* * بسم الله الحمد الله و سلاة و سلام على رسول الله و على اله و سلم تسليم * *
The following is a dialog between a Muslim and an Ahmadi.
Ahmadi: Ahmadiyyat is a revivalist community
Muslim: What exactly do you mean by that?
Ahmadi: Think about it. As the Muslims of the world continue to go astray, we are the only Jamaat that is bringing them back to the pure teachings of Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa SAWS through the guidance of the Promised Messiah!
Muslim: So, in essence, you believe that Ahmadiyyat is removing all evils that have crept into the faith over the centuries and restoring it back to purity. Is that a good summary?
Ahmadi: In a nutshell, yes.
Muslim: That implies that Islam was originally absolutely pure, but was corrupted over time. Can we agree to that too?
Ahmadi: Of course! We Ahmadis believe that Islam was pure during the lifetime of Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa SAW.
Muslim: Then you would certainly agree that what the earliest Muslims believed was true.
Ahmadi: Yes. It was only these mullahs that corrupted Islam.
Muslim: I think it is safe to say that Islam was pure during the first few generations of the Muslims. Would you agree?
Ahmadi: Not necessarily. There could have been mullahs then too.
Muslim: Saydinaa Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم said the best generation of Muslims was his generation (the Sahaba), then the next generation (Tabi’een) and then the 3rd generation (Tabi’een al-Tabi’een). So, within the first three generations, Islam was pure. Can we agree on that?
Ahmadi: Can I see this Hadith?
Muslim: Sure! Its located in Sahih Bukhari here (http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/hadith/bukhari/048.sbt.html#003.048.819)
Ahmadi: Okay, so the earliest Muslims are upon the Truth. I agree. So what?
Muslim: You and I can endlessly debate on the main topics of debate between us without coming to a conclusion. You think you are right, and I will think I am right. But, if no conclusion is being reached, we should take a standard by which we can check our interpretations. And since the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم said that the best generations would be the earliest, let us see how they understood Islam. Make sense?
Ahmadi: That makes sense. But, we Ahmadis believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was a prophet of Allah. So, anything a true prophet says is superior to that of a Sahabi or even the earliest generations, who were upon the true Islam. So, I will take his words first.
Muslim: But, that is assuming your own conclusion. I am questioning whether or not MGA was a prophet to begin with. By using his statements as proof, you are assuming he was true to prove that he was true. That’s circular reasoning. In logic, this is known as the Begging the Question fallacy.
Ahmadi: Fair point. Then I will quote you the hadith of Hazrat Aisha where she says khatam-un-nabiyyin does not mean the same thing as “no prophets after him”. That proves that we are right.
Muslim: You can quote that hadith, but I responded to that argument here (http://www.romanizedarabic.com/withlovetoahmadis/04%20Hadith%20of%20Aisha.htm). In short, the Murabbis told you a half truth, without explaining the full context. But, I was not referring to one-off out-of-context hadiths, I was referring to texts, letters and essays that documented what those coveted earliest Muslims actually believed. If Ahmadiyyat is reviving Islam to what Saydinaa Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم believed, then it logically follows that Ahmadiyyat must agree with those texts, letters and essays. Agreed?
Ahmadi: That makes sense. But, what other proof is there than the ahadith that I quote you?
Muslim: I can contest the references you provide, arguing that your references are half-truths or out of context. In fact, I believe all Ahmadi arguments are like this. People just don’t bother to double-check the Murabbis, just like with the Hadith of Aisha. You can reply to my contests, I can counter to them and so on and so forth. This can go on ad finitum without a conclusion reached. It turns into mere sophistry. As I said earlier, we need a standard.
Ahmadi: What then do you propose?
Muslim: I suggest we look at those texts that the earliest Muslims wrote. See what they said.
Ahmadi: Specifically?
Muslim: Let us see what Imam Abu Hanifah wrote. Would you agree?
Ahmadi: Why him?
Muslim: Because Abu Hanifah was part of the generation immediately after the Sahaba. He even met at least two of the Sahaba. And, Ahmadis officially recognize him as an authority in Theology and Law.
Ahmadi: Okay, let us use what he wrote.
Muslim: Abu Hanifah wrote a book on Theology titled “Fiqh al-Akbar”. It is available here: http://muslim-canada.org/fiqh.htm
Ahmadi: That is very long. What specifically are you referring to?
Muslim: Read the last point. Abu Hanifah wrote “the descent of Jesus (‘Isa), upon whom be peace, from the heavens is a reality”. Does this not show that our belief that he is alive and will return is the original position?
Ahmadi: It does. But, I could just metaphorically reinterpret that to conform to our beliefs.
Muslim: True. But, you also believe the finality of prophethood and death of ‘Esa عليه السلام are related beliefs. Abu Hanifah also said “Anyone who asks of this man (someone who claimed to be a prophet) the credentials of prophethood shall become an apostate (himself), for the Prophet of God صلى الله عليه و سلم has explicitly declared, ‘No prophet will come after me.’” This is from Manaqib al-Imam al-Azam Abi Hanifah.
Ahmadi: And were there others who also said this? Who Agreed with Abu Hanifah?
Muslim: Yes, many others. Actually, everyone. For example, Abu Ja’far al-Tahawi, a man from the 3rd generation of Muslims said this: “And that he is the seal of the prophets and the Imam of the godfearing and the most honoured of all the messengers and the beloved of the Lord of all the Worlds; Every claim to prophethood after Him is falsehood and deceit.”
Ahmadi: But, would not the return of Hazrat Jesus from the heavens make him the last prophet? That would contradict their beliefs.
Muslim: There is a hadith that there will be 124,000 prophets. We Muslims believe that ‘Esa عليه السلام is the prophet immediately before Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم. He is prophet #123,999. Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم is prophet #124,000. To be very verbose, we believe that anyone who claims to be prophet #124,001 is a liar, because Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم is the last one. But, because ‘Esa is from before (ie, #123,999) his return does not contradict in any way. The only way it could conflict is if the second coming of ‘Esa made him prophet #124,001, which it obviously does not.
Ahmadi: So, you are saying that the earliest Muslims believed that Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم was the last prophet, that ‘Esa عليه السلام is still alive, and that his return does not contradict the finality of prophethood…
Muslim: Exactly!
Ahmadi: Interesting…I will reflect on this.
Muslim: That is all I ask. May Allah guide us all to what is True.
May Allah guide my Ahmadi readers from the false teachings of Ahmadiyya, invented by Mirza Ghulam, to the Tue teachings of Islam taught by the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم.
* * و صلى الله عليه سيدنا محمد و على اله و سلم * *