A series looking at the high standard of morals of the Promised Messiahas when receiving visitors in Qadian
Awwab Saad Hayat, Al Hakam
The Promised Messiahas and Mahdi, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, said:
“A while ago, I received a revelation:
وسع مكانك ، ياتون من كل فج عميق
“‘Enlarge your abode; people will come to you from very distant lands.’
“Accordingly I have seen this prophecy fulfilled [through the coming of visitors] from Peshawar to Madras. However, the revelation has been repeated, which is an indication that the prophecy will be fulfilled in greater strength and greater numbers.
واللّٰه يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا اَرَادَ
“[Allah does whatever He wills and no one can obstruct that which He determines upon.]” (Ishtihar of 17 February 1897, Majmua-e-Ishtiharat, Vol. 2, p. 327)
After claiming to be the Messiah of the age, in his book, Fath-e-Islam [Victory of Islam], with regard to reviving the religion, establishing it in the hearts of people, reforming mankind and bringing people towards Islam, the Promised Messiahas outlined a system in which methods are adopted to help the propagation of Islam.
Whilst mentioning the five methods or branches of this divine system, the Promised Messiahas said:
“The third branch of this divine system relates to visitors, travellers, those who travel in search of truth or for other purposes…. The pressure of visitors no doubt varies, not much on certain days, but very much on other days. During the last seven years, there could have been about 60,000 or more visitors….Talking to people and answering their questions sometimes proves more beneficial than reaching them through books and leaflets.” (Fath-e-Islam, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, p. 14)
The Promised Messiahas stated that the arrival of visitors in Qadian proved to be a great sign of his truthfulness.
On one occasion, two tourists from America came to Qadian and met with the Promised Messiahas. During this meeting, they asked of Hazrat Ahmadas for a sign to prove his truthfulness. Upon this, Huzooras stated that their coming to Qadian after travelling from afar was a sign which indicated towards his truthfulness.
Upon studying Tadhkirah – a compilation of the revelations, dreams and visions of the Promised Messiahas – we find that the revelation:
ياتون من كل فج عميق
was revealed to the Promised Messiahas on multiple occasions.
In March 1882, the Promised Messiahas received the following revelation:
يَاْتِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ۔ يَاْتُوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ۔ يَنْصُرُكَ اللّٰهُ مِنْ عِنْدِهٖ۔ يَنْصُرُكَ رِجَالٌ نُّوْحِيْٓ اِلَيْهِمْ مِّنَ السَّمَٓاءِ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰهِ۔ اِنَّا فَتَحْنَالَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِيْنًا۔
“People will come to you so that the track will become deep due to excessive travel. So many people will come to you that the track on which they travel will become deep. Allah will help you from Himself. Such people will help you whom We shall inspire from Ourself. No one can change the words of Allah. We will bestow upon you a manifest victory.” (Tadhkirah [English translation], p. 57)
Then, on 3 September 1892, Hazrat Ahmadas received the revelation:
اقبال كے دن آئيں گے۔ يَاْتِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ اُنْظُرْ اِلٰي يُوْسُفَ وَاِقْبَالِهٖ۔ وَقَالُوْا مَتٰي هٰذَا الْوَعْدُ۔ قُلْ اِنَّ وَعْدَ اللّٰهِ حَقٌّ۔ خَرُّوْالَهٗ سُجَّدًا۔
“The days of glory shall arrive. The help will arrive to you by every distant track. Look at Joseph and his glory. They ask, ‘When will this promise be fulfilled?’ Say, ‘The promise of Allah is true. They fell into prostration before Him.’” (Tadhkirah [English translation], p. 265)
In 1897, the Promised Messiahas wrote:
“A while ago, I received a revelation:
وَسِّعْ مَكَانَكَ، يَاْتُوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ
“‘Enlarge your abode; people will come to you from very distant lands.’” (Tadhkirah [English translation], p. 382)
Then again, in 1900, Huzooras received the revelation:
اَلَٓا اِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّٰهِ قَرِيْبٌ۔ يَاْتِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ۔ يَاْتُوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ۔ يَنْصُرُكَ اللّٰهُ مِنْ عِنْدِهٖ۔ يَنْصُرُكَ رِجَالٌ نُّوْحِيْٓ اِلَيْهِمْ مِّنَ السَّمَٓاءِ۔
“His help will come to you from every distant track. People will come to help you from every distant track. Allah will help you from Himself. Such people will help you whom We shall inspire from Ourself.” (Tadhkirah [English translation], p. 494)
Further, 14 July 1903, the Promised Messiahas received the revelation:
لَا تَيْئَسُوْا مِنْ خَزَٓائِنِ رَحْمَةِ اللّٰهِ۔ اِنَّٓا اَعْطَيْنٰكَ الْكَوْثَرَ۔يَاْتِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ۔ يَاْتُوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ۔ وَسِّعْ مَكَانَكَ۔ اِنِّيْ اَنَرْتُكَ وَاخْتَرْتُكَ۔ اِنَّا فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْكَ اَبْوَابَ الدُّنْيَا۔
“Despair not of the treasures of Allah’s mercy. We have bestowed upon you abundance of every kind of good. Offerings will come to you by every distant track. Enlarge your house. I have illumined you and chosen you. We have opened the gates of the world to you.” (Tadhkirah [English translation], p. 648)
Then, in 29 May 1905, the Promised Messiahas received the revelation:
يَاْتُوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ ط وَيَاْتِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ۔
“So many people will come to you that the track by which they come will deepen. And the help will come to you by every distant track and such tracks will deepen by the travelling of the people who will walk on them.” (Tadhkirah [English translation], p. 755)
Following this, in 1906, Huzooras received the revelation
يَاْتِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ ط يَاْتُوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ
“People will come to you in such large numbers that their tracks will deepen with excessive travel.” (Tadhkirah [English translation], pp. 869-880)
On 7 June 1906, Huzooras received the following revelation.
يَنْصُرُكَ رِجَالٌ نُّوْحِيْٓ اِلَيْهِمْ مِّنَ السَّمَٓاءِ۔ يَاْتُوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ۔ يَاْتِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ ۔ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ طِبْتُمْ ۔ وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ لِخَلْقِ اللّٰهِ وَلَا تَسْئَمْ مِّنَ النَّاسِ۔
“Men whom We shall direct through revelation from heaven will help you. People will come to you by every distant track. Presents will come to you by every distant track. Peace be on you, may you be happy. You should not be discourteous towards those who visit you and be not tired by their large number.”
(Tadhkirah [English translation], pp. 863)
Then, again, in August 1906, Hazrat Ahmadas received the revelation:
يَاْتُوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ۔ يَاْتِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ
“People will come to you by every distant track. Presents will come to you by every distant track.” (Tadhkirah [English translation], p. 911)
On 30 October 1906, the Promised Messiahas stated:
“I was thinking of the heavy expenses that have been incurred and are likely to be incurred in the publication and preparation of the book Haqiqatul-Wahi, when I received the revelation:
يَاْتِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ۔ يَاْتُوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ۔ يَاْتِيْكَ رِجَالٌ نُّوْحِيْٓ اِلَيْهِمْ مِّنَ السَّمَٓاءِ۔
“People will come to you from every distant track. They will bring you presents by every distant track. Such men will bring you presents, whom We shall direct by revelation from heaven. (Badr, Vol. 2, no. 44, 1 November 1906, p. 3; Al Hakam, Vol. 10, no. 37, 24 October 1906, p. 1)
Again, in 1907, the Promised Messiahas received the revelation:
يَنْصُرُكَ رِجَالٌ نُّوْحِيْٓ اِلَيْهِمْ مِّنَ السَّمَٓاءِ۔ يَاْتُوْنَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيْقٍ
“Men whom We shall direct from Heaven will help you. They will be coming to you by every distant track.”
He then went on to say:
“In this revelation, God Almighty has metaphorically compared me to the House of Allah, inasmuch as the verse ياتون من كل فج عميقis related to the Ka‘bah in the Holy Quran.” (Announcement 5 November 1907, published in Al Hakam, Vol. 11, no. 40, 10 November 1907, p. 5, under the title Tabsirah)
History affirms that many individuals in search of the truth, tourists and others who would come for different reasons, visited Qadian and the Promised Messiahas. This practice can be seen even today during the Fifth Khilafat, a manifestation of this revelation’s fulfilment.
In this new series, Al Hakam will narrate incidents linked to visitors who came to visit Qadian and the Promised Messiahas and became the living embodiment of the fulfilment of this revelation.
As guests would come to visit Qadian and the Promised Messiahas, Huzooras would show utmost hospitality and care for visitors and would become occupied in fulfilling the instruction of the Holy Prophetsa found in the hadith, “He who believes in Allah and the Last Day should honour his guest.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-At‘imah)
The Promised Messiahas would tend to his guests. On one occasion, by way of advice and guidance, the Promised Messiahas stated:
“Once, a man was wondering through the woods. As night fell, the man found a tree to take refuge under. It was the cold season. No food was available, nor any fire to provide warmth. At the top of the tree, two male and female birds had crafted a nest. They [the birds] said, ‘This person is our guest; we should make him feel comfortable.’ They threw their nest so that the man could create a fire. Then, they thought that the man must be hungry so they decided to sacrifice themselves so that he may roast them and satisfy his hunger.”
The Promised Messiahas further stated, “The birds gave their belongings and sacrificed themselves for the comfort of their guests. Thus, we too should do the same.” (Al Hakam, 14 November 1936)
This was not simply a mere gesture but was the practice of the Promised Messiahas that all types of inconvenience be endured to ensure that guests are comfortable.
Hazrat Munshi Zafar Ahmadra of Kapurthala relates:
“Once, two non-Ahmadi guests from Manipur Assam, after hearing the Promised Messaih’s name, came to Qadian to meet with Huzooras. As they arrived at the guesthouse, they told workers at Langar Kahana to unload their luggage and to lay out a charpoy. However, the workers did not immediately reply and instead, said to the guests that they unload the luggage themselves and added that the charpoy would come.
“The tired guests found the response unpleasant and decided to make their way back to Batala.
“When the Promised Messiahas was informed about this incident, he immediately went behind them in a manner that his shoes were not properly on and he was taking quick steps. A few helpers also followed.”
Hazrat Munshi Zafar Ahmadra states:
“I also followed. At that time, the Promised Messiahas, chasing after them, caught up with them near the bridge of the canal, which is two and half miles from Qadian. Huzooras expressed his love and apologies and insisted that they come back. The Promised Messiahas said to the guests, ‘You sit in the cart and I will walk beside you’. However, feeling embarrassed, they did not opt to sit on the cart.
“Huzooras brought them back to Qadian. When they arrived at the guest house, Huzooras extended his hands towards the cart to unload their luggage. However, khuddam came and unloaded the luggage. After this, the Promised Messiahas sat with them and lovingly conversed with them and asked what they preferred for food. He asked, ‘Do you have any special dietary requirements?’
“The following day, as the guests were about to depart, the Promised Messiahas brought two glasses of milk and presented it to them with great affection. He then walked with them for two and half miles up to the canal that arrives on the path to Batala. Huzooras seated them on a cart and saw them off.”
We hope our readers will find this new series beneficial and interesting. Insha-Allah, this series will not only highlight incidents of the history of the Jamaat, but shall also serve to present a glimpse of the beautiful example and character of the Promised Messiahas and aid us in our journey of knowledge and moral training.