Life of Ahmad — Page 207
as BAI‘AT AT LUDHIANA 207 i. e. 'I ask forgiveness of Allah, my Heavenly Father, (three times) for all my sins, and turn to Him. I bear witness that there is none worthy to be worshipped except God who is One and who has no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad sa is His Servant and Apostle. O my Heavenly Father, I have wronged my soul and I confess all my sins. Do Thou forgive me my sins as there is none other who can forgive. ' Ahmad as then drew away his hand and lifted up both his hands in prayer. The disciple also did the same. When the prayer was finished the ceremony was completed. There was no immersion, baptism or anything else which characterises initiation into other faiths, where there is grave danger of the letter of the law replacing its spirit. Bai‘at is not merely a ceremony of initiation, but also a most solemn covenant with God through the leader, who takes hold of the hand of the initiate in order to impress upon him the solemn nature of his undertaking. This contact also helps to deepen consciousness of obligation and to increase strength to carry it out. The Holy Founder of Islam took special Bai‘at on three different occasions. One is mentioned in Al-Fath 48:19 of the Holy Quran on the occasion of Hudaibiyya, and is known as Bai‘at-e-Ri d w a n. Twice Bai‘at was taken at Mecca before the flight. In the first there were only 12 men and the promise was: