Al Fazl, 20 February 1944
Hazrat Maulvi Sher Alira BA (1875-1947)
The prophecy of Musleh-e-Maud [the Promised Reformer] is a glorious sign of the acceptance of prayers of the Promised Messiahas. There are some other Signs of the Promised Messiahas that manifested through his prayers. For example, the sign of Lekh Ram, which is no doubt a strong proof of the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas in a certain way, but there is a huge difference between the sign of the appearance of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud[ra] and the other Signs of the acceptance of prayers of the Promised Messiahas.
Regarding this sign [of Musleh-e-Maud], the Promised Messiahas undertook special measures, and for 40 days, he secluded himself from the rest of the world in an isolated place outside his city and engaged in supplications and the remembrance of God. Consequently, God Almighty granted this sign of mercy to the Promised Messiahas. The other Signs that manifested as a result of the acceptance of prayers [of the Promised Messiahas] were also certainly wonderful Signs, but the significance of this sign is so vast that it is impossible to estimate.
This sign appeared three times in the history of the world as a result of prayer.
1. The first sign was the sign of the appearance of the Holy Prophetsa, which manifested as a result of the prayer of Hazrat Abrahamas. This sign is number one in the said category.
2. The second sign is the sign of the appearance of the Promised Messiahas, which appeared as a result of the prayers of the Holy Prophetas that he carried out for his ummah. This sign is the second of its kind in terms of its glory in the said category.
3. The third great sign which manifested in the world as a result of the acceptance of prayers [of the Promised Messiahas] is the sign of the appearance of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud[ra]. This sign ranks third in terms of its greatness.
What a great man he is who was born as a result of the third prayer. This can be gauged from the words of the divine revelation which was granted to the Promised Messiahas at Hoshiarpur after those 40 days of prayers. It was published in the 20 February announcement. The words of God cannot possess exaggeration, so if we want to get an accurate idea of the glory of Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud[ra], we must read the actual words of this prophecy. What a glorious man he is whose qualities, attributes and remarkable works are presented in this prophecy.
Hence, the third great man who appeared in the world after the Holy Prophetsa and the Promised Messiahas is Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud[ra], who has been mentioned in the words of this prophecy. The fact that this prophecy was fulfilled in the person of Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih II[ra], is proved not only by Signs and evidence, but also the actions of God Almighty are testifying to this fact that this prophecy was fulfilled in the person of Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih II[ra], because Allah the Almighty, by the manifestation of His power, has fulfilled and is fulfilling all the matters mentioned in this prophecy in favour of Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih II[ra], which cannot be denied by any fair-minded person. It was not in the power of man to fulfil all the things mentioned in this prophecy. Only God could do so. By fulfilling these words, He testified from heaven that the one who was to appear, the news of whom was given in this prophecy, that person is this Mahmud (may my mother and father be sacrificed for you). Thus, the greatest proof of a person’s authenticity is the practical testimony of Allah the Almighty and this proof is very clearly present in this [prophecy].
Another thing that testifies to the fact that Hazrat Mahmud[ra] was Musleh-e-Maud is that the same treatment was meted out to him as it was done to the promised ones before him. This has been the sunnah [practice] of Allah regarding the promised ones that have been sent by God for the reformation of the world that the leading men of their nation stood up against them and put forth every effort to thwart them.
In the time of Prophet Mosesas, it was Pharaoh who stood against him and tried to destroy him and his people. The greatest Jewish man in the time of Prophet Jesusas was their high priest named Caiaphas and he sought to defeat them. Abu Jahl was the chief of the valley of Mecca in the time of the Holy Prophetsa and he took up the work of opposition against him. Leading Muslim maulvis in the time of the Promised Messiahas, Muhammad Hussain Batalvi and Nazir Hussain Dehlavi, earned the title of Pharaoh and Haman in the revelation of God because of their opposition. In the exact same manner, according to the past sunnah of God, when the time of the appearance of Mahmud arrived, the significant figures of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat stood in front of him in a precisely similar fashion, just as the leading men stood up in the time of the earlier reformers. Thus, they expressed by their actions that the one who was going to stand up now is that promised one whose glad tiding was given by the founder of Ahmadiyya Jamaat.
Another thing that shows the true glory of Hazrat Fazl-e-Umar, Khalifatul Masih II[ra], is that the foundation of Ahmadiyya Jamaat was laid with his birth. Those people who had great hopes from the Promised Messiahas, were influenced by his writings and prophecies, and thought that Allah the Almighty had raised him for the reformation of the people, requested him again and again to take their bai‘at. However, the Promised Messiahas always told them that he had not yet been ordered to take bai‘at, and that he could not take anyone’s bai‘at unless he was commanded by God to take the oath of allegiance. When Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] was born, the Promised Messiahas was instructed through Divine revelation to start taking bai‘at. The following revelation was sent to him:
وَاصۡنَعِ الۡفُلۡكَ بِاَعۡيُنِنَا وَوَحۡيِنَا
[“And build thou the Ark under Our eyes and (as commanded by) Our revelation.” (Tadhkirah [English], pp. 475)]
Hence, the Promised Messiahas published the news of the birth of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra] in the said announcement and laid the foundation of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat by inviting the people to take bai‘at. Until the birth of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II[ra], God Almighty postponed the taking of bai‘at. Thus, with his birth, [God] revealed the commandment [of bai‘at] and laid the foundation of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. In this way, the Ahmadiyya Jamaat started with his birth. This indicated that the blessed newborn was closely associated with the Ahmadiyya Jamaat because the two originated together, and also to make it clear that the Ahmadiyya Jamaat had such an attachment to his personage that the two cannot be considered separate from each other.
Lastly, I think it is important to point out that just as we tell non-Ahmadis that it is important for them to accept the Promised Messiahas because through him the prophecies of the Holy Prophetsa were fulfilled and his personage was a sign of his [the Holy Prophet’ssa] truthfulness and in this way we conclusively communicate the truth to the opponents of Islam [itmam al-hujjah], in the same way, we say to the ghair mubai‘een [those who denied to take bai‘at of the second Khalifa] friends that Allah the Almighty, through Hazrat Fazl-e-Umar[ra], has fulfilled a great prophecy of the Promised Messiahas and has shown a glorious sign of his truthfulness, so they, who claim to believe in the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas, are obligated to believe in the authenticity of this sign. Moreover, they should tell the world as to how Allah the Almighty has given a glorious proof of his authenticity by fulfilling the great prophecy of the Promised Messiahas in a miraculous way. Before him, the head of every virtuous and God-fearing individual bows down. However, if they will keep denying this shining sign of the Promised Messiahas because of their stubbornness and prejudice, then they will be as guilty before God as the non-Ahmadis are guilty before Allah the Almighty by denying the Promised Messiahas through whom the prophecy of the Holy Prophetsa was fulfilled and whose existence is a glorious testimony to the authenticity of the Holy Prophetsa.
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu in the 20 February 1944 issue of Al Fazl)