Tadhkirah — Page 34
34 greatly in the words of this revelation. Such words are used only as proof of affection for particular persons. They are not used for everyone. [ H aq i qatul-Wa hi, p. 243 footnote, R uha n i Khaz a ’in, vol. 22, p. 254 footnote] 1877 Approximately fifteen or sixteen years ago, or perhaps a little earlier, I dispatched an article in support of Islam against the A ryas for printing in a press owned by a Christian by the name of Rallia R a m, who was also a lawyer and lived in Amritsar. He was also the owner and editor of a newspaper. The article was sent in a postal packet open on both sides and I also placed a letter in the packet along with the article. This letter contained statements in support of Islam and refutation of other faiths and requested that the article might be printed in his paper. The Christian [editor] was upset on account of religious differences. He took advantage of the law that the placing of such a letter in a postal packet was an offence punishable with a fine up to 500 rupees or with imprisonment up to six months 41 , of which I was utterly unaware. He reported the matter to the postal authorities and filed a case against me. Before I received intimation of this case Allah the Almighty showed me in a dream that Rallia R a m, the lawyer, had sent a serpent to me so that I might be bitten by 40 By the same revelations, the Promised Messiah as means the Urdu translation of which he himself has written in the main text of Haqiqatul-Wahi , page 243 and has been quoted here. [Mirza Bashir Ahmad] 41 Presently, such are not the laws of the postal service, but were the laws at that time. See Act 4 of 1866, clauses 12, 56, and Government of India Notification 2424, dated December 7, 1877, clause 43. [Abdul Latif Bahawalpuri]