MAGAZINE: EDITION AUGUST 2025
Secular & Spiritual Treasures

The Secret to Our Success Is in Our Spiritual Strength

© Shutterstock

Translated by Professor Amtul Razzaq Carmichael for The Review of Religions translation team. The Review of Religions takes full responsibility for any errors in translation. 

This sermon was delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad Khalifatul Masih II (ra) on 9th September 1927 at Shimla, India.

………………………………………………………

After reciting the Tashahhud, Ta‘awwudh, and Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness (ra) stated: 

Without recourse to the appropriate remedies, one can never be fully cured from any physical ailment. Likewise, the same principle applies with regards to the cure of individual and national ailments. Until the proper remedy is administered, the suffering and hardship faced by Muslims today cannot be alleviated. And the remedy that will relieve them of all forms of suffering cannot be acquired without guidance from God Almighty. And until the guidance given by God Almighty is followed precisely, the ailments pertaining to a nation can never be cured. 

Generally, people stumble by failing to differentiate between national and religious progress. Consequently, people abandon the correct principles, and thus meet with failure. The rules governing religious and national progress are very different. Islam does not belong to any nation; rather, Islam is a religion and there are many nations within its fold. Muslims cannot make progress based on nationalistic principles alone. This is because the means of progress are unique to each nation. To make progress, every nation needs to focus on its respective circumstances, needs, customs, traditions and its environment. If these various aspects are ignored, then nations, instead of progressing, end up deteriorating. When these key matters are addressed, then a framework emerges that leads to a straightforward path for the progress of any nation. 

We find that every nation has its specific qualities that form part of its national identity. And it is necessary to remove certain national or collective weaknesses, because otherwise the nation cannot progress. And some characteristics are strengths which must be honed and enhanced in order to develop further qualities and facilitate the progress of a nation. Similarly, by understanding the unique circumstances of a nation, we can develop strategies that aid its progress.

For example, Kashmiris and Afghans are two different nations. Their customs, habits, needs, and national characteristics are different. The principle that will help Kashmiris to succeed will not benefit the Pathans. This is because the circumstances of these two nations have affected them differently. When considering the progress of Pathans, their harsh and hasty temperament must be abated. As for the progress of Kashmiris, they need to develop the skills of bravery, self-respect, courage, and fortitude to confidently express the truth. If we attempt to cure both these nations in the exact same manner, both nations would be ruined. Afghans need a certain approach to succeed, and Kashmiris require another method to make progress. Thus, until this principle is followed, there will be no progress. 

As I have just said, Islam is a religion and not a nation. In fact, Islam encompasses and unites various nations within its fold. Islam is comprised of Kashmiris, Afghans, Arabs, Egyptians, Turks, Chinese, and members of other nations. The circumstances, needs, customs and habits of Muslims in various nations and countries are different. Therefore, different nations require their individual methods to make progress. Thus, when just two nations cannot progress by following the same method, how can thousands of nations advance by following a single system?

Therefore, it is vital that religious progress is based on religious principles. It is possible to make national advancement without religion; a Bengali, Madrasi, Sindhi, Turk, and Arab can find a path of progress in accordance with their respective circumstances, practices, customs, and environment. But if all the nations wish to make progress by following one single principle, then there is only one solution for that: that is to base their progress on religious principles. When nations strictly and firmly adhere to religious principles, they can all make progress. This is because religious teachings have unified all Muslims on the same values. Based on nationalistic principles, one nation may make progress, but not Muslims as a whole. It is a different matter altogether that there may be some common principles that may facilitate the progress of various nations. Because our objective is for Muslims to make progress as a community, we need to follow the principles that lead to religious progress. 

Religious progress requires the vital components of faith and conviction, which can never be attained by the limited material practices of the world. For any nation to progress, it needs to address its particular shortcomings and flaws. However, for religious progress, one must excel in their faith and conviction, which are such powerful elements that they can transform anything. 

Always remember that faith is the ultimate and true elixir. People tend to seek the fabled elixir which can bring about a transformative change and is supposed to cure all ills. However, I inform you of the true elixir, and call you towards it. This elixir is the elixir of faith. 

The elixir of faith has the power and potency to transform a Kashmiri, who, because of his environment and other factors, lacks courage and valour, into a brave individual. The power of faith can transform the harsh temperament of an Afghan into mercy and compassion. The power of faith can remove all those flaws and weaknesses that can lead to the ultimate ruin and destruction of a nation. Indeed, the power of faith has such an impact that it can revive nations. 

One ought to have the firm conviction that we are forging a relationship with a being that is unparalleled in His powers, Who possesses all the qualities, and the One Who can fulfil all our needs. Through this faith, one develops love; this love in turn becomes sincerity; and this sincerity gives birth to a deep inner yearning. Such a person is then inspired to reflect all the divine qualities in his character. 

When faith reaches these highest echelons, one’s physical faculties are further refined and developed. Subsequently, one attains such strength that this remedy alone enables them to overcome all shortcomings. Miserliness is transformed into generosity, cowardice turns into bravery, harshness gives way to compassion, cruelty turns into fairness and justice, and ruthlessness changes into kindness and mutual cooperation. All vices are removed, and high moral characteristics are fostered. The result of this is that all nations make progress in unison. 

Thus, for the Muslims to advance, it is vital for them to excel in their religion. The stronger the Muslims become in their faith and belief, the greater the progress they make. With this one elixir, Muslims all over the world, no matter what nation they belong to, will make progress. This remedy is applicable to all, be they Kashmiri or Afghani, Turkish or Arab, Egyptian or Chinese, Indian or from other nations. Faith is the only elixir that can bring about every transformation. Only faith can bestow such great strength that cannot be attained elsewhere. 

At present, Muslims are waking up to their condition and are worried about their national progress. Some nations are making progress, but their religious standing is deteriorating. The Turks are making progress at the national level, but they are continually regressing at the religious level, thus moving them away from the Egyptians and Indians. In the same way, Egyptians and Iranians are making progress in their respective spheres, but from an Islamic point of view, they are becoming distant from one another. 

The fact of the matter remains that unless there is progress of Islam and one does not strengthen in their faith and belief, this progress will lead to division. Indeed, the means to attain national progress are different from the means to make religious progress. For the progress of Islam, it is vital to have faith and base all our actions on Islamic teachings. If we do not adopt this practice, the Muslims will not make progress. It is quite possible that Iranians, Turks, and Egyptians will make progress on their own, but that would not be the progress of Islam, which requires religious progress. This is the spirit of practice in the religion of Islam.

The national progress of Christians hampered their religious progress. Those who are familiar with history know that in the Middle Ages – although these nations did not experience the level of national progress seen today – they were following a set path which also undoubtedly caused the spiritual decline in Christianity. The early progress of Islam, however, led to both religious and spiritual progress. This proves and shows that Islam is such a force that can grant all types of progress at any time. Thus, the secret of the progress of Muslims lies in the progress of Islam; that true Islam that was brought by the Holy Prophet (sa) and the Islam that the Holy Qur’an presents; the Islam which remains after removing the narrations that were brought by the Jews and Christians upon entering Islam.

I would like to bring the attention of my friends belonging to this community to the fact that they are the members of a community that has been given a momentous task; a task to not only bring Islam to its true original form, but to also help Islam make progress and spread widely. They should make people aware and make Muslims understand that their success will happen when the true spirit of Islam develops. By falsely claiming to do something in the name of religion, no progress will occur. To confuse religious and national development will only be detrimental to making progress. Remember well that Muslims can only ever make true progress in one and only one way: on the basis of Islam. If we propagate the message of Islam with this thought in mind, then your words will have an impact, your language will foster spirituality and your hearts will gain purity. I pray to God Almighty that we do not hamper our religious progress in the pursuit of our national progress. Rather, the base of our national progress should be on the progress of Islam. Ameen! 

Published in Al-Fazl, 20thSeptember 1927. 

(Khutbat-e-Mahmud, Vol 11, pp. 200-203)

Add Comment

Click here to post a comment