Burhanuddin: A Proof of Faith

Hazrat Maulvi Burhanuddin^ra of Jhelum (c. 1830-1905) was a very close companion of the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as. He exemplified the love that one should have with their holy master. 

He had remained in the pupillage of Maulvi Syed Nazeer Husain Dehlvi (the same scholar who announced the nikah of the Promised Messiah^as and Hazrat Syeda Nusrat Jehan Begum Sahiba^ra) for some time and was hence a practicing and staunch activist of the Ahl-i-Hadith movement before his allegiance to the Promised Messiah^as. 

Hazrat Maulvi Burhanuddin Jehlmi^ra established many local chapters of the Ahl-i-Hadith in India. Dissatisfied with the Ahl-i-Hadith ideology, he travelled far and wide in pursuit of a spiritual master that could lead him to right path – the path that led to spiritual peace. 

He met the Promised Messiah^as in 1886 in Hoshiarpur and requested him to accept his Bai‘at. The Promised Messiah^as informed him that Allah the Almighty had not yet instructed him to take allegiance. In 1891, when Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as declared to be the Messiah promised for the latter days, Hazrat Burhanuddin Jehlmi^ra studied the books of Hazrat Ahmad^as, accepted his claim and travelled to Qadian to pledge allegiance. 

He was a great scholar and the Promised Messiah^as held his knowledge in high esteem. He would visit Qadian every year and it is reported that the Promised Messiah^as once said to him: “Your visit brings me peace.” 

Burhanuddin Sahib^ra had his own, mystical way of expressing his love and affection for his holy master. When the Promised Messiah^as would return home from his morning walk, Hazrat Maulvi Sahib^ra would wipe Hazrat Ahmad’s shoes with his scarf. 

Maulvi Sahib^ra was a great scholar of tafsir, hadith, fiqh and Arabic language and grammar. Despite his high stature as a scholar, he would listen with great care and attention to every word of the Promised Messiah^as and remark: “How ignorant of me!” 

The Promised Messiah^as, out of the love he had for Hazrat Maulvi Sahib^ra, asked him to move from Jhelum and settle in Qadian but he would always respond by saying, “Huzoor, I am unworthy of living in Qadian.” This shows how, despite being an extremely educated, knowledgeable and pious person, he held the Promised Messiah^as and everything associated to him in the highest regard.

His death (on 3 December 1905), along with the death of Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sialkoti^ra at around the same time (10 October), became a major factor for the Promised Messiah^as to establish the Madrasa-e-Ahmadiyya; the loss of these two high-ranking scholars had to be filled with not two, but many scholars. 

The Promised Messiah^as said on 6 December 1905:

“Those of the highest standards in our Jamaat are passing away. Maulvi Abdul Karim Sahib, a sincere individual, and similarly now, Maulvi Burhanuddin Sahib of Jhelum have passed away. Many other scholars of our Jamaat have passed away. It is unfortunate that we are not able to substitute the deceased.” (Maktubat-e-Ahmadiyya [old edition], Vol. 5, no. 3, p. 62)

Allah the Almighty blessed the Jamaat of the Promised Messiah^as with many scholars in the years to follow.