Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 43
CHAPTER FOUR In 1890 Ahmad wrote two books, Pateh Islam and Tauzih Maram. To these was later added his book Izalah Auham. All three were published early in 1891. In these three books he set forth his claim of being the Mahdi, and the Promised Mes- siah, whose advent in the latter days had been foretold by the Holy Prophet of Islam, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. There is a whole mass of traditions attributed to the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, which present a confusing variety of the signs and particularS relating to the Mahdi and the Messiah. Most of these traditions have been declared by eminent Muslim theologians as of doubtful authenticity. That which emerges positively from this body of traditions may be summarized very briefly as follows. (1) The Mahdi and the Messiah would appear in the latter days. (2) They will not be distinct and separate personalities but would be one person whose main function would be the renaissance of Islam. (3) Within this overall framework, the Promised Messiah would effectively refute the doctrine of the cross, and expose the falsity of the doctrines of the Church like the Trinity, Atonement and Salvation through the blood of Jesus. (4) He would be the champion of Islam against all comers, and would establish the superiority of Islam over all other faiths as is indicated in 9:33. At the time of the advent of Ahmad, there was a wide- spread misconception among the members of the so-called orthodox sects of Islam that Jesus had been taken up bodily unto heaven and would descend upon earth in the latter days. Ahmad demonstrated the falsity and absurdity of this notion so effectively" both from the Holy Quran and from the 43