Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Parts I & II — Page 88
88 BAr a h i n-e-a h madiyya My purpose, yearning, and heartfelt desire is to serve humanity; This is my job, this is my faith, this is my habit and this is my way of life. I do not venture into this path of admonition and good counsel on my own will; Goodwill for humanity keeps pulling me forward. What is the worth of empty words in the spirit of human sympathy; Were I to offer a hundred lives in ransom, I would feel inadequate and apologetic. Finding the world in darkness, I pray to my Lord: May He grant my prayers of the small hours of the night. I appeal to all truthful and righteous people to consider my hum- ble self their true well-wisher and sympathizer and to give this book the same close attention as they would to the counsel of a friend—to which they listen attentively, and as far as possible, accept without suspicion, putting aside their own reservations and even feeling grateful to the friend who advised them with sin- cerity and uprightness and informed them of what was beneficial to him. This is what I expect from the elders and learned scholars of all faiths. If they find the arguments I have given in favour of