After reciting the Tashahhud, the Ta’uz and the first chapter Al Fatiha of the Holy Quran, Hazrat Amirul Mo’menine, Zafrullah Domun said:

Today Allah through His sheer Grace has given all of us the opportunity to celebrate another Eid ul Fitr in our lifetime. It is an act of Grace on His part and however much we thank Him it will never be enough. Once again all of us have assembled here to celebrate Eid which comes after Ramadan. Therefore I wish you all from the depth of my heart “Eid Mobarak”. May Allah fill your heart with joy and may He give you and may you also seek plenty of opportunities to serve His Cause.

If we observe well we will see that our life is made up of many small events that come and go. Day follows the night. Night follows the day. Winter is followed by summer and vice versa. Weeks follow weeks and so do months and years. This goes on and on since records have been kept. But in this perpetual movement of time our life unfolds. We are born we live for some time and then we will surely die and be raised up again. This is the plan of the existence of human beings as ordained by Allah. Whatever we do we cannot change this grand scheme so to say. This grand scheme applies to all human beings. Each human being is given a lifespan. For some it may be eighty years or more but for others it may be less. But Allah has told us in the Holy Quran “nil lazi khalaqal mawta wal hayaata le yablowakoum ayyokoum ahsano aamalaa” which means “(Allah is He) who has created death and life that He might try you-who is best in deeds” (67:3).

Hence if Allah gives us an Eid which is preceded by a month of Ramadan every year, it is to see how far each one of us is best in deeds. We have spoken a lot about how we should go through the month of Ramadan in our previous sermons. But today is a day of rejoicing because our Allah has ordained this day for us. If Allah gives us something we should accept it and make the most of it. That is why most people put on their best clothes on the day of Eid. Moreover very delicious dishes are prepared and shared amongst friends and relatives. Children are very happy and they display their happiness through playing games that suit them. In addition, to increase mutual love some gifts are shared or distributed by those who have means. All these things are done because Allah expects us to be happy on such a day. Besides the word “Eid” itself has this inherent meaning of a happiness that comes often.

But even on such a day of festivities we should not forget Allah. That is why we assemble in mosques or in an open place to say prayers and to listen to a brief sermon by the imam. By the Grace of Allah as far as we are concerned we will take our lunch collectively here. Remember also that the Holy Prophet^saw also advised us “zuyyenou eidokoum bit takbir”. It means “beautify your Eid with takbir”. Be happy and enjoy yourselves but don’t forget to say some takbirs also.

In my last Friday Sermon I spoke to you about an enduring feature of Ramadan that should stay with us on the other days and months of the year. I said that particular feature is the habit to supplicate Allah with full sincerity. I intend to start speaking about this subject today because I think that it holds the key to giving us perpetual felicity.  I will not be able to tell you everything that Hazrat Masih has said about this subject in one or two sermons. So I intend to devote my coming Friday sermons to this important subject because I think that these days more than ever the members of the Jamaat need to know more about this most important subject. Allah sends us Ramadan every year so that we prepare ourselves to usher a perpetual Eid in our life where we live only for the sake of our Lord and to carry out His behests as per His instructions which are found in the Holy Quran.

But before I start reading to you some quotations from the writings of Hazrat Masih Maood^as, I will tell you about the expectations that Hazrat Masih had for this Jamaat. When we read the writings of Hazrat Masih Maood^as we happen to discover plenty of things that we were never taught and which members of the Jamaat are not aware of. Take for example the opinion of Hazrat Masih Maood^as about the members of the Jamaat in his own time. Apparently there were about 400,000 Ahmadis at the time of the demise of Hazrat Masih Maood^as. Speaking about the Jamaat itself Hazrat Masih^as said that our Jamaat is different from others because they have come under the shadow of an Imam and “members should be grateful to Allah because He has guided you out of His Grace. But this is the initial stage.” Now mark this word well. He continues:

“I know quite well that there are plenty of weaknesses in it (the Jamaat). That is why you should understand that in the Holy Quran Allah says “Qad aflaha man tazakka wa qad khaba man dassaha”. It means “he is saved who has purified his soul and he is lost who has corrupted it”. This is why now it is important for you to understand what is the meaning of purification of the soul. So remember that a Muslim should be ever ready to fulfill all his obligations to Allah and to his fellow human beings. As he declares that Allah is unique in His Being and His Attributes  so he has to prove through his actions that He is really so. He should deal with Allah’s creatures with sympathy and politeness. He should not bear any enmity or jealousy or grudge against any of his brothers and he should abstain from backbiting anyone.

But from what I observe, we are very far from this level that you have such a close relationship with Allah that you Love Him and become His thoroughly and your actions match your words. Up till now you are not fulfilling all your obligations to your brothers as they should be. There are many who fight amongst themselves and they are enemies of one another and look down upon those who are less materially endowed than they are. They misbehave with one another and they backbite one another. But Allah wants you to become like one body. When you become like one body then it can be said that you have purified your soul. The fact is that unless and until your behavior between yourselves is correct, your relationship with Allah will not be correct. Although it is the rights of Allah that is most important between these two types of rights yet the way you behave with His creatures is only a reflection (of your relationship with Allah). He who does not fulfill the obligations of his brothers/sisters cannot fulfill his obligations to Allah.

Remember that to fulfill the obligations of one’s brothers is not an easy task. To meet with one another in a hypocrital way is one thing. But to feel real love and sympathy is something else. Remember that if there will not be real sympathy within this Jamaat it will be destroyed. And in its place Allah will create another Jamaat.

In the Jamaat that was formed by our Holy Prophet, everyone was a pure soul and each one of them was ready to sacrifice his life for the sake of his religion. There was no one amongst them who led a hypocritical life. All of them had regards for the rights of Allah and that of human beings. So remember that Allah wishes that this Jamaat also should follow their example and wants you all to reflect the qualities of the companions in your own persons. So he who wants to lead a hypocritical life will in the end be cut off from this Jamaat.

Remember well that it is Allah’s promise that the pure and the impure will not stay together. Now there is still time for you to reform your own selves. Remember that man’s heart is like the house of Allah. So the house of Allah and the house of man cannot stay together until man has purified himself completely. Until a man is ready to bear hardships for the sake of his brother, his relationship with Allah will not be correct.”(Malfoozaat Volume 9 page 73-74)

In this extract the message is very clear. A man or a woman should know and fulfill all his obligations towards Allah and also towards his or her fellow human beings. That was the expectation hundred years before. How far have we realized this objective on the personal and Jamaati level one hundred years after? Most of the problems that existed in the Jamaat at the time of Hazrat Masih Maood^as still exist today. It is true that our numbers may have increased but what about our standard of behavior? Has it improved or has it deteriorated? In the Jamaat at large people cannot be sincerer today than they were at the time of Hazrat Masih Maood^as. How many persons in the Jamaat are really interested in the purification of their self? How many do really have brotherly affection for others? How many are ready to undergo hardship to relieve the distress of their brothers in faith? How many persons are really trying to make their heart become as clean as the house of Allah? One needs only to read the sermons of the caliph in America, Canada or even Germany to understand what is the present moral level of the Ahmadis around the world. And yet when they are told that Allah has sent someone to help in the process of reform they reply that this cannot be true. Thus they confirm what Allah has said in the Holy Quran “Bal ajebou an jaa’ahoum munzeroum minhoum . Wa qalal kaaferouna  haza shay’oune ajeeb”. It means “But they wonder that there has come to them a Warner from amongst themselves. And the disbelievers say ‘this is a strange thing’” (50:3) In the last days of Ramadan on one particular night Allah revealed to me another version of this same message several times. He said ““Bal ajebou an jaa’ahoum munzeroum minhoum . Wa qalal kaafero  haza shay’oune ajaab”. The meaning is more or less the same. But the variation also is quite interesting. The meaning is “But they wonder that there has come to them a Warner from amongst themselves. And the disbeliever says ‘this is a very strange thing’. This typifies the reaction of Ahmadis about the coming of Warners amongst themselves other than their caliphs.

In some cases the mainstream Jamaat has tried unfortunately to show to the world that it can even inflict pain on its own members through social boycotts and taking back marriage invitation cards and Salam-withholding campaigns. Once, a person came to complain to Hazrat Masih Maood^as that because he had joined the Jamaat some people had stopped greeting him with Salam. Hazrat Masih told him:

“What do you have to get from their salaam? Real salaam is that which comes from Allah. Allah’s salaam is that which protected Ibrahim from the fire. He who does not have such a salaam from Allah even if he receives thousand of salaams from the people it will be of no use to him. The Holy Quran says “salaam qawlam mir rabbir rahim” which means “peace – a word from the Merciful Lord”. Once I was feeling great pain because of constant urination. I prayed and Allah revealed “Assalamo Alaikoum” and all my pain vanished. So true salaam is that which comes from Allah. The rest is a mere ritual.”(Malfoozaat Vol. 9 page318).

Now in the light of such clear teachings just ask yourself where is this Jamaat going. Speaking further Hazrat Masih said:

 “Remember well that if you turn your face to someone who has been commissioned by Allah (ma’mour minallah) you are turning your face to Allah.” In the text Hazrat Masih goes on to explain that if a simple government official  is sent to landowners to collect revenue and the people mistreat him, these people would be liable for punishment. He says they would definitely be punished because by trying to humiliate a government official they are in fact belittling the government. He then says “In a similar way he who opposes Allah’s appointee, in fact opposes Allah Himself. Remember that although Allah delays punishment, yet those who do not stop their harassment and instead of accepting their sins and submit themselves to Allah, they continue to harass and cause pain to Allah’s Messenger, in the end they are definitely punished. Difficult days come and go. So you should turn and supplicate to Allah with true repentance and humility day and night. May Allah give you the opportunity to do so.”(Malfoozaat Vol 9 page 70).

By the Grace of Allah I have plenty of very interesting quotations from Hazrat Masih Maood as about the type of behavior that he expected from all his disciples. But unfortunately I will not be able to read all of them today. We will continue in the coming Friday sermons incha Allah.

Since we do not have much time left I will now share with you some recent revelations that I received from my Lord.

• Bassharnaaka Bashiranw wa Nazira- We have given you the glad tidings of being a bringer of good news and a Warner.
• A’taa nasroullaheh  falaa tasta’jelouho- The help of Allah is coming ; do not try to hasten it
• Alaa inna nasroullaheh qariboum minal mouhseneen- Beware the help of Allah is near for those who do good.
• Inna fatahna laka fatham mobina- Surely we have given you a clear victory.
• Qoul in kountoum tohibbounallah fat’tabeouni youhbib qomoullaha wa yaghfir lakoum zonoubakoum – Say if you love Allah then follow me and Allah will love you and will forgive you your sins.

Read this revelation with what Hazrat Masih Maood^as has said in the extract that I have just read to you about the harassment of the government official.

• Qul innama ana basharoum mislokoum youha elayya annama elahokoum elahoune wahedoune ; faman kaana yarjou liqaa’a rrabbehi  fal ya’mal amalan swalehan wa laa youshrik be ebaadate rabbehi ahada- Say “ I am but a man like you; but it is revealed to me that your Lord is One . So let him who desires to meet His Lord do good deeds and let him join no one in the worship of his Lord.
• Kataballaho la aghlebanna ana wa rosoli- Allah has decreed “ I and my messenger will triumph”
• Wa tawakkal alal hayyillazi laa yamouto wa howa ala koulle shay’in qadir- Put your trust in the Living One who does not die; He has power over all things.
• Wallaho ya’semoka minan naas- Allah will protect you from the people.
• Maa o’azzebohoum azaaban shadidan wa anta fihim- I will not punish them with a very severe punishment whilst you are amongst them.

These are some of the revelations that Allah has given to his humble servant during the month of Ramadan. If someone is really aware of the teachings and revelations of Hazrat Masih Maood^as, he will not fail to understand what Allah’s purpose is. But if someone wants to present to the world a different version of the teachings of Hazrat Masih Maood as, that will be his responsibility and he will have to answer for it.  As far as we are concerned Allah has given us a mandate to teach the people the path that leads to Him. Those who want to be guided to this divine path will join us and help this Jamaat. Those who want to fight us I invite them to send their arrows at us in the open. Publish your speeches or write against us if you will. You will get nothing by making a guerilla war with us. Now there are some persons who say why I should direct my criticisms against Jamaat Ahmadiyya. It would be better if I had gone out and make converts from the other Muslims or non Muslims. To these people I say that I know better than you why I should talk first to Jamaat Ahmadiyya International. This Jamaat has forgotten some of its primary teachings. People have to be taught again about these. Secondly most of you should be aware of a Muslim debater known as Ahmad Deedat. He was born in India and later emigrated to South Africa. Later on he taught himself the Holy Quran and the bible and eventually he became famous over the Muslim world debating Christians even in America. Once in a question and answer session he was asked if Hazrat Issa had died. Apparently the question was asked by an Ahmadi. In his reply he avoided the question and said that the Ahmadi should not try to debate with him but should go out and convince Christians and others about the truth of Islam. Later on when Ahmad Deedat was accused of defending the Ahmadiyya point of view he published a statement to say, na’ouzo billah that he did not believe in Hazrat Ahmad ^as and he even considered him to be a kafir. So it is with the Ahmadis these days. They refuse to debate with us. They would prefer to advise us to go into the field of tabligh as they understand it which is not necessarily like what Hazrat Masih Maood^as has taught. So we will continue to address them first and foremost in all our writings or speeches, whether this pleases them or not.

To end we reiterate our greetings of Eid Mubarak to all Muslims around the world. May Allah help the Muslims to understand their religion as best as it should be understood and may the day come when the deen of the Holy Prophet Mohammad saw will have its rightful place in the community of Nations incha Allah.