Assalamu
Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuhu
On
Friday 12th August 2016, the Supreme and Spiritual Head of the Worldwide
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, His Holiness, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul
Masih Vatba delivered the Friday Sermon on the occasion of the 50th Jalsa
Salana (Annual Convention) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the United
Kingdom at the vast Hampshire farm known as ‘Hadeeqatul Mahdi’ in Alton, United
Kingdom.
His
Holiness reminded the attendees of the sole purpose of Jalsa Salana which is
attaining the love and nearness of Allah Almighty, and His Holiness advised
them to partake in the Jalsa and make it a priority to listen attentively to
the speeches which can elevate them in their standard of spirituality.
Likewise
His Holiness advised the speakers to deliver their speeches such that their
main intention and purpose should be to provide a spiritual uplift for the
audience and those watching from all over the world.
His
Holiness urged the participants to recall that they have to forget their
worldly objectives for the three days of Jalsa Salana and remain respectful
towards the volunteers who have sacrificed their time and selves for the
guests. Hudhuratba ended the Friday Sermon by telling all participants to keep
praying, and the best way of praying is offering the five daily prayers,
focusing upon supplications and offering voluntary prayers.
In
the inaugural address later on Friday afternoon, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih Vatba
highlighted the essence of the Golden Jubilee Jalsa Salana of the United
Kingdom which is different from the ways worldly people celebrate their golden
jubilees, and that our purpose is to follow the practise of the Promised
Messiah and Imam Mahdias on such occasions, the purely religious way by being
grateful to Allah Almighty for the
blessings He grants on such occasions and to ponder over paying due
rights to our pledge.
The
main condition to fulfil our pledge according to His Holiness is to increase
our level of righteousness, fear of Allah Almighty and our greatest
responsibility towards Allah Almighty, which is to worship Him. His Holiness
highlighted that true Islam means to follow the Holy Quran, the excellent noble
of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsaw and to recognise and accept the Imam of the
age, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdias.
We
should pray to the extent that we even pray for our enemies, without which our
hearts cannot be cleansed. This in fact is the example set by the Holy Prophet
Muhammadsaw himself, he prayed to Allah Almighty to bestow guidance on his
enemies and show them mercy, for they knew not what they were doing. Speaking
about focusing our faculties towards dedication to Allah Almighty, His Holiness
said that the only purpose of a worshipper should be to attain the love and
pleasure of Allah Almighty. Virtuous deeds are hence performed for that sake,
not necessarily because of Heaven or Hell.
True
Paradise is in fact only found when one loves Allah Almighty in the true
sense. Therefore not only during the
three days of the Convention, rather we should all keep bringing spiritual
changes in our lives throughout the year, said His Holiness. People should
always evaluate themselves instead of finding faults in others.
The
Jama’at which is prepared by Allah Almighty is like a farm, therefore we should
help the weaker brothers and sisters and strengthen them instead of pointing
out their weaknesses. Directing his attention towards the recitation of the
Holy Quran, His Holiness said that every Ahmadi Muslim needs to read the Holy
Quran very carefully, because those who recite it as a story book never
understand or comprehend its true meanings nor do they derive benefits from it.
The ladies of the Jalsa Salana were also
blessed with the presence of His Holiness on Saturday 13th August 2016, and in
His Holiness’s address to them, His Holiness said that Allah Almighty wishes
that believing men and believing women should all understand the reason for
their creation and that the reward for women is the same as for men, for the
Holy Quran refers to all of them as believers. Those who raise allegations fail
to realise that no other book before the Holy Qur’an has explicitly established
rights of women.
Our
women should not have any inferiority complex. Where media raises objections,
women should voice out themselves that men and women are actually equal in the
sight of Allah Almighty. His Holiness said that we are fortunate that the
Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdias has, through the Holy Qur’an and the
excellent practices of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsaw clarified all rights of
women.
A
woman has been granted rights that she can make her own living as a man does,
but it is the man’s responsibility to take care of the woman. His Holiness
concluded by saying that a time will come when the world will realise the
weaknesses present in the so-called worldly rights they have granted to women,
and at such times, only Islam will give the real solution to the problems. They
will then apprehend the actual worth of Islamic teachings regarding women.
The
Khalifa delivered another speech later on the second day of the Convention, in
which as per tradition, His Holiness mentioned the general progress of the
Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat all over the world which included
construction of mosques, mission houses, hospitals, clinics, schools, rendering
services to humanity in various aspects among other things in different parts
of the world, including Africa. By the grace of Allah Almighty, over 584,000
people joined the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at last year and now the Jama’t is
established in 209 countries all over the world.
On
the third and final day of Jalsa Salana UK, Sunday 14th August 2016, His
Holiness delivered the concluding address in which the Khalifa started by
drawing the attention of the participants towards the condition of Islam in the
eyes of the world today.
He
said that people believe Islam is a religion which is disturbing peace in the
world due to the killings that are taking place in the name of Islam. The cause
of disorder is not faith said His Holiness, but the corruption or
misinterpretation of faith. Islam spreads peace in all spheres through justice
and security.
According
to the Holy Qur’an, equity can only occur with complete justice, and humanity
should be treated as one treats his or her own kith and kin. The Khalifa said
that the Holy Quran teaches us that our parents are the foremost worthy of our
respect after Allah Almighty, which is why they should be addressed with
kindness and respect. This is why the Holy Quran teaches us to pray that Allah
Almighty blesses them as they took care of us as children.
The
first love however should be for Allah Almighty as Allah Almighty Himself
established love in the hearts of parents in the first place. His Holiness
continued that the Holy Prophet Muhammadsaw has stated that one can never repay
the favours of parents.
His
Holiness Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih Vatba emphasised that the peaceful society
Islam wants to establish cannot be established until rights between parents and
children are fulfilled. Explaining a verse of the Holy Quran (Chapter 17 verse
32) which teaches us not to kill our children due to fear of poverty, His
Holiness said that we all know that no sane person physically kills their
children, but not paying attention to their upbringing and training is
tantamount to killing them.
Emphasising
on the social issues faced by the world today, His Holiness reiterated the
supremacy of the teachings of Islam over worldly policies and said that some
countries made laws to prevent families from having multiple children. Now they
have realised that such policies are incorrect, and same sex marriages will
also show their negative outcomes after a few decades and they will be left to
wonder.
The
Holy Prophet Muhammadsaw is reported to have said that the best of you are
those who have the best conduct and that the best men are those who are
respectful to their wives. If there is no peace at home and there are
differences between husbands and wives, then it can ruin peace within the
family home and society at large.
Shedding
some light on the subject of equality, His Holiness said that nobody can have
superiority based on their nationality or their country or race. Superiority
only comes from righteousness, that is the fear of Allah Almighty, not from the
colour of one’s skin.
Our
Lord and Creator is one, whatever position one may have, as a human being we
are equal to one another. Islam strongly denounces racism and by submitting to
Allah Almighty, peace and justice can be established. His Holiness said that
the teachings Allah Almighty has given us are not to tarnish the character of
others or mock other nationalities.
By
the grace of Allah Almighty, this year’s Convention attracted 38,300 people
from 96 countries of the world.
Various
other distinguished guests spoke at the Convention, some of whom were there in
person and others sent their messages to His Holiness and the attendees of the
Convention. A message from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was read out, British
Prime Minister Theresa May, the President of Uganda who was represented in person
by the Vice President of Uganda, President of Sierra Leone, Leader of the
Liberal Democratic Party of Britain who sent a video message etc. Many
respected guests were also in attendance some of whom were the Vice President
of Uganda, Imam Ratib of Ghana, Deputy Speaker of the Sierra Leone Parliament,
Members of British Parliament and other parliaments of other countries around
the world, mayors from all over Britain including the mayor of Alton, where the
Convention was held, , Secretary of State for Haiti, Benin Minister of Defence,
Ministers in the British Government and other countries, Governors and other
respected dignitaries.
The
Amir Baba F. Trawally of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at The Gambia led a 34-man
delegation from the Gambia to attend the Convention and they have returned
safely by the grace of Allah Almighty. His Holiness Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih
Vatba always prays for and tirelessly urges Ahmadi Muslims all over the world
to keep praying for the Muslim Ummah and humanity at large for Allah Almighty
to shower His bounty and mercy on the whole world and protect the world from
afflictions and disorders of all kinds.
May
Allah Almighty establish peace in our hearts, in our families and society at
large. May the prayers of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih Vatba be echoed and heard
all over our country and the world at large and may we all be beneficiaries of
the prayers of the Khalifa. May Allah Almighty fill our hearts with the light
of faith and righteousness and continue showering peace, stability, security,
progress and prosperity on our dear and beloved country The Gambia. Ameen.
Wassalam
Yours Sincerely,
Baba
F. Trawally
Amir
