Huzur delivered his Friday Sermon on the subject of thankfulness.

Huzur said a few days ago, on the 27th of May, with the grace and blessings of Allah we celebrated Khilafat Day. He said he had mentioned in his address [of the day] that this year the Khilafat Day held significance of the kind that usually only comes once in a lifetime of a person. It is a blessing of Allah that He granted us the experience of the centenary of Ahmadiyya Khilafat. In the one hundred and twenty year history of the community Allah has given us the occasion to mark two centenaries of the community for which each Ahmadi is overwhelmed with gratefulness to Allah. In 1989 the centenary of the founding of the community was commemorated while this year, in thankfulness, we celebrate one hundred years of Khilafat e Ahmadiyya. Those who were not yet born in 1989 or were not old enough at the time or those who have come into Ahmadiyyat after 1989 most certainly must have had a unique experience of the Khilafat centenary.

Huzur said the community world over has planned special events to mark the centenary and also came together for the central event via the satellite link of MTA for the event at Excel Centre, London. The Khilafat Jalsa at Excel on 27th May was attended by people in excess of 18,000 and had a live satellite link to Qadian and Rabwah which was an amazing experience. Huzur said many letters and faxes have started pouring in with men and women expressing the remarkable emotions they felt. Huzur said the letters are from people who were actually present at Excel and those who saw the event via satellite link, whether with their local Jama’at or privately at home. Huzur said this experience made each person watching feel as if they were strung together in a cord of unity; this was a sense of the fulfilment of the Divine promises to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).

The day exhibited to us, and to others, signs of Divine help and succour. Those present at Excel told Huzur that they found the event had revived their faith. The rest of the Jama’at feels the same and is expressing its overwhelming love for Khilafat to Huzur. Someone wrote to Huzur saying he felt he had become an Ahmadi all over again. Huzur said some who had taken the bai’at of the fifth Khilafat e Ahmadiyya but were perhaps unsure now admit that this event has, as if cleansed and polished their hearts and they are now truly and sincerely ready to make every sacrifice for Khilafat e Ahmadiyya. Another person wrote to Huzur that if an event could ever be a source of reviving those spiritually dead it was the event of 27th May at Excel and it was Huzur’s address on the day. Huzur said may Allah make it so that the revolutionary change has come about and is also lasting. May we always maintain the pure changes in our ‘self’ while being grateful servants of God.

Huzur said the indigenous British people at Excel were also surprised to note that contrary to the general impression that Muslims are not very disciplined, they saw us orderly and well-organised. Each Ahmadi man, woman, child of all races had one focus of attention and it was evident from their faces. A female Excel security person told one of our ladies that observing us was a completely new experience for her and it showed her what Islam was about. She said seeing what she saw she wished to become a Muslim. Huzur said while the lady’s reaction may be impulsive his prayer was that such experiences may bring pure changes in people.

Huzur said the glory of unity that was observed by us and by others at the Khilafat centenary Jalsa is specific to the community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) as the rest [of the Muslims] are beset with discord and they shall remain so unless they accept the truth of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Huzur said people of other religions have forgotten God and it is only the community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that is mindful of the objective of creation and which is holding on to that Urwatil Wuthqa ‘strong handle’ (2:257) about which Allah has given the guarantee that it shall never break. Huzur said this is a handle of that vessel which Allah has filled with fresh spiritual water through the Messiah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Holding onto this handle means one’s faith will always be secure and those who make endeavours through their practises - once they have taken bai’at - will continue to advance in their faith. Huzur said those who hold onto this handle can sacrifice their life but cannot let go of this handle because in doing so they jeopardise their faith. Indeed many Ahmadi sons have been murdered in front of their mothers, fathers in front of their sons and sons in front of their fathers. Many Ahmadis have been martyred and indeed tortured for being Ahmadis. Huzur said these are not episodes of long ago; such incidents took place even this year. However, this torture and this persecution cannot falter our resoluteness. Huzur said the happiness of the Khilafat centenary is a joy of Allah’s blessings; it is the happiness of the grace that He has granted to the adherents of Khilafat. We must remember the [Ahmadi] martyrs and their families amidst all this. Huzur said one meaning of Urwa is a verdant place which is evergreen. Allah has granted such an evergreen verdant place to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Holding onto this Urwatil Wuthqa will enable us to be the recipients of Divine blessings.

Explaining the aforementioned verse (2:257) Huzur said those who will adhere to the blessing of the ‘strong handle’ with sincerity of heart and will continue to pray to stay firm should remember that Allah listens to prayers and He never wastes sincere prayer. Huzur said we will continue to seek beneficence from this blessing and despite our minor weaknesses and due to our sincerity of intent Allah shall continue to generate faith in us and in our next generation that will make us the recipients of perennially fresh blessings.

Today as we renew our faith, the outsiders are wondering about it all and the envious are consumed with envy and this too is in accordance with the prophecy of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Indeed the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that the miracles of our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) continue to manifest in this age and shall continue to manifest till the Day of Judgement. He said whatever appears in his support is in fact a sign of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him).

Huzur said may Allah make the unity, accord and love for Khilafat that is so evident today, lasting. May we continue to turn to Allah in thankfulness so that He makes His blessings on us and on our next generation enduring and permanent. Citing the Quranic verse 14:8 Huzur said when he looks at his daily post, it moves him deeply and he wonders how to thank Allah. There is such a profusion of Allah’s blessings on the community that even if one is grateful with every fibre of one’s being, the dues of thankfulness are not met. Huzur said he is currently receiving correspondence expressing tremendous gratefulness and sentiments about Khilafat that he had no doubt in saying that such people can only be found in the community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Huzur urged not to ever let this fervour wane, he said this is indeed the source for enhancing one’s faith.

Today the world is embroiled in idle and vain pursuits and has no guidance. It is only the community of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that is disciplined and organised under the auspices of Khilafat. Huzur said mere verbal thankfulness is not enough; one needs to reform one’s practices to attract Allah’s blessings. Huzur said that we should pray for him and he will pray for us so that these sentiments of thankfulness do not ever end. Huzur said he is receiving numerous letters and faxes from brothers and sisters and while he tries to respond to them all personally there could be delay in this as due to his upcoming engagements there is a lot of workload. Huzur said he would reiterate that he prays that may Allah increase us in our faith. He said the correspondence he receives express such beautiful emotions that he is overwhelmed by them and cannot articulate the beauty of the sentiments expressed.

Among the grace and blessing of Allah on us one is the technology of satellite television in the shape of MTA which is mostly run by volunteers. There are very few paid employees. These people are performing a great task in broadcasting the blessings on the community to the world and are broadcasting the message of Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) to the world. Indeed, Allah informed the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) through a revelation that He will make him triumphant in the words ‘Allah has declared: ‘Most surely I will prevail, I and My Messengers’… words that are also a Quranic verse (58:22). Huzur said while triumph is destined Allah brings it about through worldly means. In his time the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote books and thus gave us a treasure-house. This was a great source and now in this age through MTA this treasure-house is being relayed to the world. For the advancement of the community the blessings of Khilafat are also circulated through MTA. It is a source that takes the message of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) to the world. While MTA is a source of broadcasting our triumph it is also a means to attain triumph. The work that his master, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) performed, is entrusted to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in this age. This includes showing of miracles, purifying of hearts, spreading the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and pearls of wisdom among humanity. Huzur said today it is just MTA that is performing these tasks. Other Islamic channels do not seem to depict all the four aspects and other channels cannot operate without the aid of advertisement. Much nonsense is shown in the name of entertainment. It is only MTA that is fulfilling the objective of the advent of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Ahmadis should watch it for their own Tarbiyyat. Indeed the message of Khilafat is also broadcast through MTA. Huzur said without Khilafat no matter how well-intentioned an organisation or a committee may have been, it could not have run MTA as it is run now. MTA is indeed one of the blessings among other blessings of Khilafat and cannot function without Khilafat. Huzur said that he has specified this so that people realise that all the systems that Allah has put in place to fulfil the promises made to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) are attached to the system of Khilafat.

Huzur said he hoped the feelings generated by the centenary are not temporary. He said a lot of people were greatly moved by the pledge that he took from the community on the day [27th May]. The pledge should be kept fresh in hearts and minds and should be a source to strengthen us further. Nothing can be accomplished without the grace of Allah and to attain this we have the means of raising the standards of our worship, increase in piety and endeavour to do good works. Huzur said obedience of the system of the community Nazam e Jama’at is essential for piety. Adherence to a system that is established through Khilafat is necessary. May Allah enable us all to do so.

Good news that was received on 27th May is that the endeavours of the Jama’at in Italy to have a mission house have borne fruit and a deal has been made with the local council. Thus we are enabled to establish a centre in the 100th year of Khilafat in a country that is the seat of Christianity.

Huzur said despite the hue and cry raised by the mullah in Pakistan, our Jama’at there was able to participate [via satellite link] in the proceedings of 27th May at Excel Centre, London. However, restrictions have been now placed. Nonetheless on the day there was no sense of deprivation as it was experienced during the 1989 centenary when the then [Pakistani] government had passed an Ordinance against any expression of commemoration. There was concern as currently it is the same [political] government in the Punjab but thank God food and sweets were distributed among children. Such is their condition that because it was all done quietly and they did not come to know about it they are giving statements on the lines that they did not allow the ‘Qadianis’ to hold their event and that it was a most significant achievement of the government to save the Muslim ummah from destruction. Huzur remarked in their minds the destruction of the Muslim ummah was in giving sweets to children!

Huzur asked for prayers for Pakistan, that Allah guides the masses of the country on the straight path and may the politicians honour the dues of government. Huzur said the state of the country is dire, the treasury is empty but no one cares. The masses are going hungry. Huzur said as we celebrate the joy of Khilafat centenary we should remember Pakistan in our prayers, may Allah alleviate the troubles of the poor and the disadvantaged. Huzur said special prayers should be made for Muslim countries that they recognise and accept the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and prayers should be made for the world in general which is heading towards destruction may Allah save it from torment and enable it to accept the truth so that the banner of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is raised everywhere.