A Verdict Required

Pandit Lekh Ram, a leader of the Arya Samaj, challenged Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah (as), to make a prophecy against him as proof of Islam’s truth. The Promised Messiah (as) accepted, predicting Lekh Ram’s death within six years of 20 February 1893 and specifying it would occur close to Eid.

Lekh Ram mocked the prophecy and continued to insult Islam and the Holy Prophet (sa). However, on 6 March 1897, the day after Eid, Lekh Ram was murdered in broad daylight before close family and friends—exactly as prophesied. The Arya Samaj, shocked by the accuracy, accused the Promised Messiah (as) of conspiracy to murder, leading to widespread backlash against the Promised Messiah (as), while Muslim opponents like Sheikh Muhammad Husain of Batala dismissed the prophecy as mere coincidence. In response, the Promised Messiah (as) wrote Istifta’ (A Verdict Required) on May 1897, requesting scholars to assess the evidence documented in his books and issue a verdict. He encouraged them to courageously stand up for truth, and expressed his intention to eventually translate the work into English to allow Europeans to investigate the matter for themselves and draw their own conclusions in light of the facts.