Life of Ahmad — Page 204
BAI‘AT AT LUDHIANA as 204 members thereof shall serve as models of Islamic blessings. My true followers shall excel every other people. There shall always rise among them, till the Judgment Day, personages who will be the chosen ones of God in every respect. So has decreed the Almighty. He does as He chooses. ' After the publication of this leaflet, Ahmad as had to go to Hoshiarpur for a few days; for he had been invited by Sh. Mehr Ali on the occasion of his son’s marriage. He was accompanied by M. Abdullah Sanauri, Sh. Hamid Ali and M i r ‘Abb a s Ali. He seems to have stayed at Hoshiarpur on March 16th, 17th and 18th, 1889. The formal initiation began on March 23rd, 1889 (20 Rajab, 1306 A. H. ). The building in which the foundation of the Community was laid is a small, unpretentious one. On its north and east are two lanes. There was an open space between the northern and southern rooms. There were no rooms on the west and east. The Bai‘at was taken in the eastern room of the northern wing. The site has subsequently been acquired by the Community and the northern room repaired, but its original shape was retained. There are no rooms now in the south and a mosque has been recently built there in the open space. Ahmad as sat in the north-eastern corner of the room. Sh. Ha mid Ali was posted at the door, and the disciples were called by him as Ahmad as desired. Maulaw i N u r-ud-D i n ra was called in first of all. Then