The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was that true and ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) who was sent by God to promote the work of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Whatever he had, he had by virtue of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), and whatever beneficence he attained, he did so owing to his singular devotion to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). He wrote in his booklet Al Wasiyyat (The Will):
‘But this Prophethood of Muhammadsa in its intrinsic beneficence suffers from no handicap. Indeed, its beneficence far surpasses the beneficence of other Prophethoods. Following the Prophethood of Muhammadsa is the easiest route through which one can reach God.’ [The Will, p.15]
By virtue of his following of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), God raised him to the station of Prophethood. However, he maintained that absolute following was not sufficient to be granted Prophethood and therein was an element of insult of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). What was required to be bestowed Prophethood, in conjunction with complete following, was to be among the Ummah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Therefore, the essential condition was to be from among the Ummah. Later, God granted the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) signs of His help and support and drew the world’s attention to him. Thus, the mission that started from the time of his claim continues to this day and having attained the beneficence, pious-natured people continue to embark on the vessel of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Today only that person can attain the beneficence which the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was granted through his perfect following of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), who is connected with his validated Khilafat. Today, the pious-natured are guided about the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) through dreams and they come into the fold of his Community. In order to prove to these people that the Khilafat of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) is also rightly-guided, God shows the Ahmadiyya Khulafa to these people through dreams. Today, Hudhur presented some accounts from around the globe that illustrate this spiritual phenomenon.
Modu Neejay sahib from Gambia: He was contacted by an Ahmadi doing Tabligh towards the end of 2003, at a time when he belonged to the Tajania sect but had no religious awareness; he blindly followed the mullah and was addicted to drink. Prior to accepting Ahmadiyyat he saw a dream that he is clearing a bush area. After intense hard work he is able to clear the area which is transformed into a bright spot. He saw a holy person in the dream, who is with his companions and beckons him, saying if he wishes to be reformed he should go to him. He saw similar dream three times and with conviction of heart took his Bai’at. When he saw a photograph of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) after he had taken his Bai’at, he said that indeed was the holy person who beckoned him in the dream. A revolutionary change came into his life; he became a regular observant of five daily Prayers in congregation, started reading the Qur’an and participated in various Tehriks (programmes of financial giving) of the Community. After finishing the Holy Qur’an he held an ‘Ameen’ ceremony for himself and went on to teach the Qur’an to his children and others. With the grace of God, he is now a Moosi and observes Tahajjud. His family cannot believe he is the same person.
Isa Juv sahib from Gambia: He saw a dream at the age of ten, when he studied in a French Catholic school. He saw an old, dim-lit house which has no roof and a holy person who is light personified with a halo around him is descending from the heavens. He is reciting Durud in a manner that Ahmadis recite it and as the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) taught. In another dream that he had at a later stage, around the age of seventeen, he saw that he came across an old, dilapidated house that had been renovated with white walls and green windows and doors. He felt in the dream that the place has been given respect. A holy person came by and called him which frightened him. The holy person called again and upon asking who he was said that he had come in the latter-days and there was nothing to fear. He led him to a place resembling a laboratory and said it was his laboratory and he was an alchemist. When Isa sahib woke up he had tears in his eyes out of love of the holy man. Ten years later when he saw a photograph of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) he immediately recognised him as the holy man of both his dreams.
Muhammad Ali sahib from Tanzania: He saw in a dream that a fair-skinned holy person leads Salat which gives him spiritual comfort. A few days later he came to an Ahmadiyya mosque and saw a photograph of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and recognised him as the holy person from his dream. He took his Bai’at. After Bai’at he endured hardship upon hardship. Hudhur explained that it is not only the Ahmadis in Pakistan who have to experience adversities. He had an acre land due to him but his father disowned him. He moved to another place and God provided six acres of lands for him. He excels in Tabligh and his efforts have formed six Jama’ats in the area.
Kaboore Musa sahib from Burkina Faso: In his old age, his father told him not to hesitate to accept the Imam Mahdi when he came to know of him. Musa sahib prayed a lot for this. One day he dreamed that a lot of people are fighting in the town and much blood is spilling. When he approached people to ask why they were fighting, the crowd moved towards him aggressively. Just then a holy person picked him up as one picks up a child and placed him on a wide, clear road. He started walking on the road when he saw a mosque. He went inside the mosque. After the dream, he came to a mission house where he saw a photograph of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). He excitedly said this was the very holy person whom had saved him from the crowd at the time of danger. As he was an Imam, when he accepted Ahmadiyyat, many others followed him.
Pir sahib from Senegal: Followers of Pir sahib are spread in 132 places. He accepted Ahmadiyyat following a dream and said on oath on the Holy Qur’an that he saw a dream many years ago when he was looking for Imam Mahdi. In the dream he saw the Kalima has fallen on the ground and all the holy persons and saints are trying to lift it together but are not able to do so. Just then a holy person appears and it is said that his name is Muhammad al Mahdi. All by himself, he raises the Kalima aloft.
Hudhur explained that today is it through the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) alone that the truth about the Kalima is reaching the world, otherwise the Ulema (religious scholars) have brought Islam into disrepute.
Abdullah Fateh from Algeria: He came to our mission house to attend a Question and Answer session and was given two books of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) for reading. These were ‘Khutbah Ilhamia’ and ‘Al Huda’. After reading the books he returned and said he felt these could not be the writings of a liar. He tied a cloth on his head in a manner of turban and said a while ago he had seen a person in a dream who had a turban on in a similar manner and had a very luminous face. He was shown a photograph of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) but was not told who it was. Seeing the photograph he stood up and said that was the very person he had seen in his dream and took his Bai’at.
An Arab from Finland: A few years after the death of his father he saw a dream that his father is asleep in his grave while another dignified, spiritually radiant holy person who has a robe on, emerges from the grave. He takes him by his right hand and leads him away. Six months later while he was scanning through TV channels, he came across MTA and saw Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him) and Hilmi sahib. A few days later Khalifatul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him) showed a photograph of a holy person on MTA, this was the Promised Messiah (on whom peace). He recognised him as the holy person of his dream.
Ahmadi from Senegal: He saw pictures of two holy persons in his dream up in the heavens. He knew one of them was the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be on him) and the other, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) but he could not make out who was who. One of the pictures disappeared while the other came closer and said: ‘I am Imam Mahdi’. Our missionary reports that when our delegation reached him, the person saw a photograph of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and said he was the very same holy person he has seen in his dream.
Ahmadi from Syria: When he was introduced to Ahmadiyyat, he read all the Arabic books of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and was spell-bound by his writings. He performed Istakhara and was shown the Quranic verse: ‘Then found they one of Our servants upon whom We had bestowed Our mercy, and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourself.’ (18:66) In another dream he saw the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Upon his asking, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) told him, ‘only Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is the vessel of deliverance against the evils of this age’. This convinced him of the truth of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) but he did not announce it because he wanted his circles of friends to think for themselves. In 2009, he took his Bai’at along with five associates.
Beema sahib from Ivory Coast: Twenty years ago he fell very ill and suffered from epileptic seizures. No treatment worked and he was given a Taveez (an amulet) as a cure. During those days he saw a holy person in a vision who told him to take the amulet off. He strongly felt that holy person to be the Imam Mahdi. He took the amulet off and was cured from that day onwards and searched for the Imam Mahdi. When some Ahmadis reached him he said he knew he had found the Mahdi. When he was shown photographs of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and his Khulafa, he recognised the Promised Messiah as the holy person who had asked him to take the amulet off.
Ahmadi from Abu Dhabi: He says that he read as many books as he could get hold of and also watched Arabic MTA. In the beginning he felt negative but when he studied Qur’an and Ahadith carefully his heart was satisfied. He felt he had two options: one was to wait for Hadhrat Isa (on whom be peace) or to accept Hadhrat Ahmad (on whom be peace), who had rid Islam of absurdities and also defended the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), as the Promised Messiah. He prayed intensely for Divine guidance. His heart was inclined towards Ahmadiyyat. When he read the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) poetry in praise of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), he was overwhelmed and felt a liar could never write such verses. Also, for a non-Arab to be so eloquent in Arabic without Divine help was impossible and this was nothing but a sign. Thus God guided him.
Hariri sahib from Syria: He says that he is a simple person who cannot read and write. In the past few months he saw many dreams that he is dying. In the last dream he saw that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is gracing a room in his house. In reality the room has just one door, but in the dream he sees there are two doors in the room; one towards the west and other facing the Ka’ba. His father asks him to say salaam to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). After salaam, when he shakes the hand of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), he feels a gust of cool air touch his face and experiences peace of mind. He sees that the Imam Mahdi is present in the mantle of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). He performed Istakhara and was shown his spiritual failings. Later, he saw himself with his mother in a graveyard where the Imam Mahdi has come to take his spirit and strikes him on his neck. The strike leaves a mark on his neck. He leaves and along the way asks a young man that he has a mark/seal of the Imam Mahdi on his neck to which the young man says he too had the mark and that it was a seal of Bai’at.
Haqooq sahib from Algeria: He says that one day he happened to see MTA and saw the arguments against Christianity. He was convinced that this Community was truthful and felt he did not need a true dream as a sign and in the tradition of Hadhrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) he accepted the Imam Mahdi. Later, he saw a dream in which Nasir Salahudin is leading the Jama’at against the Christians. Suddenly he hears a sound, ‘switch on your mobile phone, a number will appear’. On his mobile was the number 2150, which was the time at the moment. He says since taking his Bai’at seven months ago, he has been fasting. He also saw another dream in which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is very angry at the mullah and says forcefully about the Promised Messiah, ‘he is a Messenger and the Prophet to come after me’.
Hadad sahib from Algeria: In 2004 he saw a dream in which a man says to him, ‘let me take you to see the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)’. He sees that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) stands behind a metre high wall and smiles at him. A man with wheat complexion who has a black beard is also there. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) points to the person and says, ‘he is a prophet of God’. Four years later, he saw MTA and noticed a photograph of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Recognising him from the dream, he took his Bai’at.
Shamsuddin Sadeeq sahib from Kurdistan: He saw the Promised Messiah coming down while seated inside the moon in a dream twenty five years ago. After seeing MTA, he was convinced that this satellite channel was an interpretation of his dream and he wished to take his Bai’at.
Abdul Rahim sahib from Iraq: He wrote to Hudhur to accept his Bai’at, after seeing the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in a dream where he said to him, ‘you are our person, you should take your Bai’at’.
Muhammad Ahmad sahib of Egypt: He says that prior to taking Bai’at he was in darkness. Like other Muslims, he was also embroiled in suspicions and doubts and had no answers to his problems. One day he was scanning the TV channels, wondering if Christianity or may be Shiaism had the answers. He saw MTA and felt the Islam that was portrayed there was unfamiliar. He saw discussion on the Messiah there and the mention that Divine revelation is not terminated. He pondered over these matters and felt extremely confused. After regaining composure he decided to watch some more MTA but understood that the Ulema considered Ahmadis as unbelievers. He realised that all prophets of God were called liars and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had himself said that Islam will be divided in many sects. He also thought about the emphasis laid on following and accepting the Mahdi. Therefore, he prayed most sincerely. He found out that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had formed a Community and the Community followed the Qur’an and Sunnah. Upon reflection, he found these matters virtuous and corroborative. His heart became inclined in this way as it was all in accordance to the Qur’an and the sayings of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). He found many Ahadith that substantiated the coming of the Mahdi. However, one who had only learned Islam from the Ulema may find these matters unfamiliar. He performed Istakhara and during Ramadan 2007 saw dreams that unfolded the truth of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) to him.
Ahmadi from Gambia: He was a village leader who saw a dream in which two people tell him that it is the age of the Promised Messiah and he has come. He had many dreams in which he saw these two people. In one dream his nephew comes to him riding a galloping horse and tells him two people are waiting for him by the seaside. When he arrives there, one of them points to the other and says, ‘he is the Mahdi of the age, accept him’. When he came to see our missionary, he was asked would he recognise those people if he was shown photographs. This he did. He recognised the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II (may Allah be pleased with him) as the two person he had seen in his dream.
Galabzabi sahib from Algeria: When young, he saw in a dream that a fair-skinned person asks him to give him his hand so that he could take him along, but he is a bit hesitant. He continued to see this dream for nearly a year, after which he accepted the fair-skinned man’s offer. He also saw another person who appeared to be a person of high status and it was him who had asked the fair-skinned person to fetch him. Many years later, quite by chance he saw the person who would ask him to come along with him on MTA. On the same channel, he saw the other person who had instructed the fair-skinned person. He was astonished who these people were. When the reality unfolded he realised he was shown the dreams so that he could accept the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and join his Community, so he took his Bai’at. Hudhur explained that the fair-skinned person in the dream was Mustapha Thabit sahib and the person who instructed him was Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him).
Maalik sahib from Iraq: He was introduced to the Community before the time of Arabic MTA. Watching MTA, he used to think Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him) was perhaps a Buddhist representative. When he watched MTA at the time of his passing away, he felt he saw Muhammadan light on the face of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him) and he wished if only this person had been a Muslim. After the Arabic MTA channel was introduced, he and his family took Bai’at. His wife took her Bai’at after seeing two dreams in the first week.
He had a dream in which he heard about the advent of Imam Mahdi in Najaf. He went to see him with some friends and said to him that they wished to take his Bai’at. However, the person says he is only a reformer, the Imam Mahdi has come in Qadian. In another dream, he saw Hudhur addressing a large gathering where all the people are standing while Maalik sahib sat next to Hudhur. He watches Hudhur’s Achken (long coat) and wonders how Hudhur is wearing the dress of the Imam Mahdi. After Hudhur’s address, Hudhur placed his hand on Maalik sahib’s head and asked him if he was satisfied, then Hudhur says, ‘it seems you are hungry’ and takes him to eat. Maalik sahib took his Bai’at.
Yasin Sharif sahib from Syria: He wrote to Hudhur that since his Bai’at God had blessed him. Prior to Bai’at he had been deeply concerned over the state of Muslims. He had tried following many sects and Maulwis as well as a person who claimed to the Mahdi and whom he found far-removed from the truth. In 1997 he purchased a satellite dish and having abandoned his work as an Imam, sat home. He was most unhappy with the Islamic world and wished his earthly life to finish. He wrote to Hudhur that after ten years of seclusion God guided him towards Hudhur and he found peace and tranquillity. He went for Umrah in June and performed several Umrahs, the first on behalf of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), followed by on behalf of all the Khulafa. Prior to Bai’at he saw some Ahmadis in a dream and asked them to tell him, having sworn by God, that they were firm on the way of God and His Prophet’s Sunnah and understood the reality of Islam. The person repeated this so many times in a vehement manner that Yasin sahib could see the veins in his neck. On this Yasin sahib told him that he too was an Ahmadi from that day. He then saw Hudhur in the dream. Hudhur appears hurried and goes in an easterly direction. After taking his Bai’at he saw a dream in which he is in the state of Burzukh and someone says, ‘now the telephone line is with Mirza sahib and whoever wishes to use the telephone can do so via Mirza sahib’.
Ahmadi from Benin: He was not very forthcoming in his chandas in spite of being well-off and no word of advice had an effect on him and the murrabi sahib thought prayer was the last resort. This worked wonders. He saw Hudhur in a dream in which Hudhur goes to him and tells him to clear his chanda payments, adding, ‘you think your arrears are a lot whereas they are not.’ After relating the dream he cleared all his arrears.
Momin sahib from Algeria: He says he was introduced to the Community six months ago and he verified the coming of the Imam Mahdi but did not know what to do next. He was shown two dreams. In the first dream he saw Hudhur and experienced an ineffable condition. In the second dream he saw that he is crying and is asking Hudhur, for the sake of God, what should be done. Upon this, Hudhur gives him two Bai’at forms. When he awoke, he switched on the internet and found exactly the same Bai’at forms, and immediately took his Bai’at.
Hudhur prayed that may God always grant steadfastness to these sincere souls and pious people who each year, guided by God, see the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). May God enhance their belief and faith. And may God also increase the belief of each one of us so that we may be the recipients of those blessings which are associated with the beneficence of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him).