The Attributes of Allah- IX

The 'Fall' of Hazrat Adam (as)

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah we continue today on the subject of the attributes of Allah, and man’s thanksgiving to Allah for the sublime favours which He has done to him. We thank Him by mentioning Him by His most beautiful names.

Through the favours that Hazrat Adam (as) benefited from Allah during his creation and also afterwards, it appears to us that the elite has with God states [stages, emotions & connections] that they do not share with any other, and that it is through them, excluding ordinary beings, that God executes His plan.

The fact of having eaten the [forbidden] fruit, and the fall on earth which followed, had indeed many happy effects. But how could this disobedience to Allah have had good repercussions, you may ask? Well, in paradise, Adam and his wife knew God only under His attributes of Provider (Al Razzaq), Donor (Al Mu’ti), and Benefactor (Al Muhsin), but in His Secret Benevolence (Lutfihi Al-Khafi) which presides over the divine plan, it pleased God to reveal Himself to them as The Magnanimous (Al Halim), The One Who conceals [faults] (Al Sattar), The Forgiver (Al Ghafur), The Indulgent (Al Tawwab), and the One Who chooses [His elect] (Al-Mujtabi) among many other attributes. His magnanimity in fact meant that He did not hasten to punish them for their act, which is indeed the characteristic of this attribute, which leaves a delay to the sinner (whether to forgive him afterwards and have mercy on him, or to better exercise His power over him by making him suffer a painful revenge).

The Attributes of Allah- VIII

“He is God: there is no god other than Him, the Sovereign, the Supreme-In-Holiness, Source of Peace, Granter of Security, Guardian over all, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Majestic (Al-Mutakabbir) …” (Al-Hashar 59 : 24).

Al-Mutakabbir is The Majestic, Conscious of His greatness. Allah alone has the right to know and to proclaim His greatness and omnipotence over everything and everyone. He magnifies Himself and sees grandeur and superbness only for Him. All greatness belongs to Him. This attitude is completely justified because it is true.

Allah is distinguished by an exclusive greatness just for Him and by an absolute Royalty. He controls everything. He is the one who shows His greatness in all things and by all means.

Know well [what will follow], O my brothers and sisters! Do not be fooled by the simple verbal intention that you give to the meaning of your life, because God hopes to see a radical transformation [in you which] change this.

He demands that you inflict a kind of death on yourselves, after which He will breathe new life into you. Make haste to promote peace among yourselves, to forgive your brothers and sisters their weaknesses, because the one who is not inclined to make peace with his brother is mean, and he risks being excluded [from the proximity of Allah] because he is a source of dissension.

Give up your base desires and don’t cultivate resentment. Even if you are right, behave humbly as if you were wrong, so that forgiveness is reserved for you. Eliminate obesity from your ego, because narrow is the door you have to go through. So eliminate your ego and pride so that you can go through that door.

The Attributes of Allah- VII

It is essential that you know with certainty that you have a God, Creator, and Support of all existence Who is Almighty, and whose attributes are eternal and immutable. He is distant, yet close. He is close, yet distant. He is One, but His manifestations are manifold. God cannot undergo any change, for He is eternally unchanging and Perfect in His attributes. Do not prefer the world, its resources or your loved ones to Him, but prefer Him to everything else so that in heaven you will be among those registered in His community. 

The Omnipotent God has always shown His mercy. If you want to enjoy it, make sure that nothing separates you from Him, that your will submits entirely to His, and that your pleasures and desires are identified completely with His. Whatever the circumstances, whether successful or unsuccessful, always bow down before the threshold of His Throne, that He may accomplish what He wishes. Deploy whatever is in your power to establish His Oneness on earth. Show kindness and mercy to His creatures; do not harm them, be it with your tongue, hands or any other means, and work to promote their well-being [to improve their plight].

Do not act proudly with anyone, even if he is your subordinate or servant, and do not swear at anyone even if you are insulted. Be humble and kind, and have real sympathy for your fellow human beings so that God accepts you. There are many who are only humble in appearance, but deep down, they are real hungry wolves. Externally, they seem to have a pure nature, but internally, they are real vipers. God will only accept you if your tongue and your actions conform to your heart. If you have a high rank, show consideration for those who are below you, and do not despise them. If you are learned, do not boast about it, and do not conceivably disdain the ignorant, but enlighten them with your good advice. If you are rich, don’t boast about it, and don’t flaunt your pride before the poor, but serve them and help them.

Covid-19: Towards A 'New Normal'

With the Covid-19 pandemic severely disrupting life as we knew it, millions of people around the world face uncertain times.  Indeed, whole nations are in the midst of difficult transitions, adjusting to the 'new normal' in public health, economy and polity. An existential imperative for the nations caught up in the cauldron of the 'invisible enemy'; rebuilding shattered lives through re-energizing decimated economies require governments to adopt prudence and wisdom in national policies. Protecting the most vulnerable social groups in these turbulent circumstances, especially the poor and the indigent, is a collective responsibility. Social and economic plans need to be inclusive in character, and not just cater to the elites in the corporate sector! Unfortunately, around the world, many governments have lopsided priorities. In the name of fighting the pandemic / dealing with public health emergency, democracies are witnessing 'power games': usurping excessive powers way beyond what they actually possess, 'authoritarians' are undermining democratic processes of institutional checks and balances. Transparency, accountability and good governance are all stake in these extraordinary times. Moreover, almost all the time, the real beneficiaries of State policies are the big business/ corporate sector, and not the labour class, or the hungry masses. Indeed, the pandemic is testing national elites as to 'reveal' the strength of resilience of their core values and principles: whether they can 'arise and create a new world'- addressing the problems and challenges in an equitable and just way, respecting the rights and interests of the underclass- the fellow humans among them. In his Friday Sermon of 29 May 2020 ~ 06 Shawwal 1441 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius speaks about this vital issue of contemporary concern. Articulated against the backdrop of recent national initiatives in Mauritius on responding to Covid-19, Hadhrat Saheb's perspective and guidance on dealing with the 'new world' would be of considerable interest to thoughtful people everywhere. 

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon: 

THE “COVID-19 and QUARANTINE ACTS”

Now I’ll talk a little bit about the news in our country, especially regarding the new “Covid-19 & Quarantine Acts” that were passed recently.

As a Mauritian citizen, I too have the right to say a few words on the “Covid-19 Bill” and the presentation of the 2020-2021 Budget which will take place on Thursday 4th June 2020. All Mauritians know very well the “Covid- 19 Bill” and the “Quarantine Bill” because these subjects were at the heart of the news of the National Assembly.

However, the measures presented by the government do not seem to be unanimous in parliament and in the country. Personally, I see that there was no consultation or dialogue before their presentation. Yet they affect the freedom of our citizens, labour rights, and the reserves of the Central Bank [among many]. And government can use public funds without transparency, governance and accountability [without being accountable to anyone].

The “Covid-19 Bill” also includes the creation of funds never seen before and draconian measures that affect our democracy.

The Attributes of Allah- VI

Al-Hafeez

It is purely by the grace of Allah that I continue my series of sermons on the attributes of Allah [Part 6] and to quote some attributes of Allah with certain explanations.

Al-Hafeez is an attribute of Allah which is derived from the word Hifz which means protection. So Al-Hafeez means The Protector. There is nothing in existence that can protect [us] all the time and in all situations because it requires knowledge that covers and encompasses every atom that exists and an absolute capacity.

No one except Allah the Almighty possess this. Therefore, He is the only one who has all knowledge. His knowledge covers everything. Nothing escapes His knowledge. And it’s Allah Almighty alone Who has the capacity [power] over everything. Nothing and no one can make Allah the Almighty incapable, powerless or helpless. So it’s He alone Who is Al-Hafeez. Allah the Almighty knows each creature and He knows where and in what situation it is. He knows what everyone needs and how much he needs. And He has the ability to grant him what he needs. Nothing can hinder [becoming an obstacle in] the work of Allah the Almighty. Reciting this attribute in abundance and invoking Him through this is a very effective way to develop trust in Allah the Almighty. It is a way for someone who is in distress and in pain to feel protected in regard to his life, his family, his property, his dignity and his honour.

Al-Hakeem: Hakeem is derived from Hikmah. Hikmah means wisdom, mastery and perfection. Nothing is perfect except Allah the Almighty. His work exceeds all skill and He is beyond all expertise. This is why in the truest sense of the word, it is Almighty Allah alone Who is Al-Hakeem. It is because of the fact that the knowledge of Allah Almighty is perfect. His work is perfect. It was Him who shaped each atom of the universe into a balanced and appropriate shape and dimension.

If we examine this from the verb Hakama which means to govern, then at that moment it will mean that all authority is in the hand of Allah the Almighty. His decision is final. No one can object or overturn His decision. And no one can even surpass Allah the Almighty in His power and authority.

When the word Hakeem is attributed to someone other than Allah the Almighty, then it means someone who has knowledge of the Deen and whose behaviour is based on the knowledge he has. That is to say someone whose behaviour does not betray his knowledge which is based and founded on established and solid principles.

If a person meditates on this attribute, he will completely submit to the decision of Allah the Almighty. Note that this submission does not prevent us from invoking Allah the Almighty, but what is essential is that we leave the final decision to Him and that we are satisfied with what happens to us after having invoked Him in prayers (duahs).

'Eid-ul-Fitr' Sermon 2020

I wish Eid Mubarak to all my disciples around the world and I pray that this Eid be a blessing for us and the entire Muslim world. Insha-Allah.

Islam uses the word “Eid” to express joy. It’s a day that comes at the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting and sacrifice. It is a day when our prayers (Salaat and Duahs) are accepted, and we must make this supplication: O Allah, make this day come more often. Ameen.

On that day, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) used to praise Allah in a very special way with great love and brilliance. A question was asked: When was Eid first celebrated?

The first Ramadan was observed in the second year of the Hegira and it was during this same Ramadan that Muslims fought the battle of Badr. The Muslims weren’t even done dressing the wounds of war. It is mentioned that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was so exhausted that he leaned on Hazrat Bilal (ra) and it was only with the help of the latter that he stood up and pronounced his sermon.

A few days before the celebration of Eid, he announced the Sadaqat-ul-Fitr which he had made compulsory for every Muslim. As soon as this Fitrana was announced, the companions generously contributed. The money thus collected was distributed among the poor before and after Eid festival.

However according to another tradition (Sunnah), it was during this same Eid that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) had, outdoors and in a vast place celebrated the Eid festival. According to Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (ra), the Holy Prophet (pbuh) in his sermon, placed great emphasis on the glory and the Hamd (praise) of Allah. He praised Allah in an extraordinary and special way.

Ramadan: Training for True Life

The Departure of Ramadan 

The rules governing fasting are clearly defined. They must be applied with diligence and respect within the prescribed framework. Any trend beyond the prescribed limits must be discouraged and abandoned.

In fact, the real purpose of the fast, its meaning, and the spirit that animates it must dominate the heart during this sacred month. In few days, our special guest will bid us farewell. For believers, these are very sad moments because our special guest will leave us with great sorrow and sadness. Those who have benefited from this entire blessed month are very fortunate, as no one knows if next year how many of us will welcome this blessed month again.

In this month of Ramadan most of the believers have benefited enormously from these blessings by putting into practice all the Ibadat (acts of worship) prescribed by our Creator. So the month of Ramadan is a period of intense training for the next eleven months (Insha-Allah). Our hearing, sight, tongue, mind, all are subject to rigorous testing. Those who did not pray five times a day do so now. Those who did not wake up in the latter part of the night to offer prayers [Tahajjud & even Fajr], learn to do so. This discipline, practiced for a whole month, serves as a model for the next eleven months.