Text Box: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Friday Sermon HAZRAT AMIR’UL MOMENEEN MUHYI-UD-DIN AL KHALIFATULLAH Munir Ahmad Azim 02 October 2009 (Summary of Friday Sermon) After having greeted everybody with the Salutations of Peace, the Khalifatullah read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and then he read the following verse of the Holy Quran:  “Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have been granted knowledge to high ranks.” (Chapter 58 Verse 12) Allah has promised that He will always be there for His servants, those who are God-fearing and who seek Him from the knowledge they have obtained, either through Allah’s grace or by their own efforts, by studying profoundly the Holy Quran and putting into practice the traditions of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him). The above-mentioned verse shows the importance of knowledge and the virtues that Allah has attributed to it. Like I mentioned last Friday, each person has a special attribute, a special talent which Allah has input into him, which is natural to him, as a second nature. This nature reveals itself when Allah wants it to manifest, but unfortunately some people, especially the scientists often attribute their golden findings to their own efforts only, without first praising Allah and without attributing these wonderful outcomes to the Maker of creations. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has said: “Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim (male and female).” In the era of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), women were given secondary attentions, or I may say regarded as a wretched thing, without any rights for education, to hold property and to take decisions on their own save a few, from the noble class, like the like of Hazrat Khadija (May Allah be satisfied with her) who had education and power, being one of the women of the higher class. Unfortunately this was not the case for all women. They suffered all sorts of tortures, being denied their rights to the same kind of education which their male counterparts received. This had been their state until the rise of Islam and that of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Although the Quran clearly states that women are the inferior sex, but nevertheless they share the same rights as man in terms of spiritual rights, rights for a decent living, to be protected from the ills of society, to be fed properly and to be given equal opportunity to be educated as her male brothers and counterparts. Fathers at that times (pre-Islamic period) used to view the birth of a daughter as a curse and an unwanted responsibility, but with the advent of the Prophet of Islam, Allah changed the conditions of women and girls and gave them their right to live and be treated equally, with respect, love and affection. It is true also that the female and male bodies are not alike, and thus they are not apt to do the same types of work, but nevertheless they both can work to earn their living, and for the women especially if they have the approval of their husbands to do so. Education is vital, and Allah in many parts of the Quran has stressed on the necessity that both male and female believers go in quest of knowledge especially for their own spiritual uplifting. When the female servant of Allah is granted knowledge, she appreciates Allah’s creation more, and becomes more acquainted with Allah’s attributes and qualities. Consequently, she wholeheartedly witnesses that her Creator is the only one worthy of worship, and then submits to Him humbly. This, in return, generates in her heart a fear, which is akin to a full appreciation and love of her Lord. Allah the Almighty has witnessed in favour of His learned servants these qualities, full appreciation of His Oneness and fear of Him. When the woman learns the language of Allah, through intense prayers and meditation, these fruits are borne in her home, where her husband and children benefit from it. The house that is built where knowledge from Allah is ever present; this house becomes a liveable enlighten home for both spouses and the children. Knowledge of all kinds prepares a Muslim to confront the realities of this life. Allah has given him the faculty to assimilate knowledge which is both good and bad for him, but it depends on the believer to stay clear from the bad ones and assimilate only the good ones and put them into practice. Knowledge comes before deeds, since Allah instructed His Beloved Prophet to know that He is One and the only One worthy of worship. After that, He commanded him to ask forgiveness for himself, his family and for his Ummah. If Muslims truly realise the importance Islam places on knowledge and its virtues, they will definitely be keen to learn and teach others. They would start with themselves and their families; then their neighbours and the community at large. Once Mu’awiyah Ibn Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) said in one of his sermon: “I heard the Messenger of Allah saying, “If Allah wants to do good to a person, He makes him very knowledgeable in Religion (Islam).” (Bukhari and Muslim) This is because knowledge is the basis of all good; it generates actions that are based on the commandments of Allah and subsequently on the instructions of His prophet. Hence, every Muslim must instil in his mind a desire to seek knowledge. Allah the Almighty instructed His Prophet - and thus all Muslims - to ask Allah to increase him in knowledge. The Messenger of Allah gave glad tidings to anyone who undertakes the task of seeking knowledge. Hazrat Abu Huraira relates that the Prophet said, “For him who embarks on the path of seeking knowledge, Allah will ease for him the way to paradise.” (Muslim) If no Hadith on the importance of knowledge besides this one had been uttered by our Model, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), it would have been enough for us Muslims. Yet the Prophet did much more than relating this Hadith. He conformed himself entirely to the instructions of Allah concerning the acquisition of knowledge, especially the knowledge of religion (Islam). He used to stimulate his companions to seek knowledge: Ibn Mas’ud relates that the Prophet said, “Only two persons are worthy of being envied; a person upon whom Allah bestows riches and gives him the power to spend it in a righteous cause; and a person upon whom Allah bestows wisdom by which he judges and which he teaches.” (Bukhari and Muslim) From this Hadith we learn that knowledge that is shared to others is a useful knowledge. Someone who has great knowledge, of what use his knowledge is if he neither put it into practice nor shares it with anyone else? The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) ordained all his companions and, thus, every Muslim who possesses some knowledge - even as little as one verse of the Holy Quran - to disseminate what they know to others: He said, “Convey (what you learn from me) even if only one verse…” (Bukhari) Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to encourage his companions and congratulate them whenever they issued a right judgement or answered correctly a question. Hadith: Once the Prophet asked Ubayy Ibn Ka’b, “Do you know which verse in Allah’s Book is the greatest?” Ubayy answered by reciting Ayat-ul-Kursi (the verse of the Throne, i.e. Al-Baqara, 2:256): “Allah! None has the right to be worshiped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…) The Messenger kindly patted him on the chest, saying, “Congratulations, Abul-Munthir for this knowledge”. (Muslim) Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) also had a great desire to find his Ummah progress spiritually, and for this knowledge of Allah, of Islam and even of this world was necessary to attain these objectives. He used to call upon Allah to grant them the correct knowledge and understanding of this Deen. Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported, “Once the Messenger of Allah embraced me and said, “O Allah! Bestow on him the knowledge of the Book (Qur’an).” (Bukhari) Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to encourage his companions to learn his sayings and to transmit them correctly to others. Zaid Ibn Thabit narrated that the Prophet said, “May Allah brighten the face of the person who hears what I say and retains it, then conveys it to others: for sometimes one who hears from another remembers it better than the original hearer himself.” (Ahmad and Tirmidhi) He further said: “ A learned one is as much above an (ordinary) worshiper as I am above the least of you; and he added: “Allah, His angels and all those in the heavens and in the earth, even the ants in their holes and the fish in the water, call down blessings on those who instruct people in beneficent knowledge.” (Tirmidhi) Concerning one’s Knowledge of Allah, each believer must make it a must to perceive Allah in his everyday life, in each of his intention and deed. Our mind cannot comprehend Allah in His eternal attributes and faculties. Allah has an own faculty secret to Him, and only a little of it He discloses to His human creatures. Allah has graced mankind with knowledge through His angels, books and prophets so that mankind can come to know Allah, to worship Him alone, and devout a part of his life in serving the religion of Allah. Allah created the Heavens and earth, yet He is most humble, and do not boast about His power of creation. It is only man who when gotten a little knowledgeable and discovered a verity of the creation of Allah, comes to boast about this discovery and put golden plates engraved with his name to emphases his claim on his “new-found” discovery. The real knowledge for a true believer is his intense connection with Allah, the Knower. He feels incomplete without Allah in His completeness and intense everlastingness. True knowledge is that which exist as special between the two: the Knower (Allah) and the one in quest of the Knower (the Source of his ultimate knowledge). For one to perceive Allah, Allah has given him different sources of knowledge to guide him towards his ultimate goal (Allah). Like in the times of the prophets, especially the law-bearing ones, Allah sent His sacred books as a means to establish the necessary laws which will serve as a guideline to guide His devoted servants towards Him. Though Allah has not and will never reveal another Quran, another sacred book like the like of the Quran, yet He (Allah) will always pour down knowledge in form of revelations upon His humble chosen ones from time to time to guide mankind toward Him. In this era, rivers of knowledge are being flowed unto the heart and soul of this humble one, and those who have recognised the power of this knowledge which comes from the Unseen. You have trusted Allah and put your faith in a knowledge which was beyond your understanding, yet with time, with supplication and prayers, Allah revealed to us, through time and time again His presence with us, His responding to our prayers and bestowing upon us His immense grace and mercy, and opening for us His unlimited blessings. If these were not a manifestation of Allah, a revealer of the knowledge which He Himself represent for us, when what is it then? Allah has bestowed upon us Muslims the Holy Quran. It is our foremost duty to study it and analyse it as it should be viewed and analysed. In this era, Allah has sent this humble one as a Reviver of Faith, a Reviver of the Religion of Islam, a Reviver of the Quran, a Reviver of the genuine traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). My knowledge I humbly receive it from Allah the Almighty. No prophet or messenger of Allah knows the Unseen; they are made to know only that which Allah wants them to know. The Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (on him be peace) testified to this also, as one sent from Allah. In one single night, Allah taught him 40,000 roots of Arabic words. On another occasion (Eid-ul-Adha), through the power of Allah, he was made to deliver the Eid sermon in Arabic, and this event was thereby known as “Khutba Ilhamiyya” in Ahmadiyya history. Now, O my companions, a new page of history is being written by the hands of Allah and His angels. The Knowledge is from Him alone, the revelations are from Him alone, the light as a favour and guide as a source of enlightenment to clear all obstacles from our path. Allah is our Knowledge. We wish Allah as our Knowledge. The one who comes to know Allah (from what Allah wants him to see of Him), that one is really fortunate! May Allah increase us in Knowledge; especially the Knowledge of His own purified self, and may we reflect that purity from His purity. Allah’s knowledge cannot be challenged, and the one to obtain the keys of limited spiritual knowledge feels that the door to an ocean of knowledge has been opened for him, yet this knowledge from Allah is very little compared to the secret of knowledge which He Himself represents and conceals within Him also. May Allah help us to better understand the knowledge of the divine which He has bestowed upon us in this era; along with the Holy Quran, He has bestowed upon you all with revelations which this humble one receives to guide you and all humanity Insha’Allah towards the right path. You are His chosen ones, the helpers of His Representative, His Vicegerent in this era. May Allah be with you all and allow you to see the wonders of His signs and manifestation again and again as a favour from Him and as a revealer of the verity of His humble Messenger of this era. Ameen.