Ahmadiyyat or The True Islam — Page 348
348 Two or three times, at least, in a year it so happens that the people excite the local officials against the Ahmadis and, relying on their support, set ruthlessly to torture such of them as they can lay their hands on. Many of the followers of the Promised Messiah as have undergone the hardships of imprisonment, many have been cruelly beaten, many have been subjected to social boycotts and inconveniences, many have been robbed and looted, and some have been accorded the shameful treatment of having their faces blackened and being made to ride on donkeys in that condition to be humiliated and ridiculed among the people. For the last quarter of a century Ahmadis have endured all these troubles and have borne all these persecutions in Afghanistan for the sake of their Lord, but have never wavered in their faith. They are rapidly advancing both spiritually and in numbers. It would, however, savour of ingratitude not to mention that since the accession to the throne of the present Amir, his majesty Amir Amanullah Khan, the persecution of the Ahmadis has been officially prohibited and matters have considerably improved. As, however, the Amir’s terri- tory is passing through a period of transition as regards stability of government and discipline, the government has so far not been able actually to put an end to the persecution of the Ahmadis. But we hope that if the Amir’s government continues to act in a spirit of justice and equity, the Afghan Ahmadis would before long not only be protected from being persecuted by the govern-