Qualities of Office-Holders and Recommenders in Ahmadiyya Muslim Community ..Trusts and Covenants.

[DawudTalut]

Peace be on you. After every three years, worldwide Ahmadiyya Community votes to recommend its various office-holders to run its structure. Among the categories: ‘Amir-s (Omara)’ for a bigger circle who supervise many ‘Presidents’ for local areas and there are other Office-Bearers. In larger communities, first the voting bodies (Majlis e Intikhab) are elected, which vote further.



TO ELECT RIGHT PEOPLE, THE HOLY QURAN GUIDES

‘Verily, Allah commands you to make over the trusts to those entitled to them, and that, when you judge between men, you judge with justice. And surely excellent is that with which Allah admonishes you! Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.’ (4:59)

alislam.org



RESPONSIBILITIES OF THOSE WHO VOTE TO RECOMMEND.
Rank is a trust, as mentioned in above verse. Therefore, voters must understand:

1- They shall be accountable by God for their choice; He is Al Samee (The Listener) and Al Baseer (The Watcher in depth).

2- As they pray before every work, they pray before vote and ponder over the persons and know about their eligibility as they have to give opinion to the Khalifah of the time. If they do not know much about some one, they should pray that may God help them to give vote to the person who is appropriate in the eyes of God.

3- Vote is not given based on personal like or dislike and consideration of family links and race.

4- Voting is for opinion; the final approval comes from Khalifah of the time. Sometimes more votes do not necessarily means approval.

5- Country-Amir has the jurisdiction to approve of some local offices and also has the right to choose someone with lesser votes. However, generally ‘Amir’ should honour the majority vote.

6- Althought Amir can appoint alternate person with lesser votes but this year Amir-s in UK and European countries, USA, Canada and Australia have to refer to Hadhrat Khalifah tul Messiah V for permission. Pakistan and India may carry on proceedings on local level according to rules.

7- National Aamela (Cabinet) of all countries require approval by Centre, Khalifah of time.



RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICE-HOLDERS
Rank-holders should understand that above verse also applicable to them. In its light:

1- Their rank is a trust and they are responsible for it.

2- Some ranks are by appointment, Amir-s and Presidents should appoint the best eligible person (regardless of personal relation) for the work with Justice.

3-They have to act with Justice. ‘…you judge with justice….’. Their behaviour should be similar with all assistants; not keep doing scrutiny of one assistant and letting other go. Unjust leads to no-blessing, which bear ill-results. They should act with justice to the Commons of the Community without leaning toward relations or certain families. Taking sides create general unrest.

4-When Khalifah of the time ask for a report, the report should be true. Wrong reporting can contribute to wrong decisions which can become a chain of sins.

5- They have to serve faith with pondering and concern.

6- Ranks are not for prestige, these are huge responsibilities.

7- Allah is Al Samee (The One Who Listens). He listens to prayers especially when these are about to be able to obey His commandments. Allah Watches the opinion-giver and office-holder.

8- If given responsibility is not taken care, justice is not done, right of rank is not paid, Allah Who Watches, will question about it. Thus the grant of rank is a station to fear. If one realizes the seriousness of this responsibility, then one say Istighfar day and night (seeking cover of Allah and strength) more than others.

9- After the approval, the office-holders do become free, but they are tied in such way that if they do not serve, as it should be or not according to talent, they can earn displeasure of Allah.

10- Each office-holder has to pay right of each member of community and right of whole community; office-holder’s personal weakness can affect Community’s good name. Therefore they should set good examples to pay spiritual rights and worldly rights. Office-holder’s conduct is not free and their selves are subservient to Community’s benefit. Voters should vote for people with such qualities. In other words voters should vote for the person who is high is Taqwa, righteousness.



THE BELIEF IN IMAM OF AGE REQUIRES THAT RIGHT OF TRUST MUST BE PAID
Fulfill responsibilities of the Community with concern. ‘And who are watchful of their trusts and their covenants'. (23:9). Everyone should follow this commandment. Serve not superficially but go deep and serve in minute details. Community should vote for serious people. Office-holders should serve with full capacity and keep the promise ‘to give precedence to their faith over worldly matters’ more than any other.
Having desire for an office is against teachings of Islam. When this blessing comes, one should fulfill all promises.



WHAT IS THE STANDARD OF FULFILLING PROMISES / COVENANTS
The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explains:

‘Allah the Exalted has stated in this noble verse: ‘And who are watchful of their trusts and their covenants’…those who do not only possess the excellence of overcoming the base desires of Nafse Ammarah (self that incites to evil) and have thus triumphed over its passions. Rather, they try as far as possible to be mindful of every aspect of all trusts and all covenants of God and His creation and try to tread the intricate paths of Taqwa. They stay on this course as much as their strength allows…The word ‘Ra’oon’ (covenants) in the verse…is spoken in the Arabic idiom when a person follow intricate paths in any matter in accordance to his strength and wishes to fulfil its every minute detail and does not wish to leave out any aspect. Thus, the verse signifies that believers … tread fine paths of Taqwa to the best of the abilities they have and do not wish to leave out any aspect which relates to trusts and covenants and they regard making concession to everyone. They do not derive joy in broadly considering themselves truthful and honest, in fact they are fearful lest they privately commit any breach of trust. They continue to reflect as best as they can on all their matters lest they have any inner defect or flaw…this is Taqwa.


In short these are the believers who are not unrestrained in their matters, be they regarding God or be they regarding people. In fact owing to the fear lest they are held blameworthy in the sight of Allah the Exalted, they take extensive care of their trusts and covenants. They ever scrutinise their trusts and covenants and regularly examine their inner condition microscopically through Taqwa for fear that covertly their trusts and covenants may have some defect. They employ the trusts they have been given by Allah the Exalted, for example all their faculties, limbs, life, property and honour etc. to the best of their abilities, bound by Taqwa and with great care at their appropriate time. They are ever engaged with supreme honesty and as far as possible to try and fulfil the promise they made with Allah the Exalted at the time of accepting faith. Similarly, as best as they can, they implement with Taqwa whatever trusts of people they have or matters that come under the jurisdiction of trusts. If there is conflict, they resolve it in view of Taqwa, even if the resolution is detrimental to them.’ [Translated from Tafseer of the Holy Qur’an by the Promised Messiahas, Vol III, pp. 366 – 367]


‘The spiritual beauty of man is to walk along all the finer ways of righteousness. They are the attractive features of spiritual beauty. It is obvious that to be mindful of the trusts of God Almighty, and to fulfil all the covenants of faith, and to employ all faculties and limbs both overt, like eyes and ears and hands and feet and others like them, and those that are covert, like the mind and other faculties and qualities, on their proper occasions and to restrain them from coming into action on improper occasions, and to be warned against the subtle attacks of vice and to be mindful of the rights of one’s fellow beings, is the way of perfecting one’s spiritual beauty. God Almighty has in the Holy Qur’an designated righteousness as a raiment. Libas-ut-taqwa is an expression of the Holy Qur’an. This is an indication that spiritual beauty and spiritual ornament are achieved through righteousness. Righteousness means that one must be mindful even of the smallest details of the Divine trusts and covenants and also of all the trusts and covenants of one’s fellow beings, as far as it may be possible. That is, one must try to fulfil, to the best of one’s ability, all the requirements in their minutest details.’ [Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part V, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 21, pp. 209-210 – Essence of Islam, Vol. I. pp. 347 - 348]

alislam.org



COMMUNITY SHOULD LOOK FOR FOLLOWING PROPERTIES IN OFFICE-HOLDERS-TO-BE

1-FULFILLING PROMISES……If this standard is high, the standard of office-holders will be high. Rights of people should be paid even by imposing strictness on self – teaches the Promised Messiah (a.s.). There are people who do not fulfill business promises………Islam is religion of peace. Unfortunately adherents are weak in keeping promises and they are involved in fights and disorder. This effect of society affects Ahmadiyya Community too and they have to very careful.


CONTINUES……

 

[DawudTalut]

IN CONTINUATION OF ABOVE......

Promises are not only related to businesses. These are everywhere; internal, external, domestic, between husband and wife. Some people serve Community well but they do not pay rights in home; it is breach of Promise. ‘…for the covenant shall be questioned about.’ (17:35).

Community should check itself that how they fulfill promises and vote promise-keepers.


2- NO SLANDERING AND TAUNTING……. ‘……Do not slander your own people, nor taunt each other with nicknames…..’ (49:12).No taunting, no name-calling…… ‘Talmezu’ is used in verse, it means push away, beating, blaming, criticism, finding weaknesses, saying wrong things, saying things which other dislike.
Some office-holders are weak in keeping control on their emotions. Their ill-talk with visitors and colleagues create alienation. People with weaker faith become dismayed.


3- CAREFUL SPENDING OF COMMUNITY’S WEALTH, NO OVER SPENDING……. The person to be voted should have the quality of being very careful in spending Community’s wealth. There are department in Community’s system which has rather larger budgets, like Promised Messiah’s Kitchen (langar) and Annual Spiritual Gathering (Jalsa Salana). Benefits should be drawn with least expenses. Promised Messiah were not anxious about income, he was worried about spenders spending correctly. Each Amir and office-holders should be mindful.


4-AVOIDING NONESENSE……. ‘And who shun all that which is vain,’ (23:4). The standard of best among Community should be very high. They should avoid loose talk, mockery, back-biting, sittings where faith is being disrespected. Promised Messiah said that nonsense relations should be put away, relation with Allah is made. To rid on’s heart of vain matters is to connect one’s heart with God.



5-AVOIDING BEING MISER…..The office-holder to be not miser; should spend where necessary; should not have open hands for some people and close for others.


6-CONTROLING ANGER….. ‘….those who suppress anger….’ (3:135), commands Allah. Sometimes anger comes, it has to be suppressed. On occasions, in favour of Community, anger has to be shown. But it should not be on every little matter. Office-holders should follow ‘….speaking to people kindly….’ (2;84). If it followed, complaints may not come from some places.


7-GOOD CONDUCT WITH COLLEAGUES…..Community’s office-holders are not like worldly officers and subordinates. Everyone serves with special passion. Officers use love for assistants. If a subordinate continue to be wrong-headed and does not revive, they should be reported to higher officer, do not get their service or retire them. But there should be no grouping.


8-REPECT THE GUEST….. It is a high moral. Meet everyone with respect, stand for visitor who come to office. Offer them the seat with respect. It increases the honour of the office-holder.


9-HUMBLENESS…..It should be nature of all members of the Community. ‘ not in the earth haughtily….’ (17:38) Allah does not like arrogance by any person and absolutely not by those who devote their life for Allah. Meet others with humbleness.


10-JUSTICE….. ‘….Be (always) just, that is nearer to righteousness….’ (5:9) There should be peace. There are correctional committees. All decisions should be made with in-depth pondering and justice otherwise unrest happens. If, in a case, there is clear commandment of Shariah, the decision-writers must give reference of it.


11-TAKING CARE OF NEEDY PEOPLE…..It is the duty of ‘Amir’-s and office-holders to take care of poor and needy. They should not wait for applications to come.


12-CALL TOWARDS VIRTUES AND FORBID EVIL…. ‘...enjoin what is good and forbid evil….’ (3:111) It can not be done without harmony in words and deeds of the doer, being humble to Allah, finding ways of Taqwa told by Allah. Promised Messiah said avoiding few sins and doing few virtues is not Taqwa, Taqwa is avoiding evey minor sin and adopting every kind of virtue.


CONCLUSION
The Holy Khalifah said:

‘These are the standards that need to be adopted by us to become those who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil and for fulfilling our covenants. May Allah the Exalted enable members of the Jama’at as well as the office holders, those who have been elected and those who are yet to be elected, and me to fulfil our trusts and covenants.’

Reference: Based on Friday sermon of April 12 2013 by Hadhrat Khalifa tul Messiah V (may Allah help him) at mta.tv and alislam.org