Claims and Teachings - Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 226
226 me His word, then, saying : ^ ^ ) 3 *?. ;^ ) v^-j ) *^ ) ft-***' " Almighty God has willed that He shall not take away His visitation which He has brought down upon the people in wrath until the people change their own condition with respect to their behaviour towards the Apostle of God, and He, the All-powerful one, shall protect* the village of Qadian * from the destruction of plague," so that there may be a sign that Qadian was saved out of respect for the Messenger of God who was there. The truth of this prophecy has already been made clear. While, on the one hand, plague has widely spread in the Punjab and rages severely in numerous towns and villages in the province, being in the fifth year of its life here, we witness, on the other, that Qadian is up to this moment quite free from the epidemic, in spite of the fact that it has appeared in villages * The word ^. . J oceuring in the revelation quoted above signifies the " affording of protection from a general dispersion and destruction and taking in one's own shelter. " The word has here been used, in fact, In. reference to the highly destructive form of plague known as the " Ta'un-i-Jarif ' or the destructive plague which sweeps away whole villages and towns in its onslaughts. This frightening epidemic depopulates whole towns, one part falling victim to its attacks, and the other flying away from the terror of its name. On account of its fearful sever fcy and destruction it causes a panic in the country. The revelation therefore promises a protection against such destruction. This is made clearer by the words of another revelation (sid } ^ J^J ) T O ) )) J " Had it not been for the regard in which this propa- ganda is held by God, Qadiaii should have been laid waste with destructive plague. " This revelation establishes two things : (!) It is not against the plain interpretation of the-words of the revelation that rare cases of plague may occur in Qadian without causing any destruction or evacuation of the village. (2) It is necessary that, in exact contrast with Qadian, places which in comparison with Qadian. are the abodes of more refractory, wicked, atrocious and corrupt persons and of the bitterest enemies and unrelenting persecutors of this propaganda, shall be visited by destructive plague, and deserted by the people who shall take to flight in all directions. We therefore, assert that Qadian shall never be visited by Taun-i-Jarif or destruc- tive plague which depopulates inhabited places and eats away the inhabitants aiid that other towns and villages, the abodes of iniquitous and turbulent spirits, shall be the frightful scenes of destructive plague in comparison with Qadian. This is the only place in the whole world for which Almighty God has promised this protection, All praise is due to Him for this favor