Friday Sermon – Khalifatul Masih V – Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Year 2016
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except God. and I bear witness that Muhammad (saw) is His Servant and Messenger After this I seek refuge with Allah, from Satan, the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Gracious, the Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us in the right path;
The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings, those who have not incurred Thy displeasure, and those who have not gone astray. The Ijtemas of Lajna Imaillah and Majlis Ansarullah begin from today.
The real spirit of our Ijtemas – which we should aim to strive for – is to increase our relationship with God the Almighty and strengthen our ties with one another One should approach the academic competitions with the mentality
that he or she will adopt in their lives whatever they learn from them. The reason why there are sports competition is because having a healthy body is imperative to fulfil the rights due to Allah and His creation.
Otherwise the age of Ansarullah is not that of one plays sports and neither are women generally all that keen in playing sports after the age of 22 or 23. Hence the purpose of the sports competitions
is for all to remain focused on their physical wellbeing. This is not only for those taking part in these competitions, rather, others as well, should at least do light exercise or go for walks to keep themselves fit.
In any case, the real objective of these Ijtemas is to activate our religious and intellectual faculties. Sadr Sahib Majlis Ansarullah requested me to address the Ansar in the Friday Sermon.
The age of Ansarullah is one in which a person develops a mature way of thinking and should realise what his responsibilities are and give attention to fulfilling them. Both being of a mature age and also the name of this organization being ‘Majlis Ansarullah’
should be sufficient for every male Ahmadi over the age of forty to understand their duties. What are these responsibilities which every Nasir [member of Ansarullah ] should fulfil? This has been entailed in a nutshell in the pledge of Ansarullah.
The first responsibility is that every Nasir – every member of Majlis Ansarullah – should strive with heartfelt sincerity, to strengthen Islam and to adopt Ahmadiyyat. Strengthening Islam is not possible through one’s knowledge and might.
Islam is a religion established by God and its teachings are perfect and complete. Thus, no human can strengthen Islam but indeed a person needs to strive to develop a strong connection with Islam, so he can be a firm part of this perfect religion.
This is impossible to achieve without forming a strong relationship with Allah the Almighty. Every Ahmadi should strive to attain this, and the standards set by Ansarullah should be of the highest level. One cannot perfect their connection with God the Almighty
until they develop a bond with the Holy Prophet (saw). Allah the Almighty Himself has directed us and drawn our attention towards sending Durood and Salaam [invoking blessings and salutations] on the Holy Prophet (saw). Thus, this is a very crucial matter.
Then, there is fulfilling the rights of entering the Bai’at of the Promised Messiah (as). We will only truly and sincerely be established on Ahmadiyyat when we fulfil this right. Allah the Almighty sent the Promised Messiah (as) in this era
to complete the mission of the propagation and dissemination of the religion. Therefore, we only will prove ourselves to be truly devoted Ahmadis with all our heart when we prove ourselves to be Ansarullah [helpers of Allah]
and play our full roles in helping spread and propagate Islam. And so this entails one responsibility. Then you, the Ansar, have also said in your pledge, which in other words is that you have promised to fulfil the responsibility
of striving to form a bond of loyalty with Khilafat and doing everything to safeguard and protect it. How can this be achieved? This will be achieved when the Ansar become helpers in the work and projects of Khilafat.
And this is only possible if Ansar remain attentive on the guidance of the Khalifa of the Time. In this age, Allah the Almighty has rewarded us with the blessing of MTA,
through which people far away can listen to the words of the Khalifa. Thus everyone in Ansarullah needs to attach themselves to this. Similarly you have also pledged that you will connect your children and progeny with Khilafat
and so this is also a means through which you can link your children with Khilafat, in addition to other means of Tarbiyyat. When you do this, generation after generation will continue to be born, who are firmly loyal.
Thus the work of serving and disseminating the religion will continue forever. The work of spreading Islam, in accordance with the Promised Messiah (as)’s announcements, was destined to continue after him, through the Second Manifestation of God’s Power
– in other words the institution of Khilafat. You have made a pledge to make every possible sacrifice therefore you should remind yourselves of this promise. May Allah the Almighty enable everyone to do so.
As I have mentioned the Ijtema of the Lajna Imaillah is also taking place. Lajna Imaillah also have a pledge, which they should always keep in view. It is an immense favour of Allah the Almighty that, MashaAllah,
the majority of Lajna Imaillah are firmly established on their faith. Most Lajna strongly believe in their religion, however every member of Lajna, every Ahmadi woman needs to elevate their practical state to that standard
which is instructed by Allah the Almighty and His Messenger (saw). As I said Lajna Imaillah also have a pledge which they reiterate at their functions and Ijtemas – that they will be ever ready to make every sacrifice for their faith.
The first sacrifice required by the religion is to push behind all worldly desires and instead develop one’s practical state according to the teachings of the religion. An Ahmadi woman should demonstrate the highest standards of honesty and truthfulness.
Then, she should also strive to act upon the commands relating to women. Purdah (covering) plays a huge role in the command of Allah the Almighty for a woman to safeguard her chastity and honour.
Any Ahmadi woman who shows weakness in this would practically speaking, not be fulling her pledge. Neither fear of society, nor one’s materialistic desires should move an Ahmadi away from her religion; rather, every Ahmadi woman should form her practical state
in accordance with the teachings of Allah the Almighty. Then, you make a pledge to always adhere to truthfulness. Everyone needs to assess their standard in this respect – that, are we adhering to the true spirt of honesty or not?
Similarly, there is the pledge of Tarbiyyat of your children and progeny, which woman should strive to their level best to fulfil and see whether their offspring are attached to the religion or not.
The best source of Tarbiyyat for the children is the mother and so mothers must make their maximum efforts towards this. If all our women fulfil this responsibility, in fact, Hazrat Musleh Maud (as) said if even 50% were to do so,
then they will become the guarantor of safeguarding the future generations, adorning their faith and connecting them with God the Almighty. It is also the duty of mothers to instil in their children, the passion to make sacrifices
for the sake of their country, and this is also a part of the pledge you have made. It is the responsibility of mothers to ensure their children are absolutely abiding by the law of the land.
It is the duty of mothers to teach their children to distinguish between good and bad. It is the duty of the mothers to draw the attention of their children to play their roles towards aiding the progress of their nation.
As it is the responsibility of fathers, so too is it the duty of mothers to strive to connect their children with Khilafat. Thus, every mother should understand this vital obligation. May Allah the Almighty enable them do so.
Similarly, Ijtema for Nasiratul Ahmadiyya is being held along with Lajna. Nasirat also take the oath. They should also fulfil their oaths. The age of 14-15 years is a sensible age. One can understand the difference between good and bad in this age.
This is the last age group for Nasirat. And it is this age in which one has many desires. If someone has a worldly focus then worldly desires dominate one’s faith. For this reason, every Ahmadi girl needs to be very careful.
And there is a need for them to repeat their oaths constantly. So that every Ahmadi girl, instead of following vain, worldly desires, is striving to achieve higher objectives. And those higher objectives have been mentioned in the oath of Nasirat, as follows;
that one should always be ready to serve one’s faith, nation and country, to always stay steadfast on truthfulness, be read to offer any sacrifice for Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya. Hence, if our girls make this oath a part of their lives, then they will be saving their lives
and they will be the ones to save the lives of future generations as well, and will be the ones to attach them to Khilafat. May Allah the Almighty enable them to do so,
and may He bless these Ijtema’at (gatherings) that are currently taking place, in every respect After this brief mention in reference to Ijtema, I would now like to mention about a beloved dear one, who departed from amongst us a few days ago.
A few weeks ago, a dear one was separated from us due to an accident, and a few days ago another very beloved Jamia Ahmadiyya UK student, a young man, who had almost completed his Jamia studies,
passed away after being sick for some time. ‘Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return’ (2:157). The name of the youth I am referring to is Mazhar Ahsan.
He did not attend the examination for the final year, due to his illness. However, the way this beloved youth spent his life, he was already a Missionary and a Teacher, regardless of whether or not he had passed the exams.
Allah the Almighty had generated a passion within this young man about how to serve his religion, how he was to mould his morals and his conditions according to the commandments of Allah the Almighty and how he must act accordingly.
Every person who comes into this world has to depart from it eventually. However, fortunate are those who strive to mould their lives according to the will of Allah the Almighty, and are successful in doing so.
Students of Jamia Ahmadiyya, his friends and teachers are writing to me about this beloved person. And this is not simply a formality, that someone has passed away, so people tend to mention good things about them.
Rather, I personally know that he was a model of sincerity, loyalty and action. May Allah the Almighty continue to exalt his status. The beloved deceased was the only son of his parents. He had two sisters.
His parents, particularly his mother, have shown an excellent model of patience and staying content in the will of Allah the Almighty. May Allah the Almighty reward them and may He continue to increase them in patience.
May He provide the means of tranquillity and patience. The Promised Messiah (as) stated in one place that: “Remember, there is no treatment “that provides the tranquillity and comfort, for the wound caused by a trial, “that trust in Allah the Almighty does.”
Therefore, one should always have trust in Allah the Almighty alone. The beloved deceased passed away whilst advising others about patience and courage. It is natural to feel grief and pain. Parents and siblings feel this the most.
However, we can mould this grief and pain into prayers and make it a source to elevate the ranks of the deceased and patience and tranquillity for ourselves. May Allah the Almighty enable his near ones to do so.
I will mention some of further details. This youth had cancer and it was cured after treatment by the Grace of Allah the Almighty. However, later on, such an infection in the chest was developed
that could not be detected by doctors and caused his death. ‘Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.’ (2:157) The paternal great grandfather of the deceased, Hazrat Mistari Nizaamudin sahib (ra), was a companion of the Promised Messiah (as).
And his maternal grandfather, Respected Chaudhry Munawar Ali Khan sahib and paternal grandfather, Haji Manzur Ahmad sahib, were both amongst the Derveshaan-e-Qadian. This youth was a student of Jamia Ahmadiyya, as I mentioned before. He was also a Musi.
His mother states that, – I will mention some things briefly because some longer details include certain emotional incidents which might be difficult to narrate. However, I will mention some briefly:
“He was the one to advise me, he was the one whom I would share my secrets with, “and he was the one who would educate me like a teacher. “Along with the relationship of a mother and son, we had a unique understanding.
“He understood me well and I understood him well. “He knew well all those things which made me happy and those that I dislike.” She says, “He would often speak about the system of Khilafat, Khalifa of the time, Jama’at
“and most of all about the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his Companions (ra) “and the ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (saw) – the Promised Messiah (as). “And these were the topics that he liked to discuss.
“If some worldly things were discussed, after a while he would say, ‘Forget about these things. What do we have to do with such things?’” It was his desire to attend Jalsa Salana [UK] this year.
However, he realised that it would be difficult for him to do so. So he thought it was appropriate for him to listen to Jalsa on MTA and he sent away all his family members saying ‘You all should go. I will listen to it from here
(He was in Glasgow) ‘Do not worry. I will manage.’ In this manner, he sent his family members to attend the Jalsa despite his sickness. “He had the habit of doing all his chores himself.”
and she says, “During the course of his sickness “he developed even more maturity and tenderness in his disposition. “Anger and irritation was never seen in his nature.
“When he was cured from his first sickness, blood cancer,” as I have mentioned, he was still weak “but he requested the Ameer Sahib of Scotland to give him some Jama’at work to do “and then started to work on a newsletter there.
“He would also stay in touch with other workers and would advise them how to work. Similarly, he designed the certificates for an Ijtema of Nasirat and Lajna in Scotland. He would study the books of the Promised Messiah (as) regularly.
She says that “On 12 September, when this second infection worsened” she says that “perhaps it was during these days he called me and said ‘come and sit next to me.’ “Then he said ‘Count the blessings of Allah the Almighty on your fingers.’
“And then he started counting the blessings of Allah the Almighty “and then said ‘Count some more blessings.’” “I replied, ‘there are so many blessings of Allah the Almighty that I cannot count them all.’
“Upon that Mazhar said, ‘that is what I wanted to tell you, ‘that always remember Allah the Almighty’s blessings and favours ‘and be grateful to Him in all circumstances.’”
She says, “I could not understand at that time what Mazhar was alluding towards.” However, he was preparing her mentally. She says: “When the Tabshir guests came to visit Scotland, “Raja Burhan Sahib was in-charge of the last group that arrived.
“He met Mazhar and was very happy to see that his health had improved.” She says that she said to him, ‘Murrabi Sahib! Mazhar has a great passion to serve the Jama’at. ‘He is always planning that in the future he shall make such and such plans,
‘and when he qualifies as a missionary, he will work in such and such way.’ When his cancer was diagnosed in October 2015, he told his sister to be very careful when informing their mother as he could not see her crying.
While in hospital, he would offer his prayers, recite the Holy Qur’an and listen to the sermons on MTA and through online programmes he would also listen to Nazams [poems] and view images. He would also speak to his class fellows and teachers.
Right until the end, he remained engaged in Tabligh [preaching] with his doctors and nurses He always got his treatment done whilst seated and he would do Tabligh to the doctors with reference to the Peace Conference, the annual convention [Jalsa]
and the various other activities of the Jama’at. After Jalsa here, there is a meeting for the missionaries and since his class had graduated from Jamia, therefore they were also part of the meeting.
He wrote to them or perhaps sent a message to them to send him all the points of the meeting so that he too could make them a part of his life, as he himself was unable to attend. He had immense love for Khilafat.
When he learnt of the news about Raza’s sudden demise, his mother says that it was first time she saw him cry in this way. She says, “I initially became a little apprehensive, but in fact he was worried
“that due to such a sudden demise, it would be a cause of great sorrow “for his parents and also for the Khalifa of the time.” She further says:
“We are happy with our Lord. These matters are all in the hand of God and He knows best. “Our duty is to pray and it is up to God whether He accepts them or not.”
She also says: “While departing from us, Mazhar brought about a reformation in us. “On the morning of 13 September, the day of Eid, Mazhar had a very serious cough.
“He told me to prepare Qahwa [herbal tea] and went to lay on his bed. “When I went to him, he had a very high temperature and the ambulance was called. “However, while leaving in the ambulance, he said again,
‘it is Eid, so you all should go to offer the Eid prayer ‘and there is no need to come to the hospital with me. ‘I will call you later on from my phone
‘and I will also listen to the Eid sermon from my phone.’” Even during his illness, he made sure to take care of such matters. Mazhar’s demise took place in the early hours of the morning. Mazhar had a very melodious voice
and his sister had recorded the Adhan [call to prayer] in his voice on the phone as an alarm for the Fajr prayer or Tahajjud [voluntary pre-dawn prayer].
She says that when he was taking his last breath and the time of his demise of was nearing, suddenly the Adhan in his voice began to play on the phone, which made them even more emotional.
However, ultimately this was the will of the Almighty Allah. Numerous accounts have been written. When he found out about his cancer, his sister, Ruba, says that he said, ‘I can tolerate everything but I can never see my mother cry,
‘therefore be extremely careful while disclosing this news to her.’ He underwent bone marrow treatment, and his sister’s bone marrow matched with his, which was then given to him. Even the doctors were astonished, as they had initially said that it could not happen
but nevertheless it matched and due to this God Almighty granted him health, but in any case this was the final decree of God. He continued to do Tabligh to the doctors even during his chemotherapy.
He had a lot of trust in God Almighty and was not even the slightest worried, he would always say that God will never waste him. However, God Almighty has taken him from here
and we hope that InshAllah all his wishes are being fulfilled in the next life. Dr Hafeez Sahib says, “I went to meet Mazhar in Glasgow after he had been diagnosed with cancer. “I found him to be a person who had great trust in God.
His mother said that “he always says “that we should continue to remember the favours of God Almighty.” Benazir Rafi Sahiba from Glasgow says that she is originally from Sri Lanka and is very close friends with Mazher’s mother and her daughters.
After being diagnosed with cancer, she further got to know about their family. When she went to visit him in hospital, he told her about his illness with great calmness and control. After he recovered from his illness
– there was a period in-between where his health had improved – there was a 5km charity walk that was organised in Glasgow which he took part in. He said that it was very easy and that he completed it with great ease,
even though he had just come out of a long illness and the chemotherapy itself was also a very painful procedure. Hafiz Fazl-e-Rabbi Says, “He had immense passion for learning the Holy Qur’an
“and he would recite the Holy Qur’an in a very beautiful and melodious voice. “Even before coming to Jamia, he, along with his family would come from Glasgow to London “to take part in the National Talim-ul-Quran class.”
He further adds, “They encountered some issues with their immigration “and their casehad not been passed yet and so while studying in Jamia, “he would have to go from London back to Glasgow after every two weeks.
“I said to him that you must experience a lot of difficulties as a result of this “but he replied that such small difficulties have no significance “when trying to achieve a grand objective.”
Another teacher, Waseem Fazl Sahib, says, “Mazhar Ahsan was a student who was very courageous, “disciplined and respectful, and had a controlled temperament. “He was counted among a select few students who would fulfil their duty
“with great responsibility, sincerity, loyalty, love and effort. “He was excellent in administrative works.” He further adds, “in our hostel administration, “he had the opportunity to serve for many years as a Prefect.
“On one occasion when a very important task was being assigned to him, “someone asked whether he would be capable of fulfilling this task. “At the time, one of the teachers commenting about Mazhar said that
“once a duty has been assigned to him, we then have to hide from Mazhar “as he commits to the duty, showing even greater concern, seriousness and discipline than us.” His administrative qualities and passion are evident from the following account:
“A few years back during the annual sports competition, “he was assigned a duty in the hospitality department. “Many guests are in attendance on the last day of the annual sports “and arrangements for lunch are also made for them.
“On this occasion, Mazhar stayed up all night and performed his duty with great energy “and did not take a break for even one moment. “The next day, he remained occupied in his duty with the same level of passion.
“After the event had finished, he compiled a very detailed and comprehensive report, which even now “is present with the administration and is proving to be a great help to this department.”
Hafiz Mashood Ahmad Sahib says: “Some time before, when I spoke with him over the phone, “he expressed his desire to serve the faith as a Missionary “as soon as he has recovered from his illness. He also mentioned that,
‘Since my treatment has been ongoing, I have started work in my local Jama’at.’” At another instance he mentioned that he would take part in the 5km charity walk that was to take place in Glasgow, as I mentioned earlier.
One of the missionaries who has served there is Malik Akram sahib. He writes: “When Mazhar Ahsan Sahib’s family moved from Dubai to Glasgow, “I was serving as the missionary for Glasgow.
“The day their family arrived, coincidentally, there was a function taking place at the mosque, “and his family also joined in. We saw that “After meeting everyone and greeting us, Mazhar Ahsan went straight into the kitchen
“helped the food distribution team with diligence and determination.” “From the very first day right up until he entered Jamia Ahmadiyya, “he served the mosque and the Jama’at with all his might.
“He was quiet but had a very sophisticated nature and was pure through and through. “He would never spend time in idle talk, nor waste his time. “He knew how to utilise his time correctly.
“Since I was the Missionary of the area he was very close to me, “and I had the opportunity to observe him closely. “He was a man of outstanding morals. “He was very soft spoken and a youth who would respect everyone.
“He had a burning desire and passion for his Waqf [devotion] to be accepted “and for him to gain religious knowledge through Jamia Ahmadiyya, “then serve the community as a missionary.
“The day he gained admission to Jamia Ahmadiyya he was so happy, “as if he had received all the luxuries of the world.” He had a burning love for Khilafat. The Qaid [youth leader] of Glasgow, Mr Arshad Mahmood sahib writes
that he was elected as the Qaid [youth leader] of Sharjah. He previously lived in Sharjah and that is where Mazhar Ahsan was living at the time. He writes that during their stay in Sharjah, Mazhar would actively partake in all the Jama’at
activities such as the Ijtemas, in academic competitions as well as sporting events. He states that as the location of the events were out of the main town, it required them to travel beforehand to set up and make appropriate arrangements for the events.
Despite his young age, he would be in the forefront of all activities. He was very brave in all matters. He states on one particular occasion during the Ijtema the extempore speech competition took place.
The topic was challenging and the competition was a challenge in itself, nor was he prepared for it, yet Mazhar still took part. The Khuddam who were listening to the speech began to laugh, however Mazhar Ahsan continued
to deliver his speech in whichever manner he could and was not bothered by anything. He stated that if he continued to hesitate he would not benefit. That is the only way to develop ones confidence,
and Mazhar went on to say that the Khuddam should become serious in these matters. He did not take any notice whether people were laughing or not, saying there was only one way to build one’s confidence
and that is to continue to speak in whichever manner one has the ability. One of our Missionaries from The Gambia, Abdur Rahman Cham, who graduated from Jamia last year states: “During the course of Jamia, I had the opportunit
“to spend a lot of time together with this brother of ours. “After completing Jamia, I was in contact with him through WhatsApp. “I would like to present those messages that our dear brother sent after his diagnoses.
“In one of them he states: ‘Indeed I am currently suffering from this illness, ‘however, the truth of the matter is that God Almighty has been benevolent upon me. ‘As a result of this, I should be ever grateful to my Lord
‘and for this reason I do not find it difficult to endure this pain.’ “In a different message he states: ‘I am not thinking about this illness, rather, ‘I am focusing on my goal, and that is how to serve the Jama’at in the best manner possible.’”
One of the missionaries, Sheikh Sammar, who was his class fellow states: “He would always smile and keep others happy. “Mazhar would treat everyone in the same manner, in that he would make the other feel
“that he is their best friend and would never allow anyone to feel indifferent “or any sort of distance or that they were not dear to him. “He never quarrelled with anyone and he had a big heart.
“He would be ever ready to spread the message and would never allow an opportunity to pass. “Even in the hospital, he was famous as being the Muslim who preaches to everyone.
“No one suffered as a result of him, nor did he ever utter anything against anyone. “He would help others as much as he possibly could. “He would care for even the smallest of things
“and would stay with everyone in a loving and peaceful manner.” Another missionary, Sahel Mahmood, who was also his class fellow says: “I had the opportunity to stay with such a great personality for 7 years.
“He had abundant qualities about him, which are found in few people. “He was very hospitable, an example of humbleness and humility “and would always think positively about everyone and with a virtuous intention. “From early on in Jamia he was made a prefect.
“One of the roles of a prefect is to ensure lights out and that the students sleep on time, “as well as waking everyone for prayers and cleanliness of the room,
“similarly putting an end to any dispute if it breaks out, were all amongst his responsibilities “He would stop his fellow students and in return they would sometimes mock him for it
“and we would enjoy annoying him. On one occasion I made a mistake for which he disciplined me. “A few minutes later he came to me and sought forgiveness and began to cry. “He had the softest of hearts.
“Whenever I was ill or not feeling well and if I were lying in bed, “he would place breakfast on my table before I even awoke. “If was suffering from the flu, without even asking he would bring warm water with honey.”
And regarding the meetings they had with me, he would talk about them with great enthusiasm. He further says: “A lively personality, sincere, humble, pious, a true soldier of the faith, “a model of righteousness and hard-working, these are all the words that describe Mazhar Ahsan.”
“Another attribute of his, was that whatever he liked for himself, he would get for his friends.” Whatever food or drink he would get for himself, he would also get for his friends. “He led a simple life and never spent extravagantly.”
In such a youthful age, people sometimes spend excessively. “He was very particular in his cleanliness and regularly offered his prayers, “especially the tahajjud prayer. He would always wake me up as well.”
His class fellow says that “He kept a prayer mat in the room, “and many times I saw that he would be awake in the night and offer voluntary prayers. “He would observe the voluntary fast without fail
“and would always ensure that he paid his Chanda. “He kept everything in order and distributed his time wisely. “Aside from the daily lessons in Jamia, it was his routine;
“to recite the Qur’an on a daily basis and then read the literature of the Jama’at. “Then, despite any weather conditions he would always exercise every day. “He would read the newspaper regularly and in the afternoon he would rest,
“even if it were for a matter of minutes. “Then, before going to bed he would regularly write in his diary. “These were his attributes.” In addition, he would always take notes of the Friday Sermon
and discuss the points of the Friday Sermon amongst his friends. They [his friends] say “He was a true devotee to Khilafat Ahmadiyya and the Ahmadiyya community. “He would never tolerate any discourse against th Khalifah or the administration of the community.
“He would be ready to answer any calling and would remind others to do so. “He would consider himself a sergeant of the Khalifah of the time and indeed he was just that.
“He would often say that he was ready to sacrifice his life for the Khalifah of the time, “and they were not just mere words, rather his emotions showed “that he was one who would carry that through.” When he was diagnosed with cancer,
his friends say that he gave them courage and told them not to worry and submit before God. He had a firm belief and trust in God Almighty. He accepted his illness to be a trial upon himself
and never demonstrated any sort of pain or worry before anyone. His missionary friend, Sheikh Sharjeel writes: “He was a friend with the most outstanding morals “He had many qualities. “He was very considerate and had a true understanding of the status of Khilafat.
“He had a firm trust and belief in God Almighty. “He was such a person that would sacrifice his everything for the sake of the Jama’at “and was fervent in his dedication.
“He would never harm anyone, nor give anyone any sort of pain. He would always smile. “No matter how much anybody would annoy him he would never get angry and never be enraged. “He would refrain from idle talk and avoid futile discourses.
“To this day, we never heard him use foul or obscene language. “He was ever ready to carry out any work with great patience and courage, “and would complete it with full dedication, determination and dutifully. “He never deemed any work to be insignificant.
“He would help everyone. There was not even an ounce of laziness in him. “He had a lot of love for Jamia and an even greater amount of will power. “Despite his illness he never gave up,
“and even in his last days, he endured his illness with great courage.” He further says: “He [Mazhar] never mocked anyone in fact he stopped others from doing so. “He had those qualities which should be found in a missionary.”
His friends say that he was a complete missionary since Mumahhdah [1st year of Jamia], “he would adopt the finer subtleties of righteousness. “He cared for the smallest of details. On one occasion he said: ‘Since my beard trimmer is quite loud,
‘therefore I will not use it when people are sleeping.’ “He had no pretentiousness in him. “Whatever his outer appearance was, his inner self was the same. “His actions were in harmony with his words.
“He would obey the commandments of the Holy Quran. “His notes were very good, but he would regularly take notes of the translation of the Holy Quran, “for this reason his translation of the Quran was very good.”
One Jamia student who has graduated, Afaq, joined Jamia here when he moved from Pakistan. Initially he studied for a few years in Jamia Pakistan, then, when his parents migrated here, he also came here.
He said: “People came to meet me and Mazhar was among them. “He left after two minutes and then returned carrying pillow and sheets etc, “saying, ‘since you did not bring these things with you
‘therefore I have brought them, as you will be in need of them.’” He writes: “Three months ago when our class went to Scotland to visit our brother, “he [Mehzar] looked extremely happy. “When we visited him at his home, he had prepared a full meal,
“and forced us to eat something or another.” He was a very noble person and one who understood the spirit of devotion. Even though God Almighty did not grant him much time, as he passed away at the age of 26,
nevertheless, wherever he had the opportunity to educate his friends, he did so. Wherever he had the opportunity to spread the message he did so and he did so fully. Even up until his last days he had written something in front of him,
so that every passing doctor or nurse could read it. The two or three times I spoke with him on the phone whilst he was in the hospital as well as at his home, he would reply with great bravery.
In fact, on one occasion, his mother mentioned that due to the medications of the treatment he has blisters in his mouth and is unable to speak properly. However, when he spoke with me, he spoke perfectly well.
I told him that he should take some rest but with great sincerity and loyalty he replied that “my blisters are not troubling me at all now” and God Allah showed his mercy and after that his blisters also healed.
He was an extremely dedicated Ahmadi youth and one that understood the purpose of his creation. May Allah constantly shower His mercy upon him and elevate his status. I always found him to be content upon God’s will
May God Almighty grant him a place in the company of God’s loved ones, and may thousands of more devotees come into this world, who understand their purpose in this most subtle of manners. Pray especially for his parents and his sisters,
May God Almighty increase them in their patience and courage. 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 (saw) is His servant and Messenger. After the Friday prayers, I will lead the funeral prayer that is present.
I will be going downstairs, everyone here should ensure the lines are maintained orderly. 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.