Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra on 29 March 1960 in Rabwah
According to ahadith, the Holy Prophetsa used to recite the following takbirat in abundance on the occasion of Eid[s] while en route to and [on Eid-ul-Adha also] returning from the Eidgah, as well as sitting there:
اَللّٰهُ أكْبَرُ، اللّٰهُ أكْبَرُ، لَا إلٰهَ إلَّا اللّٰهُ، وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلّٰهِ الْحَمْدُ
[“Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, there is none worthy of worship except Allah and Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest and all praise belongs to Allah.”](Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Eidain, Bab al-Takbir Ayyam Mina wa idha Ghada ila Arafah; Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Eidain, Bab Fadl al-Amal fi Ayyam al-Tashriq)
This sunnah of the Holy Prophetsa indicates that the true Eid of the believers is to express the greatness and glory of Allah Almighty. Therefore, our Eid will be considered a true Eid, only if we succeed in establishing the greatness of Allah the Almighty in the world, spreading His name, proving His glory and dedicating all our efforts and endeavours so that the name of God Almighty may be glorified. However, if we fail to realise our duties and if our steps are slow in the field of the sacrifices Islam requires of us for the propagation of the Oneness of God and the establishment of His greatness, then our Eid cannot be called Eid in the true sense.
Hence, today I wish to draw the attention of all the members of my Community to the fact that they should try to celebrate Eid in the truest sense and make this apparent Eid a means of attaining the great spiritual Eid in which the whole world realises the glory of God Almighty.
If the glory of God Almighty is not established in the world then our Eid is not an Eid at all. However, if His glory is established and the world becomes the servant of His Messenger, Muhammad, peace be upon him, then that would be our true Eid because a true servant is only pleased once his master is happy.
Thus, Eid calls for the expansion of the propagation of Islam and the establishment of the glory of God Almighty throughout the world. The glory of God Almighty can only be established when all the members of the Community, young and old, men and women, put emphasis on preaching and strive to unite the world under the banner of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. The prophecies undoubtedly confirm that this revolution shall one day take place and that the world shall bow its head at the threshold of God Almighty, but it is also necessary to make use of prayers, sacrifices and struggle to fulfil the prophecies. (See Tazkirat-ul-Shahadatain, pp. 64-65; Tajalliyat-e-Ilahiyyah, pp. 31-32 and Tabligh-e-Risalat, Vol. 6, p. 8 by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas for further reading)
Therefore, we should expand our preaching efforts as much as possible and continue to raise the name of God Almighty ever higher in the world, because therein lies our honour. Thus can the purpose of the coming of Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, and the Promised Messiahas, be fulfilled.
May Allah the Exalted be with you and may He always enable you to serve Islam with righteousness and piety and may He also instil true faith in your progenies so that the name of the One and Only God may be exalted till the Day of Resurrection and the flag of Islam may continue to soar above the flags of all religions of the world till the Day of Resurrection. O Allah, accept our prayers! Amin.
(Translated by Al Hakam from the original Urdu published in Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 1, pp. 502-503)