'Khalifatullah' appears with the 'Rooh-ul-Qudus'

The Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as) writes:

“Let it be known that it is the established custom of Allah that whenever a Messenger, a Prophet or an appointed recipient of Divine Revelation is sent for the reformation of mankind, it becomes imperative that he is accompanied by such angels who instill guidance in all loving hearts. They induce the hearts towards goodness.  They continue to descend until the darkness of profanity and corruption gives way to the break of the dawn of faith and truthfulness. The Almighty God says: “The angels and the Spirit descend upon them by the command of their Lord with their Lord’s decrees concerning every matter. It is all peace, till the break of the dawn”. (Surah Al Qadr, 97:5-6) .

So the appearance of the angels and the Holy Spirit only takes place at the advent of a person of distinction, who is dressed in the garb of Khilafat and honored with a direct communion with God. This Khalifa is specially gifted with the Holy Spirit and the angels in attendance are deputed to descend on all pious hearts. The reflection of this heavenly glow falls on people of receptive talent, and consequently the whole world is engulfed in the dazzle of this intense light.    

As a result of the noble influence of the angels, the hearts of such people are voluntarily inclined towards virtuous thoughts and are thus charmed by the concept of the Unity of God. Upright hearts are charged with the inclination towards the search of truth. The spiritually frail are granted fortitude. Everywhere a breeze begins to blow which is supportive to the objectives of the Mujaddid. An invisible hand is beckoning humanity so that they of themselves are hastening towards that reform which will bring out the best of their talents. Mankind is in a state of agitation and stir in anticipation of what is to come.

Heavenly Signs for the Messiah

Heavens and the Earth bear witness when a Messenger of Allah appears on the horizon to call mankind on the path of Allah. According to the Holy Qur’an, eclipses of the sun and the moon are important signs of the approach of the Last Days. The Holy Qur’an says:  “He asks: When will be the day of Resurrection? When the eye is dazzled, And the moon is eclipsed, And the sun and the moon are brought together, On that day man will say, whither to escape? (75: 7-11)

In the tradition attributed to the 7th century Imam Muhammad al Baqir, also known as Muhammad bin Ali, it is stated about the appearance of the Al  Imam Al Mahdi: “For our Mahdi (Divine Reformer) there are two signs which have never appeared before since the creation of the heavens and the earth, namely the moon will be eclipsed on the first night in Ramadhan and the sun will be eclipsed on the middle day in the same month of Ramadhan, and these signs have not appeared since God created the heavens and the earth” – Dar Qutni, Vol 1, page 188.

During the time of the Promised Massih (as), the solar and lunar eclipses were observed from Qadian in 1894. Hadhrat Ahmad (as) stated that the eclipses represented heavenly signs in favour of him. He famously asked the people to ponder over the fact that the sign was manifested in his country and that the wisdom of God does not separate the sign from the person for whom the sign is meant. Likewise, Allah has raised Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim (atba) of Mauritius as the Messiah of Allah in the new Century. Countless heavenly signs have appeared on the Mauritian sky in the last decade, bearing witness to the presence of Divine Manifestation in our times. Reflecting on the issue, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) stated:  'Allah has sent this humble self with lots of heavenly signs and the most flagrant and being a prophecy of both the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) is the eclipse of both the moon and the sun in the same month of Ramadhan back in November 2003 (November 9 and 23). 

At that time (in the Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen), Allah made me stood up and proclaim that I was the one whose advent is announced through this heavenly sign in our present era, that this sign is for the advent of this humble self. Moreover, during the course of the Divine Manifestation (in its beginning), there were the rare (and frequent at that time) manifestation in the Mauritian Sky of sun-halos or what is also known as full-circle rainbows (October 2002 +, December 2007 etc.). Later on, in 2004 (June 8), scientists from all round the world took Mauritius as a vital centre for the observation of the extremely rare “Once in a lifetime” Venus Transit.

It must be noted also that more than once, the name of Allah has appeared in the Mauritian Sky, and witnessed personally by this humble self along with a group from among my disciples. In addition, twice there has been the witness of the crescent of the moon along with its star (an Islamic symbol), where six months back on 11 September 2010, there have been once again this manifestation in the sky (after Maghrib and Esha prayers), to which I am a personal witness.

Likewise, all round the world there have been manifestation of such like phenomena, so that they act as an eye-opener that all these rare occurrences in this special era (2000-till now – in my times). And now, I am going to prophecy yet another heavenly phenomenon, which is the splitting of the moon into two. Such phenomenon has happened in the times of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saws) and in my times also, such sign shall be witnessed by my friends and foes alike as a proof of my truthfulness as the Chosen Messenger of Allah of this era, the second Muhammad (saws) whose advent has been prophesised in the Holy Qur’an in Chapter 62. This prophecy (moon-splitting) shall be physical and spiritual, both literal and metaphorical”.  (Friday Sermon of 25 March 2011).

Interpreting the Prophecy on Khilafat

Ahmadi scholars usually quote a prophecy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) regarding Khilafat in support of the permanent nature of the elected Khilafat in the Ahmadiyya Community.

"Prophethood shall remain among you as long as Allah shall will. He will bring about its end and follow it with Khilafat on the precepts of prophethood for as long as He shall will and then bring about its end. A tyrannical monarchy will then follow and will remain as long as Allah shall will and then come to an end. There will follow thereafter monarchial despotism to last as long as Allah shall will and come to an end upon His decree. There will then emerge Khilafat on precept of Prophethood. The Holy Prophet said no more”. (Mishkat).

The argument is that “Khilafat on precept of Prophethood” shall remain continued after the advent of Imam Mahdi till the Last Days.  They point out that “the Holy Prophet said no more” is an indication that “Khilafat on precept of Prophethood” shall remain uninterrupted. In other words, the silence of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) has profound meaning: there is nothing more to be said on the subject. One can only admire the spirituality of those who value not only the express words of the Holy Master (sa), but also the profound meaning of his silences at times. But the important question here is this: Can his silence be interpreted against his express words in other times or even against the context in which he remained silent?

The Fourth Khalifa Hadhrat Mirza Thahir Ahmad Sahib is on record stating that in this tradition, Mujaddidin are included in the Khilafat that existed before the advent of Imam Mahdi. But, he also claimed that no Mujaddidin are mentioned afterwards in this noble tradition. As it happens, the Prophetic tradition uses the same phrase “Khilafat on precept of Prophethood” (khilafathun ala minhajunnubuvva) both before and after the advent of Imam Mahdi. So, the argument that Khilafat in the past included Mujaddidin but cannot include them after the advent of Imam Mahdi do not hold water when examined against the express words of this noble tradition.

It is ironical that the silence of the Holy Prophet (sa) in the tradition is being sought to be misinterpreted only to denigrate his other prophecy regarding the coming of Mujaddidin in every century. These arguments will only be rubbished for what it is by those who fear Allah alone: a desperate attempt to perpetuate an elected,  family Khilafat system within the Community even at the cost of denying God’s Messengers.

The 'Doctrine' of Ahmadiyya Khilafat

“God will continue to raise among these people, in the beginning of each century, a man who would teach them the spirit of Islam and thus, in a manner, renew the days of the Prophet”.

- Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa)

To secure the future of Islam in its pristine spiritual purity, the community of believers was thus given the glad tiding of a wonderful arrangement- Khulafa of Allah being raised in every century to renew the Faith and to rejuvenate the garden of Islam. The objective was to preserve the letter and spirit of the Holy Qur’an for all times and for ensuring the development of high spiritual qualities among the believers in every century. 

The Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian explained that the achievement of salvation for everyone necessitated the coming of a Mujaddid (Khalifatullah) in every century. The Beneficent Lord has made “the arrangement in every century so that His creatures should not fail in any age to attain the stage of absolute certainty”.  Hadhrat Ahmad (as) believed in the authenticity of this tradition of the Holy Prophet (sa). He projected it in support of his famous claim as the Mujaddid of the Fourteenth Century. On every opportunity that became available to explain the importance of the tradition regarding the coming of divinely ordained Mujaddidin at the turn of a Century, the Promised Massih (as) urged his followers to be careful against complacency on the matter. He cautioned that any one who raises objections against this noble tradition objects to the wisdom of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). Further, he stated that rejecting this tradition amounts to denial of a Divine Plan of Allah, the Most High. 

Divine Blessings in the New Century

“The principal quality of Islam is that its blessings always accompany it. It does not speak only of the past but offers present blessings as well. The world is always in need of blessings and heavenly signs. It is not as if it needed them in the past and does not need them now".

"A weak and helpless human being who is born like a blind is in need of knowing something of the heavenly kingdom and needs to see some sign of the existence and power of God in Whom he believes. The signs of a past age cannot suffice for a subsequent age, for hearing is not the same as seeing and, by the passage of time, past events become like stories.”

           -Hadhrat Ahmad (as)

                          [A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam,  Ruhani Khazain, Vol.5, pp.245].  

As per the Divine Plan and prophecies vouchsafed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), Allah, the Most High raised Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian in the Fourteenth century of Islamic Calendar as Al Imam Al Mahdi to raise the flag of true spirituality. After his death, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that he founded, successfully carried the message of true spirituality and took it to the corners of the earth.

Injustices in the Ahmadiyya Community

According to the Holy Qur'an, the prevalence of injustice within a system will inexorably lead it astray from the way of Allah (38:27).

The Fifth Khalifa Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib certainly believes that a wrong decision can be taken by a Khalifa on the basis of “a miscalculation or misunderstanding on the part of a Khalifa”.  Hadhrat Musleh Maoud (ra) believed that ‘sometimes their advisors can give them wrong advice’. [Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Conditions of Bai’at and the Responsibilities of an Ahmadi, pp.202-203, (Islamabad, UK: 2006)].  He also warned the community that ‘if ever Khilafath comes under a shadow, it shall be because of the people around the Khalifa’. 

When Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius claimed that he is a recipient of revelations, the then National Amir of the Jamaat in Mauritius wrote a false report saying that the former does not believe in the Khilafat system. The only crime he committed was that he said he is a recipient of divine revelations. The Fourth Khalifa Hadhrat Mirza Thahir Ahmad Sahib, in a moment of unbelievable hubris, arbitrarily ordered him out of the Jamaat, basing himself on the report of his Amir, without asking any explanation or even looking at the revelations. Was that not an unfair and unjust decision?

Reflecting on the consequences of injustice, Hadhrat Khalifathullah Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib stated:

“Everything declines when reaching its climax. When the sun rises, then after some time it sets. Do not think that this means Qayamat, the Last day; but the greatest Qayamat is when a Chief of a Jamaat establishes injustice among the members. He will speak out arrogantly and show his superiority, his power of control, he will humiliate people and make them afraid of him and make them to suffer, threatening them of blowing them out of the Jamaat. This shows the decline of a Jamaat, the Qayamat. At this particular time, their true faces will be unveiled. They will torture the true believers’.

‘Refer to the Holy Qur’an, where Allah ordained Hadhrat Da’oud (as): ‘O David, We have made you a Khalifa in the earth; so judge between men with justice, and follow not vain desire, lest it should lead you astray from the way of Allah. Surely those who go astray from the way of Allah will have a severe punishment, because they forgot the day of reckoning”.  (38:27).

 ‘This means: Do not stain the mirror of your heart with rust, passions. Otherwise you will deprive yourself from receiving the light of guidance. Allah will never manifest Himself in this kind of heart’. (Friday Sermon of May 30, 2008).

Mistaken Beliefs of Ahmadi Muslims

The mainstream Ahmadi Muslims today do not consider that their Khalifa can be wrong on any matter because they believe he is divinely appointed.  This is in spite of the clear statement of ‘if I do wrong, set me right’ by none other than Hazrath Abu Baker Siddique (ra), whose example was recommended by Hadhrat Ahmad (as) himself as the model for the Community to emulate.

Knowingly or unknowingly, the Ahmadi Muslims have elevated a human being way beyond his official title and responsibilities and almost consider him to be the shadow of Allah on Earth, even though he has never claimed in the last many years of his office that he is even a recipient of divine revelations. In other words, the rank and file of the community is now virtually deifying their Khalifa. They are following an unexamined doctrine that is bound to corrupt their faith in Allah and His religion.

Further, Ahmadis today generally find it difficult to accept the argument in favour of the emergence of a divinely appointed person in the presence of a Khalifa of the Promised Massih (as). They feel that they could accept the claim of a divinely appointed person only if their Khalifa agrees to the emergence of this divine manifestation. In short, they consider that any new Messenger of Allah could be recognized by them to be of such status only when their Khalifa agrees thereto. This is in spite of the fact that the Holy Qur’an reserves the honor of Khalifa of Allah only to Prophets and Messengers who are the Elects of Allah, and not to humanly elected Khalifas.

The Holy Qur’an asks: “Can a blind man and one who sees be alike? Will you not then reflect?”(6:51). When the Khalifa himself is not a recipient of divine revelations, how will he be able to guide the community on the matter? And more importantly, can someone ever claim immunity from divine punishment for the denial of a Messenger of Allah on the basis of the opinion of their leaders and scholars?

Even though people may not generally realize this, is it anything less than Shirk?  What else is the meaning of Allah warning the people “fear not men but fear Me and barter not My Signs for a paltry price” when the series of “godly people and those learned in the Law” preside over them (5:45)? It is pertinent to note that Allah’s curse fell on other peoples because: “They have taken their godly people and those learned in the Law for lords besides Allah” (9: 31).