Arba'in — Page 92
92 Prophets? Was that night not a night of mourning for them when the lunar and solar eclipses occurred in the month of Ramadan on the exact prophesied dates during the time when I had made my claim? Was that day not a day of misery for them when the proph- ecy about Lekh Ram came to pass? God showered down His Signs like rain, but they closed their eyes lest they see and believe. Is it not true that this claim was not made at the wrong time; rather, it was made at the exact time at the beginning of the century and at the precise time of need? This phenomenon has been part and parcel of the practice of Allah since time immemorial and ever since the creation of the children of Adam that esteemed Mu s le h [Reformers] appear at the head of the century and at the precise time of need, just as our Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, appeared at the beginning of the seventh century after Hadrat Mas ih [ Jesus], peace be upon him, when the entire world was covered in complete darkness. And when seven is doubled, it then becomes fourteen. Hence, the beginning of the fourteenth century was destined for the Promised Messiah, allud- ing to the fact that the depravity during the time of the Promised Messiah would be twice as much as the extent of depravity and deterioration that accrued amongst nations from the time of the Messiah [ Jesus] to the time of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. As I have just explained, God Almighty had established a fundamental principle in the Holy Quran—the same one with which He had established the argument against the Jews and the Christians—that Almighty God does not grant respite and destroys any such liar who makes a false claim to prophethood or messengership and being appointed from Allah. So what kind of trustworthiness do our opponent maulaw i s have when they