Intro
In 1887, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was selling this “Barahin-i-Ahmadiyya” in the New York Tribune of March-1887 (See “Religious Jottings,” New York Tribune, March 27, 1887, page 11, via Bowen). Per Bowen, it was Alexander Webb who got this published! The New York Tribune described MGA as a prophet, it is unclear who made this supposition, was it Alexander Webb?
Furthermore, in this advertisement, MGA is saying that he is under the protection of the British Government!!! MGA is grateful to the colonist, in fact, MGA called them a temporal Khalifa in 1902! Moreover, MGA gives a ridiculous challenge of asking people to pay 200 rupees before they come to Qadian and promising them a heavenly sign.
In roughly 1888-1889, Webb allegedly converted to Ahmadiyya (Webb called it Islam). Bowen quoted a letter from June 21, 1892, in a letter to Eugene Field, Webb states: “I have been a Moslem for over three years”; see Eugene Field Correspondence, Box 1 Folder 3, University of Chicago Library. For other estimates of the date of his conversion, see Abd-Allah, A Muslim, 66. Coincidentally, MGA began accepting bait in March-1889, the list of the first 40 converts is totally missing from the records. Was Webb listed therein?
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See “Religious Jottings,” New York Tribune, March 27, 1887, page 11, via Bowen
“‘There is a pious Mohammedan Prophet in the Punjaab in India, who says that he is specially inspired to convert the Western civilized world to the faith of Islam. A few days ago, a gentleman of St. Louis. received a document from him of which the following is the opening paragraph:
From Gulam Ahmad, an humble servant of the eternal God and a follower of the chief prophet (Muhammad):
To—-: Sir–With all respect and humility I (the compiler of “Burahin-i-Ahmadia”) beg to say that the Almighty has commissioned me to try, like the Nazarene prophet (Christ), to amend the morals of mankind with utmost humility, lowliness, respect, submission and meekness, and to point out to the unacquainted the straight way by which we can obtain salvation, perceive the manifestations of heavenly life, and by which the marks of being loved by the Almighty become visible even in this physical world. For this purpose the book entitled, “Burahin-i-Ahmadia” has been compiled of which 592 pages have been printed and published, according to the synopsis of contents given in the accompanying notice. But as the publication of the entire book will take a long time, it has been determined, for the sake of conviction to invite the dissenters by sending out this special epistle, together with the enclosed notice to all the distinguished clergy and Jews of note throughout all the continents of the world, as fare as its transmission may be possible, and similarly to the chief leaders of Buddhists, Brahmas, Aryas, naturalists, Parsis and the bigoted Maulanis (who do not believe in the existence of miracles and unusual deeds, and are hence suspicious against me).
He invites the gentleman to visit him in India. “If you do not come”, he says, “you will yourself be answerable to God. After awaiting your arrival for three months, the statement of your indifference will ipso facto be noted in the book as stated above; but in case you do come and fail to behold any heavenly signs during your stay with me for the time specified you shall be paid 200 rupees per meuseurs(?)(besides food and accomodation which will be supplied free to all) as compensation to cover your damages, or as a recovery of fine in default of my promise. If you deem this sum inadequate to your dignity I am even ready to pay as damages or fine for unfulfilling promised whatever suitable sum you propose yourself, proportionate to your rank it is be not beyond my means. It is, however, necessary that visitors desirous of recovering damages or fine should ask my permission beforehand through registered note of their intent of coming over to me to enable me to limit the number according to the availability of my estate, but it is not requisite to do it otherwise. Finally, I thank God that he has been pleased to display, through his infinite grace, the reasons and doctrines of this true religion, and has placed me for the spread of it under the protection of the liberal government of the British nation to whom I am grateful through the sense of obligation and gratitude. “Peace to all the followers of righteousness”. With due respects, I beg to remain air, your obedient well-wisher. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Kadian, District Gurdaspur, Punjaub, India, Asia. Provided one wants to investigate the religion of Islam, Mr. Ahmad certainly makes that investigation as pleasant and inexpensive as could be expected”””.
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