Hazrat Ahmad — Page 52
52. HADHRAT AHMAD granted and on his return from Ludhiana the Promised Messiah broke his journey at Amritsar. The town was full of the opponents of the movement who were very much under the influence of the. Maulvis. Instigated by them there was a good deal of excitement. . On the day fixed for the lecture his opponents were determined to stop it by every possible means. Accordingly, when the Promised. Messiah came to the lecture hall, it was observed that several. Maulvis wearing enormous turbans and long cloaks were standing at the gate and with wild gestures were haranguing the people against him. Many of the people carried stones in their overalls. . The Promised Messiah entered the hall and began his address. The. Maulvis waited in vain for an opportunity to incite the mob. When the address had proceeded for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, a friend offered the Promised Messiah a cup of tea as he was suffering from a sore throat and a sip of some hot drink would afford him relief. The Promised Messiah made a gesture of refusal, but as the gentleman persisted with his offer, he took a sip from the cup. . It was the month of Ramadhan. Immediately an outcry was raised by the Maulvis that he was not a Muslim because he did not fast in the month of Ramadhan. The Promised Messiah replied that the Holy Quran had laid down that a person should not fast while suffering from illness or on a journey and that he was both ill and on a journey. But it is difficult to restrain an excited multitude. The tumult went on increasing and despite all the efforts of the police could not be suppressed. At last it was thought advisable that the. Promised Messiah should resume his seat and someone was asked to give a poetical recitation. This served to restore calm and then the Promised Messiah stood up to resume his lecture, at which the. Maulvis renewed their outcry. As the Promised Messiah tried to continue with his address, the Maulvis incited the people to proceed towards the dais and assault him. The police tried to restrain them, but thousands could not be checked by a few policemen. The mob rushed on like a sea wave and gradually gained ground. . When the police saw the futility of their efforts, they informed the Promised Messiah that they could do no more, upon which the. Promised Messiah discontinued his lecture. But this did not allay the excitement. The people persisted in their effort to force