Are 14 people Khalifa or One? The 1909 Speech Revisited
Introduction
A building in Bhera was bequeathed to the Anjuman by Hakim Maulvi Fazaldin, under his last will and testament, under Al-Wasiyyat. A man from Bhera approached Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, with a request that it be sold to him at a price cheaper than the prevailing market values, on the basis that he had a special claim, in view of certain circumstances, which he must have stated in the interview. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih entertained the claim and gave instructions that the building be sold to him at a concession price. But Maulvi Mohammad Ali and some of his friends, who were members of the Board of Trustees of the Sadr Anjuman, expressed a difference of opinion, and went to the length of resisting the decision of the Khalifa. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih then declared that he was giving these people a margin of time, to think over the matter, and change their attitude. Otherwise; he would turn them out of the Jama’at, on the day of the coming Eidul Fitr, if they did not repent by that time. On the occasion of this Eid they apologized and begged pardon. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih forgave them and stated in course of Eid Sermon
The Lahoris such as Maulvi Muhammad Ali have famously misquoted the speech so crucial parts that refute them will be shown
Extracted Section # 2 of 1909 Speech
The Highlighted parts are the parts that Maulvi Muhammad Ali failed to quote.
“Four have been mentioned. Now I am your khalifa. If someone says that Hazrat sahib has not mentioned Nur-ud-Din in Al-Wasiyyat then we say that likewise Adam and Abu Bakr are also not mentioned in the previous prophecy.”
In the writing of Hazrat sahib [i.e. the Promised Messiah’s Al-Wasiyyat] there is a point of deep knowledge which I will explain to you fully. He left it up to God as to who was going to be the khalifa. On the other hand, he said to fourteen men: You are collectively the Khalifat-ul-Masih, your decisions are final and binding, and the government authorities too consider them as absolute. Then all those fourteen men became united in taking the bai‘at at the hand of one man, accepting him as their khalifa, and thus you were united. And then not only fourteen, but the whole community agreed upon my khilafat.
Now, whosoever opposes this consensus is the opponent of God. Thus He says and follows a way other than that of the believers, We shall let him pursue the way he is pursuing and shall cast him into Hell; and an evil destination it is.
“… I have read Al-Wasiyyat very thoroughly. It is indeed true that he has made fourteen men the Khalifat-ul Masih, and written that their decision arrived at by majority opinion is final and binding. Now observe that these Godfearing men, whom Hazrat sahib chose for his khilafat, have by their righteous opinion, by their unanimous opinion, appointed one man as their Khalifa and Amir. And then not only themselves, but they made thousands upon thousands of people to embark in the same boat in which they had themselves embarked.” Would Allah destroy the whole community. Absolutely not! So hear it loud and clear that if you break this covenant then you shall become like those He requited them with hypocrisy which shall last in their hearts. Why am I saying this to you because there are some imbecile among you who repeatedly show weaknesses. I don’t think that they know better than me…”
Badr Oct-21, 1909 – Wassiyat ki Tahfeem, Khutbaat-e-Noor-pages-418-419
The Blue in the scan indicates parts that Maulvi Muhammad Ali did not include in his books. The passage itself explains that these 14 people did bayah of one person and so this one person has authority over all 14 members of the Anjuman. We also see Hazrat Maulvi Noor-ud-Deen(RA) clarifying the Rank of the Anjuman multiple times in his period of Khilafat and making it clear that the Ahmadiyya movement will be led by singular powerful Khalifa not a Jamhooriyat(Democracy) of the anjuman.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Awwal(RA): He lies who says Anjuman has made me Khalifa
Hazrat Maulvi Noor-ud-Deen(RA) in 1912 states:
حضرت خلیفۃ المسیح الاولؓ اس حوالہ سے فرماتے ہیں
’’میں نے تمہیں بارہا کہا ہے اور قرآنِ مجید سے دکھایا ہے کہ خلیفہ بنانا انسان کا کام نہیں بلکہ خدا تعالیٰ کا کام ہے۔آدم کو خلیفہ بنایا کس نے؟ اللہ تعالیٰ نے۔فرمایا۔ اِنِّیْ جَاعِلٌ فِی الْاَرْضِ خَلِیْفَۃً ۔۔۔۔۔اگر کوئی کہے کہ انجمن نے خلیفہ بنایا ہے تو وہ جھوٹا ہے۔ اس قسم کے خیالات ہلاکت کی حد تک پہنچاتے ہیں تم ان سے بچو۔ پھر سن لو کہ مجھے نہ کسی انسان نے نہ کسی انجمن نے خلیفہ بنایا اور نہ میں کسی انجمن کو اس قابل سمجھتا ہوں کہ وہ خلیفہ بنائے۔ پس مجھ کو نہ کسی انجمن نے بنایا اور نہ میں اس کے بنانے کی قدر کرتا اور اس کے چھوڑ دینے پر تھوکتا بھی نہیں اور نہ اب کسی میں طاقت ہے کہ وہ اس خلافت کی ردا کو مجھ سے چھین لے۔
(بدر 4جولائی 1912 صفحہ6)
I have told you multiple times that the Qur’an has showed making a person Khalifa, is not the job of a human(insaan), rather this is the job of God (Khuda Ta’ala). Allah Ta’ala said ‘I have placed a Khalifa on the Earth’ (اِنِّیْ جَاعِلٌ فِی الْاَرْضِ خَلِیْفَۃً)…
Should any one say that the Anjuman has made me Khalifa, he would utter a lie. Such ideas lead to ruin, be on your guard against them. Listen with attention once more, no man or Anjuman has made me Khalifa, nor do I consider any Anjuman competent to make any one a Khalifa. No Anjuman has made me Khalifa, nor would I have attached any value to any Anjuman’s doing so. I would not so much as spit on any Anjuman’s repudiation of me. No one has the power to deprive me of this robe. Who do they think was entitled to be Khalifa?
(Badr July 4, 1912, page 6)
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Awwal(RA): Khawaja Kamaludeen makes disturbing noises about Democracy when talking about Khilafat
Hazrat Khalifatul Maseeh Awwal(RA)’s anger with those who discuss the power of the anjuman versus the Khalifa
خلیفہ اور انجمن کے تعلقات پر بحث کرنے والوں کے خلاف اظہار نفرت
” تم میں اگر اس قسم کی بخشیں ہوں کہ خلیفہ اور فلاں کے کیا تعلقات ہیں اور پھر اس پر فیصلہ کرنے لگ جاؤ تو مجھے سخت رنج پہنچتا ہے تم مجھے خلیفہ المسیح کہتے ہو۔ میں تو اس خطاب پر کبھی پھولا نہیں بلکہ اپنے قلم سے کبھی لکھا بھی نہیں میں اللہ کی قسم کھا کر کہتا ہوں کہ میں ان بیہودہ بخشیں کرنے والے لوگوں کو اپنی جماعت میں نہیں سمجھتا۔ ان کو کیا حق ہے کہ تفرقہ اندازی کی باتیں کریں… ایسے لوگ اگر میری عدد کے خیال سے ایسا کرتے ہیں تو سن رکھیں کہ میں ان کی مدد پر تھوکتا بھی نہیں۔ اگر مخالفت میں کرتے ہیں تو وہ خدا سے جا کر کہیں جس نے مجھے خلیفہ بنایا ۔ سنو ا میرا صدیق اکبر کی نسبت یہی عقیدہ ہے کہ سقیفہ بنی ساعدہ نے خلیفہ نہیں بنایا نہ اس وقت جب ممبر پر لوگوں نے بیعت کی۔ نہ اجماع نے ان کو خلیفہ نایا۔ بلکہ خدا نے بنایا۔ خدا نے چار جگہ قرآن میں خلافت کا ذکر کیا ہے۔ اور چار بار اپنی
طرف اس کی نسبت کی ہے پس میں بھی خلیفہ ہوا تو مجھے خدا نے بنایا اور اللہ کے فضل ہی سے
ہوا”
Badr August 24, 1911 – Save your Self from Conflict, Tarikh-e-Ahmadiyya Vol 3. Page 382
Tawbah Karo – Repent!
Khutbaat-e-Noor page 420 – Tabwah Karo
خدا پر بھروسہ- Trust in God (Can’t take off Kurta of Khilafat)
“The task to which God has appointed me, with great force I put myself on oath before God, that I can never make myself put away this mantle. If you, and the whole world, were to turn against me, in the least I do not care for you. Under this contract, discharge your duty properly and fully; then wait to see how rapidly you will march ahead; how, and to what extent you succeed
Khutbaat-e-Noor-pages 419-420-Khuda par Barosa
Itaat Dar Maroof(Obeying in what is Good) Explained
Another misunderstanding is about the connotation of the expression Ma‘ruf (good). It is said that the pledge binds them to obedience only in that which they consider Ma‘ruf. The Holy Quran uses this expression with reference to the obedience due to the Holy Prophetsa also (60:130).Then have they drawn up a list of his shortcomings? In the same way, the Promised Messiah(a)s has laid down obedience in that which is Ma‘ruf among the conditions of the pledge. I am expounding all this to safeguard you against error.
Badr Oct-21, 1909 – Iittaat Dar Maruf, Khutbaat-e-Noor page 420-421
Naseehat- Advice (Stop acting like Mujtahids)
’’پس میں تم کو نصیحت کرتا ہوں،پھر نصیحت کرتا ہوں،پھر نصیحت کرتا ہوں،پھر کرتا ہوں،پھر کرتا ہوں،پھر کرتا ہوں،پھر کرتا ہوں،پھر پھر پھر کرتا ہوں کہ آپس کے تباغض اور تحاسد کو دور کردو یہ مجتہدانہ رنگ چھوڑ دو۔جو مجھے نصیحت کرنے میں وقت خرچ کرتے ہو وہ دعا میں خرچ کرو اور اللہ تعالیٰ سے اس کا فضل چاہو۔تمہارے وعظوں کا اثر مجھ بڈھے پر نہیں ہوگا۔ادب کو ملحوظ رکھ کر ہر ایک کام کرو۔‘‘
(بدر 21 اکتوبر 1909ء،خطباتِ نور صفحہ :241)
Khutbaat-e-Noor 421-422
Don’t Limit Power of Next Khalifa, He may be a higher rank than Mirza Sahib Himself
Khutbat-e-Noor-page 422
… What I have said here, I have said under a sense of great need. With me abides a promise that He would always befriend me. I do not need to call for a fresh oath of allegiance. Stay firm on the pledge you have already given me. Take care you do not fall a victim to hypocrisy. It is easy to fling out a sentence from your lips; but it is very difficult to swallow the implications. Some people say they are not seeking to confine my authority; that their intention is to circumscribe the authority of the Khalifa to come after me. But how do you presume to know? He might come even greater than Abu Bakr, and the Mirza Sahib. Sheikh Sahib once said to me, `I have taken up residence here, and I would keep my eyes on you’. I replied he was fully welcome. There are two angles already keeping watch on me. Now you have come. Today I was to do something. But Allah has stopped me from that act; and I am overwhelmed by the immeasurable range of His wisdom… I do not turn them out of the Movement, hoping they might reform their ways… hoping they might begin to understand. I try not give them an excuse for stumbling. At the end, I say again. In your relations and dealings, among yourselves, give up jealousies and animosities. Whenever anything happy, or alarming happens to come to your ears, do not convey it, indiscriminately, to the common people. Of course, however, when a decision has been taken on the matter, then you can talk to people about it, without doing any harm.”
