Basics of Religious Education — Page 259
259 259 259 259 259 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION The Promised Messiah arrived in Lahore on April 29, 1908, as wished by his wife. On May 9, 1908, he had another revelation in arabic - translated as: Departure, then departure. God will bear all the burden. This revelation informed him that the hour of his death was near. In keeping with the wishes of the Promised Messiah as , a banquet was ar- ranged for the dignitaries and leaders of public opinion, in Lahore. On the insistence of the guests, the Promised Messiah as spoke for two hours, be- fore the food was served, and gave a detailed account of his claims and teachings and provided convincing refutation of all the objections raised against him by the opponents of Ahmadiyyat. In response to a suggestion by some people that he should give a public lecture, the Promised Messiah as gave his approval and set about to write an essay, entitled, Paigham-e-Solah , i. e. , ‘A Message of Reconciliation’. Its objective was to bring about peace between the Hindus and the Muslims of India. During the writing of this essay, on May 20, 1908, the Promised Messiah as received another arabic revelation from God - translated as: Departure, again a departure. The Death is very close now. Nevertheless he continued working, completed his manuscript, and handed it over for publication on the afternoon of May 25, 1908. After the `Asr prayer, the Promised Messiah as delivered a short speech on the death of Jesus Christ as , and then started out on his daily walk. The same evening, after performing his Maghrib and `Ishaa prayers, the Promised Messiah as went to bed at his usual time. He started experiencing diarrhea, around eleven at night. He became seriously ill, frequently falling unconscious during the night. Early in the morning, he asked, ‘Is it prayer time?’ Someone beside his bed replied, ‘Yes Huzur, it is’. He started pray- ing, but fell unconscious in the middle of his prayer. When he recovered a little, he repeated the same question, ‘Is it prayer time?’ and, ‘O God, my beloved God!’ By 10 a. m. , his condition became critical, and at 10:30 a. m. , our beloved Imam, the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, passed away. His age at the time of his death was a little over 73 years according to the solar calendar, and 75 years according to the lunar calendar, keeping with one of his revelations from God. May Allah bless the Promised Messiah as , whose pure teachings brought about such a spiritual revolution which is still continuing to spread throughout the world. No power on earth will ever be able to block Ahmadiyyat’s onward march. Insha-Allah. 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 7. 1 P P P P P ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED M M M M M E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H AS AS AS AS AS A N D A N D A N D A N D A N D S S S S S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S — P — P — P — P — P ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED ROMISED M M M M M E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H AS AS AS AS AS Journey to Lahore and Revelations about Death (April 29, 1908) Demise of the Promised Messiah as May 26, 1908 Proposal for a Public Lecture and the Book, ‘Paigham-e- Sulah’ (May 25, 1908) A Feast for the Dignitaries of Lahore (May 17, 1908)