Keep Away From the Ways of Rebellion

The second condition of bai‘at also requires that the initiate shall safeguard himself from the ways of rebellion. In explaining two verses of surah al-Baqarah, the Promised Messiah(as) says:1

That is:

And fight them until the rebellion is removed, and religion is professed only for Allah.

2

That is:

Fighting (in the Holy city of Mecca) is a heinous thing, but to hinder men from the ways of Allah and to be ungrateful to Him, and to expel the righteous men from the Sacred Mosque is more heinous in the sight of Allah. And rebellion, that is, interfering in the peaceful living, is worse than killing… ( Jang-e-Muqaddas, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 6, p. 255)

The Promised Messiah(as) also said:

I see that many ignorant and mischievous people from among the Hindus and Muslims demonstrate such activities against the government that smell of rebellion. I suspect that a time will come when the ways of rebellion will be established in their hearts. Therefore, I admonish the members of my Jama‘at who are settled in Punjab and [the subcontinent of] India who, by the Grace of God, number in hundreds of thousands, that they should remember this teaching of mine that I have been impressing upon them in my speeches as well as in my writings for the last twenty-six years, that they should be truly loyal to this government that has done us favours…. Remember it well that a person who entertains any rebellious thoughts against the government cannot continue to be a member of my Jama‘at. I consider it a great impertinence that we be ungrateful to a government that delivered us from the clutches of tyrants and under which we are making progress. Almighty Allah says in the Holy Qur’an3:

That is: The reward for goodness is nothing but goodness.

In a hadith, the Holy Prophet(sa) says that, ‘Anyone who is ungrateful to people cannot be grateful to Allah.’ Just imagine, if you move outside the protective shade of this government, where will you find refuge? Name one government that will grant you protection. Every Islamic government is grinding its teeth to kill you because according to them you are disbeievers and apostates. Be then grateful for this favour of Allah…. To spread the doctrines that a bloody Mahdi will come and will apprehend all the Christian monarchs is a concocted approach that has blackened and hardened the hearts of our opposing Muslims. Such doctrines can, and definitely will, incite the ignorant to rise in rebellion at some time. Therefore, we are striving that Muslims may get rid of such doctrines. Remember, a faith that lacks human sympathy, is not from God. God has taught us, ‘Be merciful on earth so that you may be shown mercy in Heaven.’ (Majmu‘ah Ishti-harat, vol. 3, pp. 582–585)