Disasters and the Renewal of Faith

Disasters, or Divine Wrath?

What are natural disasters, according to human terms? These are on one hand repressible calamities and on the other uncontrollable disasters varying according to the intensity of the calamities in question, for example: earthquakes, storms, droughts, floods etc. They are classified into two parts: (1) those which manifest as the consequences of what the hands of men have brought forth. For e.g. Global warming by the greenhouse effect, pollution, etc. (2) those which manifest by the nature itself of how the earth and the heavens function, sometimes predictable, sometimes unpredictable.

In themselves, by their nature they are form an integral part in the overall scheme of things in which all life is created. Their roles in this scheme are determinants and are not at all nonsense. So in the interest of a great number of lives, some small individual interests are often sacrificed. This is the accepted principle. Because of the important role that these disasters play in the planning of things and in the journey of life and progress, they cannot then be taken as meaningless just because some individuals are victims are them.

Ethics of Creative Destruction

The general philosophy behind these disasters could be understood if you study the phenomenon of life and death – the fight of one in the face of the other. Every step forward in the evolution of life brings in its wake millions and millions of victims. Each step causes the destruction of countless potential life. Even when we see in the universe millions of species and a number, which cannot be counted, of creatures in various forms of life – then what is their ultimate goal? If you understand how things are patterned you will discover that they are made to serve man and their roles are ultimately to serve the ecology of which man needs. All this is only part of the process. Thus the number is sacrificed for the profit of quality. This is the essence of this whole plan. If billions of lives are sacrificed for the benefit of man – the superior creature/ being – in order to increase his qualities and this after taking the test/ trial – then some sacrifices are justified for this great planning of things.

Faith, Freedom and Public Order

"ISLAMIC STATE" spreads Terror

In the context of the besiegement by the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) of some Muslim states by proclaiming a caliphate which has not been mandated neither by Allah, nor the truly pious people, both the Islamic and non-Islamic worlds now see themselves facing a real danger. 

After Al-Qaeda and other terrorist cells, the ISIS is doing havoc in Iraq and Syria and is trying by force and terror to make people succumb to their command. According to them, the first objective of the Ummah must be the seizure of secular power so as to be able to reign in supremacy. And so, without referring themselves specifically to the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), these people spread terror in both Muslim and non-Muslim camps. 

The world is facing a real crisis. That is why in this century, the Caliph of Allah, the Reviver of Faith of this century has been raised by Allah to thwart the purpose of any other false caliphate which is just like a flame blazing and burning further the fragile state of Islam.

We are in a state of emergency. 

Muslims must refer themselves first of all to the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of our beloved prophet (pbuh). What these so-called Muslims and defenders of the Ummah are doing has nothing to do with the practice of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). The latter (pbuh) had established the Quran first; long before he even gained political power. The teachings (of the Quran) were observed/ put into practice even if the political powers of the time opposed them. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) remains verily our only source of light. His ascension to political supremacy was primarily free of all injustice and coercion.

Pursuit of Pleasure: At What Cost ?

AN UNSECURE FUTURE

Man’s future, our future rests in our Creator, in our pure relationship (between Him and us) which existed long before our existence on this ephemeral earth. So why is there this distance, now that we exist on this earth? Certainly the pursuit of pleasure associated with uncontrolled freedom has made the society as it is today. We profess to be free, but free from what? (Sadly) We have liberated ourselves from the bonds that bind us to our Creator! It is what we now observe worldwide on the concept of freedom; to be free of anything related to the nobility of the soul, to be free of the magnanimity of the heart that creates in man his sense of responsibility and limiting his unbridled pursuit of pleasure. It’s that kind of freedom that the Muslim world and the world in general now continue to pursue – a mad pursuit of this pleasure – anywhere he can find it and forgetting limits that must not be exceeded.

Man is born with capabilities, resources and a limited imagination; and thus should his pursuit of pleasure be limited, for if unchecked, shall lead him to a dead end. Numerous side effects then stand in his way and society becomes increasingly nervous and turbulent. The Muslim world is unfortunately not spared today.

Finding God: Five Steps for the Seeker

Make God Almighty your Ultimate Goal:

People who are rather short-sighted and lack discernment define different reasons for their lives and are limited to worldly objectives and ambitions. But the purpose decided for man by God Almighty is according to His own holy words:

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (51: 57)

The real aim of God is to make the man understand the main purpose of his existence on earth, that is to say, to be completely devoted to Him. It is obvious that man cannot set a goal to his own life because he neither comes into this world on his own nor does he leave this world on his own, according to his will. He is a creature and the One who has created him and invested in him better faculties which are superior to animals has also identified a goal for his life. We understand it or not, the fact remain that the purpose of the creation of man is undoubtedly worship and understanding of God and a complete devotion to Him. Elsewhere in the Holy Quran, God Almighty has said:

“Surely the true religion in the sight of Allah is Islam...” (3: 20)

“So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth (as one devoted to God). It is the nature made by Allah, the nature according to which He has created men. There can be no change in Allah’s creation. This is the true religion. But most people do not know.” (30: 31).

The religion that gives us a real appreciation of God and prescribes His true worship is Islam. Islam is inherent in human nature and man was created in accord with ISLAM - submission to the One God - and such is the eternal and true faith. This is to say that God wanted man to be fully devoted to His worship, that he loves and obeys Him with all his faculties. So He (Allah) has blessed man with all appropriate faculties to achieve ISLAM (to submit to Him, that being the real target for the creation of mankind).

Despite the fact that man is taken up by the various projects of his life, he can find true happiness only in God Almighty (Allah). After having accumulated enormous wealth, after having held high office, after having become a great trader, and ruled over a vast kingdom, and after having been recognized as a great philosopher, at the end he leaves all these commitments with great regret. His heart constantly reproaches himself for his total concern for worldly affairs and his conscience never accepts his illicit activities full of trickery and artifice.

An intelligent person can better understand that problem. We cannot assign a higher purpose to something beyond its/ his capacity, beyond which it/ he can no longer function. For example, the highest work of a bull is the ploughing of fields or irrigation or transportation. Its faculties are not adapted to anything else. Thus the aim of the life of a bull comes down to these three functions. It has no ability to do anything else. 

But by examining the faculties of man and trying to find their limits, we find him in search of God the Exalted. He wishes to become so devote to God that he devotes everything he owns/possesses to God. He shares with other animals his natural survival instinct. However, in the field of manufacturing certain animals surpass him. Indeed the bees extract the essence of different varieties of flowers to produce a honey so excellent that it surpasses the understanding of man up till now. It is therefore obvious that the summits of human faculties are to meet God the Exalted. So the real purpose of his life is that the window of his heart should open to God.

Islam on Slavery and Prisoners of War

Prophets and other messengers of God come to liberate humans from their chains. Divine teachings, in their pristine essence, are designed to emancipate them from their slavish bondages.

Compared to all other religions of the past, Islam provides far more evolved teachings that are mindful of the predicament of slaves. Its teachings are designed to abolish and root out this abominable practice through radical transformation of the social order, even as it provides teachings for fair treatment of all, including in times of war to the Prisoners of War. Islam permits defensive war against the enemies of the State when it is faced with aggression by other nations and peoples. In the course of such inter-State conflicts, Muslims can capture and retain prisoners of War till the end of hostilities and thereafter, release them as a grace or for ransom.

In the history of the world, rise and fall of nations is a reality. Likewise, profound teachings get blurred in the distance of time. People forget the true traditions and invent new customs of religions, and thereby alter and reshape original teachings. Hence, though Prophets in the past never took slaves, their followers have abused that legacy of freedom and fairness.  Hence, slavery had been perpetrated also by the so called men of religion. Despite Islam’s clearest exposition on the dignity and equality and equal rights of all human beings, like Jews and Christians and the Hindus among them in society, even Muslims cannot fully absolve themselves from the stigma of practicing slavery. 

In a religious and international context, where the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) practices slavery against its enemies in the name of Islam, and also many other world nations permitting working/labour/social/political conditions amounting to modern forms slavery that infringes upon elementary considerations of humanity, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius warns the world community on the need for returning to the just teachings of Islam that seek to abolish slavery and ensure fair treatment of all, including even to prisoners of war in times of hostilities.  

Reproduced below are extracts from the Friday Sermon of 05 February 2016 ~(25 Rabi’ul Aakhir 1437 Hijri):

Why A Divinely-Elected Imam Now?

The Advent of Divine Elects

The main reason for the arrival of new non-Law-bearing prophets in the Muhammadan Ummah (pbuh) is that Islam came for the whole world and must be propagated. And for this important work two arrangements are necessary: first the internal reform among Muslims (i.e., the strengthening of their faith in Islam), and second, the spread of Islam around the world. These two needs cannot be achieved without strict discipline, a leader, an Imam.

In the Quran, Allah (swt) talks about this discipline in these terms:

“Allah would not leave the believers in that (state) you are in (presently) until He separates the evil from the good. Nor would Allah reveal to you the unseen. But (instead), Allah chooses of His messengers whom He wills, so believe in Allah and His messengers. And if you believe and fear Him, then for you is a great reward.” (3:180).

Here it is said to the believers: Oh you who claim to have faith, as long as there shall be no difference between the good and the bad you will remain mixed up with the result that Islam will be weakened. Allah does not like such a situation. Surely He will send a prophet to separate the bad from the good. Since only God knows who is good and who is not, and He alone knows how to separate, He will choose a pious Muslim to operate that separation of/ distinction between (the good and evil/ bad ones). O you who believe! “So believe in Allah and His messengers.”

On the other hand, if there should not come a prophet, why did Allah (swt) say to those who believe in Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) that a time will come when there will be no difference between good and evil and that He shall then send a prophet? Why did He give the command to believe in the Prophet and to fear (i.e., to reform)? There is in all this food for thought.

Divine Favours on Abraham's Family

“The religion of your father Abraham; He (Allah) named you Muslims.”---(Al-Hajj 22: 79).

Favours: Temporal and Spiritual

O Muslims! Remember that we are the promised children of Abraham (as). There are great promises of God concerning us. God has made us the best of all (Khairi Uman). He gave us until the end of days the development of temporal favours in the form of royalty and also the development of spiritual favours in the form of prophethood, for we are the seed of Abraham (Ibrahim).

God had kept His promise to Abraham’s posterity from the branch of Israel (Jacob / Yaqub) as long as they did not become evil, and thus the system of royalty and that of prophethood were reserved for him. 

Divine Favours change Trajectory

But when they became wicked, God changed the trajectory of His Light and (while still holding firm to His promise to Abraham) gave that favour to the posterity of Ismail where we had the Rahmatul-lil-Aalameen (blessing for the entire universe) to bless all nations and whose coming was promised as a manifestation of God. This awaited perfect messenger was indeed the seal of the prophets, the founder of Islam, our beloved prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who came with a perfect divine book, i.e. the Holy Quran.