In his Friday Sermon of January 13, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) spoke
about the distinctive characteristics of a real believer and the manifold
responsibilities the membership of his Jamaat entails today. The Khalifatullah
defines the basic framework of faith and good deeds expected from the believers
who accepted (or seek to recognize) his divine office and become members of the
Jamaat Ul Sahih Al
Islam.
‘The distinctive characteristic of a member of Jamaat
Ul Sahih Al Islam should be undivided and consummated attachment to Sahih al
Islam; and this devotion should control his life to such an extent that the
slightest deviation from God’s laws is abhorrent to him’, states the Khalifatullah.
Read the Summary of the Sermon:
“A member of the Jamaat
Ul Sahih Al Islam is a Muslim who believes in One God, Holy Prophet
Muhammad (sa) and Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), the Promised Messiah and
Mahdi whose advent had been foretold by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and in
the Khalifatullah and Muhyi-ud-Din raised by Allah in this era with Divine
Revelation.
The Khalifatullah of this era (that is, this humble self) is a Messenger
of God. I call upon all mankind to accept the truth of my divine office; but
this is not all. Islam is a practical way of life which demands total
resignation to the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). The attainment of this deal must be
the resolve and goal of every member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in whose
life the principles of Islam should be manifested in every manner of living.
The real object of man’s life according to the Holy Quran is, therefore, a true
knowledge and worship of God and a total resignation to His will that whatever
is said or done is said or done for His sake only. What is the Sahih al Islam?
It is the burning fire which consumes all low desires and, setting fire to
false gods and it is the offering of our property and honour as a sacrifice
before God. It is that sacred fire which burns all papers of trials to uncover
the face of God Almighty in the true believer’s pure golden heart.
A member of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam
is expected to demonstrate his love for God and the Holy Prophet (sa) by
moulding his life in strict accordance with the teaching of Islam. He does not
allow the lure of material wealth and comforts to override his spiritual
obligations and responsibilities. His first and foremost thought is to regulate
his conduct in accordance with the will and pleasure of God.
So my mission as the Khalifatullah
of this era is the reformation of all mankind (not only Ahmadi Muslims and
other Muslims but also all religions) through the recognition and resignation
to Islam.
The distinctive characteristic of a member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam should be
undivided and consummated attachment to Sahih al Islam; and this devotion
should control his life to such an extent that the slightest deviation from
God’s laws is abhorrent to him. If there is as much as an atom’s weight of
worldliness in the behaviour of a member of Jamaat
Ul Sahih Al Islam then he cannot be counted as a true follower of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam and that of the
Khalifatullah of this era. That is to say no law or principle of Islam should
be trampled upon or neglected in order to satisfy some worldly interests or
inclinations. A member of Jamaat Ul Sahih
Al Islam is expected to reflect not only the basic teachings of Islam but
also the finer aspects of faith which others may overlook as unimportant.
A member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam is:
1. A Soldier of Islam
2. An Ambassador of Islam
3. A Preacher of Islam
4. A Servant of Islam.
5. A Defender of Islam,
6. An Embodiment of Islam.
A SOLDIER OF ISLAM
A soldier of Islam has many traits.
Among them is his ability to serve and fight under the most hazardous
conditions. He exerts his energies to the full for his flag and country. A Sahih
al Islam is a soldier of God dedicated to the flag of Islam and the
fight for the defence and propagation of his faith through peaceful means.
As a soldier he is not a sit-at-home
Muslim. He goes forth in all directions wielding his spiritual sword. He is not
deterred by the heat of the sun, snow and icy winds, downpours of rains or
other discomforts when beckoned by the call of duty. The readiness to undergo
severe hardships for the love of Islam is a sign and test of true faith. A
member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam takes inspiration from the great lives
of those who have gone down in history as pioneers and stalwarts of glory. He
is anxious to imbibe and cultivate their inspiring qualities in order to enable
him to fight more effectively for Islam.
AMBASSADOR OF ISLAM
A member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam
has a grave and privileged responsibility for he is a representative of the
Promised Messiah and the Khalifatullah of this era whose advent in the latter
days had been foretold by the Holy Prophet of Islam. As the Khalifatullah of
this era I have also come to entreat my followers to be practical Muslims in
every detail. A member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam should be a
worthy ambassador of Islam and enthusiastically endeavour to adhere to all its
teachings. It has truly been said that faith without works is dead. Knowing
this, a Sahih al Islam endeavours to be meticulous in living up to the
teachings of True Islam. The eyes of the world are upon him; but of greater
consequence is the fact that the eyes of God are also upon him. An ambassador
faithfully symbolises the government which he represents; so must a member of Jamaat
Ul Sahih Al Islam faithfully symbolises the teachings he represents.
PREACHER OF ISLAM
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) was a
Prophet of God commissioned with a Divine Message for all mankind. It is
incumbent upon every Muslim to preach his faith to others; also, when the
occasion arises, to guide and advise his own Muslim brothers. Thus in the Holy
Quran Muslims are enjoined to exhort one another to truth. The Jamaat
Ul Sahih Al Islam works to convey and expound the message of Islam to
everybody and to hasten the coming of the day when Islam will be the dominant
faith of the world. Every member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam is a Dai’Illallah and a missionary of
Islam. He preaches to all and sundry; and in order to do this successfully he
must practise what he preaches. This he well knows because it is the epitome of
Quranic teaching and so becomes the most necessary of all requirements in the
mission field.
SERVANT OF ISLAM
A member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam
is a servant of God. A good servant is imbued with two outstanding qualities: (1) He is respectful; (2) He is obedient.
Respect for God and His creatures is
an essential aspect of the Islamic faith. God is the Master of masters worthy
only of the highest respect and love. The creatures of God are the creation of
God and must, therefore, be given due respect. Being a servant of God a member
of Jamaat
Ul Sahih Al Islam is obedient to God. He is extremely careful in
observing the commandments of God and ever watchful in avoiding His
displeasure. He is regular in Salat
and observes those fasts required by law. He pays Zakat and other dues required by Islamic law. He also
contributes in accordance with instruction and recommendations of the
Khalifatullah of this era. He completely shuns gambling, dancing, wine, pork,
lending money on interest and taking money with interest, lying, backbiting,
cheating and other forbidden things, the greatest of all being association with
God (Shirk). Obedience to God is always his watchword.
DEFENDER OF ISLAM
Islam is assailed on all sides by
its adversaries who through ignorance or prejudice endeavour to smear the fair
name of Islam. Islam is, perhaps, the most misrepresented faith. A member of
Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam educates himself in Islam not only for his own
guidance and upliftment but also that he may be able to defend Islam against
its’ critics. It is asserted that Islam is a man made religion bereft of true
spiritual values. On the contrary Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam illustrates
in his own life that Islam is a living religion which can beautify and purify
the soul and character of a person. A member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam
strives to build an exemplary character for this more than anything is able to
prove the spiritual efficacy of Islam. A member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam
defends Islam best by living Islam.
EMBODIMENT OF ISLAM
A member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam
is a Muslim whose mind has been opened to wonderful spiritual truths which
remain hidden to others. These truths have impressed themselves so deeply upon
him that he finds his only solace in the bosom of God. Being human he possesses
natural attachments of love for his family, relatives and friends; but despite
the ardour of these relationships he never forgets his loyalty to God. And God
puts him to the test with his own family, if the latter are rejecters of God
and His Messenger of this era whom he has recognised and testified to their
truth (Allah and His Khalifatullah), then he knows the how to act and how to
allow God and His Khalifatullah to have precedence over his heart than any
other creature on earth, be him his father, mother, siblings or near relatives
etc. When a member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam has become
in the true sense a soldier, ambassador, preacher, servant and defender of
Islam then, and then alone, does he blossom into an embodiment of Islam
whereupon, according to Allah and His Caliph of this era:
“God becomes his eye
with which he sees, his tongue with which he speaks, his hand with which he
repels attack, his ear with which he hears, and his foot with which he walks.”
May Allah bless all of you to know
the very importance of tabligh and
become a true and sincere Dai’Illallah.
Insha-Allah, Ameen.