Summary

The following points below are summary from this week's Friday Sermon:

• After reciting Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) said that in a previous sermon, he had mentioned the Holy Prophet’s (sa) love for God. His Holiness (aba) said that he would continue mentioning incidents on this topic.
• His Holiness (aba) said that in his youth, prior to his claim to prophethood, the Holy Prophet’s (sa) love for God was such that he would take to a cave and become immersed in expressing his love for God. 
• Hazrat A’ishah (ra) narrates: ‘The commencement of the divine inspiration to Allah’s Messenger (sa) was in the form of true dreams in his sleep. He never had a dream but that it came true like bright daylight. He used to go into seclusion in the cave of Hira, where he used to worship Allah continuously for many nights.’
• His Holiness (aba) quoted the Promised Messiah (as) who said that God has stated that finding Him and establishing a connection with him is predicated upon making an effort, as God says, ‘And that man will have nothing but what he strives for’ (The Holy Qur’an, 53:40) and ‘And as for those who strive in Our path – We will surely guide them in Our ways.’ (The Holy Qur’an, 29:70). 
• His Holiness (aba) said some think that after making the slightest of efforts, they should be granted great ranks in the sight of Allah. But when we see the example of the Holy Prophet (sa), who was the Seal of Prophets and the greatest of all men, and he did not achieve his lofty ranks in the sight of God with mediocre efforts, then how can anyone else expect to achieve lofty heights without making great efforts in the way of God, as the Holy Prophet (sa) did. 
• His Holiness (aba) said that this shows that the Holy Prophet’s (sa) relationship with God had much to do with the efforts that he made to that end. This was greatly manifested in his prayers. It is recorded that the Holy Prophet (sa) would become so immersed in prayers and would pray with such fervency that it would sound to those in his vicinity like the sound of water boiling in a pot.
• His Holiness (aba) said that our efforts in spreading the true message of Islam will only prove fruitful when we also strive in prayer and work to increase the standard of our worship and our love for God. It is then that our efforts will be blessed.