Born in 1835 in Qadian (India), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi(as), devoted himself to the study of the Holy Quran and to a life of prayer and devotion. Finding Islam the target of foul attacks from all directions and the fortunes of Muslims at a low ebb, he, as the Imam and the voice articulate of the age, undertook the task of vindicating Islam and presenting its teachings in their pristine purity. In his vast corpus of writings, lectures, discourses, religious debates etc., he argued that Islam was the only living faith, by following which, man could establish contact with his Creator and enter into communion with Him. He announced that God had appointed him the Messiah and Mahdi, according to the prophecies of the Bible, the Holy Quran and Ahadith. In 1889 he began to accept initiation into his Jama‘at, which is now established in over a hundred and eighty countries. He wrote more than eighty books in Urdu, Arabic and Persian.
After his demise in 1908, the Promised Messiah(as) was succeeded by Khulafa (Successors), who have continued his mission. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V(at), is the present head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at and the fifth Successor of the Promised Messiah(as).
Islam in comparison with other Religions of India,which is commonly known as Lecture Lahore, was written by the Promised Messiah(as) and was read out in his presence by Maulana ‘Abdul Karim Sahib Sialkoti before a large gathering in Lahore on 3rd September, 1904. This lecture contains a comparative study of Islam, Hinduism and Christianity, and shows the teachings of Islam to be superior to those of other religions.
The Promised Messiah(as) says the reason for the deluge of sin in the present age is the lack of awareness about God, and this can be remedied neither by the Christian doctrine of Redemption nor by the teachings laid down in the Vedas. True and perfect awareness about God, which can only be attained through direct communion with the Almighty, can only be attained through Islam, for other religions have once and for all closed upon themselves the door to Divine revelation.
The first English translation of this lecture was published in the September & October, 1904, edition of The Review of Religions. This new translation has been prepared by Wakalat Tasnif, Rabwah.
I owe a debt of gratitude to the following for assisting me in the various stages of this translation: Raja Ata-ul-Mannan, Dhulqarnain, Syed Tanwir Mujtaba, Tahir Mahmood Mubashar and Professor Abdul Jalil Sadiq. I am also grateful to Munir-ud-Din Shams Sahib, Additional Wakil-ut-Tasnif, for his help and support, and for providing the vital link for seeking guidance from Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V(at).
Chaudhry Muhammad ‘Ali
Wakilut Tasnif
Tehrik Jadid
Rabwah
27th March, 2008
Please note that words in the text in normal brackets ( ) and in between the long dashes — are the words of the Promised Messiah(as). If any explanatory words or phrases are added by the translator for the purpose of clarification, they are put in square brackets [ ].
The name of Muhammad(sa), the Holy Prophet of Islam, has been followed by the symbol sa, which is an abbreviation for the salutation Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The names of other Prophets and Messengers are followed by the symbol as, an abbreviation for ‘Alaihissalam (on whom be peace). The actual salutations have not generally been set out in full, but they should nevertheless, be understood as being repeated in full in each case. The symbol ra is used with the name of the companions of the Holy Prophet(sa) and those of the Promised Messiah(as), and it stands for Radi Allahu ‘anhu/‘anha/‘anhum (May Allah be pleased with him/with her/with them). Likewise, the symbol rh stands for Rahimahullahu Ta‘ala (may Allah have mercy on him), and at stands for Ayyadahullahu Ta‘ala (May Allah, the Mighty help him).
In transliterating Arabic words we have followed the system adopted by the Royal Asiatic Society.