The Promised Messiah - Prophecies
Fulfilled
By A. Abdul Aziz.
Before entering upon the subject at hand, as to whether or not the
founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has fulfilled the prophecies
afforded to the Promised Messiah as he claimed, I must first explain
the concept of Messiah and how the advent of the Messiah must be realized.
The understanding of these two concepts is a prerequisite to applying
the many prophecies about the Messiah to come in both an intelligent
and logical manner.
We find that all religions contain prophecies concerning the advent
of a special religious personality, in the latter days The Hindus were
awaiting the advent of the Neha Kalank Avatar, who has been foretold
in their scriptures; the Christians are awaiting the appearance of their
Messiah; the Muslims are awaiting the appearance of the Mahdi and Messiah;
the Zoroastrians believe in the coming of Mesio Darbahme. The Prophet
Buddha also predicted his return, and Guru Baba Nanak predicted the
advent of a great Reformer. If the advent of future Messengers had ceased
how could all these people agree on the single fact that a Promised
One of the latter days was yet to appear.
If all these predictions are true and come to pass, then a competition
will develop between each perspective claimant, calling mankind into
his camp, causing nothing but turmoil, confusion and conflict. Thus
is the opposite of what is expected. A golden era of peace.
On the one hand, the similarities of the signs contained in the prophecies
concerning the Promised One show they cannot be false, and on the other
hand, the appointed task of all the Promised Ones makes it impossible
that at one and the same time all these expected Saviors should cause
their respective religions to triumph over all others.
Mankind has, during the last two centuries or so, been pressing forward
towards a unit of aim and purpose, and all the developments that have
taken place towards bringing different sections into closer relations
with each other afford the strongest indication that the great Messiah
of the latter days would be a single person with several roles, and
that this person by means of his spiritual powers would gather together
men of all faiths, and guide the nations of the world along the right
path.
Islam also accepts Jesus Christ as the Messiah for the Jews, a Prophet
of God, so the question arises, what was the distinctive feature of
the Messiah observed from his life, and what put him on a different
platform from the rest of the Jewish Prophets?
It is evident from the Bible that prior to the time of Jesus the Jews
were permitted to retaliate by force, and they were within their rights.
Retaliation and defence against the sword by the sword was permitted
to all the Jewish Prophets who preceded Jesus, so much so that the permission
for defence became a means of committing atrocities against others.
The true purpose of revenge had completely lost its meaning and significance
and the Jewish religion had become associated with atrocities, cruelties
and hard heartedness. The Jews also refused to obey the authority of
God and the Torah, and instead accepted the authority of their religious
leaders, whatever wrong they might say.
The religion had lost its spirituality and concentrated more on ritual.
Thus, the Messiah is the remedy for the diseases of hardened hearts,
cruelty, atrocities and the refusal to accept God’s authority which
had slowly crept into the Jewish religion. These were the diseases of
the Jews which had not been cured by the previous Prophets. David and
Solomon were also permitted to defend their rights by the sword and
they appear as aggressors instead of defenders.
The world, therefore believed that the entire Jewish people had become
the aggressors, including their prophets, and the Messiah came to rectify
this misconception.
The rights which the Torah had granted still applied to the followers
of the messiah, but Jesus taught that for the sake of religion, for
the defence of the torah and Moses, we must offer sacrifices and cease
to defend our rights by force. Thus, a complete revolution took place
in Judaism. Now, the sword was used by the enemies, transgression was
transferred to them, cruelty was left to them, aggression became their
practice and the Godley people were completely disarmed. These people
were left with the offering of sacrifices, the offering of their property
and their lives. This is the concept of Messiah. Studying the entire
history of Judaism and its Prophets will make this concept quite evident
and this is how the Messiah is distinguished from the rest of the Jewish
Prophets. Yet this history of sacrifices and defencelessness against
most powerful enemy and without any apparent means of victory shows
us a progressive victory by the weak and helpless against the most powerful.
This is Messiah.
Prophet Moses was the law bringing founder of Judaism, and it was from
this time that an allegation was made against him. The allegation was
that he was not a rational person, and that he tended to win by force
and oppression. It continued to build during the period from Moses up
to Jesus. Judaism continued to be considered a violent religion and
that it was spread only by force. How could Jesus refute this allegation
and prove it groundless?
He had to transform the entire concept of Judaism by transferring the
sword to the enemy, leaving his followers to offer only sacrifices and
non violent submission to persecution. If the sword was victorious in
the first place and helplessness victorious thereafter? If helplessness
completely defeated a sword bearing Godless people, what does it prove?
It establishes that it was the beauty and force of the message of God,
and the help of God which provided the ultimate victory. This is Messiah.
Exactly the same phenomenon has been repeated in our time, Muhammad
was a law bringer like Moses. He was similar to Moses according to the
Claim of the Holy Quran.
“Verily, We have sent to you a Messenger who is a witness over
you, even as We sent a Messenger to Pharaoh”. (Ch. 73:16)
This verse refers to the Biblical prophecy, “I will raise them
up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put
My word in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall
command. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken
unto My words which he shall speak in My name, I will require it of
him” (Deut. Ch. 18:18, 19)
The Prophet Mohammad (peace be on him) was permitted to defend himself
when the atrocities against him and his companions went beyond all limits
to establish religious freedom. Once he began to defend himself, the
same allegations which were directed at Moses were directed towards
him. His enemies claimed that Islam was a religion of barbarism and
its secret of propagation and success was the sword, and not its message.
A link was established between the spread of Islam and the sword of
Islam, and Islam and its followers were labelled as violent people.
The idea was, most unfortunately, further supported by some very popular
Muslim scholars of today who claim that as long as Muhammad (peace be
upon him) relied on arguments and spiritual powers, he could not successfully
spread Islam on Arabia. They erroneously claim that the Arabians were
converted the moment he took the sword and forced them to listen to
his message.
If God defended Moses from similar allegations, why should God not
defend Muhammad, (Peace be upon him) who is dearer to Him? As the first
Messiah (Jesus), stood in relation to Moses, so was a Messiah ordained
for the followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him) to bring about the
same revolution. A revolution in the sense that though they will not
resort to violence they will ultimately become victorious.
The persecution they endure will, instead of overcoming them, will
make them stronger. That was the phenomenon of the first Messiah which
was to be repeated, and this is the Phenomenon which the Ahmadiyya Movement
of Islam is passing through.
The first one hundred years of the Ahmadiyya Community in Islam has
been unfolded exactly as the first one hundred years of Christianity,
and after every persecution we grow more powerful and gain more influence.
Instead of being deprived, we are granted an increase in numbers and
in wealth. This is the phenomenon of Messiah.
Persecution not with loss, but with gain. This is how we are defending
Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Islam. Through our sacrifices and our
blood. At the origins of Islam, it was the Quran and its message which
was victorious, not the sword. Today, others own the sword, and the
Quran is apparently defenceless. Yet, the rational and the beauty of
the Quran is providing victory at every encounter, and the true Islam
is winning ground by the hour. This is the true phenomenon of Messiah,
and the similarities are obvious.
Moreover, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), prophesised through inference,
that the Messiah was to appear at the head of Islam’s fourteenth
century. Jesus came at the beginning of the fourteenth century after
Moses, and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community in Islam, Hazrat Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad appeared at the beginning of Islam’s fourteenth century.
Jesus claimed that he had not come to change the law. “Think not
that I have come to change the law or the prophets.” (Math. 5:17)
Similarly, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), but to complete it in
essence and practice.
Muhammad (peace be upon him), also predicted that his people in the
days of Messiah would be in the same condition as the Jews were at the
time of the coming of their messiah. He said the similarity will be
as complete as the similarity between ones right and left shoes. They
would suffer from the same diseases and hardened hearts. Thus, if they
were to suffer from the same diseases, the remedy must be the same,
Messiah. A Messiah must appear to bring them back from rituals to spirituality,
from aggression to defenceless sacrifice.
Jesus appeared looking up at the Ivory Towers of the Roman Empire,
and Hazrat Ahmad appeared India a country under British rule at the
time. Winston Churchill himself admitted that the British Empire was
nothing more than an extension of the Roman Empire. The Muslims of India
compared to the British Empire were an insignificant as the Jews were
to the Roman Empire when the first Messiah appeared. It was at this
time that a clash occurred between Jesus and the Jewish clergy. In an
attempt to defeat the Messiah, the Jews brought false charges against
Jesus to the Roman Courts and demanded that he be persecuted. They alleged
that he was not loyal to the government, and was attempting to establish
himself as King. So an attempt was made to defeat the second messiah,
Hazrat Ahmad. Yet, he was pardoned and saved by the British judge, as
was Jesus by the Roman sovereign Pilot.
The concept of the redemption of mankind, revolves around the concept
of the Promised Messiah. For example, the Christians believe that the
golden era of mankind will not dawn unless the Promised Messiah appears,
and in their case they expect the return of Jesus. They expect a new
era, where mankind will be brought under one banner, and will gather
around the call of Christ as one single community. This has been their
expectation for nineteen centuries. Likewise, Muslims hold the same
belief. They also believe the redemption of mankind revolves around
the reappearance of Jesus. Both believe that Christ physically ascended
to heaven, and is to descend from the skies in the latter days. The
only difference lies is the fact that Christians believe in Christ’s
divinity, and Muslims accept him as a prophet and a messenger. We also
believe in the reappearance of Jesus Christ, but in a different way.
The prophecy of the return of a Prophet is a common aspect among many
religions. Buddha, Krishna, Confusious etc., predicted their own return.
Whenever such prophecies are made, they are always misunderstood by
the people among whom the reappearance is to take place. Resulting in
the fact that people are looking in a very different direction from
which he will appear, and they will keep missing his arrival.
Did this not happen in the time of Jesus Christ? Weren’t the Jews
expecting both Elijah to reappear from heaven, and the messiah to be
a worldly king? Jesus did appear as the Messiah, but no one witnessed
the descent of Elijah from heaven.
This was the Jews main objection. They mocked at the followers of Jesus
saying, “Of course we will believe in your Messiah, but first produce
Elijah.” The answer to this mocking attitude is recorded in the
New Testament. John the Baptist is that Elijah which was to appear from
the heaven, believe it or not, its up to you. This is the phenomenon
which has been repeated all over the world every time a religious reformer
was to appear.
The reformer, instead coming from the skies, is always produced from
the most humble stock of the country. The people of the rest of the
world cannot conceive that a reformer, or a person from God, could appear
in such a manner. Instead they keep looking to the sky. Yet, no such
person or Prophet has ever reappeared from the sky, even though many
have thought to ascent. Our believe is what has never happened before;
will not happen in the future. Unfortunately, mankind is making the
same mistake, and the religious phenomenon is unfolding again, exactly
as it happened the first time.
According to us, the same glorious appearance has been repeated in
the person of Hazrat Ahmad. If the appearance of the second Messiah
happened any other way, the entire purpose of religion would be lost.
If somebody appears in part in such glory that everyone has to accept
him, like the sun appearing, how can mankind be reformed. He will attain
to no value whatsoever. Without understanding the phenomenon of reformation
you cannot expect to understand how and where to expect a reformer.
The phenomenon of reformation begins with persecution. A barrier of
torture, persecution and prosecution is always created around the person
of the reformer, and whenever people cross that barrier, they absorb
extreme abuses. Some lose their wives and families in that process.
Once this begins to happen, half the struggle has been won. To meet
God while you are sinful and gone astray from true religious values,
to meet God without effort and sacrifice is useless. To move in that
direction to God, one must accept hostility for the sake of attaining
God, thus purifying his soul, for only a pure soul can meet its creator.
People must reach this condition to be able to accept the burden of
religion, which is very difficult for an irreligious society to accept.
If mankind accepts this phenomenon, their lot is saved, if they don’t,
they may be destroyed. Many past civilizations are illustrations of
this phenomenon. Pompae, the Roman Empire, the Mayan Empire of South
America are all examples. Nations are always destroyed when they are
at a state of extreme luxury, and not at their beginnings.
The people of Noah, and Pharaoh were shown no mercy when they rejected
the Messengers. Study the history of the Jews and witness their destruction
by the Roman Empire when they failed to heed the warning of their Messiah.
To look back in history it becomes so easy and common place to see how
stupid these were to ignore the obvious. However, when you project yourself
back in time to those periods you’ll begin to understand what happens
to people when a messenger appears. The people want a messenger from
God to conform to their values, views and doctrines. They don’t
expect the Messenger to come from among them and dismiss the society
as completely lost and useless. They are not expecting the messenger
to tell them that they must change, or be destroyed.
This phenomenon has no exception, and our founder, Hazrat Ahmad fits
this mold. Reformers always appear from the most humble stock of people
who are looked down upon by the great civilizations, and in 1889, when
the foundation of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at was laid by its
founder, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, this was his claim, and
this is exactly how he was treated by the British Empire, the people
of India, and the Muslims. They all mocked him, having been born in
a small village, twelve miles from the nearest seed of civilization,
with no railway or telegraph. A simple, small, rejected village.
There was a voice raised and states that God has appointed me, in the
name of Christ, to call the entire world to that unity of which both
Muslims and Christians have been awaiting for many centuries. He said,
“I know that I will be rejected, but, those who truly stand for
religious values, and are sent by God will ultimately triumph."
Thus he made a prophecy that despite his rejection, his community would
spread all over the world, and there won’t be a single country
in the world in which his message shall not reach. From this one man,
alone and rejected, from an obscure village in India, his community
now numbers over 220 million and is established in 193 countries.
Christ himself, according to Bible, supports this concept of both messiah
and reformation. Christ is asked what the signs were to be the coming
of the Promised Messiah. He replied that many false Christ’s were
to appear, there were to be wars and rumours of wars, famine, pestilence
and earthquakes (Math. 24:4,5,7) he then describes how those who accept
the Second Messiah would be treated.
“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill
you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for my names sake.” (Math.24:9)
Again, in another book he describes the fate of those who were to accept
the one who came in his name.
“but, before all these things, they shall lay their hands on you,
and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and into prisons,
being brought before kings and rulers for my names sake. And you shall
be betrayed by both parents and brethren and kinsfolk and friends, and
some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated
of all men for my names sake. But there shall not a hair on your head
perish.” (Luke 21:12, 16,17,18).
What a vivid and frightening description Christ presents of the followers
of the Messiah of the latter days. They were to be persecuted, betrayed
by their own families, murdered, tortured, imprisoned and treated in
the most cruel ways. Yet these atrocities will in no way affect the
advancement of the movement, as Christ says, “Not a hair on your
head perish.”
This is exactly the way in which the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has
been treated, yet we have continued to gain strength and converts. For
example, the first converts to Ahmadiyya of Afghanistan were stoned
to death for not denouncing Hazrat Ahmad, just as the first Christians
were martyred. In April of 1984, Pakistan issued an ordinance making
it a criminal offence for the members of the community to call themselves
Muslims, to say prayers, or behave in any way like a Muslim. The punishment
is an unlimited fine, and three years in prison. In Indonesia, Ahmadi
Muslims are being persecuted. In Sri Lanka, a devoted member of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Abdullah Niyas Ahmad was brutally killed
in 2006 during the holy month of Ramazan by the Muslim extremist.
Many Mosques have been destroyed, locked and vandalized in Pakistan.
Hundreds have been imprisoned and dozens murdered. To obtain a visa
to travel abroad, a section of the form must be signed denouncing Hazrat
Ahmad. The Saudi Arabian government has denied permission to Ahmadies
to perform Hajj. In Pakistan we are not allowed to bury our dead in
a decent manner. In the majority of Muslim countries we are forbidden
to propagate. Even in Sri Lanka – a Buddhist Country, we have not
been given our proper rights to use the media as other people of various
faiths enjoy. Why? Because we proclaim that God has again blessed mankind
with a Messenger, who came in the name of Jesus, teaching peace and
love for all and hatred for none. This persecution however, has not
been without benefit. The community is spreading faster than at any
time in its history.
Our founder, The Promised Messiah, called for Muslims to abandon the
sword and violence, and to spread and defend Islam by means of logic,
intelligent arguments and love. Again Christ told us that the Promised
One was to use this method to reach mankind.
“I will give you a mouth and wisdom and all your adversaries shall
not be able to gainsay nor resist.” (Luke 21:15)
What a clear description of the method used by Hazrat Ahmad to propagate
Islam. In his life time, he wrote eighty-four books, and issued an open
challenge to all his opponents to produce writings as good as his. His
opponents avoided these challenges, monetary rewards unable to entice
them. Again Christ states.
“And then shall all of the tribes of the earth mourn.” (Math.
24:30)
Here Christ presents clear proof that the Promised Messiah will not
agree with contemporary thought and will not support any one group,
either religious or political. He, through his wisdom and call to mankind
to reform or be destroyed, will cause much discern and worry among the
nations. Again, Hazrat Ahmad chastised all religions, showing in each
case where they had become corrupted and abandoned the truth. Read his
own words as he warns mankind of his fate if he were to ignore the Messiah’s
warning.
“A sign will appear in some days hence which shall overwhelm country
and town and meadow. People will be seized in a wave of divine wrath,
so suddenly that a naked one will have no time to secure his loin cloth.
Suddenly an earthquake will severely shake man, and trees and rocks
and oceans. In the twinkling of an eye the earth will be overwhelmed
and streams of blood will flow like channel tides. Those who night garments
were white as jasmine will wake up in the mourning as if clad in red.
Man and animals will go out of their minds and pigeons and nightingales
will forget their songs. That hour will bear hard upon every traveller
and those on journey will lose their way in agony. The waters of mountain
streams will run red of the blood of the dead like red wine. Men high
and low will be convulsed in fear and the Czar himself at that hour
will be a sad case. That divine sign will be a specimen of terror. Heaven
will attack with a drawn sword. Hasten not to repudiate this, thou stupid
fool, for on this fulfillment of this sign depends my truth. This is
a prophecy based on divine revelation and will surely be fulfilled;
wait then awhile in righteousness and steadfastness. Divine revelation
has repeatedly employed the word earthquake in this context, but I am
not able to state with certainty that it will in fact be an earthquake
but some dire calamity the like of which has never been before seen,
which would bring about great destruction of life and property. If people
do not openly reform their way of life and no extraordinary sign appears,
I shall in such case been proven false.” 1905
History bears testimony as to how this frightening prophecy was fulfilled.
Nine short years after its mention of the world witnessed the massive
destruction of World War One. Sixty Five million men were mobilized
into military action and ten million died. Entire populations suffered
the ravages of famine, disease and dislocation. Property damage was
estimated at two hundred billion dollars. The Czar abdicated his throne
in 1917 and was brutally murdered shortly there after.
We see further evidence to support our concept of Messiah and reformation
when Christ gives a clear indication that the Promised Messiah was to
be one who came in his name.
“Henceforth ye shall never see me till ye say blessed is he that
comes in the name of the Lord” (Math. 23:39)
Other prophecies made by the first Messiah, Jesus, which came to pass
in the life time of Hazrat Ahmad follow.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun
be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.”
(Math. 24:29)
The last century was rife with comets, meteor showers and eclipses.
Hazrat Ahmad was born in 1835 and departed from this world in 1908.
The years, as you will see, of this astronomical activity are between
1833 and 1910, and the years of his birth and death are marked by heavenly
signs.
The Bielids comet was first discovered in 1772. In 1832, the comet
passed very close to the earth. In 1845, the comet was observed to break
in two, and at the time of its expected return in 1866, it was not found.
Meteor showers observed from this comet were observed in 1830, 1838,
and in 1885. 39,546 meteors were observed in 4 hours. Since 1899, very
few showers from this comet have been observed. In 1866-67, Leonid Comit
caused the most spectacular showers of modern times. The Great comet
of 1882, one of the brightest of modern times passed within a third
million miles of the sun. the Comet of 1843 had a tail of 200 million
miles long.
Haley’s comet appeared in 1835 and again in 1910. Holmes Comet
appeared in 1899, and had a diameter in excess of one million miles.
Another great comet appeared in 1861, which could be seen in broad daylight.
Morehouse Comet of 1908 showed the most rapid variations in appearance
that from day to day it could not be recognised as the same comet. On
June 1908 the greatest meteorite fall in historic times took place in
Siberia. Its destruction can still be seen today. What follows is a
list of comets and the year in which they came closest to the sun.
Regarding the place of the appearance of the Promised Messiah, Christ
states:
“For as lightening cometh from the east and shineth unto the west,
so shall the coming of the son of man be.” (Math.24:27)
Jesus was in Jerusalem when he mentioned this prophecy, and Qadian
India, the birth place of Hazrat Ahmad is due east of Jerusalem. The
Bible gives special significance to the east in many places. “And
behold, the glory of God of Isreal came from the way of the east.”
Ezekiel 43:2) “there came wise men from the east” (Math 2:1)
‘And lo, the star which they saw in the east, went before them.”
(Math.2:9) “And I saw another angel ascending from the east.”(Rev7:2)
In Biblical terms the east represents the light of God, his guidance
and His wisdom and this is what Hazrat Ahmad brought to mankind.
In Mathews 24th chapter Jesus also states: “And because inequity
abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Math 24:12)
Hazrat Ahmad was born into a world of slavery, cruelty, lawlessness
and extermination of entire races. It was a world when capitalism was
at its worst, and the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Even children
were not immune to those atrocities and exploitation. Jesus further
explains.
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars.”(Math24:6)
The following is a partial list of the wars which the world witnessed
during the last century.
A war between China and England, terminated in the loss of Hong Kong
to England and a treaty was signed in 1842.
The Crimean War, England, France and Turkey against Russia in 1854.
The Seopy Mutiny 1857 to 1858.
France and Italy against Austria 1859.
Civil War of U.S.A, 1861 to 1865.
Franco Prussian War 1870 to 1871
Russian Turkish War 1877 to 1878
China and Japan 1890 to 1900
Turkey and Greece 1890 to 1900
Invasion of China by all great powers in 1890 to 1900.
The Boar War 1890 to 1900.
The war of 1812 between Canada and U.S.A
Another sign of the coming of the Messiah was that many false Messiah’s
were to appear, and in Hazrat Ahmad’s time there were several claimants
to that office.
Prophecies from other Holy Scriptures regarding the advent of the great
Reformer of the Latter days are as follows.
Accordingly, Guru Baba Nanak who was a very righteous and holy man
who indeed received revelation from God. His words are recorded and
preserved in the Holy Book of the Sihks. We find.
“The reign of the Mughals shall last from 1578 to 1897 of the
Bikram era, then a Reformer shall rise. (Janam Sakhi of Bhai Bala pg.
272) “A time shall come in the latrter age when people shall cease
to act upon their scriptures and observe no fasts or prayers, Jogies,
Sanyansies, Barhamcharves and Brahmins would be labelled as Gurus. Then
a perfect teacher shall crush them all. Such is the decree of heaven,
which shall surely come to pass. . (Janam Sakhi pg.. 527)
Guru Nanak also pophesized that he would be a Muslim, righteous and
true, and that he would come from near Batala in the district of Gurdaspur
and that he would be from the Mogul Tribe. . (Janam Sakhi pg.. 234,
251 and 452)
The similarities between Guru Nanak’s prophecies and those of
Christ found in the New Testament are obvious. They indicate the same
general location of his appearance and both agree that he would be a
person of great wisdom. The era of his appearance is also the same,
and all of these prophecies were fulfilled by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of
Qadian India. The Holy Quran, a book which all Muslims agree is the
revealed Word of God also mentions several prophecies about the Reformer
of the latter days. “Call to mind also when Jesus, son of Mary
said. O children of Isreal, surely I am Allah’s Messenger unto
you. Fulfilling the prophecies contained in the Torah, which was revealed
before me, and giving glad tidings of a messenger who will come after
me whose name will be Ahmad. But who does greater wrong than he who
forges a lie against Allah while he is invited to Islam? Allah guides
not the wrongdoing people. They desire to extinguish the light of Allah
with the breath of their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, however
much the disbelievers may dislike it. He it is Who has sent His Messenger
with the guidance and the Religion of truth, that He may cause it to
prevail over all religions, however much those who associate partners
with Allah may dislike it." 61:7-10
These verses predict a messenger who will come and expose the errors
and mistakes that had crept in to all religions, thus establishing his
as superior. As a note, those who associate partners with Allah are
the Christians, and these verses imply that this messenger would arrive
when Christianity would be at its peak, and would find his teachings
very disturbing. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad began his mission when the
British Empire ruled the world, and the Christian missionaries had unlimited
funds and resources at their disposal. He destroyed the doctrine of
Christianity by proving the Jesus survived the crucifixion and was buried
in Kashmir.
"He it is Who has raised among the unlettered people a Messenger
from among themselves who recites unto them His Signs, and purifies
them, and teaches them the Book and Wisdom though before that they were
in manifest error; And He will raise him among others of them who have
not yet joined them. He is the Mighty, the Wise." 62:3-4
A companion of the Holy Prophet relates: One day we were sitting with
the Holy Prophet when this chapter was revealed. I enquired from Muhammad
(peace be upon him). Whom are the people to whom the words “and
among others of them who have yet joined them” refer? Sulman, a
Persian was sitting among us. The Holy Prophet put his hand on Sulman
and said. If faith were to go up to the Pleades, a man from among these
would surely find it. (Bokari)
Hazrat Ahmad is Persian, and by proving Islam superior over all religions,
and by removing the interpolations that had crept into Islam over the
centuries, he re-established the true teachings of Islam and rescued
Islam, metaphorically, from the stars.
"And from the farthest part of the town there came a man running.
He said, 'O my People, follow the Messengers, 'Follow those who ask
of you no reward, and who are rightly guided." 36:21-22
The farthest part of the town signifies a place away from the center
of Islam. The word running sows that this man will work for Islam without
fatigue, and follow the Messenger implies that he will not bring a new
message, but will only revive that Message that had already been given
to mankind. The message of Islam. Again, Hazrat Ahmad’s life was
a reflection of these verses.
The Holy Prophet predicted about Imam Mahdi that a number of false
claimants to the office of Imam Mahdi would appear and that the Mahdi
would come from among the Muslim Ummah. Only one would be the true Mahdi,
who would be the true follower of the Holy Prophet. To establish the
truth of his claim, two heavenly signs were to appear. These signs would
be an eclipse of the sun and moon in the month of Ramadhan. The lunar
eclipse would occur on the first of the possible nights of such eclipses,
the 13th of the month, and the sun would ecliplse on the second of the
possible days when a solar ecliplse can occur. This prophecy was fulfilled
in this manner.
In 1890, Hazrat Ahmad declared to the world that he was the Promised
Messiah and Mahdi, and had come in fulfillment of the Bible and Quranic
prophecies. The lunar and solar eclipses occurred exactly as predicted
in 1894 in the Eastern Hemisphere and in 1895 in the Western Hemisphere.
This prophecy is also mentioned in the Bible.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun
be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken"
Mat 24:29
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also made several
statements regarding the identity of the Imam Mahdi. He said:
His name would resemble that of the Holy Prophet.
He will be of Persian descent and related to the Holy Prophet.
He will come from east of Damascus.
He will be of dark complexion, neither white or black, have sharp eyes,
soft hair and a very long beard.
He will suffer from two diseases.
He will receive divine revelation.
The duration of his mission will be 40 years.
He will be supported by heavenly signs.
He will have two missions, to reform Muslims and to point out the falseness
of other doctrines.
He will re-establish Khalifat.
All of these statements fit Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and the odds of
one man fulfilling these expectations and at the same time being false
is 1 times 10 to the power of 20.
Studying the religions of India, we find the Shri Krishna, of all the
spiritual luminaries of India, was of a truth, the greatest. None of
the Vedi Rishis and Avtars could equal him in grandeur and glory. Krishna
received his light from heaven, cleansed the Aryavarta of all sins and
guided his people unto the right path. The Holy Prophet has said. “In
India, there had been a prophet of swarthy complexion, he was called
Kahin." We read in the Bhagavada Gita:
“Whenever there is decay of kharma, O Bharata, and there is increase
and exhaltation of unrighteousness, then I com forth myself, for the
promotion of the good, and for the destruction of evil doers and for
the sake of firmly establishing righteousness. I am born from age to
age. Gita 4:7-8
Ages have gone by since this announcement was made by Krishna. The
world has frequently convulsed with corruption and vise. Ye, only one
man has laid claim as representing his second coming. The present age
is admitted on all hands as an age of spiritual darkness and disbelief,
and it has rightly been called Kalyuga. If Krishna is to come again,
the present age was the most appropriate for his appearance. The age
in which Krishna is to come again is called Kalyuga in the Hindu Scriptures.
Maha Rishi Vuyas has mentioned a large number of signs in the Gita,
for the recognition of Kalyuga.
“There will be a gradual decay in righteousness and faith, civilization
and culture, piety and purity, age and strength. Peoples statures will
be short, and there age on average 30 years only. The rich will be looked
upon with honour and respect and the poor will be decided as unclean
and untouchable. Brahmans only sign will be his sacred thread, where
as that of Sanyase, his leoprd skin cloak. The unlearned and the ignorant
will pose as wise holy men and will deliver sermons from the high pulpits.
By growing long hair and nails on their bodies, people will become Wahatura.
Sadhus will renounce jungle life and will return to the cities and indulge
in adultery. A large section of the people will be atheist and turn
away from the worship of one true God. Places of worship will be deserted
and desolate, and wine shops and taverns will be much frequented. People,
inspite of being poor, will indulge in sensual pleasures. Hairdressing
of different styles will be considered as a mark of beauty. Women, with
uncovered faces, will walk about in the bazaars like prostitutes. Girls
of eight will become mothers. Sons will call their parents fools. The
produce of the land will be small, the rainfall scanty and out of time.
Rivers will deviate from their courses. The rulers will oppress and
exterminate their subjects. In Kalyuga, Kings will sit upon the thrones
of England, Turkey, Japan and China. It is at this time when Shri Jishkalan
Avtar will appear on the stage of the world. But, like Nasi Bhagat,
he will be raised from a place which will not be in accordance with
the expectations of the Hindus, and the superficial observer therefore,
will not be able to recognize him.”
The 19th century witnessed, for the first time, the courses of rivers
changed, as the industrial revolution produced machinery capable of
this task. The Suez Canal was completed in 1869 and the Panama Canal
in 1903. Kings were sitting upon the thrones of countries mentioned
in the time of Kalyuga. Only Hazrat Ahmad of Qadian, who appeared during
this time, claimed to represent the return of Krishna.
Regarding His Community, he said
“Hearken all ye people. This is a prophecy of Him Who had created
heaven and earth. He will spread this Community of His in all countries
and will make it supreme over all, through reason and arguments. The
days are coming, indeed, they are near, when this will be the only religion
which will be held in honour. God will bestow extraordinary blessings
on this religion and Movement. He will frustrate everyone who seeks
to destroy it. This supremecy will last till the day of judgement.
Remember, that no one will descend from heaven. All our opponents who
are alive today will die and no one will see Jesus, son of Mary descending
from heaven. Then, their next generation will pass away and not one
of them will see this spectacle. Then the generation next after that
will pass away without seeing the son of Mary descending from Heaven.
Then God will make them anxious that though the time of the superiority
of the cross had passed away, and the world had undergone great changes,
yet the son of Mary had not descended from heaven. Then the wise people
will suddenly discard this belief. The third century after today will
not yet have come to a close when those who hold this belief, whether
Muslim or Christian, will lose all hope and will give up this idea in
disgust. There will then be only one religion that will prevail in the
world and only one leader. I have come only to sow the seed, which has
been sown by my hand. Now, it will sprout and grow and flourish and
no one can arrest its growth.”
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