When our community was named Ahmadi, a certain individual said that someone had raised the objection that this was a new name. There was some discussion on this. The Promised Messiah (as) said: “Certain people have named themselves Hanafi, Shafa’i, and so on—this is an innovation in the Faith. The Noble Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, only had two names: Muhammad and Ahmad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The Greatest Name (ism-e-azam) of the Holy Prophet (sas) is Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, just as the Greatest Name of God Almighty is Allah. All of God’s other names such as Hayy (the Living), Qayyum (the Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining), Rahman (the Gracious), Rahim (the Merciful) etc., refer to the name Allah. Ahmad is the name of the Noble Messenger (sas) which was mentioned by the Messiah (as) as follows:
يَاْتِيْ مِنْۢ بَعْدِي اسْمُهٗۤ اَحْمَدُ1
A Messenger will come after me. His name will be Ahmad.
The words mim ba’di (after me) indicate that the Prophet referred to here would be the very next one to appear after the Messiah, i.e. there would be no other Prophet between the Messiah and him. Moses (as) did not say anything of this nature, in fact he made a prophecy about the life of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in Medina, as is alluded to in the following words:
مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللهِ وَالَّذِيْنَ مَعَهٗۤ اَشِدَّآءُ عَلَی الْکُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَیْنَھُمْ2
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. And those who are with him are hard against the disbeliever, tender among themselves.
This was a time when the Holy Prophet (sas) was accompanied by a large number of believers, who fought against the disbelievers in war. The name that Moses (as) mentioned in his prophecy was Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and this was the name of the Holy Prophet (sas), which carried the nature of majesty, because even Moses (as) himself was characterised by majesty. Jesus (as) on the other hand, referred to the Holy Prophet (sas) by his name Ahmad, because he was himself characterised by beauty. Now, since our community also possesses a nature of grace and beauty, it has been named Ahmadi.”
The Promised Messiah (as) said: “Adam, peace be upon him, was born on a Friday and this has always been the real day of blessing, but the religious communities of the past were mistaken. Some have taken Saturday to be their holy day, while others have chosen Sunday. The Noble Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, selected the most befitting of days. Similarly, the various sects of Islam have erred. Some call themselves Hanafi, others Maliki, certain others Shia and some Sunni. However, the Noble Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, only had two names: Muhammad and Ahmad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. There can only be, therefore, two sects within the Muslims: Muhammadi and Ahmadi. The Muhammadi sect will exist only in an era in which might and glory is to be manifested, while the name Ahmadi is reserved for a time that is characterised by beauty.”
An individual submitted: “Your Holiness, please pray for me so that I am blessed with children.” The Promised Messiah (as) said: “Recite the prayer for God’s forgiveness abundantly. Through this Allah the Exalted not only forgives a person’s sins, but also grants them children as well. Remember, certainty of faith is a great thing. God Almighty always supports the one who has absolute faith in Him.”3
Before the Prayer, His Holiness, our Leader, on whom be peace and blessings, inquired of Maulvi Abdur-Rahim Sahib of Cuttack: “Has the announcement about the Ahmadiyya sect reached your area as well and has it been published widely?” The esteemed Maulvi Sahib responded: “Your Holiness, the announcement has indeed reached Cuttack and has also been published extensively. The opponents have raised many allegations and have provoked the ignorant by saying that now we will change the Islamic creed to: لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ (there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Ahmad is the Messenger of Allah).
On this, His Holiness (as), Allah’s Messenger, delivered an address, which was presented partly by my brother Mufti Muhammad Sadiq in last week’s diary. I shall now present the sections that were not touched upon by him. The Promised Messiah (as) said: “Everything becomes a stumbling block for the ignorant. Such people ought to be told that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, only had two names. When the Messiah (as) prophesied his advent, he spoke of the name Ahmad, because he himself came with a disposition that was characterised by beauty. This is the same name which is translated as ‘Paraclete.’
The ignorant are devoid of sense, so until one advises them with obvious examples, they do not understand. Such people need to be given lessons like children. Women and children also learn through various sorts of examples.
Today, the Holy Quran has been lost to the people. Those who have found this blessing have a responsibility to advise others. Why should those who possess the truth not prevail? An individual who possesses the truth but does not exhort those who are unaware of it, is guilty of cowardice and sin. When that individual counsels another, if nothing else, at least they will refrain from raising objections. The state of these people is such that if the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had another name which was mentioned in the Holy Quran and that name was used now, they would still raise allegations. When have I ever said anything of my own accord? I have only ever presented the Holy Quran before them, and they have always raised objections. The name Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has been used in the Muslim creed, which is:
لَآ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ
There is none worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The secret in this is that the negation of false gods and the affirmation of divine unity was soon to be manifested in a majestic and awe-inspiring manner. The Arabs were not ones to be easily corrected, therefore, the majesty of Muhammad (sas) was manifested. The Arabs were not ones who could be moulded by the nature of beauty, which was characteristic of the name Ahmad. Some 124,000 prophets appeared in this manner of beauty, but they could not attain the success which Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, attained. This was to indicate that divine unity would be propagated in a majestic manner. Allah was always best accompanied by Muhammad, because Allah is the Greatest Name (ism-e-azam) and it is a name distinguished by majesty. I possess arguments in this respect. In the whole of the Holy Quran it is the name Allah that is described by all other praiseworthy attributes. Allah the Exalted states:
لَهُ الْاَسْمَآءُ الْحُسْنٰى
His are the most beautiful names.
This refers to all those names and attributes that are mentioned in the Holy Quran. It is Allah, the Greatest Name, to which homage is paid by all these attributes. In short, it was most befitting that the Greatest Name of God be manifested through the name Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. One who clings to obstinacy, even now, is devoid of faith.”4
1 as-Saff, 61:7
2 al-Fath, 48:30
3 Al-Hakam, vol. 5, no. 6, dated 31 January 1901, p. 11
4 Al-Hakam, vol. 5, no. 5, dated 10 February 1901, p. 4