Huzoor(aba) delivered today’s Friday Sermon elucidating the last condition of Bai’at as set by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).
It reads:
“That he shall enter into a bond of brotherhood with this humble servant of God, pledging obedience to me in everything good, for the sake of Allah, and remain faithful to it till the day of his death; that he shall exert such a high devotion in the observance of this bond as is not to be found in any worldly relationship and connections demanding devoted dutifulness.”
Huzoor(aba) said the more we reflect on this condition, the greater our love for the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) grows and subsequently our adherence to the system of the Jama’at improves. As regards obedience of an eminent/good decision Huzoor(aba) said at times people needlessly get embroiled in the rights and wrongs of this, he further explained the matter with reference to ahadith and said that an eminent/good decision is that which is evidently in line with the Divine commandments. Huzoor(aba) stressed on the unscrupulousness of tittle-tattle based on misconstruing decisions and reiterated that the community is duty-bound to obey. Citing an incidence of the Khilafat of Hazrat Umer (may Allah be pleased with him) Huzoor(aba) explained how Khalid bin Waleed, a renowned and excellent general humbly obeyed to be under the command of another general merely in accordance with the decision of the Khalifa.
Huzoor(aba) said it is only by obeying the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that we can fulfil our pledge of love for the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) and it is only by obeying the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) that we can fulfil our pledge of love for Allah.
Huzoor(aba) further explained quoting from the august writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) who said that he had attained the lofty blessings that he had only and only because he had followed in the footsteps of his master and leader Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him) and said that without this one cannot attain nearness to Allah. When one sincerely loves Allah then Allah also loves back and grants that person a nur (light) and that person also gains the love of people around him.
Huzoor(aba) cited a few ahadith regarding the Holy Prophet’s (peace and blessings be on him) solemn counsel to accept and obey the Messiah at his advent insofar to go to him even if one has to crawl on one’s knees to get there. With reference Huzoor(aba) expressed his dismay at the recent unrefined commotion raised by some religious scholars in Pakistan regarding their unfortunate interpretation of the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) mission and admonished the Pakistani Jama’at to be patient and steadfast, quoting (in Urdu) that ‘when man does not speak up, that is when God speaks up’, adding that we have [notwithstanding our patience and fortitude] in the past seen our adversaries crushed to pieces.
Next Huzoor(aba) related a few ahadith illustrating the significance of obedience as taught by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings on him) who admonished to obey one’s leader in all situations and to bear patiently in the circumstance of finding something undesirable in one’s leader and to completely pay no heed to someone who, if people are gathered under one person tries to divide them. Huzoor(aba) said the bai’at is made on the principle of ‘we hear and we obey’.
Speaking on the importance of adhering to the standards set by the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) bai’at Huzoor(aba) said acting upon his teachings could help attain these. Reading from excerpts of his writings Huzoor(aba) enjoined to inculcate honesty in oneself and to shun all manner of evil and mischief making, to be patient in the face of reproach and abuse, to avoid ridiculing others and to remove all mutual rancour and enmity and to maintain the highest level of morals and civility in all circumstances.
In addition to some august and venerable excerpts of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) elucidating the dignity and solemnity of his mission with masterful eloquence, Huzoor(aba) concluded on the following:
‘ Who is my companion?…..He who accepts me in the same way as those sent earlier are accepted. The world cannot accept me for I am not of this world. But those whose inherent nature has been gifted with a portion of the knowledge of the other domain are accepting me and will continue to accept me…..I hold a lamp in my hand. Any person who comes to me will certainly partake of the light of this lamp.’
Huzoor(aba) prayed that may Allah enable us all to adhere to all the pledges we have made with the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).