as a breach of peace was threatened mainly because of his slanderous campaign against the Promised Messiah(as).