Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi, after having been foiled in his attempt to mud-sling and make fun of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as)'s literary merit in Arabic, adopted a new strategy. 

Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi was desperate in his bid to bring harm to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as). All his direct assaults on him having been exposed by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) through Divine help and by the use of God-given power of logic and the knowledge of Arabic, the Maulavi now planned to bring Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) into direct collision with the British government. He started a whispering campaign saying that the beliefs of Ahmadis were not in favour of the British government. Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi also spread a number of baseless rumours that the Ahmadis were not loyal to the government. As if this was not enough, the Maulavi applied on December 5, 1898, for an arms licence for a pistol on the plea that his life was in danger on account of the prophecy made by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as). The case was fixed for hearing against Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) on January 9, 1899. 

The Book 

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) came to know about the case instituted against him between December 10 and 15, 1898 and this book was published on December 27, 1898, in which he assured the government and acquainted them with the peaceful principles of his Jamaat.

In this book, he also drew the attention of the authorities to the abuse and vituperation to which he was being subjected by Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi and his friends. In the defence statement filed with the District Magistrate of Gurdaspur on January 27, 1899, among other things, he said:

"To recapitulate, five charges have been brought against me in this case: (1) that I habitually make prophecies of death or injury to others, (2) that I have disregarded the terms of the notice signed by me in Dr Clark’s case by publishing a prophecy on November 21, 1898, (3) that I pre-arrange the fulfilment of my prophecies or make secret attempts to fulfil them afterwards, (4) that my writings are harsh and provocative, and (5) that my prophecy of November 21, 1898, is likely to cause a breach of peace. My reply to them is (1) that no such prophecy was ever been published without the consent of the person about whom it was made and that it is only after much persistence on his part that such a course had been adopted, (2) that the notice in question contains no prohibition against making a prophecy, (3) that this was only a suspicion, not having the slightest evidence in support of it and that the good conduct of my followers, the high moral tone of my teachings and the absence of any such assertion on the part of those about whom the prophecies were made, are strong proofs to reject such a supposition completely, (4) that my writings are not provocative in the least, and this becomes clear on comparison of the writing of the two parties, and (5) that the prophecy had been made and fulfilled without causing any breach of peace." (Life of Ahmad by A.R. Dard (ra), edition of 2008, pp. 633-634)

On February 13, 1899, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) filed a defence statement outlining the real facts tracing the history of animosity of the Maulavi against Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) and his mission. On basis of this statement, the District Magistrate of Gurdaspur, on February 24, 1899, dropped proceedings against Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) and Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi was directed to file a six clause declaration. In section four, the Maulavi pledged that he would abstain from employing in any controversy with Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and would not use an abusive epithet or injurious expressions and from publishing any writing or picture which might cause pain to him (Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as)).

The District Magistrate assured Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) that he was free to set the law in motion against Maulavi Muhammad Hussain Batalvi and others for libel and defamation if he liked so. But Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) did not do so.

(Taken from An Introduction to the hidden Treasures of Islam)