The Essence of Islam – Volume IV — Page 125
The Purpose of the Promised Messiah's Advent 125 kind, for his age was in need of such emphasis. The other part, which is greater and is the fountainhead of the Majesty and Unity of God, i. e. , لا اله الا الله sa was emphasised by Muḥammad, the Chosen Ones because in his age emphasis was needed on that part. . Now it is our time and in this age both these wrongs had reached their climax; contravening the rights of people and slaying innocent persons had become part of the Muslim belief and, in consequence of this false doctrine, thousands of innocent people had been put to sword by the savages. On the other hand disregard of the rights of the Creator had also reached its climax and had become a part of Christian doctrine. . . . Thus in this age God, in view of the disregard of human rights, has named me the Messiah and sent me as the Avatar of Jesus the Messiahas; in the same way, in respect of the disregard for the rights of the Creator,. God has named me Muḥammad and Aḥmad and, for the spreading of Divine Unity, He made me the like of Muḥammada and his Avatar. In this sense, I am both Jesus the Messiah and Muḥammad the Mahdi. . Messiah is a title that was bestowed upon Jesus as, which means he who touches God, partakes of the favour of God and is His vicegerent and adopts truth and righteousness. Mahdī is also a title which was bestowed upon Muḥammad, the Chosen Onesa. It means 76 Ibid. [Translator]