After reading the Tashahhud, the Ta'uz and the first chapter of the Holy Quran Hazrat Amirul Mo'menine Zafrullah Domun said: Last week I finished the sermon midway into a quotation of what Hazrat Molvi Nuruddin (ra) was telling the members of the Jamaat in his address at the annual gathering (Jalsa Salana) of 1911. So today I will continue to read to you some more extracts from that speech. He said:
“God made Adam a Khalifa, and also David; then He makes Khalifas under 24:56; He has made all of you Khalifas also. If I have been made Khalifa, it is God's doing in His wisdom and for your benefit. No one has power to remove a Khalifa who has been appointed by God. Therefore, none of you has the authority or power to remove me. If God desires to remove me, He will cause me to die. You had better leave this matter in God's hands; you have not the power of removal. I am not beholden to any of you. He lies who says he has made me Khalifa.
It hurts me when I hear it said that this is the age of constitutions and Parliaments; Iran and Portugal and Turkey have all set up Parliaments. I affirm that he who considers this Movement parliamentary and constitutional should repent of his error. What comfort do you think has been procured for Iran and others by a Parliament? Many were ruined under Muhammad ‘Ali Shah, and his successors are receiving ultimatums. Have the Turks slept in peace after setting up a Parliament? I remind you again that it is clearly set forth in the Holy Quran that it is God who appoints Khalifas . When He appointed Adam as, He said: I am about to place a vicegerent ( Khalifa ) in the earth (2:31). The angels raised objections, but what benefit did they derive therefrom? Read the Quran and see. If that was the case with the angels and they had to confess: Holy art Thou, no knowledge have we save that which Thou hast taught us (2:33); then who are you to criticise me? You had better look into your mirrors. I remember well someone saying: A Parliament has been established in Iran; it is the age of constitutions. Such sentiments are disloyal and disrespectful. Those who think like this were shown the consequences of constitutionalism, by the jealousy of God, in Iran itself. I repeat they should repent even now.
Money and clothes are sent to me for the orphans and the indigent. Such money I make over to Maulaw i Muhammad ‘Ali, in observation of the direction: Approach not the property of the orphans (6:153). Among the clothes sometimes costly items are received. I told my wife to sell such items, and out of the proceeds to prepare average types of clothes so that a larger number of deserving persons may be helped. My wife enquired whether she could buy some items herself. I told her she could not, but women unrelated to us could buy such items. There are frequently cases of marriages of indigent people, and the brides have to be provided with some clothes and ornaments. Then there are moneys that I am told to spend at my discretion, or in some manner the spiritual benefit of which should go to a deceased person. Some moneys are received generally for charity. Some are earmarked by the donor specifically for my personal benefit, and I know that this is done by the special design of God. I have not related all this in my defence. Allah knows well that I attach no value to your approval or disapproval or rejection of me. I have told you this lest any of you should become guilty of sin by falling a victim to suspicion. I am not in need of your money. Even in the lifetime of the Promised Messiah I received such moneys and I accepted them. I tell you this as I wish you well. I have not the least fear of any of you; 1 fear God alone. Do not think ill. If I am in error, leave me in my error.
At this age if I have not learnt from the Holy Quran, what will you teach me? My condition is such that if I keep sitting, my feet begin to ache; I stand up to address you because the Holy Prophet delivered his addresses standing. Then listen to me for the sake of God, as I convey to you His command, not mine: Take fast hold, all together, of the rope of Allah, and be not divided.” (Molvi Nuruddin by Sir M Zafrullah Khan)
Speaking about his profession, he once said to a patient in June 1912
"In every profession a programme can be laid down, except in the profession of medicine. A builder can undertake to complete a structure within a specific period; a clerk can promise to prepare a statement in so many days; a tailor can say he will deliver a suit on a certain day; but a physician cannot say he would cure a patient in a certain period of time, though some stupid physicians sometimes make such a claim. A good physician does not venture to make a claim like that. I sometimes procure medicines from China, but I am so careful that I have not yet tried on a patient any of several medicines which I have obtained after great effort and at a high cost, because no physician has yet told me the result of his own experiment with them or the method of their use. I never prescribe herbs or medicines which are not easily procurable."
On 15th June1912, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I went to Lahore to lay the foundation of a building that Shaikh Rahmatullah of Lahore intended to build. Hazrat Masih Maood (as) had promised him that he would lay down the foundation stone but he died before the plans were ready. So Hazrat Molvi Nuruddin went to Lahore despite his ill health in order to fulfill the promise made by his master, Hazrat Masih Maood (as). The next day he again addressed the members of the Jamaat about khilafat. Among other things he said:
“Should any one say that the Anjuman has made me Khalifa, he would utter a lie. Such ideas lead to ruin, be on your guard against them. Listen with attention once more, no man or Anjuman has made me Khalifa, nor do I consider any Anjuman competent to make any one a Khalifa. No Anjuman has made me Khalifa, nor would I have attached any value to any Anjuman's doing so. I would not so much as spit on any Anjuman's repudiation of me. No one has the power to deprive me of this robe. Who do they think was entitled to be Khalifa? There is my very dear Mahmud who is the son of my master and my benefactor. Then there are his son-in-law Nawab Muhammad ‘Ali Khan, his father-in-law Mir Nasir Nawab, and his wife the Ummul Mu'minin. These are the only ones who may be deemed to have a claim to the Khilafat. Yet it is curious that those who assert that their right has been usurped do not reflect that they are all obedient and loyal to me. They have not presented their claim to these critics. The descendants and close relatives of H a d rat Mirza Sahib as are all devoted to me. I tell you truly that there is not one of you who obeys me as do my dear ones Mahmud, Bashir and Sharif, and as do Mir Nasir Nawab and Nawab Muhammad ‘Ali Khan. I do not affirm this to please them, but state it as a fact that they love me out of the desire to win the pleasure of God. I have heard the Ummul Mu'minin affirm a score of times that she deems herself my servant. Miyan Mahmud is grown up, he will tell you that he obeys me sincerely. A critic might say that he does not obey me sincerely, but I know for certain that he is truly, obedient to me, more than any one of you. All the members of Hadrat Mirza Sahib's family obey me as ‘Ali, Fatima and ‘Abbas obeyed Abu Bakr (ra) even more so. Every one of them is so devoted to me that I cannot conceive any of them entertaining a wrong notion about me...
Listen! I had never any desire that I should become Khalifa. Before I became a disciple of Hadrat Mirza Sahib, I dressed as I dress today. I have kept company in a situation of honour with the high and the mighty dressed in the same manner. After I became the disciple of Hadrat Mirza Sahib as I made no change in my mode of life. After his death God did as He willed. It had never crossed my mind that I would be Khalifa, but God so willed it out of His wisdom that He made me your Imam and Khalifa, and made those whom you consider entitled to the Khilafat obedient to me. Now who are you to object? If you must find fault, go and find fault with God, but beware of the chastisement for such impertinence and disrespect. I do not flatter any one, I do not desire even to be greeted by any one. I do not need your offerings and your provisions. May God save me from entertaining even the idea of seeking for them. God Almighty has not bestowed hidden treasures upon me, of which no man nor does any creature have any knowledge. My wife and children do not depend upon any of you. God provides for them. What can you provide for anyone? Allah is Self-Sufficient; it is you who are needy (47:39)…
Then some of my friends say that the members of the community in Lahore obstruct the Khilafat. I have studied the Holy Quran and Hadith with teachers, and I believe in them sincerely. My heart is filled with love of the Quran and Hadith. I spend thousands of rupees on purchasing books on biography and history relating to Islam. All this study has confirmed my belief that no one can obstruct that which God determines to carry through. I have mentioned that Adam as and David as were Khalifas and have referred to Abu Bakr (ra) and ‘Umar (ra), who succeeded our lord and master as Khalifas. I have also told you that as Abu Bakr (ra) and ‘Umar (ra) were Khalifas, in the same way God Almighty has made me Khalifa after Hadrat Mirza Sahib. But here is something more. God has said: Then We made you successors in the earth (10:15). You too were made Khalifas in the earth, though that is a different type of Khilafat. Thus it is only God who makes Khalifas, and no one has the power to obstruct Him....
I admonish you once more. Have some regard for my age and my illness. Then consider whether your contentions will bring you any closer to God. If not, lend ear to what I say and cultivate love for each other. So behave in a way that observing you I should be pleased as I have been pleased by seeing this mosque on my visiting this city. May God so ordain that on departure I should hear that you are united and love each other. Have constant recourse to prayer. I shall also pray for you."
On 25 July 1912, Hadrat Khalifatul Masih laid the foundation of the new building of Ta‘limul Islam High School. On that occasion he said:
"I have read somewhere that if forty believers join in making a supplication, God, of His grace, accepts the supplication. On this occasion more than forty of us are gathered together here. Some of us may have committed some default. They should repent of it and seek forgiveness for it. Then we shall pray together that Allah, the Exalted, may be pleased to prepare in this school virtuous, rightly-guided servants of the faith; that He may be pleased to keep away from this school such as are evil minded and are likely to lead others astray, and if any such should come here He may enable them to repent truly. The purpose of this school is that pious and righteous scholars should emerge from this school." (ibid p 252)
All present then joined him in silent supplication.
For today we will end here. Incha Allah in one or two more sermons I will cover the history of his khilafat and we will start with another topic.
To end, I advise all our members to resort to prayer and patience to seek help from Allah to solve whatever problems they may be facing. Meditate upon the extracts that I have given you and you will know how to deal with those who want you to feel the pain of their unislamic and barbaric attitudes that they practice in the name of Islam & Ahmadiyyat. May Allah be with you always. |