The Ahmadian and Muhammadan Realms
It is time for people to distinguish precisely not only between prophethood (nubuwwah) and apostleship (risalah), but also between the Ahmadian and Muhammadan realms. The Ahmadian realm represents prophethood, while the Muhammadan realm represents apostleship. Our Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah combined both realms; he was Ahmadian in his prophethood and Muhammadan in his apostleship. In other words, as he relates to Allah, he is Ahmadian, and as he relates to people, he is Muhammadan. He is Ahmad in the heavens and Muhammad on earth.
The difference between the Ahmadian and Muhammadan realms is significant. The distance between them is vast because the Muhammadan realm descends from the Ahmadian, dictated by the requirements of the time and the needs and capacities of the seventh-century community. This distance represents the difference between Sunnah and Shari‘ah, which, in turn, reflects the difference between the Prophet’s level and the level of his community - a vast difference.
We have repeatedly said that the Prophet was not from the society of the seventh-century; rather, he came to them from the future - from the twentieth [present] century. While he lived among them, interacting and engaging with them, he was not one of them. He was the only Muslim among them, while they were believers (Mu'minun).
It is reported that the Prophet once said: “‘How I long to meet my brethren who have not yet come! They asked, Are we not your brethren, O Messenger of Allah? He replied, You are my companions; my brethren are those who have not yet come.” He repeated his longing for his brethren three times, and when asked, “Who are your brethren, O Messenger of Allah?” he said: ‘“They are people who will come at the end of time. For one of them who acts righteously, the reward will be equal to seventy of you.” They asked, From us or from them? He replied, From you. They asked, Why? He said, Because you find helpers for righteousness, but they will not find helpers for righteousness.”’
The essence of this hadith lies in distinguishing between the companions (Ashab) and the brethren (Ikhwan). The companions were the believers (Mu'minun), and they were not the Prophet’s brethren. His brethren are the Muslims (Muslimun), who were not present during his time but for whom he was a forerunner. He described them as “those who have not yet come”, borrowing the expression from the Quranic verse: “And others of them who have not yet joined them. And He is the Mighty, the Wise.” (62:3)
After describing the unlettered ones among whom the Prophet was sent: “It is He who has sent among the unlettered a messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they were previously in clear error” (62:2) - the Quran mentions: “And others of them who have not yet joined them.”
The first group refers to the companions (Ashab), and the latter refers to the brethren (Ikhwan), whom the Prophet referred to in the hadith as “those who have not yet come.” The Prophet’s statement - “One of them who acts righteously will have the reward of seventy of you” - is derived from the Quranic verse: “That is the bounty of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty.” (62:4)
It is a subtle truth of religion that our Prophet is the messenger to two communities: the believing community - the companions - and the Muslim community - the brethren. Thus, he is the bearer of two messages: the first is the Muhammadan message, and the second is the Ahmadian message.
The first message is the Shari‘ah, which he detailed for his community. The second message is the Sunnah, which he exemplified through his life, though he did not expound on it fully except through his lived example, in flesh and blood.
The Prophet said: ‘“Islam began as something strange, and it will return to being strange as it began. So blessed are the strangers!” They asked, Who are the strangers, O Messenger of Allah? He said, Those who revive my Sunnah after it has faded.”’
In this hadith, as we highlighted in our book La Ilaha Illa Allah, it is notable that the Prophet said “revive my Sunnah” and not “revive my Shari‘ah.”
Anyone seeking to understand the subtleties of religion must be able to distinguish between Shari‘ah and Sunnah. This is something many - if not all - who speak about religion often fail to grasp.
In the words of Allah Almighty: “And when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, ‘O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you, confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.’ But when he came to them with clear proofs, they said, ‘This is obvious magic.’ And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah while he is being invited to Islam? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.” (61:6–7)
This verse subtly references the Ahmadian and Muhammadan realms. Muhammad came with an Ahmadian prophethood and a Muhammadan apostleship. Thus, he was "Ahmad" in one sense but not in another. He called for faith in detail, but his call to Islam was general - both in terms of what the Quran conveyed and the way he lived his life. The community of believers responded to this call.
However, Muhammad will also come with an Ahmadian prophethood and an Ahmadian apostleship, calling not only the community of believers but all other nations to Islam. In this second call, he will elaborate, in both legislation and interpretation, on what was left general in the seventh century. This call will be widely heeded because Allah’s warning will become evident, as in His words: “And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.” (3:85)
Allah’s promise will also be fulfilled: “Today I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as your religion.” (5:3)
Since humanity, during the era of the first ignorance (Jahiliyyah Al-awla) - the ignorance of the seventh century - was primitive, simplistic, and uneducated, the dictate of the time necessitated a significant descent to the Muhammadan apostleship from the Ahmadi level. This was to address people in accordance with their level of understanding and to legislate for them at the level of their simple needs. This descent involved moving from the level of the foundational verses (Ayat Al-Usul) in the Quran to the subsidiary verses (Ayat Al-Furu‘). As a result, the subsidiary verses became the relevant guidance for that time and were considered, in terms of legislation, to abrogate the foundational verses.
We have discussed this matter extensively in our book, The Second Message of Islam, the third edition of which was released just a few days ago. Those interested may refer to it.
Now, in the second half of the twentieth century, humanity is experiencing a second period of ignorance (Al-Jahiliyyah Al-thaniya) - the ignorance of the twentieth century. However, this modern ignorance is far more advanced than the ignorance of the seventh century. The world is now better prepared to receive the Ahmadian message and to comprehend far more than what earlier generations could. Thus, the time has come for the Ahmadian apostleship.
The Ahmadian message represents a development of the Muhammadan message. It involves reviving the foundational verses that were abrogated during the Muhammadan era, making them the prevailing focus for the twentieth century and the cornerstone of new legislation. All of this requires nothing but a renewed understanding of the Quran, through which the Sunnah can be revitalized after its decline.
