The Heavenly Sign

Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908)

Nishan-e-Asmani (First published June 1892) (English: The Heavenly Sign) also called Shahadat-ul-Mulhimeen (English: The Testimony of the Recipients of Revelation) is a book in Urdu, by Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, India, claimant to be the promised Messiah and Mahdi, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. The English rendering of Nishan-e-Asmani was done by Muhammad Akram Ghauri, published by The Islam International Publications Ltd. ‘Islamabad’ Sheephatch Lane,Tilford, Surrey GU10 2AQ, United Kingdom (2005).^[1]

Introduction

To support his claims, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad has quoted 'verses' ^[2] from the well-known work of the 14th Century Sufi poet Shah Nimatullah Wali (1330-1431), predicting the Appearance of Messiah and Mahdi. (Qaseeda Shah Nimatullah Wali quoted by Shah Ismail Shaheed (1779-1831) in his book Al-Arba'in fi Ahwal-al-Mahdiyin (pages: 49-52) Published 1851).^[3]

Verses from Nimatullah

Some Verses from above:

"I do not say all this by reading the stars: Nay! I relate what God Almighty has told me. Immediately after the passage of twelve hundred years, I see terrible things happening.

I see that a new coin is struck, Whose value is less than it seems.

I see the face of the moon darkened; And the heart of the sun I see wounded.

I envision the joy of meeting the Sweetheart; I envision the rising of the sun of a happy spring.

When his tenure comes to its successful end, I see that he will be succeeded by his illustrious son.

I foresee that aristocrats and nobles; Will become his faithful disciples.

He resembles the Holy Prophet in his appearance; And I find him to be of placid disposition and I see him as the universally accepted leader; The whole world following him faithfully.

I see the name of that illustrious personage written; And I read: Alif, Ha, Mim, and Dal (A H M aD)

With his advent I see that the faith of the world shall prosper; And mankind will float upon a wave of good fortune.

I see that he is the Mahdi and the Messiah of the age; And he is the champion in both capacities.

I see the whole world has become like one big city.... "

Testimony Claimed

In this short treatise upon Shah Nimatullah Wali's (1330-1431) predictions, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claims it testifies to his being the Mahdi and Messiah, appearing in the Thirteenth century (Hijri), within a new Government in India (The British Government)[... new Coin is struck]. The prophecy of The Messiah and Mahdi to be followed by an illustrious SON also applies to him, he wrote. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad had prophesied that he shall be followed by a son, who shall be like him in his qualities. He claimed the Prophecy of Shah Nimatullah Wali mentioning the name of the coming reformer as AHMAD,^[4] was about him, which is his name. The book, Arba‘in Fi Ahwalil Mahdiyyin, which Mirza Ghulam Ahmad commented upon, had been published on 25 Muharram 1268 (Hijri)[19 November 1851 C.E.].,^[5] a person claiming to be the Messiah and Mahdi of the Age. Ahmad writes, " It is evident that during the last thirteen hundred years none other than myself has proclaimed to be the Promised ‘Isa...And he is the champion in both capacities. This means that he shall be the Mahdi as well as ‘Isa, and shall be endowed with both attributes which will be manifested in him. This last couplet is a wonderful elucidation from which it can be clearly understood that, by the command of God, he will also claim to be Jesus" (page-33).^[6] It is also claimed that the verse, " I see the face of the moon darkened; And the heart of the sun I see wounded. ", foretells about the Sign of the Eclipse of the Sun and Moon in the month of Ramadhan on the appointed dates.^[7]

Testimony by a Visionary

The next testimony, Ahmad claims is the vision of one Gulab Shah. A Majdhoob who came to Qadian about 30 years before Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's claims, to be the Messiah and predicted that Jesus will appear shortly in Qadian. One Karim Bakhsh who narrated this vision to Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad said: " It was by the sheer mercy of God, the Exalted, that about thirty years ago, a godly man, a wanderer of the desolate places, a Majdhub, told me things that have now become magnificent signs for me. These Prophecies have convinced me of the truth of Mirza Sahib so firmly, that even if someone were to cut me to pieces, I would care the least for my life. Just as the day dawns and no one has any doubts about it, so did it become clear to me, that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian is undoubtedly the same Promised Messiah whose advent had been foretold and who was named ‘Isa (Jesus) in the scriptures....That revered saint once said to me: 'Jesus has come of age now and he will come to Ludhiana, and point out the errors in the Qur’an, and will make judgments according to the Qur’an.'... Again he said: 'The Ulema will reject him vehemently.' (page-40-42)".^[8]

References

1. The Heavenly Sign, by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (Urdu) (1892) English translation:'The Heavenly Sign'
2. The Heavenly Sign 1892
3. Al-Arba'in fi Ahwal-al-Mahdiyin (pages: 49-52) Published 1851)
4. I see the name of that illustrious personage written and I read: Alif, Ha, Mim, and Dal, Meaning that it has been disclosed to me in a vision that the name of that Imam will be Ahmad Nishan e Asmani,(page-31)
5. Arbaeen-Fi-Ahwaal-al-Mahdiyyeenn (pages: 49-52) Published 1851)
6. The Heavenly Sign, page 33
7. Hazrat Imam Baqar Muhammad bin Alira has narrated the following Hadees (saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa): For our Mahdi (Divine Reformer) there are two signs which have never appeared before since the creation of the heavens and the earth, namely the moon will be eclipsed on the first night in Ramazan (i.e. on the first of the nights on which a lunar eclipse can occur) and the sun will be eclipsed in its middle (i.e. on the middle day of the days on which a solar eclipse can occur), and these signs have not appeared since God created the heavens and the earth. (Dare Qutani Vol 1, page 188)
8. The Heavenly Sign, page 40-42