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. With regards to the accounts from the life of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), his views and action against those who refused to pay the Zakat (alms) were being mentioned.
Further details regarding this have been mentioned in Tarikh al-Tabari in the following manner. The tribes of Asad, Ghatfan and Tayy gathered at the hand of Tulaiha bin Khuwailid, who had made a false claim to prophethood. Except for a few individuals,
The people belonging to the tribe of Asad gathered at a place called Samirah. This place has been named after an individual from the tribe of ‘Aad, situated on the way to Makkah. This area is surrounded by black mountains, which is the reason for this place to be named as such.
The people of Fuzarah and Ghatfan gathered in the south of Tiwah alongside their allies. (The people of) Tayy gathered at the outskirts of their area. The supporters from (the tribes of) Tha’labah bin Sa’d, Murrah and ‘Abas gathered at a place called Abraq in Rabazah.
Rabazah is also a valley of Madinah, located at a distance of three days. Abraq-uz-Zabadah was one of the places that belonged to the tribe of Zubyan. Some individuals from Banu Kinanah also joined them. However, those areas could not accommodate them and as such, two groups were formed.
One group remained in Abraq, whereas the other group went to Dhul-Qassah, which is located at a distance of 40 miles from Madinah. Tulaiha sent Hibal to their aid. Hibal was the nephew of Tulaiha. Nevertheless, in this manner, Hibal became the leader of the people in Dhul-Qassah,
Which also included supporters from the tribes of Asad, Lays, Beel and Mudlij. ‘Auf bin Fulan bin Sinan was appointed as the leader of the tribe of Murrah, which was staying in Abraq. Haris bin Fulan, who belonged to the tribe of Subayh, was appointed as the leader of the tribes of Tha’labah and ‘Abas.
These tribes sent their delegations to Madinah. All of them gathered together and each tribe sent its respective delegation. These people stayed with the elders of Madinah. All of them, with the exception of Hazrat ‘Abbas (ra), accommodated them as their guests and brought them to Abu Bakr (ra). The condition that had been stipulated,
However, was that they would continue to offer their prayers, but not give the Zakat. Allah had firmly grounded Abu Bakr (ra) on the truth and he said, “Even if they refuse to give this rope (as Zakat), which is used to tie their camels, “I will fight against them.”
In relation to what the condition was of those delegations who refused to pay the Zakat and were now returning from Madinah after having seen Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) take this stand, one historian says, “When these delegations saw Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) resolve, “they left Madinah and returned.
“However, as they were leaving Madinah, they were contemplating over two matters. “Firstly, no discussion with relation to not paying the Zakat would be fruitful. “The Islamic injunction in this regard was clear “and it did not seem possible that the Khalifa would change his stance and resolve,
“especially as the Muslims agreed with his view and were ready to support him “as the matter had become clear and evident to them. “Secondly, in order to take advantage of the weakness and lack of numbers of Muslims “they would launch such a severe attack on Madinah,
“which would topple the Muslim government and put an end to this religion.” This was the view they held. They believed that in this way they would be able to finish their religion and conquer them. In any case, these people returned to their tribes and said
That there are very few people in Madinah at this time and incited them to launch an attack. But on the other hand, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was not unaware of this. After these delegations returned from Madinah, he appointed guards to continuously keep watch at every post of Madinah.
Hazrat Ali (ra), Hazrat Zubair (ra), Hazrat Talhah (ra) and Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud (ra) were appointed for this task. In one narration Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (ra) and Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (ra) are also mentioned to have been appointed to keep watch.
Aside from this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) instructed all the people of Madinah to gather in the mosque. He then said to them, “All the people of the land have become disbelievers, “and their delegations have left having seen your small numbers.
“You do not know if they will attack you during the day or the night. “Their closest group among them is only one bareed away (one bareed is equivalent to 12 miles). “Some among them desired for us to accept their terms and to accommodate for them, “but we refused this and rejected their terms.
“Therefore, you must prepare to fight.” This analysis of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) turned out to be completely correct and after only three nights, those who refused to pay the Zakat launched an attack on Madinah at nightfall. They left one group of their confederates in Dhu Hissah, as reinforcements if required.
Dhu Hissah is one of the waters of Banu Fuzarah, situated between Rabazah and Nakhl. The assailants reached the posts of Madinah at night and there were soldiers who had already reached there. They were then followed by others who were climbing up. The guards alerted the people of this attack of the enemies,
And people were rushed to inform Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) of this advance of the enemies. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) sent word for everyone to remain firm in their positions and the whole army did so. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) then took all the Muslims present in the mosque
And after mounting their camels, they made their way to them and the enemy was defeated. The Muslims on their camels pursued them until they reached Dhu Hissah. The group of reinforcements of the enemies came forth to combat the Muslims with their leather water containers filled with air, tied together with ropes.
They would kick these water containers with their feet so they would dangle in front of the camels. Seeing as camels were most frightened by such moving objects in front of them, all the camels of the Muslims became startled by these water skins and fled.
The Muslims who were riding them were unable to control them until they reached Madinah once more. In the end, no harm was inflicted upon the Muslims, nor did they manage to obtain anything. From this supposed defeat of the Muslims,
The enemies came under the impression that the Muslims were weak and unable to fight. With this assumption in mind, they informed their comrades stationed in Dhu Hissah of the events. Trusting in this news, they came forth to this group, but they were unaware that Allah the Almighty already had other plans for them,
Which He was indeed going to fulfil. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was occupied all night in preparing the army. Then in the latter part of the night, having formed the army, they departed on foot. Nu’man bin Muqarrin was appointed to overlook the right flank, Abdullah bin Muqarrin over the left flank,
And Suwaid bin Muqarrin over the rear part of the army, and they had some cavalry too. The sun had not yet risen when the Muslims met those who refused to pay the Zakat in the battlefield. They had no clue or inkling of the Muslims coming
And suddenly the Muslims attacked them with their swords. The fight ensued in the last part of the night, and the rays of the sun had not yet shone upon them from the horizon when the opponents were defeated and began to flee.
It is further recorded that the Muslims took all of their animals into their possession. During this incident, Hibal was killed. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) pursued them until they reached Dhu al-Qassah and stopped there. This was the first victory granted to the Muslims by Allah the Almighty.
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stationed Hazrat Nu’man bin Muqarrin (ra) and a few others there and returned to Madinah himself. This has been cited in Tarikh al-Tabari. While comparing this battle to the Battle of Badr, an author writes, “On this occasion, the faith and conviction, steadfastness and determination,
“and resolve and stability demonstrated by Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) “reinvigorated the hearts of the Muslims “with memories of the battles during the life of the Holy Prophet (sa). “This first battle during the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) “was quite similar to the Battle of Badr.
“On the day the Battle of Badr took place, “the Muslims numbered a meagre 313 men, while the polytheists of Makkah exceeded 1000. “Even on this occasion “(during the battle taking place between Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and the enemies), “the Muslim forces were very small in number, and on the opposing side,
“the tribes of ‘Abas, Zubyan and Ghatfan faced the Muslims with a large army. “At the time of Badr, Allah granted (the Muslims) victory over the polytheists, “and on this occasion, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and his companions “demonstrated their perfect faith and attained victory over their enemies.
“Just as the battle of Badr brought about far-reaching results, “similarly, this battle also had a deep impact on the future of Islam. “Out of their anger and rage from this defeat, “the tribes of Banu Zubyan and Banu ‘Abas suddenly attacked the Muslims living amongst them
“and subjected them to severe brutalities as they martyred them. “This was their retribution, “to martyr the hundreds and thousands of Muslims living in their regions, “and subsequently, other tribes followed their lead. “After learning of these atrocities, “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) vowed to severely kill the polytheists and to go to each tribe
“and avenge the Muslims who had lost their lives “by taking the lives of those who had martyred them. “Under the leadership and guidance of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), “after the onslaughts of those who refused to pay Zakat were brought to a halt, “one after the other, the weaker and wavering tribes
“started to come to Madinah to offer their Zakat. “When the weaker tribes observed what had happened to the larger and more powerful tribes, “then all those who were withholding their Zakat came to offer their Zakat in Madinah. “Some tribes began to arrive with their Zakat in the first part of the night,
“some came in the middle of the night, and others in the latter part of the night. “When each of these caravans would arrive in Madinah, “the people would perceive them as bearers of a warning, “or in other words, bearers of bad news. “However, at every instance, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) would say
“that these people were bearers of glad tidings “and had come to offer help rather than causing harm. “Thus, when it was realized that these caravans of people were coming to support Islam “and bringing with them capital to be offered as Zakat, “the people addressed Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and said,
‘You are a very blessed man. You have always been accompanied by glad tidings.’ “At this occasion, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) also said, ‘Bearers of bad news and ill intentions travel very swiftly, ‘while on the contrary, parties of those who bear glad tidings ‘travel unhurriedly and with peace of mind.
‘I can discern (the truth of the matter) by their speed.’” After the victory against those who refused to pay Zakat, it is recorded in Tarikh al-Tabari with regards to the collection of Zakat, “During that point in time, alms were being received by Madinah
“to such a degree that exceeded the needs of the Muslims. “Whilst attaining these victories and glad tidings, “the army of Hazrat Usama (ra) also returned to Madinah with victory and success. “Upon his return, Hazrat Usama (ra) was appointed by Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) “as his representative in Madinah.
“It is also said that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) appointed Sanan Zamri as his representative “and told him and his army, ‘At present, you should rest and allow your mounts to rest as well.’ “Following this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) took to his mount
“along with the rest of the people and departed for Dhul Qassah himself. “However, the Muslims humbly submitted to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and said, ‘O Khalifa of the Messenger (sa) ‘we request you for the sake of God not to partake in this expedition,
‘because if, God forbid, you are afflicted by any harm, then our whole order will collapse. ‘We request you to appoint someone else in your stead for this task ‘so that if anything were to happen to them, then you could appoint someone else in their place.’
“Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied, ‘By Allah, I will not do this. ‘I will provide comfort and protection for you with my life.’” Then, in regard to the assault launched against the people of Rabazah, it is recorded, “After making all the arrangements, “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) departed for Dhu Hissah and Dhul Qassah.
“Dhul Qassah is a place located at a distance of 40 miles from Madinah. “Nu’man, Abdullah and Suwaid were in their positions “when Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) came upon the people of Rabazah at Abraq. “A severe battle ensued. “Ultimately, Allah caused Harith and ‘Auf to be defeated,
“all of whom were the chieftains of the tribes of Murrah, Tha’labah and ‘Abas. “And Hutaiyah was captured alive. “For a few days, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) remained in Abraq, “and transformed that lush green land of Abraq “into the grazing grounds for the horses of the Muslims. “After facing defeat in this battle,
“the people of Banu ‘Abas and Banu Zubyan convened with Tulaihah, “who had travelled from Sumairah to Buzakhah where he took refuge. “Buzakhah is the name of a spring of the people of Banu Asad. “It is at this place that a great battle took place “between Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Tulaihah Asadi.”
Furthermore, with regards to the state of the defeated tribes, an author writes: “Abas, Zubyan, Ghatfan, Bani Bakr and all other rebellious tribes in the near vicinity of Madinah “ought to have ceased in their treachery and stubbornness, “and become absolutely obedient to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra)
“and agreed to fulfil the fundamental injunctions of Islam. “As a result, they would have joined the Muslims ranks and fought against the apostates. “It would have been very wise to do so, and the events that ensued also supported this. “Because of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), (the opposition) had lost their footing.
“The victories accomplished at the boarders of the Byzantine Empire “also inspired awe for the people of Madinah. “The strength of the Muslims had greatly increased and they were no longer in that state of weakness “which was prevalent during the days of the Battle of Badr and other early battles that took place.
“Now, Makkah was on their side, and so was Taif, “and the supremacy of both cities had been established all across Arabia. “Apart from this, large Muslim populations lived amongst those tribes “whom the rebellious people could not incite them to join along with them, “and so their position became very fragile.
“Despite all of that, their enmity towards the Muslims had blinded them “and they slowly started to lose sense of what was advantageous or disadvantageous for them. “They had forsaken their homeland “and joined forces with the false claimant of prophethood “from the tribe of Bani Asad, Tulaihah bin Khuwailid.
“Even the Muslims who were amongst them could not stop them from their ill intentions. “With their arrival, Tulaihah and Musailmah gained an increase in strength “and the flames of rebellion began to erupt in Yemen.” In any case, one should always remember that those people rebelled and started a war.
This war was not fought against them simply because someone had claimed (prophethood). In fact, they were contending against a rebellion and were responding to the war that was waged against them. Whilst mentioning about the victory against those who refused to pay the Zakat
And Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) courage and determination, Abdullah bin Masood relates, “After the demise of the Messenger (sa) of Allah, we were faced with such a situation “that had Allah not helped us through Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra), “we were surely going to perish. “All of the Muslims unanimously agreed
“that we would not fight against the enemy over the camels belonging to Zakat “and instead would occupy ourselves in the worship of Allah until we attained complete victory. “However, Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) had made a firm resolve “to fight against those who refused to pay the Zakat.
“He put two options before those who refused (to pay the Zakat) “and no third option was given to them. “Either they were to accept humiliation and failure or they prepared to be exiled or fight. “To accept humiliation and failure meant
“that they accept that those who had been slain from among them were hell-bound “and those who had been killed from amongst us were destined for paradise “and also to pay the blood-money for those they had killed. “Moreover, they were not to demand anything back from the spoils of war
“which we had acquired from them, but whatever they had taken from us would have to be returned. “With regards to being exiled it meant that after having been defeated “they would have to leave their areas and dwell in far-off lands.” With regards to this, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states,
“Following the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa) “when certain tribes of Arabia refused to pay the Zakat, “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was ready to fight against them. “The situation at the time was so delicate “that even the likes of Hazrat Umar (ra) suggested to show leniency.
“However, (as has been mentioned once before as well), Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) responded, ‘What authority does the son of Abu Quhafah possess ‘to abrogate a commandment which the Messenger (sa) of Allah had given. ‘By God, if in the time of the Messenger (sa) of Allah
‘these people gave in Zakat even a rope with which they tied the legs of their camels with, ‘I shall take that from them as well. ‘And I shall not rest until they do not pay the Zakat.’ “(He then said to his companions), ‘if you cannot support me in this matter
‘then by all means don’t, but I will fight against them even on my own.’” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) further states, “such was his level of obedience to the Holy Prophet (sa) “in that despite the extremely dangerous circumstances “and despite the distinguished companions were suggesting to not fight against them
“but even then he was willing to take on every kind of danger “in order to fulfil the instruction of the Holy Prophet (sa).” On another occasion, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states, “During the era of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) when the disorder of apostasy began to spread all over
“and prayers in congregation were only being offered in the villages “and also the army had been sent to Syria, “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) sent an instruction to those who had to pay the Zakat in which he stated
“that if even someone only gave a rope in Zakat during the time of the Holy Prophet (sa), “he would take that from them by the force of the sword if he refused to give it. “Even a brave and courageous man like Hazrat Umar (ra) expressed his opinion
“that in view of the situation they should not insist on the payment of Zakat. “However, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) did not agree with him at all. “From this one can ascertain how important Zakat is.” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) mentioned this during his speech
In which he spoke about the various stages of Taqwa (righteousness) and how important the paying of Zakat was for those who tread the path of righteousness. Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) also stated that Ahmadis should be mindful of the importance of Zakat and should pay particular attention towards its payment.
On another occasion, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) stated, “The concept of Zakat is extremely important, however people have failed to understand it. “After the observance of Salat, God Almighty has commanded to pay the Zakat. “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stated, ‘I will treat those who refuse to pay the Zakat
‘in the same manner as the Holy Prophet (sa) would treat the disbelievers. ‘I will take their men and women as slaves.’ “Following the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa), “there emerged such a trial whereby people in the entire land of Arabia, “except for Makkah, Madinah and one other area, started to become apostates.
“Hazrat Umar (ra) suggested that they should establish peace “with those who were refusing to pay the Zakat “and first fight against those who were apostatising “and the others would gradually be reformed as a result. “The first and foremost task was to eradicate the false claimants to prophethood
“because their dissention was far more severe. “Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stated, ‘if people fail to pay even a young goat ‘or the rope with which they tied the leg of a camel in Zakat ‘which they previously paid in the time of the Holy Prophet (sa), I shall fight against them.
‘If you all leave me and even if the wild beasts of the jungle were to join and attack Madinah, ‘I will fight against them on my own.’” This is also one of the blessings of Khilafat in that the Khalifa of the time makes every effort in order to uphold the Shariat.
On another occasion, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) stated, “Another allegation which is raised by people has been answered by God Almighty 1300 years go. “Those who raise the allegation claim that “(Arabic, Holy Qur’an 3:160) ‘consult them in matters of administration.’ “Was an instruction to the Holy Prophet (sa), how does this apply to Khilafat.
“They claim that this instruction is not for Khilafat. “However such people should remember that this is a very similar allegation “to the one people raised against Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) “which was with regards to Zakat. “With regards to (ARABIC) ‘Take alms out of their wealth.’
“They claimed that this was an instruction for the Holy Prophet (sa) and since he has passed away “therefore no one else had the right to take Sadqah (alms) from them. “The one who had been instructed for this had passed away.
“Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stated to them that now he was the addressee of this instruction. “Though the Holy Prophet (sa) had passed away, “however the Shariat is still intact and thus the Khalifa of the time is being addressed.” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) further stated in his speech,
“in the same way, I say to the one who has levelled this allegation against me “that I am now the addressee (of this commandment). “If this reply that was given “by Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was true at that time, and indeed it was,
“then what I say today is also true in that I am now being addressed “and this principle shall always apply to Khilafat.” One should always be mindful of this. Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) then further states, “If what you claim is true
“then many commandments of the Holy Qur’an would have to be taken out “and this would be utter humiliation.” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) was mentioning this in a speech on the institution of Khilafat. On another occasion, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) stated, “Upon the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa), many ignorant Muslims became apostates.
“It is recorded in history that there were only three places remaining “where prayers were being offered at the mosques in congregation. “Similarly, many people in the land refused to pay the Zakat. “They claimed that after the Holy Prophet (sa), “how could anyone have the right to take Zakat from them.
“When this uprising spread across the whole of Arabia “and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) decided to strictly deal with such people, “Hazrat Umar (ra) and various other companions came to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) “(and as has been mentioned earlier) they said, ‘this is a very sensitive time
‘and even the slightest of negligence can result in a great loss. ‘Therefore, we suggest that we should not contend with such a large enemy. ‘And, we should treat those who do not wish to pay the Zakat with leniency.’ “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stated, ‘Whoever amongst you is fearful can go wherever they please.
‘By God, even if not a single one of you stands with me in support, ‘I will still go and fight against the enemy. ‘Even if the enemy were to enter Madinah and kill my relatives and friends ‘and even if the dogs were to drag the corpses of women through the streets of Madinah,
‘I shall still fight against them. ‘I will continue to fight against them to the point ‘that they give in Zakat even the rope they tied the feet of their camels ‘with which they previously used to give in Zakat.’ “Thereafter, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) bravely fought against the evil ploys of the enemy
“and was ultimately granted victory. “This is because he believed that this was a task that only he could carry out. “That is why when the companions presented their suggestions, “he stated that whether they stood in support with him or not, “he was ready to fight against the enemy even on his own
“and would not stop until his life was sacrificed in the way of God Almighty.” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) further stated, “Thus, a nation which instils such level of resolve in them, “they always succeed and the enemy cannot stand against them.
“This is the secret to the success of nations which one has to always be mindful of.” On another occasion, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) stated, “After the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa) when thousands of people in Arabia became apostates
“owing to their disagreement on the issue of Zakat and Musailma was going to attack Madinah, “at that time Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), who was the Khalifa “was informed that Musailma, along with an army of a 100,000, “was coming to launch an attack on Madinah.
“At the time, some people suggested to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) “that since they were passing through a sensitive period “and owing to a disagreement on the issue of Zakat people were becoming apostates “and Musailma had arrived with such a large force, “therefore it would be wise that in light of the situation
“that they should initially establish peace with those were refusing to pay the Zakat. “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) however did not worry even in the slightest about the dangers “and said to those who were presenting these suggestions, ‘Are you trying to convince me to do something
‘which goes directly against the commandment of Allah the Almighty and Messenger (sa) of Allah? ‘The commandment of Zakat is from God Almighty and His Messenger (sa), ‘thus it is incumbent upon me ‘ to do everything I can to defend this commandment of God and His Messenger (sa).’
“The companions once again suggested that in light of the situation “it would be better to establish peace with them. “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) stated, ‘if you do not wish to fight ‘and cannot muster the strength to fight against the enemy ‘then you may leave and sit in your homes.
‘By God, I shall continue to fight the enemy on my own to the point ‘that they give even the rope to tie the legs of the camel ‘which they were supposed to give for Zakat. “I will not establish peace with them until I am able to convince them to pay the Zakat.’”
Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states, “This is the hallmark of true faith.” And this indeed is faith. If we instil this within ourselves then we can spread the true message of Islam and will, God willing, be successful. On another occasion, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states, “After the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa),
“the tribes of Arabia rebelled and also refused to pay the Zakat. “The argument they presented was that no one aside from the Messenger (sa) of Allah “had the right to collect the Zakat. “Allah the Almighty addresses the Holy Prophet (sa) saying: ‘O Muhammad! Take Alms out of their wealth.’
“They (i.e. the rebels) said that it is not written anywhere “that Zakat was to be taken after the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa). “Although this verse directly addressed the Holy Prophet (sa), “nonetheless, the Muslims did not accept their argument.
“Nonetheless, the biggest argument presented by those people who became apostates at that time “was that nobody other than the Holy Prophet (sa) had the right to take the Zakat. “The reason they fell into this error was “because they did not consider those commandments related to administrative matters “to be followed permanently,
“rather they thought that those commandments were limited to the time of the Holy Prophet (sa).” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) further says, “This notion is absolutely false; “just as the commandments pertaining to offering prayers and fasting “did not stop at the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa),
“likewise, those commandments which were related to administrative and social matters “did not finish with the Holy Prophet (sa). “Just like prayer in congregation, which is a collective worship, “it is necessary that these commandments are also established amongst the Muslims “through the representatives of the Holy Prophet (sa).”
On another occasion, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) says, “When the Holy Prophet (sa) passed away and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was appointed as the Khalifa, “at that time, all of Arabia became apostates. “Aside from Makkah, Madinah and a small town, “everyone stopped paying the Zakat and said: ‘Allah commanded the Holy Prophet (sa): ‘(ARABIC)
“Take alms out of their wealth.” ‘And so no one else has the right to take Zakat from us.’ “Thus, all of Arabia became apostates, and they began preparations for war. “(They did not simply become apostates, they also made preparations for war).
“In the time of the Holy Prophet (sa), even though Islam was weak, “the Arab tribes would attack individually. “At times, one tribe would attack and at times another. “During the Battle of Ahzab (confederates), “when the disbelievers gathered together to attack the Muslims, “by that time Islam had gained some considerable strength,
“but it had not gathered enough strength that the Muslims would feel at ease from future attacks. “Subsequently, when the Holy Prophet (sa) went to conquer Makkah, “at that time, certain Arab tribes joined him to assist him. “In this manner, God instilled a passion within the enemies gradually,
“lest they gain strength and take over the entire land. “However, in the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), all of Arabia became apostates at once; “aside from Makkah, Madinah and a small town, in all other places, “the people refused to pay the Zakat and they gathered an army for battle.
“(they not only refused to pay the Zakat, they also set out for war with an army). “In some areas, they even had an army of 100,000. “However, the case of the Muslims was that they only had an army of 10,000 “and that too was departing for Syria.
“This was the same army that the Holy Prophet (sa) had instructed to march upon Byzantine lands “and appointed Usamah (ra) as the commander of the army. “Aside from this, the only people left behind were elderly, weak or a handful of youths.
“Upon witnessing this situation, the companions thought that during the time of rebellion, “if the army of Usamah (ra) departed, there would be no means of safeguarding Madinah. “Thus, a delegation consisting of the distinguished companions “went to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). “(This has been mentioned before as well) they submitted
“that the sending of the army ought to be delayed for some time, “and when the rebellion is quashed, then it could be sent. “They said that sending the army in such circumstances was perilous. “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said in a very angry tone,
‘do you wish that the first command issued by the son of Abu Quhafah ‘after the demise of the Holy Prophet (sa) is to stop the army ‘that was commanded by the Holy Prophet (sa) himself?’ “Nonetheless, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said, ‘This army will be sent
‘and I will certainly make sure of it that it departs as instructed by the Holy Prophet (sa). ‘If you are afraid of the enemy forces, then leave my side. ‘I will fight against the enemy on my own.’” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) further says, “This (statement) was a grand proof of the verse: “(ARABIC),
“i.e. believers will worship Allah and not associate anything with Him.” “(i.e. this refers to those people who remain firmly attached to Khilafat). “This is that system which has been established through Khilafat, “and this shall continue to exist.” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) further says, “The second issue was pertaining to Zakat.
“The companions said to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), ‘If you do not wish to stop the army from leaving, ‘then do this much that you should form a temporary pact with them ‘and tell them that Zakat will not be taken from them this year, ‘then during this time, their frenzy will subside
‘and there will be a way to put down this dissention.’ “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said, ‘this will not happen at any cost; ‘(he did not accept this advice of theirs either)’ “The companions then said, ‘If the army of Usamah (ra) departs
‘and you do not temporarily reconcile with them (i.e. those who rebelled against paying Zakat), ‘then who will confront the enemy? ‘Only the elderly and weak remain in Madinah, and there are only a handful of youths here, ‘how can they contend with an army of hundreds of thousands?’
“Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied, ‘My dear friends! If you are helpless against them, ‘then Abu Bakr will set out to fight them alone.’” Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) says, “This is the claim of an individual who was not an expert in the art of war,
“and was the statement of the one who was generally considered to possess a weak heart. “Then how did he develop such courage and bravery and from where did such conviction come from? “It stemmed from the fact that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) understood
“that he had been appointed to the station of Khilafat by God Almighty “and to fulfil this task was his responsibility. “Thus, it was his duty to confront them “and it was up to God Almighty whether or not he bestowed victory.
“If Allah willed to grant him victory, then He will surely grant them victory; “and if He did not wish to grant victory to them, then even the entire army would not succeed.” The decision of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) produced extraordinary results. Whilst mentioning this, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) states,
“Despite the contrary view held by the companions, “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) sent Hazrat Usamah bin Zaid (ra) along with his army to Mu’tah. “Subsequently, this army fulfilled its mission and after 40 days, returned to Madinah victorious. “Everyone witnessed with the succour of God and victory with their own eyes.
“After this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) turned his attention “to the matter of the false claimants of prophets, “and dealt with them in such a manner “that he completely crushed this dissention and not a trace remained. “Later, the same was the outcome for those who had become apostates.
“Even the opinions of the pre-eminent companions was contrary to that of Abu Bakr’s; “they said that how could he raise the sword against the people “who professed the oneness of God “and accepted the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (sa), “but only refused to pay the Zakat. “However, showing the utmost bravery and courage,
“Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said, ‘If today, permission is granted to abstain from paying the Zakat, ‘then slowly, people will abandon the prayer and fasting ‘and only the mere name of Islam would remain.’ “Thus, under such circumstances, “Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) waged war against those who refused to pay the Zakat.
“The result was the same, in that God Almighty granted Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) victory and succour. “All those who had strayed off the right path returned.” These accounts will continue in the future, God Willing. As I have been continuously reminding these days in relation to the current situation of the world,
Continue to pray and to not show any deficiency in your prayers. Especially pray that may the people of the world recognise their True Creator. This is the only solution to save the world from destruction. May Allah the Almighty bestow His mercy and accept our prayers.
Today, I wish to speak about a deceased member and after the Friday prayers I will lead his funeral prayer as well. It is of Respected Maulana Mubarak Nazir Ahmad Sahib, who has served as the Principal of Jamia Ahmadiyya Canada as well as Missionary in-charge, Canada.
He passed away on 8th March at the age of 87, (Verily to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return). By the grace of Allah he was a Moosi. He was extremely selfless, had complete trust in Allah, devoted to prayer and was content within his means.
He possessed all the attributes of a Dervish. Whenever I saw him, it seemed as though a truly saintly person was present before me. With regards to the introduction to his family, I would like to mention that he was the second son of Maulana Nazir Ahmad Ali Sahib, an exceptional missionary of the Community,
And respected Amina Begum sahiba. Ahmadiyyat was introduced in his family through his paternal grandfather, Hazrat Babu Faqeer Ali Sahib (ra), who pledged allegiance at the hands of the Promised Messiah (as). Subsequently, Hazrat Babu Faqeer Ali Sahib (ra) worked as the first station master of Qadian.
The deceased’s grandfather (i.e. Hazrat Babu Faqeer Ali Sahib (ra)) owned a home in Qadian, which was known as “Faqeer Manzil”. On the instructions of Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra), Maulana Mubarak Nazir Sahibs father, Hazrat Maulana Nazir Ahmad Ali Sahib had the opportunity to first serve in Ghana in 1929
And later he was posted to Sierra Leone. In 1943, his father, Hazrat Maulana Nazir Ahmad Ali Sahib was returning to Sierra Leone and during this journey, Mubarak Nazir Sahib and his mother were also present. During the course of the journey, a faith inspiring incident took place;
And Maulana Mubarak Nazir Sahib has narrated this incident. It was a three-month journey by ship. At the time, Mubarak Nazir Sahib was 11 years old. During the journey he fell ill and his health deteriorated to such an extent that it did not seem as though he would survive.
As mentioned already, the journey was by ship. Hence, when they were about to embark or perhaps they changed ships, this incident is before they boarded the ship. Nonetheless, prior to boarding the ship, Mubarak Nazir Sahib fell ill. Upon witnessing his condition, the administration of the ship said to his father;
“Your son is at deaths door and is close to his demise. “If he passes away during the journey, “we do not have any mortuary on board the ship or any means to keep the body, “therefore, we cannot permit you to board the ship because of your son.”
Maulana Sahib insisted that he had received orders from Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) and he had to board that ship. The ship’s crew allowed him to board the ship on the condition that he affirm in writing that if his son died during the journey
They would have permission to throw his body into the ocean. When the ship’s captain stipulated this condition, Mubarak Nazir Sahib’s mother started crying out of shock and said to Maulana Nazir Ali Sahib that he was their son and that they should go on another ship.
Maulana Nazir Ali Sahib consoled his wife by saying that he was a missionary who had been assigned a mission by Hazrat Sahib. There was no telling when he would be able to find another ship. He told his wife to stay strong, nothing would happen to Mubarak.
After this, he confidently said to the Captain, “where do I sign? Bring the paper.” He then told the Captain, “If he dies you can throw him in the ocean, “but I assure you that nothing will happen to him.” This was the level of trust which his father had in God Almighty
Because he was a life-devotee and he had set out to propagate His faith and so God Almighty would surely protect him and his family. Thus, by the grace of God Almighty, not only did that 11 year old boy remain alive,
He lived to the age of 87 and was able to serve Islam and Ahmadiyyat. Following the footsteps of his forefathers, he had the honour of dedicating his life and established his own lofty examples of trusting God while in the field of service. After completing his graduation,
He was able to obtain a good job in a government institution where he worked for a few years. Then, he read an announcement in Al Fazal that Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) had made an appeal for people to present themselves for life devotion, or even for a temporary period.
Thus, he resigned from his job and presented himself to Hazrat KhalifatulMasih II (ra) for temporary devotion. According to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra)’s instructions, he was sent on his first assignment for temporary devotion to Sierra Leone in 1963, the same place where his father
Hazrat Maulana Nazir Ali Sahib had served for a long time and Maulvi Nazir Ali Sahib was also buried there. As soon as he reached Sierra Leone, he immediately went to his father’s grave. At that time, he recalled his father’s words from a captivating speech which he delivered on 26 November 1945.
He said, “Today, we are embarking to perform Jihad for God Almighty “and to spread Islam in West Africa. “Man is destined to die. “If any one of us dies, let it be known that there is a far off place in the world “where even the slightest plot of land belongs to Ahmadiyyat,
“it is the duty of Ahmadi youth to reach there “and fulfil the purpose for which we have occupied this earth in the form of graves.” (He meant that there was a small plot of land belonging to Ahmadiyyat, (occupied by the grave of an Ahmadi missionary
(and it is due to this grave that the land is occupied). “Thus, our graves demand that we train our children in a manner “that they fulfil the purpose for which our lives were spent.” Thus, in fulfilment of his father’s will, Maulana Mubarak Nazir Sahib went to his father’s grave and said,
“Labbaik – I am here to answer your call”. He was able to serve at various places in Sierra Leone. Afterwards, according to the instructions of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh), he returned to Pakistan in 1985. When he returned from Africa in 1985,
He requested Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) to accept his permanent life-devotion rather than a temporary period of devotion and this request was accepted. Then in 1988 he was sent to Canada as a missionary where he served in various places. In 2003 it was decided to open Jamia Canada,
Which had been approved by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) and he had appointed him as the Principal, however it did not open during Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh)’s time and it was opened later during my time. I also confirmed the appointment made by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) and he remained the Principal.
He was the first Principal of Jamia Ahmadiyya Canada. He served as Principal of Jamia until 2009. Then, in 2010, I appointed him as the Missionary In-charge Canada and he had an opportunity to serve in an excellent manner until 2018. His total term of service spanned 59 years.
Even his temporary period of service was essentially full-time devotion. Similarly, Maulana Sahib was appointed as a Markaz representative for many Jalsas and programmes which he was able to attend. His speeches would be greatly appreciated by Jama’at members as well as others. His speeches were very moving and would captivate the listener.
In 2016, he represented me for laying the foundation of the Noor Hospital in Guatemala. He would propagate the message through articles which would be published in newspapers such as National News Canada, Toronto Star and Ottawa Citizen. Maulana Mubarak Nazir Sahib was able to translate two books of the Promised Messiah (as);
Tajalliyat-e-Ilahiyya and Fath-e-Islam into English. He also translated the Gulf Crisis by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh). He is survived by his wife Amatul Hafeez Nazir Sahiba, three sons and two daughters. As I stated earlier, he possessed many great qualities and was an exemplary life-devotee and was especially exemplary for missionaries.
His life was an embodiment of giving precedence to the faith over the world. He always served the Jama’at and remaining obedient to the Khalifa was his true objective. As I already stated, he possessed a special talent in delivering speeches, with proficiency in both Urdu and English. His speeches would have a profound impact.
His wife Amatul Hafeez Sahiba writes, “He lived his entire life with piety and righteousness. “He was mindful about being careful with every penny of the Jama’at and led a life of simplicity. “After leaving Sierra Leone he continued to quietly help many poor people.”
She says, “I am witness to the fact that he was an excellent life-devotee, “an excellent husband and a kind father. “He was always mindful of the fact that the Jama’at spends so much on him “and was always worried about how he could be of most benefit to it. “He would often say that
“he could never bear the displeasure of the Khalifa of the time under any circumstance.” His children have also shared their experiences; all have mostly written that their father had firm faith in Allah the Almighty and in the hereafter. He had firm conviction in Khilafat and the Nizam of the Jama’at.
He had a great deal of trust in Allah the Almighty. He often said that Allah the Almighty would never forsake him and would always come to his aid, and this truly was the manner in which Allah the Almighty treated him. Whenever he went to make appeals for financial sacrifices
Whether as Missionary In-charge, or upon being sent by Amir Sahib or even after he retired when he became ill, and the Jama’at would continue to benefit from his service; he would always make appeals for financial contributions and would have a great impact on people.
This was because he would first contribute himself and then advise the rest of the Jama’at to do so. His elder daughter says, “He always advised us to have a strong bond with the Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyyat “and always strove to instil within us love and respect for the Jama’at.
“It was his desire for us to act upon every guidance of Khalifatul Masih.” She says, “There was rarely a gathering in which he did not advise these things. “Whenever his grandchildren gathered, “they all knew that he would sit them down and advise them,
“and this advice would include the fact that they should not become engrossed in worldly affairs, “rather they should make certain of their connection with Allah the Almighty and Khilafat.” She further says, “He would tell us that the work of this Jama’at will always be completed “and there is no doubt in this.
“If we did not serve the Jama’at, “then Allah the Almighty would bring others to render great service.” His younger daughter writes about an incident, “Once in Sierra Leone while a mosque was being built and the workers sought their wages, “my father did not have the sufficient funds to pay them.
“Hence, Maulana Mubarak Nazir Sahib told them that they should return the next day “and he would give them their wages. “The next morning when Mubarak Nazir Sahib came out of his home, “he found the workers standing there waiting while the money had not yet been arranged.
“He told the workers that he still did not have the money, “but he was praying and they should wait a little while longer “and God-willing, Allah the Almighty would swiftly provide the means. “Meanwhile, a car came racing towards him and he was given an envelope with money in it.
“He was told that a person had heard that he was building a mosque “and so he sent some money for him. “Before my father could ask who had sent the money, “the car quickly raced away after giving the envelope. “He was convinced that Allah the Almighty had head his prayer
“and he used the money to pay the workers.” This was the standard of his trust in Allah and the manner in which Allah the Almighty treated him. Many people, including missionaries, have written countless incidents similar to this, showing his trust in Allah the Almighty and the manner in which He treated him.
As I said earlier, he certainly was a scholar who practiced what he preached, which was why his speeches were so impactful, yet he was extremely humble before Khilafat. May Allah the Almighty elevate his station, enable his progeny to follow in his footsteps, accept his prayers in their favour,
And may Allah the Almighty continue to bestow the Jama’at with such people who render selfless service. Those missionaries who have graduated from Jamia Canada have especially written many incidents of how he trained them, taught them how to do Tabligh, taught them morals and taught them the faith.
These missionaries were able to benefit a great deal from him. They should bear in mind that these incidents are not simply for the sake of remembering or recalling them, rather these missionaries should practically implement these examples. May Allah the Almighty enable them to do so. All praise is due to Allah
We laud Him, we beseech help from Him and ask His protection; we confide in Him, we trust Him alone and we seek protection against the evils and mischief of our souls and from the bad results of our deeds. Whomsoever He guides on the right path, none can misguide him;
And whosoever He declares misled, none can guide him onto the right path. And we bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah. We bear witness that Muhammad (sa) is His servant and Messenger. O servants of Allah! May Allah be merciful to you.
Verily, Allah commands you to act with justice, to confer benefits upon each other and to do good to others as one does to one’s kindred and forbids evil which pertain to your own selves and evils which affect others and prohibits revolts against a lawful authority. He warns you against being unmindful.
You remember Allah; He too will remember you; 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.