The Descent of the Messiah — Page 29
HADRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMADAS country soon. " See the announcement about the plague dated February 6, 1898. All these books and announcements have been made known to hundreds of thousands of people. Clearly, a prophecy of this magnitude that was made long before the appearance of the plague could not be the work of a human. The only explanation for why the Punjab has been hit by this scourge more than any other province is because this province has been foremost in attacking the words of God, and has resorted to an outright attack against the one appointed and sent by Him. They neither entered the true Community them- selves nor did they allow the people of India to do so. Since this province was the foremost adversary in the sight of God, it ex- perienced the plague more than others. It was with respect to this province that I had prayed for the plague a long time ago and the prayer was accepted, upon which hundreds of announce- ments were published throughout the province but, regrettably, its residents exhibited extreme callousness. They witnessed the clear signs of God but denied them. The signs that have appeared in this country and have been witnessed by thousands, nay, hun- dreds of thousands of people, some of which have been cited in this book as examples, number more than a hundred and fifty, and yet the people of this province say that they have seen no signs. Tell me, should the plague still not appear in this province? Can there be mischief greater than witnessing the signs and then denying them? Did the lunar and solar eclipses not take place during Ramadan? Are these Aḥādīth not present in the books of the Shiites as well as those of the Sunni sects? Did these signs appear at the time of any claimant other than me? Has there been anyone else who has claimed that these signs have ap- peared for him? To say that this Hadith is not authentic is yet another injustice. 29