بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

Friday Sermon

 

HAZRAT KHALIFATULLAH AL-MASSIH AL-MA’UD

 

Munir Ahmad Azim

 

 

03 December 2010

(26 Dhul Hijjah 1431 Hijri)

 

(Summary of Friday Sermon)

 

After having greeted everybody with the Salutations of Peace, the Messiah (Massih’ullah) read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and then he said:

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلاَةِ إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ ۝

O you who believe! Seek help in steadfastness, and prayer. Surely! Allah is with the steadfast. (2 : 154)

 

Alhamdulillah, today I am continuing on the subject of Salaat, how profound this act is and how great an impact it has on the true believer. Salaat constitutes the true believer’s daily contact with His beloved Lord, the same One without whom he cannot exists. When he makes Allah becomes the focus of his entire life, disregarding the fact that burdens of trials may fall upon him, then Allah opens His heart to him. The appeased soul not only feels peace within himself, but throughout all ordeals he is made to keep the high spiritual morale inspired to him by his Lord. 

 

Trials are inevitable in the life a believer, a true one who says to believe in Allah and His Messenger. Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) is also reported to have said:

 

 “A strong believer is better and dearer to Allah than a weak one, and both are good. Adhere to that which is beneficial for you. Keep asking Allah for help and do not refrain from it. (If you are afflicted in any way), do not say: ‘If I had taken this or that step, it would have resulted into such and such,’ but say only: ‘Allah so determined and did as He willed.’ The word ‘if’ opens the gates of satanic (thoughts)” (Muslim, reported by Abu Huraira)

 

In line with this Hadith comes our noble Prophet’s advice to his cousin Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) to know that with patience comes victory, with distress comes relief, and with hardship comes ease.

 

Moreover, Abu Huraira reported that the Holy Prophet also said: “A Muslim, male or female, continues to remain under trial in respect of his life, property, and offspring until he faces Allah, the Exalted, with no sin record.” (Tirmidhi)

 

Thus, the harder the trials, the greater are the show of affection from Allah. Indeed Allah loves His sincere servants. He has not created this world as a basis of recompensing the believers for their righteous actions. No. This world is only temporary and thus this world is only for those who disregard the eternal pleasures and prefer to indulge in only the temporary ones. But this does not mean that the believer does not receive any share from the bounties of this world. He receives only the essential part of it, the rest he will obtain forever in the eternal life, in the proximity of his Lord.

 

This world is no more than a test in which all humans, especially the sincere believers are bound to face some hardships and challenges that reveal their patience and steadfastness. The forms of this trial are numerous and diverse: Some people suffer poverty, some suffer physical illnesses, some live in a state of insecurity, some are deprived of their cherished and beloved ones, and still others suffer psychiatric disorders and other illnesses. Referring to this fact, Allah says: “And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the patient, Who says, when afflicted with calamity: “To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return”: They are those on whom (descend) Blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance. (2 : 156-158)

 

It is to be noted that in the times of a Messenger of Allah, these trials become a hundred times harder so that Allah may test the mettle of His Messenger and his true disciples. All sorts of afflictions befall them, be it in the forms of boycotts, persecutions, harsh words, doubts in the revelation of God and even killing. There is absolutely no doubt that such an era has come but my sincere disciples shall remain firm in their positions. This is the era of trial from God, and Allah despite testing His Messenger and my sincere disciples, but through our dedication to Allah, Allah shall help us for He loves His Messenger, this humble one and shall help me and my sincere disciples come what may. Whatever trials we find ourselves in, then shall we hold firm in our heart: “Something for the sake of Allah”. What we do, we do it “Fi-Sabilillah” (In the way of Allah). Our daily incantation shall be “Something for the sake of Allah” even if we have to lay our lives for Him, for the cause of Truth.

 

Thus, a sincere believer cannot get access to Allah if he has no link with Allah. Indeed the greatest of links to Allah is through prayer; through the five daily prayers, the additional prayer “Tahajjud” which is mentioned in the Holy Quran. This prayer is for the closest to Allah, those who realise that they want to further their contact with their Lord and come what may remain deeply connected to Him. Moreover, there is Zikr’ullah.

 

Allah states in the Holy Quran:

 

In houses which Allah has allowed to be raised up, and His name to be remembered therein, in the morning and evening are men who glorify him therein, whom neither trade nor sale can divert from the remembrance of Allah, and (they) establish the prayers, and pay the Zakaat; fearing a day when hearts and eyes shall be turned about, that Allah will recompense them for the finest deeds they did and increase them from His bounty. Allah provides without measure to whom He will. (24 : 37-39)

 

The above verses stipulates that there are such houses in which there reside true servants of Allah who day and night they glory Allah and they have made their house become a Masjeed (Mosque), a pure sanctuary for the remembrance of Allah. They are so close to Allah and have recognised the eternal essence and truthfulness of Allah that they are ever ready to offer their submission to Allah in every way. They are those people who do not let their houses become cemeteries! They do not let Satan enter their houses. They do their best to inculcate in themselves the right examples for people, and they first start with their house, with their family members, educating them, giving them the right lessons to submit to One God (Allah Tabarak Wa Ta’ala) and follow the path of His prophets and if it happens that they are living in an era of a prophet of Allah, they encourage their children to “Obey Allah and Obey His prophet”. They are ever conscious of their duties to Allah, and they opt to correct their way of living to fit the commandments of Allah (found in the Holy Quran).

 

These believers are such ones whom Allah loves for they sacrifice their time in His worship, attaching themselves to Him and making every possible effort to please Allah. Nothing of the attractions of this world distracts these believers from the remembrance of Allah. They have made their houses, their homes become a haven of peace, a haven where only the words of Allah are recited. Such houses are blessed by Allah, for in such houses where the name of Allah is glorified, thousands of angels descend to bless the occupants of the house for their devotion to Allah.

 

These words of mine are backed by the following Hadith:

 

It has been reported and confirmed by both Abu Huraira and Abu Saïd, that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has said: “Angels surround that assembly where people are remembering Allah; the Grace of Allah surrounds them, tranquillity descends upon them and Allah proudly mentions them to those creatures which is around Him; that is in the assembly of the Angels.”

 

Hazrat Abu Huraira (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.” (Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

 

Now imagine, if the sincere believer makes his house become a real place of worship, where day and night he does good deeds and attaches himself to remembering Allah (doing Zikr-e-Ilaahi), worshiping Him in the five daily prayers and also performing the Tahajjud prayers and reading the Holy Quran! Such a believer will be greatly rewarded by Allah, not only in this world but also in the next world!

 

Abu Zar (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah has said: “I advise you to inculcate in you the fear of Allah, because it is the very root of all good actions; remain engage in the recitation of the Quran and in the Remembrance of Allah. Through this means, your name will be mentioned in the sky, and it will become a light for you in this world itself. Remain most of the time quiet so that you may be able to say only good words, and this will make Satan remain far away from you, and it will enable you to accomplish your religious duties. Do not laugh a lot because this weakens the heart and remove light from the face. Always participate in Jihad for this is a sign of piety for my Ummah. Love the poor and remain in their company. Always look at the lower class people, and do not look at those who are above you, for (if so) you will then not be grateful towards Him (Allah). Always establish good relations with your close ones, even if they try to break it. Do not hesitate to speak the truth even if it is bitter for the people. Do not be afraid if others criticize you when you are obeying Allah. Always look for your own faults and never look for the faults of others. Do not criticize others for the faults which are found in you. O Abu Zar, there is no greater wisdom than clairvoyance, there is no greater piety than to remain away from the forbidden, and there is no greater noblesse than good manners.”

 

The Remembrance of Allah is a means to keep the soul and heart spiritually clean, and through this means, you will remain ever close to Allah and be under His protection, be it physically or spiritually.

 

Allah the Almighty furthermore says in the Holy Quran in Chapter 31 (Luqman) Verse 34:

  

“Therefore, let not worldly life beguile you, nor let the Deceiver deceive you concerning Allah.”

 

Thus, this means that do not let Satan deceive you, and do not let him incite you to commit sins whereby the wrath of Allah can befall you. Why? Because Satan is the greatest enemy of man! The real believers do not miss an opportunity to repel Satan by not indulging in shameful acts which are the ways and means of Satan to deviate man from the right path.

 

Now another explanation of this verse also; when true and sincere believers transform their houses and make them become real Masjeeds (Mosques) to enable other people to come and perform prayers in congregation, performing sessions of works for the propagation of Deen-e-Islam. Such houses are blessed above all common households for they are true Masjeeds where the believers regularly meet to extol (praise) their Lord and submit to His command.

 

There is a Hadith which is found in Ibn Majah where Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) has said: “Building of Mosques is only for the remembrance of Allah (Zikr’ullah) and for prayers (Salaat).”

 

Another Hadith narrated by Hazrat Uthman (May Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) has said:

 

“The one who builds a Masjeed for Allah, to seek His grace, Allah will build a house for him in paradise.” (Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)

 

Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Holy Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) has said:

 

“The one who builds a Mosque for Allah, even if it be small like the nest of a bird, Allah will build a house for him in paradise.” (Ahmad, ibn Hibban, al-Bazzar -Sahih)

 

Through these Hadiths which I mentioned, we get to know the value of the existence of Mosque for the remembrance of Allah, and thus, the foremost place we have to build a Mosque in is our own heart! By making our heart become a Mosque, we invite the presence of Allah with us always, and keep Satan forever at a distance.

 

If Allah has put emphasis so much in the blessings in building Mosques, now imagine how blessed also are such houses whom sincere believers of Allah devote in Allah’s path. In the eras of prophets of God, their followers are casted aside by the majority of their people. Such was the case of past prophets, and even was so in the times of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) when the Quraish made him leave Mecca and forbid him access to the Ka’aba! But yet, Allah did not abandon His prophet, and has even revealed in the Holy Quran that everywhere on the earth is a Mosque (Hadith: except for toilets and cemeteries!).

 

Thus, the verse: “In houses which Allah has allowed to be raised up, and His name to be remembered therein, in the morning and evening” means that in every way and with good intentions, if houses of believers are kept as Mosques for the service of Deen-e-Islam, therefore such houses will be greatly blessed and those who take the initiative to transform their houses into paradise for the worship of Allah, it is those houses which Allah shall protect against the invasion of Satan and his armies.

 

In the times of prophets of Allah, followers of the prophet of Allah are compelled to set up their own individual houses for the worship of Allah because they do not have a proper Mosque (Masjeed) on their own (as a Jamaat) to go and do collective prayer. Likewise in this present era, my followers also will encounter such problems, but blessed is the person who first comes forward to propose taking his house as meeting place for prayers and Deen (religious matters such as Jummah, programs etc. for the education of the members and to hold their meeting for the propagation of Deen-e-Islam).

 

O People, O Muslims, O my brothers, sisters and children, nothing comes free in this world if you are a true believer. You will have to pay in terms of your time, honour, property, spouses and children for therein if there is any lost, if you are true to your faith, Allah shall compensate all the lost with eternal blessings and love. It is to be noted that none of these are actually yours or mine. My life, honour, property, and everything else is from Allah and for Allah. The disciples of a Messenger of Allah are bound to go through the hardest of trials so that they may not get attached to the temporal pleasures but instead concentrate on their love for their Lord.

 

Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity comes to him he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is good for him” (Muslim).

 

Enduring trials for the sake of Allah by expressing gratitude is a million times better than receiving trials and blaming Allah for these. The ones who do this are no real believers because they do not have the insight of the wise. The truly intelligent are those who recognise the greatness of Allah even in times of adversity and who submit to the will of Allah.

 

The fifth Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association thinks that he and the followers of the mundane system of Caliphate can defeat the Caliphate of Allah. This system of Caliphate of Allah shall always have the upper hand, be it in my time and in other times of the coming of elects, messengers, caliphs of Allah. The divine system shall prevail over the mundane, tyrannical one and therein is no doubt whatsoever.

 

This brings me to what the fifth Caliph of the past Messiah is quoted to have said (in his Friday sermon 26 November 2010):

 

“In conclusion Hudhur read an extract from the august writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) stating that the ultimate triumph will be of his Community and it has been the way from time immemorial that Prophets of God are derided, as the Qur’an states: ‘Alas for mankind! there comes not a Messenger to them but they mock at him’. (36:31). He said generations upon generations of people will wait for the Promised one and they will see that he will not come.

 

Hudhur said our so-called supporters should look after themselves rather than provoke us about the level of our steadfastness. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) did not say the difficult times will be over soon. Rather, a hundred odd years ago he wrote that three centuries will elapse before people will finally realise that the one who was promised to come has indeed come. With God’s grace, his Community has now reached 198 countries of the world and is gaining strength by the day. It is our progress that has unsettled the enemy and the opposition has increased. The evergreen tree planted by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) is being irrigated by steadfastness and prayers and InshaAllah will continue to blossom. Any branch of this tree that does not seek beneficence from it will be a dry branch and will be cut off. In these times of increased hostility each Ahmadi should seek patience and help from God more than ever and continue to be a part of the blossoming tree.”

 

It is funny that the previous Khalifatul-Massih and the actual one have taken a liking to the word “so-called” and while saying that they are being steadfast, they are foremost to say not to “provoke” them. Then what? What will they do? Will they maintain a “so-called” steadfastness for show while persecuting the followers of a Messenger of Allah?

 

Moreover, only a hundred and two years (barely more than a century) have passed since the death of my master the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (on him be peace). How can the fifth caliph of the past Messiah say that no other promised one shall come when Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (on him be peace) has said that other promised messiahs shall come and my beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) has said that Allah shall raise at the head of every century someone to revive the faith?

 

Indeed, Allah shall never let the honour of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) and that of the Promised Messiah Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (on him be peace) be defiled. That is why He (Most High) has raised this humble self to the status of Prophet, Messenger, Messiah, Mujaddid etc. being in conformity with the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) so that the Jamaat of the Promised Messiah and Islam and the world as a whole be emerged in the light of Allah, so that the world may come to recognise the veracity of Islam in its entirety. The Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (on him be peace) came not in this world to call people to Him and Ahmadiyyat but he came to call people to Allah and Islam. So as to distinguish himself from the other sects who proclaimed to be well-guided, Allah ordained him to form his own Jamaat so that he can accomplish what others could not accomplish – that is, to return back the glory of Islam. He came for a mission and after accomplishing his mission, he returned back to His Lord. Now, in this era, I am come from my Lord, not as a mundane elected Caliph, but as a Caliph of Allah, directly appointed by Him, and not by man. In this case, to whom shall true Muslims, true believers in the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and in the Promised Messiah believe? Should they follow a man-elected caliph and ignore the divinely elected one or should they embrace the fold of real Islam through their allegiance to the new Caliph of Allah? Especially now that Ahmadiyya Jamaat has become a playfield where despite the sweet sermons of a caliph elected by man who himself refused to acknowledge the presence of a Caliph of Allah, then how can his followers be expected to follow a Caliph of Allah? If these followers were pious, righteous and god-fearing, they definitely would have recognised the manifestation of Allah. Indeed my sincere and true disciples are those who are clairvoyant, and prefer to forgo the mundane system to embrace the divine system. The Ahmadiyya Jamaat of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (on him be peace) will always remain flamboyant because Allah shall never let his honour and Jamaat be defiled. The true Jamaat Ahmadiyya is in this era represented by Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, not a namesake Ahmadiyya Muslim Association who does everything for show and disregard the vital teachings of Islam. Most people therein (not all of them – the truly pious, Allah shall step by step make them realise where the truth lies – these truly pious Allah shall show them the truthfulness of His divine manifestation) take their Caliph as a puppet and put him before Allah and the teachings of Islam. Is that what the fifth caliph of the Ahmadiyya Association hankers after? Caliphate and making that caliphate become a dynasty, a monarchy where only the Mirza family have the upper hand and not the other pious Ahmadi Muslims?

 

No, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Allah shall never let ISLAM and the dignity of His true messengers be defiled. Ahmadiyyat is not a religion, but ISLAM is a religion and the tree of ISLAM shall remain evergreen because each time ISLAM’s honour will be soiled by the enemies of Islam and that of so-called Muslims (Muslims in appearance only), Allah shall raise His Messenger to preach them the words of the Quran and speak to the people through the Ruh-il-Qouddouss (Holy Spirit). It is only those who shall not adhere to the commands of Allah and follow not Allah and His Messenger, it is them who shall be cut off from ISLAM. It is them who shall not attain salvation, for when Allah shall question them on the day of Judgement if there came to them (in this case for you all, a Messenger in flesh and blood), they shall say, “yes, but alas for us, we calumniated him and turn him to ridicule.”

 

Moreover, it has come to my attention that a so-called defender of Islam from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of Mauritius has said in their ijtema on 21 November 2010 about the social boycott against the believers of the Divine Manifestation: “We know how great an importance family ties has in Islam, but if the Khalifa took such a decision, then there must be a wisdom in it.” – Now, now, wisdom in such an unislamic decision, you must be really joking Mr. M.D.T. You prefer to follow blindly a Caliph who is deviating you from the teachings of Islam? What kind of Muslim are you? Whenever even a Hadith does not tally with a verse of the Quran, we must reject it, giving precedence to the pure Quran.

 

Now, when people like you have gone against the teachings of the Quran, and have started social boycott, we on our part like Allah told us in the Holy Quran, whenever there is the appearance of a Messenger of Allah and even the near people, family members reject the signs of Allah and the Messenger of Allah, then:

 

“You shall not find a people who believe in Allah and the latter day befriending those who act in opposition to Allah and His Apostle, even though they were their (own) fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kinsfolk; these are they into whose hearts He has impressed faith, and whom He has strengthened with an inspiration from Him: and He will cause them to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein; Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him these are Allah's party: now surely the party of Allah are the successful ones.” (58 : 23)

 

That’s why Allah needed to send this humble self for the reform of not only Ahmadiyya Jamaat, but the whole Ummat of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the world as a whole!   

 

Peace be upon those who follow the guidance from Allah, who remain connected to Allah night and day in prayer and whenever they face trials of all sorts, they remain ever firm in their stand, especially if they have as their Leader the Messenger of Allah to lead them towards what is best for them: The love of Allah (Most High), be it in this world and the Hereafter. I do not say that I am the last Khalifatullah, Muhyi-ud-Din and Mujaddid. Far from this, I say that others will come after me, who shall be light bearers of truth from Allah, who shall preach to the world (of their era) the message of Islam and re-establish the glory of Islam when the teachings of Islam will be trampled under the feet of so-called Mullahs and mundane elected caliphs who are deprived of guidance of Allah like we are witnessing in this era.

 

The garden of ISLAM shall flourish O people, and you personally or your children or your children’s children shall see the attainment of this divine promise for “La-Ghaliba Illallah” (No Victor but Allah)! Insha-Allah, Ameen.