Announcement1

A Submission Regarding the
price of the Book, Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya,
and Another Important Matter

I would like to submit for the kind attention of all honourable and respected buyers of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, that this is a fairly sizeable book, comprising more than 100 juz’,2 and by the time the complete book is printed, its volume is expected to increase further on account of the footnotes that will be added to it from time to time. It is being printed on high quality paper, in beautiful script, satisfying all the requirements of style and elegance. This is why the actual cost of publication has been estimated at twenty-five rupees per volume. Initially, the price was fixed at five rupees so that—as it was then proposed—the book may become generally available to the Muslims and no one may have any difficulty in acquiring it. I had hoped that well-to-do Muslims, who are also generous and resolute, would lend wholehearted support to this immensely important book and the difference would thus be covered. But, somehow, this hope has not yet been realized. Most people have not purchased more than one or two copies, with the exception of His Excellency, Hazrat Khalifa Syed Muhammad Hassan Khan Bahadur, Dastur-e-Mu‘azzam [Prime Minister and Member Council of Regency] of the State of Patiala, Punjab, who has bought fifty copies for distribution among students who cannot afford it, and has paid their full price as published in the announcement. He has also been of great help in introducing it to other buyers and has promised to help in other ways as well (may God recompense him for it and reward him abundantly). The current situation is that although—according to the announcement published on December 3, 1879—the price has been fixed at ten rupees instead of five, it is still discounted by one and a half times the cost price. Please note that the new rate does not apply to those who had already made payments before the publication of the announcement. Through this announcement, I wish to appeal to all esteemed buyers—whose names I am honoured to record below—and to other affluent and generous people who are engaged in helping the cause of Islam, that they should come forward in support of this worthy cause that has been undertaken to establish the supremacy of Islam and whose benefits will not be limited to their own persons but will reach thousands of servants of God for all times to come.

1. Nawwab Shah Jahan Begam, GCSI, CI, Ruler of Bhopal

2. Nawwab Alauddin Ahmad Khan Bahadur, Ruler of Loharu

3. Maulavi Muhammad Charagh Ali Khan, Assistant Deputy to the Prime Minister of the State of Hyderabad Deccan

4. Ghulam Qadir Khan, Minister of the State of Nalagarh, Punjab

5. Nawwab Mukarramud-Dawlah Bahadur, Hyderabad

6. Nawwab Nazirud-Dawlah Bahadur, Bhopal

7. Nawwab Sultanud-Dawlah Bahadur, Bhopal

8. Nawwab Ali Muhammad Khan Bahadur, Ludhiana, Punjab

9. Nawwab Ghulam Mahbub Subhani Khan Bahadur, Ra’is-e-A‘zam, Lahore

10. Sardar Ghulam Muhammad Khan, Ra’is, Wah

11. Mirza Saeed-ud-Din Ahmad Khan Bahadur, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Ferozepur

The Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said that there is no action more appropriate for man than that he should expend his energies in helping people to attain the bliss of the hereafter. If all the gentlemen addressed above respond to this appeal, I am sure that this task that requires plenty of funds and, as things stand, involves numerous difficulties, will be accomplished with great ease. I hope and pray that God will not allow this immensely important endeavour to go in vain. In the past, many great objectives of our Faith have been achieved in miraculous ways; I hope that even today someone from the unseen will come forward with help.

We place our trust in Allah. He is an excellent Friend and an excellent Helper.

Announced by the Author,
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Chief of Qadian
District Gurdaspur, Punjab

An Apology

The first half of this book should have been published by now, but it has been delayed by up to seven or eight months due to illness and some other unforeseen complications faced by the owner of Safir-e-Hind Press, Amritsar, Punjab, where the book is being printed. God willing, there will be no such delays in future.

Ghulam Ahmad