Basics of Religious Education — Page 258
258 258 258 258 258 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION The Promised Messiah as wrote a long poem, as part of Volume 5 of his famous book Baraheen-e-Ahmadiyya. Towards the end of this poem, he gives a description of a “promised earthquake” (i. e. , an event that would shake up the world). One verse of this poem, in reference to this great disaster is: Even the mighty Czar would find himself in a miserable condi- tion, when that hour will approach It seems that the World War I, which had not yet begun, was shown to the Promised Messiah as , in the form of a great earthquake. During this war the mighty King of Russia (Czar) met with a miserable fate, as prophecized by the Promised Messiah as. Towards the end of 1905, repeated revelations from God came to the Promised Messiah as , that informed him of his approaching death. He there- fore wrote a booklet, Al-wasiyyat (The Will), to advise the Jama`at. The scheme of Bahishti Maqbarah (Heavenly Graveyard) was also laid out in this booklet. An American, Dr. Alexander Dowie, claimed to be a prophet of God in the latter part of 1899 or in early 1900. He soon became famous throughout the United States. The Promised Messiah as invited him for a Prayer Duel twice — once in 1902 and then in 1903. These invitations were publicized by the U. S. newspapers as well. Dr. Dowie reacted by calling the Promised Messiah as by the abusive name of “the silly Muhammadan Messiah” (God forbid!) and said:. . . do you think that I will stoop so low as to accept the chal- lenges thrown at me from people who are as insignificant as flies or mosquitoes. If I decide to kill them, I will need to simply stamp them under my boot. The Promised Messiah as prayed for Allah’s decision to come and punish the arrogant and abusive Dr. Dowie. In September 1905, he had a sudden attack of paralysis while he was addressing an audience. His followers soon re- volted against him and dislodged him from his position under charges of financial misconduct and other irregularities. Dr. Dowie’s end came when he died on 9 March, 1907, in a state of humili- ation. His humiliating end was prophesied two weeks before his death, by the Promised Messiah as , in a statement entitled “Prophesy about a New Sign”. The Promised Messiah as declared Dr. Dowie’s miserable death to be a clear sign of the truth of the Holy Prophet sa of Islam. The U. S. newspapers also acknowledged the fact that the prophesy of the Promised Messiah came true. Booklet ‘ Al- wasiyyat ’ or ‘The Will’ (December 1905) P P P P P ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED M M M M M ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH AS AS AS AS AS A N D A N D A N D A N D A N D S S S S S UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS — P — P — P — P — P ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED M M M M M ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH ESSIAH AS AS AS AS AS 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 Dr. Dowie’s Death (March 9, 1907) Prophecy about the First World War (April 1905)