Setting an Example in Adopting Virtue and Shunning Evil

On 18^th September 2022, the Fifth Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) delivered a faith-inspiring address to conclude the National Ijtema (gathering) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Elder’s Association UK (Majlis Ansarullah). Whilst reminding them of the message in his address to the women of the Community, His Holiness (aba) drew the attention of the men to their duties and responsibilities.

The official transcript of the address delivered by His Holiness (aba) on this occasion is presented below.

The Review of Religions takes full responsibility for any errors in translation.

After reciting the Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz and Bismillah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aba) stated:

‘Just a short while ago I addressed the Lajna [auxiliary organisation for women] and drew their attention towards certain matters. However, this was not just for the women; in fact, whenever Allah the Almighty has drawn the attention towards these matters in the Holy Qur’an, He has exhorted both men and women to adhere to these virtuous deeds and to pay heed towards them. Although I gave some examples with particular reference to women and according to their circumstances, majority of the examples I gave apply to both men and women. For example, attention was drawn towards speaking the truth and establishing a high standard in worship. The men also need to adopt these high standards, so that not only do they improve their lives in this world and in the next, but also establish a good example for their children and become a means of improving their lives as well, both in this world and in the hereafter.

There are some people who make a habit of thinking that they are not the addressees of the guidance that is being given. They assume it is for others and then comment on how strictly the Khalifah of the time addressed such-and-such Jama’at [community] or such-and-such section of the Jama’at. Furthermore, they comment on the condition of those people and claim that they were always this way and they needed to be reformed. However, such people do not reflect upon their own condition. Actually, each and every person should consider themselves as the primary addressees of this [guidance] and assess their condition based on that. One ought to bear in mind that the instructions given by the Khalifah of the time, regardless of which section of the Jama’at is primarily being addressed, they are all based on the Islamic teachings. Thus, one should assess their condition and reflect upon whether they are attaining those standards of virtue and making them a part of their lives. One should understand that regardless of which country’s Ahmadis the Khalifah of the time is addressing or whichever section of the Jama’at he is addressing, as an Ahmadi, one should assess whether they are also adopting those virtues which the Khalifah of the time is drawing their attention towards and also assess whether those moral failings are found in them which the Khalifah of the time is instructing them to discard. Through television, the world has become like one community. If every Ahmadi considers themselves to be the primary addressee of the instructions of the Khalifah of the time which are given for the betterment of the Jama’at and tries to act upon them, then we can bring about a revolutionary change within ourselves.

So first, the Ansar should also consider themselves as the addressees of what I have already mentioned to the Lajna. When both men and women collectively strive to adopt virtue and avoid ill actions, then we can bring about revolutionary transformation within our homes, in our personal conditions, in our progeny and in our society.

Those men who are old enough to have become [members of] Ansarullah and whose thinking, because of their age, has reached maturity, should be particularly mindful of the fact that they should adopt every virtue that is mentioned, regardless of which section of the Jama’at is being addressed, and also serve as a good example of it for others and thus establish a true Islamic society. We have accepted the Promised Messiah (as), whose advent was to bring about a reformation in this world and to propagate the true teachings of Islam. We have accepted the Promised Messiah (as) so that not only do we bring about a reformation within ourselves but also inform the world of the beautiful teachings of Islam. Thus, for this we ought to make a particular effort to adopt every kind of virtue and to show aversion to and discard every form of ill.

The Promised Messiah (as) has imparted guidance to the Jama’at on various occasions and I wish to speak to you with reference to that as well. As I mentioned, those who have reached the age of Ansarullah are at the height of their intellect and experiences. Thus, this necessitates that they should also demonstrate a high standard in their religious, spiritual and moral conditions. They should assess as to what improvements they have made in their conditions after having accepted the Promised Messiah (as) and how they are providing benefit to others. On one occasion the Promised Messiah (as) stated that Allah the Almighty wants to make our Jama’at a model for others to follow [1]. As I mentioned, the best part of the Jama’at based on their intellect, wisdom and experiences comprises of those who have reached the age of Ansar. Thus, in terms of the standard of worship as well as the high morals and other virtuous deeds, it is the auxiliary organisation of Ansarullah who have to serve as a model for others. However, this can only happen when one’s heart is filled with taqwa [righteousness] and it is only then that one can establish a relationship with Allah the Almighty. It is only then that one can establish a high standard of worship and excellent morals. It is only then that one can truly be counted amongst the Asnar [helpers]. It is for this reason that on countless occasions, the Promised Messiah (as) repeatedly imparted guidance to the Jama’at in a very heartfelt manner to adhere to taqwa. This is because taqwa is the most fundamental aspect. On one occasion, the Promised Messiah (as) stated, 

“Without taqwa, Allah the Almighty is not pleased with anything. Allah the Almighty states:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَواْ وَّٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحۡسِنُونَ

‘Verily, Allah is with those who are righteous and those who do good.’ [2]”[3]

Thus, every one of us needs to assess their condition as to what extent we possess taqwa [righteousness] and what our standard of ihsan [i.e. doing of good] is. Only then can we truly be called Ansar. Allah the Almighty states that such people are among those “who do good” [muhsinun]. When we raise the slogan that we are Ansarullah, i.e. the Helpers of Allah and His faith, we must therefore we must adopt the hallmarks taqwa [righteousness] and become muhsin [those who do good].  Allah the Almighty does not need any help from us for He is the All-Powerful. It is a great favour of Allah upon us that He has created a nizam [divine system of faith] and instructed us that if we become a part of this nizam and become its helpers, then He will consider us as if we are the helpers of Allah the Almighty’s faith. However, one should be mindful of the fact that Allah the Almighty shall only consider those people as the helpers of His faith who adopt taqwa and do good to others. What is taqwa? It is to instil the love, fear and awe of Allah the Almighty in one’s heart and before doing anything one should be mindful of the fact that Allah the Almighty is watching them. And a muhsin is one who has the knowledge of virtuous deeds and carried them out as well.

Thus, Allah the Almighty states that, “I shall deem you to be My true helper when you will possess righteousness and when every action and thought of yours leads to virtues and then I shall bless your work. I stand with you. I shall grant you success in any task you undertake in service of your faith.” If one is not blessed with the grace of Allah, then how can a person claim that “I am Ansarullah, the helper of Allah the Almighty?” We cannot even take a single breath without the grace of Allah the Almighty. Thus, Allah the Almighty states that, “I shall accept you as the helper of My faith and My help shall be with you on the condition that you tread upon the path of righteousness and perform virtuous deeds.” It is only then that the work which we do for the sake of Allah the Almighty will bear such fruitful results that it will evidently prove that we are truly Ansarullah [the helpers of Allah] and as a result of this, Allah the Exalted will also bless our work immensely.

Thus, this is the mind-set that each and every Nasir [member of Ansarullah] among us should possess because without this, our bai‘at has no purpose. On one occasion, the Promised Messiah (as) stated, “It is particularly incumbent upon my community to adopt righteousness, especially in view of the fact that they associate with and pledge allegiance to a person who claims to be divinely commissioned. In this way, they shall be delivered from the diverse forms of malice, rancour, associating partners with God, and worldly attachment that may plague them.” [4]

Thus, if our slogan is “Nahnu Ansarullah” [we are the helpers of Allah], then we ought to purify and cleanse ourselves from within so that by becoming the helpers of that Promised Messiah (as), we may purify the world from vice and shirk [associating partners with Allah] and so that we may illuminate the hearts of the people with the light of the One God as this is precisely the purpose for which Allah the Almighty commissioned the Promised Messiah (as). However, if our own hearts consist of impurity, filth and greed, then how can we reform the world? Thus, the real task at hand for Ansarullah is to closely attach yourselves to the one who has been divinely commissioned and help the world to submit before the One God and bring them under the flag of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). For this, we ought to analyse ourselves as to what kind of Ansarullah we are.

The Promised Messiah (as) states whilst drawing our attention towards assessing our inner conditions,

“My community ought to realise that they have come to me so that I may sow the seed which transforms them into a fruitful tree.”

Thus, everyone ought to examine their selves to become cognisant of their inner and outwardly state.

The Promised Messiah (as) further states,

“If, God forbid, the hearts of my followers are not in harmony with their words, they shall not be met with a blessed end.” When one reaches this age, people often worry about having a blessed end. The Promised Messiah (as) has stated that if their hearts are not in harmony with their words, they shall not be met with a blessed end. “Allah the Almighty does not care for a community with hollow hearts who make empty claims, for He is Self-Sufficient.” [5]

Thus, we can only become true Ansar when we become excellent seeds, and in order to become an excellent seed, it is absolutely paramount to act upon the commandments of Allah the Almighty and the Holy Prophet (sa) and to show complete obedience and submission to the Imam of the age and the one who has been divinely commissioned. When this happens, only then can we become the fruitful tree of that seed which will then provide fruits of virtue to the world. Where on one hand, harmony between our words and actions will enable us to attain the nearness of Allah the Almighty, on the other hand, will also become a means of reforming our progeny as well and we will have this comfort and satisfaction that we are departing this world after having sown the seed of righteousness in our future generation; that we are departing this world after having established the means whereby our future generation will closely attach themselves to Allah the Almighty and will also become that fruitful tree which will bear the fruit of virtues. Similarly, they will be among those who guide the world towards the One God so that they may become the true Ansar of the one who was divinely commissioned in this age.

Thus, the further we delve into this subject, the more we will realise the true significance of Ansarullah and as to how we shall fulfil our oath. The Promised Messiah (as) has mentioned this in his addresses and gatherings with such emphasis that it is clearly evident as to what standards he wished to witness among his followers and these are the very standards which can play a pivotal role in the progress of the Jama’at. Once, whilst advising [the Jama’at], the Promised Messiah (as) stated,

“We should always asses the degree to which we have progressed in righteousness and piety. The criterion for this is the Qur’an.” In other words, look towards the teaching of the Holy Qur’an, read it carefully, understand it and act upon the commandments found therein. Then you will know as to what degree you have progressed in righteousness. There is a code of conduct available to us and the criterion for that is the Qur’an. Then the Promised Messiah (as) further states, “From among the hallmarks of the righteous, one sign manifested by Allah the Exalted in favour of a pious one is that He frees them from the unpleasant things of this world and He Himself becomes the Guardian of their affairs.” Then he spoke about what the qualities of a righteous person are; there are many characteristics. With regards to one such characteristic, the Promised Messiah (as) states, “As God Almighty states,

وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ مَخۡرَجٗا  *وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُ

‘And he who fears Allah – He will make for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he expects not.’[6]”

The Promised Messiah (as) states, “Allah the Almighty delivers a person who fears Him from any affliction that may befall him, and grants him provision from where he expects not.” Thus, this is one characteristic of a righteous person. Among the characteristics of a righteous person, another characteristic which the Promised Messiah (as) mentioned was that “Allah the Exalted does not enslave him to the recourse of immoral ways and means.” [7]

Thus, it is a matter to deliberate upon, it is necessary to reflect upon this. Generally we see in the world that when people reach such an age whereby their children are growing up then they begin to worry about their needs, they start to become more concerned about their education and various expenditures. The age of 40 is such an age whereby these thoughts arise a lot more. And some people who are engrossed in materialism or have less trust in Allah, they seek to fulfil these needs through various means, whether they are legal or illegal and through prohibited means. For example we witness here that for personal needs and to fulfil their children’s expenses, or to purchase properties and to fulfil world desires, many people save on their taxes through wrongful ways and try different means of deception, to the extent that some Ahmadis also do in this. And not only in world matters but even in the payments of their chanda [alms] they state a wrong income whereas it has been made clear to them regarding chanda that if they are unable to pay it according to the prescribed rate then they can get an exemption. There is no demand that the chanda shall be taken forcefully. They can simply inform that because of their circumstances they are unable to give more chanda than such-and-such amount, but they should not say what is false. Allah the Almighty states that if one is pious then Allah the Almighty shall Himself make arrangements for them or bless a small amount in such a way that the expenses are met without realising how. And this is not a mere verbal statement; rather there are many Ahmadis who write to me that they placed their trust in Allah the Almighty and unexpectedly Allah the Almighty made arrangements for them in such a manner that their needs and financial expenses were fulfilled. Just as I have mentioned, there are many incidents that I have with me. At present there is insufficient time for me to present them here. I often narrate such incidents from time to time. Whilst expanding on this the Promised Messiah (as) has himself given this example that some people think that a task cannot be undertaken without speaking a lie. That is why they brazenly resort to lying and then they openly express to others their needs for which they resorted to lying. They say it with utmost impudence. [8] The Promised Messiah (as) has stated that this is entirely incorrect and false. How can it be possible that on the one hand that Allah the Almighty promises that he shall deliver a righteous person from his worries, and on the other hand, He says to others that they should resort to falsehood and lying and thereby seek a way out from the hardship. This is against the honour of God Almighty, that God Who we have firm conviction in, Who we have faith in; this is against His honour. The Promised Messiah (as) has stated “Do not think that God Almighty is weak, rather He is All-Powerful. When you put your trust in Him for any matter then He certainly will come to your aid.

وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُ

‘And he who puts his trust in Allah — He is sufficient for him.’[9,10]”

Thus it is necessary to trust Allah the Almighty and this trust cannot be developed without righteousness. It is not enough to merely pay lip service and simply utter that we shall place our trust in Allah the Almighty; in fact it is necessary to attain the high standards of righteousness. It is necessary to elevate the standards of worship. It is necessary to raise our morals to a high level. It is necessary to pay attention towards fulfilling the rights of others. It is necessary to give preference to faith over the world. Thus if we develop this condition within ourselves whereby our faith is given preference over our worldly affairs, then this is true righteousness and this is that station when Allah the Almighty becomes sufficient for His servant.

The Promised Messiah (as) states,

“Those who were being addressed in the preceding verse were followers of faith. Their concerns and worries were all for religion and they left all their worldly matters in the hands of God. Hence, God Almighty reassured them that He is with them.”

Allah the Almighty removes all the worldly hindrances from the path of the righteous that become an obstruction in religious affairs.

Thus if we are offering our prayers on time whilst forsaking our worldly affairs and if we give preference to Jama’at work and our faith then that Omnipotent God states that, “I am with you, I shall remove all your worries.”

What assistance is man going to provide God Almighty with? In fact, it is Allah the Almighty Who gives us the opportunity to serve our faith, Who rewards us for our deeds and Who fulfils our needs. And then after bestowing all these bounties He includes us amongst His servants of faith. This is also something God has declared. Thus, how benevolent is our God. How generous is our God, we cannot even comprehend [His benevolence]. Thus we should strive to live our lives whilst being truly grateful servants of Allah the Almighty, treading upon his commandments and traversing upon the paths of righteousness and this is true spirit of us being Ansar [Helpers]. May Allah the Almighty enable all of us to adhere to this. Now please join me in silently prayer.

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.’

ENDNOTES

[1] Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), Malfuzat – Volume I (Farnham, Surrey: Islam International Publications
Ltd., 2018), 8.

[2] The Holy Qur’an, 16:129.

[3] Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), Malfuzat – Volume I (Farnham, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2018), 9.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid, 10.

[6] The Holy Qur’an, 65:3-4.

[7] Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), Malfuzat – Volume I (Farnham, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2018), 10-11.

[8] Ibid, 11.

[9] The Holy Qur’an, 65:4.

[10] Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), Malfuzat – Volume I (Farnham, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2018), 11.

[11]. Ibid.