Conditions of Bai'at and Responsibilities of an Ahmadi — Page 82
C ONDITIONS OF B AI ‘ AT AND R ESPONSIBILITIES OF AN A H MAD I 82 service by making accusations against them so that they, too, are deprived of performing service to the religion. Then the Holy Prophet sa admonishes us not to quarrel with each other. Quarrels take place over petty matters. To give an example, sometimes an officer on duty warns a child who has been mischievous in a gathering that if he were to do it again he would be dealt with firmly or be corrected. The parents, sitting nearby, immediately roll up their sleeves for a fight, and the person performing the duty is put down in a terrible way. Through this action of theirs, they not only broke a condition of bai‘at and spoiled their good manners, they also banished from the minds of their next generation the respect for the organisation of the Jam a ‘at and the distinction between good and bad. Then we are directed not to have enmity towards each other. Enmities start from petty matters. Hearts are filled with spite and malice. Some people are always on the lookout for an opportunity to avenge them, while the instruction is not to have enmity with, nor malice for, anyone. Once a Companion ra humbly asked the Holy Prophet sa to give him simple, but unforgettable advice in a few words. The Holy Prophet sa advised him to ‘shun anger’ and then again he said, ‘shun anger. ’ When you keep in your mind that you should shun anger, then malice and spite will go away automatically. Another habit of ‘injuring or harming someone, or making another person’s deal go sour’ is to overbid on a contract concluded by the other. In this saying, we have been asked to desist from such actions. A higher price is offered to acquire a thing only to bring the other person’s business down while no