The Descent of the Messiah — Page 190
THE DESCENT OF THE MESSIAH 19 [continued] at a time when there was not even a single person with me, and today this Community numbers more than sev- enty thousand. When God says in the English revelation that even if all men leave me, God shall remain with me and shall eventually help me, this was an indication that I would be accompanied by the same special grace that God bestows on people He loves and those who love Him. In reality, God acts in this world in three ways: (1) as God; (2) as a friend; and (3) as an opponent. His treatment of ordinary people is in His capacity as God. His treatment of those who love Him and whom He loves stems not only from His capacity as God but is dominated by His capacity as a friend, and the world can see that God is supporting such a person like a friend. His s treatment treatment o of His adversaries is characterised by the signs of terrible chastisement that clearly indicate that God is the enemy of those people or that person. At times, God treats His friend in such a way that He makes the entire world his enemy and, for a time, subjects him to their tongues and their hands, but He does not do this because He wants to destroy or disgrace or hu- miliate him; He does this so that He might show His sign to the world and so that His impudent opponents should realise that, despite having striven tooth and nail, they were unable to harm His friend. Living Witnesses: The witness for prophecy number 19 is primarily Barahin-e-Ah- madiyya in which this prophecy is recorded. By comparing the present with the era when Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya was published, every intelligent person can determine the conditions that prevailed at the time of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya and what occured after- wards. As I have written time and again, it is more manifest than even the sun that the prophecies in which it is mentioned that "I shall make this Movement a large party" have been fulfilled in 1901 and 1902. Firstly, it is obvious that at the time when the prophecies of a large following were recorded in Barāhīn-e-Ahmadiyya, there was no sign or indication of such a Community, as is repeatedly mentioned in Barahin-e-Ah- madiyya itself, as well as the prayer : رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْوَرِثِينَ meaning, "O my God, do not leave me alone and Thou art the best of the inheritors" Besides, who in the Punjab or India can claim that he had a relationship of discipleship with me at the time of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya? In fact, you will find only a handful of people who were acquainted with me at the time. The government is witness to the fact that people never called upon me in Qadian. 190