At approximately 16:30 BST on 5 August, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa arrived to hoist the Liwa-e-Ahmadiyyat during the flag hoisting ceremony of Jalsa Salana UK 2022 in Hadeeqatul Mahdi. After hoisting the flag and leading everyone in silent prayer, Huzooraa made his way into the main Jalsa Gah for the inaugural session of Jalsa Salana UK 2022.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa invited Mahmood Ahmad Wardi Sahib to recite a portion from the Holy Quran – Surah aal-e-Imran, verses 103-108 – followed by its Urdu translation. Syed Ashiq Hussain Sahib was then called to recite a Persian poem written by the Promised Messiahas in praise and honour of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa. Murtaza Manan Sahib was then invited to read an Urdu poem of the Promised Messiahas which was about the importance of living a life of utmost humility for the sake of Allah the Almighty.
Huzooraa then took to the podium to deliver his address. Huzooraa conveyed his salaam, and after reciting tashahud, ta‘awuz, Huzooraa said that the purpose everyone had convened at Jalsa Salana was to improve religious conditions, our understanding of Allah, taqwa, expand and improve brotherhood, to pay attention to the rights of Allah and mankind and to prepare ourselves to be able to spread Islam. These were the high goals for which Jalsa Salana was held and for which everyone gathered.
Jalsa Salana has no worldly purpose but in an age of spiritual darkness, by entering the bai‘at of the Promised Messiahas who was the most ardent follower of the Holy Prophet, we have pledged to create a revolution within ourselves and our future generations. We have pledged to reform the whole of the world; to ensure the world followed the Holy Prophetsa.
The Promised Messiahas once said that in this age the people of the world were thirsty for spiritual water as the world had dried out of spiritual sustenance. The world is full of darkness and spirituality no longer existed. For this reason, it was necessary that divine water and light ascended upon the earth and blessed humanity. The Promised Messiahas said that we should be thankful that this water had arrived, however, regrettably most were unthankful. We, as Ahmadis, were therefore blessed to be part of the pledge to gain benefit from this spiritual water and to then ensure our future generations partook of it as well. To attain this blessing is a huge responsibility and goal for us, Huzooraa said.
The mission given to us was not limited to ourselves and our future generations, rather we are to ensure the whole world benefits from this divine water because although the water was present, most did not benefit from it. Ahmadis are from those few who took benefit but we must ensure to spread it throughout the world too. For this, it was essential we improved and paid attention to our spiritual and religious conditions and created a revolution within ourselves to honour the pledge we made to the Imam of the Age.
We should always keep in mind that if we did not give our utmost to create a spiritual revolution within ourselves, then our pledges were empty and hollow, Huzooraa emphasised. If we, ourselves did not change for the better, then how could we improve future generations?
The Promised Messiahas always stressed that we should ponder over the bai‘at and why we pledged it. One important element of our pledge is seeking forgiveness and repentance from Allah – tauba. However, this repentance should not be limited to words or be a temporary act, as Allah knew the conditions of our hearts and accepted true repentance.
True repentance is when someone created a pure transformation within themselves which then Allah accepted.
Discussing why bai‘at and repentance were intertwined, the Promised Messiahas said that when one carried out bai‘at they pledged to create within themselves a transformation after pledging to their Imam and joining him through absolute love and obedience. The Promised Messiahas said that no community or nation could be truly ready until they had absolute obedience that was borne out of sincerity and passion.
The Promised Messiahas said that Allah desired to make this Jamaat a model for the world. And for this, we must adopt true taqwa. Allah says in the Holy Quran that He is with those who are righteous. Giving an example, the Promised Messiahas said that if someone who was ill was not treated and prayed for, their illness would not go away. The illness of sin also existed, which needed spiritual treatment. Therefore, it should not be the case that we leave the illness of sins and let it consume us, the Promised Messiahas said.
The Promised Messiahas said that when the Muslims were not acting according to Islam, the enemies of Islam overtook them. The fear of Allah lies in whether our deeds and actions coincide – if they did not, then the wrath of Allah would become manifest upon such a one.
Every member of the Jamaat should ensure their deeds and actions were the same and there was no hypocrisy, the Promised Messiahas stressed.
Allah was indifferent, for this reason, we should fear Him. Even the Holy Prophetsa prayed profusely before the Battle of Badr as he was unaware of any hidden elements within the promises of victory made to him by Allah.
On the importance of adopting a life of humility, the Promised Messiahas said it was a branch of taqwa and essential in growing closer to Allah. The Promised Messiahas said we should avoid anger as this grew from arrogance. No one should look down upon another as this was arrogance and only Allah truly knew who was higher in status. Those who showed arrogance would ultimately perish. The Promised Messiahas said someone was truly higher in rank when they spoke to everyone at the same level and with respect, not only to those who were well respected in society or had a high worldly rank. In the eyes of Allah, only those had a high rank who were righteous.
The Promised Messiahas also emphasised that Jamaat members were held more accountable (in the eyes of Allah) compared to others as the world looked to them for an example. Therefore, we should pray to Allah and seek a life of humility like the Companionsra of the Holy Prophetsa did. We should pray, “Guidance upon the right path” but also keep in mind that for the acceptance of this prayer, action and a change was required on our part. The Companionsra of the Holy Prophetsa created this change within themselves and followed every footstep and way of the Holy Prophetsa, day and night.
Talking about true believers, the Promised Messiahas said that until Allah, Himself, did not say that “This person is mine”, no one could be called a true believer. Allah had to make this claim. The Promised Messiahas narrated a story of a Muslim who preached to a Jew about Islam. The Jew knew the bad ways and actions of that Muslim and in response said to the Muslim that Islam required action and not mere words. Therefore, mere words gave no benefit – action is the prerequisite to true transformation.
To become a true believer, we must make our words and deeds the same, Huzooraa said. And this would be borne through adopting taqwa and a life of pure changes.
As horses were tied on the borders to guard against the enemies, we should guard our faith too, the Promised Messiahas said. The outward condition of the Muslims Ummah was distraught and they had lost all power, the Promised Messiahas said, and now, if the internal spiritual and moral condition of the Jamaat members lowered, then there was no hope for reformation. The condition of the Muslims should therefore serve as a sign for us.
The Promised Messiahas was deeply hurt seeing the conditions of Muslims and desired for the Jamaat to create a positive change through which no non-Muslim could accuse Islam of anything negative. People used the actions of Muslims to blame Islam, therefore Ahmadis Muslims should create such positive changes within themselves that even this would become impossible.
If we adopted the ways of righteousness, no one could overcome us, the Promised Messiahas declared. He said the Jamaat should create a moral revolution within themselves. Even if one spoke in a distasteful manner towards us, we should respond softly, without anger. The Holy Prophetsa was physically and verbally attacked but in response, he prayed for his enemies and ultimately his enemies could never disgrace him and themselves were disgraced or fell to his feet in obedience.
A true believer walked the earth and met humans but in reality, inside, they were from another world because their station and purity were much higher.
The Promised Messiahas said that Allah gave glad tidings to him and his Jamaat but could his Jamaat members be those who were from a lowly spiritual condition? Certainly not. Therefore, if we desired to be part of these glad tidings then we should escape the lowly conditions of our souls and reach the pinnacle of spirituality.
Huzooraa said we should cherish and honour the anguish of the Promised Messiahas which he had for his Jamaat to reach high spiritual stations – the rank of nafs-e-mutma‘ina; The soul at peace.
The Promised Messiahas said that the Holy Prophetsa said that the one who raised their hands to pray with certainty of faith, Allah did not let their prayer go to waste. Therefore, we should pray before Allah and create “miracles” in this way, which include the “miracle” of morals that early Muslims showed to the world and in turn spread Islam. Even the Western world had accepted that Islamic teachings were such that the world was drawn to them.
Exhorting the Jamaat members, the Promised Messiahas said that those who showed a moral change within themselves to their neighbours are manifesting a type of miracle. Therefore, with great effort, we should try to eradicate our weaknesses and seek the help and assistance of Allah the Almighty.
The Promised Messiahas said that it was also upon us to call the world to Islam as this teaching was of great benefit – it mattered not if one accepted, our duty was to call.
We should adopt love, harmony and respect amongst each other and leave all quarrels and fights. We should seek true forgiveness from Allah and become solely His. The Promised Messiahas said that if we became truly Allah’s and exerted efforts to spread His faith, then Allah would remove all obstacles and opposition Himself. However, if we did not do this, then Allah cared not at all for us. Without Allah’s decree, nothing could occur on earth – therefore we should aim to become solely His.
The Promised Messiahas said he had said these words out of pure sincerity and none should let them go to waste. We were all to leave this world one day – if we were in a good condition in the sight of Allah then there are facilitations, otherwise hell awaited.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masihaa prayed that we all acted upon the words of the Promised Messiahas, honoured our bai‘at, stayed protected from the ill effects of the world and increased in our faith. Huzooraa also prayed that we all spiritually benefited from the grace of Jalsa Salana.