Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 464
464 HAQIQATUL-WAḤI-THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIVINE REVELATION humble writer of the letter, asked: 'Faqīr Ṣāḥib! In what par- ticular respect do you want to compete?' Faqir Şahib: 'Do you believe Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian to be the Promised Mahdi and Messiah?' The writer: 'Yes'. Faqir Şahib: "That man is a liar in this claim. ' The writer: 'What proof do you have in support of your claim that he is liar?' Faqir Şahib: 'My proof is that I am the recipient of divine revelation; I have had the honour of repeatedly seeing the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him [in visions]; and I was informed that I am one of the earliest of the devotees of Mahdi Akharuz-Zaman [the Guided One of the Latter Days]. Because a long time has passed since Mirza Sahib's claim and I am still opposed to him, therefore, on the basis of my own revelation, I consider this man to be an impos- tor. Furthermore, I have also been shown a sign pertaining to the time of the Mahdi's advent that, I was shown a light that has appeared in the East and, having reached the West, has spread all over. But I haven't so far observed this light either so as to help me accept Mirza Sahib. ' The writer: 'Faqir Ṣāḥib, this revelation and the vision of yours, indeed, affirm and support Hadrat Mirzā Ṣāḥib's claim. Why then do you consider him an impostor as your own rev- elation proves that the Mahdi's advent shall take place in the Punjab, otherwise, how can you ever be one of his earliest dev- otees? If it is accepted that the advent of the Mahdi is to take place in Arabia, in that case your number would come much later. Either you would go to the west on hearing about the advent of the Mahdi or your spiritual pull would draw the Mahdi to the Punjab. In either case, you could not achieve the status of being the first. As for the light you have seen its inter- pretation is that Qadian lies in the East; and it is on account of the teaching of the Honourable Mirzā Ṣāḥib, that the light of Islamic Tauhid [Oneness of God] is spreading in the countries