Three in One — Page 270
mureed, Dr. S. Rashid Ali got this figure of a 2000 million strong Muslim population, the following statement of Hadhrat. Ahmad as should sufficiently answer this false charge. He stated: 'Now look at their falsehood. They accuse me of having declared 200 million Muslims and Kalimah professing people to be kafirs. We did not take the initiative from branding people as kafirs. Their own religious leaders issued fatwas of kufr against us and raised a commotion throughout the Punjab and India that we were kafirs. These proclamations so alienated the ignorant people against us that they considered it a sin to even talk to us in a civil manner. Can any maulvi, or any other opponent prove that we had declared them kafir first? If there is any paper, notice or booklet issued by us prior to their fatwas in which we declared our Muslim opponents to be kafirs, then they should bring that forward. If not, they should realise how dishonest it is that, while they are the ones who call us kafirs, they accuse us of having declared all. Muslims as Kafirs. " 171. Let Abdul Hafeez or Rashid Ali take up this challenge of. Hadhrat Ahmadas and prove that he ever called anyone a kufr before the mullah in India began to pronounce fatwas of Takfir against him. If they cannot, then let them explain as to why should they take exception to Hadhrat Ahmadas merely responding to the fatwas of his opponents and branding them as those who fall within the purview of Hadhrat Muhammad's 'sa fatwa? If one must know, Hadhrat Ahmadas considered those people who were favourable in their opinion towards Ahmadi. Muslim and also those who were not influenced by the mulla nor joined the maulvis in abusing them as them who fell in the same category as his own, i. e. , Muslims. ” Apparently, this 72 would exclude Abdul Hafeez and Dr. Rashid Ali. 71. Ahmad, [Hadhrat] Mirza Ghulam. Haqeeqatul Wahi, p. 120; Ruhani Khazain, vol. 22, p. 123 72. Ahmad, [Hadhrat] Mirza Ghulam. Al Hakam, 17 February, 1904 270