After reciting the Tashahhud, the Ta’uz and the first chapter Al Fatiha of the Holy Quran, Hazrat Amirul Mo’emenine, Zafrullah Domun said:

The blessed month of Zul Hijja of 1430 AH has dawned upon us as from last Tuesday. Consequently Eidul adha will be celebrated in Saudi Arabia on Friday 27^th November. Hence the day of Arafat will be on Thursday 25^th. In Mauritius we will incha Allah celebrate Eid on Saturday 28^th November. As far as we are concerned namaz Eid will be celebrated in our mosque at 9:30 a.m. Zul Hijja is the month where Muslims from around the world who have the means, converge on Mecca for the sacred rituals of Hajj. These should have been the great days for the increase in Muslim brotherhood and the showing of great love and sympathy among all Muslims. But unfortunately this is not at all what we see. These days the Sunni-Shia divide appears to be entering another round of enmity and hatred. Saudi Arabia and Iran are fighting each other in Yemen. In Pakistan more than 350 people have been killed and many more have been wounded by suicide bombers in the past month. In Afghanistan the western powers are trying their best to finish Al Qaida since 2001 but they have still not yet succeeded. In the Middle East despite the hope raised by the Cairo speech of President Obama peace or even a settlement for the Palestinians are as elusive as ever. The Chechens Muslims are still suffering at the hands of the Russians. In addition in many Islamic countries fellow Muslims are denied many rights and they suffer at the hands of those who rule over them. If you look at it closely most Muslims around the world are living in a state of anxiety. They are facing problems which their leaders are unable to solve. Allah knows best when the Muslim world as a whole will ever know peace.

We Ahmadis believe that  Allah sent Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as (1835-1908) to take care of the Muslims  including the Arabs  and to set their affairs right. But unfortunately most Muslims countries have rejected the hand that would have helped them. The consequence is that for the past 100 years although there have been many Muslim countries which came into existence  carved out of the Ottoman Empire following its defeat in World War 1, yet Islam as a world force has lost the vigor that it previously had. According to some experts Islam as a political world force began to decline in the 18^th Century. Many have tried to explain the reasons for this decline and many are merely caressing the hope of a rebirth which appears to be as elusive as ever. But Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad ^as has said in  one verse:

Muslims suffered decline when they forgot the teachings of the Holy Qur’an.

Hence there is a need to help Muslims to understand the Holy Quran as it should be understood. Allah has made this clear to us that He sent this book and He is its Preserver. In the Holy Quran Allah says:

 “Inna nahnon nazzalnaz zikra wa inna lahou lahaafezoune” which is translated as “Verily it is we who have sent down this exhortation and most surely we are its Guardian” (15:10).

Unfortunately each Muslim group has thought that it is the guardian of the teachings of the Holy Quran. Consequently with so many self-elected guardians there have been many interpretations. This is the reason why we see so many factions in Islam and each one thinks that the other group is a disbeliever ( kafir). I can easily supply what type of fatwa each group has given to the other one. But we will not go into details today. Anyhow this is a well known and well documented fact.

When we look at the writings of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as on this matter we see that he is categorical. According to him, Allah will preserve the teachings of the Holy Quran by sending His appointees whenever the need arises. We can produce many extracts from his writings about this matter. But for today we will talk only about the following  extracts. He says:

“The purpose of having a Reformer sent every century is that within the past 100 years those who possessed spiritual knowledge have taken it to their graves. And if new teachings are not imparted by the Almighty to the people then how will truth sustain? Hence, a new foundation is laid in the Heavens in order to rectify the impurities and distortions that have developed.” (Malfoozat, Volume 5, Appendix, Page 457)

In another extract he says:

“Allah has made mankind dependant on having amongst them a Messenger, a Reformer or a Prophet. However, mankind deems they are pure like Prophets and such Divine guidance is a thing unnecessary and consider themselves self-sufficient and independent. This is a severe transgression.” (Malfoozat, Volume 9, Page 319)

“Upon whom the Almighty has bestowed being a Reformer, such that they are not only rehashing achievements and miracles of the past Holy people, but such persons are is in reality deputies and spiritual khulafa of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Their hearts are enlightened by Allah’s revelation and in times of trials and tribulations are guided by the Holy Spirit.” (Rohaani Khazain, Volume 3, “Fatah-e-Islam”, Page 7)

With his God-given wisdom Hazrat Masih Maood^as spoke very clearly about this matter so that his followers might not fall into the same trap that other misguided people have fallen into. But unfortunately it appears that people are more concerned to follow what their self (nafs) tells them rather than what Allah tells them through His appointees. With the arrival of Hazrat Maish Maood^as and the creation of the Jamaat there was a hope that at least one Jamaat is here to establish justice, promote love and work for the benefit of mankind. But unfortunately our hopes have been dashed as far this Jamaat also is concerned. Unfortunately it started behaving like the other Jamaats. In order to preserve its power and not the real teachings received this Jamaat has been committing some blunders as has been depicted in the following hadith of the Holy Prophet Mohammad^saw. He said:

“It is been narrated by Hazrat Adbullah-bin-Masood that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: “Never a prophet had been sent before me by Allah to a nation but had among his people (his)disciples and companions who followed his ways and obeyed his command.. Then there came after them their successors who said whatever they did not practice and practiced whatever they were not commanded to do. He who strove with them with his hand was a believer. He who strove with them with his tongue was a believer and he who strove with them with his heart was a believer and beyond that there is no faith even to the extent of a mustard seed.” (Muslim – Kitab-al-Iman- chapter 20 hadith 50 )

Although the Holy prophet^saw is talking about previous prophets, at least we have an idea of what it really means to have faith. An Ahmadi today cannot stay indifferent when he or she sees the series of blunders made by those who are saying that they are successors (caliph and followers) of Hazrat Masih Maood^as. They preach what they do not practice. They say they have love for everyone but in practice we see that they have elevated hate to an art. They delight in inflicting pain on their brothers and sisters in the name of an adherence to a pseudo nizamé Jamaat. Because they are afraid of being expelled from the Jamaat such Ahmadis obey all sorts of unislamic rules made by their Jamaat. The Holy Prophet said that such people would “practice whatever they were not commanded to do”. Here again the nizamé Jamaat, khilafat is more important than Allah to them. Ahmadis are coerced into obeying this unjust system although they were never asked to do so by Hazrat Masih Maood^as. According to the Holy prophet Mohammad^saw the believer is not expected to sit still in such circumstances. If he can fight these people he should do so, if he can talk against them he should do so. But if he is a weak person, even disapproving these misdeeds in his heart would still qualify him as a believer. These are the traits of believers. The fact the prophet told the Muslims about this matter was to caution them against their own behavior.

In his Friday sermon of last week the caliph spoke about the friends of Allah. As usual with quotations from the Holy Quran, the Ahadiths and the writings of Hazrat Masih Maood ^as, the caliph exhorts the people to take the path that will make them the real friends of Allah. Consequently they will experience neither fear nor any anxiety for whatever worldly things that they might lose in the path of Allah. And according to him to become the friend of Allah one has to show obedience to the nizamé Jamaat and to khilafat. By the Grace of Allah since the beginning Allah helped us to understand that we are very close to him and that we are His friends and yet we are not in the system of khilafat as understood by the Jamaat. By the Grace of Allah we are still receiving revelations from Allah.

In fact on the first day of Ramadan this year Allah revealed to me: “Plan pour la consolidation du catholicisme en Afrique”. This revelation is in French and it means: “A plan to consolidate Catholicism in Africa”. I was given to understand that the Vatican has such a plan. I checked on the net and I saw that the catholic bishops of Africa were having an important meeting somewhere in Africa. I also browsed a report about the progress of Catholicism in Africa. I think that the Jamaat would be well advised to have a plan to counteract this plan because the Jamaat has all the necessary resources that I lack.

Now Hazrat Masih Maood ^as has told us that the Friends of Allah are informed through revelations about some events. This is only one example. The caliph is telling the members to strive to become the friends of Allah and yet the caliph himself ignores Allah’s Friend. How will he and his followers progress when they ignore what Allah has given them and they still seek other things.

So during these blessed days of the month of Zul Hijja, I make an appeal to all Ahmadis to take care of what Allah is giving you and to stop thinking that you know better than Allah what are your needs. Allah wants that every Ahmadi makes spiritual progress as Hazrat Masih Maood ^as told them. For that purpose out of mercy for you all, Allah sends you someone to whom He has showed the intricacies of this path so that your burden may be lighted. Spiritual khilafat is more important than an elected system of khilafat. That is why Hazrat Masih laid great emphasis on it. Some amongst you would say that I do not know what I am talking about. Ok. If that is the case come to teach me. Send me some of the top notch olamas of the Jamaat; I am always ready to listen. And I will always pray for the person who will show me my errors. You may ignore me but I will never ignore you because it is my duty to help you. But if you persistently ignore me and try to oppose me, your destiny will be that of the people of yore. Allah will never let others try to belittle His Friends.

According to the Ahadiths we are passing through some very blessed days. I invite you all to make the best of these days by doing some nafils, some additional reading of the Holy Quran and plenty of supplications. May Allah help all of us to do such deeds that will always be pleasing to Him.