The Holy War — Page 55
Proceedings—Debate 24 May 1893 55 So, these are the things that point to the superiority, perfection, beauty, and beneficence of the Word of God, and not those matters concerning social behaviour about which philosophers and physi- cians can also provide the needed exposition to men. You stated that it is written in the Holy Quran اكملت لكم دینكم. It is very likely that according to the text of the Quran this relates to social behaviour and the mention of what is permitted and what is forbidden in this context. Answer to the Objections of 24 May 1893 First— We have understood the meaning of istiqr a [inductive rea- soning] to be what experience of nature routinely, and in the past, has taught, without interruption; this is what reasoning by induc- tion means. The statement of Mirza [Ghulam Ahmad] sahib in this regard is correct that if there is any possibility of an exception, it is not enough to prove the possibility of an exception; it is necessary that it be proven in reality. Thus, I would submit regarding this only that the case of Christ is completely unique, for which we have pre- sented verses from the Word of God. We would further like to show that multiplicity in unity is present in the Old Testament. Had it not been present, the Jews could have been considered to be right; however, because this matter is present there, they should have no excuse. I shall present two cases by way of example: First of all, it is stated in Genesis 1:26 و یومر الوھیم نعشا آدام سلمنوقد میتونو in Hebrew, that is to say, Elohim God said, ‘Let us make Adam in our images, and after our likenesses. ’ Second, in Genesis 3:22 it is written that Jehovah Elohim said, ‘Behold, in knowing good and evil, the man has become like one of us. ’ In this verse, the phrase that is translated as has become like one of us (in Hebrew it is written ا حد ممنو ك ), seeing the first person includ- ing others form, the Jews took the meaning that in this situation