Friday Sermon
Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is the Messenger of Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is the Messenger of Allah Come to Prayer Come to Prayer Come to success Come to success Allah is the Greatest Allah is the Greatest There is none worthy of worship except Allah Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. He is One and has no partner. and I bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His Servant and Messenger. After this I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Gracious, The Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us in the right path – The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings,
Those who have not incurred displeasure, and those who have not gone astray. The accounts from life of the Holy Prophet (sa) are being mentioned with reference to the Battle of Badr. I will present some more details in relation to this. With regards to the kind treatment of the Holy Prophet (sa)
Towards the prisoners once the Battle of Badr had concluded, it is written in Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d that when the prisoners of Badr arrived, the paternal uncle of the Holy Prophet (sa), Hazrat Abbas was also among them. As such, the Holy Prophet (sa) did not sleep the entire night.
One of his companions asked the Holy Prophet (sa): “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! What has kept you awake?” Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) replied: “The sound of agony from Abbas.” Subsequently, someone went and loosened the shackles of Hazrat Abbas. He was tied up and he loosened the chain somewhat.
Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) said: “What has happened? “I can no longer hear the sound of Abbas in agony.” Upon this, the individual replied: “I slightly loosened his shackles.” Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) said: “Then you should do the same to all prisoners.
“It should not be the case that you merely loosen the shackles of one individual “due to him being my relative.” In relation to the prisoners of the Battle of Badr, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) has presented the details in Seerat Khatam-un-Nabiyyeen (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa)):
“The Holy Prophet (sa) remained in the valley of Badr for three days. “This time was spent to shroud and bury the martyrs and nurse the wounded. “Similarly, it was during these days that the spoils were collected and sorted. “The prisoners of the disbelievers, which equated to seventy,
“were secured and given into the custody of various Muslims. “The Holy Prophet (sa) strictly directed the Muslims to treat the prisoners gently and kindly; “and to ensure that their comforts were looked after. “The Companions, who possessed a passionate love of fulfilling their Master’s every desire, “acted upon this admonition so wonderfully
“that the like of it cannot be found in the history of the world. “Hence, from among these prisoners, one prisoner named Abu ‘Aziz bin ‘Umair relates that: ‘Due to the exhortation of the Holy Prophet (sa), the Ansar would give me baked bread, ‘but they themselves, would subsist on dates, etc.
‘Many a time, it would so happen that even if they managed to procure a small piece of bread, ‘they would give it to me, and would not eat it themselves. ‘If I would ever return it to them in embarrassment, they would insist that I have it.’
“Those prisoners who did not have sufficient clothing, were given clothing. “As such, ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy gave Abbas his shirt. “Sir William Muir admits to the kind treatment of these prisoners in the following words: ‘In pursuance of Mahomet’s (sa) commands, the citizens of Medina,
‘and such of the Refugees as already had houses of their own, received the prisoners, ‘and treat them with much consideration. ‘Blessings be on the men of Medina!’ said one of these prisoners in later days: ‘they made us ride, while they themselves walked:
‘they gave us wheaten bread to eat when there was little of it, ‘contenting themselves with dates.’ “Sir William Muir adds: ‘It is not surprising that when, sometime afterwards, ‘their friends came to ransom them, several of the prisoners who had been thus received, ‘declared themselves adherents of Islam… ‘Their kindly treatment was thus prolonged,
‘and left a favourable impression on the minds ‘even of those who did not at once go over to Islam.’” In relation to the significance and the impact of the Battle of Badr, it is mentioned that when ‘Abdullah bin Rawaha and Zaid bin Haritha
Brought the glad tidings of victory in the Battle of Badr to Madinah, hearing the glad tidings of victory coming from their mouth, the enemy of Allah, Ka’b bin Ashraf, started accusing them of lies. He said: “If Muhammad (sa) has killed these prominent leaders
“then it would be better to live inside the earth, rather than on it.” That is to say, it would be better to die than to remain alive. Stating the outcome of the Battle of Badr, ‘Allama Shibli Nomani writes in his book that
The Battle of Badr had a diverse impact on the religious and social circumstances (of the land). This was, in fact, the first step of the advancement of Islam. All prominent leaders of the Quraish, who were like iron walls in the way of Islam, perished. Following the death of ‘Utbah and Abu Jahl,
Abu Sufyan was handed the leadership of the Quraish and this commenced the Umayyad dynasty. However, the real strength and might of the Quraish had already diminished. In Madinah, ‘Abdullah bin Ubay bin Sulool was still openly declaring himself to be a disbeliever, but now seemed to have come towards the fold of Islam.
Following the victory of Badr, he accepted Islam superficially, although he remained a hypocrite for his entire life and died in this very state. The rest of the Arab tribes, who were witnessing these events, although were not won over, but nonetheless receded. Many tribes, although they did not convert to Islam,
But they certainly backed down after witnessing the victory (of Badr). They stopped scheming against the Muslims, or became afraid. In addition to this change in situation, new developments emerged amongst the opposition. A pact had already been made with the Jews that they would stand with them (the Muslims) in all circumstances.
However, this victory kindled a fire of jealousy within them and they were unable to supress it. Previously, the Quraish only lamented over Hazrami, but following the Battle of Badr, every household was a mourning place and every child in Makkah was desperate to avenge the death
Of those who were killed in the Battle of Badr. Hence, the incident of Suwaiq and the Battle of Uhud were a result of this zeal of theirs. Mentioning the outcome of the Battle of Badr, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) has written the following:
“Until now, many people from the tribes of Aus and Khazraj still stood firm upon polytheism. “The victory of Badr resulted in a movement among these people “and upon witnessing this magnificent and extraordinary victory, “many people from among them became convinced of the truth of Islam.
“Thereafter, the element of idol worship began to diminish very rapidly in Madinah. “However, there were also some in whose hearts this victory of Islam “had sparked a fire of rancour and jealousy. “Finding it unwise to oppose openly, apparently they accepted Islam,
“but from the inside they sought to uproot it and joined the party of the hypocrites. “The most prominent among the latter class of people was ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulul, “who was a very renowned chieftain of the Khazraj tribe. “Due to the arrival of the Holy Prophet (sa) to Madinah,
“he had already suffered the shock of having his leadership taken from him. “After Badr, this individual became a Muslim at the outset, “but his heart was satiated with malice and enmity towards Islam. “He became the leader of hypocrisy “and secretly began to hatch a series of conspiracies
“against Islam and the Holy Prophet (sa).” Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) further states, “The battle of Badr had a deep and lasting effect on both the disbelievers and the Muslims. “It is for this reason that this battle possesses a distinct significance in the history of Islam;
“to such an extent, that the Holy Qur’an has named this battle “Yaum al-Furqan,” “i.e., the day upon which a manifest distinction was made between Islam and disbelief. “There is no doubt that “other wars also took place between the Quraish and the Muslims afterwards, “and some of them were immensely fierce.
“At times, the Muslims were confronted with delicate situations, “but in the battle of Badr, the spine of the Quraish had been broken, “which no surgical operation could permanently repair thereafter. “As far as the number of casualties was concerned, this was no great defeat.
“The death of seventy or seventy-two warriors for a people like the Quraish, “can in no way be deemed a national devastation. “In the battle of Uhud, this was the number of Muslim casualties. “However, this loss did not even prove to be a temporary hindrance “in the victorious pathway of the Muslims
“(even though the Muslims were very weak at the time). “Why then was the battle of Badr dubbed Yaum al-Furqan? “In response to this question, the best answer is in the following words of the Holy Qur’an: “(ARABIC) “Verily, on that day, the root of the disbelievers was cut off.”
“In other words, the blow of the battle of Badr hit the root of the disbelievers, “and it was shattered to pieces. “If this very blow had struck the branches instead of the root, “irrespective of how great a loss it would have inflicted,
“this loss would have been nothing compared to the one actually incurred. “However, this blow to the root turned this lush green tree to a pile of coal, “in a matter of moments. “Only those branches survived which attached themselves to the other tree, before drying away. “Therefore, in the field of Badr,
“the loss of the Quraish was not measured by the number of men who died, “rather, by the people who died. “When we cast a glance upon the casualties of the Quraish from this perspective, “there remains no room for even the slightest doubt or uncertainty,
“that in Badr, the root of the Quraish was truly cut off. “‘Utbah, Shaibah, Umayyah bin Khalf, Abu Jahl, “‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘it and Nadr bin Harith, etc., were the moving spirit of the Quraish. “This spirit flew off from the Quraish in the valley of Badr forever,
“and they were left like a lifeless body. “It is for this reason that the battle of Badr has been given the name of Yaum al-Furqan.” In reference to this, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states: “This is the very battle that Allah the Almighty has named ‘Furqan’ in the Holy Qur’an,
“and it was during this battle that such Arab chieftains were eliminated “who left their homes claiming that they would destroy Islam once and for all. “They were eliminated in a manner that today, their names have been forgotten. “If their names are recalled at all,
“affiliation to them is not a means of pride but a means of disgrace. “Ultimately, Allah the Almighty granted the Muslims a grand victory through this battle.” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) further states: “There is no doubt that even after this (battle), “the Muslims were subject to cruelty
“and forced to fight against the disbelievers on various occasions. “However, the Battle of Badr unquestionably utterly crushed the strength of the disbelievers “and demonstrated before them the might of the Muslims. “The Battle of Badr, referred to as ‘Furqan’ in the Holy Qur’an, “has also been prophesied in the Bible.
“In the book of Isaiah, chapter 21 verse 13 to 17, it is recorded: ‘A prophecy against Arabia: You caravans of Dedanites, ‘who camp in the thickets of Arabia, bring water for the thirsty; ‘you who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives.
‘They flee from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and from the heat of battle. ‘This is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it, “all the splendour of Kedar will come to an end.
“The survivors of the archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.’” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) further states: “In these words of Prophet Isaiah, “it was prophesied that exactly one year after the period of migration,
“a war would take place in Arabia that would reduce the splendour of Kedar to dust. “Those who accuse the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) of fleeing “will flee themselves in the presence of their own armies. “Their state will be that the corpses of their commanders and generals “will be left on the battlefield,
“and ultimately, the Valley of Makkah will lose its generals, “thereby forfeiting the strength it once had. “Similarly, the Holy Qur’an foretold of an eleventh night “and prophesied that precisely one year following the migration, “the disbeliever’s strength would be broken “whilst victory and triumph would dawn upon the Muslims.
“Thus, after exactly one year, the Battle of Badr took place “during which many ranking leaders were killed “and the Muslims attained a resounding victory over them.” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) continues: “Ponder! Until the first Ramadan after coming to Madinah, “it had been 10 years since this prophecy was made.
“The month of Ramadan would begin the eleventh year. “After this year elapsed, at the beginning of the eleventh year, on 17 Ramadan, “the Battle of Badr took place during which prominent disbelievers were killed, “bringing an end to their vicious attacks. “The eleventh night that had overcome the Muslims had now passed.
“Through the favour and help of Allah the Almighty, “the Muslims witnessed the dawn of victory and triumph.” Regarding the excellence of the Companions who took part in the Battle of Badr, it is recorded that Hazrat Gabriel (as) came to the Holy Prophet (sa) and said,
“Amongst the Muslims, what rank do you give those who partook in the Battle of Badr?” The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, “They are the best of Muslims,” or a similar statement. Angel Gabriel (as) said, “Similarly, those angels “who partook in the Battle of Badr also hold a high rank.”
The incident I am about to narrate has already been mentioned in reference to Hazrat Ali (ra), however, I will mention it again due to its significance in this context. Ubaidullah bin Abi Rafi’ narrates that he heard Hazrat Ali (ra) say: “The Holy Prophet (sa) sent Zubair, Miqdad bin Aswad and I
“and instructed us to go to Roza Khakh. “There, we would find a woman riding a camel with a letter that we should confiscate. “We departed as our horses galloped swiftly. “When we reached Roza Khakh, we found a woman riding a camel there.
“We asked her to surrender the letter. She said, ‘I do not have any letter.’ “We replied, ‘You must surrender the letter to us, ‘otherwise we will remove your clothes and search you.’ “Upon this, she took the letter out of her hair and gave it to us.
“We brought the letter back to the Holy Prophet (sa). “When the letter was opened, it read, ‘From Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah, to the people of Makkah.’ “He was informing them about a plan of the Holy Prophet (sa). “The Holy Prophet (sa) summoned Hatib and asked, ‘O Hatib, what is this?’
“He replied, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah, please do not be quick to pass judgment on me. ‘I am a man who settled among the Quraish. I am not native to them. ‘Your other migrant companions have relatives in Makkah ‘through whom they have secured their homes and wealth.
‘Because I do not have relatives among them, ‘by doing this I wished to win their favour so they would be considerate towards me. ‘I have not committed this act out of disbelief or apostasy, ‘for I could never prefer disbelief after having accepted Islam.’ “(He said that he could never be drawn to disbelief
“(after accepting Islam with a true heart). “Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘He has said the truth to you.’ “Hazrat Umar (ra) remarked, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah, permit me to smite this hypocrite’s neck.’ “The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, ‘He participated in the Battle of Badr.
‘You do not know, but Allah has witnessed the Companions of Badr and has said, “Do as you please, for I have covered your sins.”’” In other words, they would no longer commit major sins, and they would meet with good fate. This meant that these people would not die in a state of disbelief.
Thus, it is evident from the words of Hazrat Hatib (ra) – as I have already stated – that disbelief can never be preferred after accepting Islam. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Perhaps Allah the Almighty has looked upon the Companions of Badr (with mercy) and said,
‘Do as you please, for I have forgiven you.’” In other words, apart from disbelief, Allah the Almighty will forgive their common and minor mistakes. Through these words, Allah the Almighty also assured that they would never devolve into disbelief and that their fate would be auspicious.
This is also what is meant by these words. Even if some mistakes or sins are committed, they would be as a result of human weakness, which would be forgiven by Allah the Almighty. Umm al-Mu’minin, Hazrat Hafsah (ra) relates, “The Holy Prophet (sa) said,
‘I am hopeful that those who participated in Badr and Hudaibiyah ‘will never, God willing, enter the hellfire.’ “I submitted, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah, has Allah not stated: ‘(ARABIC) “And there is not one of you but will come to it.”’ “Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) said,
‘Have you not heard the following words of Allah the Almighty: ‘(ARABIC) “Then We shall save the righteous “and We shall leave the wrongdoers therein, on their knees.”’” Even during the Khilafat of Hazrat Umar (ra), when monetary allowances for the Companions were being instated, the allowances for the Companions of Badr were especially distinguished.
The Companions of Badr themselves would take pride in their participation in the battle. (Sir William) Muir writes: “The Companions of Badr were considered “the most outstanding members of society. “When Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas was approaching his demise at the age of 80,
“he said, ‘Bring me the robe I wore during the Battle of Badr, ‘the one I had been saving for this day.’ “This was the very Sa’d who was in his prime during the time of Badr “and who later conquered Persia, established Kufa and became the governor of Iraq.
“However, in his view, all other accolades did not compare “to the honour and pride of having participated in the Battle of Badr. “He considered the mantle he adorned on the day of Badr more respectable than all other mantles.
“His last wish was that he is buried in his grave while wrapped in that very robe.” One can gauge the significance and excellence of the Companions of Badr from the fact that one of signs of the advent of the Mahdi in this Ummah set out by the Holy Prophet (sa)
Was that he would also have a book in which he has names of 313 companions – in accordance with the number of Companions of Badr. Thus, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “It has been mentioned in an authentic Hadith (tradition) “that the Promised Mahdi would have a published book
“in which the names 313 of his companions would be written. “As such, it is necessary to mention that this prophecy has been fulfilled today. “It is apparent that before now, there was not a single person in this Ummah “who claimed to be the Mahdi at whose time there were printing presses
“or who had a single book in which he could have written the names of 313 people. “Of course, if this work was within the scope of human effort, “then there could have been many people before this “who could have falsely made claims about themselves.
“However, the reality is that the prophecies of God contain such extraordinary requirements “that a liar cannot not take advantage of them, “and they are not afforded the means which are granted to the truthful.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states: “In his book “Jawahir al-Asrar” which was published in 840 AH,
“Sheikh Ali Hamza bin Ali Malik Al-Tawsi writes the following about the Promised Mahdi, “the translation of which is: ‘The Mahdi will hail from a village called Kad’ah.’ “This in fact is the Arabic version of Qadian. “He then says, ‘God will prove the truthfulness of that Mahdi
‘and will gather his friends from far and wide, ‘who will be equal in number to the people of Badr (in other words they will number 313) ‘and their names, character and qualities will be written in a published book.’ “It is clear that before now no one has claimed to be the Promised Mahdi
“and also had a published book in which would contain the names of his friends. “However, I have previously written 313 names in ‘A’ina Kamalat-e-Islam’ “and to further confirm this I shall write those 313 names here once again. “(The Promised Messiah (as) wrote this in the appendix of the book, “Anjam-e-Atham”).
“Every fair-minded individual should know “that this is yet another prophecy that was fulfilled in my favour. “In accordance with what has been stated in the narration, “it is necessary to state from the outset that “all of these companions possess qualities of truthfulness and piety and as far as their ranks,
“which Allah the Almighty knows best, “some excelled others in love and devotion to Allah and being occupied in service to the faith. “Observe, these 313 sincere people who are mentioned in this book “are a fulfilment of this very prophecy which is found in the traditions of the Holy Prophet (sa).
“The prophecy also contains the words ‘Kad’ah’ which is clearly pointing towards Qadian. “The entire purport of this Hadith is that the Promised Mahdi will be born in Qadian, “who will have a published book in which the names of 313 of his friends will be written.
“Everyone knows that it was not possible for me “to write the name of my town Qadian in books that were written a thousand years ago. “Nor did I create a printing machine on account of which it could be said “that I invented the printing press in this era for this very purpose.
“I did not invent the printing press. “It was also beyond my scope to bring about 313 companions. “In fact, it was God Almighty who procured these means “in order to fulfil the prophecy made by His Messenger (sa).” Whilst stating the similarities between the Holy Prophet (sa) and Prophet Moses (as)
In relation to the Battle of Badr, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “Just like the Israelites, God’s rightly guided people “suffered great difficulties for 13 years in Makkah at the hands of the disbelievers. “These difficulties were far greater than those inflicted by the Pharaoh upon the Israelites. “Eventually, these rightly guided people fled Makkah
“along with he who was most righteous among them and in his leadership, “just like the Israelites did. “Then, the people of Makkah chased after them in order to kill them, “just like Pharaoh who chased after the Israelites in order to kill them.
“Ultimately, it was as a result of this pursuit that they met their ruin at Badr, “just as Pharaoh and his army met their ruin in the Nile River. “It was to uncover this connection that “upon seeing the body of Abu Jahl among those who were killed at Badr,
“the Holy Prophet (sa) said that this person is the Pharaoh of this nation. “Just as Pharaoh and his army perished in the Nile River “was a matter which was witnessed and experienced “and was thus something which no one could object to, “so too was the pursuit made by Abu Jahl and his army
“resulting in defeat in the Battle of Badr “a matter which was witnessed and experienced, the denial of which would be foolish and lunacy. “The people bearing resemblance to the Israelites, “in other words those people of God who were freed by our Leader and Master
“from the cruelties of the Makkan sang hymns after the Battle of Badr “just as the Israelites did on the shores of the Nile River. “Those Arabic hymns that were sung in the plains of Badr are still preserved today in books.” Then, at another instance, the Promised Messiah (as) states:
“The example given in the Torah in Deuteronomy is of that very prophet “who was accompanied with divine help “and along with his community bore hardships and every type of difficulty for 13 years “and then eventually fled along with his community, but they were followed.
“Ultimately, within a few hours in the battle at Badr, “Abu Jahl and his people were smitten by swift swords “just as Pharaoh and his army perished by the swiftness of the Nile River. “Observe the clarity and how from the standpoint of witness
“and experience both the incidents of Egypt and Makkah bear such stark resemblance.” It is stated in the Holy Qur’an: “And Allah already helped you at Badr when you were weak.” In his book “Khutbah Ilhamiyyah”, whilst mentioning a subtle resemblance between Badr (full moon) and the fourteenth century, the Promised Messiah (as) states, the Urdu translation is as follows:
“The number 400 is after the migration of the Holy Prophet, who was the Seal of Prophets (sa) “so that the victory of Islam “which has been promised in the Holy Qur’an already may be fulfilled. “In other words, the statement of God: “(ARABIC) “Ponder over this verse like those who possess sight,
“because certainly, this verse points towards two Badrs. “First was the Badr which came for the help of the first ones, “and the second Badr which was a sign for those to come after. “There is no doubt that this verse contains a subtle indication towards that time in the future
“which was to be like the night of Badr and would manifest 400 years after a period of 1,000 years. “This is the metaphor used by God Almighty when He mentions the night of Badr. “Further to this, we also accept that this verse has other meanings as well
“which pertain to previous times, as scholars will be well aware, “because this verse has two perspectives; there are two (times of) help and two Badrs. “One Badr pertains to previous times, whereas the other Badr pertains to the times yet to come, “when the Muslims would be in an extremely lowly state,
“as you can witness in today’s current times. “Islam started like the crescent moon, and it was decreed that ultimately, “in the latter days, it would turn into a full moon (Badr) by the command of Allah. “Hence, the wisdom of God Almighty dictated that in this century,
“Islam should become like the Badr (full moon), “which would also be similar to Badr in terms of its numbers. “It is these very meanings that God Almighty indicates in the words, “(ARABIC – And Allah already helped you at Badr when you were weak).
“Hence, ponder over this matter with careful consideration and do not be like the ignorant. “Indeed, the words (ARABIC – la qad nasrakum) “have been used as (ARABIC – yansuru kum) in light of its other aspects, “just as it is apparent to those who possess understanding.
“Therefore, for the sake of Islam, God Almighty decreed “that after having to face a state of weakness twice, Islam should also be honored twice, “in contrast to the Jewish people for whom it was decreed as punishment “that after two honours they had two humiliations, “just as you read in the accounts
“of those transgressors and tyrants in the Chapter Bani Isra’il. “At the time when the Muslims had to endure humiliation in Makkah, “God made a promise to them in the following words, “(ARABIC – Permission to fight is given to those against whom war is made,
“(because they have been wronged – and Allah indeed has power to help them). “By saying ‘to help them’, God indicated that “the disbelievers would suffer punishment at the hands of the believers. “And so, this promise of God was fulfilled on the day of Badr
“when the disbelievers were killed by the swords of Muslims raining down on them.” Then, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “The situation in the fourteenth century is similar “to the one that occurred on the occasion of Badr, “and about which Allah says:
“(ARABIC – And Allah already helped you at Badr when you were weak). “This verse actually implied a prophecy: “When in the fourteenth century Islam becomes frail and weak, “God, according to His promise, shall come to its help.” The Promised Messiah (as) further states: “Observe how the Companions were granted help at Badr,
“and it is stated that this help was given to them at a time when they were less in number. “Disbelief was eradicated during that Badr. “Alongside with the manifestation of extraordinary signs at Badr, “there was also a prophecy regarding the future.
“This is in the fact that Badr is also the name of the full moon. “This is an indication towards the manifestation of Allah the Almighty’s help “in the fourteenth century. “The fourteenth century is the very century about which even women would say “that the fourteenth century would bring with it good and blessings.
“God’s words proved true and in the fourteenth century, “in accordance with the will of Allah the Almighty, “the Buruz (subordinate) of Ahmad manifested, in my person “(the Promised Messiah (as) said regarding himself that he is the Buruz of Ahmad), “which was prophesied in the incident of Badr,
“and to whom the Holy Prophet (sa) conveyed his greeting of peace. “However, it is a pity that when the moon of the fourteenth century manifested, “he was labelled to have selfish motives. “Woe unto those who saw, but did not see; who lived in the times but did not recognise it.
“Those who wept at their pulpits and said “that this would happen in the fourteenth century have died. “Now remain those who stand at their pulpits and say that the one who has come is a liar. “What is the matter with them? Why do they not see and why do they not think?
“At that time, Allah the Almighty rendered help at Badr and he helped those who were weak, “at a time when there were only 313 men in the battlefield “and had a total of two or three wooden swords. “Among the 313 were mostly the youth. “What weaker state can there be?
“On the other hand there was a huge force “which comprised of those who were battle tested and experienced young men. “The Holy Prophet (sa) had no apparent means on his side. “At that time, the Holy Prophet (sa) prayed, “(ARABIC)
‘O Allah! If you destroy this party today, then none will remain to worship You.’ “Listen, I say with complete certainty that the situation today is the same as that at Badr. “Allah the Almighty is preparing a party in the same way.
“The same words of Badr and words of being in a state weakness apply. “The number fourteen has a very deep connection in this respect. “The moon of the fourteenth century is complete. “It is to this very point that Allah the Exalted alludes to in the following:
“(ARABIC – And Allah already helped you at Badr when you were weak). “At that time also, the community of the Holy Prophet (sa) was small “and yet they overcome the enemy. “And now, there is the Badr of our present age as well.
“With regards to the revelation: “Do not forget the event of the Battle of Badr”, “Hazrat Qadi Abdur Rahim Sahib (ra) has written in his diary of 17th February 1904: “Last night, the Promised Messiah (as) related a dream, in which he heard someone say: ‘Do not forget the event of the Battle of Badr.’”
May Allah the Almighty instil within us an understanding of the significance of the Battle of Badr and may we understand the reason for the advent of the true servant of the Holy Prophet (sa). May Allah the Almighty enable the Muslim Ummah to understand the significance of the event of Badr
And enable them to recognise the Promised Messiah (as), who has appeared in subservience to the Holy Prophet (sa) and through this they will become worthy of regaining their lost grandeur and glory. I now wish to speak in relation to Jalsa Salana. God-willing, the UK Annual Convention shall commence next Friday.
This year, a large number of guests will be coming to attend after a gap of approximately 3 – 4 years. In fact, the guests have already started to arrive. May Allah Almighty grant ease and comfort for all those who are travelling, and may they arrive here safely.
May they derive true blessings from the purpose of the Jalsa. Likewise, may all the Ahmadis who reside in the UK participate in the Jalsa with the true fervour and spirit, with the sole objective in mind that they shall strive to attain the spiritual rewards during the days of Jalsa.
Similarly, all the workers who have been appointed to various duties during the Jalsa should strive to serve all the participants of the Jalsa as they are the guests of the Promised Messiah (as). This time, it is estimated that there will be an increase in the number of participants,
And due to this, it is possible that there remain some organizational shortcomings. MashAllah, I am hopeful that the UK Jama’at has become so experienced in its organisation, that it will have already resolved the majority of the issues, and there will only remain minor shortcomings, if at all. Furthermore, if any problems do arise,
They shall be able to resolve them in the best way possible. May Allah make it so that no such issues arise which cause any inconvenience to the guests. Islam places great emphasis on honouring and respecting guests. Hence, those guests who are coming upon the call of the Promised Messiah (as),
Purely for religious purposes, every single one of those on duty and the hosts should especially serve and honour them. This service of theirs should be carried out purely out of the sentiments of sacrifice, and whilst seeking the pleasure of Allah Almighty. What are the teachings of Islam with regards to hospitality of guests,
And what did the Holy Prophet (sa) expect in terms of hospitality of guests? On one occasion, the Holy Prophet (sa) said: “Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, he should honour their guests.” During the days of Jalsa, people from all different nations come and have varying temperaments.
Sometimes difficulties arise in managing people of different temperaments. Owing to their different natures, the guests sometimes say something or acts in a way which makes it difficult for the person who is on duty or is tasked with looking after that guest.
However, the Holy Prophet (sa) has ordered us to honour our guests at all times, because this is another way in which one’s faith is tested. Thus, those on duty should display high morals at all times and always have a smile on their faces.
Those who are serving have volunteered themselves to serve the guests, therefore, they should attain this level which Allah Almighty and His Messenger (sa) desire of them. What level of displaying high morals does Islam teach us to attain? The Holy Prophet (sa) states in this regard, “To smile to your brother is charity,
“commanding good and forbidding evil is charity, “giving directions to a person lost, or to a blind person is charity for you. “Removing a rock, a thorn or a bone from the road is charity for you “(i.e., to remove any rubbish). “Your pouring what remains from your bucket
“into the bucket of your brother is charity for you.” These are the standards that every Ahmadi must attain. As I am drawing the attention of the workers towards this, I therefore say to them in particular, that to always remain smiling is a very commendable trait.
Sometimes those on duty have little time to sleep and they become tired. Despite this, we are commanded to always smile and serve wholeheartedly. Furthermore, the Tarbiyyat department in particular and all those on duty in general ought to be mindful that if they see someone behaving in a way
That is against the sanctity of our (pious) atmosphere and teachings, they should advise them in a gentle and loving manner. Following on from this, there is mention (in the hadith) about showing others the way. There are teams assigned to show people the way. Similarly boards (with signs) are erected at various places
Which contain instructions and signs. Despite this, if someone asks for directions they should be guided accordingly. It is not necessary that only those who are assigned this duty should inform others, if a person knows the directions, then good morals dictates that they should show them the way
And if they do not know they ought to guide them to the relevant department who would know. Everyone knows that helping those with physical or visual impairment is a fundamental responsibility and everyone is reminded of this. Therefore there is no need to elaborate on this further.
In addition, if a guest or anyone else throws bags or disposable glasses or any other rubbish, etc., on the walkway or elsewhere, although the hygiene department are assigned to clean it up, if a worker sees any rubbish, they should pick it up and throw it away in the nearest dustbin.
The administration should ensure that there are bins stationed at various points. At the same time, given the circumstances, the administration should also ensure that nobody throws anything inappropriate in there. Similarly, those who are responsible for food should also look after the guests. If there are any shortcomings in (the quantity) of the food,
Politely explain to the guests that owing to the shortage if they can share out the food, everyone will be able to get a share. Usually there are slim chances of this occurring, however, if such a situation arises, the teams dealing with serving food should deal with it with love and wisdom.
Likewise, there is the department to manage the traffic. Occasionally issues can arise there as well, especially when the weather is bad. In this instance also I would like to say to the guests to co-operate with those working in the traffic department. Those working in this department should also show the best of morals.
In the same way there are many other departments in Jalsa Salana. Everyone of them ought to act on the guidance of the Holy Prophet (sa) to always remain smiling. May Allah the Almighty enable all the duty workers to serve in the best manner and may the Jalsa be blessed in every way.
Every Ahmadi should pray especially for the success of the Jalsa. May Allah the Almighty enable us to do so. All praise is due to Allah We laud Him, we beseech help from Him and ask His protection; we confide in Him, we trust Him alone
And we seek protection against the evils and mischief of our souls and from the bad results of our deeds. Whomsoever He guides on the right path, none can misguide him; and whosoever He declares misled, none can guide him onto the right path.
And we bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah. We bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His servant and Messenger. O servants of Allah! May Allah be merciful to you. Verily, Allah commands you to act with justice, to confer benefits upon each other
And to do good to others as one does to one’s kindred and forbids evil which pertain to your own selves and evils which affect others and prohibits revolts against a lawful authority. He warns you against being unmindful. You remember Allah; He too will remember you;
Call Him and He will make a response to your call. And verily divine remembrance is the highest virtue.