Summary prepared by The Review of Religions
After reciting Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba), said that he would continue narrating incidents that exhibited the degree to which the Promised Messiah (as) placed his trust in Allah the Almighty.
His Holiness (aba) said that whenever he fell ill, the Promised Messiah (as) never relied on a single form of treatment. The Promised Messiah (as) would employ the use of both Western and Eastern medicines, consulting various doctors while also praying alongside the various forms of treatment.
The Difference Between Ordinary People and Prophets When Dealing with Worries
His Holiness (aba) quoted the Promised Messiah (as), who explained the difference between the anxiousness experienced by prophets and that of ordinary people. He explained that anxiety is something everyone faces as a human being, including prophets. For example, the Holy Prophet (sa) grew worried during the Battle of Badr. However, the difference between a prophet’s anxiety and that of an ordinary person is that, even in their anxiety, prophets never despair. They have certainty that God will never let them waste away. The Promised Messiah (as) explained that if he were himself faced with the predicament of being placed in a fire, he would certainly and naturally be worried; however, he would never fear that God would let him waste away and would have hope that God would instruct the fire to become cool as it did for Abraham. Others, however, despair at times of anxiety. Hence, a believer should follow the example of prophets and never allow despair to overtake them even in times of anxiety. Instead, they should place their complete trust in God.
His Holiness (aba) said that the First Caliph, Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nooruddin (ra), explained that the fire in which Abraham (as) was placed was the fire of fighting, from which he was saved, as it would be difficult to be saved from a physical fire. Once, someone brought this explanation, given by Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nooruddin (ra), to the Promised Messiah (as). Upon hearing it, the Promised Messiah (as) said that it should be conveyed to Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nooruddin (ra) to remove this explanation from his book, because it had been revealed to the Promised Messiah (as) that fire was made subservient to him; indeed, it was made subservient even to his servants. The Promised Messiah (as) went on to explain that the plague was no less than a fire which had spread far and wide, yet the Promised Messiah’s (as) home was saved. Hence, if Abraham (as) was saved, then it was in the same way that the Promised Messiah (as) was saved from the plague. Such was the degree of trust that the Promised Messiah (as) had in God that if it was stated that Abraham (as) was saved from the fire, then the Promised Messiah (as) was certain this was the case.
One Is Never Deprived When Trusting in God
His Holiness (aba) said that once, the in-charge of the communal kitchen asked the Promised Messiah (as) for funds in order to buy certain ingredients. The Promised Messiah (as) replied that he had no money at the time; however, the One for Whom the guests had arrived would certainly provide some means. A little while later, a man in tattered clothes approached the Promised Messiah (as) and handed him a package and left. When the Promised Messiah (as) opened the package, he found money inside. The Promised Messiah (as) sent after the man who had brought this package, but he was nowhere to be found. The Promised Messiah (as) then summoned the in-charge of the communal kitchen and gave him the amount to buy the ingredients he needed.
His Holiness (aba) quoted the Promised Messiah (as) who said:
‘The true Provider is God Almighty. A person who puts his trust in Him can never be deprived of provisions. A person who places trust in Him, God provides for him from every way and every place. God Almighty states that the one who relies and trusts Him, He showers provisions upon him from the heavens and grows them from under his feet. Therefore, everyone must put their trust in God Almighty.’ (Malfuzat, English Translation, Vol. 9, p. 370)
How Trust in God Can Transform You Completely
His Holiness (aba) said that once the Promised Messiah’s (as) 9-year-old son at the time, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra), asked his father to tell him a story. The Promised Messiah (as) said that once, an elder was on a journey and passed through a jungle where a robber would steal from anyone who passed by. The robber was about to steal from this elder when the elder said, ‘And in heaven is your sustenance, and also that which you are promised.’ (The Holy Qur’an, 51:23). The elder told the robber to stop stealing, and God Himself would provide for him.
The robber was moved by this and stopped stealing. In the end, after he stopped stealing from people, the robber came into possession of silver and gold pots from which he would eat.
Some time later, the elder passed through the same forest, and that robber, who was now a pious and virtuous man, told the elder how he had changed, and asked the elder to tell him another verse from the Qur’an. The elder said, ‘And by the Lord of the heaven and the earth, it is certainly the truth’ (The Holy Qur’an, 51:24). Hearing this, that man was so moved that he became even more pious. The Promised Messiah (as) then explained to his son that this is the power of placing one’s trust in God and that this is the wealth that one can attain simply by placing their trust in God.
His Holiness (aba) said that some people say that children do not understand such subjects. However, this concept was something that the Promised Messiah (as) explained to his 9-year-old son. This shows that the Promised Messiah (as) taught that placing one’s trust in God is something that should be taught to children from a young age.
A Story of a Man and a Dog
His Holiness (aba) said that the Promised Messiah (as) used to tell the story of an elder who dedicated himself to preaching. Once, many days passed, and he was unable to find something to eat. Finally, he decided to go into the city and ask a friend for food. His friend gave him some food to take with him, but as he left, his friend’s dog followed, wagging its tail. The elder thought to himself that the dog had some right over the food as well, since it stood guard at the home from where he received it.
So he gave the dog a third of the food, but after eating it, the dog kept following him. So, he gave the dog more food, but the dog still followed behind him. The elder, with only a third of the food remaining, told that dog that it was shameless for continuing to follow him even though he himself was extremely hungry. At that moment, the elder saw in a state of vision that the dog said to him, ‘You call me shameless even though I am just a dog? I have remained hungry for seven days at a time and never left my post guarding this home, yet you have been hungry for three days, and you left your post of preaching and came to the city. Tell me, is it I who is shameless, or you?’ Hearing this, the elder’s eyes widened, and he gave the rest of the food. When the elder returned home, he found someone sitting with an elaborate spread of food, asking where the elder had gone, as he had been waiting for him. The moral of this story was that trust in Allah demands that one should rely solely on God. One can certainly pursue means as well, but this was God’s manner of testing this elder.
A Righteous Person Does Not Depend on Others Beside God
His Holiness (aba) quoted the Promised Messiah (as) who said:
‘In my opinion, the greatest idolaters are the alchemists. They roam around in vain searching for sustenance and do not take advantage of the means that Allah the Exalted has provided for its lawful attainment, nor do they put their trust in God Almighty, whereas He says:
“And in the heavens is your sustenance and that which you are promised.”
I want to inform such avaricious people of an alchemy recipe on the condition that they act upon it. God Almighty states:
“And he who fears Allah – He will make for him a way out, and will provide
for him from where he expects not.”
Thus, taqwa [righteousness] is such a quality that whoever attains this, it is as if they have attained all the bounties of the world. Remember that a righteous one is never dependent on anyone; rather, he is at such a station that whatever he desires, God provides it for him even before he even asks for it.
Once I saw Allah the Exalted in the form of a [human] manifestation in a vision. Putting His hand around my neck, He said:
“If you will be devoted to Me, the whole world will be yours.”
This is the formula that has been tried by all Prophets, Auliya’ [Saints], and the Righteous. The ignorant abandon this formula and wander aimlessly in search of roots and shrubs. If they had exerted the same effort in the search for the Creator of these roots and shrubs, they would have achieved all their desired goals.’ (Malfuzat, English Translation, Vol. 9, pp. 236-237)
Having Firm Conviction in God’s Word
His Holiness (aba) quoted Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra), who recounted that when he was about 6 years old, the Promised Messiah (as) made a prophecy regarding the demise of Abdullah Atham. When the final day for the fulfilment of this prophecy arrived, people were very anxious.
After the early evening prayer, the Promised Messiah (as) sat in a gathering and expressed his displeasure at those who had been anxiously praying for the prophecy to be fulfilled that day. The Promised Messiah (as) asked: could anyone care about the honour of God’s word more than God Himself? If God said something was going to happen, then one should be certain it will happen. However, if we have misunderstood what God said, then God cannot be bound by that misunderstanding. Hence, having believed in Him, one should have complete conviction that whatever God says will come to pass. How it comes to pass is up to God Almighty.
His Holiness (aba) said that once, while the Promised Messiah (as) was writing the Arabic portion of his book A’ina Kamalat-e-Islam, the Promised Messiah (as) gave a copy of two pages to Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nooruddin (ra) to arrange its Persian translation. However, Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Nooruddin (ra) accidentally misplaced the two pages. He searched extensively for them but could not find them, and he grew very worried.
The Promised Messiah (as) learned of this, and as usual, he came out smiling, with not the slightest trace of displeasure. In fact, he began apologising, saying that he was saddened for the trouble this had caused Hazrat Hakim Maulvi Noourddin (ra). Then the Promised Messiah (as) said he trusted that God would enable him to write something even better than what was written on those two pages. Not only does this incident exhibit the astounding kindness of the Promised Messiah (as), but also his complete trust in God.
His Holiness (aba) quoted the Promised Messiah (as) who said:
‘Allah the Exalted said in the Holy Qur’an about the companions addressing the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:
“The God Who strengthened you with His help and with the believers put such affection in their hearts that even if you had spent all the earth’s treasures, you could not have created such love, but God created this affection in them. He is the Mighty and Wise God.”
The God Who did this before can do it even now, and we rely on Him for the future as well. The spirit of God’s grace is breathed into the work that is decreed to be done.
Just as when a gardener irrigates his garden, it becomes fresh and verdant, in the same way, God Almighty bestows progress and rejuvenation upon the community of His messengers. Sects formed only by human efforts suffer splits within days, just as the Brahmus flourished for a few days and then stopped, and are diminishing day by day because they were solely founded upon human intellect.
God Almighty has made great promises regarding my Jama‘at. No human intellect, foresight, or worldly means can bring us to these promises.
Allah the Exalted will provide all the means, and this work will be completed. Even if the number of members of my Jama‘at reaches two or two and a half million, it is still nothing. Even the Sikhs number that many. I wish that the whole world be filled with this Jama‘at, and this is not man’s work. A man’s life may end at any moment – what can one individual do? Nevertheless, God can do all things.’ (Malfuzat, English Translation, Vol. 7, pp. 300-301)
Trust in God Almighty is the Key to Success
His Holiness (aba) quoted the Promised Messiah (as) who said:
‘The truth is that trust in God alone is the one thing that can make man succeed and achieve his goals. Allah the Exalted says:
Allah becomes sufficient for him who puts his trust in Allah the Exalted, provided he progresses in everything honestly with a sincere heart and with the true understanding of trust in God. And he should be patient and steadfast. He should not withdraw by becoming intimidated by adversities. This world is a temporary, transient place as is everything in it and so too are the affairs associated with it. Therefore, it is essential for man to
grieve over it less and be more concerned about the Hereafter. If concern for religion comes to prevail over man, God Himself becomes the surety for his worldly affairs.
It is a pity that great calamities are taking place every day and yet people pay no heed. They do not care. Even the disbelievers of Moses (as) were better in that they would at least become heedful when the chastisements would descend upon them, and would say that they would accept if only those calamities would abate. However, the disbelievers of today are even more diehard than they were, given that they are not perturbed even though ever-new calamities befall and the wrath of God descends in ever-newer forms.
Just look at how lethal the attacks of this plague alone have been! How heart-wrenching the destruction that took place that one shivers in fear just listening to their accounts, and yet no one was moved. Those people would ask Moses (as) to pray for them in such a crisis, but these people say it is not much—such things do happen and such calamities come all the time.
It was the promise of God from yore that diverse calamities would visit in the Latter Days. Some would accept at that time but most would perish. God does indeed show Signs but only they benefit from Signs who are believers and they are but a few.’ (Malfuzat, English Translation, Vol. 10, pp. 319-320)
His Holiness (aba) prayed that may Allah enable worldly people to see sense and to recognise God. May those who have accepted the Promised Messiah (as) increase in their faith and certainty and may they increase their standards of prayer and trust in God.
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