Two Certain Keys to Success

English Translation of the Friday Sermon by Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra), delivered on 4 May 1923

After the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and the noble verse:

"Say, 'To Allah belong the East and the West. He guides whom He pleases to the right path.' And thus have We made you a middle nation, that you may be witnesses over the people, and that the Messenger may be a witness over you." (Al-Baqarah 2:143–144)

Huzoor (ra) said:

Signs of Progress Are Visible from the Very Beginning

There is a famous proverb: "A promising tree shows its quality from its very leaves." Whatever nation, community, individual — indeed, whatever organ or part of a human being — is destined to show extraordinary growth and progress, signs of it begin to appear from the very beginning in that nation, community, individual, or organ. At the very least, the wise can discern from these signs that this entity is destined to progress. Thus, every entity that is destined to progress carries signs within itself, and every being that is destined to live carries markers with it. From these, it can be recognized that it will survive. Those nations that possess these signs remain alive. Those things that carry these markers survive despite opposition. Similarly, if a nation possesses these signs, it becomes evident that it is destined to live.

Even in the most preliminary state, the potential of a seed can be determined — what strengths it holds within. Through a microscope, long before a child's birth, it can be told what kind of offspring the sperm will produce, because through these organisms it can be determined what quality of progeny it is capable of producing. If it is capable of producing good offspring, its organisms will be robust and vigorous. Those whose organisms are defective — their weakness is visible from the very start. So even from the most initial stage, assessments can be made. The same applies to animals and plants, and likewise mental and intellectual conditions can be estimated.

The Quranic Key to Progress

The verse I recited after Surah Al-Fatihah describes the key to progress, and through this key one can determine whether a particular nation or community is capable of progressing, and how any nation or community can remain alive. Since these days there is a trial, and its burden falls primarily on our Jama'at, I shall explain this key. Those who are granted the ability should hold fast to it and not let it go. This key does not pertain only to religious matters; rather, it pertains to every affair. Worldly life cannot be attained, no nation can survive, and no one can remain safe from decline unless they consider nothing in the world as great or small.

This is the key through which Allah the Almighty says: You will become rulers of the world, and the world will bow before you. You will be exalted, and people will have to raise their eyes to look at you — if you keep this in view: that nothing in the world is great, and nothing is small. No task, mission, or stage should be considered great by you, and none should be considered trivial. When this key enters your vision and this principle becomes firm, the world will become your servant. You will be like overseers of the world, and people will work under your supervision and in your presence, as servants do.

Some may consider this a complex matter. Some may consider it contradictory. But the reality is that this is a truth without which there can be no progress.

The Living Example of the British: No Matter Is Too Small

The people of Europe possess this quality. Just now, a scene has come before my eyes — an incident that occurred in recent days — demonstrating that living nations do not consider any matter trivial.

On the frontier, British troops are stationed, and British officers accompany them. The arrangement of the British army is such that it cannot function without the British. At posts considered safe, British officers also bring their wives and children. An incident from the past two weeks: in Kohat, there was a British officer, Major Ellis. He had gone on a tour. Kohat is a place where the frontier is only five miles away. That location is not entirely free from danger.

A Pashtun group that had suffered some harm — their chief had placed his hand on the Quran before his mother and vowed that he would not rest until he had accomplished a particular deed. Members of this Pashtun group, despite the guards, cleverly entered Kohat and reached Major Ellis's house. They killed his wife and took his daughter away with them.

If this incident had occurred among the people of our country, they would have raised an outcry that the government is deficient. Then the question would have arisen about rescuing the girl, and the emphasis would have been that the father should spend his own money — why should others suffer on his account?

The Response of a Living Nation

But the British are a nation destined to live. They possess the awareness that this incident is neither small nor merely personal. They did not view this incident the way Indians would; rather, they viewed it as a national matter. A great uproar arose among them over this incident. To rescue this woman, a commotion spread across the entire country, and the Chief Commissioner — who holds the position of a governor in the frontier region — arrived on the scene. Efforts were made either to recover the girl through peaceful negotiation or to seize her by force.

At that point, a British woman named Mrs. Starr volunteered her services, saying: "I will go to where the girl is, so that she is not distressed from being alone and can have someone to speak with in her own language." Although she was told those people might kill her, she did not care.

On the other side, the frontier chiefs who had relations with the government were pressured: "Exert your influence to save this girl, or our good relations with you will not continue." Within three days, across hundreds of miles, people were set to work and troops were assembled. That British woman went in the company of some Muslim officers, and one way or another, within a few days, she brought the girl back. This work was carried out with such efficiency and agility that it seemed as though the entire machinery was in motion for this one task alone. On one side the girl arrived, and on the other side, letters of gratitude and titles from the King arrived for the workers.

The Contrast: How Indians Respond to the Same Situation

Now this was an ordinary incident. How many Hindu and Muslim girls are taken to the frontier regions? But when a single British girl was taken, telegrams reached every corner of England. In Parliament — which is, in reality, the true ruler of the country, with the king not possessing as much authority — at short intervals, upon Parliament's inquiry, the Secretary of State for India would announce: "The girl is currently at such a place, our men are at such a place, they have reached this close, the girl will be returned soon, they have now reached this location," and so on. In short, after every passing moment, questions were raised in the House, and the Secretary of State for India announced the latest telegrams. This was a small matter, but the British nation did not consider it small. Therefore, this quality is proof of their vitality.

Nations That Ignore Small Matters Perish; Nations That Fear Great Matters Also Perish

Nations that do not care about small matters are destroyed, and those that are overwhelmed by great matters also cannot survive.

When Germany started the war, it presented certain demands to Belgium. Belgium's population was only four million. In terms of governance, it was a very small country. But had Belgium accepted Germany's demands, it would have been humiliated. Belgium knew that if it did not accept Germany's demands, it would be finished within a few hours. Before Belgium were two options: first, if it accepted the demands, there was the humiliation of submission; and second, if it did not accept, there was destruction and ruin.

But that nation chose not to tolerate humiliation and accepted death instead. Germany captured the entire country within days. Their prominent people were exiled and forced into labor. But ultimately, God sent other powers to their aid, and Germany was defeated. Now that same Belgium is in such a position of strength that it is intimidating Germany and getting its own demands met. That nation preferred an honorable death over a life of humiliation. Their contest was like that of a sparrow against a hawk. But in the end, the sparrow prevailed over the hawk.

The Principle: Neither Fear the Great Nor Ignore the Small

In short, living nations do not consider any great matter as great, and they do not consider any small matter as trivial.

This noble verse that I recited — "And thus have We made you a middle nation, that you may be witnesses over the people, and that the Messenger may be a witness over you" (Al-Baqarah 2:144) — Allah the Almighty says: We have made you a middle nation (Ummatan Wasatan) so that you consider no task as great and none as small. If even the greatest danger comes, you should say: "What of it? We shall bear it with trust in Allah." And if something small arises, do not consider it trivial; rather, seek forgiveness from God and make every effort to eradicate it.

Why has this command been given? Because you shall become guardians, and you shall become witnesses over the people. And He said that it was by following this very law that Muhammad (saw) became your guardian.

The Quranic Command: Fear and Hope

What is the command by following which a believer attains this state? It is this: "Their sides keep away from their beds; they call on their Lord in fear and hope" (Al-Sajdah 32:17). The command given for a Muslim is that a true believer is one who has both hope in God and fear of God. That is, if there is a small danger, he fears it. If there is even one traitor in his community, he becomes alarmed. If there is an ignorant or faithless person in any community, the entire community becomes alarmed, thinking: "O God, what calamity is about to befall us?" — because even one treacherous or ignorant person can create a breach in the community. Therefore, they fear and do not consider it a trivial matter.

In contrast, when great calamities come from foreign nations and a dangerous enemy attacks, they do not lose heart and do not fear. They are such that no external enemy can frighten them. If there is internal corruption, they fear even the smallest discord. And if the threat is external, no matter how great, they do not fear it.

The Divine Promise of Success

Those who act upon these teachings — from Our side, life and success has been decreed for them, and they receive that which exceeds even their imagination and expectation. In the world, very few people have their hopes fulfilled. But Allah's treatment of this community is such that it surpasses all hopes and expectations.

This is such a key to success that our Jama'at — which is the final community — must act upon it. Our Jama'at is the final one. It is the final because it is the community of the final Prophet, and it is the final movement established through the Messiah and Mahdi of the Holy Prophet (saw). So we alone are worthy of being called the final Ummah. We are the final Muhammadi Ummah, because the final law-bearing Messenger is our Messenger, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (saw), and we are his final community. And a messenger of this perfection shall not be born hereafter. Whoever comes shall come having received grace from him.

The Practical Application: Two Things to Keep in View

Therefore, our Jama'at must act in accordance with these principles. And the greatest and most comprehensive benefit is this: that no task should be considered small, and none should be considered great. If an internal dissent is even the smallest, we should be alarmed. And if our enemy is external, we should not be frightened by its numbers.

We have been made the middle nation (Ummatan Wasatan). A tall man is tall compared to a child, but for a person of medium stature, that man is not tall. And for such a person, the child is not small either. Therefore, a person of moderate stature cannot consider the small as insignificant.

So the condition should be this: whatever calamities may come from outsiders, one should not fear them; and if there is even a small dissent within the community, one should fear it — that Satan has found this path for our destruction. Only in this way can we survive — by understanding these matters. And only then can we become the middle nation. And when that happens, what will our condition be? We shall be appointed as guardians over people. We shall become rulers. And the Holy Prophet (saw) shall be guardian over us. His being shall watch over us, and by acting upon these commands, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (saw) will come before us, and his spirit will work within us for thousands of years.

The Two Great Rewards

You shall be rulers of the world, and your ruler shall be Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (saw). You shall find the spirit of Muhammad working within you. What a magnificent promise of progress this is! The task is simply this: become the middle nation.

That nation deserves to perish which considers the breaches arising within the community as trivial. Communities are built from individuals. If the condition of even one individual of the community is not good, this is not a good sign. And on the other side, no matter how great and powerful the opponent may be, its might should not strike fear in your hearts. You should not be ready to accept humiliation before it. Only when you have this conviction can you remain alive. And if you act upon this key, you shall become rulers of the world and conquerors of the world.

Remember: whether the matters are political or religious, this principle operates in all of them.

The second blessing that will come from acting upon this principle is that the Messenger of Allah (saw) shall become your guardian, and the passage of time will not be able to separate you from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (saw). You shall see that he has come into you. On one side, you shall be rulers; and on the other side, that beloved one — who is the most beloved to you among all human beings — shall rule over you. He for whom people yearn even to see in a dream shall never be hidden from your sight. Permanent closeness to the chief and beloved of the world shall be attained. He shall never be separated from you. He shall command you, and you shall work under his supervision.

These are such promises that such things cannot even enter the human mind. These are two matters that the Jama'at must keep in view: they should not pass over internal corruption within the community like the blind, and they should not become frightened by the great external power that attacks. If they keep these things in view, they cannot be destroyed.

Closing Supplication

I hope that our Jama'at will understand this point and will benefit from it. Before and after this verse, there are great promises, and upon acting on these matters, the most important advancements are contingent — indeed, the very life and death of communities is contingent upon them. Effort must be made to act upon this. We cannot succeed until we consider calamities and great challenges as trivial with the help of God. And we can never be saved until we consider the smallest internal corruption as evil.

When both these conditions are met, then it is the promise of Allah the Almighty — and He is true to His promises — that you shall certainly become rulers over His servants, and you shall absorb Muhammad (saw) into yourselves. May Allah the Almighty grant us the ability to act upon this — that we become guardians of the world, and Muhammad (saw) comes before us. We shall make no excuses in his work. He receives from God, and we receive from him. If this becomes our condition, then by the grace of Allah, we cannot make any mistake.

Ameen.

(Al-Fazl, May 14, 1923)