'The Khalifa is Wrong on Mujaddidiyat'

Dr. E. Thahir Sahib, secretary of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala issued a response to a recent Friday Sermon delivered by Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib, the Fifth Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community wherein he spoke on the question of Mujaddidiyat. Reproduced below is an English translation of the first part of the Public Notice originally published in the Malayalam language of Kerala (India): 

The head of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib on June 10, 2011 delivered a Friday sermon on the subject of Khilafat and Mujaddidiyat. This notice is in response to certain observations which form the core part of that address. The Khutba itself was occasioned by, and in response to, a question raised by a child in a study session: “Can a Mujaddid come now”?  He describes:“this kind of question arises when it is discussed in families because a child could not come up with a question like this or some, who wish to create uneasiness among children and the youth pose such questions”.

Whether asked by a child or the child was set up by elders to raise it, can the question of Mujaddid create uneasiness? Why the Ahmadiyya Khalifa is so anxious about a question based on the glad tiding of the coming of Mujaddidin in every century given by the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) and is endorsed by the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as)?

The Khalifa characterizes everyone who asks about it as hypocrites. He states:  “Questions relating to this have arisen in the Jama’at at different times, not by sincere members but by those who wish to create discord”. About 1400 years ago, a promise was given by the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) to the Muslims of every age. When the issue is being raised, the Khalifa feels it creates discord in the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. Why is it so? Does it not indicate that inside the Ahmadiyya Khilafat elected by the assembly of the faithful, the prophecy touches a raw nerve? He states further: “In the era of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III (may Allah have mercy on him) this issue was raised quite forcefully.” If the issue is alive from the time of the Third Caliph, is it not natural to suspect that there is something rotten inside?  If someone asks about the Mujaddidin who are divinely raised reformers, every attempt is made to keep their mouths shut and they are being condemned as hypocrites. Does it not indicate a tendency for despotic thought control and intolerance?

He riles again: “It is matter that is raised in minds time and again and the hypocritical have tried to create restlessness in the Jamaat”. For Ahmadis, the question regarding the coming of Mujaddidin arises from the statements of Hadhrat Ahmad (as). Why is the Ahmadiyya Khalifa giving vent to his anger when these statements are brought to his attention?

The Khalifa, losing his moorings in the address, uttered many mutually contradictory propositions on the issue.  At one place he states: “There is no doubt that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that a Mujaddid will come at the turn of each century”. In another place, he states: “Hadhrat Ahmad (as) is the Mujaddid of the Last Millennium; there is no need for a new Mujaddid after one hundred years”. The Khalifa who spoke in the beginning about the coming of Mujaddidin in every century, later leaves it all aside, to embrace the Millennium. While the Holy Prophet (sa) and the Promised Massih (as) reminded about century, the present Khalifa is trying to extend it to a Millennium.

The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement clearly stated: 

“I am the one who claims to be the Promised Massih. But I do not claim to be the only one or the first and last Promised Massih. In my view, after my age, 10,000 Promised Massihs shall come. But for this age, I am the only Promised Massih”.  (Isaalaye Auhaam, p.197)

Whenever a Servant of God appeared at the turn of each century as a Reformer, the ignorant people vehemently opposed him and strongly detested any attempt to correct the errors which had become a part of their habit and custom”. [Lecture Sialkot, p.2] 

“After my age”, “for this age”, “each century”- Does these phrases indicate a thousand years? “Whenever a Servant of God appeared” clearly indicates that the Ahmadiyya Khalifa is trying to prevent the coming of a Servant of God. Another example of this can be seen in his own words: “One thing to be remembered is that each Khalifa is a Mujaddid during his era whether they claimed to be Mujaddid or not, because he is doing the work of the Promised Messiah (as)”.

The election of an Ahmadiyya Khalifa is merely dependent on the death of the incumbent at some point of time and there could be several of them following one another on the basis of mundane elections. On the other hand, the prophecy regarding Mujaddidiyat is linked to an age or a century. How can these be compatible? Do the deceased Khulafa from the Mirza family as well as the present one, claim to be Mujaddidin? Does it mean that there were five Mujaddidin in the century-old Ahmadiyya Jamaat? Why then, did they keep it as a secret till this day?   

For the second and final part of the article, click here.