After reciting Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) said that in previous sermons had been mentioning the life of the Holy Prophet (sa) and his passion and zeal for the oneness of God, the establishment of which was the very purpose for his advent. Not only did the Holy Prophet (sa) himself strive for its establishment, but he established within his companions a passion for the establishment of the unity of God as well, to the extent that they offered many sacrifices to uphold the unity of God.
The Holy Prophet’s (sa) Courage in the Face of Opposition
His Holiness (aba) said that the Holy Prophet (sa) bore hardships for the sake of upholding the unity of God. Once, the disbelievers surrounded the Holy Prophet (sa), citing the things he had said about their idols. In the meantime, someone told Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) that he should check on his friend. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) went to the Sacred Mosque only to find the Holy Prophet (sa) surrounded by the disbelievers. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) addressed the disbelievers in the Qur’anic words:
‘Will you slay a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah,’ while he has brought you clear proofs from your Lord?’ (The Holy Qur’an, 40, 29)
Upon this, the disbelievers diverted their attention from the Holy Prophet (sa) and turned towards Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and severely beat him. He was beaten to the extent that Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) daughter records that when he came back home and touched his hair, it would fall out into his hand because of the severity with which the disbelievers had pulled him from his hair. All the while, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) continued repeating, ‘Blessed are You, O Lord of Majesty and Honour.’
His Holiness (aba) said that according to another narration, this same mob of disbelievers pulled the Holy Prophet (sa) by the hair on his head and his beard so severely that much of his hair fell out. It was upon this that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) came to the Holy Prophet’s (sa) defence. The Holy Prophet (sa) told Hazat Abu Bakr (ra) to leave those people, saying, ‘By He in Whose hands is my life, I have been sent to these very people so that I may be sacrificed.’
His Holiness (aba) said that Harith bin Harith Ghamdi saw the Quraish inflicting cruelties upon the Holy Prophet (sa), and he asked his father who those people were. His father replied that they had gathered around ‘Sabi’, a name which the Quraish had given the Holy Prophet (sa) to deride him. Harith says he went to take a closer look and found the Holy Prophet (sa) encouraging the people to believe in One God, even as they continued to cause him trouble.
The Severe Persecution Faced at Ta’if
His Holiness (aba) quoted Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra), Second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, who described the difficulties faced by the Holy Prophet (sa) and said that the Holy Prophet (sa) would be walking through the market while the disbelievers continued striking him. Stones and filth would be thrown into his home. The intestines of animals would be thrown onto him as he offered prayer. This was to the extent that there came a time when the Holy Prophet (sa) had to stand behind a boulder to offer prayers. He faced continuous hardships and difficulties because he refused to abandon his mission of establishing and spreading the message of the Oneness of God. And so, he bore these happily accepted these difficulties, and never for a moment allowed them to diminish his kindness towards humanity.
His Holiness (aba) quoted Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) who writes in his book, The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa):
‘When the ban was lifted, and the Holy Prophet (sa) found a sort of freedom in his movements, he decided to visit Ta’if and invite its people to Islam. Ta’if is a famous place situated forty miles to the south-east of Makkah. During this era, it was home to the Banu Thaqif. Putting aside the speciality of the Ka‘bah, Ta’if was recognised as equal to Makkah and many eminent, influential and affluent people resided there. The people of Makkah themselves admitted to this importance of Ta’if. As such, it was the very Makkans who said:
“Why has not this Qur’an from God been sent to some great man of Makkah or Ta’if?”
Therefore, in Shawwal of 10 Nabawi, the Holy Prophet (sa) took a journey to Ta’if by himself. On the authority of other narrations, Zaid bin Harithah (ra) also accompanied him. Upon his arrival, the Holy Prophet (sa) remained there for ten days, and one after another, he met with many chieftains, but like Makkah, it was not in the destiny of this city to accept Islam either. Therefore, all of them refused, as a matter of fact, they mocked at the Holy Prophet (sa). At last, the Holy Prophet (sa) approached the grand chieftain of Ta’if named ‘Abdu Yalail and invited him to Islam, but he also refused, rather, in a manner of mockery he said, “If you are truthful, then I have not the strength to speak to you, and if you are a liar, then to speak to you is useless.” Then, concerned that the youngsters of the city may become influenced by the Holy Prophet (sa), he said, “It is best that you leave this place, for there is nobody here who is willing to listen to you.” After that, this evil man had the miscreants of the city start off behind the Holy Prophet (sa). When he left the city, this rabble chased the Holy Prophet (sa) and began to bombard him with rocks, due to which the entire body of the Holy Prophet (sa) became drenched in blood. These people pursued the Holy Prophet (sa) for three miles, more or less, and cursed at him and threw stones at him continuously.
At a distance of three miles from Ta’if, there was an orchard, which belonged to a Chieftain of Makkah named Utbah bin Rabi‘ah. The Holy Prophet (sa) took refuge in this orchard, and his ruthless enemies returned exhausted. Standing beneath a shadow, the Holy Prophet (sa) prayed before Allah in the following words:
“O My Lord, I complain to you of my helplessness, and my inability, and my helplessness before the people. O My God, You are the most merciful, for You are the guardian and protector of the feeble and helpless – You are my Lord. I seek refuge in the light of Your countenance. It is You who dispels all darkness, and it is You who bestows the inheritance of favour in this world and in the next.”
At this time, ‘Utbah and Shaibah were in their garden. When they saw the Holy Prophet (sa) in this state, perhaps moved by emotions of near or far relations, or perhaps national responsibility, they sent the Holy Prophet (sa) a tray of grapes in the hand of their Christian slave named Add (as). The Holy Prophet (sa) took them and addressed Add (as) saying, “Where are you from, and a follower of which religion?” “I am from Nineveh,” responded Add (as), “and a Christian.” The Holy Prophet (sa) inquired, “The same Nineveh, which was home to the righteous servant of God, Jonah (as) son of Matthew?” “Yes,” responded Add (as), “but how are you aware of Jonah (as)?” “He was my brother,” said the Holy Prophet (sa), “for he was a prophet of Allāh, and I am also a prophet of Allah.” Then the Holy Prophet (sa) preached the message of Islām to him, which moved him greatly. In his passion of sincerity, he moved forward and kissed the hands of the Holy Prophet (sa). Utbah and Shaibah observed this sight from afar; as such, when Add (as) returned to them, they said, “What happened to you that you began to kiss the hands of this man? This man shall ruin your faith, while your religion is better than his.”
The Holy Prophet (sa) rested in this orchard for some time. He then departed from here and arrived at Nakhlah, which is situated at a distance of approximately one day’s journey from Makkah, and remained there for a few days. After this, the Holy Prophet (sa) departed and reached the mountain of Hira, and since the apparent failure at Ta’if entailed the possibility of the Makkans growing overly bold, the Holy Prophet (sa) sent word to Mut‘im bin ‘Adiyy that I wish to enter Makkah, can you help me in this regard? Although Mut‘im was a firm disbeliever, his disposition possessed graciousness, and in times like these, it was against the nature of noble Arabs to refuse. For this reason, along with his sons and relatives, fully armed, they stood by the Ka‘bah, and sent word to the Holy Prophet (sa) that he may enter. The Holy Prophet (sa) entered and performed the Tawaf of the Ka‘bah, and along with Mut‘im and his children, escorted under the shadow of swords, the Holy Prophet (sa) entered his home. On the way, when Abu Jahl witnessed Mut‘im in this state, he was astonished and inquired, “Have you given Muhammad (sa) refuge, or have you become a follower?” Mut‘im responded, “I am only one to give refuge, not a follower.” Upon this, Abu Jahl said, “Alright, then there is no problem.” Mut‘im died in a state of disbelief, but the Muslims were not ones to lose sight of rightly due value.’ (The Life and Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa), Vol. I, pp. 252-254)
His Holiness (aba) said that when asked by his wife if he had faced a day more difficult than that of the Battle of Uhud, the Holy Prophet (sa) cited that day at Ta’if where he was made to face great difficulty. He recounted that on the journey back from Ta’if, an angel came to him and said that if the Holy Prophet (sa) wished, he could crush the people of Ta’if between two mountains. However, the Holy Prophet (sa) refused, saying that he was hopeful that God would bring about such people from among them who would worship One God.
His Holiness (aba) quoted the Second Caliph (ra) who described that the Holy Prophet’s (sa) entire life was spent in upholding and exhibiting the unity of God. This remained the case up until his final moments, when he advised people that even after he passed away, they should not associate partners with God. In fact, God wished to exhibit His unity from the very outset of the Holy Prophet’s (sa) life, when his father passed away before his birth, and his mother passed away while he was still very young. Thereafter, it was God who took care of the Holy Prophet (sa) throughout his life until his demise, exhibiting the great majesty of the unity of God.
His Holiness (aba) said that the Holy Prophet (sa) would even go to the markets in and around Makkah to preach the message of One God. These markets served as hubs where Arabs would gather for months on end. The Holy Prophet (sa) would travel to these markets and preach the message he had been sent with. It is recorded that the Holy Prophet (sa) would say to the people, “Say, there is no god but Allah, and you will find success.’ It is further recorded that no one in these markets would be seen accepting the Holy Prophet’s (sa) message, yet the Holy Prophet (sa) would not become discouraged but would instead remain undeterred and continued preaching the message of One God.
His Holiness (aba) said that while the disbelievers sought to stop the Holy Prophet (sa) from preaching his message, they also inflicted unspeakable cruelties upon those who accepted his message. For example, after Hazrat Bilal (ra) accepted Islam, he was frequently tortured. When these cruelties would reach an extreme, he would call out, ‘Ahad, Ahad’, meaning ‘God is One, God is One!’ He continued repeating this when he would be made to lie on the burning sand and told to praise the Makkan idols.
His Holiness (aba) said in the midst of it all, no one faced greater difficulty than the Holy Prophet (sa). From being called a liar, to being suffocated and choked, having stones thrown at him and filth flung upon him.
His Zeal for Responding to Claims Against the Unity of God
His Holiness (aba) said that even during battles, the Holy Prophet (sa) maintained and upheld the unity of God. There is the famous incident from the Battle of Uhud, when Abu Sufyan was calling out saying that the Holy Prophet (sa), Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Hazrat Umar (ra) had been killed. As he proclaimed this, the Holy Prophet (sa) instructed his companions to remain silent. Then, Abu Sufyan went on to raise slogans with the names of the Makkan idols. This was unbearable for the Holy Prophet (sa) and so at that point he instructed his companions to respond by saying that Allah is the most High, the Most Magnificent and that there was no helper except Allah.
His Holiness (aba) quoted the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) who writes:
‘I always wonder how high was the status of this Arabian Prophet, whose name was Muhammad, (thousands of blessings and peace be upon him). One cannot reach the limit of his high status and it is not given to man to estimate correctly his spiritual effectiveness. It is a pity that his rank has not been recognised, as it should have been. He was the champion who restored to the world the unity of God which had disappeared from the world; he loved God in the extreme and his soul melted out of sympathy for mankind. Therefore, God, Who knew the secret of his heart, exalted him above all the Prophets and all the first ones and the last ones and bestowed upon him in his lifetime all that he desired. He is the fountainhead of every grace and a person who claims any superiority without acknowledging his grace is not a man but is the spawn of Satan, because the Holy Prophet (sa) has been bestowed the key to every exaltation, and he has been given the treasury of every understanding.
He who does not receive through him is deprived forever. I am nothing and possess nothing. I would be most ungrateful if I were not to confess that I have learnt of the true unity of God through this Prophet. The recognition of the Living God we have achieved through this perfect Prophet and through his light. The honour of converse with God, through which we behold His countenance, has been bestowed upon me through this great Prophet. The ray of this sun of guidance falls like sunshine upon me and I continue illumined only so long as I am adjusted towards it.’ (The Essence of Islam – Vol. I, pp. 197-198)
His Holiness (aba) further quoted the Promised Messiah (as) who writes:
‘It is a false and stinking notion that belief in the unity of God can be achieved otherwise than through the Holy Prophet (sa); nor can man achieve salvation without it. How can there be faith in the unity of God unless there is perfect certainty with regard to His existence? Be sure, therefore, that belief in the unity of God can be achieved only through a Prophet, as our Holy Prophet (sa) convinced the atheists and pagans of Arabia of the existence of God Almighty by showing them thousands of heavenly signs. Up till today, the true and perfect followers of the Holy Prophet (sa) present those signs to the atheists. The truth is that till a person observes the living powers of the Living God, Satan does not depart from his heart, nor does true unity enter into it, nor can he believe with certainty in the existence of God. This holy and perfect unity is appreciated only through the Holy Prophet (sa).’ (The Essence of Islam – Vol. I, pp. 39-41)
His Holiness (aba) said that today, we see that people in the world, even Muslims, end up becoming atheists because they do not pay attention enough to the teachings of the Holy Prophet (sa). They only rely on their own intellect, which, in its flawed nature, cannot encompass the knowledge of God. Without pondering and implementing the teachings of the Holy Prophet (sa), it is impossible to truly understand the unity of God.
His Holiness (aba) said that we must strive to find the true unity of God and develop our faith to the extent that we are prepared to offer the required sacrifices. We should develop true love for the Holy Prophet (sa). In this era, God sent the true and ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (sa) in the form of the Promised Messiah (as) to carry forth the message of God’s unity, which was brought by the Holy Prophet (sa). Having pledged allegiance to the Promised Messiah (as), it is our duty to do justice to this mission and pray for its fulfilment.
The Need for Upholding Unity Today
His Holiness (aba) said that, particularly during the remaining days of Ramadan, we should especially pray that we are at the forefront of establishing and upholding the unity of God. His Holiness (aba) prayed that may Allah enable everyone to do so.
His Holiness (aba) urged prayers for the Muslim world, that they too may truly understand the Unity of God and act in accordance to it. It is only then that they will be saved, and only then that they will be protected against the onslaughts of the enemy and the Antichrist.
Funeral Prayer
His Holiness (aba) said that he would lead the funeral prayer in absentia of the following member:
Zikrullah Tayo Ayyuba
Zikrullah Tayo Ayyuba who was a missionary and recently passed away. He was from Nigeria. He accepted Ahmadiyyat after seeing a dream. After completing his studies, he served as a missionary in various parts of Nigeria, where he served until his demise. He also obtained a postgraduate degree in journalism. He served for some time as the National Vice-President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Nigeria. He served as the Principal of Jamiah al-Mubashireen. He was a great sportsman; however, he never allowed this to hinder his worship. He was also a very good writer, an expert linguist and a poet.
He is survived by his wife, three sons and five daughters. His youngest son Abdul Mujeeb is currently serving as a missionary in Nigeria and also serves as the coordinator for The Review of Religions in Nigeria. Zikrullah Tayo Ayyuba possessed high moral qualities, was given to service and was always prepared to do whatever was required with complete devotion and sincerity. He always advised his students never to present excuses for not doing work. He enjoined implementing the directives of the Caliph. He always set his own example first, which would leave a profound impression on his students. His Holiness (aba) attested to having seen his great sincerity and humility. His Holiness (aba) prayed that may Allah grant the deceased forgiveness and mercy and elevate his station.