Friday Sermon – Khalifatul Masih V – Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Year 2021
Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is the Messenger of Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is the Messenger of Allah Come to Prayer Come to Prayer Come to success Come to success Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest There is none worthy of worship except Allah Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. He is One and has no partner. and I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His Servant and Messenger. After this I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Gracious, The Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us in the right path – The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings,
Those who have not incurred displeasure, and those who have not gone astray. Today, Jalsa Salana UK is commencing, InshaAllah (God willing). First of all, I would like to mention that during these days, you should profusely pray for the Jalsa to be blessed in every regard.
May Allah the Almighty establish a purely spiritual atmosphere during these days and may He also increase the piety and righteousness in the hearts of the attendees. Although the number of attendees is very limited due to the spread of the current pandemic, (members of the Community) will be listening to the Jalsa at home
And I have also been informed that arrangements for this have been made by the Community in various other places as well; in mosques, or in halls, wherever they are available. Nevertheless, whoever is participating in the Jalsa in this manner should do so with the mindset that they are in the marquee
And should listen to the programme and remain engaged in prayer over the three days. Holding the Jalsa this year in this manner is a new experience for the organisers as well for the attendees. Various amenities that the organisers had at their disposal for the comfort of the guests were not available this year.
They believed that they would acquire them, but were unable to do so. As such, the guests attending Jalsa should understand these circumstances and overlook any shortcoming the organisers may have left in the arrangements. They should also pray that may Allah the Almighty quickly improve the circumstances
So that the Jalsa may once again be held with its previous splendour. Some people are complaining that we were not permitted to attend the Jalsa due to certain rules, or that in some places, the selection of the attendees was not correct. Nevertheless, the organisers explain their reasoning in this regard;
The organisers of some local Communities explain their reasoning. Irrespective of whether this justification is correct or not, I will say to the members of the Community that they should overlook this as well and understand that some errors might have been made as this was a first experience (for the organisers).
As such, they should pardon them and not hold any rancour in their hearts. Following this, I will say a few words in relation to the Jalsa and hospitality. I generally draw the attention of the guests towards their responsibilities,
Or say a few words on the arrangements in the sermon on the (first) day of the Jalsa. Similarly, in the Friday sermon the week before the Jalsa, I say a few words in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the hosts and those on duty.
However, as I did not mention anything this time with regards to the responsibilities of those on duty, I will say a few words in relation to both (the hosts and the guests) today. First of all, I would like to say to the hosts and those on duty
That there should be no shortcomings in the matters of hospitality due to the circumstances. This time, the six or seven thousand guests that attend from abroad are not coming. The guests will be attending from various cities within the country and even these will be in a very limited number.
Therefore, you should not consider this to be an easy task and relax. If there are any shortcomings then the guests that are coming from close by and those that have a relationship (with you) mind these to a greater degree. Therefore, you should be hospitable to everyone with great care and attention
And leave no shortcomings. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, as far as the workers of the Jalsa in Great Britain are concerned, as I also mentioned (in my address) to the workers during the inspection yesterday, the workers from every department; the Nasirat, the Lajna, the Atfal,
The Khuddam, as well as the Ansar (auxiliary organisations of the Community), all of them have become experts in their duties and responsibilities and are capable of managing great tasks. They are also able to teach newly joining boys and girls their duties in a good manner.
As such, there is no concern with regards to not knowing how to perform the tasks. There are workers in every department of the Jalsa, who work and are able to work diligently and with great scrutiny. Nevertheless, it is a commandment of Allah the Almighty
To continuously remind a believer (of their responsibilities) and this is beneficial for them. Furthermore, as I mentioned, the arrangements of the Jalsa are at a smaller scale. At times, one might become overconfident that we will be able to manage the Jalsa being held with such limited numbers.
Subsequently and as a result of negligence in certain matters, shortcomings are left and problems are created and those who are new to their duties might take a wrong message from this. Hence, for the sake of the comfort of the guests and in order to teach the newcomers, it is extremely important,
Regardless of the fact that the arrangements are not on such a large scale, that every department pays great attention to its duties. Moreover, with the weather being quite bad these days, some departments should pay even greater attention to their duties.
Every person on duty should remember that whether the guests are few or many, every guest attending the Jalsa is a guest of the Promised Messiah (as) and we should serve them to the best of our abilities. Hospitality is a distinctive quality of prophets and their communities.
Hence, as a religious community, it is our duty that every one of us develops this quality of hospitality within them and it must be evident. During the time of the Holy Prophet (sa), when guests started arriving in large numbers,
He would divide them between his companions, who would take them home with great joy. In the morning, when the Holy Prophet (sa) would ask the guests about their stay over night and the hospitality of the companions; how the situation was and about the services offered to them,
Each and every one would reply that they have never seen such hospitable hosts, who have fulfilled their due rights. Hence, this is the example laid before us and established for us by the companions, which is a result of the moral training of the Holy Prophet (sa).
Now that we have accepted the Promised Messiah (as) in this era, he has also urged us to follow this example established by the companions. On one occasion, the Promised Messiah (as) advised his companions and said: According to my principles, even if a guest comes and uses foul words and curses you
(i.e. if the guest uses harsh words, comes across harshly and does not behave decently), you should tolerate them nonetheless. Here, the Promised Messiah (as) instructed them in relation to non-Ahmadi guests. However, we should remember that whoever the guest may be, even if they are an Ahmadi,
The duty of the host is to conduct themselves with excellent morals and to not respond to harshness in kind. Whether they are Ahmadis or externals, we find extraordinary examples of the hospitality of the Promised Messiah (as). The Promised Messiah (as) demonstrated an extraordinary example of hospitality
Towards Ahmadis as well and why should he not have? It was, in fact, the Promised Messiah (as), who was to establish those excellent moral qualities, which would manifest to us the beautiful picture of Islam so that we could present it to the world.
Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib (ra) relates: Once, I travelled from Lahore to Qadian. The Promised Messiah (as) seated me in Masjid Mubarak, which at that time was quite small. (It is still a small mosque, but at that time it was even smaller, equivalent to a single room).
The Promised Messiah (as) told me to take a seat and that he would bring me some food, after which he went inside. Mufti Sahib continues, I thought that he would send a worker to me with some food, but after a few minutes, when the window opened,
I saw him carrying a tray of food for me with his own hands. He saw me and said, eat; I will bring you some water. Mufti Sahib says, I began to weep profusely, that whilst being our leader and guide this is the manner in which the Promised Messiah (as) tends to us,
So imagine the manner in which we should care for one another. Once, when there was a shortage of beds, the Promised Messiah (as) gave up his own bed for the guests. In fact, he gave up all the beds in his home and spent the entire night in discomfort without a bed.
Yet, he did not allow anyone to know that he was in discomfort. This is the true essence of sacrifice for the sake of hospitality. There are some who do make sacrifices at times, but later make it known that they had to endure hardship because of that sacrifice. Once, the Promised Messiah (as) said,
I am always mindful of the fact that no guest should experience any discomfort. In fact I always emphasise, that guests should be made to feel as comfortable as possible. He further said, The heart of a guest is as fragile as a mirror; the slightest blow will break it.
The Promised Messiah (as) continued, Previously, I would arrange to eat with the guests myself, which would allow me to see the manner in which they were being cared for; whether there is an ample amount (of food), what the quantity is, and whether or not everyone was fed.
He says, However, due to illness, ever since I have had to restrict my diet, I have not been able to carry on doing so. Another reason is also the fact that the number of guests became so high that there would not be enough room
And it was difficult for everyone to sit in one place and eat. Food must have been served at different locations or in turns which was why he was unable to eat with them. Once, when there was a large number of guests, the Promised Messiah (as) said
To the in-charge of the Langar Khana (Kitchen of the Promised Messiah (as)), There is a large number of guests, some of whom you may recognise and others you will not. Hence, it is best to serve everyone in a respectful manner. In this way, all guests should be treated equally by the hosts.
No one should be given preferential treatment. One should not think to serve someone more only because they are an office-bearer or an acquaintance or give them special treatment. Everyone should be treated equally as guests. All guests should be treated with dignity and respect. This is the essence of hospitality.
The Promised Messiah (as) said to him, I trust that you facilitate comfort for the guests and serve them in an excellent manner. This same trust should be applied today to all those who serve, and by the grace of Allah Almighty, most of the workers honour this trust.
As for those who are lacking, they should analyse themselves and determine how they can remove their deficiencies and thereby improve their standard of hospitality. I am aware that the volunteers of some departments are given a hard time by some guests,
However, it is our duty to never abandon good morals and to set our examples. No matter what the guests may say, every volunteer must make it incumbent upon themselves to show the highest moral conduct. This time, since the attendance is limited, the volunteers may not have to face certain difficulties,
Or at least the volunteers may think that they will not have to. However, when volunteers draw the attention of guests to certain restrictions, it is possible that some guests may take offence to this. For example, volunteers will remind everyone to wear masks and to maintain social distancing,
As not everyone adheres to these things. Certain restrictions must be kept in mind while eating. Upon hearing all of this, if someone reacts harshly and does not adhere to these things, then despite hearing what they say, one should try to help them understand in a loving manner.
Generally, guests are aware that they must adhere to certain restrictions, but naturally, there are those who are quick to take offence. There are only a few people who create such issues, but if a volunteer reacts in a harsh manner, then this increases the potential for disputes to arise.
Hence, if something needs to be explained or a request needs to be made, or anything needs to be said, it should be done so with great patience and kindness. The Holy Prophet (sa) has stated that one of the signs of a believer is that they honour their guests.
Hence, this aspect of a believer should be established in each and every person. Due to the rain, there will be limited parking in Hadeeqatul Mahdi. Although there is space in the grounds, the rain has made it wet which creates potential for cars to slip or become stuck.
For this reason, an alternate site has been acquired for parking, where there will be buses to bring people here. Those on duty will have to very kindly and lovingly explain this to those arriving by car. There are some who drive straight here (to Hadeeqatul Mahdi)
And insist that since they are already here they should be allowed to enter. The matter should be explained to them very kindly, and the guests should follow the instruction of those on duty. It is only through mutual cooperation that the work can be done easily and smoothly.
Hence, there should be cooperation from both sides. The guests should not expect that these people are only here to serve them and to listen or do as they say. Instead, the guests themselves should adhere to the guidelines which have been put in place. Only then can everything move along smoothly.
Guests should also always be mindful that not only has Islam instructed hosts to honour and respect their guests, it also tells guests of their responsibilities as well. Islam clearly states that when a person visits someone as a guest, they should be mindful of their schedule
And go when they are invited or after having given prior notice. On one hand, the hosts have been instructed that if a guest comes to their home, they must treat them well no matter when they arrive. On the other hand, guests have been instructed to visit someones home after giving prior notice.
If one goes without prior notice and the homeowner denies entry, then that person should return without any complaint. Generally, this does not apply to the guests of Jalsa, however, this year, as I mentioned, an age restriction has been instated due to the prevailing circumstances, which stipulates the ages of those allowed to attend.
A minimum and maximum age limit has been set along with other conditions, pertaining to health, and this rule was made in light of those conditions. Taking this into consideration, Jamaats were told to designate such members to attend who fulfil these conditions.
As I mentioned earlier, there may have been some imbalance in this designation due to which some may have complaints. Similarly, there are newcomers to the country who demand that they should be allowed to attend Jalsa, though they do not fulfil the conditions.
It is possible that some foreigners try to attend along with their relatives or insist to their local organisers to receive an admission pass. These people should be mindful that problems are created when the system is bypassed like this. Allah Almighty has provided basic guidelines for a believer
And has imparted guidance for developing fundamental morals by commanding not to enter a house without the permission of the residents. And if you are turned away, you should retreat without any complaint. Allah Almighty states (ARABIC). And if it be said to you, Go back then go back;
That is purer for you. (Arabic, Holy Quran 24:29) One of the great purposes for attending Jalsa is self-reformation and purification. Instead of trying to forcefully attend, it is purer and more virtuous to abide by the system put in place.
Thus, for all those who have written to me insistently or are pressing the organisers, it is better to follow the appointed system. They should not take offense from this or complain. Instead, they should pray to Allah Almighty – especially in these times when one can passionately pray –
That He soon reverts these circumstances to their norm so that those who desire to attend Jalsa can do so freely. The companions (ra) had an extraordinary way of following Quranic injunctions. One companion (ra) relates that for years he visited peoples homes during odd hours only so that he would be denied entry
And told that meeting at that time would not be possible and they would not be able to meet. He desired to be turned away for the sole purpose of fulfilling this very commandment of the Holy Quran and attaining blessings thereby. It turned out that he was never turned away.
As such, both the host and the guest would strive to fulfil their obligations for the pleasure of Allah Almighty. I mentioned this as general guidance and in the context of adopting basic morals and acting upon the teaching of the Holy Quran passionately.
However, some people are such that they mention these things in order to assert themselves and say that the organisers should not deny them. In normal circumstances, the organisers do not deny such requests and shouldnt anyway. If they do deny, then they are not fulfilling the rights of the guests
And are acting in conflict with the teachings of Islam and the teaching the Promised Messiah (as) particularly urged us to follow through his own example. Sometimes guests would come at odd times during the night and he would still respect the service due to them as guests. Nonetheless, as I have stated,
The circumstances surrounding this occasion of Jalsa are exceptional and guests are being denied admission by necessity, due to which there should be no complaints in acting accordingly. Alongside this, I would like to address those who have received an invitation that aside from extremely exceptional cases, all should ensure their attendance,
Otherwise their failure to attend would be unjust to those that were not given an invitation. Do not make the harsh weather an excuse not to attend. As far as the harsh weather conditions are concerned, Jalsa is held in Rabwah and Qadian in the open-air during winter months.
Due to restrictions, no Jalsa is held in Rabwah. They havent been held in years, but in the past when they were held, people would manage even in the case of rain and would somehow cover themselves and listen to the Jalsa proceedings. Even when Jalsa used to be held here in Islamabad,
Despite being seated in the marquee during the rain, conditions would be very harsh because everyone would be seated on the grass and no flooring would be prepared as it is done now with wood. I remember whilst attending a Jalsa, the rain caused parts of the Jalsa Gah to become wet.
There were puddles of water all across the outer edges of the marquee, and those who had to pray there would find their knees and foreheads in water or mud. I, myself, remember that I experienced this. After prostrating, I would have to first wipe my forehead clean
So the water or mud or grass would not get into my eyes. Regardless of all this, I saw that everyone would attend Jalsa with a passion. By the grace of Allah, that same passion exists even today, rather, the majority of Ahmadis carry that same passion.
However, I am addressing those who are more sensitive to these conditions, or with the passing of time have become sensitive, that if they have received an invitation to surely attend and make no excuses. Then, as I have mentioned before, there are some in whose nature it is to quarrel.
Similarly, there are also those in whose nature it is to complain and they will try to criticise the organisers and say that it should have been organized in such a way or they will make this system an excuse to not attend. All of this should be kept in mind.
Today, tomorrow, and the day after, all those who have received an invitation should say that they will certainly attend. I will mention some administrative matters as well, that the guidelines in place for social distancing when receiving and eating food should be followed.
In every place, guidelines have been written and posted to maintain social distancing, however, some members are accustomed to not pay heed to these guidelines. It has been seen that now during regular days, some do not maintain social distancing. That is why everyone should carefully take this into consideration
And socially distance themselves while receiving and eating food. It cannot be helped that while eating food, masks are removed, however, the mask should be worn while waiting in line to receive food. Similarly, duty-holders and volunteers should also ensure
That they are wearing a mask at all times and if they show leniency and laxness in this matter, then guests will also not follow the rules. Thus, duty-holders and guests alike should ensure that they are wearing a mask whether they are in the car-park, washrooms,
Walking on the paths, in the Jalsa Gah, or the food marquee. Masks should be worn whilst seated in the Jalsa Gah. At times, the organisers will request you to remove your mask to reveal your face and everyone comply. Also, if the organisers have arranged for slogans to be raised,
It should be ensured that no masks are removed when raising a slogan or when giving an answer. Some are not careful in this regard. This time is an entirely new experience which is why we must be mindful of this with great care and attention.
In order to keep ourselves and others safe as well, both the nose and mouth must be covered. Then, whilst entering the gate there will be two kinds of checking; the AIMS card will be checked and perhaps the vaccination card and entry pass will also be checked.
In this regard, you should cooperate with those who are checking and you should not express any sort of displeasure at these checks. All of these measures are being taken for the benefit of the attendees. In light of the limited attendance and all of these measures,
Another thing that I would like to mention is that you should not become relaxed in terms of security. Both the volunteers and attendees should remain extremely vigilant just as they would according to the instructions in the past. With regards to food, I should mention that God-willing,
Lunch will be provided in the food marquee, and the things which I mentioned earlier in this regard should be kept in mind. However, for dinner, the plan is to pack it and distribute it, and this can be taken home. Efforts will be made to distribute it as swiftly as possible,
However if there is a slight delay, there is no need to worry. Similarly, when it comes to listening to the Jalsa proceedings, I will repeat the same instruction which is given every year, that you should listen to the Jalsa proceedings, rather than sitting elsewhere and talking with relatives and friends
Because of not having met one another for a long time. You have come to attend the Jalsa, so you should listen to the Jalsa proceedings. Due to the pandemic, many people, even close relatives and friends and those who live in different cities will be meeting after quite some time,
Seeing as there were no Jamaat functions held during this time. However, meeting after a long time should not distract them from listening to the Jalsa proceedings nor should it detract from offering prayers. Having come to Jalsa, you should take full benefit from it. Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) has made a point
Whilst drawing attention towards the remembrance of Allah during the days of Jalsa. He says: It occurred to me that Allah Almighty has said to remember Allah during the days of Jalsa, (remembrance of Allah should continue during the various sessions). God Almighty has stated the benefit of doing so is (ARABIC),
If you remember Allah, Allah will then remember you. Who can be more fortunate than one who is remembered by his Master; one whom God remembers. Hence, during these days, the remembrance of Allah becomes an even greater means of drawing the blessings of Allah Almighty.
That is why you should focus on the remembrance of Allah during these days. Even the Ahmadis who are gathering around the world to listen to the Jalsa or those listening to the Jalsa at home with their families should also focus on the remembrance of Allah,
So that we may draw as much of Allah Almightys blessings as possible; so that we may improve in our spirituality and may be saved from the calamities of this world, by drawing the grace of God. Therefore, try to take maximum benefit from the Jalsa atmosphere,
By listening to the scholarly and educational speeches and focusing on prayers. This time, due to the limited attendance, arrangements have been made for attendees to sit on chairs, and so the excuse of having to sit for a long time cannot be made. In any case, a Jalsa session is not very long;
They are generally two to two and a half hours long, or around three hours at most. Hence, even if one had to sit on the floor it would not be difficult. In the end, I will present a quote of the Promised Messiah (as). He states: Everyone should listen closely;
What I desire for my community and for my own self is that mere oration during lectures should not be the sole point of appreciation and the sole purpose should not become the enchanting manner or the force with which the lecturer delivers their speech. This does not impress me.
I prefer for there not to be any artificiality nor forced speech, rather my disposition is that whatever is being done should be for the sake of Allah and whatever is said should be for the sake of God.
He further states: This is one of the major reasons for the decline and fall of Muslims, otherwise there are countless conferences, assemblies and gatherings where great orators and lecturers deliver their lectures and speeches and poets lament over the state of the nation. But then why hasnt this had any impact?
The nation is declining day by day rather than making progress. The reality is that those who attend these gatherings are not sincere. You should listen to every speech; you should not listen to a speech because the speaker is good, and then not listen to other speeches.
You should listen to every speech at the Jalsa with sincerity and attention. This sincerity can only be achieved when one longs to attain the pleasure of Allah Almighty. When this longing is established, our conditions can be improved, as can our future generations, guiding them along the straight path.
We should continuously strive in this endeavour. May Allah Almighty enable everyone taking part in this Jalsa or listening to this Jalsa to establish true sincerity and loyalty within them. Also pray for the weather these days, that it does not cause a hinderance in any program.
Instead, may Allah Almighty turn it in our favour. All praise is due to Allah We laud Him, we beseech help from Him and ask His protection; we confide in Him, we trust Him alone and we seek protection against the evils and mischief of our souls and from the bad results of our deeds.
Whomsoever He guides on the right path, none can misguide him; and whosoever He declares misled, none can guide him onto the right path. And we bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah. We bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His servant and Messenger.
O servants of Allah! May Allah be merciful to you. Verily, Allah commands you to act with justice, to confer benefits upon each other and to do good to others as one does to one’s kindred and forbids evil which pertain to your own selves
And evils which affect others and prohibits revolts against a lawful authority. He warns you against being unmindful. You remember Allah; He too will remember you; call Him and He will make a response to your call. And verily divine remembrance is the highest virtue.