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
AAllah 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. Today, by the Grace of Allah, the Annual Ijtema of Majlis Ansarullah UK is commencing. In this respect, I wish to draw the attention of the ansar to an extremely important but fundamental matter.
And that is salat [prayer]. Salat is obligatory upon every believer. However, after the age of 40, one should have developed an increased sense of awareness [of the fact] that with the passing of each day, one’s life is decreasing.
In such a state, the attention towards the worship of Allah and salat should increase, for that time is fast approaching when one will have to present himself before Allah the Almighty, where the reckoning of each and every action of ours will take place.
Thus, in such a state, every believer; everyone, who believes in the life after death and the Last Day, should be worried that he must be among those, who fulfil the rights of Allah the Almighty as well as the rights of His servants
and that he may present himself before Allah the Almighty while endeavouring to fulfil these rights according to his ability. Whenever, Allah the Almighty has drawn the attention towards observing salat, He has emphasised on regularity in salat,
timely observance of all the prayers and that they should performed in congregation. The commandment is of qiyam-us salat [observing the prayer] and ‘qiyam-us salat literally means to observe salat on time and in congregation.
However, it has been observed (the organisers from Ansarullah are probably also analysing and they should be analysing this from their reports) that although the age of the ansar is an age of maturity and solemnity, they do not
pay attention towards salat in congregation in a manner that would be considered sufficient. Thus, Ansarullah should pay the most attention towards this, that each member is regular in congregational prayers. Rather, every nasir should himself analyse his state
and endeavour to become regular in congregational prayers. One should undertake the utmost effort to observe prayers in congregation, except in case of an illness or disability. If there is no mosque or salat centre nearby, then
some people of a particular area can congregate at someone’s house to observe salat in congregation. Even if that provision is not available, then the members of a household should observe congregational prayers. This will also develop an awareness
regarding congregational prayers amongst the children and the youth. Thus, Ansarullah will only become Ansarullah [‘Helpers of Allah’] in the true sense if they play their role in establishing the faith of Allah the Almighty and in acting upon it
and in ensuring that others act upon it also. If they are not carrying out worship, which is the purpose for creating mankind, then they will not be able to ensure that those, over whom they have been made responsible are acting upon it.
Or if they do not act upon it and do not become role models, then they are Ansarullah only by name. Today, we are not waging a war with physical weapons, where one may require helpers. Rather, the Promised Messiah (as) has stated that
the weapon, which shall lead us to victory is prayer. Thus, in order to become Ansarullah, it is necessary to use this weapon of prayer. For that, it is also important to utilise this weapon according to the ways taught by Allah the Almighty.
Only once this takes place, will we truly do justice to the bai’at of the Promised Messiah (as). He says: “If you fail to heed to my words and do not infuse a pious reformation in you, “it is worthless entering into my Bai’at [oath of allegiance].”
Thus every Nasir [member of Ansraullah] must especially assess his own condition as to what extent does he adhere to performing Namaz and to setting an example for his own children? What is the state of the prayers he offers?
Does he perform the prayers simply considering it a duty and burden, or does he do all of this for the sake of attaining the pleasure of Allah the Almighty? The Promised Messiah (as) has repeatedly and at numerous occasions drawn our attention
towards the subject of prayer and it being binding, its wisdom, the method it should be performed and the philosophy behind prayer and its timings. At this time, I will present some of the Promised Messiah’s (as) statements
that shed light on the significance and wisdom of prayers. In one gathering, the Promised Messiah (as) explained why prayers must be offered regularly and punctually, by saying: “Offer your prayers with proper regularity. There are some who only offer one of the prayers.
“They should remember that prayers are not exempt and this even applies to the Messengers. “It is narrated in a Hadith that a new group visited the Prophet (saw) “who wanted concession for the prayers.
“The Holy Prophet (saw) replied that a religion without actions is a worthless religion. “Therefore, remember this point thoroughly “and fashion your actions according to the commands of Allah the Almighty. One of the signs of Allah the Almighty is that
the heavens and earth remain intact because of Him (only the Will of Allah the Almighty enables for the sustenance of the heavens and earth. Without His Will this would not be possible). “At times people whose disposition is inclined towards nature follow nature as their religion.
“If the principles of health are not adhered to “then righteousness and purity cannot give one any benefit (people have created their own philosophies). “So bear in mind that among the signs of Allah the Almighty, one is that
“sometimes medicines prove futile and have no impact upon one’s health “and nor can a skilled doctor even do anything. “However if the Will of Allah the Almighty is present, “then anything can be completely transformed aright.”
To achieve this, it is necessary to develop a relationship with Allah the Almighty. The best way for this is worship and in worship it is to offer the Namaz. On another occasion the Promised Messiah (as) explains the importance and reality of prayer,
its need and the state one should pray in, and says: “What is prayer? “It is a special type of supplication yet people consider it to be a tax imposed by a king. “People fail to understand that what need does God have for this?
“His Being is free of all wants and so why would he require man’s prayers, “Tasbeeh [saying SubhanAllah] and Tahleel [saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allah]? “Indeed it is man alone who stands to gain benefit from this as by doing so he can attain his purpose
(through prayers, man can fulfil his needs and wants and attain the purpose of his life). “I am greatly saddened to see “that today there is no love towards worship, righteousness and devoutness to religion. “The reason for this is because people carry out things superficially
“as customs with a poisonous effect. “This is why love for Allah the Almighty is declining. “People do not take enjoyment and delight from worship as they should. “Everything Allah the Almighty has made in this world has in it something to give us pleasure
(and gratification and for man to derive special satisfaction from it). “One who is ill does not derive pleasure from an exquisite and flavoursome meal “and instead it is unpalatable or completely bland to him (a sick person’s tongue becomes tasteless and is unable to enjoy anything.
This is commonly observed in people who are ill). “Similarly, those who derive no pleasure in worshipping the Divine, “should be concerned for their illness.” (One who finds no delight in prayers is also considered ill)
“because as I have mentioned, everything in the world has been infused “with some kind of pleasure and delight by Allah the Almighty. “Allah the Almighty created mankind for worship “so what is the reason that man fails to find pleasure and satisfaction from worship?
“Certainly worship is imbued with pleasure and satisfaction “however there needs to be someone to derive this pleasure from it. “Allah the Almighty states: ‘I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.’ [Arabic, Holy Qur’an 51:57].
“This therefore necessitates that the highest and utmost form of pleasure and enjoyment “should be found in worship” the extreme point of pleasure must be within worship. Otherwise if Allah the Almighty simply created man without any purpose
or for that purpose to be devoid of any benefit or pleasure how could man attain this purpose? He (as) says: “We can understand this point from our everyday observation and experience. “All foods that we eat or things we drink have been created as provisions for man
(all food and drink have been made for man to consume) “and so does he or she not derive pleasure and delight from these things? “Does he or she not possess a tongue in his mouth to taste and enjoy these things?
“Has God the Almighty not made beautiful and exquisite things in the world, “whether vegetation or inorganic nature [fossils, minerals, stone etc.],” whether plants, fruits or mountains or whether beautiful things, animals, such that we derive pleasure observing them?
Certainly we enjoy and take delight in seeing these things. “Does one’s ears not find joy in listening to melodious and harmonious sounds? “Then what more reasons does one require to demonstrate that there is pleasure in worship?” He (as) says:
“Allah the Almighty says that He has created man and women as a pair “and inclined them towards one another. “There is no compulsion here rather enjoyment and pleasure has also been instilled. “If the objective was simply to procreate generation after generation
“then the purpose could never be achieved.” He (as) says: “Understand this well that worship is not a burden and nor a tax, “rather there is pleasure and enjoyment in it. “And the delight found in worship is much greater than all the delights
“and satisfactions found in the world. “As one who is ill and sick is deprived of the taste and delight derived from tasty food, “similarly it is a lowly and miserable person “who takes no pleasure from worship to Allah the Almighty.”
Thus one fails to derive enjoyment in prayer is weak, negligent and lazy and thus is deprived of the blessings of Allah the Almighty. Any one of us who is in this state, needs to be very concerned.
Further, elaborating on what a real prayer consists of and how it should be performed, the Promised Messiah (as) says: “Remember that prayer is something that adorns and improves one’s worldly life as well as faith. “However often the prayers one offers incurs upon them a curse.
As Allah the Almighty says: [Arabic, Holy Qur’an 107:5-6] ‘So woe to those who pray, but are unmindful of their Prayer’ . “In other words woe be on those who are ignorant of the essence of prayer. “Prayers are something that save a person
“from all forms of transgressions and wrongdoings as well as indecencies. “However offering true prayers does not lie in the hands of man. “Rather the proper way of praying cannot be achieved “without the help and succour of Allah the Almighty.
“Also a person must pray and supplicate constantly and committedly and only then can he or she “develop a state of humility and pray with intense devotion and weep in their prayers. In order to offer the prayer and in order to acquire this status,
where a person refrains from all forms of evils, an endeavour is required. One must acquire the blessing of Allah the Exalted and for this one must display humility and fervour. The Promised Messiah (as) says:
“Therefore, your day and your night, in fact, each and every moment must be filled with prayer.” Hence, in order to attain the pleasure and delight of prayer, one must acquire the blessing of Allah the Exalted.
Furthermore, in order to acquire the blessing of Allah the Exalted, one must prostrate before Him and remember Him even whilst walking around. Moreover, one must seek this with humility. When a person develops such a condition, he will experience a delight in prayers.
Furthermore, mentioning the reason and solution for why a person does not experience delight in prayers, the Promised Messiah (as) says: “I observe that people are heedless and slack in prayers “as they are unaware of the delight and pleasure which Allah the Exalted has placed therein.
“This is one of the key reasons. Furthermore, the carelessness and heedlessness in cities and villages is even greater.” Those who live in populated areas, those who are occupied, slack even more due to their engagements. The Promised Messiah (as) said, “Hence, even one fiftieth
“does not bow in front of their true Master with utmost eagerness and true affection. “Upon this, the question arises why they are unaware of this pleasure “and have neither experienced it. Such commandments are not to be found in other religions.”
Other religions do not have such commandments; to worship regularly. The Promised Messiah (as) said, “At times, it so happens that we are engrossed in our engagements “and the Mu’adhin [person who gives the call to prayer] gives the Adhan [call for prayer]
“and they do not wish to even listen to it, as if by doing so their hearts ache. “Such people are extremely piteous.” The Adhan has been called, however, they did not listen to it.
Or, the time for prayer approached, yet, they did not pay any attention towards this. The Promised Messiah (as) said that such people are extremely piteous. The Promised Messiah (as) was sitting in a gathering and said,
“There are some people here as well that when you look at their shops, “you will find them to be under mosques. “Yet, they never go and stand in prayers.” In other words, they do not go for prayers.
He (as) said, “Thus, I wish to say that you should supplicate to God the Exalted with utmost fervour “and passion by saying that ‘just as You [O Allah] bestowed us with the various pleasures of fruits and other items,
‘do also endow us once with the pleasure of prayer and worship!’ ” The Promised Messiah (as) says, “What one eats is retained in one’s memory. “Look, when a person looks at someone beautiful with delight, he remembers them vividly.
“On the other hand, if one sees an unattractive or unpleasant countenance, “then that horrific appearance manifests itself in its entirety. “Indeed, nothing is remembered if there is no relation.” A person merely remembers beauty and unattractiveness
from the lens with which he looks at them. However, if there is no relation, it makes no difference and nothing is remembered. The Promised Messiah (as) said, “Similarly, prayer in the eyes of those who do not offer prayers,
“is a penalty in that they unjustly have to wake up in the morning, perform ablution in the cold, “leave their blissful sleep as well as various other comforts and offer it.” The Promised Messiah (as) said, “The fact of the matter is that he is averse to it.
“He is unable to comprehend it. “He is unaware of the pleasure and comfort, which is experienced in prayer.” He is unaware of the pleasure and comfort that is felt in prayer. The Promised Messiah (as) said, “How then can he attain pleasure in prayer?”
He (as) says, “I observe that when a drunkard and alcoholic does not attain the pleasure [of intoxication], “he drinks one glass after the other until he feels some kind of intoxication. “A wise and saintly person can derive benefit from this [example]
“and he can do so by being steadfast and regular in prayer.” He should continue to pray until he experiences a delight. He should continue to pray to Allah the Exalted that o Allah, endow me with the pleasure
and delight in prayers, which You have placed in other things. He (as) said, “He should be steadfast and continue to pray until he experiences this pleasure. “In similitude to a drunkard, who has an assumed sense of pleasure in his mind
“and is determined to acquire it, one should employ his mind and all of his faculties “in acquiring this delight in prayers.” He should employ all of his faculties in acquiring this pleasure and delight in prayers.
The Promised Messiah (as) said, “Furthermore, one should supplicate with sincerity and passion, “which should at least be of the same degree of the restlessness and agony of the drunkard, “for that pleasure to be acquired. If one does so”
If a person prays to acquire this pleasure with an agony and restlessness, the Promised Messiah (as)says, “If one does so, I say and I do so truthfully that this pleasure with most certainly be acquired.”
The Promised Messiah (as) further says, “At the time of offering the prayer, “one should also keep in mind the benefits that are acquired through it as well as the good works. [Arabic, Holy Qur’an 11:115]. “Allah the Exalted says, ‘Surely, good works drive away evil works.’
“Thus, one should keep these good works and pleasures in mind and pray “to acquire the [standard] of the prayer of the truthful and those who do good works. “God the Exalted said, [Arabic] i.e. good works drive away evil works.
“At another place Allah the Exalted said that “prayer safeguards a person from indecency and manifest evil. “However, we observe that some people, despite observing prayers, indulge in evil works. “The answer to this is that they observe prayer, however, they do so without spirit and honesty.”
There is no spirit in their prayers. The Promised Messiah (as) said, “They merely strike their heads as a ritual and customary practice. Their spirit is dead. “Allah the Exalted has not mentioned these [prayers] to be ‘hasanaat’ [good works].
“Furthermore, here Allah the Exalted has used the word ‘hasanaat’ and not ‘assalat’ “even though they carry the same meaning. “The reason for this is to indicate towards the excellence, splendour and beauty of prayer “in that the prayer, which is offered with the spirit of honesty
“and which contains an essence of [divine] blessings, removes evil works. “That prayer most certainly removes evil works.” He (as) further says: “Prayer is not the name of sitting down and standing up.” Prayer does not imply merely sitting down and standing up.
“The essence and the spirit of prayer is a supplication, “which is offered with pleasure and delight.” With regards to how to attain the spirit and objective of prayer, the Promised Messiah (as) says that the pillars of prayer i.e.
Qiyam, Ruku’, Sajdah and Qa’dah [various postures of the formal prayer], all of these postures have been made a part of the prayer in order to attain and acquire this objective and spirit. The Promised Messiah (as) says,
“The pillars of prayer are in fact spiritual forms of sitting down and standing up. A person has to stand before God the Exalted “and the Qiyam [standing posture] is also amongst the etiquettes to be displayed by a servant.”
When servants meet a person of higher rank, they stand in their presence out of respect. Hence, the Qiyam in prayer is a sign of respect. “The Ruku’ [bowing posture], which is the second stage, indicates a person’s readiness
“as to how low he is willing to bow in obedience to the command. “The Sajdah [prostrating posture] indicates absolute respect and utmost meekness and humility, “which manifests the objective of worship.” When a person prostrates, he enters a state of nonexistence and utmost meekness and humility.
This is the very objective of worship in that I prostrate before Allah the Exalted. He (as) said, “These are the etiquettes, which Allah the Exalted has prescribed as a reminder “and He has done so in order to allow the body to connect with the soul.”
In the same manner a person is physically and apparently demonstrating these etiquettes, he should also do so within, in a spiritual sense with his spirit. His heart should also perform the Qiyam, Ruku’ and Sajdah in the same manner.
He (as) said, “Apart from this spiritual manner, in accordance with material means, “a physical manner has also been prescribed. “Now, if the physical manner, “which is a reflection of the internal and spiritual manner, is a mere mimicry
(i.e. tying the hands, bowing down and prostrating; (if all of these are merely [a soulless act of] sitting down and standing up and a mimicry, the Promised Messiah (as) says) “and if one tries to throw it aside, considering it to be a heavy burden,
“then tell me what pleasure and delight can be derived therefrom? “Furthermore, until a pleasure and delight is acquired, how can its reality be proven?” If a person does not experience a delight and pleasure, the reality of prayer cannot be proven.
He (as) said, “This can only be attained when the soul enters a state of nonexistence “and absolute humility and falls upon the Divine threshold.” Thus, the soul must also prostrate and fall in front of Allah the Exalted
as the body of a person does at the time of prostration. Furthermore, the soul should also utter the words, which are uttered by one’s tongue and they should be uttered from the heart.
The Promised Messiah (as) said, “It is then that a pleasure, a light and a comfort is attained.” He (as) says, “I wish to elaborate this even further. “A human being is formed only after it passes through various stages
“i.e. when he was a mere droplet. As a matter of fact even prior to this when all the components “and the various elements of the droplet were assembled thereby becoming a foetus “and then into a baby after passing through various stages.
“Then, he develops into a young man and then grows old. In short, when he testifies to the Providence of Allah the Exalted in all of these stages, “which he undergoes at various times, and when he portrays this in his mind at every moment,
“then will he be able to place his subservience parallel to the Providence of God.” When a person reflects on how he was created, the various stages he passed through, how he grew and how Allah the Exalted nurtured him and raised him up, only then
can a person think of discharging the duties of his servitude to God in its correct manner and only can a person think of becoming and fulfilling the duties a true ‘Abd [servant]. He (as) said, “Hence, the objective of experiencing a pleasure and delight in prayer
“can only be acquired when a relationship between one’s servitude and God’s Providence is developed. “Until a person does not annihilate his inner self or declare himself to be non-existent (i.e. consider yourself to be worthless and insignificant),
“which is the requirement of the attribute of God’s Providence, “he will not be endowed with His blessings.” If you wish to acquire the blessings of Allah the Exalted, you must demonstrate absolute servitude [to God].
The Promised Messiah (as)said, “If one does so, he experiences a pleasure of the highest standard, “which has no equivalent. “At this stage, when the soul of a person is completely humbled, “it flows towards God in the likeness of a fountain
“and he breaks every tie with whatever exists besides Allah. (i.e. he severs all ties with everything that exists besides Allah.) “At that time, the love of God the Exalted descends upon him.
“At the time of this bond, a unique state is brought about as a result of these two passions; “the passion of God’s Providence from above and the passion of a person’s servitude from below.” When such a bond is formed, the Providence of Allah the Exalted becomes impassioned
as well as the servitude of a person. When these two form a bond, the Promised Messiah (as) says that at that time a unique state is brought about. He (as) said, “This is called Salat [prayer].”
This unique state is called Salat [prayer], which is brought about when a bond between God’s Providence and a person’s servitude is formed. The Promised Messiah (as) said, “Thus, this is the prayer which removes evil works.” Allah the Exalted says that the prayer of this standard
removes and eradicates evil works and vices. He (as) then says: “Furthermore, it leaves in its place a light and an illumination, “which serves as a beacon of light for the seeker for the dangers of the road
and at times of difficulties.” It serves as a light, as a torchlight. “Furthermore, it makes him aware and safeguards him from all types of sticks, thorns and rocks “that he may stumble upon along the path.”
“This is the condition for where it has been stated: [Arabic]. “This is because he has a beacon of light, not in his hand but in his heart. “And this state is only attained through complete humility, “annihilation of the soul, and complete obedience.
“When one reaches such a state it is not possible for him to even think of evil, “indecency and disobedience. “It is not possible for him to reject [the truth]. “Thus one reaches such a state of delight
“that I find no words to express the magnitude of that joy and delight which one attains.” Then whilst elaborating on the point that a true dignified believer never prostrates to anyone but Allah the Almighty – as one should
and also refrain from making anyone other than Allah the focal point of our attention, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “Another aspect that I wish to elaborate is that Salat
“- the likes of that can be truly deemed to be Salat – can only be attained through prayer. “To pray to anyone other than God is completely against the honour of a dignified believer “because this honour of prayer is only for God.
“Until and unless a person annihilates himself and solely beseeches and begs Allah, “he can never be referred to as a true Muslim and true believer. “The essence of Islam is solely this that all of a person’s abilities,
“external and internal, should fall at the threshold of the Almighty. “Just as a large engine controls many individual parts, “unless a person also makes his actions subservient to that Great Power of the Engine, “he will not be able to believe in the Divinity of God
“and he will not truly be be called a haneef [one ever inclined to Allah], as mentioned “in the prayer: [Arabic] ‘I have turned my face toward Him Who created the heavens and the earth’. “As he utters these words he should immediately begin to focus [on prayer].
“When one declares that they have turned their full attention to God “and affirms that they are ones who worship the One God “then they should turn their full attention towards him.” The Promised Messiah continues by saying:
“If his actions confirm his words then surely he is a Muslim. “He is a believer and one who inclines to God Almighty. “However, the person who begs before beings other than God “and inclines towards them should remember this fact that they are among the unfortunate
“and deprived ones, because the time is nigh “when they will not be able to prostrate before God verbally nor physically.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states: “One reason for not inclining to prayer and for laziness is that
“when a person inclines to beings other than Allah, “his soul and heart incline towards them also, just like the tree whose branches at the onset “are made to incline towards one particular direction and as a result,
“it always tends to incline in that direction as it receives sustenance.” Thus this is a matter of great importance when one abandons prayer or shows weakness in observing prayer whilst at the same time relies on beings other than Allah
then that individual begins to move away, like that tree on which the branches are turned towards a certain direction which results in the branches growing in that direction. “Then a stiffness descends upon his heart from Allah which makes it congealed and stone-like,
“similar to branches that cannot be twisted to face the other direction. “As the days go by, his heart and soul move further and further away from God Almighty. “Thus this is a grave matter and something that makes the heart tremble that
“a person should beg before anyone other than God. “This is why it is very important to establish and make the Salat a constant feature of one’s life “so that initially it becomes a permanent habit “and an ideology of turning to Allah becomes engrained.
“Then, gradually that time approaches “when a person inherits a light and a pleasure in the state of complete self-annihilation. “He then becomes distant from everything else “and servers all ties only submitting towards God almighty.
“At this stage man is bestowed with a light and attains tranquillity.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states: “I would like to emphasise this matter once again that “I regret that I have not found words in which I should set out the evils
“of inclining towards anyone except God. “People prostrate before others and flatter them, “which kindles the honour of God Almighty as this is the prayers of [worldly] people. “Thus, God Almighty withdraws from such a person and casts him aside.
“I set out the matter in a simplified manner, though this is not its true reality, “but it is easy to comprehend with this example; “that the honour of a dignified man would not tolerate “another person forming a relationship with his wife.
” In such a case, he would consider his disgraceful wife worthy of being killed “and occasionally this does occur. Similar is the passion and honour of the Divine. “God Almighty is a highly Honourable Being. Worship and prayer are reserved for His Being.
“He does not approve that anyone else should be worshiped or should be called on in supplication. “Thus, hearken and remember well that “to incline towards any beside Allah is to cut asunder from Him. “Whether one declares it to be Prayer or Tauheed [Oneness of God],
“it is the same for Prayer is the name of the practical proclamation of Unity of God, “both in such circumstances are without blessing and are vain if they are empty of humility “and nothingness and are not pursued with a heart that inclines to God.”
Then with regards to one developing [other] thoughts in prayers, as one occasionally develops other inclinations during prayer, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “Those people who do not focus their attention completely on God Almighty in prayers “are the ones who develop many other thoughts.
Observe how when a criminal stands before a judge, does he develop any other thoughts in his mind?” The Promised Messiah (as) elaborates by saying: “It is impossible for him to develop any other thought.
“All of his attention is focused towards the judge, awaiting the verdict to be pronounced. “In such a condition he is completely unaware of his own existence. “In the same way, if man turns to God with a sincere heart
“and falls upon the threshold of the Almighty with a pious heart, “how is it possible for Satan to ever induce thoughts into ones mind?” These days, due to the influence of atheism people have certain questions on their minds,
such as why one should pray or whether God is in need of our prayers. Elaborating on these the Promised Messiah (as) states: “God Almighty is Self Sufficient “and is in no need for our prayers, rather, we are the ones who require prayer.”
Then the Promised Messiah (as) also states: “One should be mindful of the fact that “when one observes prayer, they do not adhere to it “due to the idea that God Almighty is in need of our prayers. “God Almighty is in no need of our prayers,
“for He is Self-Sufficient and Independent of everything in all the worlds. “He does not depend upon anyone. “Through this [i.e. prayer] he indicates that it is man that is in need of prayer. “There is a hidden secret in the fact
“that man is always in search for things that would benefit him. “That is why he seeks help from God Almighty “as it is an undeniable fact that forging a connection with God Almighty “is equivalent to gaining something that is truly beneficial.
“Even if the entire world becomes the enemy of such an individual “and sets out to destroy him, even then nothing can harm him. “For the sake of such an individual, “even if God Almighty has to destroy hundreds of thousands of people, He would do so.
“In the place of that one individual He would annihilate thousands.” How did the Companions triumph? Expounding on this, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “No sword can win the hearts than the sword of sincerity. “The companions achieved triumph due to these qualities
“and this cannot be achieved through speech alone.” He (as) further states: “Nowadays, there is no spiritual radiance that reflects forth from their countenance “and nor is there any spirituality or divine insight in them.” They lack the insight into the true significance of Salat and consequently
they are deprived of the spiritual light that one receives through Salat. Salat is considered as a burdensome activity. He (as) further states: “God Almighty is not cruel but the fact is that they lack sincerity in their hearts.
“Actions performed habitually or as a customary practise are of no benefit.” The Promised Messiah (as) here is describing the general state of people at the time but by Grace of God Almighty there are many people in the Jama’at who observe their prayers with great sincerity.
However, there is an important lesson and a warning for us as well in this and so we must also be mindful of this. He (as) further states: “One should not assume from this that I am degrading the status of Salat.
“However one should ask those who observe the Salat, which has been mentioned in the Holy Quran “and is considered to be the means of spiritual ascension, “that do they even know the meaning of what they read in Surah Al-Fatiha?
“There are some who have been observing Salat for the last 50 years but you will find, “that when asked, many of them are completely unaware of its meaning and its true significance “even though the knowledge of this is superior to all other forms of secular knowledge.
“In order to acquire worldly knowledge, they toil and go to great lengths in their struggle but “when it comes to Salat, they are so careless that they simply offer it as if reciting a mantra.”
This is the condition observed in many of the Muslims. The Promised Messiah (as) further states: “In fact, I say that “do not hold yourself back from offering supplication in your own language during Salat.
“Indeed, one can offer their supplications in Urdu, Punjabi, English or any language one speaks, “however it is compulsory to read the prescribed words of God Almighty “and do not add anything from yourself in them.
“Recite it just as it is and try to understand its meanings. “Similarly, also recite the prescribed prayers. “However, after the recitation of the Holy Qur’an and the prescribed prayers “then one can ask God Almighty for whatever one wills and in whichever language he so wishes.
“He has knowledge of all the languages and listens to them and accepts them.” He (as) further states: “If you wish to seek the delight and pleasure in your Salat “then it is necessary that you offer some supplications in your own language.
“However, it is often observed that Salat is offered “by merely going through the physical postures and thereafter one begins to supplicate.” This is common among the non-Ahmadi Muslims in many of the Muslim countries.
They hastily offer their Salat and afterwards raise their hands to supplicate. He (as) states: “From this it is evident that Salat is considered as if it were an unlawful tax, “and if they display any kind of sincerity then it is only after having completed the Salat.
“They do not realise that Salat in itself is in fact a prayer “which is offered with great humility, sincerity and fervency. “It is prayer alone that is the key to achieving great feats
“and it is the very first step in opening the doors of God Almighty’s Grace.” He (as) further states: “It is of no benefit to simply offer Salat as a ritual or customary practise. “In fact, not only does God Almighty not accept such prayers,
“but has cursed and sent His woe to those who offer prayer in such a manner. “It is God Almighty Himself Who stated, ‘woe to those who pray’ “and this is in regards to those who are ignorant of the true essence of Salat and its meaning.
“The language of the Companions was Arabic and “therefore they had a deep understanding of its true significance, “however for us it is essential to understand its meaning and thereby make our Salat delightful. “But these people think that another prophet has come
“and he has abrogated the observance of Salat.” The Promised Messiah (as) here is talking about those who speak against him. He says that when he tells them to make supplications in their own language,
they allege that he has brought a new Shariah [law]. He (as) states: “God Almighty does not benefit but it is man himself who benefits from it “as he has the opportunity to present himself in the presence/Divine court of God.
“One is bestowed with the honour of being able to submit his entreaties before Him “by means of which one can seek salvation from many difficulties. “I am amazed that how people can live a life wherein their day passes as does their night
“and yet they are unware of the fact that they have a God. “Remember that such a person perished in the past and so will he in the future.” He (as) states:
“I impart a very important piece of advice to you and I wish that it enters the hearts of people. “Life is quickly passing by therefore do away with indolence “and occupy yourself in earnest supplication. Supplicate to God in seclusion
“so that God Almighty protects your faith and becomes pleased with you.” Granting us advice on another occasion on the reality of Salat, the Promised Messiah (as) states: [Arabic: ‘And as for those who strive in Our path – We will surely guide them in Our ways.’]
“One should strive to their utmost and they shall reach their ultimate destination.” One should make an effort and do Jihad [strive] as the Promised Messiah (as) states that seeking repentance and forgiveness is the means to attain God, thus one should reflect upon this.
God Almighty states that when one makes an effort in His ways then He guides them towards the right paths. He (as) states: “God Almighty does not hold anything back from anyone. “After all, the sages and saints were from among these very Muslims.
“Even today the door of His Mercy is not closed. “Develop a pure heart, observe prayers in an excellent manner “and continue praying and adhere to our teachings and we too shall pray for you.
“Remember that our practise is exactly the same as the Holy Prophet (saw) and his noble companions. “Nowadays, the religious saints have introduced all sorts of harmful innovations into faith “which we are averse to, such as a self-imposed daily service of certain rituals
“and other frequent repetition of pious formulas, etc.” There are many people who say that can you tell us a specific prayer or a particular practise that we should adopt, however the main thing is Salat. Every Ahmadi should completely focus on Salat. He (as) states:
“The proper method as stated in Islam is that one should read the Holy Qur’an “and carefully ponder over its meaning and to adhere to whatever it states. “Moreover, it is to observe Salat with complete attentiveness “and to continue supplicating with concertation and penitence.
“Thus, it is only Salat which enables one to reach the spiritual apex. “If one has this then he has everything. “The Salat which leads one to a spiritual apex is one “that melts the heart of one who stands before God Almighty.”
Alongside the obligatory Salat, the Promised Messiah (as) also drew our attention towards offering the Tahajjud [pre-dawn supererogatory prayer]. The auxiliary organisation of Ansarullah should be particularly mindful of observing this. The Promised Messiah (as) states:
“If all the efforts of this life are exhausted on worldly pursuits “then what have you amassed for the hereafter?” If your every breath and your entire life is spent in pursuit of your worldly affairs,
then what have you amassed for the hereafter? The Promised Messiah (as) states: “Make special efforts to wake up for the Tahajjud prayer “and observe it with great delight and eagerness. “During the day, you are subject to a trial because your employments come
“between you and your prayers.” At times, one is faced with such a trial and sometimes the prayer time is missed. However, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “God Almighty is the Provider. “Daily Salat should be done on time, Zuhr and Asr prayers can sometimes be combined;
“God Almighty knew that there would be those who are weak among the people, “therefore he has given us this leniency, “however this leniency does not extend to combining three prayers. “Where people have to face punishments in their professional careers and in other circumstances
“and are even reprimanded by their officials, how great it would be “if people also put themselves through hardships for the sake of God Almighty.” If one is undertaking great difficulty in one’s worldly pursuits then what harm is there
if one undertakes a little difficultly in order to fulfil the obligation of Salat. The Promised Messiah (as) states: “It is a great Blessing of God Almighty that through His Prophet (saw), “He has revealed to us the path that leads to the perfect and complete doctrines
“without us having to toil or make any effort. (He has shown the path without us having to toil or make any effort). “Many scholars are still deprived of this path which has been shown to you in this age.”
“God Almighty has revealed this path to the Ahmadis “because they have accepted the Promised Messiah (as). “Thus, be grateful to God Almighty for this blessing and reward. “And to express your gratitude is that with a sincere heart adopt the righteous practises
“which come in the subsequent stage after having believed in these perfect doctrines. “Benefit from your current state and supplicate so “that you remain firm on these perfect doctrines/beliefs. “The acts of worship that are included in this subsequent stage are fasting, Salat, Zakat, etc.
“For instance, ponder over Salat, it has come into this world and is not a product of this world. “The Holy Prophet (sa) stated, [Arabic, Hadith].” Then, explaining how we can attain perfect belief in true Tauhid [Oneness of God], the Promised Messiah (as) states:
“Belief in Tauhid [Oneness of God] can only be perfected when we believe that “it is only God Who can fulfil all our desires and the ultimate hope of all our ailments. “This is the true meaning of the creed: ‘There is none worthy of worship except Allah.’
“The Sufis have taken the word ‘Ilah’ as to mean the true beloved, “the sole objective and the worthy of worship.’ The Promised Messiah (as) states: “Indeed, until a person is not firmly established upon Tauhid [Oneness of God],
“the truth and greatness of Islam does not take root in him. “I return to my initial subject and say that the pleasure and joy of Salat cannot be enjoyed “by a person until and unless one shuns away all impure and filthy intentions.
“Unless a person rids himself of his ego and arrogance “and replaces it with nothingness and humility, he cannot become a Truthful one of God, “and the best teacher and means for teaching perfect servitude is Salat.
“I tell you again that if you wish to establish a true relationship with God, “hold fast to Salat in such a way that your body and your tongue “and the intentions of your soul and emotions should all become a true embodiment of Salat.”
May God Almighty enable every one of us to remain firm on true Tauhid and to safeguard our Salat and experience its delight. Instead of making others our idol, it should only be God Almighty who we believe to be truly worthy of worship.
I have been informed that the site in which the Ijtema [annual gathering] of the Anasraullah is taking place perhaps it may not be possible to make arrangements to offer the Maghrib and Ishaa prayers
because they have to vacate the hall by a particular time in the evening. If that is correct then the administration should make arrangements for congregational prayer elsewhere and take everyone there. And in future, the auxiliary organisation of Ansarullah should hold their Ijtema at a site
where they can make arrangements for all five prayers. In any case, May God Almighty grant them a successful Ijtema and may we become true worshipers of God. 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.