Life of Ahmad — Page 568
GROWTH OF THE MOVEMENT as 568 no stone unturned to compass his destruction. The mullahs excited the Muslims against him and declared him to be an apostate worthy of death. The Sikhs were furious because he taught that Guru Nanak was a Muslim. The Christians were incensed against him because he proved that Jesus as was not God and that Ahmad as himself was in fact greater than Jesus as. The Hindus were gnashing their teeth against him because Pandit Lekhr a m had perished in accordance with his prophecy. They all worked together and dragged Ahmad as into court; they really wanted to put him to death. All religious fanatics wished and prayed for his destruction. Some of them had indeed prophecied in the name of God that Ahmad’s as movement would come to naught and that he would soon die without leaving issue or follower to carry on his work. They poured ridicule and execration upon him. It was in this atmosphere, surcharged with enmity, bitterness and poison all round, that Ahmad’s as movement spread and prospered. He was alone in the beginning. He was helpless. He was opposed and bitterly persecuted. His soul was sorely vexed within him at the iniquity of the world. He stood before the Lord and fell on his face in prayer. He was then comforted in the solitary and small hours of the morning by the Maker of the heavens and the earth Himself. The angels of God came to him and sustained him. The Lord God spoke to him as He had spoken to Abraham as of old, saying: