An Introduction to the Hidden Treasures of Islam — Page 41
41 the Promised Son. However, when Bash i r I died on November 4, 1888, at the age of sixteen months, the enemies of Islam raised a commotion in order to decry Hadrat Ahmad as by saying that the boy who died was the one who should have lived to become the Promised Reformer. For a time, Hadrat Ahmad as remained silent but when he saw that the enemies of Islam were deceiving the public, he issued a detailed reply in the form of a leaflet 8 in December, 1888. This is known as Subz Ishtih a r (Green Announcement) because it was printed on green paper. The Book Hadrat Ahmad as pointed out that he had never declared that Bash i r I was the son for whose birth the period of nine years was fixed. Bash i r I was born in fulfilment of a separate prophecy contained in the leaflet which was published on April 18, 1886. There was certainly no revelation which declared that Bash i r I was the Promised Reformer. Even if Hadrat Ahmad as had looked upon him as such, it could detract nothing from the value of the prophecy. His own conjecture could not be faultless. A prophet's own interpretation sometimes may not be correct. It has always been the case with the prophets of God, but the Word of God cannot err. In this case, however, Hadrat Ahmad as had never put any definite interpretation on the prophecy, so there could be no mistake about it. As a matter of fact, the death of Bash i r I was also in fulfilment of a portion of the original prophecy made on February 20, 1886, which runs as follows: I shall multiply thee exceedingly and shall bless thy children. But some of them will die in their infancy. Bash i r I died in infancy and thus this part of the prophecy was fulfilled. So Hadrat Ahmad as stressed the importance of his mission and explained that the object of his prophecies was to demonstrate that Islam was a living religion. Honest seekers after truth were 8 See Sabz Ishtih a r , p. 1, R uha n i Khaz a’ in , vol 2, p. 44.