After the British forcibly occupied the Indian subcontinent, to tear apart the unity of Muslims, create religious discord among them, and keep them away from the pure mission of Dawah and Jihad, a claimant of false prophethood was raised in the form of “Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani.” In the last decades of the nineteenth century, Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani successively claimed to be a Mujaddid (reviver), a divinely appointed one, like the Messiah, the Promised Messiah, and finally a prophet, thereby fulfilling the designs and objectives of his master, the British. When this self-sown plant of the British tried to pollute the environment with its poisonous effects, the Ahl-e-Hadith scholars immediately took notice and exposed the entire reality of his claims. The well-known author, translator, and writer of many research and practical books, Maulana Khalid Saif, writes in the book of the Islamic theologian Maulana Hanif Nadvi, “Mirzaiyat from New Angles”
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Although Maulana Muhammad Hussain Batalvi was among those scholars who initially had a good opinion about Mirza Qadiani, as soon as Mirza Qadiani openly revealed his true nature, Maulana Batalvi was the first to declare him a disbeliever. It is also Maulana Batalvi who holds the distinction of being the Muslim representative in the very first debate between Islam and Qadianism held in Lahore, where he debated against the Qadiani representative Hakim Nooruddin. In this debate, Maulana Batalvi thoroughly defeated Hakim Nooruddin with strong arguments and proofs, causing Hakim Nooruddin to abandon the debate midway and flee to Ludhiana, where Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was residing at that time. In any case, on April 15, 1891, Maulana Batalvi sent a letter to Mirza Qadiani in Ludhiana, stating that his special disciple had fled from the debate and reached him; he should persuade him to return to the debate or prepare himself for it.
The Ahl-e-Hadith historian, the late Maulana Muhammad Ishaq Bhatti, writes…
“The very first fatwa of disbelief against Mirza Qadiani was prepared by the famous Ahl-e-Hadith scholar Maulana Muhammad Hussain Batalvi, which he presented to his esteemed teacher Mian Syed Nazir Hussain Muhaddith Dehlvi and obtained his signature on it. Mirza Qadiani and his companions were greatly disturbed by this. Therefore, Maulana Batalvi personally met or sent representatives to about two hundred renowned and eminent scholars across India to get their supportive signatures on this fatwa, and they affixed their seals on it. Mirza Qadiani and his companions were deeply troubled by this fatwa of takfir (excommunication). Mirza Qadiani writes:
‘The sedition of takfir and denial from the scholars of Punjab and India has crossed all limits, and not only the scholars but also the poor and custodians of shrines are agreeing with the clerics in declaring this humble one a disbeliever and liar. Thousands of people abducted by these people consider us disbelievers even more than Christians and Hindus. Although the burden of takfir lies on Nazir Hussain Dehlvi, yet the sin of other clerics is that they did not use their intellect and investigation in this delicate matter of takfir but accepted Nazir Hussain’s satanic fatwa, which Muhammad Hussain Batalvi had prepared, without research.'”
Maulana Bhatti writes…
“This statement by Mirza Qadiani about the fatwa of takfir is very clear, and he explicitly wrote that the fatwa declaring him a disbeliever was first written by Maulana Muhammad Hussain Batalvi, and the first to sign it was Mian Syed Nazir Hussain Dehlvi. Upon seeing his signature, other scholars and custodians of shrines in Punjab and India, according to Mirza Qadiani, accepted this fatwa as true.” Regarding this fatwa, Mirza Qadiani writes elsewhere:
“Maulvi Muhammad Hussain wrote this fatwa and told Mian Nazir Hussain Dehlvi to be the first to seal it and issue a fatwa about my disbelief and spread the news of my being a disbeliever among all Muslims. This book
had already been published throughout Punjab and India twelve years before this fatwa and the seal of Mian Sahib mentioned. Maulvi Muhammad Hussain, who became the first of the disbelievers twelve years later, was the founder of takfir, and the one who spread this fire throughout the country due to his fame was Mian Nazir Hussain Dehlvi.”
From these words of Mirza Qadiani, it is clear that the founder of his takfir was Maulana Muhammad Hussain Batalvi, and Mian Nazir Hussain Muhaddith Dehlvi was the one who spread the fire of this takfir throughout the country due to his fame.
Maulana Batalvi had compiled the fatwa of takfir and published it in a thick special edition of his monthly magazine “اشاعة السنہ‘‘. In November 1986, a revised edition of this fatwa of takfir was published by Dar al-Dawah Salafiya, Shesh Mahal Road, Lahore. This was a great service by Maulana Batalvi, who compiled the fatwa of takfir against Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Then, the Ahl-e-Hadith scholar who silenced Mirza Qadiani and remained actively engaged in the Khatm-e-Nubuwwat movement until his last breath is known worldwide as Fatah Qadian Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari. His complete services against Qadianism have been elaborately and clearly described by Maulana Safi-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri in “Fitna Qadianiat and Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari,” published in August 2007 by Maktaba Muhammadiya, Qudusi Street, Al-Fazl Market, Urdu Bazaar, Lahore, with the author’s dedication.
In Pakistan, the first to declare Qadianis as non-Muslims was the Ahl-e-Hadith scholar Maulana Muhammad Hanif Nadvi (died July 13, 1987). Around 1950, he wrote very unique articles in the weekly “Al-I’tisam” rejecting Mirzaiyat. These articles were later published in book form under the title “Mirzaiyat from New Angles.” Undoubtedly, the Ahl-e-Hadith scholars have rendered invaluable services against the Qadiani movement through debates, discussions, disputations, speeches, and writings. This is a bright chapter of history that cannot be forgotten. Unfortunately, some people, despite being aware of these facts, try to cover up the truth on the orders of their elders and neglect the services of Ahl-e-Hadith scholars in refuting Qadianism. It seems appropriate here to mention the priorities of Ahl-e-Hadith in the Khatm-e-Nubuwwat movement against Qadianism. Maulana Muhammad Ishaq Bhatti has mentioned the priorities of Ahl-e-Hadith in the preface of “Mirzaiyat from New Angles,” in the preface of Dr. Bahauddin’s “Tehreek Khatm-e-Nubuwwat” Volume One, and in his own work “Tazkira Qazi Muhammad Sulaiman Mansoorpuri.” Please see:
1- The first fatwa of takfir against Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was prepared by Maulana Muhammad Hussain Batalvi, who got it signed by his esteemed teacher Mian Syed Nazir Hussain Dehlvi, and then presented it to about two hundred prominent scholars of Punjab and India for their approval and signatures or seals.
2- The first scholar to go to Qadian to confront Mirza Qadiani was Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari in January 1903. He went to Mirza Qadiani’s house and challenged him, but Mirza Qadiani did not come out to confront him.
3- The series of debates and disputations with Mirzais was started first by Maulana Muhammad Hussain Batalvi and Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari.
4- No one debated with Mirzais as many times as Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari did.
5- The challenge of Mubahala (mutual curse) was first given to Mirza Qadiani by the Ahl-e-Hadith scholars.
6- The title “Fatah Qadian” (Conqueror of Qadian) was given to Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari by the Muslims of the subcontinent.
7- The most books against Mirzaiyat were written by Ahl-e-Hadith authors.
8- After the creation of Pakistan, the first written demand to declare Qadianis a minority in the constitution was made by Ahl-e-Hadith scholar Maulana Muhammad Hanif Nadvi, who also advised Qadianis to themselves request the government to grant them minority status to end the ongoing opposition.
9- Among all the movements against Mirzaiyat, the largest participation was by Ahl-e-Hadith scholars and the public, resulting in government arrests.
10- The first 24-page pamphlet denying Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was written by Maulana Ismail Aligarh in 1892.
11- The earliest detailed book refuting and declaring Mirza Qadiani a disbeliever was “Ghayat al-Maram” written by Qazi Sulaiman Mansoorpuri in 1892. At that time, Qazi Sahib was 25 years old, making him the youngest author to write against Mirza initially.
12- The earliest inspired fatwa of takfir against Qadianism was issued by Maulana Mohiuddin Abdul Rahman Lakvi.
13- Ahl-e-Hadith scholar Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari confronted Mirza Qadiani with such courage and persistence that Mirza became severely distressed and exclaimed, “May the liar die during the life of the truthful.” Consequently, on April 15, 1907, he published an advertisement titled “The Final Decision with Maulvi Sanaullah,” and eleven months later, on May 24, 1908, he died of cholera at Dr. Mirza Yaqub Baig’s house in Ahmed Building, Lahore. This was the only prayer or curse of his that was accepted. Sheikh-ul-Islam Maulana Sanaullah passed away forty years later on March 15, 1938, in Sargodha.
14- Among the priorities of Ahl-e-Hadith against Mirzaiyat is that before Mirza Qadiani claimed prophethood, Maulvi Abdul Haq Ghaznavi confronted him after becoming aware of his beliefs and thoughts, which resulted in opposition against Mirza Qadiani.
These historical facts and events make it clear that it was the Ahl-e-Hadith scholars who defeated Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani and his propagators on every front and severely criticized them.
To understand the efforts of Ahl-e-Hadith scholars against the Fitna of Qadianism, the book “Tehreek Khatm-e-Nubuwwat” by respected Dr. Bahauddin London is very useful. This book, consisting of six thick volumes, was published in India under the Central Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith Hind by Maktaba Tarjuman Delhi and in Pakistan by Maktaba Qudusiya Rehman Market, Azni Street, Urdu Bazaar, Lahore. The book will be completed in eight volumes. In this scholarly and research-based book, Dr. Bahauddin has narrated the history of the refutation and eradication of the Fitna of Qadianism, the personalities who stood in the way of Mirza Qadiani, the unanimous fatwa of takfir against Mirza Qadiani, and the true founders and leaders of the Khatm-e-Nubuwwat movement with great research and investigation. Alongside, Dr. Sahib has also presented the writings and letters of the founder of the Fitna of Qadianism, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, as evidence. In this regard, this book serves as an authentic, reasoned, and historical document on the movement for the protection of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat. From studying this book, one gains awareness of the achievements of Ahl-e-Hadith scholars against the Fitna of Mirzaiyat, and also the historical facts suppressed by “some people” come to light. We request those gentlemen not to be narrow-minded and to accept the truth, avoiding distorting history.
