Note: The Alislam Team assumes full responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies in this translation of the Friday Sermon.
(Sermon delivered on 1 February 1924) Published in Al-Fazl, 18 February 1924
Topics: Guidance, Prayer, Surah Fatiha, Ahmadiyya beliefs
After reciting the Tashahhud, Ta'awwudh, and Surah Al-Fatiha, Huzoor(ra) said:
I frequently hear from people, or come across in books, something that causes me great astonishment — that some people, out of their own foolishness, assume that whatever already exists requires no guidance, and that guidance is only needed for things that do not yet exist. There is no greater ignorance than this.
In this world, ignorance is of two kinds. The first is not knowing whether a thing of a certain kind exists at all, or whether a particular need can be fulfilled. The second is not knowing where that need can be fulfilled. Both kinds of ignorance lead to ruin. A person who does not know that his illness has a cure, and a person who knows there is a cure but does not know where it can be obtained — both are in danger. The latter will wander helplessly from place to place: he will go to a carpenter asking for quinine, or to a blacksmith asking for some medicine. We observe many things of which people are unaware of the source, despite using them every day. Take tea, for instance — many people do not know where it comes from, even though they drink it daily. They do not know that tea is also grown in India, and in great abundance in the Kangra district of Punjab, because people generally assume that tea only comes from abroad. So ignorance is not merely the absence of knowledge about something; it is equally ignorance to know that a need exists but not know where it can be fulfilled.
The greatest obstacle that people raise against the claim of Hazrat Sahib(as) is that since guidance has already come, what need is there to accept Mirza Sahib? But they do not know where the portion of guidance they lack is to be found, or how it can be obtained. Now, consider a child who has lost his mother and is wandering about weeping for her. Can you console him by merely telling him that his mother is in such-and-such place, or must you actually take him to her? In the same way, even if the entire world were filled with guidance, but we did not know where that guidance is and with whom it can be found — we would still be lost. In both situations, destruction awaits. A person who does not know what the remedy for his illness is, and a person who does not know where the remedy is to be found — both face ruin, and both are in danger.
Likewise, a community that does not know where guidance is to be found is in the same situation as one that does not know whether guidance exists at all.
In the word اِهْدِنَا (ihdina — "Guide us") [1:6], an allusion has been made to the fact that guidance has indeed come, but we do not know where it is. For at present, we see that everyone claims to be a follower of the Quran. Therefore, it is God's own task to inform us which group among those who claim to follow the Quran is included in اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ ("those upon whom You have bestowed Your favours") [1:7]. So the word ihdina tells us that even with guidance present, we need to seek out where that guidance is — because merely claiming to accept the Quran does not constitute guidance; guidance comes through actually walking upon its teachings. And if we cannot identify who is truly walking upon its teachings, what benefit do we derive from that guidance?
If the Holy Quran did not exist, we would be in a state of ruin — just as we would be if the Quran existed but there were no one before us to correctly explain its teachings and to embody them. Therefore, under this perpetual need, prophets and messengers have always been necessary and will remain necessary — until we know where guidance can be obtained and who is truly following it. Only then will we be safe from danger. And for truths themselves, there is also a need to know which interpretations of them are correct.
Look — even with the teachings of Hazrat Sahib(as) before us, differences of opinion have appeared. For this too, only God's help is needed to determine which of two groups is upon the truth; otherwise, the matter becomes ambiguous. For one group brings forth proofs from Hazrat Sahib's(as) own writings to show that he was not a prophet, and another group brings forth proofs to show that he was a prophet. One group demonstrates from his teachings that anyone who denies Hazrat Sahib(as) is a disbeliever and his funeral prayer is not permissible, and the other group proves the opposite. We certainly have our arguments, but even so, it is necessary that we supplicate before Allah that He protect us from going astray and keep us firm upon the truth.
Thus, Surah Al-Fatiha [1:1-7] teaches us that we are in need of guidance at every moment. Look — even now, different interpretations and commentaries of Hazrat Sahib's(as) books have begun to emerge. Those who become complacent about their own condition are the ones who always stumble. But those who understand that they are in need of guidance at every moment, and in need of God's help at every moment — they remain safe from stumbling.
When our disagreement first began, even though I had sufficient arguments concerning those beliefs, I nevertheless prayed repeatedly and continuously over many days: "O God! If these beliefs are not correct and I ought not to hold to them, then make it manifest to me that these thoughts of mine are not right, and turn me away from these beliefs. I have absolutely no need to insist that Mirza Sahib is a prophet or not — I only need Your pleasure." After this prayer, when it was revealed to me with great certainty from Allah that the beliefs I hold are correct, and that the Promised Messiah(as) is indeed truly a prophet — only then did I attain peace of mind.
When both arguments and divine guidance come together, there remains no room for any doubt or misgiving.
Therefore, the person who truly feels the need for faith must continue to pray that God keep him upon the correct path. It is only the Being of Allah Almighty who is free from error. No other human being is safe from error, and for everyone there is the danger of stumbling at any moment. It is therefore the duty of every Muslim to continuously pray to Allah: "Keep me steadfast upon guidance, and O God, I am in need of Your help at every moment." It is possible that I may seek guidance from a person who is himself truly misguided, and it is possible that guidance is with a certain person but I do not know that guidance is with him. When a person prays with sincerity, Allah Almighty most surely establishes him upon the truth — but the condition is that he pray with genuine sincerity, truly considering himself to be in need of guidance and of Allah's help. If he is not in such a state, then he is seeking to deceive God — and who is more misguided than the one who seeks to deceive God? — when his inner self is saying that he has no need of guidance, and outwardly he is making a show of needing it. The prayer of such a person will be of no benefit.
Therefore, it is the duty of every Muslim that while reciting Surah Al-Fatiha he reflect upon its meanings and pray that he remain steadfast upon guidance.
May Allah Almighty grant all the friends the ability to understand His Majesty and to lay themselves before Him as though lifeless, so that His help may be with us and He may keep us firm upon the truth. (Ameen)
(Al-Fazl, 18 February 1924)
Related Resources