Huzur delivered his Friday Sermon from ‘Bagh e Ahmad’ near Accra Ghana. Huzur said that yesterday in his inaugural address at the Jalsa Salana Ghana he had drawn attention towards worship of God. He said the most excellent way worship of God for a Muslims is the observance of five prescribed Prayers. The Holy Qur’an is replete with commandments regarding this, in fact at the very beginning of the Qur’an the identity of a righteous person is signified as one who believes and observes Salat.
Huzur remarked how does one pay the dues of Salat? Indeed, by offering it on time and in congregation at the mosque or Salat centre, that Salat is not combined due to any worldly reason, ladies who have no genuine excuse say their Salat at home. In short, Salat is a most fundamental component of faith for a Muslim. Hadith terms Salat as the core/kernel of faith. Huzur said it should be the objective of a Muslim to attain this core/kernel.
Huzur said he observes that during Jalsa days men, women, girls and boys are most regular in saying Salat. He said that this practice that they acquire in this ‘training camp’ should be carried on lest on returning home they disregard all that they have learnt and do not pay attention to Salat and forget about it while doing their domestic chores, their businesses and leisure activities. Huzur said as he had explained the previous day this is the very objective of man’s creation as described in the Holy Qur’an. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had also expounded this as one of the chief purposes of his advent; to inculcate a living connection between man and God. Therefore every Ahmadi should be regular in five daily Prayers and these Prayers should not be offered as if one is relieving oneself of a burden rather they should be offered with a sense of obligation. Huzur said the claim that we are to bring the entire world in the fold of Ahmadiyyat necessitates that we know what Ahmadiyyat is about. Ahmadiyyat in fact is to establish the kingdom of the One and Only God in the hearts of people. His kingdom can be thus established only when His Being is deemed over and above everything else and His worship is carried out in the ways taught by Him. If, after accepting the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) we do not bring about a revolutionary change in ourselves and do not make a connection with the Living God then our claim would be meaningless and we would be erroneous in maintaining that we have taken our Tabligh to everyone and have brought them closer to God.
Huzur remarked why was there a need for the Messiah to come in this era? Indeed, because the world had forgotten God. In accordance to the prophecy of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) despite its luminosity, the Quranic teachings had faded from people’s hearts. Huzur said there are hundreds of millions of Muslims in the world some of whom are extremely wealthy because of oil resources. However they do not maintain that they will take the world to the One God, indeed, they surely await a ‘bloody’ Mahdi who would spread faith with the use of force, a Mahdi who will never come.
Huzur said, you, on the other hand are a small community but it is your pledge and your objective to take Islam to the ends of the earth. Today many African countries are being represented at the Jalsa; Burkina Faso, the Congo, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Guinea and the Gambia. Each of these countries does not have resources in terms of numbers and indeed funds that would facilitate taking the banner of Islam all over the world. However, we have the power which was given to all the Prophets of God by the God Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and Who has sent the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) like the other Propehts but in subordination of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), and who was given the task to present the beautiful teachings of Islam - that the world had forgotten – before the world once again. When we Ahmadis make such a huge claim then it is our utmost obligation that we turn to God and pray to Him and indeed the most excellent way to pray to Him is by offering Salat. It is our Salat and prayers that will grant us success. Otherwise, Huzur said, as he had said before, we do not have any worldly power that we can maintain that we will be triumphant over the world. In any case, Huzur added, religion has never spread with wealth and might.
Those who raise objections against Islam say that, God forbid, Islam spread through force. This is a completely incorrect, erroneous allegation. What kind of worldly power or might was there in the battle of Badr, the battle of Uhad or the battle of Ahzab? Indeed, neither was there any proper apparatus for warfare nor was there enough food to eat. The power that made them victorious were the prayers of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) that Allah accepted and granted victory. Huzur said it were the prayers of one who had completely absorbed himself in Allah that brought about a revolution in the world. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) established a blessed model that triumph of Islam is not, and indeed should not be, with might, but with prayers. Might can win one territories but not hearts. Addressing the Jalsa Huzur said they have to win over the hearts of their countrymen so that they may be offered to Allah. For this, Huzur said, first and foremost one has to make oneself worthy of it by being regular in Salat and prayers.
Huzur said this year in which we are commemorating the centenary jubilee of a hundred years of Khilafat, what is this jubilee about? Is it about feeling contended that we are celebrating the jubilee Jalsa, have prepared a souvenir, the auxiliary organisations have arranged various programmes? These are simply small ways of acknowledging the centenary. The real objective will be attained when we will make a promise that in light of the blessing of Khilafat that God has granted us we will endeavour to bring about a closer connection with God, that we will be mindful of observance of Salat more than before. This sense of gratitude of blessings will further enhance Divine beneficence.
In the Holy Qur’an in the verse following the verse in which Khilafat is mentioned Allah states: ‘And observe Prayer and give the Zakat and obey the Messenger that you may be shown mercy.’ (24:57)
Huzur said the above verse proves that in order to benefit from the blessing of Khilafat the first condition is to observe Salat. Therefore, Huzur said, the reason that he was laying so much stress on this was so that men, women, girls and boys could derive maximum benefit from the blessing that they had been granted. Allah had promised the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and indeed it is the prophecy of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) that this Khilafat is to remain for the rest of time, however, only those will derive benefit from it who will make a living connection with God through worship.
Huzur said the Quranic verse also mentions financial giving. With the grace of Allah the Jama’at of Ghana is gaining strength from strength in terms of financial giving. Reminding is needed at times and each reminding produces a great response. However, Huzur said, for the youth as well as for the new converts he would say that financial giving is for the reformation of the self (nafs). Elsewhere in Qur’an financial giving other than Zakat is also mentioned in terms of reformation of the self. Indeed only that person can make a financial sacrifice for the sake of God who has firm belief in God and in the fact that God never wastes any good act or deed that is done to attain His pleasure. Huzur said he is most grateful and indeed others should be too that Allah enables the Ghanaian Jama’at to make financial sacrifices. Many sincere and well-off Ahmadis have facilitated the construction of huge mosques. When a materialistic person acquires wealth he spend it in worldly matters and idle purposes but today, thousands of miles away form Qadian, Allah has given the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) sincere people whose hearts are open for financial giving. Thus the youth and the new converts should always remember that financial giving is a commandment among other commandments of Allah and it has been specifically mentioned with regards the blessing of Khilafat.
Allah states, ‘obey the Messenger so that you may be shown mercy.’ Huzur said the Messenger commands what Allah commands and this has been stated in the Qur’an many times ‘obey Allah and obey His Messenger’ and indeed the commandment of Allah is that in order to create a pious environment worship Allah and put all that in practice that has been stated in the Holy Qur’an. ‘Obey Allah and obey His Messenger’ also denotes that the Messiah of latter days will follow the Shariah of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and he will be fair and just.
Huzur said among the commandments of Allah that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had unfolded Huzur would mention one and it is with reference to young men and young women. Huzur said the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) drew our attention specifically to the fact that Ahmadi young women should marry Ahmadi young men so that Ahmadi future generation is preserved. Children are confused when they have to deal with dual aspects [of faith]. If the father is not an Ahmadi, as fathers have more influence, then despite the fact that the mother is an Ahmadi, the child does not remain one. Rather sometimes due to parents with conflicting beliefs turn children away from religion. Similarly Ahmadi young men should marry Ahmadi young women. Firstly they deprive the rights of Ahmadi young women by marrying outside, secondly children suffer from the same two-faceted situation. Huzur said if one wishes for one’s offspring to have the blessing [of Khilafat] that Allah has granted then personal preference should not be the only option to consider. Huzur said many young women write to him from Ghana and other African countries asking and seeking guidance that although the marriage proposal of their preference is from outside, could they marry them? Huzur said the very fact that these young women ask is a testimony that they give precedence to their faith over the world. Thus, Huzur said, it should be remembered that as long as young women are mindful of giving precedence to faith over worldly matters they will derive beneficence and so will the young men and they will be the recipients of Allah’s blessings.
Thus, Huzur said, each Ahmadi should promise on the fulfilment of a hundred years of Ahmadiyya Khilafat that they will always give precedence to Allah’s pleasure. Will endeavour to the best of one’s ability to put His commandments in practice, to worship Him and will always try to honour the pledge of allegiance (bai’at) made to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that all those who consider themselves to be in his Community will not be counted in his Community unless they adopt righteous ways. He said they should observe their five daily prayers with such awe and devotion as if they are seeing God, should keep their fasts for Allah with sincerity and anyone on whom Zakat is obligatory should pay Zakat and one on whom Hajj is obligatory and has no excuse, should go for Hajj. He said piety should be practised with finesse and evil should be discarded. He reminded that no deed can gain acceptance with God if it is devoid of taqwa (righteousness).
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) also stated to his Community to be joyous and jump with joy that God is with them. He said if one stays firm on belief and truth then one is taught by the angels and heavenly tranquillity is descended on one and one is granted help from the holy spirit and God is with one at every step and none is able to overcome one.
Huzur prayed that may Allah always keep us firm on faith , make us observe His worship and may He continue to bless us with His beneficence and may we continue to be the recipients of His grace and blessings.