The Essence of Islam – Volume IV — Page 205
Propagation, Establishment of a Holy Jama'at, and Instructions 205 the Jews had announced and formulated in their books concerning the advent of Jesusas were not ful- filled. Then the same wretched people formulated a number of signs for the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, and only a few of them were fulfilled. For instance, they had imagined that this last Prophet would be from among the Israelites. . . but the Holy Prophetsa appeared from among the Ishmaelites. Had God Al- mighty so willed, He could have recorded in the Torah that the name of that Prophet would be Mu- hammad and that the name of his father would be 'Abdullah and that the name of his grandfather would be 'Abdul Muttalib and that he would be born in Mecca and would migrate to Medina. But God did not record all this, because such prophecies have to be the test of faith. It has been specified for the Promised Messiah in advance that he would be an Arbiter be- tween the different sects of Islam. Now, when each sect has a collection of its own Ahādīth and how can it be possible for him to conform to the ideas of eve- ryone? If he confirms the Ahl-e-Hadith, the Hanafis would be disgruntled, and if he confirms the Hanafis, the Shafi'is would be annoyed, and the Shīʻās would insist that he should have appeared in accordance with their doctrine. How could he please everyone? The very word 'Arbiter' indicates that he would ar- rive at a time when all sects would have departed from the truth to some degree. In these circumstances, it would be a great folly for each sect to test him on the touchstone of its own Ahādīth. The right course