Mujaddid of the Last Millennium

Ahmadis today believe that Mujaddidiyat or the advent of Divine Reformers appointed directly by Allah the Most High has come to an end with the departure of the Promised Massih (as). They think that there is no scope for any Mujaddid to come in the new century of Islam as Hadhrat Ahmad (as) has claimed to be the Mujaddid of the Last Millennium.

Out of the 91 Books that the Promised Massih (as) is reported to have written in his entire life, his claim of being the Mujaddid of the Last Millennium is mentioned only once, in a lecture delivered on November 02, 1904 at Sialkot. [Left: Title Page of the First Edition]. In Lecture Sialkot, the Promised Massih (as) postulated that the current millennium is the last and final one before the Day of Judgement. He then wrote:

“Since it is the last millennium, it was inevitable that the Imam of the latter days should be born at the turn of this millennium. After him, there is no Imam and no Messiah except the one who comes in his image, for in this millennium the world comes to an end as all the Prophets have testified. This Imam, whom God has designated as the Promised Massih, is the Mujaddid of this century as well as that of the last millennium”     [p. 9, Qadian: Nazarat Nashro Ishaat (2007)] 

Based on this sole statement, Ahmadis today conclude that no Mujaddid will come in the entire Millennium. Those who take a second look at the statement will find:  there is no Imam and no Messiah except the one who comes in his image”.

It means that others can come so long as they are “in his image”. The door for spiritual elevation in subsequent ages is closed only in the case of those who reject the Elect of Allah of the day- the Promised Massih (as) in his era. In other words, Allah will raise the spiritual progeny of the Promised Massih (as) to all the spiritual blessings that are promised in the Holy Qur’an (4:70).  The Promised Massih thus did not come to cancel the great Prophetic tradition about the coming of Mujaddidin in every century. Those who come after him will only confirm his truthfulness, they do not replace him. So while he remains the Mujaddid of the Last Millennium, others will come after him. This is how the Promised Massih (as) himself understood his claim, for he never claimed that Mujaddidin will not come after him.

What to Do and Avoid in Ramadan

In his Friday Sermon of August 12, 2011 Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius spoke about the larger message of Ramadan for the collectivity of believers or the Muslim Ummah.  The signature tune of the speech was an impassioned plea for unity and brotherhood and harmony in intra-community relations. Fasting in this month of Ramadan being one of the pillars of the Islamic edifice, the Khalifatullah points out the extraordinary opportunity it represents to all denominational groups within the fold of Islam to rise above their differences and celebrate the spirit of Islam as One Community.

The Khalifatullah said: 

“Brothers and sisters in Islam, let us live in harmony; harmony is not a slogan but a mission. Harmony does not fall from the sky like rain! This is a personal work that everyone should do; it requires an individual commitment; that is to put aside one’s own ego and not to promote our interests, but to promote the religion of Allah. Then uproot weeds in the garden of our heart – Hatred, resentment, jealousy, lust for power, the feeling of superiority towards our brothers and sisters in Islam, the belief that we alone are on the right track and the others are in the wrong – but what should be cultivated instead is tolerance, compassion, kindness, patience and forgiveness, forgiving others constantly.

Has not Allah, Exalted is He, taught us, “Let them forgive and overlook (any mistake from their part). Would you not love that Allah should forgive you?” (24: 23)

So we need to analyse ourselves during the month of fasting and ask, “What is my role in preserving harmony?” And each of us has a role and duty – to help this precious Ummah; “Verily this community of yours is a single community” (21: 93) – to regain its honour and strength by cultivating harmony. Similarly, we should reflect on our own character and actions and ask: “Are we helping the process of harmony, or are we a barrier to it?” In His Book (the Quran), Almighty Allah gives us the best way to cultivate harmony: “And hold fast all of you to the ‘Habl’ (rope) of Allah and be not divided.” (3: 104)

Ahmadi View on "Why & When a Reformer"

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community today rejects the coming of Divine Reformers in Islam. 

However, in the official website of the Community -Al Islam-, under the aforesaid title, the following EIGHT cogent reasons have been published to convince the world of Islam that Divine Reformers [or Mujaddidin and other Elects of Allah] will continue to arise till the Day of Judgement among Muslims.

Read the text :

“Some people think that since the Muslims have got the perfect book - the Holy Quran - to guide them no reformer is needed by them; they can get guidance from the Holy Quran by themselves.

The idea is very erroneous and the facts of history do not lend support to it.

1. In the first place, we observe that despite the fact that they have the Holy Quran with them they are deteriorating day by day. Discussions among them resulting in vast differences of opinion even about the interpretation of the Holy Quran are on the increase. No doubt they are conscious of the fact that they are going down, they do not find enough of strength to rise up and stand on their feet. This is exactly what we find in the history of previous religions; whenever their followers have deteriorated they have not risen by themselves.

2. In the second place, the practice of God repudiates this idea, whenever darkness has enveloped the spiritual realm, God has been raising a Reformer for the guidance of the people. Look at the followers of Moses; they had a perfect book (according to the need of their time) which contained guidance for them. But whenever darkness enveloped them, they were given another guide in the form of a Reformer who reformed the followers of Moses. So much so that the Holy Quran says: We sent Messengers when he had passed away.

3. In the third place what is actually meant by the perfection of a teaching is that God has mentioned all the ways of spiritual achievement in that specific book and all the needs (religious and spiritual) have been laid down with the ways they can be fulfilled. But if the human mind distorts it with its self-suiting interpretations, the book would lose its meaning for them and they would not be reformed by it unless the truth is unveiled by removing the curtain of self-styled interpretations. The perfect teaching is no doubt like a sharp cutting sword which cuts the sin asunder but there must be somebody who knows how to wield it.

4. In the fourth place, however perfect and effective a teaching might be, unless an example of its implementation is shown to the people they cannot benefit from it. It is through the people of various spiritual ranks that God gives the people models for them to look at and follow them to their personal advantage.