Did Mirza Ghulam Ahmad A.S allow non-Mahram women to touch him?

Introduction

To distract you from discussing the true understanding of Islamic concepts, opponents of Ahmadiyya attack the Promised Messiah’s (AS) character by alleging, among other vile things, that he AS would allow non-mahmram women to touch him or he A.S would sleep while they were in the room. It should be noted that this accusation is not new.

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم۔ ڈاکٹر میر محمد اسمعیل صاحب نے مجھ سے بیان کیا کہ حضرت ام المو منین نے ایک دن سنا یا کے حضرت صاحب کے ہاں ایک بوڑھی ملاز مہ مسماۃ بھا نو تھی۔ وہ ایک رات جبکہ خوب سردی پڑرہی تھی۔ حضور کو دبانے بیٹھی۔ چونکہ وہ لحاف کے اوپر سے دبا تی تھی۔ اس لےَ اسے یہ پتہ نہ لگا کہ جس چیز کو میں دبا رہی ہوں۔ وہ حضور کی ٹانگی نہی بلکہ پلنگ کی پیٹ ہے۔ تھوڑی دیر کے بعد حضرت صاحب نے فرمایا۔ بھانو آج بڑی سردی حے۔ بھانو کہنے لگی۔ “ہاں جی تر ے تے تہاڑی لتاں لکڑی وانگر ہو یاں ہو یاں ایں”۔ یعنی جی ہاں جھبی تو آج آپ کی لاتیں لکڑی کی ٹرح سخت ہو رہی ہیں۔

In the name of The God, The Gracious, The Merciful.
Dr. Mir Muhammad Ismail Sahib narrated to me that Hazrat Umm-ul-Momineen [Nusrat Jehan RA, wife of Ahmad AS] heard one day, or that at Hazrat Sahib’s residence there was an elderly maidservant named Bhano. One night, when it was very cold, she sat down to massage Huzoor. Since she was massaging over the quilt, she didn’t realize that what she was massaging was not Huzoor’s legs but rather the wooden frame of the bed. After a little while, Hazrat Sahib said, “Bhano, it’s very cold today.” Bhano replied, “Haan ji, tare te tuhaadi lattan lakri wangar hoyan hoyan ain” Meaning, yes indeed, that’s why today your legs have become as hard as wood.

Refutation

This honest translation shows that not only was there nothing inappropriate going on, but 2 more things that completely debunk the allegation. They are the following:

The so-called indecent acts opponents accuse the Promised Messiah AS of receiving was only a pain-relieving massage, and that too, with a blanket preventing skin-contact, so there was no channel for any stimulation

The “women” that the opponents accuse of was only the old family maidservant, who was with the family for many years. Even if the allegation is based off of what opponents might think of what the family of the Promised Messiah AS felt, the Promised Messiah’s AS wife herself was familiar with the maidservant and did not complain about the massage

Similar Incident in life of Holy Prophet Muhammad(SAW)

حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَتْ تَزَوَّجَنِي الزُّبَيْرُ، وَمَا لَهُ فِي الأَرْضِ مِنْ مَالٍ، وَلاَ مَمْلُوكٍ، وَلاَ شَىْءٍ غَيْرَ نَاضِحٍ، وَغَيْرَ فَرَسِهِ، فَكُنْتُ أَعْلِفُ فَرَسَهُ، وَأَسْتَقِي الْمَاءَ، وَأَخْرِزُ غَرْبَهُ وَأَعْجِنُ، وَلَمْ أَكُنْ أُحْسِنُ أَخْبِزُ، وَكَانَ يَخْبِزُ جَارَاتٌ لِي مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ وَكُنَّ نِسْوَةَ صِدْقٍ، وَكُنْتُ أَنْقُلُ النَّوَى مِنْ أَرْضِ الزُّبَيْرِ الَّتِي أَقْطَعَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى رَأْسِي، وَهْىَ مِنِّي عَلَى ثُلُثَىْ فَرْسَخٍ، فَجِئْتُ يَوْمًا وَالنَّوَى عَلَى رَأْسِي فَلَقِيتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَعَهُ نَفَرٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَدَعَانِي ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِخْ إِخْ ‏”‏‏.‏ لِيَحْمِلَنِي خَلْفَهُ، فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ أَنْ أَسِيرَ مَعَ الرِّجَالِ، وَذَكَرْتُ الزُّبَيْرَ وَغَيْرَتَهُ، وَكَانَ أَغْيَرَ النَّاسِ، فَعَرَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنِّي قَدِ اسْتَحْيَيْتُ فَمَضَى، فَجِئْتُ الزُّبَيْرَ فَقُلْتُ لَقِيَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَعَلَى رَأْسِي النَّوَى، وَمَعَهُ نَفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَأَنَاخَ لأَرْكَبَ، فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ مِنْهُ وَعَرَفْتُ غَيْرَتَكَ‏.‏ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَحَمْلُكِ النَّوَى كَانَ أَشَدَّ عَلَىَّ مِنْ رُكُوبِكِ مَعَهُ‏.‏ قَالَتْ حَتَّى أَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِخَادِمٍ يَكْفِينِي سِيَاسَةَ الْفَرَسِ، فَكَأَنَّمَا أَعْتَقَنِي‏

Narrated Asma’ bint Abu Bakr:

When Az-Zubair married me, he had no real property or any slave or anything else except a camel which drew water from the well, and his horse. I used to feed his horse with fodder and drew water and sew the bucket for drawing it, and prepare the dough, but I did not know how to bake bread. So our Ansari neighbors used to bake bread for me, and they were honorable ladies. I used to carry the date stones on my head from Zubair’s land given to him by Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and this land was two third Farsakh (about two miles) from my house. One day, while I was coming with the date stones on my head, I met Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) along with some Ansari people. He called me and then, (directing his camel to kneel down) said, “Ikh! Ikh!” so as to make me ride behind him (on his camel). I felt shy to travel with the men and remembered Az-Zubair and his sense of Ghira, as he was one of those people who had the greatest sense of Ghira. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) noticed that I felt shy, so he proceeded. I came to Az-Zubair and said, “I met Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) while I was carrying a load of date stones on my head, and he had some companions with him. He made his camel kneel down so that I might ride, but I felt shy in his presence and remembered your sense of Ghira (See the glossary). On that Az-Zubair said, “By Allah, your carrying the date stones (and you being seen by the Prophet (ﷺ) in such a state) is more shameful to me than your riding with him.” (I continued serving in this way) till Abu Bakr sent me a servant to look after the horse, whereupon I felt as if he had set me free.

[Sahih al-Bukhari 5224]

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مُوسَى الأَنْصَارِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنٌ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أُمِّ حَرَامٍ بِنْتِ مِلْحَانَ فَتُطْعِمُهُ وَكَانَتْ أُمُّ حَرَامٍ تَحْتَ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمًا فَأَطْعَمَتْهُ وَجَلَسَتْ تَفْلِي رَأْسَهُ فَنَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظَ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ مَا يُضْحِكُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏”‏ نَاسٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عُرِضُوا عَلَىَّ غُزَاةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَرْكَبُونَ ثَبَجَ هَذَا الْبَحْرِ مُلُوكٌ عَلَى الأَسِرَّةِ أَوْ مِثْلُ الْمُلُوكِ عَلَى الأَسِرَّةِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْهُمْ ‏.‏ فَدَعَا لَهَا ثُمَّ وَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَنَامَ ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظَ وَهُوَ يَضْحَكُ قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ مَا يُضْحِكُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏”‏ نَاسٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عُرِضُوا عَلَىَّ غُزَاةً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ نَحْوَ مَا قَالَ فِي الأَوَّلِ قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْهُمْ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏”‏ أَنْتِ مِنَ الأَوَّلِينَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَرَكِبَتْ أُمُّ حَرَامٍ الْبَحْرَ فِي زَمَانِ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فَصُرِعَتْ عَنْ دَابَّتِهَا حِينَ خَرَجَتْ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ فَهَلَكَتْ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَأُمُّ حَرَامٍ بِنْتُ مِلْحَانَ هِيَ أُخْتُ أُمِّ سُلَيْمٍ وَهِيَ خَالَةُ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to visit Umm Haram bint Milhan and she would feed him. Umm Haram was married to ‘Ubadah ibn as-Samit. One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) visited her, and she fed him and started inspecting this head for lice. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) fell asleep, then woke up laughing.
She said: ‘I asked: “What makes you laugh, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Some people from my nation were shown to me as warriors fighting in the path of Allah, riding on the surface of this sea, like kings on thrones, or like kings on thrones.”
I said: “O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to make me one of them.” So he prayed for her. Then he laid his head down and slept, then woke up laughing again.
She said: ‘I asked him: “What makes you laugh, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Some people from my nation were shown to me as warriors in the path of Allah,” similar to what he had said the first time.
She said: ‘I said: “O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to make me one of them.” He said: “You are among the first ones.”‘
He (the narrator) said: So Umm Haram sailed the sea during the time of Mu’awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, and she was thrown from her mount when she came out from the sea, and she died.
Abu ‘Isa (at-Tirmidhi) said: This is a good and authentic hadith. Umm Haram bint Milhan is the sister of Umm Sulaim and she is the maternal aunt of Anas ibn Malik.”

[Jami at-Tirmidhi 1645]

Classical allegation

This allegation is not a new one. In fact, it has been raised during the life of the Promised Messiah (AS)

سوال پشہم – حضرت اقدس غیرعورتوںسے ہاتھ پاؤں کیوں رٰدا تے ہیں؟
جواب – وہ نبی معسوم ہیں ۔ انسے مس کہنا اور ا ختلاط منع نہیں ۔ بلکہ ہوجب رحمت وبرکاتہ ہے

Question: Why does Hazrat holiness have his hands and legs massaged with women who are strangers?
Answer: The prophets are masoom (sinless). Them getting massages is not prohibited. Rather, it is a mercy and blessing.

[Jami at-Tirmidhi 1645]

This also refutes Lahori objections on Nabuwaat-e-Masih(AS)