Fourth Khalifa on the Mubahila Question

In the aftermath of the Mubahala Challenge issued by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius against the Ahmadi Maulana from Kerala, India - Maulvi Muhammad Ismail Sahib HA -in response to his false allegations regarding the new Massih, some Ahmadi friends have raised an issue: How can the Mubahila be conducted when the Massih is in Mauritius and the Maulana is in Kerala, India? They would not have even raised this issue, had they not forgotten what their own books teach! Let us remind them and also refresh our memory by quoting from the official Ahmadiyya statement on the matter, issued in the times of the fourth caliph, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Saheb!

On June 10, 1988 the Fourth Khalifa Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Sahib challenged the Pakistani Mullahs to Mubahila. Many of them raised the same issue: How can the Mubahila be conducted when the Khalifa is in England and the Maulanas are in Pakistan? Rashid Ahmad Chaudhry, the then Press Secretary to Khalifatul Massih IV, issued a comprehensive statement on October 16, 1988 entitled “The Mubahala Challenge and the Response of Mullahs” articulating the view of the Community on various relevant issues. He writes: 

“Secondly, as for the demand that both parties should gather together in such and such place; or that if Mirza Tahir did not reach Lahore on such and such date, he would be considered a liar. To us, these are lame excuses and nothing short of running away from the Mubahala Challenge.

It is our firm belief that Allah is present everywhere. There is no place beyond the reach of His Powers and no spot on earth is beyond the sphere of His absolute domination and His omnipotence. Unlike any worldly monarch or ruler whose seat of power lies in England or Pakistan, "The Throne of our Lord extends over the heavens and the earth." (Qur’an 2:256) 

So what is wrong with simply addressing Allah and saying: "La’nat ullah alal Kazibeen" why must there be the physical presence of both parties to the Mubahala? Does God not have the power to inflict those in London with His curse as a result of your prayer in Lahore, or made you the subject of Divine wrath wherever you are, as a result of our prayers?

Thirdly, if you are drawing the inference from the verse of the Holy Qur’an about Mubahala (Qur’an 3:62) that it is necessary for both parties to come face to face, then accordingly all those people who belong to either of the sides should be present there with all their wives and children. If so, is it possible for ten million Ahmadis from all over the world and, your followers, whether they are thousands or tens of thousands, to assemble in one place? Do not attribute your absurd tirade to the Holy Qur’an. 

Furthermore, can you prove that a demand to bring forth all Christian men, women and children to Medina was made by the Holy Prophet of Islam when he issued a Mubahala challenge to the Christian deputation of Najaran? Or did the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) offer to take all his relatives and other Muslims to Najaran for the Mubahala? And, yet you continue with your vain absurdity. The truth is that your tirade does not only defy common sense and logic but is opposed to historical facts…

Fifthly, we are absolutely clear in our stance that it is not necessary for the parties to assemble in any one place for the purpose of Mubahala. All that is required therefore is that a very clear declaration of participation be made so that the world at large be apprised that a supplication: May Allah's curse fall on the willful liars, has been made by such and such parties. This supplication should not be reduced to the mere wishing of misfortune on someone by an individual, but so that, as a consequence on such a prayer, truth may be distinguished from falsehood.

That is why in the invitation to a Mubahala issued by the Imam Jamaat Ahmadiyya, there is no pre-condition to assemble in any one place. The Imam Jamaat Ahmadiyya has thus already become a party to Mubahila challenge as a head of the Ahmadiyya community on 10th of June 1988, when he issued the challenge and prayed: May Allah's curse fall on the willful liars. Therefore if you have any moral and spiritual courage you too should clearly declare whether you accept the invitation or not.”

Full text of the Official Statement is available here.