Increasing materialism, non-belief, natural disasters and Divine chastisement

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

August 24^th, 2007

Today Huzur delivered his Friday Sermon from Bait ul Noor, Holland. Huzur cited verse 46 of Surah Al Nahl (16:46) and gave a discourse on increasing materialism, non-belief, natural disasters and Divine chastisement.

Huzur said increasing materialism has taken mankind away from moral values, religion and God. There are very few people who appreciate that all the blessings in this world are from God and it is Him alone who has given man the capacity to invent things to facilitate convenience and safety. Rather than be grateful people are increasingly opting for self-gratification and religion and God are subject to open derision. Atheism is on the increase and books purporting it are best-sellers. Many of these people are helpless in the sense that their religion has not given them the inner-peace that can not be attained apart from the One, Living God. There is also a section of people who are so prejudiced against Islam that they daily churn out objections about Islam as well as the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in avant-garde ways. They associate extremely far-fetched things with the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be on him).

Fact is they can see that Islam is only religion that presents a real concept of religion. It is shocking how some among them, the so-called enlightened, upholders of freedom and ‘non-interfering’ people have exceeded all limits in their disrespect of Islam.

As most of you must already know, a politician from here (Holland) called Geert Wilders has gone to the extent of calling for the ban of the Holy Qur’an. He has maintained that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) acquired an extremist personality with the passing of age, especially during his time in Medina. He also maintains that verse 5 of Surah Taubah (9:5) incites to violence against the Jews and Christians adding that the Qur’an does not have any concept of separation between religion and politics and that Qur’an itself is based on aggression and extremism. He said he is fed up with worship of God in Holland.

Huzur said Geert Wilder’s objection that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was inclined to extremism with age is simply a reflection of his extreme bias. Clearly he has not read the Qur’an and is defacing history based on hearsay. Explaining, Huzur said, what is the teaching in Surah Al Maidah (Chapter V); a Surah revealed after Hijrah, and which all traditions indicate to have been revealed in the last year of the life of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Indeed the Surah says “…And let not the enmity of a people…incite you to transgress…” (5:3). Those who are blind cannot see the light.

As regards verse 5 of Surah Taubah, Huzur said if it is seen abandoing the obvious bias and prejudice it will be clear that here permission to fight those hypocrites is being given who would not desist and who continued to create disorder. [The verse] refers to the fact that as the Islamic rule was established and the hypocrites continued to flame the fan of hostility, Muslims should fight them.

Huzur said if according to [Geert Wilders] there should be a free reign in a situation such as described above then maybe he ought to introduce legislation in his country of unbridled liberty.

Huzur said time to time an upsurge against Islam emerges in Holland, however, it does not signify that the entire Dutch people. Indeed many prominent Dutch people responded against Mr. Wilders’ statement. Huzur enumerated a few statements from political figures which denounced Mr. Wilders and added that a foreign affairs minister had said that Holland had no plans to ban the Holy Qur’an.

Huzur said it is the obligation of each Ahmadi to not only respond and refute the objections raised by the opponents but also to thank those who still uphold high moral values. Huzur said the message of God should be taken to people and the reasons of the chaos in the world explained to them; it should be explained to them that peace of mind is not in the bedazzlement of this world, or in intoxicants, it is only to be found in turning to God. Those who exceed all limits and in particular show aggression to Islam should also be reached and told not to provoke the sense of honour of God. Explain to them the natural disasters occurring around the world are a warning that no one is safe in the world. Huzur said most of Holland is below sea-level any way. Following a massive flood in 1953 the government launched a vast construction designed against the threat of flood. It is known as Delta Works.

Huzur said that he went to visit Delta Works where the engineer/guide told him that they have protected their country against floods to which Huzur responded that indeed they had but only made the best attempt to protect against flooding and that complete protection is only with God. Huzur said he agreed and all his subsequent talk referred to Delta Works as an ‘attempt’ and he thus affirmed the existence of God four or five times. Huzur said his remarks in the visitor’s book were that the Delta Works is indeed a good human endeavour and a tremendous plan, however, it should always be borne in mind that the real planning is God’s and in order to be really protected remembrance of God is required.

Huzur said the world is deeply absorbed in materialism, both in the East and the West, then there is the vulgarity. All this provokes the wrath of God. Each Ahmadi should take the message of Islam to the world, to the Muslims as well, who reject the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) despite the signs of his truthfulness. Huzur said a review of the last 100 years shows that natural disasters occurring in this period were far greater in number than natural disasters occurring in the previous 1,200 years. This year again, Huzur said there have been so many natural disasters. This is a warning. An Ahmadi, having brought about a pure change in himself/herself, needs to take this message to the world. Huzur enumerated all the disaster occurring around the world in this year so far. These included floods and earthquakes in Indonesia in February, a huge earthquake in the Solomen Islands, floods in Pakistan, hundreds of thousand effected in Baluchistan. Then there was flooding in Bangladesh (June) as indeed there was in India (July). The UK too had extensive flooding in July. Then there was huge earthquake in Japan. A natural disaster occurred in USA in August, there were floods in China, heavy rainfalls and flooding in N. Korea and the Peru earthquake, more flooding in Pakistan. In Australia natural disasters caused havoc with the motorways. There was horrendous rainfall in Burkina Faso; a hurricane caused havoc in Hawaii as well an earthquake. An unprecedented tropical cyclone occurred in the Arabian Sea, there was a tornado in Alabama USA and flooding in South Africa.

All this, Huzur said is indicative that Allah’s decree is on in motion that that people should take note and not exceed limits, just as Huzur said the Quranic verse he cited at the beginning of the sermon refers to. Lessons should be learnt from these relatively smaller natural disasters by people from the East and the West and people of all religions. Huzur said indeed the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had said that had his advent not taken place the [natural] disasters could have been deferred, otherwise he had indeed declared that Europe, Asia or the Oceania, none were safe, that Allah was unhurried in His wrath and people should pay heed so that they are shown mercy.

Huzur said we need to taken this message to everyone. May we also be enabled to understand and comprehend the True God and may the world also be able to do so, in that His mercy, rather than His wrath may be attained.