Exhortation to the youth to act according to Islamic teachings
Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) has repeatedly reminded the Ahmadi youth and children to live life according the traditions of the Jama’at and keeping the pledge in mind. In a special message for the Annual Ijtema of Majlis Khuddam ul Ahmadiyya India, Huzoor(aba) said:
“In your Ijtemaat and meetings, you repeat the pledge that you will give precedence to faith over all worldly matters. To achieve this, each one of you should regularly recite the Holy Quran, for it is a spiritual light which really teaches us how we can give precedence to our faith over all worldly matters. The Holy Quran teaches us that true believers offer Salat with due regard. Hence, each one of you should make five daily Salat the objective of your lives and, as much as possible, offer Salat in congregation because there is a greater reward in congregational Salat. Congregational Salat becomes a source of unity and cohesiveness and reflects the unity and might of a community of believers. Your Ijtemaat should be such that you compete with each other in piety and righteousness. Young Khuddam and older Atfal should stay in the company of good friends and good people. Misuse of the Internet and Social Media is becoming common. If a thing or an act leads to harmful effects on the mind, then it is considered ‘lughv’ (a vain thing) and a characteristic of believers is that they avoid all that is vain.
Similarly, it is also obligatory on men to safeguard their piety and modesty. They have been commanded to observe ghade basr (lowering of gaze) and should keep their gaze lowered and hearts and mind safeguarded against impure thoughts and bad intentions. Each Islamic principle is based on wisdom and strong reasoning. Through ghade basr, Islam teaches control of the self. Thus, you should remember that piety is an important characteristic trait of a Khadim which can lead one to attain spiritual heights. “
(Message for Annual Ijtema Khuddam and Atfal ul Ahmadiyya, India 10 October 2017. Published Weekly Badr Qadian 02 November 2017)
Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) gave comprehensive instructions to Khuddam about developing noble character and self-control. He said:
“Further there are many other vices and ills that are spreading immorality in today’s society and sadly they are increasing by the day. For example, the misuse of the Internet and Social Media is becoming increasingly common and this includes inappropriate chatting between boys and girls online. Similarly, the Internet is being used to watch indecent and immoral films including pornography. The smoking of cigarettes or the use of shisha are also examples of vices that are spreading. Furthermore, even the permissible things can cause harm if they are misused. One example of this is where a person stays awake late into the night watching television or surfing the Internet and then fails to wake up for the Fajr prayer, even if what they were viewing was not bad in itself. The end result is that they are moving away from righteousness and in this way the permissible act becomes immoral and not in keeping with the status of a true Muslim. In essence anything at all that has poisonous or detrimental effect on a person’s mind is included in what the Holy Quran has deemed as vain.”
Referring to verse 6 of Sura Al Mominoon, Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) said:
“Allah the Almighty has stipulated another sign of a believer.
Allah the Almighty states:
وَ الَّذِیۡنَ ہُمۡ لِفُرُوۡجِہِمۡ حٰفِظُوۡنَ
And who guard their chastity [Holy Quran 23:6]
To safeguard and protect one’s chastity and modesty is certainly not only the task of women but is also incumbent upon men. To guard one’s chastity does not only mean that the person should avoid sexual relations outside of marriage, rather the Promised Messiah(as) has taught us that it means that a believer should always keep his eyes and ears pure from anything that is indecent or immoral. As I mentioned earlier one thing that is completely obscene is pornography and to view it is to forgo the chastity of one’s eyes and ears. It is also wrong and against Islamic teachings of modesty for boys and girls to mix freely, to form relationships or inappropriate friendships.”
(Address to Khudam at Annual Ijtema UK 26 September 2016 Kingsley, Surrey. Published Weekly Badr Qadian 07 September 2017)
Ghade basr (Lowering of gaze): Jihad of Nafs (Self)
The current age is of the Jihad of the self rather than the Jihad of the sword. One can only stay on the path of piety by following the teachings of the Holy Quran. In this regard, explaining the importance of controlling human emotions and ghade basr (lowering of gaze), Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) said in a Friday sermon:
“We Ahmadis should remember that the world is going through a dangerous time. Satan is aggressively striking from all directions and if Muslims and specially Ahmadi Muslim men, women, and youth do not try to uphold the religious values, then there is no guarantee of our future. We will be held accountable by God the Almighty more than others because we understood the truth that the Promised Messiah(as) explained to us yet we did not act upon it. Thus, if we want to save ourselves from destruction then it is imperative to live in this world while adopting every Islamic teaching with full confidence. Don’t think that the progress of the advanced countries is a guarantee of our progress and life and walking with them will guarantee our survival. The progress of these advanced countries has reached its peak and their immorality and immoral actions are causing them to decline, which has begun manifesting itself. They are inviting the wrath of God, they are inviting destruction. Thus, in such a situation under human compassion, we have to show them the right path and save them, instead of adopting their colors. Their reformation seems to be difficult due to their arrogance and distance from religion. If they do not reform themselves then the future progress of the world will be led by those nations who keep the religious and moral values intact.
Thus, as I said before, I am especially addressing the youth that they should pay attention to God Almighty’s teachings. Instead of getting influenced by the world and walking behind them, you should make the world follow you.”
Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) further stated:
“For the progress of Islam, all that is commanded by God and His messenger Prophet Muhammad(sa) is essential. The restrictions for modesty are not only for women. In Islam, restrictions are equal for both men and women. God Almighty first taught the way of modesty and purdah to men. He says:
قُلۡ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ یَغُضُّوۡا مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِہِمۡ وَ یَحۡفَظُوۡا فُرُوۡجَہُمۡ ؕ ذٰلِکَ اَزۡکٰی لَہُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ خَبِیۡرٌۢ بِمَا یَصۡنَعُوۡنَ
“Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of what they do.” [Holy Quran 24:31]
God Almighty first commanded faithful men to do ghade basr (lowering of gaze) because it is necessary for purity. If there is no purity, then one cannot find God. Thus, before commanding women to do purdah, men are commanded to refrain from all that which may incite their emotions. They are prohibited from seeing women with open eyes, mixing with women, watching vulgar films, and chatting with Namehram people on Facebook or through Social Media; all these do not maintain chastity. That is why Promised Messiah(as) very clearly spoke about it on several occasions. He said,
“It is the Word of God alone that, by its very clear and open statements, lays down specific and well-defined limits and parameters for all our words and deeds, action and inaction, and teaches us the norms of humanity and the way of purity; it alone emphatically stresses upon the safeguarding of one’s organs—like the eyes, ears, tongue, etc.— as He says:
قُلۡ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ یَغُضُّوۡا مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِہِمۡ وَ یَحۡفَظُوۡا فُرُوۡجَہُمۡ ؕ ذٰلِکَ اَزۡکٰی لَہُمۡ
‘Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them.” [Holy Quran 24:31].
This means that the believers should guard their eyes and ears, and private parts from those who are not mahram and should refrain from seeing, hearing, and doing all that is forbidden. Thus would they be able to foster inner purity. That is to say, their hearts will be safeguarded from diverse types of passions, for these are the organs which primarily incite the carnal passions and provoke beastly traits. Observe, therefore, how the Holy Quran stresses safeguarding oneself from those who are not mahram and how explicitly it urges believers to restrain their eyes, ears, and private parts to avoid any occasion that might lead to impurity.” [Baraheen-e-Ahmadiyya vol 3 Rohani Khazain vol 1 page 209 margin)
(Friday Sermon Delivered 13 January 2017 at Baitul Futuh Mosque, London. Published AlFazl International 03 February 2017)
Habit hinders the effort of reformation
Established habits create hindrance in taking practical steps towards reformation. Regarding this important matter, Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) said:
“A man was in the habit of swearing all the time and during every conversation. Often, he would not even realize that he was swearing. When a complaint was sent to Hazrat Musleh Maud (radi-Allahu‘anhu [ra] May Allah be pleased with him), he sent for the person and asked him why he swore often? The person swore and asked who says I swear? Thus, once a habit is established, one does not realize what one is saying. Habits lead one to a state where one loses all awareness of it and all awareness is erased. However, if a person makes an effort then he can create awareness and work to reform [these habits].
Hence, habits create a strong impediment against practical acts [of reformation]. These days, people are drawn to watching unsuitable films. People are interested in the films as if they were addicted to them. They do not eat, but simply sit and continue watching films. If they sit on the Internet, they will continue sitting there. Even if they are falling asleep, they just continue sitting there, not caring about their wife and children. Such people exist. Thus, these habits play a major role in obstructing practical reformation.”
Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) further said:
“I will present an example for women, which is the state of purdah and modesty. Once it is removed things can go very far. While in Australia, I came to know that some elderly ladies, who had recently arrived from Pakistan to live with their families in Australia, advised their younger non-purdah observing family members to observe purdah and at least wear modest clothes and take headscarf. The girls who do not observe purdah told these elderly ladies that observing purdah was a crime in Australia and they too should give it up. Afraid of committing crimes, these ladies who had observed purdah all their lives gave it up, even though there is no such law, or restriction in Australia about purdah. No one pays attention to it. Some young girls and ladies have given up purdah for the sake of fashion. A young woman from Pakistan who has come to Australia after getting married wrote to me that she was forcibly asked to give up purdah or was influenced by the surroundings and had given it up. However, she wrote that when she listened to my address to the ladies about purdah during Jalsa, she had her burqa on and she has kept it on and is trying and praying to continue to do so and requested prayers. Purdah is being abandoned because the Quranic commandment is not reminded often enough and it is not spoken about in families. Thus, it is very important for reformation of practice to continually mention what is evil and what is virtuous.”
(Friday Sermon Delivered 20 December 2013 at Baitul Futuh Mosque, London. Published AlFazl International 10 January 2014)
Comprehensive prayers to avoid evil
Inappropriate use of the latest technology and media in the current age is indeed a Satanic act. Prayers have become even more important to safeguard against the Satanic attacks. In this regard, advising the members of the Jama’at, Huzoor(aba) said:
“The Holy Prophet(sa) (May peace and blesings of Allah be upon him) was so concerned about saving the believers from the attack of Satan, that he(sa) taught his companions prayers to save them from Satan, and he taught them comprehensive prayers. A companion narrated that he(sa) taught us this prayer:
“O Allah create love in our hearts, reform us, and make us tread upon the paths of security, and take us to light saving us from darkness, and save us from overt and covert indecencies, and place blessings for us in our ears, in our eyes, in our hearts, in our wives and in our children, and turn to us with mercy. You are the acceptor of repentance and the one who forgives time and again. Make us the ones who are grateful for your favors and appreciate them and accept them. And, O Allah, perfect Your favors on us.” {Sunan Abu Daud Kitabus Salat Bab Al- Tashahud hadith 969}
Thus, this is the prayer to restrain from inappropriate worldly entertainment and to save from all other kinds of useless things and to save from the attacks of Satan.
Even today, various improprieties are taking place in the world in the name of entertainment. When a man prays for blessings for the ears and the eyes, prays for peace and for moving from darkness to light, and prays for the ability to discharge the rights of wives and for children to be the delight of eyes, then his attention will automatically be diverted from improprieties and immoralities. This way a believer will become a source of saving the whole house from Satan.”
(Friday Sermon delivered 20 May 2016 Gottenburg, Sweden. Published AlFazl International 10 June 2016)
Every human has a duty to give up the dark ways of Satan and to come to those lighted paths that lead to salvation. Explaining this subject, Huzoor-e-Anwar(aba) said in a Friday sermon:
“If one tries to reform himself in this manner, then it becomes a path to salvation for him. A man should look for ways to salvation for his own sake. Otherwise, he is told that he will move from light into darkness. This is the way to Satan which takes one from light into darkness. Thus, you should seek refuge against Satan. Ask Allah for His blessings and pray: ‘O Allah take me away from darkness into the light and save me from all sort of foul deeds, whether they are hidden or manifest.’ Some fears prevent one from committing manifest [foul] deeds. There are many hidden foul deeds that affect a man and take him far away. For example, some wrong scenes, wrong films, nude films and such things that man may see and commit fornication of the eye. There is also fornication of thoughts, reading wrong types of books or having such thoughts. Sitting in certain environments pushes man into such foul deeds. There is also listening to foul deeds through the ears. Hence, we have been taught this prayer: ‘O Allah with your blessing purify our organ. And keep it pure and make us among those who do not follow Satan and save us all from walking on the path of Satan.”
(Friday Sermon Delivered 12 December 2003 at Baitul Futuh Mosque, London. Published AlFazl International 06 February 2004)