The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 400
400. Essence of Islam-III matter to its limit vis-à-vis Munshī Jīwan Dās Ṣāḥib who, from among the Āryās, appears to be a most decent and gentle person, and Lāla Murlīdhar Ṣāḥib, drawing master, of Hoshiarpur, who I also believe to be one of the better type of Āryās, and Munshi Inderman Ṣāḥib of Murādabad who is, as it were, the joint founder of the Āryā. Samāj and Mr. Abdullāh Ātham, formerly Extra Assistant Commissioner from Amritsar who is a decent and gentle minded Christian, the Reverend ‘Imād-ud-Dīn of. Amritsar, and Reverend Thākar Dās Ṣāḥib, the author of. Izhār-e-Iswi. . I now reduce the period of one year to forty days on the condition that the gentleman who is willing to take up the challenge should stay with me throughout the period of forty days at Qādiān or at any other place where I may be residing. If, during that time, I put forward no extraordinary prophecy, or the prophecy proves to be wrong, or, if it is not proved wrong but the gentleman is able to match it, he will immediately be awarded five hundred rupees. . But if such a prophecy is fulfilled, the gentleman making the trial would have to accept Islām. . . . If the gentleman has doubts about the prophecy, or if he thinks it is only a matter of guess work, he may himself make such a prophecy within forty days and prove that it has been fulfilled. If he fails to do so and my prophecy is fulfilled, then he will have to accept Islām. All this will be committed to writing and attested to by both sides. . These gentlemen are granted three months from the date of the publication of this book, i. e. , 20th September 1886, within which to respond to this invitation. If no fair response is received from any of them during this time, it will be understood that they have evaded the contest.