Miracles of the Holy Quran

Experiment in Fasting (Dr. H. S. Tanner) (Fasting has been prescribed by different religions in one form or another for the spiritual benefit of the faithful. During the month of Ramadhan Muslims fast daily from dawn until sunset as commanded in the Holy Quran. Dr. Tanner did not carry out his fasts on any religious basis but his written experiences are of great interest. — Editor) “During my Minneapolis fast in 1887, of forty-two days, I was in the habit of walking five miles per day, when the weather would permit, and on the thirty-eighth I walked ten miles without very much fatigue. I did not allow myself to be hungry. I treated my stomach as I would myself in its entirety. I claim that a well rounded out man should have absolute control of every organ of his body. I notified my stomach on the start that I should withold all food from the gastric domain for forty days, and that as a consequence, it might regard the long rest in the sight of a ‘summer vacation’; that I should require it to behave during the period as a well-behaved stomach should do, no whining for food, no gastric upheavals, no disturbance of the peace of the family organs etc. I hold water as the most valuable of foods. It is not a tissue builder, but a great strength giver. When I left Clarendon Hall—where my last fast was held — after fourteen days’ abstinence from water, I was very weak, scarcely able to walk downstairs without supporting myself with the hand rail. On that day I made my first visit to Central Park. There I found a spring of very cool and refreshing water, of which I partook freely. Returning to the Hall after an absence of one hour only, I climbed the stairs of Clarendon Hall, two steps at a time, with the nimbleness of a boy. I attributed that wonderful change to the water I drank and the pure air which I breathed on that occasion. During my Minneapolis fast my mental powers were daily augmented, to the very great surprise of my medical attendants, who were constantly on the watch for mental collapse, which was freely predicted, if I persisted in the experiment until the tenth day. About the middle of my first experiment I had visions — not of ‘steaming 31 bowls of chicken broth,’ but with visions of the evergreen shores of the ‘land over there.’ Like Paul of old, I seemed to be intromitted to the ‘third heaven,’ and there saw things which not even the pen or the voice of a Milton or Shakespeare could portray in all their vivid reality. As a result of my experience, I came to comprehend why the old prophets and seers so often resorted to fasting as a means of mental and spiritual illumination. When I broke my fast I broke all records. I ate sufficient food in the first twenty-four hours after breaking the fast to gain nine pounds, and thirty-six pounds in eight days, all that I had lost.” Live a Holy Life Let all your power be exerted to establish His Unity upon earth. Be kind and merciful to the creatures of God. Let notyourtongue speak evil against them. Speak not the word of pride and vanity to anyone though he be your subordinate or servant. Abuse not anyone though he might abuse you. Walk upon the earth in humility and meekness and sympathise with your fellow beings, that you may be accepted by God. There are many who show meekness outwardly but inwardly they are ravening wolves. There are many who are smooth in appearance but they have the nature of a serpent You cannot be accepted of your God until your tongue conforms with your heart. If you are in a high place, glory not in your greatness and do not look upon the lowly but have mercy on them. If you are learned, glory not in your learning, and do not despise the ignorant with vanity but give them a word of kind advice. If you are rich, glory not in your riches and behave not proudly towards the poor, but serve and assist them. Shun the paths that lead to destruction. Fear God and be righteous. Worship not the creatures but severing all your earthly connections, be ye who devoted unto God. Let not your delight be in this world. Serve God only, and devote your life to His service. Hate every impurity and evil for God’s sake, for your Lord is Holy. Let every morning bear you witness that you have passed the night with righteousness, and let every evening bearyou witness that you have passed the day fearing God. (The Promised Messiah) Miracles of The Holy Quran (Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad — the Promised Messiah) Some of the miracles and prophesies of the Holy Quran are such that they can be appreciated by us in this age and no one can deny them. The miracle of the sign of chastisement which was shown to the disbelievers of that time is a sign to which we are also witness, the reason being that it is the necessary consequence of premises that are certain and which cannot be denied by anyone. The first premise is that this sign was demanded when the Holy Prophet and his few companions were being persecuted in diverse ways in Mecca. That was a tune of such weakness for Islam that the disbelievers of Mecca mocked at the Muslims and said: If you are right, then how is it that you are suffering so much at our hands and God, upon Whom you rely, does not help you and why are you so small in numbers that you will be soon destroyed? If you are in the right why are we not chastised? What was said to the disbelievers in reply is set out in the Holy Quran at diverse places and that constitutes the second premise for the appreciation of the grandeur of this prophecy. That was a time when the lives of the Holy Prophet and his companions were always in danger and failure stared them in the face in all directions. At such a time, in answer to the demand of the disbelievers for a sign of chastisement, it was stated plainly that they would soon be shown the sign of the victory of Islam and their own punishment. It was said the Islam which appeared as a seed at the time would one day manifest itself as a large tree and that those who demand a sign of chastisement will one day be put to the sword and the whole of Arabia would be cleared of disbelievers. The sovereignty over Arabia would pass to the Muslims and God Almighty would so firmly establish Islam in Arabia that idol worship would be abolished forever and the state of fear of the Muslims would be replaced by security. Islam would grow strong and would become supreme till other countries would fall under the shadow of its victory which would extend to far regions and a great kingdom would be established which would endure till the end of the world. If a person considers both these premises and finds out that the time when this prophecy was made was a time of great distress for Islam, and the prophecy that was made was altogether opposed to the prevailing circumstances and appeared wholly impossible, and then looks at the history