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Jalsa Salana Germany

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

August 31st, 2007

NOTE: Alislam Team takes full responsibility for any errors or miscommunication in this Synopsis of the Friday Sermon

Huzur delivered his Friday Sermon from Mannheim, Germany, at the inception of the Jalsa Salana of the German Jama’at.

Huzur said the institution of Jalsa Salana is a blessing which we have been granted through the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). It facilitates us to gather annually to develop ourselves spiritually and morally through programmes designed for taqwa enhancement. The Jalsa days should be spent with the intention to improve our morals as regards mutual relationships, to foster love and harmony and remove rancour, endeavour to attain Allah’s pleasure and free ourselves of all things idle.

Huzur said these are the few things that do fulfil the object of life for man. Each Ahmadi coming to the Jalsa should be mindful that attendance of Jalsa has a great objective; if there is no endeavour to attain Divine pleasure, no endeavour to develop one’s taqwa, if each other’s rights are not fulfilled with courtesy then the objective to come to the Jalsa is not fulfilled and there is no point in coming to it either.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that he did not simply wish to gather his followers like other so-called saints, in fact his real objective was to reform people.

Huzur said each Ahmadi that attends the Jalsa of his/her country or those who are fortunate enough to attend Jalsas in other countries as well, all should keep the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) object of the initiation of the Jalsa in mind. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) expressed disgust if one failed to develop one’s spirituality through Jalsa.

Huzur said certainly merely a large number of people attending a Jalsa does not fulfil the object of the advent of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). He had said that the objective of his advent was to cool off the love of this world in hearts and for the love of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) overcome all other loves and to generate such a state of mind that the path to the Hereafter does not seem hard. Huzur remarked that this was a huge expectation that Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had from us. Indeed, the idea is not to cut off oneself from the world and inhabit a jungle. Rather one should live a full life, appreciating all the blessings and conscientiously conduct one’s business/employment or whatever responsibility one has, but the love of God and His Prophet should be most pronounced in the heart of an Ahmadi.

The worldly blessings should not take one away from practising taqwa and worship of God, should not spirit away one’s high morals and courteousness, rather keeping firm on high standards of taqwa we should tread the path that Allah has ascertained and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) espoused and in this age the best model of those values has been presented by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). It is to attain this objective that each Ahmadi should try and attend Jalsa. The pure ambiance of the Jalsa provides one with an ideal atmosphere to inculcate the changes at an enhanced pace. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that all those who assumed to be in his community will not be counted in it in the heavens until they well and truly adopted the ways of taqwa, inculcated the greatness of God in their hearts and not only verbally pronounced Unity of God but actually put it in practice in life.

Huzur said as we observe, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) only counts those in his community who have true taqwa and purity and who strive to be Aulia (friends of God). Explaining the concept of Aulia Huzur said that it is those who strive to seek the pleasure of Allah at all times, who continually engage in remembrance of Allah, whose nights and days are spent in the worship of Allah and who are not negligent in remembering Allah during their worldly pursuits, whose each act glimpses of pleasure of Allah.

Citing verse 42 of Surah Al Ahzab (33:42) Huzur said this should be the objective of each Ahmadi, practising what He has commanded and avoiding what He has forbidden and to promise to honour the pledge we have made with the Imam of the age who brought back faith from the Pleadias and made the Quranic teaching part of life once again. Thus, Huzur said, the Jalsa Salana is an occasion that provides the opportunity to go over all this and facilitate attaining closeness to God which in turn brings about Allah’s grace and favour.

Addressing the duty-holders at the Jalsa, Huzur specifically advised them to focus on remembrance of Allah during their Jalsa and said that without this the objective of the Jalsa is not fulfilled. Huzur said it is a matter of concern if we only give cursory attention to the proceedings of the Jalsa. On the contrary the addresses we hear during the Jalsa should awaken us, rouse us to the fact that no matter how much we profess to be Ahmadis it is no avail unless the God in heavens count us.

Huzur urged to pray profusely during Jalsa, to focus on the speeches given on academic subjects and those for spiritual and moral betterment, seek Allah’s help and make a pledge to oneself that one has only come here for reformation of the heart which cannot be achieved without Divine help, therefore beseech for His help that may we be able to practice whatever good we listen to here. Huzur said when we try and seek His beneficence with pure intent and endeavour to put in practice all good that we take note of only then will we be able to partake of the revolutionary change for which the advent of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) took place, and only then we will be able to bring about this revolutionary change in the world. The most fundamental requirement to bring such a change about is prayer and remembrance of Allah, which in turn enables one to practice all other commandments as well.

Reiterating the objectives of the Jalsa, Huzur said one such objective is to facilitate and further mutual and fraternal ties, to forego old rancour and forgive each other. Huzur said he is distressed to take disciplinary action against some when complaints are lodged and added that if we have a true connection with the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) we should be trying our best to restore old relations and associations.

Huzur said if we pray during the Jalsa days, and try to put the commandments in practice with perfect obedience then it is just not possible to exhibit non-compliance to the administrative system of the Community. Those who turn to Allah with pure intent simply cannot be duplicitous in this way. Jalsa days provide one with the opportunity to efface such matters through prayer. Huzur said the office-holders of the Community have to exhibit high morals more than the others; theirs should be an attempt to cultivate resilience, practice forgiveness and be a model of worship of Allah and high morals and courtesy. If the office-holders consider themselves as servers and others consider them as workers designated by the Khalifa of the time, all would be well.

Reading from the noble writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) Huzur cautioned to avoid arrogance. He said it is arrogance that makes one disobedient, it incites one against an office-holder and sets people against each other. It is imperative to inculcate sincere compassion for mankind. Huzur said many people who used to come to Qadian during the time of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) who be deeply impressed by the high morals and courtesy of people and some of them used to do Bai’at (pledge of allegiance). Each one of us should be mindful that we represent Ahmadiyyat, there should be no conflict in our word and deed, we should bear no ill will towards another and be mindful that He is watching over us at all times. Huzur said slogans and such like alone are of no use. Reading another extract from the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) Huzur remarked that he had deep angst for his Community to inculcate high standards and he said that it was his belief that his prayer for this would one day be fulfilled.

In conclusion Huzur prayed that may Allah bring about pure change in us and fulfil each prayer and wish of the Promised Messiah for us. May none of us be cut off from this Community due to our wretchedness. O Allah, always keep us under the cover of Your forgiveness and pardon and always keep us connected to the Community of the true and ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), that is the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and make our future generations the recipient of the promises that You made to the Promised Messiah.