On 'Zakaat' & 'Sadaqaat'

Islam fosters the spirit of universal brotherhood, and brings about peace and stability in social relations across class divisions through a framework of values that promote empathy, solidarity and genuine concern for the less affluent sections of people by imposing special obligations on the richer classes. The concept of 'Zakaat' stands at the centre of the economic values of Islam on charitable giving. In his Friday Sermon of 07 May 2021~ 24 Ramadan 1442 AH, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius, inter alia, spoke about the significance of 'Zakaat' and 'Sadaqa-e-Fitr' (i.e. Fitra). Speaking about the transformative potential of Zakaat as a dynamic social compact of charitable giving, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) notes: "The regime of Islam does not foresee misery in society through Zakaat, but unfortunately, many Muslims do not realize its importance and do not fulfil this duty. If Zakaat was managed properly, then many evils in Muslim society and in the world could have been avoided."

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon Below: 

In the Holy Qur'an, Allah (swt) says: 

“And be steadfast in prayer (Salaat); practice regular charity (Zakaat).” (Al-Baqara, 2: 44)

“Take of their riches a donation to purify them and to cleanse them thereby; and pray for them; surely your prayer is sereneness (i.e., tranquillity) for them; and Allah is Ever-Hearing, Ever Knowing. Do they not know that it is God Himself who accepts repentance from His servants and receives what is given freely for His sake and that He is The Accepter of repentance, The Most Merciful?” (At-Tauba, 9:103-104) 

“None of you [believers] will attain true piety unless you give out of what you cherish: whatever you give, God knows about it very well.” (Al-Imran, 3:93)

Finding 'Lailat-ul-Qadr'

 

'Lailat-ul-Qadr': The Night of Destiny

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” (Al-Qadr 97: 1-6) 

The Night of Destiny or the Night of Power is the blessed night during which Allah (swt) sent down our constitution, this discernment which is His Holy Book, The Holy Quran. Surah Al-Qadr highlights this blessed night by explaining that if the Ummat-e-Muhammadiyya (pbuh) does Ibaadat [acts of worship] during this sacred night, his Ibaadat will be better than a thousand months of Ibaadat. What a huge gift of Allah’s bounty/ goodness! Alhamdulillah. 

The Ummah [community] of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was so honoured by the attribution of this great night because not only can they reap more than a thousand months of Ibaadat, but also no people [or followers] of the other prophets had obtained a similar night. 

Hazrat Anas bin Malik (ra) reports that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said at the approach of Ramadan: “Truly, a great month is coming, a month in which there is a night which is better than a thousand months. Whoever does not take advantage of this blessed night will have lost all these benefits.” (Ibn Majah, Mishkaat).

'Ilham': Recent Divine Messages- IV

[With the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful. Reproduced Below are Divine Revelations vouchsafed to Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius on Sunday, 02 May 2021~ 19 Ramadan 1442 AH. 

These revelations address a number of important themes, mainly: (1) the duty of believers to recognize, respect and esteem the Divine messenger of their times as an obligation of Faith and the latent blessings attached to such spiritual obedience; (2) the relationship between earth-shattering events in the Later Days with 'Qiyamah' and how the Destructive and Creative attributes of Allah (swt) converge in the life-cycle of secular and spiritual worlds- when one 'world'/ order gives way to another through thoroughly transformative incidents; (3) the secret of obtaining Divine knowledge from the spiritual realm. Weak and flawed as humans  are, when they embark on a journey of personal reform from the maladies and afflictions of the self, and remain in prayers with utmost determination, perseverance and steadfastness against all odds, the gates of spiritual treasures miraculously open up for such devout savants and hidden, mystical realities unveil to them through spiritual channels by the Grace, Mercy and Blessings of the Exalted, Ever-Living Lord, Alhamdulillah].  

 

Jinn ka naam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim oun ka har Mo’min matwaalaa.

All believers (sincere followers of the Khalifatullah) revere and honour their Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim.

 

Oun ka i’shq hé donon jahan mein rutbé barhaané waalaa.

He who loves him wholeheartedly sees himself honoured in this temporal world as well as in the hereafter.

 

Donon jahan mein rehmat ounki har nei’mat hé badawlat ounki.

His mercy encompasses the universe, and all divine blessing comes down by His grace.

 

Rab ki rozaa hé chaahat ounki jisské dil mein hé oulfat ounki..

Whoever pleases the beloved of Allah pleases Allah Himself.

 

Wo hé Allah waalaa… Allah-o-Akbar.

This is to say that his Creator (His Rab) is satisfied with Him. Allah is Great, Allah is Great.

Ramadan and the Light of Faith

In his Friday Sermon of 30 April 2021~17 Ramadan 1442 AH, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius speaks about the holy month of Ramadan. Following in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet's practical ordinances concerning fasting in Ramadan, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) underscores the importance of the devotional practice with its inherent physical and spiritual benefits for those who observe it. Under the sacred Islamic teachings, Ramadan is meant to be observed as a month of patience; of caring and sharing; of charity and giving; of virtuous deeds and steadfastness in ultimate remembrance of God through the recurring undertaking of different faith rites and sublime invocations. 

Describing the ways in which ignorant and negligent people waste away the precious occasion of Ramadan for the pursuit of entertainment and social pleasures, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) points to the very many benefits of fasting as an Islamic practice, and exhorts all believers to be conscious of the Divine commandments and Prophetic teachings to fulfill duties in this regard. Indeed, an occasion for the believer to focus on the big picture of spiritual life and therefore, to abandon his vain pursuits of earthly pleasures, in favour of the enduring favours of forgiveness of sins and the open-gates of Paradise. Noting that the many disasters striking the world around us is indeed a grave sign of the Hour (Qiyamah) promised in our sacred books, Hazrat Saheb (aba) exhorts everyone to benefit from the opportunity of Ramadan fasting to bring about internal cleansing and to put things right in social relations among peoples so that we may truly gain the Light of God in our remaining moments in this world, Aameen. 

Read the Friday Sermon Below:

  

Leave the Reprehensible & Return to God

All praise is to Allah for His favours and goodness. He has favoured us by enabling us to reach the month of Ramadan and has strengthened us with the good works that bring us closer to Him. And peace and blessings be on our prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the first [in rank] in the accomplishment of good deeds, and on his family and his companions, those who believed in him, supported him and followed the light that was revealed to him. They are the ones who truly succeeded. 

Then I commend you and myself the fear of Allah [Taqwa] both in this month of Ramadan and in other months. But Allah (swt) attributes special merit to this month, since it is a unique occasion for doing good deeds. The prophet (pbuh) called on Allah to be able to reach Ramadan. 

If I am not mistaken, when the month of Rajab began, our beloved prophet (pbuh) said: Allahumma barik lana fi Rajab wa Shabaan wa ballighna Ramadan. [O Allah! Bless for us the months of Rajab and Shabaan and make us reach [live] the month of Ramadan!] 

And the Holy Prophet (pbuh) also used to encourage his companions to make an effort in good deeds, obligatory or supererogatory, such as prayers and alms, to be good and beneficent, to be patient in the face of obedience to Allah, spend one’s day in fasting, one’s night in prayers and hours reciting the Quran and doing the Zikr of Allah. 

'Ilham': Recent Divine Messages- III

Allah (swt), the Ever-Living Lord and Sustainer of the Worlds, spoke to His chosen servants all through human history. Every nation in the world has its own collective memory of such men of God who appeared, sometimes, one man in a generation; sometimes, several personalities in the same community- speaking in their own languages, conveying the messages from the Unseen. No wonder, the Qur'an confirms that the servants of Allah (swt) appeared in all nations and among all peoples. These messengers led exemplary spiritual lives, inviting people to shun evil and embrace the path of purity, righteousness, moral probity, and true wisdom; warning them about the trappings of transient pleasures, exhorting them in strongest terms to choose wisely the everlasting Divine favours as against temporal gains; foretelling about the looming prospect of facing the Days of God when  punishments will befall on the wicked, and also about the prospects of Blissful rewards on true humans, in this life and in the world to come. 

  

Alhamdulillahi Rabb'il Aalameen...Allah (swt) bestows upon His Elects in every era the favour of special communion and spiritual converse and guidance. To revive and renew the living path of the Qur'an for all mankind in our times, Allah (swt) has raised Hazrat Imam Al Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius. Over the last two decades, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) has been sharing the Divine communications he has been receiving from the Unseen- containing sublime guidance, for the benefit of all sincere seekers of Divine verities. In recent weeks, we have shared here some of the latest Divine revelations so received by Hazrat Saheb (aba), and the same can be read here. 

Against the backdrop of  devastating calamities tragically altering the fortunes of a large mass of humanity through Covid 19 virus and its many variants, as well as through many other heart-wrenching events around the world, the recent Divine revelations once again underscore the profound responsibility of human beings everywhere to undertake intense soul-searching and revert to individual and collective course-correction in our relations with fellow humans and the natural environment. The duty of a Divinely-inspired soul, and those who follow him, is only to act according to the clear guidance they have accepted; patiently persevering in repairing our broken societies; bringing about reforms  in personal conduct and social relations so as to put things right- regardless of the taunts and rejection of the myopic society around them. A society that rejects the sublime message and guidance of a Prophet to prefer their temporal, fleeting pleasures will eventually find its trial and punishment in both the worlds. Whereas time and history testify to the destruction and ruination of 'mighty' powers at the zenith of their excesses; the exalted wisdom of the Prophets and their mission survive and thrive in the fullness of the Divine order, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.     

Reproduced Below are the latest installment of the Divine revelations vouchsafed to Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) in the last couple of weeks: 

Saturday, 17 April 2021 after Esha & Taraweeh Prayer at 8.30 pm, I received this Divine Message:

Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illallaahu ana Khalifatullah; Ya Rabbi Habli Ummati.

I give evidence that none is worthy of divine worship except Allah. I am the Caliph of Allah (swt) [Chosen by Allah, not elected by men]. O Sustainer (of the Universe) bless me (and) those who follow me.

Ramadan: The Spirit of Caring

 

The Month of Ramadan 

We live in a special time: never before have human beings experienced such spectacular advancement in terms of progress and enrichment; never has he had so much capacity to communicate, to live together, to converse. Yet never has he been so self-centered, selfish, and so careless about the plight of others. Unfortunately, the Muslim [nowadays] follows the same path- thus, going against divine injunctions.

 

God knows our propensity to forget and not to be persistent in recalling; that is why He has prescribed acts of worship for us in order to make our conscience and our hearts come alive to His remembrance. The fast of the month of Ramadan is part of this education, of this elevation of the soul, once a year for a month. God asks us to deprive ourselves of these essential things that are our daily concerns: eating, drinking; things so common for us that they become commonplace. Abundance makes us forget that one day we might not have any more. We no longer even know how to appreciate the pleasures we taste. Worse, there are on this earth, at the same time as we eat and we are satisfied [i.e. eating to our fill], men and women who would like to be able to have a tenth of what we consume. Because of distress caused by poverty, they have to endure hunger and thirst. But they also and above all have to endure our passivity and our disinterest. However, they are our brothers and our sisters not in Islam only but in humanity as well.

 

God has put abundance in this world so that every man can benefit from his share of sustenance; however, it is a minority that controls and consumes most of the wealth. It is such an injustice which is accentuated by our passivity when it is not our selfishness.  

The month of Ramadan has been ordained in order to instill awareness and a reminder. Above all, remember Allah with intensity and foresight. Leaving a little of this temporal world to rise to the consciousness of the Most High. The fast of this blessed month is a source of reminder for those who want to remember. Then, it wants to be a call to altruism and solidarity, because we cannot as a Muslim or even quite simply as a human being live in the indifference of what is happening in a large part of the world; to pretend that there are no men and women who live in destitution and poverty; without knowing that every day in the world many children die of starvation. “It’s normal”, we say to ourselves, “How could we know that when we’re not talking about it in the press or on television?”

 

We cannot as Muslims, as beings with a heart, step back and pretend these sad and bitter realities do not exist, and to just look where the spotlight falls.

'Ilham': Recent Divine Messages-II

Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim. Recently, we have shared some of the Divine Messages received by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius in March and early April 2021, and the same can be read here. 

The revealed messages received by Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) this week- both before and after the Jumu'ah on Friday, 16 April 2021, contain within them a succinct summation of the Divine Mission being entrusted through him by Allah (swt) in this era, as well as the duties and responsibilities of the believers to follow and abide by the sublime guidance on offer. The message confirms once again that Allah (swt) has raised His Khalifa (the Khalifatullah) as the grand standard bearer of the Faith in this era, as a deputy of the Holy Prophet (sa), with a mandate to renew the Kalima Tayyibah of the Muslims in all its pristine glory: La Maqsouda Illa Allah; La Maabouda bi-Haqq Illa-Allah.

Unlike the disbelievers and hypocrites, sincere followers and disciples of a Vicegerent of God are expected to deploy their God-endowed reasoning and understanding in service of Faith and its obligations, including by standing up for personal as well as social reforms so as to remove all individual temptations and consequent social afflictions. Moreover, the message also alludes that just as the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) escaped unhurt from all evil machinations and conspiratorial trappings of the disbelievers; the Khalifatullah (aba) of this era, destined to go through earthly trials at the hands of the opponents, shall also emerge victorious in the companionship of his true spiritual disciples and followers, in all joy and happiness, Insha-Allah, Aameen. 

Reproduced below are the Divine Revelations Hazrat Saheb (aba) has recently arranged to be shared with everyone, for the benefit of all discerning minds. Before the Jumu'ah, Allah (swt) revealed to Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) the following Revelations:

 

1. “You are the New Orbit”.

 

2. La Maqsouda Illa Allah: Turn only to Allah.

 

3. La Maabouda bi-Haqq Illa-Allah: Pray only Allah (one God).

 

After the Jumu'ah Namaz, the revelation came like this: