Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 354
EPILOGUE In the early eighties of the 19th century, a pious, middle- aged, revered personage, identifying himself completely with Islam, a faithful servant of Allah, a devoted follower of the Holy Prophet, Muhammad, peace be on him, announced that he had been a constant recipient of revelation for some years and that God had informed him that the day of the renaissance of Islam was about to dawn and that this revival would be brought about through him. This voice was raised in a small town boasting a population of no more than a few hundreds, situated in a corner of the most backward province of India, lacking all facilities for communication with the rest of the world, and bereft of all amenities which could help to soften the rigours of existence in such a milieu. This person was Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, scion of a noble house of ancient lineage whose fortunes were now at an ebb. He had not received much formal education, but had made a deep study of the Holy Quran and w~s richly endowed with knowledge of the profound eternal verities. The revelation vouchsafed to him held out, among other things, the promise that the message with which God had charged him would be carried to the ends of the earth, that he would be greatly blessed, so much so that kings would seek blessings from his garments, that the seed of spiritual revival if Islam sown by him would have a splendid sprouting, that it would flourish and grow into a strong tree that would afford shelter to multitudes, that no one would be able to arrest its. growth and that the greater part of mankind would even- tually seek s~elter under it. . On 20 February 1886, he announced that God, of His grace and mercy, had informed him that He would bless him with a son who would be possessed of superlative qualities, which were set out in the announcement, and that he would resem- 354