Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 104
104 AHMADIYY AT Islam, of the Holy Quran and of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, and the divinity of Jesus. A fortnight before the debate was scheduled to begin Ahmad wrote to Dr Clark that as a debate was only an academic discussion which might help some people but which might not prove conclusive, the parties should agree to supplicate the Divine for the exhibition of a definite sign in support of the party that was in the right; but Dr Clark did not think that this was a feasible proposal. Ahmad repeated his suggestion during the course of the debate. While Dr Clark was still reluctant, Mr Abdullah Athim adopted a more reasonable attitude and intimated that though he himself would not participate in the supplication, he would have no objection to Ahmad making the supplication. The debate con tined during a fortnight in which papers dictated in the meeting by the representative of each side on the subject of discussion set for the day were read out and exchanged. At the close of the debate Ahmad concluded his last paper with the foHowing announcement: When I prayed to God, in all humility and earnestness, that He might give His judgment in the debate as we were weak mortals and without His judgment we could not accomplish anything, I was given the sign, by way of glad tidings, that of the two parties to the debate the one who was deliberately following a falsehood and forsaking the true God and deifying a weak mortal would be thrown into hell within fifteen months, each month corresponding to each day of the debate, and that he would suffer open disgrace if he did not turn to the truth; and that the one who was following the truth and believed in the true God would be openly honoured. . . . Now, I ask Deputy Sahib [Athim]: If this sign is fulfilled, would you accept it as a perfect and a divine prophecy according to your liking? Would it not be a strong proof that the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, whom you have called a Dajjal [Anti-Christ] in your book Androonai Bible, is a true Prophet? When Athim heard these words he trembled visibly and turned pale. He raised his hands to his ears, put out his tongue and shook his head to indicate in the Eastern manner that he