SUMMARY OF FRIDAY SERMON

by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
March 18^th, 2005

(NOTE: Alislam Team takes full responsibility for any errors or miscommunication in this Synopsis of the Friday Sermon by Sister Shermeen Butt)

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Magnificent Spirit of Generosity of the Holy Prophet

Huzur^aba explained that his generosity and munificence was purely to seek the pleasure of Allah and to alleviate the pain of others. This is the demeanour in which he educated and trained his own family, enjoining them to open their hearts and their means for others!

Huzur^aba said the Holy Prophet was a manifestation of all Divine attributes on a human level and had said ‘Allah is the Greatest among all who are generous and I am the most generous among people’. There were many occasions in his life time when he came by literal heaps of wealth but he never gave it any attention, rather he would be deeply concerned to promptly distribute the wealth. He said ‘I am only ‘Qasim’ (distributor) Allah grants and I distribute’.

Huzur^aba elucidated the subject by relating numerous traditions. The Holy Prophet’s Companions recalled him to be the most beautiful, the bravest and the most generous; they referred to him as the noblest, a luminous and generous being. Particularly during the month of Ramadan his celebrated generosity would gather phenomenal pace. It was never that one had asked him for something and he had said no. The people of Medina would ask for his help over and over again and he would always provide. Once he was given a beautifully embroidered and woven mantle for which he was in need of. A Companion praised it and asked for it and the Holy Prophet immediately gave it, the other Companions were unhappy because the Prophet was in need of it, but the recipient Companion told them he had asked for it not to use it but to have it as his shroud.

Once 90,000 dirham were presented to the Holy Prophet. He spread it on a mat and began distributing it to one and all. When the money had been completely distributed, a needy person came by. The Holy Prophet told him to go and purchase things of necessity in his (the Prophet’s) name. The Holy Prophet was displeased when a Companion remarked this to be perhaps an excessive gesture and smiled in response to another Companion observing that the Prophet should continue giving and that Allah would never lessen the wealth. The Holy Prophet explained, ‘this is what I am commanded to do'.

Huzur^aba related an incident when Hadhrat Bilal took a succession of loans from a non-believer to meet the needs of the disadvantaged until such time that the repayment was due back and the lender got intimidating. For fear of failure to pay Hadhrat Bilal was about to temporarily leave home when the Holy Prophet called for him. Waiting there were four camel-loads of goods, a gift from a ruler, which was used to make the repayment.

Huzur^aba recounted a few traditions regarding the Holy Prophet’s unvarying kindness and generosity to the Bedouins, despite their coarse behaviour and manner, how he always met their needs, at times even delaying Salat to do so.

Once the Holy Prophet had 10 dirham, he purchased a tunic for 4 dirham and put it on, a needy came by and asked for a tunic, the Holy Prophet gave him the tunic while he purchased another with 4 dirham. Meanwhile he saw a slave girl crying, upon asking she told him that she had lost 2 dirham that her master had given her to buy flour. The Holy Prophet gave her the remaining 2 dirham and walked her home because she feared being told off for being late. On reaching the house, the Holy Prophet explained the situation to her master, who released her for the sake of Allah. The Holy Prophet gave the master the glad tiding of Paradise and remarked that the 10 dirham proved to be most blessed; they provided a tunic for a Prophet, a tunic for an Ansari and freedom for a slave!

Huzur^aba related many other Ahadith illustrating the supreme generosity of the Holy Prophet when giving a gift in return; gold jewellery in return of cucumbers and an entire valley - plot of land - in return of something humble. He would often purchase livestock from people and then return it to them as a gift, ever looking at ways to bestow.

Once upon looking at the mount of Uhad he remarked that even if he acquired gold the size of the mount, he would be happy to spend it in Allah’s way within three days and keep nothing for himself. He said that on the Day of Judgement the wealthy will be the losers apart from those who spend over others around them, that a generous person is near to Allah and Paradise and that Allah prefers a generous ignorant to a miserly worshipper.

Huzur^aba concluded by reading extracts from the writings of the Promised Messiah conveying the subject of the Sermon most eloquently.