Approaching the West — Page 3
A pproaching the West—3 him and will demonstrate his truth with powerful assaults. (Anj ā m Ā tham, pp. 51-62, Translation from Tadhkirah, Mu ḥ ammad Ẓ afrull ā h Kh ā n, London, 1976, p. 168) Though Q ā di ā n was an unknown small village, it is amazing to note that Ḥ a ḍ rat A ḥ mad’s message did reach the West in his lifetime. It happened so fast that the Biblical prophecy concerning the ‘Coming of the Son of man’ was certainly fulfilled: like lightening coming out of the East and shining over the West. Let us, therefore, examine some aspects of the success story. Contacts between Western countries and the Indian populace were already in place, especially through traders and Christian missionaries. Portuguese, Dutch, French and British had their special business interests in India during several preceding centuries. Along with the merchants, the Portuguese missionaries arrived at the Malabar Coast in the late 15th century. They became so powerful that by the mid- sixteenth century they installed Inquisition in Goa to force the entire Hindu population to accept Roman Catholicism as their faith. Those who refused to convert to Christianity were burnt alive at the stake in the public! Protestant missionaries began their work throughout India in the 18th century. Later, when the British acceded to power, the government scrupulously abstained from converting its native subjects to Christianity, but under Imperial protection, Christian missionaries were free to carry out their work. Protestant missionaries started arriving from Britain after the British Parliament promulgated a decree in 1813. The first Anglican Bishop was consecrated in Calcutta