The Green Announcement — Page 10
10 every sign of being highly talented, but they do not stay long in this transient world. And you must have seen many other children whose future is not at all promising, and a perceptive mind can see that they will turn out to be extremely mischievous, ignorant and impertinent if they live to maturity. It is evident from the Traditions that the Holy Prophet’s sa son Ibr a h i m ra , who died at the age of six- teen months, was virtuous and righteous by nature; on the other hand, the Holy Quran itself testifies that the child killed by Hadrat Khi d ar was by nature impure and wicked. The Islamic teaching about the children of the disbelievers who pass away in their infancy is also based on this very principle, and their natures are considered imperfect because 5 Therefore, the names that were given to the deceased child in the revelation pertained to his righteous and virtuous na- ture and his inherent abilities, and if anyone stretches them to mean that the child would also live to an old age, he will only be acting out of malice, for I have never expressed any definite opinion upon this. Although the possibility that this child could be the Reformer was entertained in the light of these high qualities, it was still a doubtful matter and I never published it in any announcement. In this context, I am particularly amazed at the conduct of the Hindus. They hear thousands of prophecies from their astrologers and soothsayers which turn out to be com- 5 Like father, like son. [Publishers]