Hazrat Ahmad — Page 28
28. HADHRAT AHMAD. Journeys and Controversies. The said Maulvi in company with some other theologians came down to Ludhiana and challenged the claimant to a debate. This was accepted, but the opponents in the course of the debate adopted tactics to convert it into futile controversy. When the. Deputy Commissioner saw that a serious situation was developing which might lead to a riot, he by a special order directed Maulvi. Muhammad Hussain to leave the town the same day. Then on the advice of certain friends who apprehended that a similar order might also be issued in respect of the Promised Messiah, the latter also left Ludhiana for Amritsar, where he waited for eight days. It was then ascertained from the Deputy Commissioner that no such order had been issued in respect of him. He thereupon returned to. Ludhiana and stayed there for a week and then left for Qadian. . After a short stay he went back to Ludhiana for awhile and then proceeded to Delhi and arrived there on the morning of 28th. December. . Delhi was at that time considered the center of learning in India and his opponents had taken measures to rouse the people in opposition to him. No sooner did he reach the city than the Ulema set up a clamor. They challenged him to an open debate and determined that a discussion should be held between him and. Maulvi Nazir Hussain who was the leader of the Ahl-i-Hadis section of Ulema in India. The Juma' Mosque was fixed as the place of discussion. But all these arrangements were settled by the opponents unilaterally, and no notice of them was given to the. Promised Messiah. When the time fixed for the discussion arrived,. Hakim Abdul Majid Khan of Delhi came with a carriage and requested the Promised Messiah to proceed to the mosque where the discussion was to be held. The latter answered that in the prevailing state of public excitement there was a likelihood of a breach of the peace, and that, therefore, he could not go to the mosque unless police arrangements were made, and that, moreover, he should have been previously consulted regarding the discussion, and the conditions to be observed by the parties in the debate should have been agreed to. His non-appearance served to increase the public excitement. He, therefore issued a declaration to the effect that Maulvi Nazir Hussain should state on oath publicly in the Juma' Mosque that Jesus (peace be on him), according to the