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Jamaat Ahmadiyya al Mouslemeen Friday Sermon of Hazrat Amirul Momeneen Zafrullah Domun |
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Friday Sermon 29th February 2008 After reciting, Tashahhud, Ta’ouz and the first chapter, Al Fatiha, of the Holy Quran, Hazrat Amirul Mo’menine Zafrullah Domun recited the following verses of the Holy Quran: Innamal mo’menouna llazina iza zokerallaho
wajelat qoloubohoum wa iza toleyat alayhim aayaatohou zaadat houm imaanaw
wa ala rabbehim yatawakkaloune One morning during the week I woke up with the following words “Oulaaéka homoul mo’menouna haqqa” on my lips. It means “They are the true believers.”. Although I understood its meaning quite clearly, I did not pay much attention to it at first, because I had received some other revelations as well. However, even when I was busy with my other duties, these words continued to be revealed. I then made a search where these words are found in the Holy Quran. Consequently I came across the verses that I have just
read to you. The translations of these verses are as follows: As far as I know this is the only place in the Holy Quran where believers have been qualified as true believers. There are many places in the Holy Quran where Allah mentions the characteristics or qualities of believers. As examples , we may mention the last part of chapter 25 Al Furqaan, or verses 32-41 of chapter 17, Bani Israil, or even chapter 2 , Al Baqra verses 4 and 5 and many other place which will be too long to mention. But nowhere except here according to my knowledge, Allah has mentioned “Momenouna Haqqa”, that is “true believers”. My impression is that in these verses Allah speaks of the basic qualities that make someone a true or real believer. Let us examine these characteristic one by one. First of all when a true believer hears the mention of Allah his heart trembles. This trembling may be out of awe, fear, love, a sense of wonder, an idea of His greatness that engulfs the mind, an idea of His Power, Beauty, Will and so on and so forth. The primary concern of the true believer is Allah. The rest becomes secondary to him. He fixes his attention on Him day and night and he tries his best to carry out His commandments. The true believer strives to do everything that will help him to follow in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet Mohammad ). He understands him to be an example and tries to imitate him and thus his heart slowly begins to resemble the heart of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w) and he develops such a feeling for Allah that whenever he hears His mention, his heart trembles. And he approaches the stage where he would say like the holy prophet “Inni akhafo in asaito rabbi azaaba yawmin azim” that is to say “I fear if I disobey my Lord, the punishment of a dreadful day”. These true believers make their heart become Allah’s throne. These are the people whose love for Allah knows no bounds; they are “ashaddo hubban lillah”, that is to say “they love Allah more than anything else”. For such persons Allah says that they are the true believers. Their next attribute is that when these believers hear Allah’s signs being recited, their faith increases and does not decrease. The word “ayah” in Arabic means “message, sign, command or a verse of the Holy Quran” according to the lexicographer Lane. These true believers are those who when they hear someone telling them that he receives a message from Allah, they lend an ear to it. They examine it according to the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w) and if they are satisfied that this message is really from Allah, they accept that person who says that he has come from Allah. To these people Allah is most important and not an established system with all its imperfections. They are those who have understood that “the words of Allah are supreme” and not the words of humans like them. They are those who have understood from many verses of the Holy Quran that Allah will never abandon them in times of need. Allah has taken it upon Himself that He would send them Guided persons who would help them to journey to Him in the world. Once they see these persons they believe and rush to help them with their life and wealth. They remember the engagement that Allah made with the prophets and they show that they are ready to do their part concerning that engagement. When such persons hear the signs of Allah being recited they do not turn away with aversion. These signs increase the light of faith that was already lit in their heart. They become “nouroun ala noor” which means “light upon light”. It is because they already had light that they were given more light when they did the bidding of their Lord. They make extraordinary progress in their faith and they put their trust in their Lord exclusively. They do not think that a human-appointed caliph can help them, especially when the latter himself denies the signs of Allah. They recognize the sign of Allah and they place their trust in Allah and start walking on the path even though it is strewn with plenty of nails. They move forward only with Allah’s words as their hope and they accept to face all types of humiliation and deprivation, knowing quite well that in the end they will be victorious. They know in their heart of heart that Allah never misses His Promise, He is most faithful that anyone else to His Promise. With this hope in their heart they move forward. In addition they know that without prayer they are nothing. So they show regularity in prayer and in the way they pray that will surprise ordinary believers. For these people prayer is their life blood. And they do their best not to be negligent and they never tire of praying. Moreover they do their best to spend out of what Allah has given them, be it money, time, knowledge. They understand that they exist by Allah’s will and that whatever they have is not theirs but Allah has given them these things in order to try them. So they see to it that they generously spend out of what Allah has given them. Those who act as we have mentioned above are qualified by Allah as “mo’menouna haqqan”, as “the true believers”. Allah says that they will be rewarded with three things. They will be given a high rank in the eyes of their Lord. It does not matter at all what the people in their blissful ignorance think of them. But in the eyes of Allah they are given an elevated rank. Secondly Allah will give them His pardon. Thirdly they will be given an honorable provision. What more could they ask for when Allah is confirming to them that they will achieve the object for which He sent them on earth. So my dear friends who are with me today, I pray that you show yourself always faithful to your engagement with Allah and that we all work together for the benefit of Islam. The path is difficult, I agree. But who can stop the work of Allah? We are the followers of Hazrat Mohammad (s.a.w) and the Promised Messiah. They put their trust in Allah and they carried out the mission that was entrusted to them. Today in the Jamaat Ahmadiyya Worldwide the concept that is being propagated about “Khilafat” is wrong and against the Holy Quran and against the teachings of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s). Therefore we should strive to help the Ahmadis to understand the true concept of khilafat. Being given the level of ignorance, prejudice, animosity and vested interest, this task requires much patience, good morals, and prayer and self investment to succeed. However our faith in Allah is total. Incha Allah, He will bring about a change of heart that will lead the majority of Ahmadis to a true understanding of Islam. I will end with a very important quotation of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) about his determination to stay the course that he took despite the opposition that was unleashed against him. I have paraphrased an extract from his book “Anwaar oul Islam &Zia ul Haq”: “But the truthful stays the course at the time of trial and he knows that Allah is his helper. And this humble one thanks Allah for the good friends that He has given me. But despite this, it is also my faith that even if not one person should stay with me and even if every one takes his own path and goes away, even then I have no fear at all. I know for sure that Allah is with me. If I am grinded and crushed and become less than an atom and every where I see distress, abuse and curse, even then in the end I will be victorious. No one knows me but he who is with me. I can never be lost. The schemes of our enemies are nothing. And the plans of those who are jealous will not be implemented. O you who are puerile and you who are blind! Before me, have you ever seen a truthful one being lost so that I may be lost? Have you ever seen that Allah destroyed a truthful and loyal person so that He may destroy me? Take it as a certainty and open your ears well and listen well, my soul is not one that should be destroyed and in my nature there is no idea of failure. Allah has given me such a capacity to strive and such sincerity in front of which mountains are nothing. I am not afraid of anyone. I was alone and was happy being in solitude. Do you think Allah will leave me? Never! Do you think Allah will destroy me? Never! The enemies will be routed. Those who are jealous will be abased and Allah will give His servant victory in every field. I am with Him and He is with me and no one can break the bond that binds us. And I swear by His Honour and Grandeur that both in this world and in the next, there is nothing dearer to me than the greatness of Islam should become manifest, its grandeur should be illumine everywhere and it should be well spoken of. I am not afraid of any trial. I am not speaking of just one trial but of many because in this field I have been given capacity to cope .…… Therefore if someone does not want to walk in my footsteps, he may leave me now. I do not know in what type of frightful forests and what fearful places I will have to tread. So those whose feet are very delicate why should they share my pain? Those who are mine will not separate themselves from me because of difficulties, because of people’s annoyance and vexations nor because of trials that come from heaven nor because of worldly trials. Those who are not mine they are false friends because soon they will go away. Their previous condition would be better for them than their would-be one. Do you think we are afraid of trouble that resembles earthquakes? Do you think that we would be frightened by the trials that we face in the path of Allah? Do you think that we would separate ourselves from our Lord because of any trials? But never can this happen. That also is because of His Grace and Mercy. Those who want to go away let them do so. We say to them a valedictory salaam. But they should remember well that after their ill thinking and breaking off of the relationship, if they come back later on, in the sight of Allah their coming back will not be as honorable as those who were loyal. This is because ill thinking and treachery are two very bad stains.” I have given you this extract to show to you how a
true believer should be determined and what is his real state of mind.
As true followers of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s) whose teachings
Allah wants us to preserve, we should show the same determination. Under
no circumstance should we show any weakness or humiliate ourselves before
the enemies. Allah is with us and He has promised us victory. May Allah
enable each one of us to walk in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet Mohammad
(s.a.w) and in that of his true follower Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (a.s)
Incha Allah.
Ameen. |