Hazrat Maulvi Nooruddin - Khalifatul-Masih I — Page 155
Hadrat Maulw i Nur-ud-D i n ra — Khalifatul Masih I KHALIFATUL MASIH 155 anyone else, he would have been crushed. ' Twenty thousand able-bodied men were available in Medina, but as the Holy Prophet sa had intended to send an army to the north, Ab u Bakr ra despatched them accordingly. In that stark situation God Almighty manifested His power and demonstrated the fulfilment of His promise: He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them (24:56). We are today faced with a similar situation. I desire that before the burial of the body of the Promised Messiah as accord may be established between us. After the death of the Holy Prophet sa his companions had, under the direction of Ab u Bakr ra , to carry into effect several great projects, of which the greatest was the compilation of the Holy Quran in book form. A parallel activity today would be to concentrate on putting it into practice. Then Hadrat Ab u Bakr ra organised the collection of Zakat. That is a grand project which calls for a high degree of obedience; and there are several other duties and obligations which have to be discharged. Now whatever may be your individual inclinations you will have to carry out my orders. If this is acceptable to you I shall undertake this responsibility willingly or unwillingly. The ten conditions of the pledge laid down by the Promised Messiah as shall continue in force. I shall include among them and would emphasise the teaching of the Holy Quran, the collection of Zakat, the training of preachers and such other projects as Allah may be pleased to inspire me with. Religious instruction