Life of Ahmad — Page 86
AFTER HIS FATHER’S DEATH as 86 with the articles of his own faith that ultimately he not only disowns it but also denounces its teachings in public? It is true that he did not become a Muslim. Perhaps he did not possess enough courage. But the fact that after his discussion with Ahmad as , he could not continue to believe in the A rya doctrines which he had come to Qadian to advocate is surely proof of the hollowness of A rya doctrines. Swami Day a nand wrote in his book Saty a rath Park a sh that Muslims called his co-religionists Hindus by way of contempt and that the word 'Hindu' means a slave, etc. 17 As it was a very mischievous suggestion, Ahmad as wrote an article which was published in the Vak i l , Amritsar, in 1879 or 1881, and in this he refuted the idea and showed that the word 'Hindu' was used to denote 'Indian' long before the inception of Islam itself. He gave quotations from the pre-Islamic literature of Arabia to show this use of the word 'Hindu'. He was supported by Mahesh Chand and the Rev. Thomas Howell of Pind Dadan Khan, who also wrote articles in the press on the subject. Ahmad as wrote a long article in refutation of the doctrine of transmigration, which was published in the three issues of the Hindu Band u of Lahore, dated February, March and April, 1879. He sent another instalment of the article to the Editor of the magazine, 17 His word are ( Hindi Saty a rath Park a sh , first edition, Star Press, Benares, 1875, chap. 3, p. 67). These words are not found in the later edition of the book.