Meekail Ahmad, Jamia Ahmadiyya Canada
آؤ لوگو! کہ یہیں نورِ خدا پاؤ گے
“Come, O people! ‘Tis here you’ll find the light of God.” (Durr-e-Sameen, p. 15)
It is the nature of a man to strive towards the light of truth, and the quest for this Divine light is a timeless and universal pursuit deeply ingrained in the human experience.
The human mind cannot comprehend staying in darkness for too long. If it is exposed to darkness for too long, it makes up its own fantasy to escape the reality of the darkness.
Even in nature itself, this beautiful phenomenon is manifest; whenever night falls, the light of the day follows. No matter if it is the darkest region on this earth, where night lasts for six months, a light will appear after all that darkness.
Similarly in the spiritual realm, the world goes through spiritual darkness. No matter how much sin, evil or immorality spreads, God sends His Light through His messengers to illuminate the world. Reflect upon the world today, even though the sun shines bright on this earth daily, the world is still engulfed in darkness. It is stuck in a spiritual gloom.
The spiritual gloom of this era
God Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
“And what should make thee know what the Night of Destiny is?” (Surah al-Qadr, Ch.97: V.3)
The Promised Messiahas writes in the commentary of this verse that:
“Do you understand what Lailatul-Qadr is? Lailatul-Qadr is the name of that age of darkness whose darkness reaches an extreme limit. For this reason, such an age inherently demands that a light descend to dispel the darkness. This period has been designated metaphorically as Lailatul-Qadr, but in reality it is not a night. It is an age that is akin to night on account of its darkness. (The Victory of Islam [Fath-e-Islam], 2022, p. 27)
The darkness of the pre-Islamic Arabs
The same darkness that covers the earth today was also seen 1400 years ago in the barren valley of Arabia.
The people of Arabia were steeped in barbarism. They had gone so far in the darkness of sins that even the light of the sun could not have illuminated them. Arabia was a male-dominated society where women had no status of any kind. The number of women a man could marry was not fixed. When a man died, his son “inherited” all his wives besides his very own mother.
Arabian society was marked by tribal allegiances and conflicts, which often led to blood feuds and cycles of violence. They had no modesty, no shame and no self-respect. They drank liquor like water and the one among them who indulged indiscriminately in fornication was acknowledged as a chief of the tribe.
A savage custom of the Arabs was to bury their baby girls alive. Even though an Arab did not wish to bury his daughter alive, he nonetheless needed to uphold this “honourable” tradition, being unable to withstand social pressures. The Quran states,
“And when the girl-child buried alive is questioned about, ‘For what crime was she killed?’”(Surah al-Takwir, Ch.81: V.9-10)
The spiritual sun that dispelled darkness
They had the appearance of humans, but could they truly have been referred to as humans? Only God could have illuminated them, therefore, He sent the Holy Prophetsa to guide not just the Arabs but the whole of humankind. A world marred by ignorance, injustice and moral decay was to be one guided by the principles of faith, ethics and compassion. As God Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
“And as a Summoner unto Allah by His command, and as a Lamp that gives [bright] light.”(Surah al-Ahzab, Ch.33: V.47)
The Five Volume Commentary mentions the following commentary of this verse:
“In this verse the Holy Prophet has been likened to the sun, thus indicating that as the sun is the central point in the physical universe so is the Holy Prophet the central point in the spiritual realm,” (Five Volume Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 2580)
This was the man who turned those savage and barbaric men into divinely guided and Godly men. The impact of Prophet Muhammadsa on his companionsra was multi-faceted and far-reaching through his transformative influence on their character, and their unwavering commitment to Islam.
The companions’ dedication to preserving and disseminating the message of Islam, along with their sacrifices and contributions, played an instrumental role in the spread of Islam across the world. Their legacy remains a source of inspiration for Muslims, serving as a model of faith, devotion and selfless service.
The companions of the Prophetsa exemplify the enduring power of his guidance and the indelible mark he left on the hearts and minds of those who had the privilege of being his companions. The Promised Messiahas writes:
“That high degree of light which was granted to man – that is to say, upon the perfect man – was not within the angels, the stars, the moon, or the sun; neither was it in the oceans and the rivers of the earth, nor was it in rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, or pearls. In short, it was not in any earthly or heavenly object.
“It was only in man; that is, the perfect man, whose most complete, highest and loftiest, and most perfect example was our Lord and Master, the Chief of the Prophets, the Chief of all living ones, Muhammad, the Chosen One, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. (The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam [A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam], 2025, p. 142)
ایں چشمۂ رواں کہ بخلقِ خُدا دِہم
یک قطرۂ زِ بحرِ کمالِ محمدؐ است
“This is a flowing spring that God created
It is a drop in the ocean of Muhammad’s perfection” (Majmua-e-Ishtiharat, 2019 Vol.1, p. 121)
The spiritual moon illuminated by the sun
In the middle of the night, as darkness creeps around, the moon is illuminated due to the attributes of the sun. The moon is not a source of light; it does not produce its own illumination like the Sun or stars. Instead, it relies on the light from the Sun to become visible in the night sky.
God sent the Promised Messiahas in a similar manner. Just as the Holy Prophetsa was a spiritual sun, the Promised Messiahas was a spiritual moon given life by that spiritual sun. The Promised Messiahas writes in a Qaseedah:
اِنِّيْ لَقَدْ أُحْيِيْتُ مِنْ إِحْيَائِهِ
وَاهََا لِاعْجَازِِ فَمَا أَحْيَانِيْ
“I am certainly among those whom he raised to life. What a miracle! How well he raised me to life!” (The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam [A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam], 2025, p. 583)
The Promised Messiah’sas mission was to reform the Muslim ummah and unite the entire world under the banner of One God. People either had lost their way or just stopped caring about religion and had driven away from the sole purpose of their creation. Islam was being attacked from each and every side. A mighty general was needed to defend Islam and show its superiority over every other religion.
The Promised Messiahas states:
“Blessed are those who have recognised me. Of all the ways that lead to God I am the last, and of all His lights I am the last. Unfortunate is one who rejects me, for besides me there is nothing but darkness.” (Noah’s Ark [Kashti-e-Nuh], 2018, p. 97)
مَیں وہ پانی ہُوں کہ آیا آسماں سے وَقْت پر
مَیں وُہ ہوں نورِ خُدا جِس سے ہوا دِن آشکار
“I am that water which came from the heavens at the right time; I am the light of God by which the day became evident” (Durr-e-Sameen, p. 177)
The humble origins of Divine light
What was this attraction that led people to these men who were the light of God? It is the way of God that He doesn’t choose the big towns or grand palaces to send his word to those whom He chooses.
He found Buddhaas in the forests and jungles of India. He found Mosesas on a mountaintop searching for him. He found Prophet Muhammadsa in a cave on a steep hill on the outskirts of Mecca.
Similarly, a light did appear in the small village of Qadian and God promised that this light would verily spread to corners of the world. It will enter the heart of every soul through this community and will spread to everyone around them.
The solution to our problems
If everyone carefully ponders upon the teachings of the Promised Messiahas, there is a solution for every problem that exists in the world. No matter the darkness left on this world, this light will conquer every heart, every soul and every mind. As the Promised Messiahas said:
“At present, there are many men from among our opponents about whom it is a matter decreed that they shall join our community. These people oppose us, but the angels look at them and laugh with the thought that: ‘Ultimately, you are going to join these very people.’ Such people constitute a hidden community of ours that will one day join us.” (Malfuzat [English], 2019, p. 106)
Prayer is that weapon that can help this world and help this light of God spread through to the corners of the world. This world needs these sparks to help it get out of the darkness and into the light. Prayer illuminates the spiritual path, guiding individuals towards a deeper understanding of their connection with the divine, and the eternal light that resides within their souls.
In this age of spiritual desolation, where humanity finds itself lost in the clutches of materialism, corruption and injustice, the light of God stands as the only beacon of hope.
Just as night inevitably gives way to day, the darkness that engulfs the hearts and minds of people will yield to the divine light brought by His chosen ones. The Holy Prophet Muhammadsa and the Promised Messiahas have shown us the way toward this light, and their teachings serve as a compass for navigating the murky waters of today’s moral and spiritual crises.
Now, more than ever, it is our responsibility to embrace this light, to follow the path illuminated by the perfect guidance of the Holy Quran and the Prophets.
Through prayer, sincere effort, and a return to the true purpose of our existence, we can drive away the shadows of ignorance and injustice.
Let us remember that even in the darkest of times, the light of God continues to shine, calling out to those with hearts willing to see. It is this light that will ultimately conquer every heart, and through it, peace and righteousness will prevail.
As the Promised Messiahas foretold, this light is destined to spread to every corner of the world, guiding humanity back to its Creator. Let us be the bearers of this divine flame, so that we, too, may find the eternal light of God.