On 23 August 2024, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa arrived in Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, Tilford, UK and delivered the Friday Sermon.
At the outset, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“Alhamdulillah, the Jalsa Salana Germany is starting today. The Jamaat in Germany wanted me to be present at the Jalsa, but human limitations, including health concerns, are always a factor. For this reason, following the doctor’s advice, the Germany visit had to be suspended at the last moment. It was then decided that I should participate in the Jalsa programmes in Germany via MTA from here and address those attending the Jalsa in Germany from here as well. This will also be possible only with the grace of Allah the Almighty, so please pray that Allah grants the ability to do so.”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa then expressed gratitude to God Almighty that He had granted us such means that he could communicate with those attending Jalsa in Germany, and stated that through this means, around 60 to 70 percent of the gap caused by not being able to attend the Jalsa personally would be bridged. Huzooraa prayed that may Allah bless the Jalsa, its arrangements, and help the attendees to take full benefit from it.
Huzooraa highlighted that in the past, Jalsa Germany used to take place in a hall, but due to the change in venue, there may be some challenges. He instructed the workers to do their best with a spirit of serving and always demonstrate good manners. Every volunteer in every department should interact with guests cheerfully, carry out their duties with prayers, and work with the mindset that they are serving the guests of the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him. No matter the circumstances, they should maintain high standards of conduct and continue serving.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa advised that guests should also keep the purpose of the Jalsa in mind and strive to achieve this purpose over these three days, enduring any discomfort they may encounter. Huzooraa said:
“The purpose of the Jalsa that I outlined during the Jalsa Salana UK remains the same, and this is the goal we must strive to achieve wherever the Jalsa is held.
“Always remember that among the blessings of Allah, this is a great favour bestowed upon us through the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him – that once a year we gather to increase our spiritual and moral standards. We organise programmes that bring us closer to Allah and increase us in righteousness.
“Spend these days with the intention of setting high standards of moral conduct and fulfilling the rights of one another. We should foster love, affection, and connection among ourselves, resolve any grievances, and strive to seek the pleasure of Allah. We must protect ourselves from all kinds of frivolities. These are the very things that the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, expected from us.”
Huzooraa instructed that we should strive to build a strong relationship with Allah the Almighty and try our level best to fulfil the rights of His Creation, and put in every effort to elevate our level of righteousness.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa said:
“It is a great blessing from Allah upon us that He granted us the strength to accept the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him. However, if after accepting him and pledging allegiance to him, we are not striving to achieve the objectives of spiritual progress and attaining high moral standards, then we are not fulfilling the true purpose of our pledge. These are things that everyone participating [in Jalsa] should always remember.”
The Promised Messiahas said:
“O’ all those who consider yourselves to be part of my Jamaat, you will only be counted as such in the heavens when you truly tread the paths of righteousness.”
Huzooraa said:
“This is the very purpose of attending the Jalsa and becoming a true Ahmadi, as outlined by the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him. Every Ahmadi should participate in the Jalsa with the intention of cultivating these qualities within themselves.
“Take full advantage of the environment Allah has provided for you and strive during these days to purify yourself from all worldly impurities. Purify yourself with the intention that in the future, you will continue to keep yourself free from these impurities, remain virtuous, and always strive to give precedence to faith over worldly matters, utilising all your abilities to achieve this.”
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa stated that the remembrance and mention of Allah should be constantly kept in mind by every Ahmadi, and the effort should always be to ensure that every action is done for the sake of Allah’s pleasure. Every Ahmadi should avoid anything that Allah has prohibited, always keeping in mind that every movement and stillness is observed for the sake of Allah the Almighty. Thus, no action should be undertaken that could cause the displeasure of God.
Huzooraa said:
“Thus today, let us make this pledge, that we will make every possible effort to fulfil the pledge of allegiance we have made to the Promised Messiahas. Following his teachings and while fulfilling his mission, we will strive with all our might to bring faith to the highest level, rather than lowering it and becoming entangled in worldly pursuits. We will always adhere to the teachings of the Quran so that we may be counted among the best of communities, the one for which Allah has kept His divine favours. We pledge that we will establish good examples through all our actions. We commit that this faith and these teachings will forever be a part of our hearts and our deeds, insha-Allah, and we will always keep our tongues engaged in the remembrance of Allah as commanded by Him, where He says, ‘O believers, remember Allah in abundance.’”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that through the Jalsa, Allah has granted us the opportunity to increase in the remembrance of Him, to focus more on our acts of worship, and to elevate our standards of righteousness. As the Promised Messiahas stated, through this, Allah will manifest His grace and favours towards us in a tangible way. Therefore, by increasing in righteousness, Allah’s grace and favour will become evident, and one way to achieve this is by fulfilling the rights of Allah, which is obtained through worship and the remembrance of Him.
Huzooraa said:
“A sincere Ahmadi and a true Ahmadi should deeply reflect on and keep in mind at all times that every phrase and every word that the Promised Messiahas uttered while advising his community should be thought-provoking. No matter how much we claim to be Ahmadis, if Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, has not included us in that list, then our claim to being an Ahmadi is worthless, and our purpose in attending these gatherings is in vain. Therefore, during these days, pray earnestly, strengthen your relationship with Allah, engage in the remembrance of Him, and continue to dispel the darkness within your heart, removing all forms of spiritual ignorance.”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“In this regard, I would like to suggest that there is a divine vision of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh in which an elder advised that every member of the Jamaat, i.e., every adult, should recite this Durood Sharif 200 times a day:
سُبْحَانَ اللّٰہِ وَبِحَمْدِہ سُبْحَانَ اللّٰہِ الْعَظِیْمِ اَللّٰھُمّ صَلِّ عَلیٰ مُحَمّدٍ و اٰلِ مُحَمّدٍ
“‘Holy is Allah and worthy of all praise, Holy is Allah, the Great. O Allah, send down Your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the progeny of Muhammad.’
“Those of middle age, from 15 to 25 years old, should recite it at least 100 times. Children should recite it at least 33 times. Little kids should be helped by their parents to recite it three or four times. Additionally, everyone should seek forgiveness (Istighfar) 100 times.
“I also include the following prayer in this:
رَبِّ کُلُّ شَیْئٍ خَادِمُکَ رَبِّ فَاحْفَظْنِیْ وَانْصُرْنِیْ وَارْحَمْنِیْ
“‘O my Lord everything serves You. So O my Lord, protect me and help me and have mercy on me.’
“Recite this prayer especially during these days and generally always. In the vision, it was shown [to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh] that if you do this, you will be in a fortress where even satan cannot enter. The walls of this fortress are made of iron, reaching up to the sky, leaving no openings for satan to attack.
“In these times, when Satan attempts to assault us from every direction, both as a community and globally, the only means of protection is to emphasise prayers. This Durood Sharif and remembrance of Allah should become a permanent part of our lives, not just during the Jalsa but always. Everyone—children, adults, men, and women—should pay attention to this.”
Huzooraa highlighted that there will be many speeches at the Jalsa aimed at intellectual and spiritual development. We should listen to them attentively and seek Allah’s help to reform us, as we cannot achieve this by our own strength.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa advised us to pray in the following words:
“O my dear God, we implore Thee, save us from being lost. Grant us abundant participation in the noble purpose for which we have gathered here and bestow Your grace upon us, for without Your grace, we can do nothing. Purify our hearts so that we do not merely enjoy the intellectual and literary aspects of what we hear but become elevated in the training and spiritual standards that bring us closer to You. Let these become a part of our lives and enable us to act upon them and pass them on to our generations.”
Huzooraa said that when we earnestly seek to benefit from the Jalsa programmes with good intentions and strive to apply every lesson to our lives, only then will we be able to bring about the revolution expected by the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him. Otherwise, with the world currently immersed in trivialities, we cannot avoid this. It is a matter of great concern. Every Ahmadi should keep the purpose of their pledge in mind.
As we have been advised by the Promised Messiahas, we should strive to grow in brotherhood and work on resolving old grievances. We should not only avoid past conflicts but also work to end them and eliminate personal animosities. If we have true faith in the Promised Messiahas, we should resolve conflicts and strengthen our bonds with one another. Muslims should not cause distress to one another, and we should engage in the remembrance of Allah with perfect faith.
Huzooraa explained that sometimes, even disputes occur with office-bearers during or after the Jalsa. However, if the purpose of the Jalsa remains clear in our minds, these grievances will also be resolved. The office-bearers should also work to remove personal pride and grievances and strive to fulfil the promise of brotherhood. If we consider ourselves the workers of the Khalifa and follow his instructions, only then we will become true bearers of the message of peace and security and bring about a revolution in the world, fulfilling the purpose of the Promised Messiah’sas advent.
Huzooraa reiterated that during these days, as the Promised Messiahas has advised, we should strive to examine ourselves and consider that we must avoid arrogance. It is this arrogance that led to the denial of the Prophets, and it is this arrogance that incites individuals against the system of the Jamaat. It is also this arrogance that causes us to fight among ourselves, and we must make every effort to avoid it. Moreover, we should focus on developing genuine compassion for Allah’s Creation. People are impressed by our gatherings because Ahmadis, with humility, honour their guests. In this way, those who come to our events should take away positive impressions from every Ahmadi they encounter.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said that during the days of Jalsa, we should create a peaceful environment through our words and actions, and apply this in our lives continually. Our goal should be to establish such an impact on the world that people recognise us as those who truly practice the teachings of Islam. It should be evident that it is the true teachings of Islam that can bring genuine peace and security to the world.
Towards the end, Huzooraa instructed every attendee of Jalsa Salana Germany to keep watch, stay alert, and be cautious of the surroundings.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa prayed for the protection and safety of all the participants, and also advised them to visit the exhibitions at Jalsa Salana Germany.