To Achieve Spiritual Aims while Living in Materially Advanced Societies//Address to Ahmadiyya Ladies

[DawudTalut]

It is explained and advised that when Ahmadiyya Muslims, especially Ahmadi ladies, come to materially advanced countries, mainly to find freedom to practice their faith, they get certain benefits but they also face some dangers which obstruct their and their children’s spiritual growth in materialistic environment. How to avoid these dangers and raise families to get worldly success as well as spiritual success while giving priority to faith over worldly life. How to fulfill specific commandments of Allah the Exalted, especially modesty, without feeling any complex while taking the divine message to the world.
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Based on Address by Ahmadiyya Khalifah (a.t.) @ Jalsa Salana Canada 2016 :

Peace and mercy of Allah be on you….Hazrat Khalifatul Messiah V (may Allah be his Helper) said: In the world, due to increase in education, new inventions and media, people of one country and area are knowing about others more and more. An event taken place in one country is known by the people of far places within minutes. The ways of living and priorities people living in advanced countries can be heard and seen by majority of people of less progressed or developing countries. There are merits of it but some draw backs are coming in view too:

=Unrest and feeling of inferiority is developing in people with lesser resources.

=Religion and its teachings is being thought as burden..

=In the name of freedom, religious and moral decline is being given legal protection.

=The things which religious history mentioned as cause of destruction of nations, these are told as mark of distinctions and goodness of free and progressed societies.

=Children are given such teaching, with which, children of small age have no relation at all, rather some of them do not understand what is being told to them. Some children mention it.

=Obscenity is considered as sign of progress.

At each step, the manifestation of announcement of Satan is seen, which it said to Allah the Exalted O God You rejected me from the Court, You gave Adam priority over me, so now I shall stand at each path of Adam, and shall incite him against Your commandments, astray him from deen, and majority of human will follow me. Satan announced it……Allah the Exalted said in response, all right you do your work, but I shall fill Hell with those who will follow you…….It is not said by God that I shall forcefully stop them from falling in your lap.
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These days, newer than ever worldly progress is taking place. But with it, going away from religion in the name of freedom is a Satanic thing, human is falling in it day by day, human is forgetting God the Exalted and earthly glitter is overtaking them.
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We also see whenever, worldly lust overtakes and human begin to fall deep in the lap of Satan, Allah the Exalted sent His Prophets and Messengers who make full effort to save human from falling in ditch of fire. Whenever situation of “zaharal fasado fil burrey wal bahr” [30: from 42 i.e Corruption has appeared on land and sea] developed and mayhem appeared in land and water, mercy of Allah the Exalted got excited and Prophets and Messengers are sent. It is religious history, each nation saw its scenes.

Has Allah the Exalted ended passion of His mercy for humanity now? Was His mercy only for previous people? Has He conceded defeat by Satan [nauzobillah, we seek Allah’s protection] that it may do anything. [Has He said] I have made human, gave him sense to distinguish between right and wrong but now I cannot do anything! No, Allah the Exalted never was deprived of His attributes and powers nor in future it can be. No doubt, He granted such freedom to human that I do not compel your acts, but I shall continue to guide to save you from evils. Those who shall avoid evils and choose to do virtues, I shall grant them bounties of paradise….For them, due to remembrance of Allah the Exalted and following His commandments, there will be things of paradise in this life and in Hereafter too. Those who shall go away from that they shall find abode of Hell.

Thus when Allah the Exalted sees state of chaos in the world, and sees so-called religious people following their desires on the name of religion [as we see in the world these days many scholars and organizations are doing so], and sees worldly people too embroiled in mayhem by been fallen in unlimited declines, His mercy is excited then He shows the scene of “yoyil ardha bada moteha” [30: from 20] He grants life to the earth after its death…… He sends water to residents of the world, it become means of life for spiritual dead.
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Where (earthly) progress in education and new inventions have enlightened human minds, there these have made majority of people spiritually dead, even Muslims too have become spiritually dead by following wrong kind of scholars. It was to take place. By getting knowledge from Allah the Exalted, Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had already told us about it, but simultaneously gave glad tidings that in this time of discord, spiritual decline, increase of earthly desires and forgetting Islamic teaching, a servant of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) would come to guide the world and would become means to revive the dead.

Thus we are fortunate that we accepted this Messenger of Allah - the Promised Messiah, the Covenanted Mahdi (a.s.) and announced after doing his Bai'at that we shall turn each attack of Satan back to it by the help of Allah the Exalted. By seeking the blessing of Allah the Exalted, we shall continuously make effort to avoid its each seduction. We shall give priority to deen / faith over world.

Hazrat Khalifatul Messiah V (may Allah be his Helper) further said: As much you thank Allah the Exalted for this, it is less. Mere thanks by announcement with mouth that ‘alhamdolillah’ (all praises to Allah) we are thankful to Allah that we became Ahmadis, cannot fulfill the purpose ….For this, we need to understand our responsibilities.
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This responsibility is more than others for the Ahmadi woman and the girl because not only she has to save herself from attacks of Satan but she has to save her progeny too from these attacks.

This is woman, from whose womb child is born, It is the woman, in whose lap child is raised and grown. It is the woman who can train her child in way that he/she may know what is evil and what is virtue, before he/she get affected by external environment.

A true Ahmadi Muslim woman tells her child, besides about paying right of worship of Allah the Exalted what are high levels of Islamic morals. An Ahmadi woman tells her child, can infuse in his/her ear since childhood, what is your purpose of being Ahmadi Muslim. Such training in this harmed society is not a trivial thing. It is very great challenge for every woman, for every Ahmadi mother. It is huge the responsibility.
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Huzur (a.t.) said: The majority of those, sitting before me (in Jalsa Salana Canada) came here because they were deprived of freedom of religion in their own countries. Here, some are such who came for better economic conditions or they were victims of other oppressions. Those, women or men, who came due to religious oppression, they can never think and I hope they shall never think to give second position to religion after coming in (materially) advanced countries. Rather they too, who did not come due to religious reasons, can never think to throw religion at back.

So by way of belief, no Ahmadi man or woman will give priority to other things over their religion. But if we make overview, we see, despite the pledge to give precedence to faith over worldliness, many are not following commandments of Allah the Exalted. If deeds of woman are not according to this teaching then children too shall establish the same pattern.
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Those mothers who put their own role model before their children, and keep eye with wisdom on the matters of children, their children share everything, good or bad, with mothers after returning to home. The mothers answer with wisdom. The children of such mother are never influenced by environment, and they are able to avoid evils during youth.

But the mothers who do not take care in matters of children since childhood by thinking it is age of playing around; no problem he/she will be learning. These mothers have excessive optimism. There are mothers who pay no attention at all. There are those who are forceful, if children want to say something, these mothers shut them up forcefully, and give no argument. Then these children stop telling things to their mothers, when they reach at age 13 / 14 , they like external environment more than home; they like world more than religion.
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Huzur (mat Allah be Helper) said: I do not set fathers free of their responsibilities from this training. Definitely, they are responsible too. Sometimes, despite the training by mothers, children go astray by seeing deeds of fathers. So it is responsibility of fathers too, they need to realize that they have to pay right of this responsibility. But children spend more time with mothers. That is why Islam lays responsibility on mothers that they fulfill right of training children. The responsibility of training children is not a trivial responsibility. And in this spoiled society where, at each step in the name of worldly progress, Satan has made means to attract toward it, and when children see other children doing certain things, especially when they reach age 12 /13, unrests begin to start in them. So the training given by the mother, her attention with hard work, it is not less than Jihad.

That is why when a woman asked Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) the question that we cannot go to Jihad, shall we earn reward like Jihad for taking care homes and training children. Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said surely it is your Jihad and its reward is like Jihad’s.

See, how high is status of training children, and how Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) made the woman realize it.

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CONTINUES

 

[DawudTalut]

This is woman who does or can make the foundation of a nation strong by training children. The nations who do not pay attention to training of children, they decline.

Newspapers present analysis every year, with respect to religion, that a large amount of people in Christian countries are leaving Christianity, and the certainty about God the Exalted is vanishing.

Why?

Because all the virtues, evils and bad morals written in the Bible are being changed. Even some pastors too give statement that such and such evil is now no more considered an evil because people like it.

It is so because they cannot face resistance by people. In the name of democracy and freedom, country’s laws are making changes in the laws made by Allah the Exalted because people are forgetting teaching and values of religion and are disconnecting from it. Because mothers in advanced countries did not pay attention to religious and moral training of their children. Mother is away from home and father too is away from home. As result, there is neither home-environment for child nor religious-environment in home.


In Muslims, it is a great reason of deterioration that majority of Muslim women do not have religious knowledge.


This deformity in all of them was to be developed because Allah the Exalted has not sent any religion to remain established at its teaching except Islam. Islam was sent to remain established till Hereafter. It is sent by completion of religious law (Shariah)…… That is why means were given to it that, in this time of discord, The Promised Messiah – The Covenanted Mahdi was sent who drew attention of women and men to their responsibilities and taught it is essential to fulfill your responsibilities that you should give such religious training to your girls such that mothers of future generations may continue to install the directive to give precedence to deen over world in the minds of their children………And train your boys such that fathers-to-be in future may implement real teaching of deen upon themselves and thus should become the best role model for their children.


Thus each Ahmadi woman and girl need to understand this important responsibility so that the priority of our progenies should never be world, rather it should be deen / religion.

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Today we consider ourselves educated, but state of Eman / faith is not that which ought to be. Majority of women pay attention to children’s worldly education and training, show worry about it, but not for religious education and training.


Hazrat Musleh Mo'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned an event from the time of Hazrat Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) : A woman brought her sick boy to Hazrat Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) and said that doctors has declared he is cureless. She also said, I am Muslim, boy was born as Muslim too, but now he has become Christian under their influence. Please cure his disease. But the thing that unlettered woman said with great stress was that Please make him to utter Kalima [There is none worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammad is His Messenger] for one time, then he may die, I am not worried. Hazrat Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) sent the boy to Hazrat Khalifatul Messiah I (would-be: may Allah be pleased with him) for treatment and also for conveying-message. [One cannot be made Muslim by force so convey the message, maybe he would become Muslim again]. The boy was firm Christains. To avoid reading Kalima, one day he silently fled from Qadian and left curing process. At night his mother knew about it, she went after him, and caught him near Batala and brought him back. She did not have much religious knowledge but had faith in Allah so she was praying. He accepted her prayer, her son became a believer. Though later soon he died but his mother said now my heart is in peace as he read Kalima before death. He read it with heart, not by coercion……..Hazrat Musleh Mo'ud (r.a.) said, it is, what is right training, and this the spirit what Islam want to breath in the woman.


Thus women like her who want to see their children pious and trained, they not only do good to themselves, not only improving world and hereafter of their children, rather they impart benefit to nation and Jama'at.

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There are many ‘waqefene nau’ [scheme: pledge is made by parents as life-devotees before birth of child, children have to affirm when grow] children in the laps of mothers, their training is obligation of mothers. Many children have gotten involve in their own works after grew, but they are known as waqefeen e nau; some are such they say we do not want to do waqf (life devotion). If these children were trained religiously, never would have such thought developed in them whose mother had presented such children for waqf, with lot of prayers. So for this, hard work has to be done, only making a promise is not enough.

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With respect to world and religion, each person who get a position in life, there is a part of his mother in it. Mother with worldly thoughts or the common mother may say if we remain busy in training our children, how shall we get high positions by our studies, as we have obtained many degrees, certificates and medals?


But Islam says to such mother, after you get higher education and extremely increase yourself in religious knowledge, raise your child and give good training to him and when your child get high station by showing professional excellence and become good scientist , good research scholar, good lawyer and serve oppressed humanity , by becoming good doctor provides means of health for people , by becoming good leader and politician and by getting high station in it he makes effort to establish peace in the world, his mother will have share in his virtues.


A momin (believer) mother makes paradise for her children in this world and in hereafter. And whom the station to make paradise is given by Allah the Exalted, for herself how great rewards, Allah the Exalted will have appointed.


Thus thought should be that, we have to make effort to get pleasure of Allah the Exalted in each work. Our education and knowledge should become means to get pleasure of Allah the Exalted. So there is great difference between worldly-mided mother and momin (believer) mother.

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Some young women loose good matrimonial proposals only because they want to get higher education. No doubt, higher education is good thing, but I have seen some very highly educated Ahmadi young women who are doctors or they have reached other high stations. At the time of marriages when good proposals came, they did not deny, marriages took place, they got good understanding with husband, when children grew passed through time of training they again began their studies, and fulfilled the desire to get increase in their expertise.

No doubt, higher education is very good thing, but thing higher than it is that a ‘foj’ (organized-multitude) of Ahmadi children, religion-wise and world-wise, should be prepared, which become guarantee in this spoiled era to save their children from Satanic attacks.

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Raise such mothers from your progeny which should be the best wives, best mothers-in-law, best one’s husband’s sister and best one’s brother’s wife [sisters-in-law]…… And raise such boys who should be the best husbands, best fathers, best fathers-in-laws and best sons.

If this takes place, never a young woman will be oppressed among her in-laws. Great reason of this oppression is ignorance. If children are properly trained, never a young woman will be oppressed among her in-laws, never a wife will be deprived of love of her husband, never a mother-in-law will have complaint against daughter-in-law. Such is the state which makes world a paradise, and finish discords.

Many family problems are due to the reason that mothers-in-laws forget their own times and oppress daughters-in-law….. Or daughter-in-laws begin to put their awe from first day lest mother-in-laws begin oppression. …. In fact both should understand each other.

Though, there are such few examples but they are increasing in Jama'at too. That is why, it is matter of concern.

There are good mothers, good mothers-in-law and good daughters-in-law too, who live nicely in their home by the grace of Allah the Exalted. Mothers-in-laws are having, in their homes, daughters-in-laws like daughters. But those who create deformation, the report about their treatments makes one worry that an Ahmadi momin mother can do that!

So if paradise have be made, mothers have to make it, if discords have to be finished mother have to do so, woman have to so, girl have to do so. It is expected from a true mominah (female believer).

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Huzur (may Allah be his Helper) said: The second thing I want to say, is the continuity of the first thing, it is continuity of giving priority to deen over world, continuity of training, it is the commandment for momin men and momin women, as it is recited in Tilwat (recitation of Holy Quran at the start of session). There are many directives, by pondering at, a person can improve their state.

I take the verse:

“wallazina eza zukkeru beaayaate rabehim lam yakhiru alaiha sumun wa umyana”

[25:74] And those who, when they are reminded of the Signs of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind thereat.

That is, a momin whether man or woman, always when hears anything about commandments of Allah the Exalted, quickly make effort to practice it. .. …It is standard for momin (believer ) which Allah the Exalted has set otherwise announcement to be a momim or mominah would be a mere announcement, and it has no value.
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CONTINUES

 

[DawudTalut]

In Holy Quran, some commandments have come especially with regard to woman to establish her status. Each Ahmadi woman and each Ahmadi girl should see this. For example, Purdah / Cover. It is not a directive which is issued by Hazrat Promised Messiah (a.s.) or his Khulfa. It is commandment which is issued in Holy Quran by Allah the Exalted and is stated at various places there. Its importance and wisdom is mentioned with detail, rather it is mentioned by keeping in view the state of this era.


When attention of young women are drawn to Pardah, some say what are these outdated things. Some women who came from Pakistan to these advanced countries, their children ask them to drop the Pardas. These men have more complex in this matter. They say it is very dangerous thing, here police will take you away. The mothers, who continued to do Pardah for whole life, drop Pardah due to fear of police.


In fact, Islam wants to establish respect and chastity of woman through Pardah. When Islam gave such instruction, first it gave commandment to men in verse 31 of Surah Nur.

[ [24:31] Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of what they do.]

That is, momin men should restrain their eyes….If somewhere a woman is seen, instead staring at her, keep eyes low…..Some men have habit, despite they know lady is doing Pardah and is modest, try to look at her somehow -- if not with piercing look. That is why, to have safety from such looks, Islam says to save yourself.

So first of all men are commanded to establish the respect and modesty of women.


Then in the next verse [24:32] woman is commanded too, to avoid each kind of evil, you too restrain your eyes and establish modesty.


Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said modesty / shyness / haiya is part of Eman of each momin man and woman.


According to this saying, the one has no modesty he or she does not have Eman / faith.


Then Holy Quran further said to women in the verse [24:32] to hide their beauty “illa ma zahara minha” i.e. except that which is apparent by itself……It include height and girth of body.


When Allah the Exalted said to practice Cover, He asked to wear Chader / chador which is used to cover the body. Women, later adopted Burqah for their ease. Now new bad-additions are being added in it too. Some Burqas are simple Burqas, but some are made with excessive embroidery and beads thus the Pardah which was meant to repel looks, it is being made a means to attract attention. Fashion has come in it too.


Not only this, some Burqas [or coats in winter in the name of Burqa] are revealingly tight, in violation to commandment of Allah the Exalted to hide beauty. This is no Pardah.


A new fashion has begun, Burqas are made triangular and with angles.


Some wear coats with buttons open, tight jeans, pajamas and shalwars (much higher than ankles) with t-shirt or small qamis (blouse)…All these things are joke with Pardah – joke with commandment of Allah the Exalted.


Like wise if scarf, hijab and niqab are used, proper cover of hairs and face is not observed.


Sometimes, new comer Muslim women raise objection, that some existing Ahmadi Muslim women are not observing Pardah well, hairs are not covered. Allah the Exalted asks to wear Chador / Covers such that face is not seen. The least Pardah which Hazrat Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) mentioned is that forehead should be covered, hairs are not seen from front or back, chin is covered, cheeks are covered with condition that makeup is not worn (if face is open), should be simple face. It answers to those who raise objection their breath is stopped….


Some nicely cover head with scarf, but, at lower body, wear small qamis and tight jean……Fashions are seen too that long cuts are placed at sides of calfs area of shalwars and trouser and one’s skin is seen during walk. … People complaint and report such things. No one come before Huzur (a.t.) like this……


Ahmadi girls and women should avoid such absurdities.


To wear jean is not prohibited. With it, qamis should be at least till knees.


It is right that directive of Pardah is not for Mehram [father, father-in-law, brother, nephew, husband.] but directive is surely for modest dress.


Modesty is very great wealth of woman. It is not trivial. At our functions, non-Muslim women too come, they know sanctity of our functions, some comes with full dress, they are very careful, rather they wear scarfs which they do not wear outside, it is not hypocrisy, they come like this to get absorbed in this environment. So if others take so much care [-- by being non-Muslims and commandment is not for them], then how much we, our women and girls should take care of this. It is not known why some Ahmadi girls have feeling of inferiority that if they do Pardah people would think they are ignorant. So such girls should see whether they have to please Allah the Exalted or the people!....They have to obey words of Allah the Exalted or pass by His words like blind and deaf as they have not listened or seen.


A non-Ahmadi woman may say we do not know these directives, we have no knowledge of Holy Quran, we have not read commandments in detail, but Ahmadi girls and woman cannot say, we have not listened and seen. They are continuously explained about it in detail, all Khulafa has explained, I am explaining since long.


There is need for organization of Lajna [auxiliary for ladies] to pay attention and each girl and woman need to make review, because slowly these fashions and carelessness will lead to fully uncover-ness. If currently there are one, two or four they should review themselves, others should not have any feelings of inferiority or complex. Our deen is the best deen, and has come to spread in the world. Thus to spread it, each of our women and men need to practice it. Not only uncover-ness, they shall become careless about the responsibility of religious training of children. When children will see their mothers’ some actions are different than what Holy Quran has commanded then obviously they shall have negative effect.


Thus where each woman and girl has to make herself strong faith-wise, and increase in Eman, there they have to be strong deed-wise.


In this society, we should make effort to develop concept of hijab, pardah and modesty in our women and girls. If there is apprehension about modest hijab in any young woman, mothers should finish it, rather she herself should do so if she has such age. If mothers shall not develop feeling of modesty in girls by age 11 or 12, then they shall not have such feeling when they shall be older.


Thus in this society where each uncovered and immodest thing is taught in school, Ahmadi mothers will have to make their children aware more than before, in the light of teaching of Islam and Holy Quran. They shall have to develop the importance of feeling of modesty in children since beginning, it should be started from age 5, 6 or 7. In these countries, children are told such things in class 4 or 5 which makes children worrisome, as mentioned earlier. There is need to put matter of modesty in the mind of girls in this age.


Thought may come to minds of some women and girls that Islam has other commandments too. Will practice on Islam be due to it and victory of Islam be with it? Remember, no commandment is ever small. I drew attention in Friday sermon (October 7) with respect to Hazrat Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that how we should be……. But if a weakness begin to increase more, effect of society begins to be more on it, then there is need to pay attention to it. That is why I am drawing your attention.


Others might have different aim - if they have any. The aim of an Ahmadi is to move ahead in virtues. It is what Holy Quran has taught us. “fastabequl khairat” [2: from 149] “….vie, then, with one another in good works……”….We have to make the world walk after us, thus do not look at fashion of world, just see whether it is within the limits made by Allah the Exalted or not. To do fashion is not prohibited. If it is within these limits, you may do and do it in the environment where it is commanded to do. Establish such example that the world may follow you.


Thus, where each Ahmadi woman need to get increase in the connection with Allah the Exalted so that by getting help with prayers they may train their children in the high manner – There, there is need to mold your each deed according to commandants of Allah the Exalted , as many the commandments are. May Allah the Exalted enable everyone to do so. [Aameen]

Hazrat Khalifatul Messiah V (may Allah be his Helper) led the silent Prayers.

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[Jalsa Salana 2016 Canada: Based on address by Hazrat Khalifatul Messiah V (may Allah help him with His Might Help) to Ladies, on October 8, 2016, mta.tv and alislam.org ]