In keeping with tradition, Huzoor^(aba) announced the start of the new Tehrik e Jadid Year in his Friday Sermon today. He began by reciting verse 262 of Surah Al Baqarah (2:262), which beautifully narrates Allah's reward for those who spend in His cause.

Huzoor^(aba) said that Allah enthuses the believers to spend in His cause in many ways: by illustrating its benefits, cautioning against the pitfalls of refraining to do so and indeed by enjoining Zakat.

Spending in the way of Allah is a doubtlessly a transaction of bargain and as such should be invested with the very best of provision and wealth. Huzoor^(aba) said the prophets of God are the most generous in spending in the way of Allah followed by others in degrees. Indeed the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) was the most generous among all creation in this respect and among his Companions Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the foremost.

Huzoor^(aba) said in the current age, according to the prophecy of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) it is the community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) who could be appropriately referred to as 'the believers who spend in the way of Allah' and that many of us today enjoy economic well-being due to the monetary sacrifices made by our elders, not only should we be aware of this we should also inculcate an awareness among our next generation about this blessing.

Elucidating the Quranic verse (2:262) Huzoor^(aba) said that when it is stated that Allah enhances the wealth spent in His cause 700 fold, that is just a figure of speech, in actual fact there is no limit to the recompense Allah can provide to those who spend in His cause. Allah indeed has power to increase and multiply everything from its original dimension and it is due to this very Divine Power that we are all alive.

Huzoor^(aba) further expounded the virtue of spending in the cause of Allah by relating many ahadith; the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) explaining by word and by deed the advantages of spending magnanimously in the cause of Allah. Huzoor^(aba) said that in the current age the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has enjoined that his continual admonition to spend in the cause of Allah was from God, as his period was the time that Islam was in decline, for which the Promised Messiah's (on whom be peace) mission had materialized, therefore it is imperative that we spend generously towards the advancement of Islam.

Next Huzoor^(aba) gave detailed facts and figures of the last Tehrik e Jadid Year that concluded on 31st October 2003. Huzoor^(aba) informed that so far a total of £2,812,000 (28 lakh 12 thousand pound sterling) has been received in the last Tehrik e Jadid year with the highest contribution from Pakistan, followed by USA, Germany and then Britain. In excess of 384,000 individuals participated in the scheme. Huzoor^(aba) concluded with prayers that may Allah enable us to continually exceed our targets and aspirations in this good cause.