The True Nature of the Mahdi — Page 20
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad 20 great achievement would be that he would coerce people to become Muslims. And that they are entirely based on the principles of [promoting] peace and tolerance; on account of which neither an opponent is given the op - portunity that he should level the accusation of any type of coercion against Islam, nor, on their account, one is at all made to subject mankind to a barbaric treatment; nor one’s moral condition is marred thereby; nor people of such pure beliefs are forced to lead a life of hypocrisy under the Government who follows a different religion. However, as for the beliefs that are contrary to those of mine and on which these people have pinned their hopes, there is no need to explain them. Our wise Gov - ernment should remember that of all the Muslim sects, the dangerous sect is the one who holds treacherous be - liefs. Muhammad Husain Batalwi’s likening me to the Sudanese Mahdi is nothing but an attempt to mislead the Government. It is evident that neither I believe in Jihad 2 , nor do I believe in such a Mahdi; nor am I wait - ing for such a Messiah, whose [i. e. , of the Mahdi’s and Messiah’s] mission is to wage Jihad and shed blood, what likeness then can the Sudanese have to me and what con - nection can I have with him? As far as I know, the beliefs 2 That is, taking up arms against the non-Muslims in order to convert them. [Publisher]