Divine Attribute of Maalik (The Master) Part IV

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

April 6^th, 2007

In this Friday Sermon Huzur elucidated the Divine quality of Malikiyyat with reference to various Ahadith.

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said ‘each one of you is a guardian and is accountable for his charges. The Imam who has authority over people, is a guardian and is answerable for them; a man is a guardian for his family and is answerable for them; a woman is a guardian for her husband’s house and his children and is answerable for them; a servant is a guardian of his master’s property and is answerable for it; so all of you are guardians and are accountable/answerable for your charges.’

Explaining Huzur said here four people are being urged to look after whoever and whatever they are responsible for and in the end they are reminded that One Who is Master of everything shall hold them accountable for whatever has been placed in their charge.
Huzur said this is not trivial, for those who believe in the Day of Judgment the enormity of this makes their heart tremble. Huzur said the foremost mention is that of the Imam and from a personal perspective it makes his hair stand on its end lest there is a deficiency in the responsibility bestowed to him. No amount of cleverness, knowledge or wisdom can help discharge of this responsibility if Allah’s grace is not there and Allah’s grace can only be absorbed through prayers.

First of all, Huzur said, he requested that he is helped through prayers. He said he prays for us at all times and wishes us to pray for him that Allah enables him to discharge of his responsibilities in the way Allah wants. Huzur said when mutual prayers will be made in this manner they will attract Allah’s grace.

Huzur said while praying we should also reflect that our practices are in keeping with the way the Khalifa of the time - in accordance with the commandments of Allah and His Prophet - wishes them to be. This will lead to our own reformation and will ease the overseeing task of the Khalifa of the time. Just as, Huzur said, parents try and kindle the feeling in their children to steer clear of certain things to avoid bringing disrepute to the family. To develop this emotion in them is part of their reformation. Likewise each person who is associated with the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) should be mindful not to cause him dishonour.

Huzur said the Community has office-holders who work in representation of the Khalifa of the time. It is their obligation to establish fairness in the real sense. Each office-holder is directly accountable for his/her actions but has the added responsibility of representing the Khalifa of the time. They should bear in mind that if they deem they can keep the Khalifa of the time in the dark over some matter, nothing is hidden from the One Who is the real Master.
Huzur said as far as he is concerned while he prays for himself he also prays for the office-holders. He drew the attention of the Community that if they are not discharging of their obligations properly then they are not honouring their responsibility in the spirit (as the quoted Hadith) of looking after the Master’s property, which in this instance has been given to them by the Khalifa of the time.

Huzur further advised the Community and said that when electing office-holders prayers should be made and people should be chosen on merit rather than friendship and kinship. Huzur prayed that may Allah also enable him to perform his obligations in a good way.

Next Huzur briefly explained the obligations of the ‘head of the household’ over his family, a wife over her husband’s house and children and a servant over his master’s property as related in the Hadith.

Huzur cited many other Ahadith to further expound the subject-matter. He also related a few authoritative revelations of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) demonstrating the Masterful power of God in favour of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).