The Promised
Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) has said:
Out of many forms
of revelation which God has disclosed to me, one is that when God desires to
disclose some hidden matter to His servant, He causes to flow from his tongue
some phrases in a slight slumber, sometimes gently and sometimes harshly.
Those
phrases that flow harshly from the tongue fall upon the tongue as hardly as
hails falls suddenly upon a hard piece of ground, or as the hooves of a fast
running steed strike the earth.
Such a revelation arrives with speed and is so
awe-inspiring that the whole body is affected thereby and the tongue runs with
it so fast and in such a majestic voice as if it is not one’s own tongue. The
slight slumber disappears altogether when the revelation is completed and
during the time it is received one lies motionless like a corpse.
The second type
of revelation, which on account of its many wonders I call perfect revelation,
is that when God Almighty desires to inform a servant of a hidden matter after
his supplication or on His own, He imposes a faintness upon him, whereby he
becomes completely lost to himself and sinks in that faintness like a person
who dives in deep water and disappears in it; then when he emerges from this
diving he feels a sort of echo inside himself, and when that echo ceases he
feels from inside himself words that are appropriate and fine and delicious. This
diving in the faintness is a wonderful experience which cannot be adequately
described in words. In this condition a whole ocean of understanding is opened
for a person.
The third form of
revelation is communicated to one’s heart in a gentle manner. A phrase passes
through the heart which does not comprehend all the wonders in perfection that are
a characteristic of the revelation that we have just described. It is not
necessarily preceded by any faintness or slumber. It can be received in
complete wakefulness. It is felt as if someone has breathed those words into
the heart or has thrown them at the heart. One might be partially awake or
might be completely awake and one suddenly feels that new words have entered
one’s breast. Sometimes, immediately on entering the heart, the words manifest
their forceful light and one becomes aware that these words are being conveyed
by God.
Another form of
revelation is that some matter is disclosed by God Almighty in a true dream, or
an angel assuming human shape discloses a hidden matter, or a writing appears
on a piece of paper or on a stone, etc., which discloses hidden mysteries.
Another form of
revelation is that one hears a voice externally as if someone were speaking
from behind a curtain, but the voice is very delicious and cheerful and is
conveyed with some speed and the heart derive s pleasure from it. One's mind is
deep in thought and suddenly this voice is heard and one is surprised where it
has proceeded from and who is addressing one. One looks for someone from whom
the voice could have proceeded and then one realizes that it has come from an angel.
So prophets come
and guide men to the fountain of spiritual knowledge, so that they can quench
their spiritual thirst. Now, the ultimate source of all life and therefore, of
spiritual life is the One All-Powerful and All-Knowing God. Prophets come and
establish links between men and their God. Revelation from God is a special
Gift of knowledge. This knowledge results in nearness to God and insight into
His nature and attributes. He, who would impart this knowledge to a whole
generation of human beings must himself possess it in abundance. Knowledge of
the Divine Being is knowledge of Divine attributes which also comes of
observation and experience.
One of the
special gifts every Messenger of God receives from God, therefore, is the gift
of special knowledge. Those who stay in the company of individuals appointed by
Allah reap many benefits. To some extent they acquire the knowledge about the
relationship between Allah the Exalted and the one appointed by Allah. However,
the perfect knowledge that the appointee is granted, cannot be given to anyone
else and as for the knowledge of Allah the Exalted – it is unique indeed. When
the appointee is accused of falsehood and refuted beyond reason then just as
the farmer sharpens his sickle at harvest time, Allah the Exalted also prepares
for those who make accusations of falsehood. I see that time has now come.
Allah the Exalted has indeed a complete and reasoned plan.
We see in the law
of this world that when a ruler finds out that such and such person is
oppressed he helps him out. So then why would not Allah the Exalted - Whose
knowledge is the most extensive and beyond doubt and Who has sight of all
situations - help this oppressed and sincere person who is troubled merely
because having received a revelation from Allah the Exalted, he announces that
he has been sent by God for the reformation of the people? Allah the Exalted
never dissipates His righteous servants. He helps them albeit it is the way of
Allah that He is Patient, and to say that Allah the Exalted is not aware of
this accusation of falsehood and refutation is Kufr (unbelief). Indeed
He is aware from the very beginning of what is done.
I end my sermon
here. May Allah enable all of us to understand the Concept of Divine
Revelations. Insha-Allah.
---Friday Sermon of 23 December 2016(22 Rabi’ul
Awwal 1438 AH) delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.