5 March 1921
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] came to meet the students of the college in the morning and shed light on the subject, The Need for Religion. Its details will be published in a coming issue.
At around 12 o’clock, after having lunch at the house of Mistari Muhammad Musa Sahib, Huzoor[ra] went to the court and stayed in a tent that was set up in front of the court. The testimonies of members of the Jamaat continued until 1:30pm.
Why are Muslims being reprimanded?
In the meantime, a question was posed to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] as to what was the reason that every effort of Muslims proved futile and other nations continued to progress.
Huzoor[ra] said:
“The Muslims have forsaken their relationship with God and that is why they are being reprimanded; similar to when a person’s own son speaks against him, he deserves more punishment than someone else’s son. Likewise Muslims were closer to God [than anyone else], so when they became heedless, they deserved more punishment.
“Moreover, Muslims were accustomed to work with support and at the turn of every century, a mujaddid [reformer] would come to them and they would work with his help. However, now they do not accept the man who came from God, so why would they not be reprimanded!”
The case and its testimony
The case in which Hazrat Khalifatul Masih was to testify was that Malik Barkat Ali Sahib, who was a candidate for the Punjab Council, had filed a case against Maulvi Mehram Ali Sahib Chishti, Member of Council, that he had secured votes through his religious influence. Since members of the Lahore Jamaat had voted for Maulvi Mehram Ali Sahib, Malik Sahib requested Huzoor[ra] to be his witness. At 3pm, Huzoor[ra] was summoned to the court room and the testimony ended at 3:20pm […]
Remembrance of the late Mian Chiragh Din
On his return from the court to the Ahmadiyya Hostel, Huzoor[ra] said, “Since Mian Chiragh Din passed away, I am not attracted to Lahore anymore. In his life, Lahore seemed like a homeland.”
Bai‘at
After Maghrib and Isha prayers, two persons took bai‘at. One of them is from Lucknow and the other is from Agra and works for the Lahore Railway Press. Their names are as follows: Qamqam Ali Sahib and Hamid Ali Sahib.
6 March 1921
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] offered Fajr prayer in the Ahmadiyya Mosque and stayed there for some time after the prayer. With respect to the mosque, Huzoor[ra] said:
“Its clay should be removed [and changed] because it has a bad smell and praying at such a place causes defects in prayer.”
Questions and answers about the killing of Dajjal
A question was raised by a non-Ahmadi that the Messiah was to kill the Dajjal but Mirza Sahibas who claimed to be the Promised Messiah died and the Dajjal was not killed.
Huzoor[ra] said:
“The Dajjal is not a person but a group and the Promised Messiahas did not pass away, because a person is considered dead if his mission’s progression ends [after him].
“However, the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas is increasing by the day. The remaining strife of Dajjal will be eradicated through the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas. It is incorrect to insist that the Dajjal should be killed within the lifetime of the Promised Messiahas because the Holy Prophetsa was sent at such a time when:
ظَهَرَ الۡفَسَادُ فِي الۡبَرِّ وَ الۡبَحۡرِ
“[‘Corruption has appeared on land and sea’ (Surah al-Rum, Ch.30: V.42)] and the purpose of his appearance was to remove this disorder, but it did not end in his life. Then, it is stated in the Holy Quran that the Holy Prophetsa was sent because:
لِيُظۡهِرَهٗ عَلَي الدِّيۡنِ كُلِّهٖ
“[‘He may make it [Islam] prevail over every other religion’ (Surah al-Taubah, Ch.9: V.33)], but today, 1,300 years later, Islam is not dominant [over every other religion]. [In one way], this prophecy of the Holy Prophet’ssa time was fulfilled in the era of Hazrat Umarra. In the same way, it will happen for us.”
The unity of all religions
It was enquired that at the time of the Promised Messiahas, it was said that all nations except for one would be annihilated, but that did not happen.
Huzoor[ra] said:
“The results of some matters become manifest [immediately], whereas certain matters are observed depending on whether they have the ability to produce such results or not. For example, unripe fruits [on trees] can be seen as fruits that will soon ripen.
“On the other hand, if a person looks at a seed and recongises, through his skills, that it is of high quality and has the power to produce a plant, then when it is sown in the ground and it blossoms soon after, there is surety that it will bear fruit. For example, one can ascertain the quality of certain wheat seeds by looking at them in September or October and when the time comes, they grow exactly as was predicted. In the same way, the Promised Messiahas has determined a 300-year period for the peak of his progress.”
Take advantage of present signs
[Hazrat Khalifatul Masihra explained]:
“If someone says that it is a very lengthy time period and asks, ‘Who can wait for such a long time?’, the answer is that it is certainly difficult if there is only one way to know the truth of something. However, when there are other means, then there is no difficulty.
“If a person insists on one thing and does not want to take advantage of other things, then it can be assumed that even if it happens as he insists, he will not accept it.
“Islamic jurists have discussed the issue as to what would become of those people who a prophet did not appear for.
“Some are convinced on the basis of hadith that a prophet will be sent to them, while some say that it is not the case and it will be seen whether they were convinced of tawhid [oneness of Allah] as much as they should have been according to the fitrah [nature]. If they were [firm in the belief of God’s unity], they will be treated as those who believed in unity of God and if they were not, it will be assumed that even if they were presented with an opportunity, they would not have taken advantage of it. Hence, they do not take advantage of what is in front of them and insist for signs in the future. This clearly means that they will not benefit from them as well.
“It is also worth noting that those who are first to believe in [a prophet] benefit most from signs. On the other hand, those who have denied at first, benefit very rarely from later signs.
“Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra did not see any sign before believing [in the Holy Prophetsa]. However, he and others like him benefited from the signs that appeared [later on]. On the contrary, in the presence of these signs, the disbelievers could not identify the Holy Prophetsa.
“If you think about it, there were promises of success to the Holy Prophetsa, but history cannot safely assume that when success did come in the time of Hazrat Umarra, people of even one of the cities or towns believed by saying that they were waiting for the fulfillment of the prophecy of success. Hence, only those who believe at the outset take full advantage of the signs.
“Then, there is a given time for each happening. For example, if a person says that he will be blessed with a son and his wife is not pregnant at the time and signs of pregnancy appear after a while, then a reason to believe arises. Then, he will have to wait for nine months. However, if someone says that he should be born today, it will be his fault. Hence, first it must be seen whether Mirza Sahib’sas Jamaat has the ability to grow or not. If it has that ability, then we will have to wait until the appointed time. Moreover, we will have to wait as long as Hazrat Mirza Sahibas has said.
“In order to find the growing ability [of our Jamaat], we will look at the teachings and books of Hazrat Mirza Sahibas.
“Hazrat Mirza Sahibas has provided such arguments that Christians cannot stand against them. In fact, no other religion can compete with them.
“Presently, people are in denial because of their stubborn attachment with their ancestral [religion]. However, they will not be able to compete with reason for long. Eventually, they will have to believe [in the Promised Messiahas].”
The reason for gradual progress
[Hazrat Khalifatul Masihra further said]:
“Also keep in mind that if all Christians become Muslims at once, they may corrupt all the Muslims because we are only a few million Muslims, who are not enough to teach all the Christians. The natural rule is that work is done by gradual increase in strength.
“If all medicines are put in the mortar at once, they will be ruined. If you add them one by one, they will be prepared in the best way. In the same way, teachings [of Islam] will be taught to the whole world by producing teachers through a gradual process.
“It is said that he who invented chess presented the boardgame to the king. The king was pleased and wanted to reward him. The person requested the king to put cowries [a currency – 1 damri (i.e. 1 ⁄ 256 rupee) roughly equates to 10 cowries] in all the squares of the chess board, but to double it each time. In the first square, he placed one cowrie; in the second, two; in the third, four and in each of the next squares, he placed double of that in the previous square.
“The king considered him mad, saying, ‘He asks for nothing. If he would have asked for half of my kingdom, I would have given it to him.’ However, the man insisted on this technique.
“Finally, the king ordered to reward him as he wished. The treasurer came and said that the treasury was empty while the chess board squares were still remaining.
“There are 64 squares on a chess board. If we calculate [the amount], it surpasses several billion rupees. Hence, gradual progress is much stable and significant. The same will happen in our respect.”
Lecture
The Ahmadiyya Intercollegiate Association was to commence a 15-day rally at 7pm in the evening. Since Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] was there, the students desired for Huzoor[ra] to address the gathering. Huzoor[ra] accepted their request and gave a speech.
The sadr of this meeting was Chaudhry Zafrulla Khan Sahib. He stated in his speech that it was not a public festival but a jalsa similar to the 15-day gathering of the Ahmadi Students’ Anjuman of the college.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih’s speech lasted for two hours. Its topic was, Our Real Purpose and Ways to Achieve it. Below is the summary of this speech:
After reciting the first section of Surah al-Mominun, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] said that Islam says that the real purpose is falah [true success] and other religions consider mukti [salvation] to be the only objective. There is a difference between falah and salvation. Falah means to achieve true success and salvation means to be saved from bad consequences.
Islam has also considered salvation and so have other [religions], but their true objective is not falah. This remarkable objective has been taught to us in Surah al-Fatihah and then, in the first ruku of Surah al-Baqarah also.
Thereafter, Huzoor[ra] counted the various requirements of human beings as seven. He said that these seven natural desires of human beings cannot be considered the main objective of our lives. In fact, a Supreme and Eternal Being can only be considered man’s true objective and that is God. The one who finds God, has everything.
Then, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] explained as to how one could achieve this objective. Firstly, he drew the attention of everyone towards prayers. Secondly, he expressed to produce divine attributes in oneself.
Huzoor[ra] then said that no one could destroy a person who achieved the said [objective].
After the lecture, Prof Abdul Qadir Sahib MA and Prof Muzaffaruddin Sahib MSc, met with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra]. The latter raised some objections on spiritualism and Huzoor[ra] answered [his queries].
7 March 1921
After the Fajr prayer, a person asked a question in reference to:
فَبِهُدٰهُمُ اقۡتَدِهۡ
[“So follow thou their guidance” (Surah al-An‘am, Ch.6: V.91)]. He said that this suggested that the Holy Prophetsa was commanded to follow the previous Shariah (divine law). Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] said:
“No, it is clear from the context that hujjat [guidance] and burhan [conclusive arguments] are meant by it. [The verse means that] as the earlier prophets were supported with the help of conclusive arguments and guidance, the Holy Prophetsa would also [be supported in the like manner]. It does not refer to Shariah but to factual realities and matters.
“Moreover, the Holy Prophetsa is not addressed in this, but the Companionsra or every reader is addressed that they should follow this guidance.”
Those who do not give chanda
It was asked that the Promised Messiahas said that a person who did not give chanda for three months was not an Ahmadi. However, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] says that we should keep reminding them for 10 years [to give chanda].
Huzoor[ra] responded by saying:
“The statement of the Promised Messiahas does not mean that they [who do not give chanda] become kafir [disbelievers], because kufr [disbelief] is considered in case of abandoning beliefs or denying Zakat. The denial of any other chanda does not render a person a kafir. However, if someone says that it is not necessary to abide by the teachings of the Promised Messiahas, then they will be guilty of committing kufr [by way of denial].”
How to get one’s rights from an oppressor?
A question was asked as to how one could get their rights from an oppressor.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] said:
“The [rights] should be demanded from an oppressor and if they do not comply, pray to God and He will Himself ensure [the rights are delivered].”
Departure from Lahore
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] boarded the express train at 2:05pm for Malerkotla. Members of the Jamaat were present at Lahore Station to bid him farewell.
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu in the 10 March 1921 issue of Al Fazl)