Lecture Sialkot — Page 55
L ECTURE S IALKOT 55 prophecy reported by the family of the Holy Proph- et sa. The prophecy was that, 'When the Imam of the latter days appears, two signs shall appear for him which have never appeared for anyone before him: an eclipse of the moon will occur in the month of Rama- dan on the first of the usual nights for lunar eclipse, and, in the same month of Ramadan, an eclipse of the sun shall also occur on the second day of the three days peculiar to solar eclipses. ' Both Sunnis and Shi- ites are agreed on this prophecy. It was written that since the creation of the world such eclipses have never occurred on these given dates in the presence and during the ministry of one claiming to be the Imam. Yet this is exactly what was prophesied to happen in the time of the Imam of the latter days, and this sign was to be specific to him. This prophecy is recorded in books published a thousand years ago. But when the prophecy was fulfilled after I made my claim of being the Imam no one acknowledged it, and not a single person pledged allegiance to me after witnessing the fulfilment of this glorious prophecy. Instead, they began abusing and ridiculing me more than ever before. They named me Dajj a l [Antichrist], kafir and a great liar, etc. This prophecy was treated in such manner because it did not augur Divine chas- tisement, rather it was Divine grace that had vouchsafed a sign in advance. But people did not de-