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An earthquake of magnitude 7.8 hit the Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga in the early hours of May 4, 2006. Its epicenter was located 800 kilometers southeast of Fiji, 32 kilometers below the seafloor, where the Pacific Plate and the Australia-India plate come together. The tremors lasted over 45 seconds. The Pacific Tsunami Centre immediately generated a tsunami alert to Fiji, New Zealand, and as far as Australia. The threat to life was real. Shortly after the tremors were felt in Tonga, a man of God, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aba) arrived at the Aqsa mosque in Nadi – a small town on the west coast of Fiji – and was apprised of the situation. The beloved Imam led the Fajr prayers that morning and remained in prostration for a much longer period. He prayed fervently before Allah, the Mujeebud Dua (the Answerer of Prayers), and after the prayers, he gave the good news: “There is nothing to fear, God Almighty will surely help. Nothing will happen.”
The attribute of al-Mujeeb was in seen in full glory as Allah had heard the prayers of His servant and answered them in a powerful manner. The faith-inspiring manifestation of the Master of the universe, the eternal living God, came into being, and in about two hours, the news was received that:
“A miracle has occurred, the tsunami has stopped dead in its tracks” (1).
The reversal of an impending disaster was nothing short of a miracle. A miracle brought about by the prayers of a man of absolute faith and who today is one of the closest to Allah the Almighty.
The absolute belief in the being of God with complete conviction is the pinnacle of faith; it is this belief that Allah invites us to achieve. It is this belief that is most apparent in the lives of all prophets (as). Not because they have a special language that is elusive to the rest of us, but because of the completeness of their belief. Nowhere is this belief more apparent than in the life of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (sa). One of the most significant incidents that astonishes the mind is that of the Battle of Badr.
Camped on the dry, solid grounds of Badr, away from the stream that flowed in a mystic rhythm, the Meccans were in an excellent position to fight the Muslims. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) advanced towards the stream, camping for the night. The land adjacent to the stream was all sand and unsuitable for battle.
On one side stood over 1,000 skilled Meccan warriors, on the other, 313 mostly unskilled and untrained Muslims who were suddenly thrust into a dangerous battle. The anxiety among the Muslims was palpable. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) also shared this anxiety. It was the most vulnerable moment for Muslims in the short history of Islam. Nothing less than the survival of Islam was at stake. The Holy Prophet (sa) retreated to his tent and began his supplications. As the night progressed, his powerful supplications could be heard across the camps.
“O my Allah,” cried the Messenger, “over the entire face of the earth at this moment, there are only these three hundred men who are devoted to You and determined to establish Your worship. O my Allah, if these three hundred men die today at the hands of their enemy in this battle, who will be left behind to glorify Your name?”
Muslims gained their strength through the constant supplications of the Holy Prophet (sa). By dawn, came the verdict from Allah. “The hosts will soon be routed and turn their backs in flight” declared the Prophet. Before sunset on the 17th of Ramadhan 2 AH, al-Mujeeb, our Lord, our Allah, had answered the prayers of His humble servant, and the battle which presented defeating odds to Muslims was won in a matter of hours. Not only was Islam saved from extinction, but also this battle placed fear at the heart of opponents (2, 3).
Absolute conviction in God comes through the absolute belief that Allah listens to prayers (Sami ud Dua) and that He answers our prayers (Mujeeb ud dua). While most of us believe that God exists, not all have the high conviction that is needed to reach the level of absolute belief. That is the level where the belief of a person cannot be shaken, no matter the situation. No darkness can overpower the light of belief, and no wind can blow out the flame of belief.
It was this same belief that Hazrat Noah (as) possessed. When the waters in a barren valley began to climb, he boarded the boat together with a handful of believers to survive the storm and certain death.
It is this belief towards which Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi (as) has consistently drawn our attention.
“It has been decreed by God Almighty that prayer yields great power.”
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) reminds us:
“God has informed me time and again that whatever will transpire, will happen through prayers” (4).
It is the belief that only Allah has control over all things that ultimately leads to the utmost level of success in prayer. A faith-inspiring incident from the early days of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community demonstrates the completeness of this belief.
A boy by the name of Abdul Kareem had come to Qadian from Hyderabad-Dakan for religious education. His mother had a profound fondness for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and wanted her son to learn of faith. Unfortunately, he was bitten by a dog and contracted rabies. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) started praying for the boy and sent him for the best available treatment to a specialist hospital in Kasaulee. He returned after apparently successful treatment, however, after a short while re-developed symptoms of Hydrophobia. The hospital was contacted again, and their response was:
“Sorry, nothing can be done for Abdul Kareem.”
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) felt a special connection towards the child, as he had traveled far from home for the sake of education in Qadian. He turned towards Allah with full conviction that Allah has full control over everything that He desires. The mighty sign of Allah’s power was observed, and the prayers of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) answered when Abdul Kareem was completely cured of the disease and lived a long, healthy life (5).
The life of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), like that of his master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), is full of incidents related to prayers which were miraculously accepted by as-Sami and answered in the most amazing manner by our al-Mujeeb Allah.
The relationship of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) with Allah was so strong that at times it negated the need for formal prayer! During the time of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), there was a very small, but extremely sincere Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Kapurthala. This small community was exceedingly devoted to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), who had a great love for them as well. Some opponents of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community took possession of the Ahmadi Muslim Mosque and denied access to the Ahmadi Muslims. A civil suit was filed. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Kapurthala was very anxious and repeatedly appealed to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) for prayer in this matter. Touched by the distress of his devoted disciples, he remarked:
“If I am truthful (in my claim), this mosque will come to you.”
The judge, however, continued to display an adverse attitude towards the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and did not intend to restore the mosque to their rightful owners. On the day he was to read the judgment, he was struck down with a fatal heart attack. The case passed on to another judge, who, upon examining the case, found the facts overwhelmingly in favor of the Ahmadi Muslims and restored the mosque to them (6).
“A personal relationship with Allah.”
It is a phrase that you have heard many times; in Friday sermons, in books and even during speeches. Many would say it captures the very heart of what it means to be a believer. When Hazrat Krishan (as) was asked about how to get closer to God, he guided his followers towards prayers, “know Bhagwan through prayers” (7).
Many of us know that a God exists; but only a few have truly developed a personal relationship with Him; a relationship that they nurture regularly. The question is: how can we build a personal relationship with God. God is close; He is waiting for us to deepen our relationship with Him. He knows our apprehensions. “And assuredly, We have created man, and We know what his physical self whispers to him, and We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein” (8).
Think of it this way. If you are married, how did you get to know your spouse? Perhaps you had heard of him / her before you met, or possibly someone introduced you.
Whatever the situation, at first, you only knew that he / she existed; you did not know the person. Then you met him/her, and thereafter committed your life to them in marriage. When you spent time together, your relationship grew, and it became even deeper over time. Now, you not only believe that your spouse exists, but you also have a close personal relationship with that person who was once a stranger.
This is how it is with God. Yes, you believe He exists, and that is good. But it is only the first step. He invites you to discover who He is and how much He loves you. You can learn of His love through the Holy Qur’an. You can learn of His love through the life of the Holy Prophet (sa), the life of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) and you can see His love in your own life. As you progress through the journey of finding God, you will move from observing the reality that He is, to experience the reality that is God. And as Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) has taught us, the only way to be certain about God is through prayers. It is only when you pray, and your prayers come to fruition, that your faith will strengthen and reach an absolute level.
He is Allah – al Mujeeb. “His are the most beautiful names…” When you call upon Allah, He will answer. He will save you from fatal traps and will deliver you from lethal plagues. He will take you under His wing and protect you from the terror that darkness brings. You have but conform to His will, be just, be dedicated, be kind, and be faithful (9).
This article appears in the Fall 2019 issue.
References
1. Al Fazl International. November 21, 2014. pp 15-16
2. The Holy Qur’an (54:46)
3. History of at-Tabari Vol. 7, The Foundation of the Community. SUNY Press, 1987.
4. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, Malfoozat. Vol 9 of 10. pp. 27-8. 1985 England Edition
5. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, Roohani Khaza’in: Haqeeqatul Wahi, Vol. 1, pp. 480-482
6. Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (BA). Seerat ul Mahdi. 2008. Vol 1. pp. 57-8. Narration number 79
7. Bhagwat Geeta, Kalam-e-Rabbani, Prayer #18, pp 117-130 Urdu https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/kalam-e-rabbani-shrimad-bhag
wat-geeta-ka-urdu-manzoom-tarjuma-ebooks Accessed July 4, 2019
8. The Holy Qur’an (50:17)
9. The Holy Qur’an (59:25)
Last modified: June 2020
