The essay of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Sahib, the Chief of Qadian, which was read out by Maulana Abdul Karim Sahib Sialkoti, in Lahore in the Conference of Great Religions Dharam Mahutsu[6] on 27th dec 1896.[7]
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
نحمدہ ونصلی علی رسولہ الکریم
It is necessary that a claim and the reasons in support of it must be set forth from a revealed book.
In this auspicious Conference the purpose of which is that those who have been invited to participate in it should expound the merits of their respective religions with reference to the questions that have been formulated. I shall today set forth the merits of Islam. Before I proceed to do so I deem it proper to announce that I have made it obligatory upon myself that whatever I state will be based upon the Holy Quran which is the Word of God Almighty. I consider it essential that everyone who follows a book, believing it to be revealed, should base his exposition upon that book and should not so extend the scope of his advocacy of his faith as if he is compiling a new book. As it is my purpose today to establish the merits of the Holy Quran and to demonstrate its excellence, it is incumbent upon me not to state anything which is not comprehended in the Quran and to set forth everything on the basis of its verses and in accord with their meaning and that which might be inferred from them, so that those attending the Conference should encounter no difficulty in carrying out a comparison between the teachings of different religions. As all those who believe in a revealed book will also confine themselves to statements comprised in their respective revealed books, I shall not make any reference to the traditions of the Holy Prophet , inasmuch as all true traditions are only derived from the Holy Quran which is a perfect book comprehending all other books. In short this is the day of the manifestation of the glory of the Holy Quran and I humbly beseech God Almighty to assist me in this undertaking. Amen.
END NOTES
6. This is Hindi expression for Great Religions. [Back]
7. This sentence is by the conveners. [Back]