Najmul-Huda

The Guiding Star

Background

In Daruratul-Imam, the Promised Messiah(as) explained with cogent arguments the need of an Imam and then he identified himself as the Promised Imam. Daruratul-Imam reflected how the Promised Messiah(as)’s sympathy for mankind was unfathomable, his heart was overflowing with love and sincerity. His very soul was anxious to pour itself in the service of the fellow beings, so that they might become aware of the importance of the Promised Imam.

The Promised Messiah(as) sat down one Thursday, November 19, 1898, and completed this book by next day, Friday, November 20, 1898. In this remarkable book, which is written in chaste Arabic, the Promised Messiah(as) enumerated the greatness of the Holy Prophet(sa). This is published in large size in Arabic with translation in Urdu and Persian running side by side. The Urdu translation is his, while the Persian is done by one of his Companions and the English translation appeared in the days of the Second Caliph, Hazrat Musleh-e-Mau‘ud(ra) under the title “The Load Star.”

The Book

After praising God and the Holy Prophet(sa) in the beginning of this book, the Promised Messiah(as) introduces himself as the one in whom his father was totally disappointed because he was not the man of this world and shunned even mixing with people. He loved solitude as it was “the audience chamber of God.” He had no interest in his estate and as a matter of fact he was deprived practically of all its benefits. But God selected him and commissioned him to do the great work of the regeneration of mankind. So, in obedience and in response to the Call, he spoke to the whole world: “Listen, O Earth, to what I say, and O Heaven, be thou a witness, verily, verily, God has made me the Promised Messiah and Mahdi; he has called me as such in clear words. I am not of the deceivers. Falsehood does not touch my lips and you know the end of liars. Of a truth, the Divine Light of Revelation and Reason has vouchsafed to me and this is all the grace of God.1

In this book, he gave a vivid description of prevailing irreligiousness and corruption. He referred particularly to the vast and varied activities of the Christian missionaries to proselytise the world. He deplored deeply the objectionable methods adopted by advocates of other faiths to run down Islam and mislead people. His heart was sore vexed at the rank abuse which was being ceaselessly heaped in the name of religion upon the Holy Prophet, Muhammad(sa), the greatest benefactor of mankind. The Cross, he said, was ascendant throughout the world, and this in itself was a sign of the advent of the Promised Messiah according to Muslim scriptures. He should have appeared in this age to break the power of the Cross with heavenly means. The scriptures were true and the prophecy was fulfilled. The Promised Messiah(as) was the Promised Reformer of the world. He also referred to the fulfilment of his own prophecy which was about the tragic death of Pandit Lekh Ram who insulted the Promised Messiah(as) at Qadian by insolently demanding a heavenly sign. The wrath of God overtook him and nobody subsequently had the courage to treat the Promised Messiah(as) with the same rudeness and impertinence.

Then he referred to heavenly signs over which he could have no possible control. The sun and the moon were darkened by an eclipse in fulfilment of the prophecy laid down in Muslim and Christian scriptures centuries before.

The command over the Arabic language which the Promised Messiah(as) divinely acquired was so perfect and sublime that it was in itself a miracle. He had not attended any school for this purpose and was taunted by his enemies for this reason. He was looked upon as an ignorant person so he turned to God, he says, and besought Him and implored Him until He Himself taught him the language. The elegance of style, the depth of meaning and marked eloquence with which he wrote and spoke Arabic, were unmatched and unequalled. Was this not a sign in itself?

Specimen of Writing

I had, by nature, a retiring disposition and did not take happily to meeting people, which bore heavily on me. My father was disappointed in me because of this and considered that I was like a guest in the house requiring only board and lodging and realized that I preferred to be left alone and was not happy in the company of people. He admonished me sharply over this and counselled me, day and night, openly and in secret, to try to make material progress and directed my attention to worldly attractions, but I was being drawn very strongly towards God. My brother was like my father in these matters and he also treated me in the same way. Allah the Almighty caused both of them to die, and did not prolong their lives and He revealed to me that: (Arabic) “This is the way it should have been, so that those who bear animosity to you may be removed and you should not be hurt by their remonstrance.”2