The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 91
THE PROMISED MESSIAH AND MAHDI. SUCCESS OF HIS MISSION. At a very early stage of his mission, Hadhrat Ahmad received the revelation from God: (Tazkira) "I will spread thy message to the ends of the Earth". . At that time it appeared to his opponents an empty boast. He had lived a solitary life. The town he lived in was a small town, with a population of two thousand, in the province of Punjab which was considered to be the most backward at the time and the least intellectual of provinces of India. He had only modest means and his followers were a small band of poor people. Qadian, his home town, was not known even in India. The town did not have any modern amenities. Not even a police station or a telegraph office was located in the town. The mail was served twice a week. The nearest railway station was eleven miles away connected with a dirt road. Hadhrat. Ahmad did not know English or any other European language. In. Qadian there was no educational institution higher than an elementary school. . When he made his claim to be the Mahdi and Promised. Messiah, a storm of opposition arose. His followers were persecuted in diverse ways. Even non-Muslims joined the opposing ranks as he championed the cause of Islam and advocated its superiority over all other religions. All sorts of charges were made against him and every attempt was made to harm and dishonour him and his community. . Due to doctrinal differences he and his followers were declared heretics. But he declared that he will be successful and his message will spread all over the world with the help of God and that all his vehement opponents will utterly fail in their designs. He declared that his community was a seed planted by God and will continue to grow and no one will be able to stop it and that this seed will grow to a big tree one day and all nations will seek shelter under its shade. He repeatedly prophesied that all nations will accept him gradually. He 91