The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said: ‘Allah the Exalted has created man so that he may attain knowledge and nearness of God. ‘And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me’. (51:57). How else can be a person treated who does not keep this real purpose in view and is embroiled night and day in worldliness, to acquire such and such land, to build such and such house, to possess such and such property but to be summoned back from this world after a brief respite? Man’s heart should have an ache to attain nearness of Allah the Exalted due to which he becomes worthy in the sight of God. If he does not have this ache and is only concerned about the world and all that is in it, he will be killed after a brief respite.’ The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) further said: ‘Regrettably, rather than understand their obligation and keep the purpose and objective of their life in view, after attaining adulthood most people in this world abandon God and turn to the world. They are so enamoured by the wealth and reputation of the world that they keep a very small measure for Allah the Exalted. They are only engrossed in the world and succumb to it and have no clue that there is also a God.’

Hazrat Khalifatul Mash V said this is the meaning and explanation of the Quranic verse: ‘And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me’. Real worship is keeping God’s pleasure in view in every matter. Real worship of God is when earning a livelihood is also done according to the commandments of God and not with lies and deception and while forgetting God. Rights of worship of God are not fulfilled merely by offering Salat. This was explained in last Friday sermon. If other commandments of God are not kept in view then offering Salat is of no use. For example if truthfulness is not adhered to in every matter, then coming to mosque to offer Salat will not be real worship of God. Similarly rancour, malice, jealousy and many other ills destroy the essence of worship of God. One becomes a real servant of God when God’s pleasure is kept in view in every matter. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V said he often gives a discourse on this subject to draw attention and today he will derive benefit from a sermon given by Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him). His style was to explain a subject by relating incidents which unfolds how principles can be applied in life. Before expounding the subject Huzoor presented a quote of Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) which explains his status and this will be beneficial for younger people as well as new Ahmadis.

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said at the 1936 Shura: ‘There is the kind of Khilafat whereby Allah the Exalted makes people elect the Khalifa and He then accepts him. However, this Khilafat is not of that kind. That is, I am not a Khalifa because the day after the passing away of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I people of Jama’at Ahmadiyya collectively agreed on my Khilafat. Rather, I am also a Khalifa because even before the Khilafat of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I, in light of Divine revelation the Promised Messiah had said that I will be Khalifa. Thus, I am not [just] a Khalifa in fact I am a Khalifa who was promised to come. I am not commissioned by God but my voice is the voice of Allah the Exalted because Allah the Exalted informed this through the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). The status of this Khilafat is between the status of being commissioned by God and Khilafat. This opportunity is such that Jama’at Ahmadiyya cannot be successful before Allah the Exalted if it does not avail of it. Just as it is true that Prophets do not come every day, it is also true that a promised Khalifa also does not come every day.’

On a personal level, Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) was also a testimony of the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). His knowledge of the Divine, of which God had informed the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in advance, should be availed by members of the Jama’at through reading. Huzoor said he time to time presents this with reference to different subjects. A short while ago Huzoor gave an entire sermon in light of a sermon of Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased him) and today once again he will quote from one of his sermons and in part summarise his discourse. Explaining the subject of ‘And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me’ Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

‘Many philosopher and educated people question with reference to the high purpose for which man was created and ask if this purpose has been successful and has God Almighty taken the task from humanity for which it was created. The purpose which God Almighty had in view when creating man was: ‘And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.’ (51:57) That is, they were created for worship or to become servants of God. People ask if mankind is in fact progressing in this way and is it really worthy of being called servants of God, the answer to this is no. People then ask if there is a Creator of mankind why He has not been successful in this! It should be remembered in this regard that Prophets of God come to answer this question and generate a wave of piety in the world seeing which even their detractors acknowledge that the purpose has been fulfilled and even the wait of a thousand days is not too much for it. The time of Prophets of God is so precious that it cannot be adequately/sufficiently valued. Allah the Exalted has also called the time of Prophets of God ‘Lailatul Qadr (Night of Destiny) and has stated: ‘The Night of Destiny is better than a thousand months.’ (97:4)...A short while ago I gave sermons regarding practical reformation and drew the attention of the Jama’at that we need to give great sacrifices for the magnificent purpose for which the advent of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) took place. We have convinced the world as regards our creed; however, there is still need to convince the world about Islam as regards our practices because without this the detractors cannot be really influenced.

A broad example of [good] practices is that of truthfulness. This can be perceived even by the enemy, who cannot see sincerity of heart and faith but can perceive truthfulness. An incident before the advent of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) relates to a court case about property of our family. This was about the terrace of the house where now offices of Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya are located. The land of the terrace belonged to our family but the owners of the house had had long term possession of it. The older brother of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) started a court case for its possession and as is the custom with worldly people that when there is a court case regarding land etc. over which they assume they have right, they provide true and false testimonies to attain it. His brother also provided true and false testimonies to prove his ownership. In response the owners of the house said they did not need any proof, his younger brother should be summoned to give testimony and they would agree with whatever he would say. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) came as a witness and when he was asked if he had been seeing those people come and go from this way and also sit on it for a long period, he replied yes. On this, the court decided in their favour. The Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) brother considered this as his dishonour and was very angry but the Promised Messiah said how could he deny what was a fact!

Similarly, a court case was filed against the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that he had defrauded the Post Office. At the time the law was that if anyone put a letter in a parcel it was considered as defrauding the Post Office and it was deemed a criminal offence which could be punishable by imprisonment…The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) sent a parcel with material for publication to a newspaper and inadvertently put a letter in the parcel giving instructions about the publication. The people of the press were probably Christians and they reported the matter and a court case was filed. The Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) lawyer said to him that the intent of the plaintiff was clear and their testimonies in this regard will not hold ground, and if the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) denied the matter, nothing could be done…The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said, ‘this cannot be so, how can I deny something I have done?’ When he was presented before the court, he was asked if he had put a letter in the parcel and he answered, yes. Such truthfulness was bound to affect others; it affected the court as well and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was acquitted. The court remarked how such a truthful person could be punished for a terminological crime.

There were many other incidents during court cases in which the lawyers concerned grew to have great respect for the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). In one court case the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) did not hire Sheikh Hamid Ali Sahib as his lawyer. He wrote that he was sorry that he had not been hired, not because he had any monetary designs but because he had lost an opportunity to serve. Even an enemy cannot escape acknowledging truthfulness and honesty. Sheikh Hamid Ali Sahib remained a non-Ahmadi all his life and did not take Bai’at but his apparent sincerity with the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was not any less than any Ahmadi…When Maulwi Karam Din filed a court case against the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in Jhelum, a Hindu lawyer Lala Bheem Sain Sahib wrote a letter saying that his son had just passed the Bar exam and he wished his son to have the opportunity to serve the Promised Messiah. So, if permitted his son could represent him…he made this sincere request because he had the chance to be with the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in Sialkot and he had seen his truthfulness…

Prophets of God come in this world to establish truthfulness and honesty and set a model which a beholder cannot escape being impressed with…the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) did not invent canons and machine guns. What was it that he gave to the world, the protection of which was the responsibility of his followers? It was the spirit of truthfulness and high morals. This was missing at the time; he first earned it and then gave this treasure to the world. The responsibility on his Companions, their children and the children of their children was to safeguard these matters.

When the first revelation was revealed to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)…he was perturbed…as to how he would accomplish this magnificent task. He went home to Hazrat Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) in this state. He felt cold due to intensity of emotions and when he entered his home he said to Hazrat Khadija, ‘wrap a cover over me, wrap a cover over me’. Hazrat Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) asked what troubled him and he related the whole incident. Hazrat Khadija responded: ‘Most certainly, God will never let you down because you have such and such qualities.’ One of the qualities she mentioned was that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had instilled those morals in himself that were lost in the world and he had thus found a lost asset of humanity, how could God waste a person like him? This is the purpose of the advent of Prophets of God and this is the trust given to believers and it is their obligation to safeguard it.

Without doubt believers hold Prophets of God very dear out of love. However, in reality the greatness of Prophets of God is that spiritual light for which Allah the Exalted commissions them and which they have to spread in the world. Their greatness stems from the message of God that they bring. Therefore, when followers of a Prophet of God sacrifice their lives for his protection, what would they not be ready to do to safeguard his message!

Reading the incidents of the sacrifices the Companions made to protect the life of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) make hairs stand on ends and seeing their love even today a wave of love develops. During the battle of Uhad a time came when only one Companion remained with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) while enemy was throwing arrows and stones in large quantities. The Companion put his hand in front of the blessed face of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and his hand was so hit by arrows and stones that it lost its use forever. Once someone asked the Companion what had happened to his hand and he said that once the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was attacked and he had put his hand in front of his blessed face and it was hit by so many arrows and stones that it was paralysed. He was asked did he not utter any sound expressing pain. He gave an exquisite answer and said that the pain was so intense that he wanted to moan but he did not let it happen because had he uttered a sound his hand might have moved and an arrow might have hit the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Consider this level of sacrifice and think how one screams if one’s finger is hurt but the hand of the Companion was hit by so many arrows that it was impaired forever.

In a similar incident of another Companion, also at the time of the battle of Uhad, some Companions gathered after being forced to retreat, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) asked them to see who had been martyred and who had been wounded. Some Companions went to search the battle ground. A Companion saw an injured Ansari on the ground. Upon getting closer to him he saw that his legs and arms had been cut off and he was breathing his last breaths. He went closer still and asked if he had any message for his friends and family that could be taken to them. The injured Ansari said that he was waiting for a friend to pass by so that he could give a message for his friends and family. Thus, take my message to my friends and family that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is a precious trust. As long as we lived, we protected him with our lives and now that we are departing I hope that they will give sacrifices which are greater than ours to protect this precious trust.

It is worth reflecting over that at the time of death when he knew he had no time to give a message to his wife and children, a time when one thinks of settlement of property and dealings and when people are anxious about the betterment of those left behind, this Companion only thought that although he was giving his life in protecting the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), he also hoped that others would also tread on the same path and will not care about their lives compared to the life of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Those who made these sacrifices for the person of the Prophet, what sacrifices could they not make to safeguard the message he had brought and what they must have not done!

In this regard the incident of the passing away of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is presented. When the news of his passing spread, due to their intense love for him, it was as if a monumental grief had befallen the Companions. So much so that some Companions thought that the news was incorrect because the time of his passing had not yet come because there were still some hypocrites among the Muslims. Hazrat Umer (may Allah be pleased with him) also thought this and drew his sword saying he would kill anyone who claimed that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had passed away, he had gone to the heavens and would return to finish the hypocrites and will then die. Many Companions joined him and said that they would not allow anyone to say that the Prophet had passed. On the face of it, this was an expression of love, but it was against the teaching that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had brought because the Holy Qur’an clearly states: ‘…If then he die or be slain, will you turn back on your heels?...’ (3:145)…Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had gone away somewhere, when he received the news, he promptly returned and straightaway went to the apartment where the blessed body was. He removed the cover from the face and saw that indeed the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had passed away. He lent and kissed him on the forehead and his eyes filled with tears and addressing the pure body, he said, ‘my parents be sacrificed on you, Allah the Exalted will not bring two deaths on you.’ That is, firstly apparent death and secondly if the teaching he had brought was erased. He then came out where all the Companions had gathered and Hazrat Umer (may Allah be pleased with him) was passionately announcing with a sword in his hand that anyone who said the Prophet had died was a hypocrite and he would kill such a person. Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked people to be quiet and loudly said to Hazrat Umer, ‘quiet, let me talk.’ He then recited the verse: ‘And Muhammad is only a Messenger. Verily all Messengers have passed away before him. If then he die or be slain, will you turn back on your heels?’ And will you think your religion is flawed? He then said with great fervour, ‘O people who among you worships Allah the Exalted should be happy that our God is alive and can never die. But whoever worshipped Muhammad, Prophet of God, may hear that he has passed away. Hazrat Umer (may Allah be pleased with him) said when Hazrat Abu Bakr read the aforementioned verse he felt as if the heaven had spilt open and his legs staggered and gave way and powerlessly he fell to the ground. It is then he realised that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had indeed passed away.

Observe how much Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) loved the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). When he realised that he had passed away, spontaneously he kissed his blessed forehead and his eyes filled with tears. On the other hand, he also greatly loved the truthfulness that the Prophet had brought that while a valiant like Hazrat Umer (may Allah be pleased with him) stood with a sword saying he would kill whoever said the Prophet had passed and many Companions shared this thought, fearlessly he said, ‘whoever says the Prophet is alive, it is as if he considers himself to be god, I tell him, that he has passed. But the God Whose worship he taught, is alive.’ This was the influence of truthfulness that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had instilled in his Companions that those of them who stood with drawn swords, bowed their heads and acknowledged that yes, he had indeed passed away…

The matchless love Hazrat Abu Bakr had for the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is evident from the following incident. Just before his passing the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had prepared an expedition to go and punish some rebels in Syria. The expedition had not left when the Prophet passed away. After his passing Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) became the Khalifa and many Companions opined and submitted to him to postpone the expedition because there was news of rebellion all around Arabia and congregational Prayer was only being offered in Makkah, Medina and one other village. People had started saying they would not pay Zakat. The Companions discussed the matter and sent Hazrat Umer (may Allah be pleased with him) to Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) asking him to stop the expedition for a while because [if it went] only the elderly and children would remain in Medina, how would they contend with the rebel throngs? However, Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, ‘does the son of Abu Qahafa has the power to stop an expedition prepared by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him)? Do you want that the first task I do after his passing is to stop the expedition suggested by him? By God! Even if the rebels enter Medina and dogs end up dragging dead bodies of our women folks, the expedition would definitely leave.’ This demonstrates the ardent love Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had for the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) but because he had attained the station of saying the pure truth, he knew that the greatness of the teaching brought by the Prophet was even higher than this. Those people took this teaching and stood firm by it, so much so that even the enemy acknowledges that it has not been altered at all. Christians, Hindus, Jews, in short all opposing people acknowledge that not a jot has been changed in the Holy Qur’an…

In this age, Allah the Exalted sent the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) for the issuance of high morals, ardent love of the Holy Prophet and the Shariah brought by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). And we should be mindful that we have to safeguard all this like the Companions did. There should be clear distinction between us and the others so that it can be realised that we have held firm to this trust.

Such a Jama’at/community existed in the time of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), but the question is, do the future generations have the same fervour? Would a sensible person like that although he gets something good but his children are deprived of it? How can you then image that a person who understands the value of the teachings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) would like that his heirs do not receive it, but receiv lands and property of their father? Allah the Exalted states in the Holy Qur’an: ‘And worldly life is nothing but a sport and a pastime…’ (6:33) these are amusements like football, cricket and hockey. Would a person like the government to confiscate his land, house and property and give a bat and ball to his son or give a worn out football or broken tennis racquet or hockey stick to his sons? Allah the Exalted states that worldly thing are mere amusements and the comparison between faith and worldliness is the same as between the real thing and mere amusement. How can anyone wish that his children do not get valuable inheritance but receive things of amusement! Yet, are there not people among us who effectively do this? When their son speaks falsehood, or thieves or commits a crime, they support him…surreptitiously parents try to protect them. Firstly they are blameworthy for depriving their children of religious teaching and if they considered piety to be of any value they would have not deprived their children of it and if they were negligent, then they should have desisted from supporting the criminal. Allah the Exalted states in the Holy Qur’an: ‘…And help one another in righteousness and piety; but help not one another in sin and transgression…’ (5:3) the first crime they commit is that Allah the Exalted stated: ‘…save yourselves and your families from a Fire…’ (66:7) but they do not do this and the second crime is that they break the Divine commandment of: ‘…but help not one another in sin and transgression…’. Allah the Exalted states that faith is a blessing, but the Jama’at/community which claims to give precedence to faith over worldly matters has people in it who firstly deprive their children of faith and when they do mischief, they help them. Although they commit certain crimes which belie humanity and decency let alone Ahmadiyyat and faith tolerate such crimes! But parents of such criminals, their brothers, relatives, even friends help them and do not think how faith can survive by doing so. Faith of such a person vanishes into thin air!

Observe that once someone asked the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) for a concession for a criminal to which he said, ‘by God, even if my daughter Fatima thieves, she would not be able to avoid punishment’. Taqwa and purity are such blessings that one should not shy from any sacrifice in this regard. The wealth that we have received from the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) are high morals and it is our duty to make our children inheritors of these. If due to negligence there is a slip-up, then a believer is obligated not to help each other in sin. On the contrary he should detach himself from the person who has committed the crime. Allah the Exalted has shown example of believers and no one can say it is not possible to do this.

Syed Hamid Shah Sahib was a very sincere Ahmadi and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) called him one of his twelve disciples. When he counted the names of his disciples in front of me, his name was among them and his good ending sealed his high station. Once a person got killed by his son but the murder took place in circumstances that the public sympathy was with his son. In fact the deceased was in the wrong which had led to a fight and his son had hit him which killed the man. The deputy commissioner of Sialkot at the time was an Englishman and was among those officials who want to give punishment whether a crime is proven or not so that credibility is established. He thought that Mir Hamid Shah Sahib was a superintendent in his office, if he punished his son, his sense of justice will become renowned. He called Shah Sahib and asked him if his son had actually committed the murder. He answered that he was not present at the time but had heard that he had. He said call him and ask him to confess it so that people may know that we do not favour anyone. He called his son and asked him if he had killed the man. He answered that yes, he had. He said then he should confess the truth. People asked him why did he wish his young son to go to the gallows but he answered that the punishment of this world is less than the punishment of the Hereafter and advised his son to confess. Although his son confessed his crime, but he was a cricketer and the magistrate to whom the case was referred also played cricket and had found out the facts at the cricket club. Because the law allows that if the magistrate is convinced of something there is no need to question the criminal over anything. He cross-examined the prosecution witnesses in such a way that the young man’s innocence was proven and he acquitted him without questioning him.

A similar court case was filed against the younger brother of Chaudhary Zafrulla Khan Sahib recently. Chaudhary Sahib was in London at the time, he wrote to his brother that this was a time of trail of faith and if he was guilty then as his older brother he advised him that the punishment of the Hereafter is harsher than the punishment of this world, therefore he should endure it and say the truth…A friend from Sialkot, who is alive, found out after becoming an Ahmadi that bribery is against the teachings of Islam. He went to every household to return bribes that he had taken. This caused him to be in great debt but he did not care about it. There are excellent examples in our Jama’at as regards all practices about which it can be said that they are the models of the Companions. However, we should not be simply pleased at this but should try that the entire Jama’at becomes like this…I draw attention of friends to value the trust which has been given to them. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) did not come to give us any property, any worldly governance, he did not invent anything, did not provide us with any luxuries, all he gave us was truthfulness, how unfortunate would it be if we lose it as well and we would throwing the grace with our own hands that was revealed after thirteen hundred years. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) gave us Islam and gave us high morals and told us by example that these can be practised…

A Mr Martyn Clark claimed in a court of law that Mirza Sahib sent a man to murder him. Those known as ulema (religious leaders) among the Muslims also joined in the commotion. And Maulwi Muhammad Hussain Batalwi even came as a witness against the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Allah the Exalted had foretold the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that a Maulwi will represent the opposition but Allah the Exalted would disgrace him. However, in spite of the revelation foretelling his disgrace and it is essential to make apparent effort for the fulfilment of a revelation but Maulwi Fazl Din Sahib, who is a lawyer from Lahore and who represented the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in this case, personally told me that when he wanted to put a question to Maulwi Muhammad Hussain which would have disgraced him, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) stopped him from presenting that question…he said we cannot abide by such questions. Maulwi Fazl Din told him that this question would weaken the case against him and if it was not asked difficulty could be faced… but the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said, no, we cannot allow this question to be asked. Maulwi Fazl Din Sahib was not an Ahmadi. He was a Hanfi and a leader of Hanfis and an active member of Anjuman e Nomania etc. therefore from a religious perspective he was prejudiced. However, whenever the person of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was attacked in assemblies of non-Ahmadis, he would forcefully refute it and would say that matters of creed were a different issue but he had seen that the morals of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) were such that none of their ulema could contend with him. He said as regards morals he had personally tested the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) on such occasions that no Maulwi could match the station he had…However, the God Who had informed him of the disgrace of Maulwi Muhammad Hussain, established his honour on the one hand by demonstrating his morals and on the other hand created extraordinary situation to disgrace Maulwi Sahib. This so happened that the deputy commissioner who previously was a great detractor, had a change of heart upon seeing the Promised Messiah’s face. And in spite of the fact that he was presented before him as a criminal, he had a chair fetched and placed next to him and had the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) sit on it. When Maulwi Muhammad Hussain came for his testimony he came with the assumption that maybe the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) would be in hand-cuffs or at least would be made to stand in disgrace. Seeing the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) sitting on a chair next to the deputy commissioner enraged him and he immediately demanded that he is also given a chair. The court told him he did not have the right to a chair…on his insistence for a chair, the judge told him off very harshly…

The Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) honour was established through his high morals. Contrary to this, how many friends of our Jama’at can exercise self-control when angered. Observe that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) did not even tolerate to disgrace his severe enemy based on factual information, but our friends get enraged and are verbally abusive and also start hitting others…’

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) also relates the incident of Lekh Ram when the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) did not respond to his Salaam. This was because of Lekh Ram’s extremely abusive language against the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). However, on the other hand is the Promised Messiah’s compassion that for a matter that was about his own person, he did not allow something which would have disgraced Maulwi Muhammad Hussain.

‘Remember a person who does not teach pious morals to his children not only commits enmity against his children, but commits enmity against the mission, enmity against the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and commits enmity against Allah the Exalted.’

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said he gives a lot of counsel and gives sermons, Huzoor added that this continues in every Khilafat as it does now, as long as the series of sermons lasts some affect can be seen but once the series of sermons stops, or after a while, the affect is gone. He gave the example of the toy Jack-in-the-box in this regard whereby a flexible doll inside a box stays in when the lid is closed but when the lid is opened he jumps out. He said it is the same situation with these people. If counsel is given to them, its effect remains but if the counsel is stopped they return to the old ways.

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘God has not given any one such time that he can deliver such a sermon. The real deal is that one becomes a believer, then this sequence comes to an end because this struggle only remains until such time that there is no faith…What is needed is that the Jama’at realises that by sending the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) Allah the Exalted has put a huge responsibility on them. Even if a person has mammoth amount of ills, it is not difficult to rid of them if he resolves to do so. A famous saying of Jesus (on whom be peace) is that even if you have an iota of faith in your heart, you can move mountains. This means that even if your sins are as huge as a mountain, if a person instils a little bit of faith, it can blow away the mountains. The day a believer resolves no impediments remains in his way…I wish to say at this time that friends should reform their own children and other youngsters of the Jama’at. Abandon falsehood, deception, fraud, deceit, back-biting etc. and bad habits, so much so that anyone dealing with you feels that these people are very good…

Remember very well that this blessing took thirteen hundred years to return and if we do not value it and it ends up in another thirteen hundred years, we will be cursed by all the generation till that time. Therefore try and pass on all your virtues to your children and they pass them further on and on and thus this trust remains safeguarded for such a long period that we are rewarded for thousands of years for this. Because the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that a person is rewarded for a virtue which is established through him and he is also rewarded for as long as it remains established in the world and for as many people continue to adopt it. Thus the reward is also great and the trust is also great in itself.’

May God enable us to pay the dues of this trust! May we honour the dues of the trust given to us by our elders and may those who have taken on this trust themselves also honour it. May this trust continued to be honoured generation after generation!