Advice from Khalifatul-Masih
Concluding address delivered by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (may Allah be his helper) at 2018 National Ijtima of Majlis Ansarullah UK.
Huzoor (may Allah be his helper) recited verse 57 of Chapter 51:
“And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.” (The Holy Qur’an, 51 [Al-Dhariyat]:57)
Huzoor (may Allah be his helper) said:
Last week there was an Ijtima of Majlis Khuddamul-Ahmadiyya UK. The theme of the Ijtima was Salat. Actually through the year, that was the objective set and they made efforts that Khuddam would pay attention towards upholding Salat. In my closing address at their Ijtima, I drew their attention that it ought not to be a target for one year but in reality this is the goal of a lifetime.
This objective has been set by Allah the Almighty. In this context, I will draw the attention of Ansarullah towards Salat too. No Muslim can fulfill the right of being a Muslim without achieving this objective. Unfortunately, in all age groups and every segment of the Jama’at, there is a deficiency in paying attention to this objective. And there are many amongst Ansarullah who do not grasp the importance of this responsibility and fail to give due attention to achieving this objective of life. Special attention should be given to this objective after entering Ansar’s age.
Even though the realization of this responsibility should be there in youth, but in case it was missed then special attention and awareness should awaken in the age of Ansarullah. This is the status of a true believer that he is aware of the importance of this objective and if this awareness is not there than it is against the dignity of a true believer. This unawareness leads to disbelief. The level of awareness should rise after the age of forty, considering that life is getting shorter with every passing day. Whatever time Allah the Almighty has given us, should be utilized to win His pleasure by fulfilling this objective of our lives.
I think I participated in last year’s Ansarullah UK’s Ijtima and I had reminded Ansar about Salat. For a short period thereafter, attention was heightened towards this responsibility but afterwards, in my opinion, pursuit of worldly objectives overcame the pursuit of the life’s objective set by Allah. Similarly, in many a sermons, I draw attention to this objective but after a few days, forgetfulness about this objective sets in and the attendance in the mosques deteriorates and that splendor (due to heavy attendance) is lacking which one expects from an Ahmadiyya mosque.
Allah the Almighty in the Holy Qur’an has commanded us to uphold Salat on numerous occasions. In the very beginning of the Holy Qur’an, Allah the Almighty for the guided believers used the term Wa Yuqeemun-assalaata (those who uphold the Prayers). If we ascertain the true meaning of Wa Yuqeemun-assalaata from the dictionary then it would be inferred that those who offer Prayers in congregation; those who in accordance with all the requirements offer congregational Salat on its time; reminding each other so that mosques are truly full of splendor; desirous of offering Salat; cultivating love in the hearts to offer Prayers in a timely manner and regularly; protecting the sanctity of Salat and not allowing the standard of Salat to degrade; and are fully focused in Salat.
At times, the thoughts drift away in Salat, they supplicate by coming in the protection of Allah, and shake off their distractions and focus towards Him so that Salat is guarded and upheld. Anyway, Allah the Almighty has commanded rightly guided believers to protect and uphold Salat. The purpose of this commandment is not only to uphold and protect their Salat and populate the mosques but also to strive to bring others as well. Together such a spirit has to be instilled, where attention towards offering congregational Salat is heightened and such Jama'at of believers is formed about whom is said that Salat is the pinnacle of the believers.
Thus, it is a great responsibility of Ansarullah that they recognize the importance of this and fulfill the rights of congregational Salat and draw the attention of their children and members of their household towards congregational Salat. If the officeholders of Majlis Ansarullah pay attention to fulfilling the rights of congregational Salat and bringing their children to the mosques by drawing their attention towards this matter and constantly remind their Ahmadi neighbors, then we will notice that truly our mosques will be full of splendor and if all Ansar pay attention towards this responsibility then real revolution will take place. There is a great need of paying attention towards this obligation. The verse that I recited in the beginning (“And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.” [51:57]) reminds a believer of the objective of life and implores that he should fulfill the right of upholding congregational Salat and this obligation of worship can only be fulfilled by adopting the ways of worship as described by Allah. The word Ya’budun is derived from the word Abd, that is, the ones who fulfill the right of worship and those who are wholly obedient. Therefore, in order to be an Abd, one has to fulfill the rights of worship and be fully obedient to the commandments of Allah.
The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) has elaborated on this by stating that Allah the Almighty has placed a deep connection between Abudiyat (servitude) and Rabubiyat (Godliness) and to form this relationship Allah the Almighty has established Salat. So, it is essential that this relationship be established. This point should be understood by all. If obligations of Salat are not met, then responsibility of becoming a true servant (Abd) of Allah is not fulfilled. If you are not concerned about yourself and about your children offering Salat with all its requirements, then claiming that Allah is your Rab (sustainer) is merely words. With great anxiety, you ought to be concerned about standard of your Prayers so that you can benefit from being a true servant or Abd and benefit from Allah’s attribute of Rabubiyat or sustenance.
Drawing our attention towards the objective of our birth, the Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) commenting about Wa Yuqeemun-assalaata (those who uphold the Prayers), states that Allah says that I have created men and Jinn so that they can recognize me and worship me. Therefore, based on this verse, the true purpose behind the birth of man is that man worships Allah and gains knowledge about Allah and becomes of Allah. Obviously, man does not have such stature that he sets his life’s goal with his own power. Neither is man born out of his own volition nor will he return of his own accord. But instead he is a creation and the One who has created and bestowed man with excellent and superior attributes as compared to other animals, has set an objective of life for him. He has created man as the best of creation—Ashraful-Makhluqat (noblest of all creation)—and also given a purpose. To spend life in pursuit of eating, drinking, sleeping and roaming around like animals, spending in worldly pursuit and then end it by dying is not the real objective. Whether one understands or not, the purpose of man’s creation without a doubt is to worship Allah, acquire knowledge about Allah and immerse wholly in Allah. This objective will only be achieved if one fulfills the rights of Allah’s worship by remembering Allah’s Rabubiyyat (Godliness).
At another occasion, the Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) further explained that since human beings’ nature has been created for Allah’s sake. As Allah has said, “And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.” (The Holy Qur’an, 51 [Al-Dhariyat]:57) For this reason, Allah the Almighty has placed something for Himself in humans’ nature and in hidden ways provided the abilities for humans to seek knowledge about Him. It’s not that He asked humans to seek knowledge about Him but failed to equip humans with the ability to do so. He did bestow humans with the ability to know Him. Humans waste this ability due to their shortcomings or giving precedence to other pursuits. Allah the Almighty gave humans the ability to worship Him but they let these abilities go to waste by following animalistic tendencies of just eating, drinking, sleeping and distancing themselves from the blessings of Allah. They forget about their responsibility towards Allah and rights of worship and so Allah the Almighty does not let them partake from the blessings of Allah. This responsible life is achieved by believing what Allah has said in the aforementioned verse and adjusting life according to it.
Therefore, the life, which is devoid of worship of Allah, needs to be changed to the one that is filled with worship of Allah so that nearness to Allah is achieved and one becomes recipient of the blessings of Allah. It becomes evident that you are inclined to worship Allah and that you become a model of a true worshipper of Allah. No one knows when death will come. You must understand that the purpose Allah has created you is that you become his servant. Worldly pursuit should not be the ultimate purpose of life. The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) stated that he has repeatedly emphasized that the only purpose the human beings are created is to worship Allah. And that exactly is what human beings are staying away from.
Islam does not ask of you to leave aside the world, separate from immediate family members and set up a residence in a jungle or a mountain. Islam certainly does not want you to be aloof from the world. Rather, Islam wants humans to become alert, active and efficient. Therefore, the Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) says that I encourage you to strive for your business, fulfill the worldly obligations with excellence and achieve success in the world. This is also the quality of those who will recognize the Promised Messiah that they will be successful in worldly affairs. It is not right that your hands are always begging and you are not inclined to work and always have the expectation that others must help you. True believer should strive fully in the worldly affairs.
The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) says that it is narrated in a Hadith that people will be accountable if they own land and don’t toil and work hard to properly cultivate that land. They will be asked that Allah gave you means of worldly subsistence so that you can improve your lot, fulfill the rights of your spouse and children, fulfill the rights of the Jama’at. Allah will ask as to why you did not appreciate all the worldly provisions given by Him. If one deduces this that one needs to separate oneself from the worldly affairs, then that would be a mistake. He said that, in fact, the reality is, that all that you do in worldly affairs, keep Allah’s pleasure in mind and never give precedence to your needs and desires over that. Yes, while being involved in conducting worldly business, when the time comes to fulfill the rights of Allah, win His pleasure; when time of His worship comes and time of Salat arrives then worships Him for His pleasure alone. After you have offered Prayers then go back to your worldly business. This is also a commandment of Allah. So, it is imperative that to be servant of Allah you must seek Allah’s pleasure.
The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) says: Avoid the gatherings that entice you to sin and at the same time you should pray that Allah grants you knowledge. Know full well that a person without Allah's help cannot be spared the trials and tribulations that originate due to destiny and fate. Salat is offered five times a day and (not once, twice or three times a day) and if it is not safeguarded from distracted thoughts or carnal emotions then it will not be a true Salat. Salat should not be offered in a hurried manner or for merely customary and habitual reasons but it should be offered where it is heartfelt and gradually melts the soul in a fearful manner and falls on the Divine threshold.
Create the heart that is aware, full of tenderness, spiritual warmth and fervor and is ablaze (with the love of Allah). Prostrate and submit to Allah the Almighty in this condition. As much as you can, with overwhelming emotions, supplicate that one may get rid of the embedded boastfulness and sin from his soul. Also pray that O Allah remove my shortcomings, flaws, arrogance, and boastfulness and grant me your realization and make me your true servant. This type of Salat is full of blessing and if you are steadfast you will see that either in day or night, divine light will engulf your heart and the brashness of Nafs-e-Ammara (a self which is ever inclined to evil and is opposed to his attainment of perfection) will lessen. A serpent carries deadly poison and Nafs-e-Ammara carries poison too. Creator of these has an antidote for the poison. The soul repeatedly incites you towards evil and in order to save yourself—just like in order to protect yourself from venomous serpent—you must seek out Allah's help. Therefore, you must remember this aspect that you need Allah's help to protect yourself.
The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) further states that you must pray during your five daily Prayers, and it is not forbidden to pray in your own language. There is no delight in Salat if you are not completely focused, and your heart is not satisfied if you lack humility. So, adopt humble ways and your heart will be inclined towards Prayers. When humility takes hold, then you understand what you are reciting in Prayers. Additionally, praying in your language inculcates the concern and passion for Prayers. Humility will only be instilled if you understand the words you are reciting in Salat. When you will know the meaning (of prayers recited in Salat) then the heart and mind will be inclined. One should not deduce from this that you could offer Salat in your own language or offer the Salat by translating the Arabic words or often-recited prayers in your own language. I do not mean that at all. There is a blessing in reciting Arabic prayers in Salat. Salat is a name of supplication. Therefore, in it, pray that you are saved from trials and tribulations and your end is a good one. Pray for your spouse and children. Become pious and refrain from all types of evil. One of the purposes of congregational Salat is that the believers become one nation and when supplications made in congregational Salat reach Allah then these supplications have a special status in acceptance and create a revolution. If we want to bring about a revolution, we will have to pay attention towards this.
The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) further states that Allah’s purpose is to make humanity as oneself and unified nation (Wahdat e Jamhoori), where men come under the leadership of one man. When there will be one nation, a lot of men will come under the leadership of one man and they all will be considered as one soul. This is the desire from religion that just like beads in rosary are sown together, all men are sown together in this unified nation. Congregational Salat is for the purpose of unity, and to stand together for Prayers is for this purpose that those who excel in Nur (spiritual light or piety) inculcate it into the weak and strengthen them. Pilgrimage (Hajj) is also for this purpose. To establish this unified nation, Allah the Almighty has started with a commandment that people of local neighborhoods gather together for five daily Prayers in a local mosque so that good traits are exchanged, and light removes the darkness (of character). Coming to the mosque, offering five daily Prayers should be with the intention that we need to supplicate and unify. Lest it happens that we go to the mosque and discord exists and hearts hold grudges and fights are breaking out.
The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) further stated that by meeting and getting together at the mosque, we introduce ourselves and develop fondness for each other and this forms the basis of unity. In reality, a familiar enemy is far better than unfamiliar friend. And when in a foreign country, familiar enemies meet each other, an attachment develops due to familiarity. The reason is by being away from the land of resentment, temporary malice is forgotten and familiarity remains. Enemies at times in foreign countries become friends. When a person goes to a foreign land and cannot find folks from his own country and then comes across a person from the same country with which he had some differences, these differences fade away out of necessity of relying on each other for survival, eventually friendship and relations foster.
The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) further states that second commandment is that on Friday, gather at the central (Jamia) mosque—as it may be difficult for the folks living in a city to gather daily—once a week to be introduced with each other and get unified. After all, they will get united sometimes. And after a year, it was advised that folks from city and neighboring villages would gather for Eid Prayers so that introduction takes place, affection enhances and unified nation is created. Similarly, for an international gathering, a day was determined in their lifetime when they all gather on the grounds of Mecca. This way Allah desires that affection and love take hold among the people. This affection and love for the sake of Allah, that He desires to cultivate among the Muslims, is to make them a unified nation. He wants to create true believers.
For this reason, with this thought in mind, people should focus on their Prayers and come to mosque for five daily Prayers and for Jumu’ah Prayers and for Eid Prayers. Now, during these times, Allah the Almighty has provided for us ways to hold Jalsa and Ijtima. We gather so that we can hear religious discourses, offer Prayers together and love and affection grows among us. We should be grateful for this additional blessing that Allah has bestowed on us through The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him.)
The correct way to express gratitude is to inculcate true love in our hearts, become true servant of Allah, and fulfill the rights of Allah and His creation. The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) states that Salat is the right of Allah and fulfill it in a nice manner, do not spend your lives in enmity of Allah and be watchful of the obligations of loyalty and truth towards Him. Never part with Salat. Let your household go to ruin but never give up on Salat. Salat rectifies the faith, improves the character, and corrects your world. The joy in Salat is far greater than any other worldly pleasure. Thousands of rupees (unit of currency e.g. dollars) are spent for the joys of flesh and then you notice that the results are several illnesses. However, if a person is regular in Salat, he inherits paradise freely. There are two types of heavens mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. One of them is the heaven on earth and it is the joy one gets in Salat. The moment you feel the joy in Salat, realize you have received heaven on earth.
How do people who offer Salat are revolutionized, how do they get this pleasure and how they are the recipient of this heaven in this lifetime? There are quite a few folks like that in Jama’at and the condition of their children has also changed, and they also aspire to receive this heaven on earth. I present to you an example. Local missionary from Benin Jama’at writes about a friend Abdul Momin Sahib. Abdul Momin sahib stated to him that he is a Muslim by birth and was not regular in Prayers and because of that his children, especially his young daughter, was far removed from Islam. He says that his own lifestyle was not exemplary so whatever advice I gave to my children, it had no response. Abdul Momin sahib further states that once he accepted Ahmadiyyat, a change occurred in me and with Allah’s grace his daughter is now practicing Islam. As a matter of fact, she regularly attends Jama’at’s programs and all of us are now drawn towards regular Salat and are truly focused towards prayers. Look, not only that he personally was reformed after accepting The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) but his children were reformed too. Therefore, our example is essential for reformation of members of our household.
Modeling the way is the job entrusted to Ansarullah and in essence is the objective of Majlis Ansarullah. Drawing our attention towards supplications and worship, The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) states that Allah protects those people who are most worthy of respect. Who are those people who are worthy of respect? These are the people who have true relationship with Allah, they keep their inner character impeccable and there is no deceit in their external or internal character. They maintain their true relationship with Allah, they are not deceptive, and their character is transparent. They do not just claim that they are in love with Allah and are His servants but their hearts also testify to it and their actions match their statements and they are kind and sympathetic towards fellow human beings. This is their identification that they are kind and sympathetic towards others and express hope for goodness and are obedient to Allah. Therefore, one understands this from the Holy Quran, “Say to the disbelievers: ‘But for your prayer to Him my Lord would not care for you.” (25:78) It also means He does care for others, those who are dutiful. It means that if you pray, Allah will care for you. When Allah the Almighty cares then they attain a special station.
The Promised Messiah (may peace be on him) further states that those whose attention is drawn towards Allah the Almighty, who bow down to Him and fulfill the rights of worship and are truly dutiful, all shortcomings that tend to take them away from Allah are removed. And when a person reforms himself and develops a relationship with Allah the Almighty then He spares them from punishment. Allah is not stubborn, that is why He says, “Why should Allah punish you, if you are thankful and if you believe?” (4:148)
