Text Box: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Eid Sermon Munir Ahmad Azim Hazrat Amir’ul Momeneen Muhyi-Ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam 21 September 2009 EID MUBARAK (Summary of Eid Sermon) After having greeted everybody with the Salutations of Peace and Eid Mubarak, the Khalifatullah read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and then he said: The festival of Eid-ul-Fitr contains in itself several lessons. Whoever witnesses signs of Allah without drawing lessons is worthless. The believer must learn lessons from everything. I draw your attention to some warnings that Eid-ul-Fitr contains. If you take advantage of it this will result in an extraordinary change and you will taste the real pleasure of Eid-ul-Fitr. As long as there is no pleasure in the heart, there will be no Eid. Will a family where someone is dead, will it also celebrate Eid? The woman who has under her eyes the corpse of her husband; even if you present before her all the pleasures of the world, you will not be able to stop her tears. For someone whose heart is in distress there is no joy. Eid-ul-Fitr means the joy in the heart and the one who has no joy there is no Eid. Now I ask you today who are happy and who say that today is called Eid-ul-Fitr, is there any difference between yesterday and today? Like it was yesterday, it is the same today. Is it a happy day because some wear fancy clothes or that others have prepared delicious meals? If that’s why today is a day of joy, would we not have done the same thing yesterday? Do you know why your joy is justified today? This is because Allah had imposed a burden upon you and you have fully completed it. So, Eid-ul-Fitr is a day of joy, yes, but only for the one who has fulfilled all the commandments of God. You have been asked not to eat between specific hours and to abstain from sex while you fast. Allah wanted you to implore Him and that you excel in His worship. For the one who has not accomplished such commandments, why is he happy? Being happy for no reason is a sign of madness. The student who has learned nothing will not be happy at the approach of his examinations. Happy will be only the one who has studied well for he knows that when he passes his examinations this would be a success for him. Eid-ul-Fitr is a festive day for the one who has been faithful to the commandments of Allah. But it is a day of mourning for those who have forgotten these commandments; for today is the Day of Judgement and the people are gathered. The state and the clothes of each person prove that they are here to present their account. For the one who did nothing for himself, it is a day of sorrow and grief. You must understand well that Eid is a means of spiritual elevation. For those who throughout the course of the year did not observe the Tahajjud, that is the supererogatory prayers which are observed very early in the morning, during Ramadan they fulfilled these prayers. And it is a testimony against their own selves that the observance of the Tahajjud prayers was not difficult for them. Those who complain that they cannot wake up for Tahajjud, they are guilty in the eyes of Allah. That’s why I said that Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr brings in their wake lessons. People usually sleep more during the night of Eid, but it should have been otherwise, because the Tahajjud prayers are one of the best ways to be close to Allah. It is for this reason that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said about one of his companions that he was a very respectable, but he should observe the Tahajjud prayers. So keep up the good habits that you adopted during Ramadan and do not abandon them. The Tahajjud prayers are one of the favours of Allah and the Holy Quran has mentioned about it, saying: “Verily getting up at night is the most effective way to control and to achieve efficiency in words of prayers.” It’s human nature to love pretty things. If you go into a forest you will naturally be attracted to the flowers. But why don’t you run towards the garden of Allah where there are flowers for your spiritual progress? Another lesson to be drawn from the month of Ramadan is that people who have always been afraid of the slightest difficulty, these people have endured hunger and thirst and other difficulties during Ramadan. During the short summer nights they have gotten up very early, which proves they can also wake up during the winter nights and endure other problems. The lesson is that they should show more determination to serve the religion and they should not be afraid of the slightest difficulty. There is a big difference when there is determination and when there is none of it. During Ramadan you’re used to the idea that you will have to endure hunger and thirst for 14 hours or more, so that is why you have been able to do it. But other days when there is no intention, it is difficult to bear the same hunger for two hours. With intention we can accomplish great works. Therefore make the firm intention that henceforth you will no longer be neglectful with respect to your duty to Allah’s religion. And do not consider matters of religion as a burden. A mother who, by concern for the welfare of her child remains awake throughout a cold night and if anyone says to this woman to go to bed, and not to get tired, the woman will not appreciate at all the advice of that person; because for her, these difficulties are not difficulties at all. Likewise stay awake at night to study is not a burden for the student who knows the value of education. Similarly the difficulties we encounter in serving the religion of God are not difficulties. If you carry out your promise that you made on the hand of the Khalifatullah Muhyi-ud-Din of this era, that you will give preference to religion instead of giving preference to mundane matters, that you will not turn your backs on the difficulties encountered, then this would be a good news, and there is no greater grace than that. The promise is that you’ll gladly endure the difficulties you encounter to reach the proximity of Allah. How is it possible that a mother is willing to spend a sleepless night for the welfare of her child or a student for his studies, but you, to gain the hand of God you are not prepared to face difficulties? These so-called problems are nothing, for the result will be peace and an eternal well-being. Be certain that to face difficulties in the way of Allah is a great favour. Stay hungry for the cause of Allah is tastier than the most delicious dishes. He who is naked for the cause of Allah, He (Allah) will clothe him. Nothing, no love can compete with the love of God. He who leaves his beloved for Allah, Allah will give him others who would love even more. Whoever for the cause of Allah abandons his family, house, home and property of this world God will not let his actions go to waste but each of hi sacrifices are like a grain which Allah multiplies. The companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) have made sacrifices for the cause of Allah. But compared to the rewards, these sacrifices were nothing. They left their homeland as persecuted people, but they returned as Masters. Have their sacrifices gone to waste? Once Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) a companion of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was seen somewhere and he had with him a handkerchief belonging to the royal King of Persia, Chosroes. Each time he blew his nose in the handkerchief. The others were surprised to see a simple man with such a royal object. He told them: “I’ve always stayed in the mosque of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) so as not to lose a single word of his. There were times that in this state that I became so hungry that rendered me speechless. Sometimes I stay hungry for seven or eight hours. Once when I was very hungry, Hazrat Umar came by and I asked him to explain a verse about charity. He gave me the explanation and then he left. Then Hazrat Abu Bakr, who used to do a lot of charity, came and I asked him about the same subject and he did the same (as Hazrat Umar). Do I not know the meaning of this verse? My intention was to draw their attention to my plight and that they may give me something to eat. Then the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) who had understood everything came out and told me to bring other poor people with me and to come to his place. We were seven in all. He had at his place a bowl of milk and he told me to let the others drink first. I was afraid that all the milk will finish and that it remains not anything for me. But they all drank and the bowl was still filled to the brim. Then he gave it to me and I drank to my fill. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) told me to drink more and I drank until I felt that the milk spurted from my fingernails. There were times I was so hungry that I fell unconscious. People thought I had a seizure and they beat me with shoes to make me conscious again. They did not know it was because of my hunger. That was my condition before and now I blow my nose in the royal handkerchief of Chosroes who was the master of half the world.” Accomplishing a virtue contains in itself a great contentment (which gives oneself satisfaction). He who has saved someone from drowning is happier than a king who had conquered a country. Helping an abandoned person is a very noble act and brings great joy. And the most abandoned of all is the one who is far from God. The situation of the hungry is better than a king who possesses immense wealth, but who is far from God. Do not turn to the pleasures of this world; they are unreal. The luxuries and comforts of the people of this world are nothing when they have no connection with Allah. You are fortunate ones because you have a friendship with God. Today is Eid and you distributed charity according to your means. But today people from all over the world celebrate Eid only exteriorly but there is only sadness and desolation in their homes. They have no connection with God and God has ignored them. They left the bosom of the grace of Allah and they have destroyed themselves. Your hands are in that of Allah. That is why apart from you, there is no real Eid for anyone. Those who lived in the era of a Messenger of Allah and accept him, they are allowed to be happy. Many have waited for this time without having seen this Envoy of God. This time was foretold by previous prophets. You, you’ve accepted this Messenger; so you are permitted to be happy. Now I ask you to turn your attention to those who are totally alien to God; those who have made a servant of Allah a god, when that same servant was no more superior than Moses (as) or Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), then what Eid is there for those people who have left the true God and who have made a simple man a god. Is there Eid for those about whom Allah says that no nation ever before had tasted their punishment? Their case deserves the greatest sympathy, although apparently they are happy and they live in opulence. But to your eyes they are dead. They deserve compassion and should be attracted to Allah. Those who call themselves Ahmadiyya Muslims and who are celebrating Eid at the same time as us also deserve our compassion because they have rejected the manifestation and revelation from Allah and they claim to be defenders of the Nizam-e-Jamaat. The Promised Messiah has written several books to make people understand about revelation and they took over a century to make others understand and to make them accept that God still speaks with His servants. But today they have rejected all this, then what Eid can there be for those who refused to listen to the sign or the message of Allah? There has been a lot of laziness. Now it’s time for us all, old and young, ignorant and learned ones to stand up to serve the faith. The one who does not know how to read or write is not called an ignorant for the Holy Prophet himself could neither read nor write. Ignorant is he who is devoid of any divine knowledge. The Promised Messiah has said that man does not survive with bread. But it is the divine word that keeps them alive. Thus acquire the divine knowledge; Allah has given you a treasure. A force and a weapon have been offered to you. If you do not use them then your strength will be wasted and your weapon inoperable. This spiritual force that was offered to you, use it in the path of Allah, otherwise you will be deprived of it just like a member of your body is atrophied when you do not use it. Take courage and transmit the message of Allah to the ends of the earth. Do not be ashamed of the sacrifices you have to do in this path. Stand up with the only goal of spreading to the world those treasures of divine knowledge. It is mentioned in the Hadith that the Messiah will distribute wealth but people will refuse it. The Messenger of Allah of the last century and that of this century also have opened the treasures of the Holy Quran, spread them to the world. The present era has given us computers so that we can reach everyone rich and poor. No joy can be perfect as long as we do not share it with our brothers. All inhabitants of the earth; be them Jews, Christians or Hindus are our brothers because we all descend from the children of Adam. So how is it possible that we meet Allah and we are neglectful to them? I advice you and I pray that Allah gives us the grace to spread these treasures that are being offered to us to the world. The capabilities that you possess – use them! Do not sit idle as long as the religion of Allah has not reached every corner of the world. Your responsibility will not finish until you do not bring the world in the presence of Allah. Let me cite an anecdote that I’ve heard in a speech; taken from the speech of the second caliph. There was once a war between Greece and Turkey. The Greeks had a powerful fortress, perched on a mountain. The Greeks thought that their fortresses would remain solid for a long time that the Turks would not be able to attack it. A Turkish commander, who had a sense of duty and honour to his country has reunite the remaining of his troops and addressed them a speech. In his speech he criticized cowardice and fear. He also emphasized that it was better to die with honour and renown than live in fear and without renown. Then with great force they attacked the fortress. They were more vulnerable than the Greeks, as they had to climb the mountain to reach the fortress. They attacked several times, but without success. Towards the end the general was hit by a bullet and was transported from the battlefield to be treated. The Greeks rejoiced, believing that it would sound the death knell for the defeat of the Turks. But it was in the same side that was found the victory of the Turks. The NCOs were gathered around their beloved general to treat his injuries. But he told them: “Do not touch me. If you really love me and want to show your love for me, then you have to dig my grave, up there in that fortress. If you cannot do it, then let my body here, to the mercy of the crows and dogs.” These words intoxicated the soldiers to such an extent that they attacked the fortress with such force that they successfully seized the fortress. Similarly it is reported that once an eagle had kidnapped a child and had put him in its nest, perched on a mountain. The mother followed the eagle to the top of the mountain and managed to take her child from the nest. It was after that that she was aware where she was, and she had difficulty climbing down. And it was after many efforts that the rescue team managed to get them. He asked: “How is it that you climb up (that mountain)?” She replied: “I do not know. I only knew that the eagle had kidnapped my child and had brought him up there.” The woman to save her child has accomplished a difficult task that even men could not accomplish. So tell me, should you not serve one and all for Allah’s religion, just like this woman did for her child or as the general did for the honour of his country? Do you not see the body of the blessed Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is wounded from all parts with blame and criticism? Do not you see that Islam is now only in name and that Islam is like a body without life? Do you bear to see Allah, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and Islam mutilated by so many injuries? And you’re sitting there doing nothing about it. Should you not be a true servant of Allah, Islam and the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)? Lead the world in that direction where it can recognize the greatness of Allah, Islam and the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him). My God is free from defects, but little by little, people have put on my Lord all kinds of defects. Thus remove all thee misconceptions that people have with my Lord. And stand up with the idea that you’ll make the world reunite together in a single religion. And save the poor and those in need and sacrifice all your comfort and pleasure in the way of Allah. May Allah give us the opportunity to do so. I have also in the past pointed out that the meaning of prayer is based on certain conditions, that is, doing the praises of Allah, reciting Sura Al-Fatiha and the Darood Shariff. Then make a firm intention that Allah will grant our supplications, and Allah will give us the opportunity to serve the Muhammadiyya Ummah (peace be upon the Prophet of Islam) in a better way and make the world know the true teachings of Islam. It is at this point in time that we will have a real Eid-ul-Fitr, Insha-Allah.