Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part V — Page 223
APPE N DI X to B AR Ā H Ī N-E-A H M ADIY YA — PART F IV E 223 category altogether, and whether the words used in my prophecy are of a common nature that can apply to any earthquake—as are the words of Matthew’s Gospel—or my prophecy relates to some earthquake of extraordinary proportions. It would not be out of place to mention here that the land in which Hadrat Mas ih dwelt—the land of Sh a m1—has always been prone to earthquakes, just like Kashmir. And the plague, too, was common in those parts. So, for that country, it was nothing unusual if earthquakes or plagues were to occur; indeed, it would not have been anything unusual for even a great earthquake to occur there. Earthquakes are known to have been experienced before the birth of Hadrat Mas ih, and even during his lifetime there were minor and major earthquakes. What, then, can be the significance of a prophecy that relates to a com- mon occurrence? As for the earthquake prophesied by me, I will soon explain that it was not some common occurrence for this country; rather, it was quite an unusual and extraordinary phenomenon, and was declared so by all the dwellers of this land. Indeed, some even called it a sample of Doomsday. All European scientists have testified to this as well, and it is also borne out by the history of the Punjab. Ancient buildings that had stood intact for over 1,600 years also bear witness to it because of what they suffered. But everyone knows that Sh a m was a land that experienced so many earthquakes that it is not unlikely that an earthquake was occurring at the time when the prophecy of Hadrat Mas ih was being written. I now proceed to set out the prophecy that is written in Matthew’s Gospel about the coming of an earthquake which is attributed to Hadrat ‘ I s a [ Jesus], may peace be upon him: Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 1. The term Sh a m [Levant] refers to the historical area now covered by Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel. [Publisher]