Our faith

1

The five pillars of Islam constitute our Creed. The Revelation of God viz., the Quran which we are commanded to hold firmly on, that indeed we hold firmly on. God be pleased with Umar: Like him we have the words ‘sufficient unto us is the Book of God’ constantly on our lips. In case of conflict and disagreement between the Hadith and the Quran we follow Hazrat Ayesha (God be pleased with her) and choose the Quran, especially in the historical texts treated by all schools as above abrogation. And we believe that there is no deity, no one worthy of worship, but only Almighty Allah that our Master Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (peace and blessings of God be upon him), is His Rasul and Khatamal-Anbiya. And we believe that angels exist, that the resurrection of bodies after death is true, that the Day of Reckoning is also true, that Djanna and Gehenna are also true. We believe that every thing taught about these matters by the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet is true. We believe that he who seeks to subtract an iota from this or to add an iota to this – the Shariah of Islam and also he who makes light of the statutes and practices of Islam is devoid of belief, a denier of Islam. We counsel our Jamaat to put true and sincere faith in the Holy Kalima, La Illaha Ill-Allah, Muhammad-ur-Rasul-Allah, to live and die by it, also to believe in all prophets and in all books, the truth of which is sanctioned by the Quran; to observe in letter and in spirit the Fasts, Prayers, Zakat and Pilgrimage and all prescriptions and prohibitions laid down by Almighty Allah and His Prophet. We counsel them in short that their belief should include all beliefs and all rules of conduct agreed upon unanimously by early Muslims, that is, all matters accepted as part of Islam by the consensus of Ahl-i-Sunna. There is no option. And we hold heaven and earth as witness that this is our creed and this is our faith (Ayyamal Sulh pg. 86-87)

2

We are Musalmans. We believe in the One God without a partner and in the Kalima, La Illah Ill-Allah. We believe in the Book of God, the Quran, in His Messenger Muhammad (peace on him and God’s blessings) the Khatam Al-Anbiya. We believe in angels, the resurrection, hell and paradise. We observe the prescribed prayers and the fast. We turn to the Qibla for prayers and forbid ourselves what is forbidden by God and His Prophet and permit ourselves what is permitted. We add not a thing to the Sharia, nor subtract any thing from it. The Sharia is above change. Whatever has come down to us from the Holy Prophet (on whom peace and God’s blessings), all that we accept, whether we understand or not and whether we can unravel its secrets and real meaning or not. We are believers with the Grace of God, and strict monotheist Muslims. (Nur al-Haq I, pg. 5)

Allah the Almighty

 1

I want to make it clear to Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and Aryas, that I have no enemy. I love all men as a merciful mother loves her children. Nay more. I am enemy only of false beliefs, beliefs subversive of truth. To sympathise with all humans is my duty and to preach against falsehood, disloyalty to God, tyranny, evil conduct, injustice, immorality is my mission.

My motive for this height of sympathy is that I have discovered a gold mine, have had access to an unlimited supply of precious stones. In the mine I have found a bright and priceless jewel. So priceless that if I divide it between all of my fellow men, every one of them will become richer than the richest among them in gold and silver. What is this jewel? It is the true God. To reach Him is to know Him, to become really aware of Him, to have true faith in Him, to be united with Him in true love. To receive true blessings from Him in return. Having found such a priceless treasure it will be cruel on my part if I let not my fellow-men know about it. Could I let them go hungry while I have plenty. No, it will not be so, while I can help. My heart burns over their want and hunger. My soul becomes depressed over their dark and straitened existence. I want to see their homes filled with riches divine. I want to see them full with faith and truth. Full to capacity. (Arbain No. 1, pg. 2-3)

2

God is a lovely treasure. Hold Him dear. He is your Help at every step. You are as nothing without Him. And nothing are your means and methods. (Kishti-i-Nuh, pg. 20)

3

God is One and Unique and Unpartnered, in one and all His perfect attributes. Without any fault whatsoever.

He combines in His person al the most perfect attributes. He is the Manifestation of all Holy Powers, the Originator of all creatures, the Spring of all Graces, the Lord of rewards and punishments, the Disposer of all affairs. He is near though far, far though near. Above all things and everything, yet there is nothing below Him. He is the most hidden than everything yet there is nothing more evident than Him. He lives in His right, everything else by Him. Himself self subsistent, everything else subsists by Him. Everything holds He, nothing hold Him. Nothing came to create itself without Him. Nothing can now live by itself. He encompasses everything, though we know not how it happens to be so. He is the Essence of everything in heaven and earth. The essence of everything owes its brightness to His Hand, is a shadow of His Being. The nourisher of all worlds is He. (Lecture Lahore, pg. 5)

Holy Prophet Muhammad^(saw)

1

What was this, do you know? This most wonderful thing which happened in the wilderness of Arabia? Spiritually dead millions became alive again in a matter of days; those without eyes began to see, those without speech began to speak the language of seers gifted with divine knowledge. This was a revolution which no eye had seen before nor had an ear heard of it before.

What was it, do you know? It was a miracle performed by the mighty prayers of a man who had dedicated his life to God. Prayers offered in the dead of night. These prayers shook the world. They wrought changes impossible for an unlettered person to bring about.

God! shower Thy blessings and send peace on this man! Bless not only him but also those who come after him and follow him! Remove their fears, their sorrows, their anxieties. And on this his Umma, shower Thy Bounties and Thy Blessings until the end of days. (Barkat-al Dua pg. 10-11)

2

Thousands and thousands of prayers and invocations of peace, mercies, and blessings, for the Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafa – on whom peace – through whom we found the Living God. (Nasim-i-Dawat, pg. 1)

3

The true saviour whose offer of salvations (of the fruit of salvation, to be exact), is with us today and will be with us until doomsday, is the one who appeared in the land of Hijaz. His offer of salvation was for all mankind, of all times. (Dafi al-Bala ‘inside back cover’)

4

We know it clearly from the Holy Quran that every prophet is a member of the Umma – the fold – of Muhammad (on whom be peace). Says the Holy Quran addressing the prophets:

You shall believe in him help him (3:82)

This means all prophets belong to the Umma – the fold – of the Holy Prophet (on whom be peace). (Barahin-i-Ahmadiyya V, appendix pg. 133)

5

A man who exceeded all men in perfection, perfect as man and perfect as prophet, came into the world, endowed with the most perfect of graces. Through the Quickening and Gathering brought about by him came the First Resurrection. A dead world became charged with life. Who is he? He is the blessed prophet, Khatam al-Anbiya, Imam al-Asfiya, Khatam al-Mursalin, Fakhr al-Nabiyyin, Muhammad Mustafa (on whom be peace and blessings of God).

Beloved God! Reward this beloved prophet with Mercies and Favours with which no man from the beginning of time, has been rewarded by Thee. Had not this great prophet appeared in the world, we would have known nothing of the truth of the lesser prophets like Jonah, Job, Jesus son of Mary, Malachi, John, Zachariah, etc., etc. We would have had no proof. True, they were accepted and approved and honoured and loved by God. But we owe this to The Holy Prophet, that these other prophets came to be known as true prophets.

“God! Accept our prayers for him, send him peace, bless him and his progeny and all his companions with Thy blessings.” (Itmam al-Hujja, pg. 28)

6

In many places in the Holy Quran it is laid down – implicitly as well as explicitly – that the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace and the blessings of God, is the most perfect manifestation of Divinity; his speech is the speech of God, his advent the advent of God, his coming the coming of God. We have the verse, ‘Say, Truth has come and falsehood has gone, and falsehood had to go’. Truth here means the three – God Almighty, the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace and blessings of God…. You can see how God Almighty associates the Holy Prophet’s name with His Own and how the Holy Prophet’s advent becomes the advent of God. (peace on the Holy Prophet and God’s blessings). (Surma Chashm-i-Arya, pg. 229-38 foot note)

7

I have always wondered and wondered how high must be the station of this Arabian Prophet Muhammad! Thousands of blessings and prayers of peace for him! Impossible it is to measure the height of his station. Impossible to have an idea of his purifying powers. Pity therefore that his greatness goes unrecognized still. The conception of the One God had all but disappeared from the face of this earth; the stalwart who established it again in human hearts is he. He loved God to the utmost. And he loved and sympathised with mankind equally, sacrificing his life for their sake. No wonder, God Who knew the secret of his heart raised him above Prophets and above all men who had gone before him or were to come after him. All his aspirations were fulfilled during his life. (Haqiqat al-Wahy pg. 115-116)

8

Only two lives are worthy of praise. One is the life of Our God, the Life Giver, the Life Sustainer, the Source of Graces and Favours. The other life is the life which enriches and favours and is God-like in its graces. This second kind of life – come, let me tell you – is the life of our Holy Prophet (on whom be peace and blessings of God). Heavenly signs at all times in history have borne witness to this life. They are here with us today.

And remember, he, whose life does not enrich other people’s lives is dead, not living. I hold God as witness when I declare – and to declare anything false in His Name is rank depravity – that God has given me proof of enduring spiritual life – so full of beauty and power – of my revered master, the Chief of us all, Muhammad, on whom be peace. The proof is that by following in his footsteps and by devoting my love to him, I have seen heavenly sings descend upon me and fill my heart with the light of certainty of faith. (Tiryaq al-Qalub, pg. 6)

9

Is there a prophet who lives still? Then he is our Holy Prophet (on whom be peace). Books have been written by renowned authors on the Life of the Holy Prophet that he – our Holy Prophet – continues to live is proved by mighty arguments. Arguments which have no equal in any other prophet’s life. Among the arguments is this, that a prophet who lives in one whose blessings and graces continue for ever. (Al Hakam 17 Feb., 1906, pg. 3)

10

The life of Holy Prophet is a life of enduring worth. A mighty proof of this is that the graces of the graces of the Holy Prophet, his spiritual influence, lives for ever. Those who walk in his footsteps even today become quickened with life, – raised from their graves as it were. They receive the gift of a new spiritual life. (Aina Kamalat Islam pg. 221)

The Holy Quran

 1

The title Khatam al-Nabiyyin used for the Holy Prophet (on whom be peace and blessings of God) requires – the term in its own right requires – that the Book revealed to the Holy Prophet (on whom be peace and blessings) should be Khatam al-Kutub, it should be a book perfect in all dimensions. The Quran is full of such perfection. (Malfoozat vol. 3, pg. 36)

2

I was young and now I am old. There are people who would know and if they will, they will bear witness that I have had no concern with worldly affairs. My interests have centered in religion. Let me tell you that the Book called the Quran is most Holy, most full of spiritual wisdom…. The blessings and benefits we expect from a true faith, this book has come at last to confer on man. Through it man comes to inherit the Grace of God. Can it be that having found such a light we should turn again to darkness, having had eyes should choose to become blind again. (Sanatan Dharam, pg. 67)

3

Perfect and holy is the teachings of the Holy Quran which nourishes every branch of the human tree. The Holy Quran does not stress only one side of it. It teaches compassion and forgiveness when forgiveness is nearer wisdom. It prescribes punishment for the wrong-doer but such as is appropriate to the moment and the occasion. (Barahin-i-Ahmadiyya II, pg. 91-92)

4

God is our witness, He Who knows the innermost secrets of our hearts, that I am ready to accept the penalty of death, should any one be able to point to the slightest weakness in the teachings of the Holy Quran, it may be as slight as a minute fraction of a particle. Or should any one be able to point to an equally slight virtue of a book to which he subscribes, a virtue contrary to the teachings of the Quran on the same point, yet superior to it. (Barahin-i-Ahmadiyya III, pg. 268 foot note 2)

5

Of the great spiritual powers of the Holy Quran, one is that he who submits to it becomes gifted with the power to work miracles and do deeds out of the ordinary run. In such number, that the world will not think of contesting. (Chashma-i-M’arifat, pg. 4)

6

Even a dot of the Holy Quran does not run the risk of any damage or alteration at the hands of collective assault of the ancestors and successors. It is such a strong, secure and solid stone that its strike will split apart and any one who strikes against it, will be annihilated. (Aina Kamalat-e-Islam Roohani Khazain Vol. 5, pg. 257 fn.)