Divine attribute of Al Rahman (The Gracious)

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

January 19^th, 2007

Huzur gave a discourse on the Divine attribute of Al Rahman (The Gracious) in his Friday Sermon today. Resuming the subject that Huzur had given a sermon on a few weeks ago, Huzur referred to verse 12 of Surah Yasin (36:12) and by way of reminding said that the quality of being Rahman, which is Rahmaniyyat, is always manifested through Divine grace and favour. It is universal and its beneficence reaches every living thing. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explained that through this Divine quality Allah facilitates the requirements of each living thing in accordance with its specific needs and also provides all that is necessary for its survival. The heavens and the earth were brought into existence thousands of years in advance before living things were created. Humans receive the greatest share from God’s Rahmaniyyat for everything is pressed in service for them.
This is such a tremendous favour that as a sign of thankfulness man should be ever inclined to God and always turn to Him. However, in practice, majority of humanity does not follow this, they receive God’s beneficence and they disregard.

By virtue of Rahmaniyyat God sends His prophets who guide people to good and warn them against evil but most people are not inclined towards reformation. As a result the prophets experience anxiety for their people and no one felt more angst for their people than our Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) who was deeply perturbed for the reformation of his people and was naturally inclined to these feelings as the Quranic verses 18:7 and 26:4 elucidate.

Huzur said it is essential for spiritual development to be drawn to the Gracious God and this is why the Quranic verse 36:12 was revealed to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) “Thou canst warn only him who would follow the Reminder and fear the Gracious God in secret. So give them the glad tidings of forgiveness and a noble reward.”

The Gracious God is ever inclined to grant all kinds of favours to His people. He has revealed His beautiful teachings and has declared that there is no compulsion in it. If one’s faith is true even in private then one will be blessed and will gain further nearness to God. Through the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) we were informed that one way to express gratitude to Divine favours is to take His message to others. This is the reason for which the advent of the Prophet’s true and ardent devotee, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) took place. It is now our task to take this message to others and not be disheartened by the ineffectual outcome on people. We will find people, no matter if in a small number, who will accept the message and this will be a cause of further Divine favours on us and on them.

Huzur counselled that we should bring about pure change in ourselves and then take the message forward purely for the sake of Allah, notwithstanding the obstacles that we could face. The only way to save the world from destruction is if they understand and appreciate the Gracious God. Otherwise all manner of calamities could befall them. Our task is to deliver the message and then leave it to Allah, for it is up to Him to give life to the [spiritually] dead. As Ahmadis it is our tremendous obligation that within our sphere, we take this message to people through our practice and by means of other sources.

Citing verses 45 and 46 of Surah Maryam (19:45-46) Huzur explained in light of Hadhrat Ibrahim (on whom be peace) warning his father about satanic inclinations that in today’s world idolatry has taken up a whole range of forms and people are immersed in it. No one is interested in being grateful to the Gracious God, even those who are called Muslims, have broken off ties with the Gracious God in imitating others. Such is the illustration of the ‘latter days’ that the Qur’an depicts in Surah Al Jummah (62:12). This is exactly true of the current day and age. Huzur remarked what appears the finest is not the finest, in fact it leads one to destruction.

Rejection of the Imam of the age in itself takes one to the satanic abyss and one who is taken in by satanic temptation cannot have any connection with the Gracious God. To follow the Satan is in effect to worship him.

Huzur said we need to self-reflect and self-assess most meticulously lest we say or do something that may cause the Gracious God’s displeasure. Citing a Hadith Qudsi Huzur explained that Allah will connect with one who keeps ties with kindred and close relatives and He will cut off one who breaks away from kindred and close relatives. The Hadith uses the figure of speech of Rahm (womb) which is the root word for Rahman and which connotes close relations in the narrative.

Thus Huzur said we need to reflect on every day small matters and try and get rid of what does not equate. Otherwise one who apparently worships God is not worshipping the Gracious God but has fallen in the trap of the Satan and the warning words of the Quranic verses that Hadhrat Ibrahim (on whom be peace) spoke to his father have been preserved in the Qur’an till the end of time for these people.

For the sagacious it is clear why varied calamities are befalling the world. While Allah has the attribute of Rahman, He also possesses attributes of Al Jabbar (The Subduer) and Al Qahhar (The Most Supreme) through which He chastises. These come into play when, despite being bestowed and granted favours, man continually breaks away. Huzur explains that in such instances the quality of Rahmaniyyat does not come into dispute because it is through man’s own persistent mischief that he is chastised.

Huzur enjoined that therefore one should always engage in Istaghfar. Chastisement is only meted out to those who persistently offend, otherwise the Holy Qur’an is replete with verses that state that sins are forgiven through sincere repentance and remorse.
Huzur cited a few Ahadith to further elucidate the matter.

Huzur said we need to communicate to the world that Christianity rejects the Gracious God and does not have His correct perception by believing that one person’s sacrifice shall redeem all. The Holy Qur’an declares in Surah Maryam verses 89 – 94 that ascribing a son to the Gracious God is so monstrous that the heavens and the earth could burst apart from the shock of it. In the current age shirk (associating partners with Allah) has reached such a height that this was the age Allah had willed the advent of the “Messiah of Muhammad” to take place so that he could obliterate this concept.

Huzur said the advent of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) is also a favour of the Gracious God and in gratitude of this we should try more than before to take the message to the world. We need to take on this task with greater fervour and be the recipients of greater Divine favours, may Allah facilitate this.

Next Huzur said that after his announcement regarding Lajna Germany taking on the responsibility to collect funds for the Berlin mosque, some Lajna outside Germany have expressed the desire to contribute to this fund as well. They wish to do this in the spirit of the original collection for the Berlin mosque made many decades ago which was contributed by Lajna Qadian. Families of those contributors wish to participate for the spiritual reward of their ancestors as well as their own. Huzur said he would not announce a specific Tehrik but if any woman or young girl wishes to participate in this they may do so and he hoped that Germany Lajna would not object to this. Huzur asked that prayers are made for the mosque to be constructed safely as the opposition persists.