Qadian Darul Aman

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

December 16^th, 2005

Huzur^aba delivered this historic Friday Sermon from Qadian. He said it was with the grace of Allah and through His enabling alone that he was making the address from the beautiful and spiritually-charged hamlet (hometown) of the Promised Messiah^as as his Khalifa and representative for the first time. The second noteworthy aspect of the sermon that was a source of delight and spiritual elation was that in the message of the Promised Messiah^as being transmitted live from Qadian - via the sermon - for the first time on MTA, the revelation of the Promised Messiah^as - “I will cause your message to reach the corners of the earth” – which has been fulfilled in many ways before, was being fulfilled with a new glory.

Huzur^aba said the blessing of MTA was an endowment for the Community as a result of the prayers of the Promised Messiah^as and that it was a magnificent realization of his prayers.

Huzur^aba said since his arrival in India he was being asked about his feelings about visiting Qadian. Huzur^aba said Qadian is the hometown of the Promised Messiah^as and as such each Ahmadi has an exclusive and emotional affinity with it and as one gets nearer and closer to this place one’s emotions are heightened.

Huzur^aba explained that the Promised Messiah^as has taught us the ways and means to traverse the spiritual stages with reference to the spiritual connection an Ahmadi has with him. Observing the spiritually-charged atmosphere of Qadian Huzur^aba remarked that most fortunate were the inhabitants of Qadian that they lived in a place where the streets once had the honour of the Promised Messiah’s^as blessed feet walking on them.

Huzur^aba mentioned and acknowledged the “dervishes” of Qadian who made great sacrifices, a few of these are still living although their lives are not active anymore. With reference to the ancestors of these indigenous inhabitants who made great sacrifices for this place as well as those who have settled here at a later stage – about whom Huzur^aba said he had the favourable opinion that they had made the move for the love of the Promised Messiah^as – Huzur^aba enjoined that they should develop their spirituality to such an extent that it is evident.

It would be evident, Huzur^aba said, if prayer and Istaghfar is made and sincere effort is made to bring about pure changes in oneself. These steps most certainly draw Allah’s grace; Allah enhances one in matters of faith as well as takes care of one’s needs of this world.

Huzur^aba remarked that when one turns to Allah with absolute sincerity one’s worldly wishes diminish in any case. He related an incident where a life-devotee from Ghana once said to him that he found other life-devotees to be in a better financial situation than himself. Huzur^aba said he told that person to engage in Istaghfar, as a result of him paying heed to Huzur^aba’s advise not only did his worldly quest diminished rather his sense of sacrifice for others increased.

Re-iterating Huzur^aba said that the measure of taqwa of people of Qadian should be such that those who move away from here visibly reflect the purity of the Promised Messiah^as in their appearance, their demeanour and their piety of heart, that their manner clearly conveys that they hail from a spiritual environment. Huzur^aba said the new converts who come to Qadian certainly look up to the model of the local people especially as they are the families of the esteemed elders.

Huzur^aba said it is Allah’s help that we need to lessen the love of this world, to develop in our faith, to abide by Allah’s commandments and for every other task; he enjoined the prayer from Surah Al Fatihah (1:5) in order to seek these objectives.

Huzur^aba said worship of God is conditional with one’s obligation to fulfil the rights of mankind and that we should be most alert not to let slip in these commitments. Huzur^aba said we should all be heedful whether we are sincerely repentant after committing a mistake and do we really seek Allah’s help with sincere remorse. Huzur^aba said at times people make mistakes and the system of the Community takes disciplinary action, afterwards they are pardoned. Some times the mistake is repeated and the disciplinary action is repeated. On occasion the situation gets complex and then the matter is left with God.

Huzur^aba explained from this the world should not assume that God forbid there was something wrong in Qadian. He said in any society if there are only a few erroneous people it is more noticeable and he said that he believed in counsel ahead of time and does not believe that mistake should necessarily precede counsel.

Huzur^aba said Qadian was replete with sincerity; however the more exposure it received the greater should be the measure of taqwa of its inhabitants.

Quoting from the extracts of the writings of the Promised Messiah^as Huzur^aba said Istaghfar is to make an entreaty to God that one’s human frailties are not exposed, that with His power God covers one’s natural faults and covers any sin that one might have committed; the essence of Istaghfar is to protect one from one’s natural shortcomings. The Promised Messiah^as said “Istaghfar is to seek the beneficence of the Divine attribute of All-Subsisting and All-Sustaining God”.

Huzur^aba prayed that may the inhabitant’s of Qadian thus seek Istaghfar and may they make entreaties to Him to accept their Istaghfar and to diminish the satanic inclinations of the nafs (self) and may our hearts and minds be perceptive to the message of the Promised Messiah^as “So, arise and repent and please your Master with good works”.

In conclusion Huzur^aba asked for prayers for the huge number of people who wish to go to Qadian because of his blessed presence there and have not yet obtained entry visas that they may obtain visas and may their pious wish to visit this pure hamlet be fulfilled. Huzur^aba asked those who are seeking to travel to Qadian to pray for themselves as well.

Huzur^aba also informed those travelling from the West to Qadian to come prepared for their basic needs, specially their bedding. Huzur^aba said it gets cold in Qadian and arrangements on the scale that people in the West are used to cannot be met in Qadian. Once in India, Huzur^aba also cautioned people about eating out as the meat served in dishes is not always halal and tayyab (clean, wholesome).

Huzur^aba concluded with further prayers.