Note: The Alislam Team assumes full responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies in this translation of the Friday Sermon.
(Delivered on 8 February 1924) Published in Al-Fazl, 15 February 1924
Topics: Tabligh, Surah Al-Fatihah, Collective Responsibility, Guidance
After reciting the tashahhud, taʿawwudh, and Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, Huzoor(ra) said:
Due to a throat ailment I am not able to speak at length, and for the same reason I have not been able to deliver lessons these days, for I have observed that even speaking a little aggravates the throat so severely, and such poison is absorbed from it, that it brings on a fever. Nevertheless, on the occasion of Friday I thought it most appropriate to say a few words.
In the past two sermons I have drawn the attention of the friends of my Community to the point that Sūrah al-Fātiḥah teaches us two lessons: the first, how many kinds of knowledge there are; and the second, how many kinds of ignorance there are. Today I draw the attention of my friends to the third lesson.
The first two lessons concern the individual's own self — that one must reform oneself. The third lesson is this: no human being is entitled to regard himself as an independent, self-contained existence. For the sake of wholesome competition, God Almighty has certainly taught that a person may consider himself a distinct individual; but for his own benefit alone, no human being can set himself apart as an independent existence. Indeed, all of his progress has been bound up with others.
This fact demonstrates that the divine intention is that man should not regard himself as a separate, self-contained being. Consider illness, for example. There is no illness that is confined to one person alone. It never happens that only one specific individual suffers from a particular disease while no one else is afflicted by it. Rather, every illness affects others as well. Some contagious diseases are well known in this regard. We observe that if one person yawns in a gathering, the mouths of others open too. In even the most grief-stricken gathering, if a person arrives whose heart is genuinely full of joy, all those sorrowful people will become cheerful. Likewise, if a tearful person enters a joyful gathering, a mood of sadness will come over everyone. For instance, if during a sermon one person says Subḥānallāh, the same words begin to flow from the tongues of others. If one person begins to weep during prayer, a note of tenderness will be heard in the voices of others too.
One person works diligently, and others benefit from it. A healthy employee — from his work and effort, his wife, children, and employer all derive benefit. So there is no joy or sorrow, no ease or hardship, that is confined to one person alone.
Why has God ordained this arrangement? To such a degree that even punishment, while it has a special and primary connection with a particular individual, inevitably leaves its effects upon others as well. For example, when a person dies young as a consequence of divine punishment, his wife and children are compelled to bear its consequences too. In the same way, when blessings descend upon certain people, their relatives and associates also benefit. A person who maintains a connection with one who serves the faith will also receive a share in that good work. If one sits with a scholar, one too will gain knowledge. This law therefore tells us that we must look at every action and recognise that it will not remain confined to our own person alone — for if the other person is ill and his illness prevails, we too shall fall ill; or if our own illness prevails, others will contract the sickness. Likewise, if we are healthy and our health prevails, others too will attain health.
It is toward this very truth that Sūrah al-Fātiḥah points, in that the word "I" has been entirely removed from it. Wherever the first person is used, the word employed is "we." In all three places, the word "we" has been used: we worship, we ask God for help, and we ask Him for guidance. When we utter a word whose specific referent is not determined, we look to the preceding words of that speech to ascertain what that word specifies. Here we find that this Sūrah begins with Rabb al-ʿĀlamīn — ["Lord of all the worlds" — 1:2] — from which we understand that at the very minimum, if we take its meaning as referring to all of humanity, then we must acknowledge that on behalf of all human beings we are saying: we seek Your help, we seek guidance from You.
Certainly, for the sake of wholesome competition and mutual assistance, the word "I" is used; but for collective affairs, "we" is used. Thus, in the passage from Iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn ["You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help"] through to Ihdinā al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm ["Guide us to the straight path"], it becomes clear that a person can only truly worship when all other human beings also receive guidance, and can only truly be saved from destruction when all people receive guidance and assistance from God. For if only he has received guidance and others have not, those misguided others can lead him astray; and if they do not lead him astray, they will surely lead his children astray. So he can remain safe only when those around him are also safe.
Sūrah al-Fātiḥah therefore teaches us that it is our duty to direct our efforts toward bringing the rest of humanity to guidance as well. If we merely pray with words for their guidance, yet make no effort toward it, this would mean that we are speaking untruth. Tablīgh is among the most fundamental and highest duties incumbent upon man.
Now, when one is praying that God grant guidance to all, how strange it is that when guidance is given to him, he keeps the share that belongs to others in his own possession — that person is then a thief and a robber. There is therefore a danger that even the guidance that was given to him may be taken away. Only that person, then, can attain the honour of acceptance who delivers to others what is their due share of guidance and does not steal it from them. But the person who does not convey guidance to others is in danger of himself being deprived of all guidance.
I therefore draw the attention of the entire Community to this matter: convey guidance to others as swiftly as possible in this age. May Allah grant us the tawfīq (strength) to understand our duties, to fulfil our responsibilities, and to deliver guidance to others.
(Al-Fazl, 15 February 1924)
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