The Essence of Islam – Volume V — Page 161
MISCELLANEOUS SIGNS My late father Mirzā Ghulām Murtadā was a well- known chief in this area. He received pension from the British government as well as four hundred rupees as stipend. He also owned four villages. The pension and the stipend would last only as long as he lived. As for the landed property, lawsuits by his collaterals were about to begin. It was in such a state of affairs that he fell ill at the age of eighty-five. Though he did recover eventually, he continued to suffer from a minor com- plaint of dyspepsia. It was a Saturday afternoon when a slight slumber came over me and I received the follow- ing revelation from God: وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ Its meaning was communicated to me thus: 'By the heaven, and by the tragedy that will occur after sun- set. ' I was made to feel that this prophecy was about my father, and that he would die on the same day af- ter sunset, and that the revealed words were in the manner of a commiseration from God. Immediately after I had received this revelation, the thought crossed my mind, as warranted by the human condi- tion, that I would be faced with great difficulties as a result of his death. All the sources of income that were linked to his person would now cease and a ma- 51 By the heaven and the morning star. [Publisher] 161