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Divine attribute of Al Momin (Bestower of Security)

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

July 13th, 2007

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

Huzur continued with his discussion on the Divine attribute of Al Momin (Bestower of Security) in his Friday Sermon today, outlining the characteristics contained in the Holy Quran that a true Believer should adopt. He recited verses 3 & 4 from Surah Al Baqarah, which lay out the conditions that must be fulfilled by a Momin, and these are:

  1. To believe in the unseen
  2. To observe prayer
  3. To spend in the way of Allah
  4. To believe in that which was revealed to the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
  5. To believe in that which was revealed before the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him)
  6. To believe in the Hereafter

Huzur then explained each one in detail:

  1. To believe in the unseen means to have absolute firm faith in the existence of Allah. It is this absolute faith that leads a believer towards uncovering the truths about Allah. Similarly, believing in the unseen also entails believing in angels, the life after death, so on. One must hold on to this faith as securely as possible because it is this faith that wins the pleasure of God and He can see the condition of the heart of every human being at every instance.
  2. To observe Salat is another requirement for a believer.
    • He should strive to uphold his Salat with complete attention and focus towards God.
    • He should be regular in offering his Salat. For some people, it is difficult to wake up for Fajr, but they should offer this prayer whenever they wake up. Not offering this Salat on time will stir some type of remorse in their heart or perhaps they will feel ashamed in offering the Salat later than its appointed time before the other members of the household, and this will perhaps encourage them to make the effort on waking up on time. Similarly, it is often noticed that people who work do not pay due attention in offering their Zuhr and Asr prayers. A believer is one who protects and remains steadfast in offering his Salat (70:24), so much so that his Salat becomes more valuable than any precious thing in the world.
    • A believer offers his Salat on time (4:104).
    • He offers Salat with full concentration.
    • He offers Salat in congregation and that is the reason why one Hadith tells us that the rewards conferred upon offering Salat in congregation are far superior than offering it alone.
    • A believer does not only safeguard his own Salat, but motivates his fellow Muslim brothers as well and in return, he earns God’s rewards for doing so. However, he should keep in mind to motivate others with love and affection (70:35 & 6:93).
  3. A Believer spends out of that which he has been given, not only in the way of Allah, but also to help his fellow brethren. It should be kept in mind that it is not only wealth that is signified, but also any type of skills and talents that have been bestowed upon a person should be shared. This selfless service towards a fellow being creates a bond between two Muslims, such that they are forever united in a relationship of unity and accord. As a whole, such a society where love and peace exists will become a model society, where a wife will fulfill the duties towards her husband and vice versa, where parents will look after the best interests of their children and vice versa, where neighbors will help one another, where the rich and the poor will provide assistance to one another, so on and so forth, and all this because believers practice the commandments of God. This path leads to a unanimous progress of the community.

    In this regard, Huzur mentioned that the Jamaat witnesses such financial sacrifices from Ahmadis around the world. Recently, in the month of June, when the fiscal year comes to an end, it is observed that each branch tries not only to meet but to exceed its budget, and this year again, many sacrifices were made to achieve these targets. Huzur described the turmoil that the Karachi Jamaat (in Pakistan) was faced with when riots broke out in the month of May and then heavy torrential rains created havoc in the month of June. Yet, miraculously, the targets were achieved, only to show that God comes to the succor of a Godly community, which in turns strengthens the faith of the believers.

  4. A Believer holds firm faith in the teachings that were revealed to the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him), including the fact that he is the Seal of all Prophets, and that Holy Quran is the last law-bearing Book.
  5. He must also believe in the verity of all Prophets that came before the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him) (35:25). This verse also informs that Warners were sent to every nation, albeit not all are mentioned in the Holy Quran.
  6. Again, a believer holds firm faith in the life Hereafter. What is the Hereafter? The significance of the Hereafter is twofold: one is that there will be a Prophet after the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him), and second that points to the Day of Judgment. Huzur read an extract from the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), which expounds upon this meaning of the Hereafter, explaining that just like there were revelations before the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him), and then revelations were sent to the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him) himself, similarly, this practice will continue after the demise of the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him) as well (referring to the advent of the Promised Messiah).
  7. A Believer must love Allah above all else (2:166). His whole life should revolve around the existence of the Transcendent God. All the above-mentioned articles of faith can only have significance if love for Allah exists. The Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was the perfect example of this love, so much so that even his enemies used to say that Muhammad is a true lover of Allah. In order to acquire this love, one has to turn to Allah Himself and pray to Him to grant such ability that we can love You.
  8. A true believer is one who has fear of Allah in his heart when His name is mentioned (8:3). He must practice upon the commandments of Allah in order to gain His nearness. He is forever concerned about his status in the eyes of God and continues to strive in order to progress in his faith.
  9. A Believer must be obedient to Allah’s word (24:52). A mere verbal profession of faith is not enough; one’s faith is fulfilled only when the teachings are adopted as a way of life. Similarly, a believer should follow the instructions of the Khalifa and respect the Nizam-e-Jamaat. He should wholeheartedly accept the decisions by the Qaza board, without any dispute, even if the decision is not passed in his favor. Even if he disagrees with the decision, he should at least not mistrust the intentions of the decision-maker, and in order to avert any conflicts, he should not discuss such matters publicly. If a wrong decision was made against someone who, in his innocence and naiveté, was unable to defend his point of view whereas the other party was able to connive their way to a result in their favor, even then a believing person should comply with the decision knowing well that he has incurred losses. Allah’s help comes to these people in ways they are least expectant of and He is The Just (32:16).

A Believer fears God and strives to progress in his faith. He is occupied in worship and remembrance of God which gains him nearness to Allah. By following the above guidelines, each individual contributes to the unity and strength of the community as a whole and on an individual level, his relationship with God improves and becomes a source of gaining spiritual rewards.

May Allah enable every Ahmadi to reap the rewards promised by Allah. In the end, Huzur read an extract from the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), which talked about the true characteristics of a believer.

May Allah grant us the ability to develop this love for Allah, and adopt those qualities of a Momin that are pleasing to Allah. May Allah shroud us with abundant rewards through His Mercy and His Grace, Ameen.