by A. Abdul Aziz

(Given below is an excerpt of the Friday Sermon delivered by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, on 21 March, 2025, gave a discourse on ‘True Significance of the Promised Messiah Day’

After reciting first part of the sermon with first chapter of Holy Qurán (Surah al-Fatihah), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper) said that in two days, it will be 23 March, a date which holds special significance in the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. This is because on 23 March 1889, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be on him, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Promised Messiah, took the first pledge of allegiance, thus initiating the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

His Holinesssaid that the advent of the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, was in accordance with the promises of the God Almighty and the prophecies of Prophet of Islam Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. At the time of his advent, the ship of Islam was in tumultuous waters. Even today, from a religious, political and worldly sense, the Muslim world is in a pitiable state. Despite having wealth, they do not bear importance and dignity. The Promised Messiahhad great pain in his heart for the sake of Islam. There was no one at the time to defend Islam against the onslaughts, especially by the Christians. Many Muslims were abandoning their faith and leaving for Christianity. At that time, it was none other than Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian who stood like a soldier for the defense of Islam against all attacks.

Defending Islam Against the Onslaughts

Ahmadiyya Khalifa said that even before taking the pledge of allegiance from others, the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be on him, penned a magnificent work titled Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, which became quite renowned. It initially comprised four volumes in which he provided irrefutable responses to the opponents of Islam. These volumes were written in 1880, 1882 and 1884. He proved the Holy Qur’an to be the Word of God, to be unmatched, and he provided irrefutable evidence for the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In fact, he gave a challenge and said that if someone could provide even a third or fourth of the arguments he presented to refute him, then he would give them 10,000 rupees as a reward – a large sum at the time. Effectively, Ahmadiyya Founder the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, proved the truthfulness of Islam.

Ahmadiyya Khalifa said: at that time there were those who requested Promised Messiah that he accept their pledge of allegiance, however he replied saying that he had not been instructed by God to do so at that time. Later, when he was commanded by God, then he accepted the pledge of allegiance. Later, God also told Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , the Promised Messiahto announce that he was the Promised Messiah and Mahdi.

His Holiness said that before accepting the pledge of allegiance, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be on him, published an announcement titled Tabligh in which he said,

‘Another message that I wish to convey to the people at large, and to my Muslim brothers in particular, is that I have been commanded to receive an oath of allegiance (Bai‘at) from seekers after truth who wish to acquire true faith and purity, and yearn to find the path to Allah’s love, and want to give up their foul, slothful and false existence. Whosoever finds in himself the willingness to do this must come to me. I will be their comforter and will do my best to ease their burden. God will bless them through my prayers and my attention, provided they are ready heart and soul to abide by His conditions. This is a Divine command which I have hereby conveyed. The actual words of the revelation in Arabic are as follows:

[Translation] When thou hast determined a matter then trust in Allah and build the Ark under Our eyes and according to Our instructions. Those who enter into covenant with thee enter into a covenant with Allah. Allah’s Hand is above their hands.”’

Celestial Signs of His Truthfulness

Ahmadiyya Supreme Head said that thereafter, God manifested many worldly and heavenly signs. One of those signs was of the solar and lunar eclipse, which the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had identified as a sign for his Mahdi – the manifesting of a solar and lunar eclipse in the month of Ramadan. His Holinessnoted that during this Ramadan as well, a lunar eclipse (which has already happened) and a solar eclipse will happen on the same days. However, this cannot be regarded as having the same veracity, as the eclipses at the time of the Promised Messiah took place in both the East and the West, whereas the eclipses happening now are manifesting mostly in the West.

Announcement of the Ten Conditions of Bai’at

His Holiness continued to say that on 12 January 1889, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadannounced the ten conditions of allegiance, which every person entering into the allegiance of the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, must fulfil and adhere to. These include avoiding associating partners with God (Shirk), abstaining from falsehood, fornication, debauchery, injustice, rebellion etc., not succumbing to one’s’ passions, giving full attention to the offering of prayers, offering pre-dawn voluntary prayers (tahajjud), seeking forgiveness, avoiding harming others, remaining loyal to God and content with His will, adhering to the commandments of the Holy Qur’an. These conditions also call for humility, generosity, meekness, and kindness while avoiding pride and haughtiness, giving precedence to faith over one’s own wealth and life and serving the faith. Furthermore, it is a pledge to honour this vow to the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, until one’s last breath and adhering to the teachings of the Promised Messiah, which are all in accordance with the Shari’ah or law of Islam as taught by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

True Love & Devotion to the Holy Prophet (PBUH)

Ahmadiyya Khalifa said that today, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community pledges allegiance to the same conditions and strives to spread the true message of Islam Ahmadiyyat to the world while establishing and maintaining true love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

His Holiness said that Ahmadiyya Founder, the Promised Messiah’slove for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) can be seen through the following excerpt:

‘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 has been bestowed the key to every exaltation and he has been given the treasury of every understanding.’

His Holiness^(aba) said that in a similar manner, the Promised Messiah^(as) has expressed his love and devotion to the Holy Prophet^(sa) on numerous occasions. For example, at another instance, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^(as) said:

‘The man who in his being and his attributes and his actions and through his spiritual and holy faculties set an example of perfection, in knowledge and action and in sincerity and steadfastness, and was called the perfect man was Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]…The man who was most perfect as man and as Prophet, and came with full blessings, and who through a spiritual revival and resurrection manifested the first Judgement in the world and revived the dead world, that blessed Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets, the leader of the righteous ones, the pride of the Prophets, was Muhammad, the Chosen One [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]. Our Lord, send down on that beloved Prophet that mercy and blessing that Thou hast not sent down on anyone since the beginning of the world.’

His Holiness said that this is a glimpse into the love that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^(as) had for the Holy Prophet^(sa), as a result of which he was commissioned by God as the Promised Messiah and Mahdi tasked with the revival of Islam in the latter days as promised by God.

A Reflection of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)

Ahmadiyya Khalifa said that the Promised Messiah^, peace be on him, said to those who pledged allegiance to him that they should bear in mind that God said those who pledge allegiance to the Promised Messiah would resemble the companions of the Holy Prophet(PBUH), and so their examples must be adopted. The Promised Messiah, peace be on him, explained:

‘Reflect over the sacrifices made by the companions of our Perfect Guide, for the sake of their God and Messenger. They were exiled, persecuted, made to bear all sorts of misfortune and gave their lives. However, they continued to advance with sincerity and devotion. So what was it that made them so truly devoted? It was the ray of the fervour of that true divine love which had penetrated their hearts. Therefore, no matter which Prophet one compares him to, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) cannot be matched, whether it be with respect of his teaching, his purification of souls, turning the hearts of his followers cold to the world, or valiantly sacrificing blood for the sake of truth. This is the rank of the companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

His Holiness further quoted the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, who states:

‘God says that the people who will accompany the Promised Messiah would stand shoulder to shoulder with the companions. The companions were those who sacrificed their wealth and homeland in the way of truth. They abandoned everything………………”

Establishing the Superiority of Islam

Ahmadiyya Supreme Head said that God was to send the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, to combat the disorders of the time and establish the superiority of Islam. It was thus in the narrations of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the coming Messiah and Mahdi was called the ‘breaker of the cross’. Christianity was at its strength at the time and Muslims were also going over to Christianity. It was to combat this that God sent the Promised Messiah.

Appeal for Prayers

His Holiness Ahmadiyya Khalifa in conclusion urged prayers for the Muslim world in general, that Allah may grant them wisdom and understanding, improve their conditions and have mercy on them.

His Holinessadded that a new wave of injustices against Palestinians has begun. May Allah the Almighty protect them against this cruelty and have mercy on them.

Source: www.alislam.org

Full text of the Sermon (English) the link of which:

https://www.alislam.org/friday-sermon/2025-03-21.html

(Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaát was established in the year 1889, March 23, in Qadian (Punjab, India) by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Imaam-al-Mahdi, under Divine Command. To mark the Ahmadiyya Founder’s Day – (Promised Messiah Day), special events are held today in all Chapters of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Sri Lanka.)