29 April 1908

The Devotion and Sincerity of the People of Amritsar

On 29 April 1908, when the train from Batala to Lahore arrived at Amritsar carrying the Promised Messiah, Vicegerent of Allah in the mantle of Prophets, may thousands of blessings and peace be upon him, sincere members of the Ahmadiyya Community of Amritsar, with unending zeal of righteousness and reverence and with hearts full of eagerness to behold their lord and master, were already gathered at the railway station. As soon as the train came to a halt, all sincere faithful ones proceeded for the honour of a handshake audience with him. Everyone wanted to step forward. The eagerness of their devotion was evident in their faces.

Men of Allah have a unique attraction that is peculiar to the special people of God and the hallmark of the exalted servants of God and is bestowed upon the ones who come from God as a Sign. The atmosphere was such that anyone on the train station who heard his name was moved in his heart by the desire to behold him and he came rushing forth. The Prince of Peace and the beloved of God was seated in the second class compartment.

Majesty, glory, awe, and eminence were in attendance to bear witness to his veracity. Setting their eyes upon him and moving on, people would come, behold him, and leave. Hindus and Sikhs would salute and greet him in their way and Muslims in their own style. People were trying to catch a glimpse of the luminous face of the Promised Messiah (as), peeping through the windows, standing on the platform, and on the foot boards on the other side of the train. No one was able to get his heart’s fill.

Seek a Verdict From the Holy Quran Regarding the Life and Death of the Messiah [Jesus]

During this time, a person who was a Muslim arrived with a few others. The Promised Messiah (as) invited him into the train and sat him next to himself. The Promised Messiah (as) addressed him in response to his question, as follows:

The testimony of God is more trustworthy than any other. We have the Holy Word of God in the form of the Holy Quran. Verily, Muslims ought to first turn to the Holy Quran to decide and find what is right in matters of dispute. If they have any argument for the eternal life of Jesus (as), they should produce some verse of the Noble Quran [in its support]. On the contrary, when we ponder over the Holy Quran for this purpose, we find only such statements of God in regard to him as  اِنِّیْ مُتَوَفِّیْکَ1, فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّیْتَنِیْ2.

Now, it is an occasion to ponder whether or not this word has been used for any other Prophet in the Holy Quran. We clearly find that this same word تَوَفِّی [tawaffi] has been used for other Prophets and also for our lord and master, Muhammad the Elect and Ahmad the Chosen One (sas). God Almighty says:

اِمَّا نُرِیَنَّکَ بَعْضَ الَّذِیْ نَعِدُہُمْ اَوْ نَتَوَفَّیَنَّکَ۠3

And then we see the same word in regard of Joseph (as):

تَوَفَّنِیْ مُسْلِمًا وَّ اَلْحِقْنِیْ بِالصّٰلِحِیْنَ4

Now, someone should tell me the reason for this peculiarity: why is it that when this word is applied to other Prophets, it is in the sense of death, but when this word comes in regard to Jesus (as), the purport of this word [suddenly] changes and it does not give the meaning of death? They should set bigotry aside and think it over for a moment in the search of truth.

Hurling abuse has become obligatory for them—so be it! Now, what I am curious about is to see whether or not any word of wisdom issues forth from their mouth with righteousness and fear of God being their focus. But alas! It has never come to fruition.

One who is in the right wields the help and support of God with him, enjoys power and majesty in his speech, and his very breath holds a magnetic attraction.

The Promised Messiah (as) said:

The proposition of Jesus (as) being alive did not bode well for them because many from among them passed away chanting the mantra of his life—longing and hoping—but the life of Jesus (as) did not help them at all.

At this point the bell rang, the whistle blew, and the train started moving towards Lahore.5