Nahe, Germany,
Saturday, 26 October:
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, addressed guests at the
formal inaugural ceremony of Baitul Baseer, Mahdi Abad, Germany.
The ceremony was initiated with the recitation of the Holy Quran after which Amir Sahib Germany, Abdullah Wagishauser presented a brief history of Mahdi Abad – the geographical location of Baitul Baseer.
A number of guests also addressed the congregation. Lt Colonel, Gustav Lunenborg explained how thirty years ago, he saw the banner of “love for all hatred for none” by the Jamaat for the first time. At the time, he thought to himself that the slogan might be deceitful and that those who claim this might not practice it in action. However, today the Jamaat has proved that they also practice what they preach. He said that he was confident that along with the Jamaat, the community can go further to establish human values collectively.
Lt Colonel Lunenborg accepted that they feared and had
reservations for Ahmadis but it has now changed for the contrary.
A representative of the Protestant Church, Pastor Susanne Hahn congratulated the Jamaat and Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa for the new mosque. She expressed how the community has always been open and accommodative to the wider society. Pastor Hahn said she was glad to attend the inaugural ceremony of “a House of God”. Commenting further she expressed, “We believe in the same God … our ways may be different but our destiny is the same.”
Next, the Lord Mayor, Elke Christina Roder
congratulated the Jamaat and Huzooraa for the new mosque. She
acknowledged the good character and behaviour of Ahmadi Muslims and said that
she believed this mosque would promote tolerance and make the society a more
peaceful and pluralistic place.
A Member of Provincial Assembly, Tobias von der
Heide travelled from Kiel to attend the event. He congratulated the Jamaat and
expressed that the Jamaat is our practical partner for the promotion of social
peace and that it is open and much integrated into German society.
After this spoke a Member of the German parliament,
Gero Storjohann. He noted that many ex-Mayors, Mayors of different cities,
and other representatives of federal and provincial institutions were
present at the event and this was a good sign of the mosque bringing many
people together. He said that all aspects he had observed indicated a positive
social and cultural integration of the Ahmadiyya community.
Thereafter, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, addressed the congregation. After reciting Tashahud and Ta‘awuz, Huzooraa thanked all the guests who attended the ceremony. Huzooraa expressed his pleasure to see a great number of local non-Muslim guests attending the event. Huzooraa said that he was glad to know that the locals and guests were well acquainted with Ahmadi Muslims and have interacted with the community. This shows that Ahmadis have had good relations with neighbours.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa noted that the
mosque was situated in a small and pleasant village. Since the environment of
villages is clean and people are simple and gentle, Huzooraa
expressed his wish that the mosque would be a good addition to the existing
values.
History plays an important role and whatever one
hears about Islam, a historical fact check should take place. Islam does not
believe in wars and attacks in the name of religion. Whatever wars were
fought in the early days of Islam were to defend religion as a whole.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa mentioned that
Holy Prophetsa had greatly urged and stressed the rights of neighbours
to be upheld. Huzooraa said that as common human values were
mentioned by a speaker, Islam and the Prophetsa of Islam have instructed
Muslims to adopt good values from any culture.
Islam has also stressed on rights of women; a prime
teaching being that paradise lies under the feet of mothers.
Huzooraa said that along with other values and traditions, purdah and head coverings are also a human value and tradition. Although there can be differences in various faiths and traditions but one ought to see the intention behind them. Purdah is there to enhance a woman’s dignity and respect in the society.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that our religion teaches us to unite on common points rather than just arguing on differences. Holding onto differences is not a uniting principle but finding common grounds can help in establishing durable global peace.
Talking of religious freedom, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa expressed that religion is solely the decision of one’s heart. Whether someone wants to be a Jew, Christian or hold any other creed, they can do so. No coercion should take place in freedom of belief and conscience.
Huzooraa also instructed the local Ahmadis of Baitul Baseer to be diligent in upholding the increased responsibilities that now lay upon them with the mosque.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V, may Allah be his Helper, is on a tour of Germany these days. Having opened the Mubarak Mosque in Fulda and Baitul Hameed Mosque in Wiesbaden over the past couple of weeks Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa today formally unveiled the plaque of Baitul Baseer Mosque in the north of Hamburg. The first Ahmadiyya mosque to be built in Hamburg was Fazl-e-Omar Mosque inaugurated in 1957.
Before delivering his Friday Sermon, Huzooraa
unveiled the plaque and led the congregation in silent prayer which marked the
formal inauguration of Baitul Baseer Mosque. In his sermon, Huzooraa
reminded the Jamaat of the philosophy behind the building of mosques. Worship
of Allah the Almighty being the primary impetus of mosque-building, Huzooraa
stated that the first and foremost responsibility after having built a mosque
is to inhabit it with worshippers who offer their salat in the way that Allah
the Almighty has prescribed. To explain what Allah the Almighty expects
from our prayers, Huzooraa read excerpts from the writings of the
Imam of the Age, The Promised Messiah, peace be upon him.
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa
elaborated that Qayam-us-Salat
requires to keep our salat steadfast and upright, which means that one will
fall short at times but Allah the Almighty expects us to uphold it and offer it
in the best possible manner.
Huzooraa said that salat helps
keep satanic temptations away and that by regularly offering our salat, we
can curb the attack of temptations. There does come a time for a regular
worshipper when Satan gives in and leaves them to carry on treading on the way
that leads to Allah. Thus, Huzooraa said, one should never give up
by not noticing immediate results.
A
believer should stay busy finding the Sirat-e-Mustaqeem
– the right path. Huzooraa referred to the Promised Messiahas
where he states that “Salat is another name for supplication”, hence
anything that one wants should be presented as supplication before the Almighty
God. Presenting an eloquent analogy given by the Promised Messiahas,
Huzooraa said that calling out to Allah and Him replying back
can only happen when one calls from an audible distance and can only hear the
reply if their hearing is not impaired. So what is required is to call out in
the best way and listen carefully to the response from Allah.
This requires continuous supplicating ,
tirelessly and with utmost perseverance. A farmer does not just throw a seed in
soil and sits to see its results; the seed requires good care to be taken, to
be watered and be protected from weathering. The same is the case with
supplication and prayers. The ultimate result of salat and supplication should
be attaining nearness of Allah. If this result is not achieved, one
should worry and realise that there is something wrong and should try and
rectify it.
Huzooraa urged that we should all
contemplate and gauge the depth of our salat and supplication. The basic
element that distinguishes between a believer and a disbeliever, as said
by the Holy Prophet of Islam, peace and blessings be upon him, is Salat. Good
deeds, financial sacrifices and not falling into temptations are routes that
lead us towards better worship.
On 15 October 2019, during his European tour, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa visited Jamia Ahmadiyya Germany. During Huzoor’saa visit, the students of Jamia were fortunate to have a sitting with Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa.
The class started with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by Hadith and nazm; speeches were also prepared and delivered by the students.
During the class, the students had the opportunity to ask Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa various questions and sought guidance on different subjects. Huzooraa asked the students who had never visited London if they had any questions they wished to ask.
One student asked Huzooraa how to attain a close connection with the Almighty God. Upon this, Huzooraa stated that one should continue to pray. Huzooraa further stated that this is God’s promise that those who seek God will ultimately find Him.
Another student asked Huzooraa as to what a student should do if they have a desire to learn a language, which is not taught in Jamia.
Answering the question, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said that such a student should focus on their Jamia studies and finish the Jamia course first. Then the decision will be made later by the administrative body of Jamia, should they feel the need. If so, they will write a report and a decision based on that will be made.
One student asked Huzooraa what should be done if one has a stutter in their speech. Huzooraa stated that he has observed that some missionaries do stutter whilst speaking, but when they deliver speeches, the stutter seizes.
Huzooraa further stated that the main thing is to be relaxed whilst speaking as stutters usually increase when one is nervous or tries to talk fast.
At the end of the class, the students had a group photo with Huzooraa.
“She believed in me when the whole world refuted and attested to my truth when the whole world accused me of falsehood. She offered me compassion and loyalty with her wealth when everyone else had forsaken me” (The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him)
Born: 555 in Mecca, Arabia
Full name: Khadija bint Khuwaylid
Father: Khuwaylid ibn Asad
Mother: Fatima bint Zai‘dah
Tribe: Quraish, Banu Asad
Titles: Tahira (pure), Mother of the believers, Khadija al-Kubrah (Khadija the great)
Date of demise: 619 AD
Hazrat Khadijara was born to a noble and wealthy family. Her father, Khuwaylid ibn Asad, was a merchant. After his demise she took over the family’s business and earned distinction within the Quraish for her fair dealings and piety which gained her the name of Tahira, the pure one.
Even before the advent of Islam, she was renowned for distributing riches to the destitute, generously spending on the needy, financially assisting her relatives and providing women with dowries for their marriages. Unlike her own people, she never believed in, nor worshipped idols. She married twice before the Holy Prophetsa; first to Atiq bin Aidh bin Abdullah and later to Abu Hala bin Al Nabbash; both of her husbands passed away during the earlier years of her life. By the time she married the Holy Prophetsa, she was 40 years old.
Marriage to the Holy Prophetsa
Hazrat Khadijara was an esteemed businesswoman who traded through the primary commerce centres at that time. Since she would not travel with the caravan herself and relied on an agent to trade on her behalf, she was in search of an honest person who would take her merchandise to Syria. Hazrat Abu Talib suggested that she hire the Holy Prophetsa. The integrity and honesty of the Prophetsa brought such blessings that he returned with an unexpected profit. Hazrat Khadija’sra servant, Maysarah, who accompanied the Holy Prophetsa on his journey was full of praise for him. Impressed, she extended the marriage proposal to the Holy Prophetsa, which was accepted and through mutual consent, they got married. The Holy Prophetsa was 25 and Hazrat Khadijara, 40. Despite the disparity between their ages, the union proved extremely successful. The Holy Prophetsa also had children from this great wife.
The first revelation
When the Messengersa of Allah was 40 years old, he received his first revelation. Greatly agitated, he returned home and recounted the whole encounter to his wife and disclosed his fears of the responsibility, which God had placed on him. Her answer reflected unwavering support, faith and love she held for her husband. She consoled him with the following words:
“Allah will never disgrace you [how can God do such a thing], while you are kind and considerate to your relations, help the poor and the forlorn and bear their burdens? You treat guests with honour and help those who are in distress.”
Soon afterwards, she took him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal, a renowned scholar of past religious scriptures, who affirmed the Holy Prophetsa of his prophethood and declared his encounter to be of divine origins. Thus, Hazrat Khadijara was the first person to believe in her husband’s mission and embrace Islam.
Services to Islam
In its nascent years, when Islam was under the constant tempest of oppression, Hazrat Khadijara stood firmly by the Messengersa of Allah and assisted him with moral and financial support. She bequeathed all her wealth at her husband’s disposal for the propagation of Islam. Her services can only be best described in the words of the Holy Prophetsa himself, he said: “She believed in me when the whole world refuted and attested to my veracity when the whole world accused me of falsehood. She offered me compassion and loyalty with her wealth when everyone else had forsaken me” (Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 6, p. 117)
The year of grief
Despite the hardships and atrocities Muslims faced at the hands of the aristocrats of Quraish, they remained as stout as ever and their resolve in the message of Islam only increased. The zenith of oppression was a three-year socio-economic boycott, which forbade dealings with the Muslims and proved to be a time of excessive austerity and privation. Consequently, it took its toll on both the Prophet’ssa beloved wife and his uncle Hazrat Abu Talib, who met their demise shortly after their return from Shib.
Hence, this year is known as the year of grief (Aam-ul-Huzn), owed to the loss of Hazrat Khadijara, a caring wife and a faithful proponent of Islam; and Hazrat Abu Talib, the Prophet’ssa trusted counsellor and uncle who protected him at the cost of his life and demonstrated great fortitude at the face of persecutions till his demise.
Hazrat Khadijara died at the age of 65 and was buried in the Meccan cemetery of Hujoon. The Holy Prophetsa lost his family and Islam lost its valuable defenders.
High regard
Hazrat Khadijara held a distinctive position among the wives of the Holy Prophetsa. He would reminisce fondly of her and often mention her great stature. He once said: “Of all the women in Paradise, the most noble are Hazrat Khadijara bint Khuwaylid, Hazrat Fatimatul Zohrara bint Muhammad, Hazrat Mariam bint Imran, and Hazrat Asiya (wife of Pharoah). (Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 1, p. 293)
Hazrat Khadijara demonstrated unequivocal faith and support for the Prophetsa in the moments when he was alone and helpless. She stood firmly by him and sacrificed her vast wealth to promote her husband’s cause. She remained steadfast and practiced immense patience at the face of the oppositions levelled against her family by the adversaries of Islam. Despite all this, she filled her home with peace and provided her husband solace. It is no wonder she was promised a palace in paradise wherein she was promised no clamour or fatigue. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3819)
“Alas
for My servants! There comes not a Messenger to them but they
mock at him.” (Ch.36: V.31)
A point of contention a recent video has made is upon
the Promised Messiah’sas understanding of a revelation that he
received concerning his marriage.
The Promised Messiahas received the
following revelation from Allah around 1881:
بکْرٌ وَّثَیِّبٌ
“A virgin and a widow”
Commenting on this revelation, the Promised Messiahas
interpreted it as his marriage to two separate ladies:
“It is God’s intention that He will bring two ladies in my wedlock. One will be virgin and the other, a widow. Therefore, this revelation, that is related to the virgin, has been fulfilled and presently, by the grace of God, I have four sons from this wife. I am still awaiting the [fulfillment] of the revelation regarding the widow.” (Taryaq-ul-Quloob, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 15, p. 201)
One must note here that the Promised Messiah’sas
interpretation is not the prophecy, rather the Arabic words are the prophecy
given by Allah. This is important to keep in mind.
The Arabic of the prophecy:
بکْرٌ وَّثَیِّبٌ
can have
two translations. Firstly, it can describe a state and condition of one woman
who would be “A virgin and widow”. Secondly, it can be used to mean two
separate women, “A virgin and a widow”. The Promised Messiahas
interpreted the revelation to mean the latter. However, time would tell that
Allah merely described the state and condition of one lady in this revelation.
As we have explained in our previous issue, prophets,
including the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, can, and have,
interpreted prophecies and revelations initially according to their
understanding. We desire not to delve into this topic as it has been dealt with
in our previous issue. Nevertheless, the incident of the Treaty of Hudaibiya
and also the Holy Prophetsa understanding a dream to mean that he
would migrate to Yamama or Hajar are two instances that should suffice for any
fair-minded person to accept this reality.
The Promised Messiah’sas understanding and
interpretation of this prophecy, which he received very early on, was further
informed by Allah in 1906. The following revelation was given to the Promised
Messiahas on 16 February 1906:
تَکْفِیْکَ ھٰذِہِ الْاِمْرَأَۃُ
“This woman will suffice for you”
“This woman” was none other than Hazrat Nusrat Jehan
Begum Sahiba, may Allah be pleased with her, who the Promised Messiahas
was married to.
Through the above revelation, Allah told the Promised
Messiahas that “a virgin and widow” was always about one lady.
Consequently, the revelation was fulfilled with Hazrat Nusrat Jehan Begumra,
who experienced both “states” of the prophecy as she passed away after the
Promised Messiahas. The revelation was always about her and in this
manner, the prophecy was clearly fulfilled.
Prophets do not shy away from openly sharing
revelations and prophecies Allah has revealed to them, even if they seem
impossible. They also give interpretations of their prophecies and revelations
throughout their life, most are accurate, and others are not.
One must keep in mind that prophecies can be
multidimensional and fulfilled in numerous ways and so, if, for some reason
someone does not attest to the fulfilment of this prophecy with Hazrat Nusrat
Jehan Begumra, then another angle will also fulfil this prophecy.
In As-Sirat-ul-Halabiya (volume 3,
Battles and the Conquest of Mecca) it is written:
“The Holy Prophetsa saw in a dream that he entered heaven and saw a date
palm full of fruits. This surprised him. He asked, ‘Who is this for?’ It was said, ‘For Abu Jahl’.
This was difficult to bear for the Holy Prophetsa. He said, ‘None
will enter heaven except a believer.’ So, when Ikrimah, son of Abu Jahl came to
him as a Muslim, he became joyful and interpreted the fruit as being for
Ikrimah.”
Here, the Holy Prophetsa himself did not fully understand or interpret a prophecy Allah
gave him. However, later, the Holy Prophetsa understood that Hazrat
Ikrimahra, the son, represented Abu Jahl in reality and his
conversion was the fulfilment of the prophecy.
In the same vein, the son of the Promised Messiahas, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra also fulfilled the prophecy of “A virgin and a widow”. This is so, as Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmadra married both a virgin and a widow. In this manner, sticking to the manner of interpretation of the Holy Prophetsa, a son representing his father in a prophecy, the Promised Messiah’sas prophecy is clearly fulfilled.
Both of these applications of the prophecy are valid
and a clear sign of the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas.
Regarding interpretations, the Holy Prophetsa
said:
[The one who makes an independent judgement may be correct or incorrect. If they are correct, then they will have two rewards. If they are incorrect, then they will have one reward.] (Al-Nibras Sharh-ul-Sharh Aqaid Nasfi)
In fact, Muslim scholars of the past have attested to
the fact that the Holy Prophetsa gave some judgments and
interpretations that were not correct:
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ قَدْ يَجْتَهِدُ فَيَكُوْن خَطَأً
[The Holy Prophet gave a judgement and was mistaken.](Ibid.)
When one can come to grips with this trait of
prophets, the Promised Messiah’sas prophecies will be better
understood and readily accepted. Prophets, after all, are human beings and can
make human errors.
We have presented numerous examples of where prophets
have misjudged a prophecy. The following example of the Holy Prophetsa
is also presented for this purpose. The Holy Prophetsa said to his
wives:
اَسْرَعُکُنَّ لِحَاقًا بِیْ اَطْوَلُکُنَّ یَدًا
“The
one from among you who has the longest hands shall be the first to pass away
after my demise and join me.” (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Zakat)
Regarding this, Hazrat Aishara said:
“We inferred
this to mean physical hands and would often measure our hands with one another.
However, when the Holy Prophetsa passed away and Zainab bint Jahash
was the first to leave this world, it was then that the secret revealed itself
to us that the word ‘hand’ referred to charity and alms, not a physical hand.”
(Sahih Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Zakat)
The point to note here is that the Holy Prophetsa
did not stop his wives measuring one another’s physical hands, nor told them
the prophecy was metaphorical. This indicates that the Holy Prophetsa
also believed this prophecy to have a literal meaning, which was not the case
in the end.
Therefore, one must always look at the bigger picture
and refer to the actual prophecy at hand.
It is not that the Promised Messiahas would misinterpret all his prophecies, far from it! The majority of what he understood from his revelations were accurate and the opponents of Islam Ahmadiyyat, like all previous deniers of prophets, cling onto ambiguity or human errors.
On 18 October 2019, Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa announced the demise of Khawaja Rashiduddin Qamar Sahib.
The late Khawaja Sahib had a long history of service to the Jamaat. In the early 1950s, Khawaja Sahib served as qaid Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya in Drigh Road, Karachi. Later, upon relocating to the UK in 1958, he served the Jamaat in various capacities. He had the honour of serving as qaid Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK for seven years, general secretary of the UK Jamaat for 18 years and chairman of the Jalsa Salana UK committee.
He is also remembered for accompanying Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh on his daily morning walks around the Queensmere Pond situated at Wimbledon Common and for Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh naming a club, the “Khawaja Club”, after him, in which selected members would gather regularly to greet each other and eat meals together.
During the Friday Sermon, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“I would now like to mention someone who recently passed away and I will also be leading his funeral prayer in absentia; he is respected Khawaja Rashiduddin Qamar Sahib, son of Maulana Qamaruddin Sahib.
“[Khawaja Rashiduddin Qamar Sahib] passed away under divine will at the age of 86 on 10 October after suffering from an illness. َ
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّا اِلَيْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ
“[Surely to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.]
Khawaja Sahib was born in 1933 in Qadian and, as I mentioned earlier, he was the son of Maulvi Qamaruddin Sahib. Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra appointed Maulvi Qamaruddin Sahib as the first Sadr [president] of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya.
“Khawaja Sahib was the paternal grandson of Hazrat Mian Khairuddin Sahib Sekhwanira and was the maternal uncle of our respected Amir Sahib UK.
“With regard to Hazrat Mian Khairuddin Sahib Sekhwanira and his two brothers, the Promised Messiahas has written in Anjam-e-Atham:
“‘I am astonished at the love and sincerity of our Jamaat; even persons with meagre incomes like Mian Jamaluddin, Khairuddin and Imamuddin of Kashmir who live near our village. These three brothers of meagre means, who work as labourers and perhaps earn twelve or sixteen annas [a form of currency in India] a day, take part in monthly donations with great zeal.’
“Then, the Promised Messiahas once made an appeal for Chanda and all three brothers contributed. Mentioning this, the Promised Messiahas states:
“‘Their contribution towards Chanda is indeed astounding and admirable for they keep very little of the worldly wealth to themselves, much like the example of Hazrat Abu Bakrra who brought everything he had in his home, and they have given precedence to faith over all worldly things, just as it is stipulated in the conditions of the Bai‘at.’
“Khawaja Sahib was among their progeny.
“After the partition, the deceased served in the Pakistan Air Force for a short while, before moving to the UK in 1958 and worked in British Airways for 33 years. Since he had great passion to serve the Jamaat, he would arrange to have night shifts during his employment so that he could serve the Jamaat during the day.
“He spent almost his entire life serving the Jamaat and served in various posts. The deceased had the opportunity to serve as the first qaid of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK and served at this office for seven years. At the time, all of the auxiliary organisations of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya around the world were under the central Markaz and Khawaja Sahib was the first qaid for the UK. Khawaja Sahib also had the opportunity to serve as the national general secretary, secretary mal, secretary rishta nata, secretary umur-e-ama and naib afsar Jalsa Gah.
“Khawaja Sahib was a man of many qualities. He had great love for Khilafat and would show great respect towards the elders of the Jamaat, missionaries and office-bearers of the Jamaat. He was an extremely pious person, very regular in offering his Tahajud prayer, congregational prayers and in his contributions towards Sadqa and charity. He was very sociable, looked after the poor, showed great compassion towards children and showed respect to everyone, young and old alike and was extremely devoted towards prayers.
“The deceased was a Musi by the grace of Allah the Almighty and leaves behind his wife, a son and two daughters. He also has one sister and three brothers. One of his maternal grandsons, Qaasid Muin, is a missionary of the Jamaat and is currently serving in MTA and Al Hakam.
“Qaasid Muin Sahib writes:
“‘Every weekend, we would spend at our grandfather’s house and would stay there. Therefore, every week, I had the opportunity to observe him very closely. During my childhood, I would often sleep in his room and I observed that he would always offer nawafil [voluntary prayers] before sleeping. He would offer these nawafil in a most beautiful, calm and peaceful manner. He would then wake up for the Tahajud prayer in the morning and would also wake us for the Fajr prayer.’
“He further writes:
“‘I always found him to be extremely compassionate and had a very angelic personality. He never told us off, however I recall that once he told me off when, during the time of the fourth Khilafat, in my innocence, I asked him about the next Khalifa and who it would be. Upon this, my grandfather told me off and explained to me not to say such things. Thus, right from my childhood, this taught me a great lesson about the true status of Khilafat.’
“He had an extraordinarily loyal relationship with Khilafat and would regularly write to me. During the final days of his illness, he also came to visit me a few days before this tour. He had been diagnosed with cancer and had to go through a very painful treatment and illness, however he endured this with great patience and steadfastness and explained everything to me with great courage.
“May Allah the Almighty grant him His forgiveness and mercy and grant him the company of his loved ones. And may he also enable his children and future progeny to continue his good deeds.” Amin.
Zubair Khalil Khan, Director Projects Humanity First Germany, South East Europe
Humanity First aims to support the most deprived segments of society and to deliver the aid and relief to the door step of those who need it most.
This service to humanity was once again displayed in an elementary school of Bosnia on 14 October 2019.
The director of the elementary School at Ustikolina, a small city about 80 kilometres from Sarajevo, through the mayor of the city met with concerned authorities of the Jamaat and Humanity First for provision of a van, enabling the school to transport the students and teachers living at places where arrangement of public transport was difficult.
A van was procured by Humanity First at the earliest possible opportunity.
On 14 October, close to midday, Humanity First handed the van to the school at a ceremony. In addition to the director of the school, Ms Jasmian OmarBasic, Mayor of the city, Mr Zijad Kumanovic and the Minister of Education for the area, Mr Arman Beslija were also present at the occasion.
The swift response by Humanity First for the provision of a van surprised the Bosnian authorities.
They all thanked Humanity First for this donation and also expressed their wish to continue such humanitarian works in future.
Through the warmth of the sun, the first half of August was beautifying the weather in such a way that the atmosphere of the east was being experienced in the west. A lot of people were traumatised by the hot weather as it caused a lot of deaths and some women even lost her minds.
However, the weather has changed now and the temperature varies between cold and hot. At times, it begins to rain. Beneath the ever-changing skies, Ahmadi missionaries request their master and the members of the Jamaat to always pray for their spiritual and physical health.
Meetings
Below is the list of those noteworthy persons who visited the house during this week:
A Christian doctor, who is extremely keen on listening to the attributes of Islam. He takes interest in our Jamaat as well
An educated young lady, who is a Catholic and holds hours of discussions with our missionaries. After the discussions, she says that she is a Christian and will remain so till the time of her demise. She studies Arabic from Mufti Sahib and now, she has started to learn Urdu from me
An educated new lady convert who accompanied us at the time of our arrival. She accepted the teachings of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and returned with a positive impression
Some sailors and several Arab and Egyptian gentlemen have visited the house and listened to the narrative of the Jamaat. They had a long discussion as well
A lady by the name of Annie May, to whom [the teachings of] Islam has been explained
The list of people who we visited at their residence, is as follows:
We met Mr Ahmad Din Kar Ahmadi, who is a passionate person, along with his wife Amina (an English lady) and their children. Certain beneficial recommendations were presented for the promulgation of the Jamaat. Soon enough, a second Markaz of tabligh shall be established in London, Insha-Allah!
We met two musadiqa [those who attest to the truth] ladies. I was greatly moved to see their affection, familial dignity and compassionate attitude towards Ahmadiyyat. Allah Almighty is All Powerful that owing to their virtues, He may illumine them with the light of Islam. Each of the two ladies prepared sumptuous feasts for us and we met new persons through them, conveying the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat to new souls
Distribution of literature and general tabligh
Maulvi Abdul Rahim Nayyarra
The meetings demand a great deal of time and money. As we put in money, other people also spend their money in coming [to meet us]. Therefore, meetings hold a special importance. Besides this, as time is equally precious, we distribute literature while walking along the way and travelling on a tram or a motor. Our brothers in Ceylon have recently printed a tract and sent us [tabligh literature] in a large quantity. [In the literature] they have admonished the world from divine torment and have drawn attention towards the prophet of the age.
Hazrat Mufti Sahib distributes the leaflets in a very effective way and gives them to all sorts of people by talking to them in charming words. For instance, yesterday, some ladies approached us and there were four of them. He turned towards them, their eyes were already focused on the green turban and now they were more attentive.
Mufti Sahib said, “You are four, correct?”
They responded with a smile, “Yes, four! Yes, four!”
Mufti Sahib, “These four are for each of you.” (He handed over four leaflets in the hand of one lady.)
The Ladies replied, “Thank you, so much.”
On one occasion, the ladies who bring telegram messages met us. They had a conversation with Mufti Sahib in the following way:
Mufti (with a green turban): “Are you here with a message for me?”
Ladies: “No.” Mufti:
“Right, if you are not, then I am here with a message for you.” (The very next moment, he handed them some leaflets.)
Ladies: “Thank you.”
Sometimes when leaflets are distributed to passenger vehicles, the answer is, “No, thank you.” At other instances, not only is the leaflet accepted, but a long discussion ensues and questions are asked. Moreover, letters are received afterwards.
Sermon and lecture
I delivered the Friday sermon this week. An Egyptian gentleman and an English Ahmadi lady seemed greatly influenced. On Friday, Dr Abdul Hakim Khan Ahmadi (veterinary assistant) came along with three men from Houston Court. A lecture was held on Sunday at 6pm in the evening. Its announcement was already made through mail. We had also glued the announcement on the wall of our house in bold letters in the following manner:
“Mohammad[sa] the Perfect Ideal”
The attendance was quite good. Apart from Ahmadi English ladies and gentlemen, the audience also included a Christian doctor and Catholic Christians (as mentioned in the section of “Meetings”). Moreover, a Brazilian gentleman was also there along with his English wife. I delivered the lecture and it proved successful by the grace of Allah.
After the lecture, Dr Sahib expressed remarks in extremely affectionate words and showed his interest in Islam. Following the speech, some people had a discussion with me and Mufti Sahib regarding the Jamaat. A new convert friend delivered a number of successful lectures in the suburbs of London about Ahmadiyyat. A lot of people are enquiring about the Jamaat.
Acceptance of Islam Ahmadiyyat
By the blessing of Allah Almighty, as a result of our humble efforts in the current week, a respected and wealthy lady accepted Islam Ahmadiyyat through this humble one and embraced the servitude of Syedna Mahmud Ahmad. Her request of Bai‘at has been sent to be presented before Huzoor. The name of the lady was Annie May and I have given her the Islamic name of Ayesha.
Aside from her, two Arabs, Haji Ali Musa and Haji Hassan have accepted Ahmadiyyat through the combined tabligh of this humble one and Mufti Sahib. Their request of Bai‘at has been sent to be presented before Huzoor.
Through the tabligh of Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sahib, an educated and respected English man of noble descent has started to call himself an Ahmadi in Folkestone.
A recent musadiqa
Owing to the efforts and influences of Hazrat Mufti Sahib, a party of those people is being established who possess affection towards Islam and prefer to use Islamic names for themselves. If we have no fear of Allah Almighty and the only goal is to collect money from people, their names can very easily be mentioned in the list of Muslims.
As matter of fact, our task is based on taqwa [righteousness], therefore except for those people who sign the Bai‘at form, we do not add anybody’s name in the list of those who accept Islam.
This week, a lady of noble descent by the name of Ms Ronald included herself in the party of musadiqin and got herself named from Mufti Sahib as Saeeda. These persons use Islamic names in correspondence with Mufti Sahib.
After reciting the Tashahud, Ta‘awuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
Today, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, Jalsa Salana [the annual convention] of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Holland is going to commence. After many years, Allah the Almighty has also enabled me to participate in your Jalsa. Amir Sahib [National President of Holland Jamaat] has been inviting me to the Jalsa for the past few years, but due to other Jamaat engagements and despite the desire to attend, it was not possible.
In any case, it is by the grace of Allah the Almighty that I have been enabled to attend this Jalsa today. Over the previous few years, the Community in Holland has increased; there has been a definite increase of at least a ⅓. Many people have migrated from Pakistan and also some new members have joined the Community. Nonetheless, like other Jamaats of the world, Holland Jamaat is also making progress according to their numbers and means.
The publication of literature etc. has now also improved here. The Jamaat has also acquired some new centres and a mosque. Although, I have not seen the mosque yet, but I have heard other people praise the beauty of the Almere mosque. Thus, you have been able to construct a very beautiful mosque. Insha-Allah-u-Ta‘ala [God willing], its inauguration will take place next week, that is, the formal inauguration, otherwise, prayers are already being offered there.
However, you should always remember that the increase in your numbers or the construction of mission houses or centres or a mosque will only be beneficial if you fulfil the purpose of their construction. Thus, every Ahmadi who lives here needs to analyse their condition and search for those objectives which we ought to fulfil after having come into the Bai‘at of the Promised Messiahas.
As I said, over the last few years, many Ahmadis have migrated here which is one of the reasons for an increase in the Jamaat numbers. But why have they migrated here? They have done so because Ahmadis do not have freedom of religion, particularly in Pakistan. They are persecuted on the basis of religion. Their rights are usurped for they have accepted the Imam of the Age in accordance with the prophecy and instruction of the Holy Prophetsa. We are prohibited from calling the name of Allah the Almighty and from worshipping Him because we have come into the Bai‘at of the most ardent devotee of the Holy Prophetsa.
Let alone constructing mosques, we are even prohibited from holding gatherings such as Jalsas and Ijtemas for the purpose of moral and spiritual training of our own members.
Moreover, according to their law, we are prohibited from praying even in our homes. We are prohibited from sacrificing animals on the occasion of Eid al-Adha as the law does not allow us to do so and charges are brought against those who do so. This is also enforced because it “hurts” the sentiments of the so-called scholars and their followers.
Thus, due to these circumstances, many Ahmadis have migrated from Pakistan and gone to other countries where there is freedom of religion. Those among you who have migrated to this country have freedom of religion as well as opportunities to improve your financial and economic conditions.
Hence, every Ahmadi, who is living free from the restrictions that were imposed on them in Pakistan should particularly be grateful to Allah the Almighty even greater than before and they should also strive their level best to do true justice of having pledged Bai‘at [initiation] to the Promised Messiahas. They should endeavour to improve their spiritual, intellectual and moral states. They should not simply rejoice at the mere fact that they are now free and that there is no such restriction upon them, which prevents them from acting in accordance with their faith.
If our deeds are not in accordance with the commandments of Allah the Almighty, if we do not endeavour to develop an even purer transformation within us than before and if we are not expressing the love of Allah the Almighty and His Messengersa more than before, then to what benefit is this freedom? What is the benefit of participating in these Jalsas [annual conventions]? What is the benefit of constructing these mosques?
We will only reap the true benefit of this freedom when we fulfil the due rights of our Bai‘at [pledge of initiation]. The Promised Messiahas announced to organise these Jalsas upon the commandment from Allah the Almighty and he did so in order to develop a pure transformation within us; so that we may become those who give precedence to faith over the world; so that we may acquire the true understanding and comprehension of our faith; so that we may develop the love of Allah the Almighty and His Prophetsa within our hearts and so that we may improve our spiritual, moral and intellectual states and make every possible effort for this.
Outlining the objectives of Jalsa and imparting advice to those who pledge initiation to him, the Promised Messiahas stated on one occasion:
“All sincere souls who have entered the fold of this humble one should know that the purpose of pledging allegiance is to dampen the worldly ardour, so that the heart is engulfed in the love of the Bountiful God and of the Holy Prophetsa, and to develop such a state of detachment that the Final Journey does not seem an unwelcome prospect.” (Aasmani Faisla [The Heavenly Decree], Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 4, p. 351)
Thus, this instruction is evidently clear that after pledging initiation to the Promised Messiahas, we should not limit ourselves to a mere verbal proclamation, rather we should join those who demonstrate sincerity. However, one is only able to increase in sincerity and devotion when the love of Allah the Almighty and His Chosen Messengersa takes precedence over every other relationship of love. Thus, the Promised Messiahas has also included this among the conditions of Bai‘at that the initiate shall make the Word of God and the sayings of the Holy Prophetsa the guiding principle in every aspect of one’s life to the best of their ability. (Izala-e-Auham, Part II, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 3, p. 564)
Every word of Allah the Almighty and of His Messengersa can only be made the guiding principle in one’s life when a person develops true love for them. Hence, these Jalsas are organised so that we are repeatedly reminded of what the objective of our Bai‘at is. It is not an ordinary matter for the love of the world to be completely removed [from the heart] and to be superseded by the love of Allah and His Messengersa.
One needs to greatly strive to achieve this. Moreover, once we have taken the pledge of initiation then we should most certainly strive in this. We must sacrifice our worldly affairs for the sake of our worship. We must sacrifice our worldly engagements in order to fulfil the rights of Allah the Almighty. We must safeguard ourselves from whatever hinders us from acquiring the nearness of Allah the Almighty.
If our employments and our businesses prevent us from fulfilling the rights of Allah the Almighty, then we must protect ourselves from these ills in order to remain in the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas. We must remove these hindrances.
Similarly, if our egos, our so-called worldly respect and honour and our selfish thoughts and deeds are preventing us from fulfilling the rights of the creation of God then this is also disobedience to the commandments of Allah the Almighty. Allah the Almighty has also commanded to fulfil the rights of His creation and by disobeying this, we are not fulfilling the objective of being in the Jamaat of the Promised Messiahas.
The next aspect which the Promised Messiahas has drawn our attention towards is the love for the Holy Prophetsa. The Promised Messiahas has clearly stated that the love for the Holy Prophetsa should supersede and dominate every other relationship of love. The reason for this is that now, we are able to reach God Almighty only through the Holy Prophetsa.
We are able to reach God the Almighty only by acting in accordance with his commandments and by following his Sunnah. Now, the Holy Prophetsa is the only means for the acceptance of prayers and for a prosperous end.
The Promised Messiahas states:
“Ponder that Allah the Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
“That is, ‘Say o people! If you love Allah the Exalted, follow me then He will also love you. [Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.32]’”
This means that Allah the Almighty will also love you when you follow the Holy Prophetsa, when you follow his traditions and act in accordance with his commandments.
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“In order to become a beloved of God, the only path is to follow the Holy Prophetsa. There is no other path that will enable you to reach God. A person’s objective should merely be the search for the One and Only God.”
This should be our very objective; to search for the One and Only God and not to search for something else and not to associate anything else with Allah.
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“You should refrain from Shirk [associating partners with God] and from [harmful] innovations and you should not follow harmful traditions and desires.”
The Promised Messiahas states:
“Look, I say it once again that apart from true path of the Holy Prophetsa, a person is unable to be successful through any other means.”
The Promised Messiahas further states, “We only have one Prophetsa and only one Holy Quran, which was revealed to the Holy Prophetsa, by following which, we are able to reach God.” (Malfuzat Vol. 5, pp. 124-125)
The Promised Messiahas states that one should remember that apart from the Holy Quran and following the commandments of the Holy Prophetsa and his practises such as the formal prayer and fasting etc., there is no other key for unlocking the doors of the bounties and blessings of God. This is the only path and there is no other way.”
Hence, in order to acquire these blessings, it is necessary to love the Holy Prophetsa and owing to this love, act in accordance with his commandments. If we do not do so then the Promised Messiahas has clearly stated that it is of no benefit to pledge initiation to him and that there is no benefit in gathering for these Jalsas.
The Promised Messiahas states he is a devotee of this Belovedsa of Allah the Almighty. Thus, if we wish to uphold our pledge of initiation to him, it is essential that we also love his Belovedsa.
Following this, the Promised Messiahas states that one should develop a state of detachment [from worldly pleasures] inside them. That is, you should develop a state that detaches you from the amusements and pleasures of the world. Every deed of yours should be in accordance with the commandments of Allah the Almighty and His Chosen Prophetsa.
Certainly, earning worldly wealth and engaging in worldly affairs and businesses are permissible, in fact, God Almighty has commanded us to do so. The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, also engaged in these worldly endeavours and owned businesses and took part in trade. They had great businesses which were worth hundreds of thousands and even millions. They took part in trade and possessed properties worth millions. However, they were immersed in the love of Allah the Almighty and His Messengersa and they were ever mindful of fulfilling the rights of the worship of Allah the Almighty and acting in accordance with the commandments of the Holy Prophetsa.
They remained cautious of not committing a deed as a result of which their beloved would be displeased with them. Recently, I have been relating accounts from lives of the Companionsra of the Holy Prophetsa in my Friday Sermons. There are countless examples of their standard of worship, their level of obedience and their immense love and passion for the Holy Prophetsa. They were always fearful of doing something that might lead to the displeasure of their beloved.
Hence, we should always bear in mind that despite all of our worldly engagements, we will not let our love of God Almighty and His Messengersa diminish in any way, Insha-Allah.
In this regard, we must strive as much as possible to fulfil the commandments of Allah the Almighty and His Messengersa. We have gathered here for three days to improve our condition, to benefit from the spiritual environment of Jalsa and to improve our practical conditions.
Therefore, we should always be mindful of the purpose for which we have gathered here for three days. The purpose of this is to take advantage of this spiritual environment, strive to improve our practical conditions, and remove our ill habits, and to focus on the remembrance of Allah the Almighty and seeking His forgiveness along with performing worship during these days.
If this is not our mindset, then it is pointless for us to attend the Jalsa. It is wise to consider these three days as a training camp and to strive to overcome the weaknesses in our practical conditions that naturally arise when an individual leaves a particular environment.
Whilst speaking about the benefits of Jalsa, the Promised Messiahas states:
“All our friends should, to the best of their ability, come and listen to Divine words and to join us in supplication for the sake of Allah.”
He further states, “This gathering will be devoted to the exposition of such truths and spiritual insight as are necessary for the promotion of faith and certainty and spiritual understanding” (Aasmani Faisla [The Heavenly Decree], Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 4, pp. 351-352)
Therefore, the objective of Jalsa is to progress in faith, conviction and spiritual insight. On another occasion, the Promised Messiahas also stated that the Jalsa is not like other worldly festivals wherein we simply gather like other worldly gatherings and display our numbers.
This is not the objective. Hence, everyone attending the Jalsa – whether they are men, women, the elderly, or young – should focus towards improving their faith, conviction and spiritual insight so that their love for God and His Messengersa may strengthen further. If we cannot recognise the true status of Allah the Almighty and His Messengersa; if we are not convinced of God’s existence, then how can our spiritual insight improve? One can strengthen their faith after progressing in spiritual insight.
Therefore, we should not think that we are gathering together merely for the sake of enjoyment and entertainment and nor should we spend our time in idle conversations and then simply return home. If this is our mindset, then as I mentioned before, attending the Jalsa is pointless. While directing our focus towards performing virtuous acts, which include fulfilling the rights of Allah Almighty and His creation, the Promised Messiahas states:
“One should commit a righteous deed only for the sake of attaining the pleasure and acceptance of Allah Almighty and so that His commandment is followed, irrespective of whether it will be rewarded or not.”
Hence, this is the philosophy of genuine love. The love of Allah the Almighty demands us to act according to His commandments. This includes worshipping God and fulfilling the rights of His creation. One should not simply obey these commandments with the intention to obtain a reward from God Almighty. It is true that Allah the Almighty does not allow an action to pass without rewarding it. However, just as the Promised Messiahas stated that true faith demands that one should not simply commit a good deed to attain something in return, rather, one should do because it is the commandment of God Almighty to perform virtuous deeds.
The Promised Messiahas further states, “Faith reaches the state of perfection when this concern and worry no longer exists.”
One should not worry as to whether or not they will be granted reward. If an individual persists on thinking in this manner, then their faith cannot reach the highest stage.
The Promised Messiahas states, “Although it is true that God Almighty does not allow a righteous act to go in vain as He states:
اِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَا یُضِیۡعُ اَجۡرَ الۡمُحۡسِنِیۡنَ
“‘Surely, Allah suffers not the reward of those who do good to be lost. [Surah al-Taubah, Ch.9: V.120]’
“However, one who performs a virtuous deed should not do it with the intention of gaining a reward.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 2, pp. 371-372)
Thus, true virtue is that which is done without any selfish or ulterior motive. Therefore, keeping this principle in mind, we should treat one another with kindness and seek to fulfil each other’s rights. Moreover, we must do this because it is the commandment of Allah the Almighty to treat one another with kindness and it is also the instruction and practise of the Holy Prophetsa to fulfil the rights of one another and to demonstrate excellent morals, irrespective of whether one receives any reward in return.
Allah the Almighty indeed grants reward for our acts of virtue. Thus, if God Almighty treats His creation in such a manner, then how great a responsibility is it for us to adhere to all His commandments for the sake of gaining His pleasure and also to refrain from all that which He has forbidden for us. Moreover, after having come to these developed countries where, in the name of so-called freedom, all forms of immoralities are widespread, there is a far greater need for us to assess our conditions.
At times, wealth and opulence can become a hindrance in performing acts of virtue. When one’s conditions significantly improve, they tend to forget their past. One begins to feel that if such and such worldly endeavour is not fulfilled, they will incur a loss, however God Almighty states that He alone is the One Who grants provisions. This is something that is generally witnessed amongst the worldly people who direct all their attention so that they do not incur any loss and fail to fulfil the due rights of Allah the Almighty.
Regrettably, there are certain individuals among us who abandon their obligatory prayers for the sake of their worldly objectives. For instance, if they are engaged in some work and the time of prayer approaches, they will neglect the prayer or combine it with another prayer, and in some cases, completely forget about it and fail to offer the prayer, but they will not abandon their worldly activity they are occupied in.
Thus, they should refrain from this. Or, they will perform the prayer in such a haste manner as if it is a burdensome obligation that they have to become free from. As I have mentioned, this is not true love for God Almighty, rather such actions demonstrate one’s love for the world. Thus, if one wishes to fulfil the due rights of the Bai‘at with the Promised Messiahas, they ought to fulfil the due rights of God Almighty’s worship.
The Promised Messiahas has drawn our attention towards understanding the true essence of worship which is to worship God Almighty by immersing oneself in His love. (Malfuzat, Vol. 5, p. 107)
This is the true essence. One should worship Allah the Almighty but not in a manner in which one simply seeks to fulfil an obligation, rather one should offer their worship whilst wholly immersed in the love of God. It is only then that one can free themselves from worldly desires and it is then that one will understand the true essence of giving precedence to one’s faith over all worldly things. When one frees themselves from their worldly desires, God Almighty Himself will then grant them provisions from where one could not even imagine.
“And he who fears Allah – He will make for him a way out; And will provide for him from where he expects not.” [Surah al-Talaaq, Ch.65: V.3-4]
Further elaborating upon this, the Promised Messiahas states: “Taqwa [righteousness] is the means to attain prosperity.”
The Promised Messiahas further states, “Indeed, it is true that God Almighty does not allow His servants to perish and safeguards them from having to extend their hand before others for help.
It is my belief that if one becomes truly devoted to God Almighty and adopts true righteousness, God Almighty continues to grant His blessings and mercy for seven generations.” (Malfuzat Vol. 5, p. 245)
God Almighty continues to safeguard them, unless owing to one’s own misfortune, one commits such actions which deprive one from the blessings of the Allah the Almighty.
The Promised Messiahas further states: “One ought to completely eradicate every kind of means, except one, and that is the love of God Almighty.” This alone should be the means, i.e. the love of God Almighty, through which one seeks to attain everything.
The Promised Messiahas further states, “Verily I say that one who devotes himself wholly to God, God Almighty stands with them.”
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“Transform your conditions so that God Almighty bestows His blessings and mercy … An individual whose purpose of life is to simply fulfil the desires and aspirations of this world, what benefit will the longevity of his life grant him? (What benefit is there for one to seek a long life simply so he can attain the luxuries and attractions of this world?) Such a person who does nothing for the sake of God, simply seeks a long life so that he can eat exquisite foods, sleep as much as he can, have a family, own lavish houses and horses, gardens and land, etc. and merely serves his own stomach.”
Such an individual is not a servant of God Almighty, nor do they worship Him. In fact, such a person cannot even be called a servant for their personal objectives are in fact the object of their worship. They are only concerned with accumulating property, wealth, houses, cars; the Promised Messiahas earlier gave the example of horses because in those times they would use horses, but nowadays it is cars whereby people wish to have the best cars.
This should not be one’s objective. Indeed, one should most certainly derive benefit from the provisions God Almighty has granted them but these should not become one’s sole objective otherwise one cannot be considered as a servant of Allah the Almighty and one who worships Him, instead such a person would be deemed to only be worshipping his own personal interests.
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“Such a person considers the fulfilment of the inner desires and carnal pleasures as his sole objective and the focus of his worship.” This becomes his primary objective. “However, God Almighty has established His worship as the sole purpose of man’s creation just as God Almighty states: ِ
‘And I have not created the Jinn and men but that they may worship Me.’ [Surah al-Dhariyat, Ch.51: V.57]
The Promised Messiahas states:
“God Almighty has clearly proclaimed that the primary objective is to worship God Almighty and the entire universe has been created for this purpose alone. However, the intentions and desires of people are completely contrary to this.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 5, pp. 246-247)
However, the reality is that people have become inclined towards fulfilling worldly endeavours and have adopted completely strange and peculiar desires. Their desire to seek worldly objectives has far exceeded their desire to attain God Almighty. Thus, all of these factors should make us greatly ponder and be concerned as to how we can fulfil the true purpose of our lives. We must not only be concerned about the life in this world, nor should all our deliberations and efforts be spent in how to attain this world, rather we must utilise all our faculties to their utmost in order to attain the true purpose of our lives.
After having come to these countries [in the West], we must become those who fulfil the due rights of God Almighty’s worship whilst striving to become the recipients of God Almighty’s blessings. Just as the Promised Messiahas mentioned that our intentions and desires should not be contrary [to our real objective], rather we must recognise our Creator and fulfil the true purpose of our creation and also fulfil the objective for which God Almighty has sent the Promised Messiahas in this age.
The Promised Messiahas states:
“I have been sent so that I may strengthen the faith of people and establish the existence of God Almighty in their hearts. The condition of the faith of all nations has become extremely frail. The concept of life in the hereafter has become nothing more than a mere tale. Each and every person is demonstrating through their practical conditions that they do not have the same conviction and belief in the Hereafter as they have in the life of this world and all its splendour and glory. What they utter from their tongues is completely contrary to the conditions of their hearts which are overwhelmed with the love of this world.”
Despite verbally proclaiming the name of God, their hearts are filled with the love of this world and this love is demonstrated through their actions.
The Promised Messiahas further states:
“The love for God Almighty no longer remained in the hearts of the Jews, hence the Messiah was sent in order to bring them back to faith. Now, in my era, the same condition is prevalent once again. Thus, I have also been sent to revive faith and establish righteousness in the hearts once again.” (Kitab-ul-Bariyyah, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 13, pp. 291-293)
Today, it is our responsibility that where, on the one hand, whilst fulfilling the due rights of our Bai‘at, we increase in our love for God Almighty; firmly establish the unity of God in our hearts; give preference to our love for God Almighty and the Holy Prophetsa over all worldly comforts, on the other hand, whilst bringing about a pure change within ourselves, we should seek to bring our societies closer to God Almighty.
Today the people of this world deny the existence of God Almighty and each year a significant portion of people are joining those who deny His existence and abandoning their faith. This is the case in Christianity and across other faiths as well, in fact, even amongst Muslims. Therefore, in light of these conditions wherein people are denying the existence of God Almighty, we should instil the love of God Almighty within our hearts and also enlighten the world about the existence of God Almighty. It is only then that we will be fulfilling the true purpose of the Jalsa and doing justice to our Bai‘at with the Promised Messiahas.
It is not sufficient to merely instil the love of God Almighty and His Prophetsa in our hearts, in fact our duty is far greater than this. We must also strive our utmost to instil the love of God Almighty and His Prophetsa in our children and our future progenies as well.
Similarly, as I mentioned, we must also inform the world about the existence of God Almighty. After having entered the Bai‘at of the Promised Messiahas, it is now also our duty to further His mission.
May God Almighty grant us the opportunity to do so. During these days of the Jalsa, may we be able to increase the standard of our worship and remain firm on them in the future as well. May we continue to increase in our love for God Almighty and His Prophetsa and may the worldly desires and pleasures never overcome us.
However, also remember that none of this is possible without the blessings of God Almighty. Therefore, continue to especially pray so that you may also become the recipients of His blessings and for this, one must greatly focus their attention. May God Almighty grant us the opportunity to do so.
(Originally published in Al Fazl International, 18 October 2019, pp. 5-8. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
A refresher course for Canadian missionaries was held from 7 to 12 October 2019. Ataul Manan Sahib reports that the course took place at the Canadian headquarters of the Jamaat, located in Peace Village, Vaughan. 35 field missionaries participated in this refresher course.
The programme was designed as per the instructions received from the Markaz in London. Two of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V’saa addresses delivered at the occasion of Jamia Ahmadiyya convocations were listened to. Similarly, Hazrat Amirul Momineen’saa Friday Sermon regarding the responsibilities of office-bearers and missionaries was played.
In total, 20 lectures were delivered; 7 by missionaries, 10 by national office-bearers and 3 by Jamaat scholars. A recent instruction of Huzooraa stated that missionaries should be well-versed in the constitution of the auxiliary organisations. As such, soft and hard copies of these constitutions were provided to the missionaries and lectures were arranged to discuss the constitution of each auxiliary organisation of the Jamaat.
The highlight of the programme was that missionaries were able to listen to the live addresses that Huzooraa delivered at UNESCO and at the inauguration of Mahdi Mosque in Strasbourg, France.
The refresher course was held for 6 days. Each day started with Tahajud prayers and ended at Isha. Lectures started at 9am until midday. After prayers, there was time for rest and sports. In the evening there were lectures and in-class study.
We are grateful to all the speakers and missionaries who delivered lectures and also those who assisted in any capacity. We are also grateful to respected national secretary ziafat (hospitality) and his team for arranging accommodation and hospitality.
