Mirza Ghulam Ahmad - Misplaced Pages

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Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (مرزا غلام احمد) (February 13, 1835–May 26, 1908) is the founder of the Ahmadiyya religious movement. The Ahmadiyya Movement claims that it stands in the same relation to Islam, as Christianity stood to Judaism at the time of Jesus.

Ahmad remains a controversial figure to this day because of his claims to be the promised Messiah and Mahdi, and because of the movement he established. All of his followers consider him to be a prophet, a claim disputed by the mainstream Muslims.

Chronology of Events

1835 born February 13.
1849 Punjab incorporated into British Empire.
1851 marriage to Hurmat Bibi (later separated).
1857 Indian Mutiny.
1864 Reader in a Court in Siakot (4 years).
1865 First Revelation.
1865 Evidence that the founder of Sikhism was a Muslim.
1875 Fasted 8 or 9 months.
1876 Death of father.
1878 Postal dispute over letter rate.
1878 Challenge of Arya Samaj.
1880 Publication of Brahin-e Ahmadiyya started.
1882 Appointed Reformer of Islam.
1883 He built Mobarak Mosque in Qadian.
1884 Spots of Blood revelation.
1884 publication of Brahin-e Ahmadiyya Vol.IV.
1884 married Nusrat Jehan Begum.
1886 spent time in retreat at Hoshiapur,had revelation of Promised Son.
1886 Challenged Arya Samaj.
1886 Mobahala (prayer) challenge.
1888 Debates with Christians.
1888 Revelation to take Bai'at (Oath of Allegiance).
1889 Set out the conditions of Bai'at.
1889 Founded Ahmadiyya Movement.
1889 Birth of Promised Son Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad.
1890 Claimed to be Messiah of Muslims and Christians.
1891 First Annual Gathering in Quadian.
1891 Announced that Jesus is dead not alive in heaven.
1894 Sign of Eclipses fortelling Imam Mahdi appear.
1895 Sat Bachan published re: discoveries about Sikhism in 1865.
1896 Interfaith Conference in Lahore. (The Philosophy and Teachings of Islam).
1897 Pandit Lekh Ram died.
1897 Charges brought for murder of Dr.Martin Clark.
1897 Al-Badar newspaper first published.
1902 John Alexander Dowie challenged.
1903 Dowie in USA responds to challenge.
1905 The Will published.
1905 Last volume of Brahin-e Ahmadiyya published.
1907 Dowie dies. end of Dowie
1908 Died in Lahore.

Biography

Ahmad was born in Qadian Punjab in India on February 13, 1835 (or 14 Shawwal 1250), the surviving child of twins born to an affluent family. It is reported that he was always interested in the people around him, often thinking of them instead of himself. He spent a lot of time in the mosque and with the study of the Qur'an and his religion, Islam. This did not lead him to fulfill his father's wishes of his son becoming a lawyer or civil servant. Still, Ahmad would be pulled into his father's preferred career path at times, but he would remain devoted to religious learning, and teaching. In his course of studying religious topics, he would often interact with many Muslims, non-Muslims, and with Christian missionaries with whom he would have great debates.

When Ahmad was forty years old his father died. At this time Ahmad claimed that God had begun communicating with him, often through direct revelation (the prophet of Islam, Muhammad, also received his first revelation at forty years of age). Initially, Ahmad's writings from this time were intended to counter what he perceived to be anti-Islamic writings originating from various Christian missionary groups. He also focused on countering the effects of various groups such as the Brahmo Samaj.

As time progressed, his writings began to exhibit his claims of being the mujaddid or reformer of his era. These writings were compiled in one of his most well-known works: Barahin Ahmadiyya, a work consisting of a number of volumes. In later volumes, he would essentially claim to be the messiah of Islam. This proved and continues to be very controversial, as traditional Islamic thought holds that Jesus is the Messiah, who himself will return in the flesh at the end of times. Ahmad countered this by claiming in his book Jesus in India that Jesus was dead, and had in fact escaped crucifixion and died in India. According to Ahmad, the promised Mahdi was a spiritual, not military leader as is believed by most Muslims. With this proclamation, he also began to step away from the traditional idea of militant Jihad, and redefined it as a “spiritual” battle rather than a physical one. In addition to these controversial claims, he would later claim that Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru, was in fact a Muslim.

These writings began to turn the general Muslims ulema (religious clerics) against him, and he was often branded as a heretic. To add to this controversy some of his followers would later claim him to be a prophet, while others maintained that he was a prophet in a metaphorical sense only.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's claim is based on his Revelation, personal interpretation of various verses of the Qur'an based on divine guidance, Hadith, prophecies of past Saints and astronomical signs of eclipses. Islam, he said, was a living faith, by following which man could establish contact with his Creator and enter into communion with Him. The teachings contained in the Qur'an and the Law promulgated by Islam were designed to raise man to moral, intellectual and spiritual perfection. He announced that God had appointed him the Messiah as mentioned the prophecies of the Bible and Quran. In 1889 he began to accept initation into his Community which is now established in one hundred and eighty one countries. His eighty books were written mostly in Urdu, but some were in Arabic and Persian.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s doctrine regarding Divine attributes is based on God’s Love and Mercy he said "God wrongs no one, but people wrong themselves As the stars appear stage by stage, God’s attributes also appear stage by stage. Man is sometimes under the shadow of the divine attributes of and Self-Sufficiency and sometimes he is under the shadow of His attributes of Beauty. That is indicated in His saying: Everyday He (God) appears in a new state’ (Q. 55:30). It is a foolish notion that after sinful people have been condemned to hell the divine attributes of Mercy and Compassion will cease to operate and will not be manifested, inasmuch as the permanent cessation of the operation of divine attributes is not permissib1e The basic attribute of God Almighty is Love and Mercy and that is the mother of all attributes. It is the same attribute which sometimes comes into operation in the shape of the attributes of Glory and Wrath for the purpose of human reform, and when the reform has been affected then Love appears in its true form and remains in operation for ever as a bounty. God is not like a short-tempered person who loves to torment. He wrongs no one, but people wrong themselves. All salvation lies in His Love and all torment is to draw away from Him" (Translated from Chashma Maseehee, pp. 51-52 by the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement)

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad prophesied thousands of prophesies and claimed that God will spread his community of His to all countries of the world as this prophecy has in his book "The Narrative of Two Martyrdoms" The exact wording of his prophecy for understanding his inspiration and believe: "Listen O ye people! This is the prophecy of Him Who has created the Heavens and the earth! He will spread this community of His to all countries of the world, and will grant it victory with powerful arguments and signs. The days are coming, nay, they are near, that there will be only one faith which will be regarded with respect in the world. God will bestow extraordinary and unprecedented blessings upon this community. This dominion will stay for ever until the Judgment Day. If someone mocks at me, their mockery can do me no harm. There is no prophet that has not been mocked at. It was, therefore, necessary that the Promised Messiah also face the mockery.. The third century from today would not have been completed when all who await the physical descent of the son of Mary, whether they are Muslims or Christians, will utterly despair of that belief and will discard it. Then there will only be one faith and one Spiritual Leader. I have come only to sow the seed. So I have sown the seed. It will now grow and prosper. No one can stop it."

Why the name Ahmadiyya was given

The Ahmadiyya movement was founded based in 1889, but the name Ahmadiyya was not adopted until about a decade later. In a manifesto dated November 4, 1900, the founder explained that the name referred to Ahmad, the alternative name of the prophet Mohammed. ‘Mohammed’, which means ‘the praised one’, refers to the glorious destiny of the prophet who adopted the name from about the time of the Hegira; but ‘Ahmad’ stands for the beauty of his sermons, and for the peace that he was destined to establish in the world through his teachings. These names thus refer to two aspects of Islam, and Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad says that in later times it was the latter aspect that commanded greater attention. In keeping with this, his object was to establish peace in the world through the spiritual teachings of Islam, which, he believed, offered the only means of restoring peace to the mind of man, and, thus, of helping him to live at peace with others and with God.

The message of the Ahmadiyya Movement is thus indicated by its name. It is a message for Muslims, telling them that they can conquer the world through the two great spiritual forces given to them: the Quran and the prophet Muhammed. At the same time, it is a message for the none Islamic world, and especially for the Western world, which, according to Ahmad, has descended into materialism due to the growth of civilization. For Westerners the message is that it is only through the spiritual strength of Islam that man can reach peace.

Controversy

The teachings of Ahmad and the beliefs of his followers are a great source of controversy among Muslims, especially in Pakistan where most Ahmadis live. In 1974, the Pakistani parliament amended the Pakistani constitution to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims for purposes of the constitution of the Islamic Republic. In 1984, a series of changes in the Pakistan Penal Code sections relating to blasphemy that, in essence, made that made it illegal for Ahmadis to preach their religion openly as Islam, leading to arrests and prosecutions. However, no one has been executed, which is allowed under the law.

Ahmad generated controversy during his life, and the movement continues to do so:

The issue of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's prophethood, whether allegorical or real. This is because Muslims believe that Muhammad was the final prophet, and as thus, any prophet afterwards is a false one.
His claim that he was the Messiah rather than a returning Jesus. In his life, he did not accomplish any of the things the promised Messiah would do; such as establishing global peace and harmony.
The claim that he was the Mahdi. In Islamic teachings, the Mahdi and the Messiah (who orthodox Muslims believe to be Jesus) were two separate entities. They both would fight together the forces of the Dajjal near the end of humanity.
Ahmad's reluctance towards a militant interpretation of Jihad.
The characterization of the Ahmadis as the "real Islam" while believing other Muslims to be outside this sphere.

Ahmad's claim of Prophethood

Muslims in general hold the belief that no new prophet can come after Muhammad.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad referred to himself as a “prophet” in his writings and claimed to be the second coming of Jesus. Hence this claim is abhorrent to most Muslims. Followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad are divided into two camps as far a belief in his claim to prophethood is concerned. (For details see Ahmadi). Ahmadis belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community distinguish between law- bearing and non law-bearing prophets. They believe that Muhammad was the final law-bearing prophet, and non law-bearing prophets can emerge under the complete subordination to the law of Muhammad.

Allegations of being a British agent

Some accused Ahmad of working for the British who were trying to use him to remove the concept of Jihad from Indian Muslims, in order to quell any desires that they may have had for fighting against the British Rule of India. Ahmad's father had a close relationship with the British and was awarded land and wealth by them due to his support of the colonial regime during the Indian Mutiny. However, defenders of Ahmad justify this by claiming that Ahmad's father saw the British as protectors of Muslims from the Sikh regime that had previously ruled Punjab. Defenders of Ahmad also state that his declared mission against Christianity, the religion of the British empire, was inconsistent with allegations of him being a British agent. Another point made was that when the British came to the Punjab, they took most of the family's power, and left them with a very small pension.

Claim to be the "Real Islam"

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, through his various claims and writings, declared that Muslims who do not accept all his claims were not true Muslims. This view has been strengthened by the Qadiani Ahmadis while it is diminished by the Lahori Ahmadis.

Journey to Lahore and death

In April 1908, he traveled to Lahore accompanied by his family. During his stay there he made numerous speeches, met with a succession of visitors and wrote his last book entitled Paighame Suleh or Message of Reconciliation. This book was addressed to Hindus and Muslims to patch up their quarrels and sign a formal pact to tolerate one another and enjoy the benefits of unity and peace. He told the two groups that unwarranted attacks on the scriptures and prophets of other people cause only trouble and that more understanding should be used in religious matters. Even in the presence of differing viewpoints, he said, mutual respect could bring the people closer. On May 20, 1908, Mirza Ghulam Ahmed claimed that he received his last revelation in Arabic: "It is the time of departure; yes, it is the time of departure and death is near" Six days later, on May 26, 1908, he passed away. He was a little over 73 years old at the time (equivalent to 75 years by lunar reckoning). His coffin was brought from Lahore to Batala by train and from there his companions carried it on their shoulders to Qadian, a distance of eleven miles. Next day he was buried in the Bahishtee Maqbarah at 6pm on May 27th, 1908. JOURNEY TO LAHORE AND DEATH