'Salaat-ul-Wustaa': An Interpretation

What is Salaat?

Haafizuu ‘alas Salawaati was Sala atil wustaa: wa quumuu lillaahi qaani-tiin.

“Secure your Salaat [God will guarantee your protection]. Observe the middle prayer strictly, and stand before Allah in submission.” (Al-Baqara, 2: 239) 

The etymological and semantic approach teaches us that, in the context of the aforementioned verse, it is grafted on the primary meaning of Haafizuu (protect, secure or rigorously observe), the idea of constancy and of fighting against an opposing force in the dynamic of protection. 

Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, second caliph of the Ahmadiyya Movement and Musleh Ma’ud (ra), has explicitly evoked the game of reciprocity to indicate that protecting (observing) the Salaat would be equivalent to benefiting in return of the protective umbrella of the Salaat. 

“Innas-Salaata tan-haa ‘anil-fahshaaa-’i wal-munkar” [The Salaat prevents turpitude and reprehensible acts] and “Wasta-’iinuu bis-Sabri was-Salaah” [And seek help in steadfastness and prayer] state and delve into the same subject. In other words, all the characteristics inherent in Salaat, as mentioned in the Holy Quran, will work together to ensure your protection forever. This gives an even larger dimension to the act of Salaat. 

Regarding the Middle Salaat [Salaat-ul-Wustaa], the opinions of commentators on the Holy Quran vary depending on the subjective criteria they set for themselves. For some, chronologically speaking, the Salaat-ul-Asr would be the Middle Salaat. For others, in terms of importance, it would be more the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud. 

With the advent of a new era of Divine Manifestation and my coming as a Reviver of Faith, it is my duty to clear up with the help of Allah the confused points that divide the Ummah.

Poem: 'The Wondrous Qur'an'

 

Listen dear people! Without the Quran,

Man never reaches God.

 

Whoever is unaware of this light,

Is not fit for the eyes of the Friend.

 

The Furqan [the Holy Quran] has a wonderful effect,

In that it makes one a lover of the true Beloved.

 

It gives us authentic tidings of the One,

Whose name is the Greatest, the Almighty.

It draws man towards the abode of the Beloved,

And then it shows him signs beyond his ken.

 

It fills the heart with light divine,

And cleanses the breast thoroughly.

 

What more of its excellences should I describe,

Suffice it to say that it gives a new life to life.

Fixing Our Broken Politics

Towards a Political Revivification-III

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, I continue my Friday Sermon today on the subject of fraud and corruption in politics. I still take Mauritius as an example, for in the world today, Mauritius has exceeded all limits [as the last straw which breaks the camel’s back]. With its entry into the blacklist, thus revealing a very large black hole in the management of the country as a whole, Mauritians have realized that our beautiful island is now the prey of power-thirsty sharks, who instead of watching over the welfare of the people and the good reputation of the country, they insist on becoming notorious for their mismanagement by placing incompetent people in key positions in the country, those who are the protected people and even the puppets of the present government. And this practice has existed all the time, not only during the mandate of this government. We all know that as soon as a government [of several countries and even Mauritius] takes charge of the country, it puts [in key positions] the people who are in its favour, and these people become puppets in its hand.

 

All Mauritians know very well that the proceedings of the elections of November 07, 2019 are unheard of [have never occurred before in the country]. Never before has the vote count continued until the wee hours of the morning (the next day) - going until 3.00-4.00 a.m. Many misdemeanours took place where original ballot papers were found in sugarcane fields and many Mauritians found themselves off the electoral list, thus unable to vote. Instead of the Mauritians, there are foreign workers who have received the approval of the authorities (the government - since its first term) to vote. In light of recent evidence [which has made the news], election expenses for some political parties have exceeded allowable limits.

 

There are a lot of frustrations expressed by the Mauritian people. Mauritians revolted against these injustices, not only in Mauritius but in other countries as well.

 

I cite a few examples of the tragedies that took place in Mauritius during the COVID-19 containment. There is too much to say, but I will only name a few that have made a strong impression on Mauritians and Mauritius’s reputation at the global level.

Poem: ‘A Transient Life’

  

Beware! O ye who are so watchful and by nature pure

In your greed for this world, do not ruin your faith. 

 
Do not tie your heart to this transitory abode,

For underneath its pleasure lie hidden hundreds of woes.

 

If only you had the ears to hear;

You would catch the voice from the grave singing:

 

 'O my would-be prey;

Do not agonize over the sordid affairs of this world'.

Jamaat Books on a Global Platform

"When Books are spread abroad..." ----- (Holy Qur'an, 81:11)

In a major step for the wider dissemination of the Messages of Allah (swt) being inspired and revealed through His chosen messenger of our times, His Holiness Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (aba) of Mauritius over the last two decades; the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam-Mauritius has just published a series of books on a global publishing platform, Alhamdulillah. By the Grace of Allah (swt), a number of books authored by Hazrat Saheb (aba) are now available on the Internet, making it possible for people from around the world to readily access and read these spiritual treasures by purchasing them on the Amazon Books Network, Soumma Alhamdulillah.

Foremost among the books published is the Translation and Commentary of the Holy Qur’an, along with the Transliteration of the Arabic Text, Currently, the first Two-Volumes in the Series are available whereas other volumes are forthcoming, Insha Allah. In a Thanksgiving Jamaat programme marking the historic moment and celebrating the praises of Allah (swt) for making it all possible against numerous challenges, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) formally unveiled the two volumes at the Bai’t-ul-Zikr Masjid in Mauritius on Sunday, 17 January 2021, Masha Allah, Alhamdulillah, Allah-u-Akbar!   

For the benefit and convenience of readers around the world who wish to access and purchase these Books, here are the links- click on the Book cover pages:

1. Commentary of the Holy Qur'an: Volume I

Plunder and Apathy in Covid Times

Towards a Political Revivification- II

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, I  continue on the subject of fraud and corruption in politics, in a national and even international society that calls itself democratic and liberated, especially in terms of freedom of expression. Much has happened since the discovery of the new type of coronavirus, COVID-19 [and quite recently another type which appeared in England] which has wreaked havoc in terms of contamination and deaths since December 2019. The economy of the world, that of large super powered countries and even small islands like Mauritius have found themselves affected by this virus not only in terms of human physical health, but also in terms of the economic health of our island and the world in general.

 

This is no secret for us members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam because Allah has already made us understand how man destroys himself by doing experiments, whether biological or atomic [or even nuclear etc.] to conquer territories or as a means of revenge on others by starting wars of this kind. COVID-19 is certainly a divine punishment, for Allah uses the demonic inventions of man and turns them against him. But at the same time many innocent lives find themselves touched by the calamity, like a scene from Doomsday. Therefore, all men will be raised [after death] and will be accountable to Allah for the actions they have committed. The innocent and the pious will be saved from eternal punishment while the guilty will be condemned for eternity or for as long as Allah wants them to suffer punishment.

 

In my previous sermons we saw how divine vengeance comes to save believers and cleanse the world of the impious [those who goes against/ blaspheme the religion of Allah], and to revive this same world and give men the opportunity to seriously reflect on whatever comes across them. We have seen how Muslims, because of their faith in Islam, in Allah the Unique, in Muhammad (pbuh) and in all the chosen prophets of Allah, as well as in the book of Allah - the Holy Quran, have been trampled on, whether, in Palestine, Iraq, France, the United States, Burma and even China. The atrocities committed against the pure religion of Allah - Islam and the persecutions of innocent believers [such as the Palestinians, as well as the Royingyas, and Uyghur Muslims, and Islam as a whole] are the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Allah is neither deaf nor dumb. He listens and sees everything and He is not indifferent to what is going on in the world He created with His own hands. He certainly hears the cry of the innocent and that of His Khalifatullah.

The Ethics of Democratic Renewal

 Towards a Political Revivification-I

The Muslim world discovered over the 15^th century of the Hegira, especially during the last fifteen years, a political revival. This is evident, at least in form, both internationally and locally. From Baghdad (in Iraq) to Beirut (in Lebanon) via Riyadh (in Saudi Arabia) and Ramallah (in Palestine), the time seems to have come, or will come, for the people to verily choose, the democratic process that is still in its infancy [as we say in Creole, it is still in ‘kindergarten’, in a trial and error course], as if the heads of state, the leaders do not want the people to come up front to practice true democracy. The free practice of democracy is not yet fully liberated. 

For example, Palestine till today does not have a democratic system where people can freely elect their President. From the start of Yasser Arafat’s reign in 1989 until his death in 2004, and now even after his death after Mahmoud Abbas became the ruler of the country, it is a small group of people who elect the President and in all these offices / political positions, it is Mahmoud Abbas himself who is the President, and thus he can do whatever he wants to do, without having to account for his actions to the people, and then this tradition that they have, to keep the power to govern for them [i.e. the heads of state], is perpetuated.

 

Democracy, the democratic process is certainly present at least on the lips, but in truth it is an autocracy [or authoritarianism], a terrible dictatorship, especially in the Muslim countries that reign there. But despite this, in the global aspect, in the world despite the trial and error stage of this democracy and the time it takes to be fully practiced, but it cannot be denied that there is an evolution where, previously, the Authoritarianism, if not dictatorship, was the only mode of operation. But the question arises: Does this really mean that democracy will solve all problems?