How does the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community explain the inheritance of the Promised Messiah (as)?
Someone sent Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, the following objection raised by a relative of theirs: “According to ahadith, the heirs of the Holy Prophetsa continued to benefit from his property according to circumstances, but did not become its owners as heirs. However, the property of the Promised Messiahas was distributed among his heirs as an inheritance. Furthermore, the Promised Messiahas has written in the exegesis of وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنٰہُمۡ یُنۡفِقُوۡنَ that Prophets spend whatever ownership they possess and do not save even a single dinar in their homes.” Upon this, he asked how this should be answered.
Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 7 November 2023, provided the following guidance regarding this question:
“The first point is that this objection contradicts the teaching of the Holy Quran because the Holy Quran states in clear words:
وَوَرِثَ سُلَیۡمٰنُ دَاوٗدَ
“‘Solomon inherited from David.’ (Surah an-Naml, Ch.27: V.17)
“Thus, your assertion that the inheritance of Prophets is not divided is an entirely false objection. Prophet Davidas was a Prophet and his inheritance was received by Prophet Solomonas, who was also a Prophet himself.
“Hazrat Qatadahra states:
وَرَّثَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى سُلَيْمَانَ مِنْ دَاوُدَ مُلْكَهُ وَنُبُوَّتَهُ وَزَادَهُ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرَيْنِ سَخَّرَ لَهُ الرِّيحَ وَالشَّيَاطِينَ.
“‘Allah the Almighty made Solomon the heir to both the kingdom and prophethood of Davidas and further subjugated the winds and rebellious [men] for Solomonas.’ (Tafsir al-Kabir by ar-Razi, Surah al-Anbiya, verse 79)
“Thus, Hazrat Solomonas became the recipient of the worldly and religious, physical and spiritual inheritance of his father, Hazrat Davidas, who was a Prophet.
“The second point is that regarding what is mentioned in the hadith that the Holy Prophetsa said,
‘We have no heirs; whatever we leave behind is charity’,
Hazrat Umarra stated that this referred specifically to the person of the Holy Prophetsa himself. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Bab hadithi bani n-nadir)
“Therefore, firstly, this statement of the Holy Prophetsa specifically referred to his own person and this was not a principle for the rest of the Prophets. Secondly, in this hadith, the Holy Prophetsa is declaring his estate as charity, whereas in another hadith, while removing a date of charity from the mouth of Hazrat Imam Hasanra with his finger, the Holy Prophetsa said,
‘Do you not know that we do not eat charity?’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab az-zakat, Bab ma yudhkaru fi s-sadaqati li-n-nabiyyisa)
How, then, did his heirs continue to benefit from this charity according to the circumstances?
“In reality, this means that from the wealth and properties that Allah the Almighty bestowed upon the Holy Prophetsa during various conquests, he spent much of it in the way of Allah. He retained some property, which included the garden of Fadak in Khaibar and the land of Banu Nadir in Medina, for his own living expenses and those of his household. He continued to fulfil his own and his household’s living expenses from it during his lifetime and even after his demise, his heirs continued to benefit from this property in the same manner. However, Hazrat Umarra entrusted this inheritance to the Holy Prophet’ssa heirs, Hazrat Abbasra and Hazrat Alira, during the second year of his Khilafat. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Bab hadithi bani n-nadir) Therefore, it is incorrect to say that the Holy Prophet’ssa inheritance was not received by his heirs.
“As for the inheritance of the Promised Messiahas, Huzooras had dedicated his most valuable property in the way of Allah; that is, he granted his own personally owned land for Bahishti Maqbarah, Qadian. At the time of his demise, his home was completely empty of worldly wealth and riches. Accordingly, upon his demise, Hazrat Amma Janra gave the following advice to the children:
‘Children! Seeing the house empty, do not think that your father has left nothing for you. He has left a tremendously heavy treasure of prayers for you in heaven, which you will continue to receive at the appropriate times.’ (Daily Al Fazl, Rabwah, No. 16, Vol. 51, dated 19 January 1962, p. 15)
In light of the Quranic verse وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنٰہُمۡ یُنۡفِقُوۡنَ, his stance and practice were exactly this: that Prophets spend whatever ownership they possess in the way of Allah and do not save even a single dinar in their homes.
“Apart from the land for the Bahishti Maqbarah Qadian, the remaining land had no significance or value whatsoever. It remained useless for a long period and the heirs derived absolutely no benefit from it. Later, during the era of the Khilafat of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, when this land was sold in the form of residential plots, only then did this land acquire some significance and value. Even at that time, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra spent the majority of the income from this land strictly on the works of the Jamaat.”
What is the meaning of ‘nur’ (light) in the Holy Quran?
Someone from Indonesia enquired from Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, whether “nur” is synonymous with “light.” Furthermore, what is the difference between physical light and spiritual light? Are angels physical light?
Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 13 November 2023, provided the following answer:
“Allah the Almighty has described ‘nur’ as guidance and ‘zulmah’ as misguidance and this has been stated at numerous places in the Holy Quran. The words ‘nur’ and ‘zulmah’ have actually been used allegorically; they cannot be likened merely to physical light and physical darkness, as it is stated:
“‘Allah is the friend of those who believe: He brings them out of every [kind of] darkness into light. And those who disbelieve, their friends are the transgressors who bring them out of light into every [kind of] darkness. These are the inmates of the Fire; therein shall they abide.’ (Surah al-Baqarah, Ch.2: V.258)
“The Promised Messiahas states while expounding upon this subject:
“‘Light comes from God Almighty to remedy the Age of Darkness and that light is His Messenger and His Book. With this light, God shows the way to those who seek His pleasure and so God delivers them out of every kind of darkness into light and guides them to the right path.’ (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part IV, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 1, pp. 648-649)
“Allah the Almighty has also used the word ‘nur’ for the Holy Quran, which is the fountainhead of guidance, as He states:
یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّاسُ قَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ بُرۡہَانٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ وَاَنۡزَلۡنَاۤ اِلَیۡکُمۡ نُوۡرًا مُّبِیۡنًا (Surah an-Nisa, Ch.4: V.175)
“Translating this verse, the Promised Messiahas states:
“‘O mankind! The Quran is a conclusive proof that you have received from God Almighty and it is a manifest light that has been sent down to you.’ (Karamat-us-Sadiqeen, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 7, p. 56)
“The word ‘nur’ has also been used for the sharias revealed to earlier Prophets. As it is stated:
“‘Say: ‘Who revealed the Book which Moses brought, a light and guidance for the people?’’ (Surah al-An‘am, Ch.6: V.92)
“The word ‘nur’ has also been used for the holy personage of the Holy Prophetsa, as it is stated:
قَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ نُوۡرٌ وَّکِتٰبٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ
“‘There has come to you indeed from Allah a Light and a clear Book.’ (Surah al-Ma’idah, Ch.5: V.16)
“In the exegesis of this verse, the Promised Messiahas states:
“Prophets are those high personages who have partaken of this inner light so abundantly and so perfectly that they have become the very embodiment of light. This is why the Holy Quran calls the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, nur [light] and siraj-e-munir [a lamp that gives bright light], as it is said:
قَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ نُوۡرٌ وَّکِتٰبٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ — Part number 6
وَّدَاعِیًا اِلَی اللّٰہِ بِاِذۡنِہٖ وَسِرَاجًا مُّنِیۡرًا — Part number 22
“Herein lies the wisdom as to why such light of revelation – for which extraordinary and perfect inner light is a requirement – was bestowed only upon Prophets and was confined to them alone.” (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Parts I-IV, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 1, p. 196, footnote 11)
“Thus, ‘nur’ is that divine essence which is bestowed by Allah the Almighty upon every righteous and pure person according to their spiritual capacity, righteousness and piety. Since Allah the Almighty is the source of this light, He has used this word for Himself as well. As it is stated:
اَللّٰہُ نُوۡرُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ
“‘Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.’ (Surah an-Nur, Ch.24: V.36)
“Explaining this verse, the Promised Messiahas states:
“‘Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. That is to say, every light that is visible in the heights or in the depths, whether in souls or bodies, whether innate or acquired, whether overt or covert, whether internal or external, is a bounty of His grace.
“‘This is an indication that the general grace of Hazrat Rabb-ul-‘Alamin [Lord of all the worlds] encompasses everything and that nothing is deprived of His grace. He is the Source of all grace and the ultimate Cause of all light and the Fountainhead of all mercies.’ (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Parts I-IV, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 1, p. 191, footnote 11)
“As for your question regarding angels, it is written that angels are also such a creation of Allah the Almighty that has been created from the very light of Allah the Almighty. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states concerning angels:
“‘The second point to remember regarding angels is that they are such a spiritual creation that man cannot see them in their original bodies with these physical eyes. If they were to be seen with these eyes, they would manifest in a form other than their original being. In other words, to see angels, one would require spiritual eyes rather than these physical ones; and if they were to be seen with these physical eyes, the angels would not be in their original bodies. Accordingly, Allah the Almighty states:
وَلَوۡ جَعَلۡنٰہُ مَلَکًا لَّجَعَلۡنٰہُ رَجُلًا وَّلَلَبَسۡنَا عَلَیۡہِمۡ مَّا یَلۡبِسُوۡنَ
“[Here, in Surah al-An‘am, Ch.6: V.10, Allah states that] ‘These people ask why an angel does not descend. However, if an angel were to come, it would do so in the form of a man; only then would they be able to see it. And when it comes in the form of a human, the ambiguity would remain: is this an angel or a man? Thus, the very doubt they are raising now would still persist, that this is not the Word of God but a human fabrication. Therefore, We would only send an angel if there were some benefit in doing so. But since people cannot see an angel with these physical eyes and if they do see one, it can only be in the form of a man, which would again lead them to object, an angel is not sent down. Hence, the existence of angels is hidden; they cannot be seen with these physical eyes.’’ (Malaikatullah, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 5, p. 490)
“Thus, ‘nur’ is not the name of ordinary light; rather, it is such a highly exalted essence bestowed by Allah the Almighty. It is this very light that becomes the cause of bringing one from misguidance to guidance and it is from this divine light that angels have been created. Man cannot see their original being with their physical eyes; rather, possessing spiritual eyes is essential to see their true existence.”
Is there a conflict between science and religion according to Islam?
A lady from the UK wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, asking whether science and God can coexist. She also asked if there is no such thing as free will. She requested guidance in this regard.
Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 18 November 2023, provided the following guidance regarding this matter:
“It is an entirely false notion and there is no evidence for it, that science and God cannot coexist. This is not our belief; rather, our belief is that there is absolutely no conflict between science and religion. Science is the act of God which has manifested in the world in the form of action and religion is His word, which reveals His intent through revelation and inspiration. When there can be no contradiction between the word and act of an ordinary intelligent human being, how can a contradiction be possible in the word and act of an All-Knowing and All-Wise Being like God? Therefore, if an apparent conflict is observed between religion and science on any matter, it should not be considered a real contradiction. Instead, such a conflict only appears because sometimes shortsighted people begin to consider even those things as established facts of science which are not actually established facts, but are merely theoretical constructs predicated on conjecture rather than empirical observation.
“Accordingly, while answering questions on various subjects from an English professor of astronomy, Professor Wragge, the Promised Messiahas stated regarding religion and science:
“‘This is exactly what my mission is and this is what I have been proving: that there is absolutely no conflict between science and religion. Rather, religion is in complete accord with science. And no matter how much science advances, it will never be able to show that the teachings of the Holy Quran and the principles of Islam are false.’ (Malfuzat, Vol. 10, UK: 2022, p. 378)
“Upon the request of the Science Union of Islamia College Lahore, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra delivered a masterpiece lecture entitled ‘Religion and Science’ on 3 March 1927 at Habibiya Hall, Lahore, under the chairmanship of Dr Sir Muhammad Iqbal. In it, he states:
“‘There is absolutely no conflict between religion and science, for religion is the Word of God and science is the Act of God. There can be no contradiction between the word and act of a wise being. Yes, if someone is a liar or insane, a contradiction may occur. Neither of these applies to God, for God is neither deficient in intellect nor deficient in morals. Thus, there is no disparity between the word and act of God; therefore, there is no clash between religion and science.’ (Mazhab aur Science, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 9, p. 499)
“He further stated:
“‘If a clash does appear, one must concede that either the religion has been misinterpreted (since the One who issues religious commandments is neither a liar nor insane), meaning people have misunderstood the religion or there has been an error in understanding the Act of God (science). Otherwise, both religion and science emanate from an Infallible Being, in Whose word and act a contradiction is impossible.’ (Mazhab aur Science, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 9, p. 500)
“In this lecture, Huzoorra also proved through various examples that religion and science are two streams flowing from the same source, between which there can be no conflict whatsoever. For detailed information, you should also study this lecture.
Does Islam believe in free will?
“The answer to your question regarding Free Will is that the actual objective of Islamic teaching is precisely that God Almighty has not compelled any human being to do good or evil. On the contrary, Allah the Almighty has clearly expounded the paths of both good and evil and has granted man the choice to tread whichever path he pleases, thereby making his life in the Hereafter one of Paradise or Hell. The Promised Messiahas, explaining the verse فَاَلۡہَمَہَا فُجُوۡرَہَا وَتَقۡوٰٮہَا (Surah ash-Shams, Ch.91: V.9), meaning, ‘And He revealed to it what is wrong for it and what is right for it’, states:
“‘With the creation of the soul of man, God has thrown open the doors to light and darkness, luxuriance and aridity. He who opts for the ways of darkness and sin or, in other words, the paths of evil, is allowed to approximate to the extreme logical end so much so that he comes to bear close resemblance to a dark night. He loses all taste except for sinfulness and depravity; he begins to enjoy and think evil; he likes evil companions and evil pastimes alone. Consistent with his evil-mindedness, he is motivated by sinfulness alone; he always thinks of vice and depravity and never of what is moral and good. On the other hand, if he chooses the enlightened path of piety, he is constantly guided by revelations which sustain the light. In other words, through special revelations, God helps the innate light, which is present like a seed in the seeker’s heart, attain perfection and thus He sets afire the spark of Divine communication. It is at this stage that on beholding his own inner light, which is so bright, and after experiencing its inherent property to radiate and absorb light to benefit and be benefited, one comes to believe with absolute conviction that in his own self too is present the light of the Sun as well as that of the Moon; that like the expansive, lofty and starry heavens, his bosom too is the repository of enlightened belief and courage and that his head and heart are the seat of capabilities which are resplendent quite like the stars. At this stage, he does not at all need any external evidence to comprehend this truth. Instead, the perennial spring of perfect truth now dwells within him and continues to quench his thirsty heart.’
(Taudhih-e-Maram, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, pp. 82-83)
“Expounding upon this same subject, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira states:
“‘The Holy, Blessed and Pure Being of God Almighty, by granting man capacity, the distinction between good and evil, intellect and nature and by sending thousands upon thousands of Prophets, Messengers and Books and by revealing the means of attaining His pleasure, has spread guidance in the world; and He has always granted succour and aid to the Prophets and their true followers and obedient servants. Yes! He has not compelled capable man by seizing him by the neck to force him to perform good deeds. The benefit of the existence of Satan and his progeny is that He may grant the robe and honour of obedience to the obedient among men; yet, He has not given Satan the authority to forcibly mislead people.’
(Nur-ud-Din ba Jawab Tark-e-Islam, p. 107)
“Thus, in both matters, whether it is a case of misguidance or guidance, no compulsion has been exerted upon any human being. Rather, after clarifying the paths of guidance and misguidance, Allah the Almighty has given the choice of selecting them solely to man.”
(Compiled by Zaheer Ahmad Khan, Head of Records Department, Private Secretariat, London and translated by Al Hakam)