The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 694
SHAIKH MEHR ALI, CHIEF OF HOSHIARPUR why did he write a summary of my letter implying that I had only written that grace would descend. How far removed from the fear of God it is that that the charge of falsehood is being made in gatherings to cause my heart such pain. Well, I will make it easy by suggesting a conven- ient method to decide my truthfulness or falsehood as follows. Verdict 693 Last night, the 25th of February 1893, being greatly pained by the attitude of Shaikh Ṣāḥib, I supplicated for a heavenly decision. I was shown in a dream that I had sent some money to a shopkeeper as the price of something good and fragrant. He took the money but sent an evil-smelling substance. When I saw it, I became angry and told my messenger: Go back to the shopkeeper and tell him to send me what I had asked for; otherwise, I would file a complaint against him for cheating and he will be sent to jail for at least six months and probably longer. Thereupon, the shopkeeper perhaps sent back word that he had not done this, or that it was not in his power to do and, together with this, sent word that there is a madman going around who had influ- enced him and made him forgetful, but he was now ready to send back what I had asked. I interpreted this to mean that the Shaikh [Mehr 'Alī] would be afflicted with such humiliation and eventually would be remorseful and that for the moment he was acting under someone else's influence. I then turned my attention again to the matter and I received this revelation: