A Present to Kings — Page 48
( 48 ) ). But the pity is that at the present time proficiency in Arabic has disappeared from the Mussalmans and ignorance has got the sway over them. To interpret the tradition in the sense that there will be a lunar eclipse on the first day v and a solar eclipse on the 15th day of the month is alike opposed to the usage of the Arabic language and the law of nature, because according to the latter a lunar eclipse can take place only on the 13th, 14th or 15th, and a solar eclipse on the 27th, 28th or 29th of a lunar month. By the fir first night is therefore obviously meant the 13th v which is the first of the nights assigned for a lunar eclipse and by the middle day is meant the 28th which is the middle date of the three assigned for a solar eclipse, and these were actually the dates on which the eclipses took place, thus furnishing another proof that this age sage was the one assigned for the appearance of that Mahdi who was to be known by the name of the Messiah. . Similarly another sign of the age mentioned by the Holy abandoned and no one will use them for riding. The Holy ص meaning " camels will ليتر من القلا فلا يسعى عليها Prophet is meaning that camels واذا لعشار عطلت Quran also says in the tenth month of prognancy will not be valued and will be left to roam at large. As a matter of fact, at the present time the usefulness of these animals have been much reduced by the introduction of railways, which have already reached. Medina and is proposed to be extended to the holy land of. Mecca. Here is therefore another sign which, has been fulfilled in due time and has proved this age to be age of the Promised. Messiah. . In a like manner there were prophecies made about the spread of newspapers s and books and t the improvement of irrigation works as it has been said :ent of irri m وا ذ ا ا لصحف نشرت and واذا البحار سجرد seاك واذا ت. And to-day the invention of the printing press has multiplied books and newspapers and railways have facilitated their diffusion to an extent which needs no description. Again the