My dear brother Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib, M.A., Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu! I received your kind letter. I am praying for you whole heartedly all the time. May Allah the forgiving, the merciful, make you successful. It is hoped that, trusting in Allah, you will write the answers after careful consideration. You should also pray much. May Allah be gracious to you. Amen, again amen. I have not received any letter from Doctor sahib. It is still awaited.  Humbly, Ghulam Ahmad from Qadian, 5 December 1898.

My dear brother Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu! Looking at the hard work and amount of effort you are putting in purely in the way of Allah, the prayer comes out of my heart that may Allah give you good reward in this world and the hereafter. Amen.  At the moment I am sending you sixteen pages of the book. More will follow as they are printed. What you have asked is very appropriate. You may reduce or expand the biography as you like. I leave that entirely up to you.  Humbly, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, 3 January 1899.

My dear brother Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu! The defence paper that is to be printed today is being sent to you through brother Maulvi Sher Ali sahib. It is my firm opinion, which I consider absolutely essential, that you should translate it very carefully and get it printed as you translate it. For the costs a sum of money has been sent now. If the expenses exceed this then you may get them from Babu Taj-ud-Din. You must remember that in this defence in English it must be stated very clearly that the prophecy published in the announcement about the Mubahila, dated 21 November 1898, has come true, and references should be given to the announcements. If I have missed out any points in this paper, you should complete them. In the end I pray that Allah may grant you to pass, and reward you for these services. Amen, again amen.  Humbly, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, 18 January 1899.

My dear brother Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu! Congratulations on your success in the examination. In the days just before the result was announced I was very anxious and thinking about this. Praise be to Allah, that you passed it. In the defence that is to be published, if there is scope by the time you receive this letter then please mention at a suitable place the proceedings which took place at the meeting about the plague.  Humbly, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, 8 February 1899.

My dear brother Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu! Today, on 8 February 1899, your letter was received. The labour that you have undertaken out of sincere zeal, may Allah bestow upon you goodly reward for it. Amen, again Amen.  Humbly, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, 8 February 1899.

My dear brother Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu! I have received your kind letter and hope that, after spending a few days in your village, you will, according to your promise, come here for eight days. I have started to write the book which you are going to translate, and brother Shaikh Rahmat-ullah is ready to go to London so that it can be published in Europe. It would be best if you could arrange to come at the earliest possible convenient time so that you could say Eid prayers here. Many other friends are also expected. Wa-salam.  Humbly, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, 29 March 1899.

My dear brother Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu! Your kind letter was received. I am very happy to know that Allah in His perfect wisdom has provided you an opportunity to stay in Qadian. It appears that Allah Almighty intends to shower much of His blessing and mercy upon you by this opportunity. I think it would be better if you spend the entire summer till October here in Qadian and devote yourself to religious work with youthful vigour. During this time you can learn the Holy Quran from Maulvi (Nur-ud-Din) sahib.  Then in October, which is the onset of winter, you will have the choice of starting your own career. This period will inshallah act as an elixir for you in the completion of religious tasks. I hold an extremely good opinion about you and believe that during this time you will make great progress. It has long been my intention to divide my community into two groups: one group consisting of those who are partly for this world and partly for religion, and are not able to withstand great trials, nor can they render any important services to religion; and the other group consisting of those who enter through this door with full sincerity and faithfulness and in reality sell themselves in this path. I wish that God would include you in the latter group. After 15 May 1899 you should come prepared for this long stay. I am sure God will reward you for this. During this period if you intend to take any other examination,* the solitude here will provide ample time to prepare. Anyhow I can see it will be a great blessing, but you must be determined to stay in Qadian in any case till October. Everything is fine. Wa-salam.  Humbly, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, 8 May 1899.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. We praise Him and invoke blessings upon His noble Prophet. My leader and mentor, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu. Yesterday at midday you directed that my humble self should stay here permanently. I want to say something about it. Last May when I came to your service, with the permission to stay here for an extended period, I had no other idea in my mind, and Allah is my witness to that, except that during this long stay a way might be found to enable me to give up all my worldly affairs and stay at your feet. This most cherished desire is still in my heart. Once or twice when I went back to my native town there was no other purpose but to please my parents, and it never occurred to me to settle there. I am at your service and am your servant, and it is you whom I request to pray that God may give me strength to adhere steadfastly to this promise throughout my life and make me die upon the same faith. I am ready to stay and to work whenever and in whatever way you command me to, sir. Though I am fearful of making this claim, as all guidance is only in Allah’s hands, but I have dared to express this only because you, sir, also require this promise at the time of taking the pledge, that ‘I will hold religion above worldly affairs’. These words mean that the one who takes the pledge must submit himself and all his faculties to the man sent by Allah. As for accommodation, my only desire is for a house where you are physically near, as is this place where you have allowed me to stay. If I start legal practice I am determined to visit you every week. I do not wish to live far away because distance makes the heart rusty. So wherever you order I will have a house built there. I will now send for money from my home for this purpose. Humbly, Muhammad Ali, 23 March 1900.

My dear brother Maulvi sahib, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu. The arrival of your letter just now has given me so much pleasure that it is beyond description. May God grant your wishes both in this world and the hereafter! I am looking for accommodation for you all the time and hope that suitable houses can be found nearby. But for the time being the house in which you are living will suffice because I had it built only with you in mind. As the female section of the house needs to be bigger to meet all the requisites, so I am thinking about it. I hope that Allah will solve all problems and pave the way to achieve your goals, as He is all-powerful. Wassalam. Humbly, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, 23 March 1900.

Footnote 1
This incident has also a symbolic meaning. Milk symbolizes knowledge. The Holy Prophet related a dream in which he drank milk abundantly from a cup and then gave what was left to Hazrat Umar. The Holy Prophet interpreted the drinking of milk in this dream as being given knowledge (Bukhari, 3:22). In this incident the first two glasses signify the Maulana being given knowledge of Islam and the third glass, drunk to please Hazrat Mirza sahib, signifies his knowledge of the claims of the Promised Messiah.Back to main text.

Footnote 2
Regarding this last article, Dr. Basharat Ahmad notes the following incident in his book Mujaddid-i Azam (the biography of Hazrat Mirza sahib): “In the days when Maulana Muhammad Ali’s article on the preservation of Hadith reports appeared in the Review of Religions, having read it it occurred to me that in order to write an article based on such thorough, detailed and deep research he must surely have had help from Maulana Nur-ud-Din or Maulana Muhammad Ahsan of Amroha as these two revered figures were the leading lights in the field of Hadith in those days. However, it so happened one day that I and Maulana Muhammad Ahsan were sitting on the top of the Masjid-i-Mubarak before maghrib prayers when Maulana Nur-ud-Din arrived, with a copy of the Review of Religions in hand. After greeting Maulana Ahsan he asked him if he had read the article on the preservation of Hadith. Maulana Ahsan replied in the affirmative. Maulana Nur-ud-Din said: ‘We think that only people like us, the religious scholars, have deep knowledge of Hadith, but Maulvi Muhammad Ali has done such excellent research in this field also that I am astonished.’ Maulana Ahsan also agreed with this. I then realized that these two scholars had no part in Maulana Muhammad Ali’s research, and that it was all his own effort, labour and knowledge at which scholars of Hadith of this high status were expressing amazement.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

1b. The Promised Messiah’s time

(Second of two sections)

The dreams, visions, revelations and writings of Hazrat Mirza sahib about Maulana Muhammad Ali

At that time it could not appear to the outward eye that this young man of twenty-five or twenty-six years of age would one day be a true successor of the ‘Master of the Pen’ (Sultan-i Qalm), the Promised Messiah, and would be the means through which his heartfelt desires and aspirations would be fulfilled. Hazrat Mirza sahib reviewed the character and qualities of Maulana Muhammad Ali and wrote, as quoted above, “I am sure that my foresight will not go wrong in this, that this young man will make progress in the path of God, and I am sure that by the grace of God he will prove to be so firm in righteousness and love of religion that he will set an example worthy to be followed by his peers.” Then, mentioning his deeply-held wishes, he handed over to Maulana Muhammad Ali that practical work which he declared as the real aim of his coming. It was on the basis of his foresight that he gave the Maulana the responsibility for this work. According to Hadith, the foresight of a true believer is illuminated by the light of God, and the faith which Hazrat Mirza sahib had in his foresight could only have been created by Allah in his heart. The following letter proves this point, in which Hazrat Mirza sahib writes to Maulana Muhammad Ali:

“I hold an extremely favourable opinion about you. This is why I have a special love for you. If your nature had not been pure in the sight of God, I could not possibly have thought so well of you, never. I love you fervently from the bottom of my heart, and often pray for you in the five daily prayers. I hope that at some future time these prayers will show their effect. … I am busy praying, with heart-felt passion, for your welfare in this world and the hereafter, and for your body and soul, and I am awaiting the effects and results of the prayer.”

As mentioned above, this opinion of the Promised Messiah was based not only on his foresight and his observation of Maulana Muhammad Ali’s character and qualities, but the Promised Messiah also had dreams, visions and Divine revelations indicating that it was ordained by Allah that Maulana Muhammad Ali would inherit the Promised Messiah’s mantle of knowledge. Keeping in view the needs of the time, the Promised Messiah was to carry on jihad with the pen and not with the sword. So it was necessary that there should arise from among his companions a man who would be his successor in continuing this jihad. It was also natural that Hazrat Mirza sahib should see this man of letters in his visions. It appears from many dreams, visions and Divine revelations of his that he was shown beforehand that Maulana Muhammad Ali would accomplish the most tremendous service to the cause of religion.

The most important and foremost task was to produce a commentary of the Holy Quran which would prove the truth of Islam in this age. In his book Izala Auham on page 773, the Promised Messiah had expressed his wish to write a commentary himself, as has been quoted earlier. But elsewhere he was shown in a clear vision that the commentary was written by ‘Ali’ and ‘Ali’ was presenting to him that commentary. Hazrat Mirza sahib referred to that vision in the following words:

“I remember at this point a very clear vision.”

The vision had two parts, the second part being related by him as follows:

“After that a book was given to me, about which I was told that this was the commentary of the Holy Quran written by Ali and now Ali is giving that commentary to you. Allah be praised for this!”

(Tazkira, p. 21; Barahin Ahmadiyya, p. 503, subnote 3 on footnote 11)

Though Hazrat Mirza sahib had expressed his intention to write the commentary himself, it was the will of Allah that this vision should be fulfilled and ‘Ali’ write a commentary and give it to him. Accordingly, in the preface of the commentary Maulana Muhammad Ali wrote the following words in English:

“… the greatest religious leader of the present time, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, has inspired me with all that is best in this work. I have drunk deep at the fountain of knowledge which this great Reformer — Mujaddid of the present century and founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement — has made to flow.”

So the knowledge of the Maulana came from the Promised Messiah and the aspiration to produce the commentary was also of the Promised Messiah. This was indicated in the vision in the words that this was “the commentary of the Holy Quran written by Ali and now Ali is giving that commentary to you”.

The selection of Maulana Muhammad Ali as the one to inherit the knowledge of the Promised Messiah and to carry out jihad by the pen is also elucidated in another vision, which was related by Hazrat Mirza sahib as follows:

“I saw in a dream that I was riding a horse and going somewhere. On the way it grew completely dark so I turned back. There were also some women accompanying me. On the return journey, due to dust in the air it became pitch dark. I was holding the reins by groping for them. After a few steps light appeared and in front of me I saw a large terrace. I dismounted on it. There were some boys there who cried out: ‘Maulvi Abdul Karim has come’. Then I saw Maulvi Abdul Karim sahib approaching. I shook hands with him and said assalamu alaikum. The late Maulvi sahib took out something and gave it to me as a present, saying that the bishop, who is the head of the Christian priests, also uses it. This thing looked like a rabbit, brown in colour. Protruding from it was a long tube, with a pen at the front of the tube. That pen ran easily without effort. I said: ‘I did not send for this pen.’ Maulvi sahib said: ‘Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib must have sent for it’. I said: ‘I will give it to him’.”

(Tazkira, pages 675–676; Al-Hakam, 17 November 1906)

Hazrat Mirza sahib has himself added the interpretation of the vision as follows:

“The women represent weak people. The pen means that Allah will give Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib such power of intellect that he will write forceful articles to combat the opponents.” (Ibid.)

There is another vision of Hazrat Mirza sahib which was narrated by Maulana Muhammad Ali as follows:

“Another of his dreams, which I have not seen in print anywhere, was told to me by the Promised Messiah himself. It was that the Promised Messiah and I were riding a horse, with me sitting behind him, and it was galloping at a great speed through the narrow streets of a city. At every corner there would be danger of a collision but the horse would clear it safely. In the end we reached an open ground where there was a man who pointed towards me and said: ‘His name is Majadd-ud-Din.” (Paigham Sulh, 15 January 1935)

Maulana Muhammad Ali’s riding a horse sitting behind Hazrat Mirza sahib indicated that it was destined that the Maulana would carry on Hazrat Mirza sahib’s literary work after him and the name Majadd-ud-Din meant that the work would be for the glory of Islam (as majad means glory). By the grace of God, so did it happen. The literature produced by Maulana Muhammad Ali painted a beautiful, complete picture of the religion of Islam which resulted in the strengthening and glorification of Islam.*

* Footnote: Maulana Muhammad Ali published this dream at the very beginning of the Split in the Ahmadiyya Movement, and also referred to it on two later occasions. When, following the Split, the Qadiani community was making all kinds of allegations against him, this revealed name was printed appended to the Maulana’s name in many issues of Paigham Sulh in 1914.

It seems appropriate to mention here also that in the Hadith reports of the Holy Prophet Muhammad regarding the coming of the Mahdi there are three reports which Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan has quoted in his book Hujaj-ul-Kirama on pages 442 to 443, which indicate that after the death of the Mahdi there would be a khalifa of his, but on the death of this khalifa people will desert the Quran and they will be involved in tribulation and dissension. Then they will choose a khalifa from the household of the Mahdi, who would cause more harm than good. A man would arise against him who would have the title Mansur.

There is another Hadith report, in Abu Dawud, that the Promised Messiah has quoted along with one of his visions, in his book Izala Auham in a footnote on pages 95 to 99. He writes that a man shall come forth from Ma wara’-un-nahr, meaning that his country of origin will be Bokhara or Samarkand, and he shall be called by the name ‘Harith’, meaning that as regards the ancestral occupation of his family he will be a farmer. The words of the Hadith report are as follows:

“It is related on the authority of Ali that the Messenger of Allah, may peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him, said: A man will come forth from Ma wara’-un-nahr who will be called ‘Harith’, a farmer. The commander of his army will be a man called ‘Mansur’.”

The Promised Messiah has applied the prophecy about Harith to himself, and so he writes:

“Let it be clear that the prophecy contained in the authentic hadith of Abu Dawud, that a man called Harith, a farmer, will come forth from Ma wara’-un-nahr, which means Samarkand, who will strengthen the followers of the Holy Prophet … this prophecy and the prophecy about the coming of the Messiah who would be an imam of the Muslims and be from among the Muslims, both of these are about the same subject, and they are both fulfilled by my humble self.”

Then he explains the words of the hadith “the commander of his army will be a man called Mansur” as follows:

“And the commander of his army, that is the head and leader of the followers of Harith, will be a man helped by God who will be known in heaven as Mansur because God Himself will be the helper of his aspirations to serve the faith. Although this Mansur is described as the commander of an army, what is really meant is not military war or fighting, but that this will be a spiritual army which will be given to Harith. This is as I saw in a vision that there are two men sitting in a house, one on the ground and the other near the roof. Then I called to the man who was on the ground, saying that I needed an army of one hundred thousand. But he remained silent, giving no answer. Then I turned towards the other man who was near the roof and towards the sky and said to him that I needed an army of one hundred thousand. He replied that he could not give one hundred thousand, but five thousand soldiers would be given. Then I thought to myself that although five thousand is not much, but if God so wills, a few can triumph over a greater number, and I recited the Quranic verse: ‘How often has a small party vanquished a numerous host by Allah’s permission!’ [2:249] Then I was shown that man Mansur in a vision, and I was told that he would be successful and blessed. But due to some hidden purpose of Divine wisdom, I was not allowed to recognise him. However, I hope he will be shown to me at some other time.”

(Izala Auham, pages 95–99; Tazkira, pages 181–182)

It has been made very clear in this vision that the Promised Messiah saw two men leading his community, one sitting on the ground and the other near the roof towards the sky. The man on the ground had so many people that he was asked to spare one hundred thousand, but he remained silent. Then Hazrat Mirza sahib addressed the man on the roof and repeated the same request. He replied that he could only give five thousand men. In fact this is the ratio between the Qadiani Jama‘at and the Lahore Ahmadiyya Jama‘at. The Lahore Ahmadiyya Jama‘at is hardly one-twentieth of the Qadiani Jama‘at. The ‘sitting on the ground’ and the ‘sitting near the roof towards the sky’ refer to the inclinations of the leaders of the two Jama‘ats. The Qadiani Jama‘at has concentrated more on worldly gains while the other group focussed its attention on those higher objectives which are those that fulfil the mission of Hazrat Mirza sahib. Another point made clear from this vision is that the leader of his spiritual army, Mansur, is the one who is the leader of the smaller group whose Jama‘at, in its work, fulfils the Quranic verse: “How often has a small party vanquished a numerous host by Allah’s permission!”.

At the end of this vision, the Promised Messiah has mentioned another point. He says:

“Then I was shown that man Mansur in a vision, and I was told that he would be successful and blessed. But due to some hidden purpose of Divine wisdom, I was not allowed to recognise him. However, I hope he will be shown to me at some other time.”

His book Izala Auham in which this vision is written was published in 1891. At that time neither Hazrat Mirza sahib had seen Maulana Muhammad Ali nor had the Maulana seen Hazrat Mirza sahib. Later on, when Maulana Muhammad Ali settled in Qadian, the manner in which Hazrat Mirza sahib expressed his desires about his mission and handed over all the work relating to it to Maulana Muhammad Ali shows that Hazrat Mirza sahib himself appointed the leader of his army.

The Promised Messiah had another dream about Maulana Muhammad Ali in June 1904, which is perhaps in reply to what the leaders of the Qadiani Jama‘at later on said about Maulana Muhammad Ali. He says:

“I saw Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib in a dream: You also were righteous and had noble intentions. Come and sit by me.” (Al-Badr, 1 August 1904, p.4; Tazkira, p. 518)

Two things have been said here: he was “righteous” and he had “noble intentions”. The first quality really answers those Qadianis who accused Maulana Muhammad Ali of being impious (fasiq), for ‘righteous’ (salih) is the opposite of impious. The other accusation made against him was that he was a mischief (fitna) maker and the breaking away from Qadian was called ‘the Paighami fitna’ (the word Paighami was coined in reference to the Lahore Ahmadiyya periodical Paigham Sulh). But Hazrat Mirza sahib himself testified to the Maulana’s pure and good intentions, and his asking Maulana Muhammad Ali to sit beside him in the hereafter indicates that the Maulana continued the work of the Promised Messiah.

In short, all these dreams, visions and other writings of the Promised Messiah show that it was willed by God the Most High that Maulana Muhammad Ali be chosen to carry on the mission of Hazrat Mirza sahib and to bring his aspirations to fulfilment, and that Hazrat Mirza sahib delegated this work in his lifeime to the Maulana. And as it turned out, it was Maulana Muhammad Ali who was enabled by Allah to produce the commentary of the Holy Quran and write other comprehensive and excellent books on Islam, and it was the Maulana through whom Allah brought to fulfilment all the wishes of Hazrat Mirza sahib. In this way the Maulana’s life is a part and a continuation of the life of Hazrat Mirza sahib, for it was Hazrat Mirza sahib’s heartfelt desire to do the work of the propagation of Islam but it was the will of Allah that he should do some of that work in his life and the rest be completed after him by one of his followers. This is just as the keys to the palaces of the Caesar and the Chosroes (Qaisar and Kasra) were given to the Holy Prophet Muhammad in a vision but both these kingdoms were conquered by Hazrat Umar and the keys came to his hands, so that the lives of  Hazrat Abu Bakr and Umar proved to be part of the life of the Holy Prophet. Similarly, some of the aspirations of the Promised Messiah were granted by God during his own lifetime but others were fulfilled after his death through Maulana Muhammad Ali, proving that Maulana Muhammad Ali’s life was part of Hazrat Mirza sahib’s life.

Another interesting incident may be related in this connection. In the months of March and April 1902, the epidemic of the plague was raging in the Punjab. In Qadian it never assumed a serious form even though it was causing havoc in the surrounding villages. At that time Hazrat Mirza sahib had a revelation from Allah as follows: “I will protect everyone in this house except those who are disobedient with arrogance”.

As in this revelation God had promised protection for all those who lived in his house, Hazrat Mirza sahib invited many people to reside with him. Maulana Abdul Karim and Maulana Muhammad Ali were already living there. Then Maulana Nur-ud-Din, Maulana Muhammad Ahsan of Amroha with his family, and some other families also moved into his house, each family living in one room. During that time it so happened one day that Maulana Muhammad Ali felt a high fever and he thought that, although he was living within the house, but as the revelation made an exception for the arrogant disobedient he might have some spiritual weakness within him and as a result he may have got the plague. Overcome by this thought, he sent for Mufti Muhammad Sadiq and started making his last will before him. When the Promised Messiah heard of this, he immediately came to visit Maulana Muhammad Ali and enquired as to how he was. The Maulana said that he had got plague and pointed to his high fever. On this the Promised Messiah said with great emotion:

“If you have got the plague then I am a liar and my claim to receive Divine revelation is wrong.”*

* Footnote: Hazrat Mirza sahib has himself described this incident, and written the words quoted here, in his book Haqiqat-ul-Wahy, page 253.

Saying this, the Promised Messiah felt for the pulse of the Maulana with his hand. A strange manifestation of the power of God took place, that the body cooled down as soon as he touched it and there was no sign of any fever. Maulana Muhammad Ali sat up fully recovered.{Footnote 1}

Mufti Muhammad Sadiq has stated that he had himself touched Maulana Muhammad Ali’s body just previously to this and it was burning hot, but after Hazrat Mirza sahib arrived only a few minutes later the fever just disappeared.

On another occasion, writing about the Talim-ul-Islam school, Hazrat Mirza sahib said:

“Our aim in starting this school is only that it can enable people to give priority to religion over worldly matters. The general curriculum has been introduced alongside so that this knowledge can be made to serve religion. Our aim is not that the students after passing their F.A. and B.A. examinations should go in search of worldly jobs, but that they may devote their lives to serving their faith. This is why I feel such a school to be a necessity, that it could be a useful institution in the service of the religion. The problem is that whoever gets even a little education goes after material gains. I wish that such people could be produced who would do the kind of work that Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib is doing. There is no certainty of life, and he is all alone. One cannot see anyone who can assist him or take his place.” (Al-Hakam, 30 November 1905; Ruhani Khaza’in No. 2, vol. 8, p. 270)

The Promised Messiah had so much confidence in Maulana Muhammad Ali with regard to having a correct and true understanding of the Promised Messiah’s teachings, beliefs and claims that he issued the following instructions:

“Hazrat Mirza sahib called in the editors of Al-Hakam and Al-Badr and emphasized to them that they must be very careful in writing down his speeches and articles, in case something got misreported by mistake, which would then be used by the critics in their support. … So [added Hazrat Mirza sahib] ‘it is proper that before publishing such articles in your newspapers you should show them to Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib, M.A. You will benefit by this, and also people will be saved from error’.” (Diary for 2 November 1902; Ruhani Khaza’in No. 2, vol. 4, page 159)

Need for an English Translation of the Holy Quran

By 1907 the need for an English translation of the Holy Quran was being widely felt among the educated Muslims, and many Indian newspapers were alluding to it. At that time the editor of the Ahmadiyya community newspaper Al-Hakam, referring to the dire necessity for an English translation, wrote that for this work a person was needed who was not only an expert of the Arabic language but also had full command of English. Besides this, he should be a godly person, having great zeal and fervour for the propagation of Islam, and be fully acquainted with the needs of the modern times. As to who could be that saint, the editor wrote:

“It is a fact, which, if people do not realise it now, they will do so at a future time, that this revered person is the worthy young man Maulvi Muhammad Ali, M.A. By writing in defence of Islam and expounding its truth through the Review of Religions he has established the reputation of his pen in Asia and Europe so firmly that figures like Russell Webb and philosophers like Tolstoy acknowledge that the concepts of Islam presented in this magazine give satisfaction to the soul.

In Europe and America the articles of this magazine have been read with great interest. They are not ordinary articles but deal with such important topics as hell and heaven, slavery, polygamy, jihad, preservation of the Quran, and compilation of Hadith reports, etc., that not everyone can write about. …

I have not put forward Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib’s name so that Muslims of India may choose him for this purpose or send him subscriptions. He neither needs this nor desires it. He has been working for years, sincerely and enthusiastically, serving Islam under the man sent by God. He is neither motivated by any greed nor can any difficulty or problem stop him. If God allows, he will do this work quietly and the world will find out how zeal for the service of Islam is made manifest.” (Al-Hakam, 17 August 1907)

Represents Hazrat Mirza sahib in court cases

In addition to the literary and other religious work which Maulana Muhammad Ali was doing in Qadian, he also assisted Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din in representing Hazrat Mirza sahib in some court cases in that period.

On 15 July 1901, Hazrat Mirza sahib had to go to Gurdaspur to testify in a court case instituted against one Mirza Nizam-ud-Din and others who had tried to block public access to the Masjid-i-Mubarak at Qadian. Maulana Muhammad Ali and many other friends accompanied him. In Gurdaspur, at the suggestion of  Maulana Muhammad Ali, Hazrat Mirza sahib stayed at the house of Mian Nabi Bakhsh, Maulana Muhammad Ali’s father-in-law, for two days. Both Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, who came from Peshawar, and Maulana Muhammad Ali represented Hazrat Mirza sahib in court and eventually won the case.

From January 1903 to January 1905 there was a series of court cases between one Maulvi Karam Din and the Promised Messiah and certain of his companions. In these cases Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din was the senior advocate representing Hazrat Mirza sahib, but Maulana Muhammad Ali also appeared with him. These cases were eventually decided in favour of Hazrat Mirza sahib. On 15 January 1903 Hazrat Mirza sahib left Qadian to attend the first case, which was to be heard in Jhelum, and after spending the night in Lahore he arrived in Jhelum on 16 January. During this journey Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din and Maulana Muhammad Ali accompanied him, and also with them was Shaikh Nur Ahmad as a lawyer. They returned on 18 January.

After that there were several cases in court at Gurdaspur which were prolonged because of the bias of a Hindu magistrate. After a year Hazrat Mirza sahib tried to get the cases transferred but was unsuccessful. In February 1904 an appeal in this connection was lodged in the Chief Court in Lahore where Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din and Maulana Muhammad Ali appeared but were not successful. From April 1904 so many dates kept on being set for the court hearings that Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din gave up his own practice in Peshawar and came to stay in Gurdaspur. In August 1904 Hazrat Mirza sahib also took a house in Gurdaspur and stayed there with his family because it was very difficult to travel again and again between Qadian and Gurdaspur. Once, in July, it even happened that when Hazrat Mirza sahib and some of his companions were travelling from Qadian to Batala at night, some robbers surrounded their carriage. However, they did not have the courage to attack, and ran away when challenged by Maulana Muhammad Ali and his two companions who were following behind.

During Hazrat Mirza sahib’s stay in Gurdaspur, Maulana Muhammad Ali used to keep on travelling between Qadian and Gurdaspur, as his presence in Qadian was essential due to the publication of the Review of Religions and his other administrative duties. The court cases were largely pursued by Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. At last, in October 1904, Hazrat Mirza sahib came back to Qadian. The great services rendered by the Khwaja sahib and the sacrifices made by him during these court cases are unrivalled and unique. He left his flourishing legal practice and his family and home in Peshawar to stay in Gurdaspur and concentrate on these cases day and night. His family suffered financial privations and other troubles and tribulations, one small daughter fell ill and died, but the Khwaja sahib did not leave Gurdaspur. Hazrat Mirza sahib prayed for him much in those days, and on one occasion he told him that he had received the revelation about him, husn-i-bayan (meaning eloquence of expression), so God would endow him with the gift of eloquent speech and articulation. This was exactly what happened. The Khwaja sahib’s oratory was not confined only to the court room, but his religious lectures, whether in English or in Urdu, in India or in Europe, used to hold his audience spellbound. Not only was the content rational and well reasoned, but his delivery was so engaging and attractive that he had complete command over the audience.

During the Karam Din cases, when Hazrat Mirza sahib decided to move with his family to Gurdaspur and fixed a date to travel, it was the rainy season and due to heavy rains Qadian had become like an island as all routes were closed and trains were not running. Shaikh Yaqub Ali had to attend the court case on the due date, so he made his way on foot through the flood water with great difficulty to reach Gurdaspur. Arriving there, he mentioned the hardships of the journey to Maulana Muhammad Ali and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. There were also problems in securing the house which Hazrat Mirza sahib was to occupy. So all of them were worried and it was agreed that a man be sent to Qadian to stop Hazrat Mirza sahib from embarking on this journey. At that point a remark made by Maulana Muhammad Ali, through his insight and faith, was greatly enjoyed by his friends. He said: “You can certainly send someone if you like, explain all the difficulties, but these people {footnote 2} can’t be stopped from their plans because their determination is also a miracle.” And so did it happen. Hazrat Mirza sahib came to Gurdaspur according to his plan and the problem of accommodation was solved as well.

During these court cases in August 1904 the Promised Messiah and his family went to Lahore from Gurdaspur for a few days. Maulana Muhammad Ali, his wife, Maulana Nur-ud-Din, Maulana Abdul Karim and Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan accompanied them. They all stayed at the house of Mian Charagh Din known as ‘Mubarak Manzil’ and the house of Mian Miraj Din, located outside Delhi Gate. During his stay, Hazrat Mirza sahib’s well known lecture ‘Islam and other Religions in this Country’ was delivered at a meeting place behind the shrine of Data Ganj Bakhsh and was attended several thousands of people.

On 22 October 1905, Hazrat Mirza sahib left on a journey to Delhi. He later on sent for Maulana Nur-ud-Din. Maulana Muhammad Ali did not accompany Hazrat Mirza sahib on this journey, but stayed behind in Qadian. On 4 November Hazrat Mirza sahib started the return journey and, stopping at Ludhiana and Amritsar, arrived in Qadian on 10 November. What is notable is that for the period of his absence Hazrat Mirza sahib placed Maulana Muhammad Ali in charge of the affairs of the Guest House and its food service which the Promised Messiah always used to keep under his personal supervision. Apart from this, in Maulana Muhammad Ali’s papers there are found many letters and notes, from the time of his stay in Qadian, addressed to him by Hazrat Mirza sahib, showing that on many occasions when Hazrat Mirza sahib had some other engagement such as going to meet the district administrative officials he made Maulana Muhammad Ali as in charge in his absence. On some such occasions Maulana Muhammad Ali sent notes to Hazrat Mirza sahib suggesting other people for the job, but Hazrat Mirza sahib would return the notes with instructions in his own handwriting on the back of the paper reiterating that the Maulana should take charge of the matter.

Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya founded

In 1905, after the Promised Messiah learnt through some Divine revelations that his death was approaching, he wrote certain instructions entitled Al-Wasiyyat (‘The Will’) for his followers, as to the arrangements for the community after his death. This he published on 20 December 1905. In this ‘Will’ he did not appoint any successor, but enjoined on the entire community to work together and make decisions by mutual consultation. However, to enable new members to be admitted to the community, he laid down that such elders of the community on whom forty faithful agree, may take the pledge from the entrants in the Promised Messiah’s name. He also proposed to establish a graveyard at Qadian for his community, which he named ‘Bahishti Maqbara’ (the graveyard of heavenly people).

On 6 January 1906, Hazrat Mirza sahib published an Appendix to his book Al-Wasiyyat, in which he gave in detail all the necessary instructions regarding his Will. For the administrative system after him he laid the foundations of an ‘Anjuman’ (organisation) and appointed that Anjuman as his successor. He framed some rules and regulations himself, and declared the main object of the Anjuman to be the propagation of Islam.

In Rule 13 he wrote:

“As the Anjuman is the successor to the Khalifa appointed by God, this Anjuman must remain absolutely free of any taint of worldliness. All its affairs must be completely above board, and based on fairness.”

He explained this in more detail as follows:

“All members of the Anjuman must belong to the Ahmadiyya Movement, and must be virtuous and honest. And if, in future, it is felt that someone is not virtuous, or that he is not honest, or that he is cunning and tainted with worldly motives, it shall be the duty of the Anjuman to expel him from its ranks forthwith and to appoint another in his place.” (Rule 10, Appendix, Al-Wasiyyat)

With the publication of Al-Wasiyyat and its Appendix, Hazrat Mirza sahib laid down the foundation of this Anjuman and named it Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian, and proposed establishing its branches in other places where the community existed. He appointed fourteen members as trustees of this Anjuman, with Maulana Nur-ud-Din as President and Maulana Muhammad Ali as Secretary. The following are the names of the fourteen members:

1. Maulana Nur-ud-Din            —  President
   2.      Maulana Muhammad Ali      —  Secretary
      3.      Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din         —  Legal Advisor
   4.      Maulana Syed Muhammad Ahsan of Amroha
   5.      Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad
   6.      Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan of Malir Kotla
   7.      Seth Abdur Rahman of Madras
   8.      Maulana Ghulam Hasan Khan of Peshawar
   9.      Mir Hamid Shah of Sailkot
   10.      Shaikh Rahmatullah of Lahore
   11.      Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig of Lahore
   12.      Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah of Lahore
   13.      Dr. Khalifa Rashid-ud-Din
   14.      Dr. Mir Muhammad Ismail

For the remaining two and a half years of his life Hazrat Mirza sahib ran this Anjuman according to the system and rules laid down in Al-Wasiyyat. It so happened that in the winter of 1907, in connection with the extension of the Mubarak Mosque, Mir Nasir Nawab, father-in-law of the Promised Messiah, wanted to impose his own judgment as against that of the Anjuman. On a complaint about this made by the Anjuman, Hazrat Mirza sahib personally came to a meeting of the Anjuman and wrote a note, as reproduced below, which is preserved in Maulana Muhammad Ali’s papers. Its English translation is as follows:

My view is that when the Anjuman reaches a decision in any matter, doing so by majority of opinion, that must be considered as right, and as absolute and binding. I would, however, like to add that in certain religious matters, which are connected with the particular objects of my advent, I should be kept informed. I am sure that this Anjuman would never act against my wishes, but this is written only by way of precaution, in case there is a matter in which God the Most High has some special purpose. This proviso applies only during my life. After that, the decision of the Anjuman in any matter shall be final. Was-salaam. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, 27 October 1907.

The image of the original Urdu note is shown below:

It was decided by this document that after Hazrat Mirza sahib’s death the Anjuman would have complete authority. There would be no individual ruling over the Anjuman, and all the administration would be in the hands of the Anjuman. This was a great achievement of his, that he eradicated both the system of putting absolute power in the hands of the religious leader and the tradition of having an inherited spiritual headship.

Some other events

On 28 December 1906, on the occasion of the annual gathering of the Ahmadiyya community, Maulana Muhammad Ali submitted and read out the first annual report on the working of the Anjuman, and presented its annual budget, which amounted to Rs. 30,000 excluding the free kitchen. He made an impassioned speech in which he mentioned the companions of the Holy Prophet and how they sacrificed their lives and money, and said that God had made things easier in our time as there was no need to sacrifice life, but sacrifice of money was still needed. Concluding his speech he advised members of the community to lead a religious life and do for the religion even more than what others do for the materialistic world. He also appealed for funds for constructing the school building.

In 1907, in addition to the other matters, Maulana Muhammad Ali paid special attention to two developments. First, establishing branches of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian in various towns and districts. So through the community’s newspapers and his personal letters he started the work of establishing these branches, which came into existence in many places as a result of his efforts. The second important task was to raise funds for the extension of the Masjid-i-Mubarak and to supervise its construction. For this purpose Maulana Muhammad Ali issued special appeals starting in the months of May and June 1907 to raise funds. By the end of 1907 the construction work was completed under his personal supervision. His own office, as the secretary of the Sadr Anjuman, was on the lower storey of the mosque.

Talim-ul-Islam High School

One of the growing needs of the Ahmadiyya community was a proper building for the Talim-ul-Islam school in Qadian. It was a high school but was housed in mud huts. It was proposed to construct a large boarding house and a building for the school. So a plot of land was purchased from the community’s funds, and appeals were made at the annual gatherings in 1906 and 1907. In January 1908 the executive committee of the Anjuman nominated Maulana Muhammad Ali to raise funds for the building. He took up this campaign with great vigour and started raising funds. Besides appeals at the annual gatherings which he made while presenting the Anjuman’s report and budget, he also launched repeated appeals through both the community newspapers Badr and Al-Hakam, requiring between one-third to a half of the monthly income of each person as a single donation. In this connection he said:

“I am prepared to say that what I have demanded is not much. Perhaps Allah knows that a time will come when even greater demands will be made upon you because spreading religion is not an easy task. But this small sacrifice will prepare you for greater sacrifices.”

In February 1908 he organised a delegation to go on tour to raise funds for the building of the school. Apart from himself this included: Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig, Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah, Mian Charagh Din and Mian Miraj Din. On 16 February 1908 Maulana Muhammad Ali went to Lahore in this connection, and then also visited Amritsar and Kapurthala. After that, as his other commitments would not permit him to stay away from Qadian for much longer, he returned and the delegation continued its tour.

Financial Commissioner’s visit to Qadian

In March 1908, when the financial commissioner for the Punjab, Mr. Wilson, came on a tour of Qadian, elaborate arrangements were made for his reception and dinner was provided on behalf of Hazrat Mirza sahib and the Ahmadiyya community. The next day Mr. Wilson met Hazrat Mirza sahib, and a long conversation took place during which Maulana Muhammad Ali and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din acted as interpreters.

Some domestic events

As has been mentioned, about a year after his arrival in Qadian Maulana Muhammad Ali married Fatima Begum, daughter of Mian Nabi Bakhsh of Gurdaspur, the match being arranged by Hazrat Mirza sahib himself. During 1908 Fatima Begum was not keeping good health, so in November 1908 Maulana Muhammad Ali took leave from his work as Secretary of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian and Editor of the Review of Religions and went to Lahore with his wife for her medical treatment, staying with Shaikh Rahmatullah. However, on 20 November 1908 Fatima Begum died. In the December 1908 issue of the Urdu edition of the Review of Religions Maulana Muhammad Ali has mentioned his seven and a half years of married life while announcing the news of the death of his wife. He wrote as follows under the heading About Myself:

“With this page, seven years of the life of the Review and of my editorship are completed. Although every human being encounters some sad and some happy occasions in his life, I have never written anything about my life in this magazine as I consider this organ to be above any mention of personal circumstances. Even now I am hesitant to pen these few lines. However, I believe that over such a long period a rapport is built between an editor and his readers so that they can share his sorrows and happiness, especially where there is a religious bond between them strengthening that rapport.“On the very day when the November issue was leaving this office, that is, Friday 20 November, my wife died in Lahore at about 4 a.m., at my revered friend Shaikh Rahmatullah’s residence where we were staying for her treatment. We belong to Allah and to Him do we return!

“The deceased Fatima Begum was born on 17 March 1886 in Shakar Gharh in this district and was married to me on 4 April 1901 at Gurdaspur. On 20 November 1908, after three months of severe nausea, she returned to her Maker at the age of 22 years and 8 months in Lahore. She was buried in Maqbara-i Bahishti in Qadian on 21 November.{Footnote 3} During her 7 years and 7 months of married life she gave birth to two children who died at birth, and to a daughter Ruqayya Begum on 26 November 1906 who is left with me in her memory.

“This relationship was of special happiness for me because it was arranged by my leader and master, the Promised Messiah himself, who married me as if I were his own son. It was the result of his prayers that she proved to be such a sharer in my feelings that I myself was surprised. Another reason for my happiness was that when this union was arranged I had put everything together to start my legal practice in Gurdaspur and I had also been accepted as a candidate to take the E.A.C. examination, but when the marriage ceremony took place I was staying in Qadian having given up worldly ambitions. In spite of that, the deceased’s father Munshi Nabi Bakhsh did not object to this, but what is more even my wife never alluded to it nor did she ever express any wish that I should leave Qadian and try to earn worldly wealth for her. In this way she helped me in my migration, and by sharing in my hardship she saved me from many trials and dilemmas.

“Women usually crave for material things but she did not find it difficult to give up any such hopes for the sake of her husband. This is not easy. I know of many instances in which some women who preferred worldly wealth hindered their husbands from carrying out their good intentions. The word of Allah also bears witness to this: ‘Among your wives and children, there are those who are your enemies’ [The Quran 64:14]. I cannot thank Allah enough for providing such a spouse for me who, far from being an opponent of my religious work, proved to be an aid and helper. So if I have done any service to the faith — and only God knows if I have, because He knows the intentions — I consider that my late wife too is a sharer in that work in the sight of God. That is why I have mentioned her death in these pages. She also had a great passion to help the poor and needy, so much so that sometimes she would help them even without my knowledge. When people were asked to make wills [for the Movement], she was one of the first to do so, and made a will for one-third of her possessions.

“During her illness Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih [Maulana Nur-ud-Din] showed such sympathy that I cannot find the words to describe it. Similarly, the revered Khalifa Rashid-ud-Din made such exertions in providing treatment, purely for the sake of God, that there are very few examples of this kind of devotion on the basis of worldly ties. Then in Lahore the practical help provided by my honoured friends Shaikh Rahmatullah, Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah, Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig, Babu Ghulam Muhammad and Hakim Muhammad Husain Qureshi, was beyond all my expectations. I was taken aback because it is my misfortune that I have never had the chance to do anything for these people. Indeed, this passionate love which my elders and brothers show towards me, in the way of Allah, is living proof of the words: ‘you become brethren by the favour of Allah’ [the Quran 3:103].

“Allah tries His servants with death of their near and dear ones. … No matter how weak I proved in this test, due to my love for my late wife, there is no doubt that those who showed me love, for the sake of Allah, acquitted themselves successfully because in my hour of need they showed me sympathy beyond my expectations. May Allah reward them! However, all are not the same. If someone, despite being my benefactor, has instead of showing sympathy mentioned some past grievance at the time of this death, it was perhaps a lesson for me that it is a mistake to consider any worldly abode as your home.”

Death of the Promised Messiah

On 27 April 1908 the Promised Messiah went to Lahore on his last journey. In his absence from Qadian, he put Maulana Muhammad Ali in charge of the Guest House, which used to be in the Promised Messiah’s personal supervision, and of other matters. In Lahore, Hazrat Mirza sahib stayed first of all at the house of Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. Some other friends including Maulana Nur-ud-Din and Maulana Muhammad Ahsan of Amroha also came to Lahore. After some time Hazrat Mirza sahib shifted to the residence of Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah. In Ahmadiyya Buildings the place where the mosque is now situated was then an open ground. By erecting marquees over it and spreading rolls of mats on the ground, it was used for holding Friday prayers and Maulana Nur-ud-Din gave daily talks on the Holy Quran.

On 26 May 1908 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah, breathed his last, and that night his coffin was taken by railway train to Batala and from there to Qadian. The whole of the Ahmadiyya community accepted Maulana Nur-ud-Din as successor to Hazrat Mirza sahib. It was a time of the utmost sorrow for the Ahmadiyya community on the one hand, and on the other at this very time its opponents had raised a storm of abuse and vilification. Thus the community faced a two-fold trial at that time.

During his stay in Lahore the Promised Messiah had composed his last writing, Paigham-i Sulh (Message of Peace). As after his death this was to be read out at a public meeting at University Hall, Lahore, on 21 June 1908, a large number of Ahmadis gathered in Lahore. On this occasion, in obedience to Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s instructions, Maulana Muhammad Ali made a speech which was deeply effective, impassioned and moving. Mentioning Hazrat Mirza sahib he said:

“What a great and glorious objective is facing you. It is as if a gigantic mountain is standing in your way and you have to remove it to clear the way. It is easy to move a mountain but the mission that our Imam has entrusted to us is of even greater importance. It is to spread Islam in the world. Is it a small and easy task? What encourages us is that God Himself has promised that He will make Islam prevail through this community. So there is no reason to panic or lose heart. The holy Hazrat [Mirza sahib] has himself written: ‘I do not know which impossible paths I will have to tread, which thorn-filled wildernesses and deserted jungles I will have to traverse, so if anyone has delicate feet he should take leave of me now.’ Friends! that time has now come and those difficult to cross ravines, thorny jungles and frightful wildernesses are to come before us which we must cross to reach the destination pointed out by our pious Imam and true guide. Earlier we had a man among us who was taking care of our affairs splendidly with great skill. To tell you the truth, we used to sleep without a care while that pure hearted man, the chosen one of God, comforted us like a loving mother and protected us from every difficulty like a shield. We were untroubled and carefree. … That era has now passed. That holy man who carried our loads on his own head, having done his work, has gone to meet his Creator in accordance with the Divine promises. Now you have to shoulder all the burden, and you are the people who have to accomplish that work and bring it to completion. …

“Hazrat [Mirza] sahib’s being was a cloud of mercy and a shade of benevolence sent over us from God. He turned us away from sins and established us upon goodness, he transformed our dead and dry belief in God into a fresh and living faith, and he filled our hearts with reverence and honour for God and His Prophet like solid steel. Our moral condition was unspeakable, but he made us drink such an elixir that we began to enjoy and get pleasure from our prayers and remembrance of God, and our hearts were filled with love for the Holy Quran. Everyone progressed in righteousness according to his power and aptitude. … So we have to learn a lesson from his death. Blessed are those who can set an example of a pure transformation and steadfastness at this time. It is the sign of a believer that even at the time of a calamity he moves forward.”

After this he refuted the objections being made by the opponents at the death of Hazrat Mirza sahib and said:

“In spite of the severest opposition raging, that man sent by God convinced millions of people of his views. He infused his spirit in you. If, filled with this spirit, we do this work the doors of spiritual victories will open for us. After the death of the Holy Prophet, great conquests were made by Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar. This was due to his spirit working in the companions. Likewise, after the Promised Messiah’s death this mission has not come to an end and it is our duty to work for this lofty objective and to try to make Islam triumph over all other religions.” (Al-Hakam, 18 July 1908)

Footnotes

Footnote 1
On the one hand Hazrat Mirza sahib had such complete faith in Maulana Muhammad Ali’s righteousness and God-fearing nature, and on the other the Maulana’s faith and conviction had reached such perfection that in later years when there were outbreaks of the plague epidemic in the areas where the Maulana was living he continued to stay in those places and refused to be inoculated, saying that the Promised Messiah’s command was enough for him. In March 1924 Lahore was struck by a severe epidemic of the plague. Large numbers of people were dying, schools and offices had to be closed down and many people left the city. Maulana Muhammad Ali and his family, accompanied by other friends, moved to tents in an open field in what is now Muslim Town. But every morning he would go to his house in Ahmadiyya Buildings in the centre of the city of Lahore, work there all day and return in the evening. When cases of the plague spread to the Ahmadiyya Buildings area as well, Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig and Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah who were also residing in tents tried to persuade him, in vain, either to get inoculated or to stop going to the city. But he refused. Then they asked Maulana Muhammad Ali’s wife to persuade him of this, but he always evaded the issue though he had his family inoculated. One day a rat crawled out from under a bookshelf in his office and died. He simply sprinkled kerosene over it and burnt it, and carried on with his work.

Back to main text.

Footnote 2
By “these people” he meant persons who are sent by God.

Back to main text.

Footnote 3
On her gravestone Maulana Muhammad Ali also inscribed the words: How well did you fulfil the covenant that was between us!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

2. The Times of Maulana Nur-ud-Din

May 1908 to March 1914

Overview

After the death of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, his successor Maulana Nur-ud-Din led the Ahmadiyya community from 1908 till 1914. During these six years, whereas on the one hand the Ahmadiyya Movement made tremendous progress and laid the foundations of many great and magnificent works, yet on the other hand there were some destructive activities undertaken by certain elements which not only brought about a split in the community but also did irreparable and lasting damage to the advancement and popularity of the Ahmadiyya Movement.

On the bright side, the annual budget of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya rose astonishingly from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 200,000. This was largely due to Maulana Muhammad Ali’s work because he was the General Secretary as well as the life and soul of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya. However, his success made certain people feel bitter and agitated. During this period a grand building was constructed for an educational establishment, whose physical structure is even today proclaiming that the man who played  the central role in its construction, indeed under whose supervision and advice it was built, possessed a first-rate architectural mind. In the same period, under the guidance of Maulana Nur-ud-Din, Maulana Muhammad Ali laid down firm and permanent foundations for the propagation of Islam in the shape of the English and Urdu translations of the Holy Quran with commentaries. Again in those days, the Ahmadiyya Movement was gaining popularity among the general Muslim public. The Review of Religions edited by Maulana Muhammad Ali and the lectures given by Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din in various parts of India raised the Ahmadiyya community to a prominent status among the educated Muslims of India. Later in the same period Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din went to England where he established the Woking mission in 1913.

 

On the dark side, some destructive activities also started during this period. Plots were made to sow the seeds of distrust in Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s mind against Maulana Muhammad Ali and the members of the Anjuman. Efforts were made to deprive the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya of its powers or to have some members from Lahore expelled from it. According to a conceived plan, a body known as ‘Majlis Ansarullah’ was created, while along with that the doctrine of calling other Muslims as unbelievers (kafir) was invented. In short, just as this was the period of progress for the community, at the same time all these activities were taking place behind the scenes whose devastating results became manifest upon the death of Maulana Nur-ud-Din in 1914. We will turn to the causes of the Split in the next chapter. First we look at the bright side of this period.

 

Early life of Maulana Nur-ud-Din

Maulana Nur-ud-Din came from a well respected family of Bhera, district Shahpur, Punjab, and was the pride of the family. He was widely renowned for his knowledge, scholarship, rectitude and virtuous character. Besides being a highly capable physician, he was an incomparable and illustrious scholar of all branches of religious knowledge and had a huge collection of books famed as being magnificent and comprehensive. He had travelled to many educational centres in India to learn the Unani system of medical treatment by the use of indigenous drugs, as well as the religion of Islam from the then famous teachers of theology. He was so widely-read and had such minute knowledge that on any topic under discussion he could quote from memory exact references to book and page from the works of scholars. He had a great love for the Holy Quran. During his youth he travelled to Delhi, Lucknow, Rampur and Bhopal etc. for purposes of education. He also went as far as Makka and Madina, and for some time there he joined Shah Abdul Ghani’s students and disciples, gaining knowledge of both the exoteric and esoteric aspects of religion. On his return to India he was appointed personal physician to the Maharaja of Jammu and served there for several years, earning a handsome salary. At the same time he kept up teaching and imparting the vast ocean of knowledge which he possessed. The events of his life can be read in more detail in the book Mirqat-ul-Yaqin Fi Hayat Nur-ud-Din by Maulvi Akbar Shah Khan of Najeebabad.

He happened to read Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s book Barahin Ahmadiyya and came to know of Hazrat Mirza sahib’s claim that today Islam is the only true and living religion by following which a person can find God, that Allah bestows revelation upon His chosen servants, and that Hazrat Mirza sahib himself had personal experience of this so that whoever so wished could come and stay with him and judge for himself. Having read this, Maulana Nur-ud-Din came to Qadian from Jammu to meet Hazrat Mirza sahib and stayed with him for some time. Here he realised that all the knowledge he had gained by travelling to different Islamic countries was inadequate. In 1888 Hazrat Mirza sahib received the Divine command to take the pledge (bai‘at) from people and form a community (jama‘at), and in March 1889 Maulana Nur-ud-Din became the first person to take the pledge. After some time he gave up his royal job and came to stay with Hazrat Mirza sahib, and in his obedience of the Promised Messiah and his sacrifices for the Movement he surpassed all others.

 

People of all faiths not only benefited by his medical practice but friend and foe alike acknowledged his scholarship, learning and godliness. The most prominent feature of his life was his love for the Holy Quran. God bestowed upon him the knowledge of His Book and he worked day and night to teach it to others. Till his death it was his daily routine to impart knowledge of the Holy Quran, and everyone benefited from his teaching to the extent of his or her ability. As has been mentioned before, he lived in a small part of Hazrat Mirza sahib’s house, the same house where later on Maulana Abdul Karim and Maulana Muhammad Ali also occupied one or two rooms each.

 

When Hazrat Mirza sahib died, Maulana Nur-ud-Din was the man regarding whom the entire community was unanimous that only he could be his successor. However, he accepted this burden with reluctance. When Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din and some other persons went to him with this request, he proposed one or two other names. When they insisted, he said that Mirza Mahmud Ahmad (eldest son of the Promised Messiah) and Mir Nasir Nawab (father-in-law of the Promised Messiah) did not agree with the proposal. So Mirza Mahmud Ahmad was questioned about it, and he replied that he would have to consult his mother. After that consultation, when both he and Mir Nasir Nawab expressed agreement, only then did Maulana Nur-ud-Din accept this responsibility. First he said two raka‘hs of prayer, then he declared his beliefs and after that he took the pledge from people.

 

Commencement of the English Translation of the Holy Quran

For almost six years, from May 1908 to March 1914, Maulana Nur-ud-Din was the Head of the Ahmadiyya community. During this period, Maulana Muhammad Ali was every year elected as secretary of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, he continued his duties as editor of the Review of Religions, he was in charge of the Anjuman’s works relating to education, publication and buildings, and in addition he had to devote time to other affairs. However, the time had now come for that work to be started for which God the Most High had been preparing Maulana Muhammad Ali in Qadian. Maulana Nur-ud-Din, through his penetrating insight, selected his beloved student Maulana Muhammad Ali for the service and the spreading of the Holy Quran, and instructed him to start the work of writing the English translation and commentary of the Holy Quran. In 1909, at the age of 35 years, Maulana Muhammad Ali took up this great work which was completed in seven years. During this time, the Split took place in the Movement in 1914 after Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s death; and even during his life, a faction of the community tried to cause problems for Maulana Muhammad Ali and created hindrances which, by the grace of God, were removed.

In 1909 Maulana Muhammad Ali, who was secretary of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian and editor of the Review of Religions, put the proposal for his English translation of the Holy Quran before the Anjuman in the following words:

 

“As far as I have considered the matter, before starting the translation at least one year is required for a preparatory study of different Urdu and English translations of the Quran and lexicons of Arabic and English. After that, the translation would take no less than two years to be completed. So it will take at least three years to complete the translation, and possibly four or five years. As it will cost eight or nine thousand Rupees, and unlike the magazine there will be no immediately visible results, it is possible that some well wishers of the community might start to have misgivings. This is a very important and delicate matter. The Ahmadiyya Anjumans must be consulted so that I am not blamed later on. This is a new venture and I cannot say at the moment how good a translation I will be able to produce. It is all in Allah’s hands. … Of course if Allah’s help and support comes to us then this work can prove beneficial for the world. … If the expenses cannot be borne then it is possible that Allah will provide some other means for me and I might be able to work in my spare time, little by little. In that way I would hope to accomplish it in eight to ten years.Signed: Muhammad Ali. 30 May 1909.”

The decision taken by the Anjuman was the following:

 

“Resolution 919 dated 6 June 1909 was put forward and it was decided that the Holy Quran should be translated into English and Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib should be appointed for this work.”

Accordingly, Maulana Muhammad Ali still remained secretary of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya and editor of the Review of Religions. He was also in charge of the Anjuman’s educational, construction and literary work. The magnificent building of the Talim-ul-Islam High School and Boarding House was constructed entirely by his efforts and under his supervision. Besides these he also did various miscellaneous works.

 

On 27 December 1911 Maulana Muhammad Ali submitted the following report to the executive committee of the Anjuman:

 

“Report of the Editor of the Review of Religions:In the meeting of 26 June 1909 I presented a report to the effect that the English translation of the Holy Quran would take three years or somewhat more to complete. At this time, after two and a half years, 21 parts have been translated and it is hoped that the rest of the work will be finished in the next six months. But to publish only a translation is not very useful and the following additions are necessary:

1. A margin containing cross references from one place to other places in the Holy Quran.

2. In addition to the brief footnotes that will appear on each page below the translation, there should also be notes in the following places:

a. At the beginning of each section (ruku‘) its summary and the inter-relation of its verses should be given as a heading; b. At the beginning of each chapter (sura) its summary showing its connection with the previous chapter; c. At the end of each chapter a note on the important subjects dealt with in it.

3. A detailed introduction in the beginning of the translation.

To accomplish all these, it will take three or at least two years after the completion of the translation. In the two and a half years in which 21 parts have been translated much time was spent on other work, for example one month was spent on the debates in Rampur and Masuri. I have to travel here and there in connection with the work of the Anjuman. Here itself a great deal of time is taken up everyday in completing the work of different sections of the Anjuman. The book The Teachings of Islam was printed during this period. Revising its translation, proof-reading the typescript and re-reading the book took up much time. Then a lecture was prepared for the Convention of Religions in Allahabad. Another point which I have always borne in mind is that when I translate any word I should myself research its meaning, because it is not useful just to copy out the earlier translations. Mr. Macaulif spent fifteen years to translate and publish a few parts of the Granth Sahib. So in my opinion the translation can only be useful when the above mentioned features are incorporated.

Signed: Muhammad Ali. 27 December 1911.”

(From the report of the executive committee)

The records of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian do not show anywhere that Maulana Muhammad Ali was taken in paid employment to do the translation or that, as he was already employed by the Anjuman, his job was now being changed and his pay would be for different work. The Maulana continued to receive his salary for the work he was already doing, which has been mentioned above, and he did the translation either in his spare time or when he was on leave.

 

It is necessary to make this clear because after the Split the Qadiani community raised the objection that the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya was the owner of the translation. Many years later some members of the Lahore Ahmadiyya community, who had some other differences with Maulana Muhammad Ali, also tried to raise the same objection.

 

In the same connection it may be noted that on 14 July 1913 Maulana Muhammad Ali submitted the following report to the Sadr Anjuman:

 

“Resolution 335 dated 14 July 1913. Application from the Editor of the Review of Religions: ‘As I am suffering from weakness after having been ill for a few days, and Hazrat Khalifa-tul-Masih has recommended that I should go to the mountains for a few days, so I have decided to go to Murree hills. I will take with me the work of translating the Holy Quran which has been made my responsibility because I cannot remain idle there. If my absence from Qadian is considered as absence from my duties then I should be granted two months leave.’

This having been presented, it was sanctioned that Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib, Editor of the Review of Religions, should be granted two and a half months leave from 15 July 1913 to 30 September 1913.”

If the work of translation had been assigned to him as a paid job then granting leave becomes meaningless. The Anjuman’s granting him leave, during which he would continue the translation, makes it clear that he was not being paid to do this work though the Anjuman encouraged him to carry it on. Thus during his stay in Qadian the Maulana carried on this work in his own way and according to his own judgment. Sometimes at home, with piles of books on the table, he worked by candle light at night, and sometimes he continued on this work when on leave.

 

During his absence Khalifa Rashid-ud-Din performed the duties of secretary, and in those days Maulvi Sher Ali was the assistant editor of the Review of Religions.

 

Maulana Muhammad Ali later on repeated the same facts about this matter. Thus in a Friday khutba published in Paigham Sulh of 6 June 1916 he said:

“I put the proposal of translating the Quran before the Anjuman and wrote in it that if the Anjuman cannot bear the expenses then Allah will provide some other means for me. I did not say to the Anjuman I am your employee so give me some work, but I said I want to translate the Quran and if the Anjuman cannot bear the expenses then God will provide some other means. Allah brought that about as well, that the Anjuman declined to pay the expenses and the generous Lord gave me other means.”

Before this, in July 1914 after the Split, in his correspondence with the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian he clearly wrote that the translation was his writing and his intellectual property.

 

Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s interest in the English translation

As has been said above, Maulana Nur-ud-Din was a very great expositor of the Quran and Hadith, and a tremendous lover of the Quran. So Maulana Muhammad Ali used to read to him the translation that he did and take guidance and amendments from him. Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s love for the Quran and his interest in Maulana Muhammad Ali’s translation had reached such a height that when in January 1914, following the annual gathering of 1913, he fell very ill and was so weak that even speaking exhausted him, so that on medical advice he discontinued his teaching of the Quran, even then, in a state of the most serious illness, he would still send for Maulana Muhammad Ali daily to listen to his translation and notes and give advice.

The last days of the life of Maulana Nur-ud-Din were chronicled by Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig who was staying in Qadian in those days to treat him. This diary used to be published at that time, in February and March 1914, in every issue of the newspaper Paigham Sulh. It was again published in Paigham Sulh in 1935. Some extracts from it are given here. These relate to Maulana Muhammad Ali and his work on the English translation of the Quran and show a glimpse of Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s love of the Quran. Maulana Muhammad Ali himself, once speaking of these last days of Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s life, said:

 

“It was my good fortune that even in those days I had the opportunity to learn the Quran from him. When he was on his death bed I used to read to him notes from my English translation of the Holy Quran. He was seriously ill and even in that state he used to be waiting for when Muhammad Ali would come. And when I came to his presence, that same critically ailing Nur-ud-Din would turn into a young man. The service of the Quran that I have done is just the result of his love for the Holy Quran.” (Paigham Sulh, 28 March 1943)

Here are some entries from the diary of Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig:

 

 

---

“9 February 1914 — This evening we were feeding Hazur and he said to me: ‘I have learnt something from you too’. I replied: ‘But I have learnt much from you’. He said: ‘I only know the Quran and I can only teach you that’. I said: ‘May Allah grant you a long life so that we can learn the Holy Quran from you’. He said:‘Ask Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib about my knowledge of the Quran. Having worked very hard Maulvi sahib comes with hundreds of pages and I abridge them. He sometimes says that my opinion is better than all research.’

Then he said: ‘Maulvi sahib has pleased me very much, I am so happy. What wonderful research he has done on Gog and Magog, companions of the cave and Dhu-l-Qarnain! He has searched through encyclopaedias. How clearly he has solved this problem! How excellent!”

(Paigham Sulh, 15 February 1914, 28 October 1935)

---

“Qadian, 11 February 1914 — When Hazrat Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib arrived to read to him the translation of the Holy Quran he said to him: Come that I may live!”

(Paigham Sulh, 26 February 1914)

---

“15 February 1914 — Maulvi Sher Ali sahib, Nawab sahib, Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib, Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain sahib, Marham Isa sahib and many other friends were present. He said:

‘The issue of kufr and Islam is a very subtle matter, which many people have not understood’.

Mian Mahmud Ahmad sahib and Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib were sitting near the Hazrat sahib. He pointed towards them and said: Our Mian has also not understood it.”

(Paigham Sulh, 3 November 1935)

---

“14 February 1914 — Hazrat sahib is still in a critical condition. His diarrhoea is better but he is getting weaker by the day. May Allah have mercy on him. He listens to Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib’s translation of the Quran daily. His courage and determination is very great and his love for the Quran is unequalled. He says: It is the Quran which is the source of my soul and life.”

(Paigham Sulh, 17 February 1914)

---

“16 February 1914 — Yesterday Hazrat sahib was relatively better though the weakness continues. He addressed me and Khalifa Rashid-ud-Din sahib, saying:

‘For fifteen days I have completely obeyed your orders (that is, taken diet and medication according to your instructions). I used to teach seven classes daily (meaning, teaching the Quran and Hadith), but now I don’t teach even one. Let me do something now.’

He wanted permission to teach classes in the Quran. I replied:

‘Sir, at the moment you are teaching Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib. When you are stronger then you can teach a class.’

… His love for the Quran is beyond description, so much that even in this state of extreme weakness all he can think of is giving classes in the Quran and his mind keeps working on the deep meanings of the Holy Quran.

When Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib comes to read the notes of the Holy Quran to him, sometimes even before he begins Hazrat sahib gives a discourse about the topic of the translation of the day and says that throughout the night he had been consulting books and thinking about it. (He does not mean that he actually reads books; what he means is that he keeps running over in his mind what is written in commentaries of the Quran and books of Hadith.) Sometimes he quotes from books of Hadith or the Bible, and does it perfectly accurately. He says again and again that his mind is fully healthy and it never stops working on the Quran.”

(Paigham Sulh, 19 February 1914)

---

“18 February 1914 — Today Hazrat sahib was very weak and frail. Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib came as usual to read notes from the Holy Quran. Although he instructed him regarding certain verses of the Quran but due to weakness he spoke with pauses. … Then he addressed Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib and said:

‘Seeing you every day is also food for my soul’.

Then he added: ‘Maulvi sahib, you are very dear to me. I found one useful weapon (meaning Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib), full of knowledge, it is God’s grace to you’.

Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib replied: ‘It is my good fortune that I can expound your ideas’.

Hazrat sahib said: ‘It is all the grace of God. What has happened is by His grace and what will happen will be by His grace’. … Then he added: ‘This translation will inshallah be beneficial in Europe, America, Africa, China, Japan and Australia’.”

(Paigham Sulh, 3 November 1935)

---

“21 February 1914 — Hazrat sahib called in Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib for a discourse of the Quran. At that time Abdul Hayy’s mother [wife of Maulana Nur-ud-Din] was also present. After the discourse Hazrat sahib got hold of Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib’s hand and slowly took it towards himself and kissed it.”

(Paigham Sulh, 15 November 1935)

---

“22 February 1914 — He was very cheerful today. When told that Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib had come to read the [translation of the] Quran he said in Punjabi: ‘He is most welcome. Let him read it. Does my brain ever get tired of it?’ Then he pointed towards his bed and said to Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib: ‘Come near me’. Then added: ‘He is very dear to me’.”

(Paigham Sulh, 15 November 1935)

---

One day Maulana Muhammad Ali was delayed. Maulana Nur-ud-Din was very weak but said in that state: “Send for my dear son, send for my dear son”. People listening to him thought that he was asking for his son Abdul Hayy, but he said again: “Bring the food for my soul, bring the food for my soul”. And he was much pleased when Maulana Muhammad Ali arrived.*

In short, these incidents show Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s love for Maulana Muhammad Ali and his interest in the translation of the Quran. During the time when the English translation was in progress, once Mir Nasir Nawab, father-in-law of the Promised Messiah, wanted to get work started on an Urdu translation and commentary of the Holy Quran and even collected some funds for it. But Maulana Nur-ud-Din stopped him and said that the Urdu translation on behalf of the Movement would also be done by Maulana Muhammad Ali, after he had completed the English translation. Maulana Muhammad Ali stated that he was in Murree due to his ill health when Maulana Nur-ud-Din wrote to him saying that as he has also to translate the Quran in Urdu after completing his English translation, he should start doing it along with the English. Hence, according to these instructions, he started doing the Urdu translation as well, little by little, and almost six parts were seen by Maulana Nur-ud-Din.

 

An announcement dated 3 March 1914, that is, eleven days before the death of Maulana Nur-ud-Din, regarding the English translation of the Quran was published as an appendix to the Review of Religions, February 1914 issue. On the first page there is a statement by Maulana Nur-ud-Din in which he says:

 

“I want to draw the attention of friends, by this announcement, towards raising funds for the English translation of the Holy Quran. Up to today I have listened to the notes of twenty-three parts, which is more than three-quarters of the work, and have also seen the Urdu translation of six parts. I hope by the grace of Allah that I will complete the rest. Even during my illness I have been listening to the notes and dictating as well. I have spent all my life, from childhood to old age, studying the Holy Quran and pondering over it, and Allah the Most High has given me the kind of understanding of His Holy Word that very few other people have. I have always adhered to the principles of simplicity, avoidance of unfounded stories and following the obvious meaning of the Quran, and I have tried to teach others on the same lines as well. In future times too, servants of the Quran will continue to arise according to the needs of the time.

Now I want to draw the attention of friends to the expenses of publishing the English translation, and after it the Urdu translation. I hope for grace from Allah that He will not let go to waste my efforts in the service of His Word. I am also sure that those people who have a connection with me and who love me have also been granted the zeal to serve the Quran. … This translation will inshallah prove to be beneficial in Europe, Africa, America, China, Japan, Australia, etc.”

After this announcement there follows a statement by Maulana Muhammad Ali in which, among other things, he says:

 

“To translate the Holy Quran is a monumental work. The way in which the meanings of the word of Allah have been explained, in that respect I can say that this translation of the Holy Quran will not only remove numerous misconceptions in the West and among the English speaking nations, but at the same time it will inshallah show the resplendent picture of Islam in such a manner that at least among fair minded people those adverse views about Islam will be overturned which Westerners have been holding till today. All this will happen only by the grace of Allah. But my hopes rest on the fact that all the important explanations given in this translation have come from a man who has devoted his entire life, from childhood to the age of 80 years, to the study and service of the Holy Quran, and has read thousands of books only to gain insight into the meanings of some verse or other, who is familiar with classical and modern thought and the old and the new sciences, and has studied all these branches of knowledge to bring them into the service of the Quran, who is not only the leader of the Ahmadiyya Movement but is one of those rare personalities who, because of their vast study and extensive knowledge, are entitled to be leaders of communities. He is a unique individual as regards his knowledge, learning, uprightness and faith in Allah. …

The real objective of our movement is the propagation of Islam, and in that work the propagation of the Holy Quran holds the foremost place. … I end my appeal on a verse of the Quran which is the last one in my notes of today: ‘Behold! you are those who are called upon to spend in Allah’s way, but among you are those who are niggardly, and whoever is niggardly is niggardly against his own soul; and Allah is self-sufficient and you have need (of Him), and if you turn back He will bring in your place another people, then they will not be like you’ (47:38).

Humbly, Muhammad Ali, Qadian, 3 March 1914.”

Underneath this announcement there are two notes as follows:

1.   By the time this announcement was printed, the footnotes of 26 parts had been completed.

2.   On 4 March Hazrat [Maulana Nur-ud-Din] said: ‘Our English translation has been accepted by Allah. This good news has come by Divine revelation’.

The good news (basharat) mentioned in this quotation was revealed to a holy man of the Ahmadiyya community, Mir Abid Ali Shah, who had in a vision, while praying, heard this glad tiding. He told it to Maulana Nur-ud-Din during his last illness in the presence of Maulana Muhammad Ali and a large number of other Ahmadis. Hearing this, Maulana Nur-ud-Din, Maulana Muhammad Ali and everyone else who was present at once fell in prostration in thanksgiving (sajda shukr).

 

Calcutta Convention of Religions

In April 1909, a major, large scale Convention of Religions was held at Calcutta. When the announcement of this convention reached Qadian, then in compliance with Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s instructions Maulana Muhammad Ali wrote a comprehensive paper in English on Islam, and on 2 April he went to Lahore, from where on 6 April he went to Calcutta with Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. The convention started on April 9 in the Town Hall. The first day was taken up by introductory speeches. On the second day, there were three speeches on Christianity and these were followed by three speeches on Islam: the first by Mirza Abul Fazal, the second by Maulvi Khuda Bakhsh and the third by Maulana Muhammad Ali. When the time came for the Maulana’s speech, and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din rose to deliver it, it was already afternoon and the audience were tired, so it was presumed that they would not pay attention. Maulana Muhammad Ali stated that he was sitting on a high stage, from where he could see all the audience. By some manifestation of Divine power it appeared as if the audience were captivated. They were listening in absolute silence with rapt attention, and cheering on occasions.

Witnessing this scene, those Ahmadis from Calcutta who were among the audience rose up from their seats and fell in prostration of thanksgiving there and then in the hall. As soon as the speech finished, all the delegates and many of the audience congratulated Maulana Muhammad Ali and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. The presiding officer of the meeting, Mr. Mitter, asked the Khwaja sahib if he would be available to deliver more speeches after the convention at some venue. As Maulana Muhammad Ali and the Khwaja sahib could not stay at that time, it was arranged that the Khwaja sahib would pay a visit later on. A European delegate remarked to him that the speech had dealt a death blow to Christianity. Thus God granted a distinctive victory. Maulana Muhammad Ali wrote about it as follows:

 

“The success that Allah the Most High granted to the Movement in this convention was like the success at the Mahutasu conference.* Although the paper read at this convention was not the work of that saintly heart, nonetheless it was an abridgement of his ideas compiled by a servant of his, and Allah sent him aid and support.”

(Badr, 22 April 1909)

Debate in Rampur

In June 1909 the Nawab of Rampur arranged a major debate between Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis. The debator representing the non-Ahmadis was Maulvi Sanaullah of Amritsar. The Ahmadi delegation was led by Maulana Syed Muhammad Ahsan of Amroha, and included Maulana Muhammad Ali, Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, Maulvi Sarwar Shah, Maulvi Mubarak Ali, Hafiz Roshan Ali and Shaikh Yaqub Ali. The debate took place from 15 June till 20 June. However, during the debate the Nawab sahib broke his promise and instead of remaining impartial he openly supported Maulvi Sanaullah. So the Ahmadi delegation had to discontinue the debate. A detailed report of the proceedings of this debate was written by Maulana Muhammad Ali and published in the Ahmadiyya community newspaper Badr dated 24 June 1909, and Maulana Muhammad Ahsan of Amroha wrote a book about it.

During the debate the Nawab sahib made a sarcastic remark saying: “Sir Syed Ahmad Khan also believed in the death of Jesus”, alluding to the fact that Sir Syed’s religious views were generally disparaged as being naturi or rationalistic. Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din instantly responded: “Indeed, which sensible person does not believe in the death of Jesus!”

 

Debate at Mansoori

In November 1909 another major religious debate was held at Mansoori between Ahmadis and non-Ahmadis. At that time some local events there had led to a rise in opposition to the Ahmadiyya Movement. So the people of the area organised the debate to decide what was the truth. The delegation sent to participate by Maulana Nur-ud-Din was headed by Maulana Muhammad Ali, with Maulvi Ghulam Rasul, Hafiz Roshan Ali and Mufti Muhammad Sadiq as the other members. From the non-Ahmadi side Maulvi Sanaullah of Amritsar did not come, and in his place Maulvi Muhammad Yaqub of Bihar and some other Maulvis represented the non-Ahmadis. On 15 November, the first day, the speeches were about the death of Jesus or his still being alive, and on the second day about the claims of Hazrat Mirza sahib. This debate created a very good impression of the Ahmadiyya Movement among the local Muslims and many came into the fold of the Movement. The speeches were all recorded in writing but the non-Ahmadi religious leaders refused to sign the record. A brief account of the proceedings of the debate was published in Badr dated 25 November 1909, in which Mufti Muhammad Sadiq made the following comments about Maulana Muhammad Ali:

“The leader of the delegation was Maulvi Muhammad Ali M.A., whom everyone obeyed. However, despite being the leader, he served the delegation the most. He himself dealt with all the arrangements regarding the speeches and did not put his helpers to any hardship.”

Religious convention at Allahabad

In January 1911 a religious convention was held at Allahabad. The organisers invited Maulana Muhammad Ali and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. The Maulana could not go himself because he was extremely busy with the English translation of the Quran and other duties but he sent a lecture in English. Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din went to participate. On 9 January, the first day of the convention, the Khwaja sahib gave a lecture which was as usual very successful and well-liked. On the second day, the lecture sent by Maulana Muhammad Ali was read out. It explained that Islam is the true religion which is in accordance with human nature, and it has brought the earlier religions to completion and perfection. This paper received the highest commendation of all the submissions and was considered to be the best one (Badr, 23 February 1911). It was published in 1912 in book form by the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian under the title Islam (in English), and its Urdu translation was published as Usul-i Islam.

Some domestic circumstances and trip to Murree

For some time after the death of the Promised Messiah, Maulana Muhammad Ali continued living in his house, and he lived there altogether for eight to nine years. Probably at the beginning of 1909 he moved to a house adjoining the Promised Messiah’s house which was known as the old guest house. Here he stayed for four to five months. After that, he was given a new house by the Anjuman in the Dar-ul-Ulum area where the Anjuman’s school, boarding house, the Nur mosque and a dispensary were under construction. This house consisted of three rooms, one of which was not of solid construction.  Here he stayed till April 1914. Two of his nephews also lived with him, whom he had called to Qadian for their schooling. It was after moving to this house that he started the work on the English translation of the Quran, and he continued doing it for the last four years of his life in Qadian in addition to his other duties.

As mentioned before, Maulana Muhammad Ali’s wife died in November 1908, leaving a little girl named Ruqayya. About one and a half years later, at the instigation of Maulana Nur-ud-Din, he married Mehrun Nisa, daughter of Dr. Basharat Ahmad. In September 1909, the doctor had written to Maulana Nur-ud-Din enquiring about a suitable match for his daughter. Another match was under consideration and the doctor had sought Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s permission about it, but the latter wrote in reply saying that in his view there was not a better man for marriage than Muhammad Ali. In February 1910, Dr. Basharat Ahmad took a few days’ leave to come to Qadian from Bhera, and the nikah of Maulana Muhammad Ali to his daughter took place. On 29 April 1910 Maulana Muhammad Ali went to Bhera and on 1 May 1910 he brought his wife to Qadian.

 

When his wife went to visit Maulana Nur-ud-Din, he was giving a discourse of the Quran to women. He patted her head with great affection and said a long prayer in which everyone joined in. Then he said: “I have seen the brightness of spiritual light on the face of Muhammad Ali and of his father, and also on the face of Basharat Ahmad and his wife. I am very pleased about this union.” Then he said to her: “Your father and your husband are very dear to me, and so you are too.” After that, on all occasions for the rest of his life he treated her with much affection.

 

This was the time when Maulana Muhammad Ali had started the English translation of the Quran. On the one hand, as secretary of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian he was performing all the administrative duties for the Anjuman, on the other hand he was supervising the construction of the building of the Taleem-ul-Islam school. In addition he was writing articles for the Review of Religions and also in some other journals. At night he would sit in his small house and work on the translation of the Quran. He had made a tiny room into his office, where a table was laden with piles of voluminous Arabic and English books in small print, dictionaries and commentaries of the Quran etc. In the solitude of the night he would be poring over one book, then another, holding a candle in his hand as the only source of light available.

 

At the beginning of June 1912 Maulana Muhammad Ali fell ill with high temperature which lasted for one week. He had not yet fully recovered when he resumed work, so his health deteriorated again and he started getting a high temperature every day. Maulana Nur-ud-Din who was treating him advised him to go for change of weather to some salubrious place with a healthy climate. During those days his wife’s maternal grandfather Safdar Jang, former Police Inspector of Amritsar, had brought his daughter to Qadian to receive medical treatment from Maulana Nur-ud-Din. He owned a shop in Murree, the Punjab Drapery House, and he suggested that as the ground floor of the shop was vacant, Maulana Muhammad Ali could stay there. This place was on Mall Road near the post office. So Maulana Muhammad Ali went to Murree with his family. This house consisted of a large hall and two small rooms. He partitioned the large hall into two by a curtain, and used one part as his office and the other for holding congregational prayers and for receiving friends. The stay in Murree not only improved his health, but he was able to devote more concentration on the translation of the Holy Quran. During his two months’ stay he felt that he had achieved much more than he could in Qadian. So again in 1913, with Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s permission and taking leave from the Anjuman, he went to Murree and stayed in the same house for two and a half months, carrying on the work on the translation while there. This was the start of his practice of going to a cool, mountainous place every summer, which began under the advice and direction of Maulana Nur-ud-Din. Maulana Muhammad Ali often used to say that he had been able to do so much writing work only because of going to the hills. Later on, due to the strain of constant mental work and exertion his health had suffered so that at the start of every summer he used to fall ill. Thus he was forced to retreat to a salubrious location in the mountains for the summer. Even there he used to take no rest, but in fact continue his scholarly work at twice the pace.

 

Maulana Muhammad Ali bought a plot of land adjacent to his residence in Qadian to have his own house built, and had his father send him some money for this purpose. Bricks had been bought and work on the garden had started when, due to the Split, he had to abandon all the plans and move to Lahore. He always had a great interest in planting fruit trees, flowers and vegetables, and wherever he lived later on he had a garden planted. While being heavily absorbed in his writing work, he would take a little time out for these activities, and this was his only hobby for recreation. Apart from this, he used to go for a long walk every morning after the fajr prayers without fail. The Promised Messiah also had the firm habit of going for a walk after fajr unless prevented by ill health.

 

Talim-ul-Islam school and construction of the boarding house

It has been mentioned earlier that during the Promised Messiah’s life the decision had been taken to construct a building for the Talim-ul-Islam school and a boarding house, and land for this had been procured outside the old settlement of Qadian. In January 1908 the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya appointed Maulana Muhammad Ali to raise funds for the construction of the school and the boarding house and to arrange for the work to start. After the Promised Messiah died in May 1908, Maulana Muhammad Ali started this project under the headship of Maulana Nur-ud-Din. To arrange for the materials for such huge buildings in a remote place like Qadian required much effort, and even a kiln had to be built for making bricks. Maulana Muhammad Ali carried out all these responsibilities with diligence and personally supervised the building of the kiln and the construction work.

One incident illustrative of his devotion to duty may be noted here. Once, on a very cold and dark winter night, there was a heavy storm of wind and rain and it was feared that water would enter the kiln and cause damage worth thousands of Rupees. Giving up his sleep, Maulana Muhammad Ali attended at the site during that heavy downpour in which even umbrellas were of no avail, in order to supervise the emergency arrangements in person. Seeing his example, all the workers continued working with great enthusiasm, and they managed to avert a substantial loss by timely intervention. The Maulana never hesitated to do the humblest manual labour by his own hand.

 

The construction of the boarding house was started first because there was inadequate accommodation for the increasing number of students, so much so that some of them had to live in the Nur mosque. The construction started in January 1909, and work also began on building the staff quarters. Besides the construction problems, the raising of funds also took much struggle and effort. So during 1909 and 1910 Maulana Muhammad Ali kept on impressing the need for this upon all branches of the community. He sent a delegation to visit various branches and issued repeated appeals in the newspapers Al-Hakam and Badr. In March 1910 he appealed for every Ahmadi to donate one month’s income so that the boarding house could be finished and the school building constructed. Thus the fund raising and the building work were done in conjunction with each other. After the boarding house a grand building was built for the school, and in May 1913 it started to be used for holding classes though it was not complete till the end of that year.

 

Activities and health of Maulana Nur-ud-Din

The great works which began in the times of Maulana Nur-ud-Din have been mentioned above. Apart from these, from the year 1911 Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din started a series of lectures in the major cities of India. Due to his lectures and the journal the Review of Religions, the Ahmadiyya Movement acquired great fame and renown throughout the country. The Movement was becoming so popular that it seemed as if the whole of India would be won over to it. The educated sections of the population and important and leading figures became its admirers. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, the famous Muslim poet and philosopher, remarked in one of his speeches in 1910 that if anyone wanted to see a glimpse of true and pure Islam he would find it in Qadian. In important religious conferences and debates the Ahmadiyya representatives had the upper hand. Within Qadian, the head of the Movement laid stress on the Quran day and night. Maulana Nur-ud-Din used to give several discourses in the Quran everyday separately for different audiences, such as women, students, and people generally. He also gave discourses in Hadith. He made his living from his practice of medicine and treated all his patients from among the general public with great kindness and attention.

By the time he was head of the Movement, Maulana Nur-ud-Din was growing old. In November 1910, one day as he was coming from the residence of Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan on horseback he had a nasty fall from the horse and sustained serious injuries. Dr. Basharat Ahmad, who was in Qadian at the time, and Dr. Ilahi Bakhsh stitched his wounds and it was hoped that he would recover soon. However, after some time his health deteriorated and Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig came from Lahore to treat him and stayed there. He remained confined to bed with one ailment or another for four to five months.

 

Publication of The Teachings of Islam

Maulana Muhammad Ali had translated several writings of the Promised Messiah into English for the magazine the Review of Religions. His translation of the famous, lengthy paper of Hazrat Mirza sahib entitled Islami Usul Ki Philosophy had appeared in the Review of Religions in 1902 and 1903. In 1910 he revised the translation and had it published as the book The Teachings of Islam. The original Urdu paper had been presented in 1896 at the Congress of Religions held in Lahore and had achieved such glorious success that the triumph of Islam over all other religions by means of knowledge, reason and arguments could be seen as a reality. This book is so powerful and effective that several editions were published in later years in quantities of thousands, large numbers were distributed free throughout the world by the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at Islam Lahore, and it was translated into numerous other languages of India as well as the outside world.

Beginning of the propagation of Islam in the U.K.

In the years 1912 and 1913, in order to fulfil another wish of the Promised Messiah, another important work was begun through Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din when he went to England in September 1912 on some legal business. Shortly after reaching England, he learnt about the existence of the Mosque at Woking in Surrey, about thirty miles from London. This mosque was built in 1889 by a Western orientalist by the name of Dr. Leitner, who was at one time Registrar of the University of the Punjab, at the expense of Her Highness Shah Jehan Begum, the Begum of Bhopal state, India. The mosque had been lying closed and unused for long. Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din had it opened up and went to court, with the help of some leading Muslims of India who were in England, to take possession of it from the heirs of Dr. Leitner and created a Trust to take charge of the mosque and the adjoining house. He himself became its first Imam and based his Woking Muslim Mission at these premises.

Gradually the Khwaja sahib began to succeed in his propagation work and soon an English Lord named Headley embraced Islam through him, and this brought even more fame to the Woking mission.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Events of the Split in the Movement and migration of Maulana Muhammad Ali to Lahore

The bright aspects of the time of Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din have just been mentioned. Now we turn to the dark side of that same era, which led to the “Split” in the community after his death. Not only was the Movement ripped apart into two, the majority of it turning to extremism, but also the appeal and the progress of the Ahmadiyya Movement suffered a tremendous damage that was permanent and lasting. Though the foundations of the Split were laid during the life of Maulana Nur-ud-Din, but to understand it one has to go back to 1905 and 1906 when the Promised Messiah wrote the booklet Al-Wasiyyat and established the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, Qadian.

Al-Wasiyyat and the founding of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya and its consequences

As mentioned before, in 1905 the Promised Messiah published his booklet entitled Al-Wasiyyat (‘The Will’) and established the administrative system of his community on the broad Islamic principles of democracy, thus putting before the world a magnificent achievement of the revival of true Islam. Then during his own lifetime he set that system into operation and ran the Movement according to those principles, by creating the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian in 1906 and handing over to it all the management of the Movement. He declared that after his lifetime the decisions of this Anjuman would be final and binding.

Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, son of the Promised Messiah, inwardly resented this, and from that time he began to entertain feelings of jealousy and animosity particularly towards Maulana Muhammad Ali and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. He devoted much time to devising ways of rendering the Anjuman powerless.

Near the end of the Promised Messiah’s life, Mirza Mahmud Ahmad began to display his ill feeling, which he bore towards the men to whom the Promised Messiah had entrusted the funds of the Movement, in the form of open displeasure. Every year, according to the wishes of Hazrat Mirza sahib, Maulana Muhammad Ali used to be reappointed as secretary of the Sadr Anjuman. In the latter part of 1907, Maulana Muhammad Ali tried to allay the feelings of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad by taking leave for three months and making Mirza Mahmud Ahmad secretary in his place. When the time came for the next annual election of officers, the Maulana proposed to the Promised Messiah that Mirza Mahmud Ahmad should be made secretary for the coming year. However, Hazrat Mirza sahib ruled it out saying that Mirza Mahmud Ahmad’s opinions were flawed or immature. So, once again, Maulana Muhammad Ali was made secretary.{footnote 1} This continued in the time of Maulana Nur-ud-Din, and by his advice Maulana Muhammad Ali was always reappointed secretary. During the period that he was secretary, from 1906 to 1913, the annual budget of the Anjuman increased from 30,000 Rupees to almost 200,000 Rupees, and a magnificent school building and boarding house worth 150,000 Rupees had been constructed.

Death of the Promised Messiah: Maulana Nur-ud-Din takes bai‘at (pledge) from members

About a month before his death, when the Promised Messiah left Qadian to go to Lahore, he appointed Maulana Muhammad Ali to manage all affairs in his absence. After his death, when his body reached Qadian for burial, Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din said to Maulana Muhammad Ali in the cemetery garden that it had been proposed that Maulana Nur-ud-Din should succeed the Promised Messiah. He replied that he fully agreed with the proposal. Then the Khwaja sahib added that it was also proposed that all Ahmadis should take the pledge (bai‘at) on Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s hand. Maulana Muhammad Ali replied that there was no need for that because only new entrants to the Movement need take the pledge and that this was the purport of Al-Wasiyyat. The Khwaja sahib said that it was a delicate time and any difference of opinion may cause division in the community, and there was no harm in Ahmadis taking the pledge again. Then Maulana Muhammad Ali agreed and the pledge was taken at Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s hand.

Beginning of the discord and efforts to mislead Maulana Nur-ud-Din

Maulana Nur-ud-Din and Maulana Muhammad Ali were very close to one another. Maulana Nur-ud-Din consulted Maulana Muhammad Ali about all the matters in hand, and whatever announcement he had to issue he would get it drafted by Maulana Muhammad Ali. This close bond further intensified the jealousy that some others felt towards Maulana Muhammad Ali and they decided to undermine this relationship between the two. Now Maulana Muhammad Ali considered the khilafat after the Promised Messiah to be only in the sense of ‘successorship’, and he held that the Divinely-ordained khilafat whose establishment is mentioned in the khilafat verse of the Holy Quran (24:55) was promised to the Holy Prophet Muhammad only, and not to Hazrat Mirza sahib. The persons bearing a grudge against Maulana Muhammad Ali misrepresented this by telling Maulana Nur-ud-Din at every opportunity that Maulana Muhammad Ali did not accept him as khalifa. For some time they succeeded in misleading him.

In the annual report for 1908, prepared by Maulana Muhammad Ali and read out by him on 26 December 1908 at the annual gathering, the first such gathering since the death of the Promised Messiah, the creation of the Anjuman by Hazrat Mirza sahib was mentioned and it was stated that the running of the Movement after him had been placed by him in the hands of the Anjuman. The Maulana also read out the note by Hazrat Mirza sahib stipulating that after him the decisions of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya would be final. After the Maulana’s speech, Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din also mentioned in his speech that Hazrat Mirza sahib had appointed the Anjuman as his successor.

This gave an opportunity to the mischief makers, so that Mir Muhammad Ishaq, maternal uncle of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, composed a set of seven questions: (1) Is the Anjuman subservient to the Khalifa (Maulana Nur-ud-Din) or vice versa? (2) Can the Anjuman dismiss the Khalifa or vice versa? (3) How far can the Khalifa interfere in the affairs of the Anjuman? There were four more questions of the same nature.

These they sent to Maulana Nur-ud-Din and told him that Maulana Muhammad Ali, Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din and their associates did not really accept him as khalifa. Maulana Nur-ud-Din sent those seven questions to Maulana Muhammad Ali to give a reply to. When he received his reply, he sent it to the questioner. But they did not rest at that, and sent further questions to Maulana Nur-ud-Din. The answers which Maulana Muhammad Ali gave are quoted in full by him in his book Haqiqat-i Ikhtilaf. In brief he repeated that Hazrat Mirza sahib had made the Anjuman as his successor but everyone unanimously accepted Maulana Nur-ud-Din as their leader. There was no dispute between him and the Anjuman so all these questions were hypothetical and premature, and an attempt to break up the Anjuman. He added that the Anjuman should answer these questions. On receiving this reply Maulana Nur-ud-Din directed that these questions be sent to forty people for their view, he should be informed of their opinions and they should all assemble in Qadian on 31 January.

When these questions reached Lahore, Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din called a meeting of the members of the Anjuman’s executive from Lahore (that is, the Khwaja sahib himself, Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig, Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah and Shaikh Rahmatullah) and sent their unanimous opinion, which was in agreement with what Maulana Muhammad Ali had already said. They agreed that Hazrat Mirza sahib’s real successor was the Anjuman and the Anjuman had unanimously accepted Maulana Nur-ud-Din as leader, this acceptance being an act of the Anjuman, and they were all united upon his person as leader. On the other side in Qadian, Shaikh Yaqub Ali had a meeting at his house, which fuelled the controversy.

At the gathering on 31 January, Maulana Nur-ud-Din expressed his views. Though he did state that a khalifa had other duties and functions than merely to lead the prayers, he did not clarify any further and in the end he repeated what Maulana Muhammad Ali had already said, that these questions were irrelevant at that stage and it was wrong to dwell on them. His final decision was that as both the parties had confidence in him these questions must not be raised in his lifetime. After his speech he made Mirza Mahmud Ahmad and Mir Nasir Nawab to promise that they would obey him, and then he took the pledge from Maulana Muhammad Ali and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din on one side and from Shaikh Yaqub Ali and Mir Muhammad Ishaq on the other. The purpose of this was to affirm that they would obey him during his life, as both sides had already acknowledged that they obeyed him.

This was all that happened, but afterwards this incident was misrepresented with embellishments by Mirza Mahmud Ahmad and his followers. In practice too, Maulana Nur-ud-Din never made people acknowledge him as the kind of autocratic khalifa with absolute and dictatorial powers that Mirza Mahmud Ahmad became later on, nor did he ever override any decision of the Anjuman. Above all, the rules and regulations of the Anjuman remained the same during his period of headship as they had been framed by the Promised Messiah, but Mirza Mahmud Ahmad started altering them as soon as he became khalifa.

Efforts to get Maulana Muhammad Ali and his friends expelled from the Ahmadiyya community

This mischief-making should have ceased at this point, but as Mirza Mahmud Ahmad and his supporters did not succeed in achieving their real aim they continued trying to revive the dissension. They tried their level best to impress again and again upon Maulana Nur-ud-Din that these people were inwardly opposed to him. Mirza Mahmud Ahmad was the main instigator of this as is proved by a letter he wrote to Maulana Nur-ud-Din, which was published later on by Maulana Muhammad Ali in his book Haqiqat-i Ikhtilaf. In this long letter, he related a dream of his and then did his best to provoke Maulana Nur-ud-Din to expel Maulana Muhammad Ali and his associates from the community. In that letter he tried to poison Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s mind against them by going as far as to insinuate that these people had been plotting even during the Promised Messiah’s time and had wanted to hold him to account for the income of the Movement. He made a false allegation against Maulana Muhammad Ali and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din that, just before the Promised Messiah’s death, they used to say that he had been misappropriating the funds of the community. Then Mirza Mahmud Ahmad writes:

“A boil full of pus gets worse the longer it is left. Till now my opinion was that this matter should be suppressed as far as possible … but now, after prayer, my feeling and view has changed completely and I have come to the conclusion that now is the time that this ill condition should be remedied.”

This letter ends as follows:

“So my view is that God may open your heart, sir, to this course of action and this matter must be brought to an end, no matter how. There is bound to be trial and tribulation, but it is best to nip it in the bud before it becomes a firm tree.Humbly, Mahmud.”

At the same time an incident involving the sale of the house of Hakim Fazl Din occurred in which the decision taken by the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya did not quite tally with the opinion of Maulana Nur-ud-Din. Mirza Mahmud Ahmad and his party used this to raise a storm of propaganda. Letters were sent to Maulana Nur-ud-Din even from Lahore alleging that certain remarks were being made by Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah, and certain remarks by Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig, against the Khalifa. Maulana Nur-ud-Din, being after all human, was somewhat angered and said that he was going to make an announcement on the coming Eid day. It was not clear what the announcement was to be about. Some people thought that he might take away power from the Anjuman, which would foment trouble in the Movement. (Later events showed that he intended to announce that he would have no more to do with the financial decisions of the Anjuman, though such an announcement too would have been harmful for the Movement.)

A day before the Eid day, Shaikh Rahmatullah came from Lahore as usual, and he and Maulana Muhammad Ali went to see Maulana Nur-ud-Din and assured him that the two doctors were obedient to him. Maulana Nur-ud-Din brought out a bag full of letters that he had received against them. Both of them told him that all those allegations were completely false and that they all were obedient to him. Maulana Nur-ud-Din was satisfied by their statements and did not make any announcement on Eid day. So the day of Eid on which the mischief makers had pinned their hopes turned out to be a day not of joy but of disappointment for them.

During the course of his Eid khutba, on 16 October 1909, Maulana Nur-ud-Din reiterated the position and the powers given to the Anjuman by the Promised Messiah. Referring to the booklet Al-Wasiyyat (The Will) he said:

“In the writing of Hazrat sahib [i.e. Al-Wasiyyat by the Promised Messiah] there is a point of deep knowledge which I will explain to you fully. He left it up to God as to who was going to be the khalifa. On the other hand, he said to fourteen men: You are collectively the Khalifat-ul-Masih, your decisions are final and binding, and the government authorities too consider them as absolute. Then all those fourteen men became united in taking the bai‘at at the hand of one man, accepting him as their khalifa, and thus you were united. And then not only fourteen, but the whole community agreed upon my khilafat.… I have read Al-Wasiyyat very thoroughly. It is indeed true that he has made fourteen men the Khalifat-ul-Masih, and written that their decision arrived at by majority opinion is final and binding. Now observe that these God-fearing men, whom Hazrat sahib chose for his khilafat, have by their righteous opinion, by their unanimous opinion, appointed one man as their Khalifa and Amir. And then not only themselves, but they made thousands upon thousands of people to embark in the same boat in which they had themselves embarked.”

(Badr, Qadian, 21 October 1909, p. 11, col. 1)

In the same issue of Badr, immediately after the above khutba, a statement by the members from Lahore is published as follows:

“When on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr we went to Qadian as usual, we learnt that some people had written letters to Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih stating that some members of the Majlis-i-Mu‘timiddin (executive committee) of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya are against him. We were very grieved by these letters and think that Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih must have been hurt as well. We do not harbour ill thoughts against our brethren, and we pray that they too think well of us, as is very strongly commanded in the Quran and Hadith. We cannot rip open our hearts and show anyone what thoughts are within them, but with this announcement we assure all friends that the pledge we took of Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih was not due to any pressure or compulsion but willingly from the bottom of our hearts, and we still stand firm on that pledge and obey Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih. It is clear that the unity of this Movement is not a unity on pain of punishment but a voluntary unity. It is on the principle of that voluntary unity that all of us took the pledge of Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih, and as regards the future we pray to Allah to keep us steadfast on this covenant as Noah prayed: ‘I seek refuge in Thee from asking Thee about that of which I have no knowledge’, for the granting of all capability and strength is only in Allah’s hands.— Humbly: Mirza Yaqub Baig, signed by his own hand; Rahmatullah, signed by his own hand; members of the executive committee, Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian, 17 October 1909.

I agree with each and every word of the above announcement and I am proud of obeying Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih — Humbly, Muhammad Ali from Qadian.”

(Badr, 21 October 1909)

The anxiety of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad to have Maulana Muhammad Ali and some other persons expelled from the community can be glimpsed in his account of one of his dreams which he had published in Badr dated 23 February 1911. He wrote:

“Near to morning time I saw a large palace, one part of which was being demolished, and near the palace there was an open ground where thousands of men were doing stonework. … I asked them what building it was and who were those people and why were they demolishing it. One of them replied that it was the Ahmadiyya community and one part of it was being demolished in order that old bricks be removed (may Allah have mercy) and some hollow bricks be replaced by solid ones.”

More efforts to create suspicion in Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s mind

Many other incidents like these carried on happening, in which Mirza Mahmud Ahmad continued his most strenuous efforts to create in Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s mind as much mistrust as possible against Maulana Muhammad Ali, Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah and Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig. The details of these can be found in the book Haqiqat-i Ikhtilaf. As the Ansarullah party of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad continued their false propaganda especially against Maulana Muhammad Ali and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, Maulana Muhammad Ali wrote a letter to Maulana Nur-ud-Din in November 1913 protesting about this. Some extracts from the letter are given below which illustrate the atmosphere prevailing at the time:

“Yesterday you, honourable sir, mentioned that people accuse me and the Khwaja sahib, but you did not say in what matter. If it has been brought to your notice, sir, that we two disobey you or that we had anything to do with the anonymous tracts{footnote 2} or that either one of us wants to be a claimant to khilafat, then I state on oath in the name of Allah, on my behalf with full certainty and on behalf of the Khwaja sahib with the absolute confidence which is tantamount to full belief because of several years of close friendship, that these three allegations are absolutely false. If anyone alleges that we have ever said any such thing to him then he must at least be made to take an oath in front of me. More than this, I myself can produce sworn statements from all persons who have relations with me that I have never said anything like it. …I assure you, sir, that we have obeyed you even to the extent of accepting blame upon ourselves when in certain matters you said something but we refrained from speaking in our defence in case it displeased you. …  This position of secretary I never accepted out of personal desire, nor did I perform the duties for selfish ends. During the time of the Promised Messiah I requested him many times to relieve me of my duties but my request was not granted. Every year, until he placed this burden upon me by writing my name with his own hand, I was never keen to shoulder the responsibility. …

My name and the name of the Khwaja sahib are indeed today mentioned, and that is in order to label us as hypocrites and unfaithful. This disease has spread so much that when certain missionaries travel to any place they believe it to be a meritorious deed to use these terms about us and to convey this to their audiences. In Qadian this has gone beyond all bounds. As regards what is the purpose of this propaganda and who are the people at the root of spreading it, these are matters about which I will not say anything because I do not wish to cause you any anguish. This is a trial which has come upon us. The Khwaja sahib, even having gone out of India, is still the victim of these reproachful attacks, and despite the fact that you on two occasions in your sermons exonerated him that propaganda is still going on. I am here so far, but after five to seven months at most I too will go to England, if I am still alive. …

In the name of Allah, please you yourself, sir, tell us where can we go to, in order to be safe from these accusations and false allegations? God, the One, knows that we never conspired any plot, nor is it our practice to do so, nor is it in our nature. It was to be away from such things that I took abode in a secluded corner to serve the religion. What can we do if some people do not like this? I swear on oath in the name of God that we are not conspirators. We are rather the victims of a conspiracy. … It would not have mattered if we had been called hypocrites and unfaithful only before the ordinary people, but this has gone much further and efforts are now being made to portray us like that in your eyes.

Wassalam. Humbly, Muhammad Ali. 23 November 1913.”

Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s true feelings

Maulana Nur-ud-Din sent this letter to Mirza Mahmud Ahmad and he wrote back saying that he would instruct the Ansar (meaning his party Ansarullah) not to say such things, and he also wrote that he himself had never heard Maulana Muhammad Ali say the things he was accused of saying. Maulana Nur-ud-Din sent this reply to Maulana Muhammad Ali and added the following words in his own hand:

“By Allah, besides Whom there is no god, and Who holds my life in His hand, it never came to my mind even for an instant that you or the Khwaja sahib hold such ideas. It is my belief that neither of you entertain such thoughts. …”

This was written on 23 November 1913 when his last illness had commenced. Prior to this, when Maulana Nur-ud-Din came to Lahore in 1912 he made a speech in Ahmadiyya Buildings during which he said:

“The third thing is that some persons, who are known as my friends and are my friends, hold the view and say that the people from Lahore are an impediment in the affairs of the khilafat. … Allah has given you the teaching to refrain from thinking ill of others, as it will turn you into evil doers. The Holy Prophet has said that he who indulges in thinking ill of others is a great liar, so keep away from this. Even now I have a slip of paper in my hand on which someone writes that the Lahore Jama‘at is an obstacle in the way of the khilafat. I say to such critics to give up thinking ill of others. The people from Lahore are sincere, and you should first of all try to make yourself sincere like they are. They love the Promised Messiah. Human beings make mistakes and they too can make mistakes, but the works which they have performed you should also try to do the same.I say at the top of my voice that whoever thinks ill of the people from Lahore, saying that they are an obstacle in the way of the khilafat, he should remember that the Holy Prophet has said regarding one who indulges in this that it is ‘the biggest lie’ and Allah says: ‘Abstain from most of suspicion, for much of suspicion is sin’, so it is called a sin here. … You mistrust the sincere ones and hurt me. Fear God. …

Remember what I have said and give up thinking ill of others and causing discord. … Give up the notion that the people from Lahore are an impediment in the affairs of the khilafat. If you do not, then God will make your case like that of Musailima.”

(Badr, 11 July 1912, pages 4, 5)

As is obvious from these statements of Maulana Nur-ud-Din, it had become fully clear to him that this was just mischief created by certain persons, and there were no grounds for the allegations against Maulana Muhammad Ali and his associates. He got so exasperated with the insidious propaganda that he wrote a letter to Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, dated 13 May 1913, who was then in England, expressing his heartfelt feelings, one sentence of which is translated below:

“Nawab,^{{footnote 3}} Mir Nasir and Mahmud are useless people, fanatical for no good reason. This trouble is still afflicting us. O Allah, deliver us from it. Amen!”

A facsimile of this letter was published in Paigham Sulh, dated 26 November 1937.

In addition to this, the love that Maulana Nur-ud-Din had for Maulana Muhammad Ali was clearly expressed in those events from his last illness which have been quoted above from the daily diary reports published by Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig.

Maulana Muhammad Ali’s announcement about the disunity and mistrust

With regard to the atmosphere of disunity and mistrust created in Qadian by a certain group, Maulana Muhammad Ali wrote a letter in the Ahmadiyya community newspaper Badr a few days before the annual gathering of December 1913, three months before Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s death, in which he addressed all the members of the community. This letter shows the kind of circumstances that had been created in Qadian, and his deep concern about them. This letter was as follows:

“Brothers, assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu!I consider it to be a great favour of Allah that after the death of the Promised Messiah He united the whole community under one man, and it was also the grace of Allah by which all hearts were inclined to the obedience of this man, and at a time of such sorrow Allah sent tranquillity by His grace. I request all of you to be grateful for this favour of Allah, and you can do that by avoiding mischievous activities that lead to disunity in the community. Have favourable opinions about your brethren and leave the matter of their inner faith to be judged by Allah. Everyone of you should try to avoid bad mouthing another brother, and if you hear about someone that he speaks ill of you, do not try to get even with him because sometimes a news, when reaching somewhere, becomes comp­letely distorted and very different from reality. If you observe any mischief being created, then instead of vying to take part in it, keep your silence. The path of righteousness is in fact the path of caution, and at times of discord no path of caution is better than keeping silent.

In the Quran Allah admonishes those who spread discord. It says that ‘if any news of security or fear comes to them they spread it all over’ (4:83), and it instructs that instead of spreading it they should refer it to the Messenger or those in authority. Keep in mind that to create disunity is not gallantry of any kind, but unity cannot be achieved without Allah’s favour: ‘If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them’ (8:63). Once you lose the gift of unity you will not acquire it again even by spending all that you can, and all your works will remain incomplete and unfulfilled. Instead of malice and spite, create love and compassion for your brethren in your hearts, and if you cannot go that far then at least remove the malice and spite from within you. If someone is working for your Movement or serving religion, and you also notice some flaw in him, think of his service and his work in contrast with his flaw. Instead of trying to expel your brothers from within you, try to bring others to join you. If you expend all your energies in rejecting your brothers, then you will not have any strength left to do the opposite work.

I implore you again, it is not too late, do not discard the strength of unity. Take in the favours of God. Keep in view the pledge that you first took at the hand of the Promised Messiah and then at the hand of Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih, to give religion priority over worldly interests. Fight your egotism. If something is not to your liking, bear with it. The Promised Messiah has gone so far as to say in Kishti-i Nuh that even if you are in the right, be like one who considers himself to be in the wrong. For God’s sake, think. Are you trying to be like one considers himself in the right while being in the wrong, or vice versa? If this teaching was not meant for you, for which other community was it meant?

I say it again, that Allah by His grace has raised a man among you who has brought together the entire community, and Allah made all hearts inclined to that man’s obedience. Do not lose that grace by your own hands. Forgetting your disagreements, turn to matters which unite you. Incline not to worldly gain, but give preference to religion. You were brought into existence in this world to propagate and strengthen the religion. If you are set upon weakening the power of the religion, how can Allah the Most High come to your help?

Wassalam, Humbly, Muhammad Ali, Editor, Review of Religions, Qadian, 1 December 1913.”

(Badr, 4 December 1913)

The second tactic

What has been mentioned above was one tactic used by Mirza Mahmud Ahmad and his party to get Maulana Muhammad Ali and his co-thinkers expelled from the community or to disillusion Maulana Nur-ud-Din with them. Another tactic used to establish the foundation for Mirza Mahmud Ahmad’s succession was to spread propaganda to impress upon the community his scholarship and righteousness, so that after Maulana Nur-ud-Din the community would not consider anybody else for the position. To achieve this goal, Mirza Mahmud Ahmad’s maternal grandfather Mir Nasir Nawab toured towns and cities, on the pretext of raising funds for Dar-uz-Zu‘afa, and carried out propaganda against Maulana Muhammad Ali and Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. Similarly, missionaries sent by Mirza Mahmud Ahmad also carried out the same propaganda.

That was the age when the evil custom of rendering blind obedience to spiritual leaders prevailed among the Muslims of India and they followed rituals and superstitions unquestioningly. It was a great achievement of the Promised Messiah that he eradicated this wrong system of absolute, autocratic rule by spiritual leaders over their followers, and after him Maulana Nur-ud-Din continued the same example. This was a distinction of the Ahmadiyya community which greatly impressed other Muslims. But the succession that was being planned for Mirza Mahmud Ahmad was of a different nature altogether. A proof of it is provided by the testimony of an impartial outsider. Muhammad Aslam of Amritsar, who was not an Ahmadi, came to Qadian and wrote of his impressions of his visit. Regarding Maulana Nur-ud-Din he wrote:

“Having attended his spiritual guidance gatherings and his teaching of the Quran for two days, as far as I reflected upon his work it appeared to me to be of the highest purity and based solely on serving Allah. His behaviour is above pretence, show and hypocrisy. He has a strong passion for the truth of Islam which is reflected from his heart. … If true Islam is what is contained in the Holy Quran, then I have not come across anyone who loves the Quran as truly as the Maulvi sahib does. It is not that he is compelled to do it just out of force of conformity; rather, he is a great thinker and has fallen in love with the Quran as a result of his critical scholarly evaluation. …  What amazed me was to see an eighty years old man working from dawn to dusk. …  All his actions and movements reflect the dignified simplicity and informality of the companions of the Holy Prophet.”

Then he goes on to say that he has not seen the evil of spiritual leader worship prevailing anywhere in the company of Maulana Nur-ud-Din.

Now look at the other side of the picture reported by the same observer:

“I did notice something which could, to some extent, lead to spiritual leader worship being established in Qadian in the future. This was the published poster from the editor of Al-Hakam displayed at many places in Qadian congratulating Mirza Mahmud Ahmad sahib on his safe return from his pilgrimage to Makka. … Its language reveals the tendency towards spiritual leader worship and I regret to see such a poster so widely published that for several days it is sticking upon the walls of the God worshipping Qadian. … Seeing that made me fearful, lest this quiet spark of spiritual leader worship, which probably is awaiting the demise of Maulana Nur-ud-Din, might spread as a fire and completely engulf Qadian.”

(Badr, 13 March 1913, page 9)

Thus even an impartial observer could envisage the pedestal to which Mirza Mahmud Ahmad was to be raised.

The scandal of calling Muslims as kafir and the establishment of the Ansarullah party

In those days Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din used to lecture in different cities of the Punjab as well as India generally and his fame had spread throughout the land. When, during a public meeting in Jhang, he declared that Ahmadis consider all those who profess the Kalima of Islam (‘There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’) as Muslims, Mirza Mahmud Ahmad contradicted this in an article published in his magazine Tashhiz-ul-Azhan for April 1911 and declared that each and every Muslim in the whole world who has not formally taken the bai‘at (pledge) of the Promised Messiah is a kafir and outside the pale of Islam, even if that person has never heard of the Promised Messiah or even if he believes the Promised Messiah to be true. It was this article that struck at the very foundations of the Ahmadiyya Movement and split it into two. However, to acquire the successorship it was not enough just to write an article. Mirza Mahmud Ahmad at the same time founded a party called the Ansarullah, with himself as its leader. Its members actively propagated his viewpoints as well as canvassed for him to succeed Maulana Nur-ud-Din as the next khalifa, while the Maulana was on his death bed. The propagation of the wrong belief that other Muslims are kafir went so far that Maulana Nur-ud-Din, from his sickbed, said in the presence of a large number of people that Mirza Mahmud Ahmad failed to comprehend the doctrine of Kufr and Islam (unbelief and Islam). He asked Maulana Muhammad Ali to clarify this issue. This made Mirza Mahmud Ahmad furious and he wrote an article in Al-Fazl of 25 February 1914 saying that the fatwa (view on religious matter) of a khalifa has no value and that anyone wanting a fatwa need only send him a postcard of one penny and he would provide a fatwa from the Promised Messiah’s books.

This Ansarullah was the party that had been brought into Qadian just before the death of Maulana Nur-ud-Din to help in taking over the succession after him. Thus one of the letters written by Hafiz Roshan Ali to the Ansarullah party in various towns and cities, which was reproduced in Paigham Sulh dated 17 March 1914, stated that Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s life was now only a matter of hours, not of days, so they must immediately assemble in Qadian.

A tract on calling Muslims as kafir and one on khilafat

As has been mentioned above, Maulana Nur-ud-Din openly stated from his sickbed that Mirza Mahmud Ahmad did not understand the doctrine of unbelief and Islam, and he had asked Maulana Muhammad Ali to expound this doctrine properly. Accordingly, Maulana Muhammad Ali wrote a tract which was published in Qadian on 13 March 1914, in which he refuted Mirza Mahmud Ahmad’s wrong belief. The Maulana writes in it:

“After writing this article I read it to Hazrat Khilafat-ul-Masih. As he was ill in those days, his son Abdul Hayy, thinking that he perhaps could not listen with full attention, asked him: Sir, are you listening? He replied: I am well able to listen to it, if I disagreed with anything I would say so. When the article ended, he directed that a hadith report from ‘Sahih Muslim’ be added at the close. That has been done.”

(Urdu pamphlet entitled: Issue of Unbelief and Islam according to the directions of Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih)

At the same time he also wrote and issued a tract entitled Ayk Nihayat Zaroori I‘lan (A very important announcement) in which he impressed the following five points on the Ahmadiyya community:

1. 1. It is not the case that an Ahmadi upon whom forty members have agreed becomes khalifa. Rather, what the Promised Messiah has instructed is that such a man can take the bai‘at (pledge) from new entrants to admit them into the Movement.
   2. The Promised Messiah has not given any instruction that existing Ahmadis have to renew their bai‘at upon another person’s hand.

1. The executive committee of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Qadian is the real and true successor of the Promised Messiah.
2. Be very careful and fearful of God in the matter of ‘unbelief and Islam’, and follow the belief of the Promised Messiah who never declared as kafir those Muslims who did not accept his claims.
3. Settle the successorship to Maulana Nur-ud-Din with thought and deliberation by consulting the entire community.

This tract explained clearly and in detail all the points above as well as explaining the true powers and position of the Anjuman. But it arrived in Qadian, after being printed in Lahore, when Hazrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din had already died and the state of affairs in Qadian had worsened.

Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s death and subsequent events

On 13 March 1914, while saying his Friday prayers despite great weakness, Maulana Nur-ud-Din breathed his last (may his soul rest in peace). What happened afterwards is described by Maulana Muhammad Ali in his book Haqiqat-i Ikhtilaf as follows:

“The same day, after Asr prayer, we five went to Nawab [Muhammad Ali Khan] sahib’s house to discuss the future. Before our arrival there, the Mian sahib [Mirza Mahmud Ahmad] had already gone for a walk on his own in the direction of the village of Khara. I told my friends that it would be better if I spoke to him alone. So I went after him, and said to him that as the community is openly split into two on the question of unbelief and Islam, so we have to think about the future and devise some way of keeping the community united. The Mian sahib’s answer was that we should elect a khalifa at whose hand both parties should take the bai‘at, and obey him; only thus could we remain united. I replied that the very problem was that both parties could not take the pledge of the same man. At least I could not accept a man as  spiritual guide who calls Muslims as kafir, and by the same token how can the other party take bai‘at on the hand of a man who according to them is in error on such an important issue. I suggested two possible solutions to the Mian sahib. One was to choose a leader now and not make the bai‘at obligatory: whoever wished could take the bai‘at but those who did not so wish need not do it. Then after some time had passed over this, each side should put forward its arguments on the question of unbelief and Islam. This would make it possible that, seeing which side had the stronger case, the entire community would adopt that as its creed. To this the Mian sahib answered that anyone who does not take the bai‘at of the khalifa cannot remain in the community, so this cannot work. My other suggestion was that no leader be elected at this time for at least fourteen days, and in this interim a representative gathering of the community be called to find a solution to the problem. But the Mian sahib’s answer was that there could not be such a wait because unless the next khalifa was elected, the previous khalifa could not be buried.{footnote 4} The result was that no solution could be achieved. The next day the five of us again went to the house of the Nawab sahib and tried to discuss the matter, but it was in vain. At last, after the Asr prayer a meeting took place. The Nawab sahib read out the will of Maulana Nur-ud-Din. After him Maulana Muhammad Ahsan of Amroha proposed the name of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad as the next khalifa. I rose up to mention the discussion that had taken place between me and the Mian sahib but some men began to shout that they would not listen, and there arose cries of: Takht-i khilafat mubarak (congratulations on the throne of khilafat)! The Mian sahib listened to all this silently and did not even ask the people to let me speak. So we left from there.”

This gathering which Maulana Muhammad Ali has mentioned was held in the Nur mosque. When Maulana Muhammad Ali tried to speak, Hafiz Roshan Ali, secretary of the Ansarullah party, and Shaikh Yaqub Ali Turab, who were waiting for this point, started shouting that they did not want to hear. This was a prearranged signal at which the whole of the Ansarullah party at once stood up, raising the cry that they would not listen, and they all surged towards Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, jostling to take the bai‘at on his hand. A great uproar and tumult was created, and cries went up:  Takht-i khilafat mubarak and Iwaan-i khilafat mubarak (congratulations on the throne of khilafat! on the palace of khilafat!) Maulana Muhammad Ali and his friends could not prevail upon this coarse element and left.

Afterwards telegrams were sent to the government and to all branches of the Anjuman, wrongly informing them that Mirza Mahmud Ahmad had been elected unanimously. Men were sent in all directions who got written pledges signed and returned by Ahmadis unaware of the situation, living in distant places. How a false propaganda was carried out to mislead the community to bring it under Mirza Mahmud Ahmad is a long story.

When Maulana Muhammad Ali and some other people with him left the Nur mosque and came back to the Maulana’s house, Dr. Basharat Ahmad was among them. He related that, while they could still hear the chanting from the mosque, Mirza Sultan Ahmad, the eldest son of the Promised Messiah from his first wife who was not a regular member of the Ahmadiyya community, who also had happened to be present in the mosque, came to them and immediately addressed Maulana Muhammad Ali saying:

“I have come to seek forgiveness for the rude treatment that my brother [Mirza Mahmud Ahmad] has meted out to the old friends of his father [the Promised Messiah]. When I saw the discourtesy that was allowed to prevail in the mosque just now I sank to the ground in shame.”

(Paigham Sulh, 27 April 1937)

In the Paigham Sulh of 10 March 1914, an article by Maulana Muhammad Ali entitled Hazrat Mirza Sahib’s claim to prophethood was published, refuting the wrong beliefs falsely attributed to Hazrat Mirza sahib by Mirza Mahmud Ahmad. The article about ‘Islam and Unbelief’ that was written “according to the directions of Maulana Nur-ud-Din” was published in the issue of the paper dated 17 March 1914. In the same issue a letter by Dr. Syed Muhammad Husain Shah written from Qadian was published which throws further light on the events. Some extracts from it are given below:

“I and some friends from Lahore arrived in Qadian on the morning of 14 March. Here we found that the dangerous circumstances to which Maulana Muhammad Ali had alerted the community beforehand by his foresight were prevailing exactly as he had warned. Everywhere, students from the school, zealous members of the Ansarullah, Shaikh Yaqub Ali, Mufti Fazl-ur-Rahman etc., were running around trying to incite the ignorant people and rouse them to support Mirza Mahmud Ahmad for khalifa. Mistry Musa was stationed on the canal bridge on the way to Qadian, where he was telling arriving members of the community to sign that they supported the appointment of a khalifa, but the paper on which their signatures were obtained said that the khalifa had the power to keep or disband the Anjuman as he wished and to expel any member.Midday came while all this was going on, but no one asked the consultative representatives who had come from other areas. In the Nur mosque Mirza Mahmud Ahmad made a speech and after that Maulana Muhammad Ali advised that whatever was to be done should be decided after consultation, as haste would make matters go wrong. At midday we sent Khalifa Rajab-ud-Din and Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig to impress that the matters should be decided by consulting the whole community, there was no need to rush as this was not the administration of a country which would stop working; the funeral and burial should take place first and then the representatives of the community should be called for discussion within ten to fifteen days; when Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih [Maulana Nur-ud-Din] was chosen there was no disagreement among us but today there is a grave and serious difference; one party considers that all those Muslims who do not believe in Hazrat Mirza sahib are kafir, the other party considers that every person professing the Kalima is a Muslim. However, they responded that they could not wait; whatever was to be done must be decided today, and a khalifa had to be appointed before the burial.”

As to what happened after the Asr prayers in the Nur mosque, he writes:

“The Nawab sahib stood up and read the will of Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih, and then said that a successor should be chosen. As had been prearranged, voices were raised from different directions calling out ‘Mian sahib’ [Mirza Mahmud Ahmad]. After that Maulvi Muhammad Ahsan also proposed the Mian sahib, but when Maulana Muhammad Ali stood up to say something, Shaikh Yaqub Ali, Hafiz Roshan Ali and some others shouted ‘sit down, sit down’ and did not let him speak. The Mian sahib himself also instructed that, after Maulvi Muhammad Ahsan, no one should be allowed to speak. Thus the instruction in the will of Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih, that his successor should treat the older members with tolerance, forbearance and kindness, was violated and it was ignored in the euphoria of acquiring the khilafat.Though the body of Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih lay unburied, yet slogans of congratulations to Mirza Mahmud Ahmad on becoming khalifa were being raised and loud shouting broke out like that of a common mob. … After that, some supporters of the khilafat took up position at the arrival port in the town while others started roaming around the town, forcing people to sign.”

The regrettable treatment which Maulana Muhammad Ali received in the Nur mosque was deplored by a newspaper of Qadian itself, the Nur, as follows:

“A painful matter —Though some friends will be upset by what I have to declare, but tell me, my friends, the man who forsook such close relatives as his own parents for the sake of the cause of truth, what could prevent him from speaking the truth now? After the speech of Hazrat Syed Muhammad Ahsan, Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib expressed his wish to say a few words, but regrettably some irresponsible people forcibly prevented him. It is our belief that it would not have altered the result, so why was Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib not given the chance to speak? It could have happened that Allah might have caused him to say something at that time which was to our advantage. We should be generous towards our friends. But alas, these days a child who does not even know the manners for speaking is not reluctant to abuse others. We do not deny that Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib has a strong zeal, passion and fervour in his heart for the propagation of Islam and service of the religion. For serving the religion he has not cared even for his life and health. People living in Qadian are aware that the cause of myself, the editor of Nur, having to depart from the school was brought about solely by Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib. But it would be the height of meanness on my part if, due to a personal grudge, I deny an honourable brother’s abilities. The love and affection with which the Promised Messiah and then Hazrat Khalifat-ul-Masih treated Maulvi Muhammad Ali sahib is no secret.”

(From the newspaper Nur dated 17 March 1914)

In addition to this, many members of the community who were present in the mosque on this occasion wrote letters at that time expressing regret and dismay about what had happened. Many of these letters were published in Paigham Sulh. What they deeply regretted above all was that, in the very presence of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad, people who had no stature or standing as compared to Maulana Muhammad Ali told the Maulana insolently to sit down and keep quiet, but Mirza Mahmud Ahmad watched all this in silence even though the will of Maulana Nur-ud-Din had just been read out exhorting that his successor must treat all the old and new friends of the Promised Messiah with kindness. All these letters were written in the month of March when Maulana Muhammad Ali was still in Qadian.

Further stay in Qadian and migration from there

After these events Maulana Muhammad Ali continued to stay in Qadian for a while. On 17 March he made an announcement in Paigham Sulh to the following effect. In matters of faith and religion decisions must not be made in haste. However, our Movement cannot unite on regarding other Muslims as unbelievers. Hazrat Mirza sahib had never declared that those who did not accept him were kafir because of denying his claims. Maulana Nur-ud-Din held the same belief and in his last days he had plainly told Mirza Mahmud Ahmad that he did not correctly understand this issue and had appointed him (Maulana Muhammad Ali) to publish a clarification of this matter. So we cannot take the bai‘at at the hands of a man who calls Muslims as kafir, although we do wish to stay together for the sake of the work of the Movement.

In the issue for 19 March he again repeated some of the events and stressed the same points, and also wrote:

“The actions that have been taken were regrettable to say the least. … If our community’s basic principle is merely that we stick together in a partisan way, then I am definitely in the wrong. But if truth and right have some value, and to support one another in any wrong doing is a sin according to the Quran, no matter how closely you may be related to one another, then I have always done my duty of speaking out the truth and I will continue to do so whatever ruling may be issued against me.{footnote 5} If I am seeking and desiring any personal gain, creating discord under the guise of upholding the truth, then I am the most accursed person. But I have an urge in my heart that compels me to speak out even if I have to accept all manner of tribulation. Calling the followers of the Qibla as being kafir is the crime which Hazrat Mirza sahib bitterly accused his opponent Maulvis of committing. But alas! Today we ourselves are doing what we accused others of. I shudder at the thought of calling those who recite the Kalima, ‘There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’, as being kafirs and excluded from the fold of Islam.If it is true that all those who profess the Kalima are kafirs until they accept the Promised Messiah then our efforts to propagate Islam are futile, and to get a Hindu or Christian to proclaim the Kalima is purposeless. …

In these circumstances the question of electing a leader or a khalifa becomes very difficult. To solve this problem the community needed, and still needs, much deliberation, consultation and prayers. Such important affairs cannot be decided in minutes. …

I am prepared to face whatever consequences I may have to bear, and I pray to Allah to give me the strength to be steadfast upon the truth and grant me patience in adversity. In the end I beg to say that even in these conditions we must remain united in carrying on our mission as before and not let anything detract from performing the tasks the Promised Messiah left to us. Among these tasks I include the work that my honourable friend Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din is doing. … Anyone who tries to weaken it will be sowing the seed of discord.”{footnote 6}

After Maulana Nur-ud-Din’s death while Maulana Muhammad Ali was still in Qadian, his life was being made intolerable by people shouting abusive slogans and hurling insults at him. When conditions deteriorated from bad to worse he left Qadian for Lahore on 20 April 1914. What followed after this date will be related in the next chapter.

The world of Islam and the event of 1914

Apart from the Ahmadiyya community, the rest of the Islamic world in India also took note of this dissension and the fact that the strength of faith of a few men had saved a section of the Ahmadiyya community from the curse of extremism and of labelling other Muslims as kafir. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad commented on this in his newspaper Al-Hilal, dated 25 March 1914, as follows:

“For some time, there had been two parties in this Movement over the question of takfir. One party believed that non-Ahmadis are Muslims even though they may not believe in Mirza sahib’s claims. The other party, however, declared openly and clearly that those people who do not believe in Mirza sahib are kafir absolutely — inna li-llahi wa inna ilai-hi raji‘un.{footnote 7} The head of the latter party is Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, and this faction has now made him khalifa but the first group does not accept this. The writing published in this connection by Maulana Muhammad Ali, and the wonderful and admirable courage he has shown in expressing these views while staying in Qadian, where the heads of the other party live, is truly an event which shall always be regarded as a memorable event of this year.”

End of second phase of Maulana Muhammad Ali’s life

With this event the second phase of the life of Maulana Muhammad Ali, consisting of fifteen years in Qadian, comes to a close in April 1914. This phase had begun with his great sacrifice, at the age of 25 years, when he gave up his worldly future to sit at the feet of Hazrat Mirza sahib, and he spent the best of his youth in Qadian till the age of 40. In the first eight out of these fifteen years he had such close company of, and nearness to, the Promised Messiah as was attained by very few. Hazrat Mirza sahib not only provided him with accommodation in his own house, giving him physical nearness to him, but the Maulana also acquired spiritual affinity to Hazrat Mirza sahib and absorbed from him the zeal and passion for the propagation of Islam, love for the Holy Quran and the urge to spread it in the world. Hazrat Mirza sahib himself entrusted to him all those tasks which he had declared as being his mission from Allah. The Maulana also acquired knowledge and scholarship of the Holy Quran from Hazrat Mirza sahib and Maulana Nur-ud-Din.

In the latter six years of this phase of his life, according to the wishes of Maulana Nur-ud-Din, Maulana Muhammad Ali began work on the English and Urdu translations of the Quran, which the Promised Messiah had declared was his own task or it would be done by a man “who is an offshoot of mine and thus is included in me.” For thirteen out of these fifteen years he was the Editor of the Review of Religions, a work he did so magnificently that in those days the fame of this magazine spread in India and then in the outside world. Friend and foe all had to admit that no one had presented such a captivating picture of Islam as the Promised Messiah had done through this periodical.

After Hazrat Mirza sahib established the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, Qadian, as his successor, Maulana Muhammad Ali remained its secretary and its moving force for eight years. Branches of the community were set up and organised in many places. The Anjuman’s budget reached to the value of two hundred thousand Rupees of those days. Its property increased substantially and included a building and a boarding house for the Talim-ul-Islam school worth 150,000 Rupees, which were constructed under the Maulana’s personal supervision.

However, in 1914, for the sake of a matter of principle he left behind all these achievements and the fully-functioning organisation which he had played a major role in building up; and he departed from the beloved place where he had been blessed with the company of the Imam of the Age, where he had received that spiritual benefit from him and from other elders of the Movement which had transformed his life. He left for Lahore empty handed, but he had with him one thing and that was the English translation of the Holy Quran which he brought with him from Qadian to Lahore.

Footnotes

(To return to the referring text for any footnote, click on the footnote number.)

[1]. All these events have been narrated by Maulana Muhammad Ali in his book Haqiqat-i Ikhtilaf published in 1922. This book was translated into English and published as True Facts about the Split in 1966.

[2]. Two anonymous tracts had appeared from Lahore containing some criticisms against Maulana Nur-ud-Din and some against Mirza Mahmud Ahmad.

[3]. Nawab Muhammad Ali of Malerkotla is meant.

[4]. This standpoint does not accord with what happened when Hazrat Umar died. After being injured, he appointed a board of six leading Companions and instructed them to elect a khalifa from among themselves. Then Hazrat Umar died and his funeral prayers were led by Hazrat Suhaib. The next khalifa, Hazrat Usman, was chosen afterwards.

[5]. At that time the Maulana was being called a fasiq (wrong-doer) on account of not entering into the bai‘at of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad.

[6]. At that time the first action of Mirza Mahmud Ahmad and his supporters was to stop Maulvi Sher Ali being sent to Woking to assist Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din and to cut off connection with the Woking Mission.

[7]. Meaning “Surely we are Allah’s and to Him do we return”. This is the Islamic expression uttered upon receiving the news of a loss such as a death.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________