The Heavenly Sign — Page 14
14 Nishān-e-Asmānī middle of the thirteenth century, how then can he be called the Mujaddid of the Fourteenth Century? Moreover, Sayyid Şahib himself never made the claim which is ascribed to him, nor can any statement of his be presented which contains such a claim. Besides, in his poem, Shaikh Ni'matullah Walī has said that he who has to come will also be called the Mahdi and ‘Īsās (Jesus); and it is well known that Sayyid Ahmad had never claimed to be ‘Īsāas. Furthermore, these verses also indicate that his son, who will have the characteristics of his father, will succeed him. It is also clear that Sayyid Ahmad Şāhib never made a prophecy about such a perfect, righteous son, nor did he have any son who was imbued with the spirit of 'Īsās. These verses also indicate that after being commissioned, the reformer will live for forty years, while it is well known that Sayyid Şāhib passed away from this transitory world just a few years after his advent. It is evident from Brāhīn-e-Ahmadiyya that I was commissioned to revive the faith at the age of forty, about eleven years ago. According to the prophecy mentioned in Izāla Auhām: ثمانين حولاً او قريباً من ذلك " as it appears that the tenure of my mission will extend to forty years. And it is Allah Who knows best. The expectation that Sayyid Ahmad will return to this world, is similar to the expectation regarding the coming of Eliass and of Jesusas. Many simple and ignorant people 14 Eighty years or thereabout. [Translator]