By A. Abdul Aziz.

If we tread upon the path of righteousness and continue to bow down before Allah the Almighty, then certainly the help and succour of Allah the Almighty will be with us.” – Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad

The World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, delivered the Eid-ul-Adha sermon on 21 July 2021 from the Mubarak Mosque in Islamabad, Tilford, United Kingdom.

Across the world, millions of Ahmadi Muslims were able to listen live to the Eid Sermon of their Caliph and to join in with the silent prayer led by their spiritual leader through the global television channel MTA International.

During the sermon, His Holiness spoke at length about the fundamental importance of righteousness in relation to Eid-ul-Adha. His Holiness referred to chapter 22 verse 38 of the Holy Quran which explains that Eid-ul-Adha is intrinsically linked to righteousness, stating that the flesh of sacrificial animals reaches not Allah, nor does their blood, but it is your righteousness that reaches Him.”

His Holiness said that it was regrettable that many Muslims sacrificed animals on the occasion of Eid merely for the sake of showing off or to boast about their wealth.

Furthermore, recently in Pakistan, people have even taken pride in not permitting Ahmadi Muslims to partake in offering animal sacrifices based on the unjust and erroneous declaration that Ahmadi Muslims are not Muslim and therefore not permitted to act upon the teachings of Islam.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

It is most regrettable that the government officials and departments responsible for establishing law and justice (in Pakistan) are unduly influenced by the so-called religious scholars and so they bar Ahmadi Muslims from slaughtering animals (on Eid) as sacrifice.”     

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad further said:

The history of our Community shows that it is the way of the opponents of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that they do all that they can to find ways to cause hardships to Ahmadi Muslims and this is their established practice which is intensifying due to their utter lack of righteousness.”  

Speaking of the role Ahmadi Muslims must continue to adopt whilst facing any hardship, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

We turn to Allah the Almighty and beseech Him alone. If we tread upon the path of righteousness and continue to bow down before Allah the Almighty, then certainly the help and succour of Allah the Almighty will be with us, God willing.” 

Explaining chapter 22 verse 38 of the Holy Quran, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

In this verse, Allah the Almighty has informed us that God Almighty does not accept large and expensive animals sacrificed (in His name) if there is no righteousness. Allah the Almighty does not require the meat or blood of an animal offered in sacrifice – He is free of such needs. Thus, we must not fear if we are barred from offering the sacrifice of animals or if the clerics or the government officials seize our animals… If we walk upon the path of righteousness whilst intending to or offering sacrifice of animals, then Allah the Almighty will accept it. However, an animal slaughtered sacrificially where there is no righteousness, then it is a pointless and hollow gesture.”

His Holiness narrated several passages from the writings of the Holy Founder of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad – Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) regarding the significance of righteousness.

Furthermore, His Holiness quoted passages from the writings of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) eloquently praising the most lofty and excellent status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and how he brought about a phenomenal and revolutionary moral change in the most wretched of peoples in a way that is unparalleled in history.

His Holiness mentioned that it is only through the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) that a true understanding of the unparalleled status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) can be understood.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

It was the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) who gave us the understanding of the blessed status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him). However, despite this, the so-called religious scholars allege that we have blasphemed against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and therefore Ahmadi Muslims have no right to carry out acts of worship in accordance with Islamic teachings and to act upon its traditions and to follow the practice that was commanded by our master and leader, the Holy Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). They can try all they like, but they can never take away the unbridled love and respect that we carry in our heart for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).”

Concluding his sermon, His Holiness again highlighted the importance of righteousness and

said:

Today on the occasion of this Eid, in relation to which Allah the Almighty has said that if your actions are devoid of righteousness, they cannot make you the beloved of God, every one of us should pledge to live our lives according to the standard that every act we carry out should be in accordance with the commandments of Allah the Almighty.”

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad further stated:

If we pledge to do this and make efforts towards this then certainly Allah the Almighty will grant us what He has promised to those who tread upon the path of righteousness…… If we do not attain the pleasure of God Almighty, then even if we do offer the sacrifice of animals, it will not be a cause of true joy.”

At the end, His Holiness called on Ahmadi Muslims to pray that the world may be saved from severe calamities that await it.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

We should pray for humanity at large that people may recognise Allah the Almighty and be saved from His Wrath. As the world spirals towards destruction, we should pray that may Allah enable mankind to act with sense and wisdom. May the people of the world recognise Allah the Almighty and may they reform themselves, otherwise a large calamity looms ahead. May Allah have mercy.”

Source: www.alislam.org