Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 105
THE RENAISSANCE OF ISLAM 105 had not intended to abuse the"Holy Prophet. He repeatedly uttered the words: 'I repent, I repent. I did not mean to be disrespectful and I have never called the Prophet Anti- Christ. ' After the debate, Athim withdrew altogether from public life, made no public speech, nor said a word against Islam or the Holy Prophet, peace be on him. He moved about from place to place, became the subject of illusions and hallucina- tions, and was haunted by the fear of death. He was being tortured by his own diseased imagination. The period of fifteen months expired and he survived it. There was a clamour on the part of Ahmad's opponents that his prophecy had not been fulfilled. Ahmad issued a leaflet on 5 September 1894, and another one four days later, in which he explained the background and the implications of the prophecy. He claimed that Athim's declaration on hearing the prophecy and his passive attitude thereafter were proof that he had turned to the truth and had changed his attitude towards Islam. Ahmad invited him to deny this openly on oath and stated that ifhe did so he would die within one year from the date of taking the oath. Ahmad further declared that if, after making the oath, Athim survived for a year Ahmad would pay him the sum of 1,000 Rs by way of acknowledgment of defeat. Athim made no response. Ahmad then sent registered letters to Athim, Dr Clark and the Rev Mr Imadud Din, inviting Athim to take the oath and calling upon the other two gentlemen to per- suade him to do so. Dr Clark wrote back to say that Athim was not prepared to take the oath. Thereupon Ahmad issued another leaflet on 20 September 1894 calling upon Athim to take the oath and offered to pay him Rs 2,000 ifhe would do so. To this Athim replied in a letter that he was still a Christian and that he did not believe in Islam. Ahmad issued still another leaflet on 5 October 1894 which contained an answer to about a score of different points that had been raised by various people and challenged Athim again to declare on oa,th in a public meeting that during the fifteen