The Promise on 'Khilafat-e-Ruhani'

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908 AD),  founder of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, left behind a treasure trove of illuminating spiritual writings, explaining subtle and abstruse points of religious philosophy and practical wisdom useful in our quest for clear guidance on the Divine Way. It is important to revisit and re-read his profound and timeless writings every now and then, to gain a sense of true perspective on the extraordinary nature of the spiritual claims and Divine messages he left behind for the benefit of posterity. Perhaps even more importantly, returning to the original writings of the Promised Messiah (as) and studying them carefully can shake up the cobwebs of later theological 'engineering' and doctrinal confusion created in the minds of common Ahmadis by the administrative establishment- Nizam-e-Jamaat- to perpetuate their own control and authority. Due to the long-standing brainwashing by the Ahmadiyya establishment, the common folks have no idea how they have been transformed into devotees of the Nizam even without they realizing it! 

Indeed, ours is an age in which most Ahmadis have forgotten their own true spiritual moorings. In any case, most people have a blurred and twisted understanding on the basics of their community's true beliefs or their deep roots in Islamic spiritual expectations.  Unfortunately for them, the devotees are not allowed to use their own God-gifted intelligence and reasoning power to investigate and understand the inner world of Islamic spirituality. People remain content with the received notions from their elders- what they have inherited from their fathers and leaders within the Nizam-e- Jamaat. As a consequence, a generation is growing up in the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya who cannot frame relevant spiritual questions for themselves, nor explain where the Promised Messiah (as) stood on the question of enduring Divine Guidance and spiritual leadership ('Khilafat-e-Ruhani'). 

Contrary to the myth-making within the Nizam-e-Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, the Promised Messiah (as) did not believe that Revelation-based Khilafat has come to an end with him, and that henceforth, only men-elected caliphs will be the leaders of the Ummah, NO! The Promised Messiah (as) claimed that he came as a Khalifatullah  (Vicegerent of God) and with the title of a 'Nabi' in the Ummat-e-Muhammadiyya, and that there could be many other individuals like him in future as well. 

Consider these statements from Eik Ghalati Ka Izala (Removal of a Misconception) where the Promised Messiah (as) writes:

"The earth has borne witness to my truth as has the heavens. Both have proclaimed that I am the Vicegerent of God." (pp. 9-10; 2007; Qadian/English Translation edition.)

"...the term 'Khatamun Nabiyyin' is the Divine Seal which has been set upon the Prophethood of Muhammad (sa). It is now impossible for this seal ever to be broken. What is possible, however, is that the Holy Prophet (sa) may appear in the world in the form of a Buruz, not once, but even a thousand times, and may, by way of Buruz, proclaim his Prophethood with all its splendour and perfection." (p.17; 2007 Qadian edition.)

Likewise, the Promised Messiah (as) commented upon the profound subtleties of the Ayat-Istikhlaaf, especially concerning the enduring Divine Promise on Khilafat-e-Ruhani for the Muslim Ummah for all times:

Allah has promised some of those among you who are righteous and are true believers that He will make them the successors of His Beloved Prophet, as He did in the case of those who were before them; and that He will surely strengthen and establish the religion He has chosen for them—that is, Islam—in the earth; and that He will surely give them, in exchange, security and peace after their fear.

This means that at the time of the demise of Hadrat Khatamul-Anbiya’ [the Seal of the Prophets], peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, the believers shall be in fear lest their religion should perish, but God Almighty in this state of fear and anxiety, by establishing khilafat-e-haqqah [the true succession], will alleviate their fear regarding the ruin of faith and free them from grief and grant them peace. They will worship Me only, and they will not associate anything with Me.

This is the apparent good news, but as is divine practice in relation to Quranic verses, there is also a hidden meaning to it. And the above verses in their deeper meanings point to the khilafat-e-ruhani [spiritual succession]. This means that in every state of fear, whereby the love of Allah has disappeared from people’s hearts, false creeds have spread all around, and people are infatuated with the world and it is feared that the faith will be lost; at such times God will always continue to raise spiritual khulafa’ [successors] at whose hands the Faith shall be granted spiritual support and triumph, and truth shall then be honoured and falsehood shall be brought to disgrace. Thus, faith may always return to its original bloom and the believers may be granted security from the fear of the spreading of misguidedness and the loss of faith. [See Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part-III, pp. 167-168; UK English edition; 2014]. 

In summation, there is nothing wrong in the interpretation of spiritual doctrines that support the advent of a Divinely-imbued soul who would be gifted from the Divine Presence with spiritual titles of sublime ranks. In an era when Ahmadi beliefs have turned upside down, it is all the more necessary that Allah (swt) raise one of His special servants with a Divine Light to illumine the world of His creation through such an enlightened soul. When humans seek to alter and destroy the Divine Order, Allah (swt) raises His own Adam in a new era to renew the troubled religion of Allah and thereby establish a new heavenly order on earth, and only the truly humble will follow him, whereas the arrogant Satans will turn away from the Divine message. By the immense Grace and Favour of Allah (swt), Hazrat Imam Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (aba) of Mauritius is a such a Divine servant raised by Allah (swt) with His revelations and messages for the renewal of the true spiritual path in our times- in the glorious tradition of  Khilafat-e-Ruhani promised to the true believers in the Qur'an, Subhaan Allah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar!