USA Souvenir 1989 — Page 5
llazrut 1'hal1f'atul Ma s ih IV s p eaks Colu111b1a University lla zruL Khallf' a tul Ma s 1h IV with the Nigerian Pre si d ent • Islam neither permits coercion for the spread of its own message nor gives licence to other re I igions to do so. Indulgence in terrorism , even in the name of the noblest objectives, is entirely incompatible with the teachings of Islam. It is to this Islam I invite mankind. am fully aware that in the eyes of many cursory observers, Ahmadiyyat has not as yet emerged as a potent force capable of bringing about the global moral and spiritual revolution to merit serious consideration. Yet , my trust is in God. Weak and humble though we are, God has graciously c hosen us as 11 is instrument to usher in a new era of global peace and unification of mankind. Listen to what the Promised Messiah proclaimed toward the close of the last century, in the light of Divine revelation received by him : "The time is near when I should attain a magnificient victory, because in support of 5 what I state, there is another hand which operates. Yet, the world cannot perceive it, but I behold it. There is a heavenly spirit which s peaks in me and grants a new life to every word and every letter of mine. A commotion and upsurge has errupted in the heaven which has caused this earthly body to stand up to God's behest. Every such person who has not been denied forgiveness and sa lvation shall se e for himse l f that I do not make these claims on my own. Can they be seeing eyes which fai 1 to recognize a man of truth? Can he be deemed alive who has no awareness of this Heavenly call?" It is likely that many will turn a skeptical ear lo what I say, wondering at the certitude and firmness of my faith in the g l orious future of Ahmadiyyat. The weak and oppressed proponents of Christianity , at the end of the fir s t century of the Christian era, must have fe lt somewhat as I feel today. Yet, I have no doubt whatsoeve r that a day wi ll dawn before the en~ of the next century when people of that age wi ll look back with no less amazement at the