Eid: Celebration of 'Taqwah'

The first thing I would like to highlight is that all the efforts which we, Muslims have made in the right way during the month of Ramadan had only one objective: Taqwa (fear of Allah, piety). If this fear is now part of us, it means that the month of fasting was a total success and that we can now reap all year round the fruits of this valuable win. 

Ramadan is not an end in itself; it is the beginning for some and a continuation for others, of the consolidation of this state of fear of the Lord (Rab) so that the harvest is perpetual. To live or to die depends solely on the decree of Allah, but He advises us to ensure that at the time of the departure of our soul that we are in a position of total submission to Him. It means, therefore, that we need to be in this position permanently. The believer must also honour the sacred bond that unites him to the Almighty and should not create circumstances that could cause any dissension within the community of Allah. 

Let us now see some sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ^(pbuh) on the subject by raising some subtle points.

(1) Hazrat Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas ^(ra) narrated that he heard the Holy Prophet ^(pbuh) say that Allah ^(swt) loves those who control their passions, those who have no vile desire, those who do not seek the glory of this world and those who lead a secluded life. (Sahih Muslim).

(2) Hadhrat Aisha ^(ra) said that nothing and no one has more value in the eyes of the Holy Prophet ^(pbuh) that he who has the fear of Allah. (Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal).

This Hadith complements the first, that is to say, one who is loved by Allah is also loved by the Holy Prophet ^(pbuh).

Islamophobia: Change Perceptions

If we define Islam correctly like it should be defined, we shall be able to grate Islamophobia from the mindset of people of the different cultures and races around the world. Islamophobia has taken root deep into sections of the world population. To avert this deep fear of Islam itself as a way of life, as a religion, we, Muslims must portray the correct teachings of God Almighty (Allah), of His Holy Book (the Quran) and His Holy Prophet (Our Master Muhammad) – peace be upon him.

Islam is in no way a threat to world peace, but in fact invites to world peace, just like - or even more so than - the rest of the grand religions of the world: Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity etc. Now, we can hardly say that every Christian or every Hindu is a terrorist despite the fact that we know that there are terrorists throughout the world who claim to be Christians, or Hindus while committing heinous acts against humanity. Now, why blame Islam for the heinous actions of some people who claim to be Muslims whilst doing unislamic acts and using Islamic slogans to commit such acts?

The Quest for 'Laila-tul-Qadr'

The Night of Decree

If the Night of Destiny, which is found in the last ten days of Ramadan is different from the other nights of this blessed month or even the other nights of the year, it is due to its preeminence as mentioned in a chapter of the Holy Quran which has been revealed on its very subject, i.e. Chapter 97, Verses 1-6:

“In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. 

Surely We revealed it on the Night of Majesty; 

And what will make you understand what the Night of Majesty is? 

The Night of Majesty is better than a thousand months. 

The angels and the Spirit descend therein by the permission of their Lord for every matter. 

Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” (Al-Qadr, 97: 1-6).

Traditions report that the Holy Prophet Muhammad ^(sa) was on his way to inform Muslims of the date of the Night of Destiny, when because of a quarrel between two people the knowledge thereof was taken from him. He expressed the wish that it was (indeed) good for the Muslims (that the specific date of this Night has been made to be forgotten).

Hazrat Aisha ^(ra), the wife of the Messenger of Allah ^(sa) informed us: “The Messenger of Allah ^(sa) used to retreat in the Mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan, in the odd days of the last ten days of Ramadan.” (Bukhari & Muslim).

Therefore, the possible nights are the 21^st, 23^rd, 25^th, 27^th & 29^th.

Ramadan: Enduring Blessings

Ramadan & Obedience to Allah

The Holy Month of Ramadan has once again graced our life with its presence; a whole month has been bestowed by Allah (God Almighty) to the Muslims so that they may acquire His pleasure and accede to His nearness.

The Sacred Month of Ramadan is such a month which gives the Muslim believers the opportunity to live their Islam, i.e. Submission to Allah to the fullest. And as such obedience to Allah is the key to open the door of His Mercy.

Allah says in the Holy Quran: 

And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should (obediently) answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way. (2: 187)

The above-mentioned verse is clear on the fact that God Almighty seeks submission from His servants. He wants that His servants, whom He has lovingly placed on earth, call upon Him and respond to His call also. He is such a Being who extremely cares for His creatures. The whole creation is in awe before Him. Man, compared to the rest of creation, is the most intelligent creature and has received the greatest of divine favours in the ability to work towards earning a higher status in the spiritual realm.

Devotion and Reconciliation in Ramadan

Reconcile with the Estranged 

I advice the Jamaat (Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam), wherever my voice reaches, and wherever the Jamaat is hearing this message, to keep watch over the progress of unity, harmony and strong brotherhood. And in this context, the first step to be taken is that from this present Friday to the next Friday, you need to reconcile with the people with whom you had a grudge against because of things relating to this world (mundane matters), egoistical reasons, or personal reasons. 

*** Huzur (atba) made an appeal to all spiritual chiefs and Jamaats in Islam, including the fifth Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Movement and encourage them to drop all form of arrogance and egoistic nature and to reunite together for the sake of Islam and unity as one body of Islam to march forward towards victory (Victory of Islam) ***  You need to make peace with these kinds of person. And neither of you should think on these lines: “Oh, I am the victim in this matter; therefore the other one should be the first to come forward to make peace!”

On the contrary, it becomes more incumbent/ necessary on the victim to make that reconciliation happen first because there is a promise of great rewards for the one who comes forward first for reconciliation. And it shall be a real mischance for the one who is in the right (the victim) to miss the opportunity of this great reward and to let his oppressor obtain the grand reward when the latter approaches the victim first for reconciliation. This is an advice and message which needs to reach the ears of each member of the Jamaat worldwide. It is not easy to make this advice reach everywhere and it is possible that this advice needs to be repeated several times. 

'Tahajjud' and 'Ibaadat' in Ramadan

Tahajjud in Ramadan

وَ اِذَا سَاَلَکَ عِبَادِیۡ عَنِّیۡ فَاِنِّیۡ قَرِیۡبٌ ؕ اُجِیۡبُ دَعۡوَۃَ الدَّاعِ  اِذَا دَعَانِ  ۙ فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیۡبُوۡا لِیۡ وَ لۡیُؤۡمِنُوۡا بِیۡ  لَعَلَّہُمۡ  یَرۡشُدُوۡنَ ۝

Alhamdulillah Summa Alhamdulillah, by the grace of Allah, I thus continue my sermon which I started last Friday. I read the verses 184-187 of the Surah Al-Baqara, and when one reads the last verse (i.e. Verse 187), Almighty Allah says:

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.”(Al-Baqara, 2: 187).

This is also a verse which is subject to long commentaries and we can say that this is a period when Almighty Allah comes nearer to us (His servants), and when He is prepared to receive/ accept our supplications/ requests (duahs). But this is not without condition! There are some conditions which are attached with that (divine) statement/ promise. One must listen to Allah (listen to what He has to say), obey Him and have faith (Iman) in Him. It is then that Almighty Allah shall be ready to listen to our duahs.

The Mission of a 'Khalifatullah'

2016 May 26 marks the eighth anniversary of an important event in the annals of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam. A proclamation issued by  Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius on this day eight years ago, contained an important- very very important- news for the entire world, especially for all devout Muslims. Through this Declaration, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) agreed very clearly and categorically that he is indeed being raised by God Almighty as a Khalifatullah. The spiritual import of this event is that it is the very fulfillment of a grand prophecy in our times. For, the promise of God contained in the Qur'an is for true believers in all ages- that Allah (swt) shall raise His servants as Caliphs in every era to guide and lead the community of believers in the path of righteousness and spiritual elevation, by providing them temporal guidance and spiritual leadership. 

Reproduced below is a special speech delivered by the Khalifatullah (atba) on the occasion of the eighth Anniversary. 

The Divine Promise on Khilafat 

Allah has promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely make them Successors in the earth, as He made Successors (from among) those who were before them; and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them; and that He will surely give them in exchange security and peace after their fear: They will worship Me, and they will not associate anything with Me. Then whoever is ungrateful after that, they will be among the rebels. (Quran, Chapter An-Nur, 24: 56)

Yester night (26 May 2016) by the grace of Allah, marked the 8^th year since I received from Allah the title of Khalifatullah officially whereby Allah gave me the instruction to stand up and proclaim my mission as Khalifatullah (the Caliph of Allah) and on this occasion my disciples through the divine instructions happily came forward to take the Bai’at (the oath of allegiance) from the hand of the Khalifatullah of this era. In this regard, I wish to address some words to the world on the mission of a Khalifatullah and invite you all to come forward so that together we may work together through the divine instructions to redress the situation of Islam in the world and bring back the lost souls to the fold of Allah, the True and Unique Rab (Master, Lord).