Invitation to Ahmadiyyat — Page 384
384 by accepting the truth. Think, instead, of the favours of God and the Holy Prophet s as , and do not hesitate to lend shoulder to the burden which it is the duty of every Muslim to carry. You are a Sovereign but, in the eyes of God, you are equal to every other human being. The service of Islam is as obligatory upon you as it is upon them. Just as it is incumbent upon them to believe in God’s Messengers, so it is upon you. Submit, therefore, to God’s teachings and commandments and enter this Divine Community in order to reap Allah’s rewards, the smallest of which is more pre - cious than your entire kingdom. The Holy Prophet s as has said: ا َّ ْس َ مِن ي َ مَن ْ فَارَق َ الْجَمَاعَۃ َ شِبْرًا فَل He who keeps away from a Divine Community by so much as a step is not one of us. 10 To stay out of a Community raised by God, therefore, is a seri - ous matter. It is especially serious for those whose responsibility is twofold: towards themselves and towards those who follow their lead. Men follow their leaders even in matters of religion. In the sight of God, the mistakes they make are the mistakes of their leaders. The Holy Prophet s as said this when he wrote to the Roman Emperor: َ ْن ي ْك َ اِثْم ُ الَْرِیْسِ ي ْت َ فَعَلَ َّي فَاِن ْ تَوَل If you deny, the sin of your subjects will also be upon you. 11 Therefore, Your Majesty, believe, so that your subjects may have no difficulty in believing as well, and so that you may not keep others from believing and become responsible for their sins.