Blessings of Khilafat — Page 115
115 to say them in <mark>congregation</mark>, 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 <mark>prayers</mark>, eventually causing him to lose the habit of offering <mark>prayers</mark> on time. Such a person often gets into the habit of combining the <mark>prayers</mark>, and becomes so oblivious to offering them in <mark>congregation</mark> that even if there are times when he has a chance to offer <mark>prayers</mark> in <mark>congregation</mark>, 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 <mark>prayers</mark>. 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 <mark>prayers</mark> in <mark>congregation</mark>. 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 <mark>prayers</mark>. Therefore, what they should do is congregate with the people in their own area on certain occasions and offer <mark>prayers</mark> in <mark>congregation</mark>. 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 <mark>prayers</mark> in <mark>congregation</mark> but does not do so, he simply has not offered any <mark>prayers</mark>.