Tarbiyyat Extracts from Huzur's (aba) 12/20/13 Friday Sermon:"Self Reformation: Breaking Bad Habits"

The third impediment to reformation of practice is to only keep immediate or short-term matters in view. Matters of faith and creed are long-term and relate to the Hereafter.

The fourth impediment to reformation of practice is the correlation between habit and practice...Once habits are formed it becomes difficult to shake them off.  God commands to advice and even if there is an iota of faith in someone, advice works. A person had the habit of swearing. When a complaint was sent to Hazrat Musleh Maud (may Allah be pleased with him) he sent for the person and asked him why did he swear? The person swore and said who says I swear, without realizing what he was saying.  These days people are drawn to watching unsuitable films on the internet etc. Their case is like taking an intoxicant, they do not eat, do not sleep, simply sit and watch films, not caring about their family, wife and children. 

The fifth cause of impediment to reformation of practice is family: wife and children. The wife may have demanded something or the son may have asked for money which the father could not provide, or money may be required for treatment of an ailing child. The person may think of usurping the money left as a trust with him to meet his needs and not care about the consequences.

Borne out of undue indulgence some parents in particular in this liberal society – although this also goes on the underdeveloped countries – do not make their children conform to Islamic teachings.  Someone living in the developed world marries his daughter off in Pakistan and on the very first day tells the son-in-law that his daughter’s upbringing has been very pampered and she is free to do what she wants so no restrictions should be put on her. The daughter is very haughty because of the father’s encouragement and does not think anything of her husband.

The sixth cause of impediment in reformation of practice is that man does not constantly watch himself.  We should be mindful that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) told us there are 700 commandments in the Holy Qur’an to be abided by.

There is the example of one shopkeeper going to Salat and the other keeping his shop open to attract all the customers while the first shopkeeper is away offering Salat! Complaint was received about Rabwah shopkeepers in this vein but now a report has been sent that they have all agreed to shut their shops during Salat times.  Ahmadis all over the world need to be mindful of this matter. 

The eighth impediment in reformation of practice is that it becomes extremely difficult to bring such reformation about unless the whole family is reformed.  Everyone in the family should make an effort but the head of the family has an important role to play...Today we need to pledge that we will give sacrifice of our personal wishes, wishes of our family and will fully try to give each such sacrifice which brings about reformation of practice.

Tarbiyyat Extracts from 12/6/13 Friday Sermon: "Introspection and Self-Reformation"

Ease of travel, television, the internet and various media have made localised evil international evil. Contacts are forged on the internet across thousands of miles to spread evil. Young women are deceived into falling for lax morals and are even made distant from faith...each Ahmadi also needs to commit to a personal Jihad to avoid this foulness.

It should be remembered that we cannot avoid the facts. Progressive communities keep an eye on their weaknesses and we should keep an eye on the facts. We cannot feel happy that 50% or such and such percent of us are reformed. If we are to bring about a revolutionary change in the world we need to keep 100% reformation as our target.

If a sense of responsibility is instilled in us we would consider service of faith as a Divine blessing. Some may say in response to this that indeed they consider service of faith a Divine blessing, but 100% of the office-holders do not think this. Matters are brought to Huzoor’s attention showing that office-holders do not have self-control and tolerance. If someone speaks to them in a loud tone their ego and honour gets in the way and false sense of pride surfaces. One who considers work as Divine blessing tolerates everything for the pleasure of God and the knowledge that all honour belongs to God forces him to be humble and meek. Close scrutiny tells us that the adage of ‘Assume that you are worse than all the rest’ is not being acted upon and in some form or the other egotism flares up. We have appreciation of [revelation given to the Promised Messiah] ‘He is pleased with your humble ways’ [Tadhkirah 2009 edition, p. 931] but do not think that this is also the teaching he gave to those who took his Bai’at.

If one is given an office or the opportunity to serve, then the following words of the Muhammadan Messiah should always be remembered: ‘I was but poor, helpless, unknown and without talent!’ One fulfils the rights of service of faith when this helplessness, meekness and humility are inculcated and this may lead to hope of: ‘For this may admit you in the abode of union with God!’

Tarbiyyat Extracts from 11/29/13 Friday Sermon: "Seeking the Pleasure of Allah"

 (Huzur (aba) referenced sermons delivered by Hadhrat Musleh Ma'ood (ra)
which describe great incidents of truthfulness and sacrifice.)

(Promised Messiah (as) was completely truthful in many different court
cases, and was well known and became a shining example for his great
honesty and truthfulness.  People had great respect for him.)

Prophets of God come in this world to establish truthfulness and honesty
and set a model which a beholder cannot escape being impressed with…the
Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) did not invent canons
and machine guns. What was it that he gave to the world, the protection of
which was the responsibility of his followers? It was the spirit of
truthfulness and high morals. This was missing at the time; he first earned
it and then gave this treasure to the world. The responsibility on his
Companions, their children and the children of their children was to
safeguard these matters.

Reading the incidents of the sacrifices the Companions made to protect the
life of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) make
hairs stand on ends and seeing their love even today a wave of love
develops.  (The example of Hadhrat Talha (ra) was given that how in the
battle of Uhad, he raised his hand to protect the blessed face of Holy
Prophet (saws) and because of the continuous onslaught of arrows and
firing, he permanently lost use of that hand.)

(Another example related was of the son of Syed Hamid Shah Sahib, who was a
sincere Ahmadi and companion of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).
 His son mistakenly killed a person during a fight which the other person
started.  But, when asked, he admitted that he killed the person because he
felt he should confess the truth and the the punishment of the world is
less than punishment of the Hereafter.  Despite confessing, he was
acquitted once the truth came out.)

What is needed is that the Jama’at realises that by sending the Promised
Messiah (on whom be peace) Allah the Exalted has put a huge responsibility
on them. Even if a person has mammoth amount of ills, it is not difficult
to rid of them if he resolves to do so. A famous saying of Jesus (on whom
be peace) is that even if you have an iota of faith in your heart, you can
move mountains. The day a believer resolves no impediments remains in his
way.