Muhammad Hussain Batalvi

An Ahl-e-Hadith leader from the town of Batala, he was a strong Wahhabi influence on Mirza Ghulam Ahmad during the early years of the latter's literary career. Batalvi was the student of Nazeer Hussain Dehalvi, and as such, and opposed armed resistance against the British Government.

Muhammad Hussain Batalvi's father was an apothecary and is purported to have visited Qadian to treat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in 1878. Goodwill and friendship ensued.

Even before the publication of Braheen-e-Ahmadiyya, Batalvi had published a favourable review in his publication Isha'at-as-Sunnah. However, when the book came out, he tried to dissuade the Mirza from continuing in non-scholarly demagoguery and when this did not work, he openly opposed his former friend.

This pre-publication review is the only good thing ever presented about the so-called magnum opus of the Mirza which only published 4 out of 50 volumes and did not finish even 1 out of 300 supposed arguments. The book merely served as a launchpad for Mirza's career.

The enmity reached a point where Mirza would use the Arabic 'tua' instead of 't' in Batalvi's name, employing a pun technique to create a derogatory name for him.

Attempts at Reconciliation

Mirza had prophecied that Batalvi would accept Mirza's claims, and after Mirza died in 1908, there was some attempt from the Ahmadiyya leadership to reach out to him, but nothing long-term transpired. Two of Batalvi's sons were admitted to the school in Qadian and Batalvi's article was translated and published in the Ahmadiyya publication Review of Religions

Views on Jihad

Maulana Muhammad Hussain Batalvi made an application to the viceroy of India that they be called Ahl-e-Hadith rather than Wahabi, which was granted. That is the reason why Maulana Muhammad Hussain wrote: "It is haram to do Jihad (War) against the British." Iqtisaad-fi-Massaiil-Jihad (http://www.alahazrat.net/library/englisharticles/aqeedah/wahabi.htm)

From this, one can deduce that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's views on jihad were also formed at this time, and this is also evident in his frequent reminders to the British of his services in this regard.

"Some of our Muslim brothers believe that the present misfortunes of the followers of Islam cannot be removed without the sword. It is no use acquiring worldly education. However, looking at the present condition of the Muslims, this belief appears improbable."

"Brethren! the age of the sword is no more. Now instead of the sword it is necessary to wield the pen. How can the sword come into the hands of the Muslims when they have no hands. They have no national identity or existence. In such a useless and weak condition, to consider them as a nation is to exceed the imagination of Shaikh Chilli (a proverbial, comical figure in Urdu fiction)." (Isha'at-as-Sunnah, vol. vi, no. 12, December 1883, p. 364) http://mpacuk.org/content/view/2038/51/