The Descent of the Messiah — Page 287
HADRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMADAS No Date of Prophecy The Revelation that I have been graced with has disclosed to me these miraculous prophecies that have already ap- peared in the world, and thousands of witnesses attest to them, some of which have been mentioned here Date Prophecy Fulfilled 114 Around 1887* Once, I received a letter from the true brother of my wife, Around 1887 Sayyed Muhammad Ismail (who was at that time ten years old). He wrote from Patiala that his mother had died and there was no one to look after his younger brother, Ishaq. At the end of the letter, there was a note that Ishaq had also died and that upon seeing the letter we should come immediately. This letter caused me great anxiety, particu- larly as my wife had a high fever at the time and I could not bring myself to tell her of the two sudden deaths. I was extremely perturbed because the one who was being asked to go had a high fever. I was afraid that if I told her about the contents of the letter in her state of illness, it might jeopardise her very life. I could not sleep at night worrying about what to do as I could not keep the letter a secret. When a part of the night had passed, my heart became very restless, more than I can describe, and then, in this state of extreme anxiety, I was overcome by a light slumber and received the revelation: إِنَّ كَيْدَ كُنَّ عَظِيمٌ * That is, "O women! Your device is indeed mighty. " In this condition I could not narrate the contents of the letter. From this, I was made to understand that the entire thing was merely a ruse. I narrated this incident to my brother Maulawi Abdul Karim who was present in Qadian at the time, and I also secretly sent my servant Sheikh Hamid Ali to Patiala. He came back with the news that both Ishaq and his mother were alive and well and that the erroneous letter had been written as a result of a few days of illness and anxiety and a desire for a visit. Living Witnesses: Witnesses to this sign are Maulawī Abdul Karim; Sheikh Hamid Ali; Mir Muhammad Ismail; his mother; and many other men and women. This appears to be a scribal error. It should be 1892 instead of 1887. Hadrat Mir Muhammad Ishaqa was born in 1892. For details, see Sirat Hadrat Sayyedah Nusrat Jahan Begum Şahibaha, compiled by Hadrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfani, pp. 568-569. [Publisher] 287