Deliverance from the Cross — Page 116
to increase steadily, the hostility of the great body of orthodox Islam was in no wise assuaged. It is not our purpose to pursue an academic exposition of the doctrinal differences that divided the Founder and members of the Ahmadiyya Movement from the mass of orthodox Muslims and set them apart from each other. It would, however, be helpful if we were to set out briefly some factors that would assist a seeker after truth to appraise the claim of Hazrat Ahmad. The Holy Prophet had indicated a very dear sign of the appearance of the Mahdi which it was not in the power of any person to manufacture or improvise. Darqutni, an eminent and recognised authority on hadees (sayings of the Holy Prophet), has recorded that the Holy Prophet said: For our Mahdi there are appointed two signs which have never been manifested for any other claimant since the creation of the heavens and the earth. They are that at his advent there shall occur an eclipse of the moon on the first of its appointed nights and an eclipse of the sun on the middle of its appointed days, and both will occur in the same month of Ramadhan. ' Now this is a celestial phenomenon which can only manifest itself according to the divine law governing the movements of celestial bodies and no one can either contrive it, or hasten or delay its manifestation. 116