More than a century back, the Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
(as) wrote an important essay on the Need for the Imam. This tract
provides illuminating insights into the spiritual order of Imamat that Islamic
ethics prescribes for perpetual Divine guidance for the common folks who seeks
to strive in the straight and narrow path of pure spirituality.
Read the Extracts from the Book:
"Now, an important question
arises: Who is to be called the Imam of
the age? What are his hallmarks? And
why is he to be preferred over other recipients of revelations, dreams and
visions? The answer to this question is that the Imam of the age is the one
for whose spiritual training God Almighty Himself assumes charge. He imbues his
nature with such a light of Imamat that he takes on all the rationalists and
philosophers of the world, and vanquishes them in a comprehensive debate.
Sustained as he is by God
Almighty, he answers all subtle and
abstruse questions in such an excellent manner, that one has to admit that
he has come to this transient world equipped with all the provisions for its
reform. As a result, he does not have to suffer embarrassment before an
opponent. Spiritually speaking, he is the Commander-in-Chief of the forces of
the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and it is God Almighty’s Will that through him
faith should once again become victorious. All those who gather under his flag
are also vouchsafed with capabilities of the highest order. He is blessed with
all the necessary conditions essential to reform, and all the knowledge
necessary for refuting objections, and for presenting the beauties of Islam.
Furthermore, as God Almighty
knows that this Imam will have to confront the insolent and foul-mouthed people
of the world He also gives him moral
strength of the highest order. His heart is full of genuine compassion for
mankind. But moral courage does not mean that he exercises clemency on every
occasion without rhyme or reason, for it would be against moral wisdom. What it
means is that these men are not like malicious and quick-tempered people who
seethe with anger at every insult, and their faces betray the ugly signs of
inner torture, also known as rage, and continue to rant and rave regardless of
time and occasion. This is not the condition of those who are moral.
True, they do sometimes use harsh words for the purpose of reform and in
keeping with the demand of the occasion, but they do not get angry at heart,
nor do they fly into a rage or froth at the mouth. Sometimes they do feign
anger in order to overawe someone, while all the time their hearts are relaxed
and happy and satisfied. That is why Jesus (as), on a number of occasions
addressed others with harsh words, like 'swine',
'dogs', 'faithless', 'adulterous', etc., but we dare not say that he lacked
the high moral qualities, for he himself taught these high morals and enjoined
compassion. These words, which he frequently used, were not due to some fit of
anger or frenzy; rather they were used with a calm and cool mind, and only on
appropriate occasions.
In short, it is essential for Imams to possess a perfect standard of moral
excellence. A harsh word is not contrary to moral condition if it is not
the result of any bitterness of temper and wild frenzy, and if it is
appropriate and necessitated by the occasion. It is worth mentioning that the
one whom God makes an Imam with His Own hands, is also invested with the
capabilities of Imamat.
As mentioned in the verse:
“He gave unto everything its proper
form”- Surah Ta Ha, [20:51].
Divine providence has equipped
all animals and birds with every faculty which, in the knowledge of God, they
would ever need. Similar is the case of
those whom God, in His eternal knowledge, wishes to entrust the task of Imamat;
they are given beforehand many spiritual faculties that are necessary for
Imamat, and the seed of all the capabilities that they might need in the
future is sown in their pure nature".
[p. 10-12, The Need for the Imam,
London
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