Huzur delivered his Friday Sermon from Manneheim, Germany, inaugurating the country’s Jalsa Salana with his sermon. Huzur said this year due to the commemoration of the Khilafat Centenary each country is making great arrangements for their Jalsa Salana on unprecedented scales, largely inspired by the Ghana Jalsa Salana. Huzur said the German Jalsa Salana was the seventh Jalsa of the year that he has graced.
Huzur said the German Jalsa Salana is held very successfully each year and it is hoped that it will be better this year and every person attending it will derive beneficence from it having comprehended its spirit. The reason for gathering at Jalsa should always be kept in mind. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that he had initiated the Jalsa Salana so that all the ‘mukhleseen’ (sincere people) would gather in a spiritual environment which help would cool off the love of this world in hearts and love of God and His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) would overcome. Huzur said each Ahmadi should take note that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has referred to those who take his bai’at with the endearing word of ‘mukhleseen’. He has given us this status or has expected us to endeavour to attain this status. Huzur said if the attributes of ‘mukhleseen’ that Allah has stated were to be kept in mind, indeed the love of this world would cool off. In Surah Yusuf Allah states that Hadhrat Yusuf (on whom be peace) shunned a woman’s call towards evil due to his fear of Allah and his true insight and perception of Allah and states: ‘Surely, he was one of our chosen servants.’ (12:25) Hadhrat Yusuf’s (on whom be peace) pure nature saved him. Huzur said it is this fear of God and purity that saves one otherwise Satan has openly said that he will lead people astray by making things look alluring and he said that people would forget God apart from when he conceded: ‘Except Thy chosen servants from among them’ (15:41) & (38:84). Huzur said those who have taken the bai’at of the Imam of the age should strive and put the conditions of the bai’at in practice no matter how much Satan tries to entice. Referring to verses 37 to 41 of Surah Al Saffat Huzur explained that when the disbelievers said outrageous things about the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) it was revealed that this Prophet was so great that not only had he brought the truth but he also had testified to the truth of all the earlier prophets and that believing in him was the only path to salvation. Huzur said this expounds that now believing in him and his true and ardent devotee (the Promised Messiah) is the only way to salvation. We are most fortunate as Ahmadis that we were enabled to believe in him and have thus been blessed. It is our obligation to value and cherish this blessing. Allah declares that that He is Holy and far above what they associate with Him and that only those will prosper who worship Him sincerely. Huzur said in this day and age there are many who do not believe in God, we have been told what their end will be like. Therefore we have to remember this at all times and not only when we are in need.
[Please note in all the above quoted Quranic verses the word mukhleseen has been used with reference to Allah and in conjunction with the word ebaad (servants). It is therefore translated as ‘chosen servants’ in Hadhrat Maulwi Sher Ali translation edition.]
Huzur said when the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that for his ‘mukhleseen’ love of Prophet and love of God will prevail over love of this world, he expected them to overcome and shun all the evils of the world at all times. Huzur said we have to draw our attention to try and come up to the mark of the expectations of the true and ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), strive to follow the commandments of God and Sunnah of the Prophet, draw attention to get to know God, draw attention towards developing our religious and spiritual levels and enhance our worship of God with taqwa (righteousness) – only then will we be able to contribute usefully and beneficially to the Community. It is such people that Allah has referred to as His ‘chosen servants’ in the Holy Qur’an.
Citing (3:32) Huzur said love for the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is not only a source of attaining love of God but also absolves ones sins and saves one from committing sins in the future. Therefore those who call themselves Ahmadi and have gathered for the Jalsa purely for the sake of Allah for three days should pay particular attention to this as participation in the Jalsa is also a source of enhancing ones sincerity. Huzur read out extracts from the noble writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) counselling and advising towards piety and said that we can only be included among the ‘mukhleseen’ by adopting his counsel. Huzur said everyone had gathered for the Jalsa to commemorate the significance of the Khilafat Centenary. It should therefore be a Jalsa that reminds us of the blessing of Khilafat and our true thanksgiving for this blessing would be when we endeavour to bring about pure changes in our ‘nafs’ (self). To attain the love of God we have to follow the blessed model of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) who left a model for us in every aspect. He was indeed the Qur’an personified. Allah enjoins the believers in the Qur’an (33:57) to invoke blessings and salutations (durud) on the Prophet. Huzur said during the Jalsa days while it was essential to pay special attention to Salat and prayers it was also important to invoke blessings and salutations on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) so that Allah may accept our prayers and improve our situation and make us His sincere servants. May He enable us to remember Him profusely and follow the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and honour the dues of mankind and shun the evils that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has cautioned us about.
Huzur said the most perfect of the chosen servants of Allah was of course the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). His supplications and entreaties to God surpass all other supplications; his standards of worship of God were supremely excellent. Such a station cannot be attained by everyone, however, Allah states in the Qur’an ‘Verily you have in the Prophet of Allah an excellent model, for him who fear Allah and the Last Day and who remembers Allah much.’ (33:22) Therefore for those who remember Allah it is vital to follow the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). For those who are in the Community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) it is paramount to follow this Prophet. Each Ahmadi has to endeavour according to his or her utmost capacity to enhance the standard of worship of God so that their claim does not merely remain a claim. Reading extracts from the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) extolling the virtues of Salat Huzur said worship of God is not proper until one is free from all manner of latent/concealed shirk (associating partners with Allah) and until one is extremely humble, is free from any kind of impure planning and egotism. Those who proclaim Tawheed (Unity of God) cannot seek worldly means when it suits them, usurp others’ rights and speak arrogantly. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said the true worshipper is one who establishes the rights of creation.
Huzur cited some ahadith to further elucidate the subject. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that the more a servant of God forgives the more Allah increases his honour and the more humility he adopts the greater status is granted to him by Allah. Huzur said these days as with other places marital disagreements are also common here. Neither the men have the self-control that a believer is supposed to have nor the women. Huzur said he has said it before that although generally speaking most of the blame lies with the men, some women are equally culpable. If both parties have control over their emotions, adopt taqwa then none of this would happen. Indeed the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) enjoined that if you see a fault [in your spouse] surely you can see a good point as well. Huzur said in the days of Jalsa when there is an ambience of spirituality people should self-examine and reflect over their Salat, their civility and should not ever think about usurping the rights of others. Huzur said basic morals cannot be maintained unless one has fear of God. If one can inculcate this one can be free of all ills. Such an Ahmadi can then achieve the standard that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wanted us to aspire to. Huzur said keeping the purpose of the Jalsa in view each person has to raise a ‘muzaki’ (purifier) from within oneself. Huzur explained that this Jalsa will have many academic and scholarly speeches with reference to the Khilafat Centenary; he prayed that may each speaker be blessed and may those who listen seek spiritual beneficence from the speeches. Reading an extract of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) Huzur enjoined to avoid sin, worship God and adopt piety. Huzur said this is our very objective and may Allah enable each person who is attending the Jalsa to attain this and may each person get the beneficence of the blessings of the success that InshaAllah will be ours in accordance to Divine promises.
Next Huzur said that last year he had placed some restrictions on the German Lajna. However, following many letters of apology he has removed the restriction. However, he reminded that the promise that they have made should be fulfilled. Huzur said many other Lajna worldwide learnt a lesson from this episode and have put it in practice. At the Jalsa in Ghana about 50,000 women participated. Of these 25,000 to 30,000 would come for Fajr Salat. There was never any noise during Salat, sermon or speeches despite the heat and the fact that there was no separate arrangement for children. Huzur said nations who have joined at a latter stage but are establishing such models will excel, indeed rightfully so. Huzur said he was reminding about this lest Lajna has forgotten that they have to listen to all the programmes with patience, only then will they be seeking beneficence from the Jalsa of Khilafat Centenary. Huzur said continue to enhance your standards, may Allah enable everyone.