The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 318
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR RELIGIOUS & OTHER LEADERS 317 but made him enter the company of His living people, the Prophets Abraham and Moses and John, and, after giving him life, called him to the heavens to join those who had been given such a life before him. If you indeed possess the truth and Jesus is, in fact, really and truly God, victory will be yours. And if he is not God, but is instead a frail and feeble mortal, and the truth is in Islam, God Almighty will hear me and will manifest such matters at my hand as you shall not have the power to do. If, however, you say that you will not compete with me and that you do not have the hallmarks of faith, I invite you to come and, on the condition that you will accept Islam, witness the works of God Almighty at my hand from this side. Let anyone of you regarded as honourable, or who is a leader of the community, or is a prominent individual among you—all of them or any of them-come and com- pete with me. But if he be unable to compete, he might seek a Sign from me making only the promise, on his own behalf, that he would accept Islam and believe in it if he witnessed any Sign whose manifesta- tion was beyond the ability of man. Twelve witnesses-four each from the Christian, Muslim, and Hindu communities—should testify to this promise on oath, to be published as a notice. Let one of such notices be sent to me as well. If God Almighty then reveals some extraordinary Sign, which is beyond the power of man to reveal, they should accept Islam without delay. But if they do not accept Islam, the other Sign should be that I would beseech God to send, within one year, some severe calamity over such a person-for example, leprosy, blindness, or death. And if this prayer is not accepted, I shall be ready to pay any penalty as proposed. I offer the same terms to the Arya gentlemen. If they believe their Vedas to be the Word of God Almighty, but consider our Holy Book, the Word of Allah, to be a human fabrication, they may come forward and compete with me. They should remember that, as a consequence of this encounter, they would come to great disgrace. They have the great- est share of atheistic ideas and unbridled audacity, but God Almighty will prove to them that He does exist. If, however, they do not compete