The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 234
THE PROMISED MESSIAH AND MAHDI. It was revealed to him that all the prophecies regarding the advent of various reformers were no doubt true. They, however, implied that only a single claimant would be raised who would combine in his person the qualities, roles, and spiritual powers of all the great World Reformers whose advent had been promised. Indeed, he would be a soldier from God wearing the garbs of different prophets. He also proclaimed that the religion chosen by Almighty. God for the universal and final manifestation of His Unity is Islam. . Thus, in accordance with the Divine command, Mirza. Ghulam Ahmad claimed to be that global Reformer who was destined to be raised in Islam in complete subordination to the Prophet. Muhammad the last Law-bearing prophet - may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. It was an astonishing claim. It was even more astonishing that this solitary voice, raised from a small, unknown village, seemingly insignificant to the world at large, was heeded at all. Some responded to this call with complete faith and devotion. There were many others who raised a storm of hostility, the like of which has seldom been witnessed in the history of mankind. . His followers were subject to extreme persecution. They were deprived of religious freedom and fundamental human rights. Laws were even enacted in some countries rendering Ahmadis liable to severe punishment and prosecution for the mere act of professing and practising their faith. Yet, this phenomenal opposition utterly failed to arrest the progress of Ahmadiyyat. On the contrary, the Ahmadiyya. Muslim Community is marching forward even faster today than ever before. All the hostile fanatics, be they individuals, groups or governments, have totally failed in their efforts to exterminate. Ahmadiyyat from the face of the earth. . God stood by His servant, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, fulfilled all. His promises and, as prophesied in 1898, "caused his message to reach the corners of the earth. " Today Ahmadiyyat stands established in 120 countries [Today, in 1994, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is established in 143 countries] and the pace of its growth is destined to engulf the whole of mankind. God saved his followers (Ahmadis). 234