English translation of Inqilab-e-Haqiqi
An address by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra,
Khalifatul Masih II, al-Musleh al-Mau‘ud
Delivered at Jalsa Salana Qadian on 28 December 1937
In this address, delivered at Jalsa Salana Qadian on 28 December 1937, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra discusses material movements in world history and the secrets of their success, followed by an exploration of the grand epochs of religious movements. He declares that the revolution brought about by the Promised Messiahas was, in essence, a revival of the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. He then speaks about the revolution initiated by the Promised Messiah, outlining the objectives of Tahrik-e-Jadid and associating this revolution with the demands of Tahrik-e-Jadid. Concluding his address, he sheds light on the means to establish an Islamic civilisation and directs the attention of Ahmadis towards their responsibilities.
Ideas, Beliefs and Concepts
Following this brief discussion on the five [great] movements and civilisations of the world, I will now discourse on the impact of their principle ideas.
Since the Aryan civilisation was founded on values of hereditary and racial superiority, despite their advancement and growth, they never established an empire, nor were they able to create a system of social cohesion like the Persians. The Roman Empire, comparatively, made progress because their political principles meant that despite conquering various nations, the defeated people were still able to build a relationship with them. In this way, the Roman civilisation was able to evolve and also became the pioneers of an evolutionary philosophy. The Persians too laid the foundations of a vast empire, comprised of a series of independent states administered by a central ruler. In all of these Persian states, the idea of a government within a government emanated from the [dualistic belief] in Ahriman1 and Yezdan2.
The civilisation of the Babylonians was based on chemistry and astronomy. They were experts in construction and administration. Even though it is the oldest [of the five civilisations], and very few historical sources relating to it still exist, yet the available evidence is staggering.
Evidence of Babylonian Civilisation in the Holy Qur’an
The Holy Qur’an mentions that some tribes of the Babylonian civilisation still exist to this day. In Surah al-Fajr Allah the Exalted says:
اَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ اِرَمَ ذَاتِ الۡعِمَادِ الَّتِيۡ لَمۡ يُخۡلَقۡ مِثۡلُهَا فِي الۡبِلَادِ وَثَمُوۡدَ الَّذِيۡنَ جَابُوا الصَّخۡرَ بِالۡوَادِ وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ ذِي الۡاَوۡتَادِ الَّذِيۡنَ طَغَوۡا فِي الۡبِلَادِ فَاَكۡثَرُوۡا فِيۡهَا الۡفَسَادَ3
That is, the founders of this civilisation were called the people of ‘Ad. [It is worth noting that] two nations bore this name; first, the people who founded the Babylonian civilisation and secondly, those who succeeded them. The verse above refers to the former. Allah the Exalted asks [the believers] if they are aware of how He dealt with the people of ‘Ad, otherwise known as ‘Ad-e-Iram – renowned for constructing buildings so tall that:
الَّتِى لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِى الْبِلَادِ
No other nation rivalled them in the art of construction. Contrary to the general rule [that is, over time,] the world witnesses progress and innovation; however, until the revelation of the Holy Qur’an, no civilisation equalled the art of construction as perfected by the people of ‘Ad.
وَثَمُوْدَ الَّذِينَ جَابُوْا الصَّخْرَ بِا لْوَادِ
The people of Thamud, were another community within the nation of ‘Ad and were expert sculptors and masons. [Their craftsmanship was so refined that] they would carve cities within mountains and build unique and extravagant palaces from stone.
وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِى الْأَوْتَادِ
The Egyptian pharaohs can also be considered offshoots of ‘Ad, for they too were ذِى الْأَوْتَاد,[that is,lord of vast camps]. Some commentators have interpreted autad (أَوْتَادْ) to mean tent pegs. However, here this interpretation is not correct. In this instance, autad means tall, magnificent buildings rising high like mountains. In Arabic, mountains are also referred to as autad-ul-arz (أَوْتَادُ الْأرْضِ), that is,pegs of the earth.2 Because it is the most protruding feature of the face, the Arabic word for nose is watd, which [is derived from the same root as autad]. A principal trait of [ancient] Egyptian architecture is that its buildings, like mountains, tend to be triangular in shape. Furthermore, there is an emphasis on height over internal living space. Hence, ذِى الْأَوْتَاد means those who build tall buildings.
As anyone who has been to Egypt will know, the pyramids are incredibly tall. Tourists from all over the world flock to see them and are made to wonder at how the ancient Egyptians were able to lift [such large] stones to these incredible heights. They are so high that it takes a long time to reach their summit. Despite my own prior intent and desire, I was unable to climb any of the pyramids. A friend of mine, however, proved somewhat more successful. But it took him so long that as I waited for him to return, I grew anxious about whether we would be able to return home before nightfall. The monument of Qutub Sahib [in Delhi] bears no comparison to these pyramids. Even Westerners are awed by these pyramids, unable to comprehend how the ancient Egyptians managed to raise stones the size of human beings to such heights.
Allah the Exalted asks us to consider the example of Pharaoh, who was able to build tall and sturdy pyramids. He further states that the custodians of this civilisation, namely the people of ‘Ad, during their era of progress and advancement, caused great disorder in the world and became exceedingly arrogant due to their power. He also reminds us [not to forget] how He dealt with them and brought about their destruction.
Thus the Babylonians put great emphasis on constructing buildings and observatories. The surviving vestiges of ‘Ad reveal many magnificent edifices. There was a time when Europeans denied that the people of ‘Ad had ever existed and insisted that there was no evidence of an ancient community by this name. The past 20 years have seen a recalibration of their thought, mainly due to new archaeological evidence. Only recently, I read a book by a Christian historian in which he contends that no book of history, be it thousands of pages long, has information on the people of ‘Ad which is the equal of that found in a few words of the Holy Qur’an.4
Evidence of the Babylonian Civilisation Found in the Old Testament
The details given of the Babylonians in the Torah authenticate the account of the Holy Qur’an. Hence, the Bible states:
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”5
It is clear from the aforementioned reference that according to Jewish history, the Babylonians were renowned for their ability to construct tall buildings. Indeed, as recorded in the above excerpt, the reason given [by the Torah] for the multiplicity of languages is that at a point in time, the Babylonians embarked on the construction of a magnificent tower so that it may serve as a sign for them by which they could be saved from dissension. However, Allah the Exalted desired that they be turned into factions. Therefore, in order to bring about an end to their project, He created differences in their language. Ravaged by discord, consequently, their power declined and the tower they had so desired to build was left unfinished.
Though the reason in this account [of their failure] is little more than a tale, it still reveals the historical truth that the Babylonians were experts in the art of construction and built edifices so tall their summits seemed to touch the heavens.
The Holy Qur’an relates an account of Pharaoh similar to that of the Bible, but with one marked difference. In the Biblical narrative, God Almighty is shown to entertain the absurd idea that by constructing tall buildings, human beings might attain divinity. The Holy Qur’an, however, attributes this naivety to Pharaoh and no one can deny that this is more in line with the truth. In the Holy Qur’an, Allah the Exalted recounts the story of Pharaoh. Therein, Pharaoh instructs [his engineer], Haman:
فَاَوۡقِدۡ لِيۡ يٰهَامٰنُ عَلَي الطِّيۡنِ فَاجۡعَلۡ لِّيۡ صَرۡحًا لَّعَلِّيۡۤ اَطَّلِعُ اِلٰۤي اِلٰهِ مُوۡسٰي ۙ وَاِنِّيۡ لَاَظُنُّهٗ مِنَ الۡكٰذِبِيۡنَ6
That is, when Mosesas came and revealed to Pharaoh his claim, Pharaoh called for Haman and instructed him to construct and prepare a tall edifice from stone as an observatory and telescopes so that it may open up the secrets of the heavens and thereby reveal the true nature of the God of Mosesas.
Similarly, it is related in Surah al-Mu’min:
وَقَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ يٰهَامٰنُ ابۡنِ لِيۡ صَرۡحًا لَّعَلِّيۡۤ اَبۡلُغُ الۡاَسۡبَابَ اَسۡبَابَ السَّمٰوٰتِ فَاَطَّلِعَ اِلٰۤي اِلٰهِ مُوۡسٰي وَاِنِّيۡ لَاَظُنُّهٗ كَاذِبًا6
That is, Pharaoh instructed his engineer Haman to build for him a tower so tall that it would manifest to him the secrets of the heavens and the truth about the God of Mosesas. This should not be taken to mean that this tower would reach up to the sky; rather, it was to be so tall that it brought the heavens into closer view. Pharaoh intended to place sophisticated telescopes at its summit by which to see the God of Mosesas. However, [at the end of the verse], Pharaoh explicitly says that he considers the God of Mosesas to be false. In other words, he was eager to quell the suspicion that his efforts were motivated by doubt and that perhaps he believed in the existence of the God of Mosesas. The building of this tower was not motivated by any doubt or misgiving on his part, but instead by a desire to prove that Mosesas was a liar.
Another verse of the Holy Qur’an also implies that the people of ‘Ad were renowned for the construction of tall buildings. Allah the Exalted says:
اَتَبۡنُوۡنَ بِكُلِّ رِيۡعٍ اٰيَةً تَعۡبَثُوۡنَ وَتَتَّخِذُوۡنَ مَصَانِعَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَخۡلُدُوۡنَ وَاِذَا بَطَشۡتُمۡ بَطَشۡتُمۡ جَبَّارِيۡنَ7
That is, God said to the people of ‘Ad: ‘you build magnificent structures on top of every mountain and construct huge factories and centres of chemistry and by this you think that you will live forever.’ In much the same way the Europeans of today also believe that their way of life will last forever. (Here Masania means factories and chemical works). God further says: ‘When you (the people of ‘Ad) take over a nation you annihilate their culture, and replace their civilisation with your own.’ (The meaning of Jabbar is to elevate yourself by subduing another, and a further meaning is to destroy the culture and civilisation of one nation and establish and replace it with your own). It is possible to interpret from the words وَإِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِيْنَ8 that weapons of war underwent significant development and refinement in this age. In fact some historians present forth the notion that the architecture of [ancient Babylonian buildings] found on mountain settlements depicts that the people of the time invented gunpowder and dynamite. In light of this, one can interpret the aforementioned verse to mean that [God said to the people of ‘Ad that] they invented destructive weapons of war by which they desired to eradicate other nations and establish their own civilisation and culture.
The Cornerstone of Western Civilisation
The cornerstone of contemporary Western civilisation is materialism, which itself is based on the principles of observation and experience. Consequently, this has fuelled the sentiment of an extreme form of nationalism.
True sacrifice can only be made when people believe in the existence of another world beyond this realm and forgo something for the sake of others, not for any worldly benefit, but rather for the attainment of spiritual good. However, those who reject the afterlife, [selfishly] seek everything for themselves alone.
Extreme forms of nationalism are born out of materialism. So too is luxury. The desire for more sophisticated means of leisure, food, drink and clothing also stems from materialism. When one views all profit and gain as attainable only in this life, it [perforce] leads to the view that all forms of pleasure ought to be enjoyed to the highest degree. Accordingly, in the West, materialism has reached an unprecedented level of growth.
The Differences between Roman and Western Civilisation
The difference between Roman and Western civilisations is that the Romans had a government ruled by law, which led their philosophy to focus more on specifics rather than general principles. Therefore, I [also] include the culture and philosophy of the ancient Greeks in my understanding of Roman civilisation. All branches of [Roman] philosophy were underpinned by this principle. A close look at the approach to medicine in ancient Rome reveals that it was based on general principles, which then inform the specific details of practice. First, general principles are proposed, and then specifics are derived from them. This philosophical outlook was also prevalent in their core theology and politics – that is of deducing specific rules from some general principles. However, since the foundations of the current Western civilisation are based on materialism, that is, the experience and observation of specific principles, therefore, all their emphasis is placed on these specific principles. The people of the West either deduce and derive specific rules from general principles, or they ridicule and deem general principles unnecessary and futile altogether. Ancient Greek physicians confined every illness within four categories of humours,9 using general principles of medicine to diagnose and treat the disease. However, a Greek physician confines every illness within four categories based on humours, diagnosing and treating diseases according to medical principles. However, a specialist in modern medicine identifies specific symptoms of each disease and treats them accordingly. They do not feel the need to link it to a specific series of a particular form of ailment.
The five movements and civilisations [I have mentioned] are the most important in the known history of the world. Their influence can be seen in all civilisations, sciences and cultures of the world. All other political [institutions] and philosophies are subordinate to them, albeit with minor variations. Some schools of thought have ostensibly freed themselves from the philosophical shackles of these five movements and formed their own philosophy, whilst others, despite having brought about minor changes, still embody the core principles of these earlier models.
The Reasons for the Success of the Great World Movements
The success of these five movements and civilisations was based on the fact that they brought with them a new message. Not only would they capture territories through wars of conquest, but they would also enslave the minds of the people there. Accordingly, whenever their political authority was eroded, their philosophical principles endured, and those who were once their subjects would go on to rule in the world according to these fundamental precepts, resulting in the continuity of thought and knowledge. In accordance with the decree of Allah, the founders of these movements ruled for a period of time and were then overthrown. However, their movements survived for many years and even today the influence of most of them is felt in a multitude of ways.
In contemporary India, the impact of the Aryans still resonates throughout every aspect of [public] life. To this day, Brahmans, and the Kshatriyas do not allow shudras to get close to them. Recently, a number of newspapers reported a story from Madras, wherein the son of a Brahman married a chamaran.10 Consequently, they began to live by themselves after the groom’s parents made them move to a separate house. One day they resolved to test their son’s faith and see whether, in spite of his marriage, his dharma11 remained intact. So they invited him to their home and fed him a large amount of pickles. They either destroyed or hid all their water vessels. Once the son had eaten his fill, he naturally grew thirsty, but wherever he looked, he could not find any water. In a state of desperation, he hurried to his house, which was approximately a mile away. He ran the whole distance and on his arrival, he immediately told his wife that he was thirsty and instructed her to fetch him some water. She told him that though there was water in the house, the only available drinking utensil was hers, which he could use if he wanted to. Her husband, however, replied that this would go against the dharma. When his thirst became so unbearable that he felt as though he was on the periphery of death, he asked his wife to first take the water into her mouth and pour it into his, which she did. The parents who had been secretly observing the whole scene ran to him, proclaiming that thanks to Parmeshar12 the dharma of their son had not weakened.
This absurd story exemplifies the grotesque and deeply ingrained racial hatred that distinguishes the Aryan movement and shows that even to this day, its influence holds captive the hearts of millions of people, leading to enduring tensions between the Brahmans and the Untouchables of India.
Occasionally, the philosophical thought advanced by these movements undergoes certain developments as new ideas are woven into the fabric of the original idea. However, the central philosophical tenets remain as they were. Similar changes are taking place in present-day India. The protracted era of British rule and the development and growth of other Western nations have sown the seed of Western ideas in the country. Day by day they are further embedded and their shoots and branches grow in every direction. This is particularly true of the educated classes, whose entire way of life is dyed in the colours of Western ideals. They view everything from a Western perspective. The independence movement has sought to cast Western ideas aside, but in accordance with historical precedent, it has done so only superficially. For example, if the British were to leave India today, the means of government established by them, that is, its councils, parliaments and various administrative customs, would remain the same. [In the future], whenever the new speakers of councils will be confronted by a difficult question, they will first take a day or two to think over the matter. Meaning they will study the customs and methods of Western parliaments in order to arrive at a correct decision. Thus, any change brought about in India would amount to no more than as if in England, Mr Chamberlain replaces Mr Baldwin [as Prime Minister] or if, in the future, Major Attlee assumes his office. If, by the time of independence, no new movement is established, Western ideals will continue to govern, though they may take on an altered appearance. Despite his insistence on having cast aside Western ideals, Gandhi, who is credited with being the originator of a new philosophy, still keeps as currency the principles he has apparently rejected. His entire way of thinking is influenced by the West. The cornerstone of Western civilisation is materialism, which promotes unscrupulous practices such as saying one thing and doing another. Accordingly, the followers of Gandhi make declarations of peace while secretly preparing for war. They stridently promote a policy of non-violence, while they slaughter great numbers of Muslims at every disturbance. Their principles are to be given lip service only, but not acted upon.
In truth, when under the influence of materialism a person denies the existence of the afterlife, there is nothing to prevent them from destroying those whom they consider to be adversaries. Indeed, they make every effort to discomfort their enemies. Congress may claim that they are adherents of Gandhi’s new philosophy, but in reality, their actions are pervaded by Western influences. As long as there is a place for materialist ideas in their hearts, they will re-enact the events of Europe on the Indian stage.
The success of the five great civilisations of the world stemmed from the fact that they were underpinned by a strong philosophy. Their founders would not only vanquish the territory of nations, but would enslave the hearts and minds of their inhabitants in such a way that even after the physical shackles of their rule had been broken, their authority would remain in place for hundreds and thousands of years.
Footnotes:
1. The word for Satan, as used in New Persian, which has a principal meaning of ‘evil or pure chaos’.
2. The word for God, as used in New Persian, which has a principal meaning of ‘Pure Divinity’.
3. Hast thou not seen how thy Lord dealt with ‘Ad- the tribe of Iram, possessors of lofty buildings, the like of whom have not been created in these parts — and with Thamud who hewed out rocks in the valley, and with Pharaoh, lord of vast camps? Who transgressed in the cities, and wrought much corruption therein. (Surah al-Fajr, 89: 7-13)
4. Tarikh ul Arab Qablal Islam, Jurji Zaydan [Publishers]
5. Genesis, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, 11: 4-8 [Publishers]
6. And Pharaoh said: ‘O Haman, build thou for me a lofty building that I may attain to the means of approach, the means of approach to the heavens, so that I may have a look at the God of Moses, and I surely think him to be a liar.’ (Surah al-Mu’min, 40:37-38)[publishers]
7. Do you build monuments on every high place seeking vain glory, and do you erect palaces as though you will live forever? And when you lay hands upon any one, you lay hands as tyrants. (Surah ash-Shu’ara, 26:129-131) [Publishers].
8. And when you lay hands upon any one, you lay hands as tyrants. (Surah ash-Shu’ara, 26:131) [Publishers].
9. The four humours proposed by ancient Greek physicians were blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. These humours were thought to influence a person’s temperament and health, and an imbalance among them was considered the cause of disease. [Publishers].
10. The term Chamar refers to a caste within the Hindu social hierarchy, traditionally considered to be one of the lower castes or Scheduled Castes (formerly known as “Untouchables”).
11. Dharma is a term used for faith in Hinduism, which refers to moral duty, righteousness, and the natural order that maintains cosmic and social harmony.
12. In Hinduism, Parmeshar refers to the Supreme God or the Ultimate Divine Being.
(Translation by Fazl-e-Umar Foundation, English Section)