An Introduction to the Hidden Treasures of Islam — Page 302
302 So long as he thought that it was necessary for a prophet to bring a Law or Shar i ‘ah, or attain to prophethood directly and independently, the Promised Messiah as denied being a prophet and believed that he could not be superior to Jesus, who was a prophet of God. But when he changed his conception on account of the numerous revelations he received from God, he considered himself a prophet and as such had no hesitation in declaring his own superiority over Jesus. It is needless to point out here that this change in concept on the part of the Promised Messiah as did not in any way effect the work entrusted to him. He fully understood his mission and right from the very beginning he knew what was required of him to do by God. He was a prophet of God and did the work of a prophet from the very beginning. All that happened was that, until 1901, he shared the popular belief about prophethood, just as he had shared the wrong popular belief about the physical ascension of Jesus to heaven. In both cases, it was only when God pointed out to him the mistake that he corrected his views. Specimen of Writing Whenever I have denied being a Prophet or a Messenger, it means that I am not a law-bearer, nor am I a Prophet in my own right. But I am a Messenger and a Prophet without a new law in the sense that God reveals to me that which is hidden, and because of the inner grace that has been bestowed upon me on account of my obedience to the Holy Prophet sa , and because of having received his name. I have never denied being a Prophet in this sense. It is in this sense that God has called me a Prophet and a Messenger. . . . My having said, I am not a Messenger and have not brought a book, means that I am not the bearer of a new law. It must, however, be remembered and should never be forgotten, that despite my having been called a Prophet and Messenger, I have been informed by God that all this grace is not bestowed directly upon me but that there is