Ata-ul-Haye Nasir, Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre
In one of his poems, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas of Qadian, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, stated:
زندگی بخش جامِ احمد ہے
کیا پیارا یہ نامِ احمد ہے
لاکھ ہوں انبیاء مگر بخدا
سب سے بڑھ کر مقامِ احمد ہے
باغِ احمد سے ہم نے پھل کھایا
میرا بُستاں کلامِ احمد ہے
ابنِ مریم کے ذِکر کو چھوڑو
اس سے بہتر غُلامِ احمد ہے
“Life-giving is the goblet of Ahmadsa; How dear is the name Ahmadsa. There may be a hundred thousand Prophets, but I swear by God that; The greatest of all in rank is Ahmadsa. I have eaten the fruit of the orchard of Ahmadsa; My garden is the word of Ahmadsa. Speak no more of Ibn Maryam [the son of Mary]; Superior to him is Ghulam-e-Ahmad [the servant of Ahmadsa].” (Defence Against the Plague & A Criterion for the Elect of God [Dafi‘ul-Bala’i wa Mi‘yaru Ahlil-Istifa’], p. 36)
The opponents of the Promised Messiahas often raise objections on his poetry. In relation to this poem, in particular, they mainly raise two baseless allegations:
1) Mirza Sahib has declared himself superior to all other Prophets, including the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa.
2) Mirza Sahib has disrespected Jesusas.
However, they fail to realise that this particular poem was written in defence of Islam, the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa and the Holy Quran, with the objective of proving Islam’s superiority over all other religions. As for the alleged “disrespect” of Jesusas in the last couplet, they do not understand that here the Promised Messiahas is telling the opponents to shun the idea of the physical descension of Jesus Son of Mary, since the one who was prophesied to come in the Latter-Days has already come, i.e., Ghulam-e-Ahmad, meaning the true servant of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa.
The opponents fail to comprehend that just before these couplets, Huzooras mentioned one of his revelations and wrote:
“This [revelation] indicates that the Christians had gone on raising a clamour that the Messiah too, in his nearness to God and eminence of person, was unique and without partner. Now, God says, look here, I will create his match, who shall in fact be superior to him and his name is ‘Ghulam Ahmad’, meaning, the servant of Ahmadsaw [i.e. the Holy Prophet Muhammadsaw].” (Ibid., p. 36)
The background of this poem
This poem of the Promised Messiahas is part of one of his ishtiharat (tracts), dated 23 April 1902, titled “Aik shakhs Saakin Jammu Charagh Din Naam ki Nisbat Apni Tamaam Jamaat ko aik Aam Ittilaa” (literally, “A general notice to my entire Jamaat concerning a resident of Jammu named Charagh Din”).
In the beginning of this ishtihar, Huzooras stated:
“The person in question has published perhaps one or two announcements concerning the plague after claiming to support my Movement and stating that he belonged to the Ahmadiyya Community as he had taken bai‘at. Portions of these announcements were briefly read out to me, but I had not yet heard the objectionable part. Thus, I consented to their publication believing this to be of no harm. Regrettably, however, because of the number of people with me at the time and other distractions, I was unable to listen to certain dangerous remarks and inappropriate claims contained within the footnotes. Out of goodwill, permission for the publication of these announcements was granted.
“Now, when another of Charagh Din’s essays was read out last evening, it came to light that this essay was dangerous and noxious, even pernicious to Islam and was overflowing with senseless and false ideas from beginning to end. In it, he writes that not only is he a Rasul [Messenger], but a Messenger with great resolve. Moreover, he writes that his mission is to bring about peace between Christians and Muslims, and reconcile the mutual differences between the Quran and the Gospel; he would do all of this as a disciple of ibn Maryam [the son of Mary] and be called a Rasul.
“As everyone is aware, the Holy Quran has never claimed that it would reconcile with the Gospel or the Torah. In fact, it declares that these books have been subjected to interpolation and alteration and that they are defective and imperfect. Moreover, the Quran claims that it alone has been crowned with the distinction اَکۡمَلۡتُ لَکُمۡ دِیۡنَکُمۡ [I have perfected your religion for you’ (Surah al-Ma’idah, Ch. 5: V. 4)]. It is our belief that the Gospel, the Torah, and other similar books bear no value in comparison to the Holy Quran and that they are indeed imperfect, interpolated, and altered. All good is found in the Holy Quran, as is intimated in the following revelation, which was recorded twenty-two years ago in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya:
قل انّما انا بشر مثلکم یوحی الی انّما الھکم الٰہ واحد والخیر کلّہ فی القرآن لا یمسّہ الّا المطھّرون
“See page 511 of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya. [Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya (English), Part 4, Sub-Footnote Number Three, p. 391] This means: ‘Say to them, “See that I am a man just like yourselves; I have received the revelation that God is One, He has no partner, and all good is comprehended in the Quran.” Good-natured people understand the truth of this matter.’
“So, what book should we seek besides the Quran. How can we consider it to be incomplete? God has told me that the Christian faith has died completely, and the Gospel is a lifeless and incomplete word. Can there be any comparison between that which is dead and that which is alive. We cannot reconcile with Christianity in any way as it is entirely worthless and false. Today, there is no book that exists beneath the heavens other than the Holy Quran.” (Defence Against the Plague & A Criterion for the Elect of God [Dafi‘ul-Bala’i wa Mi‘yaru Ahlil-Istifa’], pp. 33-35)
This was followed by the poem mentioned at the beginning of this article. In regards to these couplets, Huzooras further stated:
“These verses are not mere poetic caprice; they are an exposition of truth, and if evidence does not establish that I have been granted greater support than the Masih ibn Maryam [Messiah son of Mary], then I am a liar. God has supported me, not for my own sake, but for the sake of the Prophet who has been wronged [i.e. Muhammadsa].” (Ibid., pp. 36-37)
Huzooras further wrote:
“Now just consider for a moment how poles apart we are from the Christians. They declare that holy person to be a liar whom we consider to be the paragon of all creation. To achieve any reconciliation both parties must first strike a compromise. But given the extent to which our religion and our Book consider the religion of Christianity utterly foul and unholy, as indeed it is, how then can there be any agreement between us. In view of this vast religious divide there really can be no room for compromise. Rather, the only end is that false creeds are vanquished, and the virtuous people of the world accept the truth and then will the world come to an end. […]
“What kind of an impure prophethood is this, to which Charagh Din has made a claim? How shameful that a person who proclaims to be my follower can make the reviled claim that he is a Messenger sent by the Masih ibn Maryam in order to reconcile between these two religions. لعنۃ اللہ علی الکافرین [The curse of Allah be upon the disbelievers].
“In the Holy Quran God says that the ill [doctrines] of Christianity would well-nigh cause the earth to burst thereat and the heavens to break into pieces. How can we seek reconciliation with this [belief]? Furthermore, despite his utter lack of sense, understanding, and piety, Charagh Din claims to be a Messenger of Allah and thereby ridicules the system of God and belittles the station of Messengers and Prophets. Owing to his uncultivated intellect he has failed to grasp that although in earlier times certain Messengers were sent to support others in their very lifetimes – as was the case with Harun [Aaron] who was raised alongside Hadrat Musa [Moses] – Khatamul-Anbiya’ [the Seal of the Prophets] and the Khatamul-Auliya’ [the Seal of the Auliya’] are exempt from this practice. Just as no one was divinely commissioned alongside the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, or raised as a Messenger in his time, and all of his Companions followed one guide, similarly, at this time, everyone follows one guide; no one else has the right to claim that he is, God forbid, a Messenger.
“I have not come accompanied by two angels alone, but with thousands. In the sight of God, praiseworthy are those who have long assisted me for years on end. In my view and in the estimation of God their help has proven true. But what of Charagh Din’s help? His presence and absence have made no difference at all. This organised effort on my part has been ongoing for almost thirty years now, whereas he has sprung forth only a few months ago. I cannot recognise his appearance well enough to even identify him. He has not lived in my company for any length of time. I cannot imagine what service he might render me. Will he assist me in manifesting the sign of writing Arabic prose or in the exposition of hidden Quranic truths. Will he aid me in the intricate discussions I engage in for the advancement of natural and philosophical argumentation that rebut the Christians and followers of other religions? I know that he is bereft of all these areas of knowledge. The error of his nafs-e-’ammarah [self that incites to evil] has made him conceited. So from this day forth he is cut off from my Community, until he publishes a detailed confession of repentance, and forever disavows the foul ministry to which he has made a claim.
“How lamentable that the unfounded manner in which he has exalted himself has led him to defame my true helpers, and confer upon the repugnant faith of the Christians a status of parity with Islam. I care not for such people, for they can neither harm nor help me.” (Ibid., pp. 37-39)
Conclusion
In short, this is another example of the true purpose behind the Promised Messiah’sas usage of poetry. Unfortunately, his opponents raise objections over his poetry just for the sake of opposing him and fail to realise why and where he used this method in his writings.