Jamaat Ahmadiyya al Mouslemeen

Friday Sermon of Hazrat Amirul Momeneen Zafrullah Domun

Friday Sermon 26 February 2010

After reciting the Tauz, the Tashahhud and the first chapter of the Holy Quran Imam Zafrullah Domun said:

As I said last week, today throughout Mauritius most Muslims are celebrating what they call festival for the birthday of the prophet (Eid Miladun Nabi.). Neither the Holy Prophet^saw nor his immediate companions nor those who followed them ever had a celebration for this purpose. In the time of Hazrat Masih Maood^as also there were no such celebrations.

However in 1927 in India a Hindu by the name of Rajpaal wrote a book entitled Rangila Rasool in which he spoke ill of the Holy Prophet^saw. Similarly an article was published in the Hindu newspaper “Darat maan” portraying the Holy Prophet Mohammad saw as someone who was under divine punishment and as someone who was given to sensual pleasures. When the second caliph of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat took note of these writing he wrote a pamphlet in Urdu entitled “Rasool Kareem ki mohabbat ka dawa karne wale kia ab bhi bedaar na hon geh?” This title may be translated as follows: “Is it still not the time for those who love the noble prophet to wake up?

The main ideas expressed in that pamphlet were that these hateful writings against the Holy prophet Mohammad^saw were unbearable for any Muslim. Moreover the fact that some people dared to write such foul and baseless accusations showed that the condition of Muslims was really pitiable in India and they had to do something to change their own situation within the country. He ended the pamphlet by the following words:

“O my brothers, with a grieved heart I am again telling you that the brave is not the one who fights. No that one really lacks courage because he gives in to his ego. But the really brave fixes himself an objective and does not rest until he accomplishes it. So for the progress of Islam you should make three firm intentions. First, that you will work with the fear of Allah in your heart and you will not view your religion with neglectful eyes. Secondly you will be fully interested in the propagation of Islam and to do this work you will not hesitate to sacrifice your wealth and life. Thirdly you will do whatever is within your capacity to deliver all Muslims from the societal and economic bondage in which they find themselves. And you will not rest until Muslims have been delivered from their present bondage…..”(History of Ahmadiyyat Vol 4 page 597-8 – my translation)

This pamphlet was displayed throughout India when it was pasted at several places throughout the country in one night. Its message was well received by most of the Muslims in India. But unfortunately the English who were ruling India at that time confiscated the pamphlet and removed it from wherever it was displayed. But most prominent Muslims were aware of its contents and they appreciated it. There was one well-known non-Ahmadi Muslim who even came to Qadian to consult with the caliph about this issue.  But eventually the writer of the book Rangila Rasool was acquitted in court and the editor of a newspaper “Muslim Outlook” who wrote against this judgment was imprisoned on 22 June 1928.

It was during the year 1928 that the caliph proposed and implemented a program to counter the attack of the ignorant on the saintly life of the Holy Prophet Mohammad ^saw. In a declaration he said:

“People dare to attack the Holy Prophet saw because they are unaware of the real facts of his life or because they think that others are unaware of the facts of this life. There is only one remedy for this. We should give such influential and forceful lectures on his life that throughout India each child should be aware of the main facts and purity of his life. Then there should be no one who would dare to open his mouth to attack the sanctity of his life. When someone attacks he thinks that there is no one to defend….. So it is our duty to inform all Muslims and Non Muslims of India the facts about the pure life of the Holy Prophet Mohammad ^saw. The best way to accomplish this is to choose some aspects of the life of the prophet each year and to speak about them in a particular day throughout the whole of India so that there is a hue and cry throughout the country and that those who are sleeping might wake up.”(History of Ahmadiyyat Urdu Vol 5 page 30).

The caliph gave further instructions for the implementation of this programme. For that particular year the following aspects of the life of the Holy Prophet ^saw were chosen: (1) The Holy Prophet’s sacrifices for mankind. (2)The pure life of the Holy Prophet ^saw. (3) The favours of the Holy Prophet ^saw on the world. In order to have speakers for this purpose the caliph made an appeal in the Annual Gathering of 1927 for 1000 persons to come forward to be trained.  In fact he received 1419 names for this purpose. Moreover the caliph said that it was not necessary that only Muslims should talk at these meetings. He said that influential non Muslims should be invited to participate in these gatherings.

Moreover the caliph said that there was no need to organize these gatherings on the 12^th Rabi ul Awwal because it was an innovation. Since he wanted all Muslims to take part in these gatherings initially he chose the first of Muharram 1347 A.H for this gathering. This corresponded to 20^th June 1928. But later on, in order to make it easy for the Shia Muslim to participate the date for the Day of the Prophet was changed to 17^th June 1928.

Now since there was a need to give all the speakers necessary materials to prepare their speeches, a special issue of ‘Al fazl’ was prepared and circulated. It contained 72 pages with articles from Ahmadis, Non Ahmadi Muslims and Non Muslims also. 7000 copies of this “Khataman Nabiyyeen” special issue were published and circulated.

As with everything good there are always some people who would oppose it. Here also it was the same. A scheme to help others know more about the Holy Prophet ^saw has been conceived and people start objecting against it. Some said that the Ahmadis were doing this to propagate their own brand of Islam. Others said that money was going to be collected at these gatherings. Others said that the Ahmadis were with the English and they were organizing these assemblies to please their masters in London.  But despite all these objections the caliph pressed ahead.

So on the fixed date namely 17^th June 1928 at hundred of places in India and at several other places around the world including Mauritius this Day of the Holy Prophet was held. At least 50 of the Jamaat’s Scholars from Qadian went to different places in the country to participate in these meetings. Many people from different religions attended and it was a great success. Many newspapers carried reports about the success of this event.

In Qadian also a gathering for this purpose was held. The caliph gave a two and a half hour speech about the Holy Prophet ^saw. The subject was “the benefactor of mankind”. Using events and quotations he showed how the Holy Prophet ^saw has been a great benefactor to mankind.

I have tried to briefly present to you the background that led the Ahmadis to organize meetings to talk about the important aspects of the life of the Holy Prophet ^saw. It is very important for us to inform and educate our younger generation that we do not celebrate the date of the birth of the Holy Prophet ^saw as the Christians celebrate the date of the birth of Christ at Christmas. We Ahmadis are more interested in helping others to know more about this great benefactor of mankind who was born about fifteen hundred years before in Mecca, Arabia.

Nonetheless we should say that in the circle of the educated people even in India there have been many who were really impressed by the life of our beloved Prophet Mohammad saw. I will read one such extract to you. Here is what Mahatma Gandhi said:

“I wanted to know the best of the life of one who holds today an undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind.... I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the second volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of that great life.”(Mahatma Gandhi, statement published in 'Young India,'1924.)

As an Ahmadi Muslim it is our duty to learn as much as we can about the life of the Holy Prophet ^saw and share what we know with our friends and acquaintances. But above everything else we should view the Holy Prophet saw as our model and try to imitate his manners and attitudes in all circumstances of life. Just listening to speeches or reading books is not enough. We need to show through our own example how we cherish the memory of the Holy Prophet ^saw as it has reached us through the Holy Quran and the books of traditions. Our life will be really empty if we ignore his teachings and his attitude towards others.

Unfortunately these days there are some minor Muslim groups who in the name of Islam are distorting the message that the Holy Prophet ^saw delivered to the world. They want to show the world their own limited understanding of Islam and they justify their actions by referring to the Holy Quran. But Allah Himself has said in the Holy Quran that those who have a disease in their heart they distort the meanings of some verses. The verse I am referring to is:

“He it is who has sent down to thee the Book; in it there are verses that are firm and decisive in meaning - they are the basis of the Book - and there are others that are susceptible of different interpretations. But those in whose hearts is perversity pursue such thereof as are susceptible of different interpretations, seeking to cause discord and seeking wrong interpretations of it. And none knows its right interpretation except Allah and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge; they say, 'We believe in it; the whole is from our Lord.' - And none take heed except those gifted with understanding –”(3:8)

Therefore we cannot allow ourselves to follow any interpretation given to us by Tom Dick or Harry. Only those people who are gifted with understanding know the true meanings attached to verses which are ambivalent and subject to interpretations. The Holy Prophet ^saw was a Messenger of peace. Anyone who tries to justify mischief in the name of Islam suffers from a disease in his heart and he or she needs to be cured. The Holy Prophet saw never taught us to inflict any type of harm on anyone. He taught us to be an ambassador of peace and to live in peace and harmony with everyone and to ban all types of strife within our midst. The message that he brought us needs to be repeated as often as possible because people have a tendency to forget and follow their own evil inclinations in matters of religion. All Ahmadi Muslims and other Muslims as well should strive to reflect in our personal life the spirit that animated the life of the most noble amongst mankind, Mohammad bin Abdullah of Arabia. Were we to live our life imitating anyone besides him we would be lost because Allah has presented him to us as a model. May Allah help each one amongst us to really walk in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet ^saw  incha Allah. Ameen