Defence Against the Plague and a Criterion for the Elect of God — Page vii
Foreword The Promised Messiah as wrote this booklet in April 1902, when the plague raged rampant in the Punjab. He mentions his revelations about the spread of the plague and points out that the outbreak of plague had occurred because the Messiah appointed by God was not only rejected, but was also taunted and tormented, even to the extent that plans were hatched to murder him. Moreover, he was derided as a k a fir [disbeliever] and dajj a l [antichrist]. The earlier scriptures prophesied the outbreak of plague as one of the signs that would appear during the time of the Promised Messiah as. The Promised Messiah as points out that the real solution to the problem is that people should accept the divinely appointed Messiah with sincerity and truthfulness, and bring about a holy change in their lives. Based on divine revelation, the Promised Messiah as wrote: …however long the plague remains upon the earth—even if it should last for seventy years—God Almighty will safeguard Qadian from its horrific destruction… ( see p. 18 )