1Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Deen Mahmood Ahmad’s (ra) first address as Khalifatul-Masih delivered on 14 March 1914.
My friends! I have complete and firm faith God is one and He has no partner. My loved ones! Again it is my unwavering conviction the Holy Prophet (sas) is a messenger of Allah the Exalted and the Seal of the Prophets; I am certain no one will come after him to abrogate an iota of his law.
Dear loved ones! My beloved master, the chief of all the prophets (sas), enjoys such an exalted status that an individual who enters his servitude and follows him with complete loyalty and devotion can attain the rank of prophethood. Truly, he alone possesses such distinction and honour that a prophet can be born from among his true servants. This is what I believe and profess it with total assurance.
It is also my conviction the Holy Qur’an is the same glorious scripture which was revealed to the Holy Prophet (sas)—it is the seal of all [divine] books and all divine laws. Again I am certain the Promised Messiah (as) is the same prophet mentioned in Muslim and the same imam spoken of in Bukhari.
I say again, nothing can be abrogated from the sharia of Islam. Follow the example of the companions of the Holy Prophet (sas)—may Allah be pleased with them. They are the paragons of his prayer and perfect training. The second consensus in Islam after the [demise of the] Holy Prophet (sas) was formed over the Rightly Guided Khilafat. If you look closely at the history of Islam, you will see the success and triumph achieved in the era of the Rightly Guided Khilafat diminished when this institution took on the form of a conventional government. So much so, you are witness to the plight of Islam and its people.
In accordance with the promises of the Holy Prophet (sas), Allah the Exalted sent the Promised Messiah (as) after 1300 years on the precepts of prophethood, and after his demise the Rightly Guided Khilafat was re-established. Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih, Maulana Maulawi Noor-ud-Deen, was the first khalifa of this movement (may Allah raise him to the highest ranks; bless him with His innumerable mercy and bounty; and grant him in paradise the pure company of the Holy Prophet (sas) and the Promised Messiah (as) whose love flowed in his veins and suffused his heart). We all accepted him with this belief and entered into a covenant with him. As long as this movement lives, Islam will meet with material and spiritual success. Today you have called on me to carry this burden and your desire finds expression in the pledge of allegiance; it is therefore necessary I make plain to you my beliefs.
Truly, my heart is filled with fear and I perceive myself to be weak and frail. According to a hadith, a person ought not to assign their servant with a task which is beyond his capacity. Today you have chosen to make me your servant; do not burden me with that which I cannot perform. I know myself to be weak and sinful. How can I say I will be able to guide the world and spread truth and righteousness? We are few while the enemies of Islam are many. But we have unlimited hope in the bounties, favours and graciousness of God. Whereas you have charged me with this responsibility, know well you too must fulfil your own duties by extending to me your help. That is, you must seek strength from God Almighty and look for His blessings. Show complete loyalty to me for His sake and in accordance with His command.
I am just a human being; feeble and weak. Overlook the mistakes I am bound to make and I assure you before God I too will act with forbearance and overlook your errors. We must both join together to bring to fulfilment the purpose of this mission and ensure its success in a real and practical sense. You have entered into a relationship with me—so fulfil its obligations with sincerity. Let us continue to forgive each other’s weaknesses through the help of God’s grace. You will have to obey me in all good things. However, if God forbid, I say He is not one, then I swear by the same God in Whose hands is my life, Who is truly one and without partner and there is nothing whatever like unto Him,3 that you must not obey me in this. If, God forbid, I find fault in prophethood then do not heed what I say. And if I find fault in the Holy Qur’an, I swear by God you must disobey me. If I speak against the divinely inspired teachings of the Promised Messiah (as) then reject me in this. But I say again, and again, you must not defy me in anything good. Remember, if you act with loyalty and obedience and make firm your pledge, the blessings of Allah the Exalted will be with us.
I have great trust in my Lord and complete certainty He will come to my aid. The day before yesterday (Friday), I narrated a dream in which I was ill and there was a pain in my thigh. It seemed to me as though I had been stricken by plague. I closed the door to my room and feared the consequences. It occurred to me that God had promised His Messiah (as) He would protect those who dwell within the four walls of his home.4 And this had been fulfilled in his lifetime. Perhaps, I thought, the promise was valid only for as long as the Messiah (as) was with us and now that this pure soul had departed, it was no longer binding. My disquiet was suddenly interrupted by the realisation that this was no dream; rather I was awake. My eyes were open and I looked upon the walls and door of my room. Even the objects inside were clear to me. In this state, I saw God in the form of a bright, white light, emerging from underneath and reaching upwards without beginning or end. A hand appeared from this beam clasping a white porcelain pot of milk. I was made to drink from it and as soon as I finished, the pain [in my thigh] abated and I was at ease. Hitherto, I had only recounted this portion of the dream. I will now relate the rest. Once I had finished the milk I uttered the words: “My umma will never go astray.”
I possess no umma—you are my brothers—instead these words emanated from the same bond which united the Promised Messiah (as) with the Holy Prophet (sas). As of now the mission initiated by the Promised Messiah (as) has been entrusted to me. Immerse yourselves in prayer and make strong your ties. Visit Qadian frequently. I often heard the Promised Messiah (as) say the faith of those who hesitate to come to Qadian is always at risk. Our principle duty is to spread the message of Islam. Let us strive together for this cause so that God’s blessings and favour may rain down on us. I say to you again, and again and over and again, after the Promised Messiah (as) you have united with me in your allegiance, so be sure to remain loyal. Remember me in your prayers as I will remember you in mine. I have always prayed for you; I cannot recall a single prayer wherein I did not supplicate for the members of the community. Yet my prayers will be even more fervent from this moment forth. Never have I been moved to prayer and not remembered the people of Ahmadiyyat. Listen again! Let not your actions compromise your ties with God. Pray we live and die as Muslims. Ameen
Let us now proceed with the bai‘at in the manner of the Promised Messiah (as) and Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih I (ra), who would hold the hands of the person taking the bai’at, while the latter would recite the words of the pledge after them.
Today, in the Ahmadiyya Community, I seek forgiveness at the hand of Mahmood for all of those sins by which I was ensnared. I promise, from this day onwards, to try my best to abstain from sin if Allah should so enable me. I will give preference to my faith over the world; I will shun idolatry; I will strive to follow all the commandments of Islam; I will accept the Holy Prophet (sas) as the Seal of all the Prophets and believe in all the claims of the Promised Messiah (as); I will obey you in all the righteous things you tell me to do; I will strive to read, listen to, understand and act upon the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the ahadith; I will strive to read, listen from, learn, and act upon the books of the Promised Messiah (as).
Oh my Lord, I have grievously wronged my soul and I confess all my sins; forgive me my sins, for there is none else except Thee to forgive. Ameen.
1 In the name of Allah, the Gracious the Merciful. We praise Allah, the Exalted, the Greatest, and we invoke His blessings on His Holy Messenger (sas). [Publishers]
2 I bear witness there is none worthy of worship except Allah. He is one and has no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad (sas) is His servant and messenger. [Publishers]
3 Surah Ash-Shura, 42:12 [Publishers]
4 Tadhkirah, p. 427 [Publishers]
5 I bear witness there is none worthy of worship except Allah. He is one and has no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad (sas) is His servant and messenger. [Publishers]
6 I beg pardon from Allah, my Lord, from all my sins and turn to Him. [Publishers]
7 O my Lord, My Allah, I wronged my soul and I confess all my sins; pray forgive me my sins, for there is none else except Thee to forgive. [Publishers]
