Al Fazl, 25 March 1960
Hazrat Maulana Abul Ata Jalandharira
The Holy Prophetsa said that since the time of Adamas, every prophet had been warning [his people] about the fitna of the antichrist during the Latter Days. Thus, he also warned his people about that fitna [disorder and mischief]. When the Companionsra asked, “What is the remedy for avoiding the fitna of the antichrist?” the Prophetsa replied that whoever recited the first and last verses of Surah al-Kahf with due attention and contemplation, would be saved from the fitna of antichrist.
Upon pondering over the first verses of Surah al-Kahf, one finds that it mentions such a nation that holds the belief of the sonship of God Almighty and whose mission is to raise their voice against the Holy Quran being forthright, decisive and everlasting. In the last part of the surah, their industries and skills have been mentioned. In this regard, Gog and Magog have also been mentioned, which are the groups that would attain exceptional material progress. In other words, the first verses of Surah al-Kahf mention the religious beliefs and acts of the dajjali [antichrist] powers, and the last verses mention their material trade.
The thirteenth century after Hijrah brought huge setbacks for Islam, in which the dajjali powers emerged and spread their fitna in East and West. These powers stood up with the mission [to tell the world] that the Holy Quran was a useless book, and mankind’s salvation was impossible through this [book]. They also hold the belief of the Messiah’s sonship. They tried their utmost to prove defects within the teachings of the Holy Quran and declare them to be impractical.
An Eastern fitna also emerged under the influence of this Western fitna, and the objective of this movement was also to declare the Holy Quran defective and impractical.
In accordance with the prophecy of the Holy Prophetsa:
أَنَّ الدَّجَّالَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَرْضٍ بِالْمَشْرِقِ يُقَالُ لَهَا خُرَاسَانُ
Meaning, “The Dajjal will emerge in a land in the East called Khorasan” [Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Fitan, Hadith 4072], during the second half of the thirteenth century after Hijrah, the Bahá‘í fitna emerged harmoniously to these [dajjali] powers, and propagated that (God forbid) the Holy Quran is an abrogated book and salvation is impossible by acting upon this.
Allah the Almighty had stated:
اِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا الذِّكۡرَ وَاِنَّا لَهٗ لَحٰفِظُوۡن
“Verily, We Ourself have sent down this Exhortation, and most surely We will be its Guardian.” [Surah al-Hijr, Ch.15: V.10]
During the thirteenth century [after Hijrah], when the non-Muslim world and some so-called Muslim sects began their ploys with full throttle to prove the defects of the Holy Quran and wished to declare the Holy Quran abrogated, it was then that Allah the Almighty appointed His chosen one, the Promised Messiahas, for guarding the Holy Quran so that he may eradicate the fitna of the antichrist and make it fail in its plans. He has been called Kaasir-e-Saleeb and Qaatil al-Dajjal and was appointed to establish such a jamaat of sincere Muslims who would defeat the fitnas of the Latter Days in accordance with the manner advised by him, and compete with dajjali powers by following him.
This is the mission for which Allah the Almighty sent the Promised Messiahas after the emergence of the Dajjal-e-Akbar and Dajjal-e-Asghar [the lesser and greater Dajjals]. For this reason, all of his works and accomplishments are based on the teaching that the Holy Quran is a living book and will never be abrogated. Therefore, he stated:
i. “God is the enemy of the one who declares the Holy Quran to be abrogated, and acts against the shariah of Muhammad[sa] and wishes to create their own shariah.” (Chashma-e-Ma‘rifat, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 23, p. 340)
ii. “An essential teaching for you is that you should not abandon the Holy Quran like a thing forsaken, for therein lies your life. Those who honour the Quran will be honoured in heaven. Those who give precedence to the Quran over every hadith and every other saying will be given precedence in Heaven. Today, there is no book on the face of the earth for mankind except for the Quran. The sons of Adam have no Messenger and Intercessor but Muhammad, the Chosen One, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Endeavour, therefore, to cultivate true love for this Prophet of glory and majesty, and do not give precedence to anyone over him, so that in heaven you may be counted as those who have attained salvation.” (Noah’s Ark, pp. 22-23)
This is the objective for which Allah the Almighty appointed the Promised Messiahas, and this is the purpose for which Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya has been established, and this is the basic mission of the Promised Messiahas. That is, this era’s appointed one [ma‘mur] has been sent to establish the greatness and majesty of the Holy Quran, and to eradicate the fitna of the antichrist. For the accomplishment of this same objective, each member of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya should strive hard. May Allah the Almighty enable us all to do so. Amin.
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu in the 25 March 1960 issue of Al Fazl, p. 9)