Asif Munir, Missionary, New Zealand
Recent data shows that New Zealand is becoming increasingly irreligious each year, with over half the population not having any religion. This trend isn’t new or unexpected – atheism has existed throughout history, even during the Golden Era of Islam when figures like Imam Abu Hanifa famously defeated atheists in logical debate.
However, the recent rise in atheist numbers raises the question: what has caused this shift? (“Census data NZ: More than half of the population has no religion”, www.nzherald.co.nz, 3 October 2024)
The Renaissance and religious authority
The Renaissance was a period in European history, usually seen as spanning from the 14th to 17th century, which marked the intense exploration of knowledge, leading to a greater understanding of science, psychology, the natural world, and all other fields. It was known as the “rebirth” of Europe. Intellectual debates and books began to circulate widely, challenging religious ideas and doctrines upheld by the Church.
Influential figures such as Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) and Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677) proposed ideas that were considered to oppose Christian teachings, signalling the beginning of a larger shift away from religious authority.
One prominent example of this conflict was Galileo’s discoveries about the solar system, which contradicted the Church’s teachings. Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh commented on this tension, noting the struggle between science and religion:
“One famous example is that of the tussle between the Church and Galileo. When Galileo published his findings about the solar system, it infuriated the Church because his findings were against the Church’s perception. Under duress, he was forced to renounce his discoveries. He was later kept under house arrest for the rest of his days. It was only in 1992 that the Church reversed its judgment against Galileo, after twelve years of deliberations by a committee set up by Pope John Paul II.” (Christianity: A Journey from Facts to Fiction, p. xxiv)
Another figure, Nicholas Copernicus, proposed that the Earth revolves around the sun and not the other way around. Initially dismissed by the Vatican, his theory was later confirmed by scientific advancements, exposing inconsistencies in biblical explanations of the cosmos. As more scientists supported this view, people began to question the authority of the Church.
Fearing the threat posed by science, the Church declared that anyone contradicting Catholic doctrine would be labelled a heretic and face the death penalty. This led to the Inquisition, a period when free thought was suppressed, and many scientists or thinkers who questioned religious doctrine were silenced or punished. This era marked the beginning of a broader shift, as many people began to question, criticise, and, in some cases, move away from religion altogether.
In the mid-nineteenth century, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) became a vocal critic of religion. Despite being the son of a pastor, Nietzsche rejected religious beliefs, famously stating: “Whoever has theologian blood in his veins has a wrong and dishonest attitude towards all things […]. What a theologian feels to be true must be false; this provides almost a criterion of truth.” (The Twilight of Atheism, p. 132 [2004])
This mindset persists today, with many either disregarding religion entirely or abhorring the very concept of God. Logic and reason have become the tools for challenging faith, leading some religious individuals, including Muslims, to struggle with doubts and reconcile their beliefs in an increasingly sceptical world.
The Promised Messiahas and the renaissance of faith
The Promised Messiahas warned in 1897 about the rise of atheism and the role of Christian missionaries and European philosophers in leading people away from faith:
“Dajjal [anti-christ] in fact is none other than the people known as Christian missionaries and European philosophers. They act like the two jaws of the Promised Dajjal with which he devours people’s faith like a python […] I see that the common people are more vulnerable to the lies of the clergy, whereas the intellectual ones are more susceptible to the falsehood spread by the philosophers.” (Kitab-ul-Bariyyah, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 13, pp. 252-253 [footnote])
Prophet Muhammadsa also foretold that the Dajjal would be the greatest trial for humanity:
مٓا بَيْنَ خَلْقِ آدَمَ إِلَى قِيَامِ السَّاعَةِ خَلْقٌ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الدَّجَّالِ
“There would be no creation (creating more trouble) than the Dajjal right from the creation of Adam to the Last Hour.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2946a)
The Dajjal’s trials will be so severe that even people with strong faith could be led astray by its deception. Hence, Prophet Muhammadsa advised Muslims that in order to strengthen their faith, they should recite the first ten and last ten verses of Surah al-Kahf on Fridays as a means of protection.
Interestingly, these verses discuss the Christian nation, aligning with the Promised Messiah’sas insight that Christianity’s influence would lead people away from faith.
The Promised Messiahas was a tireless defender of faith, offering profound arguments not only for Islam but for the very existence of God. Recognising the decline of faith across Europe, he observed that religions worldwide had become hollow at their core. People of all faiths longed for the Promised Reformer of the age; whether they expected Krishna, Baba Nanak, Elijah, or Jesus. The world was in desperate need of a revival of faith.
He wrote: “I have been sent to strengthen the faith and to prove the existence of God Almighty to the people, for their faith has become weak, and they take life after death no more seriously than a fable. The conduct of every person proclaims that they have not the faith and trust in God and in the hereafter as they have in the world and its ranks and its resources.” (Kitab-ul-Bariyyah, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 13, pp. 291-292 [footnote])
Experiencing God’s existence
For the Promised Messiahas, experiencing Divine signs was the ultimate proof of God’s existence. He taught that while the universe suggests a Creator, true certainty comes only through direct and repeated experiences with God. He stated:
“The search for God is a difficult matter. […] Observation of the heavens and the earth only leads to the conclusion that the universe should have a Creator, yet it is not proof that such a Creator exists. There is a difference between what ought to be and what is.” (The Essence of Islam, Vol. 1, p. 6 [2007])
“The first duty of a person, therefore, is to acquire certainty with regard to the existence of God and adopt a religion through which this certainty can be acquired… How can this certainty be acquired? It cannot be acquired through mere stories. It cannot be acquired through mere arguments. The only way to acquiring certainty is to experience God repeatedly by having conversation with Him or by witnessing His extraordinary signs.” (ibid., pp. 3-4)
Future events foretold as prophecies
The Promised Messiahas made numerous prophecies in his books, many of which were fulfilled in his lifetime, while others pertained to future events. He wrote extensively on key aspects of faith, reason, and prophecies. By the grace of God Almighty, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has translated many of his writings into multiple languages, including English. One recent translation, The Shining Lamp (known as Siraj-e-Munir in Urdu), contains many such prophecies, including one about Muhammad Hussain Batalwi, a staunch opponent of Ahmadiyyat.
In the book, the Promised Messiahas prophesied:
“I have been apprised three times concerning him (Muhammad Hussain Batalwi) that he will turn back from his present condition of extreme misguidance and that Allah will open his eyes. ‘And Allah has the power to do all that He wills.’” (The Shining Lamp [Siraj-e-Munir], p. 143)
For many, especially non-Ahmadi Muslims, the fulfilment of this prophecy seemed unimaginable. How could a staunch opponent who mocked a Prophet of Allah regularly change his stance? Yet, after the demise of the Promised Messiah, Muhammad Hussain Batalwi later acknowledged his shift in beliefs, giving testimony in a magistrate-grade court:
“All these sects, [including Ahmadis], believe the Holy Quran to be the Word of God […]. My sect certainly does not consider any of the aforementioned sects to be kafir [disbelievers].” (Al Fazl, 11 February 1914, p. 3)
A glimpse of the Divine
Such prophecies are just a small glimpse of the vast ocean of revelations shared by the Promised Messiahas. His direct communication with God Almighty is powerful evidence of the existence of God, affirming His presence and existence. He eloquently expressed:
“God provides evidence of His existence with His Omnipotence; for the Invisible One, that indeed is the only way of showing His countenance. When He says that He will certainly do something, that becomes inevitable; indeed, this is Godhood.” (Durr-e–Sameen [Urdu], p. 158)
Living in an increasingly irreligious society, where faith is fading away, not just in New Zealand but across the globe, we witness a widespread loss of spiritual direction. The Promised Messiahas was sent with the spiritual tools needed for mankind to rediscover God.
In contrast to the famous declaration by the German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, who proclaimed that “God is dead” (God forbid), the Promised Messiahas is the only figure in this era who has proven, through his prophecies and writings, that God is very much alive – that He still speaks and listens, just as He always has.
It is up to us, however, to actively seek God and have a sincere desire to embark on the quest for God Almighty. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra eloquently stated:
“Islam’s truth is proven from reason and experience, and I believe that if Islam’s true face is presented, it will undoubtedly spread across Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and the entire world. This is because it has come for the whole world.” (Al Fazl, 25 October 1924, p. 6)