Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 175
THE RENAISSANCE OF ISLAM 175 In January 1906 the Promised Messiah established the Central Ahmadiyya Association which took over the administration of the secular affairs of the Movement which were committed to its care. It rendered notable service to the Movement, but after the death of the Promised Messiah it began to arrogate to itself a position and status which were inconsistent with the overall authority of the Head of the Movement. We shall revert to this matter in due course. There is a very well-known hadith of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, that in the latter days the sun would rise in the west. This has been interpreted as meaning that in the latter days, that is to say, in the time of the Promised Messiah, people in the West would begin to take an interest in Islam and the start of the spread of Islam in the West would be made. The fulfilment of this prophecy began with the acceptance of Islam by Mr Alexander Russell Webb. He was born in 1846 in Hudson City, New York State. His father was the owner and editor of a daily paper, and when young Webb graduated he took up journalism and eventually became the editor of a daily paper in Missouri. Mr Webb was deeply interested in religion, and being dissatisfied with Christianity he ceased to be a Christian in 1872 and began a research into other faiths in his keenness to discover the true religion. He studied Buddhism and did not find it satisfactory. Some time later he came across an an- nouncement of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and started corresponding with him. Through this correspondence he was convinced of the truth of Islam and accepted it as his faith. He proved a sincere and devoted Muslim and was most eager to do whatever he could to spread the knowledge of Islam and its teachings in the United States of America. Mr Webb was appointed United States Ambassador to the Philippines and at the end of his assignment he also visited India. On return to the United States he continued his correspondence with Dr Mufti Muhammad Sadiq. On learn- ing of the death of the Promised Messiah, he wrote a letter of