The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 386
386 Essence of Islam-III which I consider myself the Promised Messiah and Mahdī, and hold Jesusas to be dead, are not Your words, and if, in Your estimation, I am a liar and im- postor and dajjal who is the cause of dissension among the Muslims, and if I am under Your wrath, I supplicate You earnestly that within one year from this date You cross out my name from among the liv- ing and ruin all my enterprises and wipe out my every sign from the earth. But if I am from You and these revelations which I hold in my hand are from You and I am a recipient of Your grace, then O Mighty Bene- factor, cause my Jama'at to grow in an extraordinary manner in the coming year and bestow extraordinary blessings upon us, and bless my life and send down Your heavenly support. When this supplication is finished, all opponents should say Āmīn. It would be proper that everyone should come to this meeting for the purpose of prayer with pure and serene hearts and not in a spirit of victory or defeat. This prayer should not be considered a Mubāhalah [prayer- duel] because its benefit or harm is limited to me alone. . . . The prayer should be offered with concentration and great earnestness. Sincere prayer finds acceptance with God. If all my enterprise is not in the cause of God and is an imposture and a show, the prayers of represen- tative Muslims will soon be heard. But if my Movement is heavenly and has been initiated by God Himself, my supplication will be accepted. O you men of honour! Re- spond to this request of mine. There is no need for a large gathering, it would be enough if forty representative di- vines were to take part in the prayer. But they should not be less than forty, for this number has a blessed connec- tion with the acceptance of prayer. [Arba'in, No. II Rūķānī Khazā'in, vol. 17, pp. 374-378]