Strive to Fulfill the Conditions of Baiat

Delivering his Friday sermon from Melbourne, Australia, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih related that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said: ‘I was sent to strengthen faith and prove the existence of God to people because the spiritual state of every nation has greatly weakened and the Hereafter is considered mere fables. Every person’s practice shows that he definitely does not have the belief and reliance on Allah the Exalted and the Hereafter as the certainty he has about the world and its pomp and circumstance and the reliance he has on worldly ways and means. Tongues utter a lot but hearts are overcome by love of the world. This is the very state in which Jesus (on whom be peace) found the Jews and as it is wont of weakened faith, the moral condition of the Jews had much deteriorated and love of God had cooled off. It is the same condition in my time and I have been sent so that the age of truth and belief returns and Taqwa (righteousness) is instilled in hearts. These matters are the ultimate cause of my being. I have been told that having become distant, the heavens will come closer to the Earth once again.’

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said that those of us who claim to be in the Bai’at of the Promised Messiah need to self-analyse as to how much are we fulfilling the objective of his advent. He said that he had come to strengthen faith, therefore we need to analyse if our faith is inclined towards being strengthened. He said faith is strengthened by perfect belief in God, but there is too much reliance on worldly resources. Today reliance on God has become secondary while the importance of worldly people and worldly matters has become foremost. We find this to be the situation when we look around. We need to look around not to see if the world relies more on worldliness, rather we need to analyse ourselves whether we rely more on worldly sources. If we have not recognised the Being of God, as it is due, even after taking Bai’at, then it is of no value to call ourselves Ahmadi. If today we please our worldly masters more than God, then we do not fulfil the objective of the advent of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Do we give preference to worldly rituals over faith?

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said: ‘There is verbal professing deeming God above all, but actions show that hearts are overwhelmed by love of the world.’

It can be seen all around, among Muslims as well as non-Muslims that love of the world, idle pursuits and indecency has greatly pushed back remembrance of God. Owing to love of God, Muslims are enjoined to Pray five times a day, however it is different in practice. Ahmadis need to first self-analyse themselves whether they are trying to observe Salat according to the commandment of God or not. If not, then we are negating the claim of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that the objective of his advent was to strengthen faith in God, to bring heaven closer to the Earth. Indeed, deficiency of our faith and practices does not negate the claim of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) per se, but it deprives us of the blessings associated with him and it leaves our claims as mere verbal professing. Rather than scrutinise the state of others’ faith, each Ahmadi needs to analyse himself as to how much is he fulfilling his pledge of Bai’at and the objective of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and is doing good works and up to what extent is he fulfilling the covenant of giving precedence to faith over worldly matters.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) stipulated ten conditions of Bai’at. He said that anyone wishing to be part of his Community should keep a strong bond with him and fulfil the ten conditions. Many a time the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) advised us stressing the point with great pathos that if those who associate themselves with him do not instil distinct change for the better after b