The Green Announcement — Page 19
19 soon pass away. In fact, the revelation I received on the very day of his birth hinted, in a very subtle way, at his death and at the fact that he would become a source of great trial for the people. One such revelation was: i. e. , We have sent this child as witness, bearer of glad tid- ings and a warner. He is like a big storm cloud that brings all kinds of darkness and thunder and lightening. All this rests under his feet, and it will be manifested once he raises them, i. e. , when he passes away. The darkness here means the trials and tribulations which visited people after his demise. The ordeals they faced were like darkness and were a manifestation of the Quranic verse: * 9 God will send the second Bashir, as prophesized in the announce- ment of 10 th July 1888, issued prior to the death of the first Bashir, in which God revealed to me that He will give me another Bashir who will be called Mahmood and will possess great resolve. [Allah creates what He wills]. God also revealed to me that the prophecy of 20 th February 1886 pointed to the birth of two virtuous sons. Up to the words, "blessed is he who comes from heaven", the revelation refers to Bashir the First, who was a source of spiritual blessings, and thereafter the revelation refers to Bashir the Second. [Author] 9 And when it becomes dark to them, they stand still. —Al-Baqarah, 2:21 [Publishers]