A Critical Review of the Pamphlet, 'Fateh-e-Qadian' — Page 18
18 A critical Review of the Pamphlet—‘f a te h -e-Qadian’ commentary. Although the date set for the contest by the Promised Messiah as has already passed, if they were to accept the challenge even now, another suitable date can be set and the Promised Messiah as would attend it. P i r Meher ‘Al i made no response to this announcement. Followers of the Promised Messiah as respectfully wrote a personal letter and delivered by hand to P i r [Meher ‘Al i ] stating: If you have truly come to Lahore due to concern for the faith of Islam and want to remove this ‘vicious turmoil’ you should immediately publish a signed statement saying that: I am ready to enter unconditionally into a contest on written commentary with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, in accordance with his announcement of July 25, 1900. You should also get the signatures of at least four renowned chiefs and maulavis of Lahore as witnesses to this statement. . . . We respectfully request you that for God’s sake agree to this settlement and do not think of avoiding it. (For full text of the letter see W a qi‘ a t-e- S a hih ah, published by Anw a r-e-Ahmad i , Lahore, 1900, pp. 45–46) This letter was written the following day, on August 25. A non- Ahmadi friend, Mi an ‘Abdur Rah i m, Inspector of the Market, accompanied by H ak i m Syed Muhammad ‘Abdull a h, Arab of Baghdad, Munsh i ‘Abdul Q a dir, the teacher, and Mi an M i r Bakhsh, the shopkeeper of Lahore, visited the P i r at the time of Z uhr prayer. P i r [Meher ‘Al i ] stated that he would reply to the letter after ‘A s r prayer. However, when the said Inspector of the Market, visited his residence again at 5 p. m. , the P i r’s disciples did