Invitation to Ahmadiyyat — Page 130
130 foretold by the Holy Prophet s as. Let us then ask him to study the history of the world and tell us at what point in time the Promised Messiah as should have come? This imaginary person will study the time of Adam and of all the subsequent Prophets, but none will he identify as the time of the Promised Messiah as. However, as soon as he reaches our time and reads about the signs and conditions that obtain today, he will at once cry out that if the Holy Prophet s as was a true Prophet and if he did make this prophecy, then the present time is the time of the Promised Messiah as. This imaginary person will note the indifference to religion that is so evident today. He will see the great advances which natural sciences have made. He will observe how very weak Muslim states have become after their days of glory. He will see Christianity once again dominating the greater part of the wealth of the world. He will see other nations reduced to poverty. He will also see the plague and influenza wreaking havoc in the world despite advances in science and medi - cine. He will note that the great discovery of the time is that disease is caused by germs. He will also observe a great many old supersti - tions and customs cramping the intelligence of mankind. He will see the railway and the steamer and an abundance of banks. He will acknowledge the frequency of earthquakes and the advent of Gog and Magog and their dominion over the whole world. He will notice the lunar and the solar eclipses. He will see the increase in wealth. He will also observe the labouring classes rising to become rulers. In short, a description of contemporary conditions will convince him that this is the time for the coming of the Promised Messiah as. Our imaginary observer will not observe the signs singly but as a whole. As soon as he has gone over the scene, he will at once lay aside the book and say that his work is done and he doesn’t