“That he/she shall keep away from falsehood, fornication/adultery, trespasses of the eye, debauchery, dissipation, cruelty, dishonesty, mischief and rebellion; and that he/she will not permit himself/herself to be carried away by passions, however strong they might be.”

At Jalsa Salana Qadian 2025, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^(aa) instructed that the Ten Conditions of Bai‘at should be hung up in our homes and that we should strive to abide by them. This instruction shows us that we can’t just simply call ourselves Ahmadi Muslims; we have to show it by acting upon the conditions of Bai’at. For Khuddam, the second condition of Bai‘at provides a comprehensive moral framework governing speech, conduct, desire, and social responsibility.

The main focus of this condition is truthfulness. Falsehood is described as the greatest of evils because it is the root from which other sins grow. The Holy Prophet^sa once advised a man who was burdened with many weaknesses to abandon falsehood alone, and through this commitment to truthfulness he was gradually freed from all other sins (Sahih Muslim, Kitab-ul-Birr).

This illustrates that truth acts as a moral anchor, ensuring that we don’t fall into other sins.
Allah the Almighty places falsehood alongside idol worship, highlighting its spiritual danger:

ذٰلِکَ ٭ وَمَنۡ یُّعَظِّمۡ حُرُمٰتِ اللّٰہِ فَہُوَ خَیۡرٌ لَّہٗ عِنۡدَ رَبِّہٖ ؕ وَاُحِلَّتۡ لَکُمُ الۡاَنۡعَامُ اِلَّا مَا یُتۡلٰی عَلَیۡکُمۡ فَاجۡتَنِبُوا الرِّجۡسَ مِنَ الۡاَوۡثَانِ وَاجۡتَنِبُوۡا قَوۡلَ الزُّوۡرِ ﴿ۙ۳۱

          “That is the commandment. Whoso honours that which is declared sacred by Allah, may be sure that it counts for good with his Lord. Cattle are made lawful for you, except that which has already been announced to you in the Quran. Then shun the abomination of idols, and shun all words of falsehood,” 

— (Holy Qur’an, Surah al-Hajj, 22:31)

The Promised Messiah^as explained that falsehood is like an idol because it has no reality behind it—only artificial polish. A person who becomes accustomed to lying gradually loses credibility, even when he later speaks the truth

— (Malfuzat, vol. 3, p. 350).

The second condition also commands chastity and moral restraint. Allah the Almighty states:

وَلَا تَقۡرَبُوا الزِّنٰۤی اِنَّہٗ کَانَ فَاحِشَۃً ؕ وَسَآءَ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۳۳

—(Holy Qur’an, Surah Bani Isra’il, 17:33)

Islam does not merely forbid the act itself but instructs believers to distance themselves from all paths that lead towards it. This principle is reinforced through guarding the gaze. Allah commands:

قُلۡ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ یَغُضُّوۡا مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِہِمۡ وَیَحۡفَظُوۡا فُرُوۡجَہُمۡ ؕ ذٰلِکَ اَزۡکٰی لَہُمۡ

“Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them.”

—(Holy Qur’an, Surah al-Nur, 24:31)

The Holy Prophet^sa taught that speaking truth, fulfilling promises, safeguarding trusts, lowering the gaze, protecting chastity, and refraining from cruelty are among the qualities that lead to Paradise (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol. 5, p. 323). Modesty, therefore, is a necessary quality every Khadim must have in order to fulfill the rights of Allah and His creation.

Cruelty, dishonesty, and mischief are also explicitly condemned in this condition. Cruelty includes injustice, abuse of rights, and harming others through words or actions. The Holy Prophet Muhammad^(sa) warned that cruelty will appear as darkness on the Day of Judgement (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol. 3, p. 323). Dishonesty in dealings corrodes both faith and society, while mischief and discord destroy unity. Allah the Almighty declares:

وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الْاَرْضِ ۖ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِيْنَ

“And seek not to make mischief in the earth; surely, Allah loves not those who make mischief.”

—(Holy Qur’an, Surah al-Qasas, 28:78)

The condition further warns against rebellion and being carried away by passion. The Promised Messiah^(as) described unrestrained carnal desire as a devastating flood that cannot be resisted without the mercy of Allah (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyyah, vol. 5). Even Hazrat Yusuf^as) who was a role model of modesty, acknowledged human weakness, recognising that protection from such passions lies only in divine mercy.

(Holy Qur’an, Surah Yusuf, 12:54).

For Khuddam, this condition is deeply practical. It demands we always speak the truth, guard our eyes, be sincere in all our work, show patience and restraint in desire, and stay far away from rebellion. The Promised Messiah^as envisioned a Jama‘at recognised by gentleness, moral excellence, and sympathy for mankind, serving as a living model of righteousness for the world

(Tabligh-e-Risalat, vol. 7, pp. 42–44).

If these words are displayed in our homes but not reflected in our lives, their purpose is lost. This condition calls for constant self-accountability, sincere prayer, and unwavering effort. By striving to live by these words, Khuddam don’t just refrain from sin; they start to show the qualities that define a true Ahmadi.

Taken from Conditions of Bai‘at & Responsibilities of an Ahmadi by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aba.

“The initiate shall solemnly promise that he/she shall abstain from shirk [associating any partner with God] right up to the day of his/her death.”

Recently, at Jalsa Salana Qadian 2025, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^(aa) reminded us to keep the Ten Conditions of Bai‘at displayed in our homes and to make a conscious effort to live by them strictly. Huzoor’s words reiterated that Bai‘at isn’t an oath we can take lightly. Rather, it is something we have to fulfill in our day to day lives, and a pledge that must dictate our actions. For Khuddam, reflecting on each condition is essential in strengthening faith in an age full of distractions and competing loyalties.

The first condition of Bai‘at focuses on abstaining from shirk, which lies at the very heart of Islam. Tawhid defines a believer’s complete relationship with Allah. In everything they do or say, a believer has to keep the principles of Tawhid in mind. Any compromise in this principle means our faith at its foundations is weak.

Allah the Almighty clearly declares in the Holy Qur’an:

اِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَا یَغۡفِرُ اَنۡ یُّشۡرَکَ بِہٖ وَیَغۡفِرُ مَا دُوۡنَ ذٰلِکَ لِمَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ۚ وَمَنۡ یُّشۡرِکۡ بِاللّٰہِ فَقَدِ افۡتَرٰۤی اِثۡمًا عَظِیۡمًا ﴿۴۹﴾

“Surely, Allah will not forgive that any partner be associated with Him, but will forgive anything short of that to whomsoever He pleases. Whoso associates partners with Allah has indeed devised enormous evil.”

— Surah al-Nisa, 4:49

This verse establishes that while Allah’s mercy is vast, shirk occupies a uniquely dangerous position. Reflecting on this warning, the Promised Messiah (as) explains that every sin is forgivable except shirk, and therefore a believer must not even approach it, likening it to a forbidden tree whose danger lies in going near it at all.
         — (Damimah Tohfah-e-Golarhviyyah, Ruhani Khazain, vol. 17, pp. 323–324).

Importantly, shirk is not limited to idol worship. The Promised Messiah (as) clarifies that relying entirely on worldly means, exaggerating their importance, or believing that material success alone guarantees security is also a form of shirk (Al-Hakam, vol. 7, no. 24, 30 June 1903). In today’s world, where careers, wealth, qualifications, and status are often treated as sources of honour and stability, this warning is especially relevant for Khuddam.

The Holy Qur’an further reinforces this understanding through the advice of Hazrat Luqman to his son:

وَاِذۡ قَالَ لُقۡمٰنُ لِابۡنِہٖ وَہُوَ یَعِظُہٗ یٰبُنَیَّ لَا تُشۡرِکۡ بِاللّٰہِ ؕؔ اِنَّ الشِّرۡکَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِیۡمٌ ﴿۱۴﴾﴾

“And remember when Luqman said to his son while exhorting him, ‘O my dear son! associate not partners with Allah. Surely, associating partners with God is a grievous wrong.’”

— Surah Luqman, 31:14

Here, shirk is described as a grave injustice, showing that it distorts not only belief, but also moral judgement and priorities.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad^(sa) also warned that shirk would appear in subtle forms within his Ummah. In a hadith narrated by Shaddad bin Aus, the Holy Prophet^(sa) explained that although his followers would not worship idols, the sun, or the moon, they would fall prey to ostentation and hidden desires. Acts of worship would appear righteous outwardly yet inwardly be driven by ego or temptation.
         — (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol. 4, p. 124).

This hadith highlights that shirk does not always manifest through open disbelief. Showing off in worship, prioritising personal desires over obedience to Allah, or seeking approval from people rather than from Allah are all forms of hidden shirk. Similarly, placing pride and reliance in one’s job, family, children, or influence rather than realising and accepting Allah’s help in all matters will inevitably lead us further away from Tawhid.

Expanding on this, the Promised Messiah^(as) explains,

“Tauhid [Unity of God] does not simply mean that you say la ilaha illAllah [There is none worthy of worship except Allah.] with your tongue but then hide hundreds of idols in your heart. Anyone who gives reverence to his own plans, mischief or clever designs as he should revere God, or depends upon another person as one should depend upon God alone, or reveres his own ego as he should revere God alone, in all such conditions he is an idol-worshipper in the sight of Allah. Idols are not merely those that are made of gold, silver, copper or stones. Rather, every thing, every statement, or every deed, which is revered in a manner that befits Almighty Allah alone, is an idol in the sight of Allah…. Remember that the true Unity of God, which God requires us to affirm and upon which salvation depends, is to believe that God in His Being is free from every associate, whether it be an idol or a human being, or the Sun or Moon, or one’s ego, or one’s cunning or deceit; it is also to conceive of no one as possessing power in opposition to Him, nor to accept anyone as Sustainer, nor to hold anyone as bestowing honour or disgrace, nor to consider anyone as Helper or Supporter; and it is also to confine one’s love to Him and one’s worship, and one’s humility, and one’s hopes, and one’s fear to Him. No Unity can be complete without the following three types of particularisations. First, there is the Unity of Being—that is, to conceive the whole universe as nonexistent in contrast with Him and to consider it mortal and lacking reality.

Secondly, the Unity of Attributes—that is that Rabubiyyat [Lordship] and Uluhiyyat [Godhead] are confined to His Being and that all others who appear as sustainers or benefactors are only a part of the system set up by His hand. Thirdly, the Unity of love, sincerity and devotion—that is, not to consider anyone as an associate of God in the matter of love and worship and to be entirely lost in Him.”

         — (Siraj-ud-Din Isai ke Char Sawalon ka Jawab, Ruhani Khazain, vol. 12, pp. 349–350).

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I^(ra) further explains that associating anyone in Allah’s name, actions, or worship constitutes shirk. He observes that many people profess belief in Allah’s power, yet bow before others, lie for worldly gain, fast or give charity for people rather than for Allah, and seek honour through creation instead of the Creator
         — (Khutbat-e-Nur, pp. 7–8).

Hazrat-Khalifatul Masih-I (ra) – Ahmadiyya Archive & Research Centre

The first condition of Bai‘at therefore calls Khuddam to constantly look at their actions. It demands sincerity in intention, humility in success, patience in hardship, and complete reliance upon Allah alone. By guarding against both open and hidden shirk, a believer safeguards the essence of Islam and strengthens their bond with Allah.

Taken from Conditions of Bai‘at & Responsibilities of an Ahmadi by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aba).

Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (aba) has reminded the world multiple times that sanctions that are levied against nations hit the poor people the hardest. He has reiterated that in times of war, nations should come together to address the underlying issues and justice should prevail. Check out the infographic above to see how sanctions impact the world we live in.

To download the infographic, click here.