Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith was the founder and first president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He and five associates formally organized the Church at Fayette, New York, on 6 April 1830. The members of the church believe that there will be a Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth sometime in the future.

Joseph Smith did make several interesting statements about seeing the Savior. B.H. Roberts in History of the Church notes the Prophet’s remark in 1835 when he is reported to have said that, … it was the will of God that those who went to Zion, with a determination to lay down their lives, if necessary, should be ordained to the ministry, and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, or the coming of the Lord, which was nigh—even fifty-six years should wind up the scene. (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 volumes, edited by Brigham H. Roberts, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), 2:182.)

Joseph Smith’s Prayer

Joseph Smith said that one day he was praying with great concentration about second coming of the Messiah, he heard a voice which repeatedly saying, “My son Joseph if you remain alive for 85 years, you shall be able to see Messiah. So, do not bother me further and let this should be enough.” (Doctrine and Covenants, Chapter 130)

The Great Disappointment

The Great Disappointment in the Millerites was the reaction that followed Baptist preacher William Miller’s proclamations that Jesus Christ would return to the Earth by 1844, what he called the Advent. His study of the Daniel prophecy during the Second Great Awakening led him to the conclusion that Daniel’s “cleansing of the sanctuary” was cleansing of the world from sin when Christ would come, and he and many others prepared, but 22 October 1844, came and they were disappointed. (Wikipedia)

Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya

Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part-II was published. The Promised Messiah (peace be on him) said in the book, “An average affluent person in Europe and America contributes more towards the propagation of the Gospels than do all of the wealthiest among the Muslims. There is a large Muslim population in India and some of them are quite wealthy and well-placed, but when it comes to spending in a good cause, most of them (with the exception of a few chiefs, ministers and officials) are found to be indifferent, apathetic and tight-fisted.” (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya (English translation), Part II, pp. 72-3, Islam International Publications Ltd., UK)

Divine Mission

The Promised Messiah (peace be on him) commenced his Divine Mission around 1882 ordained by God, the Almighty and sent many letters to the scholarly community about his claim. One of his letters sent to Henry Olcott (1832-1907) founding editor of the magazine Theosophist, published in India and London, UK simultaneously. (The Ahmadiyya Gazette USA, September-October 2017, Vol. 69, No. 9-10, pp. 28-31)

Imam Mahdi

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad announced that he had been commissioned as Imam Mahdi. He published twenty thousand flyers in Urdu and English languages on the topic of truth of Islam and posted them to renowned religious scholars, kings, intellectuals, writers and lords in Asia, Europe, and USA. (Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 2, pp. 319-320)

Oneness of God

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (may peace be upon him) wrote that the translation of Vedas was seen by hundreds of thousands of people of England, United States, Germany and France but no one knew that there was oneness of God in the Vedas. The English translation of the Holy Qur’an by the same English stirred European countries so much so that English people like Mr. Thomas Carlyle and John Devonport, whose books, published by Himayat-e-Islam, were available in India, testified the greatness of the Qur’an and oneness of God. (Shahna-e-Haqq, p. 58 [Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 2, p. 403])

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian wrote “Shahna-e-Haqq” (The Verdict of the Truth) in 1886-7. The book was later published in 1923.

Izala-e-Auham

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian said, “So far, the western countries have not shown much attachment to religious verities. God Almighty had bestowed all the understanding of religion upon Asia and all the understanding of worldly matters on Europe and America.” (Izala-e-Auham, Part 2, p. 516 [Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 3, p. 377])

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian said in Izala-e Auham (Removal of Suspicions), “An American Christian claimed that he was Messiah. But the claim of the unbeliever Christians was not accepted by anyone.” (Izala-e Auham, Part 2, pp. 683-684 [Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 3, p. 469]) The name of American Christian was not given by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in his book.

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be on him, was asked about the propagation of Islamic education in America and Europe: Is it appropriate that English speaking Muslims be sent to Europe and America for sermons and preaching and tell them about aims of Islam? The Promised Messiah responded: In general, I shall never answer in affirmative. I never consider appropriate to send such people who are not aware of Islamic education in total. (Izala-e-Auham, Part 2, p. 771 [Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 3, p. 517])

God Granted Honor

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be on him, said, “And God granted me such honor that I became well known with great renown and prestige throughout the world; namely, Europe, Asia, and America.” (Haqiqat-ul-Wahy (The Philosophy of Devine Revelation), English Translation, p. 694, Islam International Publications UK, 2018).

A Letter in Persian

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian wrote a letter in Persian to ‘Abdur-Rahman Khan, Amir of Afghanistan (1880-1901): “By Allah! I am commissioned from Allah—-Thus, it is imperative on whoever believes in the Qur’an and is inclined towards God to accept me and join those who pledge allegiance to me.” (Al-Hakam, 7 February 1907, pp. 8-10—aaiil.org)

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad published the book, “Diya-ul-Haqq” (The Light of the Truth). He said: America observed the fulfillment of the prophecy of Lunar and Solar Eclipses on the prescribed dates as mentioned in Hadith. (Diya-ul-Haqq, p. 32 [Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 9, p. 292])

The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam

 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad wrote, “Civil and Military Gazette and Observer has admitted that the essay, Islami Usul Ki Filasfi (The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam), was adjudged superior to all. It is incumbent upon the Muslims to spread its translation in English in Europe and America so that the real Islam is known to the world. (Footnote of Supplement Anjam-e-Atham, p. 55 [Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 11, p. 339])

Plague

On February 6, 1898, Hazrat Ahmad (may peace be on him) saw in a vision: “Angels of God are planting black trees in different places of the Punjab. These plants are very ugly, black, frightening and stunted. I asked the person planting these trees, what kind of trees are these? He replied that these were plague trees, which would spread in the country very shortly.” (Ayyam-us-Sulh, p. 121) The sign also appeared in the US.

Galveston Hurricane

Galveston hurricane on 8 September 1900 in the US leaves an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 dead. (Wikipedia)

Noah’s Ark

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be on him) published book “Kashti-i-Nuh—Da‘wat-ul-Iman” (Noah’s Ark, An Invitation to Faith). He wrote, “According to the Gospel the only ground for divorce is adultery and the hundreds of other factors that might create severe hostility between a man and woman are ignored. Ultimately, this shortcoming has proved unsustainable for the Christian people and now, in the United States, it has become necessary that a law pertaining to divorce be enacted.” (Noah’s Ark, p. 130, Islam International Publications, UK)

Panama Canal Treaty

The U.S. acquired Panama Canal Zone. The treaty was signed on 17 November 1903.

First American Ahmadi Muslim

Mirza Ahmad F.L. Andersen was the first American Ahmadi Muslim. He joined Ahmadiyyat through correspondence with the Promised Messiah (peace be on him) on 26 September 1904. The Promised Messiah (peace be on him) gave him the name Hasan. There are many more Westerners who are full of praise for this Jama’at, and express their agreement with it. (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part V, English Translation, p. 131, Islam International Publication Ltd. UK, 2018)

A Great Revolution

The Promised Messiah (peace be on him) told his followers in September 1904, “Ever since God sent me, a great revolution has begun to take shape in the world. Even though the people of Europe and America are ardent believers in the divinity of Christ, their own scholars are now beginning to distance themselves from this doctrine.” (Lecture Lahore, p. 43, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Islam International Publications Ltd, Printed at Raqueem Press Islamabad, Tilford, Surrey, UK)

Lecture Ludhiana

The “Lecture Ludhiana” was delivered at Ludhiana, India to thousands of people. The Promised Messiah, peace be on him, told his followers, “My publications are sent to America and Europe. Endowed with intelligence, those people have come to realize the truth.” (Lecture Ludhiana, English Translation, p. 37, Islam International Publications UK, 2003)

The Great San Francisco Earthquake

An earthquake left 500 dead or missing and destroyed about four square miles of the city of San Francisco, California. (Wikipedia)

Witness to Lunar and Solar Eclipses

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be on him, said, “Now, all English and Urdu newspapers and all astronomers are witness to the fact that the lunar and solar eclipses of this particular description did take place in my time about twelve years ago during the month of Ramadan, and just as is reported in another hadith, these eclipses have taken place twice in the month of Ramadan—first in this country and then again in America. Both times, they took place exactly on the dates indicated by the hadith. At the time of these eclipses there was no claimant to being the Promised Mahdi anywhere in the world except me, nor did anyone claim these eclipses as the Sign of his being the Promised Mahdi and publish hundreds of announcements and booklets in Urdu, Arabic, and Persian to support his claim; therefore, this heavenly Sign is specifically appointed for me. Another supporting argument for the same is that twelve years prior to the manifestation of this Sign, God Almighty had informed me that a Sign of this kind would appear. The tidings, having been recorded in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, had become known to hundreds of thousands of people before the Sign actually appeared.” (Haqiqat-ul-Wahy (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation), English Translation, p. 243-4, Islam International Publications UK, 2018).

Prayer Duel

The Boston Herald reported on the prayer duel between the Promised Messiah (peace be on him) and John Alexander Dowie on 23 June 1907: Dowie died at the age of 59, while the Promised Messiah, who was 12 years older, was still alive at that time.

I will cause the days of the earthquakes to return

The Promised Messiah (peace be on him) received a revelation a few days before 13 April 1908: “I will cause the days of the earthquakes to return.” (The revelation was published in Badr and Al-Hakam, Qadian, India). The earthquake hit the Punjab, Khairabad (District Peshawar) and Lawrencepur. It was a devastating earthquake, a sample of Doomsday. (Civil and Military Gazette).

Later it was learnt through the English newspapers that America and parts of Europe had also been shaken by three terrifying earthquakes after the revelation, resulting in the destruction of a number of cities.” (Haqiqat-ul-Wahy (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation), English Translation, p. 749, Islam International Publications UK, 2018)..

Khilafat Begins

Before the burial of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the members of the community present at Qadian unanimously selected Hazrat Maulawi Nur-ud-Din of Bhera as the successor and Khalifa of the Promised Messiah (peace be on him) and swore the oath of allegiance to him. Then the Khalifatul-Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) led the funeral services and the burial took place after midday.