Divine attribute of Al Aziz (The Mighty)

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

November 30^th, 2007

Huzur cited verse 19 of Surah Al Imran (3:19) and gave a discourse on the manifestation of the Divine attribute of Al Aziz (The Mighty). The translation of the verse reads:

“Allah bears witness that there is no God but he – and also do the angels and those possessed of knowledge – *Maintainer of justice; there is no God but He, the Mighty, the Wise.”

*Always standing guard over justice

Huzur said the objective of the Ahmadiyya Community is to inculcate a perception of piety, taqwa (righteousness) and the Unity of God and to go on to establish it in the world by presenting a living depiction of it. To establish the kingdom of that God Who created the universe in which the [planet] earth has the capacity of a mere dot. As for us humans who walk on this earth pompously, we are nothing by comparison and it is the sheer grace of Allah that He has given us humans the status of ‘the most eminent of all creation’. He has told us the objective of our creation is to endeavour to become His true servant. However, the majority of this world is not prepared to reflect on this and is absorbed in the entertainment of this world and is ensnared by the Satan. However, those who have faith and are mindful of the fact that the One God Who is Mighty and Who is the Creator and has created limitless varieties of creation on this earth, did not need human to worship Him and to establish His kingdom on this earth. However, he gave the humans wisdom and insight along with free will to believe in the prophet or reject them.

Allah says His servants are those who deem Him worthy of worship, who abide by His commandments brought by His prophets, commandments which were perfected in the shape of the last Book of religious law revealed to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). According to this teaching the Promised Messiah was sent in subservience of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) so that he would make the world see the true God and having removed the gulf created between man and God re-establish a living relationship between man and God. It is indeed the task of each one of us to take this mission forward.

Huzur remarked that God is Omnipotent and can be dominant when He chooses, what need did he then have of the humble humans to establish His kingdom, a kingdom which belongs to Him in the first place?

God has given man free will and told him the difference between right and wrong and when man puts the good deeds in practice he is among those who establish God’s kingdom and will be the recipient of an excellent reward. On the other hand are those who indulge in shirk (associating partners with Allah) and who will be chastised. Thus Allah is not in any need, rather it is the need of man to attain Allah’s pleasure and reward.

Huzur said Allah manifests Himself to the adversaries of the prophets by subduing them. The Holy Qur’an mentions this several times. It has been so that it is during the lifetime of each prophet of God that their adversaries were made a sign of warning. For instance at the time of Moses (on whom be peace) the Pharaoh claimed to be a god but sought forgiveness when faced with death, this is when Allah informed him that his time was past and that he and his body would be a sign of warning for the rest of time. Huzur said indeed this is exactly how it came to pass. The Pharaoh met his end due to a surge of water and the low and ebb of this surge of water was with the command of God.

Huzur added that the Seal of all the prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) who was sent to establish God’s kingdom on the entire earth started life as an orphan, whom Allah chose from the very beginning, who was extremely pious from the start, who appeared weak to others but who was picked for the guidance of the world from childhood. If there ever can be an image of God among humans, it was this perfect man (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). The persecution and cruelty he endured in his life was staggering yet the victory of Mecca bears witness to the fact that it was the servant of the true God, Who is Mighty and Powerful, who was eventually triumphant and the three hundred and sixty odd idols of the pagan of Mecca were of no avail.

Citing verse 28 of Surah Saba (34:28) Huzur said indeed the victory of Mecca and the spreading of Islam beyond Arabia in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is a tremendous sign of the Might of Allah, as he established God’s kingdom on this earth and the pagan idols could do nothing.

Huzur said the era of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be on him) did not cease with his passing away; at the top of each century Allah sent a Mujaddad (reformer) to establish His kingdom and His Unity and then in accordance with the glad-tiding and prophecy of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) the advent of the Messiah took place.

Huzur explained that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was neglected by his family from early on because he was shy and retiring and was only interested in the true God. It was this shy and retiring person who the true God chose to re-establish His kingdom, one who would always be found in the corner of the mosque. Once this ‘weak’ person became a true servant of God he astonished the world with his profound knowledge and insight. Huzur said many Arabs write to Huzur after reading the Arabic writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) [who was not formally trained in Arabic] and confirm that these writings can only be of one who has Allah’s support and help.

Today his followers are spread all over the world and this is a proof that Allah chooses whoever He wills to establish His kingdom. It were the prayer of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) that initially revived those spiritually dead and today it is the prayers of his devotee by virtue of which the Community is progressing and we are, as if, counted among those who establish God’s kingdom on the earth, without any effort on our part. We can be the recipient of this grace as long as we have the correct perception and insight.

Huzur said true morality is to move on from apparent morals and develop an insight of the true God, this is the reason why the advent of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) took place and this was also the reason the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) came and this alone should be the objective of the Messiah’s followers, i.e. not to simply have the worldly morals in view, rather to seek to become a true servant of God and to give the world an insight into it as well.

Huzur briefly remarked on the perspective of those who are worldly wise and have ‘apparent’ morals but nothing beyond them. Huzur said someone has informed him that extremely immoral practices are to be seen in the gatherings of the so-called educated classes of Pakistan, so much so that let alone an Ahmadi, no decent person could be part of them. Huzur said this is so because they have distanced themselves from the true God and do not even try to comprehend Him.

Referring to the Quranic verse cited at the beginning Huzur said the verse previous to it (3:18) mentions those who have faith, who are truthful, humble, who seek forgiveness in the latter part of the night are those who establish Allah’s kingdom in their hearts.

Speaking about the concept of trinity Huzur said it was introduced at a later stage in Christianity and certainly was not the teaching of Jesus (on whom be peace). Allah is Al Aziz therefore He is not in need of a helper ‘god’. The concept of multiple gods, asserting their respective wills, would create disorder in the universe.

Citing verse 43 of Surah Al Mu’min (40:43) Huzur said this is the response of the sagacious, the response of the prophets of God. Huzur said the verse preceding this (40:42) is addressed to the disbelievers that while they are being called towards salvation, they call people towards Fire?

Huzur said we should engage in Istaghfar (seek forgiveness from Allah) and that is what will bring about our salvation and we will develop spiritually and the ways for further development will be open to us. It is not sufficient just to have one’s sins forgiven, those who are passionate to establish the kingdom of God on the earth endeavour to attain His nearness and having reached one stage of spiritual development they are eager and keen to reach the next stage and thus they tread this never ending path of spiritual development.

Citing verse 75 of Surah Al Hajj (22:75) Huzur said if people used their senses then reflecting on just the creation of the heavens and the earth would give them an insight into the workings of Allah.

Citing verse 38 of Surah Al Jathiyah (45:38) Huzur emphasized the matter of Allah being Al Aziz and said that it is this true God to Whom one should turn and submit to, to avoid all manner of shirk, for He alone is the font of all powers.

Reading from the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) Huzur said we should develop a connection with our God in order to attain our objective, a connection which would demonstrate an expression of the perception of the Divine attribute of Al Aziz, demonstrate an endeavour to seek taqwa and piety and even make the outsiders express words as expressed in verse 3 of Surah Al Hijr (15:3).

Huzur said our objectives should reach the stage where others are forced to remark on the integrity of our intentions. We are the ambassadors of the Community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and it is our task to establish the kingdom of God, it is a tremendous challenge that each Ahmadi should embrace. May Allah enable us to become His true servants and enable us to have an understanding of our true objectives.