Conditions of Bai'at and Responsibilities of an Ahmadi — Page 174
C ONDITIONS OF B AI ‘ AT AND R ESPONSIBILITIES OF AN A H MAD I 174 frees them from shackles that were preventing their necks from being straightened. Therefore, these people who will believe in him and will strengthen him by joining him and will help him and will follow the light that has been brought down with him, they will escape the hardships of this world and the here- after. ( Barahin-e-Ahmadiyyah , vol. 5, R uha n i Khaz a’ in , vol. 21, p. 420) Thus, just as a Prophet does not deviate from the command- ments of Allah the Almighty, his Khalifah —who is appointed by Allah the Almighty through a party of believers—also perpetuates the same teaching, the same commandments that Allah the Almighty has conveyed to us through the Holy Prophet sa. In this age, they have been explained to us by the Promised Messiah as in accordance with the prophecies of the Holy Prophet sa. So now, this system of khil a fat has been estab- lished in the Jam a ‘at through the Promised Messiah as in accor- dance with the prophecies of the Holy Prophet sa , and it will last, insh a’ Allah , till the end of time. Through it, decisions have been made according to shar i ‘ah and wisdom and will continue to be this way, insh a’ Allah. These are the ‘good deci- sions’. If, at any time, the Khalifah of the time makes such a decision because of a mistake or misunderstanding, that carries the risk of causing some harm, then Allah the Almighty will bring about such means that will prevent bad consequences. In this regard, Hadrat Mu s le h -e-Mau ‘u d ra states: It is possible that the Khalifah of the time makes a mistake in personal matters. But in such matters on which depends the physical and spiritual progress, even if he commits an error,