Basics of Religious Education — Page 267
267 267 267 267 267 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION Thus, the following prophecy of the Promised Messiah as regarding Muslih Mau`ood was clearly fulfilled in his person:. . . He will be extremely intelligent and understanding and will be meek of heart and will be filled with secular and spiritual knowledge. He received his first divine revelation in 1905, when he was only sixteen years old: I will place those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the day of Resurrection. In 1907, an angel taught him the commentary of Surah Fatihah, the first chapter of the Holy Qur’an. From then onward, he was gifted with an un- usual knowledge of the commentary of the Holy Qur’an. When the Promised Messiah as passed away, Hadrat Muslih Mau`ood ra was only nineteen years old. On this critical occasion, he stood by the body of his deceased father and made the following pledge: Even if all the people should abandon you (the Promised Messiah as ), I will stand alone against the whole world, not caring for any opposition or enmity. In February 1911, he founded Anjuman Ansarullah. In September 1912, he performed the pilgrimage to Mecca. In 1913, he started the publication of the newspaper Al-Fadl. On March 14, 1914, the day after the death of Khalifatul Masih I ra , Hadrat Mirza Bashiruddin ra was unanimously elected as Khalifatul Masih II, when he was only 25 years old. About 2,000 Ahmadis present at that occasion, took Bai`at at his hands. There was a small but influential group of opponents within the community, who did not take the Bai`at. At first, they tried their best to put an end to the system of Khilafat. Then, they decided to leave Qadian and moved to Lahore. They were certain that the young Khalifa would not survive without their support, and the system of Khilafat would collapse by itself. Their expecta- tions, however, turned out to be completely wrong. The followers of the young Khalifatul Masih grew rapidly, whereas his opponents were reduced to an insignificant group. The blessings of Khilafat prevailed! Beginning of Revelations (1905) His Resolute Pledge (May 26, 1908) His Election as Khalifatul Masih II (March 14, 1914) 7. 4 7. 4 7. 4 7. 4 7. 4 P P P P P R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D 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 — K — K — K — K — K H A L I F H A L I F H A L I F H A L I F H A L I FA A A A AT U L T U L T U L T U L T U L M M M M M A S I H A S I H A S I H A S I H A S I H II II II II II