The Descent of the Messiah — Page 13
HADRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMADAS the curse of falsehood. His excuse that he published it because some hapless mischief-makers and liars had reported it to him from Qadian is not valid, for he alone bears the responsibility for its publication. In fact, he also ended up misleading some other newspapers. He knew very well that the Aryas of Qadian have been deeply antagonistic towards this Movement ever since my prophecy regarding Lekhram was fulfilled, and that people of other faiths are also in agreement with them. Could they then be counted as trustworthy in this matter and was it not necessary to investigate their statements? Besides, Paisa Akhbār cannot hide the fact that its editor is an old adversary of this Community, just like the serpent was of Adam. There can be no doubt that his bigotry has led him to report this heap of lies in his newspaper. Again, in the same newspaper, he writes that the wife of Maula, the watchman, has also died of the plague, whereas she is in fact still alive in Qadian to this day. Let people witness the at- titude this person has adopted by declaring the living to be dead! Does the publication of such dangerous lies by the editor of a newspaper, which prints thousands of copies each week, and the hurting of people's feelings not amount to a breach of peace? It is worth considering how much pain he is causing innocent peo- ple and how he is disturbing the peace of society by spreading false news of tragedies and mortalities. While on the one hand, humankind is facing a genuine calamity sent by heaven, we now have this other calamity that is being spread in the land through Paisa Akhbar. I wonder what benefit our countrymen draw from such a filthy newspaper and I am at a loss as to why the Govern- ment is delaying closing it down. Closing it is surely better than hurting thousands of people. (2) The second manner of deception that Paisa Akhbār has adopted is that it mentions fictitious names claiming that these people have died of the plague in Qadian, whereas no one by 13