The Conclusive Argument — Page 59
MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD 59 do they apply self-concocted meanings? If they do not accept the verdict of this common expression, there is another way of settling it, and that is to determine what the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his Companions took the word tawaffi to mean when it occurred in the Quranic verses with regard to the Messiah. So we enquired into it and discovered that in Kitabut-Tafsir [the Book of Quranic Commentary] of Şahih al-Bukhārī, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is reported to have interpreted the verse فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي ]falamma tawaffaytanī]¹ as 'to cause death. 2 ✩ Then, in the same place the meaning of the verse إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ ]inni mutawaffika]³ is described as مُمِيْتُكَ ]mumituka-will give you death] by Hadrat Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, which means, 'O Jesus, I will cause you to die. ' Now, someone should ask these maulawis whether it is honest or dishonest on their part to not only reject the first verdict but also refuse to accept the verdict of the Companions and especially of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and to keep on saying that the word tawaffi means something else. Such prejudice is to be regretted a thousand times when one refuses to accept the meaning of a word after hearing it from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and invents some other meaning that does not consent to 1. Sūrah al-Maidah, 5:118 [Publisher] 2. ✩ Footnote: It is reported on the authority of Hadrat 'A'ishahra in at-Tabarānī and al-Mustadrak that Allah's Messenger, may peace be upon him, during his last illness said, 'Jesus son of Mary lived to 120 years. (Author) 3. Sūrah Al Imran, 3:56 [Publisher]