Tadhkirah — Page 483
1900 483 reflection of Ahmad so that I may bring back the virtue of Tau hi d [i. e. , the Oneness of God] which has vanished from the tongues, hearts, words, and deeds of people, and thereby establish the religious order. I have been commanded to slay 518 the swine of disorder, heresy and misguidance which trample underfoot the pearls of truthfulness, destroy the harvests of people, and wreak havoc in the fields of faith, purity, and deeds. This slaying is to be with heavenly weaponry, not with swords and arrows, as is the belief of those who are devoid of rectitude and truthful speech. They are themselves misguided and have misled many others from among the ignorant. It is true that I have been forbidden from fighting the disbelievers. It was ordained even before my existence that I would abolish warfare and would have no inclination towards bloodshed. Thus, there remains no jih a d , except the jihad of the tongue, and the jih a d of signs and argumentation. Similarly, I have been commanded to fill the houses and pouches of the Muslims with wealth—but not with the wealth of gold and silver; rather, with the wealth of knowledge, rectitude, guidance, and certainty of the highest degree— so that faith may be made firmer than the mountains and glad tidings be given to those who are buried under burdens. Therefore, glad tidings be to you that the Messiah has come, and he has been anointed by the All-Powerful God, and has been granted eloquent speech by Him. He 518 This expression is used in a hadith appearing in Bukh a r i and the meaning of “slay” here is the completion of proof and the eradication of falsehood with convincing arguments and heavenly signs, and not literal slaughter. [Author]