Tarbiyyat Extracts From 11/22/13 Friday Sermon: Faith, Salat, and Steadfastness

Promised Messiah (as) said:  'Our task and our objective is that you generate a pure change in yourself and become a completely new person. It is essential that each of you understands this secret and brings about such a change that he can say I am a different person.’

‘O ye who believe! seek help with patience and Prayer; surely, Allah is with the steadfast.’ (2:154) 

The Arabic word sabr (patience) has many meanings. For example Sabr is to avoid evil with resolve and effort. Sabr also means to be steadfast on piety and not overlook this aspect out of any greed and always be firm on good works. Sabr is also submitting one’s matters to God, to turn to Him in every difficulty and every trouble.

Along with sabr, Salat (Prayer) is also needed. One meaning of Salat is of course Prayer. A true believer seeks help from God through Salat and great results of sabr are garnered when Salat is observed with due attention. Salat also means seeking God’s mercy, to do Istaghfar (seeking God’s forgiveness). 

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said that regretfully we do not have the attention that need to have as regards our Salat, our worship of God and instilling a connection with God. A few days ago a lady came for mulaqat and wept as she said that when Huzoor is not around, the attendance in the mosque decreases a lot.  If the decrease in attendance is owing to those who live nearby, then it is a great cause for concern and attention should be drawn to it. Whether it is Australia or the UK or any other country in the world, it should be remembered that if we are to bring a revolutionary change, if we are to fulfil our responsibility to fulfil the mission of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), then we need to populate mosques on a permanent and not temporary basis.

Tarbiyyat Extracts from Huzur's (Aba) 11/8/13 Friday Sermon: "Be a Man of God"

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said: ‘...Allah the Exalted willed by establishing this Community to prepare a community like the community which was prepared by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) so that this community may stand witness to the truth and greatness of the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him).’  

The first matter about which God will hold us accountable is upholding pledges. As regards our pledge of allegiance with the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) it is not sufficient for us to say that we have taken the Bai’at of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and are now Ahmadis or that the long-term Ahmadis re-new their Bai’at at the hand of Khilafat and think it sufficient. Indeed, pledge of allegiance that Bai’at is, has its requisites which the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) presented to us in the form of ten conditions. The gist of which is that faith is given precedence over worldly matters under all conditions and efforts should always be made in this regard.
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that people have to work very hard for worldly tasks to achieve success, but they do not take pains for faith and do not make efforts to keep God in view at all times.  Explaining the real purpose of Bai’at, he said: ‘Instill a pure change within yourself and become like a completely new person. It is essential for each one of you to understand this secret and to bring about such a change that he can say that he is a different person.’
True believers forgive the faults of each other and true believers display humility. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) expressed in one of his Urdu poetic couplets: 'Assume that you are worse than all the rest; For this may admit you in the abode of union with God!'  Jama’at office-holders should show humility as well as members of the Jama’at and they should suppress anger, which is a sign of true believers.
Office-holders should self-reflect whether they are honouring the rights of the office they hold or are they creating restlessness by not honouring the rights! The office-holders of the auxiliary organisations should also self-reflect. Each one will be accountable for the trust given to them and their pledge.