Kerala Jamaat: Sacrifice and Obedience

Spiritual history is replete with deep and profound ironies. Whenever Allah the Most High raises a Messenger of His, leaders of the society will reject him. The elite of the community will vehemently oppose him. Only a very few, relatively materially-poor and humble in spirit, will accept the Divine Messenger. This small band of believers will go on to undertake extraordinary sacrifices in pursuit of their deeply held convictions. They will display nobility of character against all odds and in the face of adversities, eventually to emerge as the shining stars in the darkest of skies.  

Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam of Kerala today straddles this path of sublime spirituality. In spite of their small numbers, modest economic conditions and adverse social circumstances, members of the Jamaat in Kerala compete among themselves in the spirit of financial sacrifice and to show perfect obedience to the words and wishes of the Messenger of Allah. In his Friday Sermon of 30 March 2012 and also on April 06, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius (atba) took note of the spirit of sacrifice and obedience being displayed by the Kerala Jamaat.

Extracts from the Sermons:

Before ending my sermon, I wish to address all my brothers, sisters and children in Kerala. First of all, Assalamoualaikum Warahmatullah Wabarakaatuhu (May the peace, grace and blessings of Allah be upon you). It is my humble prayer that Allah keeps you in good physical and spiritual health always, give you long life and increase your wealth, Insha-Allah.

The Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam of Kerala has made extraordinary efforts in the field of financial sacrifice, only for the pleasure of Allah in the 72 hours which has just went by. From among the existing Jamaats in several countries, the Jamaat of Kerala has excellently done “Fastabikul Khairaat” (vying each other in good deeds). By their deeds, they are reviving Alhamdulillah the great sacrifices of the Sahaba Karaam in the times of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Despite their meagre financial positions, the Sahaba Karaam used to go and work in the market only to receive some money to put in the hands of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to spend in the path of Allah. They have done this with joy in their hearts despite not having any food at home or adequate clothing. For them, Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) came first. Their sacrifices were such that Allah the Almighty blessed them and this blessing made them reached the peak of glory today, spiritually speaking.

With the advent of this humble self, the humble servant of Allah in this era, whereby Allah has raised me with a Jamaat, Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, that beautiful spirit of sacrifice shown by the Sahaba Karaam has been awaken today in Kerala despite their difficult financial situations. Nevertheless they did not hesitate to say “Labbaik” to the Khalifatullah of this era.

Hadhrat Ahmad (as) and the Miracle of the Pen

In his Friday Sermon of March 23, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius paid glowing tributes to the staggering literary contributions and special spiritual achievements of the Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian. The sermon succinctly summarises the extraordinary efforts of the Promised Massih (as) to defend and espouse the cause of Sahih Al Islam by wielding the pen as the sword of Allah.

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

“… Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi was born to a noble family in Qadian, India. From an early age he had a keen interest in religion and used to devote the majority of his time in reading books and staying in the Mosque because of his love for Allah.

He was also known for his honesty, friendliness and resolve. Over time by the grace of Allah his knowledge and understanding of religion and its application to society deepened. Being a Muslim it was his firm belief that all religions were true at origin and he always sought to uphold the dignity of religion and to demonstrate its relevance to everyone. His earnest defence of religion was ultimately blessed when he started to receive direct revelation from Allah – a blessing that he received for the rest of his life.

His mission was to revitalise the truth that all religions held within them and to revive the teachings of Islam. It was through this that he would bring mankind together and establish everlasting peace. In 1889, under Divine Guidance, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (upon him be peace) founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, a community which had grown in stature and strength and conveyed the message of Islam to the ends of the earth.

But today, after having reached its peak, it (this community/Jamaat) has lost its credence and essence as true all because of some rebels (creators of chaos) found therein who have trampled the teachings of Islam under their feet. But Allah remained true to His promise which He made to His Messiah and He sent another Messiah to hold fast the torch of True Islam which Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (upon him be peace) came to revive in his era.

Points for Preaching of Islam

As a religion and spiritual order, Islam offers comprehensive ethical and moral guidance on all aspects of life in its varied facets. And a Muslim will be able to find solutions within the framework of the teachings of Islam to the many problems he or she is confronted with. This can be done even without injecting ideas and processes antithetical to the Islamic perspective (Bid’ah) by seeking to equip oneself with the correct knowledge of Islam. Apart from practicing Sahih Al Islam, a Muslim ought to share the richness of the Islamic path- “beauty, rationality, practicality and completeness”- and its innate ability to appeal to the human mind with all of mankind. 

In his Friday Sermon of March 09, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius gave a discourse on how to conduct the preaching of Islam and underscored certain points to keep in mind in Dawa.

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

(1) Planning

Dawa requires effective planning and strategy formulation. We should never do Dawa by haste. We have to plan it out very carefully with deliberation. We have to plan how to do Dawa to various kinds of peoples coming from different backgrounds. We need to plan especially if we are organizing Dawa for groups through lectures or seminars. We have to plan ahead of time, plan for the theme, topics, venue, time particulars, speakers concerned. We have to consider planning what to say and how to say it. As Dai-Illallah, it is imperative for us to plan but we have to acknowledge that Allah is the Best of planners like mentioned in the following verses of the Holy Quran:

“And the disbelievers planned, but Allah planned. And Allah is the best of planners.” (3: 55) and “But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.” (8: 31)

Thus, we have to pray for His help to bless our plan, our Dawa because “When He decrees a plan, He only says to it, ‘Be’, and it is!” (3: 48); and that,  “He does command according to His will and plan”. (5: 2)

(2) Inviting people with Hikma (wisdom) and beautiful preaching. 

Allah the Almighty commands us, so that we can be successful Dai-Illallah. Allah says:

“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is (rightly) guided.” (16: 126)

Remembering Hadhrat Massih Maoud (as)- II

Prophets and other Messengers are raised by Allah, the Most High. He bestows His favour on whomsoever He wills among His servants and such persons declare a Divine Mission when the Divine Grace descends on them. And Allah knows best when and where to place His Message (6: 125). The Holy Qur’an declares: ‘He cannot be questioned as to what He does’, but those who reject the Messengers will be questioned as to what they did (21:21).

About the Divine Messengers, Allah states in the Holy Qur’an: “We sent none as Messengers before you but men to whom We sent revelations. So ask those who are well versed in scriptures, if you know not. And We did not give them bodies that ate no food, nor where they to live forever” (21:8-9).

No wonder, Divine Messengers invariably affirm their humanity. The Holy Qur’an repeatedly mentions this fact: “We are indeed only men like yourselves, but Allah bestows His favour on whomsoever He wills from among His servants” (14:12). About his status and mission, a Messenger declares: “I am only a man like yourselves; but I have received the revelation that your God is only One God. So let him who hopes to meet his Lord do good deeds, and let him join no one in the worship of his Lord” (18:111).

Hence, the profound duty and responsibility of a Messenger of Allah is to make people understand the real purpose of life and to guide them in leading a life of meaning and enduring value, both in this world and the world to come. Their life as lived in this very earth is the message for their fellow beings. In this way, the Messengers essentially seek to purify people and to guide them to their Lord through their noble precepts and credible practices.

To know the prophets and the Divine messengers is to know the ways of Allah. The life of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian is a recent testimonial to the enduring principles of Divine Mercy and continuity of revelations confirmed by the Holy Qur’an. Understanding the physical and material circumstances of his times, family background, early education, traits of character and spiritual inclination from early life are important in a way for the believers to marvel at the contingent circumstances against which Divine Messages emerge and thrive.

In a world that refuses to recognize the spiritual reality of a Living and Ever- Subsisting Lord who speaks to His servants and answers the prayers of His supplicants, what better way to affirm those principles than to remember the lived history of such Divine Messengers? In his Friday Sermon of March 16, 2012, Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius sketched a fascinating glimpse into the early life and times of Hadhrat Massih Maoud (as). The first part of the Sermon was published here at the Sahih Al Islam Blog on March 17, 2012.

Read the second and final part of the Sermon:

Promised Massih (as): Portrait as a Young Man- I

In his Friday Sermon of March 16, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius spoke about the Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as). The speech graphically portrayed a picture of Hadhrat Ahmad as a young man and also that of Qadian, birthplace of the Promised Massih (as).  The growing up years of the man who would eventually be raised with a Divine Mission, as emerging from this Biographical note, makes one really appreciate the Divine Plan behind it all.  

Read the Extracts from the Speech:

"When Massih Ma’ud (upon him be peace) was born in India there was no schools or colleges. Education in Muslim households consisted of learning the Holy Quran and, at the best, learning to read Urdu and Persian.

The first tutor of Hazrat Massih Ma’ud (upon him be peace) was engaged when he was about six or seven, around 1841. He taught Massih Ma’ud (upon him be peace) verses of the Quran and started on a few elementary Persian books. When he was about 10 years old, another tutor was engaged. He worked hard with Hazrat Massih Ma’ud (upon him be peace) and taught him the elements of Arabic. A few other boys came to his house to share the services of the tutors. One tutor was often teased. It is not known whether Hazrat Massih Ma’ud (upon him be peace) joined in, but it is unlikely. He was a serious, studious boy and when the day’s lessons were done, they were held in what was a living room, he normally climbed the stairs to his room, which was immediately above and continued reading.

SAFAR Zikrullah: March 2003

Islam swears by a Living Allah. He is Merciful and Compassionate and hears and answers the prayers of His servants. Divine Mercy encompasses the whole world. So much so that there has never been any nation that has not received its share of divine guidance. The Holy Qur’an testifies that all communities have witnessed the appearance of Divine Messengers among them. It is an enduring Divine practice that Allah raises His Messengers and servants whenever He finds the community of people in disarray due to lack of unity and real spirituality in society.

There is little doubt among thoughtful people that the Islamic world is witnessing such an era. The signs are unmistakably apparent- obvious to every one except the ones who have veils over their eyes. The fortunes of the Muslim Ummah have touched the lowest ebb. The ravaging of Arab lands- American occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan and the prolonged suffering of Palestine under Israeli colonial domination and the ongoing encircling of Iran, all points to this state of decline and crises. 

Allah raised Musa (as) to take on the Pharaohs of his times. Prayer was his ultimate armament. In an age when everything is upside down, a Man of Allah appears to show the way, to teach the people the real path of sublime spirituality. Such a Servant of Allah seeks the protection against the worst enemies of people through reciting fervent prayers. 

In March 2003, Allah, the Most High guided His Chosen Messenger of the era Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius (atba) to organize a special spiritual retreat- an event that has since come to be known as “Safar Zikrullah”. For a few days, the close disciples of Hadhrat Sahib and some other truth seekers joined him to spend time in Divine remembrance and to offer fervent prayers for the destruction of modern Pharaohs like Ariel Sharon who has since then been reduced by Allah the Almighty to a miserable state in this very life!  Safar Zikrullah is thus one of the most important spiritual events of the last decade.

Beyond the external impact of the prayers of a Man of God manifesting in the world at large, it is remarkable to note that this extraordinary event has had an internal dimension as well. The disciples of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba), each one of them who attended the Safar Zikrullah Programme, witnessed at their own levels one Divine sign or the other that testified to the veracity of the chosen Messenger of Allah. All Praise belongs to the Almighty Alone!    

The biographical essay on the life and message of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) contains a narrative on Safar Zikrullah.

Read the relevant extracts:

Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam: Basic Beliefs

In October 2010, an Ahmadi seeker of truth from Kerala, India wrote a letter to Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (aba) of Mauritius. While seeking information about the exact nature of the claim of Hadhrat Sahib, he expressed his conviction: "[i]t is incumbent upon me as a Muslim to accept the divinely appointed Khalifatullah of the Age". Hadhrat Sahib’s considered response to the letter throws profound light on the concept of Tawheed and the continuity of Divine revelations in Islam and a brief account about the divine bounties bestowed on him in recent times by Allah the Most High.

As the letter provides a glimpse into the nature of foundational beliefs held by Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, we are reproducing the letter below (omitting personal details), for the benefit of our readers:

“….By the immense grace of Allah, He has recently officially (10 September 2010) raised me in addition to being an Amir'ul Momeneen, Muhyi-ud-Din and Khalifatullah to the honourable position of Mujaddid and Massih Maoud of this age. I have come to revive the teachings of Islam, the teachings of the Holy Quran and to guide the whole humanity towards the worship of one God, Allah (Tabaarak Wa Ta'ala).