Prophecies of the Promised Messiah a.s. – Demise in Mecca or Medina: A legacy fulfilled

Ataul Fatir Tahir, Al Hakam

وَّاٰخَرِیۡنَ مِنۡہُمۡ لَمَّا یَلۡحَقُوۡا بِہِمۡ ؕ وَ ہُوَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ الۡحَکِیۡمُ

“And [among] others from among them who have not yet joined them. He is the Mighty, the Wise.” (Surah al-Jumuah, Ch.62: V.4)

The Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, received the following revelations on 14 January 1906:

 “Allah has decreed since eternity that He and His Messengers shall prevail.” “God, the Merciful, says that there is peace, meaning that ‘you will not die in disappointment or defeat.’” “I shall die in Mecca or in Medina.” (Tadhkirah, 2009, p. 784)

Regarding dying in “Mecca or Medina”, the Promised Messiah^as, in the footnote of this revelation, wrote:

“This sentence ‘I shall die in Mecca or in Medina’ means that before my death I shall be bestowed a victory like that of Mecca. That is to say that as the Holy Prophet^sa had vanquished his enemies through the manifestation of the majestic Signs of Allah, so will it happen now. The second meaning is that before my death, I shall be bestowed a victory like that of Medina which means that people’s hearts will, on their own, be inclined towards me…”

In reality the Promised Messiah^as could not actually travel to Mecca or Medina anyway as it was simply too dangerous for him to do so. Scores of death threats and fatwas declaring his murder to be a virtuous deed had been issued against him. As one of the conditions to perform Hajj is for the path to be safe, it was not therefore possible for the Promised Messiah^as to ever go to Mecca and Medina for Hajj or even just a visit, in spite of his ardent desire to visit the two cities.

A recent article has claimed that the explanation of dying in “Mecca or in Medina” given by the Promised Messiah^as was not fulfilled either. In other words, the Promised Messiah^as did not receive the success he described.

The person raising the allegation said that the Holy Prophet’s, peace and blessings be upon him, success was far greater than that of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as. He said that people did not follow the Promised Messiah^as with the love and obedience like the companions of the Holy Prophet^sa.

Firstly, it is vital to understand that the Messiah who was foretold by the Holy Prophet^sa was not going to start his own mission, separate to that of the Holy Prophet’s^sa. The success of the Messiah would be the success of the Holy Prophet^sa and Islam as a whole.

Nowhere has Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as claimed that he was more successful than the Holy Prophet^sa or that his success was equal. He merely stated that the success of Islam, through him, would take place in a similar fashion as the Holy Prophet’s^sa success in Mecca and Medina.

It was a mere explanation not a direct comparison. He said that like the Holy Prophet^sa “vanquished his enemies through the manifestation of the majestic signs of Allah, so will it happen now… I shall be bestowed a victory like that of Medina, which means that people’s hearts will, on their own, be inclined towards me…” This is quite clear and straightforward.

To say the Promised Messiah^as raised himself to the same pedestal as that of the Holy Prophet^sa is utterly false and grossly inaccurate. The “manner” of success was merely described.

The success of the Promised Messiah^as was never to do with military control or territorial control as the person alluded to, it was a spiritual reformation that the Holy Prophet^sa prophesied at the coming of the Messiah. Hazrat Abu Hurairah, Allah be pleased with him, reported:

“We were sitting in the company of Allah’s Messenger that Surah al-Jumuah was revealed to him and when he recited [these words]: ‘Others from among them who have not yet joined them’, a person among them [those who were sitting there] said: ‘Allah’s Messenger!’ But Allah’s Messenger made no reply, until he questioned him once, twice or thrice. And there was among us Salman the Persian. The Messenger of Allah placed his hand on Salman and then said: ‘Even if faith were near the Pleiades, a man from among these would surely find it.’” (Sahih Muslim)

“Faith” would be restored by the Messiah; this was the promised success. This prophecy was about the second wind of success Islam would receive at the time of the Messiah. “Others from among them who have not yet joined them” was about the group of devoted believers who would resemble the companions of the Holy Prophet^sa.

In his explanation to dying in Mecca or Medina the Promised Messiah^as clearly said, “…I shall be bestowed a victory like that of Medina, which means that people’s hearts will, on their own, be inclined towards me…”

Not a single soul can oppose this prophecy. Hundreds of thousands accepted the Promised Messiah^as in his very lifetime. They travelled from across the world just to meet him and perform Bai‘at at his hands. Scholars, saints, nobles, rich, poor, teachers, academics, labourers, businessmen and people from all walks of life accepted the Promised Messiah^as.

Their sincerity and obedience rejuvenated memories of the Companions of the Holy Prophet^sa. The Companions of the Promised Messiah^as not only grew in their connection with Allah but devoted their lives for the service of Islam and even paid the ultimate price for their faith: Death.

The lives of the Promised Messiah’s^as Companions bear testimony that “the victory of Medina” was fulfilled in a magnificent way. The list of his Companions is vast and extensive and their sincerity and obedience towards the Promised Messiah^as was like that of the Companions of the Holy Prophet^sa.

For anyone in doubt, we urge them to read about the lives of these Companions^ra, who they were, what they did for Islam and their devotion to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as. For anyone who would like to read about these great people, a sample list follows:

Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddin^ra, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad^ra, Hazrat Mirza Sharif Ahmad^ra, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad MA^ra, Hazrat Sahibzada Abdul Latif Shaheed^ra, Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaq^ra, Hazrat Maulvi Burhanudin Jehlmi^ra, Hazrat Dr Mir Muhammad Ismail^ra, Hazrat Maulvi Abdul Karim Sialkoti^ra, Hazrat Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan^ra, Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq^ra, Hazrat Shaikh Yaqub Ali Irfani^ra, Hazrat Munshi Zafar Ahmad Kapurthalvi^ra, Hazrat Maulvi Abdullah Sanauri^ra, Hazrat Pir Siraj-ul-Haq Numani^ra, Hazrat Mir Nasir Nawab^ra and many, many more.

The list of those  who were “inclined” to the Promised Messiah^as continued to increase at an extraordinary rate after his demise. To this date, every year, hundreds of thousands of people join Islam Ahmadiyya from across the globe. In fact, the Promised Messiah^as prophesied that within 300 years, the majority of the world would accept Islam Ahmadiyyat. Thus, dying in “Medina” was fulfilled in an undeniable manner.

With regard to dying in Meccca, the Promised Messiah^as said:

“‘I shall die in Mecca or in Medina’ means that before my death I shall be bestowed a victory like that of Mecca. That is to say that as the Holy Prophet^sa had vanquished his enemies through the manifestation of the majestic Signs of Allah, so will it happen now.”

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as faced opponents on multiple fronts. The Muslims rejected him and labelled him as, God forbid, the “dajjal” for saying that Jesus^as would not return physically etc. His refutation of false Christian doctrines gave birth to Christian opposition. And his defence of the false insinuations made by Aryas led to Hindu opposition. The opposition the Promised Messiah^as received led to deaths of his companions and a dark legacy of continuous persecution, to this day.

It is ironic that the whole Muslim Ummah joined forces, despite their hate for one another, to label Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as as a “kafir”. During the life of the Promised Messiah^as, a declaration published in Ishaatus-Sunnah contained the names and signatures of some 200 famous “scholars” of Islam who declared the Promised Messiah^as, God forbid, a “Dajjal”, “liar” and “kafir” (see image). 

The opposition was not only through debate and discourse, rather, people attempted to end Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s^as life and murder him. However, the Promised Messiah’s^as great triumphs in debates and the failure of his opposition to “end his movement” are prime examples of a success like “Medina”. Allah promised him that “you will not die in disappointment or defeat” (Tadhkirah). This came true in letter and spirit.

In truth, the purpose of the Promised Messiah^as was the revival of faith and Islam across the world. The Holy Prophet^sa said that the true teachings of Islam would be abandoned and Allah would send a reformer to revive Islam (Sahih Muslim). The Promised Messiah^as foretold that he would fulfil this main purpose. He said:

“The Muslims of today have forgotten the essence and true teachings of Islam … but I have been tasked with its reestablishment. This alone is the magnificent purpose of my advent.” (Ahmadi Aur Ghair Ahmadi Mein Kya Farq Hai?, p. 48)

Thus for a prophet’s truthfulness and success, we need to know if his purpose was fulfilled.

In British India, Muslims were being ideologically attacked by Christian missionaries with no effective response from Muslim scholars. Not only Christians, but Hindus partook in attacks on Islam as well. As a result, Christian missionaries began converting thousands of Muslims to Christianity.

The spectacular service that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as of Qadian carried out in pushing back at Christian, Hindu and other ideological onslaughts of Islam are on clear record and bear testimony for the fulfilment of the Promised Messiah’s^as prophecy that he would fulfil the prophecy of dying in “Mecca or Medina”.

Muhammad Hussain Batalwi, a prominent Ahl-e-Hadith leader and an opponent of the Promised Messiah^as, said that a book like Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya (magnum opus of the Promised Messiah^as) could not be found in the history of Islam. He said that if anyone thought he was exaggerating, then “at least present before me a book that defends against the opponents of Islam in such a manner…” (Ishaatus-Sunnah, Vol. 7, pp. 169-170 [1884])

Despite enemies from within the Muslim, Christian and Hindu communities trying to stamp out the cause of the Promised Messiah^as, Allah established a body of unified Ahmadi Muslims who, under the guidance of the Promised Messiah^as, began to worship Allah, serve humanity and act on true Islamic principles once again. In Al-Wasiyyat (The Will) the Promised Messiah^as prophesied about his Khilafat that it would continue to revive faith. The last 111 years bear testimony to how Khilafat has been a remarkable prophecy made by the Promised Messiah^as.

When Qadian was an insignificant village of India with no attraction or even nearby railway station and the Promised Messiah^as was not even known, he said that Allah had revealed:

یأْتِیکَ مِنْ کُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِیْقٍ  

[Arabic] “People will flock to you from distant lands.” (Tadhkirah, 2009, p.57)

The fulfilment of this prophecy is as clear as sunlight; it need not even be discussed.

Other two prophecies, that seemed impossible, were:

“My lord had revealed to me and promised me that He will help me till my message reaches the Easts and Wests of the earth. The oceans of truth will be stirred till the people look with wonder on the bubbles riding up its waves.” (Tadhkirah, p.405)

The second promised:

میں تیری تبلیغ کو زمین کے کناروں تک پہنچاؤں گا

[Urdu] “I shall cause thy message to reach the corners of the earth” (Tadhkirah, p.405)

Again, there is simply no legitimate objection that can confront the truth of these clear prophesies.

The success of Hazrat Mirza GhulamAhmad^as is clear before the world. Islam Ahmadiyyat continues to flourish through the Khilafat of the Promised Messiah^as, which in reality is the continuation of the Holy Prophet’s^sa Khilafat. The very fact that, to this day, people are trying to end Islam Ahmadiyyat with no success is a testament to the truthfulness of this community and its significance.

When opponents start comparing numbers, well, then Islam has never triumphed in front of Christianity. The point is not numbers but success as an ideology and the spiritual reformation it brings. Nevertheless, the prophecy of the world accepting the teachings of Islam Ahmadiyyat within 300 hundred years is still on the table for those who merely use numbers as a criterion for “success”.