المحراب

المحراب — Page 161

prophecies of the Holy Prophet Moham- mad (peace & blessings of God be upon him)۔There are numerous prophecies about the deterioration of the state of the Muslims۔In one of the prophecies, the Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace & bless- ings of God be upon him) said that there will be a time when Islam will remain in name only, and the Quran-mere words۔(Mishkat Kitabul Ilm page 38)۔It was under these adverse con- ditions that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadian who held Allah, His prophet and the Holy Quran most sacred and high, launched a campaign against the onslaught of Christianity۔He prayed to God fervently۔The Almighty heard his prayers and taught him arguments in defence of Islam۔He published four volumes of his book "Braheen-e-Ah- madiyya" from 1880 to 1884, which caused a stir and panic in the religious world۔The arguments were so strong that they repulsed all Christiain attacks۔He sin- gularly carried on his defence of Islam until God commanded him to take the Bai'at (Pledge)۔In the beginning of the year 1889 Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadian (peace be upon him) received the follow- ing revelation from Allah in connection with the foundation of the community and initiating believers into it: "When thou hast determined, put thy trust in Allah, and build the Ark under Our eyes as commanded by Our revelation۔Verily those who swear their allegiance to thee, indeed swear allegiance to Allah۔The hand of Allah is over their hands" After receiving this command of Allah the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadian published a hand bill, dated March 4, 1889 for those who wanted to be initiated as disciples۔He wrote: "This humble servant shall stay in Mohalla Jadid, Ludhiana, from today, the 4th of March, 1889 to 25th of March۔Those who wish to come should be in Ludhiana after the 20th instant۔I have been ordained to announce that those who are seekers of truth should swear allegiance to me, so that they may be able to find a way to true faith, true purity and love of Allah and give up impure, idle and traitorous ways of life۔Hence those who feel that they can bear the burden of this responsibility, should hasten to answer my call so that I can lighten their burden۔God will bless them through my prayers and spiritual attention۔provided they are sincerely willing to abide by the ten conditions of Bai'at (Pledge)۔This is divine command that I have conveyed today۔" On 23rd March, 1889, Hazrat Al- Haj Maulvi Hakim Noor-ud-Din was the first to swear his allegiance at the hand of the 'Imam' of our age۔On that blessed day a group of 40 plous and righteous persons joined the Ahmadiyya Jama'at۔Thus our Centenary celebrtions today are not worldly but spiritual in nature, because for a hundred years God gave us the opportunity for working sincerely with perseverance in bringing about an international spiritual revolu- tion۔Thousands of people have been successful in having an intimate knowl- edge of God by treading the path of virtue and piety after swearing allegi- ance to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmed, who claimed to be the Promised Reformer whose advent was awaited under differ- ent titles (Promised Messiah, Al-Mahdi) by the adherents of various religious faiths۔He declared his advent in com- plete subordination to the Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace & blessings of God be upon him) and in accordance with the prophecies of the Holy Quran and Holy Scriptures of other faiths, which would finally usher Islam as the one universal religion through persuasion۔love and logic۔The Ahmadiyya movement now organised in more than 125 countries of the world, is not only fulfilling the spiritual needs of the people (through (continued to page 17) 13