Deliverance from the Cross — Page 124
verses in effect pronounce a sentence of ruin against anyone who falsely claims to be a recipient of divine revelation and persists in his claim over a period of twenty-three years, which was the period of the Holy Prophet's ministry. Hazrat Ahmad had been a recipient of revelation and had put himself forward as such even before the publication of Braheen Ahmadiyya, and long before his claim of being the Mahdi-Messiah. He persisted in his claim of being a recipient of divine revelation for well over thirty years, during which period he continued to receive divine support and protection, so that his life furnished a surprising spectacle of triumph after triumph bestowed upon him by divine grace. There is divine testimony in the Holy Quran that the Holy Prophet possessed the highest moral excellences (al-Qalam, 68:5). In this respect also Hazrat Ahmad was a reflection of the Holy Prophet and his life illustrated the highest moral standards in every respect. His love of and devotion to God and the Holy Prophet are evidenced in every page of his writings and every paragraph of the report of his talks and dialogues, and were reflected in the mirror of his daily conduct. He stated in a Persian verse: 'Next to the love of God I am intoxicated with the love of Muhammad; if this amounts to disbelief, then God is mywitness that I am a great disbeliever. ' (Izala Auham, Ruhaani Khazaa'in Vol. 3, edt. 2021, pg 185) 124