Jesus In India — Page 45
J e s u s i n I n d i a 45 nation cannot apply. Neither Christians, nor Muslims, nor Jews, nor any other denier, can keep out of the purview of this prophecy. Our community alone is outside its scope for God has only just sowed us like a seed. The word of a prophet can never fail. The prophecy contains the unmistakable hint that every nation inhabiting the world will mourn. Now which of these people can claim to be outside its scope? Jesus admits of no exception in this verse. The group which has not yet attained the size of a nation is in any case an exception, and that is our community. This prophecy has been clearly fulfilled in this age, for the truth, which has now been revealed regarding Jesus, is undoubtedly the cause of mourning for all these nations, because it has exposed the error of their thinking. The hue and cry of Christians over the divinity of Jesus turns into sighs of grief; the insistence of Muslims day in and day out that Jesus has gone up to the skies alive, changes into weeping and wailing; and as for the Jews, they stand to lose everything. Here it is necessary to mention that in the statement contained in the said verse, namely, that at that time all the nations of the earth would mourn and beat their breasts, the word ‘earth’ means Bilaad-i-Shaam 17 with which these three peoples are basically connected—Jews, because that is their place of origin and their place of worship; Christians, because Jesus appeared in that place, and the early Christians lived there; Muslims, because they are the heirs to the land to the Last Day. If the word ‘earth’ is taken to embrace all countries, even then it presents no difficulty, for 17 Syria and its neighbouring areas. (Translator)