Dr. Nasim Rehmatullah - Naib Amir USA & Chairman Markazi Al Islam Team
October 1, 2025
Islam teaches us the profound truth that the essence of faith is found in righteous deeds, as the Qur'an enjoins:
"And observe Prayer and give Zakat and obey the Messenger, that you may be shown mercy" (Qur'an 24:57).
The Promised Messiah (as) emphasized: "Crown jewel of your faith is your actions; the opportunity and ability to do righteous deeds is the grace and mercy of Allah." (Malfuzat)
The Promised Messiah (as) identified two foundational components for spiritual growth: prayer (salat) and keeping company with the righteous.
He writes: "Prayer is the essence of worship. It is the spiritual water for life. Prayer is not to gain control over God, but to humble oneself before Him." (Malfuzat)
Prayer leads to nearness to God and the purification of the soul. The Qur'an teaches humility (khushoo') and submissiveness in prayer as a mark of true believers: "Those who are humble in their Prayers" (Qur'an 23:3).
Second, one must seek the company of the righteous as Allah commands: "O ye who believe! Fear Allah and be with the truthful." (Qur'an 9:119).
The Promised Messiah (as) explained: "Without keeping company with the chosen ones of God, hearts remain rusted and deprived of light…it is through the companionship of the righteous that faith is brightened." (Malfuzat, Vol. 2, p. 16)
The ultimate fulfillment of "be with the truthful" (koonoo ma'as-saadiqeen) is found in Bai'at, or the pledge of allegiance to the Imam of the age. In his own words, the Promised Messiah (as) declared: "Another message that I wish to convey to the people at large…is that I have been commanded to receive an oath of allegiance (Bai'at) from seekers after truth...This is a Divine command which I have hereby conveyed." (Izala-e-Auham, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, 563-564)
Responding to those who asked why Bai'at is necessary, the Promised Messiah (as) compared it to grafting a plant:
"Bai'at is like the grafting of a plant. If you only believe but do not enter Bai'at, you deprive yourself of spiritual transformation and blessings. Bai'at is the way of the Prophets. The biggest benefit is that the frailty of your soul requires this graft to cleanse and strengthen it." (Malfuzat)
Righteous deeds are, at their heart, obedience to Allah, the Prophet (sa), and His chosen Imam in every age.
The Promised Messiah (as) explains: "Righteousness is not achieved by empty declarations, ritual fasts and prayers when these are separated from true obedience and heartfelt belief in the appointed one of God." (Noah's Ark)
He specifically warned against the self-deception of selective or partial belief: "One can say we believe, but many have partial or selective belief in the commandments of Allah and the pronouncements of The Prophet (sa)…" (Malfuzat)
This is reinforced by the Qur'an's recounting of prior peoples who failed to follow the Prophet sent to them, rendering their worship void.
The Prophets are living embodiments of Allah's attributes. The Promised Messiah (as) teaches that, just as rain is necessary for life, "prophets and men of God are necessary for spiritual life until the end of times, consistent with divine design and the attributes of Rabb, Rahman, Raheem, and Maalik." (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya)
He further notes: "The word Insan is derived from uns. Its perfection requires two bonds: one with God through love, and the other with mankind through compassion. At this stage, one becomes 'oolel albaab'—truly rational and understanding as the noblest of creation…" (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Vol. 3, p. 275)
The Promised Messiah (as) prescribed the conditions of Bai'at not merely as ritual but as a practical roadmap for spiritual and moral discipline:
He instructed: "If we have pledged allegiance to him, then he requires something in order for us to do justice to this pledge. The first requirement is to read the Holy Qur'an, not as a storybook, but with understanding…" (Malfuzat, Vol. 3, p. 155)
Let all present remember—the crown jewel of our faith is our actions, not just our beliefs or pledges. Prayer and righteous deeds, the spirit of humility, keeping company with the truthful through Bai'at, and steadfast obedience to Allah and His Prophet (sa) through the Imam of the age, are the means to earn divine grace.
May Allah grant all of us the strength and resolve to live by these teachings, truly valuing the gift of Bai'at, prayer, humility, and self-reformation—so that we may become, in the words of the Promised Messiah (as), "those who are noble among creation, gifted with reason and love for both God and His creation".
