Did Promised Messiah (AS) die before the age of 75?

Introduction

Allah made a personal assurance to the Promised Messiah (AS) that he would die close to the age of 80, in the range of 74 years to 86 years. This promise was made to the Promised Messiah (AS) because He and his family did not know for certain his birth year or his actual age. In simple terms, Allah’s promise trumped any confusion or calculations on the age of the Promised Messiah (AS) made by him, his followers, his family, or his opponents (revelation over human intellect and limited knowledge).

From the Promised Messiah’s (AS) books, one can get his date of birth anywhere from at least 1832 to 1839. However, the issue is that whenever the Promised Messiah mentions anything regarding his age he always makes it clear that he is only giving approximations, and as such none of these calculations can be deemed decisive or wholly accurate.

Here are the words of Allah’s assurance made to the Promised Messiah AS:

Your age will be eighty years—a few years less or some years more; and you will live long enough to witness your distant progeny.

[Tadhkirah, p. 8, (1865)]
[Arba‘in, no. 3, first edition, pp. 29–30]
[Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 17, pp. 418–419]
[Appendix Tuhfah-e-Golarhviyyah, p. 19, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 17, p. 66]

“God had informed me in clear terms that I would live to the age of eighty, or that five to six years more or five to six years less…The actual words of the revelation that pertain to this promise, however, fix the age between 74 and 86.”

[Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part V, p. 347]

The proof for the enemies is the following excerpt from 1907 where he claims his age is 68 years. Since he died the following year, his age must have been 69/70. Thus, the prophecy is false.

And, according to this calculation, my birth has taken place in the 6th millennium, for my age is almost sixty-eight years now.

[Haqiqatul Wahi, p. 253]

Refutation

Estimates are uncertain guesses

Whenever the Promised Messiah (AS) referred to his age, he made sure to emphasize that he was only giving approximations/estimates. He used words like “تقریبا“(approximately), “قریب“(around), “یا“(or) etc. He never indicated that he was absolutely certain of his age which is the reason why he gives wide-ranging and contradictory estimates of his age. Estimates are not meant to draw clear decisive conclusions or act as an objective, bona fide focal point for any argument.

Furthermore, the Promised Messiah (AS) spells this out in clear terms for those who cannot see his nuanced wording:

“True estimation of the age is known, of course, to God…”

[Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, part 5, pg. 489]

Other estimates

Before we give definitive evidence for the Ahmadi and Lahori position that the Promised Messiah (AS) was born in 1835 and reached 75 years of age (Islamic calendar). Let us give you a few proofs for the correct age (+/-1) of the Promised Messiah (AS) using the same technique Anti-Ahmadis use to misrepresent his age.

75 in Haqiqatul Wahi

In the same book, Haqiqatul Wahi, he estimates his age to be 70 in 1903. Thus, he died at the age of 75 in 1908.

I published an announcement in English on 23 August 1903, opposing Mr. Dowie. It says; ‘I am about seventy years in age and Mr. Dowie, as he states, is a young man of fifty but I do not care for my age because this mubahalah will not be decided by our ages but God who is the Most Supreme Authority will decide it.

[Haqiqatul Wahi, 639]

74 in Kitab Al Barriyah

The Promised Messiah (AS) says that he spent 40 years with his father, his father passed away in 1876. This would mean the Promised Messiah AS was born in the year 1836, which takes his age to 74 in the Islamic calendar.

I spent almost 40 years of my life under the protection of my father.

[Ruhani Khazain, vol. 13, pg. 195]

74 in Majmu`a Ishtiharat

In 1894, he estimates his age to be 60. This is 74 at the time of his death in 1908.

If Atham is sixty-four years of age, this humble self is around sixty…

[Majmu`a Ishtiharat, vol. 2, pg 62]

76 in Haqiqatul Wahi

In Haqiqatul Wahi also, he claims to have the first revelation in the year 1290H. And in Taryaqul Qulub [Ruhani Khazain, vol. 15, pg. 208], he mentions that his age was 40 that year. Thus, it means he died in 1908 (1326H) at the age of 76.

It is amazing—and I consider this to be a Sign of God—that I was blessed with converse and discourse with God Almighty exactly in the year 1290 Hijrah

[Haqiqatul Wahi, 251]

Calculating the exact date of birth

After the death of the Promised Messiah AS, there was a lot of importance placed by the Jama’at and demand by the people to accurately collect and reconstruct/preserve every aspect of his life. The Sahabah of the Promised Messiah AS knew that he had definitely reached the age of 74 as this was Allah’s promise, however they were unable to determine or agree upon his exact date of birth. After exhaustive research and readings of the books of the Promised Messiah AS different snippets from his books and sayings were gathered regarding the day the Promised Messiah AS was born, Such as:

This humble self was born on Friday in the 14th day of the Lunar month.

[Ruhani Khazain, vol. 17, pg. 281]

The month of my birth was Phagan. It was the 14th day of the Lunar month and the day was Friday.

[Zikr-e-Habib, pg 238, 239]

14th on a Friday in the month of Phagan only happened in 2 years. The first is 17 February 1832 and the other is 13 February 1835. It cannot be 1832 as it won’t be consistent with the ages presented above, thus, the correct date is 13 February 1835. This makes his age around 75 years or so in 1908.

Promised Messiah AS knew of his Death beforehand

1905 revelations indicating close to end of lifespan

Promised Messiah (AS) started receiving revelations that his death was near. He did not die all of a sudden, nor was his death unexpected. The occurance of these revelations peaked in the last few days of the Promised Messiah As’s death. Based on these revelation it is clear that the Promised Messiah AS had reached the age that Allah had desired of him and Allah was calling him to himself. This means that the Anti-Ahmadi allegation is left baseless.

In 1905, the Promised Messiah AS testified that he received multiple revelations saying that only a small portion of his life spanned remained. These revelations were a message to prepare him and the Jama’at for the future. He writes the following in his book, The Will:

“Since God Almighty has informed me, through recurrent revelations, that the time of my demise is near, and since these revelations have been of such force as to shake me to the very core of my being— turning my heart cold to this life—I have deemed it appropriate to write a few words of admonition…”

[The Will p. 1]

He goes onto cite one profound Arabic he received:

“The appointed time of your death has come close and We shall leave no trace of anything the allusion to which might reflect adversely upon your honor…We have the Power to show you a part of the fulfilment of Our prophecies about the opponents or cause you to die. You will die while I am pleased with you.”

[The Will p. 2]

In the same year, the Promised Messiah AS had a dream and revelation that only 2-3 mouthfuls of the water of life were left in a vessel given to him (mouthfuls are euphemism for years):

“I saw in my dream that someone had given me some water in a new earthen vessel. Only two or three mouthfuls of water remained in it but the water was very clear and pure. This was accompanied by the revelation: Water of Life”

[Tadhkirah (2019) p.786]
[Review of Religions, vol. 4, December 1905, p. 480]

Numerous revelations days before death showing death is near

On May 9 1908 Promised Messiah AS received the following revelation:

[It is time to march; again, it is time to march.”

[Tadhkirah (2019) p.1033
[al-Badr, vol. 7, no. 21, May 26, 1908, p. 7 and al-Hakam, vol. 12, no. 35, May 30, 1908, p. 1]]

On May 15 1908 Promised Messiah AS received the following revelation:

“Be not afraid, O believers.”

[Tadhkirah (2019) p.1033
[al-Badr, vol. 7, no. 21, May 26, 1908, p. 7 and al-Hakam, vol. 12, no. 21, May 26, 1908, p. 7]

On May 17 1908 Promised Messiah AS received the following revelation:

“Do not put your trust in uncertain life.”

[Tadhkirah (2019) p.1034
[al-Badr, vol. 7, no. 22, June 2, 1908, p. 3]

On May 20 1908 Promised Messiah AS received the following revelation very similar to May 9 revelation but more direct:

“It is time to march; again, it is time to march and death is near.”

[Tadhkirah (2019) p.1034
[al-Badr, vol. 7, no. 22, June 2, 1908, p. 3]

Confirmation of revelations on deathbed

Again there was no surprise from the Promised Messiah (AS) and neither his family nor companions. If his death was going to fail the prophecy regarding his age, we would see some worry. Rather, we see the opposite as on the night before his death, Promised Messiah (AS) consoles his wife that there is no need to worry as he had already hinted towards this moment via his revelations. In her account, the Wife of the Promised Messiah AS, Amma Jaan (RA) states:

But he got even weaker and he vomited. So while lying down, he fell on his back on the bed due to weakness and hit his head on the bed frame. I got worried and said ‘O Allah what is happening?’.

Promised Messiah (A.S) replied, “This is what I used to say“

[Seeratul Mahdi, pg. 11]

Non-Ahmadis accept the age prophecy is fulfilled

Sanaullah Amritsari

The famous “Sunni” scholar and one of the leaders of the Ahle Hadith movement in the subcontinent prove that the Promised Messiah (AS) died at the age of 79.

“A person who is older than 70 years of age (as is Mirza Sahib himself)…”

[Tafseer-e-Sanai, 3:145]

He also accepts that the Promised Messiah (AS) fulfilled the prophecy about his age:

“Mirza Sahib has said that his demise would be near 80 years of age and perhaps he has fulfilled all those conditions.

[Ahl-e-hadith, 3rd May 1907, pg. 6]

Age discrepancies for Prophets are the rule

We do not know the exact age of most Prophets AS nor did most Prophets AS know their own age. Even regarding the age of the Khatam an Nabiyyin, the Holy Prophet SAW is murky just based on the reports of Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Al Muslim alone (ranges from 60-65 years), the most authentic books of Hadith highly regarded by Ahmadi Muslims and Sunnis. For example, Sahih al-Bukhari 5900 says he was 60 years of age when he passed away, while Sahih al-Bukhari 3902 says he was 63 years of age, and Sahih Muslim 2353a says he was 65 years of age

Conclusion

In short, Promised Messiah (AS) died at the age of 75/76, as per the revelation of the God Almighty. He even died within the time frame that the Promised Messiah (AS) interpreted from this revelation i.e between the ages of 74 and 86!

The actual words of the Revelation that pertain to this promise, however, fix the age between 74 and 86.

[Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, part 5, pg. 347]