Tabligh Guide — Page 95
(American Edition) 95 allowance. In 1905 he suffered a stroke and was paralyzed. On March 9, 1907 he died in misery and pain. Death of Mr. Dowie and fulfillment of Ḥ a ḍ rat A ḥmad’s prophecy was widely commented in American press. A few samples are given. The Dunville Gazette of June 7, 1907 wrote: “Aḥ mad and his adherents may be pardoned from taking some credit for the accuracy with which the prophecy was fulfilled a few months ago”. The Truth Seeker of June 15, 1907 wrote: “The Qadian Man predicted that if Dowie accepted the challenge, he would leave the world before his eyes with great sorrow and tormen t. If Dowie declined, the Mirzā said, the end would only be deferred; death awaited him just the same and calamity would soon overtake Zion. That was the grand prophecy: Zion would fall and Dowie would die before A ḥ mad. ” Boston Herald of June 23, 1907 wro te: “Dowie died with his friends fallen away from him and his fortune dwindled. He suffered from paralysis and insanity. He died a miserable death with Zion City torn and frayed by internal dissension. Mirzā comes forward frankly and states that he has won his challenge. ” This was a sign shown by God, at the hands of Ḥ a ḍ rat A ḥ mad, in America. Prophecy a bout Great World Wars God is all knowing. The knowledge of unseen or the future belongs to Him. He reveals knowledge of the future to his prophets as much as He wills. We read in the Holy Qur’ān : “He is the knower of the unseen, and He reveals not the hidden to anyone, except to him whom He chooses from among His Messengers. ” (72:27 -28) Prophets gain knowledge of the future through revelation from God. They demonstrate the attribute of God as All Knowing. This means that the truth of a claimant of prophethood can be judged by the fulfillment of his prophecies. To prophecy is an essential part of prophethood. These prophecies are not vague and uncertain predictions of astrologers and other soothsayers that are mere conjectures. These possess the qualities of certainty and majesty. At times, these are stated literally and sometimes in metaphorical words which can cause some confusion if not properly understood.