Mystical Journeying: 'Isra' and 'Mi'raj'

'..Before concluding my sermon, I would also like to say a few words about the Isra and Mi'raj of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It was indeed two of the most important visions and communications that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) received from God the Almighty, for it was during one of those spiritual - and not physical - journeys that Allah ordered Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and his Ummah (his community) to worship (Salat) five times a day.

Importance must be given to these blessed days, not because the Holy Prophet (pbuh) made “physical” journeys to heaven, but because all communication between Allah and His Messenger was and will always be special. These experiences were purely spiritual, lived by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in a state between awakening and sleep, called “Kashf” (vision). 

Keep in mind that man can never rise to the Pleiades physically, even if he tastes the final death. His corpse remains on earth, while the soul goes back where it is destined to go.

When the unbelievers had asked the Holy Prophet (pbuh) to go up to heaven and bring them a book, here is the answer he gave them: “Am I not only a human-messenger?” (Al-Isra 17: 94)

The “Kashf” is not a definitive death. The soul is spiritually awake and connected to God through His revelation and Divine Force that draws him to Him and to a world of temporary spiritual well-being. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) lived the most perfect “Kashf” because Allah made him cross the seven heavens to meet Him in an intimate and loving way.

Khalifatullah @ Gandhi Bhavan

Visit to Gandhi Bhavan 

During the recently concluded tour of South India, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius and the respected and honoured members of the holy family-, apart from attending Jamaat programmes and meeting disciples, also made it a point to visit some of the charitable institutions in the region that serve the larger cause of humanity in our broken-times. An important programme in this context was the visit to the famous Gandhi Bhavan at Pathanapuram, Kerala. 

Situated on the banks of Kallada River in Kundyam, near Pathanapuram of Kollam District, the Gandhi Bhavan  is built up by a group of people inspired by the Gandhian Path of service to humanity and is led by the  humanitarian activist Dr. Punalur Somarajan. The space is dedicated for the care-giving of the destitute persons, regardless of their religious and other social origins. 

Empathy in the Time of Racist Terror

In a world riven by bigotry and hatred, the people of New Zealand shows what solidarity and love can accomplish even in a moment of national tragedy like the recent Christchurch mosque attacks. Muslims constitute just over one percent of the country's population, yet Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern led the nation in reaching out to the stricken victims with spontaneous compassion. Religious leaders of different faiths- Christian, Jewish, Sikh, etc- came out in iridescent solidarity with the Muslim community, and attended joint prayers in mosques. Stu Cameron, Minister of New-life Church on the Gold Coast, said: "Good neighbours always weep when the other is weeping, and stand together in solidarity when the other feels threatened".  Attending a  prayer meeting at a mosque with her head covered with a black dupatta, New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern quoted Prophet Muhammad (sa). "According to Prophet Muhammad...the believers in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are just like one body. When any part of the body suffers, the whole body feels pain" she said. "New Zealand mourns with you; we are one". Earlier too, when Ms. Ardern visited the mourning families to comfort them, she covered her head to show respect to the people's traditions. As she embraced them, her face mirrored their pain, making plain to those who had lost their dear ones in the shootings that she shared their suffering. 

The Christchurch Mosque Attacks

Calamities abound in our small world, and not a day goes by, without the media  chronicling the many disasters striking around: cyclonic storms, devastating floods; forest fires, landslides, earthquakes, Tsunamis, etc.  Even more despairing is the case of the many man-made disasters afflicting humanity: religious extremism; political fanaticism; racism; intolerance and oppression of minority groups; national chauvinism and xenophobia; political repression and terrorism; genocidal violence; civic strife and internal wars, etc. Indeed, all the Signs of our times testify to the many troubles engulfing our planet. In his Friday Sermon of 22 March 2019~14 Rajab 1440 AH Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) continues the reflective series on Islam and international terrorism today. 

Speaking against the backdrop of the recent massacre at Christchurch/New Zealand where a white terrorist went on a rampage with semi-automatic weapons in two mosques, killing 50 Muslim devotees attending Jumu'ah prayers, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) underscores the importance of prayer, peace, love and dialogue to restore the world on an even keel. 

'Istighfar': On Divine Forgiveness

‘I do not absolve myself of weakness, for the inner self is surely prone to enjoin evil, except on whom my Lord has mercy. My Lord is of course Protector (against sins), Ever Merciful’.---(Surah Yusuf, 12:54).

This sublime expression of humility in the declaration of Prophet Yusuf (as) points to a larger truth about moral failings in the human condition: only Divine Grace can help us traverse the flood of base passions. As humans, each one of us has an innate proclivity or inborn weakness to be swayed at times by the attractions and colours of this world. Our bodily urges can and will, at times, eclipse our moral responsibility and injure our spiritual self. Satan can induce us to stumble in moments of frenzy and we might forget or even willfully ignore that God watches over us in all that we do, openly and secretly. Whether we remain within the laws of the permissible- respecting the boundaries of the Shari'ah- or commit transgressions and become liable for sins; the reality is that God knows about it all. Indeed the Lord of the Universe knows about the deep desires and other inner passions that fuel all our actions- good and bad- and especially, our many failings. The Qur’an emphatically declares: “Were it not for God’s Grace upon you and His Mercy, not one of you would ever be pure.” (Surah Al-Nur, 24: 22)

Pulwama: Beyond Terror and Vengeance

On the Pulwama Tragedy

The suicide attack on Thursday, 14 February 2019 against an Indian military convoy in Pulwama, Kashmir revived tensions between India and Pakistan. This attack claimed the lives of at least 41 Indian soldiers. Delhi is multiplying diplomatic initiatives to isolate its Pakistani neighbour, while preparing a military response. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently referred to what has become a national tragedy in the country. He declared on Sunday, 18 February 2019: “The fire that embraces your heart also embraces mine.” This statement was made to a crowd gathered for a political meeting, shortly after asserting that “the blood of India was boiling.” 

Fury has seized social networks and several TV channels close to the government call for revenge. For the Indian Prime Minister, the moment is critical: never has an attack raised so much emotion in the country since the terrorist attack of Bombay (Mumbai) which had made 174 dead in November 2008. The moment is also crucial for its political future just weeks away from the scheduled elections in April and May. 

Terrorism: The Politics of Hate

On "Islamic” Terrorism

Today, the so-called “Islamic” terrorism is on everyone’s lips. Some want nothing more than to satiate their visceral hatred of everything related to Islam. In Western countries nowadays, it is recurrent for them through their written and spoken media/ press to perpetually talk/ discuss on the subject of “Islamic” terrorism that is currently overtaking the world. There is not a day which passes by that this act (“Islamic” Terrorism) does not make the front page of the media and therefore raises debates within the Islamic community and elsewhere on the merits of this religious terrorism. By publishing it urbi et orbi, there is no doubt that some people want nothing more than to appease their visceral hatred of everything related to Islam and to discredit this faith in the eyes of those who do not profess it.

So far, a lot of conferences, debates and meetings have been organized worldwide so that common sense prevails between the protagonists. But in these dialogues of the deaf not a single glimmer of hope of peace, love and tolerance appeared on the horizon - those who vilify Islam continue to inject hatred and dream of a last crusade to end forever with the modern-day Saracens, i.e. the Muslims. On the other hand, the rebellious (among the Muslims – the extremists) do not give in - they organize themselves and make armaments speak. In all this folly, it is quite legitimate for one to know what the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam thinks about this so-called “Islamic” terrorism which is being projected from morning till night.

I really wonder what they mean by “Islamic” terrorism! Islam is to terrorism as light is to darkness, life to death or peace to war. Naturally they intersect each other but in diametrically opposed directions. We see them cling to each other but they never make the road happily together, hand in hand. However, it cannot be denied that on many occasions Muslims are involved in terrorist activities on behalf of a predominantly Muslim group or country. 

But aren’t there also other groups involved in terrorism and subversion around the world? Suppose that by using the same principle that gave rise to the term “Islamic terrorism”, would it be appropriate to label all other forms of terrorism as follows: Sikh terrorism, Hindu terrorism, Christian terrorism, Jewish terrorism, Atheist terrorism, Buddhist terrorism, Animistic terrorism and Pagan terrorism?

It is not easy to turn a blind eye to the various forms of terrorism that are unfortunately growing in every corner of the world; it is impossible in fact for an observer to be unaware of the persecution, bloodshed and murders perpetrated in the name of a so-called ideal or noble cause. Terrorism is a global problem that requires careful consideration in its broadest aspects.