Title of the book under reference is (THE) TRUTH TRIUMPHS. It is directed against us, the Qadian (now Rabwah) Section. Of course, the truth always triumphs. But the victory claimed by the Lahore section, against Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, will be obvious from a perusal of the following:

1. After his acceptance of the Khilafat of Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddin, for six years, Maulvi Mohammad Ali made an astounding discovery. He said no Khalifa was needed to hold membership of the Movement together, or to control and direct the activities of the Movement. Immediately before the death of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, he had a leaflet printed. But he kept it secret, nicely packed up into bundles, ready for dispatch to various addresses at the opportune moment. The title of this leaflet was A VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT. Its purport, and purpose, was that the institution of Khilafat was not needed in the affairs of the Movement, since the guidance and control of the Anjuman was enough, for all possible purposes. He conceded, however, that from deference for the last Will and Testament of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, and for accepting bai’at (pledge of loyalty) from those wanting to join the Movement, an Amir could be appointed. He should have no authority over the Anjuman or the general body of the Movement. His functions and duties should be precisely limited and conditional. The aim of the leaflet was to arouse a general feeling to cultivate a view that the membership of the Movement should not allow itself to be persuaded that an elected Khalifa with an overall supreme authority in the affairs of the Movement was essential, altogether indispensible.

Following the death of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, the leaflet was distributed without delay. It was broadcast everywhere among members of the Movement in defiance of the wishes expressed by the first Khalifa in his last Will and Testament in regard to the Khalifa to be elected after his demise. In the midst of people present around him in his illness, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I had his Will read aloud thrice over by Maulvi Muhammad Ali himself, asking him each time he finished his reading if there was anything important not covered by this all important document at that juncture. Each time Maulvi Muhammad Ali had replied that nothing had been missed. However it is painful to remember that the moment the eyes of the Khalifa closed in death, Maulvi Mohammad Ali, to all practical intents and purposes, tore up this Will and scattered the pieces to the winds.

The general body of the membership of the Movement, however, ignored this leaflet, with the exception of only a few in the immediate circle of Maulvi Mohammad Ali’s own friends. The rest, by far the larger body of Ahmadies, assembled at Qadian on the occasion and took bai’at at the hands of Sahibzada Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, as Khalifatul Masih II. This was the first victory gained by the Truth, that Maulvi Mohammad Ali failed to uproot the institution of Khilafat from the subsequent history of the Ahmadiyya Movement.

A short time later, Maulvi Mohammad Ali moved out of Qadian and fulfilling an earlier Ilham of the Promised Messiah (Revelation received in direct communication from Allah), namely, Inni ma’aka, wa ma’a ahlika . “I am with you, and with those who are of your family,” was fulfilled. Because with the help of God, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, whom his opponents ironically called `a mere child’ dominated these `elders’ in their efforts.

2. At the early commencement of the struggle between the two sections of the movement, which now ensued the Lahori Section wrote in the Paigham-i-Sulha, a weekly in their hands:

“By this time, hardly one twentieth part of the membership of the Movement has accepted him (Sahibzada Mirza Mahmud Ahmad) as Khalifa.” (Paigham-i-Sulha, May 5, 1914, Page 5, Column 3)

In fact they went so far as to write, in the same Weekly of April 19, 1914, “With regret one notes it is being said that two thousand disciples of the Promised Messiah have accepted his Khilafat. But the number of people, with any awareness of the context prevailing in Qadian, on the question of the Khilafat, who have come out in support of Khilafat, is so low that not to speak of forty supporters, the number hardly runs to a poor, insignificant ten”.

But only a few days afterwards, as Ahmadies in places outside Qadian also took Bai’at at the hands of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, the Asr-i-Jadid wrote:

“The group, agreeing with Khawaja Kamal-ud-Din, which desires to work hand in hand with the general Muslims outside the Movement and which includes many Ahmadies in Lahore, has failed in its attempt; the Section accepting Mirza Mahmud Ahmad as Khalifa has defeated the opposition group in most places.” (Al-Haq, Delhi, May 22, 1914, page 2, Column 1)

As this position began to emerge clearly, however, those who had taken up a position in denial of the need for a Khalifa, now came out with a view that numerical majority over a question of this kind, had little value (Paigham-i-Sulha, January 24, 1945), even though the due weight of this majority lies recognised in prohecies of the Promised Messiah himself that God would steadily increase the numerical strength of his sincere and devoted followers, and that He would bless this emerging majority (Ishtihar, February 20, 1886).

In short, the Section which came to be known as the Lahore Section began to feel very soon that the Second Khilafat has struck firm root in the Ahmadiyya Movement. To review their position in the light of this conclusion, they called a meeting of their thinking people to chalk out a policy and a programme with this all important factor in mind. After a good deal of deliberation it was decided that a deputation should be sent to Qadian to put a proposal before Sahibzada Mirza Mahmud Ahmad that they were prepared to accept him as Amir provided he agreed that the old Ahmadies, i.e. the standing membership of the Movement at the time when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I passed away, need not yield a fresh pledge of bai’at to him; and he would not interfere with the overall supreme authority of the Anjuman, in any way or any connection.

Both points, evidently, could not be acceptable for Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II or the large body of membership of the Movement which by this time had flocked to him since no such condition was stipulated when Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I was elected to this office, by unanimous vote, with an overall supreme authority and control. This decision, on the part of the Lahore Section, was a clear indication that, the questions of Prophethood of the Promised Messiah, and kufr or Islam of those who did not accept him, were not held to be of such supreme importance as later on they came to be held by those people in rejecting the Khilafat of the Khalifatul Masih II together with the institution of Khilafat itself and these questions began to develop in an ever widening gulf. Because by rejecting the institution of Khilafat they rejected the Prophethood of the Promised Messiah too. The following resolutions were passed by the Lahore Section on this occasion:

(1) Since, in conformity with the last Will and Testament of the Promised Messiah, with the unanimous vote of only forty righteous members of the Movement, Elders could be elected to accept the bai’at of fresh converts wishing to join the Movement; and since it is our considered view that in places with a solid membership of the Movement, it is desirable that such Elders be elected for the purpose so that an increase in the numerical strength of the Movement be facilitated and converts enabled to enter the fold without let or hindrance. These Elders would be authorised to accept the initiation pledges of the fresh converts.

(2) Election of the Sahibzada is held to be valid, to this extent that he be taken to be duly authorised to accept pledges of bai’at from new comers in the fold, i.e. to accept them into the general membership of the Movement. But he would not have the authority to call the already existing membership to take fresh bai’at, at his hand, there being no discernible need for anything of this kind to be done. We are ready to accept him as our Amir in this capacity. We are not prepared to accept him as Amir, authorised to insist on a fresh bai’at, on the part of the already existing membership, since there is no need for such a bai’at. Nor would he be considered entitled to interfere in any way with the rights and previliges, and the prerogatives, of the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya vested in that body by the Promised Messiah himself, holding that the Anjuman would be considered to have succeeded him as the overall supreme authority in the affairs of the Movement.

A deputation comprising the following gentlemen should wait on Sahibzada Mahmud Ahmad to place these resolutions before him, requesting his agreement on the points involved, to ensure joint endeavour on the part of all Ahmadies, for all times to come.

At the end was a list of the names of those included in this deputation (Paigham-i-Sulha, March 24, 1914, under title Proceedings of the Shura, page jim, column 1).

Since Maulvi Mohammad Ali, and his friends had unconditionally taken bai’at at the hands of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, accepting him as entitled to an unquestioned obedience in all affairs of the Movement there was, evidently, no reason why Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II should have agreed to the imposition of these limitations on the sacred office, to which Providence had called him.

In despair over the failure of the cunning and the covert attack on the authority of the duly elected Khalifa, the Lahore Section now set up a front for opposition in the guise of questions relating to the Prophethood of the Promised Messiah, and the kufr or Islam of those who failed to yield belief in the Promised Messiah’s claims of being the Mehdi and Masih expected by Muslims all over the world, turning both questions into a basis for rejecting the Khilafat of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II and the supreme authority in the affairs of the Movement now vested in him.

(3) When members of the Lahore Section sat down to ponder why they were not making any progress, some consoled themselves by arguing that the obstacle lies in the Qadian Section’s view that the Promised Messiah was a Prophet, Nabi, and their belief that those not yielding faith to him were kafirs, really, not Muslims; that these two points had injected a virulent poison into the mind of the general public, outside the fold of the Movement. In point of fact, his view has no real basis; one of their own well known speakers, a chairman of their Anjuman, clearly explained:

“Thirtyseven years have passed since the day we started our work here in Lahore; but it is discouraging to note that, so far, we have failed to emerge out of the four walls, hemming us in… Spirited discussions take place as to what are the causes of the disappointing stalemate, wherein we find ourselves bogged down. Some of us argue that the Qadian Section’s view that the Promised Messiah was a Prophet, and those who rejected this claim were kafirs, not Muslims, really speaking, has filled the public mind with a strong poison against the Ahmadiyya Movement, creating a gulf not easy to be bridged… In spite of the hurdles created by these beliefs, on the part of the Qadian Section, the steady progress of that Section continues… My view is that the reason for lack of progress, on our side, lies in the fact that our Centre does not hold any attraction. We have, before us, a number of young men whose fathers, or grandfathers, were ardent members of the Movement; but that spirit and ardour seems to have flown out of their own hearts.” (Address by Al-Hajj Sheikh Mian Muhammad, published in Paigham-i-Sulha, February 6, 1952, page 7, column 1)

Now let us think. Why doesn’t their Centre hold any attraction for young men, whose fathers and grandfathers were devoted, ardent members of the Movement? As far as we have been able to see, the reason is their Centre lacks the attraction and magnetism of the person and office of a duly elected Khalifa as a strong focal point for the new and old followers of the Movement, a rallying cry, and a propellant force.

The Lahore Section has given preference to an Anjuman over an elected head of the Movement, as the final supreme authority in all administrative affairs. The result is their administrative machinery has lost the sweetness and the authority of a compelling personality, and office to inspire sacrifice and endeavour. No wonder then that the inner content of the Movement, and the urge for a sustained endeavour has flown out of their hearts. Matters have reached a pass where even the experienced elders, on occasions, display defiance not discipline. In fact mature minds among them are found to concede that the administrative set up evolved by them has failed in its purpose. This is what one reads in a recent report from the General Secretary of their ideal, one might even say, their Idol Anjuman:

“Events and experience have borne out of the bitter reality that our success in the field of a proper propagation of the faith depends, in many ways, on the expansion of the Movement, and the strength we gain in numbers and material means available for work to be carried on. The great expectations we had fondly entertained in regard to our own peoples, the general body of the Muslims, that seeing the good work we were doing in the propagation of Islam, and our service to branches of knowledge connected with knowledge of the Holy Quran, they would gladly come forward, eager to join hands with us in these great works, have all proved to be the merest moonshine.” (Report of the 52nd Annual Meeting of Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at-i-Islam, page 5)

Again we read on the next page:

“For consolidation of the Movement, and for promoting goodwill and co-operation among members of the Movement the Promised Messiah had proposed that marriages of Ahmadi young men and women should take place in the membership of the Movement itself. It is very much to be regretted, however, that in spite of the efforts of the Anjuman implementation of the plan on our part has not been satisfactory. Young men usually marry outside the fold, while difficulty is experienced in finding suitable mates for girls coming of age. This is an unpleasant state of affairs which must be remedied with all possible speed. The wishes of the Imam of this Age must be honoured by us, and translated into action. The marriages of our young men and women should take place within the membership of the Movement itself, even at the cost of possible personal incovenience, or discomfort, in cases here and there,”

4. A general impression prevails in regard to the Lahore Section of the Ahmadiyya Movement, that members of this Section are not very serious in regard to their beliefs and practices. In the preface of the sixth edition of his book, entitled Qadiani Religion, Professor Ilyas Barni writes under Jama’at-Qadian ke Aqayid:

“Members of the Qadiani Section of the Ahmadiyya Movement which believes in all the claims of the Qadiani Mirza, does not deny his claim to Prophethood, nor try to be evasive on this point, as the Lahore Section does; nor do they display any measure of uncertianity, or a fickleness of the mind. The Qadiani Section is very popular. On the basis of its double-faced attitude, and in the name of Islam, the Lahore Section obtains a certain amount of financial support for its missionary activity, also from sources outside its regular membership. The Lahore Section necessarily holds faith in the Qadiani Mirza Saheb as a Mojaddid, Mehdi, and Masih-i-Maud ; and holds that denial of any of these claims turns a man into a fasiq ; it is very interesting to note that it keeps up a clamour, all the same, that the Qadiani Sect has done a great deal of harm to Islam by holding that those who reject the Mirza Saheb, they become kafirs on the basis of this denial. In other words, the well known proverb applies to them very well, namely, to hold out good advice to others, but to ignore the golden truth in one’s own attitude and actions.” (Preface, page 201)

Professor Ilyas Barni is quite correct when he says that the Lahore Section holds that those who deny the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement become fasiqs thereby. In his book, entitled Al-Nabuwwat fil Islam, page 185, Maulvi Mohammad Ali has stated very clearly that:

“to yield belief to the claim of a Mojaddid is essential, since failure to do so turns a man into fasiq .”

Again Maulvi Mohammad Ali has written on the same page:

“One who turns away from the Mojaddid of his time he dies in ignorance.”

Mr. Faruqi, for his book, has selected “Truth Triumps” as the title. He should now be in a position to see what kind of victory he is gaining against us, except that as the Promised Messiah has remarked in regard to many of his opponents that their foul mouth and shameless, abusive language they look upon as victory.

(b) Maulvi Abulhasan Ali Nadwi, Nazim Darul-ulum Nadwatul-Ulama, Lucknow, writes: “The Qadian, now Rabwah, Section of the Ahmadiyya Movement, of which the present Head is the eldest son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud, takes its basic stand on the belief that the Founder of the Movement was a Prophet. They maintain this stand with clearness, and a steadfast loyalty to the idea. Without doubt, this Section has plain and positive position, to which they stick with courage and strength of the moral fibre. Nor is there any room for doubt that they represent the true teaching of the Founder of the Movement. The position taken up by the Lahore Section, however, is strange, not so easy to grasp. One who happens to have read the works of Mirza Saheb finds that, without any shade of ambiguity, he claims he is a Prophet whose rejection involves kufr, plain and simple. (Qadianiat, page 200-201)

(c) A well known European Orientalist, Professor H.A.R. Gibb, formerly of Oxford University, writes:

“After the death of his (founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement) first Khalifa or Successor in 1914, the Ahmadiyya also split into two sections. The original or Qadiani branch maintained the founder’s claim to prophethood, and continued to recognise a Khalifa; the seceders, or Lahore Party, discarded both and formed themselves into a `Society for the Propagation of Islam’ under a new head. The Lahore branch subsequently endeavoured to become reconciled with orthodox Sunnism, though the Ulama still regard them with some suspicion.” (Mohammadanism, second edition, page 187)

(d) The Siyasat wrote:

“The statement on the part of the Lahore Section, that they hold the non-Ahmadi Muslims to be Muslims, not kafirs, appears to be hypocrisy, which Muslims should take care always to bear in mind.” ( Siyasat, February 19, 1935)

(e) “The cunning group of the Lahore Section of Ahmadies are in no way behind the Ahmadies of the Qadian Section in holding and saying, that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was a Prophet; and where you find them telling the general Muslims that they look upon the Founder of the Movement only as a Mohaddath and a Mojaddid, a very pious learned Muslim, not as Prophet, they are only trying to deceive, nothing more.” (Ehsan, February 25, 1935)

(f) The Zamindar wrote: “The Lahore Section of the Mirzais are far more dangerous for the Muslims.” (Zamindar, February 17, 1935)

5. Admission by Maulvi Mohammad Ali himself, He says:

“It is true literature produced by us has become very popular. But why has it not yielded the fruit it should have? The answer is there is no one here to do the work.” (Paigham-i-Sulha, May 19, 1937)

His point here is that the Section has failed to produce missionaries capable of gathering the harvest.

6. An other proof of failure of the Lahore Section lies in the lack of a proper adjustment between Maulvi Mohammad Ali himself and Maulvi Sadruddin, Amir of the Section these days, who kept Maulvi Mohammad Ali in torture for 21 years. The unpleasantness which characterised the relationship between these two leaders of the Section at last became so painfully acute that Maulvi Mohammad Ali found himself forced by his feelings to stipulate in his last Will and Testament that after his death, Maulvi Sadruddin should not be allowed to touch his body during the funeral rites before burial. But please note the irony of the situation: Maulvi Sadruddin, so unwelcome to Maulvi Mohammad Ali, was chosen to be the next Amir following Maulvi Mohammad Ali’s death.

At that time Maulvi Mohammad Ali happened to be in Karachi, from which place he wrote to a friend:

“My dear brother: I have just now received a copy of the notice sent to people outside, under the signature of seven members of the General Counsel, that on July 15 a meeting would be held at the Ahmadiyya Building at 11 a.m. which they should not fail to attend. The men at the back of this Notice are Dr. Ghulam Mohammad and Maulvi Sadruddin.

From the time when I recovered from my last illness these two, helped by Sh. Abdul Rahman Misri, have been doing their utmost in propaganda directed against me. Making a mountain of every molehill, they are creating serious disruption.”

Maulvi Mohammad Ali wrote further in this letter:

“Not only are they taking full advantage of my ill health, by forcing me to take up my pen on these matters, they are also aggravating the malady I am suffering from.”

He wrote further:

“By issuing this notice not only have they applied the axe to the basic administrative set up of the Jama’at, and created a spirit of rebellion against the Amir; in this season of extreme heat, Maulvi Sadruddin has also been on tour to some places, so that on the basis of his personal influence, he should set afloat many falsehoods against me.” (Letter, page 1)

7. On November 29, 1951, Begum Maulvi Mohammad Ali mailed a letter at Muslim Town, Post Office Ichhra, to a friend in India, a member of the Lahore Section of the Ahmadiyya Movement wherein she wrote :

“The entire life of our well beloved Maulvi Mohammad Ali was clear and bright, like a shining star. The work he has done, and the books he has written, bear witness to this effect. Unfortunately, however, his greatness has created jealousies in the heart of scores of people in the membership of the Section itself: they have been creating hurdles in his path, for a number of years in the past.” (Letter under reference, page 2)

On page 4 of the same letter, she wrote:

“To perpetuate publication of his Translation of the Holy Quran, he created a Trust, while the mischief-mongers worked up a storm against him, setting afloat a number of absurd accusations against him, even going to the length of saying he had turned back from the Movement and he had misappropriated funds.”

On page 5, she wrote further :

“Due to the mental harassment of this propaganda, Maulvi Sahib’s health deteriorated, and finally these worries and anxieties took his life. Medical opinion stands agreed that these griefs were the cause of his death.

On page 6 she wrote:

“(He) wrote out a Will, and sent it to Sheikh Mian Mohammad that the seven men behind this plan, under whose signatures the circular was issued, and who were led by Maulvi Sadruddin, should not touch his body during the funeral rites, before burial, nor should anyone of this number be allowed to lead the Janaza prayer over him, instructions and wishes which were fully observed and honoured.”

On pages 7 & 8 she wrote:

“Although Maulvi Sadruddin has been elected Amir, all the authority and power has been placed in the hands of AI-Hajj Sheikh Mian Mohammad, appointed President of the Anjuman.”

On page 8 she wrote further:

“During the last few days of his life, the late Amir wrote out a statement to which he gave the following title: A Painful Page from My Life . This statement shall be placed before the General Counsel at the Annual Jalsa. The intention also is that it should be put into print, to be distributed to the members of the General Counsel. I will send a copy to you as well.”

In the course of the Letter, under reference, Begum Mohammad Ali has disclosed many more painful happenings; but for the present we think what we have put down would be enough.

Very early after the commencement of his Khilafat, God had informed Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, Muslih Mau’ud by means of an Ilham (Revelation) that He would tear apart his opponents; and the reader is now in a position to see for himself how all these things have come to pass; see for himself who has been successful, and who has failed.

Here is something even more surprising. Dr. Ghulam Mohammad so active in co-operation with Maulvi Sadruddin against Maulvi Mohammad Ali now turned against Maulvi Sadruddin himself, the new Amir of the Lahore Section, following the death of Maulvi Mohammad Ali. During the period of Presidentship of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at-i-Islam, Lahore, under Maulvi Sadruddin as Amir, Dr. Ghulam Mohammad issued a circular, in which he wrote:

“In fact it does not matter what kind of administrative machinery you set up, it will not succeed, unless you put all the authority in the hands of Maulvi Sahib (i.e. Maulvi Sadruddin). To quote his own words he is power hungry. Unless he gathers all the power in his own hands, disruption, discontent and differences of opinion, in a rising violence of expression would continue unabated. But the day when the Jama’at at last prepares to take that step it would mean the end of the activities of the Ahmadiyya Movement (as far as the activities of the Lahore Section are concerned). What the last Amir, Maulvi Mohammad Ali, and Kh. Kamaluddin have written about Maulvi Sadruddin, every word of these assessments has turned out to be remarkably accurate. His attempt to call a meeting of the Board of Trustees, in the prevailing circumstances, is tantamount to spreading disruption and discontentment. When matters have reached such a pass, friends should dissuade him from activities which breed confusion.” Then follows the signature, (Ahmadiyya Building, Lahore, March 25, 1959).

Is this what Mr. Faruqi would describe as “victory”? If so, what is failure, disruption and confusion? Here are a few words used by Maulana Mohammad Yaqub, another stalwart of the Lahore Section:

“The Movement has become a corpse devoid of life from which a few people are tearing off the flesh, and eating it up.” (Paigham-i-Sulha, January 24, 1954)

Thus we can see for ourselves that the people who tried to place obstacles in the way of fulfilment of the wishes expressed by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, in regard to a Successor in the office of Khilafat, they have utterly failed in this aim; while the institute of Khilafat has driven strong roots into the rich soil of the Ahmadiyya Movement, as upheld by the Qadiani Section, under the control and inspiration of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, the membership of the Movement is leaping forward steadily, at home and abroad.

An Important Event

In 1936, a question came into prominence that members of the Ahmadiyya, Anjuman Isha’at-i-Islam, Lahore, who were also members of Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam, Lahore, should be turned out from Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam. In this connection, two members of the Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam, Maulvi Ahmad Ali, Amir Khuddamuddin, and Mian Abdul Hamid, Barrister at-Law, addressed a few questions to Maulvi Mohammad Ali for answer. One of these questions was to the following effect :

“Has your belief in regard to him (founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement) all along been the same, or has it undergone any change? If it has always been the same, as it is taken to be now, so far so good. But in case it has changed, what has it been in the past, and what is it now? What has been the cause of this change?”

If Maulvi Mohammad Ali had made no alteration in his belief, in regard to the Prophethood of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, he could have very easily, very briefly, very precisely, answered this question simply by saying that his belief in regard to the matter had always been the same as it was now. Maulvi Mohammad Ali, however, did not have the moral courage to make this reply. What he wrote back was:

“If you are seeking to issue some fatwa in regard to Ahmadies of the Lahore Section, the beliefs of our Section are available in print. They have no connection with any writing of mine of thirty years ago. On the basis of these beliefs, you are free to issue any fatwa you want to. If it is a question of a fatwa concerning me, personally, then a fatwa buttressed with passages written thirty years ago, may not be of any use.” (Paigham-i-Sulha, January 3, 1936, page 9, column 1)

But in spite of this reply, members of Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at-i-Islam, Lahore, who were also members of the Anjuman Himayati-Islam, Lahore, were turned out of the latter institution, on the plea that their views on Khatm-i-Nabuwwat could not be tolerated. Thus we find that Gibb’s assessment of the Lahore Section of Ahmadies was correct that later they attempted to get absorbed virtually in the general body of the Muslims, but the Ulama have continued to look upon them with suspicion. (Mohammadanism, page 187, second edition)

Dr. Mirza Yaqub Beg, a prominent member of the Lahore Section of Ahmadies, was a member of the General Counsel of the Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam, and the medical consultant for the Islamia College hostel. The treatment he received from the Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam should be an eye-opener for any one with a measure of self-respect. The Paigham-i-Sulha has thus described the event of a decree of kufr issued in this connection, to the following effect:

“A fatwa of kufr was issued in regard to the Ahmadies, a boycott proposed, and carried out, in the sense that no Ahmadi could be taken into the employment of the Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam; nor could any Ahmadi be given any scholarship or stipend. Mirza Yaqub Beg was a member of the General Counsel of the Anjuman. He opposed this Resolution in the meeting. He urged that a sober and sedate institution, like the Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam should remain far above the general level of issuing fatwas of kufr. There at, a member with a number of degrees to his credit, in all likelihood very much younger than Dr. Mirza Yaqub Beg, flew into a temper and insisted in an insulting manner on a fatwa of kufr being passed in regard to the Ahmadies. Hazrat Mirza Yaqub Beg was so heavily shocked by this incident that he became red in the face. He walked out of the meeting, and went straight home. While still going up the steps, he had a seizure, then passed away about ten or twelve days afterwards. In other words, this was the reward extended to an old and sincere venerable worker, by the Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam.” (Paigham-i-Sulha, November 3, 1943, page 6)

God grant that our straying brothers learn a lesson from this incident and come back into the fold of a real brotherhood, to which the Promised Messiah had very lovingly introduced them.

This incident left a deep and very painful impression upon Maulvi Mohammad Ali as well, that the Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam also had issued a fatwa of kufr against even the Lahore Section of Ahmadies who, so repeatedly, were trying to convince them that they looked upon them as Muslims, not kafirs . The resentment rising in the heart of Maulvi Mohammad Ali in connection with this incident was so keen that he himself gave a fatwa of kufr against the people concerned, that they themselves were the deniars of Khatm-i-Nabuwwat. Here is the relevant portion of the announcement given by Maulvi Mohammad Ali:

(a) “People who do not believe in the appearance of any new Prophet, but believe in an old and earlier Prophet to appear a second time, after the Holy Prophet Mohammad, they also deny Khatm-i-Nabuwwat, quite as much, and to the same extent, as they who believe that a new Prophet can come after the advent of the Holy Prophet Mohammad.”

(b) “The truth is that at the present juncture, apart from the Lahore Section of the Ahmadies, there seems to be no one who really believes in the real Islamic Khatm-i Nabuwwat .” (Paigham-i-Sulha, October 11, 1944)

Earlier, in 1941, Maulvi Mohammad Ali had stated his belief in principle in the following words:

“Without doubt, I hold that anyone who denies Khatm-i-Nabuwwat, he is irreligious, and out of the pale of Islam.” (Paigham-i-Sulha, January 27, 1941)

In the presence of this quotation we are fully justified in holding this logical conclusion that in the eyes of Maulvi Mohammad Ali, with the exception of the Lahore Section of Ahmadies, all other reciters of the Kalima are outside the pale of Islam.

We wonder how Mr. Faruqi would adjust his views in the face of this clear statement by Maulvi Mohammad Ali ?

8. Maulvi Mohammad Ali, and his friends, have repudiated the Khilafat of the second Successor of the Promised Messiah; but during his Amart, the Lahore Section elected three Khalifas, in the sense acceptable in their eyes, namely, Maulvi Ghulam Husain of Peshawar, Syed Hamid Shah of Sialkot, and Khawaja Kamaluddin. (Paigham-i-Sulha, March 24, 1914)

The first two, out of this trio, accepted the Khilafat of Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, while Khawaja Kamaluddin cut his mission in Woking, England, clean from any control by the Ahmadiyya Isha’at-i-Islam, Lahore. (Paigham-i-Sulha, January 27, 1931, page 6, column 2)

Toward the close of his life, Khawaja Kamaluddin saw in a dream what he has himself described as follows :

“In front of the throne was a room where the accused had to stand in the dock… Maulvi Mohammad Ali was with me… It appeared there was some case against us, we were present in the court as the accused, facing trial. I understood there was decision from the throne of the Almighty, which Hazrat Mirza Sahib rose to announce, though he too seemed to be in the grip of fear. But he announced the verdict, in a voice full of anger.”

Khawaja Kamaluddin published this dream in his book, entitled Mojaddid-i-Kamil, and raised some objections against the way affairs of the Anjuman Isha’at-i-Islam, Lahore, was functioning, which drew a long reply from Maulvi Mohammad Ali. (Paigham-i-Sulha . January, 27, 1931)

May I beg to ask, Mr. Faruqui, if these eight points, I have here touched upon, constitute a sign of your victory?

Despair of the Lahore Section

Now I come to the end of this Foreword, on a note of despair discernable in the mind, and affairs, of the Lahore Section. The Paigham-i-Sulha wrote:

“Some people with a poor grasp bear an idea in their mind which they express from time to time. Since this century is drawing to its close, they argue, the Movement, started by the Mojaddid of the time, has reached the last stages of its life. Now only the coming Mojaddid of the next century would be able to put new life into it. To put a soul into this body is not our task: nor does it lie within our power.” (Paigham-i-Sulha, January 15, 1958, as quoted in Tarikh-i-Ahmadiyyat, Vol. V, page 143).”

At the end of this Foreword I have the pleasure to thank my friends who have given me assistance in this work. One of these is one of my old pupils, Maulvi Dost Mohammed Shahid, the learned author of the History of Ahmadiyyat, who has given me help in looking up some references. He has also extended to me the advantage of some of his views. Similarly I have to express my thanks to another pupil of mine, Dr. Syed Zahur Ahmad Shah, Waqif-i-Zindagi, to whom I have dictated a large part of this work, a labour of love, which he undertook and performed with diligence and evident pleasure. And last, but not least, the reverend, and venerable Hafiz Mukhtar Ahmad, Shahjahanpuri, in spite of old age, and a consequent weakness of health, to whom I read out the MS and received the benefit of his learned opinion with valuable suggestions for alterations here and there. May Allah extend to them all a reward in the form of His pleasure at the co-operation they have extended to me!

A humble worker of the Movement

Qazi Mohammad Nazir Lyallpuri

October 4, 1966