Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page vii
INTRODUCTION Xl (4) There is the promise contained in the Quran already referred to that in the latter days a Prophet would be raised in Islam who would not only defend Islam against the concerted attacks of the followers and exponents of other faiths but would establish the superiority of Islam in every respect over all other religions (9:33). The commentators of the Quran are agr~ed that the promise contained in this verse would be fulfilled through the Mahdi-Messiah whose advent in the latter days had been foretold by the Holy Prophet. He would be a Spiritual reflection of the Holy Prophet himself as is indicated in 62:4. (5) Islam is the only faith that requires belief in all the Prophets wherever and whenever they might have appeared. The Quran affirms: 'Verily , We have sent thee with enduring truth, as a bearer of glad tidings and as a Warner; and there is no people to whom a Warner has not been sent' (35:25). Even more explicitly are the Muslims commanded: Affirm: We believe in God and in that which has been sent down to us and in that which was sent down to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and his children and in that which was given to Moses and Jesus, and in that which was given to all other Prophets from their Lord. We make no discrimina tion between any of them and to Him do we wholly submit ourselves [2:137]. This again is a sure indication that the great teacher who is to appear in the latter days must appear in the dispensation of Islam, as he would then be a believer in the righteousness of all the Prophets and would not deny or reject any of them. If he were to appear in any other dispensation he would not be acceptable to those whose Prophets he denied or rejected. He must be the champion of God in the mantles of all the Prophets. (6) It is obvious that the great teacher, whpse advent in the latter days has been foretold in everyone of the principal revealed religions of the world, would be divinely guided, that is to say, he would be the recipient of divine revelation. This is also an important factor that would persuade a seeker after truth to determine that the promised great teacher must