“There will come a time when you will also be able to go to Pakistan with freedom and the so-called scholars and the so-called ‘upholders of Islam’ will fall away.” – Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad
On 12 February 2023, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad held a virtual meeting with members of Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya (Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association) and Majlis Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya (Ahmadiyya Muslim Children’s Association) from Finland.
His Holiness presided the meeting from MTA Studios in Islamabad, Tilford, whilst the Atfal and Khuddam joined the meeting virtually from Helsinki, Finland.
Following a formal session, the Khuddam and Atfal had the opportunity to ask His Holiness a range of questions regarding their faith and contemporary issues.
One of the Khuddam asked His Holiness how to control one’s anger.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad replied:
“The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) has said that if you feel angry then sit down and if your anger persists, then lie down and wash your face with cool water… So, when you are angry, repent and drink cool water and according to the saying of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), sit down rather than being fiery and emotional, so that your anger may subside. Other than that, there are occasions where a person becomes cross at someone and their anger is justified. However, even then a person should not lose control of his senses. That anger which is justified should only ever be exhibited for the sake of reforming someone and it should soon subside and should not be kept in one’s heart. It should not be that it becomes a habit and that you become irritated at even small things so that other people feel tense around you and want to avoid your company.”
Another attendee asked His Holiness about when the persecution against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will end.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
“The persecution will end when your prayers reach the highest of heights. So first assess yourselves; to what degree have you established a relationship with Allah the Almighty? We make many slogans and sing poems of devotion, but are we fulfilling the rights of Allah and his worship? Are we fully acting upon the teachings of the Holy Quran that seek to better our morals? Are we fervently weeping and praying to Allah the Almighty for us to be alleviated of the persecution and the injustices? So it depends upon us too.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad further said:
“Other than that, sometimes trials can be prolonged. I have mentioned before that I once prayed to Allah asking when we will become free from the persecution and I was told by Allah the Almighty that if for three days, the entire Community, every child adult and youth cries and beseeches Allah like the people of Jonah (peace be upon him), then this can be resolved within three days. This means it is dependent upon us. Ultimately, it (the persecution) will be overcome through prayers.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:
“The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed ardently to Allah the Almighty but despite that he suffered injustices for thirteen years in Mecca. Even in Medina there were hardships and injustices. However, gradually the situation eventually became better for Muslims. So it depends upon us; how fervent are we in our prayers and how strong are we in our relationship with Allah the Almighty. Regardless, it is the destiny of Allah the Almighty that a time is set for us [to be freed of the persecution] and it will certainly come to pass. It can take time – the people of Moses disbelieved in him and so for forty years his people suffered the consequences – but we have not disbelieved and many amongst us in all parts of our Community are very pious and are those who pray fervently and who are willing to make every sacrifice.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad gave example of the recent martyrdoms in Burkina Faso of Ahmadi Muslims and said:
“You can see how in the recent past, Ahmadi Muslims in Africa set a noble example of sacrifice. Their sacrifice was truly in line with the sacrifice of Sahibzada Abdul Latif Shaheed, whereby they rejected falsehood despite seeing death in front of them and they gave up their lives [for the sake of truth]. Similarly, in 1974 there were incidents in Gujranwala where people made similar sacrifices and as a result, Allah the Almighty granted the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community great progress. Whenever there have been injustices carried out against us, whenever we are persecuted in one area, we are granted success in others and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is growing. You have come here [to the West] and you are in much better conditions here. If you and your progeny remain firm upon your faith here, then you shall further grow and blossom. There will come a time when you will also be able to go to Pakistan with freedom and the so-called scholars and the so-called ‘upholders of Islam’ will fall away. God-willing that time shall come but Allah knows better how long that will take. It is up to us to fulfil our own responsibilities. Allah the Almighty shall most certainly change the circumstances.”
A Khadim asked His Holiness how a person can go from the spiritual level of Nafs-e-Lawwamah (the self-reproaching self), and attain the level of Nafs-e-Mutmainnah (the soul at peace) where a person attains freedom from committing evil.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
“It cannot be achieved by inaction. Strive hard and battle with Satan as much as possible and increase in your good deeds. Seek the help of Allah. The spiritual battle that you must strive to wage in order to reach Nafs-e-Mutmainnah from Nafs-e-Lawwamah, you should try to win that as much as possible. A time should come when you are able to overcome Satanic influences. This cannot happen without the help of Allah and so you must seek His help. A person cannot attain anything just by mere effort, he must pray too. If you persistently strive and pray then the onslaughts of Satan will reduce and gradually one day you will completely overcome Satan and you will traverse towards God and only act upon what Allah and His Prophet desire. Then you shall attain the condition of being from amongst ‘the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous’.”
His Holiness said that initially a person should try to win as many battles against the Satan as possible whereby he overcomes his wrongful desires and inclinations whenever they arise so that eventually he is able to completely overcome evil desires.