In the backdrop of the then prevailing ideologies of communism and capitalist democracy, the second successor of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad^(ra), addressed this lecture to the Ahmadiyya Annual Gathering on December 28, 1942. The address answers the question, ‘How does Ahmadiyyat, the True Islam, propose to deal with the grave problem of socio-economic inequality in the world?’ The Ahmadiyya solution is the solution of Islam shaped under divine guidance for present needs by the Holy Founder^(as) of the Ahmadiyya movement.

The social and economic differences between the haves and the havenots are not only being intensified but are also being more and more bitterly felt. That with progress in every walk of life the disparities would reduce and ultimately disappear was the hope of many which has not been realised. The speaker examines and analyses the role played by different movements to alleviate poverty and sufferings, such as, Socialism, International Socialism, Marxism, Bolshevism, Nazism and Fascism and so on. Because each one of these had drawbacks and defects it was bound to fail and so it happened. Each one of these movements either sought preferential or limited benefits or discriminated between classes which resulted in propagation of adversity or reduced human calibre to manual labour, resulting in the loss of intellectual creative abilities and approach.

The speaker also, explores the major religions of the world regarding the basic question “social inequality a serious problem.” In comparison to Islam, their teachings totally fail to address the problem; rather than providing a satisfactory solution to it, they aggravate it. “The system of Judaism” he observes, “is purely racial. There is nothing universal in it… It also lays down very harsh conditions which must be imposed upon nations opposed to it.” About Christianity and Hinduism he observes, “The message of Christianity is that the Law is a curse. If the law is a curse then all that it ordains or prohibits must also be a curse… The Hindu religion by inculcating the doctrines of karma and transmigration of souls has completely barred the door of peace and progress upon mankind”. The doctrine of discrimination between the castes in the Hindu society worsens the problem under discussion. Only Islamic teachings — moral, social and economic — can eradicate the socio-economic ills of the world and usher in peace, harmony, equality and justice.

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi^(as), the founder of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at, laid down the foundations of the New World Order, by initiating the scheme of Wasiyyat based on Islamic teachings and under the Divine guidance in his book Al-Wasiyya written in 1905. Later in 1934 Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad^(ra) inaugurated Tahrik-e-Jadid to prepare the ground for the full implementation of the New World Order of the institution of Wasiyyat. In the present lecture he elaborates the aims and objectives of Tahrik-e-Jadid and claims that the New World Order in all its aspects, economic, social and religious, as introduced by Nizam-e-Wasiyyat, will at the end prevail and a new and genuine revolution will take place.

Though the lecture was delivered in the early forties since when the world has changed so much that it seems to be quite different from what it was then, yet the central message and many details of the lecture are still relevant and shall remain so till the true message of Islam gains supremacy in the world and the world, having been convinced of the truth of it, enters the fold of Islam. Keeping this in mind we have given an analytical index, instead of conventional one, to help the reader have full grasp of the drift of the main argument of the lecture and to comprehend its basic thesis. The reader may go through the Analytical Index before reading the book.

The name of Muhammad^(sa), the Holy Prophet of Islam, has been followed by the symbol ^(sa), which is an abbreviation for the salutation Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The names of other Prophets and Messengers are followed by the symbol ^(as), an abbreviation for ‘Alaihissalam (on whom be peace). The actual salutations have not generally been set out in full, but they should nevertheless, be understood as being repeated in full in each case. The symbol ^(ra) is used with the name of the companions of the Holy Prophet^(sa) and those of the Promised Messiah^(as). It stands for Radi Allahu ‘anhu/‘anha/‘anhum (may Allah be pleased with him/with her/with them). ^(rh) stands for Rahimahullahu Ta‘ala (may Allah have mercy on him). ^(at) stands for Ayyadahullahu Ta‘ala (may Allah be his Helper).

In transliterating Arabic words we have followed the system adopted by the Royal Asiatic Society.

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