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. By the grace of Allah, the UK Ahmadiyya Community’s Annual Gathering is commencing today. By the grace of Allah, approximately four decades have passed since the Annual Gatherings have been taking place with the presence of Khilafat here.
Initially, the Community had a lot to learn due to the large-scale preparations, for which Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) paid personal attention as he gave guidance, and alongside that, experienced individuals were also called from Rabwah to teach the work, among whom was Afsar Jalsa Salana, Chaudhary Hameedullah Sahib. He also assisted a lot.
In 1985, the first Annual Gathering which took place here in the presence of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) – prior to this, one was held in 1984, but it was very brief – during the first formal Jalsa, which took place in 1985, only 5,000 people were in attendance,
And even then, the administration had many worries. Each and every person was worried as to how they would be able to manage it. But now, by the grace of Allah, the attendance at the Ijtemas of Khuddamul Ahmadiyya alone, or that of Lajna Ima’illah is much greater than that,
And these auxiliary organisations run them in a wonderful manner. Hence, in this regard, the UK Community has become very well-experienced enough to organise them. Seeing as there has been a three-year break since a full-scale Jalsa has taken place, the administration was concerned on this occasion once more
As to whether or not they would be able to cater for the predicted attendance of over 40,000 people. However, by the grace of Allah Almighty, I am hopeful that the workers will be able to tend to their duties in an excellent manner.
Masha’Allah, those who live here, in fact, even those who were born and raised here who have now reached an age where they can carry out their duties with passion and understanding, have become experienced enough to fulfil their duties in the best manner.
Last Sunday I also inspected the work that had been carried out up until that point, and by the grace of Allah, I found the workers in every place and every department to be well-prepared and aware of their roles. Thus, with Allah’s grace, the concerns were all dispelled.
As for the concern about shortcomings being revealed due to the Jalsa being organised on a large-scale once more after a break, God willing, these worries of the administration will also be removed, on the condition that our focus always remains on drawing the blessings of God Almighty.
None of our works are achieved through our mere aptitude or experience, rather, it is purely out of the grace of Allah Almighty. In the previous sermon, I also briefly mentioned to the workers that following Allah the Almighty and His Messenger’s (sa) teachings,
Each and every worker and supervisor must carry out their duties with hard work, excellent morals, prayers, and whilst seeking the help of Allah Almighty. When this happens, Allah Almighty will shower His blessings. We have presented ourselves selflessly to serve the guests of the Promised Messiah (as),
Who have travelled here purely for religious reasons. Thus I reiterate once again to the workers that the passion with which you have presented yourself to serve, whilst upholding that passion, however many days you are on duty complete it and where you are fulfilling the rights of serving the guests there
Never forget this fact that we must fulfil the rights of worshiping Allah the Almighty, we must safeguard our prayers and we must strive to make ourselves pure by deriving benefit from this atmosphere at every moment. Only be completing your duties you should never consider that we have fulfilled our objective.
Without worship our objective cannot be achieved. Thus, those children, youth, men and women that are on duty they should also remember to fulfil this right. After this, today I wish to say a few things for the guests who have come to the Jalsa. Every attendee of the Jalsa should always bear in mind
That they should not regard the things I am about to say as mere formality; that I have simply said them and you have simply heard them and that is enough. That cannot be the case. In fact, it is necessary to implement these things as well. The first, and most important matter is
That all those who have come here to participate in the Jalsa should remember the statement of the Promised Messiah (as) that this Jalsa is not like other worldly gatherings. There is a purpose for which we are attending the Jalsa, and that purpose is to improve our spiritual, intellectual, and moral states;
To establish love of Allah the Almighty and His Messenger (sa) in our hearts. When this is the mentality, then we will not remain focused on worldly things. And when our focus is not on worldly things, then even if there are certain shortcomings in certain arrangements of the Jalsa,
Then the guests will not even feel them; they will think that even if there is any shortcoming on the part of their hosts or the organisers of the Jalsa, it makes no difference to them. Their purpose is to improve their spiritual and intellectual states
Which can be achieved by benefitting from the proceedings and speeches of the Jalsa. Hence, the first point is that every person attending the Jalsa should make certain that they do not wander about during the Jalsa and instead listen to the entire proceedings of the Jalsa. Then, during the breaks between the Jalsa sessions
For food, prayers and meeting with friends, that time should also be used in the most efficient manner. If there is some free time, it should not be spent simply shopping at the bazar, rather the Publications Department has set up stalls for the Jama’at’s books and these should be visited.
Similarly, various central departments have marquees, such as Makhzan-e-Tasaweer, The Review of Religions, Tabligh and the Archive Exhibition. You should visit these and improve your knowledge of faith and history. In essence, you should separate yourself entirely from worldly entanglements and strive for the betterment in faith and intellect.
When this happens, it will also improve mutual love and relations. Even if there are shortcomings in the administration, hosts or organisation, then they will not be noticed. A beautiful atmosphere will be established which will reflect a true atmosphere of believers. If we do not achieve this,
Then we cannot create the atmosphere which the Jalsa is supposed to bring about. If people begin searching for weaknesses and start complaining then in such a large-scale and temporary operation, dozens of things to complain about can arise. There cannot be perfection; there may be many shortcomings which cause restlessness.
For example, there is the department of food serving, in which the overall goal it to provide the guests every possible ease when it comes to serving food; whether by ensuring that there is no shortage in the food being served
Or the volunteers who are serving the food to the guests in a proper manner all while exhibiting high morals. However, sometimes there could be a discrepancy in the estimation and food may not be available in the proper amounts, but rather than expressing anger, the apologies of the workers should be accepted wholeheartedly.
What is the example set for us by the Promised Messiah (as) when such circumstances arise? I will present an incident in this regard from his life, which is recorded as follows: Once while on a journey, the Promised Messiah (as) was busy with his work
And thus did not eat dinner at the time it was being served and the other guests were eating. The volunteers would have served the food and then later taken it away as well without realising whether the Promised Messiah (as) had eaten or not.
The organisers also did not pay attention as to whether the Promised Messiah (as) had eaten as he was busy with his work. Nonetheless, as the night progressed, and the Promised Messiah (as) started feeling hungry, he asked if there was any food upon which the workers became extremely worried. They became worried because
All the food had been eaten by the other guests and the workers and there was nothing left. It was late at night and the stores were closed as well and so nothing could be ordered from a hotel either. The Promised Messiah (as) somehow came to learn that the food had finished
And that the organisers were anxiously working to quickly cook something. The Promised Messiah (as) said, “There is no need to be worried. “There must be some leftover pieces of flatbread on the table, just bring those.” And so, he ate those leftover pieces of flatbread and comforted the workers.
The narrator says, “Had the Promised Messiah (as) instructed “for food to be cooked at that very instance then it would have been a source of honour for us “and we would have done so with great pride, “seeing it as having obtained another opportunity to serve which is full of blessings.
“However, he felt that it would be difficult for us to do so “and stopped us saying that there was no need.” Thus, this is the example which we should bear in mind. If we do not arrive at the scheduled times for food,
Then we should not have any complaints and we should eat whatever is available. Sometimes when the stew finishes some lentil soup is cooked quickly – as it is easy and quick to make – so that no guest is left hungry. Hence, the guests should also eat it happily.
Similarly, the Promised Messiah (as) also taught the lesson that flatbread should not go to waste. The Promised Messiah (as) knew that people leave pieces of flatbread, which is why he asked for those to be brought so that he could eat them.
Here as well, I will say to the guests that those making the flatbread do their level best to make the best possible flatbread, however it is possible that in some instances there are some that are a bit undercooked or some are a little burnt,
And so only in extreme circumstances they can be left, however generally this should not be the case. Even if there are slight blemishes the flatbread should not be wasted. There is a roti plant operating here where volunteers work with great time and effort and every year, they make new improvements as well.
The guests should remember that the people cooking the food or making the flatbread are not professionals in these fields, rather they are volunteers who come from different professions, and so the sincerity and passion with which they serve should always be appreciated.
To display a high standard of morals, being kind, meeting each other with a smile and making sacrifices for others is not the responsibility solely of volunteers rather the guests should also be especially mindful of this. Without morals, there is nothing.
A peaceful atmosphere cannot be established through the good morals of the workers alone, rather all attendees of the Jalsa must exhibit good morals. Both the ladies and the men should remain mindful of this. Previously, I referenced a Hadith that smiling is a part of faith; smiling is a form of charity.
This should always be remembered. With regards to the expectations of the Promised Messiah (as) when it comes to standard of high morals displayed pertaining to guests at the Jalsa, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “I say most truly that a person’s faith can certainly not be sound
“until one prefers the comfort of his brother over that of his own as far as possible. “If a brother of mine sleeps on the floor in front of me, despite being weak and ill, “whereas I, being hale and healthy, take possession of the bed “so that he may not sit on it,
“then how pitiable is my condition. “And how sorrowful would be my condition “if I were not to get up and give the bed to him by way of love and compassion, “preferring the floor for myself. “If my brother were to be ill and suffering from some pain,
“then how pitiable would my condition be if in such a situation I would be sleeping comfortably “and would not try my best to bring him relief and comfort. “And if some brother-in-faith of mine speaks harshly to me out of haughtiness “(this is very important for the Jalsa),
“how pitiful would it be if I, too, wilfully and knowingly, respond to him harshly. “I should, on the contrary, patiently bear what he says “and earnestly supplicate for him in my daily prayers, crying and weeping, “for he is my brother and is spiritually ill.
“If my brother is naive, or not very learned, or makes a mistake out of naivety, “I should not ridicule him or hastily frown at him in anger, “or tell others of his shortcomings out of ill intention. “All these are ways to destruction
“and no one can become a true believer unless he is tender-hearted “and until he considers himself to be the most lowly in comparison “with all others and unless all his haughtiness is far removed. “Being a servant of the people is a mark of those destined to lead.
“And speaking to the poor in a kind manner “while bowing humbly is the characteristic of those accepted by God. “And responding to mischief with beneficence is the sign of good fortune. “And suppressing anger and tolerating harsh words are acts of extreme courage.”
This was general guidance which the Promised Messiah (as) gave to his followers. These are the foundational morals which should be exhibited at all times, and they should be increased especially during the days of Jalsa. If we enact these things during these three days
Then at least to some degree we will develop the habit of enacting them and then we will be able to apply them to our daily lives. However, this is conditional upon having the mentality that “I went to Jalsa in order to reform my spirituality and morals”.
It is the mentality of “What did learn by attended the Jalsa” that can perpetually establish a beautiful society which will promote the fulfilment of the rights of others. To give precedence to another over oneself is not an easy task, it requires great struggle.
This is why the Promised Messiah (as) said that this matter is related to faith. Such a person’s faith cannot be upright who does not possess within them the quality of sacrifice and fulfilling the rights of others. Allah the Almighty does not decree one to be worthy of great reward
Simply on the basis of small things, in fact He bestows in abundance upon those who excel in striving. Fulfilling the rights of others is a very difficult task, and that is why the Promised Messiah (as) states: “A person may be able to fulfil the rights owed to Allah,
“but fulfilling the rights of others is very difficult.” And so, everyone should adopt the mentality of giving preference to their brothers over themselves. If every one of us adopts this mentality with the thought that the rights of others must be fulfilled in order to attain the pleasure of Allah the Almighty,
Then society will become one of love and affection. The expression of this love and affection will not only remain limited to the three days of Jalsa, rather one’s entire life becomes an example of love and affection. How beautiful indeed is the guidance which the Promised Messiah (as) gave
For the establishment of such a pure society. He said that it would be pitiful if someone were to speak harshly, and his response was just as harsh. Instead of responding harshly, he should pray for him. This is the society which Islam seeks to bring about,
And which the Promised Messiah (as) desired to see in his followers. The Promised Messiah (as) has so beautifully stated that if bad qualities are found in a person then they are spiritually ill, and it becomes one’s responsibility to cure them or see to it that they are cured.
This is not just for the reformation of others but is also for our own reformation. In fact, this applies more to us as compared to others, because one can only cure the spiritual illness of another when that person themselves is first cured of that very illness.
Hence, in order to avoid these illnesses, we must avoid finding faults in others, become tender-hearted for others, and eradicate any arrogance from within us. Hence, both the hosts and the attendees of the Jalsa must ponder closely over this. If we strive to overlook each other’s faults
And establish an environment of peace and compassion, then these three days will achieve the purpose for which we have gathered. Sometimes enmities arise over the most trivial of matters which brings about an atmosphere where people berate one another or sometimes escalating to the point of physical altercations.
If this is the environment people desire and they do not want to control their emotions, then it is better that they do not attend the Jalsa. Similarly, if the duty holders cannot control themselves, then they should not perform duties. Difficulties arise especially when it comes to traffic; there is limited space for parking.
Parking is made available according to the number of cars, but this year perhaps there will be more cars making space limited. If some people are sent to different sites (for parking) then they should cooperate and do so. Generally, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, people are cooperative
Because this is the training of the members of the Jama’at, by the grace of Allah. However, there are some who are short tempered, or they think that they will miss part of the programme by going to a different site because they will be delayed in getting to the Jalsa site.
Such people should remain mindful of the limitations of the organisers. If they are so concerned about the Jalsa, then they should arrive ahead of time. Instead of being bothered by such people, those on duty should try and explain things to them in a loving manner. May Allah the Almighty make it so
That not a single instance of people being harsh to one another arises. May Allah the Almighty enable the guests to avoid putting the workers in any sort of trial and may Allah the Almighty grant the workers forbearance. May Allah the Almighty make it so
That these three days are not simply limited to singing anthems and poems of love and affection, but that the training obtained during these three days sparks the establishment of such a society that fosters an environment of love and affection, which is the hallmark of an Islamic society.
The Promised Messiah (as) has constantly drawn our attention on various occasions towards developing such pure thoughts of virtue and piety. On one instance, while advising guests about their responsibilities and drawing attention towards developing pure thoughts, the Promised Messiah (as) states: “One should carry out acts of virtue
“solely for the sake of pleasing God Almighty and fulfilling His commandments, “regardless of whether it yields reward or not. “Faith can only be complete when this thought and idea is eliminated.” In other words, one should not think about doing such things only for the sake of attaining a reward.
No. In fact, it should be done to attain the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. The Promised Messiah (as) states, “Although it is true “that God Almighty does not let any act of virtue go to waste, “(ARABIC) ‘Surely, Allah suffers not the reward of those who do good to be lost.’
“However, the reward should not be the goal of those who do good. “You see, if a guest comes here only because they think that they shall be able to relax, “they will be provided with cold juices, or they will be presented with luxurious food, “then they have come solely for these things.
“However, it is already the host’s responsibility to be as hospitable as they possibly can “and avoid any shortcoming in this regard and provide as much ease as possible, “and certainly they do. “However, for the guests to have this expectation themselves is a source of harm for them.”
This is that mentality which guests should remain mindful of. There are some guests who do not have relatives here (in the UK) and so they stay in the Jama’at accommodations. However sometimes they make such demands for accommodation which are difficult to fulfil. Similarly, there are other amenities which cannot be provided;
The organisation of Jalsa Salana is so vast that it is impossible to provide such things. Most people are understanding in this regard. Just two days ago, a family came to meet me who, despite having informed the administration well in advance, could not be provided accommodation due to some miscommunication.
And so, they made their own arrangements at a relative’s home. Despite their relative’s home being very small due to which they will have to lay mattresses or sheets on the ground to sleep on, both the hosts and the guests would have faced difficulty,
They are happy because they will at least get to attend the Jalsa. They said these things in a jovial manner and only after I asked them about it; they did make any complaints. Most guests are this way, however there are others who come to meet me, and knowing their disposition,
I do not think that they will be able to stay under the Jama’at accommodations, yet they happily stay in them despite me thinking the opposite that perhaps they will not be able to stay there. But they do, and they do so happily, and such people are in the majority.
But there are also those who complain a great deal. If they were to spend these days cheerfully for the sake of Allah the Almighty, then Allah the Almighty will bless them in other ways. As for the accommodation arrangements here, whether in tents or communal spaces,
I believe they have all filled up due to the larger number of people. And so, it is possible that such arrangements will have to be made that bring some difficulty with them, but even those arrangements should be happily accepted by the guests. In any case, as the Promised Messiah (as) has stated,
It is the responsibility of the hosts to ensure as much as possible that the guests are afforded ease, and may Allah the Almighty grant the best reward to the guests for enduring minor difficulties. They should keep this in mind and try to attain this from Allah the Almighty.
What has the Holy Prophet (sa) taught regarding the establishment and spread of peace and security in society? Once, a person went to the Holy Prophet (sa) and said, “O Messenger of Allah (sa)! What is the best Islam?” The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, “To feed the needy and to say ‘Salam’ to everyone,
“whether you know them or not.” Subhan-Allah (Holy is Allah). This is the beautiful principle for establishing love and brotherhood, peace, and security in society which, if implemented, can bring about a society that fosters peace and security. Much of the unrest in the world is due to the poor becoming poorer.
Even today, there are millions of people who do not even get two meals a day. If they eat, then they don’t have a home. These things are found even here, in countries like the UK, which are considered to be wealthy nations – although they no longer have the same wealth as before.
Still, they are far better off than many others. There are thousands of people, even children, on the streets because they are unable to find food or housing due to inflation. It is a fundamental teaching of Islam to feed the hungry.
If only Muslims understood this principle and their leaders honoured the rights of their people and rather than gathering wealth for themselves, they fulfilled the needs of the poor and needy, thereby removing the restlessness and injustices from society. These days, much of the restlessness is spreading because of this very reason.
Then, the Holy Prophet (sa) instructed to say ‘Salam’. I have simply stated (the above) as an additional point. The Holy Prophet (sa) instructed to make the greeting of ‘Salam’ common in society. Conveying ‘Salam’ is not a mere verbal utterance, rather when a person says ‘Salam’ from their heart,
They also think about conveying and spreading peace. Such people also have positive sentiments for one another and they strive and pray to remove the difficulties of others. Thus, during these days, every Ahmadi should strive to spread the message of peace,
To make a habit of saying “Peace be upon you” and to establish mutual sentiments of positivity. People very happily meet and courteously say ‘Salam’ to those who render them some sort of benefit or they very happily meet those with whom they have a relationship. But true peace and security is established
When people who harbour enmity towards one another remove that enmity and the prayer of peace for one another emanates from their hearts. During this Jalsa, such people should endeavour to remove their enmities and convey peace and they should generally spread peace throughout the entire atmosphere.
May Allah the Almighty enable everyone to act upon this and may the environment of Jalsa be one of peace and security; may high morals and fulfilling the rights of others become a permanent aspect of our lives. I also wish to draw attention towards some general points
Pertaining to the arrangements of the Jalsa which everyone should bear in mind. The first point is that you should try to listen to the proceedings of the Jalsa quietly and attentively. It should not be that you listen to some speakers and not others.
I have mentioned before as well that you should come and sit (attentively) at the Jalsa. The Promised Messiah (as) has expressed great displeasure over the fact that people will listen to some speakers because of preferring their passionate oratory, but then they do not listen to others.
The speakers prepare their speeches with great effort. All the attendees of Jalsa should participate in the entire programme of the Jalsa and strive to attain spiritual and intellectual benefit Then, you should also pay special attention towards the remembrance of Allah and invoking salutations upon the Holy Prophet (sa) during the days of Jalsa.
These are currently the days of Muharram, and today is the 10th of Muharram and durood sharif should be recited. It should be recited with the thought that Allah the Almighty may continue elevating the status and rank of the Holy Prophet (sa); that He may continue granting his message success and victory;
That He may make his Divine Law lasting and grant it supremacy; that we may benefit from the prayers he made for his ummah (nation) and that Allah the Almighty may save this ummah from all forms of deteriorations. Today, what is there that Muslims are not doing
In the name of Allah the Almighty and His Messenger (sa). They have defamed Islam. May Allah the Almighty grant them understanding and may they accept the Imam of the Age. Prayers are (especially) accepted on Fridays, and so keep this in mind when you are praying.
On this day, it was in the name of Allah the Almighty and His Messenger (sa) that so called Muslims inflicted cruelties upon the spiritual and physical progeny of the Holy Prophet (sa). Now, these people are inflicting the same cruelty upon the spiritual progeny of the Holy Prophet (sa)
And the Community of the Promised Messiah (as). The situation in Pakistan these days is extremely painful; opponents are trying to cause harm to the Jama’at from every direction and they claim to be doing so due to their love for the Holy Prophet (sa) and that, God-forbid, Ahmadis are guilty of committing blasphemy
Against the Holy Prophet (sa). However, our faith is rooted in the fact that the Holy Prophet (sa) is the Seal of the Prophets and that it is necessary to believe in that law which he brought. In reality, we are those who hearkened to the command of the Holy Prophet (sa)
And accepted the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi who was to come. Regarding the degree to which the Promised Messiah (as) loved the Holy Prophet (sa) and Allah the Almighty’s bestowal as a result, the Promised Messiah (as) states in this regard: “Once, it so happened that I was completely lost in reciting durood sharif,
“in other words sending salutations upon the Holy Prophet (sa) for an extended period of time. “I was convinced that the paths of God are very fine “and the only way to find them is through the Holy Prophet (sa), “as God states, (Arabic – “And seek the way of approach unto Him”).
“Then, after a while, I saw in a vision that two water carriers came, “one entered my home from an inner path, and another entered my home from the outer path “and they were carrying vessels of light on their shoulders “(they were not filled with water, but with light), “and they said, (ARABIC)
‘The reward of this light is because you are sending salutations upon the Holy Prophet (sa).’” This was the degree to which the Promised Messiah (as) loved the Holy Prophet (sa), and this was how Allah the Almighty rewarded him. The Promised Messiah (as) has expressed on countless occasions
That whatever he had attained was through the Holy Prophet (sa), sending salutations upon him and being lost in his love. How then can it be considered that he strayed from the Holy Prophet (sa)? In any case, during these days, along with the remembrance of Allah the Almighty
You should also especially focus on reciting durood sharif. May Allah the Almighty soon spread those blessings throughout the world which He promised to the Holy Prophet (sa). Whilst in the Jalsa marquee, the ladies especially should ensure that they instil in those children who possess some understanding
That they should sit quietly during the Jalsa sessions. It is the training that is done at a young age which remains firm in the mind. Those women who sit in the children’s marquee should also try not to speak too much and instead should focus on the proceedings.
Sometimes the complaint is received that the children do not make as much noise whereas the women use them as an excuse to converse more amongst themselves. Due attention should be given to this. Similarly, as it pertains to security, every attendee both on the men’s and ladies’ sides should remain aware of their surroundings.
This is an important method of security. Similarly, you should carefully read the guidance that is found in your programmes and act upon them as well. May Allah the Almighty enable everyone to benefit from the Jalsa in the best way, safeguard against every evil and shower us with His mercy and blessings.
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.