In this third year of Al Hakam, we will present a selection of incidents from the blessed life of the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, this time, with some more details
15 May 1898: The Promised Messiahas wrote a letter to Hazrat Haji Allah Rakha Abdur Rahmanra updating him about the plague. Hazrat Ahmadas wrote that around 80 villages near Qadian were under severe attack from the plague and even in Qadian, some residents also experienced mild symptoms, but everyone recovered without the use of any medicine. Huzooras informed him that he, along with his son Bashir Ahmad, son-in-law of Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddinra and Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaqra, developed moderate indications of the sickness.
15 May 1899: The Promised Messiahas sent a letter to Hafiz Muhammad Yusuf Sahib about the so-called revelations of Munshi Ilahi Bakhsh Sahib. Hazrat Ahmadas desired to reach a decisive point in this regard. Huzooras added that in accordance to his wish, he thereby invited Munshi Sahib thrice on oath in precise wordings that he was allowed to publish all of his so-called revelations so that everyone could easily recognise their true saviour.
15 May 1899: The Promised Messiahas informed his companion Hazrat Haji Seith Allah Rakha Abdur Rahmanra that he had received a telegram from Madras, present day Chennai, that Seith Sahib reached his destination safely.
16 May 1878: Munshi Gurdiyal, a teacher in a middle school of Chiniot, wrote an article in Aftab-e-Punjab, which was published on this date. In it, he dealt with the Samajist belief regarding all souls being uncreated. As he addressed Hazrat Ahmadas in his article, Hazrat Ahmadas wrote a reply which silenced the Munshi forever.
16 May 1889: The Promised Messiahas replied to Hazrat Munshi Rustam Alira commending one of his works on a certain topic of Islamic history. In the letter, Hazrat Ahmadas expressed his discomfort about some rules of printing presses.
16 May 1893: Riaz-e-Hind Press, Amritsar published the Promised Messiah’sas Urdu book Sachai ka Izhar (An Exposition of the Truth).
16 May 1897: Zia-ul-Islam Press Qadian published an Urdu book of the Promised Messiahas titled Istifta (An Inquiry).
16 May 1898: The Promised Messiahas encouraged his close friend Hazrat Haji Seith Allah Rakha Abdur Rahmanra to write to Huzooras for prayers when he was worried.
17 May 1908: The Promised Messiahas was told by God in Persian about his age:
مكن تكيہ برعمرِ ناپائيدار
(Do not put your trust in the uncertain life.)
Regarding this revelation, Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Shamsra wrote, “The year of death has also been revealed in this revelation. Its numerical value, according to the abjad system, is 1326,” pointing towards 1326 AH.
18 May 1900: The famous Lord Bishop George Alfred LeFroy (1854-1919) started delivering a series of public lectures and declared that while Muhammadsa had died and was buried in Medina, Muslims hold that Jesusas is still alive in heaven. Once, after a speech, the audience was given the opportunity to discuss the matter. A sincere disciple and faithful friend of the Promised Messiahas, Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiqra stood up and read a paper from the Promised Messiahas, which he had written only the previous day and was printed at Qadian the same night. This companion had come to Lahore to attend the above-mentioned meeting. An important peculiarity of the article was that it contained a full reply to all the criticisms of the Lord Bishop. In his article, the Promised Messiahas advanced irrefutable arguments in favour of the death of Jesusas and that the prophet who lives forever was none else than the Holy Prophetsa, whose beneficence shall continue till the end of days. He said, “I am the living proof of this claim and no one can stand against me.” At the end of the article, the Promised Messiahas wrote, “God has sent me to provide proof that the everlasting book is only the Holy Quran and that the living faith is only Islam and that the only living prophet is Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Listen, I call the heaven and the earth as witness that all that I tell you is true, and the true God is the One described in the Muslim creed, ‘There is no God but Allah’.” As soon as the article was read out, the crowd echoed with the call, “Long live Islam!” and the Lord Bishop was completely flabbergasted and merely said, “It appears that you are a follower of the Mirza. We do not wish to have anything to do with you. We are only addressing the Muslims.” At this, the Muslims who were present in the gathering in a very large number said that though the followers of the Mirza were, in their view, infidels, yet it is they who had saved the face of lslam that day.
19 May 1892: The Promised Messiahas sent a letter to Hazrat Munshi Rustam Alira mentioning that Huzooras was planning to prepare a publication to uproot certain misconceptions. Hazrat Ahmadas also advised him to share a book of Hazrat Shah Waliullahrh, which he had borrowed from a certain Maulvi Sahib.
20 May 1895: The Promised Messiah’sas book, Zia-ul-Haq (The Light of Truth) was published at Zia-ul-Islam Press Qadian. It was an early publication of the above-mentioned historic press. This book deals with contemporary developments in the case with Abdullah Atham.
20 May 1902: The Promised Messiahas expressed his concerns about long delays in receiving a letter from his faithful companion Hazrat Haji Seith Allah Rakha Abdur Rahmanra. This letter adds to our information that Hazrat Ahmadas was suffering poor health due to dysentery in those days.
20 May 1908: The Promised Messiahas was occupied in drafting his last book Paigham-e-Sulh (A Message of Peace) and received the Arabic revelation:
اَلرَّحِيْلُ ثُمَّ الرَّحِيْلُ وَالْمَوْتُ قَرِيْبٌ
(It is time to march; again, it is time to march and death is near.)
21 May 1879: The Promised Messiah’sas written debate with Pandit Shiv Narayan Agnihotri commenced on the topic of “The need of revelation”. This correspondence lasted until 17 June. Primarily, this Pandit stood as an advocate of Brahmu Samaj’s views, but in front of the powerful and rational arguments of the Promised Messiahas, he felt compelled to abandon his previous beliefs of Brahmu Samaj and founded a new school of thought: Dev Samaj.
21 May 1883: The Promised Messiahas wrote a letter to Mir Abbas Ali of Ludhiana. In this letter, Hazrat Ahmadas also addressed Maulvi Abdul Qadir of Ludhiana. Huzooras explained to him about the true philosophy of prayer and also added that God Almighty himself had sent some men with an ardent ambition to bring reforms among the people.
21 May 1886: The Promised Messiahas wrote a letter to Haji Waliullah Sahib of Kapurthala, who was posted there at an influential post, informing him about the printing of Huzoor’sas new books like Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Siraj-e-Munir, Surma Chasham-e-Arya etc. Huzooras wrote that he had purchased paper for printing the books after borrowing 500 rupees.
21 May 1906: Two students of Medical School, who had boycotted the classes, approached the Promised Messiahas to get some advice on the matter. They shared their viewpoints and highlighted their grievances. Hazrat Ahmadas guided them to resume their studies and shun all sorts of rebellion. Huzoor’sas wise words uttered on this date are a model for all those who call for walkouts and strikes over petty reasons.