The True Nature of the Mahdi — Page 54
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad 54 need has increased in our time to strengthen the Faith and for the descent of clear Signs from the Gracious God. The shedding of blood and smiting of necks will not benefit them; rather, it shall only increase various kinds of suspicions and divisions. The true Mahdi, the need for whom has increased greatly in this age, is not a man who bears arms and teaches the arts of war and the use of the sword and spear. Rather, the truth is that such customs harm the Faith in these times, inspire various kinds of suspicions and evil whispers in the hearts of people, and support the claim that Muslims are a people who possess noth - ing but the sword and only intimidate others by the spear, and they know naught but the killing of man. The Imam being sought by the hearts of the seekers in this age, and by the souls that are searching as though on the brink of starvation, is a godly man, refined, with outstanding morals, and characterised by dignified and pleasing traits. Moreover, he is from among the people of wisdom and knowledge, and is endowed with conclusive proofs and evidences. He has excelled all others in the divine sciences, and has outdone his contemporaries in the finer points of revelation and difficult issues of the religious law. He possesses power of speech which affects the hearts of those gathered in