Second Speech: Objects of Human Life

(December 28, 1914)

1

After reciting tashahhud, ta‘awwudh, and Surah al-Fatihah, Huzoor (ra) recited the following verses of the Holy Quran:2

Huzoor (ra) said:

Yesterday, I said that I wished to speak on a subject which is of so much importance that I cannot find words to fully expound its need and grandeur.

Importance of the Subject

The object of every man’s life is but one. There only is one way that any sect, nation, or Jama‘at can prosper; and there is only one thing which can prove mankind to indeed be worthy of being called human beings. Should God enable me, I now wish to speak to you on that one point.

By the grace of Allah, yesterday, though I spoke for about three and a half hours, I suffered no complications. But because of speaking yesterday, I am not feeling well today. That is why I will not be able to give as detailed an elaboration of this subject today, but should God enable me to do so, I will speak on it another time.

Some of you might be wondering what it is that is so important that a Jama‘at cannot progress without it, or that man cannot truly become man without it, or the very purpose of human life will be left incomplete without it. Then again, if it is such an important point why was it not explained by the Promised Messiah (as) or by Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih I (ra)? I must point out that the importance of something is not diminished by hearing it repeatedly. I have not come up with an idea that was not known to the world before. It is the same thing that you have heard many times before my exposition to you, but until it is fully acted upon and becomes well-established, the need for re-iterating it will continue.

Behold, quinine is very effective in treating malaria and is given to hundreds of patients suffering from malaria daily, and so as long as malaria exists in the world, the need for quinine will also continue to exist. Similarly, water is essential for the existence of every living being. Should someone ask what is indispensable for life, and then get the response that water is one of them—and upon hearing this says that since this is something we drink daily, why consider it so important—he will be utterly wrong, because as long as life is dependent upon water, water will continue to be important. Even if someone drinks it many times a day, the need for it is beyond any doubt. We do not have to pay anything for air. It is automatically inhaled through the process of respiration and this has always been the case, yet its need and significance will never diminish. It is as useful and important today as it was at any time in the past.

Therefore, though you have already heard what I am going to say today, until it fully establishes itself in the world and all people start acting upon it, I will continue to speak of it and its importance shall never fade. I now come to the point. Some people should note it down so that it is recorded for those who have not been able to come here today so that they can also derive benefit from it. But I want to re-emphasize that you must not underestimate its value. It is indeed a thing of great import. The fact that many people fail to understand the real importance of something truly significant often results in their ruin, thereby causing them to suffer complete devastation. Wise is he who gives due consideration to everything, contemplates their consequences and ponders over their reality. Let me explain this point with a parable.

There was a man. He once said to his nephews. ‘Tomorrow after the meal, I will bring you a laddu3 to eat. It has been prepared by hundreds of thousands of people.’ They were surprised to hear that and thought that the laddu that has been prepared by a hundred thousand of people, must be of gigantic proportions. The next day when they sat to eat, neither of them would take more than a couple of spoonfuls lest they filled their stomachs with various foods and be deprived of the true taste of that laddu. When they had finished eating the meal, the nephews reminded their uncle of his promise of bringing for them a laddu made by a hundred thousand people. They requested him to fulfil his promise. He said that he certainly remembered his promise and having said that put before them a laddu like the ones commonly sold in the market. The boys were disappointed when they saw the laddu and said, ‘You had promised that you would bring a laddu made by almost a hundred thousand people, but now you have put before us an ordinary laddu. What is the meaning of this?’ Their uncle said, ‘Go and bring a pen and start making the list of people who took part in the making of this laddu, and then I shall prove that this laddu has indeed been made by several hundred thousand people. Observe that a sweets merchant has made it, but the things that have been used to make it were bought by the sweets merchant from different people. Every thing from among those things was then made by thousand of men. Take sugar for instance. How many thousands have done the hard work of making it? There are those whose job was only to mix its ingredients. Then there were those who extracted its juice from the sugarcane after harvesting the crop. Then there are those who ploughed the fields and watered them. There were those who had mined, refined and made it into iron blades; and those who had cut down the trees to get and shape the wood used in the tillers. In short, if I count all these people, how far will their number go? Then imagine the number of those who made the flour used in it. Similarly, if you count the people who have made all these things, does their number not then reach millions? Having heard this, the nephews confessed that he was right. Therefore, you should also remember it very well that a thing’s significance is not contingent upon its amount and quantity. Rather, it depends upon its eventual outcome and ultimate benefit, and so what I am going to set forth now is very important. No one should underestimate its value and get disappointed like young children who hastily declare it to be a simple thing, even though it does apparently seem to be minor. The fact is that it is indeed a matter of great import. Should you learn it and act upon it, God has promised that He will make such person honoured in both here in this world and in the hereafter. I firmly believe this promise to be true, and declare in the name of God that if your actions are in accordance with the guidance I am about to give, you will certainly be the recipients of the promised blessings.

Attaining Nearness to Allah

People ask how they can attain nearness to God. Remember it well that if you will act according to what I say, you will attain divine nearness not only in the hereafter, but in this very world. God shall speak to you not only after your death, but He will also speak to you in this very world. So reflect upon it carefully. I know, and it is customary among audiences, that after they happen to hear a good lecture, they say that it was very enjoyable or the speech was excellent, and so on. They are not able to realize the pain with which the speaker addresses them. The result of listening to the lecture should be quite different. The speaker speaks with a heart-felt agony, but those who listen evade the issue by saying that the speech was enjoyable. You have not come here to enjoy yourselves, nor have you come to attend some comical performances. Someone who has made this journey for this purpose shall be held answerable before God for the money that he spent on this journey. Therefore, you should listen to every lecture with due attention and open ears, and bear it well in mind and rather act upon it.

I have always wished that God would enable me, even on my deathbed, to make it the last thing I say; and should I have to restart by saying something, the same should be the first thing that I say. All worldly things as compared to it are worthless. The worldly gains and material advantages are all useless, and the means for self-indulgence and luxury are of no avail.

It has become a big problem nowadays that people think in terms of how enjoyable a lecture is. But O my dears! Having spent your money you have not come here for the purpose of enjoyment or extravaganza; rather, your purpose coming here, and my purpose of calling you here is quite different. If someone fails to understand this purpose, he surely has not come for us, but has come here to please his own self. He, who has come here merely for some enjoyment or for amusing himself with some extravaganza, has indeed committed a sin. If someone ever had such a thought, he must repent and seek forgiveness from Allah. A person, who wastes his money and time and leaves his homeland and dear ones only for the sake of amusing himself, will surely be held accountable before God for every single penny and moment that he spends as to why he laid Allah’s bounty to waste. Therefore, ponder over it sincerely and bring about a transformation in yourselves. Do not listen to the lecture for the sake of amusement only.

All kinds of things are said in the lectures. Some are meant to be amusing also, but you should never wish that a lecture should only contain amusing things and that you will pay attention only to those things. Do not look for comedy or tragedy in a lecture; rather, pay attention to what the lecturer says. Should you feel uncomfortable at any point, reflect upon it; and should you like some point, react to it by acting upon it. Do not sit in a lecture only for listening to entertaining stories.

There is another problem with those who listen to these lectures, and that is that every listener thinks of himself as pure of all ills, and that the lecture is meant for those sitting around him. As a consequence all of them leave the lecture empty-handed, and the lecture does not avail anything to anybody. Hence, every one of you should think that you are the first person to whom I am addressing this lecture and should think that whatever has been said has been said for you alone. Should there be a saint in the audience, my address is meant for him; and should there be a person with the most base and impure morals, I am speaking to him as well. Those who think that an address is not meant for them, rather is meant for others, deprive only themselves.

It is narrated that, in order to test his courtiers’ loyalty, a king ordered everyone of them to pour a receptacle of water into a specific pond. When they left for their homes, all of them wondered why they should burden themselves with carrying a receptacle of water and pouring it into the pond. How could those ministers and elite for whom it was difficult to even lift a fallen handkerchief carry a receptacle of water! Every one of them thought that the pouring of merely one receptacle of water by him was not going to fill the pond anyway. Thousands will pour their receptacles. The king would never come to know whether someone poured his due or not, and so every one of them, having thought the same thing, failed to pour the water. Therefore the pond remained dry. When the king arrived to inspect it, he found the pond to be completely dry. He reproached all the courtiers telling them to have shame and asking them if this was the way to execute an order. But instead of being ashamed and regretful, everyone started reproaching the others: ‘Why didn’t you pour your receptacle? I thought everyone would pour his, so it should cause no harm if I failed to pour mine. Your slackness has resulted in my disgrace.’ Thus, every one of them tried to lay the blame for his own laziness and inefficiency upon the others.

Therefore, if all the listeners of lectures think that the address is not meant for them and someone else is being addressed, the consequence will be that all will remain ignorant as ever. But if everyone should think that whatever has been said is meant for him and that it is incumbent upon him to act upon it, all will benefit from it. Despite this, if there is someone who fails to understand something, God shall cover his faults in view of the tiding conveyed in:

[Saying of the Holy Prophet that no one attending a righteous company will be deprived of its blessings.] Due to the others being righteous and God-fearing the faults of those who are not so fortunate are also covered up. For instance, if the King’s courtiers had poured their receptacles and a few had failed to do so, their default would have remained concealed. In short, whatever is said is meant for everyone, from the eldest to the youngest. No one should consider that others are the only ones being addressed. Only then can all of us truly benefit.

Turn to Allah

I now set forth what I invite you to, and what the important point is to which I have drawn your attention. Listen! It is just one word, and no more, and that is ‘Allah.’ I call upon you to turn to Him alone. All that I voice is for His sake alone. To call towards Him do I sound this bugle. Hence, he whom God enables and guides should come to me and respond to my call.

There are many things in the world which are very beautiful and pleasing to the eyes; but however beautiful a thing is, it has been created by God. It is God who has bestowed upon it such beauty and attractiveness. That is why there is nothing which can be on par with God’s beauty and excellence. But despite the fact that God is the most beautiful and the most lovable of all, the most Benevolent and Beneficent of all, the world—incapable world—looks at Him with contempt and disdain. He is the Lord of all the worlds, and before His glory and grandeur everything lies worthless, but the way He is being treated by the world is utterly deplorable.

Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih I (ra) used to relate about one of his teachers that he saw a dream when he was in Bhopal that he was standing near a bridge in the outskirts of the town. There he found a leper whose whole body had been infested with worms. The flies were resting on his body. He asked him who he was. He said that he was God, his Lord. He said that he had read so much praiseworthy about God in the Holy Quran; that He is so beautiful and there is none who is comparable to Him. What has become of His condition? God replied to him, ‘My countenance that you are seeing is not the one I possess in reality. This is how I look through the eyes of the people of Bhopal.’

Examine yourselves closely, and analyze your actions, your words, your sayings; the time you are moving and the moments you are resting. How you see God as compared to the things that you love in this world, lest your view of God be the same as, or similar to, the people of Bhopal. Remember it well that God is entirely free and pure of all ugliness, vice and disfigurement.

Story of Hazrat Adam (as)

It is sad to see how some Muslims react to the story of Hazrat Adam in the Holy Quran. Some Muslims ask why, on the instigation of the Satan, Hazrat Adam (as) caused us to be expelled from the paradise for the sake of a grain of wheat. They say if it were them [instead of Hazrat Adam (as)], they would not have been expelled. They ignore the fact that Satan caused not only Hazrat Adam (as) to be expelled from heaven, but is also trying to throw them out. They lament that Hazrat Adam (as) was charmed and deceived once by Satan, but they forget that they are themselves being deceived by him every day and are always accompanied by him. They try to find reasons why Hazrat Adam (as) was deceived, but they do not know that Satan is always sitting by them and inciting them for evil. Instead of expressing discontent and speaking ill of Hazrat Adam (as), they should lament their own selves. How could Hazrat Adam (as) expel people from the paradise? Everyone is expelled from the paradise on account of his own sins. No one is expelled due to anything that Adam (as) did.

The Christians believe that they inherited sin from Hazrat Adam (as), and for that reason they were expelled from paradise. But God in the Holy Quran categorically states:4

Surely, We have created man in the best make.

The question now is if God had created man in the best make, how can He expel anyone from paradise as a punishment for the sin committed by someone else? Every child that is born in the world has his abode in the paradise. But then he destroys that home with his own hands and builds a home in hell. Therefore, you must never think that it was some other Adam that was expelled from heaven; rather, it is you who are constantly chased by the Satan which ultimately causes many to be expelled from heaven. Whether someone has been captivated by Satan already or not, in both cases one has to remain vigilant to secure himself. Suppose that someone tells a group of people sitting together that one of them would be hanged. Now if everyone of them were to keep sitting and assume that someone else, and not he, would be hanged, one of them will surely lose his life. But should all of them leave that place, they will all be saved, for who could have predicted which one of them was going to be hanged?

Beauty and Grandeur of Allah and His Kingdom

I emphasize that people have become careless in their relationship with God. The fact is that there is none more beautiful, more loving, and more enchanting than Him. Should you love someone, love Him. Should you have a beloved, He is the one. Should there be anyone to fear, it is He. Should you feel awed by someone, feel awed by Him. If you attain Him, you are no longer in need of anyone else, and no hindrance will be able to obstruct your way. Therefore, let yourselves melt at His threshold and transform yourselves. What God is and how beautiful He is can be read about in Surah al-Fatihah. Should you see just one flash of His beauty, you will no longer stand in need of beholding any other beauty. Man is enamoured and charmed by the beauty of worldly things, but what he should do is to reflect upon the beauty of the Creator who has brought the beautiful things into existence. To see God, one is not required to see outward; the beauty of God is obvious to the heart of every person. Anyone who honestly reflects can reach Him very quickly. Every single iota of all that exists in the world is testifying to the existence of God Almighty. There is nothing in the world which does not vociferously proclaim the evidence in favour of the existence of a God who is the Creator of both space and time. The piece of paper you are holding, the pen, the table and chair, the very earth you are sitting on, the clothes that you are wearing, your hands, feet, nose and ears; everything provides evidence that God does, in fact, exist. People like fine clothing, beautiful women, delicious food and plenty of wealth. Reflect then as to how beautiful is the one who has created them! So why don’t you fall in love with Him? [Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Quran]:5

These verses are indeed magnificent, and impart a glorious teaching. It was customary on the part of the Holy Prophet (sas) to recite these verses three times and blow over his body every night before going to bed. It is incumbent upon every Muslim to follow his Sunnah. The first thing to which man has been called upon in these verses is:6

That is, behold O man that there is none who is worthy of your worship except God.

In the world, things are valued depending upon their scarcity. Take water for example. Although is an essential commodity, people do not try to save it. The reason is that they know that they will get it whenever they need it. Air is essential for life but no one tries to save it; everyone knows that whenever it is required, it will automatically be inhaled by the body through its normal channels. But the same water that is generally not valued becomes extremely valuable in a desert where water is scares. At such a time, if someone possesses a glass of water and is asked to sell it for millions of rupees, he will refuse to do so. We only come to know the value of a thing depending upon the need it assumes. Grains, when found in large quantities, are available at cheap rates, but they become expensive when they are scarce. Similarly, if there had been several gods, it might have caused people to say that should they fail to attain to one of them, they would always have the chance to attain to another one, but:7

Allah—there is no God but He …

Should someone imagine that he will find another god besides Him, he would find it impossible, because, God is one—not two, nor three, nor four, nor thousands or millions. Since there is only one God, where else can one go after leaving Him? You need Him all the time, and at every moment you require His help. People do at times annoy worldly kings, for they can always leave for another country. One can go to Iran if the king in China happens to be cruel; or one can take refuge in England if he is victimized by the kingdom of Iran. But where can one go to flee from God? There is no land that is not possessed by Him, and no kingdom which is not fully under His control. Man has no other God to seek help from. Hindus believe there are many gods, and that these gods also have quarrels amongst themselves. It is recorded [in their books] that Shiva was angry with someone and killed him, but the deceased was a beloved of Brahma. So, Brahma said, ‘It is I who create, and I will revive him,’ and so Brahma brought him back to life. Shiva kept killing him and Brahma kept reviving him. Hence, their conflict continued.

These are thoughts shared only by Hindus. We do not have any such gods that if one should kill someone, another would restore him to life and should one be angry, another would comfort him. A servant can deny serving his master, for he can find employment somewhere else. But we can never behave in this way towards God. He alone is our Master. We have no other Master besides Him.8

The worldly masters who are all mortal, but the Master we believe in never suffers death. He is eternal, and He is not someone from whom we can ever break away. He is also Self-Subsisting. Can one excuse himself by saying that he had previously served a different master, and so he owes his due respect to him as well? Our God says that He is not only our God now, but He is the Lord that has existed from time immemorial, and so we are not indebted to any one besides Him. He is the God who is Everlasting and through whom everything else exists. So, we are indebted to none else but Him. The word has two connotations: firstly, Self-subsisting; secondly, Causing others to subsist.9

One may say that though he accepts that God is one, is without associate and is eternal and that He has been our Lord in the past as well as the present; but there is a possibility that he is overpowered by slumber and falls asleep and then His courtiers replace Him and take up His business, so we should also try to cultivate good relations with them and try to please them. Almighty God has made it clear here that your Lord is in fact the one who never slumbers nor falls asleep. You must not consider Him like the worldly kings and sovereigns whose courtiers have to be flattered before you can see the kings themselves. Your Lord is not the one who can suffer any slumber or sleep. He is eternally awake, and stands guard over everything. What a fine point of divine wisdom is contained in the verse:10

… Slumber seizes Him not, nor sleep …

In elegant composition the order in which the minor and major points are arranged is a key to eloquence and elegance of expression. For instance, we can say that a person is not seriously ill, and as a matter of fact, he is not ill at all. But if we say that a person is not suffering a minor illness, and that he is not seriously ill either, such a construction would be obviously wrong. This is the reason why major things are mentioned first and minor things later. And here God makes a point by saying that He neither suffers slumber nor does He fall asleep. In denying slumber, His falling deep asleep has already been denied. So what was the reason that He also had to deny falling asleep? Remember that the words of God are never without wisdom. There is a point of deep wisdom in it, namely, that denotes the time when one’s eyes close involuntarily because one is totally overpowered by sleep. One slumbers when feeling very sleepy, and does not slumber until he is completely overwhelmed by sleep. So here God has clearly denied that His work can ever cause Him any tiredness, which would cause Him to suffer even the slightest episode of slumber; nor can He ever feel so overwhelmed by sleep that it should cause His eyes to doze off. Moreover, He is also not in need of ordinary sleep.11

God asks man while His Lord is the possessor of all that is in the heavens and the earth, how can man then take someone else as his Lord? There are people who say that they do not worship anyone beside Allah. They add that [by visiting and prostrating at the graves] they only mean to pay their respects and make their offerings, because they, being the beloved of God, would intercede on our behalf leading to the fulfilment of our hearts’ desires. But God says that there is none who can intercede with Him without His permission.

In this age, who was more pious than the Promised Messiah (as)? But once when he prayed for the recovery of Nawwab Abdur-Rahim (ra), the son of Nawwab Muhammad Ali Khan (ra), from his illness, he received a revelation to the effect that he was not going to survive. The Promised Messiah (as) felt deeply concerned by this thought, because Nawwab Muhammad Ali Khan (ra) was planning to move to Qadian leaving all his assets behind, and should his son depart from the world he might undergo a trial. That is why he supplicated to God, ‘O my Allah! I intercede for the health of this boy.’ Thereupon, the Promised Messiah (as) received the revelation:

Who is it that will intercede with Him except by His permission? (Tadhkirah, second English Edition p. 643, published by Islam International Publications, 2009)

Behold! How glorious was the status of the Promised Messiah (as). His advent was being awaited by the whole world for thirteen hundred years. But even he, when trying to interceding without permission, was thus warned by God, ‘ who are you to intercede without first asking My permission?’ The Promised Messiah (as) has written that when he received this revelation, he fell down and started trembling. He felt as if he was on the verge of dying, but having seen him in this condition, God thus spoke to him: All right. I permit you to intercede. Go ahead. So through his intercession, Abdur-Rahim Khan recovered, and is still alive by the grace of Allah. The Promised Messiah (as) was able to do this merely by the grace of God, and so if God does not allow that even a person like the Promised Messiah (as) should intercede without His permission, where do those stand who have been ascribed loftiness by people. They simply have no standing, and therefore can never intercede. We learn from the ahadith that on the Day of Judgment the Holy Prophet (sas) will be given permission by God to intercede and he will intercede after the permission is granted. In the presence of all this evidence, how ignorant is the person who considers someone to be able to intercede for him.12

Then there is another thing to be discussed. One may accept that one cannot really intercede without being permitted from God, but just as kings have courtiers through whom one can comfortably have access to the king, God must also have some courtiers. God states that these fools do not even know why kings have courtiers. They have them because the kings are always in need of getting the latest information through them, for, on their own, they cannot know what is going on in the country. For instance, how can our king come to know what is happening in India while he is sitting in England? It is for this purpose that he has appointed the viceroy. But how can even a viceroy come to know what is happening all over India—in the north and south, east and west? And so for this purpose lieutenant governors have been appointed. Again, how can the lieutenant governors find out on their own what is going on in the whole province? For this purpose deputy commissioners have been appointed. To keep these deputy commissioners well-informed, a number of other people such as Tehsildars, Assistant Tehsildars, and Lumbardars, Patwaries, and watchmen have been appointed. It is in this way that all the news and secrets get to the kings. Otherwise, they can never come to know of the situation on their own. As for God, He Himself states that He knows all about your past and future. Then why should He consider Himself in need of any courtiers? connotes two things:

1. God knows that which is yet to happen, and also that which you have done in the past.

2. He knows all the actions that you have taken, and also the good deeds that you should have done, but failed to do.

So when He is All-Aware, why would He feel the need for any courtiers?13

Moreover, how can one reach the depths of His knowledge? No one can ever come to know of the true nature of His being through one’s own efforts, only those come to know of it whom He Himself grants cognition. Even then, one only knows of Him to the extent that He wills.14

His knowledge encompasses both the heavens and earth.

Again:15

One may put forth the idea that though God has not appointed any courtiers to remain well-informed about things; but He must have appointed some assistants in order to help him conduct His job, for we see that the worldly rulers have armies and police for protection and for running the affairs of the state. God states that He does not require these things either. He is managing everything on His own and His power is such that He controls everything and there is nothing that can cause him to get tired.16

There is now only one possible objection left, namely, that even if we agree that God does not need anybody’s help in order to keep Himself well-informed, He must have appointed some courtiers to display His might and glory. God has rejected this notion by saying that is, He is the Greatest; there is nothing which can make Him greater by its help and support. Whatever stands by Him, stands for an elevation in its own stature and not for that of God. Therefore, it is absolutely wrong to think that God might have employed courtiers for the sake of demonstrating His might and glory. God prevails over everything. There is nothing that can refuse to submit to Him.

Such is our God—the True God. There is none who is like Him. How unfortunate it would be if, having such a Lord, one should still look for someone else! If a person is provided excellent food, but he wants to consume filth; or if he is provided excellent clothing, but prefers to wrap a dirty rag around him, can such a person deserve to be called wise and sane? Definitely not! Wise is he who opts for what is better. Hence, know for sure that there is none who is better than God. I wish to impress upon you that you should always keep God and His pleasure in view, for all that exists in the world is nothing as compared with Him, and there is nothing that can stand equal to Him. You find the moon shining and pleasing to eyes, yet can anyone call this to be an inherent characteristic of the moon? Not at all! The moon takes proper pride for reflecting the light of the sun. But again, is the sun shining because it is personally possessed of some light? No. Rather, the fact is that it gets its light from the Gracious God. Therefore, if the moon is shining and the sun is bright, and we consider them both to be useful and beautiful to look at, then their beauty and usefulness are drawing our attention to the beauty of God and the magnificent attributes possessed by Him, such as His graciousness and nobility.

Everything of beauty found in the world that we call beautiful, has been bestowed its beauty by God. That is why He alone is the one who is possessed of every beauty. God has thus stated in Surah al-Fatihah, , or that, ‘All praise belongs to Allah and to none else, for He alone is the Lord of all the worlds.’ He is the Creator of all that exists, and He alone is their Provider. Since He provides for everything, why should all the praise not belong to Him? Parents raise their children and provide for them, but do you know who has imbued their hearts with love for their child? It is God who has caused this to happen. When someone gives away a penny to a beggar, we say he has done a commendable act. But the fact is that his heart was inspired by God to do so. Similarly, every good act done by someone is attributed to God. That is why all praise really belongs to God and to no one else. For instance, if a master tells his servant to distribute some money among the beggars, the master will deserve the praise though the distribution will be done by the servant. Similarly, when a man does a good deed, he does it on behalf of his Lord like the distribution of the wealth of a master, for there is nothing which the man possesses as a personal right; rather, everything belongs to God.

Therefore, all the benevolence, good manners, beauty and charming attributes that anyone has, belong to God; for the entire world is in His service, and there is no other master beside Him. People face a lot of hardships due to their parents, wives, children, wealth, kinsman and other close relations in matters of faith. But one has to remember that God is God and humans are humans. Whenever faced with some problem, you must reflect upon what pleases God; and when you have realized what God’s will is, work towards attaining His pleasure no matter what sacrifice you have to make.

No Associate With God

To take this matter one step further, I will say that a man must not hold any associate with God. God is one. I believe no Ahmadi is a disbeliever of His Unity. God has enabled them to truly believe in His Oneness. That is why I am sure that no Ahmadi will ever prostrate before false gods or try to attach himself to anyone beside God. The rest of the world has relinquished faith, but you are the Jama‘at that has given their word that they will always keep their faith above all worldly considerations. God has therefore promised to this Jama‘at that He will cause it to flourish. This indeed is the Jama‘at of the elect of God. Therefore, one cannot really presume that this Jama‘at will ever get involved in manifest idol worship.

I wish to make you aware that much of religion has turned to worldly rituals. But such practice of religion can never bring one close to God; not even to the slightest degree. I call you to follow the religion so that with each step one should get closer to God. Should you move towards Him, your prayers and supplications will be granted acceptance a thousand times more than they are accepted now and you will be shown the blessed results of your good deeds with your own eyes. By the grace of Allah, you are treading upon the right path, but still you have to be extremely cautious and vigilant. Satan is wont to mislead you at times on the plea of the world, and at times on the plea of the faith. Therefore, what I want to explain to you is that whatever worship you offer, perform it with the intent of pleasing God alone. There should be no other motive in your mind.

At the time of every prayer, you must delve deep into your hearts and see whether you are offering it to win the pleasure of God or you have some other intent hidden at the back of your mind. When it comes to making financial contributions, look deep into your soul to reflect whether you gave it for the sake of winning divine pleasure, or did you give it away just because someone came to your door and asked for it. Those who collect these contributions do not really know your intent, but you know your intent very well. You must always bear in mind that you make these contributions for the sake of the faith and to please God. Likewise, you must have God in mind in everything that you do. When you will make this your guiding principle and intent, the worship you perform will bear better fruit. With every passing moment, and with every passing day, you will continue to flourish and prosper.

Behold! The result of an action varies depending upon the intention behind it. Having seen a wasp or scorpion sitting on someone’s body, one knows that it would definitely sting the person, if it is not removed. That is why, one may removes it by slamming it with some force. This causes the one who is hit to be thankful and appreciative of his action. But should someone do it with the intent of hurting someone, he will surely be punished. Hence, a change in the intent can make the same action produce two different results. Therefore, worship and virtuous deeds should not be done just because you are used to them. Rather, you should do them with solemn intention behind them.

Many people ask for money in the name of the nation. They say do this and do that for the nation, but I ask, what is the value of the nation? You should not make financial contributions for the sake of your nation; rather, you should make financial sacrifices for the sake of God Almighty. Refrain from ever uttering such sinful words. Have their existed no nations before you? Were you without any relatives in the past? If they existed, then why was this new Jama‘at needed? Remember it well that what you call a nation has no value at all [in comparison with God.] God alone is the One to consider. Therefore, all your actions should be directed towards God and for His sake alone. Submit yourself to Him while walking, moving around, sleeping or in wakefulness. Should you do this, your actions will certainly become ever more fruitful.

Perform Good Deeds With Noble Intentions

There are many people who do things out of habit without realizing why they are doing them. They do it because they are accustomed to doing it, and derive no benefit whatsoever. Just consider a Muslim who does not use his left hand to eat, but instead uses his right one. Do you know the reason for doing so? The reason is that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) has commanded him to eat with his right hand. But I ask, how many times have you reflected that you are doing this due to a commandment given by the Holy Prophet (sas)? Just have a look at the last three or four years of your life and see how many times you have thought so. There are so many among the Muslims who may have never considered the reasons why they eat with their right hand, and not their left. Indeed, it is virtuous to eat with one’s right hand, for one who does so, acts in accordance with the commandment of the Holy Prophet (sas). But how can a person who eats with his right hand out of habit, and not because the Holy Prophet (sas) has commanded him to do so, deserve any reward? He certainly deserves no reward, whatsoever. Young children, when they feel like passing water, put themselves in a position on the bed akin to that of the prostration during the prayer. However, does this act of theirs make them deserving of any reward? Never!

There are many things which are done merely by way of habit. This is a flaw which causes much damage; it is a kind of rust that gathers and sticks to the heart of man. That is why things that are done habitually do not have as much effect on one’s life as those done after due deliberation.

Islam has so many noble characteristics that it is hard to imagine why anyone should decline to accept Islam after its excellences have been expounded and elucidated. I have given much thought to why people do not acknowledge the truth of Islam while it is so obviously possessed of such wonderful qualities. I have come to the conclusion that there is no other reason for it except one—since their early days, the non-Muslims have been hearing things about Islam which were utterly opposed to its true principles and are full of antagonism. This is why when they are faced with the true teachings of Islam, they simply reject them. Otherwise, what other reason can there be for a Christian possessing a master’s degree to fail to understand and grasp the excellences of Islam; while a person who is born in a Muslim family, no matter how uninformed and ignorant he is, easily declares Islam to be the only religion which is true and holds all others to be false. He only believes thus because his parents were Muslims, from whom at an early age he has been hearing that Islam is the only true religion. On the other hand, the one with a master’s degree cannot understand it because since childhood his ears have been hearing the opposite view and therefore he is under the influence of what he has been hearing. He cannot now pay any attention to anything contrary to what he has already come to believe.

Once I had a discussion with a Christian who claimed to have done a great deal of research on atonement. He wanted to talk to me only about atonement. Complying with his request, I talked only about his desired subject. Within a few minutes, he agreed that the concept of atonement runs against reason and the law of nature. He said that he believed it only because he was born in a Christian family. In brief, many a religious ritual is performed merely out of habit. Muslims belonging to the Hanafi dispensation raise their hands after meals to offer some prayers. It is indeed commendable to say thanks to Allah in return for His bounties, but many of them are simply unaware why they are doing so. Can such people ever attain the reward which is given to those who do it purely with the intent of saying thanks to the Almighty? Never! The reward is given only when one sings the praises of His Lord from the depth of his heart. Some people complain that they offer prayers, observe fasting, give Zakat, and perform Hajj; yet they fail to attain any benefit. My answer to such people is that they only perform these acts habitually as a ritual. Why should God bestow upon them the reward that is only bestowed on true believers?

Therefore, after having heard all this, you must not think that this is only a small laddu which has been put before you, because the same action yields different results depending on the intent and purpose behind it. Should you understand the importance that man’s intention holds, and realize how the same action on your part is rewarded differently depending upon the intent behind it, you will attain to success. There were people in Madinah who went there having migrated along with the Holy Prophet (sas), but there were also those who went there with the sole intention of doing some business. Did the later deserve any reward? Never! The reward was due only for those only who had travelled there solely for their Lord. Visiting Madinah, by itself, amounts to nothing. The reward depends upon the intent of the visit. Prayer, too, brings reward because it is offered to obey Allah and win His pleasure. Fasting too is observed because God has thus commanded it. The same is the case with Zakat and Hajj. People who have started doing all these things by way of habit only can never attain true benefit from them.

Some keep moving their hands and shoulders by way of habit. There are others, who are in the habit of saying [All praise belongs to Allah …] and [Holy is Allah …], but they do not really know why they keep uttering those words. On the other hand, should someone utter the same phrase with due intention and regard, he may become an angel in just a day.

Similarly, the phrase if said with the right intent and regard, can make one attain the nearness of God in a day’s time. The Holy Prophet (sas) stated:

Which means: there are two sentences, which feel light on the tongue and one can utter them in a matter of seconds, but

That is, when weighed by God, they will be very heavy in that they will increase the weight of man’s deeds, thereby bringing the scale down in his favour.

That is, these two sentences are very dear to Allah, the hearing of which pleases Him a lot. The sentences are:

Holy is Allah, with His praise. Holy is Allah, with His Greatness

There are so many people who keep saying these sentences in parrot-like fashion, but the scale of their actions remains unmoved. The Holy Prophet (sas) says that reciting them once bends the scale down on their behalf; but, in their case, even if they were to recite them a thousand times, the scale would not bend at all. Why? Because they place no intent behind their words. From their tongues, they utter that ‘God is Holy,’ but in their hearts they pay no real attention to what they are doing. They do not thank Him in return for His bounties; rather, all they do is mere lip service to Him. As you can see, to only do things out of habit can, at times, cause great harm, and result in unimaginable consequences however good those habits may be. Let alone a good habit, even the harm of an ill habit is negated when somebody becomes accustomed to it. Those who make it a habit of eating it can eat even a full gram of arsenic, but someone who is not used to eating it can die just by consuming a grain or two. Therefore, when things become habitual, one loses the ability to distinguish between good and bad. In the Holy Quran, Allah the Almighty states:17

That is, when the skins of the dwellers of hell are burnt, God will give them other skins so that they may taste the punishment.

By saying so, God explains that once accustomed to something, one becomes numb to it, and so it does not remain as beneficial as it previously had been. A headache is a very painful thing, yet one who is accustomed to it, doesn’t feel it as much.

A Parable

There is a parable that explains the lack of sensitivity that results out of being used to something. It goes like this: God once said to people, ‘You always complain of your difficulties to be more severe than others. You are now allowed to replace the one you think are severe with that which you consider to be less painful.’ They all threw away their problems and opted for others in exchange. One person who suffered headaches, got rid of his headache and took the diseased swollen foot of someone in return. A deaf person, having thrown away his deaf ears, preferred to be blind. Similarly, everyone exchanged his pain for what he thought was not as painful. When they walked back home, the one who had opted for a heavy diseased foot felt that it was hard to take a step forward with it; the one who had opted for blindness sorrowfully missed his ears for though he could not hear but at least he could walk, but now he was simply unable to see anything. Eventually, they concluded that their previous ailments were less severe and prayed to revert to them. The point of the parable is that being accustomed to some pain makes it less painful. That is why God has stated that when the skins of the inmates of the hell will be burnt up, He will give them new ones in exchange so that their sense of suffering remains intact and they keep feeling the punishment. Those doing some good by habit do not get its true reward, and when one has become accustomed to the chastisement he is undergoing, his suffering decreases to a great degree. In other words, habits are like a bandage that covers up a wound, even though from the inside it is filled with puss.

Remember that prayers offered by way of habit are not true prayers, neither is the Zakat that is given by habit the true Zakat, nor is the fasting done by habit the true fasting and nor is the Hajj performed in this way the true Hajj. Did people not offer their prayers before the advent of the Promised Messiah (as)? Did they not give Zakat or observe fasting or perform Hajj? They did everything. But they did not do them with the true intent of doing a good deed. All their actions were just pretence. That is why they never benefited from them. As for you, whatever you do, you have only one thing to keep in view, and that is God. Should you act upon this advice, you will observe a remarkable change in your spiritual life. Therefore, abstain from doing things by way of habit. Do them with the true intent with which they should be done.

Objective of Islam

Islam’s greatest object is to free you of mere ritual, which it disapproves in the strongest terms, for mere ritual in no way guarantees that one will continue doing a good deed. What Islam wants to emphasize is that whatever one does, it should be done solely for the seeking of the pleasure of God. It is then that a person gets his heart’s desire. God states:18

That is, We extend our help to everyone. One who strives for the world, gets it; and one who strives for God, get Him. This is a blessing which is bestowed only by God, for your Lord has not shut the door of His forgiveness to anyone. Therefore, if you will strive for God, you will surely meet Him.

Stages of Spiritual Development

God has set seven stages of development for human soul. Any lack that occurs and impinges on this development occurs due to man’s own habits. God, in the Holy Quran, states about the prayer:19

That is: Go not near to the prayer when you are intoxicated …

Intoxication does not simply imply drinking, since it was forbidden at that time and still is. So, when it is already forbidden, what does this injunction imply when it says that ‘one should not come to the mosque being intoxicated’? There is no doubt that a drinker has also been told to not to come to the mosque, but this injunction is like that of a father who tells his ill-bred child to stay out of the home unless he mends his habits; so similar is the command in which He has prohibited a drinker from coming to the mosque. This verse has another meaning also, which is that just as a drinker is not aware of what he is saying and how he is offering his prayer, God has enjoined us not to offer our prayers merely by way of habit or because we have become accustomed to them. Your prayers should not be a result of imitating others; instead you should offer them with full consciousness and mindful of what you are doing. To do an act by way of habit or imitation—being unmindful of its true purpose—is ‘sakr.’ The word ‘sakr’ basically means intoxication caused by drinking wine. But the Word of God has more than one underlying meanings. Therefore, on the one hand, a drinker in this verse has been told not to go near the prayer; while on the other, it points out that one should not offer prayers being oblivious to its true purpose and objective. Just as when a drinker falls down to the ground and is not aware of his situation—for he cannot tell whether he is lying in a filthy drainage or on a well-decorated floor—likewise, he who offers the prayer merely by way of habit does not fully realize whether he is standing in the glorious court of God or in a jungle. That is why God has prohibited the offering of prayers in this way.

Seven Ranks of Spiritual Development

I will now state the seven stages of spiritual development that the Holy Quran has stated. Elaborating on these seven stages, the Holy Quran explains how if man ignores them, he falls into the abyss of spiritual deterioration; and how if he should follow them, he commences on an upward journey of continuous spiritual progress. The more understanding he gains of these stages, the more fruitful his efforts and deeds become.

First Rank

At the first stage of spirituality, man is like an inanimate substance. This is the lowest of the stages. Such people are devoid of any sense for distinguishing between right and wrong. However one tries to make them understand, all such efforts prove useless, for such people are inherently unable to progress. They do not even see dreams or receive revelation. The following verse is indicative of such people:20

That is, these people are so corrupt that they have become like stones, and are now devoid of every seed of prosperity. Even a small seed when planted in the ground and watered, turns into a big tree; but a stone however one tries, can bring him no benefit.

Therefore, the lowest of the spiritual stages of man is the one where man is devoid of consequences for his actions and loses all sense of accountability. Islam wants to inculcate such sense and knowledge in man so that he may become conscious of what he is doing at all times, but those people who belong to this stage are not possessed of any such sense or knowledge. They are slaves to their whims and keep changing courses as it suits them. When hungry, they fill their stomachs. When they feel sleepy, they go to sleep. When they feel like having sex, they have sex. This is why they are not deserving of any reward from Allah.

Second Rank

The next stage resembles plants. Man is composed of different elements. Some elements come from non-organic matters, whereas some come from plant life and then some others from animals. That is why the most balanced diets contain elements of all three of these things. Since the body is composed of organs that develop from these elements, they exercise a kind of influence in their lives. Sometimes animalistic behaviour prevails over spiritual behaviour and man becomes like animals; whereas, at times, animalistic tendencies are suppressed and buried under the vegetable organism, and he sinks further into materialistic pursuits. Sometimes he is swayed by an influence that likens death and he takes on a character that exhibits no signs of life. His heart becomes hardened. Like a stone which can be thrown by people in any direction, he too is tossed in one direction or the other by the vicissitudes of life. Such a person becomes totally unaware of himself.

Then when one takes a step toward progress and shuns the condition that likens the dead, a kind of energy develops in him that causes him to flourish. So there are two kinds of people: those who are like stones and are devoid of any sense of life; and then there are those who are like plants and behave like sentient beings. It is now a proven fact after much experimentation that plants too have life. They certainly possess it, though it is not of such fine quality that is found in animals. To prove this, one can give the example of sensitive plant that is called lajwanti in Urdu, whose leaves shrink when touched. This shrub belongs to a family of plants that have reached a stage of life very close to animals. This shows that trees too are sentient, and some of them are more developed in terms of sensory perceptions than others. Similarly, some other plants also resemble animals, such as sponge whose food also is made of organic materials. Some even term the sponge as being an animal, for though it is a plant, it has developed itself to a stage that is very close to being an animal. In short, these precepts make it clear that plants too are sentient. The difference between the two is that though plants have sensory perception, they cannot protect themselves against any danger. The leaves of lajwanti or touch-me-not do shrink when they are touched, but are not capable of running away from danger to save them. Likewise, a person sometimes may not be fully devoid of spirituality, yet he is unable to safeguard himself against any attack of sinfulness. This is due to his being depleted of spirituality. The Holy Quran speaks of such people in the following verse:21

Meaning that these opponents are such that you invite them to guidance, but they hear not. You think they have the ability to see, but the fact is that they see nothing.

The literal meaning is to hear, but the purpose of hearing is to obey. That is why implies that they will not believe, and that they simply do not have the ability to acquire faith. Indeed these are people who, though possessed of some spirituality, are unable to protect themselves. Having eyes, they are unable to benefit from them.

Third Rank

Then there is a stage higher than this, which is the animal stage. At this stage, man tends to behave like animals, in that he is a more conscious being than plants are. Should someone call him, he is able to hear, but will not be able to understand. Should you decide to injure him, he will run away, but still cannot fully provide for himself means that can permanently protect him against such harm. It is natural on the part of man to keep thinking of ways to get rid of those things which he considers harmful; but as for animals, they are simply unable to create anything or make any progress. Regarding such people, God says:22

That is: they have hearts, but they do not benefit themselves therewith. They have eyes, but they avail themselves not therewith. They have ears, but they do not use them to their advantage. They have all these things, but lack human wisdom. Instead, they only possess such wisdom as is found in animals. When faced with fear, they take to their heels, but are unable to find means to protect themselves in future.

This means they prostrate at the Divine threshold when faced with fear and trepidation and manage to protect themselves against such suffering, but are unable to protect themselves permanently. They turn to God only when they are hit with some calamity.

Fourth Rank

After this stage, one enters another stage where he becomes more conscientious. This is a stage that lies at the midpoint. There are three more stages after it, and three before it. At this stage, man becomes a conscious being and is fully aware and cognizant of his actions, though at times he is completely overtaken by Satan. This means that sometimes he is drawn towards vice and sometimes towards good; but he is not easily overpowered by vice, for he has developed the ability to recognize evil. About this state of man, God says:23

As to those who are righteous, when a suggestion from Satan assails them, they remember God: and behold! they begin to see things rightly.

This is the stage of man where he is prone to forgetfulness. In other words, we can call this stage as nafs-e-lawwamah, or the reproving self. About such people God says that they quickly seek refuge with Allah if they are ever attacked by Satan, and this is what the righteous should always do.

Fifth Rank

Thereafter, man progresses further and advances to the point where he becomes like an angel. He becomes so watchful that Satan is no longer able to overpower him. His knowledge about God increases to a degree that he begins to act upon all of His commandments, and just as angels work in accordance with , he too fulfils his obligations in terms of every Divine commandment. At this stage, forgetfulness can never overtake him. Indicating this, God says:24

That is, O Prophet, who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, how can you be like that blind person who does not consider it to be true? Only those truly benefit from Our words who are gifted with understanding—that is, those who are filled with wisdom and insight. They fulfil their covenants with Allah and do not break them. They follow what God commands them to do and fear their Lord. They dread the evil reckoning. They persevere in seeking the pleasure of their Lord, observe prayer and spend out of what they have been given, secretly and openly. They exert to repel evil with good, and spread goodness. It is these who shall have the best reward in the paradise. Their abode there will be everlasting. They are blessed with such a high spiritual station that their reward will not be confined to them. Many of their relatives who might not have been able to do enough good [in this world] will be elevated in rank due to them. Their relatives will be provided an abode where they themselves will be. This will happen because they tried to make the people righteous and made efforts to bring them to the right path. In return for what they did, God will not only raise their own spiritual stations, but will also raise the stations of those related to them.

The Holy Prophet (sas) has said: In paradise, I will be accompanied by Ali and Fatimah. That is because God says that He will be kind to even the relatives of those who look after His creation in this world. The next statement by God is very wonderful. Everything is attracted to its own kind. God states that when these people will enter paradise, the angels will swiftly move towards them. The angels are bound to fall in love with them, for they are those possessed of angelic spirits. They will rush towards them saying, ‘peace be on you, for you remained steadfast.’ Here, God has stated in clear terms that such people will possess the station equal to that of the angels—and the station possessed by the angels is indeed very high.

Sixth Rank

Man, then, progresses further and excels even higher when he becomes aware of his spiritual station. It is then that he does not only safeguard his self against vice; he rather comes to understand that his being is mere nothing. Having realized this, he surrenders himself completely to God. It is this state of man about which the sufi’s have said that man begins to partake of divine attributes.

The Holy Quran has thus elaborated this rank:25

Hazrat Ibrahim (as) [Abraham], who was a Prophet of God, reached this stage. Allah says about him:26

That is, when God said: [submit], Hazrat Ibrahim (as) replied with [I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds]. Hence, one station of man was such that he can be counted as being from among the angels. At that stage he thought he could do something so he asked for an order to be given. But this is a station at which one says that he is mere nothing, and that he will act as commanded by God. Now, since he will act as God tells him to act, all of his actions will be God’s actions; for the pen only inscribes what the writer wills.

It is said that there was a soldier who would move his sword so quickly and forcefully that he could cut all four legs of a horse with one stroke. When the king’s son saw the scene, he asked for the sword. The man was hesitant to give it to him, but the king asked him to hand over the sword to the boy. When the prince moved the sword, nothing happened. The soldier said that the reason he did not want to give him the sword was that there was nothing so special about the sword. He said that the sword would cut all four legs of the horse because of the hands that were using it. Even if he were given another sword, he could still demonstrate the same, for there was nothing special about the sword; rather, it was his own hand wielding it that possessed the strength to cut. The same is the condition of man when he hands himself over to God. All his actions then become God’s actions. This is the reason that some foolish people, who fail to understand this phenomenon and try to impede the work of such people, are absolutely annihilated. One, who has attained this station, is no longer in need of any angels.

It is related about Hazrat Ibrahim (as) that the angel Gabriel visited him and asked if he needed anything. He replied if he needed anything, he would ask directly from God. At this the angel Gabriel told him to pray. Abraham replied, ‘Isn’t God aware of my circumstances? Why should I pray? When God is already aware of all my needs, why should I ask Him for anything?’ In short, while on the path of spiritual progress, man goes so far that he ascends above and beyond even the angelic qualities. He then becomes an embodiment of divine attributes, and gives himself into the hands of God like a weapon which moves and strikes as God will. To challenge such a person is to invite a contest with God. Every action of such a person is devoted to seeking Allah’s pleasure. It is this spiritual station of which the Holy Prophet (sas) said that when man, having progressed, comes to be so close to God, God becomes his ears, hands and feet. The one, who becomes his enemy, becomes an enemy to God; and one who becomes friends with him, becomes friends with God. It was to this station in view of which God said to the Promised Messiah (as): ‘one who pays not heed to you, in fact he is heedless of me, for My attributes have manifested in you. For this reason, to denounce you is equal to denouncing me.’ This is a station at which man is completely overtaken by his Lord.

Seventh Rank

There is only one station higher than this, and it is described by God as:27

It is very hard to describe this spiritual state. At this station, man is granted a new creation, and is once again blessed with new faculties. At the stage earlier than this, he spoke when God told him to speak; but at this stage he is blessed with such an elevated station and purity of heart that Allah the Almighty turns whatever he utters into a Divine decree. At this stage, man becomes a beloved of God. That is why many words which such people speak out of their own inference are fulfilled by God. This is what has been indicated in this verse:28

That is, O Prophet! Say to them ‘I am the beloved of God, and if you also wish to be loved by Him, then follow me.’

At this stage, man is not only an embodiment of Divine attributes, his spiritual progress attains to a point where he severs his ties with all other things beside God, and one cannot reach God except through him.

In short, these are the stages of man’s spiritual senses which God has illustrated in the Holy Quran. The more one excels in them, the more his spiritual station is raised. The Holy Prophet (sas) had attained to such a high stage of spiritual progress that he described it as:

Or that ‘my eyes asleep, but my heart is always awake.’ He would sleep sometimes, but then offer the prayers without making ablution. His heart was blessed with such transcendent spiritual enlightenment that his senses would remain absolutely pure even while asleep. That is why when he was asked why he had started the prayer without making ablution, whereas before that he was snoring during the sleep. He said, ‘My eyes sleep, but the heart remains awake.’ He would always be in such a state of vision that many a time he would get to know the inner state of the hearts of those offering prayers behind him. This is evident from the authentic ahadith. Hence, when in such a state of spiritual enlightenment, one can never suffer remissness. God has thus spoken of this stage:29

That is, when someone becomes Our true servant, then his words are not his but Ours. He no longer speaks from his own desire.

This stage marks the pinnacle of human excellence. I advise you that if you desire spiritual progress, you should try to enhance your spiritual senses. Sin takes birth when one is devoid of these spiritual senses. Take for instance prostitutes. They too give alms, but do they get the reward? No, never! The reason is that their alms are not based on a desire to seek divine pleasure; rather it is to avert punishment. If their alms were based on the true intent for seeking divine pleasure and fear of the Almighty, why would they commit adultery in the first place?

About Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) the Holy Prophet (sas) said, ‘He has not gained excellence due to prayers; rather on account of that which lies in his heart.’ As for prayers, they were offered by other people as well. Even today, we see non-Ahmadis offering prayers. Let alone the stage attained by the Companions of the Prophet (sas), do they attain to the stage of even an ordinary believer? They are not even worthy of the rewards that can be attained by performing minor services to the believer. In fact, most of them are wicked and sinful. There is no other reason for their being unrighteous except that they are not conscious of what they are doing.

You need to be conscious of what you do. None of your actions should be based on mere habit or tradition. Instead, all of them should be performed with a view to seeking divine pleasure. For your convenience, I must also elaborate here the ways to achieve this goal; but before I speak of them, I must also explain that some people suffer a serious misunderstanding.

A Misunderstanding

As soon as some people take the oath of allegiance they start asking why they are unable to see God. Should someone ask them how many years it takes one to acquire a Masters’ degree, their answer would be ‘not less than sixteen years.’ I now ask such people while they have to spend sixteen full years to acquire worldly knowledge, why do they begin asking such questions after they have spent merely a day in learning about God? One can never become an M.A. on the first day of his education at school—no matter how much he wants to be so. Such people, having offered the prayers only for a few days, start asking why God does not come to their help. Why do their enemies not suffer defeat and humiliation? Surprising indeed is their haste! How soon do they wish to attain spiritual excellence! Months are spent in waiting for the crops to be ready, and sixteen long years are spent working hard and striving to attain the degree of M.A. Even a baby takes nine months after conception to be born.

Is there anything that can be achieved without working hard, exerting effort and sparing time for it? With every noteworthy blessing there is attached some hardship and difficulty. You must, therefore, remember that as one has to strive hard and work continuously to attain worldly gains, so has he to do in case of his religious obligations. The harder one works, the better gains one achieves. Someone may ask what difference is there between Islam and other religions if success is wholly dependent upon one’s own effort and hard work. My answer to him would be that one who wants to go to Batala, and takes the road that leads to Batala, will ultimately reach Batala even if he gets tired after a few miles; but the one who will leave in the opposite direction will never be able to reach Batala even if he continues to walk all his life. You, too, will only get to your desired destination if you tread upon the path that I have laid down for you. Otherwise, you will never get there. You can never reach God unless you have the true intention to reach Him, and the one who intends to find Him, will ultimately find Him. God says in the Holy Quran:30

That is, those who are always busy striving in Our path and doing jihad against their selves and fighting against vice to reach us, We will surely guide such h people to the path that lead to Us.

There is a point of deep wisdom here that needs to be remembered. Allah the Almighty says here: , or Our ways; but at another point He said , which means that ‘this is the only way which leads straight to Me.’ This is indicative of the fact that there also exist ways that are misleading. But the word indicates that there are a number of ways leading to God. These verses would mean when read together that after following one way, there can be two or three or even more paths; yet, they do not run contrary to each other. However, since one way is to be followed by another, one will have to make their utmost efforts to traverse all of them. Only then will one be able to reach the destination.

It is this jihad which you need to perform. I now explain the ways that have been set out by the Holy Quran in this regard.

1. First is prayer, which, if offered five times a day by someone with even an iota of sincerity, will transform him altogether with the grace of Allah.

2. Second is Zakat. One, who, under Divine commandment, draws out a portion from his wealth once a year, remains conscious of the fact that he can sacrifice his wealth for God.

3. Third is fasting, which teaches one to give preference to religion even if in doing that he has to suffer and undergo hardship.

4. Fourth is Hajj, which creates in man a sense of sacrifice that in case he ever has to permanently depart from his dear ones, relatives, country, wealth and property, for the pleasure of God, he is able to do that.

Another remedy which God has prescribed for this is the Holy Quran which brings man out of every darkness. Darkness is marked with carelessness and lassitude. That is why sleep is not so overwhelming during the day time. Due to the study of the Holy Quran one experiences a sense of wakefulness and alertness, but one has to reflect deeply and delve into its meanings so that one is not misled while translating it. When translating the Holy Quran, you must remember the following:

1. Do not accept an interpretation of a verse that contradicts other verses. Verses which can have multiple interpretations should be interpreted in the light of those having no ambiguity.

2. Do not take a verse to mean something contrary to the meanings as explained to us by the Holy Prophet (sas).

3. Do not take a verse to mean something contrary to the Arabic lexicon.

4. Do not take a verse to mean what is not supported by the grammatical rules of the Arabic language. There are people who ask why God should take grammatical rules into account. They argue that God is not bound by any grammar. They fail to realize that though God is not bound, we poor fellows are. Should the Word of God be incomprehensible to us, what benefit can we acquire from it? It was indeed due to this lack of knowledge about grammar that Maulavi Muhammad Ali, the leader of the disbelievers of Khilafat translated as ‘make the people believe in God and then let them go.’ The word ‘Allah’ was punctuated with a vowel point paish but he took it to be zabar, thus translating it wrongly.

5. Do not interpret a verse to have meanings that are contrary to those illustrated by the Promised Messiah (as) whom God has sent as Hakam [Adjudicator] and ‘Adl [Arbitrator].

6. Do not accept meanings which are not sanctioned by another verse or are against wisdom and rationality, but if the meanings are clearly supported by the actual events as they unfolded, then do not let rationality interfere with them. However, the exposition in such cases should be based on by wisdom and rationality.

7. Do not interpret a verse to have meanings which portray the Word of God and His Action to be contrary to each other. I wished to give a detailed speech on how we can interpret the Holy Quran correctly, but due to shortage of time and a throat illness I am not able to do so. Should God enable me to do so, I shall speak on this subject at some other time.

Then God commanded:31

That is, O ye who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify Him in the morning and evening. He it is who sends blessings on you, and so do His angels, so that He may bring you out of darkness into light. And He is Merciful to the believers.

The Holy Prophet (sas), in light of this verse, has told the believers to recite a number of prayers.

The Holy Prophet (sas) enjoined every believer to recite these prayers every night before going to bed, and not to talk thereafter. If you want progress, you must recite them. I now come to its meanings. By saying so, man declares:

‘O my Lord! I entrust to You everything that belongs to me. I entrust my life to You. Now as I am going to sleep, I do not know if I will get up in the morning. Therefore, I entrust all my affairs to You, for I know it is You who will give me the reward, and should I do against my declaration, I will be punished. I have no other place to seek refuge and protect myself against Your punishment. Indeed I have no other choice but to fall in prostration at your threshold again even if I am punished by you. O my Lord! Be my witness that I believe in the Book you have revealed and the Prophet that you have sent. (Bukhari, Kitabud-Da‘wat)

In short, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has enjoined the believers to recite a number of prayers, but our Jama‘at is not paying enough attention to them. I advise you to attend to this matter, but you must do so with a solemn intention. Perform all actions only in view of seeking divine pleasure. May Allah render all the members of our Jama‘at to become pious and God-fearing. May heedlessness disappear from the world, and may the people be able to see the countenance of that Dear Lord, having beheld whom one can simply not turn towards anybody else. Amin.