Life of Ahmad — Page 806
MIRACLE OF THE MESSIAH as as 806 Hakim Muhammad Ya h ya D i pgran and Maulaw i H am i dullah of Sowat wrote to Ahmad as that Hadrat Sahib Kotha Wala (in the Y u suf Za’ i territory) who died in 1294 A. H. told, his followers in 1292 or 1293 A. H. that the Promised Mahdi was born into the world and that his followers would see him. He also indicated that the Mahdi would speak the Punjabi language. The first 64 pages of the Tu h fa Golarwiyya were printed by September 10th, 1900, and the Kh a tama was printed by October 10th, 1900, but then Ahmad as began to read Il a h i Bukhsh’s book and the publication was delayed until it was completed and published on September 1st, 1902. While engaged in writing Arba'in No. 4 , Ahmad as thought on Friday, December 7th, 1900, of inviting Mihr Ali Shah to another contest. So he published a leaflet on December 15th, 1900, in which he invited Mihr Ali Shah to produce a commentary (fixed number of pages) on the surah Al-F a ti h ah in Arabic within a period of 70 days, expiring on February 25th, 1901. He himself offered to do the same. Then three independent authorities on the Arabic language should judge the value of the two publications and Ahmad as promised to pay Rs. 500 to Mihr Ali Shah if he succeeded in producing a better work than his own. Mihr Ali Shah could, if he wanted, also avail himself of the help and assistance of other learned persons living in India or even in Arabia.