Divine Quality of Rahimiyyat

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

February 16^th, 2007

Huzur continued with the subject of Rahimiyyat from last Friday Sermon. Huzur said Allah manifests His Rahimiyyat to His servants in different ways – at times He manifests His mercy to those who seek forgiveness and He grants them the capacity to do good. Other times He grants the awareness and realisation that a person’s quest of Divine mercy also comes about through Allah’s grace. It is the way of those who believe that they turn to Allah in gratefulness of His bounties and partake of His Rahimiyyat. It is Allah’s grace alone that one has to call on in order to receive His blessings. At times Allah states that in order to attain His grace one has to strive in His cause (Jihad) and to do migration for His sake. He states that those who observe prayer and give alms will partake of His Rahimiyyat in this world and in the Hereafter. In short there are many ways through which a believer may experience the Divine quality of Rahimiyyat. It is indeed the characteristic of a believer to partake the utmost from the excellence of Rahimiyyat because this is the Divine quality that distinguishes between a believer and a non-believer. It is a believer who turns to Allah seeking spiritual grace.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that the excellence of Rahimiyyat is conditional to the good deeds of man. Rahimiyyat gratifies man’s efforts and enhances the bounties when a person endeavours to do good. Each good deed of ours whether it is spiritual or worldly is appended to Divine grace through which our endeavours flourish. This is the distinction between a believer and a non-believer. A believer turns to Allah for the sake of His Rahimiyyat to serve faith. It is the commandment of Allah that while one prays and supplicates to Him for something, one also has to plan for it and make use of all one’s faculties. Worship of God and other spiritual good works will only gain Divine acceptance and manifest the miracles of Rahimiyyat when they are done in conjunction with serving humanity and God’s creation.

The grace of Rahimiyyat comes to those who strive to attain beneficence of this variety.

The Holy Qur’an declares that obedience is conditional to faith. Once one is enabled to accept faith, one has to safeguard it by enlivening one’s worship of God, by honouring Allah’s dues and the dues of mankind. All this may only be attained when one has Allah’s awe in one’s heart and makes an effort to seek His help. If Divine help is not forthcoming then nothing is of avail.

Citing verse 57 of Surah Al A’raf (7:57) Huzur said it is the communal and personal distinction of a believer that he does not create disorder. If one is in a situation that is out of hand then one should engage in prayer. If one supplicates to God hopeful of His mercy and does so while protecting oneself from sedition and fulfilling all the requisites of Rahimiyyat, Allah accepts such prayers and sends His mercy and grace through astonishing means. Referring to the term “muhsineen” (those who do good) in the above verse Huzur explained these are those who fulfil the rights of Allah and the rights of humanity, Huzur said in the current-day disorder of this world how great a favour of Allah is it upon us that He has enabled us to accept the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). It is His favour upon favour that He also counts us among the ‘muhsineen’. Huzur said this honour is no ordinary honour and is bestowed on those who are ever conscious of the Presence of God and abide by all His commandments.

Citing verse 219 of Surah Al Baqarah (2:219) Huzur explained that here Allah has made emigration and striving in His cause (Jihad) conditional to faith. Huzur said in the Quranic idiom migration does not simply entail moving from one place to another borne out of religious restrictions. Rather, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has explained that those who forsake their vain egotistical desires and adopt good works are also in this category. As regards migration, Huzur said those (Ahmadis) who have moved to the Western countries due to the adverse situations in their homelands should not rest on their laurels. Rather, to seek the pleasure of Allah, if they forsake evil and adopt good only then they will be accomplishing their ‘migration.’ Moreover, we need to join in the ‘Jihad’ of taking the message of Truth to the world. Financial giving is needed for this Jihad and that has always been the distinction of an Ahmadi. Allah provided the opportunity of physical migration to Ahmadis. By virtue of this migration they should also reform their ‘self’ and respond positively whenever they are called upon for financial giving.

Huzur said it were the tremendous sacrifices of the early Muslims that drew Allah’s mercy and grace. At the time of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) as well his companions made sacrifices which bore fruits that astonish us today. These companions abandoned all their shortcomings and made sacrifices to take the message of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) to the world. Only those among us are fortunate and will draw Allah’s grace who understand this principle. An endeavour that is made with sincere intention, in deep humility to Allah and for His sake does not ever go to waste. Huzur prayed that may Allah always grant each Ahmadi a measure of His Rahimiyyat.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote that the third kind of beneficence (Rahimiyyat) is particular in the sense that for it one has to improve one’ self. One has to emerge from the darkness of iniquity, make sincere endeavour, purify one’s heart, supplicate, have deep humility and strive in any way that the situation may demand.

This beneficence is only attained by those who seek; it descends on those who exert. This can be observed in that those who make concerted efforts in the way of Allah and those who are negligent are never equal. Those who endeavour with sincerity of heart and shun all evil are bestowed with this beneficence.

Huzur remarked that with the grace of Allah the companions of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) were held in great esteem in the Community and now when their descendants some to see Huzur they always introduce themselves with their reference. However, these families should be conscious of the great sacrifices their ancestors (companions) made and the manner in which they negated their ‘self’ honouring the concept of ‘migration’. Now their descendants should be determined to maintain and uphold that station. Huzur related a detailed tradition of Hadhrat Umer (may Allah be pleased with him) to illustrate his point and explained that what he wants to put across is that sacrifices and supplications brought the companions their elevated station. It is not enough for their families to simply acknowledge that. If the Ahmadis who joined the Community later excel in their ‘Jihad’ and their ‘migration’ then they will surpass the descendants of the companions and this was something they need to be mindful of.

In conclusion Huzur prayed that may Allah grant our hearts a sincere quest for Him and may we not suffice in simply wishing to abide by His commandments but be actually enabled to do so. May we make sacrifices so that we gain beneficence from Allah’s Rahimiyyat.