by A. Abdul Aziz.

(Given below is an excerpt of the Eid-ul-Fitr Sermon delivered by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, on 22 April 2023, at ‘Masjid Mubarak’, Islamabad, Tilford, U.K. gave a discourse on  Serve humanity to attain Islam’s true Eid: 

His Holiness, after led congregation in Eid-ul-Fitr prayer the Eid-ul-Fitr prayer, recited the tashahud, ta‘awuz, Surah al-Fatihah and verse 37 of Surah an-Nisa in the Holy Qur’an – the translation of which:

 And worship Allah and associate naught with Him, and show kindness to parents, and to kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and to the neighbour that is a kinsman and the neighbour that is a stranger, and the companion by your side, and the wayfarer, and those whom your right hands possess. Surely, Allah loves not the proud and the boastful,”

Ahmadiyya Khalifa (may Allah strengthen his hands) said that it is Allah’s grace that He enabled us to pass through another Ramadan. There would be plenty of people whom Allah granted the opportunity to worship Him and who saw the graces of Allah. Therefore, it is a great mercy of Allah that he enabled lots of us to fulfil the rights of Allah and His creation in a better man in these 30 days.”

While celebrating Eid, we should vow to continue the goodness of Ramadan for the rest of the year as well. We should try to establish our standards of worship as Allah wants us to and as Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad – Promised Messiah^, peace be on him, described.

While fulfilling Allah’s rights we should also fulfil the rights of humanity as Allah has instructed us. A society that fulfils the rights of Allah’s creation along with His rights is a society which is heavenly and that brings true happiness. Thus, everyone should try to establish this so that Eid’s true happiness reaches us throughout the year

Ahmadiyya Supreme Head said he would focus his Eid sermon on fulfilling the rights of Allah’s creation. The happiness of Eid and its celebration should not make us forget the rights we owe to Allah – we must keep our Hereafter in mind. This worldly life is not our ultimate purpose. When we act upon this, we will be granted the life which is a true life and from which we will gain Allah’s pleasure.

Concerning the rights we owe to Allah’s creation, the Quran says that if one does not fulfil these rights they are arrogant. 

Allah says in the Holy Qur’an verse recited in the beginning, that after abstaining from shirk (associate partner with Allah) and after fulfilling the rights of Allah’s worship, the most important right we must fulfil is that towards our parents. We should not think our service to our parents is some kind of repayment to them. No matter what, we must not even express our annoyance towards our parents. We are in debt to our parents. We must treat them with kindness and obey them, however, with regard to religion if they differ then we can part ways in terms of religion. 

Allah taught us this supplication for our parents:

‘My Lord, have mercy on them even as they nourished me in my childhood.’” (Holy Qur’an: Ch.17: V.25)

When one keeps this prayer in mind, one will be able to recall all the services our parents gave us. 

Ahmadiyya Khalifa said some men may stop their wives from serving their parents and some women may believe that after marriage their responsibilities towards their parents have diminished. However, it is incumbent upon women to serve their parents even after marriage. Where they help their in-laws they should also continue helping their parents and serving them. We should help and serve all our familial relations. 

Ahmadiyya Khalifa emphasized  I would like to make it clear to those husbands who stop their wives from serving their parents – lots of complaints come in this regard – and those wives who stop their husbands serving their parents, that both should rectify their ways.” 

Allah instructs us in the Quran to be kind and considerate towards our family relations. The Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that the one who desires worldly wealth sustenance, or wants to have a long life, or desires others to remember him in a positive manner, should take care of family relations. Thus, this secret to worldly blessings is given to us by the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said that even if our family does not respond in a good manner to our good dealing with them, we will still have the upper hand if we continue our good manners and morals towards them despite their reaction.

The Holy Prophet(PBUH) said we should take great care of orphans and include them within our society. The Prophet said the one who takes care of an orphan will be as close to me as these two fingers” and the prophet displayed his fingers together. By Allah’s grace, we have a special fund for orphans called the Yatama Fund. His Holiness said people give to orphans during Ramadan but we should also spend for orphans on Eid as well. 

The Prophet (pbuh) said If you desire for your heart to be softened then give food to the needy and put your hand upon the head of the orphans.” 

Ahmadiyya Head said that for our spiritual progress, we must take care of the orphans and the needy – this certainly did require hard work and spending even out of the little we have. By reducing our spending and using that money to spend on the needy and the orphans we will certainly gain Allah’s grace. Those who are financially able and affluent should give more. 

Allah says true believers are those who spend on the needy and the orphans by sacrificing their own wealth and with a great desire to serve them. 

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Community n Islam –  The Promised Messiah, peace be on him, said that Ahmadis should show compassion to everyone, no matter their religion. This service to humanity should be without any blemish of arrogance. It should be solely for Allah’s pleasure and for His sake. The Quran says true believers ask for no reward from the poor (after giving to them) and neither do they ask for their names to be promoted. 

Ahmadiyya Head said, Allah states we should be kind to our neighbours, whether we know them or not. 

 Thus, on the day of Eid, giving gifts to neighbours – or even meeting them in a cordial manner – creates such a society that is full of peace. And in a non-Muslim society, if we have such good relationships with our neighbours, then the propagation of Islam will be carried out as well” and people will see the true picture of Islam. This deed will be a goodness that affects the wider society and is of great merit. 

Ahmadiyya Khalifa said we must create a beautiful society amongst ourselves too – in business, in family and in all other aspects of our lives. For Allah’s sake, we must continue our family relationships and be good neighbours to all. 

Allah says we must also take care of those who work under us. No injustice or display of arrogance should be shown towards them. 

Ahmadiyya Supreme Head said: True worshipers are those who fulfil the rights of humanity along with the rights of Allah. They should not only fight for their own rights but have a passion to fight for the rights of others too.”

If we understand this teaching of Allah the Almighty then we will give true happiness to our existence. Our Eids will not be fleeting – rather, every day will be an Eid for us. If we do not fulfil the rights of humanity then we should keep in mind that Allah calls such people arrogant and boastful and Allah despises such people. 

Ahmadiyya Khalifa prayed that may Allah always enable us to always rectify ourselves, may we always fulfil the rights of each other according to the teaching of Allah, may we overlook all our internal disputes and move towards peace, may we make every second of our life according to the true Eid. May Allah make this Eid a great blessing for everyone.

His Holiness Ahmadiyya Khalifa led a silent prayer at the end.

Source: www.alislam.org