As you now all know, Hazrat
Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) was the second successor of the Promised
Messiah (as) from his own seed. His appointment as both Khalifatul-Massih and
Musleh Ma’ud proved to be fruitful to Islam throughout his life.
He was a distinguished
Caliph because his birth was foretold by a number of previous prophets and
saints. Moreover, the Promised Messiah (as), like I said again yesterday
received a divine sign for the truth of Islam as a result of his forty days
prayers at Hoshiapur, in India. Allah the Almighty told him that a pure son
(Zaki Ghulam) whom he named “Musleh Ma’ud” would be born to him within a period
of nine years. He had already published this prophecy regarding the Musleh
Ma’ud (ra) on 20 February 1886.
In accordance with this
divine prophecy and within the specified period, the promised son, was born to
the Promised Messiah (as) on 12 January 1889 at Qadian, despite that
unbeknownst to his father, it was his first-born living son who represented
that special hope for the future of Islam Ahmadiyyat. He was named Bashiruddin
Mahmud Ahmad (ra). The prophecy about Musleh Ma’ud had also specified some
special qualities of the promised son. For instance, it was foretold that he
would be extremely intelligent and highly learned. His fame will spread to the
ends of the earth and nations would be blessed through him.
He got his primary
education in a school of Qadian and then in the Taleemul Islam school when it
started in 1898. He could not do well in his studies due to his persistent
ill-health. His academic career came to an end in March 1905, when he failed in
the Matriculation examination. About two years before this, in October 1903, he
had married Sayyidah Mahmooda Begum Saheba (also known as, Hazrat Umm-e-Nasir).
He started learning the
translation of the Holy Quran and the Hadith from Hazrat Moulvi Nooruddin (ra).
Moreover, he began his independent study of religion, history, literature and
various other subjects. He developed into a great scholar and had mastery over
many subjects. Thus, the following prophecy of the Promised Messiah (as)
regarding Musleh Maud was clearly fulfilled in his person:
“…
He will be extremely intelligent and understanding and will be meek of heart
and will be filled with secular and spiritual knowledge.”
He received his first
divine revelation in 1905, when he was only sixteen years old:“I will place
those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the day of Resurrection.”
In 1907, an angel taught
him the commentary of Surah Al-Fatiha, the first chapter of the Holy Quran.
From then onward, he was gifted with knowledge of the commentary of the Holy
Quran.
When the Promised Messiah
(as) passed away, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) was only nineteen
years old. On this critical occasion, he stood by the body of his deceased
father and made the following pledge: “Even if all the people should
abandon you (the Promised Messiah), I will stand alone against the whole world,
not caring for any opposition or enmity.”
In February 1911, he
founded the Anjuman Ansarullah. In September 1912, he performed pilgrimage to
Mecca and in 1913, he started the publication of the newspaper Al-Fazl.
On 14 March 1914, the day
after the death of the Khalifatul-Massih I (ra), Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin
Mahmud Ahmad (ra) was unanimously elected as the second successor of the
Promised Messiah (as), when he was only 25 years old. About 2,000 Ahmadis were
present on that occasion, and they took the Baiat (oath of
allegiance) at his hands.
The opponents within and the Mubahila Challenge
There was a small but
influential group of opponents within the community, who did not take the Baiat at
his hand. At first, they tried their best not to accept Hazrat Mirza
Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) as Khalifa. Then, they decided to leave Qadian and
moved to Lahore. They were certain that Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad
(ra) would not survive without their support and that he will collapse. Their
expectations, however, turned out to be completely wrong.
For that reason, up to now
in this era, these opponents of Musleh Ma’ud (ra) still exist and try their
best to put false accusation in him, and as I am the Khalifatullah of this era
and also the Musleh of this era, I and my Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam has challenged
these people after making them understand about the truthful of that blessed
son of the Promised Messiah (as) and we put many argument so that they
can understand and be free from the divine punishment, but unfortunately, they
have persisted in their imbecility, whereby I and my Jamaat challenged them to
a Mubahila.
The Mubahila had not been
launched neither because they did not believe in this humble self not the
Divine Manifestation of this age, nor yet again because they treated me as a
liar. No! The challenge for the duel of prayer came because they attacked the
honour and dignity of Hazrat Musleh Ma’ud (ra), and thus I could not stay idle
and quiet on this matter. That is how and why I challenged them to a Mubahila,
only for the protection of the honour of the Musleh Ma’ud Hazrat Mirza
Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra).
Contribution for Deen-i-Islam
Thus, the Musleh Ma’ud,
even before he accepted and proclaimed openly that he was the awaited Musleh
Ma’ud accomplished many works. His life for Deen-e-Islam was apparent from his
works and his dedication towards implementing solutions to problems arising in
Islam and the community of believers of the Promised Messiah (as) made him a
prominent and recognised leader among men.
It was on 12 April 1914,
when he was only 25 years old that the first Majlis-e-Shoora of his Khilafat
took place, to formulate a worldwide Tabligh plan. On December 1915, the
commentary of the part of the Holy Quran was published.
On 01 January 1919 various
departments were set up to streamline the working of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. On
15 April 1922, the Majlis-e-Shoora was established for the first time, as a
permanent advisory body.
On 23 September 1924, he
attended the Wembley conference in England, where his article ‘Ahmadiyyat – the
true Islam’ was read out. On 20 May 1928, he inaugurated Jamiah Ahmadiyya, an
institution for the purpose of the training and producing of qualified Muslim
Missionaries.
On December 1930, his elder
half-brother, Hazrat Mirza Sultan Ahmad (ra) took baiat at his hand and became
the fourth Ahmadi son of the Promised Messiah. Thus, to a certain extent, the
part of the prophecy regarding Musleh Ma’ud, he will convert three into four
was fulfilled.
Political and National Affairs
On 25 July 1931, he was
elected president on the All-India Kashmir Committee, and strived hard for the
rights of the Kashmiri people. Later on in June 1948, he sent a battalion of
Ahmadi volunteers called Furqaan force to fight along with the
Pakistan Army for the liberation of Kashmir.
And I like said yesterday,
it was on 28 January 1944, during his Friday Sermon that Hazrat
Khalifatul-Massih II claimed for the first time that he was indeed the
‘promised son’ as mentioned in the prophecy regarding Musleh Ma’ud. In a number
of public meetings, he told the community that his claim was based on various
divine revelations and dreams.
These meeting were held in:
Hoshiapur on 20 February 1944, Lahore on 12 March 1944, Ludhiana on 23 March
1944, and Delhi on 16 April 1944. In August 1947, when Pakistan came into
being, Hazrat Musleh Ma’ud (ra) along with the Jamaat members moved from Qadian
to Pakistan. Some 313 Ahmadis, called Darveshaan stayed behind to
take care of Qadian.
In Pakistan, Hazrat Mirza
Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) laid the foundation of the Jamaat’s new centre at
Rabwah, a barren piece of land which has wonderfully transformed into a town
with all its religious, educational and and social institutions.
Miraculous Survival from Murderous Attempt
On 10 March
1954, Hazrat Musleh Ma’ud (ra) survived an attempt on his life, but he was
seriously wounded in his neck. This happened in Masjid Mubarak, in Rabwah, at
the time of Asr prayer.
As soon as he got up to
leave after the prayer, an enemy of his, who had come to the mosque with an
intention to kill him, moved forward and stabbed him in the side of his neck,
from behind. It was a deep wound but Almighty Allah saved his life. Later on,
he had to go to Europe on 05 April 1955, for medical treatment. In Europe also,
he remained busy with inspection of foreign missions, and the duties of his
office, and recovered only partially. He came back to Rabwah on 25 September
1955.
As a result of his
extremely heavy workload and the after-effects of the deep wound in his neck,
his health condition gradually worsened over a period of seven years. At last,
on 08 November 1965, at nearly 2a.m, before dawn, Hazrat Musleh Ma’ud (ra),
passed away, at the age of seventy-seven.
His Janaza prayer was led
by Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad (ra) and he was buried in the Bahisti-Maqbarah by
the side of his mother Hazrat Sayidah Nusrat Jahan Begum (ra).
Great Legacy
He possessed a unique
combination of qualities of leadership, organizational genius, trust in God,
courage, depth of knowledge in many fields and personal magnetism. No doubt,
his 52 years long Khilafat represented a golden period in the history of Islam
Ahmadiyyat. And, in his person the prophecy regarding the first of Musleh Ma’ud
(ra) was fulfilled with great perfection. Alhamdulillah, Summa
Alhamdulillah.
May Allah bless him and
give him a lofty place among the elites among the beloved servants of Allah in
the garden of bliss. And may Allah continue to prove his innocence and
truthfulness in the face of al attacks and adversities on his person.Insha-Allah,
Ameen.