Life of Ahmad — Page 191
as BIRTH OF FA D L-E-UMAR ra 191 Kashmiri and Sa bir Ali of Qadian—suggested that the birth of a son had already taken place but that it was being kept secret, and that the prophecy was, therefore, a fraud. To refute this lie, Ahmad as issued a leaflet on March 22nd, 1886, in which he announced that his wife was at that time staying with her parents at S adar Bazaar, Ambala, and that he would pay the expenses of anyone who wanted to go there to make sure that the case was not as alleged. In the same leaflet, Ahmad as definitely fixed a period of nine years during which the promised son would be born. He said: 'Such a son shall be born within a period of nine years according to the Divine promise. ' Munshi Indarman Muradabadi and others objected to the fixing of this period by saying that it was too long, and that even in the ordinary course a son could be born to a married couple within this long period. Ahmad as issued another leaflet on April 8th, 1886, in which he dealt with this objection. He pointed out that it was not an ordinary son that was promised him. The prophecy spoke of an illustrious son, 42 and no period of time could be too long for the fulfilment of this purpose. Ahmad as turned to God for further inspiration, whereupon He revealed to him that a son would be born to him in the near future—the next birth or the one immediately after the next. Ahmad as made it clear 42 It appears that Ahmad as had had an inkling of this in the beginning of 1884 also; because he is said to have spoken of it to some Hindu acquaintances at that time.