PURANI TAHRIREIN BY HADHRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD (BOOKS)


Ahmadiyya Mosque, Singapore

Over the last few months, The Batman & The Robin have established themselves as the most accomplished writing partnership since the compositions of Lennon-McCartney first graced airwaves over half a century ago. Lately though, The Robin has turned all Yoko Ono on The Batman's sorry cape and decided to embark on a solo career. We no longer need toImagine what an article written only by The Robin would look like, because here we are proud to present The Robin's peice on The Promised Messiah, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's book 'Purani Tahrirein,' the full, original Urdu version of which is available for free download on this link:

1- Histoical and Social Context on the publication of Tahrirein

To refute the allegations being made against Islam, Hadhrat Sahib began to write different articles in different journals around India in the 1870s, sometimes anonymously.

2- The Contents of Tahrirein

'Purani Tahrirein' or 'Old Writings' was published in 1899. It collected an old article that had been written by Hadhrat Sahib and published in Indian journals in 1879. The article refuted the beliefs of the Hindu sect called Aryah Samaj. The book is only 50 pages, but the quality of the Urdu is very high.

In the book, Hadhrat Sahib tries to establish that there is a God and He is a creator. Hadhrat Sahib presents five to six evidences in favour of this from The Holy Qu'ran. For example:

...He has created everything, and has determined its proper measure. (The Holy Qu'ran, 25:2/3)

Have they been created without a purpose, or are they themselves the creators? Did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, but they have no faith in the Creator. (52:35-38)

Hadhrat Sahib also said that as he has presented his arguments from the Qu'ran, those who wish to debate with him should present arguments from their Holy Books. Hadhrat Sahib also invited anyone who wants to present an argument against what he has just said, they should do so and then in the rest of the Purani Tahrirein there are a series of letters, with exchanges between Hadhrat Sahib and the Aryah Samaj. In the letters they argue about whether or not revelation happens, in which Allah communicates to people and tells them about His creation.

The Aryah Samajists argued that: fine Allah exists, but he is not the Creator and that the rest of the things that happen or exist are because of natural laws and have nothing to do with Allah. Hadhrat Sahib gave an explanation on the Unity of God and of Him being the Master and the Creator. Hadhrat Sahib also explained that God will not break certain laws of His own, such as He will not create another God and He will not die, as such things would be against His own qualities. Hadhrat Sahib also pointed out that all morality is based on truthfulness. He offered 500 rupees to anyone from another religion who could prepare a list of even one third of the quotations contained in The Holy Qu'ran on truthfulness.

3- Impact of Tahrirein

The editor of the magazine Hindu Bandu stopped publishing the articles, as he himself wrote in the magazine that the Aryahs had been unable to answer Hadhrat Sahib's earlier installments. One of the Aryahs had been arguing that revelation did not exist. He was apparently so overwhelmed by Hadhrat Sahib's arguments in support of divine revelation, that few years later this Aryah Samajist made such a u-turn that he claimed to receive divine revelation and so he left the Aryah Samaj and started his own Hindu sect called the Dev Samaj.

4- Discussion of Selected Passages from Tahrirein

Then if man cannot escape error through his own knowledge and God, Who is Gracious and Merciful, and is Free from every mistake and Knows the truth of every matter, does not help His servants through His true revelation, how could we humble creatures emerge out of the darkness of ignorance and error and how could we be delivered from the calamities of doubt and suspicion? I therefore affirm it with confidence that the wisdom and mercy and sustaining love of God Almighty demand that from time to time, when He deems it right, He creates men who should be recipients of revelation for the purpose of ascertaining true doctrines and establishing correct morals, and who should have bestowed upon them the capacity of impressing their teachings upon others so that mankind, who have been created for the true guidance, should not be deprived of their needed good fortune. (Purani Tahrirein p21)

The above refutes the idea that there is no need for revelation to mankind and that God reveals nothing to mankind.