SUMMARY OF FRIDAY SERMON
by
the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
August 5th, 2005
(NOTE: Alislam Team takes full responsibility for any errors or miscommunication in this Synopsis of the Friday Sermon by Sister Shermeen Butt)
Gratitude and Thankfulness to Allah
Huzuraba based his Friday Sermon on the subject of gratitude and thankfulness to Allah. Huzuraba spoke of the success of the UK Jalsa Salana despite the new site which lacked infrastructure; Huzuraba said it was solely through Allah’s grace that we were enabled to organise and hold the Jalsa in the circumstances that we did, for this, he said no amount of gratitude expressed to Allah was enough.
Elucidating the subject of thankfulness Huzuraba said Allah is Independent and free from any need for any gratitude; it is man who is constantly in need of his Allah and it is for the betterment of man that Allah wishes him to be grateful. Gratitude opens up further avenues of Allah’s grace and if man continues to turn to Allah with greater sincerity, it grants him Divine nearness and this in turn brings about further grace and blessing.
Huzuraba cautioned against the misconception that we could live off the blessings of Allah granted to our Community in return of the virtues and thankfulness practiced by our ancestors and elders, rather, he said we cannot gain Allah’s pleasure unless we personally inculcate these pious practices.
Further explaining the Jalsa Salana situation, Huzuraba said that due to the new site there was concern that the arrangements might not be up to the mark, however, the volunteers worked extremely hard. Huzuraba said utilizing one’s God-given physical capacities is also in line with the subject of gratefulness; to use one’s capacities to the maximum and then entrust the matter to Allah.
Huzuraba said in accordance with practicing appreciation and gratefulness he wanted to thank all the Jalsa volunteers. In particular Huzuraba mentioned those who are born and bred in the West, in an environment that is geared towards materialism, yet at Jalsa they immerse themselves in serving the guests with total dedication and selflessness, even forfeiting sleep. Huzuraba said these volunteers should also thank Allah that He granted them the opportunity to serve with His grace.
Huzuraba said the attendees of the Jalsa should also be grateful in that they were enabled to come and take part in the Jalsa, those who saw it on MTA should also be thankful that they could make use of the blessing that MTA is; a blessing that Allah has granted us in acceptance of the humble sacrifices of the Community.
Huzuraba said as a mark of gratefulness we should all make the pure changes that we felt Jalsa brought about in us an enduring part of our lives, and this in turn will open further avenues of Allah’s grace on us. Huzuraba acknowledged the cooperation and support displayed by those who attended Jalsa towards the volunteers and the organisers.
Likewise Huzuraba expressed gratitude towards the local authority that provided the large area of the Jalsa site and was fully cooperative. Due to it being a military site the security arrangement was good. In light of the bombings of 7th July concern had been raised that the hire of the site might be cancelled. However with Allah’s grace they remained sympathetic and may Allah reward them all for this.
It was a tremendous favour of Allah that we have now been given a new site [of our own] for Jalsa, may Allah bring the procedure of the purchase to completion soon. No amount of gratitude expressed to Allah is enough for this blessing. Huzuraba said the UK Jalsa has an international significance; therefore financial donations for the new site from all over the world were in order.
Among all the blessings of Allah during the Jalsa one was that it received hitherto unprecedented press and media coverage. Huzuraba gave details of all the TV channels around the world that covered the event. In particular, Huzuraba said, the coverage was with reference to the London July bombings in that an alternative, peaceful picture of Islam was presented and the ‘Lawa e Ahmadiyyat’ (the banner/flag of the Community) was seen on TV channels around the world.
Huzuraba said today the world can perceive genuine and positive representative of Islam in us, as well as a salutary image of Pakistan through us, whereas in Pakistan we are deemed non-Muslims and the police and the authorities recently talked of closing down our press in Rabwah. Huzuraba said we are not the representatives/ambassadors of any one country; rather we are the ambassadors of Islam and of the teaching that was revealed to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) that propagates love.
Huzuraba remarked on how the rainfall during Jalsa failed to interrupt the satellite transmission of MTA, in particular during Huzuraba’s address and that a representatives of the company who assisted us in the transmission remarked at this rather unusual phenomenon, putting it down to our ‘exclusive connection’ with God.
Huzuraba said the police and the army were both happy and surprised as regards their duty at Jalsa in that all the tasks were undertaken by our volunteers. So much so that some expressed their wish to come for this duty again next year.
Huzuraba concluded with the prayer that may Allah enable us to continue to be His grateful servants, to attain His pleasure through good deeds and may we gather greater blessings owing to our sense of gratefulness.