Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 336
336 AHMADIYY AT during the past half century, from religious scholarship to mission- ary organization, even political leadership, on which the deceased did not leave a deep imprint. A whole network of Islamic missions and mosques scattered over the world, the deep penetration of Islamic preaching in Africa, transplanting the long-entrenched Christian Missions, are a standing monument to the imaginative planning, organizational capacity and unflagging drive of the deceased. There has hardly been a leader of men in recent times who commanded such deep devotion from his followers, not only when alive, but also after death, when sixty thousand people rushed from all parts of the country to pay their last homage to their departed leader. In the story of the Ahmadiyya Movement the Mirza Sahib's name will go down as a Great Nation Builder, who built up a well-knit community in the face of heavy odds, making it a force to be counted with. We offer the bereaved family our deep condolences in their great loss. The fulfilment of every aspect of the grand prophecy of the Promised Messiah set out in the announcement of 20 February 1886, in the person of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, furnishes irrefutable proof of the truth of the Promised Messiah. From whatever point of view it is approached, the impossibility of the prophecy having been the product of the workings of a human mind becomes patent. The prophecy is studded with innumerable contingencies the non-fulfilment of a single one of which would have demonstrated its false- hood, had it been an imposture. The fulfilment of the whole cluster of the grand predictions comprised in the prophecy leaves no room for a shadow of doubt that the prophecy was made under Divine direction and its fulfilment firmly estab- lishes the existence of God, the truth of the Holy Prophet of Islam, the divine origin of the Holy Quran, the truth of the Promised Messiah and the righteousness of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II, and the fact that he was the Divinely appointed Successor of the Promised Messiah. His outstanding qualities and his astonishing record of high achievement in so many fields of human endeavour, all related to the revival of the faith and the supremacy of Islam over all other religions, marked him out as a great and shining figure in the annals of the Renaissance of Islam in the latter days.