Guidance regarding basic Islamic issues that Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, has given on various occasions in his written correspondence and during MTA programmes is being published officially below for everyone’s benefit.
Imam Mahdi’s lineage
A lady from Indonesia asked Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, whether the Promised Messiahas was from the lineage of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, since one hadith states that the Mahdi will be from the progeny of Hazrat Fatimahra.
In his letter dated 24 January 2023, Huzoor-e-Anwaraa offered the following guidance on this matter:
“The first point regarding this issue is that the narrations in the books of Hadith concerning the Imam Mahdi display a great deal of inconsistency. Some ahadith describe the Mahdi as being from among the descendants of Hazrat Fatimahra, while others declare him from among the descendants of Hazrat Hasanra, or Hazrat Husainra, or Hazrat Abbasra, or Hazrat Umarra. Yet other ahadith report that the Holy Prophetsa simply said that the Mahdi to come would be an individual of my ummah.
“Allamah Ibn Khaldun, in his Muqaddimah, critiqued these narrations and wrote that all the ahadith presented by the scholars concerning the Mahdi and his emergence in the Latter Days are – aside from a very small number – not free from criticism. [Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun, Al-fasl 53 fi ‘amri l-fatimi wa ma yadhhabu ‘ilayhi n-nasu f sha’nihi wa kashfi l-ghita’i ’an dhalik]
“The Promised Messiahas, discussing this issue at length, states:
“‘This indeed is the divine practice that all the Signs recorded in the prophecies about a Prophet-to-come are never fulfilled literally. At places, there are allegories and at places a difference occurs resulting from one’s own understanding, while yet at other places old accounts suffer some distortion. Therefore, the way of righteousness is to derive benefit from what has been fulfilled, keeping in view the time and the need.
“‘Had it been necessary to reconcile all the preconceived Signs according to one’s own understanding, we would have to give up all Prophets and the consequence would have been nothing but deprivation and faithlessness, because there has not been any Prophet concerning whom all the preconceived Signs have been literally fulfilled; somehow or other, there has been some shortfall. The Jews used to say about the first Messiah—namely, Hadrat ‘Isa—that he would appear only when Prophet Ilyas [Elijah] had returned to the earth before him. But did Ilyas come? Similarly, the Jews used to insist that the awaited KhatamulAnbiya’ [the Seal of the Prophets] would be from among the Israelites. Did he appear from among the Israelites? When, defying the Jewish expectation to which all their Prophets agreed, the Khatamul-Anbiya’ did not come from among the Israelites, why is it any wonder then if the Promised Mahdi has not appeared from the House of the Fatimids or the Abbasids? God’s prophecy carries many a hidden secret; a trial is also intended.
“‘Study the ahadith with careful deliberation, for they are so disparate about the Promised Mahdi as if they were a collection of contradictions. Some ahadith say that the Mahdi will be a Fatimid, some say he will be an Abbasid, while others report that he will be a person from among my Ummah. And the hadith of Ibn-e-Majah has repudiated all these reports, for this hadith has these words لاَ مَهْدِي إلَّاعِيْسَى meaning that, ‘Isa himself is the Mahdi; there is no Mahdi besides him. Moreover, the ahadith concerning the Mahdi are such that none is beyond question and none of them can be described as authentic. Therefore, the way the prophecy manifested itself and the verdict that was given by the Promised Arbiter is what is correct.’ (Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 22, pp. 216-217)
“In truth, these discrepancies in the narrations arose due to political factors. After the era of Khilafat-e-Rashidah, when multiple groups and sects emerged within the Muslim ummah, each faction manipulated certain narrations in order to assert its own superiority over others. Hence, all reports that specify the Mahdi’s birth in a particular family are not free from criticism. Only the narrations stating that the Imam Mahdi would belong to the ummah of the Holy Prophetsa remain acceptable, for they appear to have remained unaltered by political motives.
“This is why, in the narrations of Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim concerning the Messiah and Mahdi who was to be raised in the Latter Days for the revival of Islam, the words ‘وَإِمَامُكُمْ مِنْكُمْ’ [‘And he will be your Imam from among yourselves’] and ‘فَأَمَّكُمْ مِنْكُمْ’ [‘He will lead you from among yourselves’] are recorded, respectively. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab ahadithi l-anbiya’, Bab nuzuli ‘isaas ibn maryam; Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-iman, Bab nuzuli ‘isaas ibn maryam hakiman bi shari‘ati nabiyyina muhammadsa)
“Furthermore, regarding the lineage of the Promised Messiahas, it is a marvellous manifestation of Allah the Almighty that even these apparent indicators were fulfilled in his noble person. The Promised Messiahas states:
“‘The very foundation of the Sādāt lineage is their descent from the progeny of Hazrat Fatimahra. Thus, although I am not an ‘Alawi, I am nevertheless of the Bani Fatimah; some of my paternal grandmothers belonged to well-known and indisputably verified families of Sayyids. In our family, it has been customary at times to marry women from Sayyid families and at other times our family’s women would be married into Sayyid families.’ (Nuzul-ul-Masih, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 18, p. 426, marginal footnote within the footnote)
“He further states:
“‘Within my being, there exists an Israelite and a Fatimid essence. And I am an integration of these two blessed lineages. Those versed in the ahadith and historical reports [athar] are well aware that it is written concerning the awaited Mahdi of the Latter Days that he would be of a composite nature.’ (Tohfa-e-Golarhviyyah, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 17, p. 118)
“Moreover, according to the Holy Quran and authentic ahadith, the most conspicuous sign about the forthcoming Messiah and Mahdi was that he was to be of Persian origin – that is, he was to be a non-Arab or ‘ajami. Thus, we read in Sahih al-Bukhari that when Surah al-Jumu‘ah was revealed to the Holy Prophetsa, someone asked him three times about the verse: ‘وَّاٰخَرِیۡنَ مِنۡہُمۡ لَمَّا یَلۡحَقُوۡا بِہِمۡ’ [‘And among others from among them who have not yet joined them.’ (42:4)], wondering who those people were among whom the Holy Prophetsa would appear again. The Holy Prophetsa offered no reply until he had been asked thrice. Hazrat Abu Hurairahra, who narrates this hadith, says that at that moment Hazrat Salman al-Farisira was among them. The Holy Prophetsa placed his blessed hand on Hazrat Salman al-Farisira and said that, ‘Even if faith were to ascend to the Pleiades, some people – or one man – from among these (i.e., the people of Persia) would bring it back.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab tafsiri al-qur’an, Bab qawluhu: ‘wa akharina minhum lamma yalhaqu bihim’)
“The Promised Messiahas belonged to a family of Persian descent. Evidence of this can be found in the 1865 land settlement documents, recorded many years before the Promised Messiahas made his claim, at a time when his noble father and other elders were still alive. Under the genealogical table of the owners of Qadian, there is a footnote titled ‘Qasbah Qadian ki ‘Abadi awr Wajah-e-Tasmiyah’ [‘The Settlement of the Town of Qadian and the Reason for Its Name’], which states:
“‘Our forefather – the progenitor of us, the landowners – did, in the age of bygone sovereigns (of the kingdom of Persia), journey hither by way of service […] and, having arrived, […] did settle this hamlet in what was then a forsaken wilderness.’
“Below this appear the signatures of Mirza Ghulam Murtaza Sahib, Mirza Ghulam Jilani Sahib, Mirza Ghulam Muhyiddin and others. Thus, these official documents – dated well before the Promised Messiahas declared his claim – serve as definite and irrefutable proof of his Persian descent. (Malik Abd-ur-Rahman Khadim, Tablighi Pocket Book, p. 462)
“Furthermore, the Promised Messiah’sas opponent, Maulvi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi, wrote in his magazine Ishaa‘at-us-Sunnah that ‘The author [of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya] is not Qurayshi but is of Persian origin.’ (Ishaa‘at-us-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah, ‘Review of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya’, No. 7, Vol. 7, p. 193)
“The Promised Messiahas himself writes about his family:
“‘My family is, in reality, Persian, not Mogul. I do not know by what misunderstanding the family became known as Mogul. […] It appears that Mirza and Baig were bestowed upon them as titles, as Khan is bestowed as a title. In any case, what God has manifested is indeed correct. Man can fall into error from a minor mistake, but God is free from omission and error.’ (Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 22, p. 81, footnote)
“In conclusion, although there has been extensive divergence in the narrations about the lineage of the Messiah and Mahdi – and although most of these narrations are unreliable – the Holy Quran and reliable ahadith establish that he was to be from among the ummah of the Holy Prophetsa and of Persian origin. By the grace of Allah the Exalted, both of these signs were perfectly fulfilled in the holy person of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, peace be on him.”
Tasliyah and taslim: Salutations for Prophets
Someone from Germany wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, asking, “Why do we use the phrase ‘alayhi s-salām (عليه السّلام) for various Prophets or the phrase sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (صلّى الله عليه وسلّم) for the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa?”
He also enquired about the familial relationship between Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa and the Promised Messiahas as well as his other Khulafa.
In his letter dated 5 February 2023, Huzoor-e-Anwaraa provided the following response:
“Both ‘alayhi s-salām and sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam are supplicatory phrases that we offer before Allah the Exalted for the Prophets. We find the basis for both forms of these salutations in the Holy Quran itself. Indeed, in the Holy Quran, Allah the Exalted uses the word ‘peace’ [salaam] for various Prophets. For example, He says:
قُلِ الۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ وَسَلٰمٌ عَلٰی عِبَادِہِ الَّذِیۡنَ اصۡطَفٰی
“‘Say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah and peace be upon those servants of His whom He has chosen.’’ (Surah an-Naml, Ch. 27: V.60)
“Similarly, in Surah as-Saffat (Chapter 37), it is stated:
وَسَلٰمٌ عَلَی الۡمُرۡسَلِیۡنَ
“‘And peace be upon the Messengers!’ (182)
“Then, citing several Prophets by name, Allah says:
سَلٰمٌ عَلٰى نُوْحٍ فِي الْعَالَمِيْنَ
“[‘Peace be upon Noah among the peoples!’ (80)]
سَلٰمٌ عَلٰى إِبْرٰهِیْمَ
“[‘Peace be upon Abraham!’ (110)]
سَلٰمٌ عَلٰى مُوْسٰى وَهٰرُوْنَ
“[‘Peace be on Moses and Aaron!’ (121)]
سَلٰمٌ عَلٰى اِلْ یَاسِیْنَ
“‘[Peace be on Elias and his people!’ (131)]
“Following this teaching of the Holy Quran, we also attach the supplicatory phrase ‘alayhi s-salām to every Prophet’s name, thereby supplicating before Allah that He may forever continue to shower His peace upon these noble individuals.
“As for the blessed name of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, the reason we say sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is likewise founded on the command of Allah the Almighty. In the Holy Quran, Allah commands:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِيِّ ۚ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيۡهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسۡلِيمًا
“‘Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe! you also should invoke blessings on him and salute him with the salutation of peace.’ (Surah al-Ahzab, Ch. 33: V. 57)
“Thus, in obedience to this Quranic directive, we recite sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam whenever we mention the sacred name of the Holy Prophetsa.
“According to certain authentic ahadith, the Holy Prophetsa also used the phrase sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam for earlier Prophets. In one tradition recorded in Sahih Muslim (Kitab al-iman, Bab adna ahli l-jannati manzilatan fiha), the Holy Prophetsa applied these supplicatory words, i.e., sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to Hazrat Adam, Hazrat Noah, Hazrat Abraham and Hazrat Moses, peace be upon them all. Likewise, in Sunan an-Nasa’i (Kitab al-masajid, Fadlu l-masjidi l-’aqsa wa s-salati fih), he used sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam for Hazrat David and Hazrat Solomon, peace be upon them.
“Therefore, if someone were to recite sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam for a Prophet other than the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, there is no harm in that. Yet the general practice remains that we use sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam exclusively for the Holy Prophetsa and ‘alayhi s-salām for the other Prophets.”
Huzoor’saa relationship with the Promised Messiahas and his Khulafa
“You also enquired regarding my genealogical descent from the Promised Messiahas and my familial ties to his successors. By lineage, I am a paternal great-grandson of the Promised Messiahas. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira was the noble father of one of my maternal grandmothers. I am a maternal grandson of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra and a maternal nephew of both Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh and Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh.”
Narcissistic behaviour
Someone wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, asking about certain matters concerning an individual suffering from narcissistic behaviour.
She also enquired about the authenticity of the following narration:
“A man set out on a journey, having instructed his wife not to leave the house. While he was away, her father fell ill. She sought permission from the Holy Prophetsa to visit her father, but he said, ‘Do not disobey your husband.’ Subsequently, her father passed away and she again asked the Holy Prophetsa for permission to attend the funeral. Once more, he forbade her from disobeying her husband. Following this, Allah revealed to the Holy Prophetsa that this woman had been forgiven because of her obedience to her husband.”
In his letter dated 14 February 2023, Huzoor-a-Anwaraa gave the following reply:
“Narcissistic behaviour is regarded as a psychological disorder of one’s personality, in which an individual becomes overly self-focused, develops a significantly inflated ego and neglects the feelings of those around them.
“In dealing with such individuals, others should show love and compassion, while close family members should persevere in advising them kindly. Furthermore, those suffering from this condition should receive proper medical attention, whereby a psychologist prescribes various therapeutic interventions that may lead to improvement in the patient. However, it is also essential to recognise that if a patient suffering from this condition inflicts harm amounting to a legally defined offence, they cannot evade legal punishment by citing their disorder as an excuse.
“If one of the parents suffers from this disorder, the children should speak to them gently, remaining within the bounds of respect and courtesy and endeavour to guide them with kindness. As noted earlier, arrangements for their treatment must also be made.
“Likewise, in the case of a married couple, if one spouse develops this disorder and it becomes difficult for the other spouse to cope and if repeated efforts to remedy the situation prove fruitless – making it impossible in their view to continue living together – then at such a juncture, after prayerful consideration, they should decide to separate.”
Interpretation of a hadith
“As for the authenticity of the hadith about which you enquired, the first point to note is that this narration is not recorded in any of the authoritative collections of Hadith. It appears in works such as Al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat by at-Tabarani (Bab al-mim min ismihi Muhammad, Hadith 7863) and Musnad ‘Abd bin Humayd (Musnad of Anas bin Malik, Bab ’ati‘i zawjak, Hadith 1372). However, the scholars of hadith have critiqued certain narrators in its chain and declared it weak [da‘if]. (Al-Albani, Irwa’ al-Ghalil, Vol. 7, p. 76)
“The second key point regarding this narration is that the Holy Prophetsa – the Most Perfect Man, who embodied compassion and mercy, as the Holy Quran affirms in the clearest terms: لَقَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ رَسُوۡلٌ مِّنۡ اَنۡفُسِکُمۡ عَزِیۡزٌ عَلَیۡہِ مَا عَنِتُّمۡ حَرِیۡصٌ عَلَیۡکُمۡ بِالۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ رَءُوۡفٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ (Surah at-Taubah, 9:128), meaning: ‘Surely, a Messenger has come to you from among yourselves; grievously heavy is it on him that you should fall into trouble, ardently desirous is he of your welfare; compassionate and merciful towards the believers,’ could never be conceived as being so unfeeling as to disregard the distress of a vulnerable woman. It is utterly inconceivable that he would, in compliance with her husband’s unreasonable command, forbid her both from visiting her father in his illness and from paying her respects at his passing.
“Hence, from the viewpoint of rational analysis [dirayah], this hadith cannot be accepted because it contradicts the noble character of the Holy Prophetsa and, in particular, the explicit teachings of the Holy Quran. Therefore, the scholars’ classification of this narration as da‘if is wholly justified.”
(Compiled by Zaheer Ahmad Khan, Head of Records Department, Private Secretariat, London. Translated by Al Hakam.)