Some anti Ahmadis have a ignorant allegation that Ahmad(as) has claimed to be the second coming of Muhammad(saw) as well. What they do not understand is, that this prophecy was made by our Prophet Muhammad(saw) himself and its included in the Qur’an. Such ignorant allegations do not deserve attention but for the sake of the anti Ahmadis who are confused on the issue, we will indeed answer it.
He it is Who has raised among the Unlettered people a Messenger from among themselves who recites unto them His Signs, and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and wisdom, although they had been, before, in manifest misguidance;And among others from among them who have not yet joined them. He is the Mighty, the Wise.(Chapter 62 verse 3-4)
This is a prophecy of the Holy Qur’an that others who are not with the sahaba would also see the Prophet Muhammad(Saw). Now one may ask how can this be ? The amazing part is that the Prophet Muhammad(saw) in Bukhari Kitabut Tafseer has explained this ayah through revelation from Allah and taught us how this coming would be metaphorical. The Prophet Muhammad(saw) states:
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، عَنْ ثَوْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْغَيْثِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، رضى الله عنه قَالَ كُنَّا جُلُوسًا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأُنْزِلَتْ عَلَيْهِ سُورَةُ الْجُمُعَةِ {وَآخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ} قَالَ قُلْتُ مَنْ هُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَلَمْ يُرَاجِعْهُ حَتَّى سَأَلَ ثَلاَثًا، وَفِينَا سَلْمَانُ الْفَارِسِيُّ، وَضَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَهُ عَلَى سَلْمَانَ ثُمَّ قَالَ ” لَوْ كَانَ الإِيمَانُ عِنْدَ الثُّرَيَّا لَنَالَهُ رِجَالٌ ـ أَوْ رَجُلٌ ـ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ ”.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
While we were sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) Surat Al-Jumu’a was revealed to him, and when the Verse, “And He (Allah) has sent him (Muhammad) also to other (Muslims)…..’ (62.3) was recited by the Prophet, I said, “Who are they, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)?” The Prophet (ﷺ) did not reply till I repeated my question thrice. At that time, Salman Al-Farisi was with us. So Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) put his hand on Salman, saying, “If Faith were at (the place of) Ath-Thuraiya (pleiades, the highest star), even then (some men or man from these people (i.e. Salman’s folk) would attain it.”(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Hadith #420)
The prophet Muhammad(saw) made it clear that it would be a spiritual coming of a man from the people of Salman Farsi, meaning he would be of the Persian lineage as the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) indeed was.
Some non Ahmadi Muslims say how is it possible that someone is sent in the likeness of Holy Prophet(saw). They are not aware of this Quranic ayah and hadith nor are aware of what their scholars have stated. Hazrat Shah Wali’ullah Muhaddith Dehlvi(ra) states:
This quote is from Hujjatullahil-Baligah volume 1, chapter Haqiqatun Nabuwati wa Khawasuha. It states that the Prophet highest in rank is one who has a second advent, and the intention of Allah the Exalted for this second advent is that he may cause to bring the people out of every kind of darkness into light and that his people be the best of the ummah, established for the benefit of the mankind. Hence, his first advent would also include the purpose of the second.
This prophecy of the second advent of the Messiah was to take place by the way of reflection and was to be fulfilled in the person of the Promised Mahdi who would bring the faith back to this world.
Hazraat Imam Abdur Razzaq Kashani (ra) states:
This quote is from Sharah Fusuil Hikam printed in Egypt page 52. It states that the Mahdi who will come in the latter days would be an ummati of the Shariah of Muhammad(Saw. Apart from the Holy Prophet(saw) all other prophets and saints would be followers of the mahdi because his inner self is the inner self of Muhammad(saw).
Hazrat Imam Abdur Razzaq Kashani(ra) said the inner self of the mahdi is the inner self of the holy Prophet(saw) which shows the mahdi would be a shadow or reflection of the holy Prophet(saw) by the way of zill and buruz.
Hazrat Shah Wali’ullah Dehlvi (ra) in his book al Khairul Kathir states:
He basically states that the it is the right of the messiah in the ummah of Muhammad(Saw) to be his(saw)’s reflection. People think that when he descends he will be an ummati alone. This is not so. Rather he will be the complete elucidation of the name Muhammad and his second advent. There is a great difference between him and a ordinary ummati.
Sheikh Muhammad Ikram Sabri states in Iqtibasul Anwar Page 52 referencing Bayanul Mujahid page 150:
He states that it was none other than the Prophet(saw) who appeared as Adam(as) at the very beginning of life on earth, meaning the spirituality of the Holy Prophet(saw) was manifested in the form of Buruz in the person of Adam(as) and that it was none other than the Holy Prophet(Saw) who will appear in the latter days in the form of the seal of sainthood, khatamul wilayat as the Imam mahdi. In this way the spirituality of the seal of the prophets would be reflected in the mahdi.
This further proves that the claim of Ahmad(as) was accepted by many scholars as well and has nothing wrong in it.