لَا نُبْقِیْ لَکَ مِنَ الْمُخْزِیَاتِ ذِکْرًا
(We shall leave no trace of anything that might cause your humiliation. [Al Hakam, 30 November 1905, p.1 and Badr, 8 December 1905, p.2])
The Promised Messiahas stated regarding the above-mentioned revelation:
“It should be remembered here that when God Almighty says that He will not leave behind any such objections against me as might be the cause of my disgrace and defamation, the statement has two meanings: First, that He shall refute and wipe out all objections which are published with the intention of defaming me, and second, those who raise such objections and do not refrain from mischief, nor desist from vilification, We shall rid the world of their presence and wipe them off the face of the earth, with the result that with their destruction, their objections would also be wiped out.” (The Will, pp. 2-3).
Referring to the above cited extract, opponents of the Jamaat and Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiahas claim that nothing much has changed because allegations are still raised against the Promised Messiahas and they enquire that those prophecies which have not been fulfilled, will they come to pass anywhere in the near future? Moreover, they assert that it was compulsory for the prophecy mentioned in the aforementioned citation to be fulfilled in the very life of the Promised Messiahas, so that afterwards, nobody could have said that it was about the future.
Opponents proclaim that allegations are being levelled against the Jamaat and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat in the same manner as they were raised in earlier times and even today, this attitude remains unchanged.
Allah the Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
وَقُلْ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ ۚ إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا
“And say, ‘Truth has come and falsehood has vanished away. Falsehood does indeed vanish away fast’” (Surah Bani Israil, Ch.17: V.82). What does vanishing of falsehood signify here? Does it mean that idolatry, Judaism and Christianity etc. vanished? Certainly not. Then how did falsehood vanish? Surely, it means that falsehood saw its demise by conclusive arguments.
In the same way, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:
اَنَا المَاحِی الَّذِیْ یَمْحُو اللّٰہُ بِی الْکُفْرَ
“I am al-Mahi, the one through whom Allah the Almighty shall wipe out the disbelief.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Tafsir)
Despite the fact that 1400 years have passed since the demise of the Holy Prophetsa, disbelief remains and the number of disbelievers exceeds those who believe in Islam. Therefore, what was meant by the Hadith is that disbelief would be defeated and wiped out through conclusive arguments. As it is stated in the Holy Quran:
لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَى مَنْ حَيَّ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ
“So that he who had already perished through a clear Sign might perish, and he who had already come to life through a clear Sign might live” (Surah al-Anfal, Ch.8: V.43). This verse indicates two ways of dying or being destroyed: 1. Death and destruction through a conclusive argument 2. Natural death.
In light of the verse mentioned above, if we examine the words of the Promised Messiahas that, “He [Allah the Almighty] shall refute and wipe out all objections which are published with the intention of defaming me”, it becomes evident that those opponents who publish allegations with the intention of causing humiliation will never succeed in their objectives, and their objections will prove to be false.
The above explanation is supported by various verses of the Holy Quran. Thus, Allah the Almighty states in the Holy Quran regarding Jesusas:
وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا
“And [He] will clear thee from the charges of those who disbelieve” (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.56). Did Jews refrain from levelling allegations against Jesusas? Is it not the case that Jews still do not hold back from raising objections against Jesusas? Did their uncertainties come to an end?
The actual meaning of the verse implies that Allah the Almighty would save Jesusas from the harmful impacts of their evil intentions and haughty advances and falsify their objections.
Again, Allah the Almighty states in the Holy Quran regarding Jesusas:
وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ
“Honoured in this world and in the next, and of those who are granted nearness to God” (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.46). Although allegations were levelled against Jesusas and even today objections are raised against him, he was honoured by Allah the Almighty in both worlds. Then, it is stated regarding Hazrat Maryamra:
يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ اصْطَفَاكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَاصْطَفَاكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ
“O Mary, Allah has chosen thee and purified thee and chosen thee above the women of all peoples” (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.46). Even though Jews raise allegations against her, Allah the Almighty dignified her status.
Allah the Almighty states while addressing the members of the Holy Prophet’ssa house:
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللّٰهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا
“Surely, Allah desires to remove from you all uncleanliness, O Members of the Household, and purify you completely” (Surah al-Ahzab, Ch.33: V.34).
Even in the presence of this verse, Shiites continue to level allegations against the Azwaj-e-Mutahirat (dignified wives of the Holy Prophetsa). Likewise, Khawarij and several other individuals continue to raise objections against Hazrat Alira, Hazrat Imam Hassanra and Hazrat Hussainra. In view of our opponents, do these poisonous allegations and reproaches by Shiites and Khawarij etc., against those purified souls nullify the aforementioned verse of the Holy Quran?
One should take into account this fact that the only matter of humiliation for someone divinely commissioned or a messenger is that he does not succeed in his aims and objectives. Did the Promised Messiahas failed to achieve his goal? Surely not! By the blessings and benevolence of Allah the Almighty, the Ahmadiyya Jamaat is spreading by leaps and bounds, and it has been established in more than 200 countries across the globe.
The Promised Messiahas states:
“It becomes apparent from:
لَا نُبْقِیْ لَکَ مِنَ الْمُخْزِیَاتِ ذِکْرًا
that [Allah the Almighty] shall not leave behind any such objections which are a cause of disgrace. This revelation holds a glad tiding which signifies that We [Allah the Almighty] shall render the ultimate cause of your appearance to flourish. As far as someone divinely appointed or a messenger is concerned, a matter of disgrace for them can only be that he fails to achieve his goals and objectives. Hence, Allah the Almighty gave a glad tiding that He would fulfill the purpose and objective of my appearance. However, it is the way of Allah for all those who are divinely appointed in the world that it is not considered compulsory for their mission to be successful within their age, but in fact, there are countless objectives that are achieved through the hands of their followers, and that accomplishment is deemed to be at their hands. Even in the age of the Holy Prophet’ssa prophethood, Islam had only spread in Mecca, Medina and certain neighbouring towns. However, in the era of Hazrat Abu Bakrra and Hazrat Umarra, Islam spread far and wide and many objectives were accomplished at the hands of the Companionsra that was in fact the success of the Holy Prophetsa and an achievement at his blessed hands. Consequently, through the efforts of Banu Umayya and other monarchs, these successes progressed…
“Thus, it is the way of Allah regarding the one who is divinely appointed that it is not essential for every objective to be achieved in his era. Who can claim to be greater than the Holy Prophetsa? The Holy Prophetsa said that the keys of Caesar and Khosrow were handed over to him. However, these keys were handed over to Hazrat Umarra after the demise of the Holy Prophetsa. Suggesting that these keys were not handed over to the Holy Prophetsa is erroneous because it has been generally acknowledged that the victories and accomplishments of the followers are in fact the victories of the one who is followed.” (Malfuzat, Vol. IV, pp. 574-575)
As far as those enemies and opponents are concerned, particularly those who do not refrain from their mischievous endeavours, the above-mentioned prophecy of the Promised Messiahas regarding their death and destruction was fulfilled in the very life of the Promised Messiahas and it is still being fulfilled after his demise. During the lifetime of the Promised Messiahas, prominent examples from those who were destroyed when they stood before prophets of God invoking death and destruction include Ghulam Dastagir Kasuri, Ismail Ali Garhi, Chiragh Din Jamuni and Fakir Mirza etc. Allah the Almighty repeatedly fulfilled the following promise:
اِنِّيْ مُهِيْنٌ مَّنْ اَرَادَ اِهَانَتَكَ
“I shall humiliate him who seeks to humiliate you”, and He has done so, even after the demise of the Promised Messiahas, and shall continue to do so, Insha-Allah. However, to observe these signs, one must possess a fair eye which is free from prejudice, stubbornness, recalcitrance and enmity. Those who raise allegations in order to cause disorder and humiliation, Allah the Almighty never lets them succeed in their objectives.
Now we come towards the second set of allegations. Opponents ask of those prophecies which were not fulfilled, whether they will ever come to pass in the future? Then they assert that the prophecies mentioned earlier should have been fulfilled in the life of the Promised Messiahas so that nobody could have easily said that such and such prophecy was about the future.
The extract and revelation of the Promised Messiahas mentioned at the beginning is quite clear. Is any condition attached with the prophecy? Did he claim that it was bound to be fulfilled in his own life? Of course not. As a matter of fact, Allah the Almighty, through this revelation, gave the Promised Messiahas a glad tiding that he would successfully achieve his mission’s objectives while the adversaries would try to humiliate him, but they would fail to achieve their evil plots. Allah the Almighty promised to Jesusas:
وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا
“And [He] will clear thee from the charges of those who disbelieve” (Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.56). Did this prophecy come to pass during Jesus’ supposed 33 years of life which are even acknowledged by non-Ahmadi Muslims? Even today, allegations are being levelled against Jesusas.
Is it mandatory that a prophecy must be fulfilled in the very life of the prophet? In the Holy Quran, we observe that Allah the Almighty states, addressing the Holy Prophetsa:
وَإِمَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ الَّذِي نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ اللّٰهُ شَهِيدٌ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ
“And if We make you witness a part of what We promised them or cause you to die before that, to Us shall be their return; then will Allah stand witness against what they do” (Surah Yunus, Ch.10: V.47).
This verse highlights the fact that not every prophecy of a prophet is fulfilled during his lifetime. There are countless prophecies in the Holy Quran which were fulfilled after the demise of the Holy Prophetsa. For instance, the prophecy of assembling dispersed Jews in Palestine (Surah Bani Israil, Ch.17: V.105), the prophecy of rendering camels useless (Surah al-Takwir, Ch.81: V.5), the prophecy of publication of books in abundance (Surah al-Takwir, Ch.81: V.11), the prophecy of progressive zoo cultures (Surah al-Takwir, Ch.81: V.6), the prophecy of the world becoming a global village (Surah al-Takwir, Ch.81: V.8) and the prophecy of new transportation inventions (Surah al-Nahl, Ch.16: V.9) etc., all the above prophecies were fulfilled after the demise of the Holy Prophetsa.
Likewise, Allah the Almighty gave glad tidings to the Holy Prophetsa during the “Battle of the Trench” that the castles of Caesar and Khosrow would be conquered and foretold the victory over the Midian and Yemen. Was this prophecy fulfilled in the life of the Holy Prophetsa? No. These prophecies were fulfilled in the time of the Khulafa that came after the Holy Prophetsa. That is why the Promised Messiahas stated:
“Thus, it is the way of Allah regarding the one who is divinely appointed that it is not essential for every objective to be achieved in his era. Who can claim to be greater than the Holy Prophetsa? The Holy Prophetsa said that the keys of Caesar and Khosrow were handed over to him. However, these keys were handed over to Hazrat Umarra after the demise of the Holy Prophetsa. Suggesting that these keys were not handed over to the Holy Prophetsa is erroneous because it has been generally acknowledged that the victories and accomplishments of the followers are in fact the victories of the one who is followed.” (Malfuzat, Vol. IV, pp. 574-575)
(Research conducted by a panel of scholars at the Research Cell, Rabwah. Translated by Al Hakam)