Published on Aug 26 2011 by Nadimur Rahman

Hudhur said in his last Friday sermon he gave a discourse on the Quranic verse ‘Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help’ (1:5) based on the commentary of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). It is an enormous favour of God on us that He has enabled us to accept the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), who has expounded the profound meanings of the Qur’an for us. Hudhur has received many letters expressing how much insight last Friday sermon gave into the verse ‘Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help’ and how people are truly savouring reflecting on it and deriving spiritual pleasure in Salat. Some Arabic-speaking Ahmadis have written to Hudhur that although they had read the book of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) ‘Karamatus Sadiqeen’ from which most of the extracts Hudhur presented were taken, but the spiritual knowledge they achieved after listening to the sermon was unprecedented. Certainly, the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) are such that one needs to read them repeatedly. In the month of Ramadan one is drawn to prayers and as such, the subject of prayers is more appreciated. Therefore, Hudhur continued with the theme of the commentary of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).

Hudhur said the summary of his discourse last week was that in ‘Thee alone do we worship’ one is drawn to God with sincerity to become His servant and in ‘Thee alone do we implore for help’ one prays for steadfastness in being a servant of God. This is because, strength and steadfastness is also granted by God and without this one cannot discharge the dues of being a servant of God. Worship which is not accompanied by God’s help fizzles out in substance after a while. People write to Hudhur that after the spiritual ambiance of Ramadan which helps them concentrate on Salat, they feel their Salat does not retain the same quality. Thus one should pray for the fervour and flair for prayer that one has during the ambiance of Ramadan to be enduring so that one is able to pay the dues of being a servant of God.

The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) teaches that following this entreaty, a believer should be aware of what sort of prayer to make. If there is no direction that leads to the way of guidance one will only end up struggling in the dark, unaware as to what kind of servitude of God one is in search of. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) thus explained that one should make the prayer of: ‘Guide us in the right path’ (1:6). This prayer is to have one’s worship blessed and for one to be ever enabled to follow guidance as a true servant of God. The prayer of ‘Guide us in the right path’ is to give one the knowledge of steadfastness, which is imperative for constant servitude of God. In light of the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) the summary of the three prayers is that unless one has extreme sincerity, makes extreme effort and is able to fully understand guidance, one should not deem that one is guided or one has achieved one’s objective or has attained a high degree of God’s love; the degree that is the goal of a believer. Hudhur said the concept that one will not rest unless one has attained this, one will be concerned about safeguarding one’s Salat and will be fasting in Ramadan in the rightful and proper manner and will carry this fervour and flair as well as intensity even after Ramadan.a

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