Friday Sermon – Khalifatul Masih V – Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Year 2014
The translation of this verse is, ‘Or who answers the distressed person when he calls upon him and removes the evil and makes you successors in the earth. Is there a God besides Allah? Little is it that you reflect.’ The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, has repeatedly inculcated his Jamaat to give
Immense heed towards prayer, for the progress and victory and triumph of the Jamaat and deliverance from the ploys and schemes of the detractors, will all be achieved through prayers alone. The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, has said very plainly that the weapon of our triumph is prayer.
So, since we will witness all forms of progress by virtue of prayers and we will overcome all opponents through prayers alone, then whilst we keep this importance of prayer in view, just how much attention do we need to give towards prayer?
And to what extent are we heeding towards prayer for the fulfilment of this objective? Each and every single one of us can assess and estimate this by appraising our own state and condition. Very recently one of my relatives related one of their dreams to me.
In the dream I am saying to this relative, that Ramadhan has passed by rapidly. I was yet planning to inculcate the Jamaat to pray even more. One certain aspect of direction that can be inferred from this dream is, that the attention that remains on prayer during Ramadhan, will diminish after,
Whereas the Jamaat stands in great need of prayer. Because even before hearing this dream, Allah the Almighty had already placed the idea in my heart, that in the Friday sermon after Ramadhan, I should draw attention towards prayer. So in this sense, this dream supported my re- conceived thought to draw attention towards prayer
And emphasise it further. This is the way of Allah the Almighty, that at times he reminds believers through the means of other believers, instead of direct guidance; albeit Allah places the idea within the heart of the believer before him. Generally speaking, we do not show as much intensity towards prayer after Ramadhan,
As we do during the month. The circumstances of the world and the Muslim Ummah today, in particular in terms of the incessant cruel attack of Israel upon the Palestinians Until yesterday there was a temporary ceasefire, but today I have heard that the ceasefire has been broken.
Allah knows better what the reality is, but the allegation is being raised that the Palestinians initiated this by firing rockets. Nonetheless, may Allah the Almighty bring about such a means, to end the hostilities once and for all and to halt the oppression. Further, we observe that the Muslims commit injustices to one another.
They smite each other’s necks and kill and murder. All of which are reaching extreme proportions. The height of the injustice by those who recite the Muslim Kalima, is that they persecute Ahmadies in the name of Allah and His Messenger. In their obstinacy they search for excuses to continue this injustice
And give statements accordingly. They desire to persist in this wrong doing. At every level and at every occasion they try to torment and also inflict torture and cruelty upon Ahmadies. This now has become the way of the majority, or at least a large proportion
Of the non-Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan who are influenced by the Maulvis. Even the next generations, the children are being poisoned and their minds are being indoctrinated in this manner. Such children utter these words, despite the fact they have no understanding of what the religion, or the faith is, or what enmity actually is.
They say the Ahmadies are infidels and it is permissible to kill them. In schools, the students are rude and insulting to the teacher and say whatever they please to them, merely because the teacher is an Ahmadi. They make efforts to remove the teachers from the school and they refuse to learn from Ahmadies.
Just recently in a small village of a small vicinity, children and their parents took out a procession in protest that they do not want to learn from the teacher, because he was a Qadiani. Perhaps the headmaster or some intelligent person said to them, that the Holy Prophet Muhammad,
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, even released war prisoners on the condition that as they possessed knowledge and education and were literate and could read and write, if they taught the Muslims, then they would be granted freedom from imprisonment.
It was said to the people taking out the procession, that this was done despite the fact that these prisoners of war had come with the attention of killing the Muslims. Upon hearing this the people of the village said, indeed it may be correct that the
Holy Prophet said this to the infidels, but we will not accept this, because these Qadianis are worse than those infidels. We are just leaving them, whereas it is permissible to kill them. This audaciousness and stubbornness does not diminish after any incidence takes place.
It is not the case that they witness the torment and torture of the Ahmadies and develop any sense of remorse or shame, rather they persist in their wrongdoing. Those who were the neighbours of the Ahmadi houses in question in Gujranwala and who in normal circumstances mingled and had acquaintances with the Ahmadi’s,
Some amongst them, after seeing the houses were empty, joined in with the looting. So when moral degradation reaches this ebb, then nothing else apart from ‘Inna lillah’ (to Allah we belong) can be said. They have now reached their end.
In this period of trial and tribulation we need to submit and turn towards God to an even greater degree than before. Thus do not let your prayers decrease. The rest of the Muslims are responding to injustices and wrongdoing with injustices and wrongdoing and as such they are able to square the account.
However, we are to end all cruelty and oppression by immersing in submission, whilst weeping and crying. We are to fall before God in anguish and supplication. The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, said in one of his couplets of poetry, that when the enemy exceeds in his cruelty and hue and cry,
We absorb ourselves entirely in our hidden friend. So thus we need to immerse ourselves in God. We need to develop that state and condition in which the heavens are moved and stirred. We need to make prayers which are directed in one united way. Rather than making contrasting and diverging prayers.
In the dream of the relative in which I am saying to the relative, that I have yet to inculcate the Jamaat to pray more. So to make the Jamaat to pray as a combined community, for the sake of the progress
And the successes of the community and for difficulties and tribulations to be removed. So thus when each and every single one of us desires for the period of tribulations and trials to swiftly terminate. Then we need to direct the channel and current of our prayers in a combined and communal fashion,
In order to be saved from the evil and mischief of the enemies and detractors. However much we pray in order to be saved from the evil of the enemy, is in line with the need of the hour. At this juncture I also remember one of my old dreams,
Which I have related on one occasion in the past. That if we want to swiftly transform the state of affairs, then the Jamaat as a collective community, needs to dedicatedly try to reform their state for the sake of God.
And completely devoting themselves in prayer to Allah the Almighty, in order to be saved from the evil of the enemy, they need to submit and turn to God. If collectively as an entire Jamaat, we submit to God in this way and develop this state
And condition within us, and we spend our nights in state of praying for the Jamaat, then through the prayers of just some days and nights, a revolution can be brought. Indeed a revolution is bound to occur. The circumstances will most certainly change.
However they will run their due course. This will occur at its own time. It is Allah’s promise that the situation will change. Inshallah. In the promise that I was given, the entire Jamaat collectively, who associate themselves with the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace,
It has been made conditional upon them to pray with complete dedication and devotion. At the time when I was seeing the dream, I also felt that it was for the Ahmadies of Pakistan. Thus the Ahmadies of Pakistan, whether they are rich or poor, whether they are men or women,
Must especially give heed towards this. Because with reference to Ahmadies, at the current time, the most persecution is being perpetrated against them in Pakistan. Generally speaking, the Ahmadies in the world need to give attention towards this. Because the survival of the world rests upon the progress of the Jamaat.
For the Muslim Ummah to receive the blessings and bounties of Allah the Almighty, rests upon the progress of the Jamaat. The end of all cruelty and persecution is also dependent upon the progress of the community. So whether it relates to delivering the Palestinians from cruelty and injustice,
Or whether it relates to freeing the Muslims from their cruel and unjust rulers, the only guarantor for all of this can be the prayers of Ahmadies alone. We need to fulfil the right of such prayers. At present, it is Ahmadies who most of all are being grounded in the mill of persecution.
So thus it is our prayers, that when they take the shape of prayers of one who is in distress and anguish, will not only free ourselves from cruelty and injustice, but can also become the means of delivering the entire mankind from wrongdoing and oppression. So we need to come to understand our responsibilities.
The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, says, that the amazing effects of prayer become evident during trials and the truth is that our God is recognised through prayers. So thus as I said today, who is being thrown in these trials and tribulations more than Ahmadies?
Today, who more than Ahmadies are being perpetrated with cruelties and wrongdoings from all directions in some Muslim countries? The majority of the sincere people in these countries, indeed it should be said in fact all the decent and sincere people in these countries, are displaying mute and incoherent sincerity,
As Khalifa-tul-Massih the Third used to say. In such a circumstance, in order to obtain the blessings of miraculous prayers, we need to give particular attention. In the verse that I recited, this is precisely what Allah the Almighty says, that look who listens to the prayers of those in affliction and distress?
Only Allah accepts the prayers of such persons. This is when they enter the state of those who are Muztar, who are in distress. He can be described as Muztar, when from all directions he faces affliction and tribulation. He sees no material or worldly means for his success, betterment and triumph.
All that remains for him to see, is one path, which is the path of turning towards God. Allah says, this is Muztar, those who turn towards me, when all worldly paths close upon him. Muztar however does not mean, that when you see no other avenue,
Then you enter distress out of anxiety, thinking where we should now go? In fact, what Muztar really means is, that when all paths close upon you, then you see the ray of light shining from one direction. You should then rush towards that source of light.
If you see fire all around, then one who runs like madman away from the fire, cannot be described as Muztar. Because if he runs away in anxiety, then he will be afflicted by the fire itself. Indeed when after seeing fire all around he see the one path of peace before him.
He sees the one avenue of refuge in front. He then should go towards that specific path. Such a person can be called Muztar. Allah says with regards to such people, that He saves them from the fire. That He himself provides refuge and safety to them.
Allah says that he is the cool shade to save them from the flames of the fire. And Allah says, come towards me, beseech refuge and protection from me. I will deliver you from these trials and tribulations. God says, come to me with this certainty of belief that God does exist,
Who can remove us from these difficulties. God says, as a result of this certainty of belief, I will remove you from your afflictions. I will deliver you from your problems due to your supplications. As the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, says that amazing effects will manifest in your favour.
So a person who becomes this type of Muztar, who does not consider anyone else as his source of protection and refuge, or any other place as his place of safety. Who does not consider anyone else, except God, who can deliver him from his affliction and distress.
Such a person is the real and true Muztar. His prayers have a wondrous effect. For the acceptance of prayers we need to develop this certainty within us, that whenever facing any state of distress and affliction, it is Allah alone who can help us.
There is no other path from which the rays of light shine. When such a state develops, then Allah the Almighty runs towards such a type of Muztar and this is in accordance with his promises. Allah the Almighty removes all his problems and difficulties.
And his pain and suffering are disposed of, whether this relates to personal agony and problems, or collective difficulties and suffering. Then Allah the Almighty says that it is not merely that ‘Jaksh-e-fusu’ that Allah the Almighty will remove the afflictions and then that is sufficient.
Indeed when Allah the Almighty confers his bounties and blessings, they are limitless. He can increase his rewards to whatever degree he pleases. So here when Allah the Almighty speaks of removing the distress of the believers, He says alongside this that ‘He may make you successors in the earth’,
He causes oppressive tyrants and the rebellious to be destroyed and puts in their place those who appear weak and the oppressed. So thus where Allah the Almighty on an individual level answers the prayer of a ‘Muztar’ and removes his problems and difficulties,
There collectively speaking, He also removes their afflictions on a national level. This is what the Holy Quran has told us elsewhere. When the earlier people acted cruelly to the prophets and their people, Allah says that we destroyed them. He put the oppressed in the places of the oppressors.
They were quite mighty tyrants and dictators who we do not even find trace of their names anymore. So the same law continues today as it applied to the earlier people. Allah the Almighty brings to end the oppressor, but only when the oppressed becomes the ‘Muztar ‘
And prays ‘…Mata Nasrullah…’ when will come the help of Allah? Then Allah the Almighty’s mercy is stirred and the means are rapidly brought about to end the cruel oppressors. Today, in a presumption that they are powerful and mighty, those who are bent on cruelty and wrongdoing, may Allah the Almighty grant them wisdom.
Otherwise, the very might and power they possess would become a source of their destruction and ruin. This is what Allah the Almighty has said: They, who do not act with Taqwah (fear of God), despite having power, might and large following, reach their sorry faith.
If they recite the Kalima, the Muslim creed, In the name of Allah and his Messenger, yet they leave behind accounts of great cruelty, then the Kalima and Allah and His Messenger, shall complete disassociation and aversion to such persons. Allah the Almighty has informed us of the sorry faith of the oppressors.
Nowhere do we find that Allah said, that there is an exception for such and such people or followers of such and such religion. That they may go on doing whatever they please. Indeed Allah says, that he who is embroiled in such things which are contradictory
To the Commands of God and which are based on cruelties and wrongdoing, they will most certainly reach their sorry faith. It is our task, in order to rapidly free ourselves from this wrongdoing, to adopt the state of ‘Muztar’,the one who is in distress.
We should besiege help from God with anxiety and agony and then observe how Allah harkens to help us. Each and every one of us needs to develop this condition. The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, says: Remember that God the Almighty is completely self-sufficient.
Until prayers are made in abundance repeatedly, and in great agony and distress, He does not pay heed. Now look how distressed one becomes when his wife or children fall ill, or he is faced with court litigation. So thus, unless prayer is made in sincere anguish and distress and while generating
A state of agony and desperation, it is completely ineffectual and useless. Acceptance of prayer is conditional to praying with great agony and pain. So thus, in order to alleviate the collective distress and difficulty faced by the Jamaat, we need to pray with the same agony and anguish as we pray for our individual
Difficulties to be removed. The Promised Messiah says, that the condition is to pray in abundance repeatedly and in great desperation and agony. So therefore, to be in the misconception that we have sufficiently in Ramadan and that is all what is required, it should be made clear that this is not sufficient!
We are in need of constant prayers. Every person is always standing in need of constant prayers. Even if Allah the Almighty grants us open victory and triumph, even then we should tread on the path of righteousness and to accumulate his blessings, we need to make constant prayers.
In short, we should never allow our relationship with Allah the Almighty to decline and diminish, nor can a Momin, a true believer, ever tolerate this. In periods of difficulties and tribulations we need to show the state of distress, but also in times of comfort and happiness we should remember God.
So a believer never shows selfishness, nor does he believes sufficient, temporary prayer and fleeting emotions and sentiments. Rather in every single circumstance he always remembers God. This indeed should be the case. It is this faith and connection with God, that even in normal circumstances enables him
To see the manifestation of the acceptance of prayers. The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, has said: Remember to turn towards anyone besides Allah, is to sever your relationship with God. It is unimaginable for a true believer to cut his connection with Allah,
But it so happens that at times, due to weaknesses and shortcomings a person has not fulfilled the dues of the prayer. He instead turns towards worldly means and resources, or the rights of prayer are not fulfilled. Thus each and every single one of us needs to constantly assess our own state and condition.
Less we become so embroiled in our personal issues and problems that we no longer remember to pray for those who are facing difficulties and problems, as the result of being members of the Jamaat. Remember the prayer of every single member of the Jamaat,
Which is done in reference to Allah the Almighty’s mercy, his forgiveness and his other attributes, become the means of removing collective problems faced by the Jamaat. It is mentioned in the Hadith that from amongst the earlier peoples and civilisations, there were three people who became trapped in a storm.
In order to take refuge from the storm, they entered into a cave. Incidentally the storm caused a rock to fall upon the entrance of the cave. Thus their path out of the cave was blocked. So although they had come into the cave to save themselves from a small problem,
They actually then faced a greater difficulty. In this situation they could not remove the rock from the entrance of the cave, either through their own efforts, nor could any external help could have reached them. They were trapped in a way through which no human effort could possibly help them to exit.
They were extremely anxious, perturbed and worried in this circumstance. It seemed extremely difficult to come out of the cave and there was no way to escape. They considered that perhaps their graves will be dug in that cave. In this predicament where it appeared no path for their salvation was in view,
One of the men had the idea to pray. He said, come and let us pray and let us pray with reference to any act or virtue or piety that we have done in our life for the sake of God and that we should invoke God
To remove the rock by virtue of any good act we have performed. Upon this, one of them said: Oh God, I fell in love with one of my female relatives and I desired to commit an illicit act with her, but she would not accept.
Finally, I schemed in such a manner where I spent some money and also there was time and effort that I employed, were ultimately she relented and agreed to commit the illicit act. When I overcame her she proclaimed, Oh servant of God, I say to you that for the sake
Of God, do not commit this sin. So then I moved away from this woman. So, oh Allah, if I carried out this act for the sake of your pleasure, then remove this rock from our path. As a result of this prayer, the rock slightly moved from its place due to the storm,
But the exit was not yet clear. Then the second man said: Oh Allah, You are aware that a labourer once came to me. He carried out work for me. Before he could take the money for his labour he left. The amount equals to approximately nine pounds of grain, so equivalent amount of grains
I planted as crops. I sold that much grain which yielded a good crop. I bought some livestock with the proceeds, which grew and multiplied into a herd of goats and a flock of sheep. Many years later the labourer returned and asked me for the payment of his work.
I told him that this herd of goats which had spread all across the valley were his to take. He responded that I have come to take the payment for my labour, yet you joke with me in this manner. I told him that I had invested his money from his labour in trade,
Which has yielded such a large herd and I said that this was yours. Upon this he took the herd away. So, oh God if I carried out this act for the sake of your pleasure, have mercy on us and remove this rock.
Upon this, due to the strong gust of wind, the rock was moved slightly further, but even now there was no path to exit. Then, the third person submitted to God with this prayer, O God you know that I herd goats and we live and get by just on milk.
One day I was late returning home, my very elderly parents who live with me and for whom routinely I would give milk to, before giving it to my young children. But as a result of returning home late, then my very elderly parents had gone to sleep.
I did not wish to wake them up, so instead I stood beside them with milk, thinking that I would give it to them once they woke up. My children were persistently crying, because they were hungry, but I remained standing there besides my parents with the milk.
This continued until morning. So he stood until morning with milk. When my parents awoke in the morning, I gave them the milk and then I gave it to my wife and children. So O God, if this act of mine was for the sake of your pleasure and had no worldly motive in it,
Then have mercy on me and remove this rock. Subsequently, due to the storm intensifying, the rock was moved further and in this way there was a clear path for them to exit, so they fled the cave. Now these three people carried out three different tasks.
One of them fulfilled the right of trust, acting justly with the labourer and thus he fulfilled the rights of his fellow human beings. Another of the men acted kindly with his parents and fulfilled the due of service to them.
The third man saved himself from the sin of adultery for the sake of the pleasure of God and he supplicated to Allah with reference to this. Yet, despite all of this the purpose of the prayer of all the three men was one.
It was that the rock should be removed and thus the rock was removed. So the individual virtues and the prayers that were being made with reference to their personal goodness, became a means of collective display of the manifestation of the acceptance of prayers.
So where there are many other lessons to be learnt from this hadith, this is also a huge lesson, that individual prayers and virtues become the means of removing collective difficulties and afflictions. So when we claim to all be linked together in one Jamaat, we should pray to God the Almighty
To remove the combined and collective trials and tribulations and the adversities faced as a Jamaat as a whole. You should not only be engaged in praying for your individual concerns and difficulties. Rather and also the prayers you make for Jamaat, you should generate that same
Intensity and earnestness, which you show when praying for your personal problems. When you pray two nafl (voluntary prayers) for the progress of the Jamaat, for the betterment of the circumstances, as I said that you should pray and the majority write to me that they are praying two nafl,
And you should pray in a heartfelt manner with pain and agony. You can imagine the plight of those three men who were stuck in the cave. They were disappointed over all worldly help. Indeed they may have prayed to God with reference to their individual pieties
Which they performed purely and dedicatedly for the sake of God. But the state of distress and anguish that they would have been in and the desperation that they would have generated since they were disappointed of all worldly means and help, that can be envisaged by others.
So, where on the one hand we need to dedicate our actions purely for the sake of God, because these deeds play a very important role in the acceptance of prayers. There on the other hand we need to consider the pain and suffering of the Jamaat collectively
As our own personal pain and suffering and we need to pray with great humility, passion and zeal for this to be removed. The Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, says it is also necessary for the acceptance of prayers that man instils pious changes within himself.
If he cannot desist from vices and evil and breaks the boundaries set by God, then there is no impact or effect in that prayer. Elsewhere, the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, draws our attention towards prayer. He says, that if you become like other people are, then God the Almighty
Will make no distinction between them and you. If you do not bring about a prominent and obvious change within yourself, then God also will not show any distinction, or distinguish you from others. The best person is he who acts in accordance with the will of God the Almighty.
However, if a person acts one way outwardly, yet inwardly does not corroborate with his actions, then such a person is a hypocrite and hypocrites are worse than disbelievers. First and foremost, purify your hearts. What I fear most of all is that we will not triumph and gain victory through the sword
Or any other force or power. Our weapon is prayer alone and the purity of hearts. May Allah the Almighty make it so that we strive and bring about pious changes in our lives, as the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, so desired.
And that we devote all our actions and endeavours for the sake of God and constantly struggle for this. May we pray to God the Almighty in distress, pain and anguish. May we make prayers for the progress of the Jamaat and for the swift elimination of the
Trials and tribulations that the Jamaat is facing and may we make these prayers with the same intensity and emphasis, as we make for our personal pain, suffering and concerns. May we develop the same earnestness for the Jamaat collectively, as we show for our personal afflictions and adversities.
May we unite as one and pray to be saved from the evil of the detractors and opponents. As I mentioned at the outset, until we turn to Allah the Almighty sincerely and devotedly for the removal of these collective afflictions and difficulties, we will not be able to rapidly achieve our objectives.
After coming into the Ba’ait of the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace, our collective prayers would also be able to remove our personal troubles and trials. When one prays for others then angels pray for him. Rocks are removed from the mouths of caves, when the direction and the objectives of prayer are mutual.
So thus, no Ahmadi should fall into the selfish notion, that he is fine and right and thus all is well. The pain and suffering of Ahmadies living anywhere in the world is our combined and collective pain and suffering.
We need to feel and realise this and to this end we need to give great heed towards prayer. It is not sufficient to merely bring about this realisation. This alone is that weapon regarding which the Promised Messiah, on whom be peace,
Has said, that this is the weapon that will bring about our triumph and victory. But we should also remember that we should not become passionate in praying regarding the enemy, or upon the opponents, that Allah the Almighty should descend punishment, wrath and torment upon them.
Instead we should pray, that O Allah we wish for our successes and progress. We desire for our trials and afflictions to be removed. While we pray for this difficult period to come to an end, there O Allah we also wish for the betterment of these people and do not desire their destruction.
Your grace and blessings have covered our weaknesses and despite extremely harsh and adverse circumstances, we still witness the manifestation of your blessings and bounties. So thus, if you also cover these opponents and guide them, it will be greatly fortunate, both for them and us.
But if, in your knowledge and wisdom, you do not deem some of them worthy of this and you consider it better to destroy them, then remove them from our path in such a manner, that their presence does not prove to be a hindrance in the progress of Islam,
Which you have now destined through Ahmadiyyat, the true Islam. So thus whilst on the one hand this is a prayer, this is also God’s wisdom which will make this prayer where it is right. This is how we should pray, rather than praying against these people.
May Allah the Almighty enable all of us to fulfil the due rights of prayer.
