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SUMMARY OF FRIDAY SERMON

by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
May 27th, 2005

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


Divine Promise of establishment of Khilafat


Back in Britain after his triumphant tour of East Africa, Huzuraba delivered the Friday Sermon today from Bait ul Futuh on the subject of on the Divine promise of establishment of Khilafat.

Huzuraba began by reciting verse 56 of Surah Al-Nur and explained that today, 27th of May, commemorates 97 years of Ahmadiyya Khilafat and that it is a tremendous blessing and a ‘practical testimony’ of Allah . This Khilafat was prophesied by the Holy Prophetsaw and today each person belonging to the Community is its living evidence. In the recent past, in light of the events around the election of the fifth Khilafat as shown on MTA, even those outside the Community were compelled to acknowledge that we had the ‘practical testimony’ of Allah with us.

Huzuraba said besides the significance of 27th May the other motive for him to speak on the subject was an article that Hadhrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib once wrote which is now being sent by a person to various people within the Community. The article was about Khilafat; how long it would continue and what shape it would take. However, there is no doubt whatsoever that Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib never intended to create any confusion in the Community and that he had merely expressed his personal opinion, whereas the act of this person seems to represent doubt about Khilafat for he is posting this article to people under the guise of ‘gift from an Ahmadi friend’. This person has highlighted the fact that Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib opined in his article that a time would come when Khilafat would be replaced by monarchy and Huzuraba said his nuance seems to be that the previous four Khilafats were fine but now Khilafat does not seem to remain.

Reading the translation of verse 56 of Surah Al Nur, commonly termed as “Ayah tul Istakhlaf” for it states the establishment of Khilafat, Huzuraba said the condition for the establishment of Khilafat is that people are of firm faith and do good deeds and if they deviate from the right path and are ungrateful they shall be deprived of this blessing and shall be among the rebellious.

Huzuraba said these are those who do not acknowledge Khilafat, are disdainful who deride, as well as those Ahmadis who are weak of faith, ever on the look out for creating confusion. Huzuraba related that a man wrote to him that Huzuraba had (God forbid) planned his Khilafat rather well in that the announcement of the passing away of Khalifatul Masih IV was made from the Nazir e Ala’s office - who happened to be Huzuraba at the time – so that people “would get familiar with your name”. Huzuraba said fact is that during the electoral procedure when his name was presented (for Khalifat) he was shaken and prayed that no one who would raise their hand for him. Quoting Khalifatul Masih III (rahma’ullah) Huzuraba said no wise person even entertains the thought of becoming a Khalifa.

Huzuraba cited the celebrated hadith which states: O Muslims this prophethood shall remain with you as long as Allah wishes it to remain. Then it would come to an end and will be replaced by Khilafat which would be on the precepts of prophethood and would remain as long as Allah wills. Then this Khilafat would also come to an end. Cruel monarchy will replace it for as long as Allah wills. Then this period will also come to an end. Then there will be the rule of despots, and that period too will come to an end. After that Khilafat on the precepts of prophethood would re-emerge. After saying this Holy Prophetsaw was quiet.

Huzuraba said this hadith signifies that the Khilafat of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace is everlasting, that it is a Devine decree over which none has power. Huzuraba said the duration or four eras of the Khilafat of the Holy Prophetsaw have no bearing on the present Khilafat. He declared this Khilafat shall remain established for generation after generation to come in the distant future, adding, ‘for as long as you are deserving of it’.

Huzuraba then read a lengthy excerpt from the writings of the Promised Messiahas clearly defining his viewpoint about this Khilafat. The excerpt included: “I came from God as a Manifestation of His Power and I am an incarnation of God’s Power. And after I am gone there will be some other persons who will be the manifestation of the second Power [of God]. So, while waiting for the second Manifestation of His Power, you all together keep yourselves busy praying”. (The Will page 8)

Huzuraba said for the past 97 years this blessing has been bestowed on a particular country and the family of the Promised Messiahas, however, any people/nation who progress in sincerity and taqwa (righteousness) will carry this banner. Citing examples of this nature from his recent African tour Huzuraba said some of these experiences could only be seen but not expressed. He said he went to remote, inaccessible areas in Tanzania where there is no MTA and therefore no chance of the affinity that is brought on by watching images on TV, yet the passion for Khilafat in these places was tremendous; people greeted Huzuraba most passionately and reverently. Huzuraba said similar scenes were experienced in Kenya.

Huzuraba said these are the good deeds and the level of sincerity that shall continue to be the reason of stability and establishment of Khilafat and it leaves no place for the debate as to how long will Khilafat last etc.

With reference to the person who has been sending off the article Huzuraba said he had unsuccessfully tried to make others his ‘tools’; shaitan had tried a trick and had failed however Huzuraba felt it imperative to notify the Community. Huzuraba said that the person had underlined in the article that ‘the succession of Khilafat after a prophet does not last forever’. Responding Huzuraba said, this was a personal opinion of Mirza Bashir Ahmad, adding Huzuraba asked ‘is the mission of the Promised Messiah accomplished then?’

Huzuraba signified that the answers to the questions raised by this person were indeed in the very article of Mirza Bashir Ahmad; he gives three signs if a true Khalifa in it; first that he is elected by a majority of body of believers. To this Huzuraba responded there were many in the Electoral College who did not even know him personally yet they were Divinely inclined to vote for him. The second sign given is that after the death of a Khalifa a community is generally shaken and Allah grants them dignity/stability through the next Khalifa. Again Huzuraba said that each person was a witness that after the death of Khalifatul Masih IV (rahma’ullah) our fear was changed into dignity/stability. The third sign is that Allah discloses this to the prophet in some way or the other. Huzuraba said this was Mirza Bashir Ahmad’s discernment. In the words of Mirza Bashir Ahmad Huzuraba warned; ‘appreciate this era so that the generations to come do not consider you among the wretched’.

Next Huzuraba went on to explain that at the time the article was written it was indeed his own father who had written to Khalifa tul Masih II (may Allah be pleased with him) notifying him about the section regarding ‘monarchy’ in the article. Following this Khalifa tul Masih II (may Allah be pleased with him) had a message printed in Al Fazl newspaper in which he clarified the nuance taken from a particular hadith in the said article. He said that the hadith was a prophecy and was about the specific period following the passing away of the Holy Prophetsaw and did not explain a principle or a pattern.

Huzuraba said Khalifa tul Masih II (may Allah be pleased with him) was indeed ‘Musleh Maud’ (the promised reformer) and Divinely guided, adding, in any case no matter how scholarly a person maybe, he is of no standing compared to a Khalifa, because a Khalifa is helped by Allah to articulate the Divine will.

Huzuraba said if anyone had something to say about him [Huzuraba] they should communicate with him rather then talk elsewhere. Huzuraba urged those who ‘were present and those who understood his language’ [Urdu] to bring about an exceptional change in themselves; to take lesson from those who did not understand the language he spoke yet were greatly advancing in sincerity.

Huzuraba narrated an incident that happened in Uganda where a mother carrying her child ran alongside Huzur’saba car, desperately keen for her baby to look at Huzuraba, trying again and again for the child to glance in Huzur’saba direction. When eventually she succeeded in doing so, the baby gave Huzuraba a most familiar smile and wave. Huzuraba said as long as there were mothers like this there can be no danger to Khilafat.
Huzuraba said Allah is not the ‘relation’ of anyone; He blesses those who do good deeds. No one should deem that their family or their nation is the standard bearer of Ahmadiyyat. The standard bearer of Ahmadiyyat is one who does good deeds.

Huzuraba said in 3 years 100 years of Khalifat e Ahmadiyya shall be completed. He appealed for certain prayers to be said for this during the remaining three years. Huzuraba said if anyone has evil in their heart they should do ‘Istaghfar’ (seek pardon) and rid of it. He said the Community of the Promised Messiahas has now spread so extensively that no ploy to deviate people from Khilafat would work.

Next Huzuraba gave some details of his African tour, relating how delegates from far off countries of Africa travelled thousands of miles on dirt roads – on their own expense – to come and see him; one who is neither from their nation nor speaks their language, the only commonality being Ahmadiyyat and connection with Khilafat. Huzuraba said without doubt they went to the trouble of these travels adhering to the commandment of Allah, the teachings of the Holy prophetsaw and the Promised Messiahas.

In conclusion Huzuraba talked of a tragedy that took place during his African tour where a young Ghanaian missionary and some of his family were martyred on their journey back home after coming to meet with Huzuraba. Paying tribute to the missionary Huzuraba said he would lead funeral prayer in absentia of them all after Jummah prayer.