Commonsense About Ahmadiyyat — Page 12
Ata, Abul Mohsin Al-Noori and Imam Nisai, all were accused and rounded up and branded as either apostates or renegades or heretics or backsliders or shias or atheists or what not, and imprisoned, chained, tortured, and recommended to the King that they should be executed, otherwise they would bring disbelief in the land. . . . As the executioners with sword in hand came up, Al-Noori quickly advanced forward and said: 'I believe in self-sacrifice and service to our fellow beings. I beg the King to command that I should be beheaded first, so that my friends may have a few more minutes to live in this world, which is irreplaceable by a thousand years in the next. '. The King stopped the execution and ordered the Court Qadhi to review their cases and report to him. . The Qadhi's report was favourable: These venerable sages are more true believers of the unity of God than anyone I know. . The King freed the accused with many apologies, honour and presents. . The Fourth Century. Mansoor Al-Hallaj was the famous sufi in his time. In his ecstatic meditations he sometimes felt himself absorbed in the. Godhood, and cried: 'I am the Truth!' Living in the hard crystallised exoteric Islam, the priesthood or the ulemas and mullas could not fathom the depth of esoteric Islam of the sufis, and they swooped down and pounced on him. They arrested, imprisoned, lashed, severed his limbs and crucified him. What brought him his troubles were these verses:. I am He whom I love, and whom I love is I,. We are two spirits dwelling in one body. . If thou seest me, thou seest Him,. And if thou seest Him, thou seest us both. . Standing by the gallows before his crucifixion, Al-Hallaj prayed and part of his prayers was this: '. . . And these Thy servants who are gathered to slay me in zeal for Thy religion and in desire to 12