The message of Imam Ahmed Riza to the Pluralists (Sulla Kullis)

His Báyah and Khiláfa

Imam Ahmad was accompanied with his father Hazrat Naqi Ali Khan to Marhará Sharíf to become disciples  of Syed Shah Ále Rasúl Ahmadi into the Súfi Taríqah of the Qádiriyyah, Barakátiyyah in the year 1294/1877. Not only were both father and son blessed with bayah but were also granted khiláfa immediately. Hazrat Maulána Syed Abú al Hussain Núri who was also known as Mián Sahib asked Hazrat Shah Ále Rasúl, 'the general procedure for gaining khiláfa at your court is by doing lengthy series of meditation and self discipline, so why was it that your holiness granted them khiláfa immediately after only minutes before only accepting them as disciples?',  Hazrat Shah Ále Rasúl replied, 'Mián Sahib!! other people come with impure and rusty hearts for which they require long periods of meditation and practice of self discipline but these two persons came with pure hearts and they only required a connection of contiguity (i.e. from a shaikh to the Prophet) and that they received upon becoming disciples.' Hazrat Shah Ále Rasúl also added, 'I used to ponder about this very often that on the day of Resurrection, if Allah asks of me, "O Ále Rasúl! what have you bought for me", then what would I present before His Majesty, but today this does not bother me any more because if Allah, the Most High is to ask me, " what I have bought for Him? then I will respond by saying, 'I have bought for you Ahmad Raza.'

Imam Ahmad Raza went on his first pilgrimage for Hajj with his parents in the year 1295/ 1878. It was during sacred journey while praying at the Maqám Ibráhím that the Imam of the Shaf'i madhab, Hazrat Hussain bin Sáleh saw a bright light upon the forehead of Imam Raza and without any introducing himself, he grabbed Imam Raza by his hand an took him to his home where he for a long while observed the shining light upon his forehead and said, 'undoubtedly I see the light of Allah shining in his forehead' ('Inni-la-ajido-núr-Allahi-fi-há'zal-jabeen'), after this Sheikh Hussain bin Sáleh gave Imam Raza permission in the Qadiriyyah Tariqah in his own writing and presented it to Imam Ahmad Raza and said, 'your name is Zia-al-Din Ahmad' (Ismuka-Zia-al-Din-Ahmad). After the completion of the Hajj ceremony Imam Ahmad Raza visited the Prophets shrine in the City of Madina and was blessed with uncountable blessings from the Holy Prophet.