After reciting tashahhud, ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V^(aba) said:

The proceedings of Jalsa Salana UK will formally commence this evening, insha-Allah. As the Promised Messiah^(as) said, this Jalsa [convention] carries great importance. It comprises programmes for the Jamaat to improve its intellectual, moral, and spiritual conditions. May Allah the Almighty enable all the attendees to derive the utmost benefit from it.

At this time, I wish to say a few things to those performing duties and those attending the Jalsa. Islam places great emphasis on the honour and respect of guests. The Holy Prophet^(sa) has also greatly emphasised this. The Holy Prophet^(sa) said: “Give guests their due rights.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-iman, Bab al-haththi ‘ala l-ikrami l-jari wa ad-daif […], Hadith 47)

According to the circumstances, these due rights entail a few days of hospitality. It was the impact of this very guidance by the Holy Prophet^(sa) which led the Companions to make sacrifices for the sake of hospitality. At that time in the early days, the Companions were not well off, nor would they easily find two meals in a day. The Companions, along with their wives and children, would remain hungry, forfeiting their own rights in order to show hospitality.

In this regard, there is a famous narration about the hospitality of a Companion: once, a guest visited the home of a Companion. He had been sent with that Companion by the Holy Prophet^(sa). When the Companion enquired, his wife told him that they only had a little bit of food at home that would be just enough for the children. However, for the sake of their guest, they distracted their children and coaxed them to sleep and brought the guest home. They put out the lantern and did not eat themselves either; rather, they made it seem to their guest as if they were also eating. They went to sleep hungry, as did their children. Allah the Almighty was pleased, and He appreciated what they did so much that He also informed the Holy Prophet^(sa) about it. The next morning, when that Companion went before the Holy Prophet^(sa), he said, “The way you fed your guest last night and the plan you came up with in order to do so greatly pleased Allah the Almighty and made Him laugh.” This is the standard of hospitality. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Ashribah, Bab Ikram al-Daif wa Fadl Itharah, Hadith 2054)

Hence, during these days, it is the responsibility of every volunteer, duty holder and officer of any department to serve in every way and be hospitable to the guests of the Promised Messiah^(as) who are coming to attend the Jalsa. Especially during these days, you must work with effort, patience, and prayer. Even if a guest says something harsh, you should exhibit lofty morals and overlook it for the sake of attaining the pleasure of Allah the Almighty. There are various departments here. During my previous sermon, I briefly mentioned that the officer of every department and those working under them should discharge their duties in an excellent manner and with good moral conduct.

There are many incidents of the Promised Messiah^(as) in this regard. He used to especially advise about how to treat guests in an excellent manner. The Promised Messiah’s^(as) instructions and incidents have been recorded in the books about his life in various manners at various instances. There is a famous incident about his hospitality towards guests who were visiting from Assam, showing how hospitable he was towards them. We hear this incident and are delighted by how the Promised Messiah^(as) took care of them. However, it serves as a lesson for all the volunteers, duty holders and indeed for all those who present themselves to serve the guests of the Promised Messiah^(as).

The incident is narrated as follows: Once, there were some guests from Assam who came [to Qadian], and when they exited their ride and went into the Langar Khana, they asked the workers to unload their luggage. The attitude of the workers in the Langar Khana was not appropriate, due to which the guests became displeased and so they got back into the same horse carriage in which they had arrived and departed to go back. When the Promised Messiah^(as) learned of this, he became very displeased at the fact that the guests had become unhappy and subsequently left. The Promised Messiah^(as) immediately left his home in such a hurry that he had hardly put on his shoes and set out after them swiftly on foot. Though the guests were on a tanga – an Asian horse carriage – and had already covered some distance, the Promised Messiah^(as) set out after them on foot, walking very fast. It is recorded that he reached them by the stream near Qadian. The Promised Messiah^(as) stopped them and brought them back with him.

The manner in which he brought them back was also a unique display of honouring and respecting guests. He said to the guests, “Remain seated upon the horse carriage; I will walk alongside you.” Upon seeing his good conduct, the guests felt embarrassed and insisted that they could not continue the journey whilst sitting on the horse carriage and would instead walk with him. They kept insisting to the Promised Messiah^(as) that they could not remain seated and that they would walk with him. In any case, they reached back to Qadian. At the Langar, the Promised Messiah^(as) advanced to unload their luggage; however, by now the workers had realised their mistake and were very ashamed, and so they immediately came forward and started to unload the luggage. Then, since the guests were from Assam, the Promised Messiah^(as) made special arrangements for their food. (Taken from Sirat-ul-Mahdi by Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad^(ra) MA, Vol. 4, pp. 56-57, Narration 1069)

Here, I wish to also clarify that with regards to the Langar Khana, the Promised Messiah^(as) advised that whilst you should serve such guests, he also advised that during the Jalsa, one dish should be cooked to be served to all the guests, because there is a larger number of people, making it difficult to have separate arrangements. (Hazrat Sheikh Yaqub Ali Irfani^(ra), Sirat Hazrat Masih-e-Maud^(as), p. 149)

Similarly, another example of hospitality has been narrated by Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib^(ra). He says, “I remember that once, I was visiting Qadian from Lahore; this would have been in 1897 or 1898. The Promised Messiah^(as) seated me in Masjid Mubarak, which at the time was a very small area. (The mosque was later expanded to make it larger). The Promised Messiah^(as) said, ‘Sit here, I will bring you some food.’ He said this and then went inside.” Mufti Sahib says, “I thought that the Promised Messiah^(as) would send a worker with some food, but when the window opened a few minutes later (there was a wall between the mosque and the Promised Messiah’s^(as) house that had a window in it – a small door like a window) I saw the Promised Messiah^(as) holding the tray of food himself and bringing the food for me. He looked at me and said, ‘Eat, I will bring water for you.’”

He says, “Upon witnessing this, tears involuntarily began flowing from my eyes. I thought to myself, ‘If the Promised Messiah^(as), our leader and guide, is performing such acts of service for us, how much more should we serve one another?’” (Zikr-e-Habib by Mufti Muhammad Sadiq^(ra), p. 327)

This was an exemplary model, and there are numerous instances of such hospitality in the life of the Promised Messiah^(as). On one occasion, he advised his followers,

“I am always concerned with the fact that guests should never face any discomfort, and I always emphasise ensuring their utmost comfort. A guest’s heart is as delicate as a mirror, easily shattered by even the slightest distress.” (Malfuzat, 2022, Vol. 5, p. 111)

The Promised Messiah^(as) further stated that some guests could be very emotional, much like the people from Assam, as I mentioned earlier. Different communities have their own ways and temperaments – some people become quickly emotional or even angry. The Promised Messiah^(as) advised that one should not question why guests become emotional or angry. A guest’s heart is fragile, like glass or a mirror – it breaks easily. Hence, before causing them any distress or breaking their heart, one should take measures to protect them.

This is the example and guidance given by the Promised Messiah^(as) in following his beloved Master (the Holy Prophet^(sa))for treating guests hospitably. It is narrated that once, when many guests had arrived, the Promised Messiah^(as) instructed Mian Najmuddin, who was in charge of the Langar Khana, “See, there are many guests, some of whom you recognise and some whom you do not. Therefore, it is best to treat everyone with equal respect and honour.” (Malfuzat, 2022, Vol. 5, p. 353)

All guests must be honoured, regardless of their financial status – whether they are wealthy or poor, coming from America, Pakistan, Africa, or elsewhere, or even locals. During these days, special care must be taken in this regard. All these guests have come at the invitation of Promised Messiah^(as) to attend the Jalsa; thus, it is essential to respect, honour, and tend to their needs. How beautifully has the Promised Messiah^(as) emphasised the importance of serving guests! He also told his workers that he had good faith in them and believed that they were properly caring for and serving the guests and would continue doing so.

Thus, every volunteer should strive in their respective departments to fulfil their responsibilities of hospitality owed to the guests, whether they are working in the dining marquees or elsewhere. As I mentioned before, various departments – from ticketing to bringing guests to the venue – interact directly with guests, and every volunteer must display courtesy and exemplary morals. There are the cooking and serving departments, and they too should duly fulfil their responsibility of hosting guests. These departments oversee a significant part of hospitality. Efforts should be made to ensure guests are served sufficient food in a respectful manner. Workers in the Langar Khana should strive to prepare high-quality food – and by Allah’s grace, they do make sincere efforts. It should be ensured that food is sufficient and does not run short.

The cleanliness departments must give special attention to maintaining cleanliness. Cleanliness is indeed part of faith, not something insignificant. The Holy Prophet^(sa) taught that cleanliness is a part of faith. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Taharah, Bab Fadl al-Wudu, Hadith 223)

Thus, special attention should be given to this. It encompasses maintaining cleanliness in the overall environment and other facilities, including bathrooms.

Volunteers guiding attendees to the Jalsa site for the various programmes should do so with kindness and gentleness. Some people might lack full awareness or fail to pay proper attention to the Jalsa proceedings. Discipline volunteers, both among men and women, should kindly and gently remind attendees. The Tarbiyat [moral training] Department is tasked with seating people appropriately to enable them to listen to the proceedings. The bazaar will be, and should be closed during the sessions to facilitate this purpose. Overall, volunteers everywhere should be mindful of showing extraordinary courtesy during these days so that they can fulfil positive expectations which the Promised Messiah^(as) expressed.

Similarly, I wish to address a few points to the guests. Although guests from outside the Community also attend, they have dedicated departments and receive special hospitality. However, apart from these few guests, the majority of attendees are Ahmadis. You have come to listen to the Jalsa proceedings, so do not overly concern yourselves with whether proper arrangements have been made for you or not, whether you have been given good hospitality or not, or be concerned with the behaviour of individual volunteers. Your primary goal is to gain spiritual nourishment, which you should strive to attain. Though the hosts, as previously stated, must strive fully to fulfil their hospitality duties – and indeed, they do – attendees should also overlook any shortcomings or weaknesses they encounter.

Those working in cleanliness are not professionals; the volunteers in the discipline department are not police officers; the volunteers at the gates are not professionally trained; and the traffic controllers are not police-trained personnel. Rather, they are all volunteers who have offered themselves to serve guests. Some of them are secondary school students, others university students, and many are established professionals in high-calibre professions and good positions, all serving voluntarily with the zeal to honour the guests of the Promised Messiah^(as).

Therefore, appreciate their enthusiasm, fully cooperate with them, and overlook their shortcomings. Doing so will help you achieve the true objective for which you have come here and foster stronger interpersonal relations. Guests should always remember their purpose for attending the Jalsa, which can only be achieved by developing high morals and through the remembrance of Allah the Almighty.

In the dining marquees, it is the responsibility of every guest to promptly vacate the marquee after eating so others can have their turn. Occasionally, due to limited space and large numbers of attendees, meals have to be served in shifts. Therefore, make a conscious effort to vacate the marquees swiftly after finishing your meal, avoiding unnecessary conversations or lingering afterwards. You can go outside to have conversations and pass the time. Similarly, the volunteers pour food out onto plates. If you ask for more, then just as they have been instructed to, they will give you more food upon your asking. However, the food should not be wasted. One should always give value to food. There are some people who take the roti out and throw it away if it is just slightly overcooked or undercooked, whereas, wherever possible, if it is edible, then one should eat it, except if one is very ill and it could be harmful for them. Generally, the machines produce well-cooked rotis; I have checked this as well. However, sometimes there can be defective rotis. Unless a roti is very burnt or undercooked, avoid letting it go to waste. Similarly, do not let the curry go to waste. Not only would it be a waste of food, which should not happen, but that same food could have been given to someone else.

Another issue which arises is that it becomes very difficult to dispose of food that is left on the plates, and it places an increased burden on the cleanliness department, which greatly increases their workload. Hence, during the days of Jalsa, guests should eat the food whilst considering it to be a blessing and do not let it go to waste. The example of the Promised Messiah^(as) was such that once, a meal could not be arranged for him; the organisers had forgotten, and he had also been occupied. When the Promised Messiah^(as) asked if there was any food for him, everyone became worried because the food had run out. The Promised Messiah^(as) said, “Not to worry, if there are any leftover pieces of pita bread and any curry on the tables where people were eating then bring that and I will eat it.” Hence, the Promised Messiah^(as) ate the broken pieces of pita bread which others had left. (Sirat Hazrat Masih-e-Maud^(as) by Yaqub Ali Irfani Sahib^(ra), p. 322)

This was the excellent example that he established for us. Hence, always remain mindful that we must avoid letting any food go to waste, and thereby, we must also create ease for those tasked with cleaning up. The Holy Prophet^(sa) instructed not to waste food. (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-At’imah, Bab Ma Ja’a fi al-Luqmah Tasqut, Hadith 1803; Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab al-At’imah, Bab al-Nahyi an Ilqa’ al-Ta’am, Hadith 3353)

Food should be valued and eaten, and whatever is presented should be eaten happily. This instruction is undoubtedly directed towards guests specifically, and so, those guests who act upon this bring blessings with them. However, to realise those blessings, every guest must set their own example.

Be those guests who bring blessings with them, not those guests who create uneasiness for their hosts; rather, you should bring about ease for their hosts. We have come here, where under the Jalsa there is an organisational structure and volunteers are discharging their duties. However, all Ahmadi attendees and workers alike, indeed all of us Ahmadis, have a unified purpose; to achieve moral, spiritual and intellectual reformation in light of the Promised Messiah’s^(as) teachings and the teachings of Islam. Whether those on duty or guests, this is a duty shared by everyone, and so we must strive towards this.

Sometimes, there are circumstances where there is a shortage in food. The workers and the Langar Khana do strive to ensure that there is no shortage in food; however, sometimes with large gatherings, it is possible to make inaccurate estimates, leading to shortages. In this regard, we should always remember the guidance of the Holy Prophet^(sa); he said that the food for two people can suffice for three, and the food for three people can suffice for four. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Ashribah, Bab Fadilah Muwasah fi al-Ta’am al-Qalil […], Hadith 2058)

In another narration, it is stated that the food for one person is enough for two people, and the food for two people is enough for four people, and the food for four people is enough for eight people. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Ashribah, Bab Fadilah Muwasah fi al-Ta’am al-Qalil […], Hadith 2059)

Hence, we should always bear this in mind.

Another thing which I have mentioned before as well is that we should create ease for those who are on duty. Be mindful of cleanliness in the food marquee and other areas as well. Remain mindful of creating ease when it comes to cleanliness as well. Be careful not to throw garbage on the roads or pathways. Wherever you may sit to eat and drink; some people buy things to eat from the bazaar and rather than throwing the empty packets and bags here and there they should throw them in the dust bins in order to create ease for the cleanliness workers and so that more work can be done in less time enabling the organisation to run smoothly.

Then, there should be an all-around display of lofty moral conduct. I have already said this to the workers, and the guests should also display lofty moral conduct. It is recorded in a Hadith that the Holy Prophet^(sa) said that those who believe in Allah and the Last Day should say something nice or remain silent. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Iman, Bab al-Hath ala Ikram al-Jar wa al-Daif…, Hadith 47)

Hence, if there is a scenario which could lead to anger, rather than expressing anger and a display of ill morals, one should remain silent and seek forgiveness from Allah and recite prayers.

I also wish to say that care should be taken when it comes to children’s food. Sometimes people give children full plates of food, whereas the children cannot eat that much, which then causes the food to be wasted. As I mentioned earlier, avoid wasting food and pour food for children in smaller amounts, even if it means constantly pouring food for them.

Always remember that you must fulfil the objective of the Jalsa, and strive to reap and collect all the blessings associated with the Jalsa; the very blessings for which the Promised Messiah^(as) initiated this Jalsa. On one occasion, the Promised Messiah^(as) said that one should attend the Jalsa and listen to it with attention. One should not simply observe the speeches or look for what is good and what is bad; rather, they should consider that whatever is being spoken about is in accordance with the commandments of Allah and the Holy Prophet^(sa), which we must strive to implement, rather than simply who is speaking and their style of speaking. The Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“Would all the gentlemen listen attentively! I wish and desire for my community, and even for my own person and soul, that we must not be pleased with empty words and expressions that are to be found in lectures. Our entire aim and focus must not culminate merely in the spellbinding nature of a certain individual’s speech and the power of their words. This does not please me. What pleases me – and not by any pretence or affectation, but rather as a natural and inherent demand of my soul – is that everything be done for the sake of Allah and to serve God.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 2, p. 113)

Then, the Promised Messiah^(as) states that the very reason for the decline of Muslims has become the fact that they hold large conferences and councils; they have gatherings where renowned speakers and linguistic lecturers deliver their lectures. Poets recite poetry about their nations, and people raise slogans for this, yet it leaves no lasting impact. The nation then falls into decline as a result of those slogans alone. (Taken from Malfuzat, 2022, Vol. 1, p. 362)

Hence, this is the teaching and the standard of sincerity which every person, every Ahmadi, must bear in mind; we should not listen to what is being said merely for the sake of raising slogans or for our own preference; rather, we must listen to these things in order to implement them for the sake of Allah and the Holy Prophet^(sa). This is the very purpose for which an Ahmadi should come here; the very purpose for which you are here. I trust that this is the purpose for which you have come. As the Promised Messiah^(as) said, everything should be done for the sake of Allah the Almighty, and whatever is said should be for the sake of God. Everyone should bear this principle in mind.

Also, remember that we should spend our days whilst engaged in the remembrance of Allah. Even whilst listening to the Jalsa, you should remain engaged in the remembrance of Allah. Afterwards, as you walk around and meet people and speak to them, these conversations should be rooted solely in the faith. They should be conversations about the remembrance of Allah the Almighty, about the Quran, Hadith and fulfilling the objectives of the Promised Messiah^(as). These conversations should draw towards the remembrance of Allah the Almighty and praying for the faith. It is the remembrance of Allah alone that can also purify one’s thoughts, making them the recipients of Allah the Almighty’s bounties.

At one instance, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud^(ra) beautifully states that Allah the Almighty says to remember Allah and to especially do so in gatherings. What has Allah the Almighty said about the benefit of doing this? Allah the Almighty says that the benefit of doing this is that:

اُذْکُرُوا اللّٰہَ یَذْکُرْکُمْ

Meaning if you remember Allah, then He will start to remember you. Once God remembers someone, then who can be more fortunate than the one who is remembered and called upon by his Master? The remembrance of Allah is a great blessing. He further advises and says that whether you receive a reward or not, remain engaged in the remembrance of Allah, for it will please Allah the Almighty, and then He will remember you. (Taken from Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol. 4, p. 258, Friday Sermon delivered on 25 December 1914)

When Allah the Almighty remembers someone, it cannot be that He does not bless them. He certainly bestows His blessings. Hence, in order to draw the special blessings of Allah the Almighty, especially remember these things during these days and pay attention to them. Those participating in these special days and the workers should all remain mindful of the fact that they must always remain engaged in the remembrance of Allah. When they do so, it will result in bringing about the very atmosphere for which this Jalsa is held. On one occasion, the Promised Messiah^(as) said:

“Everyone ought to listen attentively, with careful consideration and deep thought, because this is a matter of faith. Negligence, indolence, and a lack of care result in extremely ill consequences. Those who are negligent in faith and those who, when they are addressed, do not listen carefully, fail to derive any benefit whatsoever, no matter how immensely beneficial and effective the words of the speaker may be. It is these people about whom it is said that they possess ears, but hear not; they possess hearts, but fail to understand. Hence, bear well in mind that you must listen attentively and with deep reflection to whatever is presented before you. For the one who does not listen carefully, cannot receive any benefit even if they remain in the company of a beneficial person for a lengthy period of time.” (Malfuzat [English], Vol. 4, p. 213)

These three days can only prove beneficial if we attentively listen to what is said and then vow to act upon those things. In order to achieve this, in order to keep our hearts purified, we must keep ourselves busy in the remembrance of Allah. Whilst attending the Jalsa, continuously engage in the remembrance of Allah, in prayers, and in reciting durood [prayer for sending salutations upon the Holy Prophet^(sa)]; then when you listen to the speeches, they will have a profound impact on you.

The Promised Messiah^(as) has expressed great concern in this regard: that if you do not attentively listen to the Jalsa proceedings, then there is no real benefit to you attending the Jalsa. We must especially remember that our purpose here is to reform ourselves, to increase our religious knowledge, and to better our spiritual condition – and for this reason, we must strive to our utmost. We must improve our condition with respect to our etiquette and must foster the spirit of sacrifice when it comes to our friends and brothers. And we must rid our hearts of any ill will; this is also an important objective [of Jalsa].

This atmosphere that has been created, within which many thousands of people have gathered, is one in which – if we treat one another with the spirit of brotherhood and love – such an environment and such conditions will be fostered within which love, affection, brotherhood, and camaraderie will be borne, which are the fundamentals of Islamic teachings. And it is by bringing these things into practice that one can become honoured in the sight of Allah the Almighty, and receive His blessings. In many of his speeches, the Promised Messiah^(as) drew attention towards the fact that a great purpose of attending the Jalsa is inculcating high morals and that such high morals should be on display in every direction. Sometimes, resentment or a disagreement ensues from extremely small matters to the extent that volunteers sometimes fight with one another. This should never happen. The greatest etiquette should always be on display. Thus, both the volunteers and the guests should remember that their etiquette should always be of a high standard, and they should constantly pray to be protected from every evil.

Similarly, I wish to address some other matters regarding Jalsa. Firstly, wherever you are staying during the days of Jalsa – be it in mosques, in particular Baitul Futuh and Masjid Fazal in London, or in Islamabad, or here [at the Jalsa site] – take care of your neighbours and also display the highest morals. Abide by the rules of the road. Sometimes there is more traffic due to the rush, so do not throw any sort of rubbish in front of other people’s houses.

I wish to address the women and say that specific marquees have been allotted for women with children; these women should stay in the children’s marquees without any complaint and should strive not to create any noise. Sometimes it so happens that the children are actually making less noise, but the women think that because they are in these marquees, it is permitted for them to speak to one another. They should refrain from speaking, focus on the speeches, and carefully listen to the programme. When they display their own example, then the children will also quietly listen. There are some women who, by Allah’s grace, tend to their children’s moral training in this way, or they give something to the child in order to distract them and to keep them occupied, and the mothers are able to easily listen to the programme. But there are also some who keep speaking to one another. The administration complains about this. There should never be a need for such complaints. And when they are told to stop, they express their displeasure, even though the blame lies on both of them. If a volunteer has spoken harshly, then the guest also replies harshly and exacerbates the matter. This is why one should strive not to cause an issue from either side; rather, an environment of love and affection should be created.

Similarly, all arrangements have been made, including parking and at the gates. The guests should cooperate with the volunteers so that all the arrangements run easily and smoothly. Furthermore, the guests should keep an eye on their surroundings, and if they see something suspicious, they should report it immediately. By keeping an eye on one another, any miscreant or one who wishes to create mischief will refrain from doing so or will be hesitant and will not find the courage to create such mischief. Thus, every attendee should remember that they must also guard their surroundings and must keep watch in order to protect them.

There is also the discipline department; everyone should also fully cooperate with them. Always keep ID cards with you and get them checked. Those who are staying in various places should try not to leave any expensive belongings there when coming here. There are certainly security arrangements, but you should still bring your valuables, such as money, etc., with you to avoid any risk of loss.

May Allah the Almighty enable you all to greatly benefit from this Jalsa. May you benefit from its blessings, and when you depart from here, may you depart with your bundles, which have collected the bounties of Allah the Almighty. May you return having been blessed with the bounties of Allah the Almighty. May Allah the Almighty continue to bestow blessings upon you and your future generations. May you always live your lives in this world whilst being of useful service to Ahmadiyyat. Similarly, may your future generations always live their lives in this world whilst being pure and useful people, and may Allah enable this to continue until the day of judgement.

Finally, I should also mention that, similar to previous years, various departments have exhibitions, which are excellent educational, enlightening, and interesting resources. Try to visit these as well. All the exhibitions are in one area. Similarly, there are new books at the book stall, so visit this as well. Do not merely stroll about or buy things in the bazaar; rather, you should also strive to benefit from this spiritual nourishment. May Allah enable you all to do so.