Tabligh Instructional Guide

“Advance with joy, happiness, faith and conviction. The flame of Tabligh, which my Lord God has kindled in my heart, has now fired up thousands of hearts. Don’t let it die down. Swear by God that you will not extinguish it. Guard this sacred trust. I swear by God of Power that if you will guard this light, I assure you that God will never let it be put down. This flame will rise higher and higher. It will grow and spread and light one heart after the other till it encompasses the whole earth. That will be the time when it will transform all the darkness into shining light” (August 12th, 1983).

Importance of Tabligh

“O Messenger! convey to the people what has been revealed to thee from thy Lord; and if thou do it not, thou has not conveyed His Message. And Allah will protect thee from men. Surely Allah guides not the disbelieving people” (Surah Al–Maidah, 68).

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“Surely, it is for US to guide” (Surah Al–Lail, 13).

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“Most, surely, we help Our Messengers and those who believe, both in the present life and on the day when the witnesses will stand forth” (Surah Al–Mu’min, 52).

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“And keep on exhorting; for, verily, exhortation benefits those who would believe” (Surah Al–Dhariyat, 56).

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“So keep on admonishing people. Surely, admonition is, indeed, profitable” (Surah Al–A’ala, 10).

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“With clear Signs and Scriptures. And We have sent down to thee the Reminder that thou mayest explain to mankind that which has been sent down to them, and that they may reflect” (Surah Al–Nahl, 45).

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“And when a party among them said to another party, ‘Why do you admonish a people whom Allah is going to destroy or punish with a severe punishment?’ They said, ‘In order to be absolved from blame before your Lord and that they may turn to righteousness’” (Surah Al–A’raf, 165).

This verse shows that it is incumbent upon us to inform everyone we possibly can of

Islam & Ahmadiyyat and should not be concerned afterward. Our duty is to convey the message and then leave it up to God, “There is no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong” (Surah Al–Baqarah, 257). So either our preaching will cause a significant change in the person or we will have at least done our job of conveying the message.

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“And Allah calls to the abode of peace, and guides whom He pleases to the straight path. For those who do good deeds, there shall be the best reward and yet more blessings. And neither darkness nor ignominy shall cover their

faces. It is these who are the inmates of Heaven; therein shall they abide” (Surah Yunus, 26–27).

“Therefore, here is the promise of great reward for Da’i Ilallah because the whole subject concerns

them … Allah says that He will take their capabilities to their limits who will try to create beauty for the sake of God and will do Ihsan to others with their beauty. When it will reach its zenith, then He will send Nur of His Beauty on them which has no limits” (November 15th, 1996).

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“In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. By the Time, Surely, man is ever in a state of loss, Except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and exhort one another to preach Truth, and exhort one another to be steadfast” (Surah Al–Asr, 1-4).

“Khasira” from v.3 means one was ruined and “Al Insana” is referring to the men

in (17:12, 18:55, 36:78, 70:20) – those who are hasty, contentious, quarrelling, and impatient. It is this age that has become the literal manifestation of this Surah. It is established thus, that those who defy God’s Law, whether it be spiritual or physical, shall be ruined as (40:22) bears evidence to this (along with the annals of history).

From this Surah we see that one cannot make a change in society unless one changes

the environment which pervades the society – this is done by adopting good ways and moreover by not being content with this stage, but rather to preach these same ideals to others with truth and patience. Preach with patience to be patient, and with truth to be true.

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It is related by Hazrat Abu Qatadah (ra) that the Messenger of Allah said, “That there are three good things that a man can leave behind him … and the 3rd, some knowledge on which posterity keeps on acting” (Ibn Majah Babb Sawab Mu’allam al Nas).

“By Allah! If Allah helps you to guide a person to truth, it is better for you than (the most precious)

red camel (i.e. the best investment)” (Bukhari).

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“He who does not in actual fact give his faith preference over the worldly things, is not of my

community…A person who does not show punctuality in his five daily prayers is not of my community. One who does not show constancy in praying and does not remember God in humility, is not of my community” (Kashti Nuh Excerpt).

“It is indeed very difficult to give preference to religion over worldly affairs … Blessed is he who gives

preference to religion over worldly affairs, for God will also give him preference over others” (Malfoozat).

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“…There is no offering more delightful and affectionate to me than that an Ahmadi…writes to me with the prayers that by the Grace of Almighty God he has joined the category of those who call to Almighty Allah and whose deeds are virtuous” (January 1st, 1983).

“From today, let every Ahmadi decide that while he will earn a living, where he is, he will give

preference to Dawat Ilallah … From today onwards, every Ahmadi … will always keep in mind that his purpose … is to call people to Allah and every moment of his life he will appreciate that he lives for the sake of God and for calling people to God …I warn Ahmadi’s all over the world that from today on, everyone will have to become a missionary. If every Ahmadi becomes a caller to Allah the promised supremacy of Islam can set in very soon” (January 28th, 1983).

“It is you alone who have to grant life instead of death to the world. If you will

neglect, the people who have to die will die and will be wandering in the dark … O servants of Muhammad (saw) and lovers of his faith, discard everything else and realize that everyone of you is a missionary and will be accountable to God. Whatever your occupation…your first obligation is to call the world to Muhammad … and change their darkness’ into light and bestow life to their death. May Allah will that it be so” (February 25th, 1983).

“A Da’i Ilallah is he who is steadfast all his life. Once he makes up his mind, he stays with his

promise till his last breath” (March 11th, 1983).

“The planning order is that you have the object of converting the entire country to be Muslim within the next 20 or 25 years. That is the maximum time available to us before imminent catastrophe of World War III” (Address to Majlis Shura, Spain 1983).

“This slow style of advance, I do not like it at all…step emphatically, walk bare chested with the

head held high and conquer new forts. You are Allah’s generals…Nations have been placed in your charge. You have been made the leaders to the nations. Just realize your office as to who you are and then see, your condition will get transformed. While offering prayers, realize your responsibilities” (October 4th, 1985).

“It is a must for every Ahmadi to become Da’i Ilallah and embark on the task of preaching

Islam with full determination, trust in Allah, and earnest prayers. I am not prepared to tolerate any slackness in this respect. Such opportunities are not presented again and again in the lives of the

nations. This is the time for treading in the footsteps of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (saw), peace be on them all” (Message to 1985 Jalsa Salana Surinam).

“Every evening before gong to bed, make it a point of duty to do self-reckoning to assess the amount

of effort made that day in conveying the Message of Allah” (Message to 1985 Jalsa Salana Sweden).

“If an Ahmadi is not getting any fruits of his effort he should be full of worry as to why he is not

getting any fruit … Increase your efforts to the point of madness. Every Ahmadi should keep on searching in his heart as to how many Ahmadi’s he has made … All Ahmadi’s all over the world should inculcate this craving in themselves” (January 30th, 1987).

“…Without preaching you cannot retain your good traditions and guard over your values. You

will die out if you do not preach” (Address to 1st International Tabligh Conference, UK July 30th, 1987).

“Tabligh is not an optional obligation. His spiritual personality will not be complete without tabligh … It is so important that Allah addressing the Holy Prophet (saw) says that if he did not perform this duty, it will mean that he has wasted the office of the prophethood … Therefore, beware that you are the devotees of Sayyid-ul-Ma’sumin. People would like to see in you also the hue of purity. Do not exhibit any carelessness, idiocy or any fault that you give chance to the opponent that due to that reason, they persecute you, and oppose you due to your fault. Therefore, it is we who are to call and we are obliged to carry it out…You should adopt the ways of the Holy Prophet (saw). Therefore, he who fulfills these two conditions, whether he is an individual or a community, will remain immune from the mischief of the people … This is my wish day and night … Today the most important responsibility of the Community is to convey the message of God to others … Each one of us must become a Da’i Ilallah, and an effective Da’i Ilallah and we must not rest until the grace of God gives us fruits of this effort” (August 28th, 1987).

“If you want to be the friends of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) then Dawat Ilallah is

incumbent on everyone of you … Any Ahmadi who works on Dawat Ilallah anywhere, is mentioned in the Book of God” (November 6th, 1987).

“I expect from each Ahmadi that he should get involved in Tabligh and should grow a crop of

his own and seek spiritual fruits” (November 11th, 1987).

“While there are many good qualities in the US Jamaat, there is a sad weakness…in its Tabligh activities” (US Jalsa Salana 1987).

“I give glad tidings to all Da’i Ilallah that when they make someone alive, God will grant another life for them and it is such an ongoing reward that it can never end. To be deprived of this is to waste your life” (February 28th, 1992).

“Everyone who understands the task of Dawat Ilallah and does full justice to it, he has the capacity to become a Wali” (March 13th, 1992).

Importance of Prayer

“Of Him do beg all that are in the heavens and the earth. Everyday He reveals himself in a different state” (Surah Al-Rahman, 30).

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“Watch over prayers, and particularly the middle Prayer, and stand before Allah submissively” (Surah Al–Baqarah, 239).

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“And remember when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, show me how Thou givest life to the dead.’ God said, ‘Dost thou not believe?’ Abraham said, ‘Yes, but I ask this that my heart may be at ease.’ God answered, ‘Take four birds and make them attached to thee. Then put each of them on a hill; then call them; they will come to thee in haste.’ And know that Allah is Mighty and Wise” (Surah Al–Baqarah, 261).

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“And when My servants ask thee about Me, say ‘I am near. I answer the

prayer of the supplicant when he prays to Me. So they should hearken to Me and believe in Me, that they may follow the right way’” (Surah Al–Baqarah, 187).

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“And of them there are some who say, ‘Our Lord grant us good in this world as well as good in the world to come, and save us from the torment of the fire’” (Surah Al–Baqarah, 202).

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“And say, ‘O my Lord, make my entry a good entry and make me go forth a good going forth. And grant me from thyself a helping power’” (Surah Bani–Israel, 81).

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“Successful indeed are the believers, Who are humble in their Prayers” (Surah Al–Muminun, 2-3).

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And who are strict in the observance of their Prayers. These are the heirs, Who will inherit Paradise. They will abide therein for ever (Surah Al–Muminun, 10-12).

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“And during a part of the night wake up for its recitation - a supererogatory service for thee. It may be that thy Lord will raise thee to an exalted station” (Surah Bani–Israel, 80).

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“Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation and argue with them in a way that is best. Surely, thy Lord knows best who has strayed from His way; and He also knows those who are rightly guided. And if you decide to punish the oppressors, then punish them to the extent to which you have been wronged; but if you show patience then, surely, that is best for those who are patient. And, O Prophet, endure thou with patience; and verily thy patience is possible only with the help of Allah. And grieve not for them, nor feel distressed because of their evil designs. Verily, Allah is with those who are righteous and those who do good” (Surah Al–Nahl, 126–129).

The Quran states to invite with wisdom, so the 1st step is prayer which requires patience & steadfastness:

“If you do not irrigate your crop, it will bear no fruit. There are two ways of irrigation. One is the water of your knowledge, you impart in this world. But the real harvest is when it receives the heavenly water. If you will irrigate your crop with merely your own water of knowledge, it will not bring out blessed fruit. Therefore, prayers are essential and you will have to shed tears in front of God Almighty. Seek help from Him. It is the tears of a believer which bring torrents of blessings. Therefore, Hikma was mentioned first and then good word is mentioned. Good word is clear, true and pious advice which has a pull. It has nothing to do with any sectarian difference. It comes direct from heart and goes straight to heart. Therefore, arguments come later, but begin with a good word. First, tell the people that you have sympathy for them. They are ruining themselves. The society is being destroyed. Think, why it is being destroyed. Tell them that divine people come and after delivering their message depart. Give them the message that a caller has come and it is better for them to accept that divine caller. This is the reason that the Holy Quran advises not to hurry. Begin with Hikma so that people should know that you are truthful and their sympathizer. They should realize that you are not interested only in yourself, but are interested in them as well” (February 25th, 1983).

“At such a time remember the prayer, ‘My Lord, show me how Thou givest life to the

dead’” (Surah Al–Baqarah, 261) (April 5th, 1996).

Commenting on (Surah Anfal, 46 –47) Huzoor (rh) states, “Firstly, the secret of perseverance is in Zikri Ilahi (remembrance of Allah) … The second secret of perseverance, unity, and strength is to ‘obey Allah and His Messenger’” (Friday Sermon July 28th, 1995).

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Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) relates: “I heard Allah's Apostle saying, ‘If there was a river at the

door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day would you notice any dirt on him?’ They said, ‘Not a trace of dirt would be left.’ The Prophet added, ‘That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out (annuls) evil deeds’ (Bukhari 1:506).

“O My Allah, Who controls all hearts, keep my heart steadfastly on your Deen” (Hadith).

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“…it should be well remembered that those worshippers have been cursed in the Holy Quran who

are ignorant of its reality and are miserly with their brothers. Namaaz in reality is a solicitation to God that He protect us from all kinds of immorality and wickedness … Many are a witness that often one wants to shake off a vice but in spite of his vigorous efforts, it sticks and does not leave … This proves that to purge sin is only the work of God. But this is also true that to strive is one’s duty … With Namaaz, his vices are purged and clean sentiments are given to him. This is the secret when it is said that Namaaz restrains from indecency and manifest evil” (Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as)).

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“Every Ahmadi must begin the task of Dawat Ilallah with serious prayers and make it compulsory

for himself to pray all the five times. He should entreat God to give him the capacity to fulfill his responsibilities and become a Da’i Ilallah in the eyes of God … Every Ahmadi must start praying very seriously that ‘O God, grant us strength that we may fulfill our responsibilities to become Da‘i–ilallah in Your sight. Our Lord! Grant strength to the people also that they may listen to our message. Their hearts should become soft and their intellect may become straight and they may start believing in Your Name. Along with that also pray that He may grant the new entrants that they remain steadfast even in gales of opposition. O God grant them Your mercy, blessings and love so they may become models for others to follow’” (March 4th, 1983).

“It is prayer and prayer alone which is all the more necessary for success in preaching than

knowledge. In all phases of our lives, in difficulties and needs, prayer proves to be our main support. Impossibilities turn into possibilities and it is through prayers that our actions are blessed and the helpless and the weak become powerful and achieve successes” (Message to 1985 Jalsa Salana Malaysia).

“You should make it a habit to observe prayer at each stage of preaching…You have been created

with the sole purpose of conquering nations with love, compassion and prayers for those nations … If you will do so, the condition of the Jamaat will be revolutionized. You will get new life and fresh spirituality” (August 28th, 1987).

“Allah the Exalted informed our beloved Master, the Holy Prophet (saw) that, ‘I deal with each of

My servants in accordance with what he expects from Me.’ In this regard I want to express my dissatisfaction with the USA Jamaat. They do not show high resolve and determination in their aims and objectives … Blessed be those who are endeavoring to fulfill the objectives of the Promised Messiah (as) in accordance with the Will of Allah … To fulfill this obligation, you do not require much knowledge, but you need an abundance of prayers. Prayers provide support during all needs and difficulties. All blessings are achieved through the path of prayers … May He grant you all the qualities which a caller towards Allah needs. May He crate in all of you an enthusiasm for calling towards Allah. May He grace you your prayers with acceptance” (Message to 42nd Jalsa Salana USA 1990).

“When efforts are carried to the extreme and with patience … it is impossible that his

prayers are not heard … If your prayers are not heard, there is a flaw in your prayers” (May 8th, 1992).

Surah Fatihah

“In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, The Gracious, the Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us in the right path, the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings, those who have not incurred Thy displeasure, and those who have not gone astray” (Surah Al – Fatihah, 1–7).

“A worshipper is not a worshipper in truth, according to the men of God, unless his character

reflects the attributes of the Gracious God … Rabubiyyat … should take its birth in the worshipper and in a similar way the attributes of Rahmaniyyat, Rahimiyyat, and Malikiyyate Yaumideen should be reflected in him” (Karamatus Sadiqeen, pp. 104–106).

The word Da'i Ilallah appears 3 times in the Quran but each time this reference is

in relation to the Holy Prophet (saw). This implies that if we are to excel in Da'i Ilallah, we must follow his example to the letter. In regards to the method of Tabligh employed by Prophet Muhammad (saw), we find that he was an embodiment of Surah Fatihah, the Mother of the Book, and so we should also employ the same methods to win converts to Ahmadiyyat.

“Lord of All the Worlds”

Rabubiyyat is that manifestation of Godly Grace which is the most universal grace,

to animate and inanimate alike. In this context, we can translate Rabubiyyat into our Tabligh by employing that which is inanimate towards the benefit of the animate – thus using Rabubiyyat for those who can benefit from Rahmaniyyat.

Hazrat Masih Maud (as) states, “The four attributes of God given in Surah Fatihah, the Holy

Prophet (saw) used them in Tabligh. For instance: the verse ‘We have sent you but as a mercy for the whole of mankind’ refers to the first attribute of Rabbul A’alameen.”

The above statement means that Prophet Muhammad (saw) uplifted his followers from nothing to a high stature, he also served the poor and provided for them – just like the Rabubiyyat of Allah manifests itself. Hazrat Masih Maud (as) states that Prophet Muhammad (saw) grew up in a state of extreme adversity and had no formal education nor any contact with the cultured from which to grow mentally or spiritually. Yet, due to his trust in Allah, he was granted the Tool by which unlimited growth can be attained, the Holy Quran and so life was created out of a state of nothingness. Similarly, if we shun the world and rely solely on Allah for help, our Tabligh will reap similar results.

“The Gracious”

Rahmaniyyat is that particular Grace of Allah which is bestowed upon the animate

world and particularly upon man without any preceding effort from the benefactor of this Grace. Man has been given the sun, moon, stars, air, etc. all at his disposal but without any effort on their part. Rahmaniyyat provides man with those faculties that are beyond his power to attain – similarly we must help those who are in need by bringing Islam & Ahmadiyyat to them. This is a blessing that has been placed above the power of many of them due to a number of factors outside of their control.

Tabligh has a very subtle relationship with Rahmaniyyat because while you preach,

the person who you are preaching to often returns your words of care with contempt, similar to the treatment meted out by these people to Allah, similar to the treatment meted out by these people to Prophet Muhammad (saw) who suffered in every possible manner but continued to return this evil with beneficence and grace – thus demonstrating his total absorption of Rahman. It was the character of Prophet Muhammad (saw), embedded in Rahmaniyyat, which caused Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) to believe in his prophethood without question – the very character of Prophet Muhammad (saw) was a source of Tabligh.

You will have to go 1 step beyond good morals of justice and Ihsan – Rahmaniyyat is

beyond these stages. Prophet Muhammad (saw) was made Rahmatul lil A’alameen as his mercy was universal – he won the hearts of the most hardened enemies who in turn became his devout servants and lovers. Similarly we must always be in search of the needy ones and of their needs. Huzoor (rh) states that Rahmaniyyat and good morals are the most important virtues for Tabligh; Huzoor (rh) also states, “This is also true that a man of good morals simultaneously becomes a man of God. The ultimate goal of religion is to teach divine morals to its followers” (June 22nd, 1990).

Based on (Surah Al – Mu’min, 56) we see that more important than knowledge and

talent is humility and patience – in this battle, the weak become powerful and the mighty are humbled, but one must show patience: “And seek help with patience and prayer, and this indeed is hard except for the humble in spirit,” (Surah Al–Baqarah, 46). Patience comes from believing in victory as a certainty, as certain as the Existence of Allah Himself. One must ask forgiveness for past sins and develop righteousness in you as it is righteousness which makes Tabligh effective. Always feel humble and believe that you have not embarked on this path of Da’i

Ilallah of your own merit, but purely due to Rahmaniyyat – this humility, coupled with righteousness, will make your Tabligh effective.

“The Merciful”

Rahimiyyat has been placed immediately after Rahmaniyyat in the Quran to stress

the natural order of the manifestation of these 2 Graces. Rahimiyyat means that particular Grace of God which has been bestowed upon man after he has made effort through employing that which was given to him to use – or in other words, employing the Rahmaniyyat of Allah to its fullest extent; moreover Rahimiyyat is only manifested on the believers.

Rahimiyyat is essential in Tabligh and can be demonstrated by a simple example

where after one sows a seed, he does not water it and tend to its every need, he will not bear any fruit – similar is the case with Tabligh contacts. This was the exact practice of Prophet Muhammad (saw) who would, after presenting Islam to a potential convert, would follow up his efforts with further explanation and finally with prayer.

“Master of the Day of Judgement”

Malikiyyat is the most special Grace and is the means by which the work done

under the manifestation of Rahimiyyat, the reward is dispensed through Malikiyyat. Malikiyyat does not manifest itself but when there is utter annihilation of any medium between man and God – thus in relation to Tabligh, when man manifests the attribute of Malikiyyat he becomes a personification of, “So when I fashioned him in perfection and have breath into him of My spirit, fall ye down in submission to him” (Surah Al–Hijr, 30).

Malikiyyat is truly manifested in the next world, when death overtakes man –

therefore, those who taste of Malikiyyat in this life have already tasted of a “death” and are in another realm. All of their deeds are for the pleasure of God and for the benefit of His creatures. This is the ultimate stage of Tabligh one can reach and was fully manifested in the sublime character of Prophet Muhammad (saw).

“Thee alone do we worship, Thee alone do we beseech for help”

One must note that this verse of the Quran is juxtaposed with Rabbul A’alameen,

implying that when we say “Thee alone do we worship, Thee alone do we beseech for help” we should realize that we are putting forth our efforts for the benefit of the entire universe and for the Lord of all the worlds.

“We worship thee takes precedence over, We implore only thy help for man approaches

God, the Supreme, in prayer after having involved all his faculties in the subject matter of prayer. It would be impertinent and insolent on his part to come to Him without using his faculties and without observing the requirements of the Law of nature” (Jalsa Salana Report 1897, p. 145).

“The task with which you have been entrusted is an onerous one, I should say it is beyond the power of man. It cannot be accomplished but with His help … Never entertain even for a moment the idea that you are capable of doing anything … Humiliate yourself before God whenever you meet an opponent. Banish the idea from your mind that you will answer him - nay, even assure yourself that you do not know anything. Forget all that you know; yet at the same time have a firm faith that God is with you and He will instruct you in all things. Pray to God and do not even for a moment entertain the idea that your adversary will get the better of you. Rest assured that you will be victorious. But at the same time keep in view the Divine independence and bear in mind that He does not stand in need of human help … Divine help is not extended to him who is over-awed by his enemy. So there should be neither pride nor boasting nor fear nor again perturbation of mind” (Advice to a Missionary by Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra)).

“Guide us along the straight path”

When reciting “Guide us on the right path” we acknowledge that we are praying

to that Being who is Al–Rahman, the one who extends His Grace to man, regardless of them being Muslim or not. This prayer of “Guide us on the right path” immediately follows “Thee alone do we implore for help,” thus indicating that we, nor the people we are praying for, cannot reach the right path unless we employ prayer – prayer is the necessary precursor to the attainment of the right path.

In light of (Surah Ha Mim Sajdah, 31-33), we see that Da’i Ilallah are those who

affirm Allah is our Lord are tried in many ways but nothing moves them from their position on the path they follow – that is why it is called the straight path, for being guided along which we have been taught the prayer, “Guide us along the straight path” (Surah Fatihah, 6). This has been immediately preceded by, “Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help” (Surah Fatihah, 5).

This indicates that after affirming “Our Lord is Allah,” one would necessarily be

confronted with difficulties and would need to be steadfast and pray to Allah – thus signifying the helplessness of man, and the total dependence on Allah Al–Ghani; we thus beseech to our Lord to Guide us on the straight path in this state of adversity and bestow your Rahmaniyyat and Rahimiyyat upon us as we our suffering only for You.

“The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings, those who have not

incurred Thy displeasure, and those who have not gone astray”

“The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings” is juxtaposed with Al–Rahim indicating that this blessing cannot be attained by any except the believers who bask in the pool of Rahimiyyat.. We are praying to be included among, “…the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous” (Surah Al–Nisa, 70). The rest of the verse is juxtaposed with Maliki Yaumideen indicating that these people, if not averted from their ways, will suffer accordingly. We must do our utmost to present the Message of Islam & Ahmadiyyat to these people and pray that they accept Prophet Muhammad (saw) as the Chief of the Prophets & Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) as the Promised Messiah.

“This verse propounds a supplication for the attainment of 4 kinds of excellences. If a person attains these 4 excellences, he will have performed the duty of prayer and of fellow-service and of having made worthy use of the faculties and talents he has been endowed with” (Al Hakam March 31st, 1905).

Hazrat Masih Maud (as) explains in Braheen-e-Ahmadiyya that Surah Fatihah has

also been named Saba’ (seven) indicating, among other things, that each verse reflects a millennium in the cycle of existence – and the last being the heaviest in error. Also, as the last verse is an indication of the Jews and Christians, who have incurred God’s displeasure and have gone astray respectively, it is these 2 powers who will be in power in the Latter Day, when the Messiah will come to establish the truth of Islam. It is to these 2 people that we must become as close as we can to the manifestation of Malikiyyat as possible so that we can overcome all existing obstacles.

Method of Tabligh

“And who is better in speech than he who invites men to Allah and does

righteous deeds and says, ‘I am, surely, of those who submit?’ And good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with that which is best. And lo, he, between whom and thyself was enmity, will become as though he were a warm friend. But none is granted it save those who are steadfast; and none is granted it save those who possess a large share of good” (Surah Ha Mim Al–Sajdah, 34–36).

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“And argue not with the people of the Book except with what is best as an argument, but argue not at all with such of them as are unjust. And say, ‘We believe in that which has been revealed to us and that which has been revealed to you; and our God and your God is One, and to Him we submit’” (Surah Al–Ankabut, 47).

“Say, ‘O people of the Book! come to a word equal between us and you - that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partner with Him, and that some of us take not others for Lords beside Allah.’ But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we have submitted to God’” (Surah Al–Imran, 65).

In avoiding controversy in religious discussion, we should first stress those beliefs

which are common amongst us and our opponent. Here, we have been told that when doing Tabligh with the Jews and Christians we should start with 2 basic and shared principles – the Unity of God & Divine Revelation. Islam states God reveals Himself to man in every age, “…and there is no people to whom a Warner has not been sent” (Surah Al–Fatir, 25), whereas the followers of other religions claim to have the exclusive privilege, “The Jews and the Christians say, ‘We are the sons of Allah and His beloved ones’” (Surah Al–Maidah, 19).

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“Moses said, ‘My Lord, expand for me my breast; ‘And make my task easy for me; ‘And loose the knot from my tongue, ‘That they may understand my speech; ‘And grant me an assistant from my family’” (Surah Ta Ha, 26–30).

Here it is shown that what is needed for successful preaching is: 1) Zeal &

enthusiasm (Surah Ta Ha, 26) 2) Teachings should be easily comprehensible (Surah Ta Ha, 27) 3) Being a good speaker (Surah Ta Ha, 28) 4) Always looking for opportunity to preach (Surah Ta Ha, 29) 5) Have a good companion to share the burden of Tabligh with (Surah Ta Ha, 30).

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“Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation and argue with them in a way that is best. Surely, thy Lord knows best who has strayed from His way; and He also knows those who are rightly guided. And endure thou with patience; and verily thy patience is possible only with the help of Allah. And grieve not for them, nor feel distressed because of their evil designs. Verily, Allah is with those who are righteous and those who do good” (Surah Al–Nahl, 126, 128–129).

Meaning of Hikma (wisdom, foresight): By pondering over the word Hikma it

seems that we should first look towards history. By looking over the events of history, we shall have to deal with our adversaries with extreme love and affection. It is then that our point of view will be accepted, otherwise not.

Approach According to the Circumstances: While usually ignored, one must

always keep the circumstances in view. Everything is fine if it is done at proper time. Delivering your message to some one who is in a hurry or mentally upset will not be according to circumstances. Therefore, if the way of presentation is not so agreeable that it overpowers the hatred to hear the message, Tabligh will not be effective for him. Therefore, mind that you are engaged in a very delicate task. Follow the model of the Holy Prophet (saw), and be kind to others. Speak in an according manner at times of happiness, sadness, grief, etc.

In Accordance with Human Nature: You must talk according to the

trend/tendency of the person you are talking to. You should know what he avoids and then deal with him accordingly, “So set thy face to the service of religion

with single-minded devotion. And follow the nature made by Allah, the nature according to which He has fashioned mankind” (Surah Al-Rum, 31).

Within Your Capabilities: Take stock of your own temperament and tendencies –

everyone can not do all kinds of Tabligh. God has blessed faculties according to one’s own temperament. To say that one does not have the capacity for tabligh is to blame Allah. Everyone has his own personality and should treat others according to his own capacity. Some do not have good conversational or public speaking skills while others lack in effective writing. Some are shy in public, but are good talkers in a small company and vice versa. “Therefore, if someone will act against his personality granted to him by God, he will become a laughing stock.”

Appropriate Selection: One must choose the right person, one who will require

lesser hard work. There are Ahmadi’s who sometimes work hard on someone who is prejudiced, adamant and far from Taqwa. They forget that Allah has promised to guide those who are righteous and have the courage to call spade a spade. Therefore, select good-natured people especially those who are courageous and may themselves become Muballigh later.

Constantly Remain in Contact: To take care of your crop is another demand of

Hikma. If you will not see the person you are preaching again and again, you will lose him like one who destroys his harvest. You will have to pay constant attention.

Prayer is needed: “If you do not irrigate your crop, it will bear no fruit. There are two ways of

irrigation. One is the water of your knowledge, you impart in this world. But the real harvest is when it receives the heavenly water. If you will irrigate your crop with merely your own water of knowledge, it will not bring out blessed fruit. Therefore, prayers are essential and you will have to shed tears in front of God Almighty. Seek help from Him. It is the tears of a believer which bring torrents of blessings. Therefore, Hikma was mentioned first and then good word is mentioned. Good word is clear, true and pious advice which has a pull. It has nothing to do with any sectarian difference. It comes direct from heart and goes straight to heart. Therefore, arguments come later, but begin with a good word. First, tell the people that you have sympathy for them. They are ruining themselves. The society is being destroyed. Think, why it is being destroyed. Tell them that divine people come and after delivering their message depart. Give them the message that a caller has come and it is better for them to accept that divine caller. This is the reason that the Holy Quran advises not to hurry. Begin with Hikma so that people should know that you are truthful and their sympathizer. They should realize that you are not interested only in yourself, but are interested in them as well”

Patience: Remember that you should show patience, and Allah tells you that those

who show patience are more successful than others… Calling towards the way of Allah began with a singular number and now it has become plural, and so the duty of tabligh is not confined to the Holy Prophet (saw) alone but is obligatory for his followers as well. Allah says, “And endure thou with patience; and verily, thy patience is possible only with the help of Allah” (Surah Al-Nahl, 128). “You should know that patience is of two kinds. One is patience in anger and other is patience during grief. You know that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) never went even near rage. Therefore, always remember that we have to follow the Holy Prophet (saw) in whom there was least anger. He

was the man who showed patience of real mother, and even more. He is the man who is pining for his opponents who are harming themselves by not accepting him. That is why Allah says, ‘And grieve not thou for them’” (Surah Al-Nahl, 128).

“If you will adopt these methods, the divine promise that Allah will protect you from the people will

be fulfilled for you. He will surely protect you” (Friday Sermon, 28th August 1987).

Hikma means: 1) Knowledge/Science 2) Equity/Justice 3) Forbearance/Clemency 4) Firmness 5) In accordance with truth & exigency of occasion 6) Gift of prophecy 7) What prevents/restrains from ignorant behavior.

Therefore, we should use reason and not just appealing to sentiment/emotion, we

should not bring forth objections against other religions which can be brought against Islam, we should preach with patience and kindness, we should remain firm in our position if we are correct, we should say what is true and not hurt others susceptibilities, we should use the Quran as our proof and not some self-conceived notion, and we should not preach in order to show our own talents and learning but preach in order to better the one we are preaching to.

“…goodly exhortation” means a discourse which softens the heart, so we should

use reason coupled with an appeal to sentiment but this appeal must be based on truth and not falsehood or dogma.

“…and argue with them in a way that is best” means we should employ 1

fundamental point as the pivot round which all other arguments should revolve and which they support.

“Surely, thy Lord knows best who has strayed from His way; and He also

knows those who are rightly guided” indicates that if our preaching does not produce the desired result, it should not be discouraging as Allah knows what is in the hearts of man, not us; we should continue preaching with patience and fortitude.

You will be doing Tabligh to the ordinary, middle, and wealth class. The ordinary

folk may be shallow of understanding but can be won over with time, plain speech, & love. The wealthy class may feel themselves above you so you must be concise and present Islam in a beautiful manner. The middle class will not have the pride the wealthy do while their education will be good so employ tactics of both the wealthy and poor towards the middle class.

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Hazrat Anas (ra) relates Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “Make religion easy for others to follow; do not make it difficult. Similarly, present religion in a pleasing manner; do not make it repulsive to others” (Muslim).

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“A believer should use proper etiquette in Tabligh. Being harsh when leniency is called for is unwise. Similarly, sometimes only harshness can prevail, being lenient at that time is wrong … The Pharaoh was a severe infidel person but Moses was commanded to deal with him leniently. The Holy Prophet (saw) also received a similar command. There should be leniency and affection among the believers” (Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as)).

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“…Convey the truth to others and do not for a moment think of others' rejection of it. Let them disbelieve if they choose to do so, but why should you make yourself guilty in the sight of God by concealing the truth? … So if people reject the truth, you should not be tempted to so interpret the Word of God as to make it palatable to your audience. Deen-i-Haq does not stand in need of such preaching … Always speak gently and thoughtfully. Never be in haste … Try to make others understand with a sincerity rooted in love. Be gentle even when opposed by harshness … There should be no mincing of matters about the fact that Deen-i- Haq and Ahmadiyya Movement are not two different things. They are but two names for the same thing, try to efface from the minds of the people the idea that the Ahmadiyya Movement is only the name of a Society … Visit the rural population and preach to the poor, the peasants and the laboring classes … It is true they are sometimes harsh even to rudeness, but when they will realize the truth, it will not be a half-hearted affair. Do not lose heart on account of their harshness” (Advice to a Missionary by Hazrat

Musleh Maud (ra)).

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“The most important task, the fundamental task, the very first pre-requisite of planning is fact-finding…make a thorough planning of how people should be approached” (Address to Majlis Shura, Spain 1983).

“The art of speech as to be learnt and as regards the art of speech Almighty Allah has guided us to

make use of righteousness. The more the person is God fearing, the more will his words be effective…mere knowledge is of no avail. Hence it is required of friends, to add weight to their speech, they elevate their personal standard of righteousness” (July 30th, 1987).

“It is more important to win the heart first rather than the mind. For once the heart is own, the

mind will usually surrender without much difficulty. The heart is ¾ of the battle…Always behave with utmost humility and humbleness” (March 28th, 1987) … “then the obstacles between

him and the sayings and writings of the Promised Messiah (as) will melt away. Therefore,

reform your tongue, mend your heart and make it sweeter. Be lowly and humble and then

see, by the grace of God, how many blessings you will earn. You will conquer those

hearts in the least possible time” (August 28th,1987).

“To select a few friends during a year, to treat them with special love and affection, to explain to them slowly and gradually why you are different from others, and to let them take interest in your person, and then convert personal interest into an interest in Jamaat…is not difficult at all. Once you take the initiative and pray for it, you will also learn how to do it” (November 6th, 1987).

“You have to be totally devoted to the task of Preaching as if you were driven by madness…what is required of you is the Spiritual Madness and Sense of Urgency…because the world is losing the Battle of its Survival…Curd, has the quality of transforming milk around it no matter what the odds may be against it… Acquire that quality of curd in you” (International Tabligh Seminar UK July 26th, 1991).

“No interest can be created as long as the personality of the Ahmadi does not become interesting.

When someone will start taking interest in you, then will he be interested in your faith which has made the person interesting. For this, the most important thing is that you become a person of excellent morals.”

November 1991 Friday Sermons

You must offer prayer; have faith/confidence in your prayers. You must be very concerned for not being successful in tabligh.

Always conduct self-evaluation – check your manners, speech, interests…offer prayers to improve one’s self and prayer to improve prayers. Abhor bad habits and present these bad habits to God for improvement.

Propagate that which is good for audience’s betterment, not necessarily what they will accept.

In doing tabligh, check your own actions that they are excellent – excellence brings about a change in the hearts – not excellence of just words but words supported by excellent conduct (humble, desire to get rid of sin, self-evasiveness).

Cast away your ego – those who do this are the successful ones. Small attractive brochures must be prepared for the public; embassies &

government’s must be informed about Ahmadiyyat. Information must be spread regularly, wisely, in piece meal, and get feed back on this

on a regular basis. Pray, “O Lord grant us the next stage; and when we reach that stage, lead us on to the next one.

A Sultan–e–Nasir is needed.” Little effort in required in the beginning, but later it will move speedily as in the

creations of the heavens and the earth. You will find that most of the names you have on the tabligh list will be superficial. If your word is not followed up by a corresponding action you will leave no effect –

this was the manner of Prophet Muhammad (saw). Data on ethnic minorities and immigrants must be obtained – demographic

distribution of ethnic groups must be made. Mass mailings are not good. Most document what answers were received from different nationalities. Do not make false praise, it is ok to highlight one’s good traits but do not over do it. Avoid those who are stubborn, focus instead on reasonable people. If the inner self of the audience does not seem good, do not leave – endure it. If you are not ready to suffer defeat, you will never win.

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Know that Tabligh and Tarbiyyat go hand in hand – after tasting the flavor of Tabligh, one studies himself and brings about a spiritual change acceptable to the public he preaches to.

Literature must placed in libraries/schools & “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam” must be given to the learned section of society

Dedicate 1 day/week for Dawat–e–Allah Observe a voluntary fast day – preferably Monday in accordance with Sunnah Observe at least 1 day of Tahajjud/week Bring something interesting relating to preaching every week Display “What have I done today in the service of Islam & Ahmadiyyat?” in homes

Heavens & Earth

“Allah created the universe and the whole organization in 6 periods then sat on His throne. That is He created a system and organization that runs flawlessly. Contemplating about this organization and system will give you more insight on how to better organize yourself and how to divide and assign your work” (Friday Sermon June 6th, 1997).

“In the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of the night and the day there are indeed Signs for men of understanding; Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and ponder over the creation of the heavens and the earth; and say, ‘Our Lord, thou hast not created this universe in vain. Holy art Thou; save us then from the punishment of the Fire’” (Surah Al–Imran, 191-192).

We see that in the creation of the heavens and the earth & the change from day to

night to day implies that man is created for temporal/spiritual progress and shows that if the righteous endure the period of darkness/affliction, there will soon be sunshine/happiness.

The grand system previously alluded to must definitely have been created with a

purpose and the mention of the turning of day to night illustrates how this purpose is served. We see that when sun rises men work and when night falls men sleep but some heavenly bodies remain doing work, or in our case we perform Tahajjud; consequently the heavenly bodies serve man day and night, and so must be our attitude in serving mankind. As all of the universe is serving man, man has some purpose too – some men are bright and illumine others who are like the moon while others may be dark and engulf others in darkness. Yet even then there are stars dispelling darkness, these are the Da’i-Ilallah, and so after realizing that you do not want to be left out of this grand scheme the last part of the verse has been placed in accordance with man’s nature who realizes his true purpose and cries out, “Our Lord thou hast not created us in vain!”

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“Dost thou not see that Allah created the heaven and the earth in accordance with the requirements of wisdom? If He please, He can do away with you, and bring a new creation” (Surah Ibrahim, 20).

“Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth and caused water to come down from the clouds, and brought forth therewith fruits for your sustenance, and He has subjected to you the ships that they may sail through the sea by His command, and the rivers too has He subjected to you. And He has also subjected to you the sun and the moon, both performing their functions constantly. And He has subjected to you the night as well as the day” (Surah Ibrahim, 33–34).

Opponents of truth try to corrupt the main purpose of creation, (51:57), which the

world has been created to serve by opposing prophets – hence, the opponents very existence contradicts the Supreme Objective. We should then not be overwhelmed by their mischief and they themselves should not think they are irreplaceable – darkness is always replaced by light and in the same manner the kafir will be replaced by the Sun (Prophet Muhammad (saw)), the Moon (Hazrat Masih Maud (as)) and the stars (Mu’min).

Remember that the stars we see exist light years ago, yet their light is seen many light

years after they die, and so is the case with the righteous oftentimes. Ultimately darkness is dispelled even without sun due to the stars and moon. This occurs even when we cannot see it for a temporary amount of time due to clouds (opponents).

Qamar means moon or star that borrows light from sun and reflects to earth to

dispel darkness.

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“And We have, indeed, made mansions of stars in the heaven and have adorned it for beholders. And We have guarded it against the intrusion of every rejected Satan” (Surah Al–Hijr, 17-18).

Burjja (mansion of stars) is the plural of burj from the verb baraja which means to

become manifest, high, or elevated. Now why does (15:10) say “We shall guard this heavenly exhortation” but in (15:18) Allah says that He has “guarded the heavens?” We see that just as the physical universe is built on unshakeable grounds so too is the spiritual universe – no interference of heavens in the higher sphere is possible (physical/spiritual). In the lower sphere, attempts can be made to interfere but the stars have been fortified to guard against any real interference.

Physical heavens means the total sum of stars which also serves as adornment, and

the same is the case with the spiritual world. Physical stars protect the physical heavens, as they are component parts of the universe and if they were to be upset the system it would crumble, so the same is the case with the spiritual – anyone trying to interfere will be met with fire (15:19) and stones (67:6).

“My companions are like so many stars; whichever of them you follow you will be rightly guided”

(Saghir).

Stars also give earth the nourishment of particles which fall from them in order to make the earth more fertile. (15:18) is referred to because the protection of the solar system here shows the carrying out of the command in (15:10). In the universe we have the sky (body of stars), so prophets/righteous people are also stars serving a real & aesthetic purpose and are protected by other known/unknown means (gravity, distance, heat) and so is the case with the righteous. Each prophet guarded the “sky” (God’s word) and routed those who sought to distort “sky” and fell on them like fire & stone.

In the physical world, satans have some power control over the earth but they can do

nothing to the sky and its components (righteous), “‘Surely, thou shall have no power over My servants, except such of the erring ones as choose to follow thee’” (15:43). So one should pray for and elevation in spiritual status (Rafa). Satans have no control on physical or spiritual blessings of sky/“sky” – and that is what (15:10) explains. “Rejected” signifies that Satan cannot succeed nor will he accept Islam so do not be frustrated by his designs.

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“Blessed is He Who has made in the heaven mansions of stars and has placed therein a Lamp producing light and a moon that reflects light” (Surah Al–Furqan, 62).

Heaven here may signify spiritual firmament and lamps may mean divinely inspired

teachers.

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“In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. By the sun and its brightness, And by the moon when it follows the sun, And by the day when it reveals the sun's glory, And by the night when it draws a veil over the light of the sun. And by the heaven and its wonderful structure. And by the earth and its expanse, And by the soul and its perfection” (Surah Al–Shams, 1–8)

Talaha (91:3) means to follow orderly, (91:4) refers to the Golden Era, (91:5) implies

the decline of Islam and so (91:2-5) indicates the 4 periods in Islam’s career. Sun, Moon, Day (Khalifat-e-Rashidun & Khalifat-e-Ahmadiyya), Night (Decline). All the properties of the universe are for the service of man and so by citing the soul here, one understands that it has same capacities – the soul is the universe in a nutshell.

Like the sun, the soul sheds luster over world with only God’s help and enlightens

others. Like the moon, the soul takes light from source and gives light to darkness. Like the day, the soul is bright and shows virtue but will also be susceptible, at times, to fade out good things (as is the case with the seasons where nights are longer). Like the night, the soul covers others faults, lightens one’s burden, and gives people the opportunity to rest. Like the heaven, the soul takes all the troubled ones and provides nourishment (rain). Like the earth, the soul admits lowliness and the willingness to be trampled upon for others benefit. Like the trees, the soul can provide fruit and shade for others; it can also create life from waste as the trees do in the physical world.

We must realize that all these qualities are also in those who will be doing tabligh

with, albeit to a higher or lesser degree.

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“By the night when it covers up; And by the day when it shines forth” (Surah Al–Lail, 2–3).

Surah Al–Shams has listed the sun and day 1st, yet here night is listed 1st and the day

2nd to show that the outcome of Islam will be one from darkness to light. The Holy Prophet (saw) was Al–Shams because he was an independent source of light, but here in Surah Al–Lail as the kafir’s are more abundant and the Mu’min are less in number, the night comes first – thus emphasizing, “A few can prevail over many” (2:250).

(91:4) has jallaaha (reveals glory) because the emphasis is on the increased stature of

Holy Prophet (saw). Here tajallaa (shines forth) is listed because it is about the great pupils ability to learn and teach (Da’i Ilallah).

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“He has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with the requirements of wisdom. Exalted is He far above all that they associate with Him” (Surah Al–Nahl, 4).

Heavens stand in need of earth for performance of their work and vice versa and

both subject to God’s will. Little effort in beginning is required when doing tabligh, but later it will move speedily just as with the creations of the heavens and the earth.

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“And, He has set up other marks; by them and by the stars they follow the right direction” (Surah Al–Nahl, 17).

(16:16) says “he has placed” (Alqi) and here it is written “other marks” (alaamaat)

which is in reference to valleys, mountains, rivers, and stars which if they did not exist and the land was totally flat, man could have no way of knowing 1 place from another. In our spiritual journey, the different parts of the journey represent different characteristics showing how much one has traveled towards the ultimate objective and the prophets, saints, righteous are stars to guide them on their way. Just like the stars, prophets are also interrelated and as knowing the position of 1 star to the next

can help in the overall understanding of the universe, the same is the case with the prophets who foretell the advent of 1 to come and so Muslims have to believe in all the prophets. It can also be used in the manner of tabligh – 1 star to the next can be 1 step to the next and without one of steps the system will not work.

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“And We have made the night and the day two Signs, and the Sign of the night We have made dark, and the Sign of the day We have made sight-giving, that you make seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the computation of years and the process of reckoning. And everything We have explained with a detailed explanation” (Surah Bani–Israel, 13).

God made night & day so that each has its own benefits: Night’s benefits are subtle

while those of day are manifest. Day is the symbol of happiness/success and night is the symbol of sorrow/hardship; one should make the time of both distress and success a means of advancement just as God has made night & day a means of material benefit.

Prayers for Success in Tabligh

“In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, The Gracious, the Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us in the right path, the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings, those who have not incurred Thy displeasure, and those who have not gone astray” (Surah Al–Fatihah, 1–7).

“And Allah calls to the abode of peace, and guides whom He pleases to the straight path. For those who do good deeds, there shall be the best reward and yet more blessings. And neither darkness nor ignominy shall cover their faces. It is these who are the inmates of Heaven; therein shall they abide” (Surah Yunus, 26–27).

“Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation and argue with them in a way that is best. Surely, thy Lord knows best who has strayed from His way; and He also knows those who are rightly guided. And if you decide to punish the oppressors, then punish them to the extent to which you have been wronged; but if you show patience then, surely, that is best for those who are patient. And, O Prophet, endure thou with patience; and verily thy patience is possible only with the help of Allah. And grieve not for them, nor feel distressed because of their evil designs. Verily, Allah is with those who are righteous and those who do good” (Surah Al–Nahl, 126–129).

“Moses said, ‘My Lord, expand for me my breast; ‘And make my task easy for me; ‘And loose the knot from my tongue, ‘That they may understand my speech; ‘And grant me an assistant from my family’” (Surah Ta Ha, 26–30).

“So he watered their flocks for them. Then he turned aside into the shade and said, ‘My Lord, I stand in need of whatever good Thou mayest send down to me’” (Surah Al–Qasas, 25).

“And who is better in speech than he who invites men to Allah and does

righteous deeds and says, ‘I am, surely, of those who submit?’ And good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with that which is best. And lo, he, between whom and thyself was enmity, will become as though he were a warm friend. But none is granted it save those who are steadfast; and none is granted it save those who possess a large share of good” (Surah Ha Mim Al–Sajdah, 34–36).

“In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. When the help of Allah

comes and the Victory, And thou seest men entering the religion of Allah in

troops, Glorify thy Lord with His praise and seek His forgiveness. Surely He

is Oft-returning with mercy” (Surah Al–Nasr, 1–4).

Prayers of the Holy Prophet (saw) for Success in Preaching

Allahumma innee as’aluka hubbaka wa hubba man-yu-hibbuka wal ‘amal-

alladhee yu-ballighu-nee hubbaka. Allahum-maj’al hubbaka ahabba ilayya

min-nafsee, wa ahlee, wa minal maa’il-baaridi

“O Allah! I supplicate You to grant me Your love, and the love of those

who love You and the action which may lead me to win Your love. And

make my love for You dearer to me than myself, my family and cold

(refreshing) water” (Tirmidhi Kitab-ud-Da’waat).

Rabbanna aa-tinaa milladunka rahmatn-wa hayyi’ la-naa min amrinaa

rasha-daa. Rabbish-rahlee sadree wa yassir-lee amree

“O our Lord! Bestow on us Your mercy, and guide us to success in our

affair. O My Lord, open up for me my heart (increase my understanding)

and ease for me my task.”

Prayers of the Promised Messiah (as) for Success in Preaching

Rabbi ari-nee kaifa tuh-yil mau-taa. Rabbigh fir war-ham mi-nassa-maa’I

“O my Lord, show me how You give life to the dead. O my Lord, Grant

me Your forgiveness and mercy” (Tazkira p.241).

Rabbih faznee fa-innal qauma yatti-dhu-nanee such-rattan

“O my Lord, protect me and this nation who has decided to laugh at me”

(Tazkira p.683).

Waj’allee ghalabatan fid-dunyaa waddeen

(O my Lord) Grant me the victory in worldly and religious affairs (Tazkira

p.778).

Waj’al af’idatan kathira tam-mi nan-naasi tahwee ilayya

Make a large number of people sympathetic to me (Tazkira p.776).

Rabbi ‘atinee milladunka ansaaran fee deenika wa adh-hib ‘annee huznee

wa asli’ lee shaa-nee kullahoo laa ilaaha illa anta

“O my Lord, Grant me helpers to assist me in Your religion, and take

away my worries and make me succeed in my efforts, there is nobody else

to help except You” (Matoobaat Ahmad V.5 p.34).

Rabbi innee maghloobun fantasir

“O my Lord, I am overcome (by the enemy), so come to my help

(Tazkirah).

Prayers of the Promised Messiah (as) for Allah’s Blessings/To Become Pious

Rabbij-‘alnee mubaara kan haithu maa kuntu

“Lord, Make me blessed in all circumstances” (Tazkira p.98).

Rabbi adh-hib ‘annir-rij-sa wa tahhir-nee tat-heerab

“Lord, clean me of dirt and purify me completely” (Tazkira p.29).

Prayers of the Promised Messiah (as) for Reformation of Muslims

Rabbi aslih ummata Muhammadin

“O my Lord, reform the followers of Muhammad (saw)” (Tazkira p. 47).