Defending the Honour of the Holy Prophet (sa)

Summary of Friday Sermon

delivered by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

February 24^th, 2006

Huzur^aba began his Friday Sermon by citing verse 57 of Surah Al Ahzab (33:57) and said that he would continue with the subject he has been giving a discourse on for the past few weeks. Speaking of some European countries and media’s current ploy at hurting the feelings of Muslims in the name of freedom of speech and the response of the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Conference) Huzur^aba praised the reaction. OIC have maintained that these countries will be pressurised to apologise and to legislate against offending prophets of God in the name of freedom of speech and that if they did not abstain from this then there could be no guarantee for world peace. Huzur^aba prayed that may they be enabled to actually make decisions like this for world peace.
Huzur^aba mentioned the retaliatory attempt by an Iranian newspaper to arrange a contest of cartoons with reference to the Holocaust. Huzur^aba said although this is not an Islamic way, the Western countries, who exceed all limits in vulgarity in the name of freedom of speech have taken an exception to this; the Danish newspaper at the centre of the controversy has announced that it would certainly not participate in this ‘tasteless’ contest and will uphold their ‘standards’. Huzur^aba also referred to the recent sentence to imprisonment for 3 years for a British historian (David Irving) in Austria for expressing some views on Holocaust 17 years ago.
Huzur^aba said certainly they do not tolerate it for themselves.
However, Huzur^aba said, could it be that the brazenness of the West is borne out of the pathetic state of the Muslim world? They are all too aware that despite the recent boycotts imposed these Muslim countries will revert to the West. Huzur^aba said these are simply fleeting reactions.
Huzur^aba mentioned the recent desecration of the holy shrine in Iraq, the increasing sectarian violence, and remarked that has anyone stopped and looked into the possibility that it could be the enemy’s mischief?
Huzur^aba also commented on the situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh where Muslim is killing Muslim at the provocation of their leaders and said the enemies of Islam take advantage of such situations. Huzur^aba said Muslims are faced with this blight because they have accused the Messiah of falsehood and in doing so have been disobedient to the Holy Prophet^saw. This situation saddens the Ahmadis and they should pray that may the rest of the Muslims do not bring Islam in disrepute by being instrumental to the enemy.
Huzur^aba said without doubt majority of Muslims follow their erroneous leaders in this due to lack of knowledge. Huzur^aba said if we truly love the Holy Prophet^saw we should pray for the Muslim ummah in the ways that the Holy Prophet^saw has taught us.
Elucidating this with Ahadith Huzur^aba explained that prayer stops in between the earth and the heavens and unless salutations and blessings are invoked on the Holy Prophet^saw “Darood” or “Assalatu alannabi” no portion of the prayer reaches above. Referring to the Quranic verse he read at the beginning Huzur^aba said Allah Himself invokes blessings on the Holy Prophet^saw therefore this Quranic commandment is one that is an act of Allah. If one turns to Allah with complete sincerity and invokes blessings on the Holy Prophet^saw it would be a source of reformation of the ummah, a source of our own reformation as well as a means of acceptance of prayer.
Relating further Ahadith Huzur^aba said on the Day of Judgment the one closest to the Holy Prophet^saw will be one who invokes the most blessings on him and that blessings invoked with heartfelt sincerity are rewarded by Allah ten-fold in varied ways. The Holy Prophet^saw said that one who does not invoke blessings on him has no faith, that to remember Allah abundantly and to send blessings on him alleviates hardship; he enjoined to repeat the words of the Adhan when it is called and to follow this with invoking blessings on him and to seek him as a means of intercession from Allah.
The Promised Messiah^as said Assalatu alannabi is a means to achieve stability and should be said mindful of the splendour and the supreme favours of the Holy Prophet^saw and that this would result in the sweetest of consequence of acceptance of prayer. Huzur^aba said the Companions of the Holy Prophet^saw would leave aside all other prayers and would just invoke blessings on him, likewise did the companions of the Promised Messiah^as.
To those who experience no effect of Assalatu alannabi Huzur^aba said it needs to be said with complete sincerity of heart and while analysing and evaluating oneself.
In the current era, which is the age of the Messiah, it is salient to respond to what is offensive with prayer; we need to analyse ourselves and gauge the depth of our love for the Holy Prophet^saw and then if we can, should impart it to the rest of the Muslims, to follow the way that Allah and His Messenger has commanded.
Among the range of versions of Assalatu alannabi Huzur^aba cited the Promised Messiah^as as the version we say in our Salat as the most blessed and said that one should say it with utmost sincerity until one is deeply moved by a feeling of warmth and tenderness.
Huzur^aba said in light of the significance of the Assalatu alannabi he had included it in the prayers he had endorsed for the [Khilafat] Jubilee [2008].
Huzur^aba said this is the age of the latter-days about which Allah has declared in the Qur’an that Islam’s triumph will be with prayer and reasoning and none of it is possible without sending blessings on the Holy Prophet^saw.
Huzur^aba said in accepting the Promised Messiah^as a tremendous responsibility lies on our shoulders because Allah sent him to turn around the adversity that Islam had got into. In the current climate of the odious commotion about the Holy Prophet^saw indeed Allah’s angels would be invoking blessings on him and it is also our duty to infuse the very air with blessings invoked on him; this is the expression of love to maintain for the Holy Prophet and his people. May the rest of the Muslims have the sense to recognise one who came to revive the atmosphere of peace and security and in doing so elevated the station of the Holy Prophet^saw.
1400 years later in the very month of Muharram on the very same land [of Iraq] Muslims are killing Muslims; may Allah give them the sense to desist.
Huzur^aba said the intent of the ‘others’ does not look good, who know what plans are being hatched that would put Muslims through further trouble and difficulty.
May we be grateful servants of Allah that He enabled us to believe in the Imam of the age; may He enable us to obey his teachings as well and may He always keep us on the ways of His pleasure.