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Social ills of Suspicion, Jealousy, Slander and Accusation

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

May 26th, 2006

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

Huzuraba’s Friday Sermon was on the social ills of suspicion, negative conjecture, jealousy, slander and accusation.

Huzuraba spoke of instances where complaints and criticisms about others are brought to him that turn out to be totally baseless on investigation and are nothing more than an exercise in defaming people who are dedicated workers. Huzuraba said many complaints are genuine but those of personal nature are generally accompanied by insistence on disciplinary action and are borne out of jealousy and make Huzuraba wonder if the person who has complained is himself in the wrong.

Huzuraba said unfortunately this practice is common among the people of the Indian sub-continent and even educated people have such hollow views. These are the ills that our elders had abandoned after coming into the Bai’at of the Promised Messiah as. The administrative system of the Community as well as the auxiliary organisations should pay special attention and launch a concerted effort to eradicate these ills. Huzuraba said a while ago he had given detailed sermons on each of these social ills which bore good results, however such is man’s nature that he forgets unless he is reminded and that is why Allah has commanded to keep on reminding. Most people only need slight reminding whereas there are those who, upon listening to counselling, [in sermon] maintain that it is not aimed at them rather it is aimed at so and so and then are brazen enough to write and complain to Huzuraba about others with reference to his sermons; on investigation it transpires that they themselves are in the wrong.

On listening to the counselling of the Khalifa of the day each Ahmadi should primarily believe that it is addressed to them. These social ills are most significant in that they eradicate one’s spirituality and ruin the peace of the society. That is why the Holy Qur’an enjoins to avoid them; so that each believer may continue on the path of spiritual development and purity. This is why the advent of the Promised Messiah as took place; once an Ahmadi pledges allegiance (Bai’at) to him but continues to spread disturbance in the society then that Bai’at is of no avail. All of us should continue to self-reflect and only think about complaining or criticising someone once we have purified ourselves.

Jealousy:
Huzuraba elucidated the ill of jealousy with reference to several Ahadith. The Holy Prophet saw enjoined to avoid jealousy for jealousy burns out virtues like fire burn out fuel. He said that faith and jealousy cannot co-exist in any person and that the state of one who is jealous is like that of one who consumes the pus of Hell.

Huzuraba explained that on accomplishment of a good deed those who fear Allah pray to be constant at it, each Ahmadi should endeavour for this. The main ill to destroy virtue is jealousy and it should never be underestimated. One act borne out of jealousy can ruin virtues of a life time. Huzuraba said someone’s closeness to Khilafat or Allah’s blessings on them should be looked up to by others and they should try and achieve similar standards. The Holy Prophet saw said that jealousy and malice uproot and shear off one’s faith and that one would not be admitted to Paradise unless one was in state of faith and the formula for that is to promote saying of Assalamoalaikum to each other.

Fault finding and slander:
Those who find faults of others and make accusations have been called foul and wrongdoers (49:12) by Allah. Huzuraba said each Ahmadi should avoid these ills and instead of accusing others, each person should be concerned about the state of their own faith. Indeed the Holy Prophet saw had said that one can see the straw in one’s brother’s eye but cannot see the timber in his own eye. Huzuraba said if one had firm faith that Allah is All-Seeing one would always be only concerned about one’s own deeds.

The Holy Prophet saw enjoined against mutual jealousy and admonished spying on one’s brother and spoiling each other’s business dealings. Huzuraba said indeed all this is to be avoided; in fact even if a person does have a failing others should not pursue it. The Holy Prophet saw said that Allah will save the face of that person from fire on the Day of Judgment who safeguards his brother’s honour. Huzuraba said man commits untold sins and if Allah was to hold us account for them we would be destroyed, therefore, we should safeguard each other’s honour for we do not know if our deeds alone are worthy of saving us from the torment of Fire.

Negative conjecture/suspicion:
Citing Quranic verse 49:13 Huzuraba expounded the practice of thinking ill of others merely based on faulty observations. At times this ill is simply to disgrace others or in some instances to create distance where there is close connection with Khilafat. This ill increases one’s curiosity and prying and people end up constantly snooping in other’s affairs.

Huzuraba told a story relating to the King Mahmood Ghaznavi and his servant Ayaz who was most sincere and loyal to the king. Once on return from an expedition Ayaz was noticed missing from the group. Some sycophants from the kings men who wished to disgrace Ayaz tried to convince the king making negative conjectures about Ayaz. However the king was not convinced and later Ayaz was seen returning with a prisoner whom he had captured. Ayaz explained that he had earlier seen concern in the eyes of the king and had gone to investigate and had indeed found a man from the enemy waylaying with a bow and arrow. Those who had accused Ayaz were most embarrassed. Huzuraba said in addition to avoid suspicion this story had another moral: to obey each directive of one whose pledge of allegiance one takes and claims love for; that is the Holy Prophet saw and the Promised Messiah as. Moreover Huzuraba said one should also try and abide by the counsel of the Khalifa of the day, whose Bai’at one has taken.

Huzuraba cited extracts from the writings of the Promised Messiah as further expounding the subject. The Promised Messiah as said that the one who makes false accusations against others, is not of his Community. “Whosoever has no wish to forgive the faults of those who may have transgressed against him, and desires to foster malice, is not of my Community, whosoever brings false accusation and scandal against his brothers and sisters is not of my Community unless he fully repents of his misdeeds and totally breaks away from bad associates, turning anew leaf.”

To think of oneself better than the others is making negative conjectures of others conversely to think good of others is an act of worship of God.

The Holy Prophet saw said that truth guides one to obedience, and obedience guides one to Paradise and thus remaining constantly truthful makes one a sadeeq (truthful). On the other hand lying leads one to disobedience and disobedience leads to Hell and thus it makes one a kazaab (a liar).

In conclusion Huzuraba said those who tend to accuse others should bring about a change in themselves and should safeguard their faith and should not put others through trails and causing them to stumble. Huzuraba prayed that may Allah enable each Ahmadi to understand this matter and may He enable them to strengthen their faith.