Muhammad- the Universal Prophet

The Holy prophet (pbuh) was born on 12^th Rabi’ul Awwal. His father was Abdullah son of Abdul-Muttalib and his mother was Amina daughter of Wahab. It was in the year of Elephant, the year when Abraha an Abyssinian at the head of an army marched towards Mecca mounted on elephants in order to attack Mecca and demolish the Ka’aba. The march of elephants frightened the Arabs but Allah sent down a swarm of flying creatures which threw stones on the Abyssinian army. This event marked history for Allah after nominating the Muhammad (pbuh) as prophet, later revealed to him about what occurred to Abraha and his army in the year of his birth. This Surah is none other than Surah Al-Fil (The Elephant: Chapter 105). Allah relates therein how He crushed them and their evil plans.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) came to change the course of human history. His birth was like a spring of light which illuminated the Arabian Peninsula and the whole world.

According to various Qur’anic verses and prophetic traditions, we see the magnificence of the Prophet, whether in his physical features, and in his character. His physical beauty is comparable to the beauty of the fourteenth moon; and much more! Several of his companions have given details of his physical traits and his character. The Prophet (pbuh) had a beautiful constitution. He had a white complexion; a splendid white. His forehead was wide, and the place between his eyebrows was bright like pure silver and his eyes were beautiful, and the pupils of his eyes were black. His cilia were abundant. As for his nose, it was thin, and he had a sweet face. His beard was thick, and his neck was beautiful, being neither long nor short, to the point that if the sun hit him, it seemed like a cup of silver mixed with gold. In addition, the space between the shoulders of the Prophet (pbuh) was wide and his hair, which was neither thin nor curly, almost touched his shoulders. Aisha, his beloved wife reported that “the blessed hair of the Messenger of God (pbuh) were longer than those reaching the earlobes and shorter than those that reach the shoulders.” He was neither tall nor short. (Inset:  Hazratbal Mosque in Srinagar, Kashmir. It houses a hair of the prophet Muhammad. The "Moi-e-Muqqadas", arrived in Kashmir in 1699 during the time of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, is displayed on various occasions related with the life of the Holy Prophet ).

Divine Guidance and Free Will

Alhamdulillah Summa Alhamdulillah, Allah (twt) has given me this opportunity to continue the subject matter of last week’s Sermon on the need of the advent of a prophet of God, and the reality of the miracles and faith which are joined together for the realization of the designs of Allah.

Indeed God Almighty talked in the past, is talking even today to His humble servants and messengers. It is unbelievable that a Merciful and Loving God would remain unmoved at the sight of mankind floundering in error and worldliness and yet He would take no measures for their guidance and direction. So my dear brothers and sisters, if there is a God, He cannot permit this!

If He feels for His servants in their trials and yet makes no provision, we must conclude either that He has no power to guide mankind to the truth, or that to attain communion with God is not the object of man’s existence, and that man was created merely to eat, drink, and to lead a purely worldly and animal existence. But each of the alternatives previously mentioned is insupportable.

To imagine that He who created the universe has no power to provide means for the spiritual guidance of mankind is absurd. The Creator of the whole must have power to create a part. If we admit the existence of a Creator, we must admit that He has absolute power and that nothing is impossible unto him, and He can accomplish everything except whatever is incompatible with His holiness and perfection, nor can we imagine that man has been created merely for the purpose of a worldly existence for, in that case, we would be compelled to admit that an All-Wise and All-Knowing Creator has brought this huge universe into being to no purpose.

Miracles and the Light of Faith

In continuation to last Friday’s sermon, the condition of the world itself demands the advent of a prophet. For, where can be find today the light and the faith of which we read in connection with the prophets? Who can show the signs and miracles which men were wont to witness at the hands of the prophets and their companions? We find a great deal written in the books of each religion, but where can be find the practical proof of it? Where is the gift of prophecy which the companions of Moses possessed? Where are the signs which the disciples of Jesus were wont to show? The books of every religion talk of a living God, but is that living God living today also? Does He still maintain with His servants the relation which Jehovah was wont to maintain with the followers of Moses or the Heavenly Father with the disciples of Jesus, or Allah with the Muslims?

If not, what reason can be assigned for this change? And, has this change occurred in God, or in man? We find that, in order to avoid having to face this question and to admit that this change has occurred, the contents of the revealed books of different religions are sought to be explained away, and meanings are assigned to passages which the words are incapable of bearing.

It may be permissible to us to say that God spoke to His servants in this or that manner, or spoke to His servants in this or that way, or that His relations with His servants were of this or that kind, but it is not open to us to assert that God has never talked to man in a manner which should exclude all possibility of doubt or misgiving nor is it open to us to say that God never showed any miracles to demonstrate conclusively the truth of a particular religion or of a particular prophet. We may be permitted to assert that the relationship which existed between God and His servants in the past was of a nature different from that ordinarily understood or accepted, but after a perusal of the scriptures of different religions we cannot honestly assert that God has never dealt with His servants in manner from which the world could judge that a Living God exists who displays his Might and Mercy for those He loves.

Attacks on Khalifa Sani and on the First Mujaddid

Islam does not subscribe to the infallibility of any man. Even the Messengers and Reformers are not the sons of Allah, nor are they partners in the Divine kingdom. They do not control life, not death; nor resurrection, nor are they immune from the trials and persecutions at the hands of the rebels and transgressors of their times. Weak as human beings are, it is Allah (twa) who chooses and raises His servants from among them and they serve their mandate according to the Divine Will and they move on to the home in the Hereafter when their assigned time is up in this world. In the true conception of the Islamic tradition, a Divine servant being attacked and/or killed at the hands of the enemies- rather than meeting with a natural death- does not cast aspersions on his lofty spiritual mission.

Yet today, a section of the Ahmadi Muslims- the proclaimed followers of the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as); the Lahoris and their fellow-travellers and also the new Mujaddid claimants- Abdul Ghaffar Janbah Sahib of Pakistan/Germany and Dr. Nasir Ahmad Sultani Sahib of Pakistan/Sri Lanka - hold the belief that Divinely-appointed Reformers are absolutely immune from life-threatening attacks and/or being killed within a period of 23 years of their spiritual claims. They have tailored their spiritual doctrines to please their nafs’ desire of calumniating Hadhrat Khalifa Sani (ra) of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya¸ who met with such an attack on the fortieth (40^th) year of his Khilafat.

The Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam has always responded to the unfortunate insinuations that malign the just reputation of Hadhrat Khalifa Sani (ra).  Several articles in the Blog explain and show how the critics are wrong on several grounds of reasoning- Qur’anic insights, sacred prophetic traditions, viewpoint of the Promised Massih (as). These posts can be seen and read here: [ 1; 2; 3;4; 5; 6).

In this article, after noting the murderous attack on Hadhrat Khalifa Sani (ra) and the view of his critics, we discuss the life and times of the universally acknowledged, first Mujaddid of Islam Hadhrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz (ra). It provides an insightful episode from the Islamic spiritual tradition for those who wish to reflect more profoundly on these matters and correct themselves of the doctrinal mistakes that they commit.

The Attack on Hadhrat Khalifa Sani (ra)

It was on March 10, 1954- exactly, sixty years to this day- that Hadhrat Khalifa Sani (ra) was physically attacked, in a murderous attempt on his life. In the words of Zafrullah Khan (ra), one can read an account of the events: 

'Khalifa': Different Types and Ranks

According to the Holy Qur’an, only a person appointed by Allah Himself and enjoys His converse on a sustained basis and receiving revelations from the Holy Throne can be considered a Khalifatullah or the Caliph of Allah. With regard to Hadhrat Adam (as), the Holy Book states: “I am going to place My Khalifah in the earth”. [2:31]. 

Like wise, with regard to Hadhrat David (as), the Holy Book states: ‘O David, We have made you a Khalifah in the earth’ [38:27]. And in both cases, it is patently obvious that the servants of God being addressed invariably enjoyed Divine converse and were appointed by Allah Himself as His Messengers or Khulafa.

Apart from the two Messengers of Allah who were described as the Khalifah of Allah, the Holy Qur’an also speaks about another type of Khalifas. It refers to the subordinate Prophets who are Khalifas of another and a greater prophet such as the Israelite Prophets who all were the Khalifas of Moses. 

The Holy Qur’an states: “Allah has promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will, surely, make them SUCCESSORS in the earth, as He made Successors from among those who were before them; and that He will, surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them; and exchange security and peace after their fear; They will worship Me, and they will not associate anything with Me. Then whoso disbelieves after that, they will be the rebellious”. (24:56).

According to Hadhrat Ahmad (as), the phrase ‘as He made Successors from among those who were before them’ is a clear reference to the Khalifas of Moses who were all Prophets.

A Divine Reformer after Hadhrat Ahmad

Allah’s Covenant with the Prophets is very clearly stated in the Holy Qur'an: 

“And remember the time when Allah took the covenant from the people through the  Prophets, saying ‘Whatever I give you of the Book and Wisdom and then there comes to you a Messenger fulfilling that which is with you, you shall believe in him and help him’. And He said, ‘Do you agree, and do you accept the responsibility which I lay upon you in this matter?’ They said, “We agree” He said “Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses”. (3:82).

‘Surely, there will come to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My guidance, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve’. (2: 39)

Every Ahmadi Muslim believe that Hadhrat Ahmad (as) is a Messenger of Allah/ Divine Reformer appointed by Allah (swa). So, it is only reasonable to assume that such a divine covenant has been taken from Hadhrat Ahmad (as) as well. In fact, the Promised Massih (as) who wrote over 80 books, made several statements regarding the coming of divinely guided people in his Jamaat in future. For, Hadhrat Ahmad (as) did not come to discard, but to renew the message of the Holy Prophet (sa). In fact, that is what he did through all his teachings and that is why he said that Massihs will come after him. He even specifically declared that there is nothing abnormal or unusual about the spiritual situation if a Mujaddid follows him in the next century.