The Importance of Prayer- II

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, Allah (swt) has given me this opportunity to continue my sermon on the Importance of Prayer. So, it is said in the Holy Quran: “O God, give us in this world that which will help us hereafter also, and save us from the suffering of hell.” 

So, your daily duty is to pray to God. This is your real work. Never ponder whether or not your prayer has been heard in the Court of God. That is His prerogative. Our prayers should be in harmony with the will of God, and we should feel happy in whatever He wills. 

To pray effectively, it is necessary that we should conduct our life as desired by the Master, and that we should experience happiness in the remembrance of God Almighty.

Qur’anic Commandments-II

A TREASURE TROVE of practical wisdom, beneficial to humans in their every day individual and community life, are preserved in the Holy Qur'an in the form of Divine Commandments. Long before the advent of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) in Arabia, God's Prophets addressed their own communities on good and evil, on right living and right conduct, and on how to avoid wrongdoing and mischief in the land, and to preserve justice and peace among different communities in society. Thanks to the Divine Blessing of the advent of the Holy Prophet (sa) and the Holy Qur'an, we have access to those timeless teachings- the universal wisdom of the Ages- originally addressed by Allah (swt) to the ancient communities through their own messengers. 

The pearls of practical advice, recorded in a succinct way in the Book of God, invite every human to lead a life in profound awareness of the Oneness of God, the Creator, the Controller and Fashioner of our destinies in the world; a life of ethical moderation and spiritual contemplation where a Seeker trains his soul to leave behind the temptations and evil impulses of earthly existence, so as to embrace its heavenly destiny in remembrance of, and nearness to, God.  

The spiritual guideposts encourage one to adopt the virtues of modesty and balance in personal habits and temperament, beginning from the food we eat and the provisions we seek. We should cultivate humility and the spirit of accommodation as personal qualities in our relations with others. We should neither be domineering, nor high-handed in our engagements involving fellow beings. We should seek to avoid discord in relations with spouses, with the rest of the family, and within the wider community and society. Put differently, strive to be fair and just in fulfilling all your responsibilities; respect the rights and free choices of others; discharge your duties towards relatives as well as strangers, and try to avoid all that can lead to discord and conflicts in social and community relations. Learn to forgive and forbear in times of differences with others. Indeed, Qur'anic ethics, when practiced by real men and women, will lead to both inner peace, community solidarity and social tranquillity. 

The Divine Law warns against injustice and domineering attitudes in society as it can lead to disputes and violence and anarchy, destroying the whole edifice from within. Reminding us about those who sold their souls for cheap victories in this life at the price of the Hereafter, the Heavenly Light strongly urge us to consider, prefer and embrace truly-rewarding choices, in weighing the priorities in our moment in this world. Indeed, Qur'an's discerning teachings could work as foundational basis for anyone who seeks to construct a life rooted and nurtured in spiritual values; a life of prayer and utter devotion to God, and of performing good works and of sacrificing and giving for the benefit of fellow beings.  

The Importance of Prayer- I

Prayer is such a medicine that it can turn a dry wood into a green branch and can fuse life into (spiritually) dead people. It has unlimited credentials. If someone is in an unresolved situation, the prayer only can save him. 

A materialist considers this life to be a machine, the parts of which are being run by the blind forces of cause and effect, and he does not admit that there is an ultimate Being who is directing it. But one who knows the reality, while agreeing that the law of cause and effect is working, further knows that this is being done under the orders and directions of a Supreme Being. He, therefore, while keeping an eye on the causes and their effects, appeals to the Creator of the universe, the Supreme Cause for help, and surrenders gladly to His will and pleasure. God [Allah], the Creator of the Universe, may do whatever is good for him, for it is only the Lord (God) who knows what is good for him. 

Qur’an: Guiding Souls

Our life on earth is a gift from God, the Lord and Master of the Universe. It is our solemn duty to learn and recognize the Way of Life ordained by our Sustainer. For, His laws and commandments throw clear light on life’s complex crossroads so that we  find right directions and always remain on the correct path, the Way of the Righteous (Muttaqin). Indeed, a Muttaqi, even when bruised by the complicated trajectories of earthly trials, in submitting to the Divine expectations and regulations, will invariably find sprouting signs of  mercy, grace and infinite kindness of God around her. 

Moreover, to help and guide the deeply-flawed and evil-prone humans in every day life, our Creator and True Friend has sent down the Book of revelations (Kitaab) with practical wisdom (Hikmah) through the sublime blessing of Prophecy (Nubuwwah). Likewise, Sunnat Allah has established Wilayah/ Khilafa -the Divine practice of  raising holy men as an unbroken chain in every age in the Ummah to preserve, sustain and to renew the spiritual highway for all times. It is by accepting the Divine revelations and messages as well as by following in the noble footsteps of the Divinely-inspired men when they arrive that we can remain on the Way of Divine Pleasure, so as not to be lost or drowned, or be confused, in the difficult journey of earthly life. The ringing words of the Qur'an is as follows:  ‘When guidance comes to you from Me, as it certainly will, there will be no fear for those  who follow My guidance, nor will they grieve’----(2:39) 

'Duah': Invocations to Allah- XXI

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, I continue, by the grace of Allah, The Possessor of Majesty, Honour and Glory [Dhul Jalali wal Ikram] my 21^st and final sermon in this series of sermons centred on duahs. This subject is certainly very vast and we can never stop talking about the subject of duahs; I cannot put before you [in these few sermons] all the duahs that Allah revealed to His Messengers, Messiah and the Khalifatullah of the time.                                 

Rabbi atinee milladunka ansaaran fee deenika wa adh-hib annee huznee wa asli lee shaanee kullahu laa ilaaha illa anta.

O my Lord! Grant me helpers to assist me in Your religion, and take away my worries and make me succeed in my efforts; there is nobody else to help except You.

 

Wamaa taufeeqee illa billaahi, rabbi’an-tiquaa bil-haqqi waksif’-alainal haqqa wahdinaa ilaa haqqin mubeen.

I am not in a position to achieve anything without the favour of Almighty God. O my Lord, help me to speak truth, reveal truth to us and guide us to righteousness.

 

Bismillah-illazi laa yazwurru ma’asmihi shay-unn fil ardzi wa laa fis-samaa’a-ee wa huwa sami’-ul ‘aleem.

In the name of Allah, the name of Whom none in this world and in the heavens can do any harm, and He hears all and knows all.

 

Rabbin surrni ‘alal qawmil-mufsideen.

O my Rab, help me against the people who are creating havoc.

 

Wa laa tousmitbi aduwan wa laa laasedan.

Let not any jealous or enemy humiliate me.

 

Rabbi kullu shay-inn khaadimuka; Rabbi faahfazna wan surna war hamna.

My Rab, all things are Your servant; My Lord protect us and guide us and have pity on us.

'Duah': Invocations to Allah- XX

First of all, I must thank my Rab for giving me such golden opportunities to make up to now, twenty sermons on the subject of “duahs” (invocations) for the benefit of all my sincere disciples, the seekers of truth and all our other Muslim brothers, sisters and children, and also for humanity at large.

As you are aware, humanity is in danger; so we need to pray a lot. Only Allah (swt) will save us from all kinds of difficulties, dangers, sicknesses, viruses, crimes, economic problems, etc. Insha-Allah. 

In this era, you all people are very fortunate to have a Messenger of Allah among you but alas few of you heed the message. Most people turn their backs to the divine message and blessings and scoff at the Messenger of Allah. 

So fortunate are those who recognize the divine blessings and accept with full sincerity the Messenger of Allah. And I can assure these sincere disciples that Allah (swt) will bless you and you shall be always in the care of your Rab and in the hereafter you will receive, Insha-Allah, a great reward from your Creator and Allah (swt) will be pleased with you and you also will be pleased with Him. And all those sacrifices that you are presently doing for His cause in this temporal world shall be boundlessly magnified for you in the eternal world of Allah. Ameen.

Now, I put before you again some of the revealed duahs during this present Divine Manifestation (our era of great divine blessings):

Divinely-revealed Prayers- II

Duahs: Invocations to Allah- XIX

In all circumstances of our lives, we need to stay connected with Allah, for He alone is our Support System, the Mighty One. He alone has the capacity to bring to naught a danger, and to enhance the honour of anyone of His servants whom He wants. The Divine Manifestation began in this era to bring people to take conscience of the existence of God Almighty in their lives, as well as His importance. Without the support of Allah, without His mercy, and help, no one can ever make any progress in life, and cannot hope to attain to salvation. Allah is Himself Hope, He is everything a person should need. If we have Allah with us, then we are the richest creatures ever.  

In the ups and downs of life, and especially the initial days of the Divine Manifestation, during the times of both the Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen and the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Allah has shown to His Khalifatullah and to His true and sincere followers the richness of the divine truth. And one of the treasures Allah bestowed upon us Muslims in this era, besides the Holy Quran and Sunnah, are the treasures of duahs that we need to recite to come closer to Allah and to seek Allah’s help for the ultimate victory of Islam. The victory of Islam does not mean victory for Muslims, but it denotes the victory of Allah for man has come to realise the truthfulness and light within the Reality of Allah and His Messengers and Revelations. Indeed, we seek Allah alone and to bring all people towards their Creator, our wonderful God, Who is Perfect in His Being and Who has no partner in His worship: ALLAH. 

Therefore, it is by the absolute grace of Allah - Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah - that I continue my sermon for today on the subject of the “revealed duahs” vouchsafed to this humble self, the Khalifatullah of this era.

 

Rabbi farriq bainas sadiqeen wal kazabeen, anta tara kulla musliheen was swadiqeen.

O my Rab [Lord], show the difference between truth and falsehood; You are the Knower of those people who are truthful and good.

 

Rabbana waj’alna menal mukremeen.

O my Rab! Count us among the honourable people.

 

Allahumma beka ohaweto wa beka osaweto, wa beka oqateho.

O Allah! With Your help do I strive, with Your help do I assail, and with Your help do I battle.

 

Allahumma jal hazal Jamaat, Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, wal Jamaat’ul Muttaqi wal Jamaat’ul Mubarak.

O Allah, make this Jamaat – the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam – a Jamaat of Muttaqi (God-fearing/ Pious & Righteous people) and a blessed Jamaat.