Tadhkirah — Page 214
214 (A) I have been commanded that the seekers after truth should enter into the covenant of bai‘at 242 with me for the purpose of learning the way of true faith, true purity of faith and the love of the Lord and of discarding an evil, slothful and disloyal life. Therefore, those who perceive some of such strength in themselves should come forward to me. I shall be the sharer of their sorrows and shall try to lighten their burdens. God will bless them through my prayers and my attention towards them, provided they are wholeheartedly ready to comply with the conditions of the covenant which are divinely determined. This is a divine command that I have conveyed today. The revelation in Arabic in this context is: 243 [H aqq a n i -Taqr i r bar W a qi‘ah Waf a t-e-Bash i r, December 1, 1888, Majm u ‘a-e-Ishtih a r a t, vol. 1, p. 188 and Sabz Ishtih a r, p. 24, R uha n i Khaz a ’in, vol. 2, p. 470] (B) God told me at the time of the foundation of this Community that: [Urdu] The earth is covered with the flood of error. You should prepare this ark in this time of flood so that whoever boards this ark would 242 The first bai‘at took place in Ludhiana on Rajab 20, 1306 AH, March 23, 1889 CE. [Mirza Bashir Ahmad] 243 [Arabic] When you have made up your mind put your trust in Allah; and construct the ark under Our supervision and Our revelation. Those who make the covenant with you enter into a covenant with Allah. The hand of Allah is above their hands. [Publishers]