Obama on Freedom of Religion

President of the United States Barack Hussein Obama spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast, a decades-old Washington tradition, on February 06, 2014. "To harm anyone in the name of faith is to diminish our own relationship with God", says the President.

As instances of persecution and other violation of basic freedoms scar the lives of millions of people in different parts of the world, the President reminds that to respect human rights, particularly religious freedom, leaders everywhere must do more. Among the cases of egregious violation of religious freedoms, the President remembers the plight of, among others, the Ahmadi Muslims of Pakistan.

Read the Extracts from the Speech:

So each time we gather, it’s a chance to set aside the rush of our daily lives; to pause with humility before an Almighty God; to seek His grace; and, mindful of our own imperfections, to remember the admonition from the Book of Romans, which is especially fitting for those of us in Washington: “Do not claim to be wiser than you are.”

So here we put aside labels of party and ideology, and recall what we are first: all children of a loving God; brothers and sisters called to make His work our own. But in this work, as Lincoln said, our concern should not be whether God is on our side, but whether we are on God’s side…

Meaning of “Khatamun-Nabiyyin"

The term “Khatamun-Nabiyyin” which when literally translated means ‘Seal of the prophets’ is grammatically a compound phrase. It is a matter of common knowledge that when two words join together to make a phrase, they do not necessarily give their literal meaning. For example, ‘Ibn’ means ‘son’ and ‘Sabil’ means way; but when these words is joint together to make ‘Ibn-Sabil’ it does not reflect an absolutely literal meaning. We thus don’t consider it to mean: ‘Son of the path’, it only means a traveller. 

Such titles was also a practice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) whereby he used to name his companions according to sometimes memorable events or simply because of the situation in which he found them. For example, he named his cousin, son-in-law and his fourth successor Ali (ra), Abu Turab, which literally means: Father of the soil/sand, which of course Hazrat Ali (ra) was not literally one, but the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) gave him the name as an adjective or attribute and not as a literal meaning. So the real sense of a phrase is determined by grammar, its usage in language and the context in which it is used.

It is an established and unchangeable rule of Arabic grammar and language that when the word ‘Khatam’ is used in the praise of a person and its combining word is a ‘group of talented people’, it never means that the person called ‘Khatam’ is the last or final to appear in respect of time. It always means that in the opinion of the user, the person concerned is the perfect and supreme in that ‘group of talented people’ and that he has achieved the last and final grade in that particular excellence. The Islamic literature is full of such instances and not a single example can be cited against this rule.  

Remembering the "Seal of Prophets"

A seal sets a distinction from all other things. Now a Seal among humans and prophets bring about the exquisite perfection of such a being without whom, the example of leader and follower would be in vain. A true leader is the one who not only guides his people in the right path, but also set examples for them to follow; such examples which are priceless if only these peoples put those actions into motion. The followership emotion derived from such leadership is simply amazing and beyond definition.

If the Quran is a Book sent to mankind; not only Muslims, then Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is also not only a prophet for the Muslims alone. As a Bringer of good news and a Warner he came like his brethrens from among the prophets of the past, including his ancestor and patriarch Abraham (uhbp) to preach the words of God Almighty so that humankind may reform and connect with their Maker. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) came as a light to shed to pieces the darkness of unfaith and immorality.

Prophet Muhammad: The Perfect Role Model

Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) is the only human and divine prophet to have reached the degree of perfect excellence, such excellence which is agreeable to human nature and the Creator Himself. With the revelation of the Holy Quran upon his humble self, Allah told him to say to the people: 

“If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you, forgive you your sins.” (3: 32).

The declaration of the Holy Quran is clear. It is set with such a condition which is agreeable to the ways of Allah, which is: Obey Allah and Obey the Prophet. Guidelines to obeying Allah are found in obeying the prophet and manifest the exquisite nature of being a good listener of the divine revelations and putting those instructions into practice.

There is abundant historical evidence to prove that those who have reformed their lives, by deciding to mould their lives according to the Holy Prophet’s model emerged from the abyss of ignorance and barbarism and poverty to be the teachers of arts and sciences and morals and social good, and it is them who became the masters of the world. They did not only attain the utmost temporal progress, but also set such an example of religious and spiritual life of piety and righteousness and purity and chastity that Allah (twa) Himself proclaimed in the Holy Quran:

 “Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Allah.” (98: 9)

The fact is that the more the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is taken into consideration and acted upon, the more the door of divine salvation opens to let manifest the love of Allah for such a devoted servant of Allah and true follower of the Seal of all prophets.

An Introduction to Islam

In his Friday Sermon of January 10, 2014 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius gives a profound and eloquent introduction to the religion of Islam. The true path to the Divine, preached and propagated by the Messengers and Reformers all through history, continues to remain accessible for those who earnestly strive and transform their own selves to meet the rigours and trials of faith, assures the Messenger of Allah of our times.

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

Without faith in God Almighty, man is blind. The essence of all religions is to bring forward mankind as one family under the banner of the unity of the Creator of the Heavens and Earth.

Religion has been and will always be what man makes of it, and that is why man must take absolute precaution as to how he defines religion and how he goes about implementing religion, the true one in his everyday life. Religion may become a mere thought if not defined properly and acted upon. That is why God Almighty Himself brought forward Islam as the living religion of man. It is not only a religion, but the actual way of life of mankind, and especially the dedicated servants of God. From Prophet Adam to the last of all the law-bearing prophets, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), religion received its true meaning and purpose: to access to God Almighty (Allah – the Supreme and Absolute name of Almighty God; name which no human can and will hold).

Islam: The true purpose of life, absolute submission to the living and unique God, the religion of peace and harmony bringing mankind as one entity in the worship of the Almighty.

Safar Zikrullah and the Fate of Ariel Sharon

The Muslim world faces enormous challenges in our present era. Powerful adversaries have conquered and destroyed the Muslim lands and peoples in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, etc. Millions of Muslims have become refugees and internally displaced peoples, in search of right to life and dignity. The bombings and killings and the hardships of war and crimes have afflicted the Muslim psyche with feelings of helplessness and agony. The events of the last decade- Ariel Sharon laying siege on the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Bush-Blair combine unleashing the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan-powerfully underscored the tragic situation of the Muslim Ummah.

It was under these circumstances that Allah the Most High directed His Chosen Messenger- Muhyi-ud Din Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba)- to observe Safar Zikrullah, a spiritual retreat to devout time for fervent prayers for the destruction of the arch-enemies of Islam. In his Friday Sermon of January 17, 2014 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius briefly mentioned about the event in the context of the end of Ariel Sharon, the war-criminal politician of Israel, who died last week after 8 years in coma.

Ariel Sharon: ‘Troubled legacy of a bulldozer’

The passing of Ariel Sharon, the war criminal-politician of Israel, is a grim reminder of the continuing injustice and impoverishment of the brave Palestinian people under conditions of racial apartheid and colonial enslavement in their own homeland, now known as the Occupied Territories. Sharon literally got away with murder and mayhem he unleashed against countless innocent civilians of Lebanon and Palestine, thanks to the support of the worldly powers that sustained his politics. Yet, he spent his last years of life in this very world in a condition of “neither living nor dead” in which no worldly might could be of any help or succour to him.  In an article published in the Hindu Newspaper (India) on January16, 2014, distinguished scholar Vijay Prashad points out that the eulogising pabulum that greeted Ariel Sharon’s death ignored his history as a harsh military leader with a record of many atrocities.

We reproduce the Essay for the benefit of our readers:

The settlements, for Ariel Sharon, were an instrument to make life so miserable for Palestinians that they would eventually quit the remainder of their lands