Steady progression on the spiritual path: Promised Messiah’s advice for a seeker of truth

A series looking at the high standard of morals of the Promised Messiahas, his Khulafa and the hospitality of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community when receiving visitors

Hayat Al Hakam

In March 1901, a seeker of truth by the name of Wazir Singh, from the district of Gujrat (Punjab), visited Hazrat Ahmadas in Qadian. He shared his internal struggles to find inner peace amidst the chaotic world and his quest for spirituality, which led him to seek guidance from several religious figures. After reading Hazrat Ahmad’sas treatise, “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam”, which was presented at the Conference of Great Religions, Wazir Singh developed a strong desire to visit Qadian but encountered difficulties in doing so. Eventually, Wazir Singh overcame the obstacles and met Hazrat Ahmadas in search of personal reformation.

The essence of Islam and the importance of gradual growth

Shedding light on the essence of Islam and its pursuit, the Promised Messiahas explained to him that Islam uplifts Man to attain his inherent essence and spirit, granting tranquillity, peace, and satisfaction. Islam emphasises the importance of gradual growth, as nothing can be attained instantly, and everything takes place in stages, similar to planting a seed and waiting for it to bloom. Huzooras stated:

“In truth, one should not settle for the outer shell and husk, nor can one be satisfied in doing so, for Man naturally desires to move forward. The religion of Islam seeks to uplift Man to attain the essence and spirit that he longs for by his inherent nature. The very name ‘Islam’ grants pleasure to the soul. There is no other religion whose name fills the soul with such a degree of satisfaction.

[...] The religion of Islam has been established to grant tranquillity, peace and satisfaction –all things for which the human soul hungers and thirsts – so that the one who hears this name can understand that an individual who believes in this religion with heartfelt sincerity and acts upon its teachings, is a person who possesses spiritual insight of the Divine. However, if an individual expects that everything should happen all at once and that they can attain the highest levels of divine insight instantly, then this will never happen. Everything in the world takes place in stages. One may observe that there is no form of knowledge or science that human beings do not attain slowly and gradually. It is imperative that one grows in stages. Do reflect! A farmer must wait after they plant a seed on the earth. First, he must bury his valuable grain in the earth, even though it is vulnerable to being plucked out by various animals, rotting in the earth, or being ruined in some other way. However, experience gives the farmer comfort that, despite these possibilities, a time will come when the seeds that he entrusted to the land will sprout, the crop will bloom, and this dirt-covered seed will turn into provision.”

Huzooras further highlighted the importance of spiritual nourishment and the idea that it cannot be attained quickly or easily. Huzooras said:

“Now take a moment to reflect that material, physical nourishment, which a person can only live without for a few days, requires six months to produce, even though a worldly life, which is sustained on physical sustenance, is not everlasting and will come to an end. How then can one attain spiritual provision, which is the nourishment for one’s spiritual life, a life that will never end and remain for all eternity, within a few days? “Although, truly, Allah Almighty has the power to do whatever He pleases in an instant, and it is my belief that nothing is impossible for Him.”

Hazrat Ahmadas went on to emphasise that the spiritual journey is not instantaneous, but a gradual process that requires repairing and preparing oneself before becoming worthy enough to be the dwelling place of God. Huzooras said:

“I recall that once a person came to visit me and said that in previous times, saints would elevate people to the highest spiritual stations by a single incantation. I told the person that they were mistaken; this is not how the law of God Almighty operates. For example, if one were to lay flooring in a house, one will have to first repair any sections that may be damaged, and wherever there is filth and rubbish, one will have to clean it with phenyl and the like. In short, only after numerous repairs and preparations have been made will the space be ready for flooring. Similarly, before a person’s heart becomes worthy enough to be the dwelling place of God Almighty, it remains the seat of Satan and is ruled by the kingdom of Satan. In order to usher in the heavenly kingdom, the kingdom of Satan must be uprooted.”

Huzooras stressed the importance of spiritual discipline and gradual progress in the path to Allah. He spoke of the negative consequences of seeking instant results and not following the gradual path, and said:

“So, the person that I have mentioned said to me that the saints of the past would turn people into saints and divines of the highest order with spells. I told the individual that this was not true and that the way of God does not function in this way. I told him to engage in spiritual discipline and only then will Allah Almighty open to him the avenues that lead to Him. The man who had come to me paid no attention to my words and left. After some time, the same person came to me again and I found him to be in an even worse state than before. In short, the unfortunate thing about Man is that he seeks a law that brings instant results, and when he observes that nothing can be attained instantaneously — because the law of Allah Almighty functions gradually and in stages — he becomes anxious. Ultimately, such people become atheists.”

Divine insight and God’s love: The source of true delight

Huzooras further explained that the fundamental purpose of life is to love God Almighty, but that love is the result of possessing the certainty of belief in the existence of Allah Almighty. Insight and love together create pleasure, and one cannot love without insight. Mere observance of beauty is not enough; one must gain a deeper understanding and insight. Huzooraa said:

“The fundamental purpose of life is to love God Almighty. However, in my view, love is the next stage, or rather, it is the end result. The most important thing, to begin with, is that one possesses certainty of belief in the existence of Allah Almighty. It is only after this that a person’s soul develops an attraction by itself and is naturally drawn towards God. The more one grows in cognisance and insight of the Divine the more one will increase in pleasure and joy. Without divine insight, no pleasure can be attained. The real source of pleasure and delight is, in fact, insight into matters divine.”

Alluding to deeper insight, Huzooras said:

“It is deeper insight alone that gives birth to love. The union of insight and love begets pleasure. One ought to remember that the mere observance of beauty is not sufficient to give rise to a sense of love, until one develops a deeper understanding and insight. Know for certain that love is impossible without insight. How can one love someone without first gaining a deeper understanding of their being? To think otherwise is to entertain an imaginary belief.”

Finding God: Sincere desire, patience, and Divine illumination

The Promised Messiahas went on to explain the etiquette of seeking God:

“It is my view that those who come to visit me, engage in a brief exchange, and then leave hastily without sitting with me, are acting as if they mock God. This is not how one finds God, nor has Allah the Exalted established such a law. Hence, the first condition in the search for God is a sincere desire. Secondly, one must remain engaged in this quest with patience. It is a matter of principle that the older a man becomes, the more experience they accumulate. Then, in order to develop divine insight, is it not crucial for one to remain in the company of a holy person for a good amount of time? I have seen many people who, in the prime of their youth, abandon the world completely, and then they wail and lament. Ultimately, I have found that such people became