The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE TEACHINGS OF ISLAM Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdias Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jam a‘at Translated into English by Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan Islam International Publications Ltd. “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam” by Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian English rendering of “ Isl ami Usu l K i Philosophy ” (Urdu) By Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan First Urdu edition published in 1905, followed by several editions. First English edition published in UK by The London Mosque in 1979 Reprinted by Islam International Publications Ltd. in 1989, 1992, 1996, 2007 Present revised edition (with a new format) printed in UK 2010 © Islam International Publications Ltd. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, copying or information storage and retrieval systems without permission of the publisher. Published by Islam International Publications Ltd., ‘Islamabad’, Sheephatch Lane Tilford, Surrey GU10 2AQ UK. Printed in UK at British Library Cataloguing in Publication data Ahmad, Mirza Ghulam, 1835-1908 The philosophy of the teachings of Islam. 1. Ahmadiyyat I. Title 297. 2046 ISBN 1-85372-193-X ISBN 1-85372-198-0 Pbk ISBN 978-1-84880-055-7 About the Author Born in 1835 in Qadian (India), Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi as , remained dedicated to the study of the Holy Quran and to a life of prayer and devotion. Finding Islam the target of foul attacks from all directions, the fortunes of Muslims at a low ebb, faith yielding to doubt and religion only skin-deep, he undertook vindication and exposition of Islam. In his vast corpus of writings (including his epoch-making Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya ), his lectures, discourses, religious debates etc., he argued that Islam was a living faith and the only faith by following which man could establish contact with his Creator and enter into communion with Him. The teachings contained in the Holy Quran and the Law promulgated by Islam were designed to raise man to moral, intellectual and spiritual perfection. He announced that God had appointed him the Messiah and Mahdi as mentioned in the prophecies of the Bible, the Holy Quran and A ha dith. In 1889 he began to accept initiation into his Community which is now established in one hundred and ninety-eight countries. His ninety-one books are written mostly in Urdu, but some are in Arabic and Persian. After his demise in 1908, the Promised Messiah as was succeeded by Hadrat Maulaw i Nur-ud-Dinra , Khal ifatul Mas ih I. On the death of Hadrat Maulaw i Nur-ud-Dinra in 1914, Hadrat Mirza Bash ir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad ra , who was also the Promised Messiah’s as Promised Son, was elected as Khal ifah. Hadrat Mirza Bash ir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad ra remained in office for nearly fifty-two years. He died in 1965 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Hadrat Ha fi z Mirza Nasir Ahmad rh , the Promised grandson of the Promised Messiah as . After seventeen years of meritorious services he passed away in 1982. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Hadrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad rh as Khal ifatul Mas ih IV who, having led the Community to its present strength and global recognition, passed away on the 19 th April, 2003. Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khal ifatul Mas ih Vat , is the present head of the Community and enjoys the distinction of being the great-grandson of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as . Contents Foreword to the Present Edition ............................................ viii Introduction ................................................................................ xv A Grand Piece of News for Seekers after Truth ............ xxi Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore ....................................................xxv Chaudhw iń Sad i, Rawalpindi..............................................................xxv General-o-Gohar As ifi, Calcutta .................................................... xxvii ISLAM ............................................................................................ 1 FIRST QUESTION..................................................................... 3 The Physical, Moral and Spiritual States of Man ..................... 3 Three Types of Human Actions ................................................. 3 First Source: the Self That Incites to Evil ................................. 4 Second Source; the Reproving Self ............................................ 5 The Third source; The Soul at Rest ........................................... 6 The soul is created ...................................................................... 14 The second birth of the Soul .................................................... 15 Gradual Progress of Man .......................................................... 16 The true meaning of Islam ........................................................ 17 Distinction Between the Natural and Moral States ............... 19 The refutation of the Doctrine of Preservation of Life ........ 20 Three Methods of Reform ........................................................ 22 The Advent of the Holy Prophet at the Time of the Greatest Need ............................................................................. 23 The True Purpose of the Teachings of the Holy Quran is the Reform of the Three Conditions: ...................................... 25 Natural Conditions by Regulation become Moral Qualities 26 True Morals ................................................................................. 28 Distinction Between Khalq (creation) and Khulq (morals) ... 29 vi The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam Natural States of Man ................................................................ 32 Why is the Flesh of Swine Prohibited ..................................... 40 Moral Condition of Man ........................................................... 42 Moral Qualities Related to the Discarding of Evil................. 43 Five Remedies Against Unchastity ........................................... 48 Moral Qualities Related to the Doing of Good ............. 61 True Courage ............................................................................... 73 Truthfulness................................................................................. 76 Steadfastness ................................................................................ 79 Sympathy for Mankind .............................................................. 80 Search for an Exalted Being ...................................................... 82 The Reason for the Appearance of the Holy Prophet sa in Arabia ........................................................................................... 87 What the World Owes to the Holy Quran ............................. 89 Proof of the Existence of God ................................................. 90 Attributes of God ....................................................................... 95 Spiritual Conditions .................................................................. 107 An Excellent Prayer .................................................................. 112 The Meaning of Drinks Prepared From Camphor and Ginger ......................................................................................... 121 The Effect of Ginger ............................................................... 122 Means of Establishing Perfect Spiritual Relationship with God ............................................................................................. 132 SECOND QUESTION .......................................................... 137 The State of Man after Death ................................................. 137 Three Quranic Insights Concerning the Hereafter....... 143 First Insight ............................................................................... 143 Three Types of Knowledge ..................................................... 146 Three Conditions ...................................................................... 147 The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam vii Second Insight ........................................................................... 156 Third Insight .............................................................................. 161 THIRD QUESTION .............................................................. 164 The Object of Man’s Life and the Means of its Attainment164 Means of the Attainment of Man’s Purpose ....................... 167 FOURTH QUESTION .......................................................... 177 The Operation of the Practical Ordinances of the Law in this Life and the Next .............................................................. 177 The Philosophy of Allah’s Swearing by Various things ...... 181 FIFTH QUESTION................................................................ 190 Sources of Divine Knowledge ................................................ 190 The Nature of Human Conscience ........................................ 195 Meaning of Revelation ............................................................. 199 A Characteristic of Islam ......................................................... 205 The Speaker is Honoured with Divine Converse ................ 206 The Source of Perfect Knowledge is Divine Revelation .... 208 Two Phases of the Life of the Holy Prophet ...................... 214 The Purpose of the Wars of the Holy Prophet ................... 220 Index ..........................................................................................