'Laila-tul- Qadr': Rise of a 'Mujaddid'/ 'Khalifatullah'

In the Muslim spiritual imagination, the month of Ramadan is deeply embedded as the sacred month of Fasting for the sake of God Almighty. The month also reminds us about the advent of Divine revelations on the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and the sacred birth of the Holy Qur'an! Indeed the Holy Qur'an itself acknowledges that it was in the blessed nights of Ramadan that the very first verses began to be revealed on the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa). The Holy Book says: “The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).” [2:185] “Verily! We have sent it (this Qur'an) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree).” [97:1].  "Truly, We revealed it in a blessed Night"(44:3). 

Distinguished lexicographers and Qur'an scholars have noted that wherever the Qur'an speaks of "Lailah", it has a deep connection with the descent of Divine revelations. The saints of Islam had noted the profound connection of "Lailat-ul-Qadr" with the advent of Muhaddith (recipient of Divine revelations), "Khalifatullah" (Caliph of God) and Mujaddid (Divine reformer) in every era of Islam. The Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian also sought to educate and remind the Muslims of his era about the significance of 'Lailat-ul-Qadr' and the deep spiritual verities of Surah Al Qadr, especially with regard to the raising of great spiritual souls in every era of Islam as 'Mujaddid', 'Muhaddith', 'Khalifatullah', etc. 

Reproduced below are the words of Hadhrat Massih Maoud (as) from one of his books, Fateh-e-Islam: 

“Allah gives glad tidings to the faithful in Surah Al Qadr that His prophet and His revelation descended from the heaven during the period of Laila-tul- Qadr (the Night of Decree).

Every Muhaddath and Mujaddid who is commissioned by Allah always appears during the Night of Decree. 

Do you understand what is meant by the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree or the Laila-tul- Qadr is the name of a night when spiritual darkness reaches its ultimate gloom. That gloom, metaphorically, demands a light from heaven for its dissipation. This night is symbolically called the Night of Decree. In fact, it is not a night, but a period, which is referred to as a ‘night’ because of its intense darkness. 

One thousand months is the approximate life span of a human being. It is also a period after which normal human senses ceases to function. The elapse of a period of one thousand months, following the demise of a Prophet or his spiritual successor also signals the commencement of a ‘night’ of darkness. This ‘night’ triggers fervour in the heavens and the seeds of the birth of one or more reformers (Mujaddidin) is stealthily sown. Thus such a Mujaddid or prepare to emerge at the head of the new century. The following verse is also an indication by Allah towards this phenomenon:

           

  “The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months”.  (Surah Al Qadr, 97:4) .

The Many Blessings of 'Lailat-ul-Qadr'

From among the many signs of God Almighty – referred to by the Muslim as: « Allah » which literally means such a Being Who has no associate, no partner – there is His exquisite love for mankind. That is why He sends prophets and reformers from time to time to consolidate His commandments, to reform the lives of people and to direct them to Him in all humility and with such a fear filled with intense respect and love for Him (i.e. Taqwa).

For all people/nations, God decreed fasting as a means of purification for them. With the advent of Islam, Muslims also received the commandment to fast. Fasting is beneficial to the body and the spiritual soul involved in each and every human being. When witnessing the month of Ramadan and complying with the commandment of God Almighty (Allah) to fast, the Muslims are in fact, if I may say so, signing a contract with Allah to let go of their past lives, which may have been filled with mistakes and sins, and to reform their lives in such a way that they get the intense joy of being Muslims in every facet of the word and meaning. The month of Ramadan gives them a second chance for a new beginning. In the life of a long-lived Muslim, he therefore gets many such “second chances” to shed away his past errors and to return to Allah repentant and as a new individual with the good intent to serve Allah in the best way possible.

Ramadan is an opportunity for him to reform himself, and to control his temporal desires, so when such a good-natured Muslim is really willing to reform himself with a true and repentant heart, Allah gives him the reward of such a Night which is known as “Laila-tul-Qadr”.

Ramadan: 'Cultivate Good Manners'

The month of Ramadan leads us to cultivate good manners. In a Hadith, the Messenger of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said:

(1)  Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.) (Bukhari).

(2) Fasting does not just mean giving up food and drink, rather fasting means giving up idle speech and obscene conduct. If anyone insults you or treats you in an ignorant manner, then say, ’I am fasting, I am fasting.’ (Bukhari).

These two narrations point to the importance of truth and good manners. Thus, this blessed month teaches us not only to abstain from food and drink but also to refrain from such connexions and actions that can hurt people and violate their rights.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, when describing a true believer: “A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand Muslims are safe.” (Bukhari).

Therefore, it is up to us as individuals to examine our shortcomings, and seek improvement and bring ourselves closer to the way (Sunnah) of our Prophet (pbuh) as well as to aspire to the excellence that is mentioned in the following words (of the Holy Prophet (pbuh)): “I guarantee a house in Jannah (Paradise) for one who gives up arguing, even if he is in the right; and I guarantee a home in the middle of Jannah for one who abandons lying even for the sake of fun; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannah for one who has good manners.” (Abu Dawud).

'The Khalifa of Islam': Of Titles and Tasks

10 Years of the official proclamation as "Khalifatullah" 

In a special lecture delivered on 27 May 2018, coinciding with the 10th Anniversary of his Divinely-inspired proclamation of 26 May 2008 as the Caliph of God-"Khalifatullah"- the foremost Islamic spiritual personality of this era Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius- Holy Founder of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam- gives an illuminating discourse on the system of the advent of the Spiritual Heirs of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) in every era of Islam, to rejuvenate the Faith and to be a practical exemplar of the Holy Tradition/ Islamic Practice in everyday life for the devout. 

The Islamic sacred tradition recognizes the devout savants of the Faith by conferring upon them grand titles: "Khalifa", "Imam", "Mujaddid", "Muhyi-ud-Din", "Sheikh-ul-Islam", "Hujjatul Islam", "Mahdi", "Massih","Ummati-Nabi", etc. Drawing on the Holy Prophet's teachings, and also keeping in view the additional explanations of the Promised Massih (as) in the previous era, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) in his discourse, succinctly summarizes the spiritual doctrine on the purpose of the advent of the Elects of God in every era. Moreover, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) reminds both his enemies and friends of the need to be critically aware of the "mistakes of the past" when peoples and communities have preferred the adulation of the powers that be and ignored perennial Divine teachings and thereby they let go of a precious heritage of sublime faith represented by the advent of a Divine servant among them. 

Alhamdulillah, the message is of immediate relevance to the Ahmadis of our times- in a context where their elected Khalifatul Massih Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Saheb has been bereft of Divine illumination. Many devout Ahmadis are now seeking to engage with the larger question of Divine Guidance and revelations with the advent of a Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah in this era in the person of Hadhrat Munir Azim Saheb of Mauritius (atba), Soumma Alhamdulillah.

A Warning to the Nizam-e-Jamaat

Located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Southeast Africa,  the Mayotte archipelago is geographically part of the Comoros Islands, while officially it is an overseas territory of France. It consists of a main island, Grande-Terre (or Maore), a smaller island, Petite-Terre (or Pamanzi), and several islets around these two, situated between northwestern Madagascar and northeastern Mozambique. While the region came under the French settlements in 1840s, the people of Mayotte voted to remain politically a part of France in 1974. Following a 2009 referendum with an overwhelming result in favour of the department status under France, Mayotte became an outermost region of the European Union in 2014. It was the Arabs who brought Islam into the region during the medieval times and a Sultanate was established as early as 1500. According to the 2017 census, the small Island region (with an area of 374 square kilometers---144 sq mi) has a population of a little over 2,50,000- a vast majority of whom are the descendants of the Muslims. Although located far way from the mainlands of Africa and Asia, the remote Indian Ocean islands also had the fortune of receiving the message of Islam as propagated by the Promised Massih of the Later Days, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian. In many ways, the deep penetration of the message of Tawheed as propagated by the Promised Massih (as) to the remotest regions of the world is an awesome testimonial to the astonishing truth of the words of Allah (swt) descended on that holy  Divine servant in the previous era: “I shall cause your message to reach the corners of the earth”.

In the late 1990’s, it was the pioneering efforts of Hazrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb of Mauritius that planted the seeds of Ahmadiyyat in several Indian Ocean island communities, including the Mayotte Islands. As the missionary-ambassador of the Promised Massih (as) working in the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in collaboration with the then Khalifatul Massih IV, Hazrat Munir Azim Saheb took extraordinary  personal initiative and considerable pain to establish the message of Ahmadiyyat in these parts of the world. If ever the Nizam-e-Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya develops institutional memory and are truthful to their own records and testimonials; they would not, they should not and indeed they cannot avoid or evade the seminal spiritual work and rich legacy of Hazrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb in the spread of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in the region. 

Of late, the Nizam-e-Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, in Mayotte and beyond, is behaving like the sectarian thugs the Promised Massih (as) used to oppose all his life. In their vain desires for cheap personal glory, they ‘invent’ the history of the Ahmadi peoples and they erase the collective memory inconvenient for their current temperaments! In their concern for constructing a new identity, they are behaving like a prodigal son in denial of his father!! Instead of gratefully co-opting and quietly celebrating the trailblazing spiritual work of Hazrat Munir Azim Saheb in the Indian Ocean island communities in the 1990s as part of the wider and global history of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya and its peoples, the Nizam-e-Jamaat is in denial today. Do they think the politics of denial and social boycott has a chance against the tide of history and the destiny of a Man of God? Allah says in the Qur’an: “We will soon show them Our signs all around the world and in their own selves, until it dawns on them that indeed this is the truth. Is your Lord not Sufficient (to confirm your veracity), for He alone is (also) witness to everything?”. (41:53)

In the final part of his Friday Sermon of 25 May 2018 (09 Ramadan 1439 AH),  Imam Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius spoke on the situation in Mayotte, where natural calamities are unfolding against the backdrop of spiritual calamities. In their quest for cheap victory, sectarian prejudices are being unleashed by the chiefs of the Nizam-e-Jamaat against the Jamaat-Ul Sahih Al Islam in Mayotte so much so that Hadhrat Saheb (atba) has been constrained to issue a Divine warning against the culprits involved in the episode. 

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:   

Roza: The Wisdom of Fasting

In this blessed month of Ramadan, it is very important for us to understand the wisdom and lessons we need to draw from this month, so that these blessings will continue even after the month of Ramadan. There are wisdoms and important lessons at all levels, but unfortunately many Muslims do not take this month into consideration and do not give it the value it deserves, while it is a blessing for us (for our own well-being) even in its physical, moral, spiritual and/ or worldly aspect. It reminds me of a Hadith where a companion (Sahabi) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “Do not let it happen that your fasting day and the day you do not fast be the same.” [as if a normal act for you, reaping no benefits whatsoever].

Which means that your behaviours, attitudes, and appearances must be similar, whether you fast or not, and that the bad actions you used to do when you were not fasting, such as, watching TV, backbiting, spying, fighting, swearing (saying foul words), talking a lot, not praying at the prescribed time, not reading the Quran, not doing the Zikrullah (i.e. not remembering Allah), playing computer games or games of chance/ gambling etc. Well, in the month of Ramadan you have to get away from all that and replace them with good deeds that will please Allah. Remember Allah often, read the Holy Qur’an, make additional prayers, help the poor, control your tongues so as not to say nonsense/ foul words, and not to lie, otherwise your fasting will be rejected by Allah (swt).

Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: “The month of Ramadan (is that) in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it!” (Al-Baqara 2: 186).

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Islam is built on five (pillars): bearing witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, paying Zakah, Hajj and fasting Ramadan.” (Bukhari, Muslim).

And he (pbuh) also said: “The month of Ramadan has come, a blessed month in which Allah the Exalted has obligated you to fast. In it the gates of the heavens are opened, and in it the gates of Hellfire are closed, and in it the devils are chained, and in it is a night that is better than a thousand months. Thus, whoever is deprived of its good is truly deprived.” (An-Nasai).

Fasting helps us to acquire piety, as Allah commands us in the Qur’an: “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.” (Al-Baqara 2: 184).

When chaos (fitna) appears, extinguish it with piety (Taqwa). What is Taqwa? It is to abandon disobedience to Allah, out of fear for Him (Allah). This is the best definition of piety towards Allah (Taqwa).

Poem: The sweet breeze of Ramadan

Elite is my sentiment,

At the summit of the universe,

Feeling the sweet breeze of Ramadan,

Touching the very core of my soul,

Opening my inner heart,

To fly to the abode of my Creator;

Paradise or Hell,

All become bliss instantly,

For I have devoted myself to Ramadan,

Being true to all its rules,

Being truly Muslim,

Not just on the lips;

Ramadan calls me,

Not to its world of deprivation,

But to taste the sweet elixir of Divine Love,

For verily I feel,

The glorious scent of my Maker,

Who holds me tightly against Him,

Like a beloved father cherishing his son,

Yet the Love of my Creator,

The Fashioner of Life,

And Essence of all creations,

Is more poignant than any temporal human love.