The Conclusive Argument — Page 74
74 THE CONCLUSIVE ARGUMENT or both-would divide those 5,000 rupees among themselves. Of course they will be free to compose a book collectively, perhaps it will be convenient for them, but their final outcome will inevita- disgrace in this world and خسر الدنيا والآخرة وسواد الوجه في الدارين : bly be the hereafter and humiliation in both worlds]. And if I fail to deposit the 5,000 rupees in a bank within three weeks of their submitting the request-which must be attested to by at least ten renowned chiefs and sent to me via registry after being published in a newspaper-then I will be deemed a liar and my entire claim will be considered false, for verbally promising a prize is nothing; any dishonest liar can do that. Truthful is the one who honours his word or else لعنة الله على الكاذبين God's curse be upon the liars]. But if I deposit the money and these duplici- tous people run away from accepting the challenge, then all the expenses that I would have to bear due to their breach of promise, will be demanded from them directly or through the court. The same holds if they are unable to write a reply; their request should also include this commitment. Now I will speak of the 1,000-rupee prize offered by Maulawi Rusul Baba. I have already mentioned that Maulawi Rusul Baba published his book Hayātul-Masih wherein he announced a prize of 1,000 rupees for anyone who would refute his arguments; yet, in the same book, he states that those arguments are hidden therein like a mystery or a riddle so that they cannot be known to anyone until they learn the book from him word for word. The wise must have realized what fear prompted him to say such things, and what heartfelt anxiety made him resort to such decep- tive wiles. I immediately got to the bottom of the issue as I heard these things and understood the reason behind this clamour, and