On 19 April 1901 two priests of the Forman College (American Mission) came to Qadian from Lahore along with an Indian Christian. They met with His Holiness, the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace and blessings, and posed certain questions to him as well, which he continued to answer. Since I arrived late, I was not able to note down the first question and answer. A brother wrote down the exchange, but unfortunately he has misplaced that sheet of paper. If it is later discovered, I will present that to our readers as well. However, for the time being, I present the discussion from the point that I was able to listen and begin writing. —Editor
The Promised Messiah (as) said: “There have been many who have demanded signs from the Prophets, and they have always responded by saying that the wise do not demand signs of this nature. In fact, on such occasions, the Messiah, peace be upon him, used very harsh language to respond to such demands, as we find from the Gospel. It is clear that a man who is sent by God comes with signs; in fact, I would say that such a person himself is a sign. There are but few who benefit from these signs and recognise them. But it is not long before the world witnesses the magnificent signs that such a man brings. Know for certain that death does not touch such a one until it is proven to the world that he was a man accompanied by heavenly signs.”
Question: In your understanding, what is the Word of God? That is to say, will you also leave behind scriptures similar to the Gospel or Torah?
Answer of His Holiness (as): The fact of the matter is that those divinely appointed individuals who come to the world from Allah Almighty for its reformation are of two classes of people. Firstly, there are those who come as law-bearers and who establish a new divine law. For example, Moses, peace be upon him, was blessed with divine converse and was commissioned by God. He was given a divine law, which you refer to as the Torah—you also accept that a religious law was given through Moses (as).
There are, however, a class of people who do converse with God Almighty, and they too come for the reformation of mankind just as the law-bearing Prophets do, and they appear in their own time in accordance with the needs of the age, but they do not bring a divine law. An example of this would be Jesus, peace be upon him, who did not bring a new law, but rather adhered to the Mosaic law. The truth is, God Almighty does not do anything in vain. When a living Word of God is present and an independent divine law exists to address the needs of the present time, a new religious law is not sent down. However, on the contrary, it is possible—and we do observe—that when the hearts of the people on earth turn cold to the love of God, and when a few customs remain in the place of good deeds, and when righteousness and lofty morals disappear, at such a time, God Almighty raises a man who guides people to act upon the same law that was divinely prescribed for that era; and through his own practical example, he restores the lost greatness and magnificence of that true divine law in the hearts of the people once again. This man possesses all the characteristics that are required. He is blessed with the honour of conversing with God Almighty. He is bestowed the essence of God’s Word. The secrets of the divine law are disclosed to him. He comes with countless miracles and signs. As such, this man is honourable and esteemed in every sense, but the world does not recognise him. As people are blessed with eyes, they continue to recognise him accordingly.
It is human nature that when someone sees an unknown person, the eyes will examine them to determine their height, their skin colour, their eyes and their facial features. In short, humans will examine someone they have not met before from head to toe, to the extent that when that individual’s characteristics are fully encompassed by their observing eyes, finally the awe that once surrounded that person diminishes. This is the state of affairs with the Prophets also. When the Prophets appear, they come as ordinary people. They are bound by human needs and necessities. It is for this reason that the extraordinary claims that they make appear strange in the estimation of society at large. This is why the Prophets are rejected, derided, mocked and subjected to all forms of pain and injury.
I can assure you that no matter how greatly you respect Moses (as) and the Messiah (as), if they had both been here today, and sat in my place, they would have been viewed in the same manner that I am looked upon today. The underlying secret is that every Prophet is given grief. It is an inevitable fact that all those who come from God as His appointees and Messengers are rejected as soon as they make their claim, irrespective of how honourable, trustworthy, and truthful they are among their nation. The people denigrate them and conspire to bring about their end.
However, just as it is inevitable that these men of God will be rejected and given grief, it is also true and certain that a time comes when their communities become firmly established. They establish truth in the world and propagate virtue to such an extent that after them, a time comes when the world rushes towards them desperately and embraces the teachings which they brought to the world. And this is despite the fact that in their era, no stone was left unturned in causing them grief—for this is always the case. Of course, the question is, were those who rejected these holy men wise? Nay, not at all. It is only due to the nature of the people in that specific era that such people are deemed wise. For who could be more foolish and superficial than those who deny the truth and pose as the wise. It is due to crookedness of nature that people make efforts to denigrate the Prophets in some way or other. Then, such people begin to proclaim, based on their own fancy, that they have won and that they have prevailed in their contest against the pious ones of God, even though it is they who have been disgraced, frustrated and defeated. Ultimately, the final outcome becomes manifest and a shining verdict comes to light, which establishes on whose side lies the truth. The success of the pious is a seal on the ignorance and foolishness of their opponents; for this establishes that the allegations raised by the opponents were due to their own lack of understanding.
I have written repeatedly that the world seldom recognises those who are commissioned by God. Aside from those, of course, who possess the eyes with which to see, others cannot recognise such men of God, because like them, they live in their midst as ordinary people, eating and drinking with human needs.
Now responding to your question as to whether I will leave behind scriptures, I have already stated that there are two classes from among those who are divinely commissioned. Firstly, there are those who bring a new law such as Moses, peace be upon him; then there are those who come to revive the law, as was the case with Jesus, peace be upon him. In this context, we believe that our Noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, brought a perfect law, and he was the Seal of Prophethood. Therefore, the capacities and abilities of the people in that era brought the institution of prophethood to its final point of perfection. Hence, after the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, we do not believe that any new law can ever be established. Indeed, just as our Prophet of God, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was the likeness of Moses (as), in the same manner it was destined for the Promised Messiah, who was to be the seal in the dispensation of Prophet Muhammad (sas)—occupying the station of the Seal of Caliphs—to appear in the likeness of the Messiah, peace be upon him. As such, I am that Seal of the Caliphs and the Promised Messiah. Just as the Messiah, peace be upon him, did not bring a divine law, and instead came to revive the Mosaic law, in the same manner, I too have not come with a new law. My heart cannot accept in the least that after the Holy Quran any new religious law would be justified, because the Holy Quran is a perfect law and the Seal of the Books. God Almighty has raised me to rejuvinate the law of Muhammad (sas) and has raised me in this century as the Seal of the Caliphs. The revelations which I receive from God Almighty, which are always published and circulated to hundreds and thousands of people, and which are preserved, will never be wasted and shall remain behind after I depart.
Question: In your view, what is the best method of propagating religion?
Answer: In my view, the most effective manner in which to propagate religion is for it to enter one’s heart naturally, on account of its merits and beauty, without any external efforts. For example, there are certain things which are naturally visible due to their own light, such as the sun, moon, stars, etc. Then, there are other things which we cannot see without the aforementioned sources of light. For example, we cannot see beasts and birds, and other creatures, unless there is light. Hence, a true religion is naturally discernible; it enters the soul by itself and draws in the hearts of people with its brilliance, and with the light of its divine nature and truth. This is why I stated earlier that a teaching is a magnificent sign. A religion that is not supported by the sign of a true teaching, can impress no positive influence through other signs. A heavenly teaching possesses within it a radiance and divine light. It is above and beyond man-made systems. When a person fully takes a death upon themselves and pulls themselves out of a life of impurity, at such a time, they receive a life in God and feel the sign of a true religion impressed upon them. However, without the grace of God, how can anyone bring about a death upon their life of impurity and attain a new life? This is in the hand of God, who has given life to the world. Before God raises a man to the station of divine appointment, He first grants him this new life. Such a one apparently lives in this world and is from among the people of this world, but in reality he is not a man of this world; he is draped in the mantle of God Almighty. Then, God Almighty bestows upon that individual a teaching that is suited to him, and that teaching is then learned by those who are of similar nature. This teaching does not promote filth, selfishness, transgression and carnal pleasures; rather, it inculcates purity, which brings about a death on one’s being and grants one a new life, and blesses one with a nature that burns away sin. An individual begins to loathe all forms of impurity and filth, and finds pleasure and comfort in living a life devoted to God Almighty. Therefore, in my view, a true religion is sufficient in itself for its own propagation. This does not require any external effort. It is true, nonetheless, that those who bring this truth from God are a means by which it is manifested. They are granted victory in times of contest, which serves as a sign. These individuals appear when the world thirsts and hungers for the truth and divine light. In short, an excellent teaching and a perfect example—which serves as living proof of the excellence of that teaching—are the best means of propagating religion.
Question: We do not wish to unduly bother you, but how can this spiritual life of which you speak be attained?
Answer: By the grace of God.
Question: Should we say something to perhaps attain this life of spirituality?
Answer: Yes, prayer is greatly needed and one should also remain in righteous company. One ought to forsake one’s prejudice entirely and turn away from the world. For example, wherever there is an outbreak of plague, until one leaves the affected area, they remain in danger. In the same manner, one who does not transform one’s state and does not move to a new land, as it were, and does not detach themselves to reflect on how one can attain a life of piety, and until one supplicates to God, one remains in a state of danger. There has been no Prophet in the history of the world who has not imparted teachings of prayer. It is prayer which forges a bond between man’s servitude (ubudiyyat) and divine providence (rububiyyat). It is difficult to tread this path, but one who does will find that prayer is a means by which all these difficulties become easy and painless.
The subject of prayer is so subtle that it is a challenging task even to describe it. Until a person is experienced themselves in prayer and in its various states, one cannot expound its details. When an individual prays to God incessantly, they become a whole new person altogether; their spiritual impurities are cleansed and they are blessed with a kind of pleasure and tranquillity; after they are freed from all forms of prejudice and ostentation, they patiently endure all the hardships which arise on the path of God. They endure for the sake of God all those hardships which others do not and cannot bear, and they do so only to attain the pleasure of God Almighty. It is then that God Almighty, who is the Gracious and Merciful Lord, and the Epitome of compassion, turns His sight towards such a person and removes all of their troubles and impurities, and grants them bliss.
It is easy to proclaim with the tongue that one has attained salvation, or that one has developed a strong relationship with God Almighty. God Almighty watches closely to see the extent to which an individual has detached themselves from what they must forsake. It is true that he who seeks, finds; those who advance pure-heartedly, succeed and reach their final destination. When man is torn between religion and the world, ultimately he loses touch with religion completely and becomes wholly attached to the world. If man searches for religion with divine insight, one is easily able to determine which community is true. But no, often the goal and objective is to win the debate. When two people discuss an issue, both of them want nothing more than to defeat the other. In the present age, prejudice, obduracy and stubbornness are afflictions as widespread as ants. So, ultimately, what more can I say to advise you; the matter at hand is a delicate one, and the world is oblivious to it. Everything is in the hands of God.
It is my belief that the God we desire to show to the world is hidden from the eyes of the world and the people are unmindful of Him. It is that God Who has shown me a manifestation of His being. Let the one see who possesses a perceiving eye.
There are two categories of people: those who believe in God and those who do not; the latter are referred to as atheists. Even those who do believe in God have a vein of atheism in them, for if they believed in God with perfect certainty, why would sin, transgression and promiscuity be on the rise to such an extent? If one were handed a certain amount of arsenic or strychnine, knowing that these are deadly poisons, one would never consume them, even if one was tempted with the greatest of monetary rewards. This is because the individual knows for certain that if they consume the poison, they will die. Why then is it that people are aware that sin is displeasing to God Almighty, yet they still go ahead and drink this cup of poison? People lie, they commit fornication, they have no hesitation in causing grief to others; for a measly twelve annas or one rupee worth of jewellery, people will murder innocent children. Such audacity, mischief and temerity is not possible if one possesses true knowledge and full certainty. Such actions demonstrate that people do not realise at all that this poison of sin is a far more lethal poison than arsenic and strychnine. If such people believed that God exists, and if they knew that sin incurs divine displeasure and severe punishment, they would show an aversion to sin and abandon evil. However, since a life of sin is becoming all the more acceptable, and since people are growing more and more enamoured of wrongdoing, sin and transgression, instead of being disgusted by it, I hold, and this is the truth, that in today’s age, atheism has pervaded the world. The only difference is that while one group verbally proclaims that God exists even though they do not really believe in Him, the other group outright rejects His existence explicitly. In reality, both groups are no different to one another.
It is for this reason that I desire to inculcate such faith in God that when a person believes in Him, they are saved from the poison of sin, their nature and disposition is transformed, a death overtakes them and they are granted a new life, so that their heart begins to loathe sin instead of deriving pleasure from it. An individual who becomes like this can say that they have recognised God. In reality, God knows well that divine insight has disappeared in the present age. No religion has remained which can elevate a person to this station and develop such a nature within them. I cannot express disappointment in any one particular religion, for this calamity is affecting the whole of society at large and this epidemic has now become dangerously widespread. I can truthfully say that if a person believes in God, they can become an angel. In fact, the angels prostrate before them and they are filled with divine light.
Therefore, when an age dawns upon the people where insight of God vanishes and destruction and abundant transgression becomes prevalent, when fear of God disappears and the rights which are owed to God are given to other human beings, in such a state of affairs, God Almighty bestows divine insight upon a man and commissions him. That man is subjected to mockery and abuse, and grief and suffering is inflicted upon him by every possible avenue. Ultimately, however, the one who is commissioned by God prevails and spreads the light of truth throughout the world. As such, in this era, God has appointed me and has bestowed upon me the light of divine insight. There is no curse that has not been uttered against me and no method of inflicting grief upon me has been spared. However, I listen to all of these profanities and am forever willing to endure all of these pains. God Almighty knows well that I do this not artificially, in fact, it is my obligation to hear such things because those who sit on the seat that I have been given have always been treated in this manner.1
This movement has been established for more than twenty five years. This is a significant portion of one’s life. It is a span of time in which a child can be born and then go on to have children of its own. It is due to the grace of God that at precisely the right time He blessed us with His support and had mercy on His creatures. God has granted me the extraordinary determination and resolve, which He always gives to His divine appointees. It is on account of this strength and vigour that I have not tired. A time is approaching when all the opposition that exists today will vanish without a trace and I am hopeful that this era is soon to come.
I can say in all honesty that there is discussion in the heavens. God desires to see a holy transformation in the people of the world. Just as any king naturally desires to see their majesty manifested, similarly, divine will intends to see the people of this world recognise the greatness and omnipotence of God, and for God—Who is becoming more and more hidden—to show a manifestation of His being to the world. It is for this reason that God has raised a man whom He has commissioned, so that the world may be cured of its leprosy, as it were.
One may ask what I have accomplished with my advent? What can I say except that the world will come to know itself what I have accomplished. Nonetheless, I do say this much that people repent from their sins on my hand. These people develop humility and meekness, and their immoralities are being driven out to give way to exemplary morals. These people are growing slowly and gradually in the likeness of foliage, and they are positively progressing in their good morals and habits. Man does not progress instantly, rather what we observe in the law of nature is that all things grow and progress in stages. Nothing is beyond the effects of this phenomenon. Of course, I trust that ultimately the truth will spread and a pure transformation will take place, but this is not my task, this is the work of God. It is God’s will that purity should spread. The state of the world has been tarnished and it continues to rot. All that remains is the outer shell, the kernel is nowhere to be found. However, it is God’s desire that His servants are purified and cleansed of every blemish. It is for this reason that by His sheer grace, He has established this movement.
Question: In light of your books, your title is that of the ‘Promised Messiah.’ What does this truly mean?
Answer: In order to fully understand this secret, one must realise that God Almighty—who has laid the foundation for prophethood throughout the ages—established one such chain of prophethood in the past which began with Prophet Moses, peace be upon him. The Prophets who appeared before him left behind no remnants of their existence. It was the book of Moses (as) which made mention of Noah and Adam and certain other Prophets, peace be upon them. In short, just like a family patriarch, Moses, peace be upon him, was also the patriarch of his family of Prophets, and through the Torah he passed down his divine law to them. After the demise of Moses (as), a man of God, Allah the Exalted continued to send Prophets to serve this religious dispensation, so that it would not suffer decline. These Prophets served the Mosaic dispensation. As such, in the fourteenth century after Moses, peace be upon him, Jesus, peace be upon him, whom you refer to as Christ, was sent to support the Mosaic dispensation. Jesus (as) was the final brick in the Mosaic dispensation. Just as the final brick brings the construction of a house to its end, in the same manner, the Mosaic dispensation was brought to an end with the Messiah (as), and God brought this dispensation to its completion. After this, God lay the foundation for a new dispensation which was established through the progeny of Ishmael (as), and was known as the dispensation of Muhammad (sas). As is evident from the word Ishmael itself, and as God Almighty had intimated through Moses, peace be upon him, a community was destined to be established among the children of Ishmael, just like the Mosaic dispensation. This was because the children of Israel, or the Jews, were neither kind to Moses, peace be upon him, who was the first, nor to the Messiah (as), who was the last; in fact, they were not good to the Prophets who appeared in between either. This nation was so cruel and brazen that the like of them cannot be found on the face of the earth. This nation left no stone unturned in rejecting the Prophets and inflicting grief upon them. They did not value the illumined men of God, so this dispensation was brought to an end with Jesus (as).
The end of this dispensation was not due to God’s pleasure, but in fact, due to His displeasure. Even the birth of the Messiah (as) himself served as a sign, in that he was born without a father. Since one’s lineage continues from the father, through the fatherless birth of Jesus (as), God warned the children of Israel that due to the misfortune of their evil deeds, this succession of Prophets within the Israelites now comes to a close.
There are two things, which even you yourselves believe. Firstly, you believe that God caused Jesus (as) to be born without a father. Further, you claim that anyone who says that he was born with a father contradicts the law of God Almighty and denigrates this sign of God Almighty, which was manifested in his birth. Secondly, you accept that he was the last brick. This metaphor has been mentioned in the Gospel in the parable of the vineyard where it is narrated that a landowner planted a vineyard and when the fruit drew near, he sent his servants, and so on and so forth; the parable goes on. This parable demonstrably establishes that God did not view the Jews with favour and affection. Then, the third sign which proves that the Mosaic dispensation came to an end with the Messiah (as) was that their land was taken from them as well.
Therefore, the birth of the Messiah, peace be upon him, without a father served as a sign post, as it were. From a family which was previously one and in which a succession of Prophets had continued to emerge throughout the ages, God gave rise to a second branch and thus laid a new foundation among the children of Ishmael (as). I have alluded to the destruction of Jewish rule, because God had conferred upon this nation both prophethood and worldly rule. In any case, by causing Jesus (as) to be born without a father, God declared in essence that due to the evil actions of the Jews and on account of their temerity, their rejecting the Prophets and their hostility towards those commissioned by God Almighty, they had reached a state where they were no longer worthy of divine favour, but of God’s displeasure. As a sign that now their family of Prophets would come to an end, they were given a sign that no one from the children of Israel would father the Messiah; and by causing Jesus (as) to be born without a father, God intimated that in the future, prophethood would not continue among the children of Israel.
Since this shift in prophethood was the result of God’s wrath, for this reason, worldly rule—another blessing that this nation had received along with prophethood—was lost to them as well. The underlying objective in my explanation is to highlight that on the one hand, we have the Mosaic dispensation, the final brick of which was the Messiah son of Mary, and by whose fatherless birth God announced that it was destined to come to an imminent end. Similarly, in accordance with His promise, God gave rise to a magnificent dispensation from among the children of Ishmael (as), which was similar to the Mosaic dispensation, and our Noble Prophet, Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was the founding father of this dispensation. In this way, the Holy Prophet (sas) became the likeness of Moses (as), for just as Moses, peace be upon him, was the founder of his dispensation, so too our Noble Prophet was the head of his dispensation; and just as Moses (as) gained victory over Pharaoh, so too, ultimately, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was blessed with a clear victory and Abu Jahl, who was the Pharaoh of this nation, perished. There are many other parallels as well, which I shall not mention at this time.
The real purpose is to explain to you that our dispensation resembles the dispensation of Moses, peace be upon him. Just as the dispensation of Moses, peace be upon him, ended with the Messiah (as), it was necessary that in our community as well, the Promised Messiah occupy the station of the Seal of the Caliphs. Furthermore, the Messiah, peace be upon him, appeared in the fourteenth century after the era of Moses, peace be upon him. As such, it was necessary for the Promised Messiah, whose advent was awaited in the community of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to appear in the fourteenth century of Islam. In this way, the similarity is complete and both eras came together as reflections of one another. Moreover, God had also determined that the Jews had become thoroughly corrupt in the time of Jesus (as); their moral state and faith had become tarnished and they had lost the essence of religion. It was at this time that the Gospel came to show them the truth, and to teach them about inner purity and give them a moral compass—things of which they had become absolutely oblivious. This is exactly the state that is prevalent today. An ocean of sin and transgression rages forth. The apparent cultural refinement of Europe has washed away all the lofty principles of morality and has given rise to the spread of atheism. Religion as it once was is nowhere to be found at present. If it was just the European nations in this present condition, even then a spiritual teacher would have definitely appeared; but here we have the Muslims in a terrible state as well. Their religious beliefs, morals and habits have been shaken to the very core. All they are aware of is the name of Islam; they know nothing of its true nature and essence. Their power of action and strength of intellect has fallen weak, due to which other nations have begun to attack their religion and faith. When this state of affairs arose, in accordance with His promise and also on account of the similarity and parallel nature of the dispensations of Muhammad (sas) and Moses (as), God sent me at the head of the fourteenth century bearing the name ‘Promised Messiah.’ The Holy Quran contained a prophecy about the Seal of the Caliphs and stated that a Messiah shall appear in this ummah. In the Gospel, the Messiah states that he will come in the latter days. I am that Messiah. The underlying secret which God has disclosed to me in this context is that when certain people depart this world, someone else will appear possessing their disposition, nature and moral qualities and the coming of that other individual is as if the same person has returned to the world. This concept is not without its value, nor without evidence. Even the Gospel itself has solved this dilemma. The Jews awaited the appearance of Elijah (as) before the advent of the Messiah son of Mary; and in view of the promise given in the book of Malachi, they were perfectly entitled to hold this belief. However, since the Jews were literalists, heavily influenced by the apparent, they could not grasp the deeper reality in this concept. They continued to await the coming of Elijah (as). For it was written in the Torah and in the books of the Prophets that the promised one is he who appears in accordance with the promise. The Jews were misled to believe that Elijah (as) himself would appear before the coming of the awaited Messiah. Since they held a superficial outlook on things, they continued to wait first for the coming of Elijah (as) himself. On one occasion, they came to the Messiah (as) and even posed this question. Jesus (as) responded by saying that Elijah (as) had come; and he is none other than John (as). So the Jews went to John (as) and asked him, to which he responded: ‘I am not Elijah.’ Since their hearts were not pure, to them this formed the basis for contradiction and so they concluded that this Messiah was not the true Messiah. However, the fact of the matter is that the Messiah (as) was absolutely true in whatever he had said and there was no contradiction whatsoever. The Messiah (as) meant that John (as), who is known as Yahya amongst the Muslims, had appeared with the nature, disposition, and power of Elijah (as). However, the Jews held that this could only mean that the very same Elijah (as) who appeared in the past had actually come again in person, although this was against the established law of God Almighty. Divine law stipulates that once a person passes on from this world, they do not return again. If, however, God Almighty desires, He will raise someone else in the nature and disposition of that individual, and on account of extreme similarity the two individuals are not considered to be distinct from one another; in fact, they are one and the same.
In short, the Messiah (as) has solved the predicament surrounding the promise of the coming of Elijah (as) coming before his own advent; he has handed us a verdict in this respect. It is the verdict that the Messiah himself presented in his own court, as proof of his truthfulness, regarding the second coming of a Prophet who was to appear before him. The verdict is that the second coming of an individual is fulfilled through the appearance of someone else who comes with the same nature and disposition as the first.
Nowhere did Jesus, peace be upon him, state that while the second coming of Elijah (as) had been fulfilled by the appearance of John (as), who came with the nature and disposition of Elijah (as), he would himself return at the time of his second coming. If Jesus (as) has given such an explanation anywhere in the Gospel, then one ought to share it. However, there is not a single instance where he differentiated between the nature of the advent of Elijah (as) and his own. In fact, by issuing a verdict in the account of Elijah (as), he has solved the issue of his own second coming as well. Therefore, when such is the case, it is incumbent on every seeker of truth to refrain from disputing and complaining over this verdict, or engaging in any debates that are a waste of time, for the matter is perfectly clear. For example, if someone were to say that all human beings have two eyes, and they showed that not only ten or twenty people, but that every person who passed by fit that description, and then if there were a person who said that on the contrary, humans do not have two eyes, they have fifty, yet they were unable to show a single example of this, who would believe the latter on their word alone? Those who suggest that the second coming of the Messiah would not take place in the nature of Elijah (as) are like the man who claims that humans have fifty eyes. The truth is that the second coming of the Messiah too will take place like that of Elijah (as). I should also like to state that I do not believe in the concept of reincarnation. My advent is similar in nature to the advent of Elijah (as). God has sent me in the nature of the Messiah (as), for the reformation of morals.
Our unwise opponents assert that Islam is spread by war, but I proclaim that this is false. The perfect teaching of Islam itself is what causes it to spread. The nature of Islam has no need in the least for swords or guns. The past wars of Islam were defensive in nature. Those who assert that these wars were to coerce people to accept Islam are utterly and seriously mistaken. Hence, it is my belief that Islam does not spread by the sword, rather its teaching, which is a miraculous sign, draws in the hearts of people by itself. As such, those people who have read my books and have seen my efforts can understand that all of my work is being done in the manner of Jesus (as) the Messiah. I have been instructed to nurture moral faculties. As my dispensation and all my efforts are distinguished by the Messianic nature, it is for this reason that Allah the Exalted has named me the Promised Messiah.
Now, I am aware that since I have gone this far in my claim, the Christians are bound to oppose me as well. But how can I be fearful of any opposition when it is God Who has appointed me? If I had concocted this claim, even the slightest hostility would have been enough to tire me and put me down. However, this is not in my control. I am prepared to advise any pure-natured individual in the manner that suits them and I am happy to follow every course of action to satisfy them, so long as it is lawful and within the bounds of the Sunnah. I truthfully say that this is the era for which the Muslims, in accordance with their doctrine, were waiting, and which the Christians awaited, as per their own belief. This was the era which had been promised. Now the one who was destined to appear has come. Whether anyone believes in him or not, God Almighty manifests powerful signs in support of those whom He sends and moves the hearts of the people to accept. Everything that was destined for the Promised Messiah has been fulfilled. Now, whether one accepts this or not, the Promised Messiah has come, and I am he.
Question: What other similarity is there?
Answer: There is a similarity in teaching.
Question: What shall be the outcome of your message?
Answer: Humanity’s relationship with God Almighty has fallen weak, the love of this world has become dominant and purity has diminished. God Almighty shall strengthen the relationship between man’s servitude to God (ubudiyyat) and divinity (uluhiyyat), and He shall restore lost purity. Love of this world shall turn cold.
Question: When there are diverse religions, how should one recognise which religion is true and from God?
Answer: This is no difficult matter. In our world, a distinction can be made between everything that is genuine and false. There is a clear difference between night and day. Then can a true Faith remain hidden? God is pure and He is loving and compassionate. Carnal passions that are classed as sin, such as fornication, prejudice, arrogance, and all those sins which gather in the heart and are then committed through the eyes or by other means, displease God. How then is it possible that one would not be able to recognise that God desires to purify mankind and that He is displeased when they commit sin? Hence, a religion which gives a teaching that practically inculcates a nature within man to fear God, absorb His attributes, and grow in purity and love, and refrain from sin, will be deemed a religion from God. A religion from God is accompanied with living signs of its truth and these signs remain in every era.2
Question: What do you believe in relation to the crucifixion of the Messiah?
Answer: I do not believe that he died on the cross. On the contrary, my investigations have established that he was taken down from the cross alive and even the Messiah, peace be upon him, himself agrees with my view. One of the greatest miracles of the Messiah, peace be upon him, was that he would not die on the cross, because he had promised to show the sign of the Prophet Jonah (as). Now, if it is accepted—as the Christians erroneously believe—that he died on the cross, then what would happen of this sign and how would a parallel exist with Prophet Jonah (as)? To suggest that Jesus (as) entered his grave and was then resurrected after three days is utterly absurd. For Jonah (as) entered the belly of the whale living, not after he had died. Such interpretations are a disrespect to the Prophet. The fact of the matter is that Jesus (as) was taken down from the cross alive. It is necessary for any pure-intentioned individual to firmly grasp what the Messiah (as) clearly stated himself. Jesus (as) was overtaken by a state of swoon. We learn from the Gospel, and on account of various means and factors, that he was saved from death on the cross. For example, the realisation that Sabbath was upon them, the governor washing his hands of the Messiah’s blood, the dream of the governor’s wife, so on and so forth.
God Almighty has enlightened me and has granted me a very large treasure of arguments and proofs, which establish that Jesus (as) absolutely did not die on the cross, but was taken down from the cross alive. A state of swoon is also a form of death. One may observe that in a state of swoon, neither the pulse remains, nor movement of heartbeat. In such a state, one is as good as dead, but then one comes back to life, as it were. There are two very powerful testimonies which prove that the Messiah (as) did not die on the cross. Firstly, his being saved was to serve as a sign and a miracle, and I would never want to see its grandeur diminished. Indeed, most contemptible and loathsome is the one who views the signs of Allah Almighty with contempt. Secondly, our Noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, does not support the view that Jesus (as) died on the cross, but that he was taken down alive after which he died a natural death. In addition to this, if all the individual Gospel accounts which relate to the crucifixion are analysed together as a whole, it becomes clearly evident that the Messiah (as) did not die on the cross. His meeting the disciples, showing them his wounds, eating cooked meat with them, his travels, etc., are all proofs which reject that Jesus (as) died on the cross. One may put forth whatever fanciful interpretation one desires to explain these accounts, but a just individual would proclaim that apparent flesh wounds and a need for food are characteristics that apply to a man who is alive. This account, the other events that follow after the crucifixion, and historical testimony all bear witness to the fact that Jesus (as) did not remain on the cross for more than two or three hours. Moreover, hanging on the cross in those days was not like present-day hangings where a person dies within minutes after they are hung. In fact, during that time, people were nailed to the cross and then they would remain there for numerous days and die of thirst and hunger. The Messiah (as) was not faced with such circumstances. He was taken down from the cross after two or three hours. These are the accounts that we find in the Gospel, which are powerful testimonies to substantiate that the Messiah (as) did not die on the cross. Then, there is another strong testimony that supports this view as well—the Ointment of Jesus. This ointment has been consistently recorded in thousands of books of medicine, and it is written that this ointment was prepared by the disciples to dress the wounds of the Messiah (as). There is mention of this ointment in the medical texts of both the Jews and Christians. How then can it be asserted that he died on the cross? In addition to all these evidences, there is another proof that has categorically established that the notion of the Messiah (as) dying on the cross is absolutely false and untrue, and that he absolutely, most definitely, did not die on the cross, and that is the tomb of the Messiah.
It has been established that the tomb of the Messiah is situated in Mohalla Khanyar in Srinagar, and this is a discovery that will shake the world, because if the Messiah died on the cross, how can this tomb exist?
Question: Have you seen it yourself?
Answer: I have not gone there personally, but I sent one of my sincere and trustworthy followers. He remained there for some time and after thorough investigations, collected 500 signatures from reliable men who testify to the authenticity of the tomb. These people refer to this man as the Prophet Prince and they also state that this is the tomb of Isa Sahib.3 Some 1100 years ago, a book titled Ikmal-ud-Din was published which is exactly the same as the Gospel. This book is attributed to Yuz Asaf who named this book Bushra (meaning good news in Arabic), which is also the meaning of the word ‘Gospel’. This book contains the same parables, the same accounts, the same moral teachings which are found in the Gospel, and often entire passages are identical to those found in the Gospel. It is now an established fact that this is the tomb of Yuz Asaf.
Yuz Asaf is the same man referred to as Christ. The word asaf means ‘gatherer of dispersed communities.’ Since it was the task of the Messiah, peace be upon him, to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and researchers agree that the people of Kashmir are from the children of Israel, it was necessary for Jesus (as) to travel to this land. Further, the account of Yuz Asaf is well known in Europe. In fact, this is to such an extent that in Italy a church has been built in this name and a festival takes place there every year. Now, to spend such a vast sum of money to construct a house of worship, and then to arrange a festival there every year, is not something that should be viewed with a cursory glance. The people say that Yuz Asaf was a disciple of the Messiah (as). In my view, however, this is not true. The fact of the matter is that Yuz Asaf was the Messiah himself. If Yuz Asaf is the name of a disciple, then it falls upon the Christians to prove that the Messiah (as) had a disciple who was referred to as the Prophet Prince.
These are points which entirely unveil the details relating to the incident of the crucifixion. Of course, if the Christians rejected the matter altogether, that would have been the end of this debate. However, since they do accept that there was a man named Yuz Asaf who once existed; and when his teaching was the same as the Gospel; and when he, too, named his book ‘Gospel’ and when he was also referred to as the Prophet Prince, just as the Messiah (as) was referred to as the Prophet Prince; one is compelled to reflect that if this individual is not the Messiah (as), then who is he?
For the sake of God, reflect. An individual who does not attach their heart to the world and who loves the truth can have no issue whatsoever in accepting this. Now, if one accepts that Yuz Asaf was the name of an actual person who had a relationship with the Messiah (as), and then a church named after him has been built in Italy as well, and a festival takes place there every year, and when one admits that his teaching is the same as the teaching of the Gospel, how can one say that this man is not the Messiah himself? When you accept these four points, in view of this testimony, I ask you that if you suggest that this man was a disciple, then prove that there was ever a disciple named Yuz Asaf. The name Yuz Asaf is a variation of the name Yusu (Christ). There is only one argument that can settle this matter. If evidence can be provided to the effect that the Messiah (as) had a disciple named Yuz Asaf and he was referred to as the Prophet Prince and Isa Sahib, then most surely this would be the tomb of a disciple. However, if this cannot be proven, and most definitely never can this be proven, then accept my view that it is the Messiah himself who rests in this tomb.
It gives me great joy that you listen with forbearance. Only those who listen with forbearance have it within them to investigate the truth. Few others would have listened to as much as you. You ought to reflect for the sake of God how interrelated the details of this account have become. The Christians accept that the man in question was from among the disciples. At least they have admitted that there is some relation in this respect. Then they built a church in the man’s name and now a festival takes place there every year. Now you tell me, on whom does the burden of proof fall? If the Christians had accepted no relation whatsoever, most surely the burden of proof would have fallen on me. But when you have yourselves accepted this fact, I ask you for evidence of a disciple who was also referred to as the Prophet Prince.
The Reverend: We thank you immensely for your kindness and hospitality.
His Holiness (as): This is a duty of my office and Allah the Exalted has sent me for this very purpose. I am obliged to do so.
When His Holiness, the Sign of Allah, had finished his discourse, Mr Fazl (who perhaps is an employee at the Lahore Book Society) spoke to exhibit his intelligence. It would have been better, however, had he remained silent so that the secret of his wise and deeply reflective nature had been preserved. His Holiness presented a long exposition on Yuz Asaf with the support of historical testimonies, but just observe the question that Mr Fazl asks.
Mr Fazl: Have you found any historical proof in relation to the tomb?
His Holiness (as): A book 1100 years old is present, the Christians have a church named after him, a festival regularly takes place there, and you still demand historical evidence? What is this? If this is not historical evidence, then what is?
The Promised Messiah (as) went on to state:
“You understand nothing. Your only objective is to deceive the people. I advise everyone to become pure-hearted; to cleanse their hearts of pretence and prejudice, and accept with utmost open-heartedness the truth and wisdom wherever it is found. I am always ready to listen to others if you respond with a clear and honest answer that in your view this disciple of the Messiah (as) is called the Prophet Prince for such and such reason. If you are unable to respond—and there is no response—you could perhaps state that you hold this view merely on the basis of your religious belief. However, this would be no different than someone questioning a Hindu about their belief that the Ganges river flows from the hair of Mahadev and about the reality of this belief, and the Hindu responding by simply saying that although they do not possess the arguments to prove this, they accept this belief nonetheless, and this is an undeniable reality. Obviously, this would not be logically acceptable by any standards. Therefore, I assure you that I have proven, not on the basis of mere belief, but in light of solid research, that this tomb is actually the tomb of the Messiah . Established events affirm this and history testifies all the same. There are Christians in Germany who believe that the Messiah (as) did not die on the cross. This is a very clear fact, and after reflection, no doubt remains in this respect.”
Question: In your view, what duty falls upon the Christians?
Answer: The duty of any human being ought to be that they search for the truth and then take hold of it at once from wherever they may find it. There is no differentiation between Christians and others.
After this, the priests thanked His Holiness (as) once again. Then they were given some books from the bookshop and from the office of Al-Hakam, whereafter they departed.4
1 Al-Hakam, vol. 5, no. 17, dated 10 May 1901, pp. 1-4
2 Al-Hakam, vol. 5, no. 18, dated 17 May 1901, pp. 1-4
3 Isa is the Arabic name for Jesus (as) and Sahib is a title of respect used for an honourable man. [Publisher]
4 Al-Hakam, vol. 5, no. 19, dated 24 May 1901, pp. 1-3