Ahmadiyya Muslim Community: An Introduction

· Islam
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  • Zia Shah MD Affiliation: The Muslim Times Website: http://themuslimtime… He is a physician practicing in Upstate New York. He is the Chief Editor of the Muslim Times, which has more than 38,000 followers in Twitter. He was Chair of Religion and Science for the Muslim Sunrise, for more than a decade. He has authored more than 400 articles on Islam, Christianity, Secularism and Religion & Science. Follow in Twitter: @The_MuslimTimes
The Promised Messiah
The Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, the Founder of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
In  the 19th century, Islam as a religion and Muslims as a nation were  helpless. Muslim empires were crumbling all over the world. In the  subcontinent of India, the Mughal Empire was brought down by the British. Islam was being attacked by all other faiths in such a manner that it was an obvious degradation. Muslims had not ex­perienced such humiliation in 1,300 years of their existence. At one point it was estimated that there were 70,000 Christian missionaries actively working  in British India. Even some of the educated scholars of Islam were being converted to Christianity and in turn were con­verting their congregations to Christianity. There was no one to defend Islam and it mani­fested in the general helplessness and de­pressed feelings among the Muslim masses. In 19th century literature, prose and poetry, the Muslim nation was referred to as ‘Ummat marhooma’ meaning the ‘deceased nation.’ This pathetic situation was not limited to a particular area. The same situation existed with the Muslims of British India, in the Middle East or any other region of the world. Even many Muslims thought that the end of Islam was near and there was nothing that could change this phenomenon.  To read the rest of the introduction go to the Muslim Sunrise.
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Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani claimed  to be Messiah and Mahdi in keeping with the prophecies of the seal of the prophets, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace be on him.  He wrote in the fifth volume of Braheen Ahmadiyya:
O  men of God! You people know that when rain is held back and a long period goes without rainfall, then the final result of this is that even  the wells begin to dry up. Therefore, just as in physical terms the water of the sky also creates a commotion in the waters of the earth, likewise, that which is the heavenly water in spiritual terms (namely the revelation of God) is that which bestows freshness to stale intellects. Thus, this age is also in need of this spiritual water.
I  deem it necessary to say this much about my claim that I have been sent  by God precisely at the time of need. This is the time when most of the  people have become similar to the Jews. They have not only abandoned the fear of God (Taqwa) and purity of heart, but like the Jews of the days of Jesus, have become the enemies of truth. Thereupon, as a matter of contrast with them God named me Messiah. Not only is it that I call the people of this age to myself, rather the age itself has called me!
Countless  ills had crept into the Muslim society before the advent of the Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani.  Among them were numerous superstitions, strange innovations in religion and grave worship.  Many of these ills can still  be seen in a very graphic fashion in various Muslim countries.

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Among  the various encroachments on Pakistan’s footpaths are the bright-kurta clad local fortune-tellers sitting with their parrots picking up ‘fate’ cards for their customers.

This old practice has been flourishing  in various ways; some of them grab a small space on the footpath and use parrots to pick an answer while others read palms. Some reach the elite by sitting at different restaurants and hotels, offering their skills through tarot reading, palmistry and numerology. But the questions are typically the same; revolving around health and marriage mostly.

The pursuit of knowing things is an undefined part of human nature. Aslam, a fortune teller who sits near Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s Mazaar said “I’ve been in this business since 15 years and have regular customers who come to me every Thursday, asking almost the same questions every time they visit, the war is between money and love …
some ask more about paisa and others ask about mohabbat.”[1]

To read more excerpts from the writings of the Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, on different topics, go to an online library and review a five volume collection, Essence of Islam.

References
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