Hazrat Maulvi Nooruddin - Khalifatul-Masih I — Page 188
KHILAFAT Hadrat Maulw i Nur-ud-D i n ra — Khalifatul Masih I 188 J a mi‘ah whose graduates are doing splendid work in propagating the message of true Islam in different parts of the world. The Promised Messiah as had desired that there should be at least one hundred persons in the community of such outstanding qualities and capacities that they could become familiar with all the signs, and reasons and decisive arguments that God Almighty had manifested in support of the Movement and his claims, so that they could answer in the best manner possible all hostile critics. They should also be capable of delivering every seeker after truth from the doubts sought to be created by Christian and Arya apologists concerning Islam, and of expounding the excellences of Islam convincingly. For this purpose he made an announcement on 9th September, 1901, that a group of wise, intelligent and learned persons should forthwith embark upon a study of his books and writings and offer themselves for examination on 24th December at Qadian. This study and examination should be repeated every year. Somehow this project was not pursued further at the time. In July 1908, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih ra felt very strongly the need of a body of preachers well versed in knowledge of religion who should carry the message of Islam to all parts of the world. While he was cogitating over this idea he chanced on 16th July to come upon the Promised Messiah’s as announcement of 9th September, 1901, and was very deeply moved by it. He immediately directed that the announcement should be widely published throughout the community and that every year an examination in certain prescribed books of the Promised Messiah as should be held in the month of December, beginning with 24th December, 1908. Since then this method of study of the books of the Promised Messiah as has continued to be pursued