A series looking at the high standard of morals of the Promised Messiahas and his Khulafa when receiving visitors
Awwab Saad Hayat, Al Hakam
One of the greatest signs to prove and establish the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, can be seen when one studies the final outcome of his enemies and how they perished. It is a sign and promise of Allah that his messengers shall always prevail and that His help is always nigh.
Among the signs of the truthfulness of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, is a sign related to Pandit Lekhram of Peshawar, who met his demise and became subject to the divine wrath of Allah the Almighty. Those who harbour enmity with God’s chosen ones announce war against God Himself; and to fight God is to invite the greatest defeat.
It is recorded that Pandit Lekhram visited Qadian twice. At a prayer area at the railway station of Lahore, he also met with Hazrat Ahmadas.
In the 1880s, the magnum opus known as Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, written by the Promised Messiahas, not only shone forth and gained popularity on the religious horizon of the Indian subcontinent, but it also became a strong witness to Hazrat Ahmad’sas intellectual credibility.
In such an environment, when, with the permission of Allah Almighty, Hazrat Ahmadas invited leaders of different religions to stay with him in Qadian and witness heavenly signs, Lekhram was among those who started correspondence with Hazrat Ahmadas, demanding to see such signs. Pandit Lekhram stated in a letter to Hazrat Ahmadas that he was ready to come to Qadian and stay for one year; however, he demanded that 2,400 rupees be deposited in a bank for the year and said that if he did not see any sign, he would leave with the money.
Pandit Lekhram was under the impression that the answer to his unreasonable demand – regarding his stay in Qadian – would be in the negative and, in this way, he would make a name for himself and declare himself superior. However, when Hazrat Ahmadas expressed his preparedness in every possible way and put forward a reasonable method to fulfil his demand, Lekhram further increased his habit of resorting to abusive language and raising baseless objections against Islam.
The writings of Lekhram made it clear to the Promised Messiahas that he was, in fact, an ignorant person. However, a few months later, when Lekhram sent a postcard, Hazrat Ahmadas wrote in reply that Qadian was not far away and invited him to meet him in the hope that the conditions and demands set forth by Lekhram would be settled by meeting him in Qadian.
Maulana Dost Muhammad Shahid Sahib, a historian of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat – in the first volume of Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, pages 256 to 261 – has recorded the incident of Lekhram in Qadian.
Mirza Imamuddin, a cousin of the Promised Messiahas, held irreligious views. From the very beginning, he ridiculed the claims and revelations of Hazrat Ahmadas. Slander against Islam, the Holy Prophetsa and the Holy Quran had become a common pastime for him. Though Hazrat Ahmadas had invited religious leaders to stay with him for a while and benefit from his company and witness his truthfulness, Mirza Imamuddin, Munshi Indarman of Muradabad, Pandit Lekhram and other enemies of religion contented with mere verbal nonsense, which was published in various newspapers.
As Hazrat Ahmadas invited Pandit Lekhram to visit him in Qadian – according to research conducted by Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Sahib Irfanira – the above-mentioned adversary of Islam, Mirza Imamuddin, himself brought Pandit Lekhram to Qadian to satisfy his own irreligious views and joined him in attacking Islam.
On 19 November 1885, Lekhram arrived in Qadian and stayed for the next two months. Although he was invited by the Promised Messiahas, he refrained from meeting him.
When Lekhram became entangled in the trap of Mirza Imamuddin, who used him to direct more opposition towards Hazrat Ahmadas, it was not difficult to make him a victim of every false and revolting propaganda. Due to the sedition of Mirza Imamuddin and the local Hindus, the feelings of enmity and hatred against Hazrat Ahmadas intensified in Lekhram, when, initially, his condition was not as serious as it had become. This change took place after Lekhram’s association with the enemies of Hazrat Ahmadas.
The Promised Messiahas himself stated that the wicked people of Qadian told Lekhram many lies about him, which further drove him away from the chance to be in Hazrat Ahmad’sas company. Due to these misfortunes, day by day, Lekhram fell into their mischievous trap.
Pandit Lekhram was surrounded and completely dominated by Mirza Imamuddin and Hindus of Qadian, and, therefore, he did not care to meet Hazrat Ahmadas. However, he started a series of correspondence with Hazrat Ahmadas in a very bold manner. This correspondence was mostly through local members of the Arya Samaj such as Bhai Kishan Singh and occasionally through Pandit Mohan Lal, Pandit Nihal Chand and Hakim Diaram.
Pandit Mohan Lal is recorded to have said:
“Hazrat Sahib used to be very kind and used to meet with us in a joyful manner and would never let us leave empty-handed. Once, Hazrat Sahib gave me some apples and I took them. It was also a habit of Pandit Lekhram that when I would return, he would ask me ‘What have you brought?’ When I said that I had brought apples, he looked at me with tempted eyes and said, ‘Let me eat.’ I told him, with a laugh, that he should not eat anything from the enemy’s house. But he immediately took the apples from my hand and started eating.” (Hayat-e-Ahmad, Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfani, Vol. 2, p. 187)
In his writings and meetings with his friends, Lekhram used to make very subtle and vulgar attacks on Hazrat Ahmad’sas character. However, Hazrat Ahmadas ignored them and, instead, gave researched answers and tried to get him to accept his invitation in an honest way. During the correspondence, in order to convince Lekhram of the authenticity of Islam, Hazrat Ahmadas presented his theological arguments, which had brought about a great revolution in the Islamic world. But when Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the religious leader of Lekhram and the founder of Arya Samaj, did not have the courage to face this great defender of Faith, what courage would Lekhram have? In every instance, Lekhram very cleverly repeated his baseless demands in an attempt to avoid the actual discussion; and he considered it a success in every way.
During his stay in Qadian, Pandit Lekhram also used Mirza Imamuddin as a tool to carry out a series of vulgar attacks on Islam and the Promised Messiahas. It had reached such an extent that once, Sahibzada Mirza Sultan Ahmad, the eldest son of the Promised Messiahas, who possessed a nature of always being joyful, upon witnessing Lekhram’s foul words, challenged him to a debate. He even made his way to the bazaar with full vigour; however, the Hindus, shocked to see his courage, did not allow Lekhram to come out and the matter was settled.
On 13 December 1885, Lekhram wrote a letter from Qadian demanding a sign to be shown regarding him. He stated:
“Show me a heavenly sign. If you do not wish to debate, then ask the Lord of the Throne for a heavenly sign about me so that a decision may be made.” (Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 1, p. 259)
It should be made clear that Hazrat Ahmadas was willing and prepared to discuss theological views and the truthfulness of Islam with Lekhram. In fact, that is what he had been doing since the beginning with all those who faced him. It was Lekhram who was avoiding any theological confrontation with the Promised Messiahas.
Hazrat Ahmadas wrote in reply:
“Janab Pandit [Lekhram], I have read your letter. You must certainly understand that I do not refuse to argue or demonstrate signs; however, you do not seek the truth in good faith. Unnecessarily, you lay down more conditions. Your tongue does not stop you from speaking in a foul manner.” (Maktubat-e-Ahmad, Vol. 1, pp. 76-77)
Pandit Lekhram remained in Qadian for about two months. His hateful transformation and vain attacks also increased, and he persisted in his stubbornness until the very end. Mirza Imamuddin became a tool by which he continued to attack Islam and the Promised Messiahas. Pandit Lekhram’s protest continued till the end of the year.
Then, in 1893, Pandit Lekhram chanced upon a meeting with the Promised Messiahas in Lahore.
“In November 1893, [Hazrat Ahmadas] visited Ferozepur to meet his father-in-law, Hazrat Mir Nasir Nawab Sahibra, who was employed in the canal department since his youth. On his return from there on 14 December 1893, while performing ablution in a mosque near Lahore railway station, the famous Arya Samaj leader, Pandit Lekhram, came before Huzooras and greeted him, but Huzooras did not respond. He [Lekhram] came from the other side and greeted him [again], thinking that he might not have heard. However, [Huzooras] still did not pay any attention. When Pandit Ji returned disappointed, someone thought that perhaps the Promised Messiahas did not hear Pandit Lekhram greet him. He told Huzooras that Pandit Lekhram had come and greeted him. Upon hearing this, Huzooras said, with great pride, ‘Is he not ashamed. He insults our Master, the Holy Prophetsa, and greets us.” (Lahore Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyyat, Sheikh Abdul Qadir, pp. 30 – 31)
It is further recorded in the Badr newspaper, dated 16 January 1903, that in February 1897, Lekhram was residing in Qadian; and thus, Pandit Lekhram was in Qadian about a month before his death. Due to his blasphemy and shameful deeds, he became a manifestation of God’s wrath and could not benefit from the grace, kindness, mercy and hospitality of God’s Holy Messiah, peace be upon him.
