Al Fazl, 5 January 1922
22 November 1921
The election of a Khalifa is divine
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“It should also be remembered that whatever is done through God, even if His servants do it, it is still considered God’s work. Beyond any doubt, the people elect the khalifa, but God declares their selection [of the khalifa] to be His own selection. This method of selection also distinguishes between the prophets and the khulafa. If God directly chooses someone as a khalifa and says, ‘I appoint you as the khalifa’, then there would be no difference between that khalifa and a prophet. Thus, God has kept the responsibility of appointing a prophet, while the khalifa is elected through His servants. However, God helps his servants to elect [that person as a khalifa] whom He wills and also promises him support and succour. The majority of members of the Jamaat that is established by a prophet stand by the Khalifa. Therefore, when there was a disagreement in the time of Hazrat Alira, most of the Companionsra stood by Hazrat Alira.”
Khilafat of Prophet Adamas and Prophet Davidas
Hakim [Ahmad Hussain Lyallpuri] Sahib submitted that Prophet Adamas and Prophet Davidas had also been called khulafa in the Holy Quran.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“The word khalifa has broad meanings. The khilafat of Prophet Adamas and Prophet Davidas was of another kind and its characteristics were different. The said khilafat was a kind of prophethood. On the other hand, a tailor or a barber etc. are also called khalifa. Consequently, someone might say, ‘I saw five khulafa who used to work as tailors, so why don’t the present [khulafa] do it.’ [He will] thus be told that their khilafat was of another kind and the present khilafat is different.”
The issue of Khilafat is secondary
Hakim Sahib submitted that the said explanation would satisfy the believers of the Holy Quran, but asked what the argument would be for the disbelievers of the Holy Quran.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“The issue of khilafat is a secondary matter. For example, if a denier of Islam says as to why there are two rak‘aat in the Fajr prayer, three rak‘aat in the Asr prayer and four rak‘aat in the Maghrib prayer, then he will be told that it is a secondary matter which is based on transmission. The fundamental matters are based on reason, while secondary matters are based on transmission. We will not discuss the khilafat or the rak‘aat of prayers with the deniers of Islam; rather, we will talk about the fundamentals of the truth of Islam. When he will accept them, then we will draw his attention towards the discussion of transmitted matters to settle secondary issues.
“Hazrat Alira said, ‘If the secondary issues were based on reason, then I would have instructed to do masah [running partially wet hands over the feet] on the soles of the feet rather than over the feet.’ However, the said case is not of reasoning but is of transmission. No matter how many points we bring up in a secondary matter and present philosophical notions, its significance will be no more than aesthetics. Therefore, the issue of khilafat is not a fundamental matter, it is a secondary one, which is not related to the denier of Islam but rather to the believer in Islam.”
The philosophy of durood
Hakim Sahib said, “It is stated in the Holy Quran:
اِنَّ اللّٰهَ وَ مَلٰٓئِكَتَهٗ يُصَلُّوۡنَ عَلَي النَّبِيِّ ؕ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا صَلُّوۡا عَلَيۡهِ وَ سَلِّمُوۡا تَسۡلِيۡمًا
“[‘Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe, you too should invoke blessings on him and salute him with the salutation of peace’ (Surah Al-Ahzab, Ch.33: V.57)]. When Allah the Almighty is sending durood on the Holy Prophetsa, then invoking blessings [on the Holy Prophetsa] by us is a vain effort.”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“Invoking durood [on the Holy Prophetsa] by us is not a vain practice. We believe in the fact that God Almighty is the Sustainer, but we still give charity. So, is this action of ours in vain? No, because in this way we become an instrument for expressing the attributes of God Almighty and His mercy encompasses us as well. For instance, someone’s child is playing and [we know that] a father loves his son. If we ask him to give sweets to his child, then even though the sweets belong to the father, he will still be happy to hear that and start loving us too. Hence, this is not a vain action. In the same way, by doing what God Almighty does, we become worthy of God’s grace.
“Secondly, there is a difference in the elevation of status. When God Almighty invokes durood, then the result is that the Holy Prophetsa advances from the previous level and reaches the next level. If everything is simply based on knowledge [of God], then [why] is there continuity in the word يُصَلُّوْنَ i.e. the said action should continue or that God keeps sending durood. Thus, when God knew, not only 1300 years ago, but from eternity as to what is the limit of the status of the Holy Prophetsa, then God Almighty should have bestowed mercy on the Holy Prophetsa all at once and elevated him to that status. However, it is clear from يُصَلُّوْنَ that the said action continues and the status of the Holy Prophetsa is continuously rising. Consequently, when mankind also joins in the said act of God, there is further advancement in the status of the Holy Prophetsa. As God does not want to be left behind by His servants, He thus continues to shower more and more blessings upon the Holy Prophetsa that are much more than the previous one.
“Ponder over بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ [In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful]. God bestows grace on His servant under rahmaniyyat [graciousness]. Thereafter, when the servant receives more blessings under rahimiyyat [mercy], the rahmaniyyat of God does not lag behind. Rather, it lifts the servant further up. God’s rahmaniyyat does not work all at once but continues to work at all times, as the Holy Prophetas said, ‘Recite بِسۡمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ before doing any good deed.’ If it is not read, then that work is worthless and unblessed. Hence, there is a continuum of this rahmaniyyat and rahimiyyat. At first, the servant receives grace from rahmaniyyat and then progresses under rahimiyyat. Thereafter, God Almighty grants a new light of rahmaniyyat and then the servant advances ahead with rahimiyyat. In this way, this series [of rahmaniyyat and rahimiyyat] continues. Likewise, there is a series of durood. God Almighty sends blessings on the Holy Prophetsa which elevates his previous status to the next level and then the servant invokes durood and so he progresses to the advanced level. Thereafter, God sends more blessings on him. Then, the servant prays for his benefactor [the Holy Prophetsa] and his status rises. Consequently, God showers more and more mercy on His beloved.”
Need to recite “Kama sallaita ala Ibrahim”
Hakim Sahib asked, “Then what is the need to recite ‘Kama sallaita ala Ibrahim [As You blessed Abraham]’ in durood?”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“One can never witness perfect resemblance. Two things are always distinct and they can never be exactly the same. Hence, there is always a certain particular aspect which is similar in resemblance. Consequently, it was revealed to Prophet Abrahamas that prophethood and messengership have been limited to his descendants. In this respect, Prophet Abrahamas has a resemblance to the Holy Prophetsa. However, the said resemblance is incomplete, but still it exists.
“For instance, we also call the Promised Messiahas to be the embodiment of Prophet Jesusas, but at the same time, we also believe him to be greater than him in all respects. In the same way, although the Holy Prophetsa has similarities with Prophet Abrahamas, at the same time the Holy Prophetsa is superior to Prophet Abrahamas. There was a promise [of God] to continue prophethood in the progeny [of Prophet Abrahamas]. In the same way, [He promised] here [to continue prophethood in the progeny the Holy Prophetsa] and it means his followers. However, there is one more thing here and that is that God Almighty has also fixed that at the time of every strife, the Holy Prophet’ssa descendant, or in other words one of his followers, will be appointed as a reformer. This is the result of the said durood and we also observe that whoever invokes durood on the Holy Prophetsa with a sincere heart, God Almighty grants them the strength to believe in the appointed one of the time. As for how we know who invokes durood with a sincere heart, then only God knows that. We can only come to know of this from the outcome [of someone’s durood]. For example, God says:
وَ الَّذِيۡنَ جَاهَدُوۡا فِيۡنَا لَنَهۡدِيَنَّهُمۡ سُبُلَنَا
“[‘And as for those who strive in Our path – We will surely guide them in Our ways’], but only God knows who is doing true jihad. However, when the final outcome appears, we all understand that so and so did jihad.
23 November 1921
Vision about Aryas violating debate terms
After performing the [Asr] prayer, Huzoor[ra] turned to Sheikh Nawab Din Sahib (officer mail) and said, “Have you received any report from Lahore about the debate?” Sheikh Sahib replied, “No report has been received thus far.”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“At night, I saw a divine vision and it continued almost all night. It appears from it that the delegation missed the train. I was surprised and said that the delegation left on the afternoon of 21 November 1921, then how did it miss the train. It seemed very disturbing. As Mian Abdul Salam (son of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira) was also along with them, he came forward. When I saw that scene, I finally said in a loud voice, ‘Salaam’. Only Allah knows best as to what [the vision] meant. God forbid they had any disagreement among themselves. However, the end seems good.”
Thereafter, Sheikh Sahib began to present the mail. Huzoor[ra] had replied to around 10 to 15 letters, when a gentleman from Lahore arrived and presented a written statement on the situation there [in Lahore] to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra]. The person said that the Aryas had violated all the accepted conditions set between the two parties and had refused to comply with the said terms. They [the Aryas] asked where Sheikh Nawab-ud-Din Sahib was who had set the conditions. After much deliberation, when it became clear that the Aryas were adamantly refusing to accept the terms of the agreed and decided representatives, we announced that we would hold a discussion on whatever conditions the Aryas wanted. Thus, the first debate took place in which all the Muslims chanted slogans of “Allahu Akbar”[Allah is the greatest].
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“The missing of the train meant that you (Sheikh Nawab-ud-Din Sahib) did not go [with the delegation] and the salaam at the end meant that no matter how many times the Aryas break the agreement, the end will be good [for us].”
24 November 1921
Divine vision about the debate of Lahore
Huzoor[ra] enquired from the Deputy Editor, “Have you received any more news from Lahore about the debate?” He replied, “No”. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] then said:
“The letter we have already received shows that the dispute was decided at 10 o’clock. Thereafter, the debate began. Hence, the debate was going on when I saw the vision, as I fell asleep at 10 o’clock. Maulvi Rahim Bakhsh Sahib (Nazir Tabligh) also saw a similar vision. He saw that he himself had missed a train but finally got into the guard’s carriage.”
Be competent and you will get the government
Huzoor[ra] said in reference to Gandhi Ji, “He has now issued a message to the mischief-makers of Bombay [now Mumbai]. It states, ‘I [Gandhi] thought you have been reformed, but it was my misapprehension.’”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“These people do not understand morality. These people think that merely saying something is morality. If high morals are achieved first, then the government will be formed automatically. There will be no need to fight with any other government. Look at the colonies, the governments automatically gave freedom to them. No son ever has to fight with his parents for his rights for when he matures, he gets them automatically. Look at the animals, they never fight an animal that is stronger than them. They look into each other’s eyes and separate. Even if they clash, it is a very minor one. Hence, when the governments know that the people of a certain country have become capable, they are automatically compelled to give them governance.”
It takes years to achieve high morals
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“The difference between the prophets and people is that the moral training of those who sit in the company of the prophets takes place in years. On the other hand, the people [like Gandhi] think that if they say something one day, the the moral condition gets corrected instantaneously. For example, two years ago, Mr Gandhi described the moral plight of India as bad and called the people incompetent. Then, less than a year later, he declared the nation worthy of Swaraj and described their moral condition as excellent. However, now he has to declare that he did not fully understand their condition.”
A unified nation is necessary for progress
Regarding the Egyptian delegation, Huzoor[ra] said:
“The Egyptian delegation has returned without a settlement. As Muslims are dominant there and even Coptic people etc. have joined the Muslims, there is unity and the whole nation has a unified goal and a common vision. However, there is no unity in the nation of India. A unified nation is necessary for the development of a country.
An advantage in the present religious debates
After the [Asr] prayer, Maulvi Jalaluddin Sahib, who had come from Lahore, briefly described the success of the debate.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“One of the benefits of these discussions is that Muslims who have deviated from religion and become immersed in politics will be drawn to religion.”
Representatives of all religions on one stage
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih[ra] said:
“At this time, it is necessary to hold such gatherings in which people of other religions should be invited to come and present the qualities of their respective religions. However, they should not raise objections on other religions.”
The action of Moplahs is against the shariah [divine law]
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said:
“The action of the Moplahs should be strongly objected to and it should be revealed to the world that their action goes against the shariah [Islamic law].”
Huzoor[ra] further said:
“This is not the right way that when someone commits a crime, you ignore it. Not only ignore it, but also support and sympathise with the perpetrators. In this way, there will be no aversion to crime. On two occasions, the Hindus burned the Muslims. The Hindus then sympathised with the killers, although they should have been the ones to punish them severely, so that in future, other Hindus would not have the courage to commit such heinous acts. On the other hand, whatever the Moplahs have now done, the Muslims should not sympathise with the murderers. If they do [not support the criminals], there will be sincere reconciliation between the two nations. However, if both the nations continue to sympathise and support their criminals, then their hearts will never be free of hatred [towards each other].”
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original in the 5 January 1922 issue of Al Fazl)