International Bai'at

Another added feature to the community activities was the international initiation ceremony, which was started by Mirza Tahir Ahmad in 1993 during the Jalsa Salana of the community in Surrey along with a scheme of propagation. The International Baiat ceremony was broadcast live across the world and the new converts join the community by pledging their allegiance to the Khalifa. He equated it with the Pentecost and said that if anything, the original Pentecost must have been a vision prophesying the Bay'ah. He stated that there is no evidence of it being an historical occurrence but that 'Nobody can deny its factual occurrence in the Bay'ah where millions of people are initiated at the hand of one man simultaneously in every continent in diverse languages through the power of the Spirit of Holiness.[1] This international oath of allegiance takes place every year at the annual gatherings of Ahmadis - The Caliph of the community accepts the oath of allegiance.