Note: The Alislam Team assumes full responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies in this translation of the Friday Sermon.

أَشْھَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ وَحْدَہٗ لَا شَرِیکَ لَہٗ وَأَشْھَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُہٗ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ

أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْمِ- بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ۔ اَلرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ۔ مٰلِکِ یَوْمِ الدِّیْنِ۔ اِیَّا کَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ۔

اِھْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ۔ صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْھِمْ غَیْرِالْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْھِمْ وَلَاالضَّآلِّیْنَ۔

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) states in one place:

"Regarding *istianat* (seeking help), it should be remembered that the true right of *istimdad* (seeking aid) belongs to Allah alone." (Malfuzat, Vol. 2, p. 53. Edition 1985, published in England)

That is to say, if you need anyone's assistance to accomplish your affairs, it is only Allah the Exalted whose Being can truly help you, who has the power to help, and who does help. This matter is so important that a true believer should keep it constantly before him, whether that effort to seek help and assistance is for personal needs or for communal needs. Yet in practice, we observe that despite its importance, people generally do not give it the attention it deserves. Most of us outwardly say that Allah bestowed His grace and our need was fulfilled, but if they were to examine their own souls more deeply, they would find that they regard the various means by which their needs are met as the actual cause of their success. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) has at one point described, with examples, various situations in which a person believes that help and assistance has come from different people, or that through his own strength he has achieved his objective. The most common initial state is when a person thinks he will fulfil all his needs himself, and through his own strength, knowledge, and intellect, he does indeed fulfil them, and then prides himself that he resolved his problems through his own ability and power. He boasts and takes pride in the fact that he does not seek help from anyone, or that he has not sought help from anyone.

But sometimes circumstances arise when he cannot fulfil his needs on his own and requires outside help. At that point, his gaze turns toward his close relatives and family. He seeks help from the,m and they assist him. At that moment it occurs to him that kinship is indeed a valuable thing — had these relatives not been there today, he could not have fulfilled his needs.

Then sometimes a situation develops where his family, dependants, and relatives cannot help him, or are not in a position to help, or simply do not help. He then casts his eyes around, and his gaze falls upon friends and acquaintances who, in his estimation, can assist him. He seeks their hel,p and they do assist him. He thinks that friends are indeed good — they come through in times of need. Then, a time also comes when he goes to his friends and they, too, present their own constraints — whether genuine constraints or merely a pretext to be rid of him. In any case, they cannot help him. Sometimes the help he needs is simply beyond his friends' capacity; the task lies outside their reach. At such a time, that person turns his attention to certain systems and organisations. The movement or community to which he belongs assists him, and when his task is accomplished, and his needs are met — indeed, keep being met — it occurs to him that being connected to the movement, system, or community is also a good thing, and as a result, his attachment to the movement or community grows. Indeed, I have observed that some people are even led astray for this reason — that at a certain time they sought help from the Community, and it was not given. In any case, it is true that if things go according to some people's wishes or if they receive assistance, only then does it become a means of strengthening their bond with the Community. Then there also come moments in some people's lives when their family, relatives, and friends — and even the system and Community due to certain constraints and limitations — cannot offer any help and cannot be of any benefit. At that point, the person turns to the government to which he belongs. The government helps him. In that moment, the government becomes everything to such a person; everything else recedes into the background. But it is also observed that at times, even the government does not stand by a person. He feels that his rights are not being granted, that justice is not being done. He then knocks on the doors of those who work under the banner of human sympathy, and those who hold such human sympathy do come to his aid. A current of human sympathy is generated that spreads across many countries or the entire world, and through this human sympathy, that person, or that group, or those few people succeed in their objective and attain their goal. At that point, they believe, or if it is a single person, he believes, that the entire world collectively, or the organisations of human sympathy in the world, came to his aid when no one else could. And had these not come to his aid, he would have been deprived of attaining his rights and justice.

So he regards that worldly bond — which came to his aid in the name of human sympathy — as everything. (Adapted from Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 12, pp. 119–120)

Today, human rights organisations exist and operate at the national and international level; they fight legal battles with worldly governments for rights, and attempt to exert international pressure. Some are doing excellent work and helping people caught in difficult situations. But it cannot be denied that a time also comes when neither one's own efforts and strategies avail, nor relatives, nor friends, nor one's nation or system, nor government and human sympathy organisations become means of success, or success through them seems impossible. Yet even then, if a person manages to achieve his objective despite all of this, he concludes that his success must certainly have come through some unseen assistance, and the more firmly a person believes in such unseen help, the more he attributes his success to Allah the Exalted.

Since human sympathy organisations have been mentioned, Ahmadis today are quite familiar with this matter. In various countries, Ahmadis who are stuck awaiting asylum — there are many such organisations, and even a large organisation established by the United Nations that attempts to show sympathy, but governments do not heed even them. Such situations do arise sometimes. In any case, when all such circumstances arise, and the task is nonetheless accomplished, a person concludes that some unseen Being has helped him, and if he believes in God, he then thinks that Allah the Exalted has done his work. But if a person has perfect faith in Allah the Exalted and understands that Allah alone holds the right of *istimdad*, that He helps and can help, then he will attribute to Allah the success of even that task which was accomplished through some external means, and he will also recognise the reality that whatever assistance came from relatives, friends, the system, the nation, the government, or human sympathy organisations — all of that help was, in truth, from Allah the Exalted. And behind all those apparent means was the powerful hand of Allah. But those who do not maintain a strong bond with Allah continue to regard worldly means as everything; their attention remains fixed on those means, and their gaze does not rise toward Allah. Only when all these means fail does Allah come to mind — because by then, remembering Allah was the only recourse left. All worldly means had been exhausted. Then he cries: "O Allah! Only if you help will this matter be resolved. You alone are the Master of all powers. All praise belongs to Your Being alone." This, then, is also evidence and indication of the fact that no matter how great a strategy, government, or organisation may be, it possesses only a limited power. And all these worldly powers and strategies become useless and futile beyond a certain point. I said just now that those who do not maintain a strong bond with Allah first regard worldly supports as a great deal, but when these supports fail, they then look toward Allah. But it is not only a matter of those with a strong bond with Allah — the Holy Quran states that in such a state of despair, even atheists and polytheists involuntarily turn toward Allah. Allah the Exalted says in the Holy Quran:

وَاِذَا مَسَّکُمُ الضُّرُّ فِی الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَنْ تَدْعُوْنَ اِلَّآ اِیَّاہُ فَلَمَّا نَجّٰکُمْ اِلَی الْبَرِّ اَعْرَضْتُمْ وَکَانَ الْاِنْسَانُ کَفُوْرًا [Bani Isra'il: 68]

That is: And when distress befalls you in the sea, every being that you used to call upon forsakes you except Him; then, when He brings you safely to land, you turn away. And man is very ungrateful.

So Allah the Exalted says: in storms and difficulties, you start calling upon Allah, and once you are delivered, you forget Him. It is human nature to turn toward Allah with utmost humility in times of difficulty, forgetting all other helpers. They pray to Allah that if they are delivered from this trial and difficulty, they will always regard only God as the means of help and will call only upon Him. But as soon as the danger passes, worldliness, arrogance, and pride return to them. Man is extremely ungrateful and selfish. See how vast is Allah's mercy — that despite knowing full well that upon reaching dry land they will rebel against Him and drift away, that their humility, meekness, supplication, and desperation are transitory — He still, upon hearing their desperate prayers, saves them. And yet people say that Allah — God forbid — is unjust.

Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) has narrated an incident about such people who do not believe in God, yet in moments of difficulty, God's name alone escapes their lips. In the time of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), when the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) prophesied an earthquake and a great earthquake struck, at that time, there was a student at Lahore Medical College who used to argue daily with his fellow students about the existence of God, taking it even to the point of ridicule. During the earthquake, he was in a room and felt that the ceiling was about to collapse. He became certain that no power could prevent it from falling, and because he came from a Hindu family, the words "Ram, Ram" escaped involuntarily from his lips. The next day, his friends asked, "What happened to you at that moment? You do not even believe in God — yet you cried out 'Ram Ram' in that state." (Among Hindus, *Ram* is used to refer to God.) He replied: "I do not know what came over me; my reason had deserted me." But the truth is that it was precisely at that moment that his reason truly functioned — when all worldly supports vanished from his sight, and he saw only one support remaining: the Master of all powers. He could see no helper other than the Being of Allah.

So as long as a person can see other means available and work gets done through them, he keeps his attention fixed on them. As long as he can see those other causes and means, he remains engaged in flattering them. In order to get his work done, he resorts to excessive and baseless flattery, and in the process speaks ill of others as well. He commits one sin after another. But when he sees no one, he calls upon Allah. When he despairs from every direction and no outward means can avail, only then does his attention turn to Allah. Then he calls upon Allah, praises Allah, and manifests his desperation before Him.

Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) used to narrate another similar incident from the First World War — indeed, he himself said that he had recounted it many times — of a state in which even atheists come to believe in Allah. The incident is as follows: in the First World War, in 1918, Germany gathered all its might and launched an attack on the Allied forces. At that point, a situation arose for the British and Allied forces where there was no way to save themselves. A seven-mile-long defensive line collapsed. Part of the army contracted to one side, part contracted to the other, and such a gap opened between them that German forces could easily pass through the middle and attack from the rear, destroying the British army. At that moment, the general on the front informed the Commander-in-Chief that he did not have sufficient forces; the situation had deteriorated to this point; it was no longer within his power to restore the broken line. It was a moment when they believed that their army would be annihilated that day and that the names of England and France would be wiped out. When, in that moment of utter helplessness, the commander's telegraph arrived — a telegraph conveying utter helplessness, that destruction was imminent — the Prime Minister was sitting in a meeting with his ministers on some important matter. When the news arrived, what could the Prime Minister do? There were no additional forces available, and even if there had been, they could not have been dispatched to that location so swiftly. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says: Europe's religion is ostensibly Christianity, but if examined from within and scrutinised, it is entirely hollow — in practice, the majority of people are materialists and atheists. And in this age, eighty percent openly declare themselves to be practical atheists. But in any case, at that moment, that materialistic Europe whose gaze generally did not rise toward Allah — who had great pride and confidence in their resources, and those in power, being rulers, naturally have even greater pride in their own strength and might — in whom God has only a nominal place: their greatest leader and chief at that time, who was intoxicated with pride in his power, strength, and grandeur, and who was confident that with their Allied forces they would prevail — even he felt that at that moment no outward help was possible that could deliver them from this calamity. He looked at his colleagues and said, "Come, let us pray to Allah that He helps us." And so they all knelt and began to pray. Hazrat Musleh Mau'ud says: It would be no wonder if they were saved from that destruction as a result of that very prayer. So, as I recited this verse — Allah says that in times of difficulty every other being forsakes you; it is only the Being of Allah that remains with you, that comes to your aid — indeed, Allah has stated that prayers made in a state of desperation are accepted, even if it is an atheist offering the prayer. Allah sometimes shows signs even to atheists to prove His existence, and if it is in their destiny, those very signs become the means of rectifying their hereafter. And even today, there are many such incidents in which atheists, upon witnessing a sign, come to believe in Allah. However, if someone opposes a prophet or his community and then offers prayers in however desperate a state, those prayers are not accepted, because such a prayer is against that divine decree which is destined to come to pass, for Allah has promised that His prophets shall prevail. In any case, in the war between Germany and England, both sides were of the same order, and so Allah heard the supplication made in humility by one side, and such circumstances unfolded that the German forces did not learn that the line before them had broken. Because of this, they did not take advantage of the broken line. There is a further detail to this incident as well: not only was it the case that the Germans were unaware and so the tide of battle did not turn in their favour, but the Commander-in-Chief also summoned an officer in whom he had confidence, believing him to be a man of great capability who would devise some plan. He told him, "Do not ask me too many questions. This is the situation on the battlefield. There are no troops there. The line has broken. The way is open. Now go and make some arrangement so that a temporary line of defence is somehow formed." That officer, rather than asking the Commander-in-Chief how it was possible to restore the line when the forces had scattered and there was no means available, got into his vehicle, went directly to the place where non-military workers were engaged in fulfilling the army's requirements, gathered them together and said: "You used to have a great enthusiasm for serving the nation, and watching the army fight would stir your emotions, and the desire arose in your hearts to be of service to your nation and people — so come, today is the opportunity. Step forward and form a line." He gave them what little arms were available, took those thousands of workers with him, and stationed them there. And in that way, twenty-four hours passed, and in that time, the forces from other areas gathered and arrived there. (Adapted from Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 12, pp. 120–122)

So in any case, the point is that worldly people, too, in times of difficulty when no support is visible, attempt to hold on to the support of Allah. Strategy and means, of course, have their place. So when those who are materialists display such scenes, how much more necessary is it for those people whose very claim and constant preoccupation ought to be that of keeping their gaze upon Allah — how much more do they need to attend to this that our gaze should remain upon Allah at all times. Allah has taught us this prayer, commanded to be recited in every prayer and in every unit of prayer, so that our gaze may never turn away from Allah — so that we may never look to worldly supports, never think first of turning to worldly supports and to Allah only thereafter. Yes, Allah has commanded, and it is necessary to adopt outward means, and this should be done. But *tawakkul* — trust — must be in Allah alone. It should not be that when one is caught in the storm at sea, one begins calling upon Allah; only when the lines have broken does God come to mind. Rather, by teaching this prayer in every unit of every prayer, Allah has informed us that toward Me, and toward Me alone, your gaze must be directed. And that prayer is:

اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ وَاِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْن[Al-Fatihah: 5]

There is a lengthy hadith in which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: when a servant says *Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in*, Allah says: "This verse is shared between Me and My servant, and My servant shall receive what he has asked for." (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Salat, Bab Wujub Qira'at al-Fatihah fi Kulli Rak'ah… Hadith No. 878)

Is it not, then, a great fortune for Muslims that Allah guarantees the acceptance of prayers? But this enduring guarantee is realised only when the gaze remains permanently fixed upon worship, and worship is offered with sincerity. As I have mentioned, it must not be a prayer that comes only when one is ensnared in difficulty. Even atheists can do that. Such prayer should not be ours.

We must remember that we are Ahmadis and we have pledged allegiance at the hand of the Imam of the Age. We have pledged to mould our every word and deed in accordance with the pleasure of Allah. We have pledged, in hardship and ease, in adversity and comfort, to seek help from Allah alone and to shun all that is other than Allah. How deeply do we need to understand the import of اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ وَاِیَّا کَ نَسْتَعِیْن in order to fulfil our pledge. We must not call upon Allah the way a drowning atheist does. We must, like believers who have attained the highest station, comprehend the worship of Allah and the seeking of His aid, and act accordingly — those whose claim it is that all our strength, all our power, and our complete support lies in bowing before Allah. We must take stock of what we must do for this and what we are actually doing. Are our prayers and our cry for Allah's help at the standard that accords with the standard Allah has set? Or are we merely parroting اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ وَاِیَّا کَ نَسْتَعِیْن thirty-two times in the obligatory prayers each day like a parrot, and considering the matter done?

We must remember that we are weak and our enemy is very powerful. We have no worldly power, no resources, no means of any kind to confront the enemy. So in such circumstances, we have no choice but to bow before Allah and, understanding the spirit of اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ وَاِیَّا کَ نَسْتَعِیْن, to become devoted to the threshold of Allah. Today, the satanic assault upon the world has reached its extreme. At every turn, obstacles are being placed in our path. Those who call themselves Muslims are also growing in their enmity toward us — that we have accepted the Imam of the Age — and non-Muslims too are growing in their envy, for the Community is becoming such as to attract the world's attention. A faint reflection of this envy and opposition was recently visible in Germany through the media's opposition to the Community through various channels. These fires of envy and opposition shall certainly burn out in their own flames, insha'Allah. But we must not forget to discharge our responsibilities. We must never become heedless of worshipping Allah and seeking His help, because without this, we have no strength to confront the enemy — and this strength is so great that no worldly power can match it. We must always remember that when Allah stands to help someone, that person succeeds. No worldly power can prevent his success, for Allah's help is vast, and His powers are inexhaustible. Neither is Allah's Being limited, nor are His attributes limited. So, bowing before Him is the duty of every Ahmadi, and seeking His help alone is the task of every Ahmadi. This is not the task only of Ahmadis in Pakistan — who are indeed caught in very great difficulties — nor only of Ahmadis living in certain Muslim countries; rather, it is the task of every Ahmadi in every country and every region of the world to bow before Allah with complete obedience and to seek His help. The Community is bound together in a strong bond, and it must remain so. This is the very characteristic of the Community, for without it the Community cannot remain a Community. Each must pray for the other, so that Allah's help may be with every Ahmadi at every moment and in every place. And when this is our state, we shall witness wondrous manifestations of Allah's help and succour.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace and blessings) states in one place:

"Remember that Allah the Exalted is supremely self-sufficient. Unless prayers are offered abundantly, repeatedly, and in a state of restlessness, He does not take heed." (Malfuzat, Vol. 10, p. 137. Edition 1985, published in England)

So abundance and repetition of prayer is the secret of our successes. We need to pay great attention to this. We must pray that whatever difficulties confront us — whether raised by some group or by governments, or raised by the envious to create disorder in society, whether the media has been used for this purpose or any other means, or those who are busy casting aspersions on the Community's honour — against all of these, may Allah help us. And we hold no hope of help from anyone else, nor can we. This prayer should be made: that if our own shortcomings have caused Allah's succour to be delayed, then have mercy upon us, forgive us, and drawing us out of the state of Your displeasure, include us among those upon whom the rain of Your graces and blessings falls at every moment — and those who attain a true understanding and realisation of اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ وَاِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace and blessings) says:

"Observe how Allah the Almighty has given us the teaching of إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ. Thee alone do we worship. Now, since there was a possibility of man depending on his own faculties and distancing himself from God, immediately after these words, God also teaches us to supplicate: إِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ Thee alone do we beseech for help, and tells us that a person must not surmise that whatever worship he performs, he does so of his own power or strength. Not at all. On the contrary, without the help of Allah Almighty and until God, the Holy One, confers this ability and strength Himself, man can achieve nothing." (Malfuzat, Vol. 1, p. 422. Edition 1985, published in England)

So this important reality too we must keep constantly before us. May Allah grant us the *tawfiq* to keep this important theme constantly before us, to understand it, and to act upon it.

I remind you again for prayers. May Allah make the rapidly changing conditions of the world a means of the Community's progress. May they not become an obstacle to progress, and may we be those who worship Allah and benefit from His help and succour, and may we continue to do so.