The Future of Chagos

 

Against the backdrop of the 55^th national independence day of his beloved homeland, in his Friday Sermon of 10 March 2023 ~17 Shabaan 1444 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius spoke about a profound question of collective injustice and gross violation of human rights: the colonial Great Game over the Chagos Archipelago, and the arbitrary expulsion as well as the continuing forced prevention of the Chagossian people from returning to their homeland.

 

In a recent research report entitled 'That’s When the Nightmare Started’ UK and U.S. Forced Displacement of the Chagossians and Ongoing Colonial Crimes’ published by the Human Rights Watch called attention to the colonial crimes in Chagos islands and the need for reparative justice to the victims. In their Cold War rivalry with the USSR for global supremacy and military dominance in the Indian Ocean region, the United States and the United Kingdom secretly colluded to establish a naval base in the Diego Garcia and deployed inhuman machinations to dispossess an indigenous community of access to their historic land and means of livelihood through forcible expulsions. The searing injustice meted out to a hapless people by the superpowers of the day, and the continuing struggle of the people to justice and fairness is gaining increasing international attention now. 

With the ground beneath its feet shifting, the United Kingdom is constrained to be losing out on international legitimacy in its treatment of the larger Chagos question, including the patently illegal detachment of sovereign territory from Mauritius before granting national independence in 1968. Indeed, from outright denial of any legal responsibility in the past, to be seen to be sitting at negotiating table with Mauritius now, the United Kingdom is politically affected by the eroding global support to its conduct on the question of Chagos. As the wheels of international politics turn once again, it is feared that the ruling elite in Mauritius might be tempted to cut a deal with the foreign powers for profit without due regard for the legitimate expectations and basic rights of the Chagossian people.  In this discourse, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) warns against the impulses for unjust deal-making, urging national authorities to respect the entitlements of the displaced Islanders in the spirit of solidarity and national unity.  

Diseases and Medicine

 

Cancer, Avian Flu & the Importance of Honey

Today, by the grace of Allah, I will talk to you a little about cancer, as well as honey because where modern medicine cannot do anything, traditional medicine can bring hope, and add a few extra years of life. And despite the viruses that are lurking in these times, it can help in controlling these viruses, even if it is not 100%, but it will do our body a lot of good. Insha-Allah.

  

As you may already know, cancer is a serious health problem that affects a large percentage of the world’s population. World Cancer Day, celebrated on the 4^th of February each year, remains an opportunity to raise awareness of this disease as a public health problem and to increase actions aimed at strengthening screening and access to care. Cancer is the third leading cause of death in Mauritius behind cardiovascular diseases (34.55%) and diabetes (20%).

'Observe Ramadan Properly'

 

In his Friday Sermon of 31 March 2023~ 08 Ramadan 1444 AH, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius spoke about the significance of fasting in devotional life. True observance of the spirit of fasting is God-consciousness. Great rewards of Divine approval and pleasure is attached to fasting performed with correct etiquettes of being. Believers ought to be keeping away from all impurities and evil impulses promoted by Satanic temptations. If fasting is not accompanied by refinement in personal conduct and behaviour, it has no value in the eyes of God. Hence, each of us needs to be aware of the ways and means deployed by Satan to deviate people from the path of purity, cautions Hazrat Saheb (aba).

 

With the ubiquitous reach of digital gadgets facilitating free flow of all content- good and bad; social morals and ethical values are increasingly under threat in our times. When immorality is allowed free reign in a society, it directly affects the vulnerable young population, corrupting their sense of judgement, and propriety, decency and related behavioural standards. Comprehensive action against the spread of immorality is required by all right-thinking people belonging to all communities and religions coming together for the common good, exhorts Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) in this discourse. Moreover, Hazrat Saheb (aba) also speaks about the vital role of water, illustrating the ways in which this precious resource can help us in leading a healthy life.  

Read the Friday Sermon Below:

Ramadan: A Gift

 

A Gift in Bliss and Misfortune

Whether a Muslim is happy or sad, in trials or bliss, God Almighty, lovingly called by His personal name: ALLAH (The One without any partner) in Islam, is sure to bring him out of this state, on and off to make him realise that without Him, he is powerless, without Him no true happiness can be reached.

Allah says twice in Chapter Ash-Sharh of the Holy Quran: “So truly where there is hardship there is also ease; truly where there is hardship there is also ease.”

The blessed month of Ramadan is one such gift, one such ease, one such month when the true believer gets to live peace in both his spiritual and worldly lives. This month comes once a year, but the sincere one yearns it so much, that is, that opportunity to have his sins forgiven, to get the pleasure and approbation of Allah, and finally to accede to Allah Himself through his selfless sacrifice. Such a believer is a model among the believers. Such a believer follows in the footsteps of his beloved prophet and mentor, the Honourable Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (pbuh).

Khalifatullah at Sirajum Munir Masjid 2023

 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam official YouTube Channel has just unveiled a photo and video report on the recent India visit of Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius, and the International Sadr of the Siraj Makin Djawaharatul Kamal Hazrat Ummul Mu’mineen Fazli Amena Varsally Saheba in January- February 2023. The photos and videos taken since the blessed arrival of the holy servants of Allah (swt) in India, especially in Tamil Nadu and North Kerala are blended together to form not just a journey report but also an excellent introduction to the inner world of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in the country, Masha Allah, Allah-u-Akbar! 

The spiritual sons of the Khalifatullah (aba) and leaders of the Jamaat in India, Hazrat Mukarram Amir Saleem Saheb and Hazrat Mukarram Naib Amir Shahul Hameed Faisal Saheb received Hazrat Saheb (aba) and the Hazrat Saheba on their arrival  at the Mumbai Airport, in the second week of January 2023, Alhamdulillah. Later, for the first time, we have had a historic Jumuah Namaz and Qutubah led by Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) at Mumbai, Summa Alhamdulillah.

23 March: Bia'at Day

     

March 23 is an important day in the annals of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya. For it was on this historic day in the beginning of the 14th century of Islam that the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian formally began to initiate his disciples through the system of Bia’at into the spiritual Order of Silsila Ahmadiyya, a community of true believers who will be sincere helpers and supporters of the larger causes of Islam in the modern world. The first Bia’at into the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya took place in Ludhiana on Rajab 20, 1306 AH ~23 March 1889.

        Historically speaking, the idea of Bia’at in the then, newly-established Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, in many ways, resembled the practice in Sufi Orders of the medieval Islamic world where disciples formed a chain of spiritual relationship with their spiritual preceptor and Imam through Bia’at, the rite of initiation of a disciple into the Sufi spiritual path or Tariqah. In the Sufi traditions, Bia’at denotes ‘Wilayah’ or the transmission of the spiritual power, from the Prophet to certain of his Companions and through them to one generation after another of those seeking to follow the spiritual path.     

       

As a spiritual concept and practice, Bia’at has strong and deep antecedents in the faith traditions of Islam. Indeed, the Holy Qur’an speaks of the original covenant of humanity with God through the Prophets: ‘[Prophet], when your Lord took out the offspring from the loins of the Children of Adam and made them bear witness about themselves, He said, ‘Am I not your Lord?’ and they replied, ‘Yes, we bear witness.’ (7:173)

“And remember God’s blessing upon you, and His covenant by which He bound you, when you said, ‘We hear and we obey.’ And reverence God. Truly God knows what lies within breasts” (5:8).

“Fulfill My covenant, and I shall fulfill your covenant, and be in awe of Me.” (2:41)

Poem: ‘A Hymn to God’

 

 Lo! How manifest is the Light of God,

Who is the Ultimate source of all Light

The whole universe is turning into a reflective mirror

For the eyes to perceive Him.

 

                               Last night while watching the Moon

I became so agitated

In the beauty of the Moon

Were the traces of the beauty of my Beloved.

 

Under the influence of that consummate beauty

My heart is in a state of turmoil

Mention not to me

the comeliness of the Turk or the Tartar.

 

O my Beloved,

How wonderfully is Your

Creative power manifested everywhere

Whichever way I look I find

Every road leading to Your presence.