An Academic and Analytical Review of the Qadiani Belief in Zill and Burooz

Before understanding the Qadiani belief of Ẓill (shadow) and Burooz (manifestation), it’s essential to first understand the Hindu beliefs of incarnation and reincarnation.

Hindu Belief in Reincarnation and Incarnation

The essence of the Hindu concept of reincarnation and incarnation is that when a person dies, their soul enters another body, thus the same person is “reborn.”
However, within this belief is the stipulation that the person who takes a second birth cannot refer to the parents of the previous life as his parents, nor the previous wife as his wife, nor the children as his children. Similarly, the property and assets one owned in the previous life cannot be claimed in the new life.

The Qadiani Belief of Ẓill and Burooz

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani wrote about Ẓill and Burooz:

“If someone becomes so immersed in the Seal of the Prophets (Muhammad ﷺ) that due to an intense unity and negation of self, he is named as such, and the reflection of the Muhammadan face becomes visible in him like a clear mirror, then without breaking the seal, he may be called a prophet, because he is Muhammad, albeit in a shadowy manner… Even if such a person claims prophethood, whose name was given as Muhammad and Ahmad in a reflective manner, still our Master Muhammad ﷺ remains the Seal of the Prophets, because this second Muhammad is a reflection and bears the same name.”

— A Misunderstanding Removed, page 3 (Ruhani Khazain, Volume 18, page 209)

In another place, he wrote:

“God is One, and Muhammad ﷺ is His Prophet and the Seal of the Prophets, and is the greatest of all. Now there is no prophet after him, except the one upon whom the cloak of Muhammadiyyah is placed in a reflective manner. Just as you see your reflection in a mirror, you are not two, but one; though they appear two, the only difference is between shadow and original.”

— Noah’s Ark, page 15 (Ruhani Khazain, Volume 19, page 16)

These writings of Mirza Qadiani make it evident that he claimed that whoever perfectly follows the Prophet ﷺ will receive prophethood.
This belief is false for several reasons:

Reason 1: Prophethood is Not Earned but Bestowed

The Qadianis claim that prophethood is granted upon perfect obedience to the Prophet ﷺ. This is disbelief, because prophethood is not something one earns; it is a divine gift. It is Allah who chooses whom He wishes to grant prophethood:

“وَ اِذَا جَآءَتۡہُمۡ اٰیَۃٌ قَالُوۡا لَنۡ نُّؤۡمِنَ حَتّٰی نُؤۡتٰی مِثۡلَ مَاۤ اُوۡتِیَ رُسُلُ اللّٰہِ ؕ ۘ ؔ اَللّٰہُ اَعۡلَمُ حَیۡثُ یَجۡعَلُ رِسَالَتَہٗ ؕ سَیُصِیۡبُ الَّذِیۡنَ اَجۡرَمُوۡا صَغَارٌ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ وَ عَذَابٌ شَدِیۡدٌۢ بِمَا کَانُوۡا یَمۡکُرُوۡنَ
— Surah Al-An’am, Ayah 124

Reason 2: Mirza Qadiani Did Not Fulfill the Requirements of Perfect Obedience

If prophethood was dependent on perfect obedience, then Mirza Qadiani did not meet even those basic standards:

1. He never performed Hajj.
2. He never migrated.
3. He did not participate in armed jihad; in fact, he deemed it forbidden.
4. He never tied stones to his stomach in hunger.
5. He never implemented Islamic penal laws.
6. He committed financial frauds instead.

Thus, if obedience is the criterion, he failed miserably.

Reason 3: A Blatant Insult Hidden in “Reflection”

He said:

“God is One, and Muhammad ﷺ is His Prophet… Now there is no prophet after him except the one upon whom the robe of Muhammadiyyah is placed in a reflective way… Only the difference between the shadow and the original.”
— Noah’s Ark, page 15 (Ruhani Khazain, Volume 19, page 16)

This implies, God forbid, that seeing the Prophet ﷺ in a mirror would mean seeing Mirza Qadiani. It is a direct insult to the Prophet ﷺ.

Reason 4: Mirza’s Own Writings Contradict the Concept of Ẓill and Burooz

“The Muhammadan reality is like the shadow of divinity. His attributes mirror those of God like a reflection.”
— Surmah Chashm-e-Arya, page 224 (Ruhani Khazain, Volume 2, page 272)

If this logic is accepted, then the Prophet ﷺ would be considered God (God forbid), and his companions should also be prophets. But this is never the belief of Qadianis. So why make an exception for Mirza?

Reason 5: Misuse of Quranic Verses

Qadianis cite this verse:

“وَ مَنۡ یُّطِعِ اللّٰہَ وَ الرَّسُوۡلَ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ مَعَ الَّذِیۡنَ اَنۡعَمَ اللّٰہُ عَلَیۡہِمۡ مِّنَ النَّبِیّٖنَ وَ الصِّدِّیۡقِیۡنَ وَ الشُّہَدَآءِ وَ الصّٰلِحِیۡنَ ۚ وَ حَسُنَ اُولٰٓئِکَ رَفِیۡقًا”
— Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 69

The verse promises companionship with the Prophets in the hereafter, not actual prophethood in this life. If the Qadiani interpretation is accepted, then others must also become “shadow martyrs” and “shadow saints” — which is absurd.

Reason 6: A Corrupted Version of Hindu Beliefs

Mirza Qadiani’s Ẓill and Burooz are nothing but an adulterated version of Hindu incarnation/reincarnation concepts. Hindus never claim rights of the past life, but Qadianis say:

• Mirza is the shadow of the Prophet ﷺ.
• His wife is called “Mother of the Believers.”
• His followers are called companions.
• He is declared a prophet and those who deny him are disbelievers.

So even the Hindu concept was distorted.

Reason 7: Contradictions in Qadiani Literature

Qadiani literature states:

“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those with him…”
— Surah Al-Fath, Ayah 29

“So the Promised Messiah (Mirza Qadiani) himself is Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, who returned to the world for the propagation of Islam.”
— Kalimatul Fasl, page 158

“The coming of the Promised Messiah is in fact the second coming of Muhammad ﷺ in a reflective form. This is clearly established from the Qur’an.”
— Al-Fazl, Volume 2, Number 24

“In Burooz, the manifesting being is the full image of the original, to the point that even the name becomes the same… Burooz and Avatar mean the same.”
— Al-Fazl, 20 October 1931

“The Promised Messiah is Muhammad himself — exactly Muhammad.”
— Al-Fazl, 17 August 1915

“There is no doubt that Allah again sent Muhammad ﷺ to Qadian.”
— Kalimatul Fasl, page 105

If, as claimed, Mirza is the same as Muhammad ﷺ, then:

• Did his blessed body and soul return? No.
• Did his soul reincarnate? That’s a Hindu belief, not Islamic.
• Were the Prophet’s attributes present in Mirza? No.
  • Prophet ﷺ was unlettered, Mirza was a writer.
  • Prophet ﷺ was Arab, Mirza was non-Arab.
  • Prophet ﷺ was from Quraysh, Mirza was from Mughals.
  • Prophet ﷺ lived simply; Mirza craved titles and power.

Thus, there is no unity of body, soul, qualities, or conduct between the Prophet ﷺ and Mirza. So how can anyone accept that Mirza is, God forbid, the Prophet ﷺ?

Reason 8: No Qur’anic or Hadith Evidence

This doctrine of Ẓill and Burooz is found nowhere in the Qur’an or Hadith. It is a borrowed belief from Hinduism and contradicts core Islamic principles.

Conclusion

The Qadiani belief in Ẓill and Burooz:

• Is contradictory to the Qur’an and Sunnah
• Has roots in Hindu doctrines of reincarnation
• Is refuted even by Mirza Qadiani’s own writings
• Defies basic human logic and common sense

In essence, it’s nothing but a deceptive fabrication, a tool for misleading the masses.