Blessings of Ramadan

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

October 7^th, 2005

Back home from his European tour Huzur^aba delivered Friday sermon at Bait ul Futuh, London and gave a discourse on the blessings of Ramadan.

Citing verse 184 of Surah Al Baqarah (2:184) Huzur^aba explained that the anticipation for Ramadan should be on the lines of intending to adopt taqwa (righteousness) avoiding spiritual as well as moral pitfalls and to inculcate love and fear of Allah. He said we should reflect upon whether we have maintained the spiritual development we attained during last Ramadan or not. The preferable condition would be that we are enabled to move upwards in spiritual development from last Ramadan; those who have integrated the spiritual growth of last Ramadan in their everyday life are the fortunate ones, whereas those who disregarded what they gained need to seriously reflect and turn to Allah seeking from His grace the capacity to adhere to taqwa. Unless one shuns what is evil and adopts what is good, pays the dues of Allah as well as the dues of mankind, Huzur^aba said, one is merely starving.

Huzur^aba said it is man’s task to try and endeavour to seek nearness to Allah. Citing several Ahadith Huzur^aba expounded the eminence of Ramadan and related that if people knew the elevated status of Ramadan the ummah would wish that Ramadan lasted through out the year. Hadith relates that Paradise is adorned all year round for the month of Ramadan. Huzur^aba said it is this Paradisiacal ‘adornment’ that in essence takes those who are holy unto flights of spiritual elevation.

The Holy Prophet^saw said that Ramadan is a great and blessed month in which nights are for worship of God, it is a month to practice patience and the reward for patience is Paradise, it is a month in which the believer’s provision is blessed. In this month Allah rewards each obligatory act 70-fold.

Huzur^aba explained that fasting during Ramadan requires one to avoid all ills, to bear enemy’s oppression with steadfastness, to give up what is otherwise permissible, only for the sake of Allah. Ramadan is a month of fraternal bonds; each person should forgive the other for the sake of Allah and in light of earning the 70-fold reward during Ramadan we would traverse great heights in seeking Allah’s nearness. Huzur^aba said at times Allah provides in the most unexpected ways; when man is engaged in worship of Allah, cutting down on worldly tasks, then Allah in keeping with His promise provides for His servant.

Expounding another hadith that states that Allah Himself is the reward for a fast of Ramadan Huzur^aba said all reward lies with Allah, however, in Ramadan a believer not only shuns what is forbidden, he/she also keeps away from what is otherwise permissible, does more good than at other times and does good in response to evil; hence its reward is without measure.

Explaining the portion of hadith which terms fast as a ‘shield’ Huzur^aba said this shield would only be useful if we avoid each ill and when each person instead of fault-finding others would reflect deeply on one’s own self. Indeed a hadith relates that one who fasts during Ramadan in a state of Iman (belief) and practices self-analysis will be forgiven all their past sins. The Promised Messiah^as said, “It should be so that each morning should bear witness for you that you have spent the night with taqwa and each evening should bear witness for you that you have spent the day with care and caution.”

Huzur^aba said that one is granted forgiveness and pardon by fasting during Ramadan, providing one fulfils all the requisites as prescribed.

Huzur^aba said that in addition to raising one’s standard of worship and recitation of the Holy Qur’an during Ramadan, another model that the Holy Prophet^saw set for us was to give in the name of Allah with great profusion during this sacred month. Huzur^aba said alms-giving is most essential for purifying oneself and that we should also pay attention to this during Ramadan.

Next Huzur^aba related a most distressing incident that took place in Pakistan earlier today. In the village of Mung, near the town of Mandi Bahauddin, while Ahmadis stood offering their Fajr Salat in their mosque, some opponents opened fire on the congregation. Eight people were martyred while twenty were injured. Huzur^aba prayed for the injured and for the departed souls and the bereaved and said that while Ahmadis seek the love of God during Ramadan these few extremists as trained by the mullah try in their [misguided/depraved] way to seek Allah’s pleasure by taking the lives of Ahmadis, whereas they are in for Allah’s reckoning.

Huzur^aba prayed for each Ahmadi to be protected from all harm and for the opponents to be brought to justice.