After reading the Tashahhud, the Ta’uz and the first chapter of the Holy Quran, Hazrat Amirul Mo’menine, Zafrullah Domun said:
On 23rd March this year, it will be 120 years since Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) laid the foundation of Jamaat Ahmadiyya by starting to take the oath of initiation or allegiance commonly known as bai’at. In today’s sermon I would like to remind our friends and particularly the youngsters of our Jamaat about some of the writings of Hazrat Ahmad (as) about this most important event. I hope that by reading and pondering over what Hazrat Ahmad (as) said all Ahmadis will be reminded of what is expected of them as a member of this Jamaat. Unfortunately these days we see that there is an annual event known as “International Bai’at” in which most Ahmadis are quite eager to participate but quite few do take the time to reflect about how far they are doing what needs to be done to fulfill all their obligations because of this oath of allegiance.
In fact, when people came to know about the book “Buraheen Ahmadiyya” which Hazrat Ahmad (as) had written in the early 1880s many wrote to him to ask him to accept their bai’at. But he told them that he had not received the divine permission to do so. This permission was given to him some time in 1888 but he delayed the announcement until 1st December 1888. On that day he published a pamphlet in green paper. It is this pamphlet that is known as “Sabz Ishtehar”. He wrote it to dispel the doubts and illwill that had gripped even some persons sympathetic to his cause especially after the death of his son Bashir first. Speaking about the fact that Allah had appointed him and he did not care about what others said or did, he wrote:
“Finally, let it be clear that I have complete and absolute trust in my Lord to take care of my affairs, and I am not bothered whether people are with me or against me, whether they accept my claim or reject it, whether they like me or hate me. Disregarding everyone, and considering everything, except God, to be as good as dead, I carry on with my mission. There are some from among our own people and belonging to our own religion who look disdainfully at what I am doing, but I make allowances for them knowing that what has been revealed to me has not been revealed to them, and the thirst that I feel has not been felt by them.” (The Green Announcement page 21)
In that same pamphlet, in the end he said:
“'I have to convey here another message to mankind in general and to Muslims in particular, which is that I have been commanded to take Bai‘at of those who are seekers after truth so that they may know what true faith and righteousness are. They should give up indolence, faithlessness and all manner of iniquity, so that they may find the way that leads to the fountain of Divine love. Those who feel prepared for this should come to me so that I may befriend them and try to lighten their burden. God will bless them through my attention and prayer, provided they are fully prepared to carry out Divine instructions. This is a Divine command and I am hereby, today, conveying it to all. The Arabic text of the revelation is:
Iza azamta fa tawaqqal alallah;wasna’il foulka be ayyoyena wa wahyena; innallazina yobayeounaka innama yobayeounallah ;yadoullahe fawqa aydihim
i.e. When thou hast made up thy mind thou must trust in God. Make an ark under Our eyes, and under Our command. Those who will take Bai‘at at your hands will really be giving their hands into the Hand of God. The Hand of God is over their hands.'”(Green Announcement page 35)
Later, on 12th January 1889 he wrote another pamphlet in which he explained his ten conditions of Bai’at as we know them. Then he said:
“These are the conditions that are binding upon everyone who enters the covenant of Bai‘at….Whoever, responding to my invitation, enters into the covenant and joins this blessed Jama‘at will be considered a member of our Community and will be counted among my sincere friends. These are the people concerning whom God Almighty has said to me that He will place them above the others until the Day of Judgment and that they will be endowed with blessings and mercy. He commanded me: Build the Ark under My eyes and according to My instructions. God’s hand will be above the hands of those who enter into a covenant with thee. He has commanded: Present yourself to God Almighty with all your faculties and do not leave your Noble Lord alone. He who leaves Him alone will be left alone himself. According to Divine behest, this general invitation is issued for entering into the covenant of Bai‘at. Those who are prepared to abide by the conditions set out above are free to come to me for entering into the covenant after having performed the prescribed Istikharah139 as taught by Holy Prophet saw. May God Almighty be their helper and bring about a pure change in their lives and bless them with the spirit of truth, piety, love and enlightened conscience (Amin).”
Explaining the importance of these conditions of bai’at Hazrat Masih Ma’ood said:
“If anyone should deliberately contravene the conditions set out in the announcement of 12th January, 1889, and should persist in his rebellious attitude, he will be expelled from this Movement. The system of Bai‘at has been instituted solely with the purpose of brining together a large group of the righteous, so that they should cast a positive influence in the world, and their unity should be a source of blessing and greatness and good harvest for Islam. Since they will be united for the same cause, they will be readily available for the pure and holy service of Islam. They should not be lazy, miserly and purposeless Muslims, nor should they be like the worthless ones who have done great harm to Islam through their dissention and inequity and have stained its beautiful face by their acts of transgression, nor should they be like the heedless dervishes and those who have withdrawn from the world, who are totally unaware of the needs of Islam and unconcerned with the welfare of their brethren, and who feel no eagerness for promoting the welfare of mankind. On the contrary, they should have such sympathy for the people that they should become the refuge of the poor and fathers to the orphans and, like passionate lovers, be always ready to sacrifice themselves for discharging Islamic duties. They should make every effort that their blessings should spread in the world and the pure fountain of love for the Divine and of sympathy for His servants should spring out of every heart, and their unity should be seen as flowing like a river. God Almighty, by His special grace and Favour, has designed to make the prayers and the attention of this humble one the means of the manifestation of their pure capacities. That Holy and Glorious One has inspired me with the eagerness to occupy myself with the inner training of these seekers, and to strive day and night to rid them of their impurities, and to beseech God to grant them the light whereby a person is delivered from the bondage of his ego and of Satan and develops a natural love for the ways of God Almighty. I would also solicit for them the Holy Spirit, which is generated by the strong relationship between perfect Providence and undiluted service to God. I would also endeavour to secure their deliverance from the vicious spirit which is generated by the intense relationship between Satan and Nafs-e-Ammarah [the Self that incites to evil. Thus, with the help of Allah, I will not be lax and lazy and will not be heedless in seeking the reform of my friends who have joined this Movement in full sincerity. Indeed, I shall be ready even to face death so that they might live. I shall solicit for them from God Almighty the spiritual power which, like an electric current should activate their entire beings. I am sure that all this will come about for those who, having joined the Movement, shall wait steadfastly, for God Almighty has determined to create this group and to promote it for the manifestation of His Glory and His Power, so as to spread in the world love for Himself and sincere repentance and piety and real goodness and peace and prosperity and sympathy for mankind. Therefore, these will be His own people and He will strengthen them with His own spirit. He will purify them from a life of impurity and will bring about a pure change in their lives, as He has promised in His holy prophecies, and will cause them to grow rapidly and will bring thousands of the righteous into it. He Himself will water them and cause them to flourish, so much so that their numbers and their blessings will be looked upon with amazement. Like a lamp that is placed at a height, they will spread their light in every corner of the world and will be seen as the symbols of Islamic blessings. God will cause the prefect followers of this Movement to excel the followers of all other faiths in respect of every blessing, and to the Day of Judgment there will appear among them those who will be blessed with acceptance and help. The Lord of Glory has determined this and He has the power to do all that He wills. All power and all strength belong to Him.”(Essence of Islam Vol 4 page 240-243)
In the above extract we understand that those who go against these ten conditions of bai’at are to be expelled from the Jamaat. Today we have to stop and ponder how far the teachings and instructions of Hazrat Masih Maood (as) are being followed in the Jamaat. Entering Jamaat Ahmadiyya is not at all a light matter. But with the millions of bai’at we see that instead of being a Jamaat devoted to promote righteousness it acted like a political party which wanted to increase its numbers. These days almost all Ahmadis are under the delusion that their number has increased to 200 million around the world but the truth is far from that. Yet the caliph does not do anything to correct this glaring mistake that was done by the previous one. Hazrat Masihas has said that he did not want every Tom Dick and Harry to join the Jamaat. He wanted that only those persons who thought that they could fulfill the ten conditions of bai’at to join the Jamaat. Those who could not it would be better if they stayed outside. But that is not the case these days. Unfortunately as I have repeatedly said in the past, the Jamaat has perverted the teachings of Hazrat Masih (as) and it lays great emphasis on quantity rather than quality. That is why Allah has raised this humble one to point out its mistakes to the Jamaat as a whole. But is there anyone who would heed?
Recently we have learned that an Ahmadis couple has been murdered in Multan, Pakistan. Their names are Dr Shiraz and Dr Noreen. Dr Noreen was pregnant.They have been murdered by brute assassins who did not like them just because they are Ahmadis. It is quite unfortunate that a country like Pakistan should allow such brutal acts to be perpetrated on its own soil. Its entire molvis clamor that they are followers of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) but yet they allow innocent people to be killed just because they have beliefs that are different from the majority. What a shame on a country that claims that it represents Islam. Molvis and politicians should start thinking if they still have brains left what their senseless and stupid view of Islam has done to their own country. Instead of being a leader it is one of the laggards in the League of Nations.
Anyhow, we Ahmadis, placing our trust in Allah, we will continue to move forward to advance the mission of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas. Allah’s promise will incha Allah be fulfilled even if the whole world is against us. Jamaat Ahmadiyya, when it projects the teachings of Hazrat Masih Maood (as) is bound to triumph because these teachings have all the ingredients of success in them. May Allah bring the day closer when a majority if the world would follow the Islam taught by Hazrat Mohammad (saw) and explained by one of his most sincere followers Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian.
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