Note: The Alislam Team assumes full responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies in this translation of the Friday Sermon.
February 2, 1923
Topics: Berlin Mosque, Equality of Men and Women in Islam, Women's Donations, Lajna Imaillah Established, European Misconceptions About Muslim Women, Prophecy Regarding Russia
After recitation of Tashahhud, Ta'awwuz, and Surah Al-Fatihah, Huzoor-e-Anwar addressed the community:
Just as in worldly matters Europeans, Americans, Africans, and Asians are equal, and just as there is an injunction to view all people equally regardless of color, language, country, or nationality, similarly in religious matters men and women possess equal standing. That is, the religious commands that have been revealed for men have similarly been revealed for women.
Surah Al-Fatihah, which is the root of the Quran and a summary of its themes and the essence of the Quranic text—observe the wisdom with which Allah the Almighty has presented it. Where it teaches supplication and where the subject matter relates to spiritual progress, He has structured it in such a way that it includes the participation of both women and men.
Although it is a rule of the Arabic language that when a community is addressed, masculine forms are used, which conventionally include women, yet in Surah Al-Fatihah the words are specifically chosen such that both men and women are equal and both participate equally. For example, "Iyyak na'budu wa iyyak nasta'een" (You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help) are chosen such that men can recite them just as women can use them, and in this both are equal.
One great wisdom in this is that from the perspective of usage, both women and men are included. That is, a man alone will recite those words, and a woman alone will recite those same words. And just as some commandments are specific to men, similarly some commandments are specific to women. By "specific commandments," we do not mean that men alone are addressed by Allah the Almighty. Rather, we mean that if some commandments are specific to men, then some commandments are also specific to women. And there are commandments in which both men and women are equal.
For example, the Friday sermon is for both men and women. Similarly, the sermon of the two Eids is also incumbent upon both. Now, men are separate from women—or women are behind a screen or sit behind a curtain. Just as women can listen to lessons while wearing the burqa, similarly they sit separately behind a curtain or screen during Friday prayer to listen to the sermon. Because the preacher is a man, men are in front and women are in purdah separately. Otherwise, both are addressed by the preacher.
Women sitting separately or behind a screen does not mean they are not the addressees of the sermon. Rather, just as men are addressed by the preacher, women are also addressed. This sermon is not only for men but also for women.
Therefore, what I am about to say is entirely appropriate given the current time and circumstances. Let me explain what this matter is.
After careful consideration and reflection, I have made this decision: the mosque that will be built in Germany shall be constructed from the donations of women. There is no doubt that many women may not have personal property. However, there is also no doubt that women's financial foundation is based on ornaments and jewelry. There is no doubt that men have a share in earning income, but there is also no doubt that many men, due to their responsibilities, do not have surplus wealth. Yet women always have something in the form of jewelry.
For this very reason, during times of scarcity, men obtain some assistance from women for their sustenance. Therefore, no one should think: where will women get money from? They will have to take it from us anyway. Women can give donations from their jewelry and ornaments. It is a separate matter that some may have more and some may have less. Before Allah, the question is not about quantity but about sincerity.
Therefore, my intention is that the mosque in Germany be built from women's donations. Because the people of Europe believe that in Islam, women are regarded like animals. When Europe learns that in this city, which is becoming the center of the world, Muslim women have constructed a mosque for their new Muslim brothers in Germany, the people of Europe will feel immense shame and astonishment regarding their opinion about Muslim women. And when they pass by the mosque, shame will overwhelm them, and the mosque will call out loudly at all times, proclaiming that the priests are lying when they say that women have no status in Islam.
These people believe that in our country women are completely like animals and are treated and regarded as such. They believe that Muslims regard women like animals. Now, when a mosque is built solely through women's donations, they will learn that the women here even possess the knowledge that there are people in this world who worship One God.
It is true that in European society there is a practice that one month after marriage, husband and wife begin fighting with each other, the husband searches for someone else, and the wife searches for someone else. If there, a husband and wife are seen living together in love for even one month, it is considered a matter of great surprise. But here, the genuine relationships between husband and wife that exist among us—they have not even caught a whiff of such relationships.
However, it is a matter of "the pen is in the hands of the enemy." The pen is in their hands, and whatever they wish to write about Islam and Muslims, they write. But this is changing due to our efforts.
Maulvi Mubarak Ali Sahib has sent a letter in which he wrote that an expert in architecture estimated two and a half lakh rupees for building the mosque, because he thought that any group that intends to build a mosque in our country must be a very wealthy community. But Maulvi Sahib told him that we do not have that much money, so he then estimated fifty thousand rupees. Five thousand rupees for the land and forty-five thousand rupees for the building construction.
The reason for his assessment is this: because this is a large city and a city of the wealthy, therefore a grand building is needed that will have an impact on people and draw their attention. An ordinary building will not have any impact on these people. It would then be like a solidly built house with one section built of inferior bricks—it would appear defective. According to his estimate, the mosque building can be established with fifty thousand rupees, and it will not merely be a mosque but will also have housing for the missionaries.
I present this matter before all the women of the Jama'at. This is a time of competition. In Europe, women compete with men even in law and medicine examinations to demonstrate equality with men. Whether or not they can actually do the work afterward is another matter—they waste their lives pursuing this. But we should also engage in a noble competition.
Therefore, we say: now let women in Europe build a mosque. Previously, the women contributed ten thousand rupees for the London mosque. According to Islamic law, women's contribution should be half that of men, because Islamic law has allotted women half the share. Therefore, now let women contribute fifty thousand rupees for Mosque Ahmadiyyah Berlin within three months.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah (as), has a prophecy that the staff of the Tsar of Russia has been taken from him and placed in your hands, and Russia's door is Berlin, and through this very door Russia can be conquered. It is true that propagating in Russia itself is a separate matter; it is difficult for us to even enter there given the current circumstances. Germany is the means through which we can propagate in Russia with great ease.
When this important prophecy is fulfilled through women's hands, it will have a tremendous impact on those who come later, and they will learn that women too possess as much sincerity as men. Moreover, Europe will learn how much zeal Muslim women possess for spreading their religion. And on the forehead of this mosque, it will be written in bold letters that this mosque was built by Ahmadi women for their newly Muslim brothers. Then the eyes of others will also open, and messengers will also realize that Ahmadi women contribute as much as messengers collect through their extended hands before others.
Therefore, women should be informed everywhere to donate for this work, and all newspapers that are published from Qadian should launch campaigns for donations for this work. Publish this sermon of mine so that all those associated with these newspapers inform the women in their homes and encourage them to donate within three months for the mosque. And let every man inform his wife about this and encourage her, and those whose wives do not come to Friday prayer should also inform them at home and encourage donations for this work.
I have entrusted this work to an organization whose name I have chosen as Lajna Imaillah (The Handmaidens of Allah). In India, there is an organization that calls itself "Servants of India." We are not servants of any particular nation. We are servants and slaves of Allah. Lajna Imaillah means "the organization of Allah's handmaidens." Therefore, I have given this name to the organization and entrusted this work to them.
However, since if only women were to appeal, it might not have as much impact, I have launched this appeal on their behalf. Women should not think that collecting donations is the work of only certain women. Rather, every woman should stand up and collect donations from her sisters within three months.
The land for the London mosque has already been purchased, but because it would cost one lakh rupees to construct the building, it could not be built immediately. However, such will not be the case with the Berlin mosque. Rather, the intention is that as money is collected there, construction work will begin simultaneously. Because we are certain that this work will be accomplished, therefore as soon as money begins to be collected, the construction work will be started immediately.
Through this sermon, I now appeal to all Ahmadi women that they collect fifty thousand rupees in donations for this work within three months.
However, remember this: not a single penny from men will be taken for this work. If a donation comes from a man, it will be transferred to another account. Only women's money will be used for this, so that this mosque remains forever a memorial to women.
I pray that Allah the Almighty grants women the ability to accomplish this work. May He strengthen their resolve and make this mosque a means of spreading Islam. May this magnificent structure stand as a testimony to the dedication and sincerity of Ahmadi women for generations to come.
Published in Al-Fazl, February 8, 1923
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