Hudhur gave a comprehensive discourse on various Quranic prayers, prayers of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and those of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in his Friday Sermon today. Hudhur said today was the last day of Ramadan. May God accept all the prayers that we made during the month, those of personal nature as well as those made for the Community. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had had God’s promise that triumph was in the destiny of his Community. The prayers we make are only to enable us to partake of the blessing associated with those who will make an effort for its success.

Hudhur asked the congregation to repeat the prayers after him and also to say Ameen to them. He also advised to fill the rest of the day, today, last blessed day of the month, with prayers.

Hudhur cited the following prayers:

‘My Lord, grant me the power that I may be grateful for Thy favour which Thou hast bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and I may do such good works as may please Thee. And make my seed righteous for me. I do turn to Thee; and; truly, I am one of those who submit to Thee.’ (46:16)

With slight variation, the prayer is also stated in Surah Al Naml: ‘…and admit me, by Thy mercy, among Thy righteous servants.’ (27:20)

Explaining, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote that God has reminded man to extend good treatment to parents as the mother bears the child and gives birth with great difficulty and nurses the child for up to thirty months. When a pious person reaches maturity he prays to be enabled, in thankfulness, to do good deeds that may please God.

‘Our Lord, grant us of our spouses and children the delight of our eyes and make each of us a leader of the righteous.’ (25:75) Hudhur said this prayer attracts God’s blessings for families and people of such families go on to participate, generation after generation, in the progress of the community.

‘Our Lord, grant us good in this world as well as good in the world to come, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.’ (2:202) The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explained that the more extensive the worldly contacts a believer has, the higher his status becomes, because his ideal is the world. Although, his real objective should be to achieve the world in a way that makes it subservient to religion. Just as when one is travelling one makes arrangements and takes provisions etc. with one, but one’s objective is to get to the destination. In this prayer, world is given precedence, but it is a world that becomes the source of attaining the good of the Hereafter. The ‘world’ should be attained in a way that has good and merit. Hudhur said we should adopt the good values which enable us to discharge the dues of God as well as the dues of mankind.

Hudhur also cited the following Quranic prayers:

‘My Lord, forgive me and my brother, and admit us to Thy mercy, and Thou art the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.’ (7:152)

‘Our Lord, forgive us our errors, and our excesses in our conduct, and firm out steps and help us against the disbelieving people.’ (3:148)

‘…Thou art our Protector; forgive us then and have mercy on us, for Thou art the Best of those who forgive.’ (7:156)

‘And ordain for us good in this world, as well as in the next; we have turned to Thee with repentance.’ (7:157)

‘My Lord, make me observe Prayer, and my children too. Our Lord! Do accept my prayer. (14:41)

‘Our Lord, grant forgiveness to me and to my parents and to the believers on the day when the reckoning will take place.’ (14:42)

‘Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell; for the punishment thereof is a lasting torment. It is indeed evil as a place of rest and as an abode.’ (25:66-67)

‘My Lord, forgive and have mercy, and Thou art the Best of those who show mercy.’ (23:119)

‘Our Lord, we believe’ forgive us therefore our sins, and have mercy on us; for Thou art the Best of those who show mercy.’ (23:110)

‘My Lord, save me and my family from what they do.’ (26:170)

‘My Lord! build for me a house with Thee in the Garden; and deliver me from Pharaoh and his work, and deliver me from the wrongdoing people;’ (66:12) The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explained that God gives two examples of believers in the Qur’an. One is that of the wife of the Pharaoh who sought refuge with God from wrongdoing husband. This is an example of those believers who are overcome by worldly desires but then repent. Their nafs (self) disturbs them like Pharaoh disturbed his wife. They have the self that reproves. The other believers are those who have a higher station, not only do they avoid what is bad, rather they also achieve good. Their example is given by God as that of Hadhrat Maryam. Each believer who reaches excellence in taqwa and purity becomes an embodiment of ‘Maryam’. Hudhur prayed that may God make us those believers who attain good. May God free us from those Pharaoh-like rulers.

Some other prayers of the Qur’an:

‘… I am overcome, so come Thou to my help.’ (54:11)

‘My Lord, deliver me from the unjust people.’ (28:22)

‘My Lord, my people have treated me as a liar. Therefore judge Thou decisively between me and them; and save me and the believers that are with me.’ (26:118-119) Hudhur explained that Prophets and their followers have always relied on prayer. And the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has clearly stated that our triumph is with prayers alone.

‘My Lord, I seek refuge in Thee from the incitements of the evil ones. ‘And I seek refuge in Thee, my Lord, lest they come near me.’ (23:98-99)

‘…Our Lord, pour forth upon us steadfastness and cause us to die resigned unto Thee.’ (7:127) The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explains that when man prays to God for tranquillity in troubled time, God sends down nur (light) which strengthens the person and enables him or her to experience adverse circumstances with assurance.

‘Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves; and if Thou forgive us not and have not mercy on us, we shall surely be of the lost.’ (7:24) The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explained that it is our belief that just as it was through prayer that Adam (on whom be peace) overcame Satan, in the latter-days too, triumph will be through prayer. Adam II will triumph over Satan in the latter-days through prayer.

‘Our Lord, let not our hearts become perverse after Thou hast guided us; and bestow on us mercy from Thyself; surely, Thou alone art the Bestower.’ (3:9)

‘Our Lord, do not punish us, if we forget or fall in error; and our Lord, lay not on us a responsibility as Thou didst lay upon those before us. Our Lord, burden us not with what we have not the strength to bear; and efface our sins, and grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us; Thou art our Master; so help us Thou against the disbelieving people.’ (2:287) The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explained that this prayer seeks God’s forgiveness for any oversights committed.

‘…O our Lord, pour forth steadfastness upon us, and make our steps firm, and help us against the disbelieving people.’(2:251) The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explained that if God was not Forgiving He would not have taught us a prayer such as this.

‘Our Lord, put us not with the unjust people.’ (7:48)

‘Our Lord, we believe in that which Thou hast sent down and we follow this Messenger. So write us down among those who bear witness.’ (3:54)

Next Hudhur cited prayers of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) from various ahadith:

‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from indolence, old age, want, torment of the grave, evil of fire and torment of Fire. Keep me in Your refuge from the trial of the evil of wealth, from the trial of poverty and I seek Your refuge from the trial of anti-Christ. O Allah, cleanse my errors with iced water just as a cloth is cleansed off dirt. Make distance between me and my errors as You have created distance between the East and the West.’

‘O Allah, forgive my sins and enlarge my house for me and bless my sustenance/provision.’

‘O Allah, I seek Your refuge from helplessness, indolence, cowardice and weariness in old age. I seek Your refuge from the torment of the grave. O God I seek Your refuge to be saved from the trials of life and death.’

‘O Allah, I seek Your refuge from a heart that has no humility and no submissiveness and I seek refuge from a prayer that is not accepted and from a nafs (self) that is never satiated and from knowledge that does not give any benefit. I seek Your refuge from all these four things.’

‘O Allah, I have wronged my soul, there is none other than You Who can forgive sin. Pardon me thus with Your forgiveness and have mercy on me. No doubt, You are Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful.’

‘O Allah, forgive me my errors and protect me in all my matters from the trial of my unawareness and ignorance and protect me from all such trials that are in Your knowledge and not mine. O Allah, forgive my errors, those intentional and those unintentional. Forgive all my errors that are within me. Those that I have committed and those that I have not, those that I committed out of sight and those that I committed openly, forgive them all. You alone can take one forward and make one retreat and You alone have Power over everything.’

‘O Allah, I hand myself over to You, I put my trust in You and believe in You. I turn to You and debate with the opponent with Your help. And submit my case in Your presence. Forgive all my sins: those previous, of the future, open and concealed. You alone are the First and the Last. There is none worthy of worship save You.’

‘O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my eyes, place light in my ears, on my right and my left, place light behind me, and light in front of me, and place light above me, and light below me. O Allah! Make me an embodiment of light.’

‘O Allah, grant me Your love, grant me that I love those who love You; grant me, that I might do the deeds that win Your love. Make Your love dearer to me than the love of self, my family and cold fresh water.’

‘O One Who turns hearts, keep my heart firm on Your obedience.’

Next Hudhur cited some prayers and revelations of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).

‘Lord, everything is Thy servant. Then Lord, guard me and help me and have mercy on me.’ [Tadhkirah p. 801]

‘O my Powerful God, my Beloved Guide, show us the way that is found by the pure and the truthful and save us from the ways that only lead to worldly desires or malice, rancour or materialism.’

‘I am sinful and weak. There is no way other than with Your help. Have mercy and forgive sins which will purify me. For there is nothing save Your grace that can purify.’

‘O more Beloved Being than ordinary beloveds, forgive my sins and include me in Your sincere servants.’

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) advised the following prayer to someone who sought application and concentration in Salat:

‘O God the Exalted, Powerful and Master of Glory, I am sinful and have committed so many sins that they have affected my inner-self and I cannot feel pathos in Salat. Forgive my sins with Your grace and kindness and forgive my excesses, soften my heart and place Your greatness , Your awe and Your love in my heart. So that my hard-heartedness is removed and I can attain concentration in Salat.’

‘O my Lord, have mercy on me. Certainly Your grace and mercy saves one from punishment.’

‘O my Lord, manifest to me how You revive the dead. And send Your forgiveness and mercy from the heavens.’

‘Thy Lord will create a distinction between the true and the false. Thou seest every reformer and truthful one.’ [Tadhkirah p. 801]

‘Lord, show me Thy All Comprehending lights.’ [Tadhkirah p. 766]

‘Lord, leave not in the earth, a single dweller from the disbelievers.’ [Tadhkirah p. 821]

‘Lord, safeguard me, for my people mock at me.’ [Tadhkirah p. 823]

‘Lord, forgive and have mercy from heaven. Lord, leave me not alone and Thou art the Best of heirs. Lord, reform the people of Muhammad. Our Lord, judge between us and our people with truth. Thou art the Best of judges.’ [Tadhkirah p. 301]

‘Make the hearts of many incline towards me.’ [Tadhkirah p. 918]

‘Lord, bestow upon me dominion over the fire.’ [Tadhkirah p. 744]

‘O Lord of all the worlds, I cannot render gratitude to Your favours. Forgive my sins lest I am destroyed. Place Your special love in my heart so that I am granted life. Cover my faults and make me do deeds that please You. I seek refuge with Your Noble Presence that Your chastisement should not befall me. Have mercy and protect me from the afflictions of this world and the Hereafter for all blessings are in Your hand. Ameen thum Ameen.’

‘Our Lord, forgive us our sins, we were in error.’

‘O Lord, All Powerful, although it has always been Your way that You grant wisdom to children and the unlearned and put shades of utter darkness on the eyes of the philosophers of this world, but I submit to You most humbly and meekly to attract a community from among these towards us just as You have drawn a few and grant them Your sight and bestow [sincere] hearts so that they can see and hear and understand and can value the blessing that You have sent on time and are drawn to attaining it. If You so will, You can bring this about, for nothing is unlikely for You.’

My Lord, my Lord, help Thy servant and humiliate Thy enemies. Respond to me O Lord, respond to me. How long will they mock Thee and Thy Messenger, how long will they call Thy Book false and will abuse Thy Messenger. I beseech Thee of Thy mercy, O Ever-Living, Self-Subsisting, Helper. [Tadhkirah p. 199]

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote: ‘I was praying for the members of the Movement and for Qadian when the revelation came to me: They have drawn far away from the fashion of life; Then grind them down a fine grinding.

I wondered why the grinding has been attributed to me. Then I looked at the prayer which is written on the wall of the Chamber of Prayer (Bait ud dua) which is as follows: Lord, hear my prayer and crush Thy enemies and mine and fulfil Thy promise and help Thy servant and show us Thy days and sharpen for us Thy sword…Taking this revelation and this prayer together, the indication is that the time for the acceptance of this prayer has arrived. [Tadhkirah p. 620]

Hudhur prayed that may God show us the glory of this prayer.

‘Exalted is Allah with all His glory, Exalted is Allah the Great. Bless O Allah Muhammad and people of Muhammad.’

Hudhur said, benefitting from a prayer of Hadhrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) he would present it in conclusion.

‘O my All-Powerful Master, my Beloved, my Lord, my Guide, O’ Creator of the heavens and the earth, One Who has power over everything within. O God Who has sent thousands of Prophets for guidance. O God, Who sent a magnificent Prophet like the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). O Gracious God, Who sent a servant like the Messiah in his subservience, for the guidance of people. O Creator of light and One Who dispels darkness, Your humble servants beseech You of Your promises that You made to Your most beloved Prophet and our master, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). We also beseech You of those promises which You made to the true and ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and most humbly implore You to show us magnificent signs of the fulfilment of these promises. We have insight into this and thus believe it that You are true to Your promises, most certainly You will fulfil Your promises. But we are also conscious of the fear that due to our unworthiness and misdemeanours the time of fulfilment of these promises may be taken forward. We beseech You of Your Rahmaniyyat, overlook our errors and in spite of our sins continue to bless us with Your grace just as You have always blessed us. In spite of us not fulfilling our due the way due should be fulfilled, You have always rained Your grace and blessings on us and have strengthened our belief. Today, again I humbly submit to You, that O Gracious God, O Bestower God, O God Who covers faults, O Most Forgiving, Most Merciful God, never close the doors of Your Rahmaniyyat and Wahabiyyat (quality of bestowing) on us. Always cover our weaknesses and our errors, keep an eye of forgiveness and pardon on us and never cease Your blessings on us. We seek each of that good from You that You have destined for anyone, rather, grant us each good of which You are Master merely through Your grace. O my God, I beseech You of all Your attributes and submit to You to grant us their good. O our Beloved God with heartfelt and sincere pathos, we submit to You as we turn to You to accept our prayers with Your mercy and according to Your promise. Listen to our prayers. Create distance between us and those who are weary of worshipping You. Make us sincere servants of the Gracious God, drench our breasts with Your love, make our word and deed fine and pure and which can be sacrificed on Your commandment. May we become completely devoted to Your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and may invoke salutations and blessings (Durud) on him. May we show perfect obedience to Your Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) whom You sent in this age according to Your promise. May we avow every command of his, recognising him as the ‘judge and arbitrator’. O God, we submit again, fill our breasts with Your love, remove our shortcomings, always save us from Satan. May we become those people who draw Your love. Protect us from all troubles and grief and save us from all difficulties. O our God, this is our humble prayer. Open the world’s breasts to the truth of Ahmadiyyat, true Islam and make all Muslims one Ummah. Relieve the Muslims from all the trails and disorders that engulf them, open their eyes so that they may recognise Your Promised Messiah and Mahdi. O Allah, give sense to the world to recognise the Imam of the age and be saved from falling in pit of fire. Ameen, O Lord of all the worlds.’

In the end Hudhur gave the sad news of another martyrdom in Pakistan. Naseer Ahmad Butt sahib of Faisalabad was martyred on 8 September. His grandfather came from near Qadian and was the first Ahmadi in the family. Naseer sahib owned a fruit shop. As he sat in his shop at midday a motorcycle rider with a helmet on shot at him four times. Three bullets hit his chest and one his face and he was martyred on the spot. An employee was also present at the shop as were some customers yet the assailant managed to flee. Shaheed was 51 years old and had an extraordinary devotion to Khilafat and murrabis of the Community. He paid great attention to Hudhur’s Friday Sermons. He was a very popular person in his area and was liked by all. His funeral was attended by many business colleagues, customers and others outside the Jama’at. His special attribute was hospitality. His wife has served as a Lajna sadr. He is survived by his elderly parents, widow, two daughters and a son. May God grant steadfastness to the bereaved and elevate his station in Paradise. Hudhur announced that he would lead his funeral Prayer in absentia after Friday Prayer.