The Universality of Divine Providence
Wa ‘immin ‘ummatin ‘illaa khalaa fiihaa
naziir.
“There is no nation but has had its Warner.” (Surah al Fatir; 35: 25)
All nations received revelation. There is an important
question which relates to the person of God and man and that which subsists
between man and man; in other words; which nations have been the recipients of
revelation and on what principles were they selected by God to receive His
revelation? Without the solution of this question, the reform which the Promised
Messiah had attempted in relation to other questions relating to the being of
God, would not have been complete. With regard to this question he pointed out
that, as God is the Lord of the whole universe, his guidance could not be
confined to any particular nation. As he is the Lord of all mankind and has equipped
all of them with thinking minds, he could not deprive any nation of His
guidance. As I have recited in the beginning of my sermon: “There is no nation but has had its Warner”. (Fatir; 35: 25)
God has sent His messengers among all nations and in
all ages, and as the sun lights up the whole world, the light of revelations
has ever lit up the darkest corners of the earth. If today we cannot discover
the light of revelation among a particular people, it does not mean that no
prophets have appeared among them, but the truth is that these peoples have
allowed their national traditions and faith to die out.
In pursuance of this
doctrine this testified to the truth of Krishna, Ram and Buddha, the prophets
of India, and all the other prophets, messengers and reformers of Almighty God,
and the rejection of their claims is, in a sense, amounting to a denial of the
universal providence of God.
Why accept some and reject some? Why not accept
all as of divine source? This is a doctrine which was not to be found among the
teachings of any sect or religion, and, as a matter of fact, the majority of
people believe that revelation had been confined to the founders of their
respective religions, and even those who believed that revelation had been
vouchsafed to people of other religions did so, more as a sort of personal
tribute to the founders of those religions on account of the services rendered
by them to the cause of humanity than as a result of the acceptance of the
doctrine of the universal providence of God.
The Enduring Light of Muhammad
But the Promised Messiah demonstrated from the Quran
that not only were those men the righteous servants of God whose services to
humanity are recorded in history, but that the attributes and the words of God
alike bore witness to the fact that every nation, whether its traditions have
been preserved or not, has had its prophet, and that to receive guidance
through prophets was the right of humanity which God would never ignore. The
extent to which this doctrine has opened to all nations the doors of the Love
of God, has placed the internal relation of mankind on a basis of concord and
amity, and has secured the founders and righteous men of all religions against
insult and abuse.
Then reflect upon how fortunate is Islam to have
received such a prophet whose essence has proclaimed that it has been revealed
and implemented as a religion and way of life for all mankind and has honoured
all the previous prophets as well as the future prophets whose essence shall be
exclusively of Islam and of the most dignified and hallowed of prophets, the
seal of all prophets, Muhammad (pbuh)!
Subordinate Prophets shall come
The Promised Messiah Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) came to
show the beauty of Islam and the wonderful relationship which binds him to
Allah and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), without whom his claim to
prophethood is nullified. No independent prophet shall come who shall come to
change the laws of the Quran and implement another divine book of laws. There
is no prophet who shall come who shall be as grand and majestic and perfect as
the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). But it is an undeniable truth that there are
such prophets who shall come who shall lose themselves completely in the love
of Allah and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that they shall become the
perfect reflection of the best of mankind and prophets (pbuh). These little
Muhammads shall be torches of light in the darkness of the end of days to bring
back the people of all religions, including Muslims back to the fold of Islam,
of the true faith with which they were born.
Indeed the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
(as) has said in his book “Ek Ghalati Ka
Izala” – A Misconception Removed:
“In
short, the term Khatamun Nabiyyin is the Divine Seal which has been set upon
the Prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh). It is now
impossible for this seal ever to be broken. What is possible,
however, is that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) may appear in the world in the form of
a Buruz (reflection), not once, but even a thousand times, and may, by way of Buruz, proclaim his Prophethood with
all its splendour and perfection. The advent of such a Buruz was
ordained by God Almighty, as He says:
Wa ‘aakhariina minhum lammaa yal-haquu
bihim
And among others from among them who
have not yet joined them.
(Al-Jumu‘ah, 62:4)”
Allah has sent prophets, messengers, messiahs and
reformers in the past to all nations. Now, it is prudent to say that Allah has
stopped talking and shall send no more prophets and reformers to the new
generations of man inhabiting this world? If they do not receive a Warner, a
messenger of God to warn, should we be in a position to blame them for their
erring ways? Indeed, Allah is never unjust towards His creatures! Until the day
comes when there remains not a single man/human on earth, there shall continue
to be prophets of Allah to come to warn people of their acts, and to bring them
back to the fold of Islam – complete submission to the Almighty. Where
there are people, nations, there shall be Warners who shall come for them to
warn them and also give them the glad tidings of Allah’s love and mercy should
they reform and accept to do the will of God on earth until they are no more
alive on their temporal abode.
The blessings of Allah when He sent His beloved most
perfect servant, the glorious man, the seal of prophethood to earth with the
perfect religion and way of life, Islam, it is an indication that from now on,
the world has got a perfect role model to follow, to mould their existence into
his existence, to copy him, to become his Buruz
(reflection) and Zill (shadow). Many
reflections of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) shall come who shall represent
the living glory of Islam. But the truly fortunate ones shall indeed be those
whom Allah has purified even before their advent of earth by designating them
as prophets of God and reformers of Islam, such prophets who shall be the bearers
of the torch of Islam and its truth among the people of the world, the global
nation. This is indeed the main difference between the nations of old and the
present and future nations.
The yesteryear's nations received such prophets who
came to foretell of the excellence and the time of the birth of the best of
mankind, whereas we the present nation, as well as the future nations, whenever
prophets arise from among us, we shall have to hallow that perfect man and
re-establish for him his honour whenever he is abused by others. The abusers
and their abuses are of no avail when the wrath of Allah overtakes them for
Allah is ever the Protector and Preserver of the honour of His prophets, come
what may.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) has furthermore
proclaimed in his book “Ek Ghalati ka Izala”: “Since I am the Buruz
of Muhammad (pbuh) that has been ordained since eternity, I have, therefore,
been granted Prophethood in the form of Buruz, and the entire world is
powerless to stand against it, for a Seal has been set upon Prophethood. A
Buruz of Muhammad (pbuh) was destined to come in the latter days with all the perfections of Muhammad (pbuh),
and so he has come. Now this is the only window
through which one can get water from the fountainhead of Prophethood.”
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) was indeed such Buruz and Zill of the Seal of Prophethood (pbuh) for his era, and indeed
Allah like promised blessed his Jamaat which represents the niche of Islam from
which shall arise other Muhammads and Ghulam Ahmads who shall keep alive the
honour of these blessed servants and messengers of Allah, such men who represent
the key to the door of salvation, be it in this world and the hereafter. This
is because of their undeniable love for Allah, and the close bonds which
prophets of Allah are given to share with each other for the love and pleasure
of Allah. Indeed the love of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) for Allah and His
beloved prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the best of mankind and prophets is indeed
boundless.
- Friday Sermon of 06 February 2015 ~(15
Rabi’ul Aakhir 1436 Hijri) delivered by the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius