SUMMARY OF FRIDAY SERMON

by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
July 16^th, 2004

(NOTE: Alislam Team takes full responsibility for any errors or miscommunication in this Synopsis of the Friday Sermon)

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Etiquette of Assemblies

As customary Huzur^aba elucidated the subject in light of the Holy Quran, Surah Al Mujadilah, (58:10-11) and with reference to several Ahadith and a few excerpts from the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).

Huzur^aba said the Holy Quran enjoins us to be mindful of others’ sentiment during assemblies, whether they are family gatherings, business meetings or religious congregations. Satan is ever on the lookout to create disorder among people and it is up to believers to abide by propriety and follow the prescribed rules, for example the system of the Jama’at through which one is obliged to obey the Ameer and to avoid falling prey to dissent, which sometimes leads to meetings held where rebellious issues are discussed. Huzur^aba instructed one should always leave such gatherings, explaining that failing to do so would assume that one is also culpable. Indeed this is the teaching of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) that was reinforced by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).

Huzur^aba said in today’s multi-cultural society our youth should be most careful in choosing their company and should avoid raucous places where people gather merely for frivolous objectives.

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) enjoined to be part of peaceable assemblies, whose attendees’ remind one of God, where one’s spiritual knowledge is enhanced. He said when people gather in the mosque for remembrance of Allah tranquillity descends there. Huzur^aba counselled to be mindful of this during the coming Jalsa days. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said that the assembly where people gather and then disperse without remembrance of God is most inauspicious. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) would always come to a gathering having ensured that he did not exude any unseemly smell, he enjoined against the habit of yawning, which is at times accompanied by stretching, in public. He counselled that if two people are sitting and a third person is also present, the two should not whisper amongst themselves, that no one should ask another to vacate a seat so that one may sit there, he enjoined that it is the obligation of a Muslim to sit in a way that gives his brother space to sit as well and that one should not take a seat in a gathering between two people without their permission, he also enjoined that if someone temporarily vacates their seat in an assembly, no one else has the right to sit there while they are momentarily gone. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) taught that everything that is said in an assembly is a confidential trust, apart from when a plan to unlawfully kill someone, plan to commit immorality or plan to usurp someone is made. Huzur^aba said the proceedings of all meetings are confidential and no one has the right to betray them and that this was a basic good manner that all Ahmadis should be aware of, Huzur^aba also stressed the significance of abiding by the etiquette of assembly that he had explained in the forth coming Jalsa Salana.

Huzur^aba said that at the conclusion of a gathering the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) would always seek Allah’s forgiveness and that we should follow this blessed example; seek forgiveness for having unknowingly said something unseemly in a gathering.