A Gift for the Queen — Page 10
10 HADRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD alms-giving, prayer, repentance, lowliness and humility. In the same way, when the fire of an epidemic flares greatly, all nations of the world naturally engage in prayer, repentance, seeking forgive- ness and charitable giving. A natural movement takes place to turn to God, showing that it is a natural phenomenon for the human conscience to turn to God Almighty in the times of calamities. Repentance and prayer at times of calamities have proven bene- ficial for man, that is, a calamity is deferred through repentance and seeking forgiveness, just as the punishment of the nation of Prophet Yunus [ Jonah] was deferred. In the same way, the punish- ment of Israelites was deferred several times through the prayers of Hadrat Moosa [Moses]. There were disbelievers who had severely persecuted Islam and Muslims, so much so that women and chil- dren were killed. God subjected them to the punishment of the sword, but then gave them reprieve due to their seeking forgive- ness, repentance, and acceptance of truth. It was the same eternal way of God which has been observed throughout history. In short, this was the root of the Islamic jihad during the time of our Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that the wrath of God flared against the transgressors. But it is not jihad to plan to revolt while living under the equitable rule of a just government, such as the empire of our honoured queen Her Majesty the Empress of India; rather, it is a thinking replete with incivility and ignorance. To act maliciously towards a government which allows civic freedom, and firmly establishes peace, and under which religious rites can be fully carried out, is a criminal act rather than jihad. That is the reason why God did not appreci- ate the actions of the people who joined the mutiny in 1857. They faced diverse misfortunes, because they stood up against their