The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 383
Repeated Challenges of Islām which are to be found in India. 383. Brethren in faith and followers of the Seal of the Prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him!) Although. I have already addressed many writings to the clerics and sufis, and have conveyed my message to them fully, it has occurred to me that I should make a general announcement to convey my message clearly to you so that. I may discharge my responsibility fully in this respect. . Brethren, I wish to convey to you that I indeed am the. Promised Reformer, whose advent was to take place at the beginning of the fourteenth century and about whom a large number of righteous people, who were recipients of Divine revelations, had foretold that he would be the. Promised Messiah. . . . Should you be in doubt in this respect, I would suggest to you an easy way of settling this matter: Every one of you should ask his spiritual guide to stand forth in opposition to me in the matter of the manifestation of signs of righteousness. Be sure, in such a case that spiritual guide would be humiliated even more than Bal'am was humiliated when he stood against Moses as. If he does not wish to stand forth in opposition and seeks the truth, God Almighty will, at his request and on his coming to me, manifest some sign for him provided that, in that case, he is ready to join my Jamā‘at. If, after the publication of this announcement, your spiritual preceptors and religious leaders and jurist do not desist from speaking ill of me and denouncing me as a disbeliever, and do not accept my truth and continue to evade such confrontation as I have suggested, then take note that I call God Almighty to witness that they will be humiliated by Him. [Majmu'ah Ishtihārāt, vol. 1, pp. 436-438]