Prophecies of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Encyclopedia
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
is known to have made many prophecies during his lifetime. Some were of an intuitive nature, pertaining to everyday matters or events which are said to have been fulfilled immediately after having been foreseen and may be seen as remote viewing
. Some of greater significance are believed to have been fulfilled during his lifetime; some, according to his followers, were fulfilled after his death, whilst some await fulfillment. Others, according to his critics, seemed to have been proven wrong.
The Deputy Inspector General of Punjab Police in 1928 stated that Ghulam Ahmad was a cause of great unrest due to the prophecies he made concerning the deaths of his adversaries. A commentator even blamed his "uncanny knack of predicting the demise of his key enemies" for making a lot of Hindu enemies.
One aspect upon which he based the validity of his claims was the fulfillment of prophecies made by him. These prophecies or 'hidden matters' and the knowledge or awareness of events that had not yet come to pass were, he claimed disclosed to him by God often through visions, dreams and verbal revelation
.
As was his practice he published it in both Urdu and English newspapers as well as periodicals of the community. By this time the Iranian Shah
, Mozzafar-al-Din was already in a secure position and had accepted proposals for creating a Majles (a National Consultative Assembly or parliament) which proved to be successful and gained the king much popularity. He died soon after and was succeeded by his son Mohammad Ali Shah, the last ruler of the Qajar dynasty of Persia.
This prophecy is believed to have been fulfilled during the reign of Mohammad Ali Shah, when growing tensions began to rise between the parliament and the King leading him to dissolve the Parliament which was shelled and destroyed. These events gave birth to a general rebellion involving many major cities of Iran. The administration was taken over by the Nationalists and democrats. The king began moving the treasury and his personal effects to Russia and the Shah's palace is said to have been a place of growing anxiety during this period. In time, the Nationalists grew in popularity and formed many alliances while the Kings position was weakened and he was forced to declare his acceptance of parliamentary government. The Cossacks who formed the Shah's body-guard also joined the revolutionaries. In 1909 the Shah and his family fled the palace and sought refuge in the Russian embassy and autocracy was replaced by democracy.
The prophecy was believed to have been fulfilled again with the onset of the Iranian Revolution
He claims to have interpreted this to mean that two of his followers would be killed and that as a result general destruction would overtake the country in which they were killed.
Ahmad's followers claim that this was fulfilled twenty years later in two separate incidents when Ahmad's books found their way to Afghanistan
. After reading Ahmad's books, Sayyed Abdul Latif
decided to send one of his disciples (Maulvi Abdur Rahman) to Qadian
in order to meet Ahmad. He gave Rahman permission to offer Latif's allegiance if Rahman felt convinced. Rahman was convinced, took an oath of allegiance, and returned to Afghanistan with more of Ahmad's books. He brought the books to Emir Habibullah Khan to proselytize. Rahman was executed by strangling.
A few years later, Latif left Afghanistan for Qadian in order to meet Ahmad before starting on the Hajj
(pilgrimage to Mecca). After having stayed at Qadian him for a few months, her returned to Afghanistan to proselytize to his King. Upon reaching Khost
, he wrote to some courtiers who decided to have him arrested and brought to Kabul. The Emir asked him to renounce his beliefs and recant, but Latif refused. He was then stoned to death before a large crowd. Ahmad's followers claim that Kabul experienced a cholera epidemic within a month of the stoning.
The English traveler, Frank A. Martin, who was for many years Engineer-in-Chief to the government of Afghanistan, recalls this event in his book thus:
He also reports on many other cholera epidemics that took place in Afghanistan during his time there.
throne Duleep Singh
was sent away to England, and was to stay there until British rule became established in the Punjab. After the events of the Indian Mutiny of 1857 the young prince decided to return, which was consequentially much anticipated by his supporters. At this time Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is said to have predicted the failure of his return. He claimed to have received knowledge from God that the prince will not return, and will have to encounter some trouble, and had informed many people about this. This prediction is believed to have been fulfilled while the prince was on his journey back to India, the British government decided that the prince's return may be dangerous for the government and feared trouble. As his ship reached Aden
, he was stopped there and ordered back to England.
, was a contemporary of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Because of what Muslims characterised as his derogatory characterizations of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
and his anti-Islamic attitude, but was an analysis of Islam written "using Islamic histories written by and for Muslims", he was in constant conflict with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Upon his growing anti-Islamic behaviour and his demand for a sign, Ghulam Ahmad is said to have prayed and thus made aware of the imminent death of Lekh Ram who expressed his fearlessness upon such prophecies and insisted on a time limit. Ghulam Ahmad withheld the publication of any prophecy for a while in which he is said to have waited for further knowledge. Eventually he announced that Lekh Ram will meet a bitter end within six years from February 20, 1893.
In an announcement dated February 22, 1893 he stated:
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to have received multiple revelations regarding Lekh Ram's death and his likeness unto the golden calf
of Samri was a recurring theme in these prophecies. About one of his visions he wrote:
He also foretold that his death will take place on a day close to the festival of Eid:
Followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad believe that this prophecy was fulfilled on Saturday March 6, 1897 which happened to be a day after the festival of Eid, when Pandit Lekh Ram was brutally stabbed with a dagger by a stranger who it is said turned the knife round and round in his stomach thus cutting his entrails thoroughly. Lekh Ram died the next day. It is said that although his family was at home, and there were some men downstairs, near the gate at the time of the murder, no one saw any person entering or leaving the house. His body was subsequently cremated in accordance with Hindu
custom and the remains dispersed of in a river. There was a police investigation but it failed to apprehend the murderer.
In his book Siraj-e-Munir Ghulam Ahmad recalls a revelation which he claimed to have received:
Commenting upon this he wrote:
He further issued an announcement:
By this time the plague had not spread. Though some research was carried out in Bombay. Subsequently the plague spread throughout the whole of the Punjab, increasing in severity each year. Various kinds of treatments were tried by the British officials but to no avail. Eventually, Ghulam Ahmad claimed that he had been told in a dream that the Plague has gone but the fever remains after which, as is claimed by the Ahmadis, the plague began to decline steadily, having raged for nine years.
which devastated the valley of Karanga in 1905.
In 1885 Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to have received the following revelation:
And in December 1903 he published another revelation in Al-Hakam, December 24, 1903, warning of an impending earthquake. This was followed by another claiming that the earthquake will affect Punjab.
On June 8, 1904 the warning was repeated:
On April 3, 1905, a day before the earthquake Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to have received a revelation informing him that the hour of destruction that he had been informed about had arrived.
otherwise known as Ar-Rûm
in oriental and Islamic literature ruled over a large part of southern Europe, but having become subject to internal decline, became vulnerable towards the end of the 18th century to the advantage of Imperialist powers., and was called the "Sick man of Europe
". Following the Crimean war
and the peace treaty that was made between Russia and Turkey which lasted for several years. In 1904 Ghulam Ahmad claimed to have received the revelation which is identical to the Qur'anic verse
This was published In the monthly magazine Review of Religions. The Qur'anic verse is believed to have been fulfilled with the Battle of Issus (622)
. This verse of the Qur'an which Ghulam Ahmad claimed was also revelealed to him is believed to have been fulfilled with the occurrence of the Balkan wars
. When the Balkan league declared war on Turkey, conquered major parts of the Ottoman Empire and then began fighting among themselves over the spoils or the partition of Turkey among themselves. This gave Turkey some respite. It conscequently took advantage of the division among the Balkan league and managed to gain victory over and retake Adrianople along with the subjoining territory.
held discussion and debate with Ghulam Ahmad about the truthfulness of Islam and asked for a sign to prove that Islam was a living religion. In order to dedicate special prayers for this purpose, Ghulam Ahmad travelled to Hoshiarpur
where he spent 40 days in seclusion. Subsequently he announced on February 20, 1886 that God had vouchsafed to him the following revelation:
Though Ghulam Ahmad further declared on April 8, 1886 that it was disclosed to him that this son will be born within a period of nine years, however a few days after this announcement his wife, Nusrat Jehan gave birth to a daughter and his adversaries began alleging that his prophecy was proved false. Again in August 1887 a son was born to him but died in infancy, and again his critics alleged that the prophecy was falsified. Ghulam Ahmad pointed out that this son was the 'guest’ that was promised, and that the prophecy concerning the promised son began from the passage He will be accompanied by grace (Fazl) which shall arrive with him. On January 12, 1889, Mirza Mahmood Ahmad was born who is believed by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
to be the promised son and one who displayed in his person all the qualities mentioned in the prophecy.
and the downfall of the Russian Czar in the following prophecy, made in 1905 (see quoted words below for reference of full date)
Ahmadis claim that the prophecy has several parts that all indicate it as referring to World War I (for all references to the words of the revelation, see: http://www.alislam.org/books/invitation/arg10.html#L9):
1)The prophecy says that the earthquake will involve the whole world. But everybody knows that earthquakes never do that; they only involve parts of the world. Ahmadis point out that the word 'earthquake' is often used for war in the Qur'an:
2)The prophecy says the calamity will prove very hard on travellers. Ahmadis point out that World War 1 was greatly difficult for all travellers. Ahmnadis point out that earthquakes are not hardy on travellers but war certainly is. Ahmadis say that the word "earthquake" is an allegorical term as used in the Qur'an for War.
3) The prophecy points to the ill-effects of the calamity on farms, fields, etc.; Ahmadis again claim that earthquakes have no ill-effects on farms and fields, which are destroyed only by war. Shelling from both sides destroys them. Sometimes 'scorched-earth' policy destroys them.
4) The prophecy points to the ill-effects of the calamity on birds; they were to lose their 'senses' and their 'songs'. Again, Ahmadis claim ordinary earthquake can have no such effects. The vibrations only last for a time. If birds sitting on a tree or a building fly into the air, they experience no ill-effects whatever. A modern war, however, is very hard on birds. Day and night bombing and the destruction of trees is highly detrimental to bird-life. The birds either die or suffer greatly.
5) The Prophecy stated that the calamity would occur within 16 years of 1905. World War 1 began in 1914.
6) The prophecy contains the revelation 'I have saved Israel from detriment.' This indicates that the calamity was to result in some advantage for the Jews. Such a thing can have no connection with an ordinary earthquake. Ahmadis point out that the foundation of the state of Israel occurred primarily because of World War 1 and was laid while World War 1 was raging, when Lord Balfour declared in 1916 that the Jewish people would be settled in Palestine.
7)The revelations mention the repeated promise 'I will come suddenly with my armies' indicating a war.
8) A part of the prophecy stated 'Raise the anchor.' This points to the entry of different nations into naval encounters against one another. The command 'Raise the anchor' indicates the beginning of naval hostilities. Another revelation says, 'Boats sail that there be duels.' This is a picture of the vessels going in one direction and another in search of naval encounters.
9) The earthquake was to occur suddenly: 'I will come to thee with the armies and will come suddenly' states the revelation. Ahmadis point out that World War 1 began suddenly with the assassination of the Archduke, Franz Ferdinand.
10) A part of the revelation states: 'Avenues useful for Arabs. Arabs set out from their home.' Ahmadis point out that the Arabian people greatly benefited from World War 1, in that through it they fulfilled their long-desired wish of parting from the Ottoman Empire.
11) Another sign was the destruction of cities and places noted for their godlessness. 'I will obliterate habitations much as they have obliterated My name.' It is generally agreed that Eastern France was the worst part of Europe from the point of view of sensual indulgence. From this part was sent the wine consumed in different countries of Europe. It was also the rendezvous of pleasure-seekers from Western countries. In accordance with the prophecy this part suffered the most.
12) The prophecy states that 'Even the Czar at that moment will be in a pitiful condition'. Ahmadis point out that the office of Czar-hood is referred to here, and the end of the institution of the Czar as a whole. Ahmadis point out that World War 1 caused the downfall of the Czar as he was forced to sign a declaration that his family would never institute their monarchy over Russia again. Mirza Bashirrudin Ahmad, the second successor to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, writes:
"On November 7, Bolshevik revolutionaries dismissed the Kerensky government, and the condition of the Czar became so pitiful as to make the stoutest heart flinch. The Czar was removed from internment in the Royal Palace and taken from place to place, ultimately to Ekaterinburg. Here he was to have a taste of the tortures he used to inflict on prisoners serving sentences in Siberia...The Bolshevik government reduced his rations and ordinary comforts. His sick child was beaten by ill-mannered guards. The parents had to watch. His daughters were maltreated. Even these tortures did not satiate the revolutionaries. They invented new penalties and new pains. One day, when the Czarina was present under compulsion, the virgin daughters of the Czar were raped by the soldiers. If the Czarina, unable to bear the sight, turned her face away, the soldiers would compel her to observe the inhuman scene. Witnessing these brutalities and enduring more pains and poignancies than can have been endured by any mortal, the Czar at last met his end. He was shot dead on July 16, 1918, and with him the entire royal family. The prophecy 'Even the Czar at that moment will be in a pitiful condition' was fulfilled literally."http://www.alislam.org/books/invitation/arg10.html#L9
Opponents of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad are largely silent about this prophecy. Others among his opponents state that the fulfillment of the prophecy is coincidental.
This statement is usually linked with an observation by Mohammed that venereal disease, described as a type of pestilence, always strikes the sexually permissive, and as such is commonly believed in Ahmadiyya circles to refer to the AIDS epidemic.
Ahmadis believe that this prophecy is being fulfilled by missionaries and by MTA International. Everywhere in the world are the missionaries. MTA International can be viewed everywhere in the globe.
within 15 months, in a debate, which Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's critics claim did not come to pass.
Ahmadiyya view
Ahmadiyya Muslims see this episode as reminiscent of the prophecy of the Biblical Prophet Jonah
to the city of Nineveh
. They answer the critics by claiming that the original prophecy which was published in the book Jang e Muqaddas was conditional upon Atham not inclining towards 'truth' as was stated: provided he does not incline towards truth. They argue that Atham was in constant fear and backed out of his Anti-Islamic stance for the 15 months of the prophecy. Ahmadiyya Muslims say that after much jubilation was shown by the opponents of Ahmad upon Atham being alive once the time limit of the original prophecy expired, Ghulam Ahmad invited him to swear on oath that he did not entertain the least thought of the truth of Islam and the falsehood of Christianity, offering him a promise of 4,000 rupees if he did.
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's critics claim that his repeated assertions that his marriage to Mohammadi Begum
was ordained by God were never fulfilled. He said:
and,
he also said:
However, Muhammadi Begum married an orthodox Muslim, Mirza Sultan Ahmad. They lived together for forty years after Ghulam Ahmad's death in 1908. Mirza Sultan Ahmad finally died in 1948 and Muhammadi Begum died in 1966, decades after Ghulam Ahmad's prophecies.
Ahmad's followers claim this was part of a turn by the Begums away from Islam, including denouncing Mohammed's marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh
. Ahmad's, commenting on a book with this condemnation in it, said:
He claims his prayer was answered and God revealed to him
Similarly the prophecy was further elaborated as:
Ahmadi Muslims claim that the prophecy read in totality shows that it was in parts and with the aim to bring the family of Muhamadi Begum to "turn to the truth and become repentant" (A'inah Kamalat Islam, page 569), and hence was conditional upon them not repenting. In fact Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was personally averse to the idea of this marriage as he wrote in a letter dated June, 20 1886, "Come what may, I am determined to keep away from and avoid this marriage until I am forced unto it by an express command of the Most High God." His followers point out that after Muhammadi Begum's marriage parts 1-3 of the prophecy were fulfilled as predicted, culminating in the death of Muhammadi Begum's father within 6 months of her marriage.
It is claimed that after fulfillment of the 3 parts, the stated conditions changed, i.e., the remaining family of Muhammadi Begum repented from turning away from Islam and hence the remaining parts of the prohecy did not to pass. In the word of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad:
He also wrote
The husband of Muhamadi Begum himself wrote in 1921, some years after Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's death.
Ahmadiyya view
The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement
believe that the prophecies related to the "promised son" are allegorical in nature, while the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
believe that the prophecy was fulfilled in the person of Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad
, the second Caliph.
that became rampant in Punjab
will not enter Qadian
, the dwelling place of Muhammad. However his critics point out that not only did the plague spread to Qadian, it also took the life of several people in his own house. He said:
Ahmadiyya view
Followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad do not however agree with this view. They maintain that only the true believers in Mirza Ghulam Ahmad were promised protection from the plague according to the prophecy, which they say was the case. It is also pointed out that the difference between the percentage of victims out of the followers of Ghulam Ahmad and that of other victims was highly significant.
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad participated in many Prayer Duel(mubahilah) (in which Mirza Ghulam Ahmad mentioned that Liar (the devited person) will die in the life of Honest (the person on the way of truth), however after Prayer Duel with Molvi Sanaullah Amratsari, Miza Ghulam Ahmad died in 1908 & Molvi Sanaullah Amratsari died in 1948.
Ahmadiyya view
Ahmadies argue that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad did challenge prayer duel(mubahilah) to Mulvi Sana Ullah .However, Mulvi Sana Ullah did not accepted the challenge of prayer duel.
He said
He also wrote
According the Islamic teaching it is necessary that second party accept the prayer duel (mubahilah).However, Mulvi Sana Ullah Amritsari did not accepted the prayer duel (mubhailla) challenge . Thats why alleging Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of false prophecy is not right.
Biographies:
Books:
Non-Ahmadiyya External links
Urdu links regadring Mohammadi Begam:
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Mīrzā Ghulām Aḥmad was a religious figure from India and the founder of the Ahmadiyya Community. He claimed to be the Mujaddid of the 14th Islamic century, the promised Messiah , and the Mahdi awaited by the Muslims in the end days...
is known to have made many prophecies during his lifetime. Some were of an intuitive nature, pertaining to everyday matters or events which are said to have been fulfilled immediately after having been foreseen and may be seen as remote viewing
Remote viewing
Remote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means, in particular, extra-sensory perception or "sensing with mind"...
. Some of greater significance are believed to have been fulfilled during his lifetime; some, according to his followers, were fulfilled after his death, whilst some await fulfillment. Others, according to his critics, seemed to have been proven wrong.
The Deputy Inspector General of Punjab Police in 1928 stated that Ghulam Ahmad was a cause of great unrest due to the prophecies he made concerning the deaths of his adversaries. A commentator even blamed his "uncanny knack of predicting the demise of his key enemies" for making a lot of Hindu enemies.
One aspect upon which he based the validity of his claims was the fulfillment of prophecies made by him. These prophecies or 'hidden matters' and the knowledge or awareness of events that had not yet come to pass were, he claimed disclosed to him by God often through visions, dreams and verbal revelation
Revelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...
.
The revolution of Persia
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is said to have prophesied the constitutional revolution of Iran when in January 1906 he claimed to have received the revelation:As was his practice he published it in both Urdu and English newspapers as well as periodicals of the community. By this time the Iranian Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
, Mozzafar-al-Din was already in a secure position and had accepted proposals for creating a Majles (a National Consultative Assembly or parliament) which proved to be successful and gained the king much popularity. He died soon after and was succeeded by his son Mohammad Ali Shah, the last ruler of the Qajar dynasty of Persia.
This prophecy is believed to have been fulfilled during the reign of Mohammad Ali Shah, when growing tensions began to rise between the parliament and the King leading him to dissolve the Parliament which was shelled and destroyed. These events gave birth to a general rebellion involving many major cities of Iran. The administration was taken over by the Nationalists and democrats. The king began moving the treasury and his personal effects to Russia and the Shah's palace is said to have been a place of growing anxiety during this period. In time, the Nationalists grew in popularity and formed many alliances while the Kings position was weakened and he was forced to declare his acceptance of parliamentary government. The Cossacks who formed the Shah's body-guard also joined the revolutionaries. In 1909 the Shah and his family fled the palace and sought refuge in the Russian embassy and autocracy was replaced by democracy.
The prophecy was believed to have been fulfilled again with the onset of the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
The Afghan martyrs
Ahmad claimed to have foretold the execution of two of his devout followers based on a revelation he claimed to have received:He claims to have interpreted this to mean that two of his followers would be killed and that as a result general destruction would overtake the country in which they were killed.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. After reading Ahmad's books, Sayyed Abdul Latif
Sahibzada Abdul Latif
Sahibzada Abdul Latif was an Afghan of Khost. He was born in Sayed Ga of Tani District in Khost Province, Afghanistan in 1853, to Sahibzada Mohmmad Shareef. He had two brothers, Sahibzada Abdul Aziz and Sahibzada Abdul Haleef...
decided to send one of his disciples (Maulvi Abdur Rahman) to Qadian
Qadian
Qadian is a small town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur District, north-east of Amritsar, situated north-east of Batala city in the state of Punjab, India....
in order to meet Ahmad. He gave Rahman permission to offer Latif's allegiance if Rahman felt convinced. Rahman was convinced, took an oath of allegiance, and returned to Afghanistan with more of Ahmad's books. He brought the books to Emir Habibullah Khan to proselytize. Rahman was executed by strangling.
A few years later, Latif left Afghanistan for Qadian in order to meet Ahmad before starting on the Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
(pilgrimage to Mecca). After having stayed at Qadian him for a few months, her returned to Afghanistan to proselytize to his King. Upon reaching Khost
Khost
Khost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan...
, he wrote to some courtiers who decided to have him arrested and brought to Kabul. The Emir asked him to renounce his beliefs and recant, but Latif refused. He was then stoned to death before a large crowd. Ahmad's followers claim that Kabul experienced a cholera epidemic within a month of the stoning.
The English traveler, Frank A. Martin, who was for many years Engineer-in-Chief to the government of Afghanistan, recalls this event in his book thus:
He also reports on many other cholera epidemics that took place in Afghanistan during his time there.
Prophecy concerning prince Duleep Singh
After the annexation of the Punjab by the British, the young heir to the SikhSikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
throne Duleep Singh
Duleep Singh
This article is about Maharaja Dalip Singh. For other uses, see Dalip SinghMaharaja Dalip Singh, GCSI , commonly called Duleep Singh and later in life nicknamed the Black Prince of Perthshire, was the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire...
was sent away to England, and was to stay there until British rule became established in the Punjab. After the events of the Indian Mutiny of 1857 the young prince decided to return, which was consequentially much anticipated by his supporters. At this time Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is said to have predicted the failure of his return. He claimed to have received knowledge from God that the prince will not return, and will have to encounter some trouble, and had informed many people about this. This prediction is believed to have been fulfilled while the prince was on his journey back to India, the British government decided that the prince's return may be dangerous for the government and feared trouble. As his ship reached Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, he was stopped there and ordered back to England.
Pandit Lekh Ram's assassination
Pandit Lekh Ram, a leader of the Arya SamajArya Samaj
Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda on 10 April 1875. He was a sannyasi who believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas. Dayananda emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya...
, was a contemporary of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Because of what Muslims characterised as his derogatory characterizations of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
and his anti-Islamic attitude, but was an analysis of Islam written "using Islamic histories written by and for Muslims", he was in constant conflict with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Upon his growing anti-Islamic behaviour and his demand for a sign, Ghulam Ahmad is said to have prayed and thus made aware of the imminent death of Lekh Ram who expressed his fearlessness upon such prophecies and insisted on a time limit. Ghulam Ahmad withheld the publication of any prophecy for a while in which he is said to have waited for further knowledge. Eventually he announced that Lekh Ram will meet a bitter end within six years from February 20, 1893.
In an announcement dated February 22, 1893 he stated:
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to have received multiple revelations regarding Lekh Ram's death and his likeness unto the golden calf
Golden calf
According to the Hebrew Bible, the golden calf was an idol made by Aaron to satisfy the Israelites during Moses' absence, when he went up to Mount Sinai...
of Samri was a recurring theme in these prophecies. About one of his visions he wrote:
He also foretold that his death will take place on a day close to the festival of Eid:
Followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad believe that this prophecy was fulfilled on Saturday March 6, 1897 which happened to be a day after the festival of Eid, when Pandit Lekh Ram was brutally stabbed with a dagger by a stranger who it is said turned the knife round and round in his stomach thus cutting his entrails thoroughly. Lekh Ram died the next day. It is said that although his family was at home, and there were some men downstairs, near the gate at the time of the murder, no one saw any person entering or leaving the house. His body was subsequently cremated in accordance with Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
custom and the remains dispersed of in a river. There was a police investigation but it failed to apprehend the murderer.
The Plague
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is said to have made numerous prophecies concerning the plague in the Punjab and issued multiple warnings against it. This plague was an occurrence of special significance within Ahmadiyya as it is believed to have been mentioned by earlier religious scriptures as one of the signs of the promised Messiah.In his book Siraj-e-Munir Ghulam Ahmad recalls a revelation which he claimed to have received:
Commenting upon this he wrote:
He further issued an announcement:
By this time the plague had not spread. Though some research was carried out in Bombay. Subsequently the plague spread throughout the whole of the Punjab, increasing in severity each year. Various kinds of treatments were tried by the British officials but to no avail. Eventually, Ghulam Ahmad claimed that he had been told in a dream that the Plague has gone but the fever remains after which, as is claimed by the Ahmadis, the plague began to decline steadily, having raged for nine years.
The great earthquake of Kangra
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is believed to have predicted the great earthquake of Karanga1905 Kangra earthquake
1905 Kangra earthquake was a major earthquake that occurred in the Kangra Valley and the Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh in India on 4 April 1905. The earthquake measured 7.8 on the surface wave magnitude scale and killed more than 20,000 people...
which devastated the valley of Karanga in 1905.
In 1885 Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to have received the following revelation:
And in December 1903 he published another revelation in Al-Hakam, December 24, 1903, warning of an impending earthquake. This was followed by another claiming that the earthquake will affect Punjab.
On June 8, 1904 the warning was repeated:
On April 3, 1905, a day before the earthquake Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to have received a revelation informing him that the hour of destruction that he had been informed about had arrived.
Prophecy concerning the Turkish Empire
The Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
otherwise known as Ar-Rûm
Rûm
Rûm, also Roum or Rhum , an indefinite term used at different times in the Muslim world to refer to the Balkans and Anatolia generally, and for the Byzantine Empire in particular, for the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm in Asia Minor, and referring to Greeks living outside of Greece or non-muslims...
in oriental and Islamic literature ruled over a large part of southern Europe, but having become subject to internal decline, became vulnerable towards the end of the 18th century to the advantage of Imperialist powers., and was called the "Sick man of Europe
Sick man of Europe
"Sick man of Europe" is a nickname that has been used to describe a European country experiencing a time of economic difficulty and/or impoverishment...
". Following the Crimean war
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
and the peace treaty that was made between Russia and Turkey which lasted for several years. In 1904 Ghulam Ahmad claimed to have received the revelation which is identical to the Qur'anic verse
This was published In the monthly magazine Review of Religions. The Qur'anic verse is believed to have been fulfilled with the Battle of Issus (622)
Battle of Issus (622)
The Battle of Issus, also known as the Third Battle of Issus, was the battle fought between the Eastern Roman Emperor Heraclius and the Sassanid Empire at the strategic ground near the small riverine town of Issus below the difficult inland mountains in 622, now in the Turkish Province of Hatay...
. This verse of the Qur'an which Ghulam Ahmad claimed was also revelealed to him is believed to have been fulfilled with the occurrence of the Balkan wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
. When the Balkan league declared war on Turkey, conquered major parts of the Ottoman Empire and then began fighting among themselves over the spoils or the partition of Turkey among themselves. This gave Turkey some respite. It conscequently took advantage of the division among the Balkan league and managed to gain victory over and retake Adrianople along with the subjoining territory.
The Promised Son
In the early years of the 1880s certain leaders of the Arya SamajArya Samaj
Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda on 10 April 1875. He was a sannyasi who believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas. Dayananda emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya...
held discussion and debate with Ghulam Ahmad about the truthfulness of Islam and asked for a sign to prove that Islam was a living religion. In order to dedicate special prayers for this purpose, Ghulam Ahmad travelled to Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur is a city and a municipal council in Hoshiarpur district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was founded, according to tradition, during the early part of the fourth century. In 1809 it was occupied by the forces of Maharaja Karanvir Singh and was united into the greater state of Punjab....
where he spent 40 days in seclusion. Subsequently he announced on February 20, 1886 that God had vouchsafed to him the following revelation:
Though Ghulam Ahmad further declared on April 8, 1886 that it was disclosed to him that this son will be born within a period of nine years, however a few days after this announcement his wife, Nusrat Jehan gave birth to a daughter and his adversaries began alleging that his prophecy was proved false. Again in August 1887 a son was born to him but died in infancy, and again his critics alleged that the prophecy was falsified. Ghulam Ahmad pointed out that this son was the 'guest’ that was promised, and that the prophecy concerning the promised son began from the passage He will be accompanied by grace (Fazl) which shall arrive with him. On January 12, 1889, Mirza Mahmood Ahmad was born who is believed by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
to be the promised son and one who displayed in his person all the qualities mentioned in the prophecy.
The death of John Alexander Dowie
See John Alexander Dowie#"Prayer Duel" with Mirza Ghulam AhmadThe World War of 1914 and downfall of the Russian Czar
Followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claim that one of his revelations clearly prophecies the onset of the first world warWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the downfall of the Russian Czar in the following prophecy, made in 1905 (see quoted words below for reference of full date)
Ahmadis claim that the prophecy has several parts that all indicate it as referring to World War I (for all references to the words of the revelation, see: http://www.alislam.org/books/invitation/arg10.html#L9):
1)The prophecy says that the earthquake will involve the whole world. But everybody knows that earthquakes never do that; they only involve parts of the world. Ahmadis point out that the word 'earthquake' is often used for war in the Qur'an:
2)The prophecy says the calamity will prove very hard on travellers. Ahmadis point out that World War 1 was greatly difficult for all travellers. Ahmnadis point out that earthquakes are not hardy on travellers but war certainly is. Ahmadis say that the word "earthquake" is an allegorical term as used in the Qur'an for War.
3) The prophecy points to the ill-effects of the calamity on farms, fields, etc.; Ahmadis again claim that earthquakes have no ill-effects on farms and fields, which are destroyed only by war. Shelling from both sides destroys them. Sometimes 'scorched-earth' policy destroys them.
4) The prophecy points to the ill-effects of the calamity on birds; they were to lose their 'senses' and their 'songs'. Again, Ahmadis claim ordinary earthquake can have no such effects. The vibrations only last for a time. If birds sitting on a tree or a building fly into the air, they experience no ill-effects whatever. A modern war, however, is very hard on birds. Day and night bombing and the destruction of trees is highly detrimental to bird-life. The birds either die or suffer greatly.
5) The Prophecy stated that the calamity would occur within 16 years of 1905. World War 1 began in 1914.
6) The prophecy contains the revelation 'I have saved Israel from detriment.' This indicates that the calamity was to result in some advantage for the Jews. Such a thing can have no connection with an ordinary earthquake. Ahmadis point out that the foundation of the state of Israel occurred primarily because of World War 1 and was laid while World War 1 was raging, when Lord Balfour declared in 1916 that the Jewish people would be settled in Palestine.
7)The revelations mention the repeated promise 'I will come suddenly with my armies' indicating a war.
8) A part of the prophecy stated 'Raise the anchor.' This points to the entry of different nations into naval encounters against one another. The command 'Raise the anchor' indicates the beginning of naval hostilities. Another revelation says, 'Boats sail that there be duels.' This is a picture of the vessels going in one direction and another in search of naval encounters.
9) The earthquake was to occur suddenly: 'I will come to thee with the armies and will come suddenly' states the revelation. Ahmadis point out that World War 1 began suddenly with the assassination of the Archduke, Franz Ferdinand.
10) A part of the revelation states: 'Avenues useful for Arabs. Arabs set out from their home.' Ahmadis point out that the Arabian people greatly benefited from World War 1, in that through it they fulfilled their long-desired wish of parting from the Ottoman Empire.
11) Another sign was the destruction of cities and places noted for their godlessness. 'I will obliterate habitations much as they have obliterated My name.' It is generally agreed that Eastern France was the worst part of Europe from the point of view of sensual indulgence. From this part was sent the wine consumed in different countries of Europe. It was also the rendezvous of pleasure-seekers from Western countries. In accordance with the prophecy this part suffered the most.
12) The prophecy states that 'Even the Czar at that moment will be in a pitiful condition'. Ahmadis point out that the office of Czar-hood is referred to here, and the end of the institution of the Czar as a whole. Ahmadis point out that World War 1 caused the downfall of the Czar as he was forced to sign a declaration that his family would never institute their monarchy over Russia again. Mirza Bashirrudin Ahmad, the second successor to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, writes:
"On November 7, Bolshevik revolutionaries dismissed the Kerensky government, and the condition of the Czar became so pitiful as to make the stoutest heart flinch. The Czar was removed from internment in the Royal Palace and taken from place to place, ultimately to Ekaterinburg. Here he was to have a taste of the tortures he used to inflict on prisoners serving sentences in Siberia...The Bolshevik government reduced his rations and ordinary comforts. His sick child was beaten by ill-mannered guards. The parents had to watch. His daughters were maltreated. Even these tortures did not satiate the revolutionaries. They invented new penalties and new pains. One day, when the Czarina was present under compulsion, the virgin daughters of the Czar were raped by the soldiers. If the Czarina, unable to bear the sight, turned her face away, the soldiers would compel her to observe the inhuman scene. Witnessing these brutalities and enduring more pains and poignancies than can have been endured by any mortal, the Czar at last met his end. He was shot dead on July 16, 1918, and with him the entire royal family. The prophecy 'Even the Czar at that moment will be in a pitiful condition' was fulfilled literally."http://www.alislam.org/books/invitation/arg10.html#L9
Opponents of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad are largely silent about this prophecy. Others among his opponents state that the fulfillment of the prophecy is coincidental.
Prophecy of AIDS Virus
In 1907,Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is said to have propheced AIDS Virus.He said thatThis statement is usually linked with an observation by Mohammed that venereal disease, described as a type of pestilence, always strikes the sexually permissive, and as such is commonly believed in Ahmadiyya circles to refer to the AIDS epidemic.
Reaching Corners of Earth
He was revealed.Ahmadis believe that this prophecy is being fulfilled by missionaries and by MTA International. Everywhere in the world are the missionaries. MTA International can be viewed everywhere in the globe.
Prophecy concerning Abdullah Atham
He repeatedly prophesied a miserable death for Abdullah Khan Atham, a ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
within 15 months, in a debate, which Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's critics claim did not come to pass.
Ahmadiyya view
Ahmadiyya Muslims see this episode as reminiscent of the prophecy of the Biblical Prophet Jonah
Jonah
Jonah is the name given in the Hebrew Bible to a prophet of the northern kingdom of Israel in about the 8th century BC, the eponymous central character in the Book of Jonah, famous for being swallowed by a fish or a whale, depending on translation...
to the city of Nineveh
Nineveh
Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and capital of the Neo Assyrian Empire. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq....
. They answer the critics by claiming that the original prophecy which was published in the book Jang e Muqaddas was conditional upon Atham not inclining towards 'truth' as was stated: provided he does not incline towards truth. They argue that Atham was in constant fear and backed out of his Anti-Islamic stance for the 15 months of the prophecy. Ahmadiyya Muslims say that after much jubilation was shown by the opponents of Ahmad upon Atham being alive once the time limit of the original prophecy expired, Ghulam Ahmad invited him to swear on oath that he did not entertain the least thought of the truth of Islam and the falsehood of Christianity, offering him a promise of 4,000 rupees if he did.
Prophecies regarding marriage to Mohammadi Begum
See also: Prophecies of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad about Mohammadi Begum
Mohammadi BegumMohammadi Begum , a lady from the Punjab region of India, was the daughter of Mirza Ahmad Baig, who was a cousin of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad .According to Hafiz Mazhar ud din it was published in Newspaper NawaiWaqt that Muhammadi Begum and his family became spiritual follower of Maulana Nawab ud din...
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's critics claim that his repeated assertions that his marriage to Mohammadi Begum
Mohammadi Begum
Mohammadi Begum , a lady from the Punjab region of India, was the daughter of Mirza Ahmad Baig, who was a cousin of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad .According to Hafiz Mazhar ud din it was published in Newspaper NawaiWaqt that Muhammadi Begum and his family became spiritual follower of Maulana Nawab ud din...
was ordained by God were never fulfilled. He said:
and,
he also said:
However, Muhammadi Begum married an orthodox Muslim, Mirza Sultan Ahmad. They lived together for forty years after Ghulam Ahmad's death in 1908. Mirza Sultan Ahmad finally died in 1948 and Muhammadi Begum died in 1966, decades after Ghulam Ahmad's prophecies.
Ahmadiyya view
Ahmad's followers contend that the prophecy was in parts and conditional, and hence was not falsified by the events that followed. They claim that the prophecy was contingent upon the Begun family's condemnation of the marriage of first cousins.Ahmad's followers claim this was part of a turn by the Begums away from Islam, including denouncing Mohammed's marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh
Zaynab bint Jahsh
Zaynab bint Jahsh was a wife of Muhammad and therefore a Mother of the Believers. Prior to this, she was briefly married to Muhammad's adopted son, Zayd ibn Harithah...
. Ahmad's, commenting on a book with this condemnation in it, said:
He claims his prayer was answered and God revealed to him
Similarly the prophecy was further elaborated as:
Ahmadi Muslims claim that the prophecy read in totality shows that it was in parts and with the aim to bring the family of Muhamadi Begum to "turn to the truth and become repentant" (A'inah Kamalat Islam, page 569), and hence was conditional upon them not repenting. In fact Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was personally averse to the idea of this marriage as he wrote in a letter dated June, 20 1886, "Come what may, I am determined to keep away from and avoid this marriage until I am forced unto it by an express command of the Most High God." His followers point out that after Muhammadi Begum's marriage parts 1-3 of the prophecy were fulfilled as predicted, culminating in the death of Muhammadi Begum's father within 6 months of her marriage.
It is claimed that after fulfillment of the 3 parts, the stated conditions changed, i.e., the remaining family of Muhammadi Begum repented from turning away from Islam and hence the remaining parts of the prohecy did not to pass. In the word of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad:
He also wrote
The husband of Muhamadi Begum himself wrote in 1921, some years after Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's death.
Prophecies regarding the birth of sons to his wife
He made multiple prophecies regarding birth of sons to his wife. These, his critics claimed, were not fulfilled.Ahmadiyya view
The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement
Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement
The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam, Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam Lahore , also known as the Lahoris, formed as a result of ideological differences within the Ahmadiyya movement, after the demise of Maulana Hakim Noor-ud-Din in 1914, the first Khalifa after its founder,...
believe that the prophecies related to the "promised son" are allegorical in nature, while the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
believe that the prophecy was fulfilled in the person of Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad
Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad
Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad , was Khalifatul Masih II, head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the eldest son of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad from his second wife, Nusrat Jehan Begum...
, the second Caliph.
Prophecies concerning the plague and Qadian's immunity
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad predicted that the plagueBubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
that became rampant in Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
will not enter Qadian
Qadian
Qadian is a small town and a municipal council in Gurdaspur District, north-east of Amritsar, situated north-east of Batala city in the state of Punjab, India....
, the dwelling place of Muhammad. However his critics point out that not only did the plague spread to Qadian, it also took the life of several people in his own house. He said:
Ahmadiyya view
Followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad do not however agree with this view. They maintain that only the true believers in Mirza Ghulam Ahmad were promised protection from the plague according to the prophecy, which they say was the case. It is also pointed out that the difference between the percentage of victims out of the followers of Ghulam Ahmad and that of other victims was highly significant.
Prayer duel with Mulvi Sana Ullah Amritsari
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad wrote in his books: To Judge my truthfulness or lies, there is no better test than my prophecies. His critics claim many instances on which the prophecies were not fulfilled.Mirza Ghulam Ahmad participated in many Prayer Duel(mubahilah) (in which Mirza Ghulam Ahmad mentioned that Liar (the devited person) will die in the life of Honest (the person on the way of truth), however after Prayer Duel with Molvi Sanaullah Amratsari, Miza Ghulam Ahmad died in 1908 & Molvi Sanaullah Amratsari died in 1948.
Ahmadiyya view
Ahmadies argue that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad did challenge prayer duel(mubahilah) to Mulvi Sana Ullah .However, Mulvi Sana Ullah did not accepted the challenge of prayer duel.
He said
He also wrote
According the Islamic teaching it is necessary that second party accept the prayer duel (mubahilah).However, Mulvi Sana Ullah Amritsari did not accepted the prayer duel (mubhailla) challenge . Thats why alleging Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of false prophecy is not right.
External links
Ahmadiyya External links- False Prophecies of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
- Prophecies of Hadhrat Ahmad. By Naeem Usman Memon
- Official Website of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
- Digital Media Library Search Engine - Online Digital Media Library audio and video content of the Ahmadiyya Community.
- Official Website of the indonesian Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
- Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran - More than 300 lessons (mp3 audio file) of Urdu translation and a thorough explanation of the Holy Qur'an by Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (rh)
- Official Website of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam -- Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-e-Islam Lahore
- The Lastprophet.org
- Refutation of false charges against Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
- Claims of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad - a slide presentation
- Extensive study showing Mirza Ghulam Ahmad did not claim to be a prophet
Biographies:
Books:
- Islamic Books Library @ Alislam.org - Alislam.org
- Roohani Khazain by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, 23 Volumes (Urdu pdf) from Alislam.org
- Sir Muhammad Iqbal and the Ahmadiyya Movement - Iqbal's sympathies and support for the Ahmadiyya Movement
Non-Ahmadiyya External links
Urdu links regadring Mohammadi Begam:
- Qaumi Digest - Qadiani number, khatm-e-nubuwwat.org
- Haraf-i-Muhrimana by Ghulam Jilani Barq, khatm-e-nubuwwat.org