Truth Prevails — Page 6
( 6 ) If not then where lies the relevancy of his principles to the matter under dispute?” (Review of Religions, Vol. V. page 432) In this discussion Maulvi Mohammad Ali based his argument in favour of the Promised Messiah on the special divine help which came to him repeatedly. The other side tried to refute this argument by saying that three Khalifa’s were assassinated; also the two grandsons of the Holy Prophet; Jesus was nailed to the cross by his enemies and the growing children of Bani Israel used to be killed by the government of the Pharaoh. To this Maulvi Mohammad Ali replied that the point at issue was the truth or untruth of a claimant to Prophethood and in the instances quoted there was only one man who claimed to be a Prophet; therefore argument of the opponent was weak, and reference to the fate of the three Khalifas and the Sibtain irrelevant. Now in this discussion Maulvi Mohammad Ali did not bring in the Promised Messiah as Mohaddath ; nor in the capacity of a Mojaddid. He brought the Promised Messiah as a Nabi , a Prophet. He bracketed the Promised Messiah with Jesus, who was a Prophet; beyond that, the three Khalifas, and the Sibtain were not claimants to Nabuwwat (Prophethood) therefore, reference to them was irrelevant. The point here is that Maulvi Mohammad Ali is presenting the Promised Messiah in his capacity of a Nabi (a prophet). At the time under reference here, Maulvi Mohammad Ali interpreted the Sura Fatiha in the light of another Quranic verse “Who so ever rendered obedience to Allah, and His Messenger, indeed these are the people on whom Allah has showered His blessings. in their capacity as Prophets, Siddiqeen , Shohada and Salihin saying: We have here been ordered to offer this prayer, in its broadest base. The acceptance of this prayer is a foregone conclusion, no matter how an opponent understood, and applied it, and its implications. In any case we stand on the point that Allah can raise a Prophet whenever and where ever in His wisdom He might choose to do so. Also He can confer the rank of Siddiq , Shaheed and Salih on whomsoever He likes. The only thing needed was a sincere supplicant. ” (Address by Maulvi Mohammad Ali, as reproduced in the AI-Hakam, July 18, 1908, page 6) The Correct Meaning of Khataman Nabiyeen as visualised by Maulvi Mohammad Ali “This Movement accepts the Holy Prophet in the true and correct meaning of Khataman Nabiyeen : it holds the belief that no Prophet old or new, can come as a direct recipient of Prophethood without a link with the Holy Prophet, in an absolute surrender and obedience. With the dispensation of the Holy Prophet Mohammad, all the doors leading to Prophethood and Apostleship were definitely closed, except for one who should enter in complete obedience to him, accepting his colour, as verily his own, and in all his moral and ethical standards, deriving guidance from his light. For him the door remains open, in divine discretion. ” (Review of Religions, Urdu, May, 1908, page 186)