My intention from the
organization of Ansarullah and Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya is that I should perfect
the four walls of the edifice. One wall is Ansarullah, second wall is Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya,
third is Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya and the fourth is Lajna Imaillah.
(Friday Sermon Delivered on 2nd
July 1945, published in AlFadhl 30th July 1945)
How Ansarullah can help
Likewise I counsel the
Ansar that the moral training of children is of utmost importance and it is a
grave mistake not to supervise them.
(Address Delivered on 19th
May 1946, published in AlFadhl 17th Sept. 1961)
Khuddam and Ansar work
together
Thus on one hand I draw
the attention of Ansarullah that they should revitalize their children, the
children of their neighbors and friends with their own model and on the other
hand I want to direct the attention of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya that they should
portray such an exalted model so that the spirit of Islam would remain alive
for generations to come.
(Address Delivered on 18th
November 1955, published in AlFadhl on 15th December 1955)
Sports without bad
words
Likewise my objective in
the establishment of Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya is that the children should be
supervised in sports. Not that they should be restrained from playing sports
but they should be guarded against the inappropriate and evil influences of
sports. For example if a boy is not able to strike well, he hurls abuses
towards the bat or hockey stick. Sometimes he curses the ball and at others uses
unsuitable language about the field or abuses his fellow players. Now this is a
defect and it is the responsibility of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya to fix it. It is
their duty to oversee the sports of the children and to observe whether the
children are using foul language towards the field, bat, ball or their fellow
sportsmen, and if they do so, Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya should take precautions
against this.
(Report Majlis-e
–Shura 11-13th April 1941,pg. 121. Published in Daily AlFadhl
Rabwah, dated 10th April 1969)
Reformation should start from early
childhood
It grieves me
to see that some people maintain the notions that as the children grow up,
their reformation will happen on its own. If their child commits a mistake then
they say that it is okay, he is only a child. He will understand when he grows
up. This is such a flawed and unworthy thought that nothing can be more
erroneous than this.
(Sermon of Eidul Adhia, delivered on 2nd July
1925 at the Garden of The Promised Messiah (as), Qadian, published in AlFadhl
on 21st July 1925)
Sports: All should be included
Secondly under the
organization of Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya, everyone would get a chance to play.
Nowadays many times the boys of the rich folks get together and play and do not
include the poor. But under this organization, the poor would also be included
in the sports and as so they will realize that they too are an integral part of
the nation. It should not be assumed that the boys who avoid participation in
sports do so because they don’t know how to play. In fact many do not join in
because the rich look down upon them. Their hearts are afflicted from within
but they are not in a position to do any thing.
(Report Majlis-e
–Shura 11-13th April 1941,pg. 121. Published in Daily AlFadhl
Rabwah, dated 10th April 1969)
Importance of learning
Holy Quran
There should not remain
any Khadim or Tifl who does not know the Holy Quran. Thus the organization of
Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya on its own and in the capacity of being Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya
should undertake and supervise that no Khadim or Tifl should be left behind who
either does not know the Holy Quran or is not striving to increase his
knowledge therein.
(Friday Sermon Delivered on 4th
April 1969 at Masjid Mubarak, Rabwah)
Atfal representation at Ijtema
In this ijtema, Atfal of
all Ahmadiyya Jamaat should be
represented and the office bearers should strive in this regards.
(His Holiness Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih Athalith (ra)’s Address to Atfal ul Ahmadiyya
at the occasion of Annual Ijtema of Central Khuddam ul Ahmadiyya,
dated 17th October 1978)
Who You Are?
Thus you are not merely
children, you are Ahmadi children.
Your title is Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya. Thus always be mindful of your station that
you are the young saplings of the community that is going to make Islam
triumphant upon the whole world. As so whatever tasks are to be performed by an
Ahmadi child, they should be carried
out by you.
(His Holiness Hadhrat Khalifatul
Masih Athalith (ra)’s Address to the Annual Ijtema of Atfal ul Ahmadiyya in the afternoon of 21st
October 1978)
You are not to be viewed as children…
Accordingly you are
children but I do not view you as children. Indeed you are the youth of
tomorrow. You are the future champions of Islam. As so your training should be
carried on these lines.
(Published in
Tasheezul Adhan, November- December 1978)
Allah Loves You
The Atfal should be told
affectionately that your Creator is that God Who loves you without bounds and
for this you have been bestowed with intelligence and glad tidings and as so
many prayers have been said for you such that if you endeavor, you can become
the stars in the sky.
(Address to Annual Atfal Ijtema of
Center’s Majlis Khuddam ul Ahmadiyya
1981. Published in Tasheezul Adhan, April- May 1983, pg. 17-21)
You are lucky
Outside Jama’at Ahmadiyya, there are no children for whom people are
praying fervently for them. Depending upon the relationship with Allah the
Exalted, there are glad tidings. It is said that your endeavors will meet with
success when they are accompanied with prayers. As so there are many present,
who pray for you. No mother has ever given birth to a child as lucky as you.
(Address to Annual Atfal Ijtema of
Centre’s Majlis Khuddam ul Ahmadiyya
1981. Published in Tasheezul Adhan, April- May 1983, pg. 17-21)
Control your Anger
Such Waqifeen children are
needed who have a habit of controlling their anger right from the beginning.
The less knowledgeable should not be looked down upon. The Waqifeen children
should be such who listen to the arguments of their opponents and subsequently
act with tolerance. One of the aspects of patience is to ponder before blurting
out anything from the mouth.
(Friday Sermon Delivered 10th
February 1989 at Masjid Fadhl, London)
Parental Involvement
The conventions of the
auxiliaries create new awareness in the daily recitation of the Holy Quran and
in adopting righteousness. But the keen attention of the parents is essential
to maintain a year round interest.
(Friday Sermon Delivered 4th
July 1997.Published in AlFadhl International, 22nd- 28th
August 1997)
How to tackle the challenge of long distances
In a country where you are
scattered over thousands of miles, where sometimes for one household to stay in
touch with another, one has to travel 200-400 miles or even a 1000 miles, it is
beyond the capacity of the System of Jama’at to reach every one. But the System
of Quran beholds this power and from the beginning, the Holy Quran has
explained this simple way to you.It is
the duty of every member of the household to pay attention towards the Quran
and its meanings. There should not remain even one member who does not have the
habit of daily recitation of the Holy Quran. Afterwards one should read the
Quran once again by understanding the subject of the Quran and incorporating
whatever translation is available.
(Friday Sermon
Delivered 4th July 1997.Published in AlFadhl International, 22nd-
28th August 1997)
Parental responsibility regarding Salat
The Holy Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said that: Instruct your
children for Salat when they have turned 7. And when they become 10, then
observe some strictness, if they do not offer Salat and also separate their
beds at this age. When they turn 12, then permission is not granted for any
kind of obstinacy. Then let their case rest with Allah alone. After that the
training that you imparted on them in childhood or your prayers in this regards
will work for them.
(Address to Lajna at the occasion
of Annual Convention of Germany
2001.Published in the Monthly Khadija, August –December 2001.)
No physical punishments – instead pray
for children
Forbidden it is, for such
a person, to ascend to the seat of seniority and become a saint who, even for a
moment, remains negligent of his conjoined. Guidance and true instruction is
the work of God. Following intensely and insisting, beyond limits, on a certain
point that is restraining and interrogating the children on every matter
depicts as we alone are the masters of guidance and according to our will we
shall lead them to a particular path. This is a type of hidden shirk. Our
community should abstain from this. Huzur (as) categorically stated and
mentioned in his writings that any teacher in his academy who has a habit of
spanking and does not refrain from this indecent act should be at once dismissed.
We pray for our children and merrily by the way make them observant of the
principles and honors of education. Thus nothing more than this. Then we rest
all our confidence upon Allah the exalted. Depending upon the seed of obedience
in one, it will flourish and prosper at its right time.
(Malfoozat, volume 1, latest
edition, page 309)
No chore should ever be looked down upon
If someone’s son is
recruited as a soldier in the police or army and starts earning 70 rupees per
month then it is much celebrated. But if he becomes a carpenter or blacksmith,
making 60-70 rupees per month then the whole nation would mourn that he has
insulted them as this is considered an occupation of the low-bred. Thus I mean
to say, that our community should develop a habit for such tasks. On one hand,
we should cultivate the habit of doing chores and on the other hand no chore
should ever be looked down upon. As a result of this, there will not remain any
class in the community which desires that some part o the world should always
be enslaved and if any chance of reformation develops, then it should become an
obstacle for it.
(Friday sermon delivered on 24
Feb. 1939 published in Al Fazl 17th March 1939)
We need all professions
Likewise, some people get
nervous when the question arises of entering janitors into the fold of Islam.
Some should become carpenters or blacksmiths and others should seek jobs. Thus
no particular job should be associated with a person lest he is considered
wretched.
(Friday sermon delivered on 24 Feb.
1939 published in Al Fazl 17th March 1939)
Benefits and importance
of planting trees
If the habit of tree
plantation is developed, then it is profitable from many standpoints. We would
get firewood, shade and many other trees could be planted that would be
beneficial. I have stated this example with respect to doing cleaning with
hands. We should publicize this movement and our friends should do so to an
extent that its effect becomes prominent. No work is truly advantageous till it
yields an effect on the nation.
(Friday sermon delivered on 24
Feb. 1939 published in Al Fazl 17th March 1939)
All about sports: Why,
what, and how?
Thus I advise khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya
that they should strive to make the playful age of childhood as beneficial as
possible. They should endeavor that the games should be such that they benefit
not only the physical but mental faculties as well and the child is able to
draw advantage from them in his latter life. For this be mindful of three
things: First the sports should be beneficial for the body. Second they should
be good for the mind and third they should prove useful in the latter part of
the child’s life. The sport that encompasses all these three aspects is not
only a sport but a higher form of education and it would be as essential for
the student as our books. When I mention that sports should be such that they
are beneficial for the intellectual development, I mean to say that the child
should be able to maintain his interest in them. They should not become
philosophical and forced upon children.
(Friday sermon delivered March 10th
1939 published in Al Fazl 28th March 1939)
Problems with being
overprotected
I have observed this
repeatedly that those people who carefully keep their children in their house
and strictly enjoin upon them from not going out and meeting such and such
person, they remain isolated in the presence of their parents. But as soon as
their parents pass away they become absolute dissolute. Similarly there is
another boy who is being properly supervised but is also not forbidden to
mingle with other people. When he sees such dissolute boys and observes their
outcomes, he never commits a similar mistake and by and large he has such a
strong character that people cannot coax him.
(Mashal Rah volume 1 page 225)
Parental responsibility – Do not commit
this crime!
If a child was age wise
eligible to be enrolled in Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya but his parents did not enroll
him in Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya, then such parents have committed a national crime.
(Friday sermon delivered 23rd
august 1940 published in Al Fazl 13 September 1961)
Khuddam and Ansar must join hands
If the children do not pay
any attention to sports, then I doubt if their moral condition would be good.
Thus by the organization of Attfal-ul-Ahmadiyya, I do not mean that games
should be eradicated. In fact I say, that they should participate more than
ever in sports and familiarize themselves with all kinds of sports so that
their knowledge increases. As of now, the affair of Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya is
designated to Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya but my intention is that this task should be
assigned to Khuddam and Ansarullah jointly.
(Report Majlis e Shura, 11-13
April 1041, page 121)
Rise and proceed
forward for Waqfe Jadid
Today I make an appeal to Ahmadi children, (boys and girls) that ‘O children
of God and His prophet (saw) rise and move forward and fill the gap in the
matters of waqfe jaded and remove the weakness that has appeared in this
initiative as a result of negligence of your elders’. (Friday sermon 7th Oct. 1966, published in Al Fazl12th
Oct 1966)
No bad words: Stop and
Think
As so, never abuse anyone
verbally. Always maintain the chastity of your tongue. The moment you are about
to hurl abuse and become enraged take a short pause.
(Annual Ijtema MAA, 16th Oct 1982 – Daily Al Fazl 16h
July 1983)
No lies
As so, never lie even
while joking.
(Annual Ijtema MAA, 16th Oct 1982 – Daily Al Fazl 16h
July 1983)
Utilize Multimedia
Under the supervision of
Atfal, the department of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya, such programs should be
created as a result of which activities of different and new interests and
methods could be made current. Advantage should be taken from cassettes,
educational movies for children, and video recordings.
(Address to National MAA Ijtema 1983)
Wear a cap, design a
cap!
Thus from now on, no child
should be bear headed in the meetings of Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya. As so, Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya
or department of Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya should continuously encourage the Atfal,
all round the year, to wear caps. If possible, Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya
should design an inexpensive but beautiful cap and generally promote it. It
should be the cap for Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya. …this cap would become the mark of
every Ahmadi boy.
(Hadhrat Khalifatul Massih IV.
Address to National MAA Ijtema
1983)
Moral training, Salat, Sports and the
responsibilities of Parents and Auxiliaries The Holy Prophet (saw) states, ‘a
child is a child, even if he is destined to be a prophet’. Thus Atfal-ul-Ahmadiyya
has not been established merely for the purpose of an Atfal get together and to
see whether they observe Salat or not. Indeed doing Salat is also important for
Atfal. But those children who do not observe Salat in reality their parents are
the culprits. But, still this is something that the parents can supervise. The assistance
that Ansarullah and Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya can deliver to look after the children
at the time of sports, when their parents are not with them. If this task is
carried out then our children can become more intelligent and wise, more
understanding and with a greater insight. Thus it is extremely important to
take part in sports.
(Report Majlis e
Mashawarat 11-13 April 1941, Page 121)
