Friday sermon delivered on 3rd February 2023 by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper), from Masjid Mubarak in Islamabad, Tilford, UK.
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Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is the Messenger of Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is the Messenger of Allah Come to Prayer Come to Prayer Come to success Come to success Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest There is none worthy of worship except Allah Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. He is One and has no partner. and I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His Servant and Messenger. After this I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Gracious, The Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us in the right path, The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings,
Those who have not incurred displeasure, and those who have not gone astray. Mentioning the blessings of the Holy Qur’an, the Promised Messiah (as) states at one place, “The door to its blessings will always remain open “and it will remain illumined and manifest as it was at the time of the Holy Prophet (sa).”
The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “It is true that most Muslims have abandoned the Holy Qur’an. “Despite this, the splendour, blessings “and the effects of the Holy Qur’an are ever-living and fresh. “In this era, I have been sent as a proof of this.
“Allah the Almighty has always sent His people in His support at the right time, “as He has promised: “‘Verily, We Ourselves have sent down this Exhortation, “‘and most surely We will be its Guardian.'” “‘Verily, We Ourselves have sent down this Exhortation, “‘and most surely We will be its Guardian.’”
In this day and age, Allah the Almighty has sent the true servant of the Holy Prophet (sa) for the propagation of the Holy Qur’an and in order to safeguard it. Allah the Almighty taught the Promised Messiah (as) those verities which were hidden from people
And through him established a fountain of the Qur’an’s blessings. The Promised Messiah (as) came in order to establish the law of the Holy Qur’an in the world. However, it is most unfortunate that the so-called scholars made it their sole objective to oppose him from the very outset [of his claim].
They simply do not wish to listen to any argument or rational point and seek to misguide the masses. They are not only bereft of knowledge and wisdom but they also place hurdles for the one who has been sent by God Almighty to teach people these truths
And they consider this to be a service to the Holy Qur’an. In Pakistan, every so often, these scholars become enflamed and in order to attain cheap publicity, politicians and government officials also join in with them and perpetrate cruelties against Ahmadis through various pretexts.
Recently, these people have been trying to level false accusations against Ahmadis of interpolating and disrespecting the Holy Qur’an. May Allah the Almighty protect us from their evils ploys and swiftly provide the means of release for those Ahmadis whom they have imprisoned under these false and unjust charges.
Nevertheless, as I mentioned, in this era, it is only through the light of the teachings of the Promised Messiah (as) that one is able to acquire the knowledge and wisdom of the Holy Qur’an and it is the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community alone that is carrying out this task across the world.
Today, I will mention the insights and verities which the Promised Messiah (as) has given us in his sayings and writings in relation to the grandeur, importance, rank and status of the Holy Qur’an. With regards to the Holy Qur’an being a complete and perfect teaching, the Promised Messiah (as) states on one occasion,
“It is my belief that the Holy Qur’an is perfect in its teaching “and that there is no verity that has been left out of it, as Allah, the Glorious, has said: “‘We have sent down to thee the Book which is an exposition of everything.’
“That is, ‘We have sent down to thee the Book which is an exposition of everything.’ “And has also stated: ‘We have not left out anything from the Book.’ “That is, ‘We have not left out anything from the Book.’
“But along with this, I also believe that it is not the duty of every Maulavi and scholar “to be able to set forth from the Holy Qur’an all religious matters “and to expound all its proper details according to the Divine will.” Not everyone has been given the ability
To be able to expound upon it and to offer their commentary on it, nor to delve deep to find and procure its pearls of knowledge and understanding. In fact, the Promised Messiah (as) states, “This is the task particularly for those who have been helped
“with Divine revelation by way of Prophethood or great saintliness. “For those people who not being recipients of Divine revelation “are not competent to expound Qur’anic insights, “for them it behoves that they without attempting to extract the verities “of the Qur’an and interpret them themselves, “should whole-heartedly accept all those practices
“which have been handed down by generations and are established practices.” There are many commentators of the Holy Qur’an whom Allah the Almighty has not given any skill, any knowledge, or any understanding. Instead of coming up with wrong interpretations, they should give precedence to and act upon those early commentators who have passed,
Who were filled with piety and treaded the path of righteousness, and who were the Imams and have written various commentaries. And they should try and act upon the basic teachings of the Holy Qur’an. The Promised Messiah (as) states, “Those who are illumined with the divine revelation are included among the purified.
“Regarding them it is the way of Allah that from time to time “He discloses to them the hidden intricacies of the Holy Qur’an.” Meaning those chosen servants of Allah the Almighty, Allah reveals the deep knowledge of the Holy Qur’an to them.
The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “And He makes it clear to them “that the Holy Prophet (sa) has not put forth any extra teaching on his own.” “Some people claim that in some Ahadith, such and such statement is found, “however, when Allah the Almighty bestows knowledge and understanding of the Holy Qur’an,
“it is understood that the Holy Prophet (sa) “has not stated anything outside of the confines of the Holy Qur’an.” The Promised Messiah (as) states, “Rather, the authentic Ahadith only set forth the details of the principles “and directives contained in the Holy Qur’an.
“By being vouchsafed this insight, the miracle of the Holy Qur’an is manifested to them” There are certain points mentioned in the Ahadith through which details and commentary of some verses [of the Qur’an] are found, and the understanding of the Holy Qur’an further opens upon such people. The Promised Messiah (as) states,
“And the truth of those verses becomes clear to them in which Allah, the Glorious, says ‘‘that nothing has been left out from the Holy Qur’an.” In this age, to bestow knowledge and understanding of the Holy Qur’an, Allah the Almighty has sent the Promised Messiah (as). Furthermore, while explaining the point
That the primary means of achieving guidance is the Holy Qur’an, the Promised Messiah (as) explains, “It is my belief that there are three things “which God the Almighty bestowed upon you for your guidance. “The very first is the Qur’an, in which there is mention of God’s Oneness,
“His Power, and His Greatness, and within which the decision has been made “regarding the disagreements between the Jews and the Christians. “For instance, the disagreement and error is made “that Jesus, son of Mary (as) was killed on the cross, “and subsequently became accursed,
“and that his ascension was not the same as that of the other prophets “[i.e., spiritual ascension].’ “Meaning, it is the belief of those who follow the Judaic faith “that Allah the Almighty did not bless Prophet Jesus (as) with His Nearness. “And so the Holy Qur’an refuted this very idea,
“stating that this allegation against Prophet Jesus (as) is wrong.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “Furthermore, it has been forbidden by the Qur’an “that you worship anything except God; “not any man, nor any animal, nor the sun, the moon “or any star, nor any worldly provisions, nor your own selves.”
In the Holy Qur’an, Allah the Almighty has forbidden every kind of association with God and has clearly explained it. “Thus, be vigilant, “and do not take even a single step contrary to God’s teachings and the Qur’an’s guidance. “I wholeheartedly say to you “that whoever disregards even one minor commandment
“out of the 700 commandments of the Holy Qur’an, “he closes the door to salvation by his own hand upon himself. “The Qur’an opened the path to true and complete salvation, “and all other paths are mere shadows compared to the Qur’an. “So read the Qur’an with great deliberation and love it greatly;
“such love unlike any you have ever shown before, “because just as God has addressed me and revealed to me, that “‘Every form of good is contained within the Qur’an.’ “That is, ‘Every form of good is contained within the Qur’an.’ “This is surely the truth.
“Woe to those people who give precedence to anything else over the Qur’an. “The fountainhead of all your success and salvation is within the Qur’an. “There is no religious need of yours that cannot be found in the Qur’an. “The testifier to either your truthfulness or your falsehood
“on the Day of Judgement is the Qur’an, “and there is no other book under the Heavens that can give you such direct guidance.” Meaning that the Qur’an is necessary as a medium for religious guidance. Whoever adopts this teaching and approach, and advises his followers in this way,
Is he able to alter the Holy Qur’an in any way? They [i.e. those who level this allegation] should understand this point. Then the Promised Messiah (as) states: “God has been most beneficent towards you “in that He has bestowed upon you a book like the Qur’an.
“I tell you truly that if the book which has been recited to you was recited to the Christians, “they would not have perished. “If this favour and guidance which has been bestowed upon you “had been granted to the Jews in place of the Torah,
“some of their sects would not have denied the Day of Judgement. “Therefore, appreciate this favour that has been bestowed upon you. “It is a most precious favour; it is a great wealth. “If the Qur’an had not been revealed, “the whole world would have been nothing more than a filthy half-formed lump of flesh.
“The Qur’an is a book, in contrast with which, all other guidance amounts to nothing. “The Gospel was revealed by the Holy Spirit, who appeared in the form of a pigeon “(this is what is claimed, that Gabriel (as) appeared to Jesus (as) in the form of a pigeon),
“a creature so weak and frail that it is preyed on by cats. “Thus, the Christians, day by day, sank into a pit of weakness “until no trace of spirituality could be found in them.” Now the statistics show that the majority of Christians are rejecting Christianity and abandoning it,
Due to the fact that they attain no spirituality therein. Unfortunately, despite having the Holy Qur’an, the Muslims are not acting upon it and therefore not benefiting from its spirituality. Furthermore, they are rejecting the one whom Allah Almighty sent to spread knowledge and understanding.
The Promised Messiah (as) continues, “The entire foundation of their faith rests on a pigeon. “In contrast, the Holy Spirit of the Qur’an appeared in such a magnificent form “that it filled the entire earth and heaven with its being. “How can the pigeon compare with this grand manifestation mentioned in the Holy Qur’an?
“The Qur’an can purify a person within a week as long as it is followed in letter and spirit “(if you act upon its commandments then it can purify you within a week). “The Qur’an can make you like the Prophets, so long as you do not flee from it yourself.”
In other words, if one perfectly acts upon all the teachings of the Holy Qur’an, and they adhere to each and every commandment, then they can be imbued with the hue of the prophets. This is the highest rank one can derive blessings from, through the bounties of the Holy Qur’an.
The Promised Messiah (as) then states, “Which other scripture, besides the Qur’an, “gives hope to its readers from the very outset and teaches the prayer: “Guide us on the path of those blessings, which the people of the past were guided on:
“That is, Guide us on the path of those blessings, which the people of the past were guided on: “the Prophets, the Messengers, the Truthful [ Siddiqin ], “the Martyrs [ Shuhada ] and the Righteous [ Salihin ]. “So take courage and do not reject the invitation of the Qur’an,
“for it desires to bestow upon you such blessings as were given to those before.” Similarly, the Promised Messiah (as) mentions that the second means of guidance after the Holy Qur’an is the Sunnah [practice] of the Holy Prophet (sa),
And the third means are the Ahadith, for they came after a period of many years, rather, after over a hundred years, providing these Ahadith are not in contradiction to the Qur’an and Sunnah. Whilst instructing towards the honouring of the Holy Qur’an, the Promised Messiah (as) mentioned
That those who honour the Qur’an will be honoured in heaven. Explaining this, the Promised Messiah (as) states, “It is an imperative injunction upon you “that you do not leave the Holy Quran like a discarded thing. “Your life depends on this. “Those who honour the Quran will be honoured in heaven.”
Do not become completely averse to the Holy Quran; do not abandon it so as to not act upon it at all. Recite it regularly and act upon its guidance because “those who honour the Quran will be honoured in heaven. “Those who give precedence to the Quran over every Hadith and every other saying
“will be given precedence in heaven. “Today, there is no book on the face of the earth for mankind except for the Quran. “The sons of Adam have no Messenger and Intercessor “but Muhammad, the Chosen One, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
“Endeavour, therefore, to cultivate true love for this Prophet of glory and majesty, “and do not give precedence to anyone over him, “so that in heaven you may be counted as those who have attained salvation. “Remember, salvation is not something that will be manifested after death.
“On the contrary, true salvation exhibits its light in this very world.” Some people are so firm in their faith that the light of salvation manifests to them in this very life and, in turn, they are ready to face all forms of cruelty.
A very recent example of this is found in the martyrdom of our brothers in Burkina Faso. The Promised Messiah (as) continues, “Who is the one who attains salvation? “Such a person is he who believes that God is true “and that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
“is the Intercessor between God and all His creation, “and that under the heaven there is no Messenger equal in rank to him, “nor is there any book equal in status to the Qur’an. “God did not desire that anyone should remain alive eternally, “but this Chosen Prophet lives forever.”
Another allegation is refuted here that, God forbid, we dishonour the Holy Prophet (sa). Furthermore, in respect to the Quran being the Khatam al-Kutub (Seal of books), the Promised Messiah (as) states, “The Holy Prophet (sa) is the Seal of Prophets and the Holy Qur’an is the Seal of Books.
“Thus, there can be no other other creed or prayer. “One cannot attain salvation if he abandons that “which the Holy Prophet (sa) has said or demonstrated, “and that which is contained in the Holy Quran. “Whoever abandons these is bound for hell. “This is our faith and belief.
“However, it should be borne in mind “that the door to revelation and [Divine] discourse is open to this Ummah. “(Allah the Almighty speaks and this door of discourse is open, not closed). “And this door is a constant testament to the veracity of the Holy Quran “and truthfulness of the Holy Prophet (sa).
“Therefore, God Almighty has taught the following prayer in Surah Fatihah: “The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings,” The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “The prayer taught [to be guided] to the path of who were bestowed [God’s] favour
“alludes to seeking the miracles of the prophets, peace be on them. “It is evident that the miracle granted to the prophets, peace be on them, is Divine insight. “This favour was bestowed upon them through revelation and Divine discourse, “therefore, you too should seek this.
“Thus, reflect on this reward; although the Holy Qur’an teaches us this prayer, “does this prayer bear no fruit? “Is there no one in this Ummah who can attain this favour?” You offer this prayer, and in fact Allah the Almighty has commanded us to offer this prayer.
As a result, those who strive to achieve this rank can attain it. The Promised Messiah (as) states, “How strange is the condition of Muslims, “that despite Allah the Almighty having taught them this prayer, “they still say that not even a single person can attain this status, let alone many.”
Apparently, there is no one in the Ummah who can attain this rank. The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “According to them, this door [to Divine discourse] is now closed for eternity. “Does such a belief dishonour Islam and the Holy Prophet (sa) or establish its superiority?”
“You people lay the blame on us, so you should answer as to why you close a door “that is contrary to a prayer taught by Allah the Almighty Himself. “Who is truly guilty of blaspheming God? You or us?” The Promised Messiah (as) continues, “I say truthfully “that whoever holds this belief disgraces Islam
“and has failed to understand the essence of the Shariah. “One of the aims of Islam was not only to enable humankind “to verbally proclaim the Unity of God, “but to truly believe it; one should not only imagine heaven and hell
“but truly believe in them and experience a heavenly delight in this very life. “(One should demonstrate such virtues so as to turn this life into paradise) “and attain salvation from the sins which man with savage traits is immersed in.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states,
“This was, and still remains the grand and extraordinary purpose of Islam, “a pure purpose the likes of which no other nation can bring forth from their religion; “no one can bring forth its equal. “Everyone can make claims, but is there anyone who can demonstrate it?”
Today, the followers of the Promised Messiah (as) must attain this rank. The world must be informed of this. We must demonstrate to those who label us as disbelievers that Ahmadis do not merely bring forth old tales, but have firm conviction that even today,
Allah the Almighty bestows His grace upon those who believe in the Living Book and Living Prophet; we believe with conviction that Allah the Almighty speaks even today. The Promised Messiah (as) then states, “Allah the Almighty has bestowed us a prophet who is the Seal of the Believers,
“the Seal of Men of Understanding, and the Seal of the Prophets. “In the same manner, God revealed a book unto him “that is an amalgamation of all books and the Seal of Books. “The Holy Prophet (sa) – who is the Seal of Prophets, brought prophethood to its completion.
“However, by bringing prophethood to its completion does not mean “that he brought to it an end like one who strangles someone to death, “for there is no glory in bringing something to an end in this manner. “On the contrary, what is truly meant by the Holy Prophet (sa) being the final prophet is
“that he has perfected prophethood at its pinnacle. “In other words, the many wonders “granted to prophets from Adam all the way to Jesus, son of Mary, “have culminated in the person of the Holy Prophet (sa). “Thus, the Holy Prophet (sa) naturally stands as the Seal of the Prophets.
“In the same manner, all teachings, guidance and knowledge “that has been transmitted in various books “has culminated in the Holy Quran, the Seal of Books.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “The title ‘Seal of the Prophets’ with which the Holy Prophet (sa) has been addressed
“inherently demands that the book revealed to him is also the ‘Seal of Books’ “which contains all perfection. “And indeed, it does contain all perfection. “It is a basic principle of Divine revelation that the grandeur and power of the revelation “is relative to the power to purify and inner perfection of the recipient.
“The Holy Prophet’s (sa) purifying power and inner perfection “was the most lofty and unsurpassable by any other, neither in the past, nor in the future.” He attained the highest degree of perfection, the likes of which there never was, nor will be. Even then, people allege that,
God forbid, we consider the Promised Messiah (as) to be above the Holy Prophet (sa) and commit blasphemy against him. After hearing these words, any sensible and just person can never say that an Ahmadi is blasphemous towards the Holy Prophet (sa). The Promised Messiah (as) then states,
“It is for this reason that the Holy Qur’an is also higher in rank and status “than all previous books and scriptures. “No other scripture has ever attained this rank “because the Holy Prophet’s (sa) capacity and purifying power was so profound
“and because he attained a level of perfection that raised him to the pinnacle. “At such a stage, the Holy Qur’an revealed to him is also perfect. “Just as the wonders of prophethood culminated in the Holy Prophet (sa) and reached perfection, “so too did the miracles of revelation reach perfection in the Holy Quran.
“He is the Seal of the Prophets, and his scripture is the Seal of Books.” The Promised Messiah (as) states, “However lofty and wondrous the miracles of revelation can be, “in all aspects, the book of the Holy Prophet (sa) is the apex.
“All the lofty standards and noble aspects that establish its miraculous character and authority, “are all found in the Holy Qur’an “The perfection of the Holy Qur’an is seen “and its miraculous character is proved from every point of view
“that is to say, from the aspect of excellence of composition, of the sequence of its subjects, “of its teaching and its perfection and of the fruits of its teaching. “That is why the Holy Qur’an has not demanded its match from any particular aspect,
“but has issued a general challenge demanding a match from any aspect (it has issued a challenge from any aspect as the Qur’an comprises all different aspects). “Whether it be from the perspective of excellence of composition, it’s meanings and purports, “its teachings, its prophecies or matters of the unseen mentioned in the Qur’an.
“From whichever point of view it is looked at, it is a miracle.” Then, whilst in a gathering, the Promised Messiah (as) said, “It should never be forgotten “that the Holy Qur’an, which is the Seal of Books, is not merely a compilation of stories. “Those who, due to their misconceptions and oversight,
“have deemed the Holy Qur’an to be a mere collection of stories “have not utilised their ability to discern the truth. “In fact, this book has taken stories of the past and even turned those into philosophies.” The accounts that are mentioned have been presented as philosophies; there are lessons and depth to them.
The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “It is a great favour upon all other books and prophets “that it has turned these stories into philosophies, “otherwise today, such accounts would be mocked. “Another blessing of Allah the Almighty is that in this intellectual era
“where knowledge about the realities of all that is in this world “and the properties of things continue to increase, “He established an order for heavenly knowledge and the uncovering of its verities.” There are many experts in various fields; there are different aspects of science
And other fields as well in which the world continues to advance. Further research continues to be done and so, He created an order and this order can only be understood through obtaining knowledge from the Holy Qur’an. Then, with regards to the fact that there is accord between science and religion,
The Promised Messiah (as) states, “All of these teachings were considered insignificant “in the time of Faij-e-A`waj [period of spiritual darkness], “and they were being mocked in the scientific era.” These misconceptions had spread during the time of darkness and ignorance when only a few scholars could be found in Islam.
People used to mock, scientists would ridicule and wonder what this [the Holy Qur’an] was. However, with the advent of the Promised Messiah (as) and through his commentary and explanations and by demonstrating its depths of knowledge, the Promised Messiah (as) says, “[the Holy Qur’an] was presented in a scholarly manner and as a philosophy.
“Muslims should be grateful to Allah the Almighty “that in this era, according to His promise, “He sent His chosen one in order to present the true teachings of the Holy Qur’an, “who eliminated all the ignorant allegations that were levelled against Islam.”
Then, with regards to the degree of importance he gave to belief in the Holy Qur’an and to following it and deeming it to be vital to one’s faith, the Promised Messiah (as) states, “I regard even the slightest deviance “from adhering the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Prophet (sa) as disbelief.
“It is my view that whoever abandons this even in the slightest is doomed to hell.” He continues, “Not only have I mentioned this belief in speeches, “but I have stated this clearly in about sixty of my publications; “this worries me and remains on my mind day and night.”
The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “Our opponents are quick to issue edicts of disbelief against us. “If they have heard something from us, then justice would demand “that while maintaining the fear of Allah the Almighty, “they ask us whether or not we had said such a thing.
“If we have, then they can say that it is not in accordance with Islam and that we should explain. “But that not is the case.” He continues, “They do not care in the slightest. “They are simply bent upon issuing edicts of disbelief.
“Whatever we have said is in light of the teachings of Islam and the Holy Qur’an; “this is our belief with which our actions align.” With regards to the concordance between the Holy Qur’an and the natural law, the Promised Messiah (as) states, “Pure and complete are the teachings of the Holy Qur’an,
“which nourishes every branch of the human tree. “The Holy Qur’an does not lay emphasis solely on a single aspect; “rather sometimes it calls for forgiveness and pardon “provided that that forgiveness is most prudent. “Other times it teaches that in light of the appropriate time and place, “a perpetrator should be punished
(It teaches to forgive in some circumstances and to punish in others). “Thus, the Holy Qur’an is a reflection of the natural law instated by God Almighty “which we see around us. “It is reasonable to think that God’s words and actions should be aligned;
“meaning the manner in which God’s deeds manifest in the world “necessitates that the teachings in God Almighty’s true Book should be in accordance.” In the natural law we see that there are instances in which Allah the Almighty forgives; there are times when He punishes and others where He overlooks,
And the same principle should be reflected in the religious teaching and in the religious scripture, and indeed it is found in the Holy Qur’an. The Promised Messiah (as) continues, “It is not that the actions show one thing, and the words display another.
“We find that God Almighty does not always exhibit leniency and clemency “rather He punishes wrongdoers by causing them to endure various calamities. “Such calamities have also been mentioned in previous scriptures. “Our God is not only Compassionate, He is Wise, and His wrath is also mighty.
“The true book is that which accords with His natural law “and the true divine word is that which does not contradict His actions. “We have not observed God to always be compassionate and lenient to His creation “and for them to never endure calamities. “Through me, even now, God Almighty has forewarned
“of a great and catastrophic earthquake for the impure which will ruin them.” This was at the time when the Promised Messiah (as) had foretold about an earthquake. Then, the Promised Messiah (as) states, “It is only the Holy Qur’an in this world which has presented God and His attributes
“in concordance with the natural law which is recognised through the work of God “and is imprinted upon human nature and the human conscience. “The god of Christians is limited to the pages of the Gospels, “and they are unaware of the God which the Gospels have been unable to reach.
“However, the God presented by the Holy Qur’an “is not lost upon any of those who possesses understanding. “Therefore, the true God is the God presented by the Holy Qur’an.” No matter where one may live, what religion they may follow,
Even atheists see the creation of the world and are certain to some degree that God exists. Many hold to this belief in accordance with their ancestral religions. In any case, the Promised Messiah (as) continues, “The God of the Holy Qur’an is He Who manifests Himself, unlike that of the Christians.
“This is attested to by human nature and the natural law.” The Promised Messiah (as) states, “That religion alone is true which demonstrates that God hears and speaks in this age also. “In a true religion, God attests His existence through divine discourse. “Search for God is a difficult matter.
“It is not an affair of worldly philosophers and wise men. “Observation of the heavens and earth only leads to the conclusion “that although orderliness indicates that the universe should have a Creator, “yet it is not proof that such a Creator in fact exists.
“There is a great deal of difference between what ought to be and what is. “The Holy Qur’an is the only book that sets forth His existence as a fact “and not only urges the seeking of God but makes Him manifest. “There is no other book which makes manifest the Hidden Being.”
Proof of the existence of God Almighty can be found in the Holy Quran. Whilst mentioning the superiority of the Quran over the Gospels and other religious scriptures, the Promised Messiah (as) says: “The Holy Quran is a perfect and living miracle. “The miracle of the word and discourse is such a miracle
“that does not becomes redundant in any era, nor can anyone destroy its efficacy. “If today, one wishes to see the miracles performed by Prophet Moses (as), “how can they see them? “Do the Jews still have the staff of Moses “and does it still have the power to turn into a snake etc?
“Thus, the miracles that were demonstrated by all the prophets ceased when they passed away. “However, the miracles of our Holy Prophet (sa) are such “that they are living and subsist in every era. “The fact that these miracles are living and do not cease, “clearly demonstrate
“that only the Holy Prophet’s (sa) teachings are alive, and so too is his prophethood. “Everlasting life was not given to anybody other than the Holy Prophet (sa). “The reason why his teachings are alive “is because its fruits and blessings are manifested even today, “just as they were 1300 years ago.
“There is no other teaching present today “whereby its followers can attribute the blessings and fruits they receive to their religion “and can claim that they have become a sign of Allah. “However, through the grace and benevolence of Allah the Almighty,
“even today we find examples of the blessings and bounties of the teachings of the Holy Quran, “as well as all those favours one receives “when they truly follow in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet (sa). “Thus, God Almighty has established this community “so they become living proof of the truthfulness of Islam
“and to prove that by completely following the Holy Prophet (sa), “those signs and bounties are still manifest today as they were exhibited 1300 years ago “and until now thousands of signs have been manifested.” And the Promised Messiah (as) has mentioned them in some of his books.
Furthermore, the passing of each day bears testimony to how the prophecies mentioned by the Promised Messiah (as) are being fulfilled through the Ahmadiyya Jama’at. Nonetheless, the Promised Messiah (as) further states: “I invite the leader of every nation and religion “to challenge me by demonstrating signs of their truthfulness.
“However, there is not even a single person “who can practically demonstrate the truthfulness of their faith. “We believe the Word of God to be a perfect miracle “and with firm conviction we claim that no other book is equal to it.
“I say based on experience that if someone were to pick out any matter from the Quran, “each one of them will be a sign and miracle in itself. “Take its teachings for example, it is an extraordinary miracle and indeed this is the case.
“The teachings [of the Quran] conform to a profoundly wise system “and are based upon man’s nature “in such a way that no other teaching can be accepted in place of it. “The Holy Quran perfects and completes all previous teachings. “At present, just by presenting one aspect of its teachings I can prove
“that teachings presented by the Holy Quran are the most superior and a miracle in itself. “Take the teachings of the Torah as an example; “if we analyse its teachings based on the need of the present circumstances, “we find that its emphasis was on retribution and recompense;
“an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. “On the contrary, the teachings of the Gospels were based entirely on forgiveness and patience, “to the extent that it states that if one slaps another on the cheek, “they ought to turn the other cheek as well;
“if one forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles, “if someone wants your shirt, hand over your coat as well. “Similarly, in every chapter of the Torah and Gospels one will find these teachings. “If the Torah leans to one extreme, then the Gospels lean to the other extreme.
“However, on every occasion the Holy Quran presents the teachings “which are balanced and appropriate according to the situation, “whichever command one ponders over, one will find that the teachings of the Quran “are appropriate and in accordance with the circumstances. “Even though we accept that the source of all the teachings are the same,
“however we cannot deny “that both the Torah and the Gospels have focused more towards a particular aspect. “However, only the teachings presented by the Quran are in line with the nature of man. “To say that because the teachings found in the Torah skew to one extreme
“and therefore it is not from God, is incorrect. “Indeed the Torah was also sent by God. “The fact of the matter is that given the circumstances of the time, “this [Quranic] teaching would have been ineffective “and since the Torah and the Gospels were for a specific [people and] place” i.e. the balanced teaching which has been given now [in the Quran]
Would have been ineffective for those times. In those times a teaching of retribution as mentioned in Torah [was needed] “and since the Torah and Gospels were for a specific [people and] place (i.e. the teachings of the Gospels and the Torah were sent for a specific place),
“for this reason they did not mention other aspects of their teachings in detail. “However, since the Quran is for all mankind and for every nation, “for this reason the teachings mentioned therein align with man’s true nature, “and this is what is known as wisdom. “Wisdom means: “’to put something in it’s appropriate place.’
“i.e. ‘to put something in it’s appropriate place.’ “Thus, this wisdom has only been taught by the Holy Quran. “As mentioned already, the teachings of the Torah are unnecessarily strict “and furnish ones desire to exact revenge. “On the contrary the teachings of the Gospels emphasise on unwarranted forgiveness.
“The Holy Quran abandons both these extremes and presents a timeless teaching: “‘And the recompense of an injury is an injury the like thereof; “‘but whoso forgives and his act brings about reformation, his reward is with Allah.’ “‘And the recompense of an injury is an injury the like thereof;
“‘but whoso forgives and his act brings about reformation, his reward is with Allah.’” The Promised Messiah (as) established the supremacy of the Holy Qur’an over all other faiths with such courage and with such great signs at a time when the country was under the British rule and the Church wielded enormous influence.
Yet, despite this, the Promised Messiah (as) issued an open challenge in relation to the excellences of the Holy Qur’an over all other faiths and did not fear even in the slightest. This is because he was the one who had been sent by Allah the Almighty in this era
In complete subservience to the Holy Prophet (sa) and with the objective to spread his teachings. This is precisely what we are witnessing today in the literature and teachings of the Promised Messiah (as) and today the Ahmadiyya Community is continuing to further that mission. However, those who level allegations against the Ahmadiyya Community claim
That Ahmadis interpolate and dishonour the Holy Qur’an. Whilst explaining the need and importance of the Holy Qur’an, the Promised Messiah (as) states, “A strong argument in support of the need of the Holy Qur’an is “that all the previous Books beginning with the Torah and ending with the Gospel
“are addressed to a particular people, namely, the children of Israel “and state in clear words that the directions contained in them are not for the general benefit, “and are limited to the children of Israel. “But the Holy Qur’an aims at the reform of the whole world
“and is not addressed to any particular people “but states plainly that it has been revealed for the benefit of the whole of mankind “and that the reform of everyone is its purpose. “Thus, there is a significant difference in the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the Torah “with respect to its addressees.
For example, the Torah states that one should not kill and the Qur’an also states this. “Thus, it seems that the Qur’an has repeated this instruction which had appeared in the Torah, “however this is not a repetition “because the instruction of the Torah is only for the children of Israel
“and only prohibits them from killing. “The Torah does not concern itself with others. “On the other hand, the Holy Qur’an relates to the entire world “and prohibits the whole of mankind from unlawfully killing anyone. “Similarly, all the other injunctions found in the Holy Qur’an “are for the reformation of the whole of mankind
“whereas the Torah is only limited to the children of Israel.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “This claim of the Christian clergy is completely wrong “that the Holy Qur’an did not present anything new in relation to Tauhid [oneness of God] “and in its other commandments.
“A foolish one may be deceived in thinking that the Torah mentions Tauhid “as well as the commandments related to worship and its prerequisites, “therefore what is it that has been mentioned in the Qur’an which is unique. “However, one who has never pondered over the Word of God can only fall prey to this.
“It should be made clear that there is a significant aspect related to the existence of God “that even a trace of it is not found in the Torah. “The Torah does not mention the intricate details in relation to the various stages of Tauhid. “The Holy Qur’an does not simply tell us
“to refrain from the worship of idols, humans, animals, objects, celestial bodies and Satan. “In fact, Tauhid consists of three stages. “The first one is for the general masses who seek salvation from the wrath of God Almighty. “The second stage is for those particular people
“who seek to establish a stronger bond with God as compared to the rest of mankind. “And the third stage is in relation to an even particularly special group of people “who wish to attain the highest stages of attaining nearness to God.
“In the first stage one is required to not worship anyone besides Allah “and not to worship anything which is limited and a creation, “whether it be on the earth or in the skies. “The second stage of Tauhid is that one considers God Almighty to be the one
“Who truly has the influence in his own affairs and as well as in the affairs of others “and not to depend so heavily on the physical means [for the fulfilment of one’s tasks] “that they be deemed as equal to God Almighty.
“For example, if one says that ‘had such and such person not been here “‘then I would have incurred such and such loss’ “or ‘if so and so person had not been here, I would have been completely ruined.’ (Reliance on others of this nature is also Shirk and goes against the concept of Tauhid).
“If such words are uttered with the intention “that one truly thinks that those individuals are of great significance then this is also Shirk. “The third stage of Tauhid is that in one’s love for God Almighty “they should remove their personal desires and to devote oneself completely in His greatness.
“Where is such a concept of Tauhid in the Torah? “Similarly, there is no mention of heaven or hell in the Torah “except for being alluded to here and there. “Similarly, the complete mention of the perfect attributes of God Almighty “are not be found anywhere in the Torah.
“If the Torah contained a chapter as found in the Holy Qur’an: “Say, ‘He is Allah, the One; ‘Allah, the Independent and Besought of all. “‘He begets not, nor is He begotten; ‘And there is none like unto Him.’ “Then, perhaps the Christians would have been saved from the plight of worshipping the creation.
“Similarly, the Torah has not mentioned the various stages of fulfilling the different rights “whereas the Qur’an has mentioned these in the most perfect manner. “For example, it states: “‘Verily, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others; and giving like kindred.’
“That is, ‘Verily, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others; and giving like kindred.’ “In other words, one should show compassion to mankind out of a natural yearning “and not with the intention of seeking any favours in return “just like a mother expresses compassion for its child.
“Furthermore, unlike the Holy Qur’an, the Torah has not been able to prove the existence of God, “His oneness and His perfect attributes through rationale arguments. “In fact, the Holy Qur’an has mentioned all of the various doctrines “and also proved the need for Divine revelation and prophethood through rationale arguments.
“It has explained every issue in a philosophical manner “and thereby made it easy to comprehend for those who are in search of the truth. “All of these arguments are presented in the Holy Qur’an in such a perfect manner “which is impossible for anyone to do the same.
“For example, there is not a single argument which proves the existence of God Almighty “that cannot be found in the Holy Qur’an. “A strong argument in support of the need of the Holy Qur’an is “that all the previous Books beginning with the Torah and ending with the Gospel
“are addressed to a particular people, namely, the children of Israel “and state in clear words that the directions contained in them are not for the general benefit, “and are limited to the children of Israel. “But the Holy Qur’an aims at the reform of the whole world
“and is not addressed to any particular people “but states plainly that it has been revealed for the benefit of the whole of mankind “and that the reform of everyone is its purpose.” There are many other references in relation to the excellences, lofty status and supremacy of the Holy Qur’an
Which shall be mentioned in the future inshAllah. All praise is due to Allah We laud Him, we beseech help from Him and ask His protection; we confide in Him, we trust Him alone and we seek protection against the evils and mischief of our souls and from the bad results of our deeds.
Whomsoever He guides on the right path, none can misguide him; and whosoever He declares misled, none can guide him onto the right path. And we bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah. We bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His servant and Messenger.
O servants of Allah! May Allah be merciful to you. Verily, Allah commands you to act with justice, to confer benefits upon each other and to do good to others as one does to one’s kindred and forbids evil which pertain to your own selves
And evils which affect others and prohibits revolts against a lawful authority. He warns you against being unmindful. You remember Allah; He too will remember you; call Him and He will make a response to your call. And verily divine remembrance is the highest virtue.