Tuhfa-e-Golarhviyyah

A Gift for Golarvi

Background

Pir Mehar ‘Ali Shah of Golarha produced a book against the Promised Messiah(as) entitled Shamsul-Hidayah fi Ithbate Hayatil-Masih in support of the general belief that Jesus, son of Mary, is alive in heaven. This book, published in January 1900, was in fact the work of Maulavi Muhammad Ghazi1 but appeared under the authorship of Pir Sahib. Hazrat Maulavi Hakim Nur-ud-Din saw a few pages of the book in the Mustafia Press, Lahore, where it was under print and asked Pir Sahib eleven questions and he wanted full references of the work of Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir, so that his contention could be fully refuted. Pir Sahib first avoided the subject but eventually acknowledged the fact that the book was not written by him but by Maulavi Muhammad Ghazi, who was not available and, therefore, the references asked by Hazrat Maulavi Hakim Nur-ud-Din could not be given. This was a very disappointing reply and exposed utter ignorance of the Pir Sahib. Thereupon, Maulavi ‘Abdul Karim wrote a crushing rejoinder in the al-Hakam, which had started appearing in Qadian (April 24, 1900):

To cover up his own ignorance of the Holy Quran and Ahadith, Pir Sahib had the cheek to insinuate that the Promised Messiah(as) had no knowledge of the Holy Quran. To this, the Promised Messiah(as) replied through an Ishtihar (July, 1900) and invited him to appear at a meeting with him to be held at Lahore where forty verses of the Quran may be selected by lots, in the presence of the audience and the parties concerned should write the commentary on the selected 40 verses in the meeting, without the help of books or assistance, within 7 hours. The paper must be in Arabic and written on the spot. And three judges from the audience will adjudge the paper.

He made a similar invitation to 86 other prominent Maulavis and Sajjadah Nashin (Presiding Pirs) whose names were mentioned in the same Ishtihar. But the tall talking and the boasting ulema and the Pir Sahib remained silent over this daring challenge, lest their own ignorance was publically exposed. None came forward by the date announced by the Promised Messiah(as).

An interesting event took place which exposed how Pir Mehar ‘Ali Shah was deceitful and mischievous, he without responding to this challenge, or accepting the terms of the condition laid down by the Promised Messiah, came to Lahore suddenly unannounced and issued a flyer, demanding that the Promised Messiah(as) hold a debate on verses of Holy Quran and Ahadith, and if the Promised Messiah(as) was overpowered, then he had the cheek to ask the the Promised Messiah(as) to accept his bai‘at and then they will proceed to write the commentary on Surah al-Fatihah in Arabic.

“The Promised Messiah(as) giving details of this trickery said what was the point in writing the commentary after bai‘at. The Promised Messiah(as) further added by taking shelter in the shape of a debate Pir Sahib had sought a flight from writing a commentary of Surah al-Fatihah and deceived the people in making them believe that he had accepted the challenge. The Promised Messiah(as) recalled the fact after holding a debate with ‘Abdullah Atham, he had made it very clear that he would never hold a debate with anyone on any subject.”2

In a letter on December 7, 1900, the Promised Messiah(as) invited Pir Mehar ‘Ali Shah to write a quality and in ornate Arabic language, a commentary on Surah al-Fatihah within 70 days. He further elaborated both have 70 days beginning from December 15, 1900. Therefore, the Promised Messiah(as) wrote an exhaustive commentary in high flown Arabic on Surah al-Fatihah which appeared under the title of I‘jazul-Masih on February 23, 1901.

The Book

Notwithstanding the open challenge given to the leading scholars, Mullahs and Pirs (Saints) of India, the Promised Messiah(as) undertook to write a book in which he preached the Divine message.

In addition to the arguments that he adduced from the Holy Quran and Ahadith, he referred to the evidences of some Sufis on the subject.

Explaining the purpose of writing the book, the Promised Messiah(as) said that some people might think that Pir Sahib was certainly capable of holding a debate with him, if not writing commentary in Arabic. The Promised Messiah(as) said he could not undertake a debate as in his book Anjam-e-Atham he had foresworn not to hold any further debate but nonetheless Maulavi Sahib could write a refutation of this book.

In order to remove this lurking suspicion in the minds of the people, he invited Pir Sahib to try his hand in writing a refutation of this book and the arguments that he had adduced in favour of the natural death of Jesus, son of Mary.

Specimen of Writing

1. God has bestowed upon me the understanding of the Holy Quran.

2. God has taught me the language of the Holy Quran in a miraculous manner.

3. God accepts my prayers more than of any other person.

4. God has supported me with heavenly Signs.

5. God has granted me signs from the earth.

6. God has bestowed upon me that I shall triumph over everyone who comes forward to oppose me.

7. God has given me the good tidings that my followers will always triumph over others through their reasoning in support of the truth, and that they and their progeny will be greatly honoured in the world, so that they should see that he who comes to God never suffers loss.

8. God has promised me that till the Day of Judgment, He will continue to manifest my blessings so much so that kings will seek blessings from my garments.

9. Twenty years ago, I was informed by God that I would be denied and that people would not accept me but that God would accept me and would manifest my truth through powerful signs.

10. God has promised me that for the purpose of repeating the light of my blessings, a person will be raised from among my progeny into whom God will breath blessings of the Holy Spirit. He will be characterized by inner purity and will have a close holy relationship with God. He will be a manifestation of the True and the High as if God had descended from heaven.

The time is coming and is near when God will spread far and wide the acceptance of this Movement. It will spread in the East and the West and in the North and the South and Islam will become synonymous with this Movement. This is not said by any man. This is revelation from God for Whom nothing is impossible.3