“It should be borne in mind that we do not raise objections against the inoculation. In fact we acknowledge its advantages and the great benefit it possesses. We admit that it carries cure for the people without any fear or concern. It was for this reason that once the government realised that the outbreak of plague was reaching its peak and its devastation was spreading to the extreme, it [the government] gave preference to the inoculation over every other remedy and spending a lot of money, provided for its means and out of compassion made every effort for the ones affected by plague, so as to sheath the sword of the plague.
“This practice was being carried out for several years and we had not heard about its harmful affect from any reputable person. In truth, the wise would praise this remedy and considered it a fast acting remedy and the most effective means of cure. This situation continued until I wrote my book Noah’s Ark, and under divine guidance of Allah the Exalted, I refused to use the inoculation and said that pure, eternal and complete protection that does not involve painful torment is with us and not with those who receive the vaccine.
“Thus, if I am proven wrong in this matter, I am not from Allah the Almighty. Consequently, stern voices were raised and they [the opponents] said that I oppose this method whereas safety depends upon it, and the revelation that I am mentioning is nothing and I will return after facing embarrassment. Or, calamity would befall me and my associates. [They said] complete safety and well-being exists in taking the inoculation. [They said that] as the experts have tested it, there will be no fear for those who take it and they will not be plagued. On this occasion, my heart was filled with emotions and tears ran down my eyes because I had witnessed such actions of people that were contradictory to the practices of Muslims. I realised that they acknowledge the remedies of people but do not believe in the promises of Rabbul-Alamin [the Lord of All the Worlds].
“They take refuge of the expert but do not come in the refuge of Allah who is very near. They listen to the speculators but do not adhere to that Being under whose commandment exists the order of deaths. Hence, I presented a complaint before God Almighty that He may exonerate me from the assertions of the people, deliver me from the blame and silence the mouths of the opponents and return the blessings of welfare and safety back to us. [I asked God to] prove the inoculation as ineffective, manifest certain defects in it and show to the people that they have made a mistake in declaring me a wrongdoer. This is so that they understand the cure is in the hands of the Creator and not the creation.
“Thus, I continued to pray and carried out prayers with extreme humility and repeatedly submitted before the court of Allah, the Omnipotent and All-Powerful, so much so that the signs of the acceptance of prayer became visible and the previously written prophecy proved truthful and that promise was fulfilled which was repudiated. The inoculation infiltrated the courtyards of God’s creation like a lion creeps in and people witnessed its harmful effects through their own eyes … This is the reality behind that unfortunate incident which took place in Malakwal.” (Mawahib-ur-Rahman, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 19, pp. 263-265)
Highlighting the above-mentioned extract of the Promised Messiahas from the book Mawahib-ur-Rahman published in 1903, the opponents raise an objection that the founder of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, while referring to his book Noah’s Ark, stated:
“Hence, I presented a complaint before God Almighty that He may exonerate me from the assertions of the people, deliver me from blame and silence the mouths of the opponents, and return the blessings of welfare and safety back to us. [I asked God to] prove the inoculation as ineffective, manifest certain defects in it and show to the people that they have made a mistake in declaring me a wrongdoer. This is so that they understand the cure is in the hands of the Creator and not the creation. Thus, I continued to pray and carried out prayers with extreme humility and repeatedly submitted before the court of Allah, the Omnipotent and All-Powerful, so much so that the signs of the acceptance of prayer became visible and the previously written prophecy proved truthful”.
Opponents allege that these words are nowhere to be found in Noah’s Ark. Moreover, they ask why the Promised Messiahas carried out such an accursed prayer and desired death and destruction of the people?
Pondering over the aforementioned excerpt, it becomes significantly clear that the only words referred to the book Noah’s Ark by the Promised Messiahas are:
“This situation continued until I wrote my book Noah’s Ark and under the divine guidance of Allah the Exalted I refused to use the inoculation and said that pure, eternal and complete protection which does not involve painful torment is with us and not with those who receive the vaccine. Thus, if I am proven wrong in this matter, I am not from Allah the Almighty.”
The Promised Messiahas is simply referring to the fact that people began to mock him when he announced in his book Noah’s Ark that he will not take the inoculation for the plague. Therefore, he submitted to God Almighty and prayed, so that others may understand.
Consequently, the incident of Malakwal took place, in which 19 individuals, who had received the plague vaccine, lost their lives and God’s promise was fulfilled. This indicated that the real remedy of the plague is to seek forgiveness and come into the refuge of the Creator.
Reading the complete extract with the context, the readers may have realised that the Promised Messiahas in his book Mawahib-ur-Rahman has not referred to Noah’s Ark regarding a prayer or a curse. The prayer that the Promised Messiahas has mentioned was carried out after the publication of Noah’s Ark when people went against him considering the inoculation to be the only cure. Hence, opponents have intentionally tried to deceive the general public by presenting the statement of the Promised Messiahas out of context.
The opponents raise an objection against the prayer of the Promised Messiahas and say he was wrong in beseeching a curse by praying against the inoculation as it involved death and destruction of people.
It should be noted for the record, in the past, opponents have objected to another prayer which was carried out by the Promised Messiahas for the eradication of the plague and emphasised that it was against the practice of earlier prophets like Noahas etc. Hence, opponents are not satisfied either way whether the Promised Messiahas prayed for the eradication of the plague or prayed against the inoculation – to bring people closer to God Almighty because they were entirely dependent on the vaccine and forgot their Creator. It would not be inaccurate to say opponents are raising allegations just for the sake of going against the Promised Messiahas because the above assertion contradicts their own viewpoint.
Earlier prophets, regardless of their immense compassion for mankind, always chose upholding God’s honour over the safety of mankind.
For instance, at the occasion of Battle of Uhud when Muslims were nearly defeated and the Quraish were arrogantly chanting against them, the Holy Prophetsa instructed the Muslims to remain quiet for the safety of Muslims. However, when Abu Sufiyan said اعل ھبل i.e. “Glory be to [the idol] Hubul”, the Holy Prophetsa ordered his companions to reply by saying, اللہ اعلی واجل i.e. “Allah is the Greatest and the Most Glorious.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi)
The Promised Messiahas prayed to God Almighty when the people of his time declared that the inoculation was enough for their safety and turned away from seeking forgiveness. This prompted the torment of God. The same prayer was carried out by Noahas when his people transgressed, despite all efforts and Allah Almighty told him that they would not believe, as it is stated in the Holy Quran:
وَ قَدۡ اَضَلُّوۡا کَثِیۡرًا ۬ۚ وَ لَا تَزِدِ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ اِلَّا ضَلٰلًا ۔ مِمَّا خَطِیۡٓــٰٔتِہِمۡ اُغۡرِقُوۡا فَاُدۡخِلُوۡا نَارًا ۬ۙ فَلَمۡ یَجِدُوۡا لَہُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ اَنۡصَارًا ۔ وَقَالَ نُوۡحٌ رَّبِّ لَا تَذَرۡ عَلَی الۡاَرۡضِ مِنَ الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ دَیَّارًا
“And they have led many astray; so increase Thou not the wrongdoers but in error. Because of their sins they were drowned and made to enter Fire. And they found no helpers for themselves against Allah. And Noah said, ‘My Lord, leave not on the land a single dweller of the disbelievers.’” (Surah Nuh, Ch.71: V.25-27)
Prophets perform their tasks in light of God’s directions. Owing to the compassion and love of mankind, they effort day and night to convey the message of God and show various signs to make people understand. However, when their nation excel in mockery and reproach, the prophets are left with no other choice than to pray for torment from God. In the incident of Mosesas, it is stated in the Holy Quran that he prayed in the following words:
وَ قَالَ مُوۡسٰی رَبَّنَاۤ اِنَّکَ اٰتَیۡتَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَ مَلَاَہٗ زِیۡنَۃً وَّ اَمۡوَالًا فِی الۡحَیٰوۃِ الدُّنۡیَا ۙ رَبَّنَا لِیُضِلُّوۡا عَنۡ سَبِیۡلِکَ ۚ رَبَّنَا اطۡمِسۡ عَلٰۤی اَمۡوَالِہِمۡ وَ اشۡدُدۡ عَلٰی قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ فَلَا یُؤۡمِنُوۡا حَتّٰی یَرَوُا الۡعَذَابَ الۡاَلِیۡمَ ۔ قَالَ قَدۡ اُجِیۡبَتۡ دَّعۡوَتُکُمَا فَاسۡتَقِیۡمَا وَ لَا تَتَّبِعٰٓنِّ سَبِیۡلَ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ
“And Moses said, ‘Our Lord, Thou hast bestowed upon Pharaoh and his chiefs embellishment and wealth in the present life, with the result, our Lord, that they are leading men astray from Thy path. Our Lord! Destroy their riches and attack their hearts and they are not going to believe until they see the grievous punishment.’ He said, ‘Your prayer is accepted.’”(Surah Yunus, Ch.10: V.89-90)
Similarly, the Holy Prophetsa prayed against his opponents when they rejected Islam with great enmity and sought to destroy it. As a result, famine overtook them for one year and destroyed every kind of life to such an extent that the people were compelled to eat the dead and carcasses. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Istisqa)
Hence, the Promised Messiahas was a prophet of God Almighty and he performed the task of reforming mankind, following God’s guidance and the practice of earlier prophets. Opponents must have realised from these examples that had they pondered over the Holy Quran and Ahadith, they would have easily found out the answers to their assertions.