Friday Sermon – Khalifatul Masih V – Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Year 2022
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. Since 2019, Jalsa Salana UK is once again being held on larger scale this year. The Jalsa was held the previous year as well, but with limited capacity. Although only the UK Jama’at and a very limited number of external guests
Are attending this year’s Jalsa Salana, every Jama’at within the UK is permitted to attend all three days and they will do so, God willing. I am hopeful that, God willing, the attendance will be good. As we are all aware, we had to halt the annual gathering of Jalsa Salana
Due to the Covid pandemic and we were unable to derive full blessings of the Jalsa; one of the years we were not able at all. This year, the outbreak of the pandemic has increased and decreased and even now, it has not completely disappeared.
As a matter of fact, in certain areas here as well as in other parts of the world it has increased. However, the restrictions imposed by the government in relation to congregating are no longer strict. Nevertheless, this does not mean that we discard all precautionary measures.
Every participant should remain mindful of all precautionary measures and also act accordingly. One such precautionary measure is that all participants and workers should wear a mask; inside the marquee, while on duty, as well as while walking around outside. Similarly, this year, the organisers have made arrangements to provide homeopathic medicine,
That they believe to be most suitable for this illness, in the morning on entering (the Jalsa) and also when leaving. May Allah the Almighty bestow healing through it. Placing the capacity of healing within a medicine is within the power of Allah the Almighty alone, but we must also strive for it practically.
In this regard, I ask every participant to cooperate with the organisers. Usually in the Friday sermon the week prior to the Jalsa, I draw the attention of the workers and volunteers, who sacrifice their time for the guests of the Promised Messiah (as), towards certain aspects of the Jalsa.
I was unable to do so in the previous Friday sermon. Therefore, today I will say a few words in this regard. Among the workers there are some children, some youths and others who are new to duties and through this (sermon) they become aware of various aspects.
Over the last three years, many people came here from Pakistan who have never had any experience in discharging duties over Jalsa, as the Jalsa Salana has not been held there for many years. By drawing their attention towards this, they become, or will become mindful of how to discharge their responsibilities.
Similarly, and as I said previously, it will serve as a reminder for even the workers who are experienced. Nevertheless, I will briefly say a few words in this regard and I will also say a few words as a reminder for the participants. If we remain mindful of these matters,
We will continue to derive benefit from the atmosphere of Jalsa, God willing. The Promised Messiah (as) has said that this Jalsa is not a worldly festival, rather, we gather and have gathered here in order to listen to the words of Allah and His Messenger (sa) and to act in accordance with them.
If we act in accordance with the words of Allah and His Messenger (sa), then we will be able become those who fulfil the rights due to Allah and those due to mankind in the best manner. Nevertheless, as I said, I would first like to say a few words to the workers.
I have already spoken on wearing masks and taking the medicine, so that should be adhered to. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, our youth, our children, our elders as well as our women are keen on and also understand the fact
That they must offer their services to the guests of the Promised Messiah (as) attending the Jalsa and to do so in the best manner possible. All the workers who offer their services do so with this passion, regardless of their profession, family status and whether they are rich or poor.
The work surrounding the Jalsa is not limited to the three days of Jalsa alone. Rather, it commences several weeks before and now, MTA regularly updates on the work that is going on in its news in the form of short clips.
Despite the fact that some of the work is done by other companies and contractors, there is a lot of other work which requires man power and this is provided by volunteers, who do so by sacrificing their time and by offering their services. As I mentioned, people of all backgrounds participate in this.
In the outside world, people try to get volunteers, but the history of the Ahmadiyya Community presents examples of quite the contrary in that so many volunteers show up that the organisers find it difficult to accommodate them. In terms of the formal duties over the Jalsa,
A chart and programme are made first and efforts are made to provide every department with the required number of workers. In fact, they are provided to them. However, for the work that is carried out before and after Jalsa, at times, when a request is made, more people than expected turn up.
Only last Sunday, more workers showed up in Hadeeqat-ul-Mahdi than the organisers had expected and I came to know that adequate food arrangements could not be made for them. However, the organisers should have taken note of the number of people and made arrangements beforehand. This is the duty of the hospitality department.
These volunteers did not gather together for a meal. They were working since the morning, or were present there. I believe that when I asked towards the end of the previous Friday sermon to pray for the Jalsa as well as the workers, workers who were filled with passion came forward in even more numbers.
Nevertheless, the organisers should make special arrangements, particularly on the weekends. The hospitality department should note this for the future. Similarly, even during the days of Jalsa, the hospitality department should prepare food in greater quantities. The estimated number of attendees for this year’s Jalsa is uncertain.
Some people may have reservations to attend due to illness (Covid) or due to their concerns and it is unclear whether they will attend or not. Some people, however, believe that since the Jalsa is being held after some time, they are likely to attend.
Regardless, when it comes to expenditure, our organisers, especially the hospitality department, they underestimate (the number of people). Instead of preparing food in abundance, they prepare less food as they believe that less people will attend. This is absolutely wrong. It is the responsibility of the hospitality department
To accommodate the guests in the appropriate manner. Also, with regards to food provisions, I would also like to give some instructions that the weather is hot. As the pieces of meat are cut they should be put in a chiller straight away,
Rather than leaving it out all day which will cause it to go off and cause people to become ill as a result. Similarly, the rest of the food should be properly cared for as well. In any case, the volunteers who I was mentioning before came to perform duty
And irrespective of whether they received food or not, they left without making any complaints. However, this brought to light a shortcoming on the part of the administration. I also wish to say to the volunteers that during the three days of Jalsa,
They should serve the guests of the Promised Messiah (as), with such passion, whereby they always understand and bear in mind that they are not serving in order to seek any sort of reward from their officers or the guests, nor is this something they would receive.
In fact, they must serve these guests in order to achieve the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. They should also follow the example of that Companion and his wife whose children went to bed hungry and who remained hungry themselves while fulfilling the due rights of their guest.
They turned off the light and made it seem to their guest as if they were eating along with him. Allah Almighty was so pleased with this act of theirs, that He also informed the Holy Prophet (sa) of it. The following day, the Holy Prophet (sa) said to that Companion,
“Even Allah the Almighty smiled at your plan last night (of feeding the guest).” Allah the Almighty was very pleased and smiled, and Allah the Almighty has mentioned people who offer such sacrifices, in the Holy Qur’an. These are people who selflessly offer sacrifices and these are the people who are successful.
Hence, these were the way in which the Companions were hospitable and served their guests. How fortunate are those who strive to do justice in serving their guests for the sake of attaining Allah the Almighty’s pleasure; no less, those guests who have hearkened to the call of the Imam of the Age
And have come to listen to discourses about Allah and His Messenger (sa), with the hopes of attaining the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. Hence, fortunate are all those volunteers who serve the guests coming for the sake of their faith, in order to please Allah the Almighty.
When there is a large number of attendees, there are usually people of various different temperaments; some are quick to get angry and at times speak to the volunteers or demand something in a harsh manner. However, both male and female volunteers must ensure to never be harsh towards anyone.
They should never respond harshly to someone who speaks harshly to them; instead they should respond with a smile. If they are able to fulfil the demand, then they should do so, otherwise they should kindly and gently excuse themselves or take the individual to their superior officer who can tend to the guest’s matter.
Sometimes this can be very challenging, but it should be done in order to attain the pleasure of God Almighty. One should keep control over their emotions and their words. Similarly, volunteers should also be kind when speaking to one another and the officers and in-charges should be gentle when speaking to their workers.
If someone makes a mistake, they should help them realise in a kind manner. Officers should remain cognisant of the fact that these are volunteers who have come to serve the guests of the Promised Messiah (as) in order to attain the pleasure of Allah the Almighty.
Despite the fact that their specific department may not be their area of expertise, they have come with a passion to serve and are doing so selflessly. Hence they must be treated respectfully. May Allah the Almighty enable everyone to work together. This spirit can only come about when both officers and workers understand
That they must serve with the spirit of sacrifice. There is a narration which shows the standard of service and sacrifice established by the Holy Prophet (sa), despite a guest’s misbehaviour; it is recorded that once, a non-Muslim guest arrived
Who was cared for with a meal and was given a bed at night to sleep on. At night, he soiled the bed, either because his stomach was upset after having eaten too much, or he did so purposefully in order to be a nuisance, and then left early in the morning.
The Holy Prophet (sa) did not become upset at what he did. Instead, he asked for some water and began cleaning it himself. The Companions relate that despite saying, “why are you taking the trouble to do this? We are here, ready to serve, let us clean it”,
The Holy Prophet (sa) said, “He was my guest, I will do this myself”. The Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day ensures to honour their guest.” Hence, it is the responsibility of our male and female volunteers, officers and assistants
To hearken to the call of the Promised Messiah (as) and serve his guests who have come for the sake of the faith, and even make sacrifices in order to do so; always exhibit a high standard of patience and serve in a spirited manner without expressing any sort of displeasure on their faces.
By the grace of Allah the Almighty many of our volunteers possess this spirit and it is my hope that this is the passion with which all volunteers will conduct their work. The officers who have been appointed for various departments
Should also always bear in mind that they have been afforded the opportunity to serve due to the blessings of Allah the Almighty. They should fulfil their responsibilities, considering themselves to be servants rather than officers. If they exemplify high moral conduct, then the workers and assistants under them will also display high moral conduct.
May Allah the Almighty enable everyone to do so. The Promised Messiah (as) has provided guidance regarding the kind treatment of guests on various occasions. Once he said, “You see, there are many guests who have come, some of whom you know; “some you recognise and others who you don’t.
“Hence, it is only right for you “to consider everyone to be worthy of respect and be hospitable.” This principle should be kept in mind by every volunteer, especially those who are directly dealing with people and departments such as hospitality and dining in particular should strictly adhere to this.
This year, since great care must be taken due to Covid, the arrangements should be such – and I believe the department has tried to do so – whereby there should not be a large crowd for an extended period of time while eating and people should leave the marquee quickly after having eaten.
The guests should also be mindful of this and cooperate with the organisers. Of course, while eating there is no option (but to remove one’s mask), however generally, as I have stated, everyone should make sure to keep wearing their mask and while eating, everyone should limit their conversations to a minimum.
Try to eat in silence and swiftly exit (the dining marquee); do not cause difficulties for yourself, nor the organisers. I have stated some fundamental aspects for the volunteers and have also drawn their attention towards serving guests. Now the guests should also take heed of some advice.
If the guests understand and adhere to the teachings of Islam whereby guests should not become an unnecessary burden upon their hosts, then this helps maintain an atmosphere of love and compassion. Problems arise when guests hold their hosts to wrong and unreasonable expectations. Hence, guests should not have unreasonable expectations,
So that the hosts and those tasked with taking care of the guests, and the guests themselves can remain at ease. Hence, always keep this in mind. Those who are residing under Jama’at accommodations should be thankful to the volunteers, their Ahmadi brothers and sisters who, despite the positions they hold,
Have presented themselves to serve the guests. Sometimes the food may not be to the guests’ liking, although every Ahmadi knows the tradition of our Community whereby meat and potato curry and lentil soup are generally prepared during the days of Jalsa.
Even if guests receive food which is not to their liking, they should still eat it happily. The Holy Prophet (sa) has stated that whatever a guest is presented to eat by the host should be happily accepted. In previous years, if someone did not wish to eat the food
Which was cooked in the Langar (Kitchen of the Promised Messiah (as)), they would go and eat something from the bazaar which is temporarily set up on the Jalsa premises. This year, the bazaar will not be available as per usual, hence those who have varying palates should happily eat whatever is available
For the sake of attaining the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. However, I reiterate to the hospitality department that they should strive their utmost to cook good food. Although people of such nature are usually only few in number, at times these few can become the means of creating worry.
Exhibiting high moral conduct is not only the duty of volunteers but of every attendee. The Promised Messiah (as) has said to the participants of Jalsa that they must exhibit good morals and take care of one another. All attendees should bear in mind that they have taken part in this Jalsa
To satiate their religious, intellectual and spiritual thirst. In order to fulfil this, it is incumbent to always remember the statement of the Promised Messiah (as) that this Jalsa is held solely for the sake of God. Hence, never should one express impatience or enmity over trivial matters.
Volunteers are also human; if ever they commit a transgression, it should be overlooked, and this is a great way in which one’s moral conduct can be rectified. It is true that sometimes, a situation arises wherein something is said which incites another person’s anger, either by the guests or the volunteers.
However, high moral conduct demands that the matter should be overlooked and one should remove themselves from that situation so as to avoid increasing the conflict. Such scenarios can come about amongst the youth, and so, it should always be borne in mind that the purpose for which we have gathered here is very lofty;
To satiate our spiritual thirst, to increase our spiritual knowledge, to learn the ways in which we can fulfil the rights owed to God and the rights owed to His creation. In order to achieve this, the least we will have to do is sacrifice our emotions and seek help from Allah the Almighty.
When this passion rises forth, when tongues remain inclined towards the remembrance of Allah, when there is increased attention towards repentance and seeking forgiveness, then even if one is inconvenienced by another, they will react by pardoning and over-looking the grievance. Hence, in these days, always bear in mind
That we have left our homes and journeyed here for the sake of Allah the Almighty. Once, while teaching a prayer for undertaking a journey, the Holy Prophet (sa) said to pray by saying: “O Allah, we beseech You for good and attaining righteousness on this journey,
“enable us to perform those virtuous deeds which please You.” Thus, when we pray in this manner, Allah the Almighty will fill our stay here and our journey with blessings. Thus, during these days, engage profusely in prayers and the remembrance of Allah.
In fact, the Holy Prophet (sa) has taught us a prayer for every occasion. Some people have left their homes behind to benefit from the blessings of Jalsa. Those people will also be worried about their families that they have left behind.
In relation to this, the Holy Prophet (sa) stated that we should recite the prayer, “O our God, I seek refuge from the hardships of travel, “unpleasant and worrisome circumstances, “negative repercussions to my wealth and family, and unpleasant changes (in my journey).” This is a very comprehensive prayer,
One for seeking the protection of Allah the Almighty in all respects while travelling and also for the safety of one’s family. When every man and woman here walks with this mindset and whilst making such prayers, then the atmosphere will become peaceful, the hearts will find comfort,
And Allah the Almighty will protect everyone from unpleasant circumstances. At present, the Covid (pandemic) is a cause for concern. You must be more mindful towards prayers that may Allah the Almighty protect the attendees here and also those sitting at home. During these days, aside from praying in general,
You should give special attention to reciting Durood (invoking salutations upon the Holy Prophet (sa)). Likewise, come to offer your prayers on time and do not waste time in discussions outside. Furthermore, the volunteers who do not have to perform their duty during the prayer timings should try to offer prayers in congregation.
All the attendees should try to sit in the Jalsa Gah during the Jalsa proceedings and listen to the speeches. The speakers make a great effort in preparing their speeches, and one can benefit from them both in terms of gaining knowledge and spirituality.
For this reason, do not only consider listening to those who deliver good speeches or speak well. Instead, ponder over the significance of the topic and consider the extent of its benefits. Normally, the speeches cover topics that are essential at the time, and if one listens carefully,
Then they can find the answers to many questions that come into their hearts. Thus, listen very attentively to the speeches. Although there is no Bazaar this year as I had mentioned, during the breaks, visit and benefit from the exhibitions on display – even though they have been organised at a smaller scale.
God willing, when conditions become better, the exhibitions will be made more vast and the rest of the arrangements will follow suit. The weather is also very dry this year and we should be mindful of it. It is not raining much. Owing to this, I hope that God willing,
We will not face as much difficulty in the car park as last year. Due to the rain last year, there were a great many difficulties. However, there are improvements in the preparations this year with better arrangements for a track (for vehicles). With the help of experts, a lot of work has been conducted
For a permanent system of water drainage. Last month, the manner in which the water was drained during the rains suggests that, God willing, this work will prove to be of great benefit in the future. Nonetheless, this year, the weather forecast shows dry weather in these days. However, sometimes the organisers face difficulties
Due to a high volume of cars in the car park. If those coming (to the Jalsa) by car show their cooperation, then everything can be managed easily. The guests coming by car should be patient and cooperate with the arrangements that have been made for traffic so that there are no difficulties.
Similarly, as I mention every year, whilst using the toilets and washrooms be mindful of its cleanliness and also do not waste water, particularly this year. Owing to the lack of rain, the government has also drawn attention towards using less water. Therefore, be considerate whilst using water.
Also, the dry grass can very quickly catch fire, therefore take great caution in this regard. Any kind of negligence could potentially cause harm to yourself and to the neighbours. Moreover, everyone should be vigilant from a security point of view and keep a close eye of their surroundings.
If anyone sees any suspicious bag or object, they ought to immediately report it to the administration. The administration and those on duty at scanning should ask everyone to remove their facemasks when checking their ID cards to ensure it matches with the photo on the card.
May Allah the Almighty grant everyone His protection from every kind of harm and bestow His special grace. Once again, I would like to say that pay particular attention towards the remembrance of Allah and worship during these days.
Especially pray for the success of the Jama’at and for it to remain protected from the enemy. Pray for those who have been imprisoned due to Ahmadiyyat and are having to endure great hardships; may Allah the Almighty establish the means for their swift release.
Particularly pray during the Friday prayers and also in the days to follow. In the end, I would like to present a prayer of the Promised Messiah (as) with regards to the Jalsa. The Promised Messiah (as) states,
“I pray that may Allah be with all those who are travelling in order to attend this Jalsa “and may He bestow great rewards upon them, show mercy to them, “alleviate their states of trouble and tribulation and remove from them their hardships and sorrows. “May He grant them freedom from all afflictions
“and enable them to attain that which they desire “and raise them up on the Day of Resurrection “amongst those to whom He has shown His mercy and grace, “and so that He may be their Protector till the end of the journey. “O Allah! O Bestower, Benevolent and Merciful! O Remover of hardships!
“Hear these supplications of mine and grant us victory over our opponents “by aid of great and clear signs, for You are the Possessor of all power. Ameen.” May Allah the Almighty enable everyone, men and women alike, to become the recipients of the Promised Messiah’s (as) prayers for the attendees of Jalsa.
Some people travelled with the intention of attending the Jalsa and have also come from abroad but have fallen ill after arriving here, and despite their immense desire they are not able to attend. May Allah the Almighty reward them for their intentions and enable them to also become the recipients of these prayers.
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.