Hudhur touched on the subject of faith-inspiring new Bai’ats and also gave a discourse on corruption among Muslim leadership in his Friday sermon today.
Hudhur said a couple of weeks ago he gave a Friday sermon on the erroneous approach of Muslim rulers that has led to uprisings in quite a few countries and Arab Ahmadis had taken great interest in the subject. As a result, a MTA3 programme was prepared with Hudhur’s guidance. Hudhur highlighted passages in the book of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) entitled ‘Al Huda’ for the programme maker, Sharif Odeh sahib as a reference point. Hudhur said these passages are applicable on the current condition of the Muslim rulers, the masses as well as the religious scholars. Hudhur said he wished to speak on the subject.
The condition that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) depicted in the book is not just the current state of the few countries where uprisings have taken place, such was also the state of affairs at the time of his writing. In addition, the words written more than a hundred years ago are a proof of the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Even the new Muslim countries that came into being after his passing away, had and have leaders, masses and religious scholars embroiled in the same situation. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) did not simply illustrate the frightening and embarrassing circumstances, he also gave solutions and stated that the awaited one has come and thousands of signs are bearing testimony to his truthfulness. He said the survival of the Muslims was now only in accepting him in fulfilment of the prophecy of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him).
In response to his pronouncement, storm of opposition arose but the good thing that came out of this was that the detractors of Ahmadis avowed to serve faith and started Tabligh. God alone knows how much sincerity was behind this as they did not have direct Divine guidance. As a result, harmful innovations as well as individual schools of thought crept in and the basic Islamic teaching was forgotten. As there was to be only one Judge and Arbiter from God, who was to draw the line between wrong and right, erroneous concepts were bound to permeate without him. Yet, interest in religion grew. Those on whom was God’s grace, looked and searched for the truth and found it, others kept looking to relieve their sense of restlessness but remained unsuccessful.
Hudhur said the accounts that he receives of those who are taking Bai’ats illustrate how restless pious-souls had been to find the truth and how God guided them. This verifies that God guides whomsoever He pleases. Hudhur said he will relate these accounts in detail another time so that it is made clear that just as God directed people in earlier times, He is also doing so now.
When the Muslim powers noticed people coming into the fold of Ahmadiyyat by the day, they sent their clergy to other countries; they opened madrassas in Africa, and are making organisations in the name of Islamic universities where Muslim governments are spending money. However, the so-called religious scholars undertaking these projects paid little attention to Tabligh of Islam or Tarbiyyat (spiritual training) of people, and gave greater time to planning against Ahmadiyyat. Yet, they were unsuccessful, although the underprivileged benefitted in financial terms through this.
When the true teachings of Islam are unfolded through the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), each such person who has compassion for faith, gives importance to this message and is ready to make any sacrifice for its sake. No man-made plan can withstand the light that comes from God. Truth and falsehood becomes evident to the wise. Worldly effort, even if it is done in the name of God, but is against the will of God, cannot be blessed. On the other hand, the Ahmadi missionaries and teachers who reside in areas where they are witnessing signs of God’s support are enhanced in their faith through these experiences. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) gave a very forceful sign of his truthfulness that is fulfilled every single day. He wrote in Braheen a Ahamdiyya that God taught him a prayer: ‘Lord, do not leave me alone and Thou art the best of the Best of heirs’ [Tadhkirah p. 71 – 2007 edition] and ‘It will come to thee by every distant track. People will come to thee by every distant track.’ [Tadhkirah p. 72 -2007 edition]. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) further wrote that in those days no one came to meet him and no one knew him. Perhaps one person would come to meet him in an entire year, just as one letter would or would not arrive in an entire year. Yet, to this day the number of people taking his Bai’at is on the increase. In spite of all the efforts of our opponents, with the grace of God, and without exception, Hudhur receives the glad-tidings of dozens, hundreds and indeed thousands of Bai’ats every day. Some of these accounts are so faith-inspiring that they can only be from God.
When Hudhur meets new Ahmadis in Europe or America, they relate to him how they embraced mainstream Islam or came to know about Islam yet remained restless. When they were introduced with Ahmadiyyat, they had no recourse but to accept what is the true Islam. Similarly from the mainstream Muslims, hundreds of thousands who search for truth, instantly accept Ahmadiyyat and realise that it is the true Islam. They face many difficulties with their families after accepting and at times go through torturous situations but with the grace of God, they remain steadfast. They also write to Hudhur requesting prayers for their steadfastness. Their resolve is borne out of the fact that once guided, they do not wish to be sinful. They are well aware of their erstwhile religious scholars.
Hudhur said Arab Muslims who have become familiar with MTA, whether they have accepted Ahmadiyyat or not have understood this fact. They do not see anyone else respond to the Christian priests as Ahmadi scholars do. Hudhur receives many letters saying that they used to be quite perturbed listening to objections against Islam and used to pray to God to remove their disquiet and show them the glory of Islam. God showed them MTA and they say now they hold their heads high. Hudhur said he would relate this subject at another time.
Today Hudhur wished to present extracts from the book of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) called ‘Al Huda’ which draws attention of Muslim rulers and other sections of society. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote that corruption has permeated Muslims and piety has become rare among them. They do not even reciprocate a fraction of what they receive and they look down on showing compassion. They do not act with kindness to others and do not even give to friends. They are embroiled in dishonesty and sin.
Illustrating the condition of Muslim rulers, he said that rulers of the time who are considered as elders of the faith are in fact inclined wholeheartedly towards the embellishments of this world. They drink alcohol, and are given to music and other selfish pleasures. They lead a lavish and opulent life and are oblivious of the state of their public and its adversities. They turn to what God has forbidden and are not inclined towards righteousness and do not fulfil the duties of the state. This is the reason they are in everyday decline. They have displeased God by not fulfilling the trust that was given to them. In spite of having arms and armoury, wealth and pageantry they are defeated and this is because of the curse that comes down on them from the heavens for they give preference to others over God. They are indolent about faith but very alert about bad desires. They are neither bothered about their public nor their faith. They use the treasury as it were the legacy of their ancestors but do not spend on the public and do not appear to have the concept that they will be returned to God and will be held accountable. Their practices would make one’s hair stand on ends. It is worth reflecting over whether these people could strengthen faith or could show the way to one who has gone astray?
Hudhur said such is their condition, yet in their enmity of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) they use their wealth, albeit a small amount of what is massive wealth, to counter the mission of the Promised Messiah in African countries.
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote that these rulers have no association with the commandments of Shariah, they do not have the heart and mind of a pious and temperate person, thus Khilafat cannot be granted to them. They do not pay any attention that the nation [of Islam] is in decline and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is accused of falsehood, they are publically shameless. Their days and nights are spent in seeking all kinds of pleasures. These hedonistic rulers are in fact a great chastisement of God on the Muslim masses. Leading a life of such perfidy and waywardness, how could they be helped by God? It is the way of God that He will help the unbeliever but He will not help a sinner. God is not helping the ‘others’ because He is being Merciful to them, rather it is because His wrath towards the Muslims is inflamed.
Hudhur said some among them do understand. Recently Hudhur read a piece by the Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan in a newspaper in which he wrote that God’s chastisement is coming down on us due to our certain practices.
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote that when these rulers left prayer and worship, God too did not care. Their enemy does not humiliate them; rather God humiliates them because they disobeyed God. Their minsters and advisors are exceedingly dishonest. European newspapers write them down as indolent and incapable. They are not regular in Salat and worldly desires have become a huge obstacle for them. They cannot abide by any word of a sermon and in their eyes only the sycophants are worthy. In light of their ungratefulness God has imposed people on them who swooped in on them and continue to enforce themselves on them. Hudhur said, as he often explains, today in terms of economy the outsiders have a complete hold on them.
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) admonished that they should not revile the Christian rulers for what they have done to them, rather they should censure themselves for they heard the Promised Messiah’s words and they abused him. They cursed the enemy although whatever they got was due to their own foul deeds.
Addressing the masses, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said if masses are pious the rulers too reform. If they are the well-wishers of their rulers they should say Istaghfar for them. They should make them aware of their foul deeds, for it is indeed correct to counsel them. However, he said their hearts are extremely hardened because they have displeased God and have deviated and have included their public in this. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that he does not suggest disobedience and conflict with the rulers, but saying the truth, and to seek their betterment from God so that they may desist from their ways. He advised not to hold any hope that they would bring about reformation, because those who deviate cannot guide others. Though counsel is commanded.
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that while they abandoned righteousness in their dealing with the Christians, they did not properly learn the ploys and the tricks from them. As regards Muslim rulers God has promised that unless they are pious, God will not help them. They are not the custodians of the Ka’ba, in fact it is the Ka’ba that is protecting them. They assert their love of Islam and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), if they do not sincerely repent, chastisement is imminent for them.
Many a calamity is befalling the world of Islam and the world of Islam is like an ailing person breathing his last. Some laugh at Muslims, some lament them. They do not even have a suggestion of righteousness left in them. Their worship of God is ostentatious, they have no hint of auspiciousness and their mutual love and unity is gone. There is no sin or ignorance that cannot be found in the Muslims.
Hudhur related an account where a Christian person drew the attention of an alcohol consuming mainstream Muslim, as he sat drinking, that his Ahmadi friends did not indulge in things that are forbidden in Islam and followed Islam as it is meant to be followed, yet they are considered non-Muslims, while he was consuming alcohol although he was a ‘Muslim’. The Muslim went silent. The Christian then told him not to worry, he had only mentioned this in passing. The Muslim promptly started drinking again.
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that God manifested signs of his truthfulness but people did not accept him. When God’s chastisement came they said they considered him (God forbid) unclean. God has not sent any Prophet with whom God’s chastisement did not come to avert people from bad deeds.
At times, these rulers sent huge armies to fight but were defeated. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) put the question as to what was the remedy to all this? Could all these ailments of the Muslim kingdoms be made better by their efforts? Most certainly not, he asserted. These people are, as if buried under stones. It is not for them to avert these disasters for blind cannot lead blind. Spiritual light only descends on that heart which is burnished by total devotion of God and then alone is one given the mantle of eminence. How can one who is sitting in the dark show the way to others? The truth is that the rulers of the day have no inclination about spirituality. They are totally drawn towards the politics of the material world and they have no capacity to be of any spiritual advantage to their people.
Citing the condition of the religious scholars, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said the majority of them are like a disease for Islam. They counsel, but do not practice what they preach. They are hard-hearted and full of darkness and gloat over little knowledge. They pass Fatwah (edict) of Kufr on anyone who disagrees with them. They are stingy by nature and envious by practice. Distortion of Shariah is their way, they act like wolves when incited and their remembrance of God is but a show. They consider themselves to the masters of peoples’ lives. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing who stop people from accepting the path of truth. Their arrogance has increased and their wisdom has decreased. They have no idea about the complex matters of Shariah. The matter of death of Jesus (on whom be peace) is clear but they have no idea of triumph of Islam. God has put commotion in their fate, they only pay lip service to the Qur’an and the Qur’an has never glimpsed into their hearts. They are slaves of the ‘self’ and have forgotten the rights of the Gracious God, how can triumph of faith be expected from them? Prejudice has made them animal-like. Their faith is greediness, gluttony and usurping property. They are not afraid of God but are afraid of those in power and they incite the ignorant in the name of Jihad.
Hudhur said these are the few extracts from the book of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) which he wrote more than a hundred years ago, yet the state of affairs today is exactly the same as described by him and is a testimony to the truthfulness of his words.
Giving a solution to these conditions, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote in the same book that people should leave of all the other sects and should search if God has sent some remedy? They should read the accounts of earlier times in the Qur’an and understand what the way of God was. Why would God’s way change for the latter-ones? Islam is being attacked, people are bereft with disasters. Situation is such that people have forgotten guidance and are only concerned with eating and drinking and hedonistic pursuits. To say that Jesus (on whom be peace) is alive is the biggest sin today and they are supporting this belief. They do not have the strength to do what is God’s work? True spiritual light will be blown into hearts only by the Promised Messiah. When God decides to reform a body of people, He sends a person from among them. Just as Jesus (on whom be peace) came for Moses (on whom be peace), similarly the Messiah was to come from the Muslim Ummah. However, they have rejected him, just as the Jews rejected Jesus in the past.
May God make the Muslims understand the reality that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) alone is the person on whose hand everyone is to gather in this age. May the circumstances, the earthly and heavenly incidents convince them that one commissioned by God has come so that they may extend a helping hand in efforts against the enemies of Islam who bring Islam into disrepute. Time and again some individual or the other rises against Islam, in America or Europe, making offensive allegations against the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) or the Qur’an. If anyone can contend with them, it is this champion of God. We can prove the eminence of Islam by connecting to him and can make the lofty station of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) evident to the world. May God also enable us so.