Noah's Ark: An Invitation to Faith — Page 116
HAZRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD (AS) of righteousness. If you had not been wrong about certain matters or mistaken in your interpretations of certain Hadith, the very advent of the Promised Messiah who is the Arbitrator would have been useless. A precedent has already been set, for the Jews of the past emphasised and argued the same thing that you now propose. Just as you await the second coming of Jesus, peace be upon him, they too awaited the second coming of the Prophet Elijah. They averred that the Messiah was to come only after the Prophet Elijah, who was lifted into heaven, would physically descend; and that whosoever claimed to be the Messiah prior to the coming of the Prophet Elijah was a liar. They based this belief not only on their Hadith but further quoted divine scripture— the book of Malachi-to support their claims. But, when Jesus, peace be upon him, claimed to be the Messiah who was promised to the Jews, and Elijah did not descend, despite this apparent precondition, all these doctrines of the Jews were proven false. The belief of the Jews that the Prophet Elijah would physically come down from heaven, was ultimately understood to imply that someone else in his spirit and character would appear. Indeed, this was the interpretation put forth by Jesus himself, whom you now seek to bring down from heaven. Thus, why do you stumble at such a place where the Jews have already lost footing? Thousands of Jews reside in your country. Ask them, is their belief not exactly the same as your current belief? So why would the God who did not cause the Prophet Elijah to descend for the sake of Jesus-and he put forth interpretations to the Jews-cause him to descend for your sake? You reject the verdict 116