Blessings of Khilafat — Page 115
115 to say them in congregation, one starts showing slackness and tends to think that he can offer them at a time of his choice. This makes him unmindful of the importance of being on time for prayers, eventually causing him to lose the habit of offering prayers on time. Such a person often gets into the habit of combining the prayers, and becomes so oblivious to offering them in congregation that even if there are times when he has a chance to offer prayers in congregation, he does not do so. It is true that he takes to this habit due to unavoidable circumstances, but Ahmad i s should make sure that they never show slackness in regard to the offering of prayers. No sooner will this slackness take over the Jam a ‘at than the journey towards destruction will start. May Allah protect us against such an outcome. So where there is only one Ahmadi in a village, he should try to convert one more person to Ahmadiyyat. Should he do this, I hope, God will provide him with a companion in faith. But in case he fails to find a companion he should go to some other village every second or third day and offer his prayers in congregation. Don’t let laziness overtake you. Remember that if you forget this advice of mine, you will never prosper. It poses a great difficulty for Ahmad i s who live in big cities and who find it hard to visit their fellows to always be together for prayers. Therefore, what they should do is congregate with the people in their own area on certain occasions and offer prayers in congregation. You should never allow slackness to overcome you. This is such a dangerous thing and brings about horrible consequences. What I have understood from the Holy Quran is that if one is able to offer prayers in congregation but does not do so, he simply has not offered any prayers.