Tarbiyyat Syllabus Book Lajna Imaillah - Australia

Transcription

1 Tarbiyyat Syllabus Book Lajna Imaillah - Australia

2 1 Tarbiyyat Syllabus Book Prepared by the National Tarbiyyat Department Lajna Imaillah - Australia Sadr Lajna Imaillah Australia Mrs Anjum Khan National Secretary Tarbiyyat Mrs Amtul Naseer Khaled LAJNA IMAILLAH -

3 2 Assalamo Alaikum wa Rahmatullah. In the name of Allah the most Gracious and Merciful October 2015 We are fortunate to be under the Divine guidance of Khilafat. Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih Vatba takes every opportunity to remind us of our responsibilities to Allah and fellow beings; to gain the pleasure of Allah and live a happy, peaceful and righteous life. In this syllabus you will find information, focussing on certain topics, on Jihad bin Nafs (struggle against the self), building stronger relationship amongst Lajna members and Family harmony to raise the righteous children in a peaceful and happy environment. If we can focus, gain knowledge and work on our relationship with Allah and our relationships with humans, we will go a long way in achieving our aim of being model Ahmadi Muslim women, Insha Allah. This syllabus will be used by Presidents and Tarbiyyat Secretaries with all members. However it can also be used by individuals for independent study and help strengthen Tarbiyyat (moral training) of yourself and your family. The syllabus is on a quarterly basis to give you time to cover every section in detail. There are selected verses of the Holy Qur an, Ahadith, and guidance from the Promised Messiah (as) and excerpts from addresses of Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih Vatba. Each section is integrated with Aims, Questions, and Discussion for self-analysis and for a deeper understanding, read the related text from Al-Islam. Please read through each section carefully and discuss any points that are not understood even if there are no discussion questions. Additional supplements on topics will be put on line as needed, so please continue to check the Lajna website on My Allah enable us all to get maximum benefit from this syllabus and find it contributory in our journey of Jihad bin Nafs (struggle against the self) for self-reformation throughout our lives. May Allah Almighty guide us and give us the strength to ever advance our knowledge and personal Tarbiyyat. Ameen. Wassalam, National Tarbiyyat Secretary Mrs Amtul Naseer Khaled Sadr Lajna Imaillah Australia Mrs Anjum Khan LAJNA IMAILLAH -

4 3 CONDITIONS OF INITIATION (BAI'AT) The initiate shall solemnly promise: IThat he/she shall abstain from Shirk (association of any partner with God) right up to the day of his/her death. II That he/she shall keep away from falsehood, fornication, adultery, trespasses of the eye, debauchery, dissipation, cruelty, dishonesty, mischief and rebellion; and will not permit himself/herself to be carried away by passions, however strong they might be. III That he/she shall regularly offer the five daily prayers in accordance with the commandments of God and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him); and shall try his/her best to be regular in offering the Tahajud (pre-dawn supererogatory prayers) and invoking Darood (blessings) on the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him); that he/she shall make it his/her daily routine to ask forgiveness for his/her sins, to remember the bounties of God and to praise and glorify Him. IV That under the impulse of any passions, he/she shall cause no harm whatsoever to the creatures of Allah in general, and Muslims in particular, neither by his/her tongue nor by his/her hands nor by any other means. V That he/she shall remain faithful to God in all circumstances of life, in sorrow and happiness, adversity and prosperity, in felicity and trial; and shall in all conditions remain resigned to the decree of Allah and keep himself/herself ready to face all kinds of indignities and sufferings in His way and shall never turn away from it at the onslaught of any misfortune; on the contrary, he/she shall march forward. VI That he/she shall refrain from following un-islamic customs and lustful inclinations, and shall completely submit himself/herself to the authority of the Holy Quran; and shall make the Word of God and the Sayings of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) the guiding principle in every walk of his/her life. VII That he/she shall entirely give up pride and vanity and shall pass all his/her life in humbleness, cheerfulness, forbearance and meekness. VIII That he/she shall hold faith, the honour of faith, and the cause of Islam dearer to him/her than his/her life, wealth, honour, children and all other dear ones. IX That he/she shall keep himself/herself occupied in the service of God's creatures for His sake only; and shall endeavour to benefit mankind to the best of his/her God-given abilities and powers. X That he/she shall enter into a bond of brotherhood with this humble servant of God, pledging obedience to me in everything good, for the sake of Allah, and remain faithful to it till the day of his/her death; that he/she shall exert such a high devotion in the observance of this bond as is not to be found in any other worldly relationship and connections demanding devoted dutifulness. (Taken from LAJNA IMAILLAH -

5 4 Content Tarbiyyat Syllabus book Lajna Imaillah-Australia Table of Contents Page Introduction to the TARBIYAT PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING syllabus book 7 REFERENCES AND READING MATERIAL 8 TARBIYAT Program Quarter 1: Conditions of Bai'at # I and III - Topics: Unity of Allah, Salat, Prayers Quarter 2: Condition of Bai'at # II - Topics: Truthfulness, Societal ills, Self- Reformation (Jihad bin Nafs) Quarter 3: Condition of Bai'at # V Topics: Love of Allah, Taqwa, Keeping an eye on the Hereafter Quarter 4: Condition of Bai'at # IV & IX Topics: Service to others, Service to children, Service to parents, Service to spouse Building stronger relationship amongst Lajna members LAJNA IMAILLAH -

6 5 ETIQUETTES AND GUIDELINES: Etiquette of Salat Guidelines for Purdah and Modest Etiquette for Rishta Na ata (spouse selection process) Guidelines for Marriage in Islam Etiquette of Wedding Celebrations Guidelines for Tarbiyyat of Children LAJNA IMAILLAH -

7 6 GENERAL ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE Assigned Books: The assigned books for this program are: 1. Conditions of Bai at and Responsibilities of an Ahmadi (by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V atba) 2. Need of the Iman (Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah as) Introduction to Tarbiyyat Program TARBIYAT PROGRAM Allah will say, This is a day when only the truthful shall profit by their truthfulness. For them are Gardens beneath which streams flow; therein shall they abide forever. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him; that indeed is the great triumph. (5:120 ) Prayer for Tarbiyyat: Our Lord, make us submissive to Thee and make of our offspring a people submissive to Thee. And show us our ways of worship, and turn to us with mercy; for Thou art Oft-Returning with compassion and Merciful. [2:129] Tarbiyyat Program Theme and Aim: Conditions of Bai'at The Ark of the Messiah In 1888, the Promised Messiah (as) received revelations in both Arabic and Urdu in which he was directed to construct an ark because the earth was covered in a flood of error. The purpose of this ark would be to save all those who boarded it from drowning in the flood. Thus, under divine guidance, the Promised Messiah (as) established the ten conditions of Bai'at as the requirement of entering into a covenant with him and hence constructed the ark. As members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, we have all taken the Bai at on the hand of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih to uphold and practice the ten conditions of Bai'at in our daily lives. However, in his message to the USA Jama at on the occasion of Jalsa Salana 2014, Huzoor (atba) expressed his concern that we need to ponder over our spiritual condition and reflect on whether our actions match the pledge that we claim to affirm. Therefore the theme of this program is to self-reflect on whether we are fulfilling our Bai at and to reform ourselves so that our actions match our words. Tarbiyyat Program Focus: To address the following self-reflection questions asked of us by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (atba): Do we keep an eye on the Hereafter as regards our worldly dealings? Do we give precedence to faith over worldly matters? Are we fulfilling our pledge of Bai at? Do we observe five daily Prayers and remember God with humility? LAJNA IMAILLAH -

8 7 Have we established the highest level of truthfulness where there is not even a hint of falsehood and deception? Do we avoid every ill and every bad practice; shun usurping the rights of others; avoid bad influences of associates/friends; avoid slandering and backbiting; take care of neighbours? Do we respect and serve our parents and listen to everything good they say to us? Are husbands and wives fulfilling their responsibilities to each other and to their families? Do we forgive those who wrong us and remove malice and rancour from our hearts? Our Personal Tarbiyyat Goals: Perform Salat five times daily on time, in congregation as much as possible. Recite Holy Qur'an daily with translation. Increase daily recitation of Darood on Holy Prophet (saw). Do we building stronger relationship amongst Lajna members Do we trying for Self-Reformation(Jihad bin Nafs) Listen to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih s sermons regularly. Offer 2 Nawafil daily for all Ahmadis facing persecution. Observe purdah and maintain hayaa on all occasions. Reflect on and comply with conditions of Bai at in daily life and strive towards doing Wasiyat. Increase attendance at Lajna meetings. TARBIYAT PROGRAM SYLLABUS A. Listen to current Friday sermon every week and participate in a Friday sermon activity every month. B. Tarbiyyat Syllabus book: Conditions of Bai at; associated Tarbiyyat topics and self-reflection questions. C. Reciting Khilafat Jubilee Prayers every day. INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING TARBIYAT Syllabus BOOK Each quarter of the Syllabus book contains assigned material on Tarbiyyat topics which are related to the condition/conditions of Bai'at covered in the quarter and the questions asked by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (atba). The material should be read thoughtfully and workshops, panel discussions or other interactive means of members participation should be used to answer the related questions. Each quarter is divided into 3 sections. Each section covers a Tarbiyyat topic, a section activity and personal Tarbiyyat exercises. Include Lajna ages 15-25, by assigning some part of the activity to them, e.g. research the given topic. Reference and reading materials are given for supplementary information. Contact National Tarbiyyat Secretary for further guidance if necessary. LAJNA IMAILLAH -

9 8 REFERENCES AND READING MATERIAL 1. Conditions of Bai'at and Responsibilities of an Ahmadi by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (atba) 2. Conditions of Bai'at - Al Islam 3. Daughters of Eve - Lajna Imaillah USA 4. Way of the Seekers by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) 5. Hadhrat Amman Jan (ra) by Munavara Ghauri 6. by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) 7. The Essence of Islam, vols. 1 & 2 by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) 8. Introduction to the study of the Holy Qur'an by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) 9. Life of Muhammad by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) 10. The Wisdom of the Holy Prophet (saw) by Chaudhry Zafrullah Khan 11. Invitation to Aḥmadiyyat by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II (ra) 12. Friday Sermons Archive Presentations on Marriage on MTA OUR FOCUS: To increase our devotion to Allah Ta'ala in every aspect of our lives; to perform His Worship with greater understanding and attention; be ever conscious of His Favours to us and intensify our efforts to achieve His Pleasure through self- reformation and service to Jamaat. To take pride in being an Ahmadi Muslim woman and to celebrate the roles of Muslim women in society. To establish, improve and embrace our purdah with pride. To guard our children from the dangers of society from a very early age. Our Personal Tarbiyyat Objectives: Perform Salat five times daily on time, in congregation if possible. Recite Holy Qur'an daily with translation. Listen to Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih s sermons regularly. Offer 2 nawafil daily for all Ahmadis facing persecution. Observe purdah and maintain hayaa on all occasions. Reflect on and comply with conditions of Bai at in daily life. Strive towards doing Wasiyat to become a Moosia. Increase our attendance at Lajna meetings. LAJNA IMAILLAH -

10 9 Our Aim Love of Allah through devotion to His Jamaat Jihad bin Nafs (struggle against the self) To build stronger relationship amongst Lajna Imaillah members To bring Family Harmony to raise righteous children Special Events Jalsa Sera tun Nabi( SAW) Musleh Maood (ra) Day Messih Maood(as) Day Khilafat Day Tarbiyyati classes Tarbiyyati camp Yuom-e- Umahat (Mother s Day) Jalsa Salana Australia LAJNA IMAILLAH -

11 10 Tarbiyyat Program Lajna Imaillah Australia Quarter1 October to December 2015 Strive to Fulfil the I & III Conditions of Bai at Jihad bin Nafs (struggle against the self) Building stronger relationship amongst Lajna Imaillah members LAJNA IMAILLAH -

12 11 Quarter one Tarbiyyat (Moral Training) Subject, Aim and Selfreflection question Tarbiyat Subjects Aim Selfreflection questions 1st and 3rd CONDITIONS OF BAI'AT Unity of Allah, Shirk, Salat, Prayers To increase our connection with Allah Almighty to gain the strength to struggle againts the self(jihad bin Nafs) Strive to Fulfill the Conditions of Baiat Build stronger relationship amongst Lajna members Do we observe five daily Prayers? Do we struggle againts ourselves? Do we building stronger relationship amongst Lajna members? I & II condition of Bai at CONDITION OF BAI'AT #1: That he/she shall abstain from Shirk (association of any partner with God) right up to the day of his/her death. CONDITION OF BAI'AT #3: That he/she shall regularly offer the five daily prayers in accordance with the commandments of God and the Holy Prophet (saw) and that he/she shall try his/her best to be regular in offering the Tahajjud and invoking Durud on the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). That he/she shall make it his/her daily routine to ask forgiveness for his/her sins, to remember the bounties of God and to praise and glorify Him LAJNA IMAILLAH -

13 12 SECTION I unity OF Allah, SHIRK (associating partners with Allah) THE PROMISED MESSIAH (AS) SAYS: Tauhid (unity of God) does not simply mean that you say la ilaha illallah (there is no God but Allah) with your tongue but then hide hundreds of idols in your heart. Anyone who gives reverence to his own plans, mischief or clever designs as he should revere God, or depends upon another person as one should depend upon God alone, or reveres his own ego as he should revere God alone; in all such conditions he is an idol worshipper in the sight of Allah. Idols are not merely those that are made of gold, silver, copper or stones. Rather, everything, every statement, or every deed, which is revered in a manner that befits Almighty Allah alone, is an idol in the sight of Allah. Remember that the true Unity of God, which God requires us to affirm and upon which salvation depends, is to believe that God in His Being is free from every associate; whether it be an idol or a human being, or the sun or moon, or one s own self or plan, or one s cunning or deceit. Tauhid is also to conceive of no one as possessing power in opposition to Him, nor to accept anyone as Sustainer, nor to hold anyone as Bestower of honor or disgrace, nor to consider anyone as Helper or Supporter; and it is also to confine one s love, worship, humility, hopes and fear to Him alone. Thus no tauhid can be complete without the following three types of acceptance: 1. First is belief in the Unity of His Being, i.e. to conceive that the whole universe as nonexistent in contrast with Him and to consider it mortal and lacking reality. 2. Second is belief in the Unity of His Attributes i.e. that Rabbubiyyat (Omnipotence) and Uluhiyyat (Divinity) are confined to His Being and that all other factors, which may appear as sustainers or benefactors are only a part of the system set up by His Hand. 3. Third is belief in the Unity of love, sincerity and devotion that is, not to consider anyone as an associate of God in the matter of love and worship and to be entirely lost in Him. (Sirajud- Din Isa i ke Char Swalon ka Jawab, Ruhani Khaza in, Vol. 12, pp ) EXCERPT FROM SUMMARY OF SERMON DELIVERED BY HAZRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH V (ATBA) 07/26/ Follow the Commandments of the Holy Quran The first commandment forbids associating anyone with God. Which sensible person would associate partners with God Who has created us and Who nurtures our mental, physical and spiritual capacities and gives us all the blessings? Yet, people do not understand and associate partners with God. They do not try to understand the significance of Shirk in depth. Each age and era has had people who have had this tendency and this is why the first message of Prophets of God is teaching against Shirk; indeed Shirk is an unforgivable sin. The Promised Messiah (as) said: Every sin is forgivable but associating partners with God is an unforgivable sin. Surely, associating partners with God is a grievous wrong. (31:14) and Surely Allah will not forgive that any partner be associated with Him (4:49) Here, Shirk does not simply mean worshipping idols made of stone. In fact it is also Shirk to venerate worldly means and give importance to worldly idols. This indeed is Shirk. The example of sinning is like smoking hookah, giving it up is not that difficult and inconvenient while the example of Shirk is like taking opium, which is an impossible habit to break. (Translated from Malfoozat, Vol. 6 pp 18 19) The Promised Messiah (as) said: Shirk is three-fold. The first kind is general idol-worship and worship of trees. This is a broad, common Shirk. The second kind of Shirk is when too much reliance is placed LAJNA IMAILLAH -

14 13 on ways and means; that is, saying if such and such did not happen, I would have died, this is Shirk. The third kind of Shirk is whereby one considers oneself to be something compared to God. No one gets embroiled in the broad kind of Shirk in this age of enlightenment; however, in this time of material advancement, the Shirk of ways and means has increased a lot. (Translated from Tafseer of Holy Qur an, Vol. III p. 657) The Promised Messiah (as) defined worship as: O people, worship the God Who has created you, that is, know that all your tasks come to pass through Him and rely on Him. O people worship the God who is One and without any partner, who created you and your forefathers. You should fear the Powerful God Who made the earth a place to rest for you and the sky a cover, who sent down water from the sky to create varied forms of sustenance for you from fruits. Do not knowingly associate those very things equal to Him which have been created for you. (Translated from Tafseer of the Holy Qur an, Vol. pp ) Further explaining the reality of worship, the Promised Messiah (as) said: The real reason for the creation of mankind is worship. Just as it is stated elsewhere: And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me. (51:57). True worship is when man removes all hardness and crookedness and makes the terrain of his heart as clear as a farmer clears his field as collyrium/ kohl is ground extremely finely so that it can be put in eyes. Similarly, this state of worship is when the terrain of heart is free of grit, pebbles and unevenness and is so clean that it embodies pure soul. If a mirror is cleaned in this manner one can see one s face in it and if soil is thus treated, all kinds of fruits grow in it. Therefore, if man, who has been created to worship God, cleans his heart and does not let any grit, pebbles or unevenness remain in it, God will be seen in it. I say again that God s love will grow and flourish therein bearing sweet and wholesome fruits which will be eternal. This is the reason for our creation and this is the reason for experiencing Ramadan and this is the standard of worship that the Promised Messiah (as has taught us. Once this standard is attained, man is free from all kinds of Shirk. SECTION I ACTIVITY The Promised Messiah (as) said in this time of material advancement, the Shirk of ways and means has increased a lot. What are the ways and means of these times, which may lead us into Shirk? Discuss and identify the hidden idols that we need to confront in daily life, especially those in the areas of raising children, marital harmony and achieving educational and career goals. PERSONAL TARBIYAT EXERCISES Discuss and identify with your family, what is struggle against the self (Jihad bin Nafs) and how can we save ourselves and our dear ones from self-indulgence and Shirk? LAJNA IMAILLAH -

15 14 SECTION II SALAT/PRAYER THE PROMISED MESSIAH (AS) SAYS: Prayer is obligatory on every Muslim. It is narrated in hadith that some people accepted Islam and submitted, O Prophet of Allah, please release us from the obligation of Prayer because we are traders. Because we tend to cattle, sometimes we are not sure about the cleanliness of our clothes. Moreover, we do not have the time. The Holy Prophet (saw) said, Take heed, if there is no Prayer, there is nothing. Faith without worship is no faith at all. What is Prayer? It is to submit your weaknesses before God and to seek their solutions from Him. At times, to stand straight before him in awe of His Grandeur ready to carry out His commands. At times to prostrate before Him in complete submission. To beg from him all that you need. That is Prayer. To praise Him like a beggar, move His Mercy by narrating His Greatness and Grandeur, and then asking. A faith that does not have this [type of Prayer] is no faith at all. A man is needy at all times to seek Allah s pleasure and beg for His Grace. Only through His Grace can we accomplish anything. O Allah, grant us the ability to belong entirely to You, to stay firmly upon the path of Your pleasure and thereby earn Your pleasure. Prayer means love of God, fear of God, to always keep Him in mind and that is what faith is. So anyone who wants to be freed from the obligation of Prayer cannot accomplish anything more than the animals eating, drinking, and sleeping. This certainly is not faith. This is the way of the disbelievers. The popular saying, the moment of heedlessness is the moment of disbelief is undoubtedly true and correct. (Al-Hakam, Vol. 7, March 31, 1903, p. 8) EXCERPT FROM SUMMARY OF SERMON DELIVERED BY HAZRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH V (ATBA) 10/10/ Worship, Anger-Management and Forgiveness God has made Salat obligatory but has also given much expediency regarding it. For example, if someone cannot offer Salat standing up, they may do so sitting down. If they cannot offer Salat sitting down due to frailty or illness, they may do so lying down. And there is no stipulation as to how should one lay down. When one is travelling or there are any temporary constraints, Salat can be shortened or combined. In short no matter what, no one can say that it is not possible to offer Salat under any circumstances. People whose employment necessitates that their clothes cannot be clean all the time may offer Salat in those clothes. If water is not available tayyammum (dry ablution) may be performed in place of wudhu (ablution). Therefore a sensible person will not make any excuse to miss offering Salat. If one is in one s senses, then one must offer Salat. Many people make many excuses in this regard and this distances them from faith. Each one of us needs to focus on this matter! Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (atba) said that following his Friday sermon at the inauguration of our mosque in Ireland in which Huzoor had drawn attention to worship of God, he received a letter from a Murrabi Sahib in USA and other letters as well that attendance at mosques has increased after Huzoor s sermon. It is obvious that earlier the non-attendance was not due to any constraints or unfeasibility and once attention was drawn to the matter it worked. Now the momentum needs to be maintained and for this Khuddamul Ahmadiyya and Lajna need to make Special efforts in instilling the practice of regular observance of Salat in the youngsters. Youth is a time of good health when worship can be offered with its due requisites. In later life one develops ailments, which prevent one from offering worship of God with its due requisites. The Promised Messiah (as) especially drew our attention to the fact that only worship during youth and while in good health can be offered with its due requisites. One should strive to observe the commandments of God, even by imposing them on oneself, let alone avoid them even with all the convenience granted by God in this regard! Indeed one LAJNA IMAILLAH -

16 15 should worship God as thanksgiving for the good health one has! Much effort should be made in this regard as faith cannot be complete without it. EXCERPT FROM SUMMARY OF ADDRESS DELIVERED AT JALSA SALANA USA BY HAZRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH V (ATBA) 06/30/2012 You all know that there is a prayer that we make for our children, which is that: May Allah make them a source of joy and comfort for our eyes. For a believer, his children become a delight for his eyes when they adopt righteousness, if they are healthy and affluent, if they are obedient and serve their parents. Thus when a person prays to God to be granted children who are pious, truthful, and a source of comfort for their eyes, then in accordance with the example of the Holy Prophet (saw), he or she should search for the delight of the eyes that can only be acquired by fulfilling the rights of Allah s worship. When this happens, then as a result, God Almighty bestows such children who truly prove to be the delight of their parents eyes and are a source of happiness to them. Therefore, for the moral training of their children, it is essential that women establish and maintain their prayers to the highest standards. The homes of Ahmadis should be filled with the love and remembrance of Allah at all times. As I said in my previous two sermons, television programs, the Internet, or family outings should never take priority and so prove to be an obstacle preventing our prayers from being offered in the beautiful manner that is required. Certainly, it is not just women but also all men who must pay full attention at all times to fulfilling the rights of worship that are due to Allah. If full attention is paid to our prayers, then Allah the Almighty has promised that as a result your children will indeed become the delight of your eyes. About the importance of prayers, Allah says in the Holy Qur an, in Surah al-baqarah: Watch over Prayers, and particularly the middle Prayer, and stand before Allah submissively. (Ch.2:239) us to pay attention to the This verse means that you must pay attention to your prayers and protect them. It especially reminds prayers that come during the course of the day when most people are busy with their daily routines. Thus we are reminded that when all worldly desires and interests are left behind and our prayers are safeguarded, then our homes will become filled with Allah s blessings. The meaning of discharging or fulfilling the rights of worship is that we should worship Allah at all times including times of happiness, comfort and ease. During times of contentment, we should continue to worship Him and remember Him in the proper way. It should not just be that only during times of trial and difficulty we stand on the prayer mat beseeching Allah s help, yet when our circumstances improve we forget Him. When Allah commands haafizoo, then this means that unlike other religions worship in Islam, is not one-sided or a one-way process. Thus, where a person protects his prayers, then Allah also safeguards him; and, the manifestation of this protection is witnessed both in this world through Allah s rewards, and also in the hereafter. LAJNA IMAILLAH -

17 16 SECTION II ACTIVITY Conduct an interactive activity (workshop, panel discussion, presentation) on Salat, which includes the following points: The objective of Salat and the requirements to achieve that objective The benefit of Salat for ourselves and our families Discuss struggle against the self (Jihad bin Nafs) through Salat PERSONAL TARBIYAT EXERCISES: Help your children memorize verses of the Holy Quran and show them reward of memorising the Holy Qur an Explain to your children that restrain from evil, offering five daily prayers, daily recitation of the Holy Qur an, Speaking the truth, Politeness are all the kinds of struggle against the self. Read etiquettes of Salat and reading the Holy Qur an given in the program and discuss with your family. SECTION III PRAYERS EXCERPT FROM SUMMARY OF SERMON DELIVERED BY HAZRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH V (ATBA) 05/30/2014 The Promised Messiah (as) wrote: Remember, God Almighty is without any care and unless prayer is made abundantly and with pathos, He does not care. A person whose wife or child is unwell or when someone faces intense grief, he becomes very distressed. Unless prayer is sincere and heart-felt and is made in a state of distress it remains ineffective and pointless. It is essential that prayer is made with an anguished heart for it to be accepted, as it is stated: Or, Who answers the distressed person when he calls upon Him (27:63). (Tafseer: The Promised Messiah, Vol. III, p. 574) We need to focus on prayer and worship of God more than ever and we need to make them with heartfelt pathos and we need to draw God s mercy. Next Huzoor drew attention to some prayers, which were first exhorted by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih III (rh) at the time of the Jama at s centenary and Huzoor also reminded about them later at the time of Khilafat centenary. These prayers should neither be forgotten nor decreased; rather they should be made part of our daily lives. In addition we need to adorn our Salat. These prayers are often cited on MTA but Huzoor (atba) also mentioned them by way of reminding. Surah Al Fatihah; it should be recited abundantly. Durud (blessings and salutations on the Holy Prophet) should also be recited copiously. The Prayer which was revealed to the Promised Messiah (as) and should be recited a lot: Holy is Allah and worthy of all praise, Holy is Allah, the Great. O Allah, bestow Your blessings on Muhammad and on the people of Muhammad. Our Lord, let not our hearts get perverse after Thou hast guided us; and bestow on us mercy from Thyself; surely, Thou alone art the Bestower. (3:9) Hazrat Nawab Begum Sahiba (ra) had a dream after the passing away of the Promised Messiah (as) in which he advised her to say this prayer abundantly. When she related her dream to Hazrat Khalifatul LAJNA IMAILLAH -

18 17 Masih I (ra) he said he would never stop reciting this prayer and will recite it abundantly. He said that while the prayer beseeches for strength of faith, it was also a great prayer to stay connected to Khilafat. O our Lord, pour forth steadfastness upon us, and make our steps firm, and help us against the disbelieving people. (2:251) O Allah, we make You a shield against enemies and we take refuge in You from their evils. A Hadith relates that when the Holy Prophet (saw) used to sense danger from a body of people, he used to say this prayer. Istighfar I beg pardon of Allah, my Lord, from all my sins, and turn to Him. Recently Huzoor (atba) exhorted this prayer in light of a dream: O Lord everything is subservient to You. O Lord, protect us, help us and have mercy on us. Our Lord, forgive us our errors and our excesses in our conduct, and make firm our steps and help us against the disbelieving people. (3:148) HOW TO ACHIEVE CONCENTRATION IN PRAYER - The Promised Messiah (as) says [that a person who derives no pleasure from Prayer should beg before Allah]: Allah the Almighty! Thou knowst how blind and sightless I am, and at the moment I am like the dead. I know that in a little while I shall be called and shall present myself before Thee and no one will be able to stop me. But my heart is blind and unenlightened. Do Thou cause to descend upon it such a flame of light that it may be inspired thereby with Thy love and devotion Do Thou bestow upon me such grace that I shall not be raised up sightless and blind. When he supplicates in this manner and persists in the supplication, he will see that a time will arrive when something will descend upon him while he is engaged in such a Prayer that will melt his heart. (Malfuzat, new edition, Vol.2, p. 616) TAHAJJUD - The Promised Messiah (as) says: Our Jama at should make it incumbent upon itself to offer tahajjud. Anyone who cannot do more should offer a minimum of two rak at because he will get an opportunity to make some supplications. Supplications made at this time have a very special characteristic because they are offered with true pain and eagerness. Until there is a special pain and heartfelt agony, how can one wake up from comfortable sleep? To wake up at this time creates a heartfelt pain, which creates a condition of devotion and distress, which in turn become the means of acceptance of supplication. But someone who is lax in waking up is obviously lacking in pain and anguish. But one who wakes up, obviously there is a pain that is waking him up. (Malfuzat, new edition, Vol. 2, p. 182) DURUD - The Promised Messiah (as) says: Man is a servant or slave. A slave is one who carries out all commandments of the master. Similarly, if you want to achieve grace through the Holy Prophet (saw) it is essential that you become his slave. Almighty Allah says in the Holy Qur an: Say, O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls! (39:54) Here, slave means an obedient servant and not a creation. To become a slave of the Holy Prophet (saw), it is essential to invoke Allah s blessings upon him, not to disobey any of his commandments and to carry out all his injunctions. (Al-Badr, Vol. 2, No. 14, April 24, 1903, p. 109) ISTIGHFAR - The Promised Messiah (as) says: Some people have an awareness of sin, others do not. Therefore, Allah the Almighty has made istighfar incumbent for all times, so that one should continue to seek Allah s protection from all sins obvious or hidden, known or unknown, whether committed by LAJNA IMAILLAH -

19 18 hand, legs, tongue, nose, or eyes. These days the prayer of Hazrat Adam (as) should especially be recited: Our Lord we have wronged ourselves; and if Thou forgive us not and have not mercy on us, we shall surely be of the lost. (7:24) This prayer has already been accepted. Do not spend your life in heedlessness. Anyone who eschews heedless life will hopefully never be afflicted with any great misfortune because such misfortune does not befall without divine permission. I was revealed the following prayer in this regard: O my Lord, everything is in your service. O My Lord, protect me, and help me, and have mercy on me. (Malfuzat, new edition, Vol. 2. p. 577) EXCERPT FROM HAZRAT AMMAN JAN (RA) S LIFE S PASSION WORSHIP FROM HAZRAT AMMAN JAN BY MUNAVERA GHAURI, (p ) Hazrat Amman Jan's daughter Hazrat Nawab Mubaraka Begum (ra) recalls how Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) observed her prayers with great enthusiasm, conviction and passion. Not only were her prayers filled with fervent supplications, but also the etiquettes of Salat were observed meticulously and with inspirational beauty. Hazrat Amman Jan's daughter never recalls seeing her mother rush her prayers. She continues that Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) not only observed "Tahajjud" prayers regularly but also "Ishraq", apart from the five compulsory daily prayers of a Muslim. Often one could hear her supplications as she exclaimed with such fervor, intensity, pain and restlessness. Interestingly, Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) was also naturally poetic and would sometimes supplicate in a single or rhyming itical in November 1888, the ill child was eighteen months old. Both Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) and the Promised Messiah (as) had harbored hopes that he may indeed be the promised son, whose birth had been revealed to them almost two years earlier. They were both acutely aware of the enemy taunts that would emerge should Bashir pass away. (In view of the fact that the Promised Messiah (as) had had a revelation in February 1886 that he would have a special son, a musleh (Reformer). It is hard to conceive a more stressful situation for a mother, the devoted spouse of a prophet and the mother of a spiritual community. Hazrat Amman Jan's character was truly exemplary. Her son's condition was absolutely critical but she still thought not to miss her prayers, when the time arose. Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) did her ablutions and performed her prayers with perfect serenity, happy to be fulfilling Allah Almighty's Commandments. She physically dissociated herself from the tense situation. After completing the prayers she enquired how her son was, to be told that the little one had taken his last breath. Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) responded "Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun." After this she was silent. There was no wailing or weeping. There were no shrieks or lamentations of regret at the loss of her child, - a true indication that she was indeed one of Allah Almighty's loyal servants. On one occasion a lady visited Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) with her newborn daughter. She relates that she waited some time until Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) had completed her prayers. Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) then enquired of the ladies visiting if they had offered their prayers. The lady with the child excused herself, explaining that her baby had wet herself and that she would go home and offer prayers after changing her. At this point Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) expressed some wise words. She said; "Never omit prayers using your children as an excuse. In this way, your children become a cause of Allah Almighty's wrath, when really they are a reward from Allah Almighty". In this concise manner Hazrat Amman Jan (ra) directed mothers to both appreciate their children but also never to commit "Shirk ", i.e. to associate them with Allah Almighty, by putting their needs before Allah's Commands. LAJNA IMAILLAH -

20 19 Excerpt from Friday Sermon: Strive to Fulfill the Conditions of Baiat,Oct 11, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said that those of us who claim to be in the Bai'at of the Promised Messiah need to selfanalyse. Delivering his Friday sermon from Melbourne, Australia, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih related that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said: I was sent to strengthen faith and prove the existence of God to people because the spiritual state of every nation has greatly weakened and the Hereafter is considered mere fables. Every person s practice shows that he definitely does not have the belief and reliance on Allah the Exalted and the Hereafter as the certainty he has about the world and its pomp and circumstance and the reliance he has on worldly ways and means. Tongues utter a lot but hearts are overcome by love of the world. This is the very state in which Jesus (on whom be peace) found the Jews and as it is wont of weakened faith, the moral condition of the Jews had much deteriorated and love of God had cooled off. It is the same condition in my time and I have been sent so that the age of truth and belief returns and Taqwa (righteousness) is instilled in hearts. These matters are the ultimate cause of my being. I have been told that having become distant, the heavens will come closer to the Earth once again. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said that those of us who claim to be in the Bai at of the Promised Messiah need to self-analyse as to how much are we fulfilling the objective of his advent. He said that he had come to strengthen faith, therefore we need to analyse if our faith is inclined towards being strengthened. He said faith is strengthened by perfect belief in God, but there is too much reliance on worldly resources. Today reliance on God has become secondary while the importance of worldly people and worldly matters has become foremost. We find this to be the situation when we look around. We need to look around not to see if the world relies more on worldliness, rather we need to analyse ourselves whether we rely more on worldly sources. If we have not recognised the Being of God, as it is due, even after taking Bai at, then it is of no value to call ourselves Ahmadi. If today we please our worldly masters more than God, then we do not fulfil the objective of the advent of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). Do we give preference to worldly rituals over faith? The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said: There is verbal professing deeming God above all, but actions show that hearts are overwhelmed by love of the world. It can be seen all around, among Muslims as well as non-muslims that love of the world, idle pursuits and indecency has greatly pushed back remembrance of God. Owing to love of God, Muslims are enjoined to pray five times a day, however it is different in practice. Ahmadis need to first self-analyse themselves whether they are trying to observe Salat according to the commandment of God or not. If not, then we are negating the claim of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that the objective of his advent was to strengthen faith in God, to bring heaven closer to the Earth. Indeed, deficiency of our faith and practices does not negate the claim of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) per se, but it deprives us of the blessings associated with him and it leaves our claims as mere verbal professing. Rather than scrutinise the state of others faith, each Ahmadi needs to analyse himself as to how much is he fulfilling his pledge of Bai at and the objective of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and is doing good works and up to what extent is he fulfilling the covenant of giving precedence to faith over worldly matters. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) stipulated ten conditions of Bai at. He said that anyone wishing to be part of his Community should keep a strong bond with him and fulfil the ten conditions. Many a time the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) advised us stressing the point with great pathos that if those who associate themselves with him do not instil distinct change for the better after LAJNA IMAILLAH -

21 20 becoming Ahmadis, then there is no difference between them and the others. We should try and attain the standard that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) expected of us. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) thus advised his followers: The benefit of Bai at is not ritualistic. Such a Bai at does not have blessings. One can only attain blessings of Bai at when one progresses spiritually and connects with love and sincerity to the one whose Bai at has been taken. It is most important to develop these connections. If a seeker does not develop these connections and does not make efforts then any complaint by him is pointless. Connection of love and sincerity should be developed as much as possible and one should imbibe the tenor of the one whose Bai at has been taken in practice and in creed. One should swiftly turn to honesty and worship of God and hold oneself accountable from morning till evening! The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said not to assume that God is pleased merely by one taking Bai at. Taking Bai at is only the outer shell while the core/kernel is within. He said one s condition should not be like eggs which have no yolk or white and which are discarded. One should scrutinise oneself whether one is mere shell or is there a kernel within! After taking Bai at one should develop one s faith as well as love of God and borne of this love of God one should develop love of His beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), Khilafat and love for each other. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that high standard of obedience should be attained. Obedience does not mean that while one accepts the decisions of the Khalifa of the time and the administration of the Jama at which suit one but objects to other decisions that do not suit. If one claims to have taken Bai at then one should demonstrate perfect obedience. The claim of following the person whose Bai at is taken and of being a Muslim is only real when one also professes that everything one has belongs to God and is for His religion. Indeed, taking Bai at signifies selling oneself! The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) once advised a friend that change is essential after taking Bai at and if no change is inculcated then the act is tantamount to deriding Bai at. In fact only that person takes Bai at whose previous life goes through a death and who starts a new life after taking Bai at. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih said with the grace of God even today we are being granted individuals of the spiritual calibre as described by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) which even the others acknowledge. Huzoor related some examples of this. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said that it is obligatory that man stays in such a state that even angels shake hand with him. He said after coming in his Bai at one should be ever in awe of God s majesty which would help remove sins. He said if one was to remain worldly there was no use in repenting on his hand, because repenting on his hand demands a kind of death so that a new life and a new birth is attained. Indeed, only sincere Bai at was of any consequence. He said God wants heartfelt declaration from his Bai at. One who accepts the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) with sincerity of heart is forgiven by the Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful God and the person becomes like a new born and the angels protect him. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) advised his followers that once they accepted him they should begin to live their lives in a completely new way. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said: The reality of Bai at should be fully understood and it should be implemented. And the reality of Bai at is that the one who takes Bai at instils sincere change and fear of God and having recognised the real objective, demonstrates a pure example. Failing LAJNA IMAILLAH -

22 21 this, there is no benefit in taking Bai at. On the contrary, such a Bai at would be a greater source of chastisement, because to knowingly disobey after making a covenant is extremely hazardous. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) also said: Taking Bai at signifies being aware of the reality of Bai at. Someone takes Bai at in person by placing hand over hand but does not understand its real objective or does not care. His Bai at is useless and it has no significance in God s sight. Another person sitting thousands of miles away takes Bai at with sincerity of heart and after accepting the reality and objectives of Bai at, he implements what he has declared, and reforms his practices. This person is a thousand times better than the one who took Bai at directly but did not implement it. We have to set examples like the one cited earlier about far-off region of Africa where Ahmadis became so exemplary that even the opponents had to acknowledge them. One of the conditions of Bai at is to enter into a bond of devotion with the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) which is over and above all other worldly bonds. This is being followed in far-off areas of the world even today. People taking Bai at in the post-soviet countries are particularly enhanced in faith and sincerity. A few of them attended Qadian Jalsa last year and after returning home one of them wrote that he had read about the blessed place in books and had seen it on TV but when he set foot there he felt the ambience of the time of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) come over him. He felt he could breathe easily and could lose himself from the rest of the world. He said it was impossible to put in words what he felt. Umer Sahib from Ivory Coast wrote that days to Jalsa Salana Ivory Coast were getting closer but he did not have to means to travel to it. He prayed to God that His Mahdi was truthful and he wished to attend the Jalsa and prayed for God to provide for his travel expense. Meanwhile a non-ahmadi acquaintance asked him that he too wanted to attend the Jalsa. Umer Sahib had both the names registered in the Jalsa list. Two days remained but there was still no money for travel and he kept praying. Umer Sahib had to go to a nearby village where someone gave him Francs 20,000 and said the money was for him. Francs 16,000 paid for fare for two and the rest of the money other expenses. Such grace of God certainly enhances faith. Likewise, suspicions can also arise in these faith-filled hearts, that God forbid Ahmadiyyat is false or any doubt about the existence of God, but these people are progressing in their faith! Our missionary in Switzerland writes about an Ahmadi young woman living in Europe. She was acquiring professional education whilst also working in a firm. She was the only Muslim in the firm and was provided facility to offer Salat. While she was there, her firm suddenly grew and they added two new buildings and hired new people. The young woman declined to do mixed swimming in the sports period in the college that she attended. The college administration pressurised her regarding this and complained to her employers who also pressurised her and said she ran the risk of being dismissed. The young woman stayed firm on her faith and due to the harassment eventually left the job herself and joined a private college. When she left the firm, God demonstrated something amazing. The firm went into loss and employees had to be made redundant. A meeting was called to discuss the causes of the loss and someone at the meeting said it appeared as if the loss was due to the malediction of an innocent. Someone from the firm ed her and said that she had been the topic of their conversation for a few days after she left but was then forgotten. Now that the MD had said in the meeting that it appeared the firm s loss was due to the malediction of an innocent person, she was once again being discussed by people at the firm and everyone agreed that she was indeed the innocent who had been mistreated by the firm. Meanwhile, her direct manager who had harassed her was dismissed. The young woman passed her exams with good grades. She had given precedence to God s pleasure and her worldly wishes were also fulfilled. LAJNA IMAILLAH -