Ahmadiyya Movement — Page 7
7 lating both to mercy and to vengeance, but, as in the time of Moses attempts were made to wipe out Judaism by the sword, Moses laid particular stress on that portion of the law which re- lated to vengeance. By the time of Jesus, the enemies of Judaism had ceased to wield the sword against the Jewish religion, and the Jewish character had become hard and merciless, and so Jesus was compelled to emphasize the need of forgiveness. The same is the case with Islam. The enemies of the Holy Prophet (on whom be peace and the blessings of God) sought to destroy Islam by the sword and he had therefore to inculcate the neces- sity of Jehad by the sword. In the present age that particular form of insanity which sought to propagate or destroy a religion by the sword has almost disappeared, and Islam is no longer under the necessity of defending itself by the sword. The Promised Mes- siah, therefore, laid greater stress upon amity and goodwill and righteousness, and required sacrifice of time and money for the uplift of humanity. In short, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and Ahmadiyyat stand in the same relation towards the Holy Prophet (on whom be peace and the blessing of God) and the Holy Quran as that in which Jesus and Christianity stood towards Moses and Judaism. God says in the Holy Quran:— 8 9: ; ; ? < - @ A < B ; ; 0 C !9D ; E C & < @ = ; < - @ A < B ; 9: ; < ; = < ; : ; %9 ; < ; 0 < 9 C & < @ = ; ) 1G" = 16: ( “We have sent a messenger to you, as we had sent a messenger to Pharoah. ” In this verse the Holy Prophet (on whom be peace and the blessings of God) is referred to as ‘the like of Moses. ’ The appearance of such a Prophet is foretold in Deut. xviii. , 18, where it is said:— “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words into his mouth. ” The Prophet who appeared from among the brethren of the