Jamaat Ahmadiyya al Mouslemeen

Friday Sermon of Hazrat Amirul Momeneen Zafrullah Domun

Friday Sermon 28th March 2008

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

Recently on the Ahmadiyya Website(www.alislam.org) there is another book of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(a.s) that is available in the English language. Its title in Urdu is “Zarouratul Imam” and they have translated it as “The Need of the Imam”. This book was written in 1898 by Hazrat Ahmad( peace be upon him) in order to explain the function , the role and the qualities of an “Imam uz zammaan” , that is, “the Imam of the Age”. This is not the first English translation of the book. Someone from the Anjuman Ishaa’at Islam Lahore, commonly known as the Lahoris, translated this book since a long time and it was also available on the web. But the new translation is more thorough and it also has an index and it includes all the materials that were published in the first edition of the book. That is to say the text has been supplemented with references and some explanatory notes and there is also a translation of a letter of Molvi Abdul Karim (r.a), a very close companion of the Promised Messiah and an article entitled “Income Tax and new signs”.

For today’s sermon I have chosen to read to you some extracts from this booklet because these extracts will shed light on the status of Imam that Allah , out of His infinite Grace and Mercy has conferred upon this humble one. The book starts thus:

(1)…… “An authentic Hadith testifies that he, who does not recognize the Imam of his time, dies the death of ignorance.” The text of the hadith that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) has given us is as follows: “Muawiyah says that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) said: 'He who dies without [recognizing] the Imam dies the death of ignorance.'(Musnad Ahmad vol. 4Page 96.) We can also find this hadith in the Books of Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn-e-Khuzaimah and Ibni Habban. Al-Harith .Al-Ashari gives another version of this Hadith: 'He who dies without [following] the Imam of a Jama‘at certainly dies a death of ignorance.' Hakim reports this from Bin Amr, he from Muawiyah, he from Bazzar, and he from Ibni Abbas.

This Hadith is enough to make the heart of a righteous man seek after the Imam of the age, for to die in ignorance is such a great misfortune that no evil or ill-luck lies outside its scope. Therefore, in keeping with this testament of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w), it becomes incumbent upon every seeker after truth to persist in his quest for the true Imam.”

These are the words of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) and not mine. Hence it is the duty of every true Ahmadi and Muslim to search for the true Imam of his time. Why should one look for the true one? If there were only one, the task would have been quite easy. But there are many persons who claim to be Imam because of their status but they do not automatically fall into the category of Imam that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) is talking about here. He goes on to say that not everyone is an Imam. He says:

(2) “It is wrong to suppose that anyone who experiences a true dream, or for whom the door of Divine revelation opens, can be called an Imam. On the contrary, to be an Imam requires a comprehensive condition and a perfect and absolute [spiritual] state because of which he is designated Imam in heaven.”

He goes on to explain with quotations from the Holy Quran that Allah has promised good Muslims that they would be given true dreams and they would become recipients of revelation but to be an imam is a distinctive category. He says:

(3) “The fact that they are the recipients of such revelations does not mean that they no longer need the Imam of the age. More often than not, such revelations concern only their own persons and do not convey any [spiritual] knowledge, nor do they carry great conviction. Indeed many of them are not fit to be relied upon. On the other hand, such revelations sometimes cause one to stumble. And until spiritual knowledge is conveyed through the guidance of the Imam, one is not immune to such dangers. An example of this can be found in early Islam: A scribe of the Holy Quran, who, by virtue of being close to the Prophetic light, would often partake of the revelation of Quranic verses just as the Imam— the Holy Prophet (s.a.w), was going to dictate it. One day the scribe thought to himself, 'What difference is there between me and the Holy Prophet (s.a.w)? I too receive Divine revelation!' This thinking led him to his ruin.”

Then Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) goes on to talk about the case of Bal’am, a recipient of revelation in the time of Hazrat Moses (a.s), but he was ruined because he opposed the latter. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) then explains about the pure nature of Hazrat Omar (a.s) who also received revelations but he did not think himself to be someone and submitted himself to the Imam of the age, i.e the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w). Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) also mentions Owais Qarni who lived in Yemen at the time of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) and who was a dear one of Allah and who could not meet the Holy Prophet because he had to look after his old mother. Then he says:

(4) “It is a pity, however, that most people of this age do not realize the need for True Imamat. By experiencing a solitary true dream or a few words of revelation, they come to imagine that they have no need for the Imam of the time. 'Are we any less?' [They seem to suggest]. They do not realize that such a thought is altogether sinful because our Holy Prophet (s.a.w) has testified to the need for an Imam for every century. He has clearly said that whoever returns to God Almighty, without having recognized the Imam of his age, will do so as one who is blind, and will die the death of ignorance. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w), in this Hadith, made no exception for any recipient of Divine revelation or a seer of true dreams. This clearly shows that if any recipient of revelation or one who experiences true dreams does not enter the fold of the Imam of the age, his end is most likely to be woeful, for it is clear that this Hadith is addressed to all believers and Muslims. Among them, thousands have experienced dreams as well as Divine revelations in every age. In fact, among the followers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), there must have been tens of millions of persons who were blessed with Divine revelation.

Besides, it is established by the Hadith and the Holy Quran that, at the time of the Imam of the age, if anyone has a true dream or receives a revelation; it would only be as a reflection of the light of the Imam of the age which falls upon willing hearts. The fact is that when the Imam of the age appears in the world, thousands upon thousands of lights accompany him and heaven is filled with joy. With the dissemination of spirituality and light, the right potentialities become alive. Anyone who has the capacity begins to experience a series of revelations. And anyone who has the capacity to pronounce judgment in matters of faith by the use of reason and reflection, his ability is enhanced. Anyone who has the inclination towards prayers is granted pleasure in his worship. Anyone who is engaged in debates with other faiths is given the power to argue and arrive at incontrovertible conclusions.

All these blessings are in fact the outcome of the spiritual radiation which comes with the Imam of the age and descends upon the heart of every ready and eager person. This is a general law and a Divine practice to which we have been guided by the Holy Quran and authentic Hadith, and our personal experience has testified to it. The age of the Promised Messiah (a.s), however, has even greater distinction in that it is recorded in the books of earlier Prophets and Hadith of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) that, at the time of his advent, this radiation of spirituality will become so universal that women too will begin to receive revelations, minors will make prophecies, and ordinary people will be inspired by the Holy Spirit. All this will be a reflection of the spirituality of the Promised Messiah (a.s).

This is just like the light of the sun which falls upon a wall and illuminates it, and if the wall is white-washed with lime, it becomes all the more radiant. And if it is inlaid with mirrors, the light becomes too intense even for the eyes to behold. The wall, however, cannot claim this light as its own, for after sunset, not a trace of it remains. Likewise, all lights of revelation are a reflection of the light of the Imam of the age. Any right minded person—unless he is just unlucky, or is being tried and tested by God— will readily understand this fine point. If, God forbid, anyone fails to understand this Divine secret and, on hearing the news of the advent of the Imam of the age, does not establish communion with him, such a person initially shows indifference to the Imam, which then breeds estrangement, which in turn causes suspicions, and this produces hostility, which—God forbid—ends up in the loss of faith.”

Then Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) goes on to speak about the Jews in the time of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w). Although there were some of them who were receiving revelations but they did not accept the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w) out of prejudice and enmity. If you look well you will find this Jewish attitude in every age. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) says:

(5) “For instance, when the Holy Prophet(s.a.w) appeared, there were thousands of rabbis who were the recipient of revelations and visions. They used to communicate the glad tidings that the advent of the Prophet of the Latter-days was imminent. But when they did not accept the Imam of the age who was Khatamul Ambiya’10, they were destroyed by the thunderbolt of Divine wrath, and their ties with God Almighty were completely severed. We need not mention everything about them that have been recorded in the Holy Quran. These are the people concerning whom the Holy Quran says: “Wa kaanou min qablo yastaftehouna”.This verse means that these people did indeed invoke Divine help for the success of faith and that they were the recipient of revelations and visions. Even though the Jews who had disobeyed Jesus (a.s) had fallen from Divine grace, but they were absolved of this sin when the Christian faith died on account of worshipping a human being and had lost its truth and spirituality.

There was then a rebirth of spirituality among them, and many of them began to receive revelations and visions. There were good and pious people among their rabbis. They used to receive revelations to the effect that the Prophet of the Latter-days and the Imam of the time would appear soon. That is why certain godly scholars, after receiving revelation from God Almighty, immigrated to Arabia. Even their children knew that in the near future a new heavenly dispensation would be established. This is the significance of the verse: “Ya’refounahou kamaa ya’refouna abnaa’ahoum”

That is, they recognize this Prophet as clearly as they recognize their own children. But when that Promised Prophet (s.a.w) did appear, self-conceit and prejudice doomed most of these rabbis, and their hearts turned black. Some fortunate ones, however, became Muslims and their Islam was indeed praiseworthy. This should lead us to fear God and to be very careful and cautious. Pray God, let no believer ever suffer the fate of Balaam. My Lord God! Save this umma from all mischief, and safeguard it against the evil of Jews. Amen, repeat Amen.”

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) then explains that Allah has established the system of Imamate in the Umma of the Holy Prophet in order to keep all Muslims together. Then Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) gives in details the qualities and characteristics that distinguish the Imam of the age from others. He says that he is the Imam whose spiritual upbringing is the responsibility of Allah. He has the following capacities in himself:

(1) Capacity to argue in a cogent way to defeat the objections raised by rationalists and philosophers. He is the spiritual commander in chief of the army of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w).
(2) Spotless character and good morals
(3) Capacity to lead
(4) Abundance of knowledge in all fields
(5) Great Determination to accomplish his mission
(6) Great reliance on Allah – they turn to Him often
(7) Capacity to receive visions and revelations.

Incha Allah next week I will speak more about this book. It is a very important and interesting book of only about fifty pages. I urge all those who can to download it from the site and read it. It will open to you additional vistas of knowledge of which you are unaware.

We thank Allah for having guided us to this. If He had not helped us we would not have been able to guide ourselves to this. All praise are for Allah, the Lord of all worlds.

Ameen.