When a lawsuit of attempted murder was initiated against Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) by Henry Martyn Clark, in 1897, the judge assigned in this case was Lieutenant Col Montague William Douglas CSI, CIE, born in 1863. He acquitted Hazrat Ahmad (as), declaring the accusations made by Dr Clark as fabricated stories.
Hazrat Ahmad (as) on several occasions remembered him as a wise, just, righteous, and God-fearing man, and gave him the title of Pilate of the Messiah of Muhammad, who was undoubtedly proved to be a more brave, just and insightful ruler in comparison to the First Pilate. Huzoor (as) mentioned the similarities between the case against him and the one against Jesus (as) of Nazareth.
He was a just person about whom Hazrat Ahmad (as) said:
“As long as the world exists and as this Jamaat reaches millions and hundreds of millions of people, this well-intentioned ruler will be mentioned in good words, and it is his good fortune that God chose him for this task.”
According to the recorded statements of Mr Douglas, he said that having seen the face of the Hazrat Ahmad (as), he was certain that his was the face of an innocent and pious man.
Many years later, when he had retired from the Indian Civil Service, he returned to London and kept a pleasant relationship with the Jamaat there. He attended various functions of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, in which he would describe the events when he got to see Hazrat Ahmad (as) and how he experienced the divine light from his noble countenance.
When Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra), Khalifatul Masih II, first visited Europe in 1924, he also met Colonel Douglas on 21 September 1924. Colonel Douglas said to him that, “I consider your respected father as a friend". On 28 September, Huzoor (ra) invited some dignitaries, including Colonel Douglas, for tea. A photo of him with Huzoor (ra) was also taken on this occasion.
Colonel William Douglas died in London on 25 February 1957. His life history has been mentioned by Asim Jalali, in an article published in the Monthly Ansarullah of Rabwah in 1997.
