The Advent of the Promised Messiah — Page 16
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad 16 I do not say that the people of this age are at fault alone for believing in the life of the Messiah. Nay, some among the people of past too were mistaken, but even in their error they remained worthy of divine reward. For it is written ُ ﻗَ ﺪْخيُْ ﻄِ ﺊُوَﻳُ ﺼِ ﻴْ ﺐ , that is, on certain occasions a Mujtahid 1 errs and on other occasions he is in the right. But in both cases he receives divine reward. The fact is that this matter remained hidden from them because this is what divine will had so desired. Thus, they re- mained in ignorance and, like the People of the Cave, 2 this truth was not disclosed to them. In this context, I also received the revelation: ْ َاَم َّﺣَﺴِْﺖ َاَن ِاَحصْٰﺐ َاﻟْﻜَﻬْﻒ ِو اﻟﺮَّﻗِﻴْﻢ ِْاك َ ُْا " اٰﻳٰ%ِﻨَﺎ جعََﺒًﺎ 3 1 A scholar of Islam who strives to come to a conclusion on religious matters on the basis of his own analytical reasoning, in light of the fundamental sources of Islam, namely, the Holy Quran, Sunnah and Hadith. [Publisher] 2 The People of the Cave is a reference to the early Christians who took refuge in catacombs to save themselves from persecution at the hands of various idolatrous emperors. For more information please see Short English Commentary of the Holy Quran by Malik Ghulam Farid under chapter 18 verse 10. [Publisher] 3 Do you think that the People of the Cave and the Inscription were a wonder among Our Signs? [Publisher]