Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 18
18 AHMADIYYAT SO far the Arya Samaj had staunchly held, according to the teachings of Dayanand, based on the authority of the Vedas, that the number of souls is infinite, but it now appears that when Mirza Ghulam Ahmad refuted this doctrine, Dayanand was compelled to declare that the number of souls is not infinite but that the trans- migration of souls is established. What we wish to observe is that Dayanand had instructed his followers, on the authority of the Vedas, that the number of souls was infinite and that they were self-existing. Now that his belief has been refuted, his confession that the number of souls is not infinite clearly shows that Dayanand is going against the Vedas. If the Vedas really teach that which Dayanand has now declared, this is a serious reflection upon his position as a Leader, as he has set forth two contradictory teachings from the Vedas. If the Vedas are silent on the point, it is a reflection on the Vedas. There is no evidence of any response from Swami Dayanand, but Pandit Kharak Singh, a member of the Arya 'Samaj of Amritsar, came to Qadian and offered to hold a debate with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. It was agreed that the 'subject of the debate should be transmigration of souls, and a comparison of the teachings of the Vedas and the Quran on the subject. Accordingly Mirza Ghulam Ahmad wrote a paper which was read out in a public meeting held for the purpose. The Pandit tried to make an answer but felt unequal to the task, lost his temper and returned to his home, whence he wrote to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad that he would like to continue the debate through the columns of a newspaper. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad promptly notified his willingness and suggested that the columns of the Safeer Hind (Amritsar) or Brother Hind (Lahore) or Arya Darpan (Shahjahanpur) might be used for the purpose. He also promised to award Pandit Kharak Singh Rs 500 if, in the opinion of judges to be appointed for the purpose, he should be declared to have established his thesis, and proposed that the Rev. Mr Rajab Ali, a Christian missionary, and Pandit Shiv Narain, a Brahmo Samajist, be appointed as judges. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad wrote a paper in support of the thesis that God is the