Al Fazl, 12 May 1921
28 April 1921
Journeying without travel expenses
A letter of a gentleman was presented [before Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra], who asked for permission to go on a long journey, but the financial condition of his relatives was not very good.
[Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] stated about this that journeying without travel expenses was not right. However, if his intention was that he would perform any kind of work [for raising expenses], then he could go on a journey without travel expenses.
Wasiyyat [will] of the poor
A person’s letter was presented to Huzoor[ra] asking that if someone did not have money, how he could do wasiyyat for Bahishti Maqbarah [heavenly graveyard].
In reply, [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] stated (below is a summary):
“Wasiyyat is for those people who are not poverty-stricken. It is necessary for the affluent to sacrifice their wealth apart from performing other religious services. On the other hand, those who are poor should only serve religion and when they die, people should confirm that ‘surely, this person should be buried in the Bahishti Maqbarah because of their righteousness and service to the religion.’ There is no need for monetary wasiyyat for those who do not have wealth. Bahishti Maqbarah is for those who are [good] role models for the future [generations]. It is not heavenly gates or such a place. It is a place based on action.”
Fear while sleeping
A man wrote that he was scared at night while sleeping.
[Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] said, “His stomach is upset. He should eat dinner three to four hours before going to bed and should not drink too much water.”
Marriage of a waqif-e-zindagi [life devotee]
A young man devoted his life. A letter from his father was presented. In it, he had sought permission for his son’s marriage and also wrote that he did not agree to marry as he was a life devotee.
Huzoor[ra] stated in reply (below is a summary):
“The marriage of a missionary cannot take place unless it has been decided as to where he will be posted. Once the decision is made, it will be seen as to what is suitable about his marriage, whether he should get married in the country he is going to or get married here. However, we never support the idea of making monks as the Christians do.”
Bai‘at of the deaf and dumb
A letter of a man was presented that as his son’s wife was deaf and dumb, what should be done about her bai‘at?
[Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] said:
“The religion of the deaf and dumb will be considered the religion of the people they live with. The religion of a woman will be considered as is the religion of her husband and the religion of a daughter will be considered as is the religion of her father. This is the explanation for this matter. As for the question of salvation, this rests with God.”
How to let [someone] take an oath against the Promised Messiahas?
A letter of a person was presented that a mullah of a mosque was ready to take an oath along with his wife and children in opposition to the Promised Messiahas for five rupees.
[Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] said:
“After assembling this mullah, his wife and children [in one place], first the claim of the Promised Messiahas and all the supporting arguments which are from the Holy Quran, ahadith and rationale should be narrated. The status of all the prophets should be explained and in their light, [the station] of the Promised Messiahas should be elaborated. All the revelations and signs of the Promised Messiahas should be narrated before them. After [listening] to all of these arguments, signs and miracles, if he is still willing to take [false] oath along with his wife and children, then let him take the oath and give him five rupees.”
Istikhara [prayer in which one seeks the best outcome]
A letter of a person was presented that he had performed istikhara about the marriage of his daughter and saw in a dream the [following] revelation of the Promised Messiahas in written form:
اَلَيۡسَ اللّٰهُ بِكَافٍ عَبۡدَهٗ
[“Is Allah not Sufficient for His Servant?”]. In reply, [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] stated:
“In istikhara, dreams and revelations do not matter but the inclination of the heart should be seen.”
1 May 1921
Treatment of wasaawis [evil doubts and delusions]
A letter of a gentleman was presented in which he wrote that he experienced evil doubts and delusions.
In reply, [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] stated (below is a summary):
“You should recite ‘A‘udhu-billah’, ‘Laa-haul’ and istighfar.”
[Huzoorra] further said:
“This is also an extraordinarily subtle point that I always thought that the power of ‘Laa-haul’ is greater than that of ‘A‘udhu-billah’, because the pronoun ‘I’ remains in ‘A‘udhu-billah’, whereas nothing is left in ‘Laa-haul wa la quwwata illa-billah’ except for God’s name.
“However, once I saw in a divine vision that there lived a man in a house whose face I did not see, but another person said that there was an old philosopher living in that house who had lost his mind due to excessive studying of books. In the meantime, I saw a man come out, whose head was shaved and was dressed like a beggar. I thought that he was Satan. He attacked me and when I recited ‘Laa-haul’, he retreated, but then he attacked me again and when I recited ‘Laa-haul’, he went away […] In the end, I recited ‘A‘udhu-billah’ and he vanished.
“At that time, I understood that either these prayers had a special relation to the situation, i.e. on some occasions, ‘A‘udhu-billah’ works and on others, ‘Laa-haul’, or ‘A‘udhu-billahi min al–Shaitan al-rajim’ is more effective.”
Public religious debate
When a gentleman asked for permission for a general religious debate, [Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] stated in reply (below is a summary):
“As far as I understand, a theological debate should be considered problematic, which should only be carried out if there is no other solution.
“When the debater debates in front of common people, prejudice arises in his heart. In the same way, it has been observed that the idea of partisanship arises in the minds of those who come to the gathering of debates. Their focus is not on who is on the right, but on the victory of their maulvi or leader. Hence, these theological debates, which are arranged like stages where performers perform, produce very little results.
“We should only pay heed towards these [theological debates] when there is a fear that the consequences of not debating will outweigh the consequences of the debate, i.e. when people begin to think that we do not want to debate because we do not have the arguments. If such an idea starts to arise in the hearts of the people, then of course a religious debate should be held, so that this doubt can be removed from their hearts.
“In my opinion, the benefit of theological debates is not to manifest the truth, but to remove doubts. Instead of [theological debates], it is better to individually carry out tabligh and to enthral [someone] with affection and good morals. In this way, the heart of the other person does not rust and, in fact, it gradually builds up the power in his heart to accept the light.”
Fatwa [religious ruling] on mu‘allaqah [a suspended thing]
A letter was presented to Huzoor[ra] in which the person asked that if someone did not keep his wife in the house and also did not pay the expenses, would this woman be considered mu‘allaqah?
[Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] said (below is a summary):
“A person who does not keep his wife at home and does not give her expenses for a year, in my opinion, his wife is considered divorced after one year. Some of the early jurists [of Islam] have issued a four-year fatwa. However, now we should look into the law; in my view, this divorce happens through a qazi [religious judge]. Nowadays, the government is non-Islamic, so if the law does not allow it, then there are two cases:
“1. If the couple is Ahmadi, it is easy to get a divorce through an Ahmadi qazi
“2. If the husband is a non-Ahmadi, then separation should be carried out by arbitration through the people of their community or some other people”.
What do we think of Imam Hussainra?
A letter was presented asking about certain matters regarding Imam Hussainra.
[Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra] said:
“We consider Imam Hussain as Imam Hussain and we never call him only Hussain. God made him ‘Imam’ and no one can take away this imamate from him. However, he was not an imam because he was the grandson of the Holy Prophetsa, but in fact, as he was a rightful Imam.
“It is obligatory on us to respect him for being the grandson [of the Holy Prophetsa], but a religious status cannot be achieved [through this relationship]. On religious basis, Imam Hussainra had the distinction of being truly obedient and a follower of the footsteps of the Holy Prophetsa. However, if someone, while arguing with a Shiite, when that Shiite is disrespecting other imams of Islam, refutes his statements through the sayings which are considered indisputable by the Shiites, then this is permissible in my view.
“Sometimes it is necessary to respond to them [Shiites] in this way. An exception can be made if the argument they present is not true in their [Shiite] own view, or if to refute an objection, they present the example of such a person who is lower in rank than the person whose status they are defending by answering in the said manner, or provided their disagreement is not really an objection, but in fact a good discourse.”
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu in the 12 May 1921 issue of Al Fazl)