Tadhkirah — Page 202
202 custom to supplicate by way of istikh a rah on all important matters, I should do the same on this occasion. This was the reply I returned to Mirz a Ahmad Baig. Thereafter, on account of his continued persistence I supplicated in the form of istikh a rah. What an istikh a rah it was! It seemed that the time of begging Allah for a heavenly Sign had come, which God Almighty had displayed in this way. The All-Powerful, the All-Wise God directed me to ask for the hand of the elder daughter of Ahmad Baig in marriage 225 and to tell them that all kindness and courtesy to be extended to them would be conditional upon this marriage and that this marriage would be a source of 225 I have been informed of matters which had never entered my mind nor did I know anything about them. At such a time God directed me through revelation that I should seek the hand of his elder daughter in marriage and should tell him that he should first establish this relationship with me and should thereby seek light from my light. I was also directed to tell him that I had been commanded to let him have the land which he had asked for and even some more and to show benevolence towards him in many ways, provided he would agree to the marriage of his elder daughter to me. This would be a covenant between us and if he agreed to it he would find me a good party to it; but if he did not agree to it I was to warn him that I had been informed by God that her marriage to anyone else would not prove blessed for the person she marries nor for her father. If he did not comply with my request he would be afflicted with misfortunes culminating in his death. He would die within three years of the marriage [of his daughter]. Indeed, his death might occur earlier at a time when he is unaware. So also the husband of that girl would die within two and a half years of the marriage. This is a divine decree and you can act as you might choose, I have warned you…. Then, I wrote to him under divine direction and as indicated by my Gracious God…‘I am writing this letter to you under divine direction and not of my own accord, so make this letter secure in your box for this is from one true and faithful and God knows that I am entirely truthful in this matter and the promise I have made has been made by God’s direction and not on my own. It is Allah Who has made me speak under His revelation. ’ [ A’i na-e-Kam ala t-e-Isl a m, R uha n i Khaz a ’in, vol. 5, pp. 572–574]