Friday Sermon delivered at Masjid Mubarak, Islamabad, Tilford, UK
After reciting Tashahhhud, Ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba) recited the following verse from the Holy Qur’an:
‘And when My servants ask thee about Me, say: ‘I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he prays to Me. So they should hearken to Me and believe in Me, that they may follow the right way.’’ (The Holy Qur’an, 2:187)
His Holiness(aba) said that with the start of the month of Ramadan, one’s attention is drawn towards prayers, because this is a month where prayers are especially accepted. Generally, people are more drawn to the mosques and attendance increases as compared to other times in the year. God says that during Ramadan, He closes the gates of hell, chains Satan and opens the door of Paradise.
His Holiness(aba) said that some may think that it is only during Ramadan that they must offer supplications and that it is only during this time that their prayers will be heard. However this is not the right mentality. Allah the Almighty has drawn increased attention towards prayers during Ramadan so that it may become a lasting habit for the rest of the year as well. Hence, it is not enough to simply offer prayers and attend the mosque solely during Ramadan. The Holy Prophet(sa) said that one who supplicates in the nights of Ramadan to fulfil their rights of their faith and for the sake of blessings then their previous sins are forgiven. When a person tries to make these virtuous habits a regular part of their lives, then their attention will increase during Ramadan towards these things.
His Holiness(aba) said that man is prone to make mistakes; however, Allah the Almighty is very Gracious and Merciful. As such, He has given us an opportunity to renew our vows during Ramadan to act according to God’s commandments for the rest of the year as well. Ramadan is for one to attain guidance, and that is not something that can be established just for one month; rather, guidance is something which is meant to be permanently established. Since humans are forgetful, Allah has made Ramadan a recurring time, each year, so that people may be reminded about their duties and rights owed to God and the rights owed to His creation. In the above verse, where God refers to ‘My servants,’ it means those who hold God to be their Beloved – not just for a month but throughout the year.
His Holiness(aba) said that true lovers are those who adhere to everything their beloved says. One can be disappointed with worldly love, but by loving God, one can never be disappointed and finds nothing but continuous benefit. Hence, we should strive to beseech God for His nearness. We should not only pray for things of our own benefit; rather, we should also pray to attain nearness to God. We should pray that God grants us His nearness, enables us to make supplications that are granted acceptance, grants us a rank of His approval, and that He accepts our fasts. When we do this, then we will be saved from making mistakes even after Ramadan; rather, we will be granted the continuous ability to do virtuous deeds.
His Holiness(aba) said that special attention has also been drawn towards reciting the Holy Qur’an. The Promised Messiah(as) said that there are more than 700 commandments in the Holy Qur’an. A true believer not only recites the Holy Qur’an, but they search for those commandments and then make every effort to implement them. Complete belief entails complete obedience to God’s commandments and the teachings of His Messenger (sa). As a result, God becomes a person’s Friend, as it is stated in the Holy Qur’an, ‘Allah is the Friend of those who believe.’
His Holiness(aba) said that this nearness to God is something that never ends; rather, it only increases. Hence, during Ramadan, we must try to attain this rank and consider that if, after Ramadan, we regress and do not offer supplications as we did during Ramadan and do not strive to attain the nearness of God, then how can God become our friend?
His Holiness(aba) said that God has established certain conditions for the acceptance of prayer: being His servant, being sincere to Him and sincere in prayer, considering Him to be the Fountainhead of all power and not associating false gods with Him.
His Holiness(aba) said that recently, the Hifazat-e-Khas (special security) team from Germany met with him and asked him how they could please their superiors. His Holiness(aba) responded by saying that if they focused on pleasing God, then He will turn the attention of their superiors towards them and they will be kind towards them. However, the foremost thing is to seek God’s mercy and to act according to his commandments.
His Holiness(aba) said that there is the example of Chaudhry Zafrulla Khan, who was once visiting the Queen’s palace and seemed worried as he constantly looked at his watch. When some officials asked him what the reason was, he replied by saying that it was nearing the time for prayer, a commandment of God which he must fulfil. Upon hearing this, the official made arrangements for him to offer his prayers. This is the confidence that everyone must have.
His Holiness(aba) said that there are countless examples of instances where the Holy Prophet(sa) has drawn our attention towards acting with virtue. Similarly, in this era, the Promised Messiah(as) has also drawn attention towards acting with virtue and towards fulfilling the rights owed to God and the rights owed to His creation. Hence, we must focus on these things, which will result in God becoming our friend and answering our prayers.
His Holiness(aba) said that God listens to the prayers of those who are patient and who do not say that they have been praying a great deal but God has not answered them. Sometimes people complain that despite offering many prayers, they have not been heard. However, they pray not to attain nearness to God but to fulfill their worldly desires. They prayed only when they had worldly issues. True friendship denotes honouring the friendship even under ordinary circumstances and listening to one another. This is something which should always be remembered – we should not turn to God only for the fulfilment of worldly needs, but we must turn to God in order to seek His nearness as well. Then God hears and answers such supplications.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Promised Messiah(as) states that when there are two friends, sometimes one friend listens to the other, and then at times the friend has the other listen to him. God does the same. And even when God doesn’t accept a believer’s prayer, it is for their own benefit. It is a matter of friendship. If a prayer is not accepted, then God bestows in different ways.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Promised Messiah(as) states that the acceptance of prayer is a clear sign of His existence. The Review of Religions has been conducting The God Summit for several years, as well as this year, in which people share their stories of the acceptance of prayer and how that led them to a greater degree of certainty in God. In the above quoted verse, God tells His servants that they should hearken to Him and believe in Him. Of course, there can be times of weakness, and it is in those times that one must draw nearer to God, and as a result of seeing those efforts, God will increase that person’s faith.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Promised Messiah(as) said that ‘belief in the unseen’ is also necessary. If we draw towards God with the certainty that he possesses all great qualities and all abilities. Upon doing so, one can completely recognise God and God answers their prayer which increases their faith. Such incidents were shared in the God Summit. It cannot be that one says they have complete faith in God but then do not act upon His commandments, or that they focus on worshipping God only during Ramadan. Rather, the goal should be that the mosques should become populated throughout the year just as they are during Ramadan.
His Holiness(aba) said our goal should be for this Ramadan to be a time when we strive to improve the standard of our worship, draw near to God, and become His true servants. We should strive to fulfil the commandments of God, as a result of which God accepts our prayers. We should vow to do these things and then pray to God for the ability to fulfil this vow. It is with such people that God becomes friends.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Holy Prophet(sa) stated that a person for whom the doors of supplication have been opened, it is as though the doors of mercy have been opened for them and of the things sought from God, the most preferred is protection. Prayers prove beneficial for difficulties that have struck, and are going to strike. His Holiness(aba) said that hardships do not arise only during Ramadan; rather, they come at different times. Hence, God says that one should not only pray when they need to remove hardships, but as the Holy Prophet(sa) said, prayers can also avert difficulties, hence why we should constantly pray. It is then that a person can become a true believer. In order to open these doors of mercy, we must constantly strive to maintain a connection with God and to turn to Him, seeking His blessings in times of ease and hardship, happiness and difficulties.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Holy Prophet(sa) stated that every night, God descends to the nearest level of heaven and when a third of the night remains, God asks who will pray to Him so that He may answer their prayer, who will supplicate to Him so that He may answer their supplication, who will seek forgiveness so that He may forgive them. His Holiness(aba) said that this is not specific to Ramadan, but applies to all times. However, Ramadan is a time when there is increased focus on these things in order to build the habit. Once this habit is built, then it becomes a regular practice throughout all other times. Hence, we must always have a connection with God in order to truly become friends with Him.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Holy Prophet(sa) stated that God treats His servants according to their perception of Him. If one remembers God in their heart, then God will remember them in His ‘heart’, if one mentions God in a gathering, then God will mention them in a better gathering, if one moves a hand’s length towards God, then God will move and arm’s length towards them; if one moves an arm’s length towards God, then God will move two arms’ length towards them, and if one walks towards God, then God will run towards them. Every Ahmadi should strive to constantly remain engaged in the remembrance of God, and for their every action to be one which draws them nearer to God, whereby God runs towards them, wraps them in the mantle of His love, and fulfils their needs. May we remain the servants of God in ease and hardship.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Holy Prophet(sa) drew our attention towards the fact that while in the belly of the whale, Jonah(as) prayed,
‘There is no God but Thou, Holy art Thou. I have indeed been of the wrongdoers.’ (The Holy Qur’an, 21:88)
The Holy Prophet(sa) said that whoever makes this prayer during times of hardship, Allah will accept the prayer. Man is weak and at times does not duly fulfil the rights owed to God, yet God continues to bestow blessings. Why else has God taught us such prayers? It is because God will accept those prayers; however, the condition is that we hearken to God and strive to fulfil His commandments. We must analyse ourselves to see the degree to which we adhere to God’s commandments.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Promised Messiah(as) explained the above-mentioned prayer, saying that this shows God can change His decrees. If one weeps before God and strives to fulfil His commandments, supplicate and seek forgiveness, then it is possible for them to be saved from calamities. One should seek forgiveness a great deal, for it acts as a shield. God says in the Holy Qur’an:
‘And Allah would not punish them while they sought forgiveness.’ (The Holy Qur’an, 8:34)
His Holiness(aba) said that the Holy Prophet(sa) stated that when one raises their hands towards God, He does not return them empty-handed. He does not reject prayers that are made with a sincere heart. Hence, we should pray to God with a sincere heart and seek forgiveness for our past faults, vowing to strive to remain steadfast upon virtue. If we remain steadfast upon this even after Ramadan, then we will witness how God runs towards us.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Holy Prophet(sa) taught us to pray that every part of our being, every part of our body should be grateful to Him and we should pray to become the recipients of His favours. His Holiness(aba) prayed in light of the conditions in the world today, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria and other countries where evil forces are operating, and we should pray to be saved from them. When we pray in this way during Ramadan, God will bring about a great revolution, and then such people will never be able to cause us any harm. When we pray in this manner, then God will become our Friend.
His Holiness(aba) said that the Promised Messiah(as) explained that in order to have the ability to pray, we must pray. It is also necessary to establish fervour in prayer. If one does not find their heart to be behind their prayer, but continues to pray to God to open their heart and make their prayers sincere, then God Himself will bring about that fervour in a person’s heart. When that fervour is established, the acceptance of prayers begins to manifest.
His Holiness(aba) said that we must focus a great deal of prayers. We should make this Ramadan one of the acceptance of prayers, one in which we bring about a virtuous change within ourselves which then becomes a permanent part of our lives. May Allah protect us from all perpetrators of cruelty and injustice. May Allah the Almighty enable us to make this Ramadan a means of bringing about lasting change in our lives.
Summary prepared by The Review of Religions
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