Defence Against the Plague and a Criterion for the Elect of God — Page 28
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad 28 a faithless one, and a liar are heard. The present position is that Allah the Exalted has already accepted my prayer and pro - claimed: ‘I shall safeguard Qadian from this destruction, par - ticularly against the type of devastation in which people die of plague like dogs and do not even have the time to flee and escape. ’ Maulav i Ahmad Hasan too should appeal to his God to somehow accept his prayer in regard to Amroha so that it should remain free from the plague. Until now, it would not seem far- fetched for this prayer to be fulfilled because Amroha is situ - ated approximately 200 kose 1 away from the plague, whereas the plague is raging on all four sides of Qadian at a distance of just two kose. This is a simple and straightforward contest that serves the people’s interests and also distinguishes between truth and falsehood. For if Maulav i Ahmad Hasan departs from the world in a state of rivalry calling down curses upon me, then what ben - efit will this provide to Amroha. However, if for the sake of his imaginary messiah he is successful in having his prayer accepted and God agrees to protect Amroha from the plague, then he will not only emerge triumphant, but will also have rendered the peo - ple of the town a great favour for which they will never be able to thank him fully. It is appropriate that the text of the proposed mub a halah [prayer duel] be published widely within fifteen days of the publi - cation of this announcement. He should write: ‘I publish this announcement as a challenge to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad who claims to be the Promised Messiah. I, being a believer and putting my trust in the acceptance of prayer, 1. A kose is approximately two miles. [Publisher]