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Haqeeqat-ul Wahee —

The Nature and Significance

of Divine RevelationA Presentation by:

Dr. Saleem Rahman at the

18th National Ta’alim ul Qur’an ClassToronto, Canada (7-9 August, 2009)

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Reason for writing this book

• True dreams and Divine Revelations are a great instrument for recognizing God and a Prophet of God, or a particular truth from God.

• However, people don’t know:– When is a dream, or a revelation, to be taken as true

(i.e. of Divine origin)? And – When should it be regarded as something Satanic

(and not of Divine origin)? Or – When is it merely the result of self-suggestion?

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• Satan is our greatest enemy.

– It is possible that a dream may prove to be true, but still from Satan

– It is possible that a revelation may prove to be true, but still from Satan

• This is a trap set up by Satan to mislead you and deprive you of true faith in God.

Reason for writing this book

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• Those who have reached perfection in their love of God and faithfulness to God, Satan cannot overcome such people.

• Such people have thousands of other indicators of God’s blessing on them—they don’t just have a few dreams or revelations to speak of.

Reason for writing this book

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• But, those who are still under Satan’s control, they try to make a big deal out of a few of their dreams and ‘revelations’ and use them in the following ways:

– Use them to oppose, or ridicule, the true faith, and

– Portray Prophets of God as “ordinary people”, and suggest that if dreams and revelations are a Sign of someone’s truth then,

due to our (alleged) dreams and revelations, people should believe in us! Or, they say that:

– We are not associated with any religion; and if even non-religious persons like us can have true dreams and ‘revelations’ then it simply means that there is nothing special about religions and the Prophets of God.

Reason for writing this book

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• Therefore, the Promised Messiah (a.s.) wrote Haqeeqat-ul-Wahy, to set the record straight, and separate the truth from falsehood, in the case of this very important instrument for recognizing God and a Prophet of God. He says:

– “Presently (1907), there are more than 50 persons in this country (India) who claim to receive Divine Revelation.

– Many of them use their alleged ‘revelations’ to declare other faiths to be false.

– Thus, there must be a Decision Criterion to verify the truth/falsehood of such claims to having revelations that are truly from God”.

Reason for writing this book

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Some Principles of Divine Revelation

• The following are some ‘lessons learned’ from this book—Haqeeqat-ul-Wahee—regarding the Divine Revelation:

• [p.11] Revelation is of two kinds: – Wahee-ul-Ibtila (Revelation that is a source

of trial, and is potentially harmful to the recipient), and

– Wahee-ul-Istifa (Revelation granted to those selected by God—they can never experience harm due to such revelation).

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• [p. 12] If a person experiences – (1) dreams that eventually come true, and – (2) a few revelations that prove to be true,

then these experience, in themselves, are not indicators of any spiritual power of such a person — unless there are other, accompanying, Signs with these.

Some Principles of Divine Revelation

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• [p.13] Those who have no loving relationship with God. Analogy: A person sees a column of smoke rising from a distant fire, but he is:

– unable to see the light and glow of that fire, or – unable to benefit from the heat of that (unseen) fire

by receiving its warmth and protecting himself from the misery of cold.

– Satan accompanies them and acts as a ‘manager’ of most of their dreams and ‘revelations’, and

– Hadees-un-Nafs (Self-suggestion appearing as “revelation”) occupies their mind.

Some Principles of Divine Revelation

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• [pp. 14-16] Those who have an imperfect relationship with God, and they experience occasional true-dreams and revelations. Analogy: They are like an embryo (unborn child) that does have “life”, but its birth has not taken place yet, and it has not seen the face of its Mother. – Satan is standing on their door, like a ‘dog’, and enters their

‘household’ [heart] as soon as they stumble due to some trial.– Since they have not yet completely broken away from Satanic

influence, therefore, their dreams and ‘revelations’ are not fully immune from Satan’s influence.

– Their “revelation” is propelled by the passions of their egoism and self-image, but they mistakenly think that it is God Who has given them this ‘revelation’, and they are ruined spiritually.

Some Principles of Divine Revelation

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• [pp. 17-27] Those who receive perfect and pure Revelation from God, they are not like the cases of those who just watch:– (1) distant smoke

(but no glow of fire), or – (2) distant glow of

fire (but not nearness to it to receive its warmth and dispel their cold).

Some Principles of Divine Revelation

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• Rather, people of this 3rd category enter the Fire of God’s Love that burns up all material desires on their part. Analogy: When iron is kept in a high-temperature furnace, it become red-hot iron —and acquires many characteristics of fire, e.g. it looks and glows like fire, can burn like fire.

Some Principles of Divine Revelation

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• [p. 237] It is really sad that some people —before they have gone through the difficult phase of ‘purification of the soul’ and total abandonment of all material desires [tazkiyyah-e-na’s] — label their “self-suggestions” [hadees-un-nafs] as Divine Revelation. They are spiritually ruined as a result of this error on their part!

Some Principles of Divine Revelation

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• [p. 280] The manner of the delivery of Divine Revelation (piecemeal revelation, punctuated with a kind of drowsiness after every sentence.)

• [p. 308] Sometimes, even if a favorable / positive Revelation is received about someone; however, its operation remains true (or effective) only for a specific, limited, time-frame during which such a person acts in a positive manner.

Some Principles of Divine Revelation

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• [p. 367] A remarkable example: The Revealed Sermon – Khut’bah Ilhamiyyah – “Pre-formulated sentences, in Arabic

language, were issuing from my mouth. I cannot say whether it was I who was speaking or it was an angel who spoke through my mouth. Every sentence was a Sign of God.”

Some Principles of Divine Revelation

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Organization of this bookThere are 4 chapters of this book:

Chapter-1: The case of those who have a few dreams or revelations that prove to be true—but such persons have no relationship with God. (pages: 7-13)

Chapter-2: The case of those who have a few dreams or revelations that prove to be true—and although such persons have a weak relationship with God, but it is not very significant. (pages: 14-16)

Chapter-3: The case of those who receive perfect and pure revelation from God the Exalted—they have a perfect communion and dialogue with God; their dreams, too, are true; and their relationship with God is similar to that of the honored Prophets and Messengers of God. (pages: 16-58)

Chapter-4: My own case; and a description of the blessings of God on me, and the category in which God has placed me. (pages: 59-111)

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Pages 59-72:• Why the Promised Messiah (a.s.) felt no attraction to the

belief-system of (i) Christianity, and (ii) Hinduism?

• How the principles of Islam, alone, attracted him?

• How the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) is unique among Prophets such that, by devotedly following him, thousands of Muslim saints reached the status of the Israelite Prophets of God.

• How, by perfectly following him, one among the followers of the Holy Prophet (s.a.s) became a Prophet of God (within Islam), subservient to the Holy Prophet and the shariah of the Holy Qur’an—and was called, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, as mentioned in the previous prophecies of the Holy Qur’an and Ahadith and oth,er scriptures.

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Pages 73-111:• Presentation of the Divine Revelations of the

Promised Messiah (Arabic, Urdu and Persian) and a global Mubahilah Challenge (Prayer Duel)

Pages 111-199: • Postscript, and Replies to the Allegations of

Some People– Dr. Abdul Hakeem Khan

• Mostly, refutation of his false beliefs, including that anyone believing in one God will get Salvation in the next life—there is no need to believe in, and follow, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s)

• Replies to 9 Questions (mostly originating with Dr. Abdul Hakim, but re-iterated by others as well); pp. 111-199.

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– Question: Those people who may not have possibly even heard the name of the Promised Messiah (a.s.) — much less, opposed him in any way — how could an act of Divine punishment (that was foretold by a Prophecy) include them in such a punishment? [pp. 164-167]

– Answer: When a Prophet of God is Divinely commissioned (and he is rejected, by a certain group of people):

• there is a variety of heavenly punishments that befall mankind in general — not specifically targeting only the deniers;

• in the next phase, the ‘leaders of denial’ are caught in punishment;

• the turn of the most guilty comes last of all. This is how it has historically happened.

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– Example: Those Jews who persecuted Jesus Christ lived out their lives without any significant punishment. But, 40 years later, the Roman Emperor Titus put down the Jewish revolt by killing thousands of Jews. The onslaught of the Plague was in addition to that.

– Example: During the Meccan period of the Holy Prophet (s.a.s) there was famine for 7 years — killing mostly the poor, whereas the chieftains of Mecca (who led the persecution of Muslims) remained more or less unhurt from the ravages of famine. But, they were eventually punished in the Battle of Bad’r.

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– Question/ Allegation: – (1) Prophecy about the death of Abdullah Athim

was not fulfilled within the prescribed time-frame – (2) Prophecy about the son-in-law of Mirza Ahmad

Beg (i.e. the husband of Muhammadi Begum) was not fulfilled.

– Answer: The reality of Conditional Prophecies (“wa’eed”) which are not fulfilled if the conditions (that gave rise to those Prophecies) are, later on, no longer present. Repentance for one’s sins, and other measures of expressing one’s remorse, e.g. earnest supplications to God, are mitigating factors that (in case of such Conditional Prophecies) nullify their coming into force. [pp. 182-183] + [pp. 192-195] + [p. 197 (surah Al-Momin:29) ]

– The Issue of Who is Momin / Who is Kafir? [pp. 185-186]

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Pages 200-407: • Promised Messiah (a.s.) intended to write down

140 Signs of God in his support. [p. 200] but wrote

• 187 Signs shown by God in Support of the Promised Messiah (a.s.) … – “Now, I end this book and pray to God the Exalted

that He may bless this book and draw millions of people towards me, through this book. Amen.”

Pages 408-431:• Addendum, regarding:

– Dr. Abdul Hakim; – Charagh Din Jamuni; and – Maulvi Abdul Rahman Lakkho-kay.

• [Photos of their letters and sworn-statements etc.]

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Some of those who died as a result of Mubahilah, or similar conditions (pp. 200-260)

• Abdullah Atham • Karam Din Jehlami (pp. 224-5)• John Alexander Dowie (226)• Charagh Din Jamooni (230)• Mirza Ahmad Baig Hoshiarpuri

(231, 236)• Pundit Dayanand Ariya (231)• Maulvi Rusul Baba Amritsari

(236)• Muhammad Baksh, Deputy

Inspector, Batalvi (236)• Noor Ahmad, Hafizabad (237) • Maulvi Zainul Aabidin, Lahore

(237)

• Hafiz Sultan Sialkoti (238)• Mirza Sardar Baig Sialkoti

(238)• Maulvi Rasheed Ahmad

Gangohi et al. (239)• Maulvi Ghulam Dastgir

Qusoori (239)• Maulvi Muhammad Hasan of

BheeN (239)• Maulvi Abdul Haq Ghaznavi of

Amritsar (250)• Maulvi Mufti Muhammad /

Maulvi Abdullah/ Maulvi Abdul Aziz -- Ludhiana (259)

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Pages 432-503:– Appendix to Haqeeqatul Wahy– Information that came to light after the

manuscript of this book was completed– Further Signs of God (and published evidence

from news dailies etc.)– Reiteration of the Promised Messiah’s claims.

Pages 504-516:

• Death of John Alexander Dowie (9 March 1907) as Prophesied (Sign #196).

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Islam and the Ahmadiyya Jama’at: History, Belief, Practice

• Author: Simon Ross Valentine

• Date of Publication: October, 2008

• Publisher: New York : Columbia University Press, ©2008.

• ISBN: 978-0-231-70094-8

• Price: $50.00

• The author makes an attempt to minimize the importance of the Prophecy about Alexander Dowie and its fulfillment. (pp. 49-50)

• The author tries to belittle, or refer to in a light vein, other Revelations and Prophecies of the Promised Messiah (a.s.)

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Pages 517-613:• Further Signs shown by God in Support of the

Promised Messiah (a.s.) … up to Sign # 208.

Pages 614-620:• A Note addressed to the Ariya Samaj group• A Note addressed to the Christian Missionaries

Pages 621-735:• A Note addressed to the Arabic-speaking World

Pages 737-739:• Poem (Urdu) — Prophecy about an impending

Earthquake.

End of the Book

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In his early days in Chicago, certain people had approached Dowie with what they claimed as a "direct revelation from God" that Dowie was, in fact, 'Elijah the Restorer', the great end-times prophet. For their trouble, Dowie immediately rebuked them soundly and dismissed them from his presence, warning them never to mention such things to him again.

However, the suggestion that had been planted that day kept ringing in his ears. "According to his own testimony, he tried to rid himself of it, but could not. A voice seemed to say, 'Elijah must come, and who but you is doing the work of Elijah?' Time passed.

Then one day there came flooding into his consciousness a strange and intense conviction that he was indeed Elijah - the one spoken of by the prophets who was to come and restore all things. The impression came with such overwhelming power, that his entire personality became absorbed with it."

In June 1901, Dowie took the fateful step of publicly announcing that he was indeed Elijah the Restorer. (A claim which was immediately challenged and denounced by most religious leaders).

An Example from the case of John Alexander Dowie

www.fwselijah.com/dowie.htm