One Year Stay Challenge

After the publication of Braheen-e-Ahmadiyya Volume 4, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad devised a challenge that he sent out by registered mail to 250 religious and temporal leaders. The plan was:

  • Send out a registered letter to various religious and temporal leaders asking them to stay in Qadian for one year
  • If they did not respond to this letter, their names would be published in volume 5 of the book.
  • If they did not witness a Divine sign within the year, they would be compensated at the rate of 200 rupees per month of their stay (2,400 rupees for the year).
  • If they could not come themselves, they could send an agent.
  • If they desired to accept the compensation challenge, they must seek permission before coming.

Pandit Lekhram accepted this challenge in 1885 but Mirza rejected the acceptance on the grounds that he was not a leader of his people and that he should produce signatures and attestations from his followers. When Pandit Lekhram proved that he was a leader of the Arya Samaj and was known and respected throughout the land, Mirza accepted but asked him to deposit 2,400 rupees himself as a counter-deposit in case he did witness a sign but did not accept it.