“Ihdinas
Siratal Mustaqim” means: Guide us to the straight path,
the path of Islam (total submission to the will of Allah), the path of Iman (faith),
the path of Ihsan (where we worship Allah as if we see Him and if we
cannot accede to that level then at least we realize that He sees us), the path
of Taqwa (piety) as we strive to accomplish and be present in
all that which Allah has commanded us to do and absent in what Allah has
forbidden us to do with our mind, eyes, ears, mouth, feet, hands and every part
of our body.
Allah
teaches us to ask Him such a path so that we may be among those who are
successful in this world and the next. And if, by the grace of God, someone
comes occasionally from Him to show us the right path and guide us, and he
happens to possess by God’s grace knowledge of the unknown, how do we call him, if not by the title of prophet of God?
Calling
him a Muhaddath would be contrary to the dictionary meaning
given to the word tahdith, word that forms the root of the
word Muhaddath. Tahdith does not mean revelation
of the unknown. On the contrary the word Nabuwwat has such
meaning. The word Nabi is common to Arabic and Hebrew, and it
is derived from the word Naba which means being endowed with
divine revelation and the power of prophecy. To become an apostle of God it is
not always necessary to be His Messenger or bearer of a new law coming from
Him: One just needs to know the secrets of the unknown.
One must remember that the followers of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) were promised all the favours that were previously granted to the prophets and Siddiqs (those who serve their prophets with unfailing dedication like Abu Bakr served the Holy Prophet (pbuh)) – favours that consist of gifts of prophecy and prediction and which distinguish the prophets (elevating their rank). Apart from the prophets and apostles the Holy Quran denies the gift of knowledge of the unknown to all, like Allah says in the following verse: “He does not reveal His secrets of the unknown to anyone except the one He has chosen as His Messenger.” (72: 27-28)
The path of those whom You have bestowed favours (favours – the
Prophets and Messengers of God); not (the path) of those who incurred Your
anger and who have gone astray (that is, those who have turned their backs to
those favours, to those Prophets and Messengers).
So
in the same sense of the verse, it comes to: “Grant us the favours
that You have given to others ...” and this is ample testimony to
the fact that the followers of the Holy Prophet were not denied such knowledge,
knowledge which requires that one attains the status of prophet and apostle in
complete submission to the spiritual guidance of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), and
we come to the inevitable conclusion that to acquire such a favour one must be
a perfect double, a Zill (reflection) of the Holy Prophet
(pbuh) and to merge completely in him.
When
Allah (swt) gave me divine revelations and raised me with a Jamaat, how can I
refuse to be called Messenger and Prophet of God, and especially when it is
Allah (swt) Himself who nominated me? Who am I to refuse such titles, and how
can I be afraid of anyone against God?
It
is only in the sense that I am not an independent prophet or a holder of a new
divine law that I refuse to be called Nabi or prophet. But certainly
I am a prophet in the sense that I have benefited spiritually from the help of
my Noble and Grand Master and I have acquired in His name in heaven the
knowledge of the secrets of the unknown.
I
repeat again that I have neither brought nor introduced any new legislation,
and I’ve never refused to be called a prophet except in the sense that I’ve
just given (that is to say, holder of a law). Besides, as I have said, God
Himself called me a Prophet and Messenger, so I do not see why I shall not hold
these titles. I am a Prophet and Messenger of Allah just like the Promised
Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) was also prophet and messenger.
“I
am not a prophet, and have not come with any Law” means
that I am not a prophet holder of a new Law. But we must not forget the
important fact that, although I was called a prophet, I have not received these
spiritual benefits independently and without assistance from anyone. No, there
exists such a holy personage in the heavens, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
through whose spiritual patronage God has given me all these spiritual favours.
It is through him, after I have completely lost my being in his (and making
efforts to continue to do so), and after that I was raised by Allah as a
Muhyi-ud-Din, a Khalifatullah and received the gift of knowledge of the
unseen/unknown, that is why my status does not in the least ruffled the
apostolic status of the seal of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).
I
got to this position because I could reflect in my being all the virtues (and I
continue to strive to do so) of the Holy Prophet and losing myself in his love.
Allah (swt) called me Khalifatullah (His Caliph/ Caliph of Allah) and
Muhyi-ud-Din (Reviver of Religion) in my revelations, as this does not decrease
and derogate in the least the greatness and dignity of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) as the Seal of the Prophets. It is clear that the objection of
my opponents against the advent of a prophet after the Holy Prophet who, they
say, shall break the seal of the prophets is unfounded. I assert that there is
nothing in that statement of mine which may seem derogatory to the status of
the Holy Prophet (pbuh) as the Seal of the Prophets.
So
my mission is not in the least against the mission of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).
The shadow is inseparable from the substance is in an allegorical sense to make
you understand this well. Each substance, person or creation of Allah has a
shadow, and this shadow is inseparable from him. Yet we cannot say that the
shadow is that person. Likewise, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) shall remain the seal
of the prophets, and like a shadow following its master, the prophets from
within his Ummah shall always remain attached to him, and they shall not be
able to become independent prophets. Those who accuse me of claiming anything
other than what I have just said is a liar and a troublemaker. I am the
Khalifatullah, Muhyi-ud-Din of this century and it is Allah (swt) who has given
me such titles, not men. My own personality has nothing to do with it; my soul,
nay, my whole being is permeated with love for Allah (swt), His Prophet Hazrat
Muhammad (pbuh) and His Messiah of the last century Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
(as).
I
end here to say that my opponents will remain ignorant and wicked if they
continue to accuse me of lying. May Allah open their hearts after hearing
several of my Friday sermons and speeches on the subject. Insha-Allah.
And
to conclude for today on the very special subject which the Surah Al-Fatiha
represents, it holds the secret of the coming of the prophets, as it is a call
to God the Almighty to continue sending His prophets for the safeguard of the
human soul, to keep it on the path of faith and divine bliss. Without the
prophets of Allah, man lets himself go adrift and falls under the influence of
satanic effects, and certainly the coming of prophets is crucial in the
Muhammadan Ummah and this till the Last Day (Judgement Day) for the call
contained and recited from the Surah Al-Fatiha Allah assures man that Allah
certainly hears his call and shall always return him to the right path (if he
recognizes that Allah has heard his prayers). May Allah open your eyes in this
world so that you may benefit from the presence of the Prophet of Allah sent
for you today to guide you to your Creator, your true happiness. Insha-Allah,
Ameen.
-Extracts
from the Friday Sermon of 29 August 2014 (02 Dhul-Qaddah 1435 Hijri) delivered
by the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim (atba) of Mauritius.