It is indeed the Holy Qur’an that will serve as a source of true guidance, and it is this very means that will enable us to give precedence to faith over the world.”– Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad
On 1 September 2023, the 47th Jalsa Salana (Annual Convention) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Germany commenced with the Friday Sermon delivered by the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.
Prior to the Sermon, His Holiness hoisted the flag of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (Liwa-e-Ahmadiyyat) to officially inaugurate the event, whilst the German national flag was also raised.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad commenced the Friday Sermon by noting that for the first time in four years, since the onset of the Covi-19 pandemic, the Jalsa Salana was being held at full scale as it was prior to the pandemic.
His Holiness highlighted that this year marked the 100th year since the establishment of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Germany and throughout the Sermon, His Holiness outlined the responsibilities that lie upon the shoulders of Ahmadi Muslims to serve the cause of Islam.
His Holiness said that many Ahmadi Muslims express joy at the fact that this is the centenary year of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Germany. Where it certainly is a source of joy that a hundred years ago the mission of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) was established in the country, His Holiness said it is important to also question “what have we achieved in this time and how have we protected our faith?”
His Holiness reminded the attendees of the humble beginnings of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Germany and how a large number of Ahmadi Muslims came to the country in pursuit of religious freedom.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
“When the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established in Germany, only a few people were here [in Germany]. Then after some time, the circumstances in Pakistan changed, as did those across the world, which led to many Ahmadi Muslims entering this country and inhabiting it. They came here because they were Ahmadi Muslims and were being prohibited from openly practising and demonstrating the teachings of God Almighty and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the countries of their origin. They arrived here and were granted the religious freedom to openly practice their faith. Hence, in line with the expectations of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) they ought to make a particular effort to strive hard to not only bring about a positive spiritual and moral reformation but to then continually better the pious changes they develop.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad further stated:
“We must ask ourselves that did we particularly strive to better our spiritual state and keep our children attached to their faith, so that they can be among those who are sincere, as the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) desired? If yes, then this is the true gratitude that we should display upon the passing of these one hundred years as expected of an Ahmadi Muslim. Otherwise, the mere celebration of a centenary as per worldly custom and tradition alone is of no benefit.”
During the address, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad addressed the recent incidents of Quran burnings in certain European countries and shed light on some of the root causes of the rise of such hateful acts.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad stated:
“Why did non-Muslims develop the audacity to burn the Quran? Because many amongst the Muslim Ummah have stopped following the teachings of the Holy Quran. This is why they became emboldened. Due to this, we, the Muslims are also to be blamed.”
His Holiness highlighted the importance of seeking guidance from the Holy Quran for one’s own betterment and spiritual growth.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad stated:
“It is important to take guidance from the Holy Quran in order to obtain religious knowledge and it is indeed the Holy Quran that will serve as a source of true guidance, and it is this very means that will enable one to give precedence to faith over the world. Thus, we must assess ourselves to see how many of us are those who read the Holy Quran and ponder over it and then also try to act upon it.”
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued and said:
“Ahmadi Muslims often ask many questions that they could themselves find the answers to if they read the Holy Quran attentively. When a subject matter is discussed in light of the Holy Quran at different functions, listeners become impressed and acknowledge the bounties of the Holy Quran. Therefore, every Ahmadi Muslim should utilise the Holy Quran with confidence. Where it serves as guidance for our spiritual growth, it also serves as an excellent tool for providing answers to the false allegations made by non-Muslims.”
During the Friday Sermon, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad mentioned the importance of seeking religious knowledge in order to increase one’s spirituality and said that doing so would “create a firm belief in the existence of God and the truth of Islam and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.”
As the sermon concluded, His Holiness mentioned that the National president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community asked him what the target for Germany’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Community should be for the coming century.
His Holiness said that they should try to achieve the moral and spiritual objectives outlined by the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) and presented several questions they should ponder over.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
“Have we truly established a connection with Allah? Have we obtained the highest levels of worship in our daily prayers? Are we merely fixated upon constructing new mosques or are we ensuring that we set aside worldly tasks and jobs at the time of the daily prayers? Are we regular in reciting the Holy Quran? Are we actively searching through the Holy Quran to identify the commandments of God and are we trying to act upon them? Do we make our best efforts to attach our children to the faith? Do we only care for their advancement in seeking secular knowledge or do we also prioritise the learning of their faith? Have we fostered such high moral qualities concerning the treatment of other people that we have become paragons of the Quranic injunction of being “compassionate towards one another?” Are we displaying high moral standards towards non-Muslims merely to show that we are peaceful people or are we doing so in order to also show that them the true face of Islam?”
His Holiness said that many non-Muslims have expressed to him that the Ahmadi Muslims show good morals, however, those same people express their ignorance of the teachings of Islam and so it means that the Ahmadi Muslims who were their acquaintances had not informed them of the teachings of Islam.
His Holiness emphasised that Ahmadi Muslims should share the message of Islam with non-Muslims and should ensure that people around them are aware of its true peaceful teachings and that their excellent moral examples should be utilised as a means of spreading the peaceful teachings of Islam.
Speaking of the need for setting themselves a target for the coming century, His Holiness said that they should focus upon attaining the high moral and spiritual standards outlined in his sermon according to the teachings of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him).
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:
“What is the target for the coming century? It is to act upon the code of conduct which I have outlined in light of the writings of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). We must rise to the claim that we are to win the hearts of the people and to convince them of the existence of the One God and to bring mankind under the banner of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). So, in this regard, we should analyse ourselves.”
His Holiness then concluded the Friday Sermon by once more emphasising on giving precedence to one’s faith over the world:
“The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Germany should enter the next hundred years of their establishment with a renewed resolve to try their level best to achieve this [aforementioned] objective whilst prioritising their faith over the world. They should be determined to always exhort their children and future generations to act upon this and to carry out their moral and spiritual training in such a way that the desire to create a living link with Allah the Almighty shall pass on from one generation to the next. May Allah enable us to do so.”
After the Friday Prayers, His Holiness also launched the website Muhammad.de developed by Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya Germany about the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
