MANAGEMENT BOARD CONTENTS Feb 2008, Vol.103, No.

02
Mr Munir-ud-din Shams (Chairman)
Mr Mansoor Shah (Secretary) KHILAFAT CENTENARY SPECIAL EDITION NO.5
Mr Naseer Ahmad Qamar
Mr Mubarak Ahmad Zafar THE LIFE OF
Mr Mirza Fakhar Ahmad HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(ra)
Mr. Abdul Baqi Arshad
(compiled by Mansoor Saqi and Waleed Ahmad – UK)

CHIEF EDITOR AND MANAGER EDITORIAL

Mansoor Ahmed Shah An introduction to the life of the Second
Ahmadi Khalifa – By Fareed Ahmad . . . . . . . . . . 3
EDITORIAL BOARD
Bockarie Tommy Kallon BEFORE KHILAFAT
Fareed Ahmad The early years of Hadhrat Khalifatul
Fazal Ahmad Masih II(ra)............................................................ 5
Mansoor Saqi.
Sarah Waseem THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
Tanveer Khokhar
A clear and concise account of the dissension
that resulted in the formation of the Lahori
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS group. This account also answers allegations
Amatul Hadi Ahmad and leaves the reader with no doubt as to
Farina Qureshi
where the truth lies.
PROOFREADERS By Hadhrat Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra) . . . . 10
Abdul Ghany Jahangeer Khan
Shaukia Mir THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF
DESIGN AND LAYOUT HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(ra)
Tanveer Khokhar A brief look at the life of Hadhrat
Bashir-ud-Din(ra) Mahmud Ahmad....................... 47
DISTRIBUTION
Muhammad Hanif A PERSONAL MEMOIR
PUBLISHER A personal account of the time with Hadhrat
Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah Khalifatul Masih II(ra) that reveals a special
bond and spiritual significance and blessings
All correspondence should be
forwarded to the editor at: of Khilafat.
By Muhammad Zafrulla Khan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
The Review of Religions
The London Mosque
16 Gressenhall Road ERRATUM
London, SW18 5QL In the December issue of The Review of Religions an article on
United Kingdom Hadhrat Uthman bin Affan(ra) included an incident (pages 16-17)
Email: in which it erroneously states that it was Hadhrat Uthman bin
reviewofreligions@gmail.com Affan(ra) who lost an eye as a result of an assault, whereas it was
© Islamic Publications, 2008
in fact Uthman bin Mazan(ra).
ISSN No: 0034-6721
The Review of Religions – January 2008: On page 49, column 2,
under heading ‘Farewell Admonition,’ the word Mirza should be
deleted and the sentence read as ‘Towards the end of 1910,
Views expressed in this publication are not
necessarily the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Hadhrat Maulawi Nur-ud-Din(ra) fell while riding a pony...’
Muslim Community
We apologise for these errors.
 Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra)
(1889 – 1965)
© Makhzan-e-Tasaweer, 2007

2 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

Editorial
One of the signs of the Promised
Messiah(as) was that his arrival
would spark a spiritual revolution
of a nature and magnitude that had
not been witnessed since the dawn
of Islam itself. The wise scholars
who had studied the holy scriptures
knew that just as Islam had
emerged from the dismal state that
Arabia was in at that time, its
revival too was to emerge similar
out of the depths of despair in a
similarly spectacular fashion. They
must have longed to be in the
company of the Messiah who was
to be the chosen one of God and the
promised one of the Holy
Prophet(saw), the one whose arrival
would reflect the piercing glory of
divine light that was to shatter the
spiritual darkness that had
enveloped the world. It would
herald a moment when those
fortunate parched souls who were
destined to accompany the
Messiah, the ones who had been
tested by time and fate but
remained steadfast and ever-
steeped in prayer, would be
rewarded with such a burst of
spiritual nourishment that they
would be humbled by the power of
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
the Divine. Their status would be
blessed so much that generations
would bear witness to their
eminence born out of humility and
faith in God.
The Promised Messiah(as), through
his lucid arguments and reasoning,
had thrown open the vast treasures
of spiritual knowledge for seekers
of the truth the world over, and
after him, his Khulafa, the second
manifestation of Divine Glory,
were to prove matchless in being
blessed with this bounty.
The second Khalifa, Hadhrat Mirza
Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra)
was one such person and what a
dazzling reflection of this divine
bounty he was. His birth was
blessed by nothing less than
revelation that promised a pure soul
of such immense knowledge and
spiritual glory, that heaven and
earth would witness his wisdom
and grandeur. When one examines
his life, one is left at awe of the
magnificent fulfilment of that great
prophecy.
Born in 1889 and elected to high
The Review of Religions – February 2008 3
 EDITORIAL
office in 1914 at the young age of
25 he shouldered the responsibility
of guarding and nurturing a world
revolution at one of its most tender
moments. With the demise of the
Messiah(as) and his closest
companion only a few years before,
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra)
stood fearlessly to carry out his
divine mission, a mission that
spanned almost 52 years and the
success was of such nature that to
this day it is remembered as a
golden chapter in the history of
Islam and Ahmadiyyat.
His knowledge was derived from
the Qur’an and blessed by Divine
sustenance. His sense of justice and
honour was so acute that he was
repeatedly called upon to help his
country and his fellow Muslims.
He wrote over 200 books including
his astounding Five Volume
Commentary on the Holy Qur’an.
He also established the adminis-
trative structure of the Community
that managed its imminent growth
and expansion. He initiated
inspirational schemes that served to
spread the blessings of Islam to all
corners of the world – schemes
such as the Tahrik Jadid that may
have seemed so ambitious when
4 The Review of Religions – February 2008
launched, but have grown so
dramatically that they are now an
indispensable part of serving
humanity globally. His tenure also
saw the Community through the
greatest human mass migration in
history during the creation of
Pakistan. Yet his foresight and
intelligence and his unwavering
trust in God guided the Community
safely in both India and Pakistan.
His achievements and blessings are
truly innumerable to the extent that
volumes can be written about him –
and indeed they have been – yet
they are unable to do justice to
these achievements. The era of the
Promised Messiah(as) was destined
to be one in which there would be
such an awakening in the spiritual
world that the physical world
would witness it. In this respect a
study of the life and achievements
of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra)
alone is sufficient to affirm the
truth of that phenomenon.
Fortunate are those who were
blessed by his company, for what a
righteous, invigorating and holy
company it must have been.
Fareed Ahmad – UK
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra)
BEFORE KHILAFAT
The Khilafat of Hadhrat Mirza
Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra),
the second successor of the
Promised Messiah(as) spanned over
half a century during which time
the Ahmadiyya Muslim com-
munity became firmly established.
During this period the significance
and importance of Khilafat
became firmly rooted within the
community. Huge steps were
taken in the propagation of the
message of Islam; missions were
set up in many parts of the world,
the Holy Qur’an was translated
into several languages; the blessed
schemes of Tahrik Jadid and Waqf
Jadid were initiated and the
administrative foundations of the
community were strengthened.
Throughout the tenure of Khilafat
the Khalifa provided spiritual
guidance, as well as guidance on
secular matters, through his
sermons, writings and instruc-
tions. To comprehensively
describe all the achievements that
occurred during the Second
Khilafat of Ahmadiyyat is an
enormous task and in this article
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
we can only attempt to highlight a
few aspects.
The Prophecy relating to Musleh
Maud (the Promised Reformer)
Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din
Mahmud Ahmad(ra) was the son of
the Promised Messiah(as) and was
the Musleh Mau’ood. He was born
on 12 January 1889. His birth had
been previously prophesied.
In 1884 the Promised Messiah(as)
decided to go into solitary retreat
and devote himself entirely to
Divine Worship and supplication.
He planned to go to Sujanpur for
the retreat but received a revelation
in Urdu which translates: ‘Your
purpose would be achieved in
Hoshiarpur.’ Accordingly, in
January 1886 the Promised
Messiah(as) took up residence on the
first floor of a secluded building
belonging to Sheikh Mehr ‘Ali
Sahib and spent 40 days in
complete seclusion and prayer. The
Promised Messiah(as) mediated and
prayed to Allah for a manifest Sign
of His power, mercy and glory.
The Review of Religions – February 2008 5
 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):

When the 40 days had been speak so that those who desire
completed, the Promised life may be rescued from the grip
Messiah(as) published an announce- of death, and those who are
ment on 20 February 1886 in which buried in the graves may emerge
he stated that God had honoured therefrom, so that the
him with the disclosure of many superiority of Islam and the
matters with regard to the dignity of God’s Word may
unknown. One of them, the become manifest unto the
Promised Messiah(as) stated, related people, and so that truth may
to his own person and concerned arrive with all its blessings and
the advent of a son. The falsehood may depart with all its
announcement stated: ills; so that people may
understand that I am the Lord of
‘God Almighty, the Lord of Power and so do what I will and
Honour and Glory, Merciful, so that they may believe that I
Benevolent, Exalted, Who has am with thee, and so that those
power to do all that He wills who do not believe in God and
(glory be to Him and exalted be deny and reject His religion and
His name) has vouchsafed to me His Book and His Holy
the following revelation. Messenger, Muhammad the
chosen one, on whom be peace,
‘I confer upon thee a sign of My may be confronted with a clear
mercy according to thy sign and the way of the guilty
entreaties and have honoured ones may become manifest.
thy prayers with acceptance
through My mercy and have ‘Rejoice therefore, that a
blessed this thy journey. A Sign handsome and pure boy will be
of power, mercy and nearness to bestowed on thee. Thou wilt
Me is bestowed on thee, a Sign receive an intelligent youth who
of grace and beneficence is will be of thy seed and will be of
awarded to thee, and thou art thy progeny. A handsome and
granted the key of success and pure boy will come as your
victory. Peace on thee, O guest. His name will be
victorious one. Thus does God Emmanuel and Bashir. He has

6 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
been invested with a holy spirit,
and he will be free from all
impurity. He is the light of Allah.
Blessed is he who comes from
heaven. He will be accompanied
by grace that shall arrive with
him. He will be characterised by
grandeur, greatness and wealth.
He will come into the world and
will heal many of their ills
through his Messianic qualities
and through the blessings of the
Holy Spirit. He is the Word of
Allah, for Allah’s mercy and
honour have equipped him with
the Word of Majesty. He will be
extremely intelligent and
understanding and will be meek
of heart and will be filled with
secular and spiritual know-
ledge. He will convert three into
four. It is Monday, a blessed
Monday. Son, delight of the
heart, high ranking, noble; a
manifestation of the First and
the Last, a manifestation of the
True and the High; as if Allah
has descended from heaven. His
advent will be greatly blessed
and will be a source of the
manifestation of Divine Majesty.
Behold, a light cometh, a light
anointed by God with the
perfume of his pleasure. He will
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
pour His spirit upon him and he
will be sheltered under the
shadow of God. He will grow
rapidly in stature and will be the
means of procuring the release
of those held in bondage. His
fame will spread to the ends of
the earth and people will be
blessed through him. He will
then be raised to his spiritual
station in heaven. This is a
matter decreed…’
(Announcement of 20 February
1886)(1)
In an announcement on 22 March
1886, the Promised Messiah(as)
stated:
“This is not only a prophecy,
it is a grand heavenly Sign,
which Almighty God has
shown for demonstrating the
truth and greatness of the
gentle and compassionate
Prophet, Muhammad, the
chosen one, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon
him and his people”(2).
In this announcement he also added
that the Promised Son would be
born within a period of 9 years.
The Review of Religions – February 2008 7
 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
The first child born shortly after the
prophecy was a daughter. Some
opponents ridiculed the prophecy
by suggesting that the prophecy
had not been fulfilled. However,
since this daughter was born within
a few months of the prophecy, it
was quite clear that the prophecy
referred to another child yet to be
born and not one that had already
been conceived on the date of the
prophecy. Later a son, Bashir
Ahmad, later known as Bashir
Awwal, or Bashir I, was born on 7
August 1887 but he died on 4
November 1888. At the death of
this son the opponents of the
Promised Messiah(as) once again
criticised the truth of the prophecy.
At this point the Promised
Messiah(as) wrote a small leaflet on
1 December 1888. In this
announcement, the Promised
Messiah(as) explained that the words
in the announcement of 20
February 1886 “A handsome and
pure boy will come as your guest...
He is the light of Allah. Blessed is
he who comes from heaven”
referred to a short life, a guest who
stays for a few days and then
departs(3). He explained the true
meaning of the prophecy and stated
emphatically that the Promised Son
8 The Review of Religions – February 2008
would be born within the stipulated
period of 9 years from the date of
its first pronouncement of 20
February 1886. This explanatory
leaflet which reiterated the glad
tidings of the birth of the Promised
Son was printed on green paper and
is often known as ‘Sabz Ishtihar’
(green leaflet).
By the Grace of Allah, the
Promised Messiah(as) was blessed
with a son, Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-
ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad on 12
January 1889.
At the time when his father, the
Promised Messiah(as), passed away
on 26 May 1908, he was only 19
years old. Hadhrat Sahibzada
Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud
Ahmad recalls:
“Immediately after his (the
Promised Messiah(as)) demise
some people feared as to what
was to happen next…When I
saw some other people in an
anxious state, I heard them ask
as to what would happen next to
the community. I remember that
although I was then 19, yet
standing by the side of the
pillow of the Promised
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
Messiah(as) I said, ‘O God!
Recognising You as Present and
Seeing, I solemnly pledge that
even if the entire Jama’at
reneges from Ahmadiyyat, I
shall spread the message that
You sent through the Promised
Messiah(as) to the corners of the
world.”
(Al-Fazl, 21 June 1944)
When Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud
Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra) was only
25 years of age, upon the demise of
Hadhrat Maulawi Nur-ud-Din
Khalifatul Masih I, he became
Khalifa on 13 March 1914 and thus
became the second successor to the
Promised Messiah(as). It was not
however until January 1944 that he
formally stated that he was the
subject of the prophecy of the
Promised Son.
Even before his election as Khalifa,
Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din
Mahmud Ahmad(ra) was actively
serving Ahmadiyyat. At the young
age of 17 he formed Tashheedh-ul-
Adhhan. This was a literary cell
aimed at the youth of the
Community and under which a
magazine of the same name was
published. The magazine was
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
devoted to the explanation and
promotion of spiritual values. In
1911, with the permission of
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I(ra), he
founded the Anjuman Ansarullah.
In 1912 he travelled to Egypt and
then to Makkah to perform the
Hajj. In 1913 when he was only 24
he also started a weekly paper, Al-
Fazl which went on to become a
regular daily publication of the
Ahmadiyya Community. Hadhrat
Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud
Ahmad(ra) was himself the first
editor.
Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din
Mahmud Ahmad(ra) received his
primary education in a school in
Qadian and then in the Talimul
Islam High School when it started
in 1898. Because of persistent ill-
health, he could not do well and his
academic career came to a halt
when he failed his Matriculation at
the end of March 1905. He learnt
the Holy Qur’an and Ahadith from
Hadhrat Maulawi Nur-ud-Din(ra). In
1907, an angel taught him the
commentary of Surah Fatiha, the
first chapter of the Holy Qur’an,
the gist of which he was able to
transcribe in his commentaries.
The Review of Religions – February 2008 9
 The Truth About the Split
A revealing account of the dissension that emerged in the Ahmadiyya
community and a rebuttal to the allegations of the disssident Lahori
party – (An excerpt from the book The Truth About the Split).
by Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih II(ra)

Death of Hadhrat Khalifatul were yet on our way when a man

Masih I(ra)
At last came the day of which we
had been afraid for so long. On
Friday, the 13th March, in the
morning, Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih I(ra) felt his strength ebbing
away and the doctors forbade
everyone to enter his room. Still
nobody thought that the end was
so near. During his illness, Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih(ra) had charged
me with leading both the five daily
prayers and the special Friday
prayers. Accordingly, this Friday I
went to the big Qadian Mosque to
lead the Friday prayers. The
prayers over, I went to my house
for a brief visit. But immediately
there came to me a servant of Khan
Muhammad ‘Ali Khan Sahib, with
the message that the Khan Sahib
was outside waiting for me in his
coach. Forthwith, I got into the
coach and together we set out for
the house of Khan Sahib. But we
came to us running with the news
that Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih(ra)
had expired, and so was fulfilled a
dream of mine, dreamt long ago,
that I was in a coach coming from
some place when I received the
news of the death of Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih(ra). Under the
circumstances of the time, this was
a most disconcerting piece of
news. The death of Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih(ra) was a great
shock to us. But greater than the
shock was our fear of that
dissension and disunity in the
Community, which the death
seemed to occasion. Telegrams
were despatched at once to various
places to inform Ahmadiyya
centres of the sad event. The
greater portion of the Jama‘at at
Qadian engaged themselves in
prayers to the Almighty. At the
time of the ‘Asr prayers when a
majority of the Jama‘at was

10 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
present at the Masjid Nur, I made a
brief speech. I said: “With the
departure of Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih(ra), there has devolved upon
us a grave responsibility which
everyone of us must prepare
himself to discharge to the best of
his powers. Deeds however worthy
in themselves lose their worth by
being associated with bad motives.
This is the reason why God has
enjoined the recitation of the
prayer ‘I seek refuge with Allah
etc. ...’ at the time of reading any
passage from the Holy Qur’an, and
has prefixed the text ‘In the name
of Allah, etc. ...’ at the head of
every chapter of the Qur’an. By
the first, the reader seeks Divine
protection against the intrusion of
evil motives, and by the second, he
seeks Divine assistance in the
performance of good deeds. When
such caution has been
recommended to us even in the
study of the Holy Qur’an, the
undoubted word of God, the
reading of which has been
enjoined upon us by God Himself,
how much more cautious must we
be while performing other duties,
however meritorious they may
apparently be? Regarding Prayers,
God says in the Holy Qur’an:
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
So woe to those who pray, but
are unmindful of their Prayer.
They like to be seen of men.
(Ch.107:Vs.5-7)
Thus, according to this verse, even
devotions to God, which lead man
to God may succeed only in
exciting His wrath, if they proceed
from wrong motives. It is,
therefore, all the more necessary
that in discharging the
responsibility which has now
devolved upon us, we should
particularly engage ourselves in
addressing supplications to God
and seeking His guidance with
frequent iteration of the prayer:
Guide us in the right path.
(Ch.1: V.6)
Lead us to the straight path, so that
the special grace of God may
descend upon us and His purpose
become manifest to us. If God be
not pleased to grant to us His help
at this juncture, then we stand the
imminent danger of destruction.
Let us, therefore, all betake
ourselves to prayer, not only at the
prescribed hours of prayer but also
during other hours, so that God
may protect us and keep us on the
The Review of Religions – February 2008 11
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
right path. You should also be up at
night to offer prayers and those
who can should also fast for
tomorrow.”
Conversations with Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali
After the speech I prayed silently
together with those assembled and
then all dispersed to their homes. I
left the mosque and was on my
way to the house of Khan
Muhammad ‘Ali Khan when
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
accosted me and expressed a wish
to have a talk. I, therefore, turned
to follow him and together we
made our way into the woods.
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali said:
“Things done after proper
consultation are done best. After
the death of Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih(ra) nothing should be done in
haste. Everything should be done
after full consultation.” I
answered: “Without doubt things
done in haste often turn out wrong.
It is proper that everything should
be done after due consultation.
People have been coming already
and there is every hope that by
tomorrow there would be gathered
here a fairly large number of them.
When they assemble tomorrow, we
12 The Review of Religions – February 2008
should have a consultation. The
men who hold any large influence
in the Community all belong to
places within easy distance. They
will all be here by tomorrow.”
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
however interposed saying: “No, it
would not be right to be in such
haste. As now there is
disagreement, it is necessary that
the whole question be fully
discussed, and then an agreed
decision reached and acted upon.
The Community should have at
least four or five months to think
and exchange views on the matter
and only then should action be
taken on any decision that may be
reached.” I said: “But, first of all,
what is the disagreement? And
secondly if, in the absence of any
leader, there should arise any
trouble in the Community, who is
going to be responsible? This is
what happened at the death of the
Promised Messiah(as). A consul-
tation was held among those who
had assembled on the occasion.
This is also what happened in the
early days of Islam. To wait for
months has no precedent either in
the early history of Islam or in the
recent history of the Ahmadiyya
Movement. To this, Maulawi
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
Muhammad ‘Ali replied: ‘There
are now differences which did not
exist then, and moreover, what is
the harm in waiting for some time?
If there is no Khalifa, what
difference will it make? What is
there on the morrow waiting to be
done by the Khalifa?” Said I: “At
the death of the Promised
Messiah(as), the Jama‘at had
unanimously decided that they
would have a succession of
Khulafa’. No consultation is
needed on this point. We cannot, in
fact, open the question over again.
The question to be consulted about
is the election of the Khalifa. And
as regards your question, what is
the need for a Khalifa, my answer
is that besides spiritual
guardianship of the Community,
the function of a Khalifa is to
maintain unity in the Community
and to protect it against disorder
and dissension. A practical
definition of these functions is not
possible. I cannot, therefore,
enumerate the concrete forms that
it may assume. Nor is spiritual
governance a tangible thing that I
could specify the duties which the
Khalifa must perform, nor can we
say when troubles may arise that
we could be certain that for some
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
time at least, there would be no
need of a Khalifa. It is possible
that, even tomorrow there should
arise a situation calling for the
interference of a guardian hand.
You ought to give up, therefore,
the question whether we should or
should not have a Khalifa. We
should discuss only the question
who should be Khalifa?” Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali answered: “Here
lies the difficulty. As there are
differences of doctrine, there
would be differences over the
election of a Khalifa. How can we
pledge our Bai‘at to one whose
doctrines we disapprove?” I said:
“Well, in the first place, the
doctrinal differences are not such
as would preclude one side from
pledging its Bai‘at to one
belonging to the other. (At that
time the doctrinal differences had
not become so very marked as they
became later on). And then we, at
any rate, are prepared to pledge
our Bai‘at to one of your party.”
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali now
said: “It is a difficult matter. You
had better think and take counsel.
Tomorrow again we will talk over
the subject.” So did I request,
saying: “You too had better consult
your friends about the views I have
The Review of Religions – February 2008 13
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
expressed and let me know what
they think, so that we may discuss
the subject again.” Then we
parted. At night, I called a meeting
of my friends and reported to them
our conversation. They all held
that it was impossible on religious
grounds to deny the Khilafat. It
had been explicitly mentioned in
the Holy Qur’an, that those who
denied the authority of Khulafa’
were transgressors and further that
the Khilafat was one of the special
blessings of God to the believers
and therefore they thought that it
would never be proper for them to
forego the Divine blessing. I told
them that so far as I had
understood from my conversation
with Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali he
would lay special stress upon that
point. But the meeting held that the
point involved a religious principle
and could not, therefore, be
sacrificed to any regard for
personalities. The opposite side, it
was urged had already pledged
their Bai‘at to one Khalifa, and this
proved that such pledging was at
least permissible even according to
them, and was not a sin. With our
side, on the other hand, not to enter
into Bai‘at with a Khalifa and thus
to give up Khilafat itself, was a sin.
14 The Review of Religions – February 2008
If the party opposite was so
insistent upon rejecting that which
they regarded as permissible, how
could they surrender a point and
principle that they regarded as
quite indispensable?
14 March and a Tract by
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
As advised by me the day before,
many Ahmadis had resolved to
fast and even those who seldom
offered the Tahajjud prayers, made
up their minds to offer them this
night. I was up at about two and
began to get ready for the Tahajjud
prayers. I was in the middle of my
ablutions, when somebody put into
my hand a tract which, he said, had
been distributed all over the route
to Ahmadis coming from outside. I
looked at the tract and found that it
had been written by Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali. In it, he had
asked Ahmadis not to let the
succession of Khulafa’ continue
any longer and had stated that he
had pledged his Bai‘at to the last
Khalifa not as Khalifa but merely
as a saint and Sufi. He had also
stated that he was not aware as to
who was going to be elected as the
next Khalifa, but what he wished
was as a well-wisher to advise
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
Ahmadis not to have any Khalifa.
Continuing, he had said that Miyan
Sahib (i.e. the present writer)
regarded non-Ahmadis as kuffar
(disbelievers), a view which was
not only wrong, but contrary to
piety, and that if after all they were
going to elect a Khalifa, he should
be one who did not regard non-
Ahmadis as kuffar, because the
Khalifa should be one pre-eminent
for his piety, while a person who
regarded non-Ahmadis as kuffar
could not be pious. Regarding
himself he had said that he was a
well-wisher of the Promised
Messiah’s(as) family and friends
and respected them all. The object
of the tract was obvious and need
not be dwelt upon. It could be seen
by anybody who would spend a
little thought and try and read
between the lines. When I saw the
tract I was struck with surprise,
and my amazement knew no
bounds. For, only a couple of days
before, when I had proposed to
issue a notice to the Jama‘at,
suggesting that no discussion
should be held on points of
controversy so long as the Jama‘at
did not have a chief who could
direct the controversies and keep
all excesses in proper check,
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali had
observed that as Ahmadis outside
were unaware of the internal
differences of the Jama‘at such a
notice was likely to prove
injurious to the Movement. And
now the same Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali had written not a
notice but a tract and had sent it to
Lahore to be printed, and not only
had intended to distribute it
himself, but had noted upon its
first page a request to all Ahmadis
widely to distribute the tract. This
action of his seemed to be beyond
my comprehension, and I
wondered what to think of him,
who while dissuading me only two
days before from publishing a
notice on the ground that it would
prove a severe trial for many
Ahmadis, had full one week before
written a tract on the questions in
dispute, and sent it to Lahore for
printing and publishing. Could
such an action, I wondered, be
consistent with true piety? Was
there any sincerity in the reply he
made to my proposal for a joint
notice? Was it not mere
diplomacy? Did not such action
indicate the absence of a proper
fear of God? Did it not contradict
the clear teaching of the revealed
The Review of Religions – February 2008 15
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT

word of God, the teaching a whole section of the Jama‘at

promulgated by the Holy Prophet impious, and charged some with
Muhammad(saw) – the teaching conspiracy? It is certain Maulawi
which was the mission of the Muhammad ‘Ali knew that if he
Promised Messiah(as) to lead back had put his signature to the
the world and for the due proposed notice, people would
observance of which Maulawi have demanded of him an
Muhammad ‘Ali had taken a explanation of the inconsistency
pledge with Hadhrat Khalifatul between his word and deed, and
Masih I(ra)? Maulawi Muhammad reproved him in the words of the
‘Ali’s aim was only to bide time. Holy Qu’ran:
In dissuading me from publishing
the notice, his object was not to Do you enjoin others to do
save the Community from any what is good and forget your
possible danger, but to throw the own selves...?
Community instead into an even (Ch.2:V.45)
more serious danger. This is
evident from the fact that, even At the same time he saw that there
before I made my proposal for a was nothing in the proposed notice
notice, he had written a tract on to which he could object and from
those very subjects of controversy this dilemma he sought to save
which he pretended to wish to himself by a plea. If Maulawi
avoid, and had it secretly Muhammad ‘Ali really meant to
forwarded to Lahore for printing. be sincere and honest, then the
Could it be that while there was proper course for him, in case he
danger in restraining the was in agreement with the
Community from discussing substance of the notice, was to
controversial subjects, – danger of recall the tract and stop its
making them aware of differences publication, and in case he was in
in the Community, and thus disagreement with the notice, to
creating anxiety for individual tell me frankly that it was very
members, and so on – there was no necessary to inform the
danger when he himself wrote his Community of the existing
tract on those very subjects, called differences, that he had already

16 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
written a tract on the subject, and
sent it to Lahore for printing and
publication, and that accordingly
he could not properly be a party to
the notice which I had proposed to
circulate. But he chose to adopt
neither of these two straight-
forward courses. He approved of
the notice, but dissuaded me from
its publication on the plea that it
would make people aware of the
internal differences of the
Community. But himself he did
not desist from publishing his
tract. More than this, in the tract,
he had gone so far as to say that
differences had assumed such
proportions that each party thought
the other kuffar and deserving of
the punishment of death and yet
five years have passed since these
discussions have been going and
though they have increased in
bitterness, nobody has pronounced
the other party to be kuffar and
deserving of the punishment of
death. It appears however that
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali and his
party have a strong desire to win
the glory of such a mind. I have pointed out how, in
pronouncement, that not so long
ago they caught hold of a
reporter’s mistake in the
Tashhidhul Adhhan, and, in spite
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
of an authoritative repudiation,
persisted in the attitude of
persecuted virtue to advertise their
sufferings to the world. In short,
when I read the tract, I was filled
with wonder. I could see the
trouble that was coming. I had
little doubt now that Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali would not be
satisfied with anything less than a
split in the Community. In such a
predicament, what course was
open to a believer but to fall down
in supplication before the Lord and
pray for His assistance. This was
then the course which I followed. I
prayed. There were others in the
same room with me. I roused them
from their beds and told them of
the tract, and asked them to pray to
God. We all prayed and fasted, as
did most Ahmadis of Qadian who
agreed with me in their views.
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
Proves False to Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih I(ra)
The tract is an index of Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali’s own inner
the matter of the notice proposed
by me and the tract that he had
secretly prepared and printed, he
played false with me. I now wish
The Review of Religions – February 2008 17
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
to point out how by publishing this
tract, Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
also proved false to Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih I(ra). The most
hard-hearted of men would shrink
from acting with duplicity towards
a dear friend who is seen lying on
his deathbed. But what did
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali do?
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih(ra) wrote
out the Will, and made it over to
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali, and
asked him to read it not once, nor
twice, but three times over, and
then asked him if there was
anything which had been left out,
and Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali said
in reply that nothing had been left
out, and that the Will was all right.
This Will had not been written by
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I(ra)
while in the enjoyment of health. It
was written in the course of illness
and at a time when all hope of his
recovery had been given up so far
as human resources were
concerned...
In short, this Will had been written
at a time when its great author was
passing the last hours of his holy
life; when, on the one hand, the
thought of the imminent meeting
with his Creator and his beloved
18 The Review of Religions – February 2008
Master filled his soul with
pleasurable excitement and, on the
other, the fear that his death might
bring to end all that he had worked
and striven for during the last years
of his life, filled his heart with
untold anxiety; the Will had been
written at a delicate hour when
hope and fear between them tossed
the soul of this great man. This
Will had been written by one at
whose hands the whole of the
Ahmadiyya Community with but
few exceptions had solemnly
pledged the oath of allegiance.
This Will had been written by one
who, apart from being a Khalifa of
the Promised Messiah(as), enjoyed
an unquestioned pre-eminence in
the whole Community in respect
of piety and integrity. This Will
had been written by one whose
benefits both material and spiritual
a greater part of the Community
had enjoyed right from the time of
the Promised Messiah(as). This Will
had been written by one who was
universally acknowledged for his
great knowledge of the Qur’an and
Hadith and for his undoubted
devotion to them. This Will had
been written by one to whose
every behest Maulawi Muhammad
‘Ali had sworn implicit obedience,
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
and whose spiritual yoke rested
unshakeably upon Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali’s shoulders. This
Will had been written by one who
even during the course of his last
illness and in spite of the utmost
physical prostration, underwent
the trouble of giving Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali lessons in the
Holy Qur’an. In short the Will had
been written by one, obedience to
whom was for Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali a divinely
appointed duty, and under the
burden of whose favours Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali was bound to
bow his head. This was the Will
which Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
was made to read not once, not
twice, but three times over, and
about which he was asked to say
whether it had left out anything
unsaid. Yes, this was the Will,
regarding which when it had been
read over by Maulawi Muhammad
‘Ali when he had been asked
whether anything had been left out
of it unsaid, he had declared that
nothing had been left out and that
it was quite all right. This Will, in
brief, was a remarkable Will in all
respects and in all details. Its
author was perfect in piety. The
occasion on which it had been
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
written was one of very special
importance. Its contents were
made fully known to Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali and Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali admitted that
they were all right. It was his duty
and a sacred duty to see that the
Will was carried out. But what do
we find he did? He treated the
sacred trust in a way in which
nobody ever treated such a trust.
While he was reading the Will, his
mind was occupied in planning
ways of undoing the Will. He was
deceiving his spiritual chief while
he lay on his deathbed. His body
was by the bedside of his chief but
his soul was far away devising its
own plans. Retiring from the
presence of Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih(ra), perhaps the first thing he
did was to write out that tract, in
which he tried to incite the
Community against the Will; and
although outwardly its principal
objectives were myself and some
other unnamed persons, what he
really aimed at was to tear up that
very testament which a few hours
before he had solemnly received
and acknowledged beside the
deathbed of his spiritual chief and
master.
The Review of Religions – February 2008 19
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT

No Plausible Pleas would be Khulafa’ in the same

Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali cannot capacity. I am sure, however, that
possibly put forward the plea that Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali will
the tract had been written before never venture to deny this on oath,
the Will. Even if it had been so, because he is fully aware that he
there was time for its withdrawal, has misrepresented Hadhrat
and if he wished he could easily Khalifatul Masih I(ra). He is also
have recalled what he had written. fully aware that the many
He cannot put forward this plea published speeches of Hadhrat
because he himself wrote in that Khalifatul Masih I(ra) bear ample
tract that Hadhrat Khalifatul witness to what the great Khalifa
Masih(ra) had declared that he thought and believed in this
should have a successor. Maulawi respect. The conduct of Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali offers only one Muhammad ‘Ali in the whole
explanation of his conduct. He affair is indeed very amazing. But
says that what Hadhrat Khalifatul much of the amazement disappears
Masih(ra) meant by having a when we remember that once
successor was that a person should before Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
be selected from among the had turned his back upon the Will
Jama‘at whose commands should of the Promised Messiah(as)
be received with general respect. himself. For, we remember that
Such an interpretation, however, is after the death of the Promised
obviously false, and I challenge Messiah(as), agreeably to his
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali to say instructions contained in Al-
on oath, if he dares, that it was not Wasiyyat, Maulawi Muhammad
the belief of Hadhrat Khalifatul ‘Ali not only pledged his Bai‘at to
Masih I(ra) that he was a Khalifa of Hadhrat Maulawi Nur-ud-Din as
the Promised Messiah(as), and the Khalifa of the Promised
Bai‘at which people pledged to Messiah , but also published an
(as)

him was pledged to him in his announcement calling upon other

capacity as Khalifa and not merely Ahmadis to do the same. (The
as an advanced Sufi or saint and Badr 2nd June, 1908, p.6). Yet he
further that after his death ventures now to write that in the
Khulafa’ who would succeed him Will of the Promised Messiah(as)

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 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
there is no mention of Khilafat at
all, and that the Promised
Messiah(as) never gave his sanction
to Khulafa’ accepting Bai‘at from
Ahmadis. Now, when it came to
the knowledge of some people of
the Jama‘at that Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali had not only
played false with them, but had
also ignored the Wills of the
Promised Messiah(as) and the
Khalifatul Masih, and had
attempted to create a split in the
Community and invited Ahmadis
to signify their opinion on the
subject of his tract, then they also
wrote out a statement and
circulated it among Ahmadis who
had come from outside with a view
to ascertaining their opinion on the
subject. The statement requested
those who agreed with it to put
their signatures on it, so that it
might become clear to which side
the opinion of the majority was
inclined. From these signatures it
was found that of those assembled
more than ninety per cent were of
the opinion that there must be a
Khalifa, and that he should possess
the same functions and powers as
the late Khalifa. This statement has
been misrepresented by Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali and his friends as
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
a kind of intrigue. But what I wish
to ask is whether it is an intrigue to
ascertain openly the views of
people, whether it was not
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali who, in
his tract, had first invited Ahmadis
to express their opinion on the
questions in dispute, and whether
it was not he and his party who
first opened the door to this
method of ascertaining the views
of the people. Thus when the door
was first thrown open by them, and
others were constrained by the
situation to enter the same door
and make use of the same method,
how could there be anything to
object? Still there is this to be said
to the credit of others that while
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
proceeded in the business with
secrecy and craft, others acted
throughout in an open and
straightforward manner. Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali invited people to
express their opinion about his
views, and then others made a
similar request to the people to
give them their signatures in case
they found themselves in
agreement with views expressed in
their statement. All through
Saturday, the stream of visitors
continued to flow into Qadian. The
The Review of Religions – February 2008 21
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
idea was that as large a
congregation as possible should be
allowed to assemble, and the
consultation made as wide as
possible. By the time of Zuhr more
than a thousand members from
various centres had arrived and
there was quite a large gathering.
After the Zuhr prayers I
assembled1 all my relatives and
solicited their advice on the
subject of the differences. Some
were of the opinion that it was our
duty to promulgate the doctrines
that we believed to be true, and it
was, therefore, indispensable that
the Khalifa should be one who
agreed with us in his views. I
explained to them that our most
important concern at that moment
was to preserve unity in the
Jama‘at. To have a Khalifa was
with us a religious necessity. If the
other party should accept this
view, then the proper course would
be to call for a general plebiscite,
but if the party should object to
such a course, then a person might
be elected as Khalifa who was
regarded by both parties as neutral,
but if even this would not satisfy
the other party, then some person
might be selected from their ranks
for the office of Khalifa, and to
22 The Review of Religions – February 2008
him the whole Community should
pledge their Bai‘at. At my request
the family of the Promised
Messiah(as), to a person, agreed to
these terms. Their agreement
pleased me exceedingly and I
thought that now the Community
would be saved from the danger of
a dissension. But providence had
intended otherwise.
Last Conversation with
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
When I came out, I received a note
from Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali to
the effect that he wanted to speak
to me on the subject of our
previous day’s conversation. I
asked him to come to my place.
There were then present with me
Maulawi Sayyid Muhammad
Ahsan, Khan Muhammad ‘Ali
Khan, and Dr. Khalifa Rashid-ud-
Din. Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
had with him some of his own
friends. When conversation began,
I told him it was no use discussing
the question of the need or validity
of Khilafat; the discussion should
be confined to the question of who
was to be the next Khalifa.
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali and his
friends contended that nothing
ought to be done for the time
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
being, that enough time should be
allowed to enable the Community
to think over and decide upon the
proper course they ought to follow,
and that only when a unanimous
decision had been reached, should
we take any practical step. In reply
I repeated what I had already said
on the subject the day before. I
also pointed out on this occasion
that if after all the waiting the
Community were still divided over
the question, what were they then
going to do? If the question was
later to be decided by a majority, it
was open to them even at the time
to let the majority decide the
question. Incidentally, the
conversation turned upon the
question of beliefs and Maulawi
Sayyid Muhammad Ahsan had a
passage at arms with Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali, in which
Maulawi Muhammad Ahsan
strongly upheld the view that the
Promised Messiah(as) was a
Prophet. I believe that if Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali were asked even
now to state on oath, he will not
venture to deny the truth of the
incident. I, however, stopped the
discussion saying that the time was
not a fit one for such controversy,
and that now every one should
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
devote his thought to the problem:
how to save the Community from
a possible split. But the
conversation showed no sign of
coming to an end. Meanwhile, the
noise outside increased and people
got so excited that there was
danger of the door being burst
open. The people urged that they
could wait no longer, that while we
were unable to come to any
decision the Community was
waiting without a leader. I then
said to Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
that we had better go out and
consult the people assembled
outside. Upon this, all at once the
words escaped him, “You say so,
because you know whom the
people are going to elect.” I said,
“Not so, I have already decided to
pledge my Bai‘at to some one of
your party.” But, nevertheless, he
persisted in saying, “No, no, you
know what they would do”,
meaning that I knew that they
would elect me as Khalifa. This
made me despair of an agreement,
and I could see that God had
decreed quite otherwise. In spite of
the decision, therefore, which I
had come to, I saw that the other
party showed no disposition for
unity. These words which escaped
The Review of Religions – February 2008 23
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali’s lips
made it clear to me that the real
cause of his opposition to the
Khilafat was not his disbelief in
Khilafat qua Khilafat but the fact
that he had become afraid that the
Community was bent upon
choosing a particular person as
their Khalifa. That this is the plain
truth might be seen from the fact
that only six years before, he had
made a public announcement to
the following effect: “Agreeably to
the commands of the Promised
Messiah(as), contained in the book
Al-Wasiyyat, we Ahmadis, whose
signatures are appended below,
with perfect sincerity of heart
agree that all the present members
of the Ahmadi Jama‘at, as well as
all those who in future may seek
admission into it, should in the
name of Ahmad pledge their
Bai‘at on the hand of Hadhrat Haji
Maulawi Hakim Nur-ud-Din
Sahib, the First of the Muhajirin,
the most eminent amongst us in
learning and piety, and the most
loyal and oldest Companion of our
Imam, one whose example was
held up before us by our Imam as a
model for all of us, as in the
couplet: ‘How well had it been if
every one of this community had
24 The Review of Religions – February 2008
been a Nur-ud-Din. So would it
have been indeed, had every heart
been filled with the Nur (light) of
certainty.’ The commands of
Hadhrat Maulawi Sahib, in future,
should be for us as the commands
of the Promised Messiah and
Mahdi(as)”. This announcement
was published over the signature
of a large number of the leading
members of the Community.
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali was one
of the signatories. The draft of the
announcement which was
published in the Badr of June 2,
1908, was first submitted as a
supplication to Hadhrat Khalifatul,
Masih I(ra) on May 27, 1908. And
then after the Bai‘at of Khilafat
had been held, a further
announcement in the same issue of
the Badr was made by Khwaja
Kamal-ud-Din as Secretary, Sadr
Anjuman Ahmadiyya. This
announcement was to the
following effect: Before the
funeral prayers of the Promised
Messiah(as) were held at Qadian,
and in accordance with his
instructions contained in the book
Al-Wasiyyat… Hakim Nur-ud-Din
Sahib was proclaimed the
Promised Messiah’s(as) Successor
and Khalifa, and the oath of Bai‘at
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
taken on his hand... This
announcement is being addressed
as information to all members of
the Movement, so that on reading
it they should all in person or
through letter present themselves
at once to Hadhrat Hakimul
Ummat Khalifatul Masih wal-
Mahdi and take the oath of Bai‘at.
No new will or testament had since
been found by Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali that he had now
come to regard Khilafat as wrong.
So the truth is but this, that for
their next Khalifa the Jama‘at was
looking not to him but to
somebody else.
Having despaired of agreement, I
told Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali that
as according to us to have a
Khalifa was indispensable, while
according to them, it was not, and
as the difference was on a principle
of religion, therefore, while it was
open to him and his party to do as
they pleased, we, who believed in
the necessity of Khilafat, would
meet separately and after
consultation pledge our Bai‘at to
one as our Khalifa. Saying this I
got up and this meeting came to a
close.
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
Bai‘at of Khilafat
It was now time for the ‘Asr
prayers. After these prayers, Khan
Muhammad Ali Khan, Jagirdar of
Malerkotla, as executor of the Will
of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I(ra)
read out the Will to a congregation
of between fifteen hundred and
two thousand persons, and asked
them as required by the Will to
choose his Successor. The people
then suggested my name for the
office. Upon this Maulawi
Muhammad Ahsan stood up and
made a short speech. He said that
in his opinion also I was the proper
person to hold the office of
Khalifa. Then, a general cry was
raised that Bai‘at should be taken.
In spite of the general wish I
hesitated and held back. But the
popular demand grew hot, as it did
at the time of the election of
Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra). Men ran over
one another. Some caught hold of
my hand and pulled, insisting I
should accept their Bai‘at. Still I
hesitated, whereupon some who
sat close to me began to urge that
for the safety and security of the
Jama‘at I should accept Bai‘at. I
noticed that men were bursting
with eagerness for Bai‘at and were
pushing closer and closer so that at
The Review of Religions – February 2008 25
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
last I was completely surrounded
by them. I might even have been
crushed by their weight had not
some friends thought of making a
cordon behind me. I did not know
the words in which Bai‘at was
administered, and I sought to make
that a ground for holding back. I
said, “I know not the formula of
Bai’at.” But Maulawi Sayyid
Sarwar Shah Sahib offered to
repeat the formula, and urged that I
should only accept Bai’at. Then I
understood that such was the Will
of God and to His will I submitted.
I accepted Bai‘at from the people,
and in spite of my reluctance, it all
came to pass as it had been decreed
from the beginning. Out of about
2,000 people who were present at
the time, only about 50 withheld
their Bai’at. All the rest took the
pledge. The Bai’at over, funeral
prayers were offered for Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih I(ra). The Bai‘at
then had been taken. The men who
entered into the Bai’at were more
numerous, and the congregation
which agreed on the Bai’at was
larger than in the case of the last
Khalifa. Nevertheless, Maulawi
Muhammad Ali and his friends
were not satisfied. Still they called
the whole thing an intrigue. They
26 The Review of Religions – February 2008
circulated to the Jama’at at large
that no decision had been reached
regarding the question of Khilafat,
and that all that had taken place at
Qadian was the result of collusion
and conspiracy.
Unscrupulous Propaganda
Opposition grew until all ordinary
scruples were thrown to the winds.
The Paigham-e-Sulh for instance
reported that the funeral prayers of
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I(ra) had
been attended by some two
thousand five hundred men
(March 17, 1914). But the same
paper a little later wrote “Those
who had seen the faces of the
Promised Messiah(as) and of
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I(ra)
refrained from such a Bai‘at, and
of all the people present nearly half
refused to take Bai’at (March 22,
1914). This report obviously
implied that of the men who had
been in the company of the
Promised Messiah(as) and of
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I(ra) not
one entered into Bai’at with me,
and further that of all the people
present at Qadian nearly one half
declined to pledge their Bai’at.
The truth, as I have said, was that
those who refused Bai’at did not
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
number more than fifty, while of
the 2,000 or, according to the
Paigham-e-Sulh, 2,500 people
who were present, more than half
were those who had been in the
company of the Promised
Messiah(as) and Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih I(ra). Of the Muhajirin at
Qadian whose number was not less
than three or four hundred, only
four or five held back. Apparently,
according to the Paigham-e-Sulh,
not one of them had been in the
company of the Promised
Messiah(as) and Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih I(ra). Dr. Mirza Ya‘qub Baig,
Secretary Ahmadiyya Anjuman
Isha‘at-e-Islam, Lahore, went even
further. He wrote in the Akhbar-e-
‘Aam that a majority of those
present on the occasion did not
even know who had been elected
Khalifa. When notice was taken of
this glaring falsehood Dr. Mirza
Ya‘qub Baig, the author of this
report wrote in the Paigham-e-
Sulh of April 2, that what he meant
was that of the ‘enlightened’
members present, the majority did
not enter into my Bai’at. This
epithet of ‘enlightened’ is so
conveniently vague that what the
doctor could mean by it must
necessarily remain a mystery to
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
others. For, it is open to everybody
to say that only those who agree
with him are enlightened and the
others not. If, however, any
reasonable criteria are to be
applied to that expression then I
can well say that not only a
considerable number but a
preponderating majority of those
present entered into my Bai’at.
The Paigham-e-Sulh and its
correspondent between them
furnished a refutation of the false
report made by Mirza Ya’qub
Baig. For, the Paigham-e-Sulh
stated that the congregation
consisted either of the Ansarullah
or of rustics who were thrilling
with eagerness to enter into Bai’at
and so they did. The question what
the congregation consisted of – the
Ansarullah or rustics or what – is
not my present concern. Whoever
they were, they – according to the
Paigham-e-Sulh – not only swore
the Bai’at but were thrilling with
eagerness for it. It was, therefore, a
misstatement, nay, a case of clear
falsehood on the part of Dr. Mirza
Ya’qub Baig to say that of the
assembled people the majority did
not even know who had been
elected Khalifa. The misstatement
of the Paigham-e-Sulh that the
The Review of Religions – February 2008 27
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT

majority of those who pledged Muhammad Husain alias Marham-

their Bai’at were members of the e-‘Isa, a preacher of the
Anjuman Ansarullah is suffi- Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at-e-
ciently refuted by the fact that the Islam, Lahore. The statement was
total strength of this Anjuman was made by him at the time when
less than 175 and of these not all these charges were made against
were present at Qadian at the time. the Ansarullah. It runs as follows:
And yet, according to its own
report, some 2500 men were “I bear witness in truth that I
present at Qadian on the occasion. was for a considerable time a
member of the Ansarullah, and
Conspiracy Charge against the even now, if Miyan Sahib has
Ansarullah not removed me from
Another method they adopted in membership, I consider myself
order to mislead the people was to one of its members. At the
represent the Bai’at of Khilafat as meetings of the Ansarullah
the result of a conspiracy by the held at Lahore in which I had
Ansarullah. As already said, the the occasion to take part, I
total strength of the Ansarullah never found any body
throughout India was less than intriguing with the object of
175. So even if one were to assume putting up Miyan Sahib2 as
that the Ansarullah made Khalifa, or indulging in any
themselves very active in this conversation suggestive of
affair, what influence could the such an intrigue. And God is
opinion of a hundred or a hundred my witness in what I say. Nor
and fifty men exert upon that of did I ever receive any note from
two thousand and five hundred? Sahibzadah Sahib which could
Of what consequence was the suggest any intrigue for
opinion of such a small body? As becoming Khalifa; nor did I
for the alleged conspiracy, it will ever have any conversation
suffice for the purpose of with Sahibzadah Sahib
refutation to quote a statement suggestive of any such intrigue.
from the right hand man of (Sd.) Muhammad Husain.”
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali, Hakim

28 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
A similar statement in writing was
also made by M. Faqirullah Sahib,
Superintendent of the Office of
Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at-e-
Islam, Lahore who was also a
member of the Ansarullah. “There
never was in my presence in the
Ansarullah any conversation
suggesting any such intrigue.” But,
in addition to these testimonies,
the fact that goes completely to
disprove the allegation is that a
considerable number of the
members of the Anjuman
Ansarullah are at present with
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali. If the
purpose of the Anjuman was to
raise me to the Khilafat, how could
it be that as soon as I was elected
Khalifa these men went over to the
other side, and how could it be that
in spite of having joined the other
party and in spite of being aware of
the intrigue to promote me to the
Khilafat, they decided to keep it all
to themselves? Of the Anjuman
Ansarullah there are at least 10
members at present who are with
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali. The
existence of such men in the
Anjuman is proof positive of the
fact that the charge of conspiracy
brought against the Ansarullah in
connection with the Khilafat is a
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
gross falsehood fabricated out of
malice to deceive the people.
Another charge brought against
the Ansarullah is that towards the
end of the life of Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih I(ra) they wrote
postcards to members outside
informing them that the health of
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih(ra) was
fast failing, and that his life was
not likely to be much prolonged,
so that those who wanted to see
him should come to Qadian. From
this, it is concluded that a
conspiracy had been organised by
the Ansarullah. True, postcards
were written by the Secretary,
Anjuman Ansarullah. It was one of
the duties of the Anjuman to
render service to the brethren. But
the question is, who were the
people to whom those cards were
addressed. Had the cards been
addressed only to members of the
Anjuman Ansarullah even then
there would have been no cause for
complaint, though their enemies
could then say that the motive in
writing the post cards was to
collect together men of their own
way of thinking. But in point of
fact the post cards were not written
to the Ansarullah only but were
written to the Secretaries of all the
The Review of Religions – February 2008 29
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
Ahmadiyya Anjumans. If,
therefore, any conclusion is to be
drawn from the writing of the post
cards it is that the Ansarullah
desired that on the occasion of the
election of the Khalifa there
should be as large a gathering as
possible of the representatives of
the Jama’ats and that there should
therefore be an adequate consul-
tation. Their action, therefore, was
one to be commended and not one
to be criticised. The post cards
were a vindication of the
innocence of the Anjuman
Ansarullah, because, had there
been any thing sinister in them, the
efforts of the Anjuman would have
been directed towards dissuading
Ahmadis from coming to Qadian.
It would have sent its intimations
only to its own members so as to
be able to carry out everything as it
desired. But, instead, the Anjuman
Ansarullah sent out timely
intimation of the impending event
to the whole of the Jama’at and not
merely to their own members, with
the result that nearly 2,000 people
assembled on the occasion. In this
connection, the fact may also be
noted that, during the illness of
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih(ra)
similar intimations were sent out
30 The Review of Religions – February 2008
twice by Maulawi Sadruddin.
Now, if the posting of cards by the
Anjuman Ansarullah was a
conspiracy, was not the action of
Maulawi Sadruddin also
conspiracy? Yet another method
designed to defame me was to say
that those who had assembled on
the occasion had been tutored
beforehand to suggest my name
when the time came for the
election of the Khalifa. In support
of this, it is said that even during
the lifetime of Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih I(ra), Maulawi Muhammad
Ismail asked some people to
prepare 40 men who when the time
came should pledge their Bai’at to
me. I am sorry to have to say that,
forced by circumstances, Maulawi
Muhammad Ismail did really
commit an indiscretion. He has,
however, made a frank confession
to me of the facts which are as
follows: A friend of Maulawi
Muhammad Ismail’s brought him
the report that Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali had been asked
by Dr. Mirza Ya’qub Baig to hold
himself in readiness for the office
of Khalifa, to which the former
had replied that he was not equal to
the burden. Upon this, the doctor
had reassured him saying that he
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
need not worry about the burden,
as the doctor and his friends would
render him all necessary help.
[This story was current at Qadian
at the time with the further
addition that doctor said at the end
that if Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
was not prepared to undertake the
burden, they might put up the
doctor for the office; God only
knows what truth there was in the
story. But as I have not up to now
come across any evidence in
support of the story, I am not
prepared to give any credit to it –
Author]. This friend of Maulawi
Muhammad Ismail’s warned him
to be on the alert, lest the other
party should spring a surprise at
the last moment, and in concert
with a number of people make a
bid for the Khilafat. The friend
also pointed out the necessity for
being prepared for such a
contingency. Maulawi Muhammad
Ismail says that after this he
mentioned the danger to several of
his friends, suggesting that on their
side too a party should hold
themselves in readiness for such
an emergency. Some of the men to
whom he made the suggestion
approved of it but others opposed
it. Among the latter he named
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
Miyan Mirajuddin. The latter
insisted that the affair was one for
the decision of God, and that any
such interference would be
unjustified. Similarly, Maulawi
Muhammad Ismail says regarding
Mir Muhammad Ishaq that
although he (Maulawi Muhammad
Ismail) had not spoken to the latter
directly on the subject, the latter
having heard some of his
conversation on the subject with
somebody else had remarked that
they (Maulawi Muhammad Ismail
and his friends) must abandon any
such idea, and that everything
would turn out as it would please
God, and that any endeavour on
their part was sure to end in dis-
comfiture. Maulawi Muhammad
Ismail says that such consultations
were held with not more than 8 or
10 men, most of whom were not
members of the Anjuman
Ansarullah. The idea was, how-
ever, abandoned because of the
view expressed by some that the
affair was one which belonged to
God, and should best be resigned
to Him, and it was abandoned
particularly because it had become
known that I had already decided
that it was our duty to save the
Jama’at from a split even if we had
The Review of Religions – February 2008 31
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT

to pledge our Bai‘at to one of the He did not in the beginning pledge
other party. This is the truth about his Bai’at to me. He reported that
the incident, and although there is after the death of Hadhrat
no doubt that Maulawi Khalifatul Masih I(ra), Maulawi
Muhammad Ismail did commit an Sadruddin, Woking Missionary
indiscretion, we must remember and Headmaster of the Muslim
that neither the Anjuman High School at Lahore, when he
Ansarullah, nor I had any concern saw that Ahmadis were not
with the affair. Maulawi disposed to go without a Khalifa,
Muhammad Ismail was actuated made up his mind that a Khalifa
by what he thought was a should be elected, and as Maulawi
necessary precaution against a Muhammad ‘Ali by the publi-
rumoured danger. Not more than 8 cation of his secret tract had given
or 10 persons were taken in away his own case, he proposed
confidence in connection with it, that Sayyid ‘Abid ‘Ali Sahib
and then it was promptly should be elected to the office. It
abandoned. Some members of the was therefore resolved to prepare
Ansarullah and one of my own 40 men who would agree to pledge
relatives (Mir Muhammad Ishaq their Bai’at to Sayyid ‘Abid ‘Ali
Sahib) strongly dissuaded him Sahib. For this purpose, says
from the enterprise and when he Qadhi ‘Abdul Haq, Maulawi
came to know my mind, he Sadruddin, lantern in hand, went
completely abandoned any further round the whole night visiting the
pursuit of the idea. There was 2000 Ahmadis who had assembled
therefore, in this no conspiracy of on the occasion. He was
any kind. accompanied in those rounds by
Qadhi ‘Abdul Haq himself and
A Proper Rejoinder another person. His object was to
But on the other hand, as a proper find out at least 40 men who would
rejoinder to the charge, we on our endorse his views, but out of a
part may mention one incident of gathering of 2000 (the majority of
which the communicant is no less whom according to their report
a person than the well-known entertained the greatest aversion
writer, the late Qadhi ‘Abdul Haq. for me), they could not find even

32 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
that inconsiderable number to
support their views. Qadhi ‘Abdul
Haq, of course, is now dead, but
will Maulawi Sadruddin who is
still alive affirm on oath that the
above incident has no basis in fact;
and in view of this incident was he
justified in objecting to the activity
of Maulawi Muhammad Ismail
which was soon abandoned at the
instance of Maulawi Sahib’s own
friends? Besides this, there is
another testimony in this
connection. This is the testimony
of Doctor Ilahi Bakhsh Sahib, who
says:
“I remember that at the time
when the illness of Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih I(ra) had not
yet reached so serious a stage –
though his condition was daily
growing worse – I happened
one day to speak to Akbar Shah
Khan Sahib saying that the
condition of Hadhrat Sahib
was getting more and more
critical. May God help us. The
conversation led us to the
question of Khilafat, and Khan
Sahib said that there was of
course the danger of a split
because the Lahore party
would not accept the Khilafat
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
of Miyan Sahib. On the other
hand if one were to look to
Khwaja Sahib, then there were
others who were reluctant to
accept him. There was,
however, one way open which
could prevent the split, and at
the same time maintain the
Khilafat, I inquired what; to
which Khan Sahib replied that
if Miyan Sahib could be
magnanimous a way could be
found which lay in the selection
of Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali. If
Bai‘at were to be pledged to
him then the Lahore party as
well as others would agree to
accept him in common. This
was a private talk which took
place a considerable time
before the death of Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih I. (Sd.) Ilahi
Bakhsh 29 April 1914”
From the above testimony, it is
clear that the charge which our
opponents wish to prove against us
is one of which they themselves
stand guilty. As for the charge
levelled against us, I have already
shown that the incident in question
arose out of an indiscretion by one
or two of our members. But this
was stopped at the instance of
The Review of Religions – February 2008 33
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT

other members of our own party outside Lahore and of these none,
before it could produce any results. except 4 or 5 possessed any
Other reports of a similar kind representative character. They
were spread from time to time with came to the meeting in their
a view to prejudice the people individual capacities. The
against me. But God granted supporters of Maulawi
increased strength to the Muhammad ‘Ali at Lahore
Movement; and although, to begin accepted the opinion of these 42
with, 99 per cent of the members members as the deliberate opinion
of the Community, according to of the whole of the Ahmadiyya
our opponents’ version, were with Community and announced that
them, in a short time God brought my Khilafat was irregular and
them all over to my side so that invalid. But what actually
now by His grace about 99 per cent happened was that even out of
of the members are with me. these 110 members, a further 10
subsequently came over to me and
Consultation at Lahore entered my Bai‘at. One of these
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali’s party was the same Mir Hamid Shah
raised the cry that the men who Sahib, now deceased, whom
were assembled at Qadian at the previously they had selected as a
election of the Khalifa could not person suitable for the Khilafat.
represent the opinion or the advice This left to them only 100 men.
of the Community at large. They, According to the Lahore party, the
therefore, invited the Community decision of these 100 men was the
at large through letters and through authoritative decision of the entire
newspaper announcements to Ahmadiyya Community, while the
assemble on 22 of March at decision of the very much more
Lahore to discuss the whole numerous gathering at Qadian was
question. As a result of this general the result of collusion and
invitation, there assembled at conspiracy on the part of the
Lahore according to a report of the Anjuman Ansarullah! The whole
Paigham-e-Sulh itself, a gathering of the Jama’at at Qadian, with the
of 110 men inclusive of the local exception of four or five
members. Only 42 came from individuals accepted my Bai’at,

34 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
and the other party came ultimately
to abandon all hope of success at
Qadian. Accordingly they decided
to transfer their headquarters at
Lahore. An excuse was sought for
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali to leave
Qadian. One day, news came to me
that while Maulawi Muhammad
‘Ali was leaving the mosque after
performing the Friday prayers, 3 or
4 children (from 5 to 7 years of
age) had expressed their intention
of throwing pebbles at Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali. Upon this, at the
time of my lecture on the Holy
Qur’an, I spoke to the Jama’at
saying that although they were
only children who had said these
words, yet upon a repetition of the
offence, I would hold the parents
of the children responsible and
visit them with punishment. Later,
I heard that Maulawi Muhammad
‘Ali was afraid of continuing
further residence in Qadian, and
had therefore decided to leave the
place. I, thereupon, sent Dr.
Rashiduddin to assure him that he
need not have any apprehension
whatsoever, and that I was
prepared to undertake full
responsibility for his safety; and so
I requested him to give up the idea
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
of leaving Qadian. Dr.
Rashiduddin also bore a letter
containing the same message.
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali replied
to the effect: “How can it be that I
should abandon Qadian? I am only
going to the hills on account of the
heat in order to complete the
translation of the Holy Qur’an, and
for this purpose, I have already had
permission of the Anjuman during
the lifetime of the late Khalifa.” He
also thanked me for the expression
of sympathy. I was not, however,
satisfied with this. So I went
personally to his house in order to
talk over the subject with him. I
was accompanied by Khan
Muhammad ‘Ali Khan Sahib and
Doctor Rashiduddin. When we
arrived there, there was to begin
with some talk on the subject of the
translation of the Holy Qur’an. I
then turned the conversation to the
immediate purpose of our visit.
But Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
called out to a certain half-witted
man known as Miyan Bagga, and
started talking at random with him.
When I found that Maulawi Sahib
was not disposed to bring his talk
with Miyan Bagga to a close, I had
to get up and withdraw. Soon after
Continued on page 44
The Review of Religions – February 2008 35
 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):

The Promised Messiah(as) (in the dark coat) with his companions. To his right is the young
Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad.

Children of the Promised Messiah(as): From left to right: Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din
Mahmud Ahmad, Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib, Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib, Hadhrat Sayeda
Nawab Mubarka Begum Sahiba, Hadhrat Mirza Mubarak Ahmad (who passed away at a
young age).

36 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) prior to Khilafat.

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5 The Review of Religions – February 2008 37

 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) leading prayers prior to laying the Foundation Stone of
Baitul Fazl – the London Mosque, 1924.

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) at the Foundation Stone ceremony of Baitul Fazl, 1924.

38 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) with eleven of his fellow travellers at the 1924 Wembley
Conference. Behind Huzur on the right is Hadhrat Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib.

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) (white turban) at the Imperial Institute, London where
‘The Conference of Religions within the Empire’ was held in 1924.

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5 The Review of Religions – February 2008 39

 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) arriving at the Talimul Islam College, Rabwah. Wearing
a black cap is the College Principal, Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, who later succeeded
as Khalifatul Masih III

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra)

accompanied by Hadhrat Mirza Nasir
Ahmad, Principal, visited the Talim-ul- Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra)
Islam College Rabwah

40 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) at Jalsa Salana, Rabwah

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) at Jalsa Salana, Delhi, 1944

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5 The Review of Religions – February 2008 41

 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) leading prayer during his European Tour, London, 1954

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) with Hadhrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad (later to become
Khalifatul Masih III) to his right.

42 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

 HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):

Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din AhmadI(ra) – Khalifatul Masih II and son of Hadhrat

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi.

KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5 The Review of Religions – February 2008 43

 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
this, Maulawi Sahib left Qadian.
He took away with him properties
of the value of nearly Rs. 3,000/ in
books, typewriter, etc., on the plea
of having to translate the Holy
Qur’an. Some people advised me
at the time to ask him to leave
behind the assets. He was not
likely, they said, to return, and was
taking away the assets only on a
false pretence. Some even went so
far as to urge that the assets were a
sacred trust and I must not be
negligent in taking proper care of
them. But I replied to them all
saying that as Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali had given the
assurance that he was taking those
books and accessories in order to
help him in the work of translating
the Holy Qur’an, and that he was
going out only for a few months,
for the period of leave already
sanctioned to him, I had no right to
call his motive into question.
Accordingly I said nothing.
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
Leaves Qadian
Later events show that the
suspicions of my friends were
well-founded. Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali’s departure from
Qadian was a departure for good,
44 The Review of Religions – February 2008
and what he had said to me was
simply an excuse with nothing
sincere about it. The books and
other things that he had taken away
with him, he refused to return in
spite of repeated requests. Now so
long as his name continues to be
remembered the odium of this
misappropriation will remain
associated with him. A man who
could take away books and other
articles on trust for a few months
and then refuse to return them
could not be the leader of any
community much less the leader of
a Muslim community. With the
departure of Maulawi Muhammad
‘Ali from Qadian, Lahore became
the new Madinatul Masih (the City
of the Messiah). The question
naturally occurred to many,
whether Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
was himself the Messiah. Because
so long as he was in Qadian,
Qadian remained the Madinatul
Masih. But as soon as he withdrew
to Lahore, Lahore became the
Madinatul Masih. True, a certain
distinction now fell to the share of
Lahore, and thus was fulfilled one
of the wishes of the promoters of
the Paigham-e-Sulh which had
found inadvertent expression in its
issue of March 10 in the following
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
words: “At any rate, the death of
the Promised Messiah(as) in this
city ought to bring to Lahore some
distinction.” Shrewd students of
human motives will perceive and
enjoy the pathetic humour of these
few words in which are packed a
mass of ambition, desire, longing
and hope. No sooner was Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali installed at
Lahore than the opposition
received an added impetus.
Prophecies Fulfilled
The truth however was that
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali depart-
ed from Qadian, and with his
departure was fulfilled the
prophecy contained in the
revelations of the Promised
Messiah(as) “There are many
humble ones who will be made
eminent, and many eminent ones
who will be made humble. So
danger lies ahead!” (Barahin-e-
Ahmadiyyah, part V, p.89).
Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali and his
friends departed from Qadian, and
in their departure was fulfilled for
a second time the revelation of the
Promised Messiah(as). Men of
Yazid-like disposition would be
expelled from Qadian. The
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
prophecy was fulfilled first by the
fact that the original dwellers of
Qadian refused to accept the
Promised Messiah(as), and it was
fulfilled for a second time by the
fact that people who were envious
and jealous of members of the
Promised Messiah’s(as) family, and
had thereby proved themselves
like Yazid, now came, by a Divine
design, to be expelled from
Qadian. Maulawi Muhammad ‘Ali
departed from Qadian, and in his
departure was fulfilled the divine
promise revealed to the Promised
Messiah(as) i.e. “I am with you and
your family.” For, notwithstanding
his high position in the Jama’at
and his hold on all its affairs, God
made him bite the dust in his
contest with a weak and helpless
person like me. Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali left Qadian, and
by His powerful signs, did God
prove that the Movement did not
depend for its success upon any
individual. God Himself was its
Protector and that, if He wished,
He could make even him, who was
thought to be unworthy and a mere
stripling, the instrument of His
Will. In short, Maulawi
Muhammad ‘Ali departed from
Qadian, and in his departure God
The Review of Religions – February 2008 45
 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SPLIT
furnished another powerful evi-
dence of His Greatness and Glory.
He showed Himself again with all
His living signs, and manifested
His effulgence in the fullness of its
glory. He proclaimed to the world
the fact that Ahmadiyyat was a
plant of His own sowing, which no
one could destroy, that Khilafat
was a tree of His own rearing
which no one could uproot, that
this humble and helpless one had
been brought through His own
grace and favour to occupy the seat
of Khilafat, and now there was no
one who could stand against him,
and that Qadian was a city beloved
by Him which no one had the
power to ruin. For Qadian is
Makkah – the Makkah of the
vicegerent and counter-type of
Muhammad(saw). It is a town of the
poor but under the Protection of
God Almighty. And now we close
with the prayer, “All praise
belongs to Allah, the Lord of the
Worlds.”
46 The Review of Religions – February 2008
References
1. As far as I remember this consultation
was held on Saturday but according to
some, even this consultation was held
on Friday.
2. i.e. the present writer.
The followers of Maulawi Muhammad
‘Ali founded their own organisation under
the name of Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at
Islam, commonly known as Lahori
Ahmadis who differ from other Ahmadis
on two matters:
1. The Lahori Ahmadis regard the
Promised Messiah and Mahdi(as) as
only a Mujaddid (Reformer) and not a
Prophet even though the writings of
the Promised Messiah(as) confirm his
claim that he was a prophet.
2. As a consequence of the above belief,
the Lahoris argue that the successors
of the Promised Messiah and
Mahdi(as) should not be called
Khalifas.
The members of the Anjuman at Lahore
are a tiny fraction as compared to the
Ahmadi Muslims all over the world who
believe that the Promised Messiah was a
Prophet and who owe allegiance to
Khilafat.
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 The Life and Achievements of Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(ra)
First address as Khalifatul
Masih
At the time of the election of
Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din
Mahmud Ahmad(ra) as Khalifa a
small group dissented from his
appointment and the very
institution of Khilafat. This group
broke off to set up a Jama’at in
Lahore (known as the Lahori
group). However the support of
God was with the Khalifa and with
the election of Hadhrat Mirza
Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra)
the Ahmadiyya Community con-
tinued to progress and expand, and
the small dissident group dwindled
steadily. A detailed account
relating to this episode, written by
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) in
Urdu entitled A’inah-e-Sadaqat
(Mirror of Truth) and an English
version produced in 1924 entitled
The Truth about the Split that has
been partly reproduced in the
earlier section.
In his first address to the
Community, Hadhrat Khalifatul
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
Masih II(ra) reminded the
community of the importance of
the system of Khilafat.
After reciting the Shahada
Huzur said, Listen! Friends! It
is my belief and firm
conviction that Allah the
Almighty is Our Lord: He is
One and has no partner. My
Dear Ones! It is my belief that
no one can now come who can
abrogate a single iota from the
shari’ah (law) brought by Our
Holy Master (Hadhrat
Muhammad Mustafa(sa)).
My Dear Ones! That beloved
master of mine is the leader of
all Prophets; his status holds
such glory that by adopting
absolute bondage, absolute
obedience and perfect loyalty
to him, a person can reach the
status of closeness to Allah. It
is true that only the Holy
Prophet(saw) enjoys such
glorious stature that being
enslaved to him can raise a
person to an exalted status.
The Review of Religions – February 2008 47
 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
This is my belief and I make
this statement with perfect
conviction.
Furthermore, it is my belief
that the Holy Qur’an is that
beloved book that was revealed
to the Holy Prophet(saw) and it is
the most perfect book
(Khaatam-ul-Kutub) and the
complete Law (Khaatam-ul-
Sharaa’i‘).
Further I state my absolute
conviction that the Promised
Messiah(as) was the same
appointed one about whom the
prophecy is recorded in Sahih
Muslim. He is the same Imam
whose advent was foretold in
Sahih Bukhari. Again I stress
that nothing out of the Sharia
of Muhammad(saw) can ever be
abrogated. Follow in the
footsteps of the companions of
the Holy Prophet(saw) (Allah be
pleased with them) as they
were exemplary in prayers and
training.
After the demise of the Holy
Prophet(saw) the second
consensus which took place
was the establishment of the
48 The Review of Religions – February 2008
rightly-guided Khilafat.
Observe closely and study the
history of Islam. You will find
that the progress the Muslims
attained during the time of the
rightly-guided Caliphs began
to decline when the Khilafat
turned merely into state rule,
so much so that you can see for
yourselves today the state of
Islam and that of the followers
of Islam.
After thirteen hundred years,
in accord with the promises
given by the Holy Prophet(saw),
Allah the Almighty sent the
Promised Messiah(as) by way of
a prophet.
May Allah the Almighty grant
a very high status amongst his
chosen servants to Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih I and shower
countless blessings and mercy
on his soul. Just as his heart
and soul brimmed with the love
of the Holy Prophet(saw) and the
Promised Messiah(as), may
Allah grant him closeness to
them in heaven as well.
He was the first Khalifa
(successor) of this Movement
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
and we had all taken Bai‘at at
his hand. As long as this
Movement continues, faith will
continue to prosper physically
and spiritually.
Right now you have all cried
out loud that I should
undertake this burden, and
through your Bai‘at you have
expressed it, therefore, I
deemed it fitting to reiterate my
faith before you.
I tell you honestly that my
heart is fearful and I find
myself weak. A saying of the
Holy Prophet(saw) states that you
must not ask your slave to do
something beyond him. Now
that you have enslaved me do
not ask of me things which I
cannot do. I know that I am
weak and sinful. How can I
claim that I will guide the
world and spread the truth and
[show] the right path?
We are few in numbers
whereas the opponents of faith
are vast in numbers; but by the
Grace and Mercy of Our Lord
our hope is never-ending.
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
You have placed this burden on
my shoulders, so hear me!
Help me discharge this
responsibility. What that help
requires is to seek His Grace
and Guidance. In seeking the
pleasure of God Almighty,
obey me.
I am a human being and a
weak human. If I have any
shortcomings then overlook
them. If you make mistakes
then I make a pledge in the
name of Allah the Almighty
that I will overlook and forgive
your mistakes.
My and your collective effort
has to be focussed upon
achieving the aims of this
community in its practical
form. Strengthen the bond that
you have created with me with
your loyalty. Together we will,
by the Grace of God, overlook
our minor faults. You will have
to be obedient to me in all
things good (Amr-bil-
Ma‘aroof). If, God forbid, I
were to say that God is not
One, I swear to you in the
name of the One true God Who
is the holder of life of each one
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 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
of us, Who is One and has no
partner, about Whom the Holy
Qur’an tells us that there is
nothing like Him, then do not
believe me.
Do not believe me if, God
forbid, I were to point out any
defect of prophethood. I ask
you, in the name of God, not to
believe me if I tell you of any
defect in the Holy Qur’an. If I
say anything against the
teaching the Promised
Messiah(as) has given us after
revelation from Allah the
Almighty then do not believe
me.
But I say, and say it again, do
not be disobedient to me when
I ask you to follow me in all
things good. If you submit and
work with obedience and
strengthen this pledge you
have made then remember that
Allah the Almighty will help us
and our collective prayers will
succeed. I believe firmly that I
will be helped...
The mission which the
Promised Messiah(as) has
established has been entrusted
50 The Review of Religions – February 2008
to me at its appointed time.
Hence, pray, strengthen your
relationships; and try to visit
Qadian repeatedly. I heard the
Promised Messiah(as) say, and I
heard him say it often that I
fear the one who does not visit
Qadian frequently is at risk of
having some flaw in his faith.
Our first task is to spread
Islam and make concerted
efforts so that the Mercy and
Blessings of Allah the Almighty
will rain down upon us. I say to
you again and again and yet
again that now that you have
undertaken the Bai’at and
established a bond with me,
display loyalty in this
relationship, and remember me
in your prayers.
I will certainly remember you in
my prayers. Of course I have
been praying for you. There has
been no submission I ever made
to Allah the Almighty where I
did not pray for the Ahmadi
people.
Listen again: Never do
anything that is done by those
disloyal to Allah the Almighty.
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
Our prayers should be that we
live and die as Muslims.(4)
Some aspects of the Second
Khilafat of Ahmadiyyat
During the second Khilafat of
Ahmadiyyat enormous steps took
place in the propagation of Islam
throughout the world. Land for a
mosque and mission house in
London had been purchased and in
a visit to the UK in 1924, Hadhrat
Khalifa-tul-Masih II(ra) himself laid
the foundation stone of the mosque.
This mosque, the first to be built in
London by Muslims, and for which
the ladies of India gave their gold
ornaments, was completed two
years later.
Visit to London, 1924
The main purpose of Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II’s visit to the
UK was also to attend the World
Conference of Religions where
leading members of different faiths
were invited to address the
meeting. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih
left Qadian on 12 July with a party
of 10 persons accompanying him.
The party sailed from Bombay on
the morning of 15 July and the ship
reached Aden eight days later. The
ship entered Port Said on the
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
evening of 28 and Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih stayed in Cairo
for 3 days. He then proceeded to
Jerusalem and Damascus.
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra)
arrived in London on 22 August
1924 and stayed at 6 Chesham
Place, Belgravia, SW1. In a report
of the visit published in the Review
of Religions October 1924 p. 371, it
is written that “The news of His
Holiness’s visit to London was
published along with suitable notes
in most of the important papers in
London. The first public lecture
which His Holiness gave in
England is the one which His
Holiness delivered in Portsmouth
on 13 September”.(5)
The address in Portsmouth, at Piles
Hall was delivered before a large
audience and is entitled, “A
Message from Heaven”
(reproduced in The Review of
Religions, Jan 2003).
The London Conference of Living
Religions began on 22 September
1924. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih
II’s paper on “The Ahmadiyya
Movement” was presented on 23
September and was read out by
The Review of Religions – February 2008 51
 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
Chaudhry Muhammad Zafrulla
Khan. The paper was well-
received and much appreciated:
“People sat with rapt attention
and many seemed to jump with
pleasure at every new phase of
Islam discovered. … At the
close of the lecture people
cheered and cheered again and
the president had to wait some
minutes to make his remarks.
He thanked His Holiness for
having so beautifully explained
to them the religious truths”.
(Review of Religions, October
1924)(6)
At 4pm on 19 October 1924,
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) laid
the foundation stone of the London
Mosque with over 200 people of
various nationalities and religious
beliefs present at the ceremony.
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra)
delivered a short address in which
he explained that a mosque was a
place to worship and serve God
alone. A telegram dated 20
October 1924 from Maulvi Abdur
Rahim Dard to Hadhrat Maulvi
Sher ‘Ali in Qadian states that
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih said he
hoped ‘that this mosque would
52 The Review of Religions – February 2008
help to remove all friction and
strife and establish peace, amity
and goodwill among men …’
(Review of Religions, November
1924)(7)
Promotion of Religious
Harmony
It was during the second Khilafat
that inter-faith and intra-faith
conferences promoting religious
harmony were introduced. Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih wished that non
Muslims should be made aware of
the true facts regarding the life and
character of the Holy Prophet of
Islam(saw). A scheme (inaugurated
on 17 June 1928) established
public meetings each year where
speeches were given by Muslims
and non-Muslims on this subject.
Some time after this a different
kind of conference (Religious
Founders Day) was also
introduced. At these meetings
members of different faiths were
invited to speak on their Religious
Founder with respect to a set
theme. These gatherings helped to
improve inter-communal relations
and to remove miscon-ceptions
and misunderstandings, and have
continued to this day.
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
Tahrik Jadid
In 1934, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih
II launched a scheme known as the
Tahrik Jadid (lit.new appeal)
through which, over the course of
time and with the ever-increasing
financial sacrifices of members of
the community throughout the
world, huge advances in the
propagation of Islam were to
occur. Mosques and missions were
established.The scheme has been
responsible for the opening of
schools, hospitals and dispensaries
in many different parts of the
world. In his book Ahmadiyyat The
Renaissance of Islam, Sir Zafrulla
Khan writes:
“All this activity is instrumental
in the effort of achieving the
ultimate purpose of the
Movement, namely, the
cultivation of the highest moral
and spiritual qualities, seeking
all the time to establish
communion with God for the
purpose of winning His
pleasure and rendering
beneficent service to His
creatures without any
discrimination”. (8)
Earlier in 1934, the Ahmadiyya
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
Community faced severe
opposition from a political group
called the Majlis Ahrar-e-Islam
(lit. society of the free-born but
actually drawing on hardened
extremists). The Ahrar had, in
October that year, held a
conference at a location close to
Qadian at which inflammatory and
provocative speeches were made
against the Ahmadiyya
Community. Despite these
outrageous actions, members of
the Community showed great
restraint, which had the effect of
stopping the situation from
escalating.
It was against this background,
during the course of three Friday
sermons (23, 30 November and 7
December 1934), that Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II put forward
the Scheme of Tahrik Jadid.
Initially the Scheme was for a
period of three years but it was
later made permanent. The
Scheme encouraged simple living,
financial sacrifice and devoting
time for the service and
propagation of Islam. In the
sermons on 23 and 30 November,
nineteen demands were presented
which would help achieve the
The Review of Religions – February 2008 53
 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
objectives of the Scheme. In the
sermon of 30 November, Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(ra) said
regarding these demands:
“Each one of them has been
selected after long deliber-
ation. There is not a single one
of them that will not be useful in
the progress of the Jama’at.
Each one of them is like a seed:
such a seed that is deemed to
grow enormously, turn into a
full grown tree, and one that
will subdue our enemies. There
is none out of them that could
be disregarded. There is none
without which structure of our
progress can reach comple-
tion. Thus I say to the people of
my Jama’at, whoever can, must
participate and this way help
the Jama’at flourish sooner and
try to attain the blessings of
Allah.”(9)
Establishment of missions
around the world
Missions were established as early
as 1913 in the UK and 1915 in
Ceylon and Mauritius and 1921
saw the beginning of the
propagation of Islam in America
and Africa.
54 The Review of Religions – February 2008
Under the Tahrik Jadid scheme,
missionaries were sent to many
parts of the world, including West
and East Africa, the Middle East
and Trinidad and Guyana. In
Europe the countries to which
missionaries were sent included
Spain, Italy, Albania, Yugoslavia,
Hungary, Poland and Switzerland,
although in some countries, the
missions had to be closed due to
local difficulties period.
The first Ahmadiyya mosque in
Europe was the Fazl Mosque in
London the foundation stone of
which was laid in 1924. The
second mosque in Europe was
constructed in the Hague, Holland
and a mission was established in
Copenhagen, Denmark in 1956. In
1957 the foundation stone was laid
of the Fazl-e-Umar mosque in
Hamburg and the following year in
1958, the Masjid Noor in Frankfurt
was inaugurated. A plot of land
was acquired for a mosque in
Zurich in 1959 and the foundation
stone of this mosque was laid on
the 25 August 1962.
During the second Khilafat, the
Holy Qur’an was translated into
several languages: a Dutch
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
translation was carried out in 1952
and a Danish translation in 1961.
The German translation of the
Holy Qur’an was published in
1953 with a second edition
appearing in 1959.
Through the network of 46 foreign
missions initiated under the second
Khilafat, and which progressively
expanded over the course of time, a
prophecy of the Promised
Messiah(as) was fulfilled in causing
the message of the Promised
Messiah(as) to reach the corners of
the earth.
The establishment of the Tahrik
Jadid was of historic importance
and brought enormous benefits. All
the Jama’at’s activities outside the
Indo-Pakistan subcontinent
continued to be administered as
part of the Tahrik Jadid and today
the Tahrik Jadid manages missions
in 189 countries (as in January
2008) under the supervision of the
Khalifatul Masih.
Claim of Musleh Mau‘ood (The
Promised Reformer)
For various reasons Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(ra) refrained for
some time from making any
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
positive claim that he was the
subject of the prophecy of 20
February 1886. In June 1937, he
wrote in a letter:
‘…So far as I have reflected on
these prophecies, 90% of them
are in accord with the
achievements of the period of
my Khilafat. As I do not
consider that it is necessary for
the person who is the subject of
these prophecies to claim that
the prophecies have been
fulfilled in his person or refer to
him, I do not deem it necessary
to make such a claim. I do
consider, however, that God
Almighty has fulfilled the
purpose of these pro-phecies to
a large degree through me….’
(10)
Later in a Friday sermon in 1940 he
stated:
‘People have tried that I should
claim that I am the Promised
Reformer, but I have never
considered this necessary… f I
am in truth and in fact the
Promised Reformer, my posi-
tion is not affected by my failure
to make such a claim.’(11)
The Review of Religions – February 2008 55
 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
Thus despite being convinced that
he was indeed the Reformer
mentioned in the prophecies of the
Promised Messiah(as), Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(ra) did not wish
at that time to make this claim.
However, in 1944 Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(ra) was informed
by Allah through a dream of his
august position. At the time he was
briefly staying in Lahore at the
house of Shaikh Bashir Ahmad
Advocate on 13 Temple Road. The
contents of the dream left him in no
doubt that a public announcement
that he was the Promised Reformer
had become necessary. He related
this dream on 28 January 1944 in
detail in the Friday sermon and
made the announcement. He began
with the remarks:
‘I wish to state something today
which I find it difficult to set
forth having regard to my
temperament, but as some
prophecies and Divine decrees
are involved in making this
exposition I cannot refrain from
making it despite my
reluctance’. (12)
A further announcement with
56 The Review of Religions – February 2008
regard to this dream was made at a
specially convened meeting on 20
February 1944 at Hoshiarpur. This
was on the same day and at the
same place where 58 years earlier
the Promised Messiah(as) had
issued the prophecy. In the book
Ahmadiyyat – the Renaissance of
Islam, Sir Zafrulla Khan describes
the atmosphere at the meeting:
“Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II
opened his address with the
recitation of Surah Fatihah,
repeating some of the verses in
a voice steeped in emotion and
followed it up with several
supplications from the Holy
Qur’an. The audience was
deeply affected and repeated
the supplications after him
with streaming eyes and
convulsed hearts. Thereafter
he announced the background
of the prophecy of the
Promised Messiah of 20
February 1886 and explained
how every part of it had been
fulfilled in a wonderful manner
despite adverse conditions.
..”(13)
Further meetings on the same
subject of the Promised Reformer
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 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
were held in Lahore on 12 March
1944, Ludhiana on 23 March 1944
and Delhi on 16 April 1944.
No one who really knew Hadhrat
Khalifa-tul-Masih II, or studied his
life carefully would have been in
doubt that he indeed was the
Musleh Mau‘ood whose advent
had been prophesied by the
Promised Messiah(as). The
fulfilment of this prophecy
provides us with a mighty sign in
favour of the truth of the Promised
Messiah(as) and his claim. The
prophecy of Musleh Mau‘ood is
remembered each year all over the
world in specially convened
meetings.
Administration
Early on in the second Khilafat,
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II
convened a Majlis Shura to discuss
how to further the propagation of
Islam. In 1922 Majlis Shura
(advisory consultative council)
became a permanent institution in
the Community. It normally meets
annually to submit advice for
consideration by the Khalifa on
various matters concerning the
Community.
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
In 1919, various departments
(Nizamats) were established,
thereby strengthening the
administrative structure of the
Community.
Later, auxiliary organisations for
various sections of the Community
were set up, the first being for
ladies in the Community: Lajna
Ima’illah for ladies over the age of
15 (set up in 1922) and Majlis
Nasiratul Ahmadiyya for girls
under the age of 15. On 27
December 1944, during the
Annual Conference of the
Community, Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih II(ra), addressing the ladies,
urged members of the newly-
established association to try to
ensure literacy among all
members, to make sure that the
principal commandments of Islam
were understood and to make sure
they knew the meaning of and
philosophy behind the prayers
(salaat)(14). Some time later, similar
auxiliary organisations for men
were established: Majlis
Khuddamul Ahmadiyya for men
under 40 (in 1938), Majlis
Ansarullah for men over 40 and
Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya for boys
under the age of 15.
The Review of Religions – February 2008 57
 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
The Ta‘limul Islam High School
had originally been set up during
the time of the Promised
Messiah(as) and had developed to
the level of an Intermediate
College, but had been closed in
1905. The Ta‘limul Islam College
was re-established with a
curriculum up to degree level in
1944, and on partition of the
country moved temporarily to
Lahore, while the new premises in
Rabwah were constructed. It was
open to all suitably qualified
students. On the occasion of the
opening of the College in 1944,
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra)
stated that:
“The doors of the College will
be open to all students
irrespective of caste and creed.
All communities are in need of
education and it is our duty, as
human beings, that we should
make education possible and
easy for everyone. … The
doors of this College will be
open to everyone and this
institution shall provide all
possible help to all those who
seek to derive benefit from
it”.(15)
58 The Review of Religions – February 2008
The foundation of the Ta‘limul
Islam College in Rabwah was laid
on 26 June 1953.
Peace Amongst Communities
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) had
deep insight into secular as well as
spiritual matters. He guided his
volunteers and led the anti-
Shuddhi movement. Shuddhi
refers to reverting to Hinduism
from another religion. Swami
Shraddanand (Mahatama
Munshiram) of Arya Samaj started
the forceful reversions. Ahmadi
volunteers guided the people back
to their faith.
In the dispute over Kashmir during
the 1930s, the Khalifa was to play
an important role in securing
fundamental social and political
rights for Muslims in Kashmir.
Rabwah
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra)
guided the Community through the
difficult times of partition of the
Indian subcontinent in 1947.
Following partition some of the
Community’s central adminis-
trative offices were relocated to
Lahore, although a contingent of
313 Ahmadis (coincidentally the
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 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
number in the Muslim army that
defeated the Makkan invaders at
the Battle of Badr) volunteered to
remain to look after the Centre in
Qadian. Some time later the
Ahmadiyya Community acquired
about 1000 acres of land of almost
wilderness which was to become
the Headquarters of the
Community in Pakistan. The
foundation of Rabwah, as the town
was named, was laid by Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(ra) on 20
September 1948.
The foundation stone of the first
mosque in Rabwah was laid the
following year by Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(ra) on 3 October
1949. The site was the same one
that Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra)
had offered the first prayer on 20
September 1948 [16]. Over the
years, the once barren area turned
into a green and active town. In
1956, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih
II(ra) laid the foundation stone of
the Fazl-e-Umar hospital in
Rabwah and the hospital was
completed two years later and
inaugurated by Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih II(ra) on 21 September 1958.
The facilities at the hospital
continue to expand and develop.
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
Waqf Jadid
On 27 December 1957, Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(ra) started New
Dedication (Tahrik Waqf Jadid),
the primary objective of which was
to look after the spiritual
upbringing of the members living
in the rural communities. On 1
February 1958, fourteen mu‘alli-
meen (teachers) were despatched to
selected rural areas of the country.
Now the number has reached into
thousands. Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih II(ra) appointed Sahibzada
Mirza Tahir Ahmad (who was later
to become Khalifatul Masih IV) as
the first Director (Nazim Irshad) of
Waqf Jadid.
Visit to Europe 1955
In 1955, the Khalifatul Masih made
a tour of Europe visiting various
European missions. The tour went
through Damascus and Lebanon,
and included Geneva, Zurich,
Hamburg and The Hague. A
conference presided by the
Khalifatul Masih was held in
London on the 22, 23 and 24 July
1955 the delegates of which
included missionaries from
America, UK, Switzerland,
Germany, Spain, Holland, Nigeria
and Trinidad(17).
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 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
Lectures and writings
His deep intelligence and God-
given knowledge enabled him to
write some 200 books, and deliver
numerous speeches and lectures.
Among the many books written by
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) are
Introduction to the Study of the
Holy Qur’an, Invitation to
Ahmadiyyat, Nizam-e-Nau (A New
World Order), Remembrance of
Allah, The Truth about the Split
and The Way of the Seekers. Also
published during the second
Khilafat of Ahmadiyyat was an in-
depth commentary of the Holy
Qur’an in 10 volumes (the
Tafseer-e-Kabir) as well as a
shorter commentary (the Tafsir-e-
Saghir).
In Ahmadiyyat-the Renaissance of
Islam, Sir Muhammad Zafrulla
Khan writes:
“He possessed great versatility
of mind and the range of his
intellect was unmatched among
his contemporaries. These
qualities were strikingly
illustrated in his speeches and
writings. … His speeches were
intellectual banquets at which
those present were regaled to
60 The Review of Religions – February 2008
their great delight and
enjoyment. In that guise he
stimulated their intellects,
enlivened their faculties, incited
them to climb moral and
spiritual heights and sent them
home greatly enriched …” (18)
On 26 February 1919, Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II delivered a
lecture at an extraordinary meeting
of the Martin Historical Society in
the Islamia College Hall. The
lecture was on “A chapter from the
early history of Islam: causes of
dissension among the early
Muslims”. In his preface to the
Urdu edition of the lecture, Syed
Abdul Qadir, M.A. Professor of
History, Islamia College, and
President of the Society, wrote:
The very name of Hadhrat
Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud
Ahmad, the scholary son of a
scholarly father, is a sufficient
guarantee of the lecture being
highly learned. I too know little
of the history of Islam, and can
say without fear of contra-
diction that very few
historians, both among the
Muslims and the non-Muslims,
have been able to discover the
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 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):
real causes of those
dissensions that occurred
during the days of Hadhrat
‘Uthman. Hadhrat Mirza
Sahib has not only succeeded
in finding out the true causes
of the first civil war among the
Muslims but has stated in a
lucid and graphic manner the
events which shook the palace
of the Caliphate for many
years. I think those interested
in Islamic history have never
come across such a reasoned
exposition as this. The truth is
that the more a person will
study original historical works
on this subject, the more he
will appreciate the contents of
the paper.”(19)
The period of the second Khilafat
extended almost 52 years from 13
March 1914 to 8 November 1965.
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II’s(ra),
inspiring addresses, sermons and
speeches served to raise the moral
and spiritual standards of the
Community. He took a genuine
and personal interest in all his
members. He had a detailed and
profound knowledge of the Holy
Qur’an, vividly illustrated in his
commentaries of the Holy Qur’an
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
– the Tafsir-e-Kabir (Larger
Commentary) and the Tafsir-e-
Saghir (Shorter Commentary),
which were published during the
second Khilafat and which have
served as a wealth of knowledge
and insight. The constant encour-
agement of members towards
good was maintained till the end
of his life.
On 10 March 1954, Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(as) was attacked
in the neck with a dagger after the
evening prayers by a new convert.
But despite his frail health and this
serious injury, he continued with
the larger commentary on the Holy
Qur’an, sometimes unable to lead
the prayer services. He passed
away during the night of 8
November and the morning of 9
November 1965.
The words of Sir Muhammad
Zafrulla Khan explain the
importance of the prophecy of
Musleh Mau‘ood:
“The fulfilment of the whole
cluster of the grand predictions
comprised in the prophecy
leaves no room for a shadow of
doubt that the prophecy was
The Review of Religions – February 2008 61
 THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH II(RA):

made under Divine direction References

and its fulfilment firmly 1. Announcement of 20 February
establishes the existence of 1886, taken from Ahmadiyyat – The
God, the truth of the Holy Renaissance of Islam by
Muhammad Zafrulla Khan, 1978
Prophet of Islam(saw), the
Tabshir Publications
Divine origin of the Holy 2. Ibid.
Qur’an, the truth of the 3. Ibid.
Promised Messiah and the 4. Al-Fazl, 21 March 1914. Sawaneh
righteousness of Hadhrat Fazl-e-Umar, Vol I, Pg. 339-342
Khalifat-ul-Masih II, and the 5. Review of Religions, October 1924
fact that he was the Divinely p.371
6. Ibid.
appointed Successor of the
7. Review of Religions, November
Promised Messiah. His out- 1924
standing qualities and his 8. Ahmadiyyat The Renaissance of
astonishing record of high Islam by Muhammad Zafrulla
achievement in so many fields Khan, 1978 Tabshir Publications
of human endeavour, all 9. Ahmadiyya Gazette (USA) August
related to the revival of the 2003
10. Ibid.
faith and the supremacy of
11. Ibid.
Islam over all other religions, 12. Ibid.
marked him out as a great and 13. Ibid.
shining figure in the annals of 14. Ibid.
the Renaissance of Islam in the 15. Ibid.
latter days.”(20) 16. Review of Religions.
17. Muslim Herald, Sep/Oct 1961.
18. Ahmadiyyat The Renaissance of
Islam by Muhammad Zafrulla
Khan, 1978 Tabshir Publications
19. Review of Religions, January 1921,
Vol XX, No.1.
20. Al Fazl, 11th November 1965.
20. Ahmadiyyat The Renaissance of
Islam by Muhammad Zafrulla
Khan, 1978 Tabshir Publications.

62 The Review of Religions – February 2008 KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra):
A PERSONAL MEMOIR –
by Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan
The Promised Messiah(as) paid a
visit to Sialkot in September –
October 1904. He was accom-
panied, among others, by the
members of his family. It was on
that occasion that I had my first
glimpse of Hadhrat Sahibzada
Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud
Ahmad Sahib, as he then was. I
remember the exact spot and have
a very clear recollection of how he
looked at 15-16 years of age. I was
only 11, and felt greatly elated at
having been vouchsafed the
opportunity of a look at so exalted
a personage. I dared not
contemplate the possibility of
approaching and greeting him, any
more than I could contemplate
approaching and greeting the
moon.
Thereafter, I used to accompany
my father on his visit to Qadian in
September and on the occasion of
the Annual Gathering in
December and had opportunities
of observing the Sahibzada Sahib
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
in passing, but could not muster
enough courage to accost him. In
1907, I matriculated and moved on
to Lahore and occasionally visited
Qadian on my own, but this did
not help to bridge the distance
between us.
Indeed, my feeling of awe and
veneration extended to all
members of the family of the
Promised Messiah(as) and to those
nearly related or closely connected
or associated with him. It was not
till the late Sahibzada Mirza
Bashir Ahmad Sahib joined the
same college at Lahore in 1910,
that I began to know any of them
intimately.
In August 1911, I accompanied
my parents (it was, I believe, my
mother’s first visit there) to
Qadian, to say goodbye, as I was
proceeding to England for my law
studies. It was on that occasion
that, at the suggestion of
Sahibzada Mirza Bashir Ahmad
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 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
Sahib, I ventured to call on the
elder Sahibzada Sahib, apprised
him of the purpose of my proposed
journey to England and requested
him to pray for me. I was
graciously received and was
rewarded with appropriate words
of wisdom and guidance. The
meeting lasted only a few minutes.
I ventured to write to him once or
twice from England and was
honoured with suitable replies.
In March 1914, Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih I(ra) died and Sahibzada
Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud
Ahmad Sahib was elected to
succeed him as Khalifatul Masih
II. He received the homage and
allegiance of 95 percent of the
then membership of the
Movement. I was, at the time, still
in England and mailed my letter of
allegiance to him the very day I
received the news of his election.
In those days, mail in either
direction, between Qadian and
England, took 17 days.
The First World War started on 2
August 1914 and leaving London
on 8 October, I returned home in
the beginning of November. It was
a hazardous voyage; especially as
64 The Review of Religions – February 2008
the German destroyer Emden was
active in Indian waters and had
already destroyed several British
vessels. The S.S. Arabia, by which
I was travelling, arrived safely at
Bombay on that occasion, but was
sunk by the Emden during a later
voyage.
In the course of my journey up
from Bombay, I went first to
Qadian and renewed my written
covenant of allegiance to Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(ra), by oral
affirmation. This was my first real
meeting with him. While he had
risen greatly in stature and was
now my spiritual preceptor and
master to whom I owed the
deepest and truest allegiance of
my heart and soul and to whom I
was wholly devoted and
committed, I felt far less shy in his
presence than I had anticipated
and found myself able to carry on
my humble and respectful part in
an intelligible manner in the
conversation that ensued. I
emerged from his august and
gracious presence in a mood of
spiritual exaltation and with a
sense and assurance of complete
security.
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 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN

Half a century has

since elapsed. This is
an attempt at a brief
personal memoir.
Even that could
extend far beyond
the recognised limits
of an article and,
therefore, must be
curtailed and con-
densed so as to be
confined within
permissible bounds.
I shall not here essay
even an outline of
the astonishing
moral and spiritual
revolution that has
been compassed
during that half
century in the lives
of individuals and
communities in the
near and far corners
of the globe under Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) and Muhammad Zafrulla
Khan strolling in the park
the direction and
guidance of that
towering and dynamic personality. assessments, than I can claim to
That task must be reserved for be...
those much more conversant with
the facts and vastly more It will be appreciated that as in the
competent to institute the neces- Promised Messiah(as) was fulfilled
sary comparisons and to carry out the prophecy concerning the
the requisite appraisals and second advent of the Holy

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 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
Prophet(saw) foretold in (624) and
we were accustomed to see in the
former a spiritual reflection of the
latter, so we expected to see his
reflection in his Second Successor
who is also his Promised Son and
was in the words of the prophecy
to be “in beauty and grace like
unto” him. In this expectation, we
have been in no wise disappointed
and we have witnessed its
progressive fulfilment. Of this,
there are many facets. I shall here
confine myself to a brief
consideration of one or two.
Among other excellences of the
Holy Prophet(saw), God has borne
witness that:
...grievous is it to him that you
should fall into trouble,
ardently desirous is he of your
welfare, towards the believers
is he tenderly compassionate
and merciful.
(Ch.9: V.128)
I have experienced towards my
humble self-witness towards other
manifestations, too numerous to
permit detailed mention here, on
the part of Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih II(ra), of the qualities
66 The Review of Religions – February 2008
referred to in this verse. I proceed
to draw attention to a few.
One winter’s day, many years ago
long before Qadian was connected
with Batala by rail, I went over
from Lahore to Qadian. It
happened to be the month of
Ramadhan. I arrived about 4pm,
an hour and a quarter before the
fast was to terminate. Hadhrat
Sahib, as was then his wont,
stayed for a while in the Masjid
Mubarak after the ‘Asr service and
I presented myself to pay my
respects. Immediately after
graciously acknowledging my
greetings he directed, with a smile,
that I should be served tea. This
was most unusual, and, besides, I
was fasting. On my submitting this
he exclaimed, with the suspicion
of a twinkle in his eye and a tinge
of gentle reproof in his voice:
“Fasting, while you are travelling?
What kind of fast would this be?”
So tea was brought and in the
midst of the company in the
mosque, all of them fasting, he
saw to it that I refreshed myself
and also complied with the
Qur’anic injunction in respect of
postponing the fast when
travelling. I was duly instructed
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 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
and admonished, but how tender
and affecting was the method of
admonition!
In an appeal pending in the High
Court, the title to over fifty acres
of very valuable land, in a part of
Qadian which was rapidly
becoming residential, was in
dispute. In the District Court, on
first appeal, judgment had been
adverse to Hadhrat Sahib and his
brothers. The two issues arising in
the case were those of fact and a
second appeal had little chance of
success. Hadhrat Sahib had been
so advised but had directed the
filing of the appeal as the late
Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmad
Sahib (the grandfather of Hadhrat
Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul
Masih V) had seen in a dream that
an appeal had been successful.
The appeal was admitted to
hearing. Hadhrat Sahib sent for me
and told me that he had been
advised that in view of the
importance of the interests
involved, Sir Muhammad Shafi or
Mr. Petman (both at the top of the
Bar at Lahore) should be retained
to argue the appeal, but that he felt
that sincerity and devotion should
be valued above experience and
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
desired me to conduct the appeal
with Mian Muhammad Sharif
Sahib to assist. I was deeply
moved. Those were early days for
me at the Bar and I had little
experience of work in the High
Court. To be chosen in preference
to acknowledged and veteran
leaders of the Bar was not a
compliment to any merit that I
might have been supposed to
possess, but sheer generosity and
affection on the part of my revered
and incomparable master.
I felt nervous but was helped and
cheered by the confidence that
Hadhrat Sahib(ra) had placed in me
and was strengthened by the
knowledge that he would pray for
the successful issue of the appeal.
I was also greatly comforted by
the help and support of my
respected colleague, Mian
Muhammad Sharif Sahib, who had
been in active practice for some
years, though, according to the
then rules, I ranked higher in
seniority. By the grace of God, our
humble efforts were crowned with
success.
At the time of the split, a small
section of the Jama’at had seceded
The Review of Religions – February 2008 67
 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
and had formed an association of
its own with headquarters at
Lahore. Among them was a
gentleman in a fair way of
business, who gradually drifted
into a more than moderately
comfortable stan-dard of living
and became involved in activities
of a more than legally
questionable character. This led to
his prosecution and conviction on
a grave charge and he was
sentenced to a long term of
imprisonment. From the
conviction and sentence an appeal
was taken to the High Court, but
bail was not allowed and pending
the appeal, the appellant remained
in jail. This proved to be his
salvation. The contrast between
his life in jail and his immediately
preceding existence made him re-
examine and overhaul his values.
He retraced his steps and began
once more to seek guidance and
assistance through prayer and
repentance. In the midst of his
agony, he saw the Promised
Messiah(as) in a dream and
enquired of him: “Sir, when may I
hope for deliverance?” “When
even your skin is changed”, was
the rejoinder. He interpreted this to
mean that God demanded of him a
68 The Review of Religions – February 2008
complete revolution in his way of
life and a reverting to moral and
spiritual values. He made a firm
resolve to carry this through and
thereafter to adhere steadfastly to
his chosen path. When his son
came to see him the following
visitor’s day, he related all this to
him and made him seek an
interview with Hadhrat KhalifatuI
Masih II(ra), convey to the latter his
father’s allegiance and implore
him to pray for his deliverance.
It so happened that Hadhrat
Sahib(ra) arrived in Lahore about
that time and the young man came
to see him, accompanied by the
late Shaikh Mushtaq Husain Sahib
(the revered father of our
respected brother Shaikh Bashir
Ahmad Sahib, till lately a Judge of
the West Pakistan High Court). I
was the only other person present
at the interview. Hadhrat Sahib(ra)
heard the young man through and
in response to his piteous appeal
for prayers for his father’s
deliverance, gently uttered the
comforting words: “I shall pray.”
Hadhrat Sahib’s voice was
scarcely above a whisper and
indicated that he had been deeply
moved. I was convinced that his
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 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
prayers would be heard and would
win acceptance, though the lawyer
in me was curious to know how
the concrete result would be
achieved.
I was not retained in the case, but I
had known the appellant and had
some hearsay knowledge of the
facts. The main point in the appeal
was one of law. The principal
witness in the case had, in his
statement at the trial, failed to
supply the essential links that
would have connected the accused
with the offence with which he
was charged. A previous statement
of that witness, made before a
magistrate who had first taken
cognisance of the case, did,
however, contain those essential
links. The prosecution had
tendered that statement in
evidence at the trial. The
conviction of the appellant was
based largely on that statement.
The appeal came on for hearing
before Mr. Justice Petman. He
held that the previous statement
was not admissible in evidence
against the appellant, and, as the
rest of the evidence was not
sufficient to establish his guilt, he
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
accepted the appeal, quashed the
conviction and acquitted the
appellant.
A few months later, the same point
came up for decision before a
Division Bench (two judges) in
another case, who overruled Mr.
Justice Petman and held that the
previous statement in that case
was admissible in evidence. This,
of course, did not affect the
appellant who had been acquitted
by Mr. Justice Petman.
That gentleman lived for more
than forty years after his acquittal
and carried through to the
uttermost the resolve that he had
made in jail; the inner and outer
revolutions were completed and
were sustained till the end which
came last year, in the fullness of
time when his new life, lived in the
sight of God, in contentment and
humility, devoted to the service of
his fellowmen, had obliterated
completely all traces of the
temporary lapse for which he paid
heavily and out of which he was
rescued by the grace and mercy of
God, emerging all the stronger for
the searing challenge that he
accepted and met fully.
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 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
I got to know him fairly intimately
soon after the happy result of the
appeal and marvelled at the
change that had come over him. In
truth, he possessed a childlike and
lovable disposition and had no
inclination towards vice of any
kind. He stumbled, probably out of
ignorance, but soon recognised
that the path he had started
treading did not lead to prosperity
and security but to moral and
spiritual bankruptcy. He was jolted
back by Divine grace and mercy
into the path of rectitude and
righteousness and held fast to it so
that in the end, all seemed well
with him.
When the Duke of Windsor, then
Prince of Wales and Heir to the
British Crown, (which he never
actually wore, for, as Edward VIII
he abdicated before his
Coronation), visited India in 1922,
he was, during his stay in Lahore,
presented a book on behalf of
Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II(ra) and
the Jama’at, entitled A Present to
the Prince of Wales, which
contained a reasoned exposition of
the teachings of Islam as a living
faith and concluded with an
invitation to him to accept it. The
70 The Review of Religions – February 2008
original was written in Urdu by
Hadhrat Sahib(ra) and he sent a
copy of the manuscript to me at
Lahore with directions that I
should translate it into English, as
quickly as I could manage and
then take the translation to Qadian
for revision. It took me five
evenings to complete the trans-
lation and I went over with it to
Qadian. Two days were devoted to
its revision. The revising board
was composed of Hadhrat
Sahib(ra), the late Hadhrat
Sahibzada Mirza Bashir Ahmad
Sahib, the late Maulawi Sher ‘Ali
Sahib and our respected brother
Master Muhammad Din Sahib. We
started work each day immediately
after Fajr Prayers, that it to say, an
hour before sunrise and continued
till late after ‘Isha’ Prayers,
breaking off only for meals and
prayers. We worked in the room
that opens on to the roof of the
Masjid Mubarak from the north.
All meals were sent up from
Hadhrat Sahib’s house and were
served in the room in which we
worked. We went out of the room
and were separated from each
other only during prayer-time. The
sitting, except for these brief
necessary intervals, extended over
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 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
approximately 17 hours each day.
I do not recall ever having spent
two more diligent, more absorbing
and at the same time, more
cheering and more rewarding
days.
The company was the best and
most exalted and uplifting that
could be wished for. The work,
though exacting, was highly
instructive and the arrangements
for sustenance, though simple,
were most agreeable and
satisfying. Hadhrat Sahib’s eldest
daughter, then a child of tender
years, supervised the meals and
her guileless gravity lent innocent
charm and grace to each occasion.
Hadhrat Sahib(ra) himself, though
eager to squeeze out of each
fleeting moment the best and
utmost that it was capable of
yielding, was most solicitous of
everyone’s comfort and his sallies
of good humour not only kept us
in good spirits throughout but
helped to expedite the work in
hand. I can certainly affirm of
myself, and I am sure it was true of
each one of us, that at the end of
each long day we came out as
fresh, eager and cheerful as we had
been at its start. This experience
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
was repeated each time I enjoyed
the good fortune of working in
association with Hadhrat Sahib(ra).
His scintillating personality has
always had the effect of a
refreshing and invigorating moral
and spiritual tonic and his
solicitude for those working with
him has been deeply touching.
Forty years later, I had a brief
meeting with H.R.H. the Duke of
Windsor who was being
informally shown round the
United Nations Headquarters in
New York. I mentioned A Present
to the Prince of Wales to him. He
recalled it immediately and
affirmed eagerly: “I still have it
with me”.
During the early years of
Hadhrat’s Khilafat, a group of
leading ‘Ulama, representing
every section of opposition to the
Movement, gathered at Qadian to
deliver public addresses from a
common platform, the purpose of
which had been widely proclaimed
in advance as the final uprooting
of the Movement. This created a
very difficult and delicate situation
particularly from the point of view
of law and order, as the meetings
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 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
were designed to attract large
attendance of hostile elements
from the surrounding villages. The
speeches might be provocative and
one of the declared objectives was
to exhume the sacred body of the
Promised Messiah(as) to ascertain
whether it had been safeguarded
against the normal process of
decomposition, as, so some of the
‘Ulama claimed, should be the
case, if his claim to Prophethood
was well-founded. There was not
the least justification for the
alleged belief of the ‘Ulama and
the doctrine was coined merely to
serve as a handle for a possibly
contemplated wanton attempt at
sacrilege. It was obvious, on the
other hand, that any such
attempted outrage would be
resisted by the Jama‘at to the last
drop of blood of the last surviving
Ahmadi. Little reliance could be
placed in this harrowing situation
upon the willingness of the
administration to help or upon the
adequacy of the resources that it
might deem it necessary to employ
for the purpose. The District
authorities should have banned the
meetings of the ‘Ulama as soon as
their purpose was known, but they
did not do so, either because they
72 The Review of Religions – February 2008
failed to appraise the situation
correctly, or because they were
indifferent to it.
A heavy and excruciating res-
ponsibility lay upon the Jama‘at
and it pressed most heavily upon
its revered leader. I happened to be
Warden of the Ahmadiyya Hostel
in Lahore and received
instructions to proceed to Qadian
immediately in company with all
the resident students of the Hostel.
I announced this at the end of the
Friday service and requested the
students to board the evening train
for Batala along with me. The
University examinations were
approaching and half the students
were to sit for them, but not one
missed the train. Shaikh Bashir
Ahmad Sahib, then a resident of
the Hostel, had gone home to
Gujranwala for the day. He
returned to Lahore in the evening
and noticing some of his Hostel
colleagues at the railway station
went over to them and learnt from
them what was required. He
procured a ticket for Batala and
joined us. The train arrived at
Batala around midnight and some
of the youngsters pleaded for a few
hours’ respite before marching the
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
eleven miles to Qadian. One or two
felt it would be safer and wiser to
wait for daylight before setting out
on the uneven, sandy track that led
to Qadian through an unfriendly
area. I explained that “imme-
diately” in my instructions
admitted of no delay, and we
marched on immediately arriving
at Qadian just before the first flush
of dawn. Even at that early hour,
the town was in a state of alert. Fajr
prayers followed and at the
conclusion of the service we were
allotted to various duties and
stations.
I was put in charge of a party
composed of a couple of reporters
and half a dozen youngsters who
were to act as messengers. We
were to attend the meetings of the
‘Ulama throughout, and as the
‘Ulama had converged on Qadian
in strength, the meetings
continued from before sunrise till
late into the night each day, with
two brief intervals at noon and
after sundown for prayers and
meals. A magistrate and a handful
of constables were also on duty at
the meetings and it was part of my
duty to draw the magistrate’s
attention to anything mischievous
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
or provocative that a speaker
might indulge in.
During the two intervals, I would
return to make my report to
Hadhrat Sahib(ra), snatch a hasty
meal and join in the services.
Some time after midnight, Hadhrat
Sahib(ra), having received and
appraised reports from all quarters
and sectors, would start his
consultations and issue needful
instructions. He would then make
his round of check posts and
satisfy himself that all was in
order. The cemetery was,
naturally, the centre and focus of
attention and anxiety. The
residential areas of Qadian were
even then scattered far and wide,
and security arrangements had to
be elaborate, especially in respect
of intelligence, liaison and contact.
None of our people were to
approach the place of the
‘Ulamas’ meetings, lest a clash or
clashes should be provoked and in
case of alarm or alert, scouts were
to be immediately despatched to
check posts in each sector to seek
instructions which must be
scrupulously carried out in an
orderly manner with the utmost
dispatch.
The Review of Religions – February 2008 73
 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
Along with others I was permitted
to accompany Hadhrat Sahib(ra) on
his rounds. It was an exhilarating
and uplifting experience. 1 was
deeply moved at finding such
revered divines and scholars as the
late Qadhi ‘Amir Husain Sahib,
the late Maulawi Sher ‘Ali Sahib
and many others of similar
standing doing point duty! Syed
Sarwar Shah Sahib was posted
outside the Treasury of the Sadr
Anjuman (Baitul Maal), standing
upright without the suspicion of a
stoop, like a youngster in his teens,
his trousers drawn up to his knees,
a dagger stuck into his belt, his
rigid hand holding a lathi (staff)
and his eyes bright and twinkling
as ever. (May Allah be pleased
with him and all that saintly
company).
The first night’s round was con-
cluded around 3 a.m. Hadhrat
Sahib(ra) had taken note of certain
weak links in the security chain and
was anxious to strengthen them.
Local resources were already com-
pletely mobilised and were fully
extended. Help was needed from
outside. Someone must carry and
deliver oral instructions to trust-
worthy adherents within easy
74 The Review of Religions – February 2008
reach. One or two names were
suggested but were not considered
suitable. I ventured to submit the
name of Chaudhri Bashir Ahmad
Sahib, one of my student
contingent. Hadhrat Sahib(ra) sent
for him, gave him his instructions
and directed that he should ride out
at once, complete his mission and
report to him immediately on
return. Bashir Ahmad departed on
the instant, stuck to the back of his
pony for eight hours, made all the
contacts, delivered the instructions
and was back at Qadian submitting
his report before noon.
By the time Hadhrat Sahib(ra) had
concluded his instructions on the
first night and had withdrawn to his
devotions and supplications, dawn
was fast approaching. Whether he
was able to obtain any sleep I did
not know. What I do know is that
this tense situation lasted during
three days and nights and that he,
more than anyone else, was on the
alert throughout, watching,
reflecting, planning, devising,
consulting, counselling, exhorting,
cheering, encouraging and above
all praying and supplicating Him in
Whom all his hope and his trust
were centred. The burden of
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
responsibility was heavy and
crushing, he carried it without
flinching and discharged it to the
uttermost.
Those of us who had the good
fortune of being associated with
him in our humble capacities, were,
no doubt, anxious lest the least
default on our part should add an
atom’s weight to his respon-
sibilities and anxieties and were
thus eager to do our utmost, but had
no feeling of fatigue or fear. With
such a leader in charge every heart
was uplifted, with love of him, of
that for which he and all of us stood
and for each other. The sense of
common purpose, shared values
and selfless devotion made every
passing moment a repository of
precious memories.
Further, there was the conscious-
ness that our beloved and inspired
leader was spending himself not
only to safeguard the Movement
and the Jama’at but equally to
ensure the safety and security of
everyone of those who had
congregated at the Headquarters of
the Movement under the mistaken
notion that by inflicting any kind of
damage or injury upon the
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
Movement they would achieve a
good purpose. He had no ill-will
towards any of them; only love for
all. Many of them would later be
drawn into the ranks of the
Movement with love for and
devotion and obedience towards
him.
The anxious days passed, but they
left their precious remembrance in
our hearts. My brave student
contingent travelled back to
Lahore with me. They had been on
duty most of the time, some of
them, including Mian ‘Ata Ullah
Sahib, at the point of the greatest
peril and, therefore, of the greatest
honour, namely at the tomb of the
Promised Messiah (peace be on
him). None of them had had much
sleep. This time we did not march
back to Batala, but rattled along in
bone-shaking springless carts, one
of which, as often happened,
overturned on the way inflicting a
fracture on one of its precious
occupants. We had to secure for
him a berth in the train on which
he could lie down and find some
relief.
The University examinations were
held a few days later. I kept track
The Review of Religions – February 2008 75
 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
of those of my contingent who had
to sit for them. Every one of them
passed, including the one who had
suffered a fracture. Blessings on
them.
In the summer of 1924, Hadhrat
Sahib(ra) was invited to represent
Islam in the Conference of Empire
Religions held in the Imperial
Institute, London. He accepted the
invitation and travelled to London
with a party of divines and
scholars, which included the late
Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmad
Sahib, the late Hafiz Raushan ‘Ali
Sahib, the late Maulawi Zulfiqar
‘Ali Khan Sahib, the late Chaudhri
Fateh Muhammad Sial Sahib, the
late Shaikh Yaqub ‘Ali Irfani
Sahib, the late Bhai ‘Abdur
Rahman Qadiani Sahib. Dr.
Hashmatullah Khan Sahib and
others. Chaudri Muhammad Sharif
Sahib, Montgomery, was accorded
permission to join the party of his
own. Master Muhammad Din
Sahib was called from America.
The late Al-Haj Maulawi ‘Abdur
Rahim Nayyar was in charge of
the London Mission.
I was already in Europe and was
directed to be available. A fur-
76 The Review of Religions – February 2008
nished residence, 6, Chesham
Place, was rented for accom-
modation of the party. We were
crowded, all arrangements were
reduced to the minimum and
simplest, but we were a happy and
cheerful company.
Hadhrat Sahib(ra) and those
accompanying him had taken time
en route to visit Palestine and
Syria and had made a brief stop in
Rome. I had arrived in London in
good time to welcome the party on
arrival. It was a historic visit. It is
much to be regretted that a
detailed authentic account of it has
not yet been published, though
plenty of published and
unpublished material is available
for a whole volume.
I shall here confine myself to only
one main incident. It must,
however, be stated that it was a
great privilege to be afforded the
opportunity of being in the
intimate company of Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II(ra) and so many
other eminent and revered
personages for a period of several
weeks. There was much to observe
and a great deal to note and learn.
One felt one was a member of a
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
peripatetic spiritual academy. All
manner of topics and problems,
social and economic, moral and
spiritual came up and were
discussed, debated and pro-
nounced upon. A discussion
sometimes developed between
Hadhrat Sahib(ra) and the late Hafiz
Raushan ‘Ali Sahib in which the
latter always sought to maintain
his position with such cogency,
clarity and pertinacity that no
possible aspect was left
unexplored. It was an intellectual
treat to witness and derive benefit
from the treasures of knowledge
and learning which were drawn
upon in clarification, support and
refutation of a proposition as the
discussion proceeded. One
revelled in the whole process of
illumination. It was a tremen-
dously rewarding and enriching
experience, enlivened throughout
with sincere goodwill, deep
affection and the common bond of
allegiance and devotion that we
cherished towards our beloved and
revered leader.
Hadhrat Sahib(ra) had written his
paper for the Conference in Urdu
and I had been accorded the
privilege of translating it into
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
English. On the evening preceding
the day on which it was to be read
out I was summoned to Hadhrat
Sahib’s presence and was told by
him that the question under
consideration was who should
read out the paper at the
Conference. He said it had been
suggested that he should read it
himself, but he did not feel quite at
home in English and was not sure
of his pronunciation of unfamiliar
words. One or two other names
had also been suggested and
Hadhrat Sahib asked for my view.
I submitted very respectfully that I
would be the best choice for the
purpose. Hadhrat Sahib intimated
that the matter should be
determined by a test. The two or
three of us whose names had been
suggested were asked to read
aloud portions of the paper and
scouts were posted at various
points up and down the house,
with, all intervening doors left
open, to listen and report on the
quality of the performance of
each. I recall that the late
Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmad’s
report was in my favour, except
that he had noticed a slight
huskiness in my voice. Hadhrat
Sahib concurred and thus I was
The Review of Religions – February 2008 77
 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
awarded the honour, subject to the
direction that Dr. Hashmatullah
Khan Sahib should look after my
throat to ensure against any
hoarseness developing.
Dr. Sahib took so serious a view of
his responsibility that he started a
series of energetic paintings of my
unoffending throat with a strong
nauseous tincture each application
of which brought me to the verge
of sickness. By breakfast time next
morning I had endured three or
four of these vigorous minis-
trations, and at breakfast felt
compelled to appeal to Hadhrat
Sahib against a continuation of the
torture. My throat was in truth
beginning to be hoarse in
consequence of this sharp pre-
cautionary treatment. My plaint
was received with a hearty laugh
by Hadhrat Sahib and by everyone
around the table, not excepting
even Dr. Sahib himself, and my
further penance was mercifully
remitted.
The paper was to be read in the
afternoon session of the Confer-
ence in the main hall of the
Imperial Institute. There was a
record attendance, every seat was
78 The Review of Religions – February 2008
occupied and a number of people
had to stand in the wings, at the
back of the hall and down the main
corridor. My turn came and I
stepped up to the lectern. My
throat was dry and I felt nervous.
Hadhrat Sahib(ra) was seated next
to the lectern. Just when I was
about to start reading, he leaned
over and, in a tone the sweetness
and gentlesness of which were at
once soothing and heartening,
said: “Do not be uneasy; I shall be
praying.” This most affectionate
gesture reassured me completely
and I was able to proceed
confidently with my task. The
paper was listened to with rapt
attention.
The moment the reading was
finished people made a rush to the
platform in their eagerness to greet
and felicitate Hadhrat Sahib(ra). I
descended from the platform and
stood aside. A gentleman wearing
an Edward VII beard and a cap,
who had been standing at the
farthest end of the hall during the
reading, came up to me and
shaking my hand with heartiness
exclaimed: “I am somewhat hard
of hearing and was standing away
back; I heard every word clearly,
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
 A PERSONAL MEMOIR BY SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN
and good eighteenth century
English at that, no modern
nonsense about it.” I was well
content.
During the return voyage from
Venice to Bombay, Hadhrat
Sahib(ra), who was travelling first
class, spent most of his time with
the rest of the party, the greater
number of whom travelled deck
and had fitted up a comfortable
arrangement under an awning on
deck. One balmy evening, when
the moon scattered its silver
witchery over the waves, we
foregathered on one of the smaller
upper decks and at Hadhrat
Sahib’s suggestion each one, with
only my exception, recited a piece
of poetry. In conclusion we
begged that Hadhrat Sahib(ra) also
recite a poem. With some
hesitation he consented, but only
on condition that we should lean
over to him as he would not raise
his voice so as to carry beyond
three feet. So we gathered close
around him and in a voice, low and
brimful of emotion, he recited
Ghalib’s ghazal.
When the last stirring vibration of
that sweet and well-loved voice
KHILAFAT: Special Edition 5
had been wafted away by the
breeze, we came back to
ourselves, as if released from a
spell. Each eye was moist and each
heart breathed a sigh. No one
uttered a syllable. What each felt,
words had not the capacity to
convey. We came down in awed
silence, cherishing the memory of
a holy experience.
That was forty years ago, and one
could spin on these enticing tales
through many a page, but
considerations of time and space
call a halt. Besides, the heart that
revelled in the consciousness of
that gracious affection, the eyes
that were used to witnessing that
refulgent glory, the ears that were
accustomed to hearing for hours
on end the intoxicating music of
that vibrant voice shrink from and
protest against too lavish a
revelation of their sacred and
poignant memories to those who
know him not as these have known
him.
The Review of Religions – February 2008 79
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