Friday Sermon – Khalifatul Masih V – Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Year 2017
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah I bear witness that Muhammad (saw) is the Messenger of Allah. Come to Prayer. Come to Prayer.
Come to success. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is none worth of worship except Allah. May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon you. 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. By the grace of Allah the Almighty Jamia Ahmadiyya has been established in several countries across the world. Once the missionaries complete their studies, they begin their fieldwork
and [many] are doing so already. Previously Jamias existed only in Rabwah and Qadian from where Missionaries with a Shahideen [a seven year degree in Islamic Theology] degree would graduate from. Recently here in the UK, a joint convocation took place
for the graduates of Jamia Ahmadiyya UK and Jamia Ahmadiyya Canada. These missionaries that have graduated with a Shahid degree and presented themselves for the service [of the faith] are those who have grown up in the western culture and society.
Having completed their schooling, they themselves elected to study at Jamia and then went on to succeed in their purpose. Amongst them, the majority, if not all are those who are part of the Waqf-e-Nau Scheme.
In the western countries materialism, as well as its attraction and charm, is at its peak. There is no doubt that by devoting their lives and presenting themselves for being included amongst the [spiritual] soldiers of faith is their good fortune
and an expression of the pledge to give precedence to faith over worldly pursuits. However, they should always bear in mind that this [opportunity] is not possible without the grace of God Almighty.
For this reason they, as well as all those who are currently studying in any Jamia of the west, and even those studying in any normal Jamia (by normal I mean, those studying other countries) should adopt humility
and consider this opportunity solely due to the grace of Allah the Almighty. They should always search for the Grace of Allah by prostrating before him. Similarly, during the convocation ceremony I also mentioned that
the Jamaat is in need of Murabiyaan and Mubaligheen [Missionaries] and this need is ever increasing, rather it has grown substantially. Therefore, the maximum number of Waqf-e-Nau should present themselves to study at Jamia Ahmadiyya.
Parents should guide their children from an early age and ensure for their moral training. Their moral training should be accomplished in a manner that they have a desire to join Jamia Ahmadiyya.
At this point in time, aside from Rabwah and Qadian, Jamia Ahmadiyya are established in the UK and Germany, where students from European countries have the opportunity to study. Furthermore, the Jamia Ahmadiyya in Canada is officially recognised as an educational institute
and as a result students from other countries are eligible to attend. There is a Jamia Ahmadiyya in Ghana, where this year the Shahid [Final year] class will graduate, and where students from different countries are studying Also, there is a Jamia Ahmadiyya in Bangladesh
and the the Jamia Ahmadiyya in Indonesia has been extended to incorporate the Shahid [a seven year degree in order to become a missionary] course. Thus, Waqfeen-e-Nau children should endeavour to join Jamia, and as I mentioned before,
the parents are responsible for training them for this task. The seats that are available at our Jamia institutes should at least be occupied. Only then will we be able to fulfil our requirements for Murabiyaan and Mubaligheen [Missionaries].
At this stage I would like to address some of the questions that arise in the minds of some of the missionaries who have begun their field work. I often guide the Murabiyaan and Mubaligheen [missionaries] and answer their questions.
The reason why this must be addressed here is so that the office bearers of the Jamaat understand how to work with one another, i.e. the mutual cooperation between the Murabiyaan, Mubaligheen [missionaries] and the office bearers.
In this case I especially address Sadraan [Local or regional presidents] and Ameers [National presidents] because on occasions misunderstandings develop between them and the office bearers which then causes friction between the two. This then prevents them working together efficiently
and one party begins to feel as though there is a breakdown in communication. Missionaries often question as to the extent a Sadar [President] can intervene in their dealings and also what their own limits are.
It may be the case that sometimes a missionary is able to envisage a certain aspect from a moral point of view and wishes to implement a scheme in his locality, however the president disagrees with him and thinks he should act in a different way.
Alternatively it may happen that owing to their nature or a lengthy term serving as the president of a Jamaat, the president believes that his plans are correct and the missionary should work according to his wishes.
Then there are instances where in an open gathering, in front of other people, the president may demand answers from the missionary or speak to him in a manner that is inappropriate.
A young missionary can become perturbed by this conduct or he may dislike it and feel insulted; or perhaps he may even answer back. The fundamental point missionaries should always remember is that
they must obey everyone in the administration that are in a position of authority over them. Should a situation such as this arise, they must set an example of obedience and remain silent, lest it creates a negative impact on the members of the Jamaat
and prevent any agitation within that locality. If there are injustices being committed then one should inform their national Ameer [National President], or the president or report it to the centre and also they can write to me as well.
At the same time it is the responsibility of the Presidents and National Presidents to ensure a level of respect is shown to the missionaries. The President of a Jamaat should act in a way that
he is the one who shows the most respect to the missionary and works with him through mutual cooperation and consultation. Similarly, the rest of the office bearers should also work in harmony with the missionary within their own departments
and the missionaries should cooperate fully with the Presidents or National Presidents of the Jamaat with the utmost humility and righteousness. Our goals are the same; and they are the moral and secular training of the members of the community,
to establish respect for the Jamaat, to attach everyone to Khilafat and to establish the oneness of God Almighty, as well as spreading the true teachings of Islam throughout the world. There should be no question of anyone’s limits and level of control.
We should become one and work together. In this regard we should always remember a fundamental commandment of God Almighty and that is: [Arabic], which means: “And help one another in righteousness and piety”
Every member of the Jamaat is aware that there is no greater blessing than having the opportunity to serve the Jamaat, regardless of whichever capacity it may be, and in order to serve the Jamaat one should always remember
that righteousness is a key component of this. When serving the Jamaat only righteousness ensures that one is able to carry out a service that will be accepted. This nature of work entails seeking the pleasure of God Almighty
by embedding the fear of God in one’s heart. Thus, for both the missionaries as well as the office bearers, the boundaries are set in order to attain piety and virtue, so that when a relationship of mutual love and brotherhood develops,
both of them can work towards the further advancement of the intellectual and spiritual development of the community. The Promised Messiah (as) once stated: [Arabic] “help one another in righteousness and piety” means to ease the burdens of your weaker brother,
to help one another in spiritual as well as financial weaknesses and to treat those who have physical ailments. This can only be possible when the missionaries and the office bearers
work together out of sympathy and compassion for the members of the community. To be at one with one another in weaknesses of ones conduct and shortcomings of the faith does not mean to become like them,
rather it means that the President of the Jamaat and the office bearers should work in their own capacities to eliminate the weaknesses in actions and faith. At the same time the missionaries – who are more versed in religious knowledge –
and in their capacity as the representative of the Khalifa, should work in their own capacities. The Promised Messiah (as) further stated: “A Jamaat cannot be deemed as one community “until the strong become a pillar of support for the weak.”
Thus, the administration of the Jamaat has been established in order to devise schemes to further advance the spiritual and physical faculties of the members of the community. The Promised Messiah (as) states:
“The elders of the Jamaat should serve the younger members of the community “and treat them in a gentle manner.” Although this is important for the relationship between the office bearers; including Presidents, National Presidents and the members of the community,
but at the same time it also plays a vital role in the relationship between the President and the Missionary. Exhibiting a model of pious and righteous conduct to one another is essential for the members of the Jama’at to increase their knowledge
and progress in spirituality. We observe that often where there are the slightest misapprehensions between the missionaries and office holders and presidents, Satan drives a wedge between them and this leads to the foundations of righteousness to be shaken.
Some side and sympathise with the missionary and tell him that he has been mistreated by the president. Others side with the president and tell him that the missionary has misbehaved.
From among the very people who the missionary and president are meant to help reform, are some who try their level best to create a chasm in the relationship between the two. Ultimately this creates anxiety and apprehension amongst members. The Promised Messiah (as) said:
“Now observe that a Community can no longer remain a Community “when its members devour one another nor when a group sit together “and complain about their poor absent brother and discuss his shortcomings.
“This should never be the case, rather there should be strength in being a collective unit. “Thus, unite and become one so we can muster this strength, “might and unity which fosters love and blessings.”
The Promised Messiah (as) says: “Expand your moral faculties “and this is possible when you widen the scope of your compassion, “love and forgiveness so it extends to all. “Always give precedence to covering the faults of others
“and showing them clemency regardless of their temperament.” The missionaries and office holders who are entrusted with very important tasks, must especially act upon this guidance of the Promised Messiah (as) and display mercy and compassion towards people with different traits.
You should harbour the greatest amount of empathy for others, the greatest amount of sympathy for others and the greatest amount of forgiveness for others. The Promised Messiah (as) says: “Do not become apprehensive and fretful on the pettiest of issues
“as this will lead to grudges developing and hurting the feelings of others.” Citing this reference does not infer that, God forbid, there is a common and general problem in the misunderstandings and differences
between the office holders of the Jama’at and particularly the presidents, Ameers and missionaries. This is absolutely not the case. There might be a handful of such cases and barely a few of such incidents are brought to my knowledge each year.
The reason why I have explicitly addressed this issue is so that the presidents, Ameer [National President] and missionaries come to realise the vast scale of their work and that there is a vital objective in this.
And if, God forbid, disagreements ever arise between them, they should be resolved immediately. We often see that specific disputes do not remain limited to the individuals concerned, rather they end up having an impact on members of the Jama’at.
And, as I have said before, Satan seeks to derive inappropriate benefit from this situation. Thus both parties must always keep the greater objective in their minds at all times, which is that they must work in unison towards the training of members
and to educate them and guide them in spiritual and administrative matters. The Promised Messiah (as) has said very clearly that we will see real results emerge when we work in harmony and unity. The Promised Messiah (as) said that
a task which requires two hands to complete cannot be accomplished by using just one hand. And he said that the path which to pass through requires both feet to walk upon, cannot be navigated with just one foot.
The Promised Messiah (as) further said that our success is dependent on working as a closely knit unit in mutual cooperation. Can a lone individual accomplish any work of the faith or the world? Absolutely not!
Without mutual assistance and help, nothing in the worldly or religious realms can be achieved. The Promised Messiah (as) also said that in particular with tasks, which have a great and significant objective, it is absolutely essential to have adopt close mutual teamwork.
Thus, neither the Ameer [National President] nor the president [local/regional] should keep all authority and decision making to run according to their own wishes alone. And neither should a missionary consider his opinion to be sacrosanct
and attempt to have only his views implemented. Instead, work in close cooperation with one another. As I said, missionaries are entrusted with the Tarbiyyat (spiritual and moral training) of the members of the Jamaat and they,
generally, possess and should possess greater religious knowledge. They should strive to expand their religious knowledge and also increase their spiritual standards. The level of righteousness of a missionary should exceed that of the general membership.
Once missionaries understand this and act accordingly, then respect for missionaries will automatically be generated amongst the office holders and the members of the Jama’at. The President of the Jamaat or the Ameer of the Jamaat should remember,
that where as administrative heads they are responsible for running the system and administration of the Jama’at properly and they have been made representatives by the Khalifah of the Time for this, there, the missionaries are responsible for employing every possible means
to improve the religious and spiritual standards of the members of the Jama’at and are the representatives of the Khalifah of the Time in this role. And so there should be close cooperation between the Ameer , presidents and missionaries
and they should work under a mutual scheme. It is then that they can strengthen the Jamaa’t from an administrative point of view, and they can also constantly improve the spiritual and educational standards of all members.
I have mentioned this briefly before and I shall reiterate once again, that it is the duty of the presidents, Ameer and all office holders to develop respect and regard in their hearts for missionaries and in fact all Waqif-e-Zindagis (Life Devotees),
and they should also instil this respect in the hearts of the members of the Jama’at. It is your task to respect and instil respect so that the importance of the status of the Murabbis and Mubalighs (missionaries) and the Life Devotees is made evident,
so that the maximum amount of youth present themselves in the services of the faith. Undoubtedly to dedicate one’s life for the services of the religion, or to become a Murabbi and Mubaligh (missionary) is only done
to attain the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. However this understanding and perception is gained gradually. For the young Waqifeen-e-Nau to fully dedicate themselves to serve, they need a visible motivation and inspiration to stimulate their enthusiasm.
This is a fact of human nature that no one can deny. In the beginning an inspiration is required however when one gains knowledge and insight and understands that everything one does should be purely for the sake of Allah,
he then gains spiritual progress after dedicating his life (doing Waqf ). Then the Life Devotee will not look – and nor should he – to the world, or worldly people or how he is treated by them.
Indeed this is the true spirit of Waqaf (dedicating one’s life to religion). Thus the presidents, Ameers and office holders should exceptionally increase their humility and cooperation when working with missionaries and life devotees
so that it becomes easier to acquire new missionaries in the future. As I have said, we require a huge number of missionaries. We need the hearts of the youth to be inspired to the greatest degree
to becoming Murabbis and Mubalighs (missionari and to dedicating their lives. I would like to also say to the young Waqifeen-e-Nau and the young missionaries currently serving in the field,
that irrespective of whether the world appreciates your status or not, whether any president, Ameer , office holder of even member of the Jama’at confers you with respect or not, you must continue to uphold,
with pious intentions, the pledge of sacrifice you made with Allah the Almighty. You should be constantly mindful of the fact that that first your parents dedicated your life before you were born, and then when you reached adulthood you reaffirmed your pledge.
And so this means you must never look to the world but rather must look towards Allah the Almighty and you must look at what is required by the Jama’at (Community) of Allah the Almighty.
Thus you must be prepared to enrol at Jamia Ahmadiyya. And once you become a missionary then in every matter you must submit and prostrate to God the Almighty alone and you must completely disregard how people treat and act towards you.
Man [naturally] always prostrates to God the Almighty and should do so. However what is meant here is do not worry about what office holders say to you. If any matters of complaint happen to arise,
then instead of expressing these concerns to other people, you should present the matter before God in prostration. Do not worry about the attitude of people to you.
A life devotee dedicates himself for life to work for the religion of Allah the Almighty, whereas an office holder is posted to his position temporarily for a term. If he does not prove to be beneficial for the Jama’at
and instead of cooperating creates problem – as it is also the responsibility of missionaries to constantly pray – then they should pray that the office holders follows the right path.
They should supplicate to Allah that He gets rid of such office holders. Allah the Almighty is the Knower of the Unseen and is also the Possessor of All Powers.
If He feels that it best for an office holder to be removed, then God will do so. And if He feels that it is better for an office holder to remain in that post
due to some other qualities he possesses, then the weaknesses the office holder shows, which lead to problems, will be reformed by Allah the Almighty through the prayers made for him. A missionary must cooperate wherever he is and must also pray.
Also I would like to say to both missionaries and office holders that when we expect that members of the Jama’at to ensure that there is no negative talk of office holders in their homes, then presidents,
Ameers , office holders and missionaries should always make sure that in their own homes there is no ill-talk against office holders of any kind. Certainly positive things can be discussed
so that in the progeny of office holders and missionaries respect is formed for the system of the Jama’at and for Life Devotees and they form respect for those who serve the Jam’aat in any way. Office-bearers, particularly Presidents [of local Jama’ats] and National Presidents,
should always remember that they must treat the members of the Jama’at with great love and affection. The offices assigned to you are purely due to the blessings of Allah the Almighty and not because it is your due right.
Therefore, you should take care of this blessing with great humility and must fulfil the rightful dues of the responsibility the Khalifa of the time has placed upon you; namely to look after this beautiful Jama’at.
The President and National President must assure every member of the Jama’at, young and old alike, that they are protected under the safety of their wings, just like a hen shield her young using her wings.
You must always address every individual with a gentle tone and in a pleasant manner. Your position of authority should increase you in humility instead of generating arrogance. The door of every office-bearer and missionary must always be open for everyone.
We must always keep the noble example of the Holy Prophet (saw) before us. It has been narrated that the Holy Prophet (saw) would always greet everyone with a smile. Certain people complain that their affairs are sent to the administration of the Jama’at,
but months pass by and they do not receive any update of its progress. However, last year on several occasion, I reminded members about this matter and also mentioned in my sermons.
All matters should be resolved swiftly and should not be prolonged unnecessarily. In certain cases there can be a genuine need to require more time as the full investigation may not be complete.
In such instances the concerned parties or the person who has filed a complaint should be updated about the status of their case. Nonetheless, their letters should be acknowledged. If the concerned party is given a reply and moreover the office-bearers,
particularly the Presidents and National Presidents, address members cheerfully, this alone can resolve half of their grievances and complaints. The Holy Prophet (saw) taught us even the very basic principles
and explained to us what the standard of our morals and etiquettes should be. If one was to adhere to them then people will no longer have the reservations they have about Presidents, National Presidents and office-bearers;
which is that their personal conduct creates an unpleasant environment. In regards to meeting one another in a congenial manner, the Holy Prophet (saw) stated: “Do not deem any pious action to be insignificant,
“even if it is the virtuous act of greeting one’s brother with open-heartedness.” Allah Almighty rewards you for your every good deed. Meeting another in a congenial manner, increases a persons number of good deeds.
Thus, everyone should seek to increase their number of good deeds through every means possible. The office-bearers should always remember that any position they hold in the Jama’at should not become a source of arrogance for them
rather, it should increase them in humility. Therefore, every action and decision of the office-bearers should be carried out keeping the fear of Allah in their hearts, adopting extreme humility and fulfilling the standards of justice.
The Holy Prophet (saw) has warned those in power and the rulers, and if the office-bearers keep this warning in mind then the quality of their work and fulfilling the requirements of justice will increase manifold.
On one occasion the Holy Prophet (saw) stated, “Allah will forbid a person from entering heaven who had been made responsible over another, “yet he was neglectful in his responsibility, “failed to discharge his duties and did not lookout for their welfare.”
This warning is so stern that undoubtedly it will cause one to tremble. Thus, if an office-bearer has firm belief in Allah the Almighty and the hereafter, then every action of theirs will be accomplished with the complete fear [of God].
On another occasion the Holy Prophet (saw) stated, “on the Day of Judgement, a just ruler will be the most beloved and nearest to Allah the Almighty “and an unjust ruler will be the worst in the eyes of Allah the Almighty
“and will be kept furthest from Him.” Thus, the office-bearers must fulfil their responsibility while paying attention to the minutest details because only then can the requirements of justice be truly fulfilled. Similarly, the Holy Prophet (saw) also stated,
“whosoever closes his door on the needy and destitute, “Allah the Almighty will also close the doors of heaven on him when he is in need.” Thus, all the office-bearers, whether one is a National President or an office-bearer of a locality,
it is their duty that they must fulfil their responsibilities as representatives of the administration, which in fact revolves around the Khalifa. They should always seek the grace of Allah the Almighty. Similarly, the office-bearers of the auxiliary organisations
should also understand their responsibilities. The auxiliary organisations; Ansar, Lajna and Khuddam must become active at every level. The reason why Hazrat Musleh-e-Mau’udra established these auxiliary organisations was so that the Jama’at should become more active at every stage
and so the Jama’at continues to progress through different means. Moreover, it was so that contact can could be made with every member of the Jama’at, be they women, children, youth or elders,
and thus the Khalifa of the time can continually receive updates about the members from various sources. Therefore, every office-bearer should consider the opportunity of serving the faith
as a great favour of Allah the Almighty upon them and should mutually corporate with one another. The National Amir, local presidents and the auxiliary organisations should all work with a mutual corporation and if this mutual cooperation exists
and the auxiliary organisations and the overall system of the Jama’at becomes more active, then this will ultimately increase the overall progress of the Jama’at manifold. Therefore, this should always be kept in mind.
The office-bearers should also keep in mind that even if someone files a complaint against them or someone speaks out against them in front of them, then they should have the courage to listen to it.
The office-bearers should display the highest level of courage and they must not seek to exact revenge against that person, instead they should asses themselves whether or not that flaw is found in them
and whether there is any truth in what is being said and subsequently they should try and reform themselves. This is also important in order for one to fulfil the requirements of justice and fairness.
I would also like to say to the members of the Jama’at that they must also try and increase their level of Taqwa [righteousness] as they too have been instructed to help one another in righteousness and piety.
If the members of the Jama’at raise their standard of Taqwa and piety then automatically they will be able to continue finding office-bearers who adhere to Taqwa and piety.
Thus, every member of the Jama’at needs to reflect on their standard of Tawqa and piety and also assess whether they are striving to increase it. Also, every member of the Jama’at must fulfil their duty in regards to obedience.
This is a very important duty which has been entrusted to the Jama’at that they must show obedience. Your examples of obedience that you display will not only enable you to strengthen your bond with the Jama’at
but also enable your progenies to remain attached to it. If the level of Taqwa and piety continues to increase in your future generations then naturally you will find office-bearers who adhere to Taqwa in the future also.
Thus, we should embed the instruction of the Holy Prophet (saw) in our hearts and also in the hearts of our progenies that we must fulfil our duty in all circumstances, whether it is in times of difficulty or affluence, happiness or sorrow and even in
instances where our rights are being infringed upon and are afforded partial treatment. In short, obedience must be shown to the decision of the ruler of the time. Although in the Jama’at we don’t have any worldly rulers as such,
however obedience to the Nizam of the Jama’at must be shown with the same spirit regardless of whether the decision goes against us or lies in our favour. If you feel something to be unfair then you must pray to Allah the Almighty
and try to inform the Khalifa of the time or the superior authorities but you must not rebel against it under any circumstances. In light of the Holy Prophet’s (saw) instruction, one must pray for office-bearers and rulers,
both in worldly terms as well as religious, who love us and we love them and they pray for us and we also pray for them. We should become those regarding whom the Holy Prophet (saw) stated
that on the Day of the Judgment, Allah the Almighty will state, “where are those people who loved one another purely for the sake of My greatness and majesty. “Today, when there is no other shadow apart from Mine,
“I will grant them a place under the shadow of My Mercy”. Thus, one who has been granted a place under the shadow of God attains the rewards of both worlds. May Allah the Almighty enable us to perform all our actions for His pleasure alone.
May Allah the Almighty enable us to fulfil our responsibilities which have been entrusted to us after joining the Jama’at of the ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (saw)
and may we live up to the expectations the Promised Messiah (as) has from his Jama’at. Regarding these expectations, the Promised Messiah (as) stated: “Allah the Almighty desires to create a Jama’at
“which should become a model for piety and righteousness for the rest of the world. “Thus, you should become heedful and truly become pure hearted, humble and pious. “You standards of truthfulness should become very high.”
“Your gatherings should be free from all kinds of vulgarity and laughter (i.e. laughing while mocking and deriding the other person). “You should walk on the earth with a pious heart, a good nature and pure thoughts.”
May Allah the Almighty enable us to act in a way that we enter the shadow of His Mercy. 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. 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.