Khalifatullah Mehdi (AHS)

Whose faith is more Distinct?

Excerpt from Noor-e-Vilayat
Written by Hzt. Pir-o-Murshid Syed Miranji Abid Khundmiri Sahab Qibla
Translated by Ahqar-ul-ibaad Syed Yousuf Tajamul Khundmiri

Clear signs & prophecies are seen at several places (in the Holy Qur'an) about the advent of Hzt. Imamuna Syedana Mahdi-e-Maoud^AS (The Promised Mehdi^AS), though not with clarification of name. Not just that but, these verses also indicate the situation at the time of the advent of Mahdi^AS, his position, status (near Allah), and his exalted and khalifatullahi rank & dignity, as is evident from

Similarly, the importance and the need of advent of Hzt. Mahdi^AS are witnessed from several traditions of Hzt. Muhammad Mustafa^SLM, the seal of the Prophets. These are those traditions in which, Mahdi^AS's name, his parent's names, his advent's time, his advent's need and his khalifatullahi dignity are clarified in crystal clear words. Besides this, a few such traditions are also found which are though not explicit yet they are very dignified

about Mahdi^AS and his nation.

Although indicative, Prophet^SLM has used such calculated words that if the right-intellect and penitent-heart takes just a little pain to deliberate then these traditions are seen openly evident that Mahdi^AS and his nation is intended by them.

Hence a tradition of similar category is mentioned below. Hence it is mentioned in a Holy Tradition that once the Prophet^SLM asked Companions^RZ,

i.e. whose faith is most distinct in all the creations? The Holy Companions^RZ said, "O Messenger of Allah, Angels' faith is most distinct". He (Prophet^SLM) said, "What could be the reason of their disbelief, when they are always blessed with "Revelations & Instructions"?" The Holy Companions^RZ said, "Then the most distinct faith is of the Prophets^PBUT". He (Prophet^SLM) said, "Why wouldn't they believe? They receive revelations all the time". On this the Holy Companions^RZ said, "Then ours i.e. our faith is the most distinct among all the creations". He (Prophet^SLM) said, "Why would you not believe? You see me all the time. You listen to the revelations' orders from me". Finally, the Holy Companions^RZ asked, "O Messenger^SLM of Allah! Who are those people whose faith is most distinct among all the creations?" He (Prophet^SLM) said, "These are those people who would come after me. They would have neither seen me nor the state of the revelation of Holy Qur'an on me. They would believe merely looking at some written papers. Their faith is the most distinct.

If we deliberate on the words of this tradition, it can be seen that at first the Prophet^SLM asked the Holy Companions^RZ themselves, as to whose faith is most distinct among all the creations? And when the Holy Companions^RZ mentioned Angels, Prophets and even they (Sahabas), he refuted and said that the people with most distinct faith are those who would come after me. Who neither (seemingly) saw me nor the state of the revelation of the Holy Qur'an, in spite of this them believing, and the perfection and strength in their faith similar to the Angels', Prophets' and yours', is very distinct.

The straight and clear point noticed in this tradition is that those who were believers (at the time of the Prophet^SLM), accepted that which they were seeing. Obviously, to have faith after seeing that which is present in front and to believe is not distinct. But the faith of those people would be more distinct, who did not get that opportunity due to the lapse of time yet they believed same as the belief of the people of first era. Prophet^SLM himself has given evidence of that.

Now at this point, this question comes to mind as to who are those people, who would come later, the dignity whose faith is so high. The answer to this question is found from the verse of the Holy Qur'an itself. Hence Allah says, "O ye who believe! If any of you retracts from his faith then (No loss would occur to the religion) because soon Allah would bring such a nation whom Allah would love and that nation would love Allah".

Writer of Rooh-ul-Ma'ni Syed Mahmood Alusi writes about this nation,

. May be Mahdi^AS's nation is intended by this. However Mubayyin-e-Kalaamullah Mahdi-e-Maoud^AS categorically said that the nation Allah has promised to bring in this Aayat is this servant's (of Allah) nation. Thus it is evident from this that "faith of the people to come later is more distinct" means the nation and the group of Mahdi-e-Maoud^AS. Furthermore this basic fact is also evident from the edict of the Prophet^SLM that the basis and the motive of faith is "Love" not just a sight. Because, the faith is not gained with just a sight. Faith is gained when there is love also along with the sight rather when there is a glance of love. Otherwise if only sight exists and no love then faith is not gained. Several people saw and listened to the Prophet^SLM at Makkah during the initial period of apostleship, but how many of them believed? In contrast to that Owais Qarni^RZ did not see the Prophet^SLM even once, He believed and the state of love was so that when he heard that Prophet^SLM's tooth were martyred in the Holy War of Uhad, he broke two of his teeth. Then he thought who knows if the same teeth of the Prophet^SLM were broken as I broke mine. Hence, owing to love, Owais^RZ broke all his teeth one after another.

A big statement is made in the verse that is under discussion here. i.e. The love here is initially not done by the servants, instead Allah is initially loving that nation and in turn that nation is loving Allah. Thus, when Allah loves that nation, the imperative result of this would be that Allah would fill their hearts with faith, although they neither saw the Prophet^SLM nor the state of the revelation of the Holy Qur'an yet the dignity of faith is similar to those who saw the Prophet^SLM and the state of the revelation of the Holy Qur'an.

The points that are stated till now are of outward meaning. But if it seen in terms of inner meaning then it is ought to be said that though these people did not see the Prophet^SLM yet they saw him about whose personality the Prophet^SLM himself said that he would follow in my footsteps and would never err. In a way they saw, with their naked eyes, him who is similar to the Prophet^SLM in creation & manners, in appearance and character. And the intrinsic eyes saw the Prophet^SLM himself as it is reported in the tradition

. And though they did not see the state of the revelation of the Holy Qur'an but they were listening to the innermost meaning and the objective of the Holy Qur'an from the truth-knowing discourse of Hzt. Mahdi-e-Maoud^AS which was taught to him by Allah without any medium, same as the Holy Companions^RZ were listening to the Holy Qur'an from the Holy tongue of the Prophet^SLM which Allah was revealing upon him through Gabriel^AS.

There the situation is so that the Holy Qur'an is being revealed, Prophet^SLM is saying O Believers! Qibla (Direction in which Muslims turn in prayers) is changed; now turn your faces towards Ka'batullah (Makkah). Everybody turned towards Ka'ba in the state of the prayers itself. O Believers! Allah forbade liquor. At the same moment liquor flowed in streets of Madina. People broke liquor containers. They did not have control over what was drunk, but what remained in the goblet was thrown. And one who took it in the mouth but did not swallow, spit it out there itself. And when prohibition of interest was ordered, people forbade interest on themselves at the same time.

Look here, 900 hundred years have passed after the revelation of the Holy Qur'an , Imam Mahdi-e-Maoud^AS is just discoursing it's Bayaan that Allah says that the result of preoccupation and indulgence in the world and avoidance from the remembrance of Allah will be that you will be awaken blind in the hereafter. You will be deprived of the Vision of Allah. People are then renouncing the world and joining his holy company. Hzt. Bandagi Miyan Shah-e-Nizaam^RZ left kingdom of Jais. Miyan Ameen Muhammad^RZ left Sajjadgi & Mashqiyat

and got position in the holy company of Hzt. Mahdi-e-Maoud^AS. Several such examples can be given. Is this not a more distinct faith? That is why the Prophet^SLM called faith of the people to come after him as more distinct. This is not intended for all but a special category of people who were in his focus, whom he has praised with these words, and that is the nation of Mahdi-e-Maoud^AS. This is also clarified here that faith of those to come is "distinct" because there is a difference in "Distinct" & "Superior".