One example of an attempt by the opponents of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community to discredit Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian(as) is to purport that he received false, or fabricated, revelations regarding the age of his death.
Here the opponents say that whilst the Promised Messiah(as) conveyed to the world, by means of revelation, that he would pass away at the age of 80 years, or thereabouts, he in fact fell well short of this (1908-1835 = 73 years), thus highlighting the falsity of this particular revelation which, they purport, calls into question his entire claim to be the Imam Mahdi and Promised Messiah. For people of sincere intent, the below information will make clear, and come as no surprise, that it is in fact the opponents who are incorrect.
The reality is that it was conveyed to the Promised Messiah(as), by means of revelation, that he would die within a certain span of years and that is exactly what took place. The three principle revelations received by the Promised Messiah(as) were,
ثمانین حولاً أو قریباً من ذلک، أو تزید علیہ سنیناً و تری نسلاً بعیداً
‘‘Eighty years or thereabouts, or a little more, and you will witness your distant progeny’’ (Arbayeen, No.3, 1900, pp.29-30; Zameema Tohfae-Golarviyyah).
In another place the Promised Messiah(as) is again given a similar revelation,
ثمانین حولاً أو قریباً من ذلک
‘‘…eighty years or thereabouts.’’ (Izala Auham pp. 632-635)
And finally the Promised Messiah(as) is more specifically told in an Urdu revelation that he would pass away at the age of,
‘‘Eighty and four or five more, or four or five less.’’ (Haqeeqatul Wahi pp. 70-108)
Qadian
The Promised Messiah(as) wrote in his book ‘Haqeeqatul Wahi‘ that he received his first revelation from Allah(swt) in the year 1290 AH. Then writing in his book ‘Taryaqul Qulub‘ he writes that when he reached the age of 40 years he began to receive revelation. In assessing these two figures we come to the understanding that the Promised Messiah(as) was most likely born in the year 1250AH/1835AD (1290 – 40 = 1250).
Furthermore, if we calculate the age of the Promised Messiah(as) upon his death, applying the AD calendar, we conclude that he passed away roughly at the age of 73 years old (1908-1835=73). However, when we, as Muslims and followers of the Islamic calendar, more appropriately apply the Hijri calendar we find that he lived for roughly 76 years (1326 – 1250 = 76)
The calculation for converting a date from the Gregorian calendar into the equivalent Hijri date is as follows:
Gregorian date (i.e. 2000AD) minus the Hijri date (i.e. 600AH) multiplied by 33 and divided by 32 (In this example the calculation would be as follows 2000 – 600 x 33 / 32 = 1443).
The calculation regarding the Promised Messiah’s(as) Hijri age would be as follows:
Birth: 1835 – 622 x 33 / 32 = 1250 AH
Death: 1908 – 622 x 33 / 32 = 1326 AH
1326-1250 = 76 years
In light of this, the Promised Messiah’s(as) revelations mentioned at the outset of this article were properly fulfilled. It is worth mentioning that it is remarkable that the opponents of the Promised Messiah(as), a group of ‘Muslim’ intellects (‘Ulema), chose to discredit him by almost instinctively turning to the non-Islamic calendar. Perhaps there exists some ‘logical’ reason for this! Indeed, whilst there is no wrong in applying the Gregorian calendar, they should have realised that it was more befitting of the Imam of the Age(as) to discuss his age in reference of the Islamic Hijri calendar.
It is interesting that the opponents almost always, without fail, attempt to search for little matters of detail to ‘try’ and prove the Promised Messiah(as) wrong with. Why is it that they completely brush over the major predictions of the Promised Messiah(as) with regards to natural disasters and the other natural and man-made signs of his coming? Perhaps they have never come across the book of the Promised Messiah(as) ‘Tajalliyat-e-Ilahiyyah’ (Divine Manifestations)?
What is far more intriguing is that they go so far as to focus on these small issues and ignore the great signs of Allah(swt) which have stood in the Holy Qur’an for more than 1400 years. The author here advises them to base any future refutations of the Promised Messiah(as) on addressing the clear signs of his emergence as contained in Surah at-Takwir and the many other places in the Holy Qur’an.
However, if they choose to continue focusing upon the smaller issues they can rest assured that we will continue to refute them. Or, as is so often the case, they will continue to refute themselves.
Allah(swt) Knows best.
Related:
- Understanding The Lunar and Solar years as mentioned in The Holy Quran