Friday Sermon – Khalifatul Masih V – Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Year 2017
Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that Muhammad (saw) is the Messenger of Allah. Come to Prayer Come to success
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is none worthy of worship except Allah. Peace be upon you all, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah He is alone and has no partner
and I bear witness that Muhammad (saw) 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 Thy displeasure,
and those who have not gone astray. In the previous sermon, I mentioned that the purpose of fasting and Ramadan as outlined by Allah the Almighty is to develop Taqwa [righteousness] within the hearts.
In regards to this I presented some extracts from the writings of the Promised Messiah (as) elaborating on those means which enable us to acquire this and also how we can adopt those means.
The Promised Messiah (as) has further expounded on this subject in various places in order to firmly embed its importance in our hearts and so that it is manifested in every action and practise of ours because if there is no Taqwa [righteousness]
then one cannot perform any righteous deed in order to seek the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. Everyone performs good deeds out of a momentary impulse or due to any other reason every now and
then but one can only regularly perform them when there is true Taqwa. The Promised Messiah (as) stated that in order to become a Muttaqi [righteous person] it is not enough to simply worship God or fulfil the rights of the creation of God,
in fact a righteous person is one who also adopts a high standard of morals and has a positive influence on others through his/her piety and righteousness. Thus, on one occasion the Promised Messiah (as) stated: “High morals are a sign of a righteous person.”
Furthermore, explaining the true purpose of a believer’s life, the Promised Messiah (as) stated “that one should always demonstrate the beauty of the teachings of Islam and “this can only be possible when one exhibits high morals while treading on Taqwa [righteousness].”
The Promised Messiah (as) states: “Taqwa is made up of many components and to abstain from vanity, selfishness, unlawful wealth “and to refrain from all kinds of immoral behaviour is part of Taqwa [righteousness].
“A person who displays good morals then even his enemies become his friends.” Allah the Almighty states: [Arabic: ‘Repel evil with that which is best.’] The Promised Messiah (as) first of all stated that
Taqwa is to refrain from all kinds of ill habits and to display good morals is also Taqwa which enables one to turn even his enemies into friends. The Promised Messiah (as) further states: “One should ponder over what we are being taught in this injunction.
“In this injunction, Allah the Almighty desires that even if the opponents hurl abuse towards us, “we should not respond to them in the same manner. “Rather, we should show patience and this will convince our opponents of our excellence and
“they will in turn become penitent and ashamed of themselves. “Such a punishment is far greater than the one you could inflict “if you had the opportunity to exact revenge.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states:
“A person could even go to the extent of committing murder, “however this is against humanity and righteousness. “Good morals is such a virtue that it can even influence the most malevolent of people.’ The Promised Messiah (as) further states:
“Someone so beautifully once stated in Persian: [Persian] “That is, if you treat others with kindness then even strangers will draw closer to you and “be part of your community of friends.” Therefore, this is the principal teaching which we must always bear in mind
wherein we should exhibit good morals by adhering our every action to Taqwa. Then elucidating this matter further as to what is meant by ‘morals’, what their purpose is; what the purpose of exhibiting good morals is and
what example of good morals we have before us, the Promised Messiah (as) states, “Firstly it is morals, which make us human. “Nobody should merely consider kindness to be the sum total of ‘morals’.”
By ‘morals’, which make us human, is not only meant that one should treat other with kindness. The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “Khalq and khulq are two words, “which indicate juxtaposing meanings. Khalq is the name of a physical birth;
“ears, nose and even hair etc. are all encompassed by [the word] khalq. “Khulq means the metaphysical birth. “In that way, inner qualities by virtue of which humans are distinguishable from animals
“fall under [the word] khulq; even intellect and cognition fall under [the word] khulq.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “By utilising khulq, a person reforms his humanness. “If people were not assigned their duties,” – if they are not fulfilling the human duties,
or if they are not assigned any duties, then one would have to see, “whether someone is a human, a donkey or what! When the attributes of khulq are compromised, “then only the apparent structure is what is left behind.”
If one’s khulq are not good and they are compromised and since to be considered a human, high morals are necessary, therefore if they are compromised, then only the apparent form of a human is left behind and true humanity is lost.
The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “For instance, if a person loses his mind, “he is referred to as insane; he is only recognised as human due to his apparent form.” He is only referred to as ‘human’ due to his apparent form
but he does not have an intellect as humans do. He is bereft of that. The Promised Messiah (as) says, “Thus, by ‘morals’ is meant the seeking of the pleasure of Allah.” And what is meant by ‘seeking of the pleasure of Allah’?
Huzoor (as) says, “It is what is personified in the practical life of the Holy Prophet (saw).” What are morals? It is what Allah the Almighty desires. And what does Allah the Almighty desire?
It is what we observe in every aspect of the life of the Holy Prophet (saw). Huzoor (as) says, “It is the attaining of the pleasure [of God].” This should be our goal.
Huzoor (as) further says, “By ‘morals’ is meant the attaining of the pleasure of Allah. “For that, it is necessary that one should try to mould his life “according to the life of the Holy Prophet (saw). These morals are like the foundation.
“If they remain unsteady, a building cannot be constructed upon them. “Morals are like laying one brick on top of the other. “If one brick is laid out of line the entire wall remains uneven. “How beautifully has someone stated this [in Persian] that,
[Persian] “That is, ‘If the first brick is laid unevenly by the mason, then even up to the Pleiades, ‘the walls will continue to remain awry’.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states, “You should listen to these matters with utmost attention.
“I have seen many people – I have observed them closely – “who although show generosity (They are generous and very giving), “however their anger is aroused easily and they are over sensitive. “Some are gentle but miserly at the same time
(They are very kind hearted but also very miserly.) “Some, in a state of extreme anger, even severely injure an individual with sticks but as for humility, there is not an iota of it found in them.
“Some have been observed to have humbleness of the highest order but they possess no bravery.” If they get angry, there is no humility left in them. If they exhibit humility, then, even when the occasion warrants bravery, they are left deprived of that moral quality.
Furthermore, regarding the moral qualities of the Holy Prophet (saw), the Promised Messiah (as) says, “With regards to the Holy Prophet (saw), Allah the Exalted has said that: [Arabic: And thou dost surely possess high moral excellences.] “In every aspect of life,
“the Holy Prophet (saw) demonstrated the highest example of his moral qualities, “which is obligatory for a believer to follow according to his capacity and capability.” The Promised Messiah (as) said regarding the Holy Prophet (saw),
“There was a time, when the Holy Prophet (saw), due to his eloquent speech, “would mesmerise a group of people and leave them speechless.” He was so eloquent in speech that a large gathering would be influenced.
“A time came, when he displayed tremendous courage in the battlefield. “When it came to generosity, he gave a mountain of gold. “Demonstrating his excellence with regards to forbearance, “he forgave those upon whom the penalty of death was mandated.
“In short, it is the unique and perfect example of the Holy Prophet (saw), “which Allah the Exalted has manifested.” The Promised Messiah (as) says, “Its example is that of a great and magnificent tree,
“from each element of which a person can fulfil his needs whilst sitting in its shade. “Its fruit, its flower, its bark, its leaves, in short, every element of it is beneficial.”
The Promised Messiah (as) further says regarding the Holy Prophet (saw) and his moral qualities, “The bravest in battle was considered to be the one, who would be near the Holy Prophet (saw),
“as he would be in a place of great danger. Subhanallah [Holy is Allah], what great stature!” The Promised Messiah (as) says, “A time came, “when the Holy Prophet (saw) possessed such a large flock of sheep,
“which even [the emperors] Caesar and Khosrow did not possess. He gave them all to a beggar.” This is the demonstration of [his] moral conduct. “If he possessed nothing, what could he have given?” Then, there is another aspect.
“If the Holy Prophet (saw) did not have any kind of governance, how could it be then proven “ that despite possessing the power to take revenge “he forgave those disbelievers upon whom the penalty of death was mandatory,
“who had inflicted most atrocious pain and hardships upon the revered companions, “and upon the Holy Prophet (saw) and the Muslim women. “When they came face to face, the Holy Prophet (saw) announced that: [Arabic: no blame shall lie on you this day.]
“I have forgiven you. If such occasion did not arise, “how would the high moral qualities of the Holy Prophet (saw) be displayed?” The Promised Messiah (as) says, “Name me one moral quality,
“which the Holy Prophet (saw) did not possess and which was not at the stage of perfection!” Thus, this is the perfect example in regards to which Allah the Exalted has said that we should also follow the example of this Prophet (saw)
to the utmost extent of our capacities and capabilities. We will need to endeavour and strive to follow this example. Merely stating how we can follow this example is not sufficient,
as this is the example of the Prophet of Allah the Exalted, which is of the highest standard. Allah the Exalted has said that you need to follow it. Allah the exalted has commanded to adhere to this model.
Therefore, it is necessary to endeavour and strive for this. Hence, mentioning this the Promised Messiah (as) says, “Until a person strives and utilises prayers, “the distress that befalls the heart cannot be removed.”
The difficult and dark hurdle that has been created in the heart cannot be removed until you strive and pray along with it. Endeavour and prayer, both are necessary. “Hence, Allah the Exalted has said: [Arabic]
“i.e. God the Exalted does not remove every kind of calamity and tribulation from a nation “until the nation itself does not endeavour to remove it. “If they do not take heart and display courage, why should a change be brought about?”
The Promised Messiah (as) says, “This is an unchangeable tradition of Allah the Exalted “as He says: [Arabic: and thou wilt never find a changein the way of Allah.] “Thus, whether it is our Jama’at or someone else, they can only reform their morals
“if they strive and utilise prayers. It is not possible otherwise.” Furthermore, mentioning the fact that regardless of how low a person’s morals might be, they can be reformed if he wishes to do so, the Promised Messiah (as) says,
as mentioned earlier, that this requires an endeavour. With regards to this, the Promised Messiah (as) has also mentioned the views of philosophers and presented an example. Hence, the Promised Messiah (as) says,
“Philosophers have two schools of thought regarding the possibility of moral reform. “There are those, who believe that man is capable of moral reform “and others, who believe that he is not.
“The fact of the matter is that morals can be changed if one is not complacent, “and makes an effort to do so.” Do not display complacency, rather, strive and consequently morals can be reformed.
The Promised Messiah (as) said, “At this point, I am reminded of a story and it is as follows. “It is said that once a man came to see the renowned Greek philosopher Plato and “sought permission to enter at the door.
“It was Plato’s principle that he did not allow visitors to enter “until studying their appearance and facial features.” He would not allow them to enter until he studied their countenance and appearance.
“He would form an opinion regarding the described person based on the appearance.” From these things he would form an opinion about the person who came and what he is like. “As usual, the servant came and described the appearance of the person
“upon which Plato said to tell him that since you are a man with many immoralities, “I do not wish to meet you!” You possess many indecent qualities and I do not wish to meet you.
“When this person heard this response from Plato, he told the servant to go and tell [Plato] that “whatever you have said is correct. “However, I have shunned my indecent habits and have made a reform.” I have shunned indecencies and immoralities.
“Upon this Plato said that indeed, this might be possible. “Hence, he invited him inside and met him with utmost honour and respect.” The Promised Messiah (as) says, “Those philosophers who believe that morals cannot be reformed are in the wrong.
“We observe that after truly repenting, some civil servants, who take bribes, “do not cast their eyes even on a mountain of Gold if someone offers it to them.” Citing an example of how one should reform his/her morals, the Promised Messiah (as) states:
“Just as a person experiences a time where he physically deteriorates (i.e. a person’s physical faculties weaken which is known as agedness). “During which the eyes no longer function properly and the hearing becomes faint.
“In short every part of the body almost seizes to function. “But remember that feebleness is of two kinds (or agedness is of two kinds). “Natural and unnatural. Natural is that which had already been mentioned;
“the physical weakness that comes with old age is natural. “However, the unnatural kind is that where one is negligent of one’s ailments (i.e. one does not show any concern to his/her illnesses). “Consequently, they weaken the person and age him prematurely
(a person becomes senile and ages if one shows no concern). “Just as this phenomenon exists in the physical system wherein a person becomes weak “if he/she does not find a cure for their illnesses and ailments.
“And in this physical system there are two ways in which one becomes feeble and weak: “The first is where one becomes naturally weak with age and “the other is where a person unnaturally becomes weak due to negligence.”
The Promised Messiah (as) states: “Just as this phenomenon exists in the physical system, “in the same way this exists in the spiritual system also. (Just as there are two ways by which one becomes feeble and weak,
similarly there are two ways in the spiritual system by which one can become weak). “If a person fails to transform his ill morals into high moral qualities and attributes (and does not transform his ill thoughts into good thoughts and practices)
“then eventually his morals disintegrate completely. “It is clearly established by the sayings of the Holy Prophet (saw) and “the teachings of the Holy Quran that there is a cure for every illness.
“However, if lethargy and apathy overcome a person then there is no escaping complete ruin. “A person cannot be saved who lives a life as care-free as the elderly.” Thus, Allah the Almighty has provided those means in this month
through which we can remove such lethargic tendencies. Each and every one of us should pay focus towards improving their morals and abstaining from all other ills and sins. If one does not pay attention to this even when experiencing this special atmosphere
then as the Promised Messiah (as) stated that one will become feeble which will lead to one’s death and such a person will stand before Allah the Almighty without having acquired any Taqwa. Regarding the acquisition of high morals,
the Promised Messiah (as) draws our attention towards repentance. Huzoor (as) states: “In actuality, repentance is extremely effective and helpful for the acquisition of morals.” If one wishes to acquire high morals then it is important to repent.
However, repentance does not simply mean to seek repentance for sins but it also very important in order to adopt high moral. The Promised Messiah (as) further states: “[Repentance] makes a man perfect.
“In other words, if a person wishes to reform his ill morals “then it is important to first repent with complete sincerity and with full resolve. “It should be borne in mind that that there are three conditions for repentance,
“without fulfilling those one cannot achieve true repentance. “Out of these three conditions, the first condition which in Arabic is known as Iqlaa’ “that is to get rid of wicked fancies which arouse evil propensities.”
It is important to dispel ill habits, immoral thoughts and immoral practises – that is the first condition. The Promised Messiah (as) further states regarding the first condition that ideas have great influence.
Expounding on how one can rid such thoughts, the Promised Messiah (as) states that “when a person thinks of something, it has a great influence on them “because every action is preceded by an idea.” Before doing anything first one has to think about it.
“Thus, the prime condition for repentance is that evil thoughts and fancies should be discarded. “For instance, if a person has an illicit relationship with a woman and desires to repent, “it is necessary that he should conceive of her as ugly
“and should call to mind all her low qualities. “As I have just said fancies exercise a powerful influence. “I have read that some Sufis carried their fancies to such a length that “they saw a person in the form of an ape or pig.
“Everything takes on the colour of how you imagine it to be. “Thus, the first condition of repentance is that all thoughts, “which give rise to evil pleasures, should be discarded altogether. (One should think of them as impure).
“The second condition is remorse. Everyone’s conscience admonishes him over every evil, “but an unfortunate person leaves his conscience suspended (he does not utilise this faculty which Allah the Almighty has endowed him with).
“So a sinner should express remorse over his sin and evil action and should reflect that “the pleasure to be derived from them is temporary and short-lived. (these pleasures are temporary and for a limited number of days).
“He should also consider that every time there is a decline in that pleasure and that in the end, “in old age when his faculties are weakened, “he will perforce have to give up all these pleasures.
“Then why indulge in that which in the end has to be given up anyhow? “Most fortunate is the person who turns in repentance “and becomes determined to discard all corrupt thoughts and vile fancies.
“When he gets rid of this impurity, he should be remorseful. “The third condition is a firm resolve that he will not revert to those vices. “If he adheres to this resolve, God will bestow upon him the strength for true repentance and
“he will be rid altogether of his vices “which will be replaced by good morals and praiseworthy actions. “This is a moral victory. “It is for God Almighty to bestow the power and strength for it
“for He is the Master of all power and all strength, as He has said: [Arabic: All power belongs to Allah] “All power belongs to Allah and man is weak in structure and the reality is that: [Arabic: Man has been created weak.]
“Therefore to attain Strength and power from God, “one must perfect the three conditions and “should abstain from being complacent and lazy and should become active and “should pray to God Almighty. Allah will bring about reform as a result.”
The Promised Messiah (as) explains the struggle one must undertake to eschew these vices by explaining with the example of person who shows bravery: “Our community is not in need of strong-men and wrestlers. “Rather we need such strong people
“who make efforts in trying to bring about their reformation. “It is a fact that a powerful and strong person is not he who can move a mountain, “rather it is he who can bring about moral reform.
“Thus, you should use all your energy and might in trying to bring about moral reform “because therein lies real strength and bravery.’ The Promised Messiah (as) then says: “An excellent moral state is miraculous thing upon which no one can lay any objections against.
“The biggest and most powerful miracle bestowed upon the Holy Prophet (saw) “was the morals granted to him. As is said: ‘thou dost surely possess high moral excellences’ [68:4]. “Whilst in evidence for his truthfulness the Holy Prophet (saw) displayed more miracles
“than all the other prophets – peace be upon them – combined, “however the miracle of his moral excellence was the greatest of them all. “The annals of history cannot produce an equal example to his,
“and nor will anyone in future every be able to display any parallel.” The Promised Messiah (as) says: “I believe that every person “who abandons their degraded and corrupted morals “and adopts high moral excellences (ridding themselves of vices and embracing virtues),
“this doing so becomes a miracle for them. “For instance, if a person who is callous, hard-hearted, insensitive and bad-tempered, “eradicates these habits and adopts forgiveness and gentleness, “or rids himself of niggardliness and adopts generosity and open-heartedness,
“or if he avoids jealousy and becomes compassionate and caring, “then surely this is a miracle. “Similarly, if one rids himself of conceit, egotism and narcissism and adopts humility, “then displaying humility is a miracle.
“Therefore who amongst you does not wish to be one who display miracles? “I know that everyone would want to do so. Thus, this is a living and timeless miracle. “Man should reform his moral state because its impact is permanent and never-ending
“and its benefits are in fact enduring and long-lasting. “A believer should become miraculous in the eyes of God and His creation (both in the view of God the Almighty and in the view of His creation,
one should become a miraculous individual by instilling pious reformation within, adopting humility and modesty and eschewing self-conceitedness, by adopting generosity and open-heartedness and abandoning jealousy and stinginess and by displaying love and sympathy.
When one demonstrates all of these good qualities and attributes and eradicates bad qualities and vices, this is a miracle shown by that person in the eyes of Allah the Almighty and mankind). “There are many people who indulge in vices
“who are not influenced or affected at all by miracles and signs, “however when they witness moral excellences in someone, “they accept the truth and find no other option but to accept it.
“You will observe this fact in the lives of many people “who accepted the truth only due to witnessing the miracle of one’s morals.” The Promised Messiah narrated this whilst sitting in the company of some others in a mosque.
As the Promised Messiah (as) was mentioning all of this in a gathering, a few Sikh gentlemen entered wearing clothes like beggars or vagrants and the stench of intoxicating substances emanated from them. They too entered this gathering.
The narrator of this incident writes that these people started spewing such absurd and ludicrous things that there was a potential of apprehension and uneasiness overtaking the gathering. He writes that: “However, our pure and holy Imam, peace be upon him,
“displayed through his practical conduct the very miraculous morals “that was explaining and guiding us about. “This had such an impact upon everyone present in the gathering “which was visible from the passionate cries of the companions sitting in the gathering and
“those mischief makers were ultimately caught by the police.” The Promised Messiah (as) explains the different reasons for inculcating faith: “Convincing the wicked opponents of Prophets, and particularly of the Holy Prophet (saw), “to accepting the faith was never reliant on miracles and
“nor were miracles a means to influence them. “Indeed, these opponents were convinced of the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet (saw) “purely by observing his excellent virtues and morals. “Miraculous morals can have affect in a way that powerful miracles cannot.
“Steadfastness is of greater value than miracles. “Experiment yourself and see how steadfastness and “firm resolve produces extraordinary effects and miracles. “People do not pay attention even a little to miracles, especially nowadays.
“However, if people discover that a person has great morals, “then the attention that he is given is no secret.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states: “Those people who do not find satisfaction after having witnessed great miracles,
“even they are affected by high moral qualities. “The fact is that there are few who believe after having witnessed physical miracles “and wonders and similarly there are only some who believe “due to having witnessed the truth and after having gained insight,
“however most are those for whom high morals and good manners “are the means for their guidance and satisfaction [of the truth].” Even today there are countless number of people who enter the fold of Ahmadiyyat
because they have been greatly impressed by the good moral actions of an Ahmadi, or by the general morals displayed by the members of the community. Therefore, every Ahmadi must pay close attention to this that
their good morals are not just a means of attaining Taqwa but it is a religious obligation and can also become a means of reforming others therefore, every Ahmadi should pay particular focus on their morals.
Expounding on the method to acquire faith, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “To seek help from God to be reformed and to spend one’s efforts for this “is the method to attain faith.”
I.e. to spend all of one’s effort and strength and to supplicate to God Almighty to be reformed is the way to acquire faith. The Promised Messiah (as) further states:
“It is mentioned in the Hadith that one who raises his hands to supplicate with complete conviction, “then such a prayer is never rejected by God Almighty. “Thus, implore from God Almighty with complete conviction and pure intentions.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states:
“My advice once again is that displaying good morals is akin to showing miracles. “If someone says that he does not desire to become a miracle-worker “then he is being fooled by Satan. “The ability to show miracles does not signify self-appraisal or haughtiness
“because by witnessing miracles people are made aware of the truth “and the reality of Islam and receive guidance. “I tell you again, conceit and haughtiness are not part of righteous characteristic, “rather they are satanic influences. Behold, there are millions of Muslims that
“reside in different parts of the world. “Have they been coerced or forced to accept Islam at the mercy of the sword? “No! This is absolutely false! “It is the pristine inherent characteristics of Islam that drew them towards it.”
The Promised Messiah (as) further states: “There are various types of blessings, including the blessing of good morals, “which is valued trait in every respect. “Those people who accepted Islam “only saw the blessings of this very virtue [i.e. good morals]
“and this left a lasting impression on them. “They saw Islam through the spectacle of magnificence, “rather than view it from the sword.” The Promised Messiah (as) further elaborates: “Famous western historians were forced to admit the fact that
“Islam’s core principals are so strong that it compels people of other nations to accept it.” Then whilst explaining the concept that morals are similar to Rizq [provisions] and, to express them is to spend out of the faculties provided by God Almighty,
which also makes up a part of righteousness, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “Usually people consider Rizq to mean those provisions which are edible. “This is incorrect” (Rizq is not simply things which can be consumed or taken to mean money or wealth)
“anything that is supplied to fuel ones faculties can be considered as Rizq. “One is bestowed with knowledge, wisdom, deep insight and cognizance; “sustenance for the body and an increase in wealth are all things that can be considered to be Rizq.
“One’s abilities, moral character, wealth etc. can all be included in the category of Rizq.” The Promised Messiah (as) continues by saying: “Sovereignty and the having best of morals are all counted in Rizq. “God Almighty states:
‘and they [i.e. The believers] spend out of which We have provided for them’. “This means that they give provisions to others out of their own wealth, “they impart their own knowledge on to others and also display the best moral conduct for others.
“Pay heed! A miser is not only that individual who refuses to give to the destitute, “rather, even the one who abstains from imparting knowledge, “which has been bestowed by God Almighty, is also a miser.” (There are several categories of a miser.
Any individual that holds back from granting others from their capabilities or their wealth are also deemed as misers) The Promised Messiah (as) further elaborated by saying: “To hold back from imparting ones knowledge onto others for the reason that
“in doing so they may become insignificant or that they may not earn as much is deemed as idolatry, “for the reason that in such a case, that individual thinks that “their particular knowledge or skill is their provider and Lord.
“Similarly the individual who fails to make use of their good morals is also a miser. “To make use of one’s moral values means to use the morals that “have been bestowed by God and conduct yourself in this manner with God Almighty’s creation.”
(Firstly, one should adopt the morals that have been bestowed to man by God Almighty, then conduct themselves using them with people. This will be a way of spending out of which God Almighty has provided for them)
The Promised Messiah (as) continues by saying: “Upon seeing this example, “people will instinctively strive to inculcate these morals within themselves.” When people present a good example through their high morals, then others will also endeavour to become well-mannered.
The Promised Messiah (as) states: “[Good] Morals does not only mean to speak with a soft tone “ or using polite language. “Instead the attributes such as bravery, generosity and chastity are all moral strengths
“and using them at the correct time makes them part of ones morals.” Whilst advising the members of the community to adopt the highest of morals and to bring about changes within themselves, the Promised Messiah (as) stated the following:
“Whosoever demonstrates to their neighbour a change, “within their moral conduct, for the better, it will be as if they have performed a miracle. “They will leave a lasting impression upon the neighbour.”
The Promised Messiah (as) continues by saying: “They raise allegations against our community “that we are unaware when we will succeed and invent fabrications in an enraged manner. “Is it not a point of embarrassment for them that
“a man enters this community after deeming it to be a better place, “just like a son bears the virtuous traits of his father, “i.e. the one who enters into the Bai’at [oath of initiation] is like a son that follows guidance.
“For this reason the wives of the Holy Prophet (sa) are called ‘Mothers of the Believers’, “making the Holy Prophet (saw) the father of the Muslim community. “A father gives life to his offspring and “is responsible for bringing them physically into this world,
“however, a spiritual father can carry an individual to heaven, “which is the true centre of gathering.” Huzoor (as) states: “Does anyone wish to become the source of disrepute for their own father?” (The evils that are being highlighted for the people indicates that
[by adopting them] they will discredit the Jamaat by continuing in this manner). The Promised Messiah (as) continues by saying: “Would any son desire to defame his father “by visiting prostitutes, involving himself in gambling, become a drunkard
“or indulging himself in such immoral acts that would bring shame upon the father.” The Promised Messiah (as) states: “I know for a fact that no individual would wish for this, “yet when a dishonourable son carries out such acts,
“then it is not possible for one to remain silent. (Which means that if one does this, then the people will point fingers) “and people will point fingers at the father saying that “the son of such and such is engrossed in immoral acts.
“Thus, the dishonourable son himself becomes the means of bringing shame upon his father. “Similarly, if an individual enters this fold (i.e. joins the Jamaat) and “does not uphold the honour and respect of this community by committing an act
“that is contrary to its values, then in the eyes of God Almighty he is culpable (i.e. in the eyes of God Almighty he is guilty and will be held accountable), “because he not only ruins himself, rather he has a negative impact on others and
“becomes the reason for them to remain bereft of the good fortune of guidance. The Promised Messiah (as) states: “Thus, you should seek the succour of God with all your might and with all your strength and
“courage you should strive to remove your weaknesses. “Wherever you stumble, you should raise your hands [for supplication] “with complete truthfulness and conviction, “because anyone who supplicates with complete humility and humbleness –
“accompanied with conviction and truthfulness – is never left empty handed. “We can say with experience that thousands of our prayers have been accepted “and continue to be accepted. The Promised Messiah (as) states: “It is an undeniable truth that
“the one who does not harbour any compassion for their fellow beings is a miser. “If I see a path that is blessed and beneficial, “then it is my responsibility to alert the people and call them towards it.
“One should not be concerned whether people will follow it or not.” Thus, every action of ours should prove that having entered into the Bai’at [oath of allegiance] with the Promised Messiah (as)
we have made virtuous moral changes, and then we should inform the people, which is the way to perform Tabligh [preaching the message]. May Allah enable us to make virtuous changes within ourselves in line with righteousness and
keeping the model of the Holy Prophet (saw) in mind. May we spend our lives in the manner the Promised Messiah (as) wished for us to spend them. After the prayers I will lead two funeral prayers in absentia.
The first is of Mr Lutf-ur-Rahman Sahib, from USA. He was the son of Mian Ata-ur-Rahman Sahib. He passed away on 27th May 2017; to Allah we belong, and to Him shall we return. He was originally from Bhera and his paternal grandfather,
Hazrat Mian Kareem-ud-Din Sahib was a companion of the Promised Messiah (as), who performed the Bai’at [oath of initiation] in 1894. His wife, Taalia Bibi Sahiba may well have performed the Bai’at with her husband (the deceased’s paternal grandmother),
but was not fully convinced by it. She saw a dream (Taalia Bibi was her name) after which the Promised Messiah (as) stated: “The woman who was shown this dream does not have full conviction in me”
(She saw a dream from which it was understood to mean that she did not have full belief in the Promised Messiah (as) and the reason for his advent). The Promised Messiah (as) stated: “If she believes in me with full conviction,
“then God Almighty will grant her a son”. She then visited Qadian to physically perform the Bai’at and after this she was granted a son, who the Promised Messiah (as) named Ata-ur-Rahman, i.e. the father of Lutf-ur-Rahman Sahib.
He taught sciences in Ta’leem-ul-Islam School for a very long period. I was also one of his students in my school years. The deceased was the eldest son of Mian Ata-ur-Rahman Sahib, and served as Mohtamim for Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Pakistan.
He served as the editor for Al-Minar and Khalid magazines. After this he served for a lengthy period of time in a school in Sierra Leone and after seeking retirement he left for USA.
He was a gifted speaker and writer. His treaties were often published in Al-Fazl. Mahmood Mujeeb Asghar Sahib writes: “He once visited Pakistan and was searching for some references in the Khilafat library.
“He said that ‘I often prepares answers, with full supporting references, to certain newspapers, ‘which raise allegations against Islam and the Holy Quran, and when I send the answers, ‘they often publish them (Lutf-ur-Rahman sahib mentioned).
‘This is the reason why I am searching for references in the Khilafat library’.” Ata-ul-Mujeeb Rashid sahib writes: “He was a very learned individual and had a deep insight into matters pertaining to religion. “He had a command on both the Urdu and English languages.
“He would write thoroughly detailed and researched articles in a scholarly manner. “He had a passion for researching on different facts and “would always read the literature of the Jamaat. He was a very intelligent individual”
Khalil Mubasher Sahib, who was in charge of the Mission of Sierra Leone and served as the Ameer [National President] writes: “We spent more than twenty years together and “I had the opportunity to observe him from very close.
“He had a unique personality, very humble and had a balanced temperament. “He was so humble that I cannot find words to describe his humility. “He was a selfless person. (This is no exaggeration, in fact this is how he was).
“God Almighty had granted him the ability to deliver speeches and ability to write.” In addition to this he served as a teacher in an Ahmadiyya school, then later served in an excellent manner as the head teacher and
ensured everything ran smoothly in an organised manner. He would offer his prayers with full devotion and would always show gratitude for the blessings given to him by Allah the Almighty. He was regular in paying his Chanda [obligatory contribution]
and would give charity, as well as actively participating in financial schemes launched. He had a strong bond of love and devotion with Khilafat. When Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) visited Sierra Leone in 1988,
he had the opportunity to serve in notable capacities. His respect and admiration of Khilafat was such that it was a model for others to see. Even when he came here to see me, although we have been acquaintances for a while,
yet after becoming Khalifa he changed his conduct completely. Fazal Ahmad Shahid Sahib who is a Missionary of the Jamaat writes: “On one occasion a Christian by the name Manad came to Bo and in front a large gathering
he started to perform fake miracles. He replied by writing a treatise which unsettled the Christians and even the non-Ahmadi mosque rejoiced over this incident. May Allah the Almighty grant him forgiveness and show him mercy by elevating his status.
May his progeny continue his virtuous deeds. The second funeral is that of Mirza Umar Ahmad Sahib, the son of Sahibzada Dr. Mirza Munawar Ahmad Sahib who passed away on 5th June at 2pm in the Tahir Heart Institute, Rabwah.
He passed away at the age of 67. to Allah we belong, and to Him shall we return. He was the same age as me and a childhood friend. As children we used to play together. He possessed great qualities.
In spite of him being a cherished individual, a relative and one the same age as me, and in spite of the fact that we grew up playing together, after (my) Khilafat I particularly witnessed that his level of respect and devotion
had become exemplary. May Allah elevate his station. He was married to Amatul Kafi Sahiba, daughter of Major Sayyid Sa’eed Ahmad Sahib. She was the granddaughter of Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ishaaq Sahib.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III (ra) announced his Nikah. He has 5 children – 3 daughters and 2 sons. The youngest daughter is a Waqifa Nau who is doing an excellent duty in Review of Religions.
One daughter is here in London – Dr Fareeha who is the wife of Dr Hamad Sahib. She has served well in different capacities within Lajna Imaillah. His sister is also here [in the UK], Amatul Hayy Sahiba is the wife of Dr Hamatullah Khan Sahib.
He too is among those serving the community. It was always his desire to do Waqf, however in the early stages of my Khilafat he came to me informing me he had previously written about his desire to do Waqf,
at that time I was aware of some of his abilities, and therefore I accepted his Waqf and appointed him the Naib Sadr Amoomi. By the grace of Allah he fulfilled his duties there in the finest manner.
His wife writes that “he told me that ‘I wrote a letter (Huzoor) regarding Waqf and ‘my Waqf has been accepted by Huzoor’.” And then I gave him instructions on how to work there and to visit various neighbourhoods,
especially those which are distant from Rabwah and feel deprived. For this reason visiting these areas is necessary. He continued to discharge this duty till his last breath, and did so in excellent fashion.
Moreover, the people there, who are very poor people, were very pleased with him. There was a great meekness in his character and he was very understanding. By the grace of God he looked after his affairs in a very good manner.
Sadr Amoomi Sb writes that “there were some extremely difficult matters “which we would assign to him, yet he would resolve them in the best possible way. “In such a manner where both parties would be satisfied and all will be heard.
“Some have even gone as far to say that we will only take his verdict “for he listens to all parties and makes his decision based on justice. “He was very kind to children in particular, whether his own or others
“and he had a lot of love and affection for them which he would show. “His connection with Khilafat was of course very strong; it should be said that it was exemplary.” This is exactly what his children, his wife and even others have written,
since even in his last days of sickness he would feel weakness due to his cancer, yet when he felt slightly better he would at once go to the office; this is in accordance with my instruction to him when he was here i.e.
to continue to go to the office. Seeing as this was the instruction of the Khalifa of the time to continue to go to the office, he paid no attention to his illness and would regularly make his way there.
In this period too he would, despite his illness he would make great efforts to discharge his duties. His daughter writes that “when he came here the doctors told him his illness is very critical,
“and he replied ‘it is fine, for Allah the Almighty is the One Who cures ‘so He will grant me life as much as He pleases and I am not worried about this in the slightest.’
“Even the doctor, an Englishman, was astonished as plenty of patients become anxious, “yet he speaks with such conviction.” Similarly, Doctor Noori Sahib writes that “he had three illnesses: Diabetes, heart problems
“and cancer. It was liver cancer. Nevertheless he faced all of these with a lot of patience.” Noori Sahib writes that “he possessed some very high moral qualities. “When I was examining him during the days of his illness,
“he not once complained and would always say ‘Alhamdulillah, I am fine.’ “Whenever a doctor or visitor would come he would signal them to come sit beside him.” Qamar Sulaiman Sahib says that “I was coming to London when the fourth Khalifa passed away,
“and he handed me an envelope on which it was written “’To Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’and said that “this letter is my pledge of allegiance. Whoever is elected Khalifa, present it to him for me.”
He had firm faith that the system of Khilafat was unceasing and true. Sadr Amoomi Sb also writes that “he possessed wonderful qualities and “whatever task was assigned to him, “he would feel uneasy until he had completed it and handed in its report.”
Likewise, there are numerous others who wrote about him. All wrote about his humility and meekness, his friendly nature and about his special connection with Khilafat. May Allah raise him in status, and grant his children the ability to continue his good deed
whilst remaining firmly attached to Khilafat. Ameen 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 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.