Truth Prevails — Page 132
( 132 ) repented. Cries of distress of the mind began to rise in the audience, and very soon tears were trickling down from the eyes of all. Some were actually rolling on the ground where they sat, as if mortally hurt. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih went on: “It is being said that the work, the function, the purpose, and the duty of the Khalifa is only to lead prayers in the mosque. This is something which even an ordinary mulla can do. For doing this no Khalifa is needed; and this is a kind of Khilafat on which I would not even care to spit. The real bai’at is one where it is accompanied by immediate and implicit obedience, without the slightest infringement, anywhere. ” The address lit up the minds even of those, in some measure, who had partially accepted the views held and propagated by a particular group. After the address, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih asked Maulvi Mohammad Ali and Kh. Kamaluddin to tender, anew, their pledge of bai’at. Similarly he expressed disapproval of the action taken by some people to counter the plans of the Lahore group of the friends of Maulvi Mohammad Ali and Kh. Kamaluddin. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said there was no need for these people to make any move on their own, in respect of which the Khalifa himself was sized of the question. He said he had not appointed them to counter the underground movement against the office he held, at a time and in circumstances, where he himself was strong enough to crush the move, at any stage he thought fit. Sh. Yaqub Ali had been the most prominent man on this side, and he as well, was directed to tender a fresh pledge of bai’at. He did so gladly, from the bottom of his heart. But this could not be said in regard to the frame of mind in which Maulvi Mohammad Ali and Kh. Kamaluddin renewed their bai’at. When the meeting was over, and the people were dispersing, going down the steps, Maulvi Mohammad Ali said he had been deeply insulted, and he could not now continue to live in Qadian. As chance would have it, Khalifa Rashiduddin came to know of it. In his anxiety, he went before the Khalifatul Masih without loss of time, and apprised him of the situation which threatened to develop. But Hazrat Khalifatul Masih took it very calmly, firm like a rock. “Tell Maulvi Mohammad Ali from me,” he said, “that instead of leaving Qadian tomorrow, he would be much more welcome to leave today. ” This reply, however, only increased the uneasiness in the mind of the deeply sincere and simple Hazrat Khalifa Rashiduddin. He submitted that a pretty awkward situation might very well ensue. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih, however, remained entirely unmoved. “What I wanted to say, I have said”, he added, “If some untoward situation arose, it would be for me to cope with it. Why are you worrying so much about it? If he really desires to go away from Qadian, I would be happy to see him leave tonight. Please tell him that. ”