Hindu-Muslim Amity in India

We took a pledge from you, ‘Do not shed one another’s blood or drive one another from your homelands’. You acknowledged it at the time, and you can  testify to this. Yet here you are, killing one another and driving some of your own  people from their homes, helping one another in sin and aggression against them..’ (2: 92)

‘Lord, we fear he will do us great harm or exceed all bounds’ (20:45)

‘We have put our trust in God. Lord! Do not make us an object of persecution for the oppressors’ (10: 85)

‘Lord, we have put our trust in You; we turn to You; You are our final destination. Lord, do not expose us to mistreatment at the hands of the disbelievers. Forgive us, Lord, for You are the Almighty, the All Wise’.  (60:6) 

‘Truly those who persecute believing men and believing women, then do not repent, theirs shall be punishment of Hell, and theirs shall be the punishment of burning’. (85:11) 

An Unjust World

Today, millions of people suffer injustice, persecution and slaughter at the hands of unjust regimes around the world. In several nations- whether they are Muslim-majority or non-Muslim majority, minority communities are facing legal discrimination and political oppression. Consider the recent events impacting certain peoples, the harrowing accounts of systematic oppression are mind-numbing, and make for depressing reading: genocide of the Bosnian Muslims in Europe in the 1990’s; the ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Muslims in Central African Republic; the high-handedness of the  Myanmar/Burma regime vis-a-vis the Rohingya Muslims; the inhuman treatment being meted out to the Uighur Muslims in China;  the throttling of civic, political and economic freedoms of Muslim- majority provinces in Russia (the situation of Chechnya/ Dagestan, Crimean Tartars, etc); the volatile situation in Kashmir; the fifth-generation/ long-suffering Palestinian refugees;  the situation of millions of refugees from, and internally displaced persons in, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, Libya, Yemen,  etc.  

The mindset of the self-exalting Pharaohs, hell-bent on persecuting the hapless children of Israel in ancient times, seems to be alive, as if it were, and bedevil, almost every nation and generation of people. The denial of human rights and community interests and political oppression is often serviced in the name of superior race; majority religion; superior caste; pure ethnicity; national culture; secular law, popular will, etc. Not just under despotic regimes, but also under so-called democracies, minority communities and their interests are trampled upon. The national ‘self’ is imagined in such a narrow way that the minorities are treated as the ‘other’ and the law is unleashed to deny and deprive the basic rights of such persons: citizenship, civic and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, etc. Hence, in the name of socially-codified communal prejudices in such democracies, the human dignity, basic identity, fundamental rights and other collective interests of the minority is unrecognized, and often, criminalized. 

The Darkness in Delhi

As I write this, my city, Delhi, is limping back to ‘normalcy’ after the dastardly, orchestrated, anti-Muslim violence of last week that claimed over 50 innocent lives, and critically- injured hundreds of others, ordinary people going about their everyday lives. Shops and establishments, vehicles and other properties, houses and the mosques of the Muslim community were particularly targetted by the criminal thugs on steroid. The communal fire and riots were ignited and perpetrated with a clear and malicious intent to destroy the peaceful and dignified co-existence of the Hindus and the Muslims of the city for several decades. By attacking the very livelihood of the minority community, the marauders and their political dons hope to break the harmony in society. With every communal violence, the 'distance' between communities increase, leading to 'apartheid-cities' segregating the people from one another, further and further. [Inset: 'A mosque in Delhi's Ashok Nagar was torched and a saffron flag associated with the Hindu far right was placed on the minaret' [File: Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Al Jazeera]

The Attributes of Allah- II

By the grace of Allah, last week I started my sermon on the attributes of Allah and I thank Allah (swt) very much for giving me the Tawfiq to continue on the same subject today too. When you follow last Friday’s Sermon, you will understand better that in concrete terms there is no mention of Allah as Haqq, but in fact when you analyze His attributes, but then the truth is included. From the point of view of praise, one cannot even conceive a lie about Allah and from Allah [in connection to Allah].

The second reason that people lie a lot is because of greed. There are a lot of lawsuits going on [in court] regarding wealth and property matters or loan and repayment cases, debt cases etc. Much of this business is the result of the lies that people tell due to their greed.

Let’s [now] look at country level. You see that because of the thirst for power, because of a greed for power, politicians make all kinds of promises in order to come to power, and in this quest, there are a lot of lies going on during the electoral campaign, where one party criticizes the other party, throws mud on it [i.e. dishonouring] it [and all people involved in it], and makes all kinds of shenanigans where very often there are even elections which are held in a country where there are mischief and frauds and all this opens the way for a fight and disorder: the political parties throw mud on their opponents, they make such electoral campaigns where they meet the other parties and watch them carefully lest their opponents come to power. In this quest for power, there are promises made with the electorate, and there are also many lies that are spoken. All this is the result of greed, the desire to grab power, to stay in power, to have fun [with the people’s money] as we say and in all this it is the people who still suffer a lot during the five years [to come] when these politicians deceive people, and lie to them because of their greed.

Now a Being Who owns everything and Who does not depend on anyone and Who, on the contrary, everyone depends on Him, so what is the use for Him to lie? He is already the Master of the universe and therefore the very aspect/ notion of greed is completely removed.

'Siraj Makin': Tasks of Faith

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, the Siraj Makin- women’s wing of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam- in Kerala recently organized a Deen-i-Ta’lim programme, the first of a series of study-meetings being planned by the women's wing for the year ahead. The newly appointed Sadr of the Kerala Jamaat, Rajeena Sadiq Ali Saheba, and Na’ib Sadr Fauzia Jamal Saheba led the meeting proceedings and several activities at the Noor’ul Islam Masjid, Mathra on Friday, 07 February 2020. 

In a special message on the occasion, International Sadr of the Siraj Makin Hazrat Ummul Mu’mineen Fazli Amena Varsally Saheba reminds the gathering of women believers about the duties of Faith, and what it implies for their/our everyday lives. Bearing true allegiance to Faith primarily entails a commitment to personal reform to grow spiritually, to recognize the vital presence of God in our moment in this world. Along with offering regular prayers and observing the rites of Faith, bearing witness to the sublime values of Islamic life, in one's own personal settings, true devotees of God also have an equal obligation to reach out to fellow humans- 'Muslim' and 'non-Muslim', to exhort one another to a truer and purposeful living. Recognizing the dues of God include respect for the interests and equal rights of His creations. Hence, preaching the message of Divine Unity is to construct a good social order as well. The larger tasks of Dawa/ Tabligh- inviting people to a richer, ethically-aware, spiritual way of life- require sacrifice and hard work- financial, time, travels, meetings; prudent co-option of communication channels, including social media,  in the cause of Faith and Divine Light. Women believers could and should play a critical role in projecting and disseminating the Divine Messages of our times being vouchsafed through our Imam/Jamaat Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (atba), exhorts Hazrat Saheba in this important discourse.

Read the Text of the Special Address Below:  

My dear daughters,
Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuhu.

Congratulations on your First Siraj Makin Meeting for this new year 2020 this coming Friday, 07 February. May Allah bless your meeting and togetherness and enable you all to partake of such knowledge which will make you grow spiritually. Ameen.

The Attributes of Allah

Alhamdulillah, like I told you last week I shall deliver a series of sermons on the attributes of Allah. Before starting to prepare this sermon several weeks before, like usual I pray to Allah for guidance and Allah at once made me understand that I should talk a bit on His attributes and this is indeed a divine grace that each time when Friday comes and I have to deliver the sermon (Khutba Jumu’ah), Allah (swt) guides me on a particular subject. All these of manifestations and signs of Allah and show how Allah directs His Chosen Servant. Alhamdulillah.

So, as per what Allah (swt) has made me understand, and maybe before my time also, Allah may have guided His other prophets, His chosen ones and showed them the same explanations. That is why we say that the Messengers of Allah are like a chain, whereby each link is attached to another link and all links form a chain, and to enhance that chain, to make it more beautiful and attractive, and to give it its real value and splendour, a medallion is needed. So, without the medallion, the chain does not have its true value and it loses all its splendour. So all of us prophets of Allah are one family who speak the same word, revive the true value of each prophet that Allah (swt) sent to earth and all prophets [indeed] revive the true value of each prophet that Allah (swt) sent to earth and all the prophets, we all gather behind our chief master. And the chief master of all prophets is Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh).

This is why with his coming and before also, the prophets who came before him had praised him and prophesied about his coming, so that we know his value and greatness, whereby his advent encompasses all the divine teachings which were brought or existed before through the prophets (as) before him. That’s why the Quran told us that Hazrat Muhammad (saws) is the Rahmat-ul-lil-Aalameen; a blessing for all the universe, for all people and his message and the religion he brought are for all of humanity. And to give true value to this medallion whereby all the time it will remain shiny, pretty, attractive, then every time there is a need for someone who comes from Allah to revive His pure and truthful teachings whereby there is no innovation; such teachings which shall lead [the people] directly to one God and win His love.

Divine Revelations of 08 February 2020

Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim 

Today, Saturday, 08 February 2020 at 17.10 pm, I was performing lots of supplications in my office so that God, the Almighty may guide me to combat the enemies of Islam, of Sahih al Islam and their plots to humiliate and to put an end to the spiritual mission of the Khalifatullah. After some time I entered in a Kashaf (vision) where my Creator, by His infinite Grace, showed me their secret plots in all fields. This is because they are seeing the progress of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam. Meanwhile, I felt a different kind of pain which was great and unbearable.

Allah revealed the following to me: 

    1. “God is with me. Woe to those who want to destroy me… And know, O people, that the One who will be faithful till the end is by my side. Even if all men and women, the young and the old, the children and the adults – till wear and tear and total paralysis of their body by their prostrations – come all together to pray for my destruction, God will never listen to their supplications; It will be like this for eternity.”

    2. “To suffer in the cause of Allah is a sacred duty.”

   3. “If you prove yourself constant in the cause of Allah, at all times, I shall be with you. You will see ME and I will manifest Myself to you.”

‘Auliah’ and Divine Revelations

There is much confusion and misunderstanding among common people about the phenomenon of Divine revelations. Even people whom we otherwise consider learned and reflective tend to be completely ignorant about the subtle world of revelations. All Muslims believe that Allah (swt) sent His revelations to countless Prophets and sages all through the ages in the past, guiding humanity on the right and moderate course of living life on earth. And that these Messengers preached divine love, light and faith in the language of their peoples, among their distinct communities. Pointing to the essential unity of humankind amidst the diversity of races, languages, nations and cultures, Islam invites everyone to the Unique Creator and Sustainer of the worlds and His guidance sent through His servant (sa). The Muslim veneration of Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) as the Best of Divine Messengers is a grand testimonial to the lofty space of Divine revelations in the secular and spiritual enlightenment of our common humanity. Yet, the Muslim Ulema today mostly remain dismissive about the instrumental role of Divine revelations in shaping the human experience; their attitude seems to imply, regrettably, that the Prophet (sa) appeared to foreclose the door of sublime Divine Grace and Blessings forever (God Forbid). 

As against the prevailing, widespread, mistaken notions of the Ulema on the question of Divine revelations as well as the true and richer legacy of the Holy Prophet (sa), it might seem ironical, yet the fact is that Islam's history is steeped in profound mystical experiences of countless Divine savants who followed in the footprints of the Muhammadan Way.  Great saints of the Faith, in the spiritual ecstasy of their floating /orbiting souls around the Heavenly Throne, sung songs of Divine countenance and spiritual illumination. Through the fourteen hundred plus years of Islamic spirituality, the collective memory of the Ummah testifies that the Divine communion and converse and discourse and revelations vouchsafed to the spiritual saints of the Ummah played a seminal role in renewing and illuminating the spiritual path even in morally-darkened times. Amidst the tumultuous times witnessed in the fortunes of the believers, the revelations of the Auliah helped people to appreciate the correct and straight path to tread in life on an every day basis. Among the Muslim communities around the world, the presence of such Divinely-imbued souls or the 'Pole Stars of the Faith' advanced the cause of Tawheed, contributing in great measure to spiritual seekers' knowledge and understanding of the Divine realm; duties we owe to God and rights of fellow humans. Indeed, the continuity of Divine revelations among the believers through select purified, spiritual souls (God's Elect/s) in every era testified to the vitality of Islam over all other ideological systems in shaping the spiritual destiny of mankind.  

The founder of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908 CE), arguably the most important thinker and mystical saint of Islam in the previous century, profoundly explained Divine revelations as an enduring path; a living reality. Through his scholarly studies and research, Hadhrat Ahmad (as) discovered rich historical antecedents in Islam to justify and validate his own intense personal experiences in the spiritual realm, especially the descent of Divine revelations on his noble soul. Through numerous writings, Hadhrat Ahmad (as) spoke about the great souls of Islam: the recipients of Divine communion and converse who left behind books of revelations, describing the signs of the living-Faith from their own intimate, life-worlds. Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, it is to this august tradition of Muslim saints whose souls were illumined by the Light of Faith through the descent of Divine revelations that we can today add the name of our Imam Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim (atba) of Mauritius, the Holy Founder of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International, Allah-u-Akbar! 

Presented below are two extracts from the writings of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian, arguing that the blessing of Divine revelations existed all through Islamic history and that this heavenly sign will continue to illumine sincere believers till the Day of Judgement: 

'ALLAH': God in Islam

The Conception of God in Islam

Islam likes to contemplate the attributes of Allah through His different and adorable names by which He is invoked. The Holy Quran says: “To God belong the most beautiful names; So call on Him by them.” (Al-Arraf 7: 181).

A whole mass of theological literature exists to explain and classify His names. We often speak of ninety-nine (99) names of Allah, but these names are called differently by different writers so that there are hundreds of names that we can assign to Allah for Allah has any quality under which we want to worship Him. While we humans are limited, He is infinite. While we can only think in part, He is The Whole and He understands much more than we can imagine. We think of His mercy, His love, His wisdom, His glory and His majesty, His justice, His truth and His righteousness, His uniqueness, etc. but in doing so our minds are limited because our knowledge is limited while He knows, understands, hears and exceeds everything. Nothing is equal to Him. 

We always think in relative terms such as the first and the last; the visible and the invisible. But in Allah, these opposite qualities meet and we give these same pairs of names to Allah: The First and The Last, The Visible and The Invisible. For us, the contemplation of eternity implies the rejection of two limits; the beginning and the end. Only Allah is eternal and He has neither beginning nor end. We think of Allah in relation to time and space: but time and space are the creations of our mind. Allah is independent of time and space. In reality, He is the Absolute, the Independent and everything depends on Him.

It is generally believed that the emphasis of Islam is on the oneness of Allah, but it must also be said that the emphasis is also on His mercy, kindness and love. The Holy Quran contains 114 Surahs and all except one [i.e. At-Taubah] begins with “In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.”

The attributes of Allah ‘Rahman’ and ‘Rahim’ are names that have no equivalence in any other language and therefore cannot be properly translated [as they are really and truly vast in meaning]. ‘Rahim’ emphasizes the pity that we seek from Allah and that will not be denied from us.

“Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim” is the sentence that a Muslim most often says: at the beginning of prayer [be it Salat & duahs], before reading the Holy Quran, before eating, before travelling, before starting anything of some consequence - sacred [spiritual] or secular [mundane].

So the actions of a Muslim are intimately linked with these sacred words. The insistence on the oneness of Allah is not only a protest against the Trinity or Duality or Polytheism. Islam believes that Allah is one, unique and without equal. A young student of religion once defined God as being all of the abstract qualities of kindness and beauty combined in one abstraction. Some may accept this definition, but for Islam it is a cold and worthless abstraction. Life is always a mystery whether for science, art, poetry and religion.

Let’s see what the Holy Quran says: “Say: He is Allah, the One, Allah, the Eternal, Absolute. He neither begets nor was He begotten. And no one is equal to Him.” (Al-Ikhlaas,  Chapter 112)