Consider the views of Al Imam Al Mahdi Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian on the question of Divine guidance in the future and the coming of Divine servants in the Deen-e-Islam.
The founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of
Qadian [1835-1908] had several spiritual titles upon him bestowed upon him by
Allah (twt). These titles include Al Imam Al Mahdi, Massih Maoud, [the Promised Messiah], Hakam
‘Adl [the Just Arbiter], etc. He also declared himself Khatam
al-Khulafa’ as per the glad tiding he received from God
Almighty and yet he did not deny the coming of other spiritually-infused individuals
in his footsteps in the likeness of the Messiah after him. In fact, the
Promised Messiah (as) mentioned on scores of occasions that the door of Divine
revelations will continue to remain open, and that this route of spiritual
rejuvenation will never get closed till the Day of Judgement, and that even the
robe of ‘Khilafa’ would continue to be bestowed on special individuals- the
spiritual savants among the Muslims- and that there is a possibility of the
appearance of thousands of the likes of the Messiah [Mathil-e-Masih] even after
him.
Discussing the possibility of the coming of a Mathil-e-Masih after
him, the Promised Messiah(as) states:
‘We also want to make it clear that we do
not deny that someone else may appear as the like [Mathil] of the Messiah after
us, because the likes of the prophets always appear in the world. Rather, God
Almighty has already revealed to me by way of a categorical and certain
prophecy that an individual shall be born from my progeny who shall resemble
the Messiah in many ways, he shall descend from heaven and shall make the path
of the people of the earth straight and shall grant release to those held in
bondage and shall free those who are shackled by the chains of various doubts.’
(Izala-e-Auham,
Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, pp. 179-180)
He further states in this regard: ‘I have only claimed to be
the likeness [Mathil]
of the Messiah and I also do not claim that being only a Mathil had
ended with me. Rather, it is possible that ten thousand more Mathil of
the Messiah may appear like me. Nevertheless, I am the Mathil of
the Messiah for this age and waiting for another one is futile. And let it also
be clear that this is not merely my idea that there can be many Mathil-e-Masih;
rather, the same can be inferred from the ahadith of the
Holy Prophet (sa).’ (Izala-e-Auham,
Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, p. 197)
In another place, while elucidating this subject, the Promised
Messiah (as) states:
‘This humble one also does not claim that
messiahship has ended with me and that no messiah shall come in the future.
Nay, I believe and I say repeatedly that, let alone one, more than ten thousand
messiahs can come.’ (Izala-e-Auham, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, p. 251)
He further states: ‘‘Jesusas son of Mary reached the age of 120
years when he died and joined his Creator. There in heaven, he stays in the
company of John [the Baptist] because both had similar experiences. There is
not the least doubt that he was an extremely righteous man and a prophet of
God. However, to call him ‘god’ is tantamount to disbelief. Hundreds of
thousands of people like him have passed away and will come in the future and
God is never tired of exalting righteous people in the past or in the future.’ (Tazkirat-ush-Shahadatain,
Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 20, p. 29)
In the mighty Sign of the revealed sermon in Arabic on the
occasion of Eid-ul-Adha in the year 1900 April 11, the text of the Address that
came to be known as the Khutbah
Ilhaamiyah, one can read that Allah (swt) gave the glad tiding of
Waliullahs being raised among the following generations in the footsteps of the
Promised Messiah (as):
“I have been appointed at the
highest station of Wilayat just as
our Chief, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was at
the highest station of Nubuwwat. He
was the Seal of the Prophets and
I am the Seal of the Auliya’. There
is no Wali after me except the one
who is from me and is under my covenant.”
Today, the Nizam-e-Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya stands guilty of giving a narrow meaning and scope to the teachings of the Promised Messiah (as) concerning the future of divine guidance. They accept a part of it, while rejecting another part of the same teachings. Just like what a section of the Jews have done to their religious scriptures, by propagating that only a living Caliph elected in the mundane assembly can be a Mathil-e-Massih, in this era, these people in the Nizam-e-Jamaat are committing blasphemy by their self-serving interpretations.
‘Who could be more wrong than someone who invents lies
against God when called to submit to Him? God does not guide the wrongdoers: they
wish to put His light out with their mouths. But He will perfect His light,
even though the disbelievers hate it; it is He who sent His Messenger with
guidance and the religion of truth to show that it is above all [other]
religions, even though the idolaters hate it.’ [61: 8-10]
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Part I: The Deceit of the Fifth Caliph