Today’s Friday sermon was based on saying and writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) elucidating signs of acceptance of his prayers, his signs and Divine succour in his favour.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that once Nawab Ali Muhammad Khan Sahib wrote for prayers for alleviation of some financial difficulties that he faced. It was revealed to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that the difficulties will be removed so he wrote him a letter mentioning this. A few days later his difficulties were removed following which Nawab Ali Muhammad Sahib developed deep trust in the Promised Messiah. Once Nawab Sahib wrote to the Promised Messiah about some personal and private matters and as soon as he posted the letter it was revealed to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that Nawab Sahib was going to send him a letter on the subject. So, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) informed him of this via letter. Nawab Sahib was astonished to read that the matter had been disclosed to Promised Messiah which no one but Nawab Sahib knew about. Following this the intensity of his love and devotion for the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) grew immeasurably. He wrote these experiences down in a small booklet and carried it around his person.

Another companion of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), Saith Abdur Rahman Sahib, who was experiencing some business/commercial conflict asked him for prayers. It was revealed to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that God will resolve Saith Sahib’s predicament but later God will cause his established and settled matters fall into disarray. A few days later his commercial conflict was solved and he had huge success in business but later his well-established matter fell apart in accordance with the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) revelation.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that he had two long-term ailments. One of them was severe headache. He suffered from this for nearly twenty five years and also used to feel dizzy. Physicians wrote that such symptoms lead to epilepsy. Indeed, the Promised Messiah’s older brother had these symptoms which resulted in epilepsy which caused his death. The Promised Messiah used to pray to be cured of the ailment. He once experienced a vision in which he fights off a dark creature the size of a sheep that had attacked him. It was put in his heart that the creature was epilepsy. Following this the perilous symptoms were gone and the Promised Messiah only occasionally felt dizzy. It was said in one of the prophecies about the Promised Messiah that he will be wrapped in two yellow sheets/covers. The yellow sheets denote two illnesses, one of which was dizziness and the other diabetes. The Promised Messiah felt that doctors opined that diabetes either results in eyesight deterioration or can develop in carbuncle/infection. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) received revelations assuring him that he will be saved from either of the conditions.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote that his sincere companion Maulawi Abdul Karim Sahib died of cancer in 1905. The Promised Messiah had prayed most earnestly for Maulawi Sahib’s health but when he prayed revelations were revealed to him which were not assuring, in fact they indicated that he would not get better. Ultimately it was revealed to Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) via Quranic verses on the lines that no person should be considered indispensable and one should put all one’s trust in God. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) went silent after this revelation and understood that Maulawi Sahib’s death was certain. God did not overlook the pain and anguish with which the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had prayed for Maulawi Sahib and the Promised Messiah was granted Abdur Rahman Sahib as a companion. He also fell ill of the same disease but was cured following prayers of the Promised Messiah. Indeed, when God does not accept one prayer He accepts another prayer in its place.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that a specific prophecy of the time of the Promised Messiah was that a new mode of transport will be introduced. The Holy Qur’an mentions that the latter-days will be when she-camels will be obsolete as mode of transport. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that people travelled on camel-back during Hajj but soon it will be replaced by the railways. People say there are no railways in Saudi Arabia. However, a superfast railway project is underway there which is expected to complete by 2015. Sometimes words of a Prophet take time to materialise but it happens for certain. Camels have been obsolete as mode of transport for many, many years anyhow.

Having being Divinely informed the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) announced the ending of Abdullah Atham who had been intensely rude about the blessed person of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). The prophecy said that he would die within fifteen months. It also said that if he desisted he would not die within fifteen months. The condition was him showing remorse for what he had said. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote that about sixty to seventy people, half of them Christian and half Muslim, were witness to Abdullah Atham being remorseful over his disrespect towards the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and wondered how impertinent it was that people still denied that he had been remorseful. The basis of his disrespect was that he had called the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) God forbid, Dajjal (Anti-Christ). The prophecy did not say that Atham would be absolved if he became a Muslim. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explains that the world is full of deniers of Islam and mere denial of Islam does not lead to chastisement in this world. However, Atham died during the life-time of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that he did not present the blessings of the Holy Qur’an as mere fables and stories, rather he presented its miracles which had been in his personal experience, for example the earthquakes and the plague. He said he had predicted these terrible events twenty five years earlier in his book Barahin e Ahmadiyya. He added that there are many more epidemics and calamities to come which will spread in many countries of the world and will cause great anxiety. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said it is possible that these calamities are averted in parts if people fear God. But he added that hearts are too hardened.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that the world of Islam is not the same anymore and is filled with bad morals and loyalty and sincerity for God is non-existent. However, God has willed to revive them and on the one hand has sent His appointee to guide people and on the other hand knowledge and sciences are flourishing so that people can sharpen their intellect. God is also manifesting heavenly signs as conclusive proofs. The fact that pious-natured people are accepting the Promised Messiah shows that there are also good people around.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that when God sends His appointed persons He also sends signs in their favour. He said hundreds of thousands have witnessed his signs although he said he was certain signs in his favour had not stopped manifesting because God can make them appear whenever He likes. A new Muslim had asked the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) for a sign and the Promised Messiah said that there was no dearth of signs for one who sought the truth but if one still needed a new sign the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) could focus and was sure that God would manifest something. However, if his earlier signs were not valued then the Promised Messiah said the fervour needed to ask for a new sign could not be generated as fervour was essential in order to focus and seek a sign from God. He said signs are for the wise to recognise and if God does not enable, one may see thousands of signs and still not avail of them. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said appearance of a sign was not in his authority or power; it depended on Divine will and grace. It was put in the Promised Messiah’s (on whom be peace) heart that this request for a sign bore resemblance with Abu Jahl. Indeed, countless signs were given to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and Abu Jahl did not avail of any of them!

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that God will not leave this mission without proofs and whoever denied him was destined to be disgraced. Why did people not think that if this mission was man-made, it would have finished a long time ago. He said why people did not realise that God is completely against one who is an imposter/liar! They do not think that a liar could never have such fortitude and resilience. They do not realise that only the words of person who has support of God can be so magnificent and tremendous. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that his friends were those who accepted him before witnessing any signs. He said in truth those people accepted him who saw him with deep insight and reflected on his words. He said only that person is with him who abandons his preference for the sake of Promised Messiah’s preference and who makes the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) the arbiter for his personal wishes and follows the path of the Promised Messiah! He said those who seek signs cannot attain the status of those who recognise the hidden truth!

May God enable the world to have sense and rather than make demands based on their own wishes may they understand the current state of affairs which is crying out for an appointee from God. May they recognise the one God sent so that disorder in the world can come to an end!

Funeral Prayer in absentia was offered for Ghulam Qadir Sahib, dervish of Qadian who passed away on 12 November 2014 at the age of 90. He was among the original 313 dervishes and is listed as number 181 in Tareekh e Ahmadiyyat. He was a Moosi and leaves behind his widow three sons and five daughters. May God elevate his station in Paradise!

Two other dervishes who passed earlier in the year and whose funeral Prayers in absentia had been offered were also mentioned today. They were: Mirza Muhammad Iqbal Sahib who passed away on 11 June 2014. He was also among the original 313 dervishes. The other dervish was Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmad Sahib Cheema who passed away on 26 July 2014.