Shahna’-e-Haqq

Scourge of the Truth

Background

The Promised Messiah(as) undertook the writing of this book as a rejoinder to the filthy and abusive book written by Aryah Samaj under the title, Surmah Chashm-e-Aryah ki Haqiqat aur fan fraib Ghulam Ahmad ki Kaifiyyat. This attempt by the Aryah Samaj was not based on logic or arguments but on provocative and abusive language, not only against Hazrat Ahmad(as) but also against the Holy Prophet(sa). Hazrat Ahmad(as) wrote this book in five hours using cold logic and powerful arguments as a lash against the Aryah Samajists for their erring language and methods whereby they wanted to hoodwink the innocent people of the age.

The Book

In this book, Hazrat Ahmad(as) refuted the allegations and baseless statements of his enemies. To begin with, Hazrat Ahmad(as) removed the misgiving that he was heavily in debt and reduced to very poor conditions. Hazrat Ahmad(as) pointed out that the allegations that he was not acquainted with the Aryah scriptures and was only out to make money by writing such a book against them, could be best refuted by publication of an authorised translation of the Vedas so that the world might judge them for what they were worth. The Vedas might be the oldest books but merely because they are old books they could not be regarded as superior scriptures.

The Promised Messiah(as) said that the concept of God as presented in the Vedas was most primitive and imperfect. He gave extensive quotations from the Vedas which indicate that the Vedas inculcated the worship of fire, air and water. He also referred to the laws of Manu in which it is laid down that a low caste Hindu is to be put to death if he commits adultery with a high caste girl, but a Brahmun could do so with impunity or by paying a fine. If a Shudra is found listening to the Vedas, his ears are to be stopped with molten lead and wax, and if he should happen to read or memorize the Vedas, his tongue is to be cut off and his heart is to be torn out of the body.

Hazrat Ahmad(as) also dealt with some points raised by Pandit Lekh Ram in his book, Takdhib Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, which the Pandit published in reply to Hazrat Ahmad’s book, Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya.

Hazrat Ahmad(as) exposed the ignorance of Pandit Lekh Ram and pointed out the fallacies in his arguments.

Specimen of Writing

Some revelations indicate that the family into which I would marry would be a high and noble one. One revelation said: “God has provided you with a noble descent and has arranged your marriage in a noble family.” All this was communicated to Sharampat long before the event. He well knows that without any effort on my part God arranged this relationship in a high and noble family of Syeds and made provision for all connected matters and expense in such a manner that I had not to undergo any trouble in that regard. What is more, He continues to fulfil this promise all through.1

Impact/Review

A Christian paper, Nur Afshan, in its issue of March 29, 1888, wrote a review on the book of Pandit Lekh Ram, Takdhib Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya. It said: “Whatever truth there might be in it, the author has certainly excelled even the worst of fanatics in abuses, trash, lies and fabrication. He has written such absurd and nonsensical things that no educated and civilized person could ever utter them much less put them in black and white.”

But in the words of the editor of Mihr Nimroz, Bijnaur, he is a funny gossiper. The editor wrote this, as this was the impression he gained when he met Pandit Lekh Ram. The words are very true. He is very good at manufacturing things …

However, on the advice of the Promised Messiah(as), his close friend, Hazrat Maulavi Hakim Nur-ud-Din (who later became the First Caliph) wrote a crushing reply to the Pandit’s book under the title of Tasdiq-e-Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya in 1890. The Pandit staggered under the blow of Maulavi Sahib’s book.