Hudhur gave a discourse on Divine bestowment without measure as well as God’s swift reckoning in his Friday Sermon today. Hudhur explained the subject by citing examples of ahadith as well as incidents of the companions of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).
Hudhur said there are numerous incidences from the life of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) that illustrate how God grants without measure and from most unexpected means. Once Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) was travelling from Kashmir via Rawalpindi when money ran out. He told his companion that they would sell the horse. A short while later, the horse became ill and on reaching Rawalpindi it died. The carriage man demanded rent and there appeared no way out when Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) turned to God. Just then a person brought his ailing father to Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I for treatment. He prescribed some medicine and was paid enough remuneration to enable them to carry on with the journey. Once on the occasion of Eid ul Adhia Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) only had one worn piece of clothing to wear. The congregation for Eid Salat awaited and sent for him many times as he dealt with his worn clothes at home. Then there was a knock on the door and there stood a man who had travelled from another town bearing some clothes as gifts for Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) and his family. Thus God always provided for him.
Maulana Ghulam Rasool Rajiki once had a dream that he and his wife are living in the house of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and are close family members. He dreamed that his son is massaging the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) feet, when the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) says to him in Punjabi, may all your needs be fulfilled’. Maulana Rajiki said that following this dream God Himself fulfilled all his needs and his family and neighbours were witness to this spiritual glad-tiding.
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that the real Provider is God. One who put his trust in God is never deprived of provision. God states that He showers down from the heavens and extracts from under the feet for one who trusts Him.
Hudhur said God’s Prophets imbibe Divine attributes extremely well and the most excellent example of this was the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). He once said that even if he had gold the size of the mount of Uhad, he would have been happier, if after three days he had none left, apart from a little left over for paying off debts. Whenever the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was asked in the name of Islam, he would give most generously. Once he gave a person the entire herd of goats that grazed a valley between two mountains. The man went to his people and told them to accept Islam because the Prophet of Islam gave so much that there could never be a risk of famine. After the victory of Makkah and following the Battle of Hunain, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) gave Sufyan bin Umayyah three hundred camels. Sufyan would say that prior to this he greatly disliked the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) but later he became his most beloved. Hudhur said at times worldly riches bring people to faith. Sufyan bin Umayyah passed a valley with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) where he covetously eyed a herd of goats. The Prophet asked him if he liked the herd a lot, to which he answered, yes. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) told him he may have the entire herd. Overwhelmed by this generosity Sufyan fell in the feet of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and accepted Islam saying only a Prophet of God could make such a huge bestowal. Earlier on Sufyan bin Umayyah was a sworn enemy of Islam and following victory of Makkah he wondered if he would be spared. Not only was he pardoned rather he was bestowed greatly by the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) who would advice his Companions never to be miserly in matters of faith and never to be inadequate in honouring dues of mankind. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) enjoined not to be penny pinching when giving in the name of God, he said other wise God too would give sparingly.
Hudhur said each person’s power to give is in accordance to his/her capacity and other commitments. The history of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is a testimony to their trust in God. These people who were uneducated and ignorant went on to become great exemplars of godliness. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was ever concerned that his ummah remained godly. Once he sent Abu Ubaidah to collect Jizya from Bahrain, a place he had made a peace treaty with. When Abu Ubaidah returned a lot people had gathered, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) smiled and said it appeared people knew Abu Ubaidah had returned with something. He gave people glad-tidings but said that he was not concerned about their poverty but was concerned lest they got inclined to materialism like the earlier people and this materialism caused their destruction like the ancients. Hudhur said it was a pity that in spite of this strong counsel of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) the majority of his ummah today is embroiled in the same. However, Ahmadis have to honour their pledge of bai’at and have to give precedence to faith over worldly matters.
Hudhur said the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) followed this blessed model of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in his dealings with his followers. Once he asked Syed Ghulam Hussain sahib, who was a young man of 15 years at the time and eager to serve, to fetch a parcel for him from Batala and gave him Rupee 5 for any expenses he may incur on the way. With no carriage around, young Syed sahib walked to Batala. The parcel was already fully paid for. On the way back the carriage driver asked for too much money, so Syed sahib arranged for the parcel to be carried but walked himself back to Qadian. He gave 4 pennies (aana) to the porter who had carried the parcel and went to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) took the parcel, cut the top open, put his hand inside and took out some fine grapes and gave them to the young man saying that was his share. He quickly gathered them in his tunic and returned the change to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) who most affectionately said, ‘we do not keep account with friends.’
Once Hakim Abdur Rahman sahib went to Qadian and on the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) insistence he stayed for a two and half months. Finally when he took leave to return home the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) gave him a note to obtain a book of his from the book store. The person at the book store was annoyed and remarked that people came and got free books, so Hakim sahib asked for the note back. When the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) inquired if he had obtained the book he related the incident. On hearing what happened, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) walked off towards the store without putting his shoes on and said to the person there, ‘Mir sahib, why do you worry? You are anxious so soon? Large numbers of people have yet to come here and treasures will be distributed.’
Hudhur said people who make sacrifices for the publication of Islam today and give are also shown such experiences by God. A new Ahmadi of Ivory Coast, Yaqoub Ali sahib was told about the prescribed rates of chanda, of Tehrike Jadid and Waqfe Jadid. When he paid his contribution accordingly, it came up to £50, which was a large sum for him. Soon afterwards a friend of his who had borrowed money from him a couple of years ago but from whom hope of a return was all but lost, rang him and said he was ready to pay back. Not only did he get his loan money back, he received a letter from the government informing him that he had been promoted to a higher grade and his salary had increased by 50%. On receipt of his enhanced salary he immediately adjusted his chanda contribution and he tells everyone most candidly it is all due to the grace of God.
A non-Ahmadi lady called Haleem from Benin contributed to the Tehrike Jadid scheme. Her business profit was double. She paid the following year again and her profit margin was four-fold. She continued to give, saying her business had accrued extraordinary profit, she also took her bai’at. Hudhur said, as a rule we do not take contributions from people outside the Jama’at but in Africa sometimes such connections are formed that we have to accept contributions. Hudhur said when he was in Ghana many [non-Ahmadi] farmers would bring their Zakat saying that they were assured the Ahmadis would correctly channel it as opposed to the mullah who would probably devour it.
In the time of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) once someone was going on travels and asked the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) for some funds who brought the box in which he kept all the money and said, ‘take however much you wish to’, most cheerfully he said, ‘take all if you like’.
Next Hudhur cited a few examples of God’s swift reckoning. Maulana Ranjiki related that once he was officiating the Nikah of a son of a companion of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and later realised that apart from the one getting married all the other off-spring were deaf and dumb. The companion said that he used to taunt his sister-in-law who had a deaf and dumb child. Once he exceeded all limits in insults the sister-in-law told him to fear God. His impudence caused God’s displeasure and all his children were born deaf and dumb. He did Istaghfar profusely and wrote to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) for prayers. Eventually his last child was born without any disability. Hudhur said at times the pain inflicted on someone can move the heavens.
Maulana Rajiki also related an incident about two candidates standing in the Punjab Legislative Council elections and eager to get the votes of Ahmadis. Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II (may Allah be pleased with him) instructed the Community to vote for one of the two. This choice was unexpected and many people arose against the Ahmadis over this. Ahmadis remained patient. One well-off person among them exceeded all limits and used abusive language for Ahmadis in general and Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in particular. Maulana Rajiki warned him that such transgression was not good and that God does give too much respite to people like him. Almost immediately after this the man fell ill and despite seeking medical help from the best hospital, four months later, in spite of his grandeur, he died.
Maulana Rajiki related about a Maulwi who was extremely keen on the concept of Jesus (on whom be peace) being alive in the heavens. When the definite Quranic verse ‘When Allah said, ‘O Jesus, I will cause thee to die a natural death and will exalt thee to Myself, and will clear thee from the charges of those who disbelieve, and will place those who follow thee above those who disbelieve, until the Day of Resurrection; then to Me shall be your return, and I will judge between you concerning that wherein you differ.’ (3:56) was presented to him he would audaciously change the sequence of words in the verse to suit his purpose. He even went as far as suggesting to have the altered verse printed in a copy of the Qur’an but the scholars did not agree that it would cause a havoc. When all printing press declined he went to a Sikh press and offered them a lot of money, but they also declined due to fear of reprisals from Muslims. The Maulvi then decided to go into publication himself in order to achieve his goal. However, he suddenly became a victim to the plague and within the space of one night all his family died of the plague.
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that if one is mindful of God’s greatness and is aware of death then indolence is taken care of. God’s chastisement is dreadful. He covers faults but when He punishes, it is severe, apart from those who fear Him and deems Him Great. For such a person God becomes a shield.
Hudhur said may God have mercy and protect us from punishment, even from slight reprimand and may He always grant us blessings and give us beyond our imagination, may He establish His fear in our hearts. May we be among those who have perfect trust in God and may He become our shield at every opportunity as is His promise.
Hudhur said he is going on travels and the next few Fridays [the Baitul Futuh congregation] will also see Friday Sermons, like the rest of the world, on MTA. Hudhur asked for prayers that may his travels be blessed in every way.