Huzur gave a discourse on the recent Divine blessings on the Community in his Friday Sermon today.
In a poetic composition that he wrote at the occasion of the ‘Ameen’ of his children, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) mentions Allah’s favours and grace. Each stanza of the composition enumerating Divine favours closes on a line that can be translated as: “And Holy indeed is He Who has diminished my foes to disgrace”. One of the couplets says:
“Proclaimed have I Your favours
And Holy indeed is He Who has diminished my foes to disgrace”
Huzur said the Divine blessings and favours that shower on the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) are, in accordance with Allah’s promise, eternal. Today, after a hundred years of his passing away, Allah is bestowing His grace by the minute and InshaAllah will always continue to do so and His grace will thus be proclaimed.
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has assured us of the certainty that these favours will reach fruition. Indeed there will be impediments along the way but Allah will remove them with His grace. To continue to progress and develop is now the destiny of the Community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Reading an extract from the writings of the Promised Messiah(on whom be peace) Huzur explained that when prophets of God pass away opponents indulge in derision and mockery at their seemingly incomplete mission. However, Allah displays His Power with a second manifestation to bring the mission of the prophets to accomplishment. Indeed, Allah has so willed to bring the mission of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) to completion and for this He has established the system of Khilafat, so that the Community is gathered on one hand and can be the recipient of His blessings and with a spirit of thankfulness, they may proclaim His favours.
Huzur said we observe the Community progress and move onwards. Not for a moment should any one of us imagine that this is due to our sacrifices or planning or any such thing. All the progress that we observe, even in countries where the Community is suppressed and persecuted, is in accordance with Divine promises and human endeavour does not have even the slightest bearing on it. As long as we are grateful to Allah as one, we will partake of all the blessings that He has destined for the Community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).
Huzur said in the last couple of weeks he was on his travels and witnessed Allah’s blessings shower on the Community as the Community of the true and ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was enabled to spread the message of true Islam. The travels took Huzur to France and Germany where he inaugurated mosques and Holland where he graced their Jalsa Salana and Belgium where he graced the annual Ansar Ijtima.
In France the Jama’at has been enabled to have a mosque built at St. Prix, just outside Paris. During his 1924 visit of Europe Hadhrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) laid the foundation stone of Fazl Mosque, London and graced the renowned Wembley Conference. He also visited Paris at the time. There was no established Jama’at there at the time but a non-Ahmadi mosque had been newly built with governmental help. The first Salat of the mosque was led by Hadhrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him). He assigned the Community elders who accompanied him, among whom were Mirza Sharif Ahmad sahib (Huzur’s parental grandfather), Tabligh tasks for France. This work developed many contacts and although a Jama’at was not formally established but introductory work was done. During the fourth Khilafat a property was purchased by the Jama’at in France; a residential home that served as a mosque and a mission house. In the courtyard of the house a temporary mosque/hall was built. A wave of opposition started among the locals as the general impression of Muslims in the area was not good. There was a time when the Mayor of St. Prix came into the hall/mosque with his shoes on and was reproachful. It was most painful for the Jama’at to see him walk over the prayer mats with his shoes but nothing could be done but be patient. In 2003 the adjoining property was also purchased and in 2006 a third property was bought. The new mosque has been built on the plot of the three properties and has residential quarters comprising of a guest house, a house for the missionary etc. It is the grace of Allah that the once indignant Mayor now speaks of us with great affection and regret is evident when his previous stance is mentioned. On the day of the inauguration of the mosque, despite the fact that he was invited to a reception held in the evening, the Mayor also came at Friday Prayer time and sat through the sermon in a separate room and later spoke to the press in a most positive tone about the Community. In his interview published in a newspaper on 10th October the Mayor said that this little known community represents peace-loving and respectable Islam and he said he affirmed that the Community was peaceful. He spoke of our charitable works and acknowledged that we were integrated in society. Huzur said the newspaper also published an introductory piece on our Community. Other media have also published material on our Community. The French national TV gave news coverage with reference to our Community for the first time, while other channels also covered the inauguration. TV24, a renowned French channel which is watched in all the continents of the world also covered the news.
Due to this vast exposure the inauguration was also covered by the press of the Francophone countries. During the reception held in the evening, Huzur said, he gave a discourse on the beautiful teachings of Islam and spoke of the persecution early Islam faced. Later some people came up to Huzur and gave an emotional response to Huzur of their ignorance of any persecution ever levied on Islam. A German diplomat told Huzur that he felt there was a surge among young German men converting to Islam and he wished they would convert as Ahmadi Muslims so that they may adopt the true teachings of Islam.
Next on Huzur’s trip was Holland where he graced the Jalsa Salana. The occasion received newspaper coverage and the Community was thus introduced to a good section of the society. Huzur said even if we spend our entire lives in counting the blessings of Allah, they would not be exhausted.
From Holland Huzur arrived at Berlin, Germany. Here the inauguration of the new mosque took place. There had been much local opposition to the building of the mosque and the German Ameer sahib and his management were quite concerned. The authorities had restricted attendance by invitation only. In one way this precaution was correct but perhaps it went a bit too far. A right-wing party had a rally planned against the inauguration of the mosque but they announced that it was called-off. The media and the police were circumspect despite the announcement. However, when Allah’s blessings and favours descend they rain down. For a long time our missionaries had been removing misconceptions with suitable responses but the people were not satisfied. If this sudden turnaround is not a blessing of Allah, what else is it? Huzur said some decent locals had announced that they would take out a rally in our support, may Allah further open the hearts of these decent people. Next Huzur gave a detailed account of newspaper coverage of the Berlin mosque most of which was positive. A woman came to personally see Huzur at the inauguration. She said she was an old resident of the area and had heard about the mosque and Huzur’s arrival in the media and had come to see the ‘Khalifa’. Huzur said a reception was held on the Thursday evening before the inauguration which was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the German Parliament and many other dignitaries. All the guest speakers spoke highly of the Community. Huzur said his address about the beautiful teaching of Islam was very well received. Not only was it heard most attentively there was visible interest shown in what Huzur said. Some people took notes and later on told Huzur that they had learnt many new things. The inauguration was covered by the media worldwide. A hundred and forty eight newspapers around the world covered the inauguration of Khadija Mosque thus providing a vast exposure. Huzur read out extracts from the coverage given by four major German newspapers. The inauguration was also covered by German TV. The Ameer sahib of Burkina Faso has reported that the media in his country covered both the inaugurations of the French and the German mosque. Huzur said it would not have been possible for us to reach the channel ‘euronews’ but they covered the event. Some Arab channels also covered the inauguration albeit by distorting some fact about our beliefs. Huzur said when a mosque was first planned for Berlin in 1923 it was also an Egyptian organisation that had misled the Germans by saying that Ahmadiyyat was a British implant. Hadhrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) sent an article refuting the allegation in detail to Maulwi Mubarak Ali sahib and asked him to have it published in a newspaper. However, objections are raised to this day. The article had made it absolutely clear that we are loyal to the country of our residence but it is our obligation to take the message of Islam to others and that is why we continue with it.
Huzur said he was informed by the local missionary Abdul Basit sahib that German people continued to visit the mosque in their droves - after Huzur’s departure from Berlin - over the weekend following the inauguration on Friday. Approximately nine hundred visitors came to the mosque and they were provided with refreshments. The visitors were very impressed by the Nasirat and Atfal taking keen interest in Tabligh. A representative of the Berlin Church sent a congratulatory letter. With the grace of Allah the inauguration was well received and accepted.
The next day Huzur arrived at Belgium where he graced the Ansar Ijtima. The whole Jama’at had gathered to receive Huzur. Huzur returned to Britain the same evening. Huzur said the reason for his prompt return was because a reception had been organised and hosted by Justine Greening, the MP in whose constituency Fazl Mosque is situated. The reception was to celebrate the Khilafat e Ahmadiyya Centenary and was held at the Houses of Parliament, London. Many MPs came to the reception. Huzur gave a discourse on the advent of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), the role of Khilafat, the peaceful nature of Islam and in light of the current economic downturn followed by the crisis in the financial world, usury, the obligations of world powers etc. Huzur said he received an amazing response. The Parliamentarians and various diplomats expressed their positive responses and Huzur said this was not simply out of courtesy. Some even requested the text of Huzur’s address and one could tell they were genuinely interested. Huzur said they had the opportunity to offer Zuhr and Asr Salat in the Houses of Parliament. The fact that the message of Islam was heard at the Houses of Parliament reflects the changing views and tells us that all this is due to the blessings of Allah. We may proclaim these blessings till our lives end but we would not be able to exhaust them.
Huzur said our opponents allege that we are an implant of the British but can any of their leaders really advise on the teachings of the Holy Qur’an? They do not see which direction God’s decree is moving to. Their animosity increases. Today the salvation of the Muslims lies in listening to and accepting the message of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Huzur then read a most powerful extract from the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and prayed that may Allah enable us to become true Ahmadis and thus enable us to witness the fulfilment of the Divine promises made to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).