100 Years Ago… – How can atheist Europe accept Islam?

The speech of a foreign missionary, Qazi Muhammad Abdullah Sahib BA, BT, which he read out at Jalsa Salana Qadian 1919 before members of the Jamaat.

Al Fazl, 12 January 1920

Part I

Qazi Muhammad Abdullah

First of all, praise and homage be to the Merciful Lord Who, with His grace and mercy, sent His beloved messenger, an embodiment of Muhammad Al-Mustafa [the chosen one], peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, for us so that when all the religions and various sects have emerged on the earth with their colourful attires, He may cause the rightful faith to prevail over all of them with bright signs.
Peace and blessings be upon His holy messenger [the Promised Messiah^as] and upon him whom he obeyed [the Holy Prophet^sa], who granted us that light of divine insight through his spiritual prowess that we abstained from every kind of darkness and recognised the true Islam.
Moreover, he caused us to drink such an energising and stimulating portion that we were not only revived from it but an extraordinary passion and devotion was instilled within us for the spread of this religion. Thus, congratulations O admirers of the Messiah and Mahdi that your religious fervour is not only limited to your countrymen but through your hard work and efforts, a party has embraced the true faith in other countries as well.
There is a strong hope that it will progress, grow and spread every moment and at all times. It is an occasion of great thankfulness that the reigns of our Jamaat are in the hands of a resolute Imam. Through the blessings of his continuous prayers and unyielding courage, we hear the good news of success in far of countries.
Truly, the help of God is granting him the title of Umar II [Hazrat Umar the second], no matter how bad the envious feel. It is quite surprising that once, an opponent of Ahmad^as spread a rumour that the tabligh of Ahmadiyyat was like a deadly poison in the UK. The devotees of Ahmad^as became overly astonished at this, for how is it possible that Allah Almighty sends His beloved for the guidance of mankind and promises complete success and progress to his mission and Jamaat, but on the other hand, some ignoramus says that the tabligh of Ahmad’s^as mission in the UK is detrimental.
This statement indicates three things: either this informer is an enemy of God’s chosen messenger or he is extremely ignorant or some personal gains compelled him to spread such nonsensical views. Be that as it may, just think about the state of that person when he reads the names of Muslim converts through our tabligh in the UK. This is such a defeat to him and his associates that they can no longer raise their heads.
In fact, it was a very fine trick that was played against Ahmadiyyat by the conspirators but they fell fl at on their faces before the rightful Khalifa. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II^ra has proved this fact by establishing the Ahmadiyya mission over there that the truth is with us and currently, the victory is bound with the name of Ahmad^as.

These people cannot succeed in opposing the rightful Jamaat. I assure you that the atheists of Europe and the philosophical minded people of the UK who live materialistic lives, and any other person, whether religious or non-religious, is not free from the influence of atheism and materialism. Making them accept the existence of God only by reason and explanation, to give them knowledge and certainty is not enough unless they are not made to witness the fresh and incredible signs of the Living God Almighty.
God’s communion with man and the open door of divine communication is such conclusive proof of God Almighty’s existence that every doubt and uncertainty can be eliminated. This is a very conducive approach. There is no other alternative that can persuade atheists abroad towards accepting God’s existence with their hearts. We tried it many a time and each time, we were successful.
There is no doubt that common people laugh and mock at the prophecies. The main reason behind this is that they have witnessed many false claimants of prophethood. Therefore, their conscience does not satisfy with it. It is rather startling that Khawaja Sahib came under the influence of these people as well and he does not look at a true prophecy to be worthy of any consideration.
This year, I happened to meet him in March. During the discussion, he expressed great surprise towards this approach of ours that we convey the truth of Islam to the people by spreading and publishing various other prophecies of the Promised Messiah^as and his prophecy about the Tsar of Russia. Khawaja Sahib said, “What significance do prophecies hold? Such prophecies are even foretold by common people. Recently, I came across a book which had prophecies about this war that are being fulfilled word for word.”
I told him that such predictions could not be compared with the divine revelations that are granted to God’s chosen ones by God Almighty Himself, which are then fulfilled in extraordinary manners, regardless of opposing circumstances and become signs of [a prophet’s] truthfulness and a source of guidance for the people. I pointed towards a chair placed before us and explained by its example that everyone could predict that the chair would one day break. There was absolutely no doubt that a time would come when it would decay and break.
However, if some clever person predicted by observing the weak state of the chair and his healthy body that as soon as Khawaja Sahib sat on it, the chair would break, then it would be a proof of his intelligence. But if someone, without knowing and seeing him and without observing the actual state of the chair, predicted through divine revelation that God Almighty spoke to him and the proof of this fact was that such and such chair, which was present at a certain place, would break in a matter of days by the use of a person whose appearance was such and such, and it was fulfilled to the letter, then this would be proof of that person being the recipient of divine revelation.
As I was clarifying this, Khawaja Sahib said, “You are explaining it to me now. We have been in the company of Mirza Sahib. I used to fear when he would give a prophecy because it is not decisive, rather it happens to put one in a difficult situation.”
Thereafter, he narrated the long story of the son of Asadullah from Ludhiana. So, this is what I mean, that there is one such group who mocks when the prophecies are presented before them. Most probably, our Khawaja Sahib was so disheartened by them that he has withdrawn from one of the most influential weapons of the Promised Messiah^as.
The reality is that the progress of Islam in this age is dependent on this very way that the God of Islam who communicates with all His attributes is proven alive through His supreme and penetrating, fresh and bright signs. This is the means whereby all of Europe will enter into the fold of Islam.
It is very important to mention the Promised Messiah^as in Europe because the personage of Huzoor^as is associated with such signs that are proof and testament of the existence of the All-Knowing, Wise and Omnipotent God, so much so that the earth and the skies cannot present such conclusive evidence of God Almighty’s existence compared to that person who is spoken to by God and is sent as the divinely commissioned reformer of the world.
In truth, it can be inferred from the design of the earth and the skies that a Supreme Being should be its Creator, however it cannot be said with full certainty that He is, because nobody has seen Him creating them. It should be borne in mind that there is a huge difference between the words “is” and “should be.” “Should be” alludes to probability and possibility.
So in order to demonstrate that God “is”, He presents the clear proof of His existence by choosing a man who is in a state of complete obscurity and raises him to guide the people. He says that the person is from Him and is His messenger.
“Obey his instructions.”
“I shall humiliate those who oppose and disgrace him.”
“I shall safeguard him from the conspiracies of opponents.”
“I shall increase his honour and status by the day.”
“I shall take him out from the state of obscurity and spread his eminence across the globe.”
“People will come to him from far off places.”
“I shall make him so and so…”
At that time, the apparent condition of people is not such that they pay attention to his teachings, in fact the storm of opposition and hostility raises in such a way that it seems likely for this seedling to be annihilated.
However, regardless of every kind of animosity and affliction, God’s beloved advances and triumphs. When people witness this progress before their very eyes, they then realise that surely, it is God who ordains a very weak person to be His prophet through His mighty power and makes the world submit before this prophet or in his obedience.
This is more convincing than the design of the earth and the skies. What I mean to say from this explanation is that the message of Ahmadiyyat is not a deadly poison in the UK and in truth, Ahmadiyyat in every way is the only remedy for the incurable diseases of atheism and through which the grace and blessings of God is proving satisfactory by all means.
Secondly, God’s conclusive signs manifested in the form of the World War in recent times and have awakened every class of people. They are noticing their weaknesses and trying to find out the ways to reform them. The civilisation of Europe in which Christianity had extreme pride, led to such a destruction across the globe that there is no parallel to be found.
The general public is angry from every corner [of the earth]. They are discontented by Christianity. They are trying hard for their problems to be solved by any means. Restlessness has increased at every level. In particular, there is mutual dispute between labourers and the upper class. Apparently, there seems no way for it to be resolved.
It is only Islam that can bear the burden of this entire reformation. This is the time to promulgate the doctrines of Islam with full force. Presently, the whole world is in a furnace. Suffering has made hearts to melt. This is the right time to freeze the truths of Islam upon them. The ship of present day Christianity is sailing through a sea storm. It has countless holes in it. Its sailors, being fully aware of its defects and slow advancement, are in deep thought to save it from sinking.
Owing to its special organisation, the Roman Catholic religion is making progress because it has a devotional spirit. Therefore, if it is saved from sinking, then most probably, its followers would steer it towards Catholicism. Thereafter, there is strong expectation of a reaction like the reformation period. If free thought is awakened in liberal Christianity, it would be so destructive to Christianity that there will remain nothing of it.
The breaking of the cross is happening by itself. Only moral teaching is left. There will remain no distinction of Christianity in it because the teaching of kindness and virtue has already been given to the world before Jesus^as.
Hence, this ship is not capable of directing the seekers of truth to any destination. The tempest of atheism and materialism has gone out of bounds. Another ship has been prepared for it, which can fight every kind of storm and escort to the port of salvation. It is that ship in which all of you have already embarked. Its captain is God’s chosen one, the Promised Messiah^as and his successor in this age is Hazrat Mahmud^[ra]. We benefited greatly from the English government.

ھل جزاء الاحسان الّا الاحسان

When we observe our noble government’s nation in a poor spiritual condition, then is it not our responsibility to wholeheartedly effort for their reformation? The time is not far and it is not impossible for God Almighty, when all of them will board the ship of the second Noah and join us. Our present progress is sufficient proof that they possess those noble souls who recognise the truth and immediately adopt it. They do not have such prejudice that once they realise the truth, they turn away without benefiting from it.
It is beyond doubt that every truth is opposed in the beginning. Even those laws which were proven true from time to time through scientific research were opposed at first. However, once it is recognised that they are for their own betterment and welfare, they are quick to adopt them.
The same is the case of religion. History bears witness to the way they renounced the faith of their forefathers and accepted Christianity. Thereafter, when doctrines of the Catholic faith became unbearable, they embraced the Protestant faith. Now, they are disheartened by it and owing to their freedom of religion, they will certainly adhere to the perfect and grand doctrines of Islam, provided that the message of Islam is conveyed to them in a suitable manner and they recognise that through it, their nation can hold its progress and advancement intact.

This nation has greatly excelled in the practical side of worldly matters. The Holy Quran portrays them in a small phrase:

ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِى الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا

[Those whose labour is all lost in search after things pertaining to the life of this world].
We have to clarify before them if we desire to make them accept Islam that surely, they will be able to overcome such and such weaknesses by adopting it. Once they are reformed, their national progress and well-being will strengthen.