Saturday, November 4, 2017

'Taqwa': Path to a Spiritual Life

 The Perfect Book- Part II

ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ۝
الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ۝
والَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِالآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ۝


This is the Book; there is no doubt in it, a guidance for those who fear Allah. Those who believe in the unseen and keep up prayer and spend out of what We have given them. And who believe in that which has been revealed to you and that which was revealed before you and they are sure of what is yet to come. (Al-Baqara 2: 3-5).

By the grace of Allah, Allah (swt) has given me the Tawfeeq to continue the second part of the sermon which I started last week there (Last Friday) in which I mentioned the absolute necessity for the Mumineen (believers) to undertake journeys/ voyages of the Holy Quran every day. Quran says that for this voyage, there should be all kinds of provisions.

The provision which has been mentioned is Taqwa, i.e. the fear of Allah. And that's the same provision which is needed to acquire (the in-depth meanings of) the Quran also. Taqwa and Quran do not concern the daily (mundane) voyages (of someone). There are not gained through only one such voyage which you may do only once a year.

You need the Quran everyday and every day with the support of Taqwa as a provision you would be able to obtain something from the Quran. This is indeed very important, fundamental. And for that, it is not necessary to organize programs. Certainly, programs create the interest for it (i.e. the Quran) all year long, but it is the interest of parents which is necessary (which needs to be awakened). Firstly, parents - mother and father should take interest in it for their own beings. At whatever age they (be them the parents themselves, or their children) have reached, they must determine that we start the journey to Allah. And this journey/ voyage is not possible without the Quran. And to enable the journey of the Quran, we should have provisions, just like when people travel, they take stocks/ provisions with them. And here the provision which is fundamental for that voyage is the Taqwa.

Allah (swt) states that this is indeed a perfect book in which there is no doubt. But there is no doubt also that this Book is guidance for the truly pious (God-fearing) only. Those who have Taqwa shall certainly receive guidance from the Quran. So, Taqwa has been linked together with the Quran. 

Monday, October 30, 2017

New Bai'ats in India & A Testimonial

Several Ahmadi Muslim brothers and their families in India, previously working within the Nizam-e-Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya under the Khalifatul Massih V, recently came to hear about the Divine Manifestation in Mauritius in the person of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba), and his claims about being Divinely-raised as the "Muhyi-ud-Din" and "Mujaddid"/"Khalifatullah" of this era, with a mandate for the reform of the human morals and the renewal of the Spiritual Path in our era. Based on their fervent prayers and supplications, Allah (swt) has unveiled the Divine mysteries of raising His Elects through beautiful dreams vouchsafed to these fervent seekers, Alhamdulillah

In his Friday Sermon of 20 October 2017(29 Muharram 1439 AH), speaking in the context of Divine revelations, especially prayers and supplications that could be fervently invoked by true seekers in the Divine Path in the varied contingencies of our everyday lives, the Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah (atba) officially acknowledged the new Bai'ats in Tamil Nadu, India and also shared a beautiful testimonial made by one of the new brothers in the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International, Alhamdulillah, Soumma Alhamdulillah.   

Read from the Extracts of the Friday Sermon: 

"O my dear disciples throughout the world, become such kinds of people who, through them Allah (swt) can manifest Himself, and be present with them wherever them are. Become such kind of people and Allah shall show extraordinary signs in your favour and He shall manifest His signs (for your sake) more quickly, Insha-Allah.  I give you an example. 

By the grace of Allah, there are our brothers and sisters in Tamil Nadu in India who have recently recognized the truthfulness of this humble servant and messenger of this era and they took the Bai’at (oath of allegiance). 

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Qur'an: The Perfect Book of God

Role of the Qur'an in Spiritual Life

This is the Book; there is no doubt in it, a guidance for those who fear Allah. Those who believe in the unseen and keep up prayer and spend out of what We have given them. And who believe in that which has been revealed to you and that which was revealed before you and they are sure of what is yet to come. -(Al-Baqara, 2: 3-5).

For today's sermon, I have specially chosen to speak on the subject of Ibaadat (worship/ acts of worship - of Allah). This is why I have read these few verses of Surah Al-Baqara. By introducing the Quran, the first thing which Allah (swt) has said: “This is the Book; there is no doubt in it.” The point to be noted here is that Allah is referring to The Book, His Book, such a Book which is perfect, wherein there is no trace of error. It contains lots of meanings. It is such a Book which is far away from you but if you fulfill certain conditions, then this very Book can come near to you.

Afterwards the word “Zaalikal” - This is - indicates also the value of the Quran, and contains several prophecies. It also refers to the perfection of the Quran. In fact, all past prophets foretold the advent of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and they said that he shall bring a Great Book. Al-Kitab (literally ʻThe Book’) here means a promised Book awaited by all nations since ages. And today this Book is before us. Another explanation is that this Book, which is far away from you, can become closer to you. And there is no doubt in this. That is, there is no doubt in the fact that this Book can come closer to you. Now, when we read “La Rayb” together with “Zaalikal”, then it defines this Book as a perfect one, wherein no doubt resides in it (in its truthfulness - that it contains only the truth) and that it is a guide for all pious people (those who fear Allah).