Exonerating the Elders of the Family

There is a detailed account of these ‘exonerating services’ which are referred to in the above excerpt. In that context, the Promised Messiah (as) has argued that his family had supported the British in their battles against the Sikhs and in some other battles and supplied armed troops to the British at his family’s own cost. After recounting all this, the Promised Messiah (as) addressed the British and asked how could they set it all aside and look upon his family as one which is engaged in anti-British activities, calculated to bring about the ruin of the British? In all of these writings, the Promised Messiah (as) never made any reference whatsoever to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at and did not even mention the name of the Jama‘at.

As against this the fact was that when these allegations against the Promised Messiah (as) were being conveyed to the British his own family (who were, apart from being non-Ahmadis, staunch opponents of Ahmadiyyat) had several complaints against him one of which was that he was dishonouring them in the world in respect of religion (because he had made a claim which they could not accept) and, over and above that, that he was degrading and humiliating them in the eyes of the Government and was inviting its enmity to himself and the family. It was in this background that he wrote to the Government on behalf of his family. And addressing the Government he mentioned the letters which were sent by the Government to the elders of the family regarding their loyalty and devotion for the Government. Thus he says:

‘ … fifty years of continuous experience has proven it to be a valiantly loyal family [there is absolutely no mention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at here; only his family is mentioned] and in respect of which the higher officials of this esteemed government have always testified in their testimonials, on the basis of their considered opinion, that they have been staunch well-wishers of the British government, and in their service, since ancient times. So the Government should take utmost caution and care and should make [proper] investigation and pay due attention to this khud kashta pauda.’1