The Light of Truth — Page 375
REFUTING OBJECTIONS 375 and that he was the Promised Messiah who had come to extinguish the flame of the oppressors; and that he had been sent to reform the age, to renew the Religion, and teach the ways of faith; then, his claim was linked with this Sign from the All-Wise, the Compassionate; and Allah had brought together the two eclipses in the month of Ramadan dur- ing the very days of his claim, irrespective of whether he was truthful or a liar. But if you do not present the like thereof—and never shall you do it you will possess nothing but froth. Know, therefore, that this was a Sign for me from Allah, the Friend. He is my Lord, He helped and taught me from Himself and He befriended me. He opened for me the doors to the knowledge belonging to those who had passed before and made me its inheritor. Yet here you are! You deny this Sign of Allah but are unable to bring forth the like thereof. Among you there is a group of people who accepted the truth after applying themselves and observing intently. Which of these two parties, then-O ye hasty ones!—is more deserv- ing of peace? Are you not afraid of having labelled a hadith of the Chosen One as false even after its truth has become manifest like the forenoon sun? Are you able to give me a similar example from the ear- lier centuries? Have you read the name of any man who was a claimant [to being the Mahdi] and said, 'I am from Allah the Most High', and the moon and the sun were eclipsed in Ramadan during his lifetime, as you have just witnessed? If you know of such a person, then say so clearly, O deniers, and you shall have a one thousand rupee reward in cash from me. So come take your prize if you can prove this. I call upon Allah to witness this promise of mine and you, too, bear witness and He is the Best of Witnesses. However, if you fail to prove it-and never shall you prove it-then fear the hellfire that has been prepared for the mischief-makers.