An allegation is raised by the opponents against Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian that he figured out the harmful effects of the plague vaccine when the government stopped its inoculation within a month or even less because more people were dying by using it and it was only due to this reason that he refrained from using it.
Opponents suggest that it was not until 5 October 1902 when the announcement indicating the refusal of plague inoculation was published in Noah’s Ark by the founder of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. This was the same time when the then government had realised the harmful effects of the plague vaccine and stopped using it.
Moreover, the opponents assert that the statement or the stance of the Ahmadis, that Hazrat Ahmadas had already challenged the world in the year 1898 that he would not take the plague vaccine, is entirely incorrect.
It should be noted at the outset that the opponents have not presented a single statement of the Promised Messiahas or of any Ahmadi which indicates or even hints that he challenged the world with respect to the inoculation of plague in the year 1898. Hence, the principal component of the allegation is absent, which signifies that the opponents have laid the foundation of their argument on fabrication and conjecture. Had the opponents found any shred of evidence to support their false assertion, they would surely have presented it.
We now turn to the main allegation of the opponents which states that Hazrat Ahmadas announced for the first time in Noah’s Ark on 5 October 1902 that he would not take the inoculation against the plague. The opponents assert that around the same time of the announcement, within a month, the then government had realised the harmful effects of the plague vaccine and ceased to use it.
By presenting this argument, opponents suggest that the Promised Messiahas was not directed by any revelation of God Almighty to make the announcement, but it was due to the fact that he realised the harmful effects of the vaccine through the government.
The announcement made by the Promised Messiahas was in light of those revelations of God Almighty that he received well before publishing it in his book Noah’s Ark on 5 October 1902. For instance, the Promised Messiahas states:
“Allah the Almighty was aware that the plague would spread within this country [India] and to an extent, Qadian would also not be safeguarded from it. It is for this reason, 23 years ago from today, [Allah] said that the person who enters this mosque and this house, i.e. with sincerity and faith, would be protected from it. Accordingly, addressing me, Allah has recently revealed:
اِنِّیْ أُحَافِظُ کُلَّ مَنْ فِی الدَّارِ اِلَّا الَّذِیْنَ عَلَوْا مِنِ اسْتِکْبَارٍ وَأُحَافِظُکَ خَاصَّۃً سَلَامٌ مِنْ رَبٍّ رَحِیْمٍ
This means, ‘I [Allah] will protect every person from death by the plague who resides in your house, apart from those who grow in arrogance. And I shall protect you especially. May peace be upon you from the Lord of Mercy.’” (Nuzul-ul-Masih, Ruhani Khazian, Vol. 18, p. 401)
In the footnote of page 445 in the book Nuzul-ul-Masih, Ruhani Khazain, volume 18, the Promised Messiahas wrote, “Today, 26 July 1902”. This means that the revelations written on page 401 were revealed in either June or July 1902.
The fundamental reason behind the announcement of the Promised Messiahas being published in Noah’s Ark was that divine revelation of God Almighty had been revealed to him in June or July 1902. Hence, it was this promise of protection by God Almighty that motivated him and thus he began to write the book Noah’s Ark.
The Promised Messiahas first mentioned the prohibition of the inoculation in the opening pages of Noah’s Ark. These pages were first published on 24 September 1902 in Al Hakam and were later republished in book form on 5 October 1902. The harmful effects of the plague vaccine have been mentioned in the pages that were published several weeks later.
If the disadvantages that the Promised Messiahas had referenced were before the divine promise of protection by God Almighty and the initial pages of Noah’s Ark that were published in Al Hakam, only then would this objection, that the Promised Messiahas refrained from taking the inoculation of plague due to its harmful effects, stand some ground.
However, the Promised Messiahas published the adverse impacts of the plague vaccination numerous weeks subsequent to announcing the promises of divine protection. Hence, it rejects any kind of allegation against the Promised Messiahas in this regard and the surfacing of harmful effects of the plague inoculation several weeks after the revelation proves the truth of divine promises.
Pondering over the history of the book Noah’s Ark, we find that the date of publishing cited on its title page is 5 October 1902. This does not mean that the entire book was written on 5 October. Digging deep to determine the exact date, we uncover that it was towards the end of August or the beginning of September 1902 when the Promised Messiahas had finished writing this book. The proof of this fact is found in an excerpt published in Al Hakam of 17 September 1902:
“The plague inoculation was under discussion. A detailed announcement under the title Taqwiyat-ul-Iman [Strengthening of Faith] is about to be published, which is being printed.” (Al Hakam, 17 September 1902, p. 15, heading “An Extract from the Diary”)
It should be borne in mind that there are three names of the book Noah’s Ark; Kisthi-e-Nuh (Noah’s Ark), Taqwiyat-ul-Iman (Strengthening of Faith) and Asmani Tika (Heavenly Inoculation).
The Al Hakam newspaper of 17 September 1902 comprised of 18 large scale pages and its printing would have taken at least two to three days. The newspaper that was published on 17 September would have been prepared by 13 to 14 September. Hence, the writing of the book Noah’s Ark was completed by 13 or 14 September 1902.
Another fact should also be taken into account by our readers that though the title of the book displays the date 5 October 1902, its publishing had already begun in Al Hakam newspaper by 24 September 1902, which continued to be published in 5 consecutive issues of the newspaper in the form of a series. Below are those dates of Al Hakam newspapers in which Noah’s Ark was published:
– The first 25 pages of Noah’s Ark were published on 24 September 1902, page 1 to 12
– Pages 25 to 48 of Noah’s Ark were published on 30 September 1902, page 1 to 7
– Pages 49 to 62 of Noah’s Ark were published on 10 October 1902, page 1 to 7
– Pages 62 to 72 of Noah’s Ark were published on 17 October 1902, page 1 to 7
– Pages 72 to 76 of Noah’s Ark were published on 24 October 1902, page 1 to 3
Hence, Noah’s Ark was already being published in Al Hakam from 24 September 1902, prior to its publication in book form.
Lastly, we present another key evidence to support our argument that the Promised Messiahas had refrained from taking the inoculation against the plague owing to the divine revelation and promise of protection by God Almighty, well before 5 October 1902.
Below is an excerpt of the Promised Messiahas that was published in the Al Hakam of 17 September 1902:
“We stand on one side with respect to the plague inoculation as we are given the promise of protection by God Almighty and on the other, there are those who are totally dependent upon it. Allah the Almighty has not forbidden to utilise the means [for curing the disease] but [a person] should not get absorbed by the means to the extent that he reaches Shirk [i.e. leaves God and puts full trust in the vaccine]…
“Countless persons know full well that (as it has been predicted) when people benefit from taking the inoculation against the plague, how happy would that person be who says that others benefited by the inoculation but, ‘I was [saved] from God Almighty’ and how great a sign would this be …” (Al Hakam, 17 September 1902, p. 15, heading “An Extract from the Diary”)
This extract shows that the Promised Messiahas would have given the above statement several days before 17 September 1902.
This is sufficient proof to show that the opponents have raised the allegation either being unaware of the fact that the Promised Messiahas had stated well before 5 October 1902 that divine promises hindered him not take the inoculation for the plague or they have deliberately made this mistake to manipulate the minds of innocent people.
(Research conducted by a panel of scholars at the Research Cell, Rabwah. Translated by Al Hakam)