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 (A.S) character by alleging, among other vile things, that he A.S 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. Details will be at the bottom.
The Accusation
This accusation seems to stem from the following excerpt:
Source of accusation
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۔
Translation of source
The Translation is as follows:.
In the name of The God, [who is] The Gracious, The Merciful. Doctor Mir Muhammad Ismail Sahib informed me Hazrat Umm-ul-Mu’mineen one day related that Hazrat [Ahmad] Sahib had an elderly maid-servant named Bhano. One night, when a terrible cold spell befell them, she sat down to massage Huzoor. Typically, she presses on Huzoor over a blanket, so for this reason, she didn’t even realise that what she was massaging wasn’t actually Huzoor’s leg, but was in fact a bed’s horizontal segment. A short duration later, Hazrat Sahib stated, “Bhano, today is very cold”. Bhano responded, “Yes, sir. That is so, to which your legs were becoming- becoming hard like wood. Which meant ‘Sir, yes that would be why, today, your legs are as rigid as logs’.
[Translated] Seerat-ul-Mahdi, p.722, Mirza Bashir Ahmad, 1939
Response
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)
Furthermore, by accusing Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad AS of contact with a non-mahram woman, our opponents are attacking the best of man, Hazrat Muhammad SAW. Below are Ahadith of Hazrat Muhammad SAW having close-contact with non-mahram women.
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
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith #5224
Narrated Asma’ bint Abu Bakr:
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith #5224
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.
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
Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith #1645
Narrated Ishaq bin ‘Abdullah bin Abi Talhah:
Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith #1645
That he heard Anas [bin Malik] saying: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to visit Umm Haram bint Milhan, who would offer him meals. Umm Haram was the wife of ‘Ubadah bin As-Samit. Once the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) visited her and she provide him with some food and started inspecting this head for lice. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) slept and afterwards he awoke smiling.
She said: ‘I said: “What causes you to smile, O the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ?” He said: “Some of my followers who were displayed before me )in a dream) as fighters in Allah’s cause, riding on a ship this ocean who were kings upon thrones, or like kings upon thrones.” I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Supplicate to Allah to make me among them.'” So he supplicated for her. Then he lay down his head to sleep. Then he woke up and he was smiling. She said: ‘So I said to him: “What causes you to smile, O the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?” He said: “Some of my followers who were displayed before me (in a dream) as fighters in Allah’s cause,” and he said similar to what he said earlier. She said: ‘I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Supplicate to Allah to make me among them.” He said: “You are the earlier ones.'” He said: “So Umm Haram rode on the sea during the time of Mu’awiyah bin Abu Sufyan. She was thrown from the riding animal after she arrived from the ocean voyage, and she died.”
[Abu ‘Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. Umm Haram bint Milhan is the daughter of Umm Sulaim, the maternal aunt of Anas bin Malik.
The Ahadith above show that even Hazrat Muhammad SAW would not have a problem with contact with non-mahram women, and neither would he with sleeping next to a non-mahram woman. If our opponents have a problem with the Promised Messiah’s AS actions, they should also be complaining about Hazrat Muhammad SAW.
Classical allegation
This allegation is not a new one. In fact, it has been raised during the life of the Promised Messiah (AS)
Earlier instance source
In the attached scan, an individual asked the Promised Messiah AS a question about actions similar to this allegation’s excerpt.
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
Earlier instance translated
Question posed: Why does Hazrat holiness have his hands and legs massaged with women who are strangers?
al-Hakm
Answer given: The prophets are masoom (sinless). Them getting massages is not prohibited. Rather, it is a mercy and blessing.
This also refutes Lahori objections on Nabuwaat-e-Masih(AS)
Sources
