Pir Mehr Ali Shah was another opponent in the time of Promised Messiah(as). Although they did not have a mubahila, a huge challenge was given by Ahmad(as) in which Pir failed miserably. He said that from Allah he has been taught Quran. When this was published, Ahmad(as) said in reply that for so many years its my claim that I am that Messiah and Mahdi(as) and Allah has taught me the true beauty of Quran. You say Allah teaches you too. So now the Public wonders who does Allah teach? So its important to do an arabic competition of tafseer. We will sit together, I will do tafseer and so will you.There should be new things not old. When this was published, Pir Mehr Ali said we have many things in difference, so lets debate in voice about your claim instead, and he named many mullas against the Promised Messiah(as) to be the judges. How stupid is that? If these mullahs were to say Pir won, then Ahmad(As) would have to take away his claim. Ahmad(As) wrote after reading this, that when I used to debate mullahs that time pir did not ever think of it, after Allah told me do not debate mullahs (Promised Messiah(As) said this in many books, aina kamalate Islam. Anjam-e-Atham, etc). Ahmad(As) said after Allah told me now you want to debate me ? Pir did this challenge because if Ahmad(As) did accept the challenge then he would say that revelation to Ahmad(As) to stop doing debates was a lie, and if he did not go he would say he is scared. So Ahmad(As) said from today I will start for 70 days tafseer of Surah al Fatiha and so do you. And said if you in 70 days write a tafseer better then mines in arabic, then I will give you 500 rupees. Along with that Ahmad(As) said that Allah has told me that in my competition of surah al fatiha tafseer, any better tafseer is abandoned, and impossible to be written. No one will be able to do a better tafseer then Ahmad(As) ever. In 70 days Ahmad(As) had completed it, in fact way before 70 days and send it to Pir mehr Ali. 70 days, 70 months, in fact 70 years passed and still no page from Pir Mehr. There was a person named Mehray Muneer who said people said that do a tafseer also please of surah fatiha, but even after this nothing. Pir Mehr Ali had the attention to holding a debate in Lahore where Ahmad(as) was in danger and wanted to make one of the judge Maulvi Hussain Batalvi.This itself makes no sense. Pir Mehr Ali also stated : “Imam Jalal Ud Din Suyuti (ra) says that there are certain stages of spiritual progress where many servants of Allah become the Messiah and mahdi. I cannot say whether he is only at that stage or whether he is the same Mahdi promised for this ummah by the Holy Prophet(saw) but he is proving to be a cutting sword against false religions and is certainly divinely aided”
Its clear that he was indeed ignorant as he replied to an Arabic book of Ahmad(as) in Urdu. Here are writings in regards to Pir Mehr Ali from Ahmad(as) himself:
An Invitation to Pir Mehr Ali shah of Golrah
The readers of this announcement will be aware that, having observed the persistent condemnation and vilification of opposing clerics and custodians of shrines, and having noted their demand for a sign, I had made an announcement that was addressed especially to Pir Mehr ‘Ali Shah Sahib. The sum and substance of that announcement was that there have so far been many discussions on religious issues from which the opposing Maulavis have derived no benefit, but as they continue to ask for heavenly signs, it is possible that they might derive some benefit from them. It was published because Pir Mehr ‘Ali Shah Sahib, who claims excellence of sainthood, as well as a high intellectual calibre and, on account of his confidence in his learning, has recently renewed his condemnation of me as a disbeliever, and has published a book in order to provoke the common people against me…. And since God Almighty has honoured me with the revelation: ‘The Almighty Allah has taught thee the Holy Qur’an’; I had, therefore, suggested that it would be enough of a sign for testing my truth or falsehood if Pir Mehr ‘Ali Shah Sahib and I both were to write a commentary in clear and eloquent Arabic on some Chapters of the Holy Qur’an. If he is judged better than me, I shall have no hesitation in acknowledging his superiority. With this in view, my announcement was made entirely in good faith … but he has completely evaded my challenge.… Today, God Almighty has put a plan in my mind which I set forth to conclusively resolve this matter, and I believe that it will fully expose Pir Mehr ‘Ali Shah Sahib, for the whole world is not blind; there are some who are fair and just. The plan is that today I give the following answer to the constant barrage of announcements, which are being published in favour of Pir Mehr ‘Ali Shah Sahib. If Pir Mehr ‘Ali Shah Sahib is truly exceptional in his knowledge of the Qur’an and Arabic literature, and is well versed in the arts of persuasion and eloquence, I believe he must still be in possession of those qualities since it is not long since he moved to Lahore. I propose here and now to establish the truth by writing a commentary on Surah Al-Fatihah and setting down the verities and truths of this chapter of the Holy Qur’an. As for Hadrat Pir Sahib, he should also base his evidence regarding the Promised Messiah and the bloodthirsty Mahdi on Surah AlFatihah. He is at liberty to deduce his conclusive arguments and crucial verities from Surah Al-Fatihah, written in eloquent and brilliant Arabic. The two books should be printed and published within seventy days beginning from the fifteenth of December, 1900. This will allow knowledgeable people to compare and decide for themselves. If three scholars, who possess literary qualities and are proficient in Arabic and have no connection with either of us, state on oath that Pir Sahib’s book is superior to mine, both in composition and in setting forth the verities of the Holy Qur’an, I shall immediately pay five hundred rupees to Pir Sahib…. He will be at liberty to seek help in this enterprise from Maulavi Muhammad Hussain of Batala, Maulavi ‘Abdul Jabbar of Ghazni and
Muhammad Hassan of Bhin. He is even free to employ three or four Arab scholars who posses literary qualifications for this purpose. These commentaries should not be less than four juz each…. If any of us fails to publish such a commentary within the appointed term—between 15 December 1900 and 25 February 1901—he will be considered false in his claim, and no further proof of his falsehood will be necessary. Peace be upon those who follow the guidance. Announced by: Mirza Ghulam Ahmad From Qadian, 15 December, 1900.
The challenge Promised Messiah(as) set out was an Arabic tafseer of Surah Fatiah to match Ijazul Masih and on July 1 1902 Ahmad(as) received a book from Pehr Mehr Ali but instead of meeting any requirement it was in urdu rather than a commentary in Arabic. It accused the books of Ahmad(as) and he failed to write any commentary. Pir Mehr Ali was also humiliated and accused countless of times for plagiarizing against Ahmad(as) and nothing was done on his own.
Now let us see the charge of plagiarism against Pir Mehr Ali. He wrote a book called saif-e-chistiya’I and accused Ahmad(as) of plagiarism. Ahmad(as) replied to this allegation himself and in a summary he basically stated that its common to find a similar theme in one or two sentences of writers and even gave examples from poets. Some people even accuse the Qur’an of copying from the Torah and Injil.
It was told by Allah to Ahmad(As) that whoever would try to humiliate him, would himself be humiliated and this was a clear case. Here is a letter which destroys the claim of Pir Mehr Ali and shows who in reality plagiarized.
Letter of Mian Shahabud Din to the Promised Messiah(as):
Text of the letter is given below: Messenger of God and appointee of the Gracious God, your holiness, dear Hadrat Mirza [Ghulam Ahmad], may your blessings and benficences perpetuate. Assalamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu I received your registered letter. It refreshed my grieving heart and I learnt the situation.
The situation is that I was not shown the manuscript of Muhammad Hasan separately because, after his death, all his books and papers had been locked away. However, I did see the notes that were written by him on Shams-e-Bazighah and I‘jazul Masih. They are the same notes which the wicked Golarhvi has copied, he has not written anything of his own merit. Now, the father of Muhammad Hasan and some others have become my mortal enemies. They do not show me even a page from these books. Previously, I found an opportunity to see these books when Golarhvi returned the copies—which he had obtained in the past. That was possible only because the man who brought the book back was an outsider. When he lost his way, he came to the mosque and asked me for the directions to the house of Maulavi Muhammad Hasan. I asked him his purpose. He said that he was sent by Meher ‘Ali Shah to return the books, Shams-e-Bazighah and I‘jazul-Masih to Maulavi Muhammad Hasan’s father. Then I looked through the books and saw the notes appended to every page, against each line. I had Saif-e-Chishtiya’i with me so I compared the text with the notes. It was the same, word for word. I would like to do what you have asked for; however Muhammad Hasan’s father does not let me have the book. He says that I can only look through them in his presence, and he will not allow me to take them away. I am helpless and cannot do anything about it. I have made a mistake by writing a letter to Golarhvi telling him that he has written nothing at all; what he has done is to copy Muhammad Hasan’s notes. Consequently, Golarhvi has written to Muhammad Hasan’s father asking him not to show me the notes because I oppose him. Now the dilemma is that Muhammad Hasan’s father is a disciple of Golarhvi and follows his commands. I feel truley regretful that I wrote to him, for it is because of this that all have become my enemies. Please forgive me as my coming to Qadian by myself will be an unnecessary expense due to the fact that he does not let me have the books.
Humbly, Shahabud-Din from Bheen, Sub-district Chakwal
Mian Shahabud Din also wrote to Maulvi Abdul Karim (ra) who was a great companion of Ahmad(as) that:
Assalamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu I am enjoying good health and wish the same for you. I would not have declined to come but they do not give me the books, Shamse-Bazighah and I‘jazul-Masih, which contain the desired notes [of Maulavi Muhammad Hasan Faidi of Bheen]. The harsh tone of Saif-e-Chishtiya’i is mostly of Muhammad Hasan. That is why his death … was an example…. Now that I have written the letter, Golarhvi himself admits his mistake, as is clear from the postcard written by Golarhvi with his own hand which he sent to Maulavi Karamud-Din. In short, Golarhvi has urged Muhammad Hasan’s father not to show me the books. Golarhvi says in the postcard that he wrote with the permission of Muhammad Hasan. This is not a sincere statement. He was compelled to say this because he was ashamed that we came to know of the secret. I am sending the postcard separately. You will see that it has been written by Golarhvi in his own handwriting. Humbly, Shahabud-Din from Bheen
Maulvi Karamud Din wrote to Ahmad(as) saying:
Assalamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu For some time, I have been reading your books and I love your writings. Many times in my dreams I have seen good scenes about you. I often argue with your adversaries. I have not yet become your disciple, for I feel one has to take great care; as long as one is not satisfied through a private face-to-face meeting it is not right to take a pledge. However, I have love for you in absentia.
A few days ago, I saw your holiness in my dream in which you congratulated me and gave me some sweets and disclosed two things which were on my mind. In the same dream, I said that I was convinced that you are the recipient of visions. God knows the real facts. I am still unable to understand some matters, which is why I remain undecided, though I believe in your goodness and piety. The other day I shed tears as I read a few lines of a poem in Persian and a few lines of one in Urdu in the first pages of your book Surmah Chashm-e-Aryah and I thought that one can never find such moving feeling and pain in the writings of liars. Yesterday, I received a registered letter, concerning Pir Golarhvi’s book Saif-e-Chishtiya’i, from Maulavi ‘Abdul Karim, through a dear friend of mine, Mian Shahabud-Din, who is a student. I had also told Mian Shahabud-Din that most of Pir Meher ‘Ali’s book comprised of the notes of the late Maulavi Muhammad Hasan, which he made in the margins of the books I‘jazul-Masih and Shams-e-Bazighah, to record his thoughts. Pir Meher ‘Ali had borrowed the two books from me (which have now been returned). On comparison, we found the notes word for word copied into his book. This is an extreme example of pilfering, that he copied the thoughts of a dead person and attributed them to himself, without mentioning the original author. How strange it is that some of the faults that he attributes to your book, are to be found in his own book. Since both books are now in the possession of Maulavi Muhammad Hasan’s father—and he holds views against you—it is difficult to send them to you. However, it will be possible to copy those notes and send the copy to you. Another possibility is that an appointed member of your Community could come here and see those notes for himself. This will be possible only if someone is sent without delay. Only the day before yesterday, I received a postcard from Pir Meher ‘Ali in which he admitted that he stole Muhammad Hasan’s notes to enhance the effectiveness of Saif-e-Chishtiya’i. I am sending it for you to see. It will be inadvisable to disclose that all this information has been provided by me. However, there will be no harm if Mian Shahabud-Din’s name is disclosed. I don’t want to face the rancour of the Pir’s followers. Please pray that my faith in you becomes clear and I should be convinced that you receive revelations and are commissioned by God. I send my humble salam to Maulavi ‘Abdul Karim and Maulana Maulavi Nurud-Din. Constraint of time prevents me from writing more. Salam from Shahabud-Din and he concurs with the contents of this letter. Humbly, Muhammad Karamud-Din, From Bheen, Sub-district Chakwal, Dated July 21, 1902.