Precious Pearls — Page 15
17 Despite his constant and persistent efforts at raising the moral and spiritual standard of his people, the masses by and large rejected his message. But then, such has been the treatment rendered to practically every other reformer in history. The poetry as well as the prose of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is full of pain and disappointment at the continued heedlessness of the people and he constantly prays to God for the re-greening of the orchard of Islam: Who accepted me in fear? Who gave up spite and malice? Our life is now only to hear their invectives. They call us “disbeliever”, “ Antichrist ” and “evil” Who is there to believe with honesty and sincerity? Whoever you see, he exceeds in distrust beyond limits; If someone asks, he will point out a hundred faults. They leave the Faith and love the world instead; Much as we exhort and advise, who shows regret? My heart is sinking after seeing the Faith’s misfortune But God’s Hand is about to give support to the heart. (27/5-9) O my Dear Mighty One! Show the spring of Faith again; How long shall we endure the days of people’s deception? The day has risen upon Islam’s foes; upon us is night; O my Sun! Pray show the days of this Faith’s shining. The heart is sinking the life, too, is in turmoil Pray grant that the days of Thy Advent be near. Pray rid me of my grief by showing Thy Face How long shall last such days of teasing us? Pray check whose clamour is there in Thy lane! Would Thou, my Dear, then come the day we’re dead? This vessel is about to sink pray come my Captain; The time of wilting, O Dear, is upon this orchard now. If it does at all, it may be through Thy Hands, my Love, Or else, the Faith is dead and these are the days to bury it. (35/11-17) In the tradition of other reformers and prophets before him, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad repeatedly warned the people as to the consequence of his rejection and their continued wickedness and disbelief. In this respect, his prose as well as his poetry makes numerous mentions of pestilences, earthquakes, bloodshed and other afflictions that could visit mankind. However, close to the end of his life in the years 1905 to 1908 he made very specific warnings about a great disaster that was about to befall as a direct result of his rejection and the continued immorality of the peoples. His poems: Prophecy of a Great Earthquake, Warnings, Warnings and Good News, Hymns and Preaching of Truth, and Prophecy of a Great War make particular mention of such impending events: A Sign is about to appear a few days from today, that will Cause havoc in the hamlets, towns and meadows; An upheaval shall visit the people through God’s wrath An unclothed one will not be able to put on the clothes All at once, through quakes, they will shake vigorously The people, the trees, the stones, and the seas.