Conditions of Bai'at and Responsibilities of an Ahmadi — Page 69
Condition III 69 exercise, in the same way istighf a r is spiritual exercise. Through it, the soul obtains strength and the heart achieves steadfast- ness. He who desires strength should do istighf a r. Ghafara literally means covering and suppressing. With istighf a r , man tries to suppress and cover [those] emotions that keep him away from God. Thus, the only meaning of istighf a r is that the poisonous elements that may well-nigh destroy a man may be overpowered, and one should give practical shape to the commandment of God by avoiding all obstructions. Remember that Almighty Allah has created two types of elements within human beings. One: the poisonous element, which is activated by Satan. Second: the remedial element. When someone is proud and considers himself to be worth something, and does not seek help from the remedial fountain, the poisonous element gains the upper hand. But when he considers himself unworthy and insignificant and feels within him the need for divine help, Allah creates a fountain for him that makes his soul flow. This is the meaning of istighf a r , namely, to find this strength to overpower the poisonous element. ( Malf uza t , new edition, vol. 1, pp. 348–349) Always Express Gratitude to Allah The third condition also includes an injunction to remain ever-thankful to Allah. In this respect Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an: 51 All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. 51. ( al-F a ti h ah , 1:2)