In his Friday sermon today Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih gave a discourse based on faith-inspiring incidents of some companions of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). These incidents illustrate the perfect belief they had in the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), the way truth dawned on them after reading his books and how the writings effected them.
Hadhrat Sheikh Zain ul Abideen sahib (may Allah be pleased with him): He relates that once his sister-in-law felt gravely ill and the family thought that the only recourse was to visit Qadian. His mother, brother and the ailing sister-in-law set off on the journey. En-route they instructed the indisposed young woman that the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) advise would be to go to Hadhrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din (may Allah be pleased with him) for treatment but she should insist on the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) treatment. Once in Qadian, this is what happened. The young woman said she was not prepared to receive treatment from Hadhrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din (may Allah be pleased with him) and insisted on receiving treatment from the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote a prescription and also gave three bottles of honey from his home. He said he was leaving for Ludhiana the next day and as the illness was serious, he should be kept updated. Later, when the family showed the prescription to Hadhrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din (may Allah be pleased with him) he said that the remedy prescribed was detrimental to the illness and had he prescribed it, it would immediately prove fatal for the patient but as the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had issued it, the patient will be cured. Indeed, after a few days, the young woman was better.
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih said that quite apart from the complete faith Hadhrat Maulana Nur-ud-Din (may Allah be pleased with him) had in the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), the family too had faith in abiding by the prescription and felt it would bring recovery. Which, it did.
Hadhrat Muhammad Sharif Kashmiri sahib (may Allah be pleased with him): He relates that once he was in Qadian with his friend Mian Jamal-ud-Din as they sat with the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) on the roof top of mosque. His friend introduced him to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and requested prayers saying that there was intense outbreak of plague in his area. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) addressed Sharif sahib and asked how did one catch plague. He replied it was transmitted from dead rats. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said it was a warning from God. Sharif sahib explained that if a sufferer developed a red boil he was saved but if a yellow boil was developed it proved fatal. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) asked him if he visited the area where plague was spread and advised him that it was better to avoid going there. However, he added that anyone with faith had no danger from the disease. Sharif sahib said that his wife had died from the plague. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) replied that she probably did not have complete faith in him. If she had complete faith in him, she would not have died of this disease. Sharif sahib realised that she had not taken Bai’at. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) advised him to profusely say Istaghfar. Sharif sahib relates that by engaging in Istaghfar his entire family was cured.
Sharif sahib’s friend Jamal-ud-Din sahib told him that he wondered that if kings could seek blessings from the garments of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) [in accordance with Divine revelation] why could he not seek some blessing. He said his eyes used to water a lot, so he once rubbed the loose end of the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) turban on his eyes and they were cured. Sharif sahib says he suffered from conjunctivitis and he was cured after he also rubbed the loose end of the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) turban on his eyes.
Hadhrat Mian Muhammad Din sahib (may Allah be pleased with him): He relates that due to the negative influence of listening to lectures of Hindus and atheists he was spending a life far removed from Islam, until he had the chance to read Barahin e Ahmadiyya [Promised Messiah’s book]. He says as he read the book and reached the pages citing proof of the existence of God, as if his atheism vanished. He gives the references of the pages in his account but Hadhrat Khalifatul gave a corrected reference. The references are: Page 78, footnote 4 of the first volume of Ruhani Khazain and page 153 footnote 11 of the same volume.
Muhammad Din sahib relates that reading this his eyes were opened and he felt as one feels when awake from slumber or like a dead person coming back to life. It was midnight on an extremely cold January night when he read the words: ‘should be’ and ‘is’ [‘Barahin e Ahmadiyya’, English translation, page 92] and he instantly repented. A new pitcher of cold water was placed in his courtyard. He cleansed his garment which is worn around the waist with the freezing cold water. This awakened his servant who was surprised to see him washing his garment and offered to do the washing. However, Muhammad Din sahib was so spiritually inebriated that he could not speak. He tied the wet garment around his waist and started offering his Salat. So absorbed and immersed was he in his Salat that it extended for a long time and the servant went to sleep. He relates that it was Barahin e Ahmadiyya that led him to offer this Salat and that he did not give it up again. He says by virtue of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) his faith which had perhaps gone beyond the Pleiades was restored. He had entered that night in a state of Kufr (non-belief) but was in the state of being a Muslim in the morning. He did not remain the Muhammad Din of the day before. He relates that he had inherent bashfulness but keeping company of rakish people had dissipated this trait. With the grace of God and the blessings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) he was now granted modesty. He reflected in the glory of the Quranic verses: ‘And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah; if he were to comply with your wishes in most of the matters, you would surely come to trouble; but Allah has endeared the faith to you and has made it look beautiful to your hearts, and He has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience hateful to you. Such indeed are those who follow the right course, Through the grace and favour of Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.’ (49:8 -9)
He relates that soon after accepting faith love and awe of the Holy Qur’an filled his heart. He was enthused and stirred to attain knowledge about Shariah. He finished the first reading of Barahin e Ahmadiyya which he used to read after offering Tahajjud. After this he started another book of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) entitled ‘A'ina Kamalat Islam’. He wrote his letter of Bai’at and received its reply in October 1894 which stated that it was also important to take Bai’at in person. Thus he took his Bai’at on 5 June 1895 in Masjid Mubarak on the hand of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).
Mian Muhammd Din sahib relates that he felt that he was unaware of religious knowledge and what would he do if the Maulwis harassed him. He was embarrassed to ask questions. His dilemma was resolved and he received an answer from the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) without having to ask any question. Once he was massaging the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) feet in Masjid Mubarak as the Promised Messiah faced away from Muhammd Din sahib. This is when the above thought crossed his mind. Right then the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) turned his face towards Muhammad Din sahib and said in a very loud and majestic voice which made him shake: ‘One who read our books will never be vanquished.’
Hadhrat Fateh Muhammad sahib (may Allah be pleased with him): He relates that his brother had a dream in which the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) asked him for some money. He and his brother went to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) to offer the money who told them that as a result of this dream they would gain knowledge. Consequently, both the brothers studied the Holy Qur’an as well as some Urdu books. He relates that they once sold a Pepal tree (Ficus religiosa) at a time when the plague was spread in their village. They offered the proceedings from the sale of the tree to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) when he was out on his walk. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) made a detour to come to their village and prayed there. As a result the disease was gone from their village.
Hadhrat Fazl Din sahib (may Allah be pleased with him): He relates that he was a liberal minded person but due to the influence of some friends he became involved with the Naqshbandi order. He was advised to be regular in his Salat, fasting, as well as Tahajjud. He was also told that he could not relate his dreams to anyone at all. He saw many dreams but kept them to himself. Meanwhile he moved with his wife to Amritsar for work purposes. Once he was engrossed in prayer after Tahajjud that he asleep. He had a dream in which an army of angels in human form descend from heaven and sit around him. An officer who had the rank of general also sat with him. Just then an embellished throne descended from heaven and the entire army stood up in its deference. He saw two holy persons on the throne who looked alike and were permeated with spiritual light. He asked who they were and was told that the one sitting on the right was God’s beloved, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be on him) and the one on the left was the beloved of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), son of Mary. Fazl sahib asked if he was Jesus (on whom be peace) and was told that no, Jesus (on whom be peace) had died and this was the beloved of the Holy Prophet, son of Mary. Just then the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said to the general to announce to everyone that it was essential to be obedient to our son of Mary when he comes and anyone who is not obedient to him is not from the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). At that moment Fazl sahib’s wife awakened him saying it was time for Fajr Salat. He was very cross at his wife for awakening him at this point. Next morning he related the dream to his spiritual mentor who told him of his good fortune to see the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in his dream and said that it was indeed time for the Messiah to come.
Fazl sahib changed his employment and during this period he saw many dreams but as he was told not to relate them to anyone, he kept them to himself. After fifteen to twenty years of employment he went back to his village. There he found an acquaintance Maulwi who followed the ‘Ahmadi way’, who also spoke with him but Fazl sahib showed no interest. However, he decided to speak with his spiritual mentor about this. When he went to see him he learned that he had passed away a couple of months ago. Fazl sahib was quite distressed by this. Meanwhile the Ahmadi Maulwi suggested to him that he should read some books. He gave him a book to read and after he had finished it, he gave him Barahin e Ahmadiyya to read. Barahin e Ahmadiyya deeply moved Fazl sahib and he felt that if the writer of the book was truthful and he took his Bai’at he would be taking the Bai’at of a truthful person. However, he also thought what if he was not truthful. Meanwhile two months elapsed.
On the first day of Ramadan Fazl sahib prayed to God with deep humility and tenderness of heart that if Mirza sahib was truthful and from God he be shown a sign in dream or otherwise. After fifteen days he saw a dream. In the dream he and a friend are outside a garden which has a three feet high boundary wall. The garden is a model of Paradise with streams flowing; however the water in the streams is very shallow. He and his friend try to scale the wall but fail. They resolve to go inside the garden and start looking for a gate. They walk around three sides of the garden but find no gate. They then go east-wards where they see a holy person sitting under a tree. He gestures them towards him as if saying if they did not go to him they would never find the garden gate. In this dream, Fazl sahib is reminded of his old dream in which he had seen this holy person with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be with him) sitting on a throne. He asks him who he was. The holy person replies, ‘I am son of Mary and there is the garden gate.’ Fazl sahib and friend enter the garden and stroll around. They feel thirsty but the water in the streams is quite shallow. Meanwhile a ten or twelve year old boy appears holding an oval-shaped cup which he gives to Fazl sahib. He drinks half of it and gives the rest to his friend. The boy snatches the cup from him and says the friend does not have any share of it. The friend is embarrassed at this and suggests they leave. Just then Fazl sahib was awakened from his sleep by the Maulwi’s son who told him it was time for Fajr Salat and Maulwi sahib awaited him at the mosque. Fazl sahib relates that he had not seen ‘Mirza sahib’ at any other time apart from in his two dreams. He recounted his dream to Maulwi sahib who gave him an interpretation. He explained that the garden with dry streams and palaces was the garden of Shariah, the dry streams being the religious scholars of the time who had dried up and had no real knowledge. The palaces denoted deeds as did the oval shaped cup, meaning its shape was not quite congruous. The signal to east in the dream denoted that Qadian was particular to the east of their village or the Hadith about the eastwards direction could be inferred from this. The holy person whose appearance Fazl sahib had described was Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). His gesture of hand meant that as long as his community was not joined the way to Shariah and Paradise could not be found. Having interpreted the dream, Maulwi sahib told Fazl sahib that he was going to Qadian on the Friday and asked him to come along and see for himself if the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was the holy man of his dreams.
The day they arrived in Qadian, Fazl sahib ran a fever. When the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) came to know this he told Maulwi sahib that he should not have let him fast on a day he was travelling. He sent some medication which helped alleviate his fever. Earlier, in the haze of fever he had not recognised the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Next day was Friday and both Maulwi sahib and Fazl sahib went to the mosque and found place in the first row. When the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) arrived Fazl sahib instantly recognised him as the holy person of his dreams. At this point Maulwi sahib assumed that Fazl sahib would take Bai’at off his own accord. However, Fazl sahib met his friend who had appeared in the dream and he put doubt in Fazl sahib’s mind by saying that as Fazl sahib had been reading Mirza sahib’s books his dreams were influenced. Fazl sahib relates that he was weak-willed, so he left with his friend the next day. On the way Maulwi sahib enquired about his Bai’at and he told him that he had not taken it. Upon asking why not as his dreams were fulfilled, he replied that his friend had stopped him by saying that his dreams were merely a manifestation of what he had read in the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) books. Maulwi sahib was extremely cross and told him that he was not his mentor any more.
Later, Fazl sahib was called over by an acquaintance to another town for employment. He travelled via Qadian and once at his destination got busy in work. On the third day after arriving in the new place he saw his third dream. He saw that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) is sitting next to him and he tries to kiss his feet as is the wont of Gaddi Nashin (ostentatious spiritual officeholder in the sub-continent. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) stopped him, saying it was an act of shirk (associating partners with God) and said that he had asked God for sign which was given to him and facts were proven to him. When he awoke Fazl sahib wept profusely and without informing anyone, immediately left while still barefoot. Someone saw him and informed his employer who chased him on horseback and asked him what the matter was. Fazl sahib told him he was going to Qadian. The man was infuriated but Fazl sahib asked him most humbly to let him go or else he would die on the spot. Once in Qadian Fazl sahib asked to see the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). As it happened, he saw him at Maghrib Salat in the mosque and asked to take Bai’at. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said Bai’at would be taken on the third day. Thus a few days later Fazl sahib came into the fold of Ahmadiyyat.
May God continue to elevate the station of all the companions of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and enable their families to follow.
Next, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih mentioned a recent martyr. Chaudhry Nusrat Mahmood sahib, originally from Mandi Bahauddin, Pakistan had moved to the USA in 2008. He was born in 1949. In September 2012 he went to Pakistan for the marriage of his youngest daughter. On 19 October his son-in-law Saad Farooq was martyred in an attack on the family as it travelled home after Friday Prayers. Nusrat Mahmood sahib was injured in the attack sustaining gunshot wounds. He was rushed to hospital where he was under treatment for thirty eight days. On 27 November he met His Maker and attained the status of martyrdom. Nusrat Mahmood sahib was a Moosi who had served the Jama’at in various capacities. He belonged to Long Island Jama’at in New York, USA where he was the Tarbiyyat secretary. His son Kashif writes that his father was a most affectionate person who was most caring towards his children. He was extremely soft-spoken and always commended his son’s Jama’at work. He was very particular about Salat. His widow is currently in USA and is under treatment. May God grant her healing. His son Kashif is vice president of Khuddamul Ahmadiyya in Canada. He leaves behind three daughters.
May God continue to elevate his station and enable his children to do good deeds. May God keep Pakistani Ahmadis safe from the enemy and grant them help with His special grace. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih asked that special emphasis is given to prayers these days.