23. Twenty-Third Sign

Is the prophecy about Deputy ‘Abdullah Atham which has been very clearly fulfilled. The fact is that these were two prophecies. The first was that he would die within fifteen months, and the second was that if he would desist from his published statement that—God forbid—the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was the Dajjal, he would not die within fifteen months.1

As I have already stated, the basis of the prophecy for his death was that in one of his books Andruna-i-Bible [‘Inner Nature of the Bible’], Atham had pronounced our Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, to be the Dajjal. It is true that in the prophecy fifteen months was the stipulated time frame for Atham’s death, but along with it there was the condition, the wording of which was: ‘provided he does not turn to the Truth’. But Atham retracted in the same public meeting. In great humility, he stuck his tongue out and with both hands on his ears, he expressed remorse at having used the word Dajjal [Antichrist]. Not one or two but as many as sixty or seventy people are witnesses to it—about half of them being Christians and about half being Muslims. I think about fifty of them might still be alive in whose presence Atham had retracted from using the word Dajjal and then, until the day of his death, he never uttered any such word again.

Now it should be considered what maliciousness, wickedness, and dishonesty it is that, despite Atham’s unequivocal retraction in the presence of some sixty or seventy witnesses, it should be asserted that Atham did not retract. Divine wrath was entirely based upon the word Dajjal. This was the basis for the prophecy and retraction from this very word was the condition. For him to become a Muslim is not at all mentioned in the prophecy. Hence, when he retracted in all humility, God also turned to him with mercy.

God’s revelation never implied that, unless Atham accepted Islam, he would not escape death, for all the Christians share their disbelief in Islam. God does not compel anyone to accept Islam. It would be entirely irrational to prophesy that if a certain person did not accept Islam, he would die within a certain period of time. The world is full of people who deny Islam. And I have stated again and again that in this world no chastisement can visit anyone simply on account of denying Islam. The reckoning for this sin will only occur on the Day of Judgment. As such, what was so special about Atham that his death—but not of others—be prophesied on account of his denying Islam?

The sole cause of this prophecy was that he had used the word Dajjal about the hallowed status of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, from which he retracted in the presence of some sixty or seventy people, including many who were noble and respectable, who were present in that gathering. Then, after he had retracted from this word, and, indeed, continued to weep afterwards, he became deserving of mercy in the sight of God Almighty, but only to the extent that his death was delayed by a few months and he died in my lifetime. So, in accordance with the debate, which was a kind of prayer duel, he was proven to be a liar on account of his death. Has the prophecy still not been fulfilled? Of course, it was fulfilled—and fulfilled very clearly!

God’s curse is upon such hearts as do not desist from finding faults with such definitive Signs. If they so desire, I can produce some forty witnesses to Atham’s retraction. This is why he did not dare swear on oath even though all Christians have been making statements on oath throughout; Hadrat Masih himself swore on oath. I need not prolong this discussion—Atham is not alive anymore; it has been more than eleven years since he died.