The First Bai’at and Register

The First Bai’at and Register Bai’at-e-Ula

When Hazrat Ahmadas was divinely instructed to take bai‘at and start a jama'at, he published an announcement on 1 December 1888, saying:

“Another message that I wish to convey to the people at large, and to my Muslim brothers in particular, is that I have been commanded to take an oath of allegiance [bai‘at] from seekers of truth who wish to acquire true faith and purity; who yearn to find the path to Allah’s love; who want to give up their foul, slothful and false existence.

“Whosoever finds in themselves the willingness to do this must come to me. I will be their comforter and will do my best to ease their burden. God will bless them through my prayers and my attention, provided they are ready with heart and soul to abide by His conditions. This is a divine command which I have hereby conveyed. The actual words of the revelation in Arabic are as follows:

انَّم� كنوعيابي يْنذل�ن� ۔انيحوو اننيع�ب كلفل�عنص�و ۔اللّٰه عَلَى كَّلوتف تمزع �ذ� ميْهدي� قوف اللّٰه دي اللّٰه نوعيابي

[“When you have made up your mind, you must have trust in God. Make an ark under Our eyes and under Our command. Those who will take bai‘at at your hands will really be giving their hands into the hand of God. The hand of God is over their hands.”]

“Peace be on him who follows the guidance.

“Ghulam Ahmad. 1 December 1888”. (Majmua-eIshtiharat, Vol. 1, p. 205)

The Promised Messiah(as) put forward the 10 conditions of bai‘at on 12 January 1889. He announced that those who desired to do bai‘at should come to Ludhiana after 20 March 1889. The bai‘at was taken on 23 March 1889 in Hazrat Sufi Ahmad Jan Sahib’s house in Ludhiana, who had passed away earlier. This blessed house is now known as Dar-ul-bai‘at.

This is commonly known as bai’at-e-ula (the first bai’at). On this occasion, a notebook - which is now referred to register bai’at-e-ula - was arranged to note down the names of the fortunate individuals who did bai‘at at the hands of the Promised Messiah(as). The first to do bai‘at was Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nuruddin(ra); and the rest, who had travelled from distant places, followed one after another. That register recording the names of those blessed souls who did bai’at is, to this day, apart from the first page which is, unfortunately, missing, preserved and secure. The register was discovered by Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaq(ra), son of Hazrat Mir Nasir Nawab(ra), who then passed it on to Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra). On 14 October 1955, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra) wrote to the in-charge of Khilafat Library Rabwah, conveying his want to have important and historic material and records of the Jama'at to be preserved.

Though the first page of the register has been missing ever since it was first discovered, with the help of those who were present, the names were later inserted on a page that now works as page one of the register.