Malfuzat – Volume III — Page 70
70 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad He remained alive long enough to see a multitude of hosts entering Islam. So, it is due to a plethora of reasons such as these that the Holy Prophet sa was named Muhammad (the Most Praiseworthy). Ahmad sa the Chosen One Then, the Holy Prophet sa was also given another name and that is: Ahmad (the one who is greatest in giving praise). As such, this was also the very name in the prophecy made by the Messiah as as well: 1 ُ اسْمُهٗۤ اَحْمَد َّاْتِيْ م ِنْۢ بَعْدِي ی ٍ بِرَسُوْل مُبَشِّرًۢا Meaning, after me I give you glad tidings of the coming of a Prophet whose name will be Ahmad. This was an indication of the fact that he would be one who prais- es Allah the Exalted beyond measure. One can clearly derive from this name— and this is the truth as well—that a person will only praise someone from whom they receive something, and the more one receives from another, the more one will praise them. If an individual were to receive one rupee from someone, they would praise them accordingly, and someone who receives a thousand rupees gives praise in proportional degree. Therefore, this clearly establishes that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, received the grace of God more than all others. In actuality, there was a prophecy in this name that the Holy Prophet sa would inherit and possess blessings, supremely great. Muhammad and Ahmad There is an underlying secret in the blessed names of the Holy Prophet sa. His two names, Muhammad, meaning the most praiseworthy, and Ahmad, meaning the one who is greatest in giving praise, both allude to two distinct forms of excel- lence possessed by the Holy Prophet sa. The name Muhammad demands char- acteristics of glory and majestic greatness because the name means ‘one who is praised immensely’ and it naturally follows that the bearer of this name be loved, because he who is loved is praised. In short, this name reflects a nature of glory. However, the name Ahmad suggests that the bearer of this name be absorbed in love for another, because a lover is one who praises—a lover incessantly showers his beloved with praise. Therefore, just as the name Muhammad is associated with 1 as-Saff, 61:7 p. 62