THE ESSENCE OF VOLUME II Extracts from the Writings, Speeches, Announcements and Discourses of the Promised Messiah Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian [May peace be upon him] Published under the auspices of Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Fifth Successor to the Promised Messiah [May Allah be his help] The Essence of Islam Volume II A rendering into English of Extracts from the writings, speeches, announcements and discourses of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Promised Messiah and Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at. Translated into English by: Chaudhry Muhammad Zafrullah Khan First Edition (1979): The London Mosque Second Edition (2004): Islam International Publications Ltd. Revised by: Munawar Ahmad Sa`eed Published by: Islam International Publications Ltd. ‘Islamabad’ Sheephatch Lane, Tilford, Surrey GU10 2AQ United Kingdom Printed in UK at: Raqeem Press Tilford, Surrey © Islam International Publications Ltd. ISBN: 1 85372 770 9 SUMMERY OF CONTENTS VOL. I & II VOL. I INTRODUCTION 1. ISLAM, THE TRUE AND LIVING FAITH 2. ALLAH THE EXALTED 3. THE HOLY PROPHETSA 4. THE HOLY QUR’AN VOL. II 1. ARABIC, THE MOTHER OF TONGUES 2. REVELATION, INSPIRATION, VISION AND DREAM 3. HADITH AND SUNNAH OF THE HOLY PROPHETSA 4. ANGELS 5. PRAYER 6. REPENTANCE AND SEEKING FORGIVENESS 7. SALVATION 8. THE PILLARS OF ISLAM 9. FIGHTING IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH 10. DIVINE DECREES AND DETERMINATION 11. RIGHTEOUSNESS 12. ARROGANCE 13. THINKING ILL OF OTHERS 14. PUNISHMENT IN THIS WORLD 15. THE SOUL 16. RESURRECTION 17. HEAVEN AND HELL 18. THE PURPOSE OF CREATION iii CONTENTS VOLUME II ARABIC, THE MOTHER OF TONGUES.....................................1 ARE LANGUAGES THE INVENTION OF MAN?....................................2 ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE BOOK MINAN-UR-RAHMAN....................4 WHY ARABIC IS SUPERIOR TO OTHER LANGUAGES?.......................5 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOLY QUR’AN.......................................6 SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ARABIC........................................11 FACULTY OF SPEECH IS THE BASIC REALITY OF MAN...................15 TWO ASPECTS OF THE MERCY OF GOD..........................................18 THE CONNOTATION OF SOME ARABIC WORDS..............................21 THE WORD ‘FATHER’ IS DEROGATORY TO GOD............................25 REVELATION, INSPIRATION, VISION AND DREAM..........31 THE HIDDEN WORLD OF REVELATION...........................................32 MAN’S ABILITY TO RECEIVE REVELATION....................................37 NON-PROPHETS CAN ALSO RECEIVE REVELATION........................38 REVELATION: THE HIGHEST STAGE OF DIVINE UNDERSTANDING.40 THE NECESSITY OF REVELATION...................................................43 WHAT IS REVELATION?.................................................................47 REVELATION PROVIDES COMFORT IN DISTRESS............................50 REVELATION IS A MEANS OF SALVATION......................................52 FINE THOUGHT IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH REVELATION.........55 THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN CREATION AND COMMAND...............56 REVELATION AND PSYCHIC PHENOMENA......................................62 MAN’S KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSE IS DEFECTIVE..................63 HOW REVELATION IS RECEIVED....................................................66 VARIOUS FORMS OF REVELATION.................................................67 THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE REVELATION........................................72 MAN POSSESSES A DIVERSITY OF INTELLIGENCE..........................74 A RECIPIENT OF GRACE MUST HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ALMIGHTY..............................................................................76 THREE HALLMARKS OF DIVINE REVELATION................................79 SATANIC REVELATION IS A REALITY.............................................81 CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE REVELATION....................................84 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SATANIC AND DIVINE REVELATION........86 THE FUNCTION OF REASON...........................................................96 THE LAW OF NATURE DEMANDS REVELATION...........................107 v v i Table of Contents THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS THE ONLY OPEN BOOK................117 TRUE UNITY OF GOD CANNOT BE REALIZED WITHOUT DIVINE REVELATION...............................................................................122 THE TYPE OF PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE HEAVENLY SIGNS........124 THREE KINDS OF DREAMS...........................................................126 REVELATION OF TRIAL AND REVELATION OF EXALTATION........127 HADITH AND THE SUNNAH OF THE HOLY PROPHETSA129 SOURCES OF ISLAMIC GUIDANCE................................................129 AUTHORITATIVE BOOKS.............................................................132 BOOK OF ALLAH TO BE PREFERRED TO ALL................................133 AUTHENTICITY OF AHADITH.......................................................134 ANGELS........................................................................................141 ANGELS ARE EXTERNAL MEANS OF THE FULFILMENT OF OUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS.......................................................................143 INDEPENDENT EXISTENCE OF ANGELS........................................147 ANGELS CARRY OUT APPROPRIATE DUTIES...............................148 THREE TYPES OF ANGELS...........................................................149 ANGELS DO NOT MOVE FROM THEIR APPOINTED PLACES...........149 ANGELS ARE THE LIFE OF THE PLANETS......................................151 ANGELS SOMETIMES APPEAR IN HUMAN FORM..........................152 ASCENT AND DESCENT OF ANGELS.............................................154 ANGELS ARE THE CAUSE OF EVERY CHANGE..............................155 TWO SYSTEMS FOR THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE UNIVERSE158 SHOOTING STARS AND SATAN....................................................159 MAN RANKS HIGHER THAN ANGELS...........................................161 THE TRUE MEANING OF PROSTRATION TO MAN.........................163 EVERY ANGEL PERFORMS A SPECIFIC DUTY...............................163 THREE FUNCTIONS OF GABRIEL..................................................169 ANGELS DESCEND WITH THE ADVENT OF A KHALIFAH................173 THE HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDS ACCORDING TO ONE’S DEGREE OF LOVE AND SINCERITY.................................................................177 ANGELS CAN BE SEEN.................................................................178 ANGELS ARE MEDIATORS FOR THE SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF MAN............................................................................................178 ANGELS DISTRIBUTE AND REGULATE MATTERS.........................180 FUNCTIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SATAN.............................182 THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST POINTS OF GOD’S CREATION..........185 vii Essence of Islam—II PRAYER........................................................................................187 PRAYER, ITS ACCEPTANCE, AND THE PRINCIPLE OF QUR’ANIC INTERPRETATION.........................................................................187 MIRACLES ARE WROUGHT BY PRAYER........................................192 THE EFFECT OF PRAYER IS GREATER THAN THE EFFECT OF FIRE193 PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL MEANS ARE NOT OUTSIDE DETERMINATION.........................................................................194 MUST ALL PRAYERS BE ACCEPTED?...........................................195 CONDITIONS OF ACCEPTANCE OF PRAYER...................................197 TO SUPPLICATE IS HUMAN AND TO RESPOND IS DIVINE..............198 ETIQUETTE OF PRAYER................................................................199 BE SINCERE AND DETERMINED...................................................200 TWO WAYS OF ACCEPTANCE OF PRAYER....................................203 WHAT IS PRAYER?.......................................................................206 PRAYER AND PLANNING ARE TWO NATURAL DEMANDS.............207 DIVINE ATTENTION IS DRAWN THROUGH PRAYER......................208 FOUR REASONS FOR OBLIGATORY PRAYERS...............................210 ACCEPTANCE OF PRAYER IS A TRUE MEANS OF GOD’S RECOGNITION..............................................................................210 DIVINE DETERMINATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF PRAYERS...........212 PRAYER IS A KIND OF DEATH......................................................213 THREE CONDITIONS FOR ACCEPTANCE OF PRAYER.....................214 GOD TREATS FAVOURITES AS FRIENDS.......................................216 WHY EVEN THE PRAYERS OF PERFECT PEOPLE ARE NOT ALWAYS ACCEPTED...................................................................................218 WHY ACCEPTANCE OF SUPPLICATIONS IS SOMETIMES DELAYED221 DO NOT BE IMPATIENT AND HASTY.............................................222 GOD COMES CLOSER THROUGH PRAYER.....................................226 ACCEPTANCE OF PRAYER DEMANDS EAGERNESS.......................229 HUMBLE PRAYER ........................................................................233 REPENTANCE AND SEEKING FORGIVENESS...................235 MEANING OF TAUBAH (REPENTANCE)..........................................235 REPENTANCE WASHES OUT THE STAINS OF SIN...........................237 MAN TURNS TO GOD WITH REMORSE AND GOD TURNS TO MAN WITH MERCY...............................................................................239 THREE CONDITIONS FOR REPENTANCE........................................240 THE MEANING OF ISTIGHFAR.......................................................241 ISTIGHFAR HAS PRIORITY OVER REPENTANCE.............................245 v i i i Table of Contents ISTIGHFAR IS A SPIRITUAL EXERCISE...........................................245 GATES OF GOD’S GRACE ARE NEVER CLOSED............................246 SALVATION COMES FROM GOD’S GRACE....................................248 SALVATION.................................................................................249 THE TRUE MEANING OF SALVATION...........................................249 THE CAUSE OF SPIRITUAL DECLINE............................................251 FAITH WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING IS NOT ENOUGH FOR SALVATION.................................................................................254 WHY SINS ARE COMMITTED AND HOW THEY CAN BE AVOIDED.256 TRUE SALVATION IS BESTOWED IN THIS VERY WORLD..............259 LOVE OF GOD LEADS TO SALVATION..........................................260 HOW TO ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD...........................264 FACULTIES FOR SEEING GOD CAN BE DEVELOPED IN THIS VERY WORLD.......................................................................................269 WHO DESERVES SALVATION?.....................................................271 PROPHETS ARE MIRRORS OF GOD’S COUNTENANCE...................272 THE VEDAS REPRESENT GOD AS VENGEFUL...............................272 CHRISTIAN CONCEPT OF SALVATION IS CONTRARY TO JUSTICE AND MERCY................................................................................275 SALVATION IS ONLY POSSIBLE THROUGH GRACE.......................277 REPENTANCE, ISTIGHFAR, AND INTERCESSION AS MEANS OF SALVATION.................................................................................279 THE CURSE OF SIN CANNOT BE TRANSFERRED............................281 NO CONTRADICTION BETWEEN DIVINE JUSTICE AND MERCY....282 DEATH IS NOT THE FRUIT OF SIN.................................................283 WAS JESUS FREE FROM INHERITED SIN?.....................................284 DID CRUCIFIXION SAVE CHRISTIANS FROM SIN?........................286 BELIEF IN KALIMAH....................................................................289 THE PILLARS OF ISLAM.........................................................293 SALAT LEADS TO GOD................................................................295 WHAT IS SALAT?.........................................................................297 SALAT STRENGTHS A BELIEVER’S SPIRITUAL FACULTIES...........300 SALAT SHOULD BE OFFERED IN THE MOST BEFITTING MANNER 303 SUPPLICATION DURING SALAT....................................................303 RECITATION OF AL-FATIHAH IN SALAT......................................304 SALAT TO BE OFFERED IN ARABIC..............................................304 SUPPLICATIONS MAY BE OFFERED IN ONE’S OWN VERNACULAR305 THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE FIVE DAILY PRAYERS.........................306 ix Essence of Islam—II SALAT PROTECTS FROM SIN........................................................308 SIGNIFICANCE OF POSTURES IN SALAT........................................308 THE REAL SALAT........................................................................309 SALAT, SUPPLICATION, AND CERTAINTY OF FAITH.....................310 SALAT MEANS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN’S SERVITUDE AND GOD’S PROVIDENCE....................................................................310 SALAT PURIFIES THE SPIRIT AND FAST ILLUMINATES THE HEART313 THE PURPOSE OF FASTING IS PURIFICATION................................316 THE INSTITUTION OF HAJJ...........................................................317 THE PAYING OF ZAKAT.................................................................317 JIHAD WITH THE SWORD.......................................................319 TAKING UP ARMS AGAINST A JUST NON-MUSLIM GOVERNMENT IS NOT PERMITTED.......................................................................324 PROHIBITION OF THE USE OF FORCE............................................325 THE PROMISED MESSIAH WILL NOT FIGHT DISBELIEVERS WITH SWORD........................................................................................328 THE PROMISED MESSIAH WAS TO PUT AN END TO WAR.............329 DIVINE DECREE AND DETERMINATION............................335 TWO TYPES OF DIVINE DECREES.................................................336 PRAYER AND DIVINE DETERMINATION ARE JUXTAPOSED...........336 TWO ASPECTS OF PRAYER...........................................................337 MAN WILL HAVE NOTHING BUT WHAT HE STRIVES FOR..............340 GOD DOES NOT CONDEMN PEOPLE WITHOUT CAUSE.................343 RIGHTEOUSNESS.......................................................................347 ELEMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS...................................................347 RIGHTEOUSNESS IS ESSENTIAL FOR HEAVENLY KNOWLEDGE.....349 QUALITIES OF THE RIGHTEOUS....................................................351 ARROGANCE...............................................................................355 WHAT IS ARROGANCE?...............................................................355 DO NOT IDOLIZE ME....................................................................357 FORMS OF ARROGANCE AND MEANS OF PURIFICATION...............357 THINKING ILL OF OTHERS....................................................363 PUNISHMENT IN THIS WORLD..............................................367 WHY SOME DISBELIEVERS ARE PUNISHED IN THIS WORLD.........368 x Table of Contents HOW WRONGDOERS ARE PUNISHED............................................370 PUNISHMENT FOLLOWS UPON MISCONDUCT...............................373 IMPOSTURE IS PUNISHED IN THIS WORLD....................................375 FALSE PROPHETS ARE NOT GRANTED RESPITE............................378 THE SOUL....................................................................................381 THE SOUL IS CREATED OUT OF NOTHING BY THE COMMAND OF ALLAH........................................................................................383 THE VEDAS PRESENT GOD AS IMPERFECT...................................383 ALLAH CAN CREATE OUT OF NOTHING.......................................385 THE SOUL IS THE CREATION OF GOD...........................................389 A SOUL BEREFT OF ITS QUALITIES IS DEAD................................394 QUALITIES OF THE SOUL.............................................................401 THE DOCTRINE OF TRANSMIGRATION IS FALSE..........................402 BIRTH OF THE SOUL....................................................................404 BODY AND SPIRIT ARE CONTINUOUSLY RENEWED.....................406 BODY IS THE MOTHER OF THE SOUL...........................................406 RELATIONSHIP OF THE SOUL WITH GRAVES................................407 RESURRECTION.........................................................................411 THREE STATES OF EXISTENCE.....................................................411 A NEW BODY IS BESTOWED IN THE GRAVE................................414 NATURE OF THE HEREAFTER.......................................................415 THREE QUR’ANIC INSIGHTS ABOUT THE HEREAFTER..................419 IN THE HEREAFTER SPIRITUAL CONDITIONS WILL BECOME VISIBLE.......................................................................................423 THERE WILL BE CONTINUOUS PROGRESS IN HEAVEN..................424 HEAVEN AND HELL..................................................................427 TWO GARDENS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS..........................................429 THE TORMENT AND COMFORT OF THE GRAVE IS PERCEIVED THROUGH THE BODY...................................................................437 THE PHILOSOPHY OF PUNISHMENT IN THE HEREAFTER...............439 TORMENT IS THE RESULT OF MAN’S ACTIONS............................441 NATURE OF THE BLESSINGS OF PARADISE...................................442 A PERSON’S HEAVEN IS GENERATED WITHIN HIM......................442 THE NATURE OF THE BOUNTIES OF HEAVEN...............................448 THE WRATH OF GOD HAS A SPIRITUAL PHILOSOPHY..................451 HELL IS NOT EVERLASTING........................................................452 HE WHO DEVOTES HIS LIFE TO THE CAUSE OF GOD IS A MARTYR453