Islamabad, Tilford, UK, 31 March 2025: At approximately 11 am local time, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, made his way into the Mubarak Mosque to lead the congregation in Eid-ul-Fitr prayer and deliver the Eid sermon.
A large gathering of Ahmadis – men, women, and children – assembled in Islamabad to offer Eid-ul-Fitr 2025 prayer behind their beloved imam, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, and to listen to his sermon.
Following the Eid prayer, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa recited tashahud, ta‘awwuz, Surah al-Fatihah, and said:
“Ramadan concluded yesterday, and today, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, we are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr – a day of joy. This joy stems from the good deeds we performed during Ramadan and the commitments we made and renewed to continue on the path of righteousness.
“However, Eid is not merely a day of celebration; it is also a day of reaffirming our pledge to uphold and sustain the virtuous practices we observed throughout Ramadan. Only then will this truly be an Eid in its fullest and most meaningful sense.”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa explained that a true believer is the one whom the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him, described as someone who remains steadfast in righteousness, resolving to continue performing good deeds and abstaining from evil. Merely refraining from wrongdoing is not true piety; rather, the essence of righteousness lies in the consistent practice of virtue. Hence, on this blessed day of Eid, we reaffirm our commitment to uphold the lessons we learned during Ramadan. We pledge to continue fulfilling the obligations of serving humanity (huquq-ul-ibad) just as we did throughout the month of fasting. And it is in the joy of making this solemn commitment that we celebrate this day of Eid.
Huzooraa said, “This Eid thus serves as an opportunity to remind us of our commitments.” He said therefore, we should not spend this day merely in play, amusement, and wearing new clothes. Rather, we must reflect on the lesson that Eid brings for us – that we must continue practicing righteousness. We must fulfil both our duties to Allah the Almighty and our obligations towards His creation.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“Today, we must make this pledge, for it is this very commitment that has brought us together here on the day of Eid. We have gathered to reaffirm our dedication, just as we do every Eid. The steps we took towards righteousness during Ramadan must now continue to advance even further. It is in this spirit that we are assembled here today – both to pray and to rejoice.
“Wearing new clothes or enjoying good food is not the true essence of joy. Rather, real happiness lies in renewing our resolve to uphold the good deeds that Allah the Almighty enabled us to perform. Our joy will only be genuine if we remain steadfast in this commitment. Our true Eid will be when we sustain these virtues, continuously progressing forward in righteousness, in accordance with our abilities.”
Huzooraa said if we fail to uphold this commitment, then the joy we experience today on Eid will be merely fleeting, leaving no lasting impact on our spiritual lives. Eating, drinking, and simply going through life hold no real significance – for even worldly people live in the same manner, and even animals fulfill these basic needs. Such things are not worthy of mention; true significance lies in sustaining the righteousness we cultivated during Ramadan.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“A believer – and a true Ahmadi – benefits only when they undergo a pure transformation within themselves and firmly resolve to make these righteous changes a permanent part of their lives. Otherwise, there will be no difference between an Ahmadi and a non-Ahmadi.”
The Promised Messiahas stated:
“If no transformation is taking place within you, then what distinguishes you from others? In such a case, you are committing a double sin: first, the sin of breaking your pledge, and second, the sin of failing to reform yourself.”
Therefore, on this day, we must reflect on whether we truly find ourselves prepared to fulfill this commitment. Are we sincerely striving to uphold the promises we have made to Allah the Almighty?
Huzooraa said:
“The true objective should be that Eid-ul-Fitr serves as a testament that, through a month of fasting, we have found God. And when one attains nearness to God, progress in righteousness must follow.”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that Eid is not merely a day of joy; it is also a day of reflection. On regular days, five daily prayers are obligatory upon us, yet on Eid, we offer six prayers. Thus, this day itself serves as a reminder to advance towards Allah. We must recognise that, in addition to celebrating, this day also comes with the responsibility of fulfilling acts of worship. This should instill in us the lifelong remembrance that on this day, we pledged to elevate our standards of righteousness. We resolved to walk in obedience to Allah’s commandments while also fulfilling the rights of His creation, for serving humanity is, in itself, a form of worship.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra once gave an example of a person who claims to have found God but remains content with superficial aspects. Such a person is like a madman who does not understand the value of diamonds, jewels, or money. Instead, he considers anything that shines – such as glass shards or polished stones – to be precious. True appreciation can only come to one who recognises the worth of real diamonds and genuine gems. The same principle applies to spirituality: only one who understands the essence of true worship and righteousness can be called a true believer.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said to attain such recognition; a person must develop a strong connection with Allah the Almighty. This enables them to refine themselves into a radiant jewel – one that Allah is pleased with. Otherwise, there is little difference between a madman and someone who makes no effort to seek the pleasure of Allah.
Huzooraa said:
“For a worldly person, the accumulation of wealth is life’s ultimate goal. Observing the world, we see that many have made material wealth their deity and dedicate their entire existence to its pursuit. A financial loss can drive them to despair and even madness.”
Huzooraa recalled an incident from his time in Ghana. There was a man who was mentally impaired – perhaps due to some worldly loss, as is often the case. His behaviour suggested that he had once suffered a financial setback, for he was obsessed with accumulating wealth. He constantly begged for money but refused to accept coins, insisting instead on receiving banknotes. One day, he approached us as usual, and we called him over to offer him some money. To our surprise, he declined, saying, “I do not need money today; I have become very wealthy.” When we looked at what he considered his great wealth, we found that he had cut cigarette boxes into small pieces, stacking them into a thick bundle, believing it to be a pile of banknotes. In his mind, he had acquired immense riches and, therefore, needed nothing more.
Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’sra example perfectly illustrates this point. Just as a deluded person mistakes worthless scraps for real wealth, someone who rejoices in superficial achievements without true spiritual progress is equally misguided. Such a person is no different from someone who is mentally impaired.
Huzooraa explained that the true joy of a believer lies in attaining nearness to God and securing genuine spiritual wealth – not in mistaking cardboard scraps, glass pieces, or pebbles for priceless jewels.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“If we have truly gained something from this experience [of Ramadan], then it should lead us to develop a deep connection with God. The real expression of celebrating Eid with true joy lies in the recognition that we have indeed attained this nearness to Him.”
The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that Allah the Almighty experiences immense joy when His servants walk on the path of righteousness. He gave the example of a man who loses his laden camel in the desert. After tirelessly searching for it, he finally gives up, exhausted, and lies down to rest. In this state of despair, he falls asleep. Upon waking, he finds his camel standing right before him. The happiness he feels in that moment is immense. Yet, Allah the Almighty experiences even greater joy when His servant turns back to Him in repentance and strives to attain His nearness.
Similarly, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also stated that just as a mother rejoices upon finding her lost child, Allah the Almighty is overjoyed when a person returns to Him.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa highlighted that during Ramadan, those among us who sincerely strove to please Allah and sought to attain Him will continue to receive His grace and blessings, as He has promised.
The Promised Messiahas has stated that while Eid is indeed a blessed day, there is another day even more blessed than this. Unfortunately, people neither seek it nor anticipate it as they should. Had they truly understood its blessings, they would value it and consider it a great bounty. Which day is even greater than Jumu‘ah and the two Eids? It is the day of a person’s sincere repentance – the day that surpasses all other celebrations.
The Promised Messiahas further stated that true repentance must be accompanied by genuine purification. One must completely rid themselves of all forms of impurity and filth. Mere verbal repentance or repetitive words hold no benefit.
Thus, our celebration of Eid should be accompanied by the reflection that during Ramadan, we abstained from many evils and adopted virtues, humbling ourselves in complete devotion to Allah. The true Eid for us was the day we sought refuge in Him.
Huzooraa said that today, in accordance with His command, we are celebrating this joy collectively. However, if a spark of divine love is ignited in a person’s heart through sincere repentance, it will expand into a radiant light, illuminating the heart and protecting one from sin. Gradually, all of their actions and deeds will be carried out solely for the pleasure of Allah. When a person reaches this state, their surroundings are also positively affected – their spouse, children, and those around them benefit. This, in turn, fosters a peaceful and spiritually uplifting environment. And this is precisely the purpose of human creation as defined by Allah the Almighty.
May Allah enable us to fulfil this purpose. May we become those who establish prayer with sincerity. Huzooraa advised that if we previously attended mosques for Tahajjud and Tarawih prayers during Ramadan, then at the very least, we should now make an effort to continue offering nawafil prayers and Tahajjud at home. We should also be willing to spend in the way of Allah, uphold the rights of His creation, work towards resolving disputes, and maintain the virtuous habits we developed during Ramadan.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that let us strive to strengthen all our relationships – whether between in-laws, siblings, friends, or any other social connections – so that Allah may be pleased with us. When He sees that we are acting for His sake, He will fulfil our needs beyond measure.
Let us continue to pray for all Ahmadis, that Allah may envelop them in His grace. There are many Ahmadis across the world who are suffering unjust persecution, such as in Pakistan, where they are deprived even of their right to offer Eid prayers freely. May Allah grant them the opportunity to experience true Eid, allowing them both to develop a closer relationship with Him and to celebrate outwardly in peace. May He enable them to worship freely and fulfil the rights of others. May they continue to attract His blessings. Many Ahmadis, out of fear, were forced to change their prayer locations and schedules for Eid today. In some places, such as Karachi, Ahmadis were even prevented from offering prayers. Rather than stopping the aggressors, authorities instead locked our mosques. May Allah swiftly hold such opponents accountable.
Let us also pray for those who are ill. May Allah grant them health and shower them with His mercy and blessings.
Huzooraa said that we should also remember in our prayers those who make sacrifices for the sake of humanity, whether through financial means or other forms of service. May Allah bless them abundantly. Similarly, may He bestow His immense grace upon those who sacrifice their wealth for the Jamaat and for the propagation of Islam.
Let us pray for the children of martyrs, that Allah may strengthen their faith and continue granting them the blessings earned by their forebears’ sacrifices.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said, “We should also pray for those who have dedicated their lives to the service of Islam. May Allah accept their devotion and enable them to truly live as waqifeen (life devotees) and serve the faith with sincerity.”
Huzooraa also drew our attention to remember the wider Muslim Ummah in our prayers. They are currently facing great hardships, as the forces of falsehood are exerting all their power to harm them. However, many Muslims themselves are weak in faith. May Allah strengthen their faith so they may escape these forces of Dajjal. The only true solution for them is to turn towards Allah. May He grant them the wisdom to recognise and accept the Promised Messiahas, whom He has sent in this era, so that they may attain true happiness.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“We must also pray for those imprisoned in the path of Allah, that He may grant them freedom. May He thwart the schemes of their enemies who seek to strip them of their joy. May He continue to shower us with His grace and blessings so that we may experience true Eid in the most meaningful sense.”
Towards the end, Huzooraa led the congregation in silent prayer and then conveyed ‘Eid Mubarak’ to Ahmadis across the world.
(Report prepared by Al Hakam)