Claims and Teachings - Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 194
194: not very definite, neither are they so in the case of the latter prophecies. It is exactly here that the Jews stumbled in the recognition of the two prophets, Jesus and Muhamrnad, may peace and the blessings of God be upon them. For; instance, if; it had been stated in plain and clear words in the prophecies foretelling the appearance of our Holy Prophet that be would be born at Mecca, that his name would be Muhammad, that his father and grand-father would be known respectively as Abdulla and Abdul Muttalib, that he would be of the Ishmaelite race, that being persecuted at Mecca he would fly to Medina, and that he would be born so many years after Moses, not a single Jew could have denied him. The difficulties in the case of the pro- phecies relating to the appearance of Jesus Christ, are still greater, and it is on this ground that the Jews to this day con- sider themselves excusable in rejecting Jesus. In these prophe- V cies it is clearly stated that Elijah would re-appear before the advent of the true Messiah and prophecies containing this condition are contained in the revealed books. But since Elijah did not re-appear, therefore the claim of Jesus to Messiabship could not be regarded as true by the Jews. When confronted with this difficulty, Jesus replied that by the appearance of Elijah was meant the appearance of one like him, and not his own appearance. But this explanation was rejected by the Jews as directly opposed to the Word of God which spoke not of the advent of the like of Elijah, but of the advent of Elijah himself. These considerations show clearly that the prophecies relating to the appearance of the prophets of God are always deep so that they may serve to distinguish the righteous from the wicked. This is not, however, all that I can say in support of my claim. A claim based on truth is not attended with only one sort of proof, but like the genuine diamond it shines in full efful- v