SUMMARY OF FRIDAY SERMON

by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
January 31^st, 2003

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With reference to verse 128 of Surah Al-Tauba (Chapter 9) today Hazur^aba further elucidated the manifestly compassionate nature of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him). Hazur^aba focused on the traditions in which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) exhibited his remarkable compassion towards the subjugated and the less fortunate. He enjoined to take care of one’s slaves like one’s children and he would be incredibly soft in his treatment of the nomads in particular and others in general when they made seemingly inappropriate acts around the mosque and during prayer. His great love for Zaid bin Harsa (may Allah be pleased with him) was exhibited when once upon Zaid’s arrival the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) went hurriedly and barefoot to the door to greet and embrace him. Hazur^aba related the Holy Prophet’s (peace and blessing be on him) admonishment on the rights of the neighbour and that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) had defined that a person who is well fed but whose neighbour remains hungry is not among the believers. Hazur^aba said the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) instructed that sadqa or charity constitutes of simple acts like smiling at one’s brother, leading a blind person on the way, removing a stone or a thorn or an impediment from the way or washing the neighbours doorway by splashing water from one’s own bucket.
Hazur^aba related ahadith regarding the brutal pre-Islamic Arab practice of burying girls alive and indeed the astonishing compassion the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) displayed regarding this and his admonishment that a daughter becomes a cover between the fire of hell and that man who raises his daughter with love and impartiality. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) also enjoined that in absence of the natural mother, the mother’s sister is best suited to raise a girl/child.

Recounting a hadith from memory, Hazur^aba told of an old woman who had heard unfavourably of a wizard/magician of Mecca and was extremely cautious not to cross this wizards’ way on her visit to Mecca. As it happened, upon her arrival the first person she encountered was none other than the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him). She told him about her intention to avoid this wizard by all means. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) took the woman’s bundle that she was carrying and told her that he would explain later; first he wished to help her to get to her destination. Having safely taken her to her destination, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) told the woman that he indeed was the very wizard she had heard of. On this the woman replied that his wizardry had surely worked its magic on her and that she wished to adopt his faith. She thus became a Muslim.

Next Hazur^aba related many incidents from the life of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) based on his compassionate nature. Hazur^aba explained how he would go to extraordinary limits to care for the sick and the ailing and how he would give hours at a stretch to sick children. Hazur^aba explained that once someone inadvertently broke a glass jar that belonged to the household of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and expressed the wish to have a replacement sent for. The Promised Messiah (on whom be said) enjoined that there was no need for a replacement, that such a ‘penalty’ was not permissible in Shariah, however, if that person wished to give another glass jar as a gift, that would be a different matter.