Controversy surrounding the death of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad founded the Ahmadiyya movement and claimed to be the return of Christ, the promised Messiah, the Mahdi, and Mujaddid of the modern Islamic era. His death sparked controversy surrounding the validity of some of his prophecies. While his opponents allege that he died an 'accursed death' and that some of his predictions and prophesies turned out to be untrue due to the manner and timing of his death and hence invalidate his rank and station and prove him false in his claim, his supporters claim that both the manner and timing of his death were in accordance with all of his relevant predictions, and hence reaffirm his truthfulness and claims.

Circumstances of his death

At the time of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's death, the recorded cause of death was complications arising from diarrhea due to dysentery. However his opponents claim that the cause of death was Cholera.

Opponents' reactions

When the news of his death spread in Lahore, a crowd of opponents gathered outside the house. It is reported that much jubilation was displayed and a mock funeral was arranged for the entertainment of the crowd. Some Muslim opponents of Ahmadiyya claim that his death, which they allege as being a result of Cholera, was accursed and his terminal disease a sign of wrath of God, which they further allege he mentioned in his own writings would be the punishment for a liar: "...punishment which is not by human hands but only at the hands of God, such as Plague and Cholera etc. deadly diseases..."

Response from Ahmadiyya supporters

Ahmadi Muslims do not subscribe to the view that the death was due to Cholera. They contend that the attending physicians at the time of his death declared the cause of death as Diarrehoea due to dysentery and not Cholera, and the same was recorded for publication in newspapers. They also claim that the lack of precautions taken by attending doctors and his followers against infectious diseases during the postmortem handling of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's body was not consistent with a death from Cholera.

Prophesies in question

His critics say that his death proved his following prophecies to have been untrue:

• He prophesied that he will live to be 80 or so years old but his opponents assert he lived only to 68. His followers disagree with this contention and point out that the said prophecy (made in 1865 or AbOUT 43 years before his actual death) was for “..eighty years or a few years less or more….” (Tadhkira, page 6, emphasis by editor), and that Mirza Ghluam Ahmad was past the age of seventy at the time of his death (b: 1835 – d: 1908)
• He prophesied that he would marry Muhammadi Begum, before his death but his opponents point out he never did. Followers of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad however claim that the prophecy regarding Mohammadi Begum was multi-faceted, not confined to marriage with Muhammadi Begum only and "conditional", i.e, did not require absolute fulfillment. They point out that as part of the prophecy (death of Muhammadi Begum’s father) was fulfilled after which conditions changed, the remaining prophecy did not come to pass.
• His opponents assert that he gave a prayer that Moulvi Sanaullah of Amristar, his arch opponent who had openly called him a liar and an impostor, will die before him. However his opponents point out that he died first. His followers however contend that the said claim was not one-sided and was part of a Mubahila (Prayer-Duel) or challenge which was conditional upon the acceptance of the same by Maulvi Sanaullah. As Maulvi Sanaullah publicly refused to accept the challenge posed by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the contents therein did not come into effect. Hence the question who died first became immaterial and inconsequential due to Maulvi Sanalullah’s recorded refusal to accept the Mubalaha (prayer-duel or challenge).'True Facts about the Ahmadiyya Movement.' (pp. 44-47)

by Maulana Hafiz Sher Muhammad Sahib. Web Link

• His opponents assert that a doctor Abdul Hakim prophesied that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad would die within a certain time period and that he did die within that time. However, Ahmadis assert that not only was he plagiarizing Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's prophecy of his demise but that he repeatedly kept changing it till it became a specific date which was off by many months of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's actual date of death.
• His opponents assert that he prophesied that Abdullah Atham, a Christian who had debated with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, will die before him within a limited time frame. However, some of his opponents assert that he died first but mainly that Atham died after the fifteen months prophesied period had passed (Jung-e-Muqaddas, P. 189.). Ahmadiyya Muslims answer the critics by asserting that though there was no prophecy given on order of death, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad nonetheless died in 1908, outliving Atham who died in 1896. They also claim that the original prophecy which was published in the book "Jang e Muqaddas" did not prophecise Atham's death but his being put into the "haavia", which means hell or great torment. They aruge that Atham was in constant fear and backed out of his Anti-Islam stance for the 15 months of the prophecy. Ahmadiyya Muslims say that only after much jubilation was shown by the opponents of Ahmad upon Atham being alive once the time limit of the original prophecy expired, did Mirza Ghulam Ahmad prophecise of Atham's death (conditional upon Atham not publicly repenting). They point out that Abdullah Atham eventually died on July 27, 1896 after Mirza Ghluam Ahmad had made the prophecy of his death on September 30, 1895
• He gave revelation that Allah will bestow upon him a great new son, a sign of Allah's presence and proof of his prophethood but his opponents assert that he didn't have another son. The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement believe that the prophecies related to the "promised son" are allegorical in nature, while the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believe that the prophecy was fulfilled in the person of Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad (also known as Mirza Mahmood Ahmad) who was born in time of the Prophecy.
• He prophesied that he will die in Makkah or in Medina but his opponents point out that he died in Lahore and never saw either cities. His followers point out however that in regard of the whole prophecy which is not simply regarding his death but also a guarantee of victory for all messengers and eventual peace, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad explains the prophecy is not where he would die but instead he would have great victories like Muhammad had over Mecca and Medina.

External links

ar:????? ???? ???? de:Mirza Ghulam Ahmad es:Mirza Ghulam Ahmad fa:????? ???? ???? fr:Mirza Ghulam Ahmad hi:????? ???? nl:Mirza Ghulam Ahmad pl:Mirza Gulam Ahmad simple:Mirza Ghulam Ahmad