Some parents severely reprimand their children over things while others are so lenient when children do something wrong that children lose their sense of right and wrong. Both ways have a very bad effect on the upbringing of children. Too much strictness and repetitive rebuking turn children rebellious and they even stop caring about what is right. Unnecessary indulgence also has a negative effect on children, especially adolescents. It is mostly the attitude of fathers that make matters worse. Children of such age need to be explained things with reasoning, especially in this day and age when they are not just influenced by what is around them but are susceptible to influences on not just national but international level. In such conditions fathers need to take particular care to see when should children be dealt with strictly and where gentle dealing is required. This responsibility is that of fathers and it should not be left to mothers alone to handle this matter.

Relating the way the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) morally trained children, Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that God has created different animals for different purposes. Some are beautiful to look at, some have beautiful voices while others are for eating. One does not have to eat all animals that are halal (permissible). By way of example he explained that it is possible an animal eats harmful insects and as a result the flesh of such an animal, in spite of being halal and wholesome, would not be beneficial for humankind.

He recalled a lesson taught to him in his childhood. He hunted a parrot and brought it home. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said, Mahmood, eating of its flesh is not forbidden but every animal is not for [human] consumption. He explained that some animals are pleasing to look at while others have fine voices which are pleasurable to listen. Thus different animals please different senses and all animals should not be used simply for the sense of taste. Parrots are beautiful and look so fine sitting atop trees.

Children are inspired when explained in such charming manner and it also instils in them the Divine commandment that while what is halal and wholesome can be eaten but this should be done with due care. And the signification of wholesome can vary. Animals and birds which are beneficial in other ways may not remain wholesome in spite of being halal, because their greater advantage lies elsewhere.

Regarding removing harmful innovations, Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had his photographs taken. However, when a post card was presented to him which had his photo on it, he said that could not be allowed. He instructed no one should purchase those cards. As a result no one dared to repeat this.

Hazrat Khalifatul Maish V said the following:

'These days however, I have noticed on Twitter and Whatsapp that some people are trying to circulate that old post card. They have either acquired it from an elder, or purchased it from a shop that sells old books. This is wrong and should be stopped. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had his photograph taken so that people of far-off places, especially Europeans who can judge characters from facial characteristics, would see it and it would lead them to seek truth. However, when the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) saw that people may turn this into a business and sell his photograph on postcards, when he felt this may become a source of harmful innovation he strictly forbade it. In some instances he asked for the postcards to be destroyed.

People who have businesses selling photographs and charge exorbitant prices should pay attention to the matter. Some colourise photographs of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) although no colour photograph of his exists. This is completely wrong and should also be avoided. Also, incorrect use of photographs of Khulafa should be avoided.'

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said it is not correct to say that cinema and phonograph in themselves were something bad. Indeed, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) even wrote a poem on the subject of phonograph. Thus, cinema in itself is not bad but these days what is projected through it is not moral. There is nothing wrong with a film which has tabligh and educational aspects and has no element of posturing or fanfare. He said fanfare etc. is wrong even when used for tabligh purposes.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V said that this should clarify matters to those who suggest that it is all right if some music is used in MTA programmes or it is all right if there is some music on Voice of Islam radio, which has just started. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had come to stop these harmful innovations and we have to mould our thoughts in accordance. It is not forbidden to take advantage of new inventions but their wrong use makes them harmful. Some people are of the view that tabligh and tarbiyyat matters should be presented in dramatised manner. It should always be remembered if we introduce something wrong, a hundred harmful innovations will find their way in after some time.

A non-Ahmadi wrote in a newspaper something amusing which also reveals the ignorance of a maulawi. He wrote that a maulawi was swinging along to the singing of an Arab female singer. He also kept saying SubhanAllah and MashaAllah. When someone asked him why he was swinging along so much, he replied, can you not see how beautifully she is reciting the Qur'an! This is how thoughts alter with the spread of harmful innovations.

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that doctors, especially Indian doctors think that they do not need to consult anyone and can treat patients on their own. He said 99% of Indian doctors would consider it insulting to consult another. He said Dr Hashmat Ullah Sahib was a better doctor than the rest but this did not mean he did not need to consult. He said it was the practice of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) which he had also followed, to take medication from a doctor as well as a native physician.

Sometimes ordinary herbal treatments work better than treatments of regular physicians. Some people have certain formula of herbal treatment which works very well. Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) related that Syed Ahmad Noor Sahib had a wound on his nose which did not get better in spite of various treatments. Eventually he travelled to Peshawar and saw a barber who gave him a medicine which cured his wound after three days' application. There are many such skilled people around whose skills should be fostered. Instead these people are not patronised. Professional barbers and wrestlers could treat complaints regarding bones and old aches and pains. These skills should be learned and spread but people do not share their 'trade' secrets and they thus die out. Europeans on the other hand disseminate their skills. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) used to relate that a barber had knowledge of an ointment which cured complicated wounds. His son used to ask him for the recipe of the ointment saying that two people should have knowledge of it but the barber refused to share the secret formula. When he was old and fell seriously ill his son asked him again. The barber said, so you think I am about to die and will divulge the secret? But what if I get better! He did not share the secret with his son and took it to his grave. Not sharing in such matters becomes a source of disgrace not progress.

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had received many revelations regarding the earthquake of 4 April 1905 and in respect of word of God the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) moved into his garden. Some foolish people said that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had moved to the garden out of fear of the plague which was spread in those days. It is astonishing that even some Ahmadis held this view although the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) did not ever leave his home because of the plague. He had been receiving many revelations about earthquake at that time so he deemed it right to move to his garden for some time. And he asked his friends to also stay there. As it was all done rather quickly some people stayed in tents while others put mats on top of bricks and made huts.

Recalling the time when the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) delivered his Revealed Sermon, Hazrat Musleh Maud said this was when God told the Promised Messiah that his Eid sermon was going to be in Arabic and he would be given the knowledge for it. He had indeed never formally spoken in Arabic before. Hazrat Musleh Maud says he was a child at the time so he did not understand the sermon at all but he recalled listening to the entire sermon intently owing to the highly spiritual state of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).

Once people were not sure about the mosque with reference to the poster of the Revealed Sermon, so Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) had the poster brought to him and after reading it he explained that the reference in the poster was to Masjid Mubarak which the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had built. He then related that once Hazrat Ummul Momineen fell ill and was unwell for nearly forty days. Hazrat Musleh Maud decided to try administrating medicine to Hazrat Amman Jan in the mosque as there was a revelation regarding it. Two days after this was carried out, Hazrat Amman Jan felt better!

Hazrat Musleh Maud advised doctors to be of service to faith. He said people who are ailing are influenced that much quicker by truth. When a doctor asked the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) how could he serve faith, he was told to do tabligh to his patients as patients have soft hearts!

These days the issue of purdah is raised in the West a lot. Either with reference to women's rights, or extremism or in general criticism of Islam. God states in the Holy Qur'an about covering up: '…except that which is apparent thereof…' (24:32) Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said this means that aspect of body which is evident anyhow and which cannot be hidden, for example one's height or when one has to let doctor examine part of one's body. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) used to say that it is possible that a doctor tells a woman that covering her face is detrimental to her health and that she should go out and about. In such an instance it is warrantable for the woman to leave her face uncovered and go out and about. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) also said that if there is critical need for a male doctor to deliver a woman's baby it should be done. Denying this facility and dying in the process is tantamount to committing suicide in God's sight. Also, farming women work in fields with their families. All this is included in: '…except that which is apparent thereof…'.

Once the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) remarked that if man acted with righteousness he may marry one hundred times. Following this it became known that according to the creed of the Promised Messiah the commandment was not for up to four marriages but one could marry as many times as one wanted. The matter was taken before the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) who explained that what he had said meant that if a man's wife died or he got divorced he can re-marry. In some religions one cannot re-marry at all and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had explained matters with that perspective. Had his words remained unexplained a short time later it may have been accepted that one could to marry as many times as possible so long as one abided by righteousness!

In those early days the Jama'at was small and when members got together such issues were keenly discussed. Once Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) said that marrying up to just four wives was not proven from Shariah. He quoted a Tradition of Abu Dawood that Hazrat Imam Hassan had had eighteen or nineteen nikahs. It was decided to send the matter before the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Someone went to the Promised Messiah with the book quoting the Tradition, very eager and enthusiastic and upon asking told Hazrat Musleh Maud where he was going. Hazrat Musleh Maud decided to wait for his return and the answer. As he returned his demeanour had changed and his head was bowed. In response the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) had said to ask Maulawi Sahib where the Tradition said that Imam Hassan had all those wives concurrently!

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that call of people has no significance compared to the call of the Imam. It is obligatory that the moment believers hear the words of Prophet of God they promptly respond and hasten to put in practice what he has said. Even if one is offering Salat at such a time, one should break one's Salat and respond to Prophet of God. With the grace of God such examples can be found in our Jama'at. Once Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) did this and presented himself before the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and a couple of other companions also did the same at other times. When someone objected to this, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) quote the following Quranic verse: 'Treat not the calling of the Messenger among you like the calling of one of you to another. Allah does know those of you who steal away covertly. So let those who go against His command beware lest a trial afflict them or a grievous punishment overtake them.' (24:64) There is also the verse: 'O ye who believe! Respond to Allah, and the Messenger when he calls you that he may give you life…' (8:25)

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said this practice is a great sign among signs of faith. He said a believer is in fact not in want of too much persuasion to obey and for him a single gesture is enough. And people consider those whose belief is perfect as crazy. A companion of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) Maulawi Yaar Muhammad Sahib had such devotion towards the Promised Messiah and so intense was his love and devotion that by its virtue he imagined that he was the promised son and the promised reformer. When the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) spoke in a spirited manner he used to move his hands in a manner which was similar to when beckoning someone. On one such occasion Maulawi Yaar Sahib leapt and went to sit next to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Later, someone asked him why he did that and his answer was that the Promised Messiah had gestured him to come over. His obsessive devotion remained positive and did not take on any negative aspect.

Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that at a time the Wahhabi sect believed that Friday Prayers could be offered in India but the Hanafi sect believed it could not. They believed Friday Prayers could only be offered when the governance of the country was in Muslim hands and at the time the British ruled India. They did realise what the Qur'an says about offering Friday Prayers so they were not quite satisfied with the situation. Therefore some people offered Friday Prayer on Fridays and then offered Zuhr Salat so that they could cover both aspects. They used to term Zuhr Salat as something which may be translated as 'precautionary'. Their explanation was that if God did not accept their Friday Prayers they would present the precautionary Prayers to Him and vice versa.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that once he was travelling to Gurdaspur on a Friday and it was Prayer time, so he went to a mosque to offer Prayers. Maulawi Ghulam Ali who accompanied him was a staunch Wahhabi. They both offered Friday Prayers and then Maulawi Ghulam Ali proceeded to offer four further units of Prayers. Upon asking he told the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that as a Wahhabi he had not offered the four extra units in fear lest his Friday Prayers were accepted or not, but had offered them out of fear of people!

Someone once said to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that people of our Jama'at shave their beards. The Promised Messiah replied the main thing is love of God. When these people have real love of God in them they will truly follow us!

Next, funeral Prayer in absentia of Abdul Noor Jabi Sahib of Syria was announced. He was born in 1989. In December 2013 someone borrowed his phone to make a call. Jabi Sahib was arrested as a result of this call because the person who had borrowed his call was a Syrian rebel who had discussed some financial transaction with co-rebels. The Syrian government tortured Jabi Sahib and martyred him on the third day of arrest.

Prayers should be said for the situation in Syria. State persecution gave rise to rebels and now they exceed each the in oppression and cruelty and there is the third group Daesh which is perpetrating barbarity in the name of Islam. May God have mercy and rid the country of the unjust!