Published on Apr 23 2010 by Nadimur Rahman

Today Hudhur delivered his Friday Sermon from Noor Mosque, Wigoltingen, Switzerland. Hudhur said he often draws our attention to become grateful servants of God. True gratefulness can only be generated when one has taqwa, an understanding of our object of creation and makes an effort to attain it. During his current European tour Hudhur has been giving sermons to draw attention to the same. He said the need to reiterate the subject arises because in spite of the facility of MTA which broadcasts Hudhur’s Friday Sermons every week as well as programmes for spiritual development, a hundred percent people do not avail of these and a good number of men, women and youngsters do not listen to the sermons regularly or if they do they assume that the sermon is only intended for the congregation to which it is directly addressed. On the contrary, Hudhur said, every single Ahmadi is addressed in each sermon. In particular those who have been Ahmadis for some generations have adopted this erroneous attitude. Whereas new Arab Ahmadis inform Hudhur that sometimes it feels as if Hudhur is delivering a sermon specifically for their situation. Listening to the Russian translation of Hudhur’s sermons on MTA, many Russian-speaking Ahmadis write to Hudhur and say how much the sermons affect them, in particular they find sermons on Tarbiyyat matters as if specific to their situation. In response to the sermon on weddings rituals they wrote to say that they too were embroiled in some rituals but after the sermon had turned towards reformation.

Hudhur said those Ahmadis who look out for the call of the Khalifa of the time, obey it and reform themselves. They eagerly listen to his advice and consider themselves as the addressee of his words, but some do not. Hence Hudhur reiterates the subject in each country that he visits. Hudhur said on his visit large congregation gathers for Friday Prayers and as each Ahmadi does have a seed of piety in him/her as well as a connection with Khilafat, therefore in spite of general weakness they eagerly participate during a Khalifa’s visit.

Hudhur said firstly he would like to draw the attention of Ahmadis who have come to live in Europe to become Abd e Shakur [servant of the Most Appreciating God]. Hudhur said Ahmadis have found mental peace and economic well-being in Switzerland, for this, they should be most grateful. God states: ‘…If you are grateful, I will, surely, bestow morefavours on you…’ (14:8) Hudhur remarked what is gratefulness of God’s grace and its expression? Indeed, it is perfect obedience. It is to practice what God enjoins and to avoid what He forbids. A true believer spends his/her life as Abd e Shakur in order to be a recipient of Divine grace. For this one has to remember God’s favours with all one’s heart and mind throughout the course of one’s day and to continually remember Him, be always mindful of the blessings of God and glorify His name. Hudhur further explained that mere verbal professing is not sufficient, the expression of gratefulness of a true believer is from his/her every gesture and there is an effort to adopt humility and humility is inculcated when there is an awareness that all blessings are from God.

Good health is a blessing of God, we should utilise it to worship Him and to serve religion. He has given us abundance, prosperity, without being arrogant about it, we should spend in God’s cause. If we employ our God-given capacities and capabilities according to God’s teaching then it is an expression of gratefulness. God is Most Gracious, He enhances our capacities, grants us good health and bestows His nearness to an Abid (worshipper of God) and enables to attain the object of our creation. Indeed, man cannot even perform worship that gains acceptance with his own strength. Sincere gratefulness enables us to enhance in piety and taqwa.

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