Giving in the Name of Allah

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

January 4^th, 2008

Huzur gave a discourse on giving in the name of Allah with reference to commencement of the new financial year for Waqf e Jadid. Huzur cited verse 263 of Surah Al Baqarah, the translation reads:

‘They spend their wealth for the cause of Allah, then follow not up what they have spent with taunt or injury, for them is their reward with their Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.’

Huzur remarked who are the people the verse refers to? Explaining, he said these are the community of believers who give to attain the pleasure of Allah.

Allah states in verse 273 of Surah Al Baqarah ‘…while you spend not but to seek the favour of Allah…’ and Huzur said this is the dignity of a believer; indeed, it should be the dignity of a believer. A true believer does not ever give for the sake of affectation. Fortunate are those who give for the sake of Allah and then forget about it and never remind others that they gave to such and such donation or such and such donation. In today’s world, upon reflection, it is the Community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) alone that has people who continue to give in the cause of Allah and never give the air of owing favours. If there is the odd person who indulges in this, they are separated from the Community and having left the security and refuge of the Community are thrown into chaos.

It is a tremendous blessing of Allah that by including us in the Community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) He has counted us among those who continue to give without any fear or grievance and who are profusely rewarded.

Allah states in verse 8 of Surah Al Hadid (57:8) ‘and those of you who believe and spend will have a great reward.’ Huzur said one could not even believe to reflect over Allah’s reward and here the citation is of a ‘great reward’. Indeed, fortunate are those who fulfil this and fortunate are Ahmadis that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) came and generated this spirit in us.

He said:

‘Love of wealth is not desirable. Allah states: ‘Never shall you attain to righteousness unless you spend out of that which you love..’ 3:93

‘You can never ever win the pleasure of Allah unless you, relinquishing your desire, abandoning your pleasures, sacrificing your honour, disowning your wealth, discarding your life, bear such hardships in His way as make you suffer pangs of death. But once you have suffered hardship for Allah, you will come in the lap of God like a beloved child.’

‘If you truly impose a death upon yourself then you will appear in God and God will be with you. The house wherein you dwell will be blessed; and God’s mercy will descend on the walls of your house, and the city wherein you reside will be hallowed.’

Huzur said how fortunate are we that the Imam of the age illumined the ways to seek God. Allah has stated financial giving as a means to attain His pleasure and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) elucidated it significance to us and his Khalifas have been drawing attention towards it as well because sacrifices are mentioned in conjunction with worship of Allah and financial giving is one of these sacrifices. Huzur said in the 52 years of his Khilafat, Hadhrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) did great administrative organisation of the Community to facilitate progress of the objective of the advent of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). For Tarbiyyati and Tablighi purposes the scheme of Waqf e Jadid was started in 1957. It completes its 50 years. In the beginning this scheme was limited to Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, in fact it would be correct to say that mostly Ahmadis from Pakistan contributed towards it. This scheme facilitated the work of Waqfeen e Zindagi (life devotees) and Mu’alams (teachers). In 1985 Khalifa tul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him) made this scheme worldwide with the idea of Ahmadis around the world, in particular from Europe and America, to assist the Ahmadis of the sub-continent who had, up till then, looked after it on their own. The emphasis was to help the Ahmadis of India most of whom were not financially well-off. Since then most of the Waqf e Jadid contributions are spent in India and the African countries.

It is traditional to review the scheme each year at the beginning of the year and today being the first Friday of 2008 Huzur announced the new Waqf e Jadid year.

Khalifa tul Masih III (may Allah have mercy on him) promoted Waqf e Jadid particularly among children through the blessings of which half of the contributions from Pakistan are from children. It is most gratifying that our Community has children with such spirit; they are indeed a surety of the blessing to continue in the generation to come. Huzur urged parents worldwide to focus on this. He asked the secretaries for Waqf e Jadid, the Nasirat and Itfal secretaries to also take note. Awareness of the blessing of Waqf e Jadid should be raised among children. Those who will grow up with this awareness in this materialistic world will not only become an asset for the Community their personal lives will also be blessed due to this.

Huzur said it should be remembered that revolutionary changes are brought about with sacrifices. In this hedonistic age to overcome the selfishness of the nafs (self) is a tremendous source of Tarbiyyat (moral training) and financial giving is a great Jihad (striving) of the time.

Huzur addressed the new converts as well as those who look after them and said that their ties with the Community get stronger when they comprehend the essence of financial giving. Huzur said some of them make outstanding financial sacrifices yet they write in saying they feel a sense of yearning that they joined in so late. Huzur said these are the pearls and gems granted to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).

Huzur said those who are not so good at giving whether old or new to the Community should remember that the station that is the station of Allah’s pleasure is sought with continual endeavour. It is also the obligation of the administration to continue to relate the significance of financial giving to the Community. Huzur said there are people who work for the Community with such zeal that they are totally absorbed in it and spare no time for their families and have to be reminded to give time to the families and indeed to themselves.

In terms of accomplishing various Tehriks, Huzur said often the same people are approached again and again although the administration is often told to bring in new people.

Huzur said if the departments of Tarbiyyat, Finance and Waqf e Jadid worked on this, this was achievable. To those who say that people of the Community do not participate fully Huzur said he always say it is their task to continue trying with prayers. It is meritorious to include those who are perhaps not as strong as others in one’s tasks.

Huzur counselled to make specific programmes for the Khilafat Centenary commemorations that would enhance the standards of financial giving and would awaken the passion to seek Allah’s pleasure in everyone. Huzur remarked that this would indeed be the most excellent offering of thankfulness for the completion of the first century of Khilafat.

Huzur said Waqf e Jadid is the last Tehrik of financial giving by Hadhrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) and this too completes its 50 years now. This Tehrik is the last Tehrik of the first century of Ahmadiyya Khilafat.

Huzur then related a dream of Jehangir Sahib (missionary originating from Mauritius) that Hadhrat Khalifa tul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him) had recounted fourteen years ago and had interpreted the dream in terms of the rising contributions of Waqf e Jadid and had prayed that may the three countries (India Pakistan and Bangladesh) involved in the scheme move towards progress. Huzur said he would also reiterate to try and gather greater speed in terms of the work of Waqf e Jadid (in conjunction with financial giving). Huzur said specific planning for this is needed. Financial giving is a significant part of this and all the countries will help and assist. Special awareness should raised among children, in addition particular involvement of those who have entered into Bai’at in the last ten years should be encouraged. Huzur said while good work is being done in recalling some of the new converts with whom contact was lost, yet he reminded that he has often said to involve them in financial giving. Huzur said we need to enhance our levels of Taqwa with prayer and with financial giving and thus enter into the new Khilafat centenary. This awareness will ensure further advancements for the Community and will also inspire those who are new to the Community.

Next Huzur announced the total of Waqf e Jadid contributions for last year; it stands at £ 2,427,000. An increase of £ 210,000 from last year and in terms of the fulfilment of Jehangir Sahib’s dream the increase greater than the increase of Tehrik e Jadid contributions from the previous year.

Among the worldwide Jama’ats Pakistan’s contributions were the largest followed by USA and then the UK. Huzur said newspapers have reviewed 2007 as the worst year for Pakistan, among other things also in financial terms. Despite this, the level of sacrifice of the Pakistani Ahmadis did not falter. Huzur said he had thought that owing to the state of affairs of last month in Pakistan and the particular bad situation in Karachi the contribution may fall short however Allah has manifested that when He wills to grant progress, angels are put in action to help. Huzur said as he daily witnesses the advancement of the Community he was embarrassed that he did not have a positive estimate, may Allah have mercy.

Huzur announced that in terms of per capita contributions the biggest contributions were made by the USA members followed by the UK. There has been improvement in the contributions of Ghana as well. Huzur said it was in his personal experience that people of Ghana have a great spirit in financial giving and he opined that whatever the deficiency, it is a result of the weakness of the office-holders there.

Among the Jama’ats of UK the biggest per capita contributions were from the London Mosque, followed by South East London and New Malden. In USA Silicon Valley had the biggest per capita contributions followed by Chicago West and Detroit. In Pakistan the biggest per capita contributions were made in Lahore followed by Karachi and Rabwah.

Huzur prayed for endless blessings to be granted to those who have participated in this. He said once Khalifa tul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him) had said that the Community has such people whose sincerity is frightening and these people are now seen all over; the fear is for them to afflict their nafs (self) [in their sincerity of giving].

Huzur prayed that may Allah, in accordance with His promise grant all the participants a ‘great reward’ and may this spirit continue to pass on and may it never end.

Huzur prayed that may we display such a spirit that people to come would pray for us for establishing pious models and thus inculcated the spirit of giving. May Allah make it so.