Note: The Alislam Team assumes full responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies in this translation of the Friday Sermon.
February 23, 1923 at Bhīru Pechi
Topics: Escaping Suffering, Knowledge Without Action, Three Stages of Healing, Spiritual Illness, Ahmadi Conduct as Propagation, Character as the Greatest Tabligh
After recitation of Tashahhud, Ta'awwuz, and Surah Al-Fatihah, Huzoor-e-Anwar addressed the community:
All the people in the world share one desire: to be saved from suffering and hardship. This is not exclusive to Muslims—non-Muslims also wish to be saved from suffering. Christians do, Hindus do, and even those who do not believe in God also share this desire to escape suffering.
If this thought did not exist in the human heart, there would not be such competitive activity among religions in the world. The very existence of so many religions and the countless people engaged in spreading and maintaining them is evidence of this shared desire. Besides, because humans generally believe that the soul exists alongside the body and will continue to exist in the afterlife, they desire not only to escape suffering in this world but also in the next.
In this world, people go to doctors, while for the next world, they adopt a religion. Thus, the desire to escape suffering and to attain happiness is inherent in every being.
Why are Hindu people devoted to their religion? Why do they spend millions of rupees on its protection? Although propagation may not advance their faith, there are millions of sadhus (ascetics) whose livelihood depends entirely on the earnings of others. Why do Hindu people support millions of sadhus? It is because they believe that through them their religion will be maintained, and through this religion they will be saved from suffering.
In Muslim communities, in nearly every village, there is a mulla who is supported by the entire village because he performs ritual washing of the dead and carries out various customary practices. Why do they do this? It is because they believe he will help them escape suffering.
Similarly, there are priests in Christian communities. What is the priest's function? He performs certain rituals. Christians impose the financial burden of the priest's expenses upon themselves in millions of rupees, with the belief that through him they will escape suffering in the afterlife.
When examined carefully, one sees that a large portion of the world's wealth is spent for this purpose. However, where this desire is expressed—that people should escape suffering—people are negligent in using the correct methods.
This desire is itself a form of knowledge. It makes us aware of something. However, mere awareness provides no benefit. Consider: if a person develops a fever and becomes aware that they have a fever, does that awareness cure the fever? If someone develops a cough, does knowing about it eliminate the cough? If someone is wounded, does being aware of the wound heal it? Awareness alone provides no benefit. It is only useful insofar as it prompts us to seek a cure.
Consider the example of those with mental illness. You have never seen a mentally ill person seeking treatment for themselves, because by definition, a mentally ill person is one who is unaware of their illness. So the benefit of awareness would only be that a person goes to a physician. But merely being aware of an illness will not cure it. An illness is cured only when it is treated properly.
After awareness comes the second step: seeking treatment. If one knows there is a fever, the next step would be to learn that quinine can reduce fever. But merely knowing this will not cure the fever. If it did, there would be no sick doctors. Yet we observe that if treatment is not administered correctly, the illness worsens and people even die.
So neither mere awareness that an illness exists nor knowing what the cure is will eliminate the disease. First, one must become aware that the illness exists. Then one must know what the cure is. Then one must know which is the correct cure. Then the cure must be made available. And finally, the cure must be administered. Only then is the illness cured.
In physical matters, people understand this well. They insist on correct diagnosis first, and after taking the pulse, they ask many questions and remain unsatisfied until they have complete understanding of the disease. Some people would visit the First Caliph and ask about their illness, though some ailments are so subtle that it is difficult to explain them to the patient, which sometimes caused him displeasure.
This is natural to human nature—to seek to understand the disease. However, regarding spiritual illnesses, people do not show this concern. They do not think to inquire about spiritual ailments. They will ask about physical diseases, but they do not ponder spiritual maladies.
Some people do acknowledge spiritual illnesses: lying, stealing, slander, indecency, the absence of love for Allah, deprivation from the Word of God—these are all spiritual illnesses. People may be aware of them, but they do not endeavor to cure them. They know that lying is an illness, but they do not know what the cure is. People know that stealing is an illness, but they do not know what the cure is.
A second form of negligence occurs when some people do learn the cure but do not strive to apply it. For example, people know that violet (plant) is beneficial for cough and fever, but this knowledge is useless if it is not used. While some people's fevers are cured by quinine, what benefit is there to a sick person who does not use this knowledge?
Prisoners do escape sometimes. There are thousands of people who recover at the moment of death. But what happiness would this bring to a prisoner or a patient who themselves have not recovered? The real matter is that they would have benefited had they recovered. If they have not recovered, then such knowledge brings no benefit. Many people are content merely with learning that their religion is true. A Muslim argues with a Christian that our religion is correct, but what benefit is there in merely knowing the truth of a religion if a Muslim does not strive to act according to Islamic commandments?
What difference is there then? Both will go to hell. One made Jesus a god, and the other violated Islamic commands. It would have benefited this person if they had acted and been saved. Then indeed it would have been a matter of joy. But if they do not act upon what they know, what benefit is it? They are both criminals and foolish. People will say of such a person: they knew but still went astray.
Remember then: there is no benefit from knowledge in this world unless that knowledge is put into practice.
There are also people in our Jama'at who are very pleased that they have recognized Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah (as). But they do not understand the purpose of his coming. His coming was for the salvation of humanity. If this has not been achieved, then his coming and not coming are equal for such people. In fact, before we were falling in darkness, and now we are falling in light. This is even more blameworthy.
When there was darkness, we could tell Allah that we did not know. The mullas had distorted the form of religion. But when he has lit the lamp, even this excuse is taken away from us. When Allah the Almighty sent the Promised Messiah (as) and through him announced that Islam alone is the true religion, that our God is a Living God who helps believers, speaks with them, and displays His glory, then if we do not take advantage of this and abandon it like a dead thing, we become even more guilty.
Therefore, it is essential for our Jama'at that we proceed with great caution. Many people are lazy in their prayers and do not fast. Many speak lies as they did before. They conceal testimony, steal as they did before. Many consume others' wealth as they did before. Many commit injustice as they did before. Many regard others with hatred and contempt as they did before. They are arrogant and sow discord and fighting as they did before. Many mock others as they did before.
Such people have only learned one recipe (the knowledge of truth), but they have not been saved because they have not used the recipe. Remember: no one can benefit and no one can be saved unless they apply the cure. Therefore, worry about the reformation of your hearts. Make effort to act upon the commandments that Islam has brought. If people see you lying, why would they become Ahmadi?
In this way, you are not only bringing suffering upon yourselves but also upon others. Your misdeeds produce two dangerous consequences: one for your own self, another for the community. On one hand, your evil conduct brings suffering upon you; on the other hand, it deprives other people of guidance.
People's eyes are upon you. They are watching what the Promised Messiah (as) has accomplished. If you remain as you were, how can they become convinced of your truthfulness? When they see that you have gained no benefit from this religion, why would they accept it? If they do not see some change, some transformation, some true example of Islam and good character in your lives, then tell us: what need is there for people to make sacrifices?
For religion, women must leave their husbands. Husbands must leave their wives. They must give money. They must sacrifice their lives. They must give up everything. If there is nothing to be gained in the end, why would anyone sacrifice for your religion?
However, if they see that you have gained something and that a pure transformation has occurred in your lives, then certainly, to escape suffering and punishment in the afterlife, people will be willing to sacrifice their lives, wealth, family relations, and everything else.
Therefore, the greatest form of propagation and transformation that can occur is through the character of Ahmadis and through their spirituality. When people observe your character and spirituality, they will run toward you madly. So maintain such conduct that people come to you like children. Bring about a transformation within yourselves and become pure-hearted, so that light is produced within you, and others too are guided and benefit.
This is the path to avoiding suffering in both this world and the next. This is the cure that the Promised Messiah (as) has brought. But this cure is only effective if you use it.
May Allah the Almighty bring about a pure transformation within all of you and save you from every suffering. Ameen.
Published in Al-Fazl, March 12, 1923
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