Malfuzat - Volume VIII — Page 3
نَحۡمَدُہ ٗ وَنُصَلِّی ۡ عَلٰی رَسُوۡلِه ِ الۡكَرِیۡمِ ِ نَحۡمَدُہ ٗ وَنُصَلِّی ۡ عَلٰی رَسُوۡلِه ِ الۡكَرِیۡم ، 1 ِ ِ ا هّٰللِّٰ الرَّحۡمٰن ِ الرَّحِیۡم بِسۡم ِ ِ ا هّٰللِّٰ الرَّحۡمٰن ِ الرَّحِیۡم بِسۡم 2 ِ وَعَلٰی عَبْدِہ ِ الْمَسِیْح ِ الْمَوْعُوْد ِ وَعَلٰی عَبْدِہ ِ الْمَسِیْح ِ الْمَوْعُوْد Malf uza t of the Promised Messiah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Him 1 October 1905 Permissibility and Prohibition of Taking a Photograph It was mentioned that someone 3 had printed the photograph of the Promised Messiah as on postcards so people could purchase these cards and use them as letters. The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace and blessings, said: In my view, this is not correct. This is the first step in spread- ing innovation. I permitted the taking of a photograph so that the people of Europe and America, who are very far from us 1. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. [Publisher] 2. We praise Him and invoke blessings upon His Noble Messenger, and upon his servant the Promised Messiah. [Publisher] 3. Note: A merchant from Bombay printed cards with the image of the Promised Messiah, may peace and blessings be upon him. Al- H akam also published his advertisement and continued doing so, thinking it to be an ordinary an- nouncement. Allah the Exalted knows best what my intention was in posting this advertisement. My personal opinion was that this would also be a means of preaching. But this disease of printing photos began to spread to such an extent that Hadrat H ujjatull a h, the Promised Messiah, may peace and bless- ings be upon him, had to pay special attention to it and issued a very strongly worded fatwa regarding its sanctity and prohibition. Thus, this innovative practice ended as soon as it had begun. ِ جَزَاہ ُ هللا ُ اَحْسَن َ الْجَزَاء ِ جَزَاہ ُ هللا ُ اَحْسَن َ الْجَزَاء [May Allah grant him the best reward]. This announcement had been given briefly in the previous publication of al- H akam. The speech of the Promised Messiah as is set out in detail today. The use of the card with the picture of Hadrat H ujjatull a h, the Promised Messiah, may peace and blessings be upon him, will, we now trust, most certainly come to an end after today. (From the Editor of al- H akam )