The Shining Lamp — Page xiii
Foreword In this magnificent book published in 1897, the Promised Messiah as documents thirty-seven prophecies, including the humiliating ends of Pundit Lekh Ram and Abdullah Atham, two outspoken critics of the Holy Prophet Muhammad s as. He shares the glori- ous prophecy of Mu s le h Ma‘ u d, the Divinely favoured Promised Son, and foretells a devastating plague outbreak in India. The book features an affectionate exchange of letters between Hadrat Khaw a jah Ghul a m Far i d rta , a revered sufi saint, and the Promised Messiah as , which includes his poem extolling the glory of God, the perfection of the Quran, and his immense love for the Holy Prophet s as. The Holy Prophet Muhammad s as is named Sir a j-e-Mun i r () in S u rah al-A h z a b, 33:47 because he embodies all luminous qualities. Like a lamp lighting others, he illuminated thousands of hearts in his very lifetime, and billions thereafter. The Promised Messiah as attained his exalted status by following the Prophet Muhammad s as , and those who humbly follow these footsteps will similarly reflect his light. I would like to acknowledge the contributions of Rubina Nasir for providing the preliminary translation that was reviewed by Shehzad Ahmad. This manuscript was used as a basis for the final translation that was performed by Bilal Ahmad Rana, Waseem Ahmad Sayed, and Naser-ud-Din Shams, with valuable assistance