(At the time of Zuhr Prayers)
Saeen Alam Din, resident of Dharowal, mentioned his spiritual escapades and related a variety of revelations and visions. He told of strange experiences in which he would consider himself superior to all Prophets and Messengers, and (God forbid) would start claiming Divinity for himself, and at times he would consider himself as the intermediary and intercessor between Creator and creation and that people were dependent upon him, and then he would say he did not care at all and was not in need of anyone. He said that some Signs would be manifested by him in the future. Even more baffling was that he would also address the Promised Messiah (as) and say, ‘I believe you to be the Messiah and the Mahdi, and to be a great Imam the like of whom has never appeared before nor would ever appear in the future.’ At the same time, he would also claim to be a follower of the Holy Prophet (sas). In short, he would utter one sentence that would seem to mean that he regarded himself to be better and more pure natured than the entire world and, with it, narrate strange visions of every kind for the be-all and end-all of discourses, and then, in the course of his conversation, he would start to describe himself as humble and worthless and so on.
In short, the poor man (may God, of His grace and munificence, have mercy on him) was caught in convoluted enigmas. He was also advanced in self-praise and arrogance. He was preoccupied with strange ups and downs while seemingly pursuing the stages [of spirituality] that were defined in the medieval ages. Even more of a crisis was that he had begun to regard himself as someone with a [spiritual] stature and had climbed many steps in self-aggrandizement and glorification. For this reason, Ahmadis of that area, considering him to be unhinged and insane, had removed him from leading the Prayers and considered it to be improper to offer the Prayer under his leadership. After hearing this kind of account of Saeen [Alam Din], the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) observed:
The essential point is that there are many different kinds of people found throughout the world, but the only condition in which a person can remain a Muslim is when he truly believes in the Kalimah Tayyibah لَآ إِلٰہَ إِلَّا اللّٰہُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ [‘There is no one worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’] and fully acts upon it. After this, one should believe in the Holy Quran—that it is the true and perfect book of God Almighty and is the only scripture that bears the seal of God Almighty. One should act according to it. To conduct oneself according to its commandments and follow the example shown by the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is the Straight Path. Beside it, no writing, vision, dream, or revelation is credible without validation. A revelation is not worth believing unless it bears the seal of God Almighty.
How could staunch disbelievers like the Arabs have accepted the Holy Quran if it did not bear the seal of God Almighty? Even when I receive a vision, dream, or revelation, it is my practice to submit it and present it to the Holy Quran.
And also remember that even if a revelation is in concordance with the Holy Quran, but has no Sign accompanying it, it is also not worth accepting. Only that revelation is acceptable which is in concordance with the Holy Quran and also has Signs in its support. If someone says that he has been conferred a specific office from the court of the king but bears no distinction and has no imperial embellishment and contingent of soldiers accompanying him, he would get no respect simply by saying that he has been conferred such and such rank.
I truly believe that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is the innocent Prophet upon whom all the excellences of prophethood ended [in culmination]. Every kind of perfection and rank ended in him. He was bestowed the complete and comprehensive Book after which no other shariah will come till the Day of Resurrection. It is the Word that bears the seal of God Almighty which had descended upon the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, with thousands of angels and under their protection. Should there be any [Divine] inspiration, vision, or revelation, so long as they are not in conformity with it, they cannot be deemed from Allah. Of course, if any inspiration or revelation is in concurrence with it and also has Signs in its support, I would be the first of all to accept it. It is not within my power to dispute or debate it even in the least.
Revelations, visions, or dreams are of three types.
First are those which are from God. These descend upon those who have achieved perfect purification of the soul. This is achieved after many a [spiritual] death and self-negation. Such a person is totally divorced from the passions of the ego and such death befalls him which incinerates all his inner impurities and through which he draws near to God and distant from Satan; for, the one who is near is the very one whose voice is heard.
The second is hadithsun-nafs [whispering of the self] which involves one’s personal desires and it has much to do with his own thoughts and ambitions just as the well-known saying goes, ‘A cat only dreams of cat food.’ He only sees what he is already contemplating in his heart. One’s own ideas can become revelations or visions for him. As children dream from the storybooks which they have read during the day and just as the same sentences that children have read in books during the daytime flow on their tongue [during their sleep] at night, the case is the same with hadithsun-nafs.
The third are Satanic revelations. Satan casts various amazing deceptions in these, sometimes showing a golden throne and sometimes—through a strange show of spectacles—making a variety of optimistic promises. Once Sayyed Abdul Qadir, may the mercy of Allah be upon him, was shown Satan [seated] upon his golden throne, saying: ‘I am your God. I have accepted your worship and henceforth, you don’t need to worship. Things that are unlawful for others are hereby made lawful for you.’
Sayyed Abdul Qadir, may the mercy of Allah be upon him, replied: ‘Get thee hence, O Satan! How could the things that were unlawful for the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, be lawful for me?’
Thereupon Satan said, ‘O Abdul Qadir! You have escaped my hands through the superiority of your knowledge; otherwise, very few escape at this stage.’
Hearing this Saeen [Alam Din] spoke up and asked ‘Where do I stand and what is my status and what is my condition?’
The Promised Messiah replied, ‘I don’t have any knowledge of which stage you are at. Do a lot of repentance and seek Allah’s forgiveness.’
I say these things not just for you but for all. There must be close to fifty or sixty people in our Jama’at who make such claims. Look, the claim that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, made that he was a recipient of revelation, was not without Signs. When the disbelievers demanded evidence as proof that his revelation was from God, the following reply was given to them:
قُلْ کَفٰى بِاللّٰہِ شَہِیْدًۢا بَیْنِیْ وَ بَیْنَکُمْ وَ مَنْ عِنْدَہٗ عِلْمُ الْکِتٰبِ1
Meaning that these people say that you are not a Messenger of Allah; tell them that I have two witnesses with me:
The first is that of Allah Almighty that His fresh Signs are there in my support, and
The second are those people who were given the knowledge of the Book of God, and who can testify that I am truthful [in my claim].
Keep in mind that one name of Allah Almighty is also the Invisible. He is Concealed beyond concealed and Hidden beyond hidden. No one has the right to regard something as a revelation from God Almighty unless the work of God Almighty testifies to it. No effort progresses without corroborating evidence. If it were proven with testimony—namely, the Signs of God Almighty—that a revelation is from God Almighty, I would be the first to believe it. One’s mere claims and conversations lack sufficient credibility. It should be accompanied with the work of God Almighty.
Maulawi Abdullah of Temapur, who is a member of our Jama’at, used to write many revelations and visions in his letters. The end result was that after a while, he became insane. He recently came to Qadian and renounced such revelations and also swore obedience to me. I concede that Divine discourses are real and Auliya [the Friends of God] are honoured with the addresses of God, but this station cannot be achieved by anyone without purification of the soul. Without the purification of the soul, Satan befriends them. Aside from this, we have three witnesses for true revelation: (1) One’s own state of purity; (2) The accompanying witness of God Almighty’s Signs; and (3) Conformity of the revelations with the Holy Quran.
At this, Saeen [Alam Din] again asked, ‘What then is the condition of my faith?’
The Promised Messiah remarked: ‘My duty is only to convey a true statement. The coming gain or loss will be exclusively for you. Others have nothing to do with it. You should repent and seek forgiveness [of God] much and should cry and supplicate before God Almighty.’
Saeen [Alam Din] said, ‘Then, all these visions that I experience and the wonderful places that I get to behold amount to nothing? Is there no reality to them at all?’
The Promised Messiah said:
I am not convinced of such visions at all. I only believe following the path shown by the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who won over billions of people. It is clearly written in the Holy Quran that revelation comes from Satan and also from God Almighty. In the revelation which is from God Almighty, a crown of honour is bestowed and mighty Signs of God come in its support as witness.’
Saeen [Alam Din], in disregard of the respect owed to a Messenger, again interrupted and said, ‘Then what is within my power?’
The Promised Messiah said:
You should act upon what God says and what His Messenger says. Don’t utter things with your tongue that you don’t know. God Almighty says:
وَ لَا تَقْفُ مَا لَیْسَ لَکَ بِہٖ عِلْمٌ2
Turn towards virtue with full force and perform righteous deeds. If your condition becomes worthy of it and you are able to achieve purity of soul, then the honour of discourse and converse with God Almighty can be possible too.
Many are perishing these days for the very reason that they don’t take stock of their own condition. They fail to ponder over the bond they have forged with God Almighty, and they do not give thought to the impetus with which they are moving towards God and how steadfast they have shown themselves to be when confronted with hardships, and how have they measured up in the face of trials. A man ought to discharge his duty and should advance in performing righteous deeds. To impart revelation and to show visions is the prerogative of God. One should not boast about it. One should improve his own actions.
God Almighty says:
اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ اُولٰٓىِٕکَ ہُمْ خَیْرُ الْبَرِیَّۃِ3
He did not say that those who receive visions and revelations are Khairul-Bariyyah [the Best of Creation]. Keep that in mind. Never say things that are in conflict with what God said or what the Prophet said. Revelations of this kind mean nothing. Water from the rain pleases everyone, but water from the drain causes discord and creates disorder. Those revelations which do not have the support of the work of God Almighty, and are not testified to by Divine Signs are like water from the drain. For instance, if someone has no turban on his head nor shoe on his feet and is wearing tattered and torn clothes, having a derelict condition, yet claims to be a king with all the armies of the land under his command—who but the insane would make such a claim?
Bear in mind that words without action amount to nothing. This verse,
قُلْ کَفٰى بِاللّٰہِ شَہِیْدًۢا بَیْنِیْ وَ بَیْنَکُمْ وَ مَنْ عِنْدَہٗ عِلْمُ الْکِتٰبِ4
has a marvellous point and that is, ‘Accept me only if God testifies to my truth, otherwise don’t.’
Similar is the revelation recorded in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya which God Almighty had given to me and it is:
قُلْ عِنْدِیْ شَھَادَۃٌ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ فَھَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُّؤْمِنُوْنَ. قُلْ عِنْدِیْ شَھَادَۃٌ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ فَھَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُّسْلِمُوْنَ5
Meaning: ‘Tell them, I have the testimony of God Almighty for my truth. Do you or do you not, then, accept the testimony of God Almighty?’
Look, this Divine series [of revelations] had only just begun in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya when the testimony of God also materialized into existence. All Prophets and holy men are in agreement that it is insanity to make a claim without evidence.
Saeen [Alam Din] said: ‘I do believe you to be the Messiah and Mahdi, and I don’t even perform my obligatory Prayers behind other [non-Ahmadi] people. These Ahmadi people do not perform their obligatory Prayers behind me. What is your verdict about this?’
The Promised Messiah replied:
If you repent and keep silence and do not say anything contravening the Word of God and the word of the Prophet, then they can offer their Prayer [behind you]. To make a claim without strong arguments and decisive proofs is like putting oneself into fire. To say that I am such and such Prophet or that I am superior to such and such Prophet are heretical statements. No one has jurisdiction over the heart. It is the tongue that makes one an apostate. All activity in the world operates on the basis of what is said.
Look, when a nikah [Islamic marriage] takes place between a man and a woman, only verbal consent is obtained and similarly just by saying, ‘I divorce you’, their entire relationship is severed. To make such claims, therefore, is repudiating 124,000 Prophets. One would not do this if he had the fear of God. It is better if you hold your tongue. Otherwise, beware—it will not bode well for you.
ہرچہ دانا کند کند نادان
يک بعد ازکمال رسوائي
What a wise person can do, an ignorant one can do too,
But after suffering a lot of disgrace.
Saeen [Alam Din] said: ‘Then, do I say all these things falsely?’
The Promised Messiah said: ‘I cannot say anything about it. God knows if you are telling the truth or lying.’
Saeen [Alam Din] said: ‘You are the Messiah, King of people. Okay, pray for me.’
The Promised Messiah said: ‘Yes, I will pray.’6
1 Say, ‘Sufficient is Allah as a Witness between me and you, and so is he who possesses knowledge of the Book’ (Surah ar-Ra‘d, 13:44). [Publisher]
2 And follow not that of which you have no knowledge (Surah Bani Isra’il, 17:37). [Publisher]
3 Verily, those who believe and do good works—they are the best of creatures (Surah al-Bayyinah,98:8). [Publisher]
4 Say, ‘Sufficient is Allah as a Witness between me and you, and so is he who possesses knowledge of the Book’ (Surah ar-Ra‘d, 13:44). [Publisher]
5 Say: ‘I have with me proof from Allah, then will you believe or not?’ Say: ‘I have with me proof from Allah, then will you accept it or not?’ [Publisher]
6 Al-Hakam, vol. 11, no. 41, p. 12–13, dated 17 November 1907