Al Fazl, 12 & 19 June 1922
23 May 1922
[…] Objections of opponents in the books of the Promised Messiah
Maulvi Muhammad Ismail Sahib, (who delivers dars [religious sermon] daily of the books of the Promised Messiahas after the Fajr prayer), asked Huzoor[ra], “There are books of the Promised Messiahas that are not his regular writings but are debates. For example, the Promised Messiah’s debates with Maulvi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi, Maulvi Bashir, Abdullah Atham, etc. Should only the Promised Messiah’s part of those debates be presented before the audience or should the papers of opponents be read out as well?”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih [IIra] said:
“The papers of opponents should also be read out, because without them, how would the listeners understand the answers of the Promised Messiahas?”
Objections of opponents in the Holy Quran
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said:
“When we take a look at the Holy Quran, we observe how clearly the objections of the kuffar [disbelievers] are mentioned in it. Their objections have been cited at several places [of the Holy Quran] beginning with the words, قالوا [‘They said’]. For example, the Holy Quran says:
وَقَالُوۡۤا ءَاِذَا ضَلَلۡنَا فِي الۡاَرۡضِ ءَاِنَّا لَفِيۡ خَلۡقٍ جَدِيۡدٍ ۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ بِلِقَآئِ رَبِّهِمۡ كٰفِرُوۡنَ
[‘And they say, “What! when we are lost in the earth, shall we then become a new creation?” Nay, but they are disbelievers in the meeting of their Lord.’]
“This is such a big objection that even the scientists have not been able to raise a bigger objection to this day. The disbelievers say that when they would die and their particles would mix in the dust, then how would they be created again. They say that their particles would then disperse from one place to another.
“Though the Holy Quran has mentioned the above objection of the disbelievers in a few words, it has presented it in a very clear manner. At the same time, the Holy Quran has followed it with a very strong and precise answer as well. [Allah the Almighty] says:
قُلۡ يَتَوَفّٰكُمۡ مَّلَكُ الۡمَوۡتِ الَّذِيۡ وُكِّلَ بِكُمۡ ثُمَّ اِلٰي رَبِّكُمۡ تُرۡجَعُوۡنَ
[‘Say, “The angel of death that has been put in charge of you will cause you to die; then to your Lord will you be brought back.”’]
“[God says] that, ‘Tell the disbelievers that it is not a difficult thing to create them again. The real thing is the soul that feels the punishment and we have appointed an angel to bring out the soul. Thus, when the soul is safe with us, the particles of the body no matter where they are will not be needed and the disbelievers will be recreated.’ It is a precise yet a very remarkable discussion.”
25 May 1922
Misunderstandings about Lailatul-Qadr [the night of destiny]
On the mention that on the night of Lailatul-Qadr, when the special hour of the acceptance of prayers comes, people fall asleep, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said:
“Like many other misunderstandings, this misconception has also become popular among the Muslims, because if it is true, it means that God gives you something with one hand and takes it away with the other.”
Wisdom behind Lailatul-Qadr
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said:
“God Almighty has blessed us with Lailatul-Qadr that is a wonderful thing. God Almighty always hears and accepts prayers, and at that time [i.e. at the hour of Lailatul-Qadr], He does not get any unusual power to accept prayers that did not exist before. Then, why did Allah the Almighty set a special time for the acceptance of prayers? He presented this opportunity so that those who are lazy in praying and bowing before Allah the Almighty may also turn to prayers thinking that since more prayers are accepted on this occasion and this is a special occasion to pray, they may pray as well. Those who do not even take advantage of this opportunity and do not engage in prayers, there is no doubt that they are away from religion. Like dough, etc., is used to catch the fish [as bait], God Almighty has provided such opportunities to attract His servants.”
Al Fazl, 19 June 1922
18 May 1922
The delight of working during fasts
These days, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih [IIra] is writing an important book. On the mention of this book, Huzoor[ra] said:
“It is a great delight to work during fasting. The time spent on eating and drinking is saved during fasts and it is utilised in working. If it is not Ramadan, I get frequently informed to have a meal, or that it was getting cold.”
The spring of Dalhousie
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih [IIra] said:
“In Dalhousie, we saw a small spring. There are mountains around it, and the trees on the mountains go down to a field in a sequence. In the middle of this field is that natural spring which is very deep. There is also a small floating island in it. It is famous about the depth of this spring that a Hindu hermit sat by its side for 12 years and kept weaving rope and putting it into the water with a stone at the end of it but could not find its depth. Finally, he said, “You [the spring] are Parameshwar [deity].” He then jumped into it and died.
“It is also famous that the protector of the aforementioned island is a snake and so it is dangerous to go there. There is also a temple on it and a lot of gambling happens there. We wanted to go and see that island. The people stopped us and scared us a lot, but their Parameshwar or snake deity could not have any effect on a Muslim.
“Firstly, Dr Hashmatullah Sahib went there. He tied a rope to the island’s reed and pulled it to the edge of the spring. A boat was built for us by binding planks of wood, and slowly we all reached the island. Azan was called [at different spots] of the island to stop the spread of the polytheistic views that were popular about it. There was no snake, nor did we have any trouble going there by the grace of God. Its name is ‘Khajiar’. The associates said that its real name was ‘Khazra’ that later changed to ‘Khajiar’.” [This site can still be visited today.][…]
20 May 1922
Interpretation of dreams
Commenting on the interpretation of dreams, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said:
“The way in which the dreams have been disgraced in the present age has never happened before. Sometimes, there is a clear incident [in a dream], but they still ask about its interpretation. For example, if I tell them [about their dream] that God will shower His blessings, they still ask me its interpretation. Some of them are confused dreams. There are some dreams that we cannot distinguish between them and true dreams. Some people’s dreams are irritatingly long which are just the result of indigestion, but they ask about their interpretations. Dreams that are true and from Allah are short and if they are long then they are recurrent. Some dreams that are asked to be interpreted are such that, ‘I flew to a certain place, sat in the boat there, then I grabbed a horse, and so on’, i.e. they are scattered thoughts. Instead of deciding for themselves, such people want us to tell them that those dreams are the result of overeating.”
“Some dreams do not require interpretation. Their interpretation is to act according to them. People keep asking about their interpretation. For example, I receive letters from many non-Ahmadis that they met Hazrat Mirza Sahib[as] in a dream and they took my bai‘at. They ask me about its interpretation. If an Ahmadi is asked about the interpretation of the aforesaid dream, they will certainly say, ‘Take bai‘at.’ However, if that incident requires an interpretation in their view, then instead of asking Ahmadis for its interpretation, they should ask a non-Ahmadi for the interpretation of that dream. If any Ahmadi would be asked to interpret it, he will say that they should act in accordance to the instruction [of the dream].”
Knowledge of [dream] interpretations
Sheikh Abdur Rahman Sahib Misri enquired about the rules of the interpretation [of dreams]. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said:
“This is a knowledge related to the heart [i.e. spiritual]. If given an opportunity by Allah the Almighty, I intend to write a book on the interpretation of dreams. Old books about the interpretation of dreams need a lot of refinement. Someone wrote a dream to me. I do not remember his complete dream at the time, but he had mentioned about a link [of a chain]. I wrote to him that one of his close relatives would fall ill. He wrote back that his wife got ill. Apparently, there is nothing certain [about a dream], but something is revealed from the above [God]. Presently, with dreams, it seems that murakkabat [a collection of elements] are more involved than mufradat [single elements]. Nowadays, the dreams carry a lot of aspects. In such cases, the interpreter has to draw different conclusions from different elements of the dream. The Promised Messiahas and Hazrat Khalifa I used to say that, ‘This knowledge [of dream interpretation] has changed greatly.’”
Speaking Arabic in dreams
Meanwhile, a person said that he saw [in a dream] that he was speaking in Arabic. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said:
“This means you can preach. Arabic means that the things you will say to the people, they will understand.”
Continuing the previous discussion, Huzoor[ra] said:
“Something else appears [in the dream] to what is actually going to happen. For example, if someone is going to be informed about the stages of his progress, he is shown the opposite, like he is being hanged or being put on a cross. Being put on the cross means that the sufferings one endured and what came to mind about them, those suffering would befall him as he progressed by those envious of him. However, it may be that the crucifixion means his destruction, but there will be some aspects of the dream that will lead to that outcome.”
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu in the 12 and 19 June 1922 issue of Al Fazl)