'Eid-ul-Adha' Sermon 2024

 

The Pilgrimage & the Eid Festival

In Islam, Muslims around the world celebrate two Eids: Eid-ul-Fitr which marks the end of the blessed month of Ramadan, and Eid-ul-Adha which marks the end of the Hajj through a sacrifice of sheep or cattle or even camel, also known as sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (as), his son Isma’il (as) and his wife Hajra (ra). It is more commonly known as the festival of Udhiya (Arabic) or Qurbani (Urdu).

Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, comes in the last month of the lunar calendar, Dhul-Hijjah (which literally means, Month of Hajj). The Hajj is an exceptional occasion where Muslim unity appears in its finest form. The Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sees itself united in the same spirit of sacrifice and in the same garment: two simple unsewn white cloths. Therefore, we bear witness to the unified state of Muslims, the same state that must be manifest in every Muslim throughout the world.

Tarbiyyat Lessons-10

Five qualities of a Muslim Wife

1.     Faith (‘Imaan’)

A wife who is strong in her faith and devotion to Allah is considered attractive in Islam as she is supportive, and encourages her husband in his religious journey.

2.     Obedience (‘Taha’)

A wife who is obedient to her husband and respects him is considered attractive, as she will be a supportive partner, and helps to maintain a harmonious household.

3.     Modesty (‘Haya’).

A wife who is modest and chaste in her behaviour, in her dress, is considered attractive as she will preserve her dignity and the honour of her family.

Tarbiyyat Lessons- 9

 

Love All, Hate No One

Hate no one, no matter how much they've wronged you.

Live humbly, no matter how wealthy you become.

Think positively, no matter how hard life is.

Give much, even if you've been given little.

Forgive all, especially yourself, and never stop praying for the best for everyone.

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Allah: The Veils of Light & Darkness

 

‘Allah has Seventy Thousand Veils of Light and  Darkness; if He were to remove them, the radiant splendours of His Face would burn up whoever (or ‘whatever creature’) was reached by His Gaze.’- Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), the tradition is cited from Imam Al Ghazzali's Mishkat Al Anwar, p. 157]. 

‘My Lord, grant me complete severance of my relations with everything else and total submission to You. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts with the light of their looking at You to the extent that they penetrate the Veils of Light and reach the Source of Grandeur, and let our souls get suspended by the glory of Your sanctity.’ [Duah of Hazrat Ali (ra)]

A Muslim brother [Mr. Abdul Nazir Qureshi Sahib from Pakistan] recently sought an exposition on the larger meaning of 'Veils of Light and Darkness' as mentioned in Islamic spiritual literature: ‘God has Seventy Thousand Veils of Light and Darkness’. Responding to this question, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius shared the following statement:

'Inna lillahi la-sabina alfa hijabin min nurin wa zulmatin'

‘Tarbiyyat’ Lessons- 8

 

Duah for Increasing Memory

Subhanaka la ilma lana

Illa ma allamtana innaka

antal-Alimul Hakim.

 

‘Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except who You have taught us. Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise’.

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Ya Ilaahi

 

When I am alone,

Allah is my comforter

When I am nothing,

Allah is my everything.

When I am sad and lonely,

Allah is my song and my joy

When I am weak and helpless,

Allah is my strength

Ameen, Summah Ameen, Ya Rabbul Aalameen.

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'Tarbiyyat' Lessons- 7

 

No matter what happens in life, keep a good heart; a heart of trust and patience. Don't let the darkness of some people harden your heart. 

With time, you will come to know the wisdom of Allah in everything that has happened to you. You will come to realise that He has been more Merciful to you than your own self.

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Nobody will be able to understand your pain

But Allah,

So talk to Allah; 

Connect with Him

It will help you

It will give you a reason 

To look forward to tomorrow.

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‘Tarbiyyat’ Lessons- 6

  

A God-centric approach can enable and empower us to deal with shifting fortunes in personal and social life. As humans, our hearts experience a range of emotions in the varied settings of life. Hence, we encounter both moments of ecstasy and agony; of fortune and misfortune; of happiness and sadness; of hope and despair. Islam prescribes temperamental moderation and a well-balanced approach to issues that affect the individual at the deepest level; teachings that are essential for personal mental health and emotional stability, and for collective well-being of the community at large. It envisages that in times of ease and comfort, we should remain grateful to God for all the blessings of life, and remain within the bounds of Shari’ah, and not commit excesses while taking our fill of pleasure. Likewise, we should turn to our Creator and invoke His sublime attributes in our low moments: times when we experience misfortune and sorrow; feel a huge void at the loss of a dear one, or feel sad and depressed after a sincere relationship falls apart. Indeed, at such emotionally-vulnerable points, to find the inner strength to cope with the vagaries in our fortunes; we could and should rely entirely on God’s mercy and hope for His grace through spiritual invocations and Duahs.  

In a recent series of messages with his spiritual disciples and followers, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius provides fascinating insights on human emotions and related Islamic teachings on Divine remembrance to empower people struggling with emotional burdens in vulnerable situations.

 

Read the Messages Below: