Transcript
Page 1: Eid-ul-Adha Wembley, UK · Eid al-Adha congregation at the UK Centre, Wembley (UK) [Contributor: Brother Nasir Ahmad, United Kingdom] Thanks to Allah that this year Eid al-Adha was

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Eid-ul-Adha at

Wembley, UK

Celebrated on

Sunday, November 6, 2011

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

.......... The HOPE Bulletin ………..

Health, Ongoing Projects, Education

www.aaiil.org

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Akbar Ibn Abdullah, Editor

Alhamdollillah, as a part of Hazrat Ameer-i-Qaum, Professor Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha Sahib’s tour

of Europe we are publishing this Eid report separately for your reading and viewing pleasure, which

normally would be included in our worldwide supplement.

At the Darus Salam Center in Wembley, UK, Hazrat Ameer-i-Qaum delivered a khutba on the Eid-ul-

Adha topic of “sacrifice” which is stored in the audio archive of the Central Anjuman’s website.

You can listen to Hazrat Ameer’s Eid khutbah in Mp3 media at

http://www.aaiil.org/text/snd/uk/2011/soundislamahmadiyyauk2011.shtml

We are indeed indebted to the two energetic and dedicated young doctors of the UK Jama‘at, Dr. Mujahid

Ahmad Saeed, eldest son of Hazrat Ameer, and Dr. Jawad Ahmad, elder son of our venerable Brother

Nasir Ahmad Sahib, who submitted these elegant and informative photographs which made this

supplement possible. Jazak Allah!

For the addition of text material to this supplement we commend the submission of our dear respected

brother, Nasir Ahmad Sahib of the United Kingdom. Jazak Allah!

Finally, we are immensely appreciative of Hazrat Ameer-i-Qaum’s exhaustive tour of Europe, visiting all

the Jama‘ats and missions in Holland, Germany and the United Kingdom, which gave us the opportunity

to publish several special supplements, covering a major portion of his tour. Jazak Allah!

As always, your comments are welcome.

A Brief Note on …

Eid al-Adha congregation at the UK Centre, Wembley (UK)

[Contributor: Brother Nasir Ahmad, United Kingdom]

Thanks to Allah that this year Eid al-Adha was celebrated on the same day throughout Europe. The UK

centre announced this date last year based on calculation. It was also the first time that Hazrat Ameer was

present at the Wembley centre for Eid al-Adha.

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Before the start of prayer

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Two separate prayer congregations were held; one for ladies and the other for men.

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Sermon by Hazrat Ameer

Then Hazrat Ameer delivered a brief but impressive sermon explaining the significance of the sacrifice.

He said that sacrifice of an animal is symbolic. The real purpose is to sacrifice or cut at the root of the

animal in one’s inner self.

He also referred to verse 4 of chapter 60, called Abraham, where Abraham has been regarded as “a good

example” by Allah, and said that it is the Muslims who are carrying on and following that model in the

form of Hajj.

In connection with the purpose of sacrifice intended by Allah, Hazrat Ameer referred to the following two

verses of the Qur’an where submission to the commandments provides true guidance to the believers for

achieving success in this life and the life hereafter:

“Say: My prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are surely for Allah, the Lords of the

worlds” (6:163).

“Not their flesh, nor their blood, reaches Allah, but to Him is acceptable observance of duty on

your part. Thus has He made them subservient to you, that you may magnify Allah for guiding

you aright” (22:37).

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While explaining the underlying significance of submission, Hazrat Ameer gave a beautiful illustration:

When one offers a cup of tea to one’s guest, it is not the outer beauty of the crockery but what matters is

what is in the cup and the affection and sincerity with which it is offered.

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The sermon ended with a du‘a.

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Explanation of 6:75-79 of the Holy Quran

A short programme followed in which Shayaan Ahmad (9 years of age) recited beautifully verses 75-79

of chapter 6, and Irfaan Ahmad (11 years of age) presented the explanation of these verses. The English

translation of the Arabic text and its explanation run as follows:

“And when Abraham said to his sire, Azar: Do you take idols for gods? Surely I see you and your

people in manifest error. And thus did We show Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the

earth and that he might have certainty. So when the night overshadowed him, he saw a star. He

said: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: I do not love the setting ones. Then when he saw the

moon rising, he said: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: If my Lord had not guided me, I

should certainly be of the people in error. Then when he saw the sun rising, he said: Is this my

Lord? Is this the greatest? So when it set, he said: My people, I am clear of what you set up (with

Allah). Surely I have turned myself, being upright, wholly to Him Who originated the heavens and

the earth, and I am not of those who set up partners (with Allah).”

The explanation:

“The Surah tells the tale of Prophet Abraham seeking sincerely for the One True God. He

reflected on the objects that his people worshipped and reasoned that the heavenly bodies followed

a pattern, a course and cycle and could not be identified as the Creator; he realised that there was a

Creator Who was making the sun, the moon and the stars move across the sky in perfect balance.

The Surah ends with Prophet Abraham stating: ‘O people, I have turned my face away from what

you associate with Allah.’

Allah has used allegory in this set of verses. Prophet Abraham found patterns in the world around

him and reflected on its Creator and Sustainer, the Rabb. Scientists study the world around them

and find patterns in Nature. This is exactly what Prophet Abraham did and it drew him closer to

Allah.

Allah has used assonance in the last sentence of verse 79, ‘Wal arza haneefaa, wa maa anaa minal

mushrikeen.’ Notice the use of the ‘AA’ sounds in this sentence, giving the impression of being

upright. The structure of an Alif is straight and Haneefaa means the straight one. Allah is trying to

emphasise the fact that Prophet Abraham remained upright, facing Allah while all the other people

around him were bending down to other idols.

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On Eid al-Adha we remember the dream that came to Prophet Abraham in which Allah informed

him to sacrifice his son. However, his son was replaced by a lamb. True to his character, Prophet

Abraham remained upright, faithfully obedient to Allah.

Our challenge too is to remain on the straight path; true to Allah even when the pressure is great

and the upright way appears difficult. Once on the path of Allah, the Quran is replete with

examples of how Ar-Rahim (the Beneficent) eases the way of those who earnestly pursue His

way.”

Messages

After these contributions, Sister Jameela Khan, President of the Jama‘at, read out messages and apologies

from members of the Jama‘at in the UK and abroad.

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As usual, people hugged and exchanged Eid greetings.

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Zuhr prayer and lunch

By then it was 1 pm and the Zuhr prayer was held in congregation.

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This was followed by a sumptuous lunch. On such occasions, individual contributions provide a variety of

sweets which add tasty treats such as khurma from Trinidad, Pakistani sweets, and home-made cakes.

Live radio programme

Br. Shahid Aziz, Secretary of the UK Jama‘at, had arranged a live slot from 1.15 to 1.40 pm on Punjab

Radio, London, which has a large Sikh following. Besides Br. Shahid Aziz, Dr. Zahid Aziz and Dr.

Mujahid Saeed, Hazrat Ameer took part in it and in his 15-minute talk emphasised that the Founder of the

Ahmadiyya Movement initiated inter-faith dialogue among various faiths in the early 1900s and we, as

his followers, are pursuing that mission.

He said we are pleased that Guru Nanak Ji’s birthplace and other holy places of Guru Ji are in Pakistan

and that Sikh pilgrims are warmly welcomed and honoured.

We too venerate the Chola Sahib, which carries several verses of the Qur’an, and shows how greatly the

founder of Sikhism was influenced by Islam.

Br. Shahid Aziz recalled that recently when some members of the Shrine of Mian Mir Sahib of Lahore

came to the UK, the Punjab Radio management gave them a very hearty welcome just because Hazrat

Mian Mir Sahib laid the foundation stone of the Golden Temple of Amritsar.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Akbar Abdullah

Editor, The HOPE Bulletin

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 232811

Sacramento, California 95823-0430, U.S.A.

E-mail Address: [email protected]

Telephone Number: (773) 539-6892

“ISLAM” stands for “I SHALL LOVE ALL MANKIND”


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