Some Distinctive Features of Islam — Page xiv
Foreword to the Present Edition was a lecture delivered by Hadrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad rh , Khalifatul Masih IV, of blessed memory at the University of Canberra, Australia. It was first published in UK in 1985 and then in 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1995 respectively four more editions of it were published in UK. Now it is being published again. The speaker builds up his lecture on the thesis that the most distinctive feature of Islam is twofold: first, it is the only religion which claims to be, and is, the final, the universal and eternal religion for all times and for all peoples, second, it is the only religion which acknowledges, and bears witness to, the veracity of every other religions and claims that the truth is not the monopoly of Islam alone—whereas every other religion claims that it alone contains the Divine truth. Then Hadrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad rh answers at some length the question that if all religions are from God then why is there any difference in religions. Moreover he argues that Islamic teachings are not only universal and eternal but are also complete, comprehensive and perfect, and that the Holy Quran is the final and immutable word of God free from all human interpolation; and that the Prophet of Islam, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa is the Seal of the