The Book In this book, the Promised Messiah(as) described that the house wherein he lived was a like Nuh’s (Noah’s) ark, for which God had promised protection against this calamity. The Promised Messiah(as)’s house was expanded from the Western side in order to afford protection to more and more people. This prophecy of the Promised Messiah(as) was literally fulfilled. The house of the Promised Messiah(as) remained completely immune, and the houses of non‐Muslims adjoining the house of the Promised Messiah(as) were unsafe. The movement expanded so fast that by the end of 1902, the followers had crossed into hundreds of thousands, and by 1904 this figure reached around half a million. One of the remarkable features of this book is that the Promised Messiah(as) spelt out very beautifully the true teachings of Islam and this Nuh’s Ark would continue to serve as an insurance against calamities and troubles ahead. When this teaching reached the Arabs in Arabic, some of them learned it by heart. It assumed the same importance as the “Sermon of the Mount” by Jesus Christ. In fact, it spelt out more effectively and forcefully his teachings than that his name sake had. The teachings contained in this book remain up to this day a landmark in the Movement. There could be no better way of expressing what had been stated in it.
Impact Some of the papers of the time criticised the handbill issued about the book by the Promised Messiah(as), but the house of the Promised Messiah(as) was secure against this calamity. There are two instances worth recalling here, one occured in May 1904. The Promised Messiah(as) said:
Once when the plague was at its peak and had touched the houses of non‐Muslims in Qadian, Maulavi Muhammad ‘Ali had developed fever and he thought he had become the victim of plague and he, like others, dictated his last Will. He was living in a part of my house, so I went to see him and enquired about his health and found him panicky and worried. Then I told him that if he had developed plague then I am an imposter and my claim to Divine revelation is wrong. Saying this I felt his pulse and the moment I touched him, his body became cold and there was no sign of any fever. (Haqiqatul‐Wahi, page 253, Heavenly Sign No. 103, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 22, p. 265)
The other event took place in 1906. The Promised Messiah(as) explains: I saw a number of dreams signifying some impending trial or tribulation for Mir Nasir Nawab, who was my father‐in‐law, and then I prayed for him and his family. He wanted to go to Lahore, I advised him against this.... Next morning his son Ishaq had high fever and there were two gland type swelling on both the thighs and it was believed to be a sure sign of plague. Then I
Maryam
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