After greeting everyone with "Assalamo-Alaikum wa Rahmatullah" - peace be upon you and the Mercy of Allah - and bearing witness to the absolute Unity of Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger and Servant, and seeking the protection of Allah against Satan, Huzur Aqdas (may Allah strengthen him with His Mighty Help) recited Sura Al-Fatiha, and then said that:

Allah, the Exalted, Almighty safeguards His Friends and His beloveds and their progenies for generations and blesses them so long as the children also remain on the paths of virtue and rectitude.

Hazrat Musleh Maud [the Promised Reformer, Hazrat Mirza Bashirud Din Mahmud, Khalifatul Masih II (ra)] while giving an example of this, states, with regard to Hazrat Ali (ra) that look when the Holy Prophet (sa), in the initial days of his prophethood, invited his close relatives to deliver to them the Message of Truth, he invited them for food and after this when he had barely started to say something, his uncle, Abu Lahab made everyone turn away from Holy Prophet (sa) and made them all go without listening to him. The Holy Prophet (sa) was quite surprised at this behaviour of his uncle but he did not lose hope. So the Holy Prophet (sa) directed Hazrat Ali to arrange another meeting and invite his dear ones to another meal.

So in this second meeting the Holy Prophet (sa) delivered the message of Islam, and when he did, the entire gathering was overtaken by silence. Everyone was silent. No one spoke. In the end, Hazrat Ali (ra) stood up and submitted that although in age I am the youngest from among all gathered here, yet I am willing to stand by you and pledge that I will stand with you forever in regard to all that you have spoken about.

Afterwards, opposition in Mecca reached its pinnacle and Holy Prophet (sa) had to migrate. Hazrat Ali (ra) was granted the opportunity to make this sacrifice and the Holy Prophet (sa) told him to lie on his bed on the night of migration so the enemy may think that the Holy Prophet was still in bed.

Hazrat Ali (ra) did not say to the Holy Prophet (sa) that O Messenger of Allah the enemies are outside and have surrounded the house, in the morning when they will discover that you are gone it is not beyond the realm of possibilities that they may kill me. On the contrary, Hazrat Ali went to sleep on that bed perfectly content. And when the disbelievers found out in the morning, Hazrat Ali was physically beaten up severely but by that time the Holy Prophet (sa) had already migrated.

How much was this sacrifice of Hazrat Ali (ra) to be blessed and to be rewarded by Allah - this was not in the knowledge of Hazrat Ali (ra) at that time. He had not made the sacrifice to gain any reward. His sacrifice was solely for Love for Prophet and to win the pleasure of Allah.

At that time only Allah knew the honour Hazrat Ali (ra) would receive for his sacrifice and not only he but also his virtuous progeny. The first favour upon Hazrat Ali (ra) was that he was blessed to become the son-in-law of the Holy Prophet (sa). Then the Holy Prophet (sa) praised him highly on various occasions for his various actions and deeds.

Once the Holy Prophet (sa) was going for a battle and commanded Hazrat Ali (ra) to remain behind in Medina. Hazrat Ali (ra) said that O Messenger of Allah you are leaving me behind with the women and children? The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, O Ali would you not like that you should occupy that status with me that Aaron (as) enjoyed with Moses (as)? The status of Hazrat Aaroon was not diminished by being left behind by Hazrat Moses (as). The same was the case with Hazrat Ali (ra). His status was enhanced. But not only his, also many saintly people of Islam were from the progeny of Hazrat Ali (ra) and many of these virtuous ones were shown signs of Allah and received the Help and support of Allah.

Hazrat Musleh Maud narrates that the Promised Messiah (as) used to say that Haroon Rashid imprisoned an individual named Imam Musa Raza and tied his hands and feet with rope. Meanwhile Haroon Rashid was resting comfortably when he saw in a dream that the Holy Prophet (sa) has come and that his face is indicative of extreme displeasure. The Holy Prophet (sa) said to him that O Haroon Rashid you claim to be one who loves me but have you no shame that you are enjoying deep sleep surrounded by comfort while our loved one is lying all tied up in extreme heat in a prison?

Seeing this scene Haroon Rashid got up disturbed and immediately went to that same prison with his commander and with his own hands untied the hands and feet of Imam Musa Raza. Imam Musa Raza said to him that you were so opposed to me what has happened that made you walk here in person? Haroon rashid narrated his dream and said I seek your pardon I did not know the reality of things.

Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) says that look what great span of time separates the time of Hazrat Ali and this time of Haroon Rashid. We have seen the progenies of many a king walking the streets begging. He says in Delhi I myself saw a water carrier who was a descendent of the Mughal Kings. His job was to go around give people water to drink. But he had still at least this much sense of shame that he did not go around begging from people. But look at the progeny of Hazrat Ali (ra) on the other hand. That despite so many generations having gone by, yet still God warns a king about a descendant of Hazrat Ali and directs him to treat him kindly.

If Hazrat Ali (ra) had known of the honour he was going to receive, and had knowledge of the unseen and had carried out the sacrifices for the sake of all this his faith would have been nothing more than buying and selling and a mere buy sell transaction. And it would not have become deserving of any reward.

At one place Hazrat Promised Messiah (as) mentions the case of a Friend of God - a saintly person - that he was on board a vessel and it came across an immense storm at sea and the ship was very close to total destruction but the prayers of that saintly person became the cause of its safety. While he was praying it was revealed to him that solely for your sake all of the passengers have been saved.

The Promised Messiah (as) says look, these things cannot be attained by mere words but it is necessary that one undertakes strenuous efforts for attaining it and a connection has to be established and maintained with Allah, the Exalted. One has to maintain the good and virtuous state of the parents.

So one can benefit from being the progeny of righteous parents only when you are also virtuous yourself.

I will make mention of other things that Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) has mentioned from the Promised Messiah (as).

Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) says about the strictness of the Promised Messiah (as) regarding offering Salat in Congregation that Salat was so dear to the Promised Messiah (as) that whenever he could not come to offer the salat in congregation due to some illness and he would have to offer the prayer in the house he would have his wife and the children join and offer the salat in congregation. He would not just offer the salat but rather would offer salat in congregation.

Hazrat Promised Messiah (as) himself says about the importance of salat in congregation that it is the desire of Allah, the Exalted, that He should make all the people like unto a single being - this is what is called democratic unity. He goes on to say that this is also what faith desires

that everyone becomes united like the beads of a single cord. Religion is only that which can unite everyone and make them all into one.

Praying in congregation is for this same purpose to establish unity so all worshipers can be considered as if one.

And the commandment to stand side by side is for the purpose of helping to strengthen the faith of the weaker ones. In order to establish this democratic unity, Allah ordained that the people living on a street should come together to offer the five daily prayers so that moral qualities take shape among each other and find strength from each other. And so that getting to know each other love may grow between each other. He says that getting to know each other is a very good thing because through it love grows which is the foundation of unity.

Thus where there is personal benefit in salat in congregation there is this also. So those who do not come for salat in congregation or come and do not get to know each other and do not increase in love for each other and remove animosity for one another, their prayers do not benefit them. This is so because the purpose of salat apart from that of worship is to bring into being a unity, and cause love and affection to grown among each other, and that is not attained if people do not get to know each other and do not eliminate mutual animosities etc.

We should safeguard our prayers with the thought that we have to eliminate all forms of negative feelings. And we should come to the mosques with this thinking. So that we may become united and thus capable of offering prayers that would be accepted by Allah and become those who gain His pleasure.

There is an incident of Amir Muawiya that has to do with prayers not being wasted. Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) says referring to Hazrat Promised Messiah (as) that he used to tell us that once Hazrat Muawiya couldn't wake up for morning prayers and when he did wake up, he realized he had missed the prayer. He cried the entire day because he missed the morning prayer. Next day he saw that a person came to wake him up for prayer and he asked him who he was? The individual told him that he was Satan. The Satan said I am the one who prevented you from waking up the previous day. He said the Angels liked your attitude upon having missed the prayer so much that you were given a far greater reward for having missed the prayer. Satan said I was dismayed at seeing you received so much extra blessings. So the Satan said today I have come to wake you up so you do not earn the greater reward. So he says that Satan abandons his efforts only when man finds the way to break his attempts and this causes him dismay and he runs away

So we all should also try to dismay Satan at every occasion and try to achieve the pleasure of God as far as is possible within our abilities and try to follow all His commandments and safeguard our prayers and try to offer them on time.

Sometimes some people employing hast do not understand the finer points and formulate an opinion without delving into the thing fully. And then the faith of some weak natured persons also becomes affected as a result. Hazrat Musleh Maud mentions an incident. He says that once at a gathering an individual was drinking water with his left hand and I told him to not do so. He was told to drink with his right hand unless there is some valid reason. He said that the Promised Messiah (as) also used to drank water with his left hand whereas there was a reason for him to do this. And this was that the Promised Messiah (as) had fallen down in his youth and his right hand was injured so much so that although he could pick a glass with it he could not take it to the mouth to drink. Nevertheless to comply with the requirement of the sunnah [the practice of the Holy Prophet (sa)] he would drink with the left hand but he would give the hand support with his right hand.

The Promised Messiah (as) has mentioned the weakness of his right hand himself also. He says that once, in front of some people who were opponents, who had come for some discussion, I picked a glass or a cup of tea with the left hand and upon seeing this they made a criticism that you do not practice the sunnah and you are trying to drink holding the vessel with the left hand.

The Promised Messiah (as) himself says that hastiness and thinking ill forced the person to level this criticism at me whereas my hand is weak on account of the injury it had suffered and I cannot take the cup to my mouth for drinking from it with my right hand. Nevertheless I do definitely always place my right hand below the hand holding the vessel I am drinking from.

So while haste is making the enemy commit ill thinking those who belong to us their lack of understanding and haste has made them think that the Promised Messiah (as) was doing this deliberately. Whereas they should have tried to find the reason behind this and when Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) had stopped them they should have stopped. These hasty decisions lead to innovation and incorrect commentaries.

Now with respect to tawaqul, trusting in God, I want to mention another incident. Hazrat Musleh Maud narrates this as having heard from the Promised Messiah (as). He says that I have heard this from the Promised Messiah (as) many times.

He mentions that there was one thing that the Promised Messiah said he liked very much about Sultan Abdul Hamid Khan of Turkey. When the question of a war with Greece rose his Viziers raised a lot of objections and excuses. In actuality it was the desire of the Sultan that a war should take place but his viziers did not want it to happen. So they told him that although this and that and other things are ready a very important thing is not in place and so we cannot go to war. More than likely what was said was that all European powers are ready that they should assist Greece and we have no cure for this. The Promised Messiah (as) used to say that when the Viziers presented their advice and enumerated the difficulties and said that such and such a thing is not available or arranged, Sultan Abdul Majid responded that we should leave some room for God also. The Promised Messiah (as) used to derive great pleasure from this sentence of Sultan Abdul Hamid and he used to say that I really very much like this statement of his. So it is necessary for a believer that he should leave room in his plans for God also. In reality the truth is that a believer or any individual never arrives at a stage where he can say that they are fully ready and perfect and no area of weakness remains. If someone thinks that he has made such perfect plans that no weakness or hole remains it would be a sign of stupidity.

Similarly Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) says that it is also stupidity to totally abandon all means needed for the achievement of things. It will also be a matter of destruction if one leaves all blessings of God and all faculties. Western nations, Hazrat Musleh Maud says are involved in the first mentioned stupidity and have forgotten God and rely solely on their technology while the Muslims are steeped in the second and have adopted the totally wrong concept of relying on God and have abandoned using their hands and feet.

In general the Western nations have forgotten God. And the Muslims generally have stopped trying to do anything and exerting any efforts in the name of their false concept of relying on God. So these doubts keep arising in the minds of the youth that perhaps the nations that are progressing are doing so because they have distanced themselves from God and Muslims are on the decline because of their religion.

The fact is that Muslims have become lazy and adopted the wrong concept of reliance on God and have lost their reputation and standing and have become the victims of weakness. And even where they try to do something their approach is totally wrong.

The Promised Messiah (as) says that it is a verse of the Holy Quran:

And in heaven is your sustenance, and also that which you are promised. (51:23).

He says from this a foolish one is misled and abandons any attampt to achieve things. Muslims think that this verse means that Allah has destined their provisions in the heavens and therefore there is no need to do anything. Allah, the Exalted, will Himself, make all the arrangements and send everything. Whereas Allah states in Sura Jumma, Chapter 62:

..then disperse in the land and seek of Allah's grace, ... (62:11)

What is the meaning of "then disperse in the land and seek of Allah's grace…" if not that go and exert effort and make use of your powers and faculties. He says that thi is a very fine point that n the one hand there is the permission to make use of one's faculties and effort while on the other hand the requirements of tawaqqul, reliance on God, should also be fulfilled. This is the true distinction of a believer. And within all this Satan finds much space to raise doubts. It is important to differentiate between worldly objects and God. Satan tries to weaken faith by coming in between.

Some people fall prey to a trial and become worshippers of means and faculties while others begin to think naught of the God given powers bestowed upon them. The Holy Prophet would go for battle with preparation. Weapons, horses, shield, he would take all these with him. Indeed sometimes he would wear two layers of body protecting armor. He would also carry a sword on his back whereas God had promised to safeguard him (5:68).

Thus tawaqqul begins after one has done his or her best using the God given capacities and means..the Help of God does not arrive except after this.

One revelation states that Kings shall seek blessings from thy garments.

Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) has mentioned a very beautiful explanation of this which I will now state. He says that Allah Himself has revealed to the Promised MEssiah (as) that Kings shall seek blessings from thy garments. And when that time arrives that Kings would seek blessings from the garments of the Promised Messiah (as), what kind of foolish ones would they be who would not seek to receive blessings from you [addressing those who were sitting in front of him]? Garments are mere lifeless objects but you (the audience) are living. Kings will seek blessings from the righteous individuals within this Jama'at. Have you not seen how distant Imam Abu Hanifa was from the Holy Prophet ...meaning how long after him he was born … but the Kings of Baghdad used to seek blessings from him. Indeed they did not just seek blessings from him alone but rather they sought blessings even from his students. So you should keep supplicating to God that after being bestowed power, you do not start being tyrannical and start committing excesses.

If you become an oppressor after gaining power, then your kind and gentle treatment of others of today also will become valueless and God will say that before you had no power to inflict harm and now that I have given you power you have started acting unjustly. So upon gain power while you celebrate do also occupy yourselves with seeking forgiveness from God and pray for yourselves and for others. This is a most necessary thing.

Today we talk about peace and peace but when the kings become Ahmadi Muslims at that time it will be important that we spread peace and security and love otherwise everything we are saying now will be considered to have been just what we had to say by virtue of circumstances.

Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) says that day is not far when Kings will seek blessings from thy garments. Kingships are disappearing but presidents are also Kings. If the Prime Minister of Russia was to become Muslims his status would be no less than that of a king and they will seek blessings from the garments of the Promised Messiah (as). But they, the Kings will only seek blessings from the garments of the Promised Messiah (as) when you, the Ahmadis will start to seek blessings from the books of the Promised Messiah (as).

This is a crucial point. Read books of Messiah, increase in knowledge. Understand principles of true Islam.

He says when you will start to seek blessings from the books of the Promised MEssiah (as) God Himself will make such arrangements that Kings will start to seek blessings from his garments.

Then Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) directed the Anjuman to make proper arrangements to safeguard the blessed items such as garments and other items of the Promised MEssiah (as). Now, alhamdolillah a lot of work is happening in Rabwah and Qadian.

He directed that some scholars should be called to understand how to safeguard garments of the Promised Messiah for centuries. Or he said that they may be sent to countries where clothes are not attacked by bacteria for example they may be sent to America so that coming generations may benefit from the blessings associated with these items.

Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) says after demise of the Promised Messiah (as), Hazrat Ammajan (ra) wanted that the main ring "Is not Allah Sufficient for His servant" to be given to me because I was the eldest. We were three brothers and there were three rings but despite her desire Hazrat Ammajan chose at random and strangely each time the result was that the main ring went to me all three times. The second ring came in the name of Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) and the third that was on the Promised Messiah's hand when he passed away 'Maula Bass' came out all three time in the name of Mirza Sharif Ahmad (ra). Look, once it can happen but how is it possible that thrice the "Is not Allah Sufficient.." ring was given to me?

Khalifatul-Masih II (ra) wanted to give the "Alaisallah.." Ring to the Jama'at but he says how can I give it to you when you do not have provisions to preserve it? My children will at least take care of it thinking it to be their property. But my heart desires that I should not give this ring to my children but rather to the Jama'at. Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II (ra) wanted this ring to be spread across the Jama'at. "Is Allah not sufficient for His Man?" Ring should be spread to all nations. Ultimately it was decided that Khilafat would keep that main ring and the ring would pass from one Khalifa to the next.

He says that he saw an old writing of the Promised Messiah (as) recently and I sent it to Indonesia so that it may be kept safe there and so that the Jama'at there may gain blessings from it.

Now only those in Indonesia can tell us if that writing is safeguarded with them or not. But Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) says the words of the revelation make mention of garments, Allah has told the Promised Messiah (as) that kings shall seek blessings from thy garments. So we should safeguard the garments of the Promised Messiah (as) and send them where they do not degrade in quality and so they may remain safe for much longer period of time.

Then he directed the youth and said that the youth should come forward and understand their responsibilities and should use their knowledge and education and understanding for help of Islam so that you can witness nations upon nation accepting Holy Prophet (sa).

In olden days, it took a long time to compile books and many edits had to be done and the resources available were very limited. Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) mentions how things were in those days. How the Promised Messiah (as) desired high quality. He talks about how he bore with patience the demands of the scribes. Talking about Mir Mahdi Hassan Sahib when he was not an Ahmadi. He says that Mir Sahib was incharge of the printing in the time of the Promised Messiah (as). When a book of the Promised MEssiah (as) was published he would read it with great care.

Promised Messiah (as) would reject a book even if smallest error was found in it and he would have a new one written. Then he would review the new one and if it too contained errors he would also reject it. And he would not permit a book to be published till he was certain that there was no error in it.

The Promised Messiah (as) would inquire why it took so long to publish and they would say Huzur there are still many errors in the proofs. The Promised Messiah (as) also wanted a clean and good thing produced and so he would never worry that the workers are just sitting around doing nothing waiting and consuming wages doing nothing. It was also his practice that if there was a small shortcoming in the book he would tear it and ask that it be rewritten. And the scribe would re write and till the quality was good he would not give the book for publication.

Initially the transcribers were not Ahmadi but eventually became Ahmadis and the good thing about them was that they recognized and correctly estimated the status of the Promised Messiah (as) and he recognized their worth. Despite not being Ahmadi whenever the Promised Messiah had their need they would be called to Qadian. In those days the wages were low, 25 rupees a month and an allowance for food.

The scribe had the habit that when the work was near an end he would come to the Promised Messiah (as) and say Huzur, I have come to submit my salaams and request leave to go home. The Promised Messiah (as) would ask, what is the hurry? The work of printing the books is ongoing still. We have need of scribes. The scribe would say Huzur I definitely need to go. The promised Messiah (as) would say there is still material that needs to be written down. The scribe would say Huzur here I have to make my own food and this takes up all my day, so I do not know whether I should make my food or do the writing. The Promised Messiah (as) would say to him to stay and provided him food from the Langar [the Promised Messiah's public kitchen]. Thus he would get his 35 Rupees in wages and the food.

A few days later he would again come to the Promised Messiah and say that he has to go home and upon being asked why he would say that the food of the Langar is lacking and a man cannot do any work eating this food. So the Promised Messiah (as) would ask what should he do. He would say you should please give some money separately for this. The Promised Messiah (as) would raise wages by ten Rupees and say ok you will now receive 45 Rupees.

Then he would return ten days later saying I have come to submit my salaams and seek permission to go home. I spend all day cooking food how can I work. The Promised Messiah (as) would again ask so what should I do? And he would be told to arrange something at the Langarkhana. The Promised Messiah (as) would say ok you will keep receiving 45 rupees and will also start getting food from the Langarkhana. He would return to start work again.

Then he would return a few days later saying I have come to submit my salaams and seek permission to go home. Huzur would ask what is the matter and would say I cannot eat the food of the Langar you should increase my wages by ten more rupees and so the wages were increased to 55 rupees.

Similarly he employed other ways to get more money from Huzur but Huzur loved his writing and would tolerate all these but get him to do the writing. What this does show is how much care and worry the Promised Messiah (as) had for his books. He wanted that the teachings of Islam should be presented in the best manner possible.

We should strive to read the books of the Promised Messiah (as) especially. Our religious knowledge would increase thereby and a zeal would well up within us for conveying the message to others and our knowledge would also become blessed and we will become capable of bringing the world under the flag of Islam Ahmadiyyat.

The real blessing of course is that the Kings should obtain knowledge of true Islam and they reform their lives accordingly. In reality, all kings and leaders of Muslim nations are working against the interests of Islam with a rare exception here or there. They speak of Islam but their hearts are engrossed in seeking and furthering their personal interests. They are engaged in tyranny. Thus, when Islam is meant to spread through the Promised Messiah (as), and the people will seek blessings through his garments, it will be through understanding the true teachings of Islam. These are the true blessings and so we too should know of this true teaching and we should conduct our preaching in accord with these teachings and the youth must pay attention to this also. Only in this way would the reality of Kings will seek blessings from thy garments be realized.

May Allah enable us to understand this principle. Aameen.

Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih (aba) lead a few funeral prayers. Two were present and one was in absentia.

One was of Ch Abdul Aziz Dogar Sahib who was living here in Coventry since some time. He passed away on January 11, 2016 at the age of 87 years. Inna lil-lahay wa inna elaihay rajayoon. He was the son of Hazrat Master Charagh Din Sahib (ra), Companion of the Promised Messiah (as). Hazrat Master Charagh Din Sahib (ra), had the honor of being the class fellow of Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra). Ch Abdul Aziz Dogar Sahib was blessed to serve the Jama'at all his life. May Allah bestow His love and Forgiveness upon him.

2nd is of Iqbal Naseem Azmat Butt Sahiba who passed away on 13 January 2016. She was a Moosi. May Allah bestow His Forgiveness and Mercy upon her.

Funeral in-absentia: Mukarrama Siddiqa Sahiba wife of a Dervesh of Qadian who passed away on 6 January 2016. Inna lil-lahay wa inna elaihay rajayoon. May Allah elevate her station in Paradise.

All praise is due to Allah. We laud Him, we beseech help from Him and ask His protection; We confide in Him, we trust Him alone and we seek protection against the evils. Whomsoever He guides on the right path, none can misguide him. He is alone and has no partner. We bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O servants of Allah! May Allah be merciful to you. Verily, Allah commands you to act with justice. Forbids evil which pertain to your own selves and evils which affect others. He warns you against being unmindful. Remember Allah; He too will remember you. Call on Him and He will make a response to your call. Verily divine remembrance is the highest virtue.