Hazrat Ahmad — Page 45
HADHRAT AHMAD 45 master the tongue, so that children in their infancy might learn it along with their vernacular. So long as this objective remains unfulfilled, it will not be possible for Islam to be firmly established upon its foundations. People who are not familiar with the language of their religious books can never be fully conversant with their religion, and can never be fully secure against the attacks of the enemies of their faith. People who, for the purpose of acquiring knowledge of their religion, have to depend entirely upon translations gradually cease to possess adequate knowledge of their religion, and their scriptures and to lose their purity. Translation draws people's attention away from the study of the original, and since translation can never fully replace the original the community drifts away from the true meaning and spirit of the faith. The fulfilment of this wish of the Promised Messiah continues to occupy the attention of his followers and God willing, it one day will be achieved. . Foundation Laid of the Minar of the Ancient Prophecy. There is a prophecy of the Holy Prophet that the Messiah will descend upon a white minaret to the east of Damascus. The real meaning of the prophecy was that the Promised Messiah would come with the most conspicuous proofs and signs and his glory would shine upon the world and great success would attend him. . In the language of dreams a minar signifies clear proofs which nobody can gainsay, and to stand upon a height signifies to attain an eminence which is perceived by everyone and to come in the east means to attain a success which nobody can resist. Yet, out of a desire to fulfil the prophecy literally, the Promised Messiah laid the foundation of a minaret in the Juma Mosque at Qadian in 1902. . The Beginning of Success. Towards the end of 1902 one Karam Din filed a suit of defamation against the Promised Messiah, who was in consequence summoned to attend the Court at Jhelum. He went there in January 1903. The journey was an augury of the beginning of his success. . Although he was proceeding to answer criminal charge, yet there was such a huge concourse of people who came to meet him that they could not be counted, when he alighted at the Railway Station, the gathering was so large that standing room was not available on the station platform. Even outside the station, on the roads huge