Claims and Teachings - Ahmad The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 329
for such a long time and ttien : at. the time of the debate appoint eight men with drawn swords to stand over his head, in ordeir 'to keep him under awe and in torture and thus indirectly pre- vent him from adducing arguments as to his truth. Nay, it was the Amir's duty to get the proceedings of the debate printed and ^circulated among the people to convince the public that the sen- tence was passed in true : justice, and that Maulvi Abdul Latif failed to prove the truth of his belief regarding : the Promised 'Messiah, the prohibition of Jehad or the death of Jesus. Ah 1 ! ian innocent man was butchered like a -sheep before the Amir's eyesy and in spite of his truth and affording proof of it, and not- withstanding* his< firm perseverance which is granted only to the 'elect, his sacred body was chopped like mince-meat, and his -family and children were cast into prison with great torture and disgrace. ? Is this the punishment for a difference of opinion in religious matters among the Muslims ? -Is innocent blood thus ; to be shed ? The British Government which is regarded by the -Amir and his Maulvies as &hafir Government gives protection to hundreds of different sects. If this Government had adopted the'cruel course which the Amir has taken, how many Muham- <madans would there have been in India to-dayt? Ah ! horrible injustice has been done under heaven in taking the life of an in- nocent man to whose holiness and piety the whole land of Af- ghanistan was a witness, and: that only 'for a difference of opi- nion in certain secondary matters. This Muslim Amir is far. worse than that Roman Governor who, when the Jews compel- led him to confirm the sentence of death passed on a righteous 'man, washed his hands saying that he* did not see any fault in him. The Amir was bound to question his Maulvies on what grounds the sentence of death was passed, -and what the -grounds were on which such difference, of opinion was to be