The ‘Ahmadi standard’ of serving humanity: Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud’s guidance to Ahmadi youth

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Ata-ul-Haye Nasir, Al Hakam
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A scene from the 28 December 1939 jalsa celebrating 50 years of Ahmadiyyat, Qadian, India

On 1 April 1938, while addressing the Ahmadi Muslim youth, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIra advised them to serve humanity with zeal without discrimination of religion or race. Huzoorra said:

“[Khuddam] should make efforts to serve humanity, and while doing so, one doesn’t need to only care for the Muslim needy people and widows; rather, it is your duty to alleviate the problems faced by the Hindus, Sikhs, Christians or followers of any other religion.” (Al Fazl, 10 April 1938, p. 10) 

During his Friday Sermon on 15 April 1938, Huzoorra expressed his hope that members of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya would never shy away from serving humanity. He said:

“I have said many times that the efforts for serving humanity should be expanded as much as possible and everyone’s hardships should be removed without discrimination of their religion and community; whether they are Hindu, Christian or Sikh. Our God is ‘Rabb-ul-Alamin’ [the Lord of all the worlds] and just as He is our Creator, He is the Creator of Hindus, Sikhs and Christians too. Therefore, if God grants us the opportunity, we must serve everyone.” (Al Fazl, 22 April 1938, p. 7)

On 20 November 1955, while addressing the 15th annual ijtema of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya, Huzoorra said that members of the Jamaat should work hard so that Allah may grant them success, Ahmadi traders should act with honesty so that buyers may come from far distances and an Ahmadi employee should work with such honesty that their officer is compelled to say that “I will employee an Ahmadi only, as they are very honest people”.

Huzoorra continued:

“In short, do the best deeds, work diligently to your full capacity, and whether it is farming, trade or employment, one should present a good example and whenever there is a need to serve humanity, do it more than anyone else. […]

“Always pray that you may be able to serve [humanity] and whenever a calamity of any kind befalls the country, you should be at the forefront to face the danger, so that the world may understand that you are like a pillar through which the roof of your country is stable. 

“If you create within yourself a [positive] change, then Allah the Almighty will be pleased with you, your fellow countrymen will be content with you and the country will also progress. Moreover, it will also remove the enmities held by the people [of your country] towards you in their hearts, and [sentiments of] love will be instilled in their hearts for you. 

“Therefore, you should serve and continue to do so. You are called Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya. Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya does not mean that you are [only] the servants of Ahmadiyyat. […] The Holy Prophetsa has stated:

سَيِّدُ‭ ‬الْقَوْمِ‭ ‬خَادِمُهُمْ

“‘The leader of a nation is its servant.’ [Arba‘un Shah Waliullah Dehlawi, Hadith 34]

Hazrat Musleh e Maud

“If you really become a true Ahmadi and khadim, then after some time, the same khuddam will become the leaders [of the future. That is] everyone will respect and admire you and the people will say that ‘the country’s salvation is linked with them. Look how they continue to serve the country by even endangering their lives’.

“Thus, always remember your status and always strive so that every poor and rich person of the world may benefit from you. [While seeing your conduct] neither should a rich person consider you as an enemy, nor a poor one, because both the rich and poor are servants of Allah the Almighty. […] You should serve both because Ahmadiyyat does not differentiate between the poor and rich. […] Then you will achieve all kinds of national progress and the blessing of Allah the Almighty will be showered upon you. […]

“I pray to Allah the Almighty that He may enable you to become Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya in the true sense since the country needs [the services of] Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya. As I have mentioned earlier, when we named Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya, it did not [only] mean that you are the servants of Ahmadis. If you take it to mean this, you are hugely mistaken. […] 

“Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya means a serving group of Ahmadis. You are the servants of the whole of mankind but from among the Ahmadis. Therefore, it does not mean that you should [only] serve the Ahmadis; rather, you must serve according to the Ahmadi standards. […]

“Thus, set your Ahmadi standard and keep enhancing it. Look, today, you are serving and in the future, others will also be motivated. But if you serve according to the Ahmadi standard, then no one can ever compete with you.

“In comparison to 1,000 others, even 50 of you will be able to accomplish more because your standard will be the ‘Ahmadi standard’, while their standard will, firstly, not be the ‘Ahmadi standard’ and secondly, will differentiate between friend and foe. You should say that ‘we are to serve, no matter if it is friend or foe’. In this way, your work will automatically continue to be the best and you will become an essential being for your country and Allah the Almighty will shower His grace upon you. […]

“I advise you to say ‘Ahmadiyyat Zindabad’, and as I have instructed you to serve [humanity] according to the standard of Ahmadiyyat – which means to strive for the nourishment of mankind – therefore, in this regard, I advise that your slogan should also be ‘Insaniyat Zindabad’ [long live humanity].” (Mash’al-e-Rah, Vol. 1, pp. 731-734)

While advising the youth during his address at Jalsa Salana 1955, Huzoorra said:

“Service to humanity is a distinctive feature of a believer. The Promised Messiahas often used to say that the summary of religion and Islam is ta‘alluq billah [relation with Allah] and shafqat ‘ala khalqillah [compassion towards the creation of Allah]. […]

“Do not ever worry if people do not value your efforts; you should serve for the [pleasure of] God Almighty and not for people’s [praise]. The love of Allah and service to humanity should be the objective of your lives. If you do so, then there remains no doubt about your success.” (Al Fazl, 1 January 1956, p. 3)

Huzoorra further said:

“Till this day, Europe and America present their spirit of service to humanity as their greatness against Islam. They say that Christians serve humanity a lot, but Muslims do not. […] If our Jamaat’s [auxiliary bodies] – Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya and Ansarullah – present a noble example of services to humanity, then we can refute the [allegations of] Europe and America by saying that ‘we serve [humanity] more than you.’” (Al Fazl, 14 February 1956, p. 4)

May Allah the Almighty enable us all to act on the guidance of Hazrat Musleh-e-MaudraAmin.

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