Address by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V at Lajna Ijtima UK 2014
(نوٹ: سیدنا حضرت خلیفۃالمسیح الخامس ایدہ اللہ تعالیٰ کے پرمعارف خطبات و خطابات قرآن کریم، احادیث مبارکہ اور حضرت مسیح موعود علیہ السلام کے ارشادات کی لطیف تفسیر ہیں – چنانچہ دوستوں کی خواہش پر ویب سائٹ ’’خادم مسرور‘‘ میں حضورانور ایدہ اللہ تعالیٰ کے ارشاد فرمودہ تمام خطبات جمعہ اور خطابات upload کئے جارہے ہیں تاکہ تقاریر اور مضامین کی تیاری کے سلسلہ میں زیادہ سے زیادہ مواد ایک ہی جگہ پر باآسانی دستیاب ہوسکے)
أَشْھَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللہُ وَحْدَہٗ لَا شَرِیکَ لَہٗ وَأَشْھَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُہٗ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ
أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَعُوْذُ بِاللہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْمِ- بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْحَمْدُلِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ۔ اَلرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ۔ مٰلِکِ یَوْمِ الدِّیْنِ اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ۔
اِھْدِناَ الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ۔ صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْھِمْ غَیْرِالْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْھِمْ وَلَاالضَّآلِّیْنَ۔
“Before I start my address I want to make something clear. Sadr Sahiba Lajna Imaillah presented a centenary gift and I thought that it should be given to the UK Jama’at for their projects. But my afterthought, which I think is a better decision, is that I should give this amount to Lajna Imaillah UK to be utilised for the purchase of their own property, because now every auxiliary organisation is now trying to buy their own properties wherein they can hold their functions. Lajna Imaillah also need their own property and so I think it is a better and appropriate decision to use this amount in this fund. If a fund has already been raised this amount can be included in that, or if Lajna have not yet decided to raise any funds for the purchase of such a property, they should start it with this amount. I hope that Lajna Imaillah UK will try to purchase their own property in the near future InshaAllah.
With the Grace of Allah today the Lajna Imaillah UK Ijtima is reaching its conclusion. On many occasions I have reminded you about the very important and esteemed status of Lajna Imaillah in the Ahmadiyya Jama’at. If we look simply in terms of the numbers, the number of women in our Jama’at exceeds the number of men, and this trend is also reflected more generally amongst the world’s population. The fact that Lajna has such an important and prominent position in our Jama’at requires that all of their activities are based upon that teaching which was revealed to the Holy Prophetsa in the shape of the Holy Qur’an. As you are all aware, in this era Allah the Almighty sent the Promised Messiahas to re-establish and rejuvenate that pure and original teaching. All of you are therefore most fortunate that Allah has give you the ability to accept the Imam of the Age and to enter his fold.
Always remember that where the Qur’an has placed responsibilities or even certain restrictions upon women, it has also established countless rights of women. Where Allah has said he will reward all good and virtuous acts, he has not said that such rewards are only due to men, rather he has said that both men and women will be rewarded in accordance with their righteous deeds. Therefore if Allah has prescribed some things, which in certain situations women may consider difficult or even restrictive, then the reward from Allah will also be far greater. For example, where Allah has given the commandment to observe purdah, he has also stated that God is He Who is forgiving and merciful, and God’s compassion, mercy and love will rain down upon those women who follow His commands.
Furthermore, Allah has said that He has commanded women to observe purdah because it is a means of attaining falaah. This one word has so many meanings and so many positive connotations. To name just a few, falaah means prosperity, success and the attainment of that which a person’s heart desirers or seeks. It means happiness and tranquillity, and it means safety and security. Falaah also means a permanent state of blessings and true comfort and satisfaction of life. From these meanings of the word falaah it becomes clear just how benevolent and loving Allah is, whereby the reward for following just one of His commands is so vast and manifold. Indeed, Allah has said the reward for observing just this one command will be permanent safety and security and a lifetime of blessings, both in this life and the hereafter. What can be a greater means of happiness for a lady then for her to know that by simply following this one command she can obtain so much in return.
In terms of purdah if women observe it properly then they are able to protect themselves from so many dangerous and distasteful situations. A non-Muslim lady wrote an article not long ago, which I have mentioned before, in which she said that men who are campaigning against hijaab and fighting for this cause are not fighting for the rights of women. But rather only wish to satisfy their own lustful and indecent desires. Always remember that God has not given a single command without reason or purpose. Every command of Allah is a means of benefit to the individual and to the society. Allah’s commands are a means of protection from the many dangers and obstacles that are placed in front of us in this life and are also a means of making sure we attain the very best rewards and blessings in the hereafter. As Ahmadis we are truly fortunate that the Promised Messiah has taught us the true way of Islam, which is of moderation. We are not like those fanatical Muslims who force their women to cover every inch of their faces and bodies so much so that they resemble thieves and robbers who try to hide their identities. We are also not like those Muslims who in reaction to such severity have gone to the other extreme wherein they have removed even their scarves or dupattas and walk around immodestly, wearing so much makeup that it seems they are openly mocking this commandment of God. In fact, even in Pakistan we now see that they are making inappropriate clothes where there is not even a dupatta to accompany the shalwar kameese. Thus, women and girls are walking publicly with their necks and chest areas openly on display. Such attire can only be classed as indecent and immodest. As I said before we Ahmadis are following Islam’s true teachings of moderation and we are not like those rigid extremists who make women wear burqas in which even their eyes cannot be seen. Unfortunately such people do exist, and about this there was recently a joke whereby somebody made a cartoon depicting a car that was wearing a shuttle cock burqa with a full veil on the front – underneath was a caption that said the Taliban has given women permission to drive. Meaning that only if a car is wearing a burqa or is thoroughly covered can a women be allowed to drive. These are ridiculous things. Even though this was a joke, sadly this extremist attitude is prevalent amongst some of those who have not accepted the Promised Messiah. And so they follow completely wrong and senseless ideologies. The true teachings of Islam were presented by the Promised Messiah, who said very clearly that there is nothing wrong with taking women out of their homes, and that he himself went for walks with his wife, Hazrat Ummul Momineenra. He said that sometimes they walked on the paths and fields and he did not care for any person who said that such an act was wrong or sought to reproach him for this conduct. The Promised Messiahas also said that from the Ahadith we see that the Holy Prophetsa said that a person should enjoy and benefit from fresh air, however nowhere does it say that only men should benefit from the fresh air. Indeed, the Promised Messiahas also said that staying constantly within the four walls of one home causes various illnesses. If we look at the example of the Holy Prophetsa he used to take Hazrat A’ishahra out with him and during wars she would accompany him and nurse the injured. Thus, Allah’s commandment in regards to purdah must be kept in balance and moderation as both sides have lurched towards extremism. In Europe and the West generally, the society has become so free and immodest that adultery, indecency and wickedness are now prevalent. On the other side there are Muslims such as the examples of the Taliban I have given, who are so fanatical, that they even stop their women from leaving their homes. Thus, do not ever forget the favour Allah has bestowed on you by enabling you to accept the Promised Messiahas, because he has shown us the true path.
As I said before, wherever Allah has prescribed anything he has also made it clear that the rewards for following his commands are vast and manifold and are granted both in this world and the next. When we realise this, does it not demand and make sense for us to live our lives according to the Will of God and to try and constantly improve our spiritual states. A few months ago I gave a series of sermons about practical reformation and I said that they key to practical reformation was to realise that no sin or wrongdoing should be considered small or insignificant; rather, everything that God has commanded we abstain from should be considered to be a sin, whether it is big or small. Remember, it is seemingly small sins that open the door for larger sins and vices to creep in. This is because when we do anything that is opposed to God’s teachings we move away from Him. And when we move away from him we lose his blessings and protection from manifest error. There are hundreds of millions of Muslims in the world and yet there are extremely few who are following the true teachings of the religion. The reason for this spiritual decline is that they have stopped giving any values to Islam’s smaller commandments, and thus, over time they have moved completely away from their religion.
But we who have claimed to pledge allegiance to the Promised Messiahas must always live our lives as Allah the Almighty desires. The Promised Messiahas has said that if a person has taken his Ba’ait then it is essential they understand that the Ba’ait is not just a verbal pledge but actually is a means of selling themselves entirely to their faith and so they should be ready to bear any humiliation or loss for the sake of their belief. The Promised Messiahas said there were many people who having made a verbal pledge of Ba’ait did not fulfil the conditions of their covenant and so whenever they faced any problem they come to question God Almighty that why has something happened to them. He said such people think it is enough to simply claim to have done Ba’ait and then expect that they should never have to endure any hardship or difficulty. However the truth is that after doing Bai’at a person should seek to fulfil even the very smallest commands of God Almighty. We should always remember that the fundamental teaching a person has given a Muslim is to have belief in the unseen. To have belief in the unseen requires a firm faith in the life after death. And so we must keep in view this eternal life at all times. To believe in the unseen requires us to believe that Allah is watching our every act and knows our every thought and he rewards or punishes us accordingly. Therefore, if we do not follow his commands then we should not feel aggrieved and say God should treat us better. Another great favour of the Promised Messiahas was that he taught men should not seek to supress or enforce their control over women. Rather he said that every man should follow the commands of Allah and in this way become an example to women.
It should not be that men place under undue restrictions on women and then become completely free themselves. Thus, the first command is on the men to live righteously and if they do so, then the women will naturally follow. If we look at the Qur’anic injunctions in relation purdah given in Surah Al-Nur – we find it says women should lower their gaze and observe purdah. However, even before this it says that men should lower their gaze as well. Thus, in a true Muslim society it is the men who have been commanded to establish their piety first of all. The women are told that if they follow this injunction they will be rewarded with falaah – that is security, and all the rewards I mentioned earlier, whilst the men are told that Allah is well aware of what they do. Thus this shows that Allah is rewarding the women with His love and affection whilst the men have been given a stern warning that Allah knows what they do. They have been warned that Allah will punish them if they do anything opposed to God’s commands.
The Promised Messiahas once said that if women do not observe purdah and do not behave modestly, and freely mix with men, it is as if a person places some bread before a dog and expects that he would not take it. Thus, women should pay particular attention to protecting their own chastity and to saving themselves from the unrestrained looks of men. Always remember that Ahmadi women must protect their honour and dignity by observing hijab. In today’s society there are people from all walks and backgrounds and the majority of them do not understand the true status of a Muslim women. And so our women have to be extremely careful to protect their chastity and to keep their dignity and honour. As I said before the Promised Messiahas taught that Bai’at is not just a verbal pledge to be repeated but requires an Ahmadi to constantly strive to improve. Thus, I say to all our of Ahmadi women and girls that they must seek to improve themselves in all respects and try to become ever closer to Allah. Your spiritual improvement will not just benefit the current generation but will be a means of protecting our future generations as it is in your laps that they are being raised, nurtured and trained.
Furthermore, the Promised Messiahas said every person who does Bai’at must understand the purpose of his pledge. They should ask themselves whether they have done Bai’at for the sake of the world or for the sake of attaining God’s infinite bounty and rewards. The Promised Messiahas said that unfortunately there were many people who had done Bai’at yet displayed no spiritual improvement and they remained without religious knowledge, spiritual understanding or insight. Their acts continued to be bereft of true beauty and piety and rather than excelling in virtue they were covering themselves in sin. Therefore, the Promised Messiahas counselled the members of his Jama’at to remember that this was just a temporary life regardless of whether it is spent in ease or in difficulty, and will be gone within in a few days, months or years. He said the next life was an eternal life and so every moment of this temporary life should be spent sowing the seeds for that permanent life in the hereafter.
The Promised Messiahas has further taught that to do Bai’at brings two great benefits. First of all it makes a person loved by God and this enables him or her to become pure, and to spiritually reform. The second benefit of doing Bai’at at the hand of God’s chosen representative is that a person is shielded from satanic influences. Thus, we should constantly assess ourselves to see if we are saving ourselves from Satan and are instead purifying our hearts. We can only be saved from satanic influence when we pay attention to fulfilling the rights of God and following His commandments. Only if we are doing so can it be said that we are truly fulfilling the rights of our Bai’at. Most of you seated before me are born Ahmadis whose forefathers accepted Ahmadiyyat. The fact that their future generations continued to be attached to Ahmadiyyat and Khilafat is a sign that Allah accepted their prayers and righteous deeds. Remember that upon accepting Ahmadiyyat your forefathers had to face various difficulties and make sacrifices. In many cases they had to bear the opposition of their friends and families. You should always reflect on the fact that they were willing to leave aside the world and their loved ones for the sake of their faith. And of course many of your elders had to leave their homes in Pakistan due to the continued persecution they faced. However, such sacrifices are worthless if they are not accompanied by fulfilling the teachings of your religion and your Bai’at. Thus, all of you should strive to become noble examples for others to follow and whilst living in this Western society, you should become a means of saving the local people and guiding them to the truth. Your character and personalities should attract those around you so that you are means of portraying the beauty of true Islam in the society.
Today Islam is being attacked and defamed from all corners. And so it is the responsibility and task of the Jama’at of the Promised Messiahas to respond to these unjust allegations. It is the task of Ahmadis Muslims to wash away those false stains which are tarnishing Islam’s reputation and instead to shine a bright light illustrating Islam’s true and pristine teachings. But you can only do this when your own acts are of the highest order. Only if you achieve such standards will your conduct be a proof that Islam is a true religion which is completely in keeping with human nature.
As members of Lajna Imaillah it is particularly your responsibility to wash away the unjust allegations that, God forbid, that Islam advocates the harsh and cruel treatment of women. Today I have spoken particularly about purdah even though there are many other Islamic commandments, because it is often alleged that purdah takes away women’s rights. However, we know that this is not the case and the truth is that Purdah and Hijab actually establish the true dignity, independence and freedom of women.
Hijab does not only give a women physical security but is also a key means of giving them spiritual security and purity of heart. As I said before no commandment of Allah should be considered to be small or insignificant. Every commandment is important. Allah has said mankind should worship Him and that worship is the very purpose of creation. Worship requires us to pray five times a day and to remember Allah at all times. However apart from this, true worship also requires that every act of ours is conducted with the injunction of gaining God’s pleasure. If this is our intention then our each and every act, whether big or small, becomes a form of worship. And so because God has told women to look after their homes and to train their children, if they do so, then that too is classed as the worship of God. If God has said that women should protect their dignity and chastity and to get married to achieve this purpose, then that too is worship. There are so many other commands of Allah all of which if followed will be classed as the worship of God. If you live in a society where a certain instruction of Allah is looked down upon or mocked, but you continue to follow God’s command, then you will attain even more blessings and reward from him and on account of your steadfastness. Thus, in this society you will surely be greatly rewarded for observing the proper standards of hijab. If you observe the proper standards, then you will become pure both from the outside and inside. When your clothes will be dignified it will naturally cause for pure feelings to enter your hearts and minds. When you wear good and proper clothing for the sake of God it will naturally follow that you will think of how else you can please him and you will seek more ways to live a pure and virtuous life. Always remember that our every act should be for the sake of Allah. And whatever is done for his sake, whether it is formal Salat or not, is classed as worship. Every Ahmadi should forever keep this in their minds. You should always be strong in your belief that the Ahmadiyya Jama’at is the Jama’at which Allah Himself has established and thus he his helping and supporting it in every possible way. Many women who are seated before me are those whom Allah Himself directed towards the truth of Ahmadiyyat and so they came to know that to seek God’s blessings they had to enter the fold of the Promised Messiahas. Having observed this year’s Jalsa and the Bai’at ceremony and also after seeing the first hand example of Ahmadis, there were a number of people, including an English lady who decided to accept Ahmadiyyat.
The way Allah is turning people’s hearts, and inclining them towards Ahmadiyyat is a great proof that Allah desires for the Jama’at of the Promised Messiahas to flourish and prosper. He desires this so that the true teachings and honour of Islam can be re-established in every corner of the world. Allah’s decree and support is with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at. And if we wish to take advantage of this divine support then each of us must individually make our spiritual states in accordance with what the PM desired from us. Remember that the Promised Messiahas said that there were two parts to the Bai’at. One part is that of faith and belief itself. He warned of the dangers of innovations in faith, Bidaat, and said that this community should protect themselves from all such things.
He further explained that innovations could be manifest in many different ways, which took people away from the true essence of their faith. For example, to disregard hijaab due to a fear of other people, or to satisfy the desires of others, to spend extravagant amounts on their weddings or combining prayer without any reasons, these are all Bidaats. The Promised Messiahas said these were all examples of innovations that took mankind away from their faith and away from God and actually corrupted the faith as well. He taught that the second part of this covenant with him is to practically act on Islam’s teachings and beliefs. He said it was not enough to merely recite the Kalimah, otherwise there would be no need for the Qur’an to be so long and detailed. Giving a very beautiful analogy the Promised Messiahas said that belief is like a garden quilled with the most gardens and fruits, whilst the most practical part of faith was like the clear water through which the garden is maintained and nourished. He said that no matter how beautiful the garden was, it would ultimately be ruined if it became bereft of water, and so in the same way it is necessary to practically follow the teachings of one’s faith. No matter how strong the teaching is, if it is not practically followed, then Satan will come and corrupt it. The Promised Messiahas said that this was what happened after the third century of Islam whereby over time Muslims forgot their teachings.
And so despite the fact that the Qur’an continued to exist faith itself was wiped away from their hearts. Now this era is the time of the Promised Messiahas and so in the same way those who do not follow his teachings will find that their faith weakens and will eventually be completely removed from their hearts.
Allah has promised the Promised Messiahas that true Islam will be re-established in the world through him and it is for this reason that our Jama’at was established. We should always consider this very purpose to be the objective of our lives and therefore we must follow Islam’s true teachings to the best of our abilities.
Allah’s support is such that we see time and again how Allah’s blessings are with the members of the Jama’at and many of you will have witnessed this for yourselves. I shall now give just a few examples.
An Ahmadi lady from Canada wrote her experience of Purdah. She said that after completing her studies with a good qualification she struggled to get a job because of the fact that she observed proper Purdah. She said that she made a promise to herself that no matter what she would not compromise her Purdah. She did later get some jobs but had to leave them due to the work restrictions on Hijab. Anyway, for the sake of Allah she was willing to forsake the world and there is no doubt that Allah will bless and reward her greatly for this sacrifice. May Allah reward her.
Another lady, Maria Sahiba, a German woman, wrote that upon accepting Ahmadiyyat she started to observe Hijaab. She worked in a hospital in Germany and the administration said that for hygienic reasons she should stop observing Hijab. She wrote to me for prayer and I wrote back praying that may Allah provide such circumstances that allow her to work in peace and comfort. In the end she was forced to resign from her job as the hospital administration would not change their demands. However, she did not weaken in her faith and it so happened that soon Allah blessed her with an even better job Alhamdullilah.
An Ahmadi lady from Bangladesh, Siddiqa Sahiba, who was an engineer at a private company expressed a desire to attend the UK Jalsa Salana in 2011 and so requested leave from her work. When her company administrators realised that she was an Ahmadi and travelling to meet her Khalifah in London and attend the Jalsa Salana they pressured her to resign, which she did. Having done so she wrote to me for prayers, and thereafter Allah rewarded her for her strong faith. She said that even though it is normally very difficult to find work in Bangladesh, she was able to attain a better and excellent job without any difficulty on the basis of a simple online application. Therefore, how Allah blesses and rewards those who seek to follow the teachings of their faith and who are ready for sacrifice. This is the true meaning of the words of the Bai’at, which say that “I will give precedence to my faith over all worldly objects.”
Remember, Allah will never allow any sacrifice, no matter how large or small, to go to waste or to be in vein. Similarly, a person who faces any form of persecution or opposition due to being an Ahmadi, will find that Allah will reward them greatly for their patience and steadfastness. These examples prove that Allah’s help is with the Ahmadiyya Jama’at and should motivate us to follow the teachings of our faith and to always give precedence to our faith over all worldly matters. Only then can we be considered a true Ahmadi.
I say again that you should never consider any part of your faith or any command of God to be insignificant. All commands are equally important because they lead to God’s rewards and nearness. May Allah enable all of you to follow every aspect of your faith in the very best manner. May all of you, whilst living in this society, continue to protect your honour and modesty and become great examples of piety for others to follow. May all of you inculcate the true spirit of Ahmadiyya into your future generations. May all of you through your conduct disprove those who say that Islam treats women in the wrong way. In fact may all of you prove to the world that the women and girls of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at are shining examples of Islam’s true teachings and are those who understand the true meaning of freedom through which a woman’s honour and dignity is established.
Let me end by narrating a small incident form this year’s Jalsa. A female journalist, who is a Christian came and observed the Jalsa, and in a very respectful manner, even wore a scarf. She spent a good deal of time in the ladies side and met number of our Lajna members. Afterwards she said that she used to think that perhaps Muslim women were not free and that the segregation was somewhat cruel. But having spent time amongst the Ahmadi ladies she now considered that our women were more respected and valued than any others. In fact, she admitted that she had never felt such value as a woman in her own Church. She said that she came to understand the benefit of being able to walk around in an environment where there were no men present and felt freedom from this. Therefore, there is no need for any of our ladies or girls to feel any form of complex about Hijaab. Remember, we are the people who have to show the right path to others. It is not for us to follow them.
Thus these are the standards you should adopt. May Allah enable you to do so that the entire world becomes aware of the true Islam and the real freedom it has granted to women. May Allah bless Lajna Imaillah in all respects, Ameen.
There are quite a number of ladies who cannot understand English and so I also would like to say some things to them. Many of you have come in recent years from Pakistan or from Germany and settled here. Virtually all from Germany or Pakistan are those Lajna who did not enjoy religious freedom in their countries and thus were forced to leave. Allah has permitted migration for the sake of one’s faith and in fact He says that those who face persecution and injustice because of their religion and leave their country will be given the best reward and their circumstances will be improved. And everyone is aware that, with the Grace of Allah, virtually all of you are in a better situation than before after migrating here. This was not the result of any quality or merit on your part and thus you should think that you were granted permission to reside here due to your personal capabilities or worth. Here these countries have been bestowed with Allah’s blessings and grace, because they make efforts and work hard and value education. Education has thus created better circumstances in these countries. It cannot be said regarding most of the Lajna who came here from Pakistan or Germany, that they were so highly talented or skilled that it compelled the British Government to grant them asylum and a place to live. All that you have received is because of Ahmadiyyat and because you were facing persecution in your country. Those who came here recently from Germany, originally came to Germany from Pakistan for the same reason that they were denied religious freedom. Thus, always remember that the reward and blessing you have from Allah and your circumstances which continue to improve, are purely because of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at. After entering the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, as I have explained to the English-speaking Lajna, you should always bear in mind that you must fulfil the right of your Bai’at. The Promised Messiahas has said the due of the Bai’at can be discharged when you practically act upon the teachings of Islam. It is when you practically adopt the authority of the Holy Qur’an in your lives. The Qur’an has given a multitude of commands. In one place the Promised Messiahas has said that there are 700 commands, whilst elsewhere he has mentioned a different number of commandments, yet nonetheless he has spoken of 700 commands in the Holy Qur’an. If we read the Qura’nic injunctions but do not strive to implement them then we will fail to benefit from the Bai’at in the way that has been decreed by Allah for those who take the Bai’at. Thus constantly look over your state and condition. Allah says to worship Him, safeguard your prayers and the prayers of your children and protect and uphold the dignity, modest and chastity of your girls. Strive to fulfil the rights of your husbands and children in your homes.
Sometimes quarrels break out in homes upon the smallest matters and the elder mothers and mother-in-laws play a significant part in causing such arguments. There are some ladies who rather than create peace and tranquillity, destroy the homes of their sons and daughters. I say to them that Islam teaches to show tolerance and patience. They should not react to trivial matters by acting with even more injustice than was committed. You should bear all of these points in mind. As I have said, God has commanded us to worship. In addition to Salaat, ‘worship’ includes all the other commandments. When you perform the rest of the injunctions of God to attain His pleasure, then Allah will count those among ‘worship’. Thus demonstrate your practical examples for your children, for the nation and for the future progeny. It is your responsibility to carry out the Tarbiyyat of the children, because you will have to make even greater efforts in today’s society. Progress in your spirituality, which should shine forth through your practical examples. Give maximum heed to the moral upbringing of your children. Bidaat (innovations) are more common among the elder ladies in these countries. When many of them became affluent they started unnecessary innovations and customs at weddings. There is over-emphasis on clothes and jewellery. With the Grace of Allah, most Ahmadi Lajna are at the forefront of financial sacrifices. In fact some ladies draw the attention of men to giving Chanda, and even contribute more than the men themselves. Thus everyone should endeavour to emulate those Lajna who truly give precedence to their faith over all worldly matters. You should not immerse yourselves in worldly matters in these countries and drown in materialism. If you only yearn for worldly things, then certainly you may attain them in this life, but you will receive no reward in the hereafter, as I explained with reference to the Promised Messiah. Thus it is the duty and obligation of an Ahmadi woman that she should strive to perform her every action for the sake of Allah so she can receive reward both in this world and in the next. I will say once again and I will say this repeatedly, that assess your own state and condition and also pay great attention to the Tarbiyyat of your children. May Allah enable of you to do so. Now join me in silent prayer.”