Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was a contemporary of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and at least two of the latter's most trusted disciples, Abdul Kareem Sialkoti and Hakeem Nooruddin followed Sir Syed's rational theology.
Sir Syed published an exegesis of the Holy Quran, [Tafseerul Quran], around 1880, in which he provides a narration of the of the crucifixion of Jesus and its aftermath. This narration formed the basis of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's 'divine knowledge' about the death of Jesus almost a decade later, and portions of Sir Syed's book are copied into a book written by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in the late 1890s.
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad also wrote a book, named [Barakaat-ud-Dua], which was in direct refutation of Sir Syed's rational explanation of dua .
Link to books of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan.
Correspondence with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
by Munir D. Ahmed
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad wrote a letter to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan while the former was still living in Sialkot. This was long before he embarked on his publishing venture. (reference from Tareekh-e-Ahmadiyyat Vol. II.)
The more interesting fact is that he wrote in his book [Al-Balaagh] that Syed Ahmad Khan seconded him in three matters:
- about the death of Hazrat Isa.
- when I wrote that we are more obliged to the British Government than to the [Sultan-e-Room] (Caliph of Turkey).
- when I said that we should write a rebuttal to the book "Ummahaat al-Mu'minin" by a converted Christian. ([Tareekh-e-Ahmadiyyat] Vol II. p. 13).
He conveniently forgot to mention that it was Syed Ahmad Khan, who wrote about the death of Prophet Isa almost a decade before Mirza Ghulam Ahmad realized the potential of this belief for his own mission.
Sir Syed's Opinion about the Imam Mahdi
In addition to saying that Jesus had died, Sir Syed did not even believe in the concept of Imam Mahdi. Here is his article on the subject:
Pages 120-121, 122-123, 124-125, 126-127, 128-129, 130-131, 132-133, 134-135, 136-137, 138-139, 140-141, 142-143, 143-145, 146-147, 148-149, 150-151, 152-153, 154-155, 156-157, 158-159
