‘Auliah’ and Divine Revelations

There is much confusion and misunderstanding among common people about the phenomenon of Divine revelations. Even people whom we otherwise consider learned and reflective tend to be completely ignorant about the subtle world of revelations. All Muslims believe that Allah (swt) sent His revelations to countless Prophets and sages all through the ages in the past, guiding humanity on the right and moderate course of living life on earth. And that these Messengers preached divine love, light and faith in the language of their peoples, among their distinct communities. Pointing to the essential unity of humankind amidst the diversity of races, languages, nations and cultures, Islam invites everyone to the Unique Creator and Sustainer of the worlds and His guidance sent through His servant (sa). The Muslim veneration of Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) as the Best of Divine Messengers is a grand testimonial to the lofty space of Divine revelations in the secular and spiritual enlightenment of our common humanity. Yet, the Muslim Ulema today mostly remain dismissive about the instrumental role of Divine revelations in shaping the human experience; their attitude seems to imply, regrettably, that the Prophet (sa) appeared to foreclose the door of sublime Divine Grace and Blessings forever (God Forbid). 

As against the prevailing, widespread, mistaken notions of the Ulema on the question of Divine revelations as well as the true and richer legacy of the Holy Prophet (sa), it might seem ironical, yet the fact is that Islam's history is steeped in profound mystical experiences of countless Divine savants who followed in the footprints of the Muhammadan Way.  Great saints of the Faith, in the spiritual ecstasy of their floating /orbiting souls around the Heavenly Throne, sung songs of Divine countenance and spiritual illumination. Through the fourteen hundred plus years of Islamic spirituality, the collective memory of the Ummah testifies that the Divine communion and converse and discourse and revelations vouchsafed to the spiritual saints of the Ummah played a seminal role in renewing and illuminating the spiritual path even in morally-darkened times. Amidst the tumultuous times witnessed in the fortunes of the believers, the revelations of the Auliah helped people to appreciate the correct and straight path to tread in life on an every day basis. Among the Muslim communities around the world, the presence of such Divinely-imbued souls or the 'Pole Stars of the Faith' advanced the cause of Tawheed, contributing in great measure to spiritual seekers' knowledge and understanding of the Divine realm; duties we owe to God and rights of fellow humans. Indeed, the continuity of Divine revelations among the believers through select purified, spiritual souls (God's Elect/s) in every era testified to the vitality of Islam over all other ideological systems in shaping the spiritual destiny of mankind.  

The founder of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908 CE), arguably the most important thinker and mystical saint of Islam in the previous century, profoundly explained Divine revelations as an enduring path; a living reality. Through his scholarly studies and research, Hadhrat Ahmad (as) discovered rich historical antecedents in Islam to justify and validate his own intense personal experiences in the spiritual realm, especially the descent of Divine revelations on his noble soul. Through numerous writings, Hadhrat Ahmad (as) spoke about the great souls of Islam: the recipients of Divine communion and converse who left behind books of revelations, describing the signs of the living-Faith from their own intimate, life-worlds. Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, it is to this august tradition of Muslim saints whose souls were illumined by the Light of Faith through the descent of Divine revelations that we can today add the name of our Imam Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim (atba) of Mauritius, the Holy Founder of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International, Allah-u-Akbar! 

Presented below are two extracts from the writings of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian, arguing that the blessing of Divine revelations existed all through Islamic history and that this heavenly sign will continue to illumine sincere believers till the Day of Judgement: 

'ALLAH': God in Islam

The Conception of God in Islam

Islam likes to contemplate the attributes of Allah through His different and adorable names by which He is invoked. The Holy Quran says: “To God belong the most beautiful names; So call on Him by them.” (Al-Arraf 7: 181).

A whole mass of theological literature exists to explain and classify His names. We often speak of ninety-nine (99) names of Allah, but these names are called differently by different writers so that there are hundreds of names that we can assign to Allah for Allah has any quality under which we want to worship Him. While we humans are limited, He is infinite. While we can only think in part, He is The Whole and He understands much more than we can imagine. We think of His mercy, His love, His wisdom, His glory and His majesty, His justice, His truth and His righteousness, His uniqueness, etc. but in doing so our minds are limited because our knowledge is limited while He knows, understands, hears and exceeds everything. Nothing is equal to Him. 

We always think in relative terms such as the first and the last; the visible and the invisible. But in Allah, these opposite qualities meet and we give these same pairs of names to Allah: The First and The Last, The Visible and The Invisible. For us, the contemplation of eternity implies the rejection of two limits; the beginning and the end. Only Allah is eternal and He has neither beginning nor end. We think of Allah in relation to time and space: but time and space are the creations of our mind. Allah is independent of time and space. In reality, He is the Absolute, the Independent and everything depends on Him.

It is generally believed that the emphasis of Islam is on the oneness of Allah, but it must also be said that the emphasis is also on His mercy, kindness and love. The Holy Quran contains 114 Surahs and all except one [i.e. At-Taubah] begins with “In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.”

The attributes of Allah ‘Rahman’ and ‘Rahim’ are names that have no equivalence in any other language and therefore cannot be properly translated [as they are really and truly vast in meaning]. ‘Rahim’ emphasizes the pity that we seek from Allah and that will not be denied from us.

“Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim” is the sentence that a Muslim most often says: at the beginning of prayer [be it Salat & duahs], before reading the Holy Quran, before eating, before travelling, before starting anything of some consequence - sacred [spiritual] or secular [mundane].

So the actions of a Muslim are intimately linked with these sacred words. The insistence on the oneness of Allah is not only a protest against the Trinity or Duality or Polytheism. Islam believes that Allah is one, unique and without equal. A young student of religion once defined God as being all of the abstract qualities of kindness and beauty combined in one abstraction. Some may accept this definition, but for Islam it is a cold and worthless abstraction. Life is always a mystery whether for science, art, poetry and religion.

Let’s see what the Holy Quran says: “Say: He is Allah, the One, Allah, the Eternal, Absolute. He neither begets nor was He begotten. And no one is equal to Him.” (Al-Ikhlaas,  Chapter 112)

Divine Revelations of 22 January 2020

Message of the Khalifatullah (atba)

The following revelations – addressing all my disciples in the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam – were received on Wednesday, 22 January 2020 at 4.18 pm after watching the video of the Tamil Nadu Jamaat’s Jalsa Salana 2019 held on the 29 December 2019.

By the Grace of Allah, the video was very interesting and well set. Many members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam had made great efforts to be present on that day except some who were not to be seen. I will have to send them an email concerning their absence in the Jalsa Salana at Kottar for they should have a valid reason to do so.

When I was viewing the video, some breaches of discipline have been noticed and noted. It is my duty to attract your attention as well as the other members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam on this when you are organising your programmes.

When you were in Tahajjud prayers and in other Namaz [Salat/ prayers] many among you did not have the head covered and you wore T-Shirts. Hence, it is very important to have the head covered during prayers and while the programme is still going on, and moreover you should dress up with great respect. Remember, you are all standing in front of your Creator. Wear a “Kurta” or a long “Boubou” [Jubba] or a “Sharamga” [Men’s long shirt/dress which decently covers the private parts of the body]. This applies also to ladies and children as well [i.e. They should cover themselves properly].

Alhamdulillah, after the Jalsa Salana there were interviews which were well presented. In the aftermath of all that I noticed, I thought it proper to address you all so that you can remove those weaknesses/ faults. 

Meanwhile, I was not feeling very well and I started sweating. At that particular moment a torrential rain started pouring down and I received some verses in Sanskrit language:

“Asato ma sad gamaya,

tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, 

mrityarma amritam gamaya.”

Translation: 

From the unreal guide me to the truth, 
from darkness guide me to light 
and from death guide me to eternity. (Ameen)

This is a duah (prayer) which I am sharing to all of you. How fortunate you are! 

Faith and Marriage in the Jamaat

Guidelines for disciples and members 

'...[I]n the aftermath of a question which I received from our Amir Sahib from Tamil Nadu on the subject of marriage, I am giving you – all my disciples and members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam – an explanation and clear guidelines on this matter so that you may all tread on the right path and be enlightened on the subject.

Allah (swt) says in the Quran: 

'Wa laa tankihul-mushri-kaati hattaa yu’-minn: wa la ‘amatum mu’ minatun khayrum-mim mushrikatiww wa law ‘a’-jabat-kum. Wa laa tunkihul mushrikiina hatta yu’ minuu: wa la-‘abdun mu’-minun-khayrum-mim mushrikiww wa law ‘a’-jabakum. ‘ulaaa ‘ika yad-‘uuna ‘ilan-Naar. Wallaahuu yad-‘uuu ‘ilal-Jannati wal-maghfirati bi-‘iznih, wa yu-bayyinu ‘aayatihii lin naasi la-‘al-lahum yatazakkaruun.'

Do not marry polytheistic women (idolaters), until they believe: A slave woman who believes is better than an idolatress, even though she allures [pleases/ is attractive to] you. Nor marry (your girls) to polytheistic men until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an idolater, even though he allures you. Such people do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and He makes clear His verses to mankind that perhaps they may remember [reflect]. (Al-Baqara 2: 222).

So, Allah says: “Wa  laa tankihul mushri-kaati hattaa yu-minn.” - Do not marry polytheistic women (idolaters), and Allah has given a solution [opened a way] also. Allah says until they believe like you believe. Here Allah is talking about faith, that they should have the same faith as you.

So, for those members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam who have believed in the Caliph of Allah (Khalifatullah), who have testified to divine revelations, who have believed in the Divine Manifestation, [bear in mind that] you are in a Jamaat that Allah (swt) has raised in this century in which your job is to let others know about this Divine Manifestation and to believe in the one whom Allah has raised Himself. HOW CAN YOU NOW - because of a marriage, because of someone who is not in this Jamaat and did not recognize the Imam of the time – go to marry this type of person? This is tantamount to having yourselves trampled these true teachings of the Quran established by Allah in this Book for you.