Life of Ahmad — Page 601
as LISTEN, O EARTH! 601 sincerity and conviction. His very soul was anxious to pour itself out in the service of his fellow-beings. A fountain of truth sprang from his lips incessantly and irresistibly. About six weeks after the publication of the booklet mentioned above Ahmad as wrote out in a single day (November 20th, 1898) another booklet Najmul Hud a in beautiful Arabic. Its translation in Urdu and Persian was also given with it in vertical columns. It was a large-sized publication, printed at the D i ya ’ul Islam Press, Qadian. After praising God and the Holy Prophet sa in the beginning of this booklet he introduces himself as one in whom his father was totally disappointed; because he was not of this world and shunned even mixing with people. He loved solitude as 'the audience chamber of God'. He had no interest in his estate and as a matter of fact he was deprived practically of all its benefits. But God selected him and commissioned him to do the great work of the regeneration of mankind. So in obedience and response to the Call he addressed the world as follows: 'Listen, O Earth! to what I say; and be thou a witness, O Heaven! Verily, verily, God has made me the Promised Messiah and Mahdi; He has called me as such in clear words. I am not of the deceivers. Falsehood does not touch my lips and you know the end of liars. Of a truth, the Divine Light of Revelation and Reason has been vouchsafed to me and this is all the grace of God. '