Note: The Alislam Team assumes full responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies in this translation of the Friday Sermon.
March 9, 1923
Topics: Malkana Shuddhi Crisis, Volunteer Scheme for 150 Workers, Self-Funded Service, Military Discipline in Religious Work, Promised Messiah as Krishna, Propagation Among Hindus, Conditions for Dedication
After recitation of Tashahhud, Ta'awwuz, and Surah Al-Fatihah, Huzoor-e-Anwar addressed the community:
Before beginning the main sermon, I wish to share a conclusion to last week's sermon. Through the blessings of the Berlin mosque campaign, nine more individuals have taken the Bai'at (oath of allegiance). In fact, an entire household has become Ahmadi.
What happened was that our Manzil Farzand Ali Sahib went on a tour for the donation campaign. A non-Ahmadi family of nine members also brought a donation. They were told that only Ahmadis could participate in this donation. They had been receiving propagation for some time but had hesitated. Now, when they heard this condition, the entire household embraced Ahmadiyyat.
Is this not a sign of Allah's blessings? While some people leave Ahmadiyyat on account of the donation campaign, Allah the Almighty grants us both donations and people. As has been beautifully said: "Without asking, pearls are found; those who ask do not even receive charity." Since we reject the donations of outsiders, Allah grants us both people and money. On the other hand, there are those who accepted the Promised Messiah (as) and then became deprived.
Now I wish to present a matter that I mentioned during the Quranic lesson on Thursday and said I would elaborate on during the Friday sermon. Since many people are not present at the lessons—mostly guests from villages and some from here who could not attend due to necessary work, and some are ill—I will briefly explain the basis and subject of this sermon so the Jama'at becomes aware of this matter.
There are certain communities in India that are called Muslim by name, but faith has not taken root in them. These communities are not small in number—they are very large. Those familiar with the situation report that their number is one crore (ten million). If Hindus take control of them, they will become Hindu. One of these communities is the Rajput community known as the Malkanas, residing in the UP region—in areas like Agra, Aligarh, Farrukhabad, Mathura, and others. Their numbers in these regions are reported to be four and a half lakhs.
Islam entered among them at some point, but due to the negligence of Muslims, Islam did not take firm root. Now some Islamic practices are found among them: they perform circumcision, bury their dead, have marriages performed by a mulla. However, they also retain many Hindu customs. Many of their homes have idols upon which they make vows. They visit temples. In short, they possess many Hindu practices alongside Islamic ones. These people are largely ignorant of Islam except for superficial matters.
The Aryas have been making concerted efforts for sixteen years to turn these people back to Hinduism. They have been telling them: "You are actually Hindus. Your ancestors adopted the outward appearance of Islam due to the severity of Muslim rulers or some material inducement. Then, due to the mistakes of neighboring Muslims and the moral shortcomings and tyranny of present-day Muslims, the conviction has become firmly established in you that you are truly Hindu."
As a result of the Aryas' efforts, a large section of this population has been prepared to abandon Islam and become Hindu. This became evident a few months ago when the Aryas' campaign succeeded and they needed money to continue their work. It was then that Muslims learned about the scale of this apostasy. Previously, most Muslims were unaware of this situation and did not know the extent of the Aryas' activities.
The efforts made by Muslims so far have not borne fruit. Our missionaries who reached there wrote that when they tried to convince those apostatizing, they received a message saying: "If you come, we will kill you." This warning indicates how far removed these people have become from Islam.
When a Hindu converts to Islam, the Hindu community is thrown into turmoil and they exert every effort to bring him back to Hinduism and away from Islam, using every possible means. When Sheikh Abdul Rahman Sahib embraced Islam, great efforts were made to bring him back. I remember that Hindu women walked through the market weeping, as if in mourning, their intention being to influence him through his emotions.
When all their efforts failed, his relatives said: "Come with us. We have no objection to your Islam or remaining Muslim. You are our child; stay with us." Under such assurances, he went with them, but as soon as he left, he was imprisoned. They would not let him leave the house and began subjecting him to hardship. It was as if they had imprisoned him as the Sikhs used to do. But as the Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said: "When the joy of faith enters someone's heart, even if you cast them into fire, they will not turn back." Because Sheikh Sahib's heart had been filled with the joy of faith, all these hardships remained ineffective. After long imprisonment, one day an opportunity came and he escaped by climbing over the wall.
So the Hindu communities have such zeal, but Muslims do not possess this spirit. Although we are pained by this apostasy, when such a situation arises, our hearts are wounded. The abandonment of Islam by four and a half lakh people is no ordinary matter. This has created some fervor among Muslims, but not as much as is necessary. How could it be otherwise, given that these people have themselves abandoned Islam?
Some mulla leaders who went there have committed such absurd acts that they have caused harm. For instance, they remove their dhotis and make them wear pajamas, etc. Yet the dhoti and pajama have no connection to Islam. Many Muslims in different regions wear dhotis. Such acts will only drive these people away from Islam, as many will consider the change of their national customs as a humiliation and will move away from Islam.
Seeing this situation, we felt compelled to undertake work in this region. Although these people are not Ahmadi, so their apostasy does not directly affect us religiously, because they identify with Islam and it is our duty to uphold the honor and might of Islam—even if religiously we are not directly affected—I have decided to send my representatives to investigate and report.
I sent two individuals: Maulvi Muhafiz ul-Haq, who is learned, and Mian Abdul Qadir Sahib, B.A. to go there and prepare a report. From their reports, it appears that these people have become so influenced that they will certainly become Aryas.
After receiving these reports, I have conceived a strategy. I do not have the time or expediency to elaborate on its details here, but before announcing the plan, the Jama'at must understand the gravity of the situation. Just as you cannot ask someone to put out a fire unless you tell them their house is burning, so too I must first make the Jama'at aware that they must prepare to sacrifice their lives and property.
The work is extremely difficult. There is a people of four and a half lakh souls who have decided to change their religion. They are ready to abandon Islam and become Hindu. It is difficult enough to convince one or two people, but this is such a large community. Moreover, convincing even a small number requires a great deal of time. However, this work must be done in just two to four months—not over years.
Their villages are already becoming Hindu. Their leaders have already embraced Hinduism. We must stop the entire people or at least a significant portion of them in such a short time. This work requires tremendous effort and sacrifice—as they say, "to blend blood with water"—and unless we sacrifice our desires, our businesses, our comfort, our lives, and our property, this work cannot be accomplished.
This work is for those who are ready for every sacrifice, whose determination and resolve is such that, God willing, they will accomplish this task come what may. Their situation should be such as described in the Quran: "Fighting and being fought"—they have only two options before them: either they will accomplish this work and convert these people to Ahmadiyyat, or they will sacrifice themselves in this effort. Only then can success be hoped for.
This is a large community, and there is another crore-strong group beyond these four and a half lakhs. One or two people cannot accomplish this task. We do not have money, nor is this work for just a few people. It requires dozens of workers and substantial expenses.
Based on this situation, I have devised a scheme. My current assessment is that we need one hundred and fifty people to work in this region. The method of work will be as follows: these one hundred and fifty will be divided into groups of thirty. There will be four such divisions, and three people will be kept in reserve in case some mishap occurs—someone falls ill or some other calamity befalls—so we can send replacements.
Each of these one hundred and fifty will have to take an oath and dedicate their lives for three months (initially). Some applications have already come, but I have not responded to them. After hearing the conditions I will now announce, whoever submits applications will have their applications considered.
First and foremost: We will not provide any allowance whatsoever for expenses. They must bear their own living expenses and the expenses of their families themselves. Those ready to dedicate their lives in this manner and go to this region should submit applications.
We need one hundred and fifty people. They will cover all their own expenses—travel, lodging, etc. Whether they travel on foot or by some means of transportation is their choice, but we will not provide a single paisa of their expenses. The only exception is those whom we ourselves arrange to send on the campaign. Even for them, we will provide only third-class fare, regardless of their status or condition, and keep expenses minimal.
Apart from these special cases, those dedicating their lives will bear their own expenses and the expenses of their families. However, postal expenses or propagation expenses, should any arise, will be provided by us. For this, the Jama'at will need to donate fifty thousand rupees.
Those appointed as missionaries will work in the same manner—bearing their own expenses. Whether they have children or other dependents whose expenses they must cover, they will bear them themselves.
Those employed in offices or as teachers: We will not arrange leave for them. They will manage themselves. If they have earned leave, they can take it. If they can obtain a leave of absence, they can take that. They must arrange their own leave. We will not create special rules for anyone. Just as they obtain leave for their worldly affairs, they should obtain it now.
Those employed will make their own arrangements, and those not employed and running their own businesses can free themselves whenever they choose. They should inform us in their applications which of the three three-month periods they are ready to work in.
At this time, both speed and proper organization are needed. Although one hundred and fifty people seem few, under proper organization, God willing, the work will be excellent. It has been observed that small European armies overcome large Asian armies because they operate under strict organization. Moreover, that organization is extremely stringent. A person under such organization has no choice—they cannot even sigh in complaint.
There was a humorous anecdote published in English newspapers in Europe: An officer noticed that a soldier in a line was walking crooked. He told him to walk straight. The soldier corrected his gait. Soon after, the officer noticed again that he was still walking crooked. He drew his attention to it again, and the officer accompanying him was told to bring a case against him. It turned out that in reality, the soldier was actually walking straight. When asked what the case against him would be, he said: "I am walking straight." Another officer said to first dismiss the case about walking and bring a case about the soldier answering back to an officer—something he should not have brought up at that moment. If a case was being tried, he could have presented it then.
During that same campaign, a university corps was formed with a proportionally high number of our Ahmadis. Our one Ahmadi received an order to place a pillar at a certain location. He did it. But a report came saying he had not placed it. When questioned, he said he had placed it, but in the process, he made the mistake of writing that the officer's report was incorrect. Because of this, a case was filed against him.
So under this organization, we will maintain strict discipline, and those appointed as heads must be obeyed completely. It is possible that officers might occasionally be harsh and even strike. But those serving under them must go, leaving behind all their own desires, and work despite all hardships. If the officer inflicts unjust hardship, they can report it after the work is completed. But while working, they must obey the officers. Subordinates must follow orders come what may. If officers are unjust, Allah will punish them. The subordinates will receive the reward for patience, and they can report afterward.
So those submitting applications should understand: they must obey the officers, undertake the journey at their own expense, and cover the living expenses of their wives and children themselves—except for the missionaries we personally arrange to send.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah (as), had announced a scheme for dedicated workers. Many people had dedicated their lives. One of them, Chaudhary Fateh Muhammad Sahib, is engaged in propagation work. There are two or three others. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib is also propagating. Others have engaged themselves in their respective occupations.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad appointed Sayed Hamid Shah Sahib (may Allah have mercy on him) to formulate the conditions. Shah Sahib prepared the conditions, and I presented them to Hazrat Sahib. Among these conditions was that he would take no salary, would walk barefoot, that the earth would be his bed and the sky his quilt, and he would sustain himself by eating the leaves of trees. Some outsiders laughed when they heard these conditions, but Hazrat Sahib approved them and said: "Islam needs such people."
I mention this incident because the method of dedicating one's life was established by Hazrat Sahib himself. We are merely continuing His work or elaborating on His purpose. This was the Islamic way. Our friends should be prepared for this.
Those working under this scheme must each do their own work. If they must cook their own food, they will cook it. If they must sleep in forests, they will sleep there. Those ready to endure this hardship and labor should come. They will have to sacrifice their honor and their personal opinions.
The labor of such people will not be wasted. They will walk barefoot through forests. Allah will not render their labor in vain, provided it is done with sincerity. The hardness their feet acquire from walking barefoot through forests will serve them when they must cross the bridge of Sirat on the Day of Judgment. The station they will attain after death will be a place of rest and comfort—a place where neither hunger nor thirst afflicts its inhabitants. These few days of hunger and thirst are nothing compared to such a reward.
You have demonstrated sincerity through donations. But now be prepared—there will be demands on your lives. Remember, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah (as), is not only the Messiah and the Mahdi; He is also Krishna. That is, He is a guide for Hindus as well.
Now we will begin propagation among them. Until we propagate among Hindus, how can the Promised Messiah (as) be proven to be Krishna? The Promised Messiah (as) is the Messiah—His Jama'at will overcome Christians. He is the Mahdi—Muslims will receive renewed guidance through Him. He is Krishna—His Jama'at will gain dominance and acceptance among Hindus.
The paths for spreading truth are opening before us. We will work among Hindus and spread the faith to even the most barbarous peoples. This is a time of intense struggle. Let the people of our Jama'at come forward.
Therefore, through this announcement, I address the friends here and then the friends outside: on this opportunity, make sacrifices and submit your applications. So that work can begin as quickly as possible.
May Allah the Almighty grant us the ability to succeed in this struggle, spread truth through us, and enable us to fulfill the covenant we made with the Promised Messiah (as) to place the religion before the world. Ameen.
When Huzoor began the second sermon, some people started to stand. Huzoor remarked that one does not stand while the sermon is being delivered, but only after it is completed. When Huzoor finished the sermon, He said: "Now you may stand."
Published in Al-Fazl, March 15, 1923
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