Mujaddidiyat: Three Ahmadis, Three Views!

[This article is the third in the series on Kerala Ahmadis and the New Mujaddid, critically examining the response of Kerala Ahmadiyya leadership to the coming of a Mujaddid in the new Century and the establishment of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala in 2010.  The previous installments were published here on May 14 & 15, 2011].

"My community will not agree on misguidance"-   Prophet Muhammad (sa) 

The senior leadership of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat has spoken. The Naib Nazir A’la Maulana Muhammad Umar Sahib is convinced that Ahmadiyya Khilafat is the permanent institution till the Day of Judgement. Man elected/ selected Khulafa may have erred on the doctrine and practice of Islam in the past. But the Ahmadiyya Khulafa are infallible human beings, incapable of delivering injustice in administrative matters nor can they move away from Sahih Al Islam through their pronouncements. All evidences to the contrary should be buried and ignored!

Hadhrat Ahmad (as) may have stated that within a century the spiritual message of a Divine reformer comes under the shadow of ignorance. And that with the death of diligent disciples who studied the message directly from the Reformer, the message also takes to the graves only to be resurrected with the coming of the new Mujaddid in the new century. These statements and ideas of the Promised Massih (as), even though derived from a profound study of the Holy Qur’an and the Ahadith of the Holy Prophet of Islam, are embarrassingly inconvenient for the Ahmadiyya leadership today.

 So, any thought of an Elect of Allah coming in the new Age should be prevented by the strategy of the “permanent character” of the current arrangement! That is why Mujaddidiyat has been dismissed as a mere temporary phenomenon and the current Khilafat is glorified as the “permanent Divine institution”!!

Do the thinking youth of the Community agree with the old brigade? No, if we go by the available evidence!

Young scholar Yassar Arafat Sahib made two brilliant interventions in recent times on the issue through his articles in the Sathyadoothan in January and May (2011). He is forthright in presenting his case, based on the teachings of the Holy Qur’an, that denial of the coming of God’s Messengers in any era, including ours, is a punishable offence. He agrees that if Allah wills, Messengers can be raised in the Community even in future for the purpose of strengthening the spiritual fiber. He feels that it is for the Messenger so raised to show which verses of the Holy Qur’an support his cause and believers have to take a fresh judgement at such times.

We hope that Yassar Arafat Sahib will further work upon his fine theoretical framework and examine the nuances he left unaddressed in the essays especially in the light of the arrival of a Divine Manifestation in the Jamaat- “a Messenger fulfilling that which is with you” (3:82):

Is it necessary that only an Ahmadi Khalifa can be raised to Prophethood? Is it possible that Allah may raise a spiritual progeny of the Promised Massih (as) as an Elect of Allah at a time of His choice? Especially when the biological progeny of the previous Massih move away from the teachings of Islam and deny the possibility of an Elect of Allah being raised in the Jamaat?

A young Ahmadi brother, Shabeeb Haneef Sahib, made an attempt to study the subject and wrote an essay (on file with this blogger). He writes:

“The key issue here, as far as I understand is the possibility of coming of Mujadids/ prophets/ khalifathullahs etc in future. And again here too, there is no problem or ambiguity with the Ahmadiyya belief in this regard. As I have stated earlier the door of revelation is open to all. And according to Holy Quran, any person, who would totally abide by its commandments and follow the Holy Prophet of Islam, Hazrath Muhammed Musthafa (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), can be raised to the title of even prophethood like Hazrath Maseeh Maud(alaihisalaam) was raised by Allah. He can be a zilli ummathi nabi at the most. There is no doubt in this too.  Now If a prophet can be raised then why not a mujadid/reformer/khalifathullah or whoever Allah decides?

He then continues:

“I am sure I need not supply you, evidences for this, from the words of Hazrath Maseeh e Maud (as) or from Holy Quran. I, as an ahmadi would be happy to see such people in large numbers, in this Jamath because that marks the actual victory of Hazrath Maseeh Maud (as) and would happily welcome such truthful people whole heartedly, provided that their veracity is proven beyond doubt”.

For other Articles in the series, click here: 1, 2 and 4.