Sunday, April 1, 2018

In Defence of the Promised Massih (as)


Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International has just published a new Book by Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius. The Book, entitled "In Defence of the Promised Massih (as)", is a compilation of a special discourse delivered on the occasion of the Massih Maoud Day 2018. In this discourse, Hadhrat Saheb speaks profoundly and comprehensively on some of the enduring spiritual themes associated with the advent and life mission of Divine servants and other Friends of God. Hadhrat Saheb’s latest exposition on spiritual matters took place against the backdrop of the accusations and allegations against the Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian by his contemporary critics. 

It is a known principle of our dismal human history that whenever Allah (swt) raises an Elect of His as a sign of Mercy and Blessing for a people, among them will be those who ridicule and oppose the messengers and seek to “finish off” the Divine Favour! As the Qur’an ruefully notes, ‘Alas for the human beings! They ridicule every messenger that comes to them’ (36:31). Unfortunately for them; the chiefs and priests, who otherwise have the noble duty of guiding the community in recognizing the Divine message, will be at the forefront of the persecution of Divine Elects when they arrive. Those lost people will deploy every weapon in their armaments to “challenge” and extinguish the light of Allah. 

Read the spiritual history and you will find: Hadhrat Musa (as) had to face extraordinary odds and countless challenges in the land of the Pharoahs to accomplish his Divine Mission of liberating his enslaved people. Hadhrat Isa (as) had to face great trials, including the crucifixion, to redeem his Divinely-entrusted mission of Tauheed.  Hadhrat Muhammad (sa), our Holy Master and the perfect exemplar of the Path, continues to be the target of many blames and painful allegations being raised against him by evil-minded enemies.

Despite the disbelief, mischief and disobedience by people, the Ever Living and All Merciful Lord continues with His enduring practice of raising Divine servants till the Day of Judgement, to remind the people about the ultimate purpose of life and the Way. Hence, the rain of Divine revelation/messages descents on the heart of one (or more) of His pious, devoted, humble servant(s) when Allah (swt) decides to revive the earth after its (spiritual) death. Such a Holy Soul/Divine Servant is described in Islamic mystical literature by different names and titles: Mujaddid, Muhaddith, Khalifatullah, Nabiullah, Rasulullah, Massihullah, etc. When such a Divine servant illumines the spiritually- darkened heavens, he becomes a Qamaran Munira- the Luminous Moon, like the Qur’an notes.

There is little doubt for those who peruse spiritual doctrine that it is incumbent upon all devout Muslims to recognize and acknowledge the great Divine Bounty the advent of a Divine Elect represents for the wider Ummah. It is against this backdrop of the long and widely recognized Divine doctrine that in the previous era, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Saheb of Qadian (1835-1908) stood up on the spiritual horizon and proclaimed under Divine instructions that he was indeed the fulfilment of several sacred prophecies in various spiritual texts of the people- Mujaddid of the Fourteenth Century of Islam, Al Imam Al Mahdi and the Promised Massih of the Later Days, etc. In the present times, we have the unique fortune of bearing witness to a Divine Manifestation amidst us in the person of Hadhrat Munir A. Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius, the Divinely-raised Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah (Reviver of the Faith & Caliph of God), Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.

Illias Suttar and the Likes

Like several of his predecessors in the anti-Ahmadiyya ‘brigade’ in the past, the Pakistani Mullah Illias Suttar has been roaming the Internet till these days with an article entitled “Can Ahmadis/Qadianis Answer?”. The article can be read hereApparently, since the 1980s, Illias Suttar has been keen to be ‘famous’ and even issued a Mubahila challenge to the then Ahmadi Caliph Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Saheb who apparently responded to him in the Friday Sermon of July 30, 1999 on the Mubahila question comprehensively. Despite the unilateral declaration of Mubahila victory by Suttar Sahib, the record of that Friday Sermon by the Fourth Caliph is available for those who are interested to check here  

The Present Discourse by Hadhrat Saheb 

At one level, Hadhrat Khalifatullah’s present discourse comprehensively responds directly to the ‘arguments’ put forward by Maulvi Illias Suttar in his article “Can Ahmadis/Qadianis Respond?”. Through this exposition, Hadhrat Saheb corrects some of the factual errors, theological fallacies and logical anomalies that have crept in the assumptions behind the ‘theories’ of the Suttar Saheb.  Hadhrat Saheb’s considered assessment of Illias Suttar’s Article would remind you of the predicament of Suttar Saheb: like Alexander Pope famously noted once, “fools rush in where angels fear to tread". If spiritual metaphors with their layers of meanings are sought to be understood through mechanical analysis of blinkered logic, ‘the seeker’ is on the wrong highway of Reason and can never reach his destination of Truth! On a subject and themes that have a whole lot of context, interpretations and perspectives, Suttar Saheb uses spurious techniques of ‘logic’  and methodological anarchism to declare himself the sole winner: what a way to gain a cheap victory, Suttar Saheb!

At another level, Hadhrat Saheb’s expositions give us an exciting insight into the present Divine Manifestation in Mauritius. Through the Discourse, Hadhrat Saheb agrees that the descent of pious dreams, Divine revelations and other  inspirations began to take place on him when he was around the age of Fourty, circa 1999-2000-01: at the confluence of two centuries/two millennia. It is interesting to note that according to certain calculations of the Christians (Julian Calendar), the very birth of the new Massih in this era took place on a ‘Christmas’ Day /December 25. Indeed, there are very many happy coincidences/vital Signs around the Divine Manifestation for those who reflect and each one of the spiritual Signs mentioned in the Discourse are deceptively simple, I mean, stunningly profound in their own ways.

Prophets and other Elects of God speak in a language that is simple, direct and accessible to the people. Common people can grasp the apparent explanations; the deep thinkers can gain a river of wisdom from the same passages. At another level, it is also an invitation for all, especially the Ahmadi Muslims, to ruminate profoundly on the Spiritual Path and the mystery attached to the actual fulfilment of Divine prophecies in history. After all, the grandeur of Divine Will and the ways of its fulfillment is such that no one can really and fully comprehend its layered web, except when it actually occures! At a time in history when even the people/Jamaat of the Promised Massih (as) itself has virtually forgotten or irresponsibly neglected the true legacy of that great savant and arrogantly privilege their own 'calculations' and speculations/theories of 'Divine Khilafat', the spiritual Discourse by Hazrat Saheb (atba) is a gentle reminder of all those precious, lost teachings: the enduring significance of Divine revelations and the vital need for the living presence of Godly people at all times to lead us walk in the straight path of God .
  
To read the Book, click here.