Tuhfa-e-Qaisariyyah

A Gift for the Queen

Background

Hazrat Jalal-ud-Din Shams(ra) in his introduction says: Raison d’etre of the advent of the Promised Messiah(as) was to highlight the message of the Unity of God and to find new ways and means of spreading the Word of God, therefore the Promised Messiah(as) seized the opportunity of celebration of Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria and wrote this book to spread the Word of God and the message of Islam.

The celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria by the Promised Messiah(as) was not an affair to be taken lightly. He made it quite clear that he was not a sycophant looking for material reward. He said on this occasion that as he was the viceregent of God, therefore, he was above all earthly kings and worldly potentates; but as a citizen of India, he thanked the Queen for the peace, freedom and security, which he had enjoyed during her long reign. He sincerely prayed for her true prosperity and happiness. For those, who see this with disapproval, the words of his central prayer for the Queen on this occasion are worth quoting:

O Almighty God! Thou art all Powerful, we beseech Thee that Thou mayest so turn the heart of our gracious Queen that she may give up all creature worship and see the light of Islam. Let her believe in the One God and His Messenger, Muhammad, till the end of her days.

The Book

He used the book as a vehicle to highlight the excellences and beauties of Islam. In order to attract her attention, the Promised Messiah(as) wrote:

I have met Jesus several times in visions. I have talked to him and asked him about his real claim and teaching. It is an important fact, and it should not be treated lightly, as Jesus condemned the doctrines of the Atonement, the Trinity and his sonship and declared that such doctrines were a pure fabrication. This evidence of my visions is not a baseless thing. On the contrary, I feel sure, that if an honest seeker after truth comes and stays with me for some time and wishes to see Jesus in a vision, he can, through the blessings of my attention and prayer, see Jesus and even talk to him on these points and take his evidence.1

Specimen of Writing

It is an attractive principle that promotes peace and lays down the foundations of good accord and helps moral conditions that we should accept as true all the prophets, whether they appeared in India or Persia or China or in any other country, and God established their honour and greatness in millions of hearts and made firm the roots of their religions and let them flourish for centuries. This is the principle that the Holy Quran has taught us and according to this principle, we honour the founder of every religion which has become well established, whether of the Hindus or of the Persians or of the Chinese or of the Jews or of the Christians.2

Of the wonders which God has bestowed upon me, one is that I have met Jesus in a state of wakefulness which is called a vision and have talked to him and have ascertained from him his teaching. It is worth mentioning that Jesus is so horrified at the doctrines like Atonement, Trinity, and Sonship, as if a great falsehood had been fastened upon him. This evidence of vision is not without support. I believe firmly that if a sincere seeker after truth would come and stay with me for a period and would wish to meet Jesus in a vision he could do so through the blessings of my supplications and attention. He can also talk to him and receive his assurances with regard to his teachings, for I am a person in whose soul, the soul of Jesus is reflected.3