Friday Sermon: Seek Allah’s Help With Patience, Prayers
After reciting the Tashahhud, Ta’uz, Tasmia and Sura Fatihah, Hazrat Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen (aba) recited the verse:
O ye who believe! Seek help with patience and Prayer; surely, Allah is with the steadfast. (2:154)
Huzur said that people face many trials throughout their lifetime. There are many hardships in the world that man undergoes and in some cases there is no choice but to show patience and forbearance. These include the loss of wealth, children and worldly provisions. While some wail and cry and utter remarks of disbelief and words of complaint, however there are some who face such trials and difficulties due to accepting the Prophets of God. Just as their losses in their worldly possessions are for the sake of God Almighty, their loss of life is also for the sake of God Almighty, yet in spite of all this they pass through such tribulations without uttering a single word of grievance.
Undoubtedly they pray to Allah the Almighty saying: ‘O Allah, when all this is being inflicted upon us because we have accepted Your commissioned one, then enhance our faculties of patience and You, Yourself come to our aid and safeguard us from the oppression of these tyrants. Grant us firm resolve for this trial that we undergo for Your sake.’
Huzur stated that people of the world today only read the history of Prophets of God, however it is the Ahmadi Muslims that are practically passing through this phase due to the reason that they have accepted the Messiah of Muhammad (sa), the true ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (sa), who was the chosen one of God Almighty for the rejuvenation of Islam. Although groups and sects may be also be facing religious persecution, however given the opportunity, all these people, communities or groups retaliate in the same oppressive manner that was meted out to them. It is Ahmadis who never take the law into their own hands, thereby displaying the true characteristics of a believer who show patience upon facing cruelties by prostrating before Allah the Almighty and seeking His support. Thus, this is a stark difference between Ahmadi Muslims and other people of the world.
Huzur stated that we never forsake patience when faced with any worldly trial and neither do we revert back having professed belief due to the enmity of our opponents. We are fully aware that Allah the Almighty is the only one Who can ease our hardships and pains. During times of difficulty we do not bow before worldly people, but rather we prostrate before the Omnipotent God and seek His assistance. It is He who can grant us salvation from such hardships due to our patience and prayer, God Willingly.
The Holy Prophet (sa) stated that if a believer receives happiness, he shows gratitude for it by praising Allah and prostrating before Him. Thus, this becomes a source of goodness for him. But if he is inflicted with any trial and shows forbearance, then this factor also becomes a means of goodness for him.
Huzur stated that therefore to suffer severe hardships in the way of Allah and showing patience through prayers becomes a means of goodness for man. Yet, Allah the Almighty is that Being who bestows to man even when he is faced with the smallest of trials and does not leave him empty handed. Hence, whilst mentioning this at one occasion the Holy Prophet (saw) stated that whatever exhaustion, ailment, anxiety, hardship and grief reaches a Muslim, so much so that even if a thorn pricks him, then Allah the Almighty forgives some of his shortcomings as a recompense for it.
Thus, whether one is caused harm due to personal matters or is caused due to belonging to the Jama’at, if we wish to acquire the pleasure of Allah the Exalted, if [we] wish to attain the love of Allah the Exalted, then the Holy Prophet (sa) has laid down this principle that prostrating in front of Allah and displaying patience brings one closer to Him. Hence, during these difficult, troublesome and distressful conditions that is faced by members of the Jama’at these days in various countries, it is our responsibility to submit to God Almighty whilst seeking His help with patience and prayers. It is He, who is most capable of seizing the ringleaders of the disbelievers and safeguarding us from them, from their malicious plans and schemes.
Huzur said that in the history of the Jama’at, we have continuously observed this very aspect that the enemy, despite possessing every power and resource, has been unsuccessful and faced failure and that the Jama’at has continued to march forward. If the Holy Prophet (sa) and his companions had to face a period of hardships and distress and it was only after they had faced these that they were granted success, who then are we to be successful without facing any hardship?
Regarding this period of hardship which the Holy Prophet (sa) faced, the Promised Messiah (as) states:
‘A period of thirteen years is not a short duration. It is not an easy task to even mention the distress the Holy Prophet (sa) had to bear during this period. Every effort was made by the people to cause distress and inflict pain. On the other hand, Allah the Exalted commanded to endure it with patience and steadfastness. This command was received repeatedly to bear patience just as previous prophets endured the same with patience. Hence, the Holy Prophet (sa) would bear all of these sufferings with utmost patience and did not become complacent with regards to Tabligh [propagating the true message of Islam]. As a matter of fact, he would only advance further.’
Huzur stated that when we pledge initiation to the person who came in submission of the Holy Prophet (sa) for the revival of Islam, to prove Islam to be superior to every religion and to remove the sectarianism within Muslims and to untie them under one hand, thus creating one nation, we will also have to face the opposition of our own people as well as that of non-Muslims. Currently, the non-Muslims in most countries do not oppose as openly compared with the opposition the Muslims had to face in the first period of Islam. Rather, it is done through other means and we too have to adopt the same means they employ which is publication of literature and Tabligh [propagating the message].
When Islam will begin to spread in the non-Muslim world, the non-Muslim countries will also oppose the Jama’at; once they realise that the local people are accepting Islam. As a matter of fact, in some places such incidents occur where, in the beginning, some churches open heartedly offered us their places in order to hold our functions. However, when they noticed that the inclination of people is increasing this way, the opposition commenced and they refused to offer us [their places].
Huzur citied some examples of the opposition against the Community including Azad Kashmir, Algeria and Bangladesh, Indonesia and in Arab countries. In recent days, one of the Jama’at’s missionaries in Bangladesh, Mustafeez-ur-Rahman Sahib, was attacked by a group of religious clerics with knives and daggers and severely wounded. According to the report received, he is in a stable condition but still critical. May Allah the Almighty grant him a healthy, peaceful and long life and a full, speedy recovery.
Huzur said that the Promised Messiah (as) has already forewarned us about such opposition. He said that, if one has accepted Ahmadiyyat then one must also be ready to face these hardships. One must remain occupied in supplications and also to pray for the enemy that may Allah the Almighty guide them. However, Huzur said that he has received complaints about some people, who are not facing any of these issues. They live here [in the West] and have opportunities to do Tabligh [preaching], but when they engage in Tabligh in person or on social media with Maulvis and others or while they sometimes are having debates with them, they use such harsh language, which does not behove an Ahmadi and some write to me that they are perturbed by the use of such abusive and foul language which they utter against their opponents, or non-Ahmadi Maulvis or the opposite debaters. Huzur said if this is true then I would say to such Ahmadis that it would be better if they abstain from engaging in Tabligh. Such Tabligh would, instead of drawing them nearer to Allah, become the reason to distance them from Him.
Huzur said that we should always remember that the Promised Messiah (as) stated:
‘I have been commissioned to admonish you time and again that you should stay away from any occasion of disturbance and disorder and show patience even on being subjected to foul language. Respond to evil with goodness and if anyone is about to participate in any disorder then it is better that you quietly leave that place and reply with kindness.’
Regarding the opposition he had to endure, the Promised Messiah (as) stated:
‘They have issued edicts declaring me to be an infidel, invented false lawsuit and conjured an array of fabrications and falsehoods. They can use all their might and influence against me, but observe who will reign supreme in the end. If I begin to show concern for their profanities then the real duty assigned to me by God Almighty will remain incomplete. Therefore, just as I show no concern for their verbal abuse, I urge my Jamaat to endure their profanities. Never reply to the profanities with further foul language, because in doing such a thing you would lose all blessings. Through your morals demonstrate patience and forbearance.’
Thus, we should always remember, that if it is true that out of annoyance, some Ahmadis reply using harsh language, then this is wrong. In this manner they are not only committing one sin, but they are also guilty of distancing the new generation from Ahmadiyyat. Some members of the youth may be lead to believe that we have no arguments, and that is why we are resorting to harsh language, whereas this is completely wrong. These people should change their attitude immediately.
Huzur stated that therefore, our duty is to develop a relationship with Allah the Almighty and always adhere to His commandments. We must remain patient and steadfast while offering sacrifices in His way. May Allah the Almighty enable us to tread on the paths of His pleasure with patience and prayers and may we always be the recipients of Allah the Almighty’s grace and rewards.
After the prayers Huzur lead a funeral prayer in absentia of P. P. Nazim Ud Din Sahib of Pingardi, Kerala, India. He passed away on 3rd May in a train accident. Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. He was travelling in his car when the accident took place, whilst returning from a meeting regarding a Quran exhibition.
He was a very sincere and devout individual who always gave precedence to his faith over worldly matters. He was a Moosi and he leaves behind a daughter who lives here and a son who resides in Dubai. May Allah the Almighty exalt the status of the one who has passed away and may He enable his children to continue performing his virtues and to remain closely attached to Khilafat.
The Sermon was read by Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalilah Masih V
