That sexual permissiveness is morally unacceptable may have been a part of the long-standing common sense in most societies. But, increasingly, such
views are being challenged by people who brazenly and wantonly, ‘celebrate’ the cause of individual 'preferences' and identity 'orientations' by arguing that there is nothing deviant in being a homosexual or a lesbian
for that matter. The fact is, world over, sexual permissiveness is increasingly
gaining societal acceptance and public legitimacy. The language of human rights and
basic freedoms are increasingly being deployed for the recognition and in the
service of homosexual, bisexual, transgender and lesbian communities and also for legalising abortion and even prostitution. In this twisted world of legality, the heinous practice of abortion is projected
as a mere question of a woman’s basic right to reproductive choice. Any perceived 'interference' by the society through regulatory laws/rules would be seen as a grotesque invasion of the right to privacy and self- determination in the private sphere!
In his Friday
Sermon of June 08, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius took note of these larger societal trends in the backdrop of the recent
policy debates in Mauritius on the issue of legalizing abortion. The Divine Messenger of our times points out that
all of these have profoundly negative implications for the orderly development and
long-term health of societies and the human civilization's onward march.
Read
the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:
Brothers and
sisters, you know that since Friday 04
May 2012, in the Mauritian Parliament and even before this, the government
has taken the decision to legalise abortion, but after debates on the question,
they (that is, the government) persisted to go forward with the legalisation of
abortion in specific cases and this has been published in the newspapers here
in Mauritius. Each time that the government has gone against religion and the
religious leaders, and each time that the subject of abortion has become the
talk of the day, as the Khalifatullah of this era, like in the past, I shall
continue to rise against all things which are against the divine teachings and
which are encouraging all the more the spread of sins.
Immorality is annihilating our youth, be it in
Mauritius and the world as a whole. Due to the fact that some 20% of women do not want
children, therefore accordingly (people of modern times or government) seem to
think that abortion must be legalised. I
warn you: Do
not invite the punishment of Allah on this small island, and I warn also the
other countries who have legalised (or in the process of legalising) abortion.
I recall that
in a ladies’ programme made in the Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen there was
many strangers (women) who were invited to come to talk with our members,
ladies and young girls of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen on
the subject of sexuality. After the programme I received negative reports and
complaints concerning the subject matter which these guests talked about with
our members. This happened towards the end of 2006 and at that time they (that
is, the ladies of the Jamaat) thought negatively about talking on such things,
but what is their position today when the same subject is being taught in high
schools and very soon in primary schools?
Doesn’t anyone
have anything to say to the government and the Ministry of Education? In our
Ijtema programme, the matter was different than that which is being taught in
schools for the one developed in the programme was based on Divine teachings.
And it is a fact that Islam has already
given all the details how to treat the question on sex and has defined what is
legal or illegal about this subject. Therefore why should we make this subject
a taboo (and refrain from talking about it)? Nowadays when we see that in
the small island of Mauritius, the question of sex is doing ravages, causing
much harm, therefore we are anxious for the future of our children, about what
shall happen to them!
Islam is a religion which encompasses all fields in
the life of man. It has its social, economic sides. It has taught us how to
live in society. Islam is a living religion. Islam does not teach us that we
must close ourselves only in the mosques and devote ourselves only to prayers,
observe fasting, give Zakaat and perform the Hajj. Indeed, these acts of
worship train us and prepare us to live in this society. Each believer must
strive to fight against the evils of this society.
As for the
question of abortion, the list is too long. Day after day brings an increase in
the number of aborted children. Among those having recourse to abortion, there
are many young girls who still are in high schools and other young girls and
women who work in factories. This has become a normal thing for them. Where is this country heading to?
Bear in mind that this world belongs to Allah. And it is Him alone who has decreed the number of
years man shall stay on earth. Even the existence of this universe has been
decreed by Him (Allah). it is Him also who decides on the number of births
which happen each second and also the number of deaths. All this has been well
planned by Allah the Almighty in a perfect plan. Man’s plan can never be
perfect like that of Allah. In man’s plan there is always a weakness, an imperfection,
whereas the Creator’s plan does not have even the least imperfection. His is a
perfect plan; there is no need to remove or add to it. Weak as he is, man wants
to try his hand at something which is perfect. Therefore it is impossible that
the creature comes to change the divine plan.
Nowadays, each
year more than 94 million children are born in the world. For some so-called
intelligent people, this number is way too high. Therefore man’s worry is where
to place all these people if the rate of birth keeps on increasing, and how to
feed them all, as if this world belongs to man and it is him who decides on the
number of birth. Where is the worry of people in that? Why does man interfere
in something which does not concern him and he is trying to take precaution for
the future on things that he has absolutely no power.
Man does not know himself well; now he is trying to
tread on a path about which he has no knowledge! To Allah His plan! The birth of a child is
something which forms part of the plan of the Creator. Are you then man, whom
this Creator has created trying to command Allah? Do you not see that you are
taking the wrong route? It is not for man to even question Allah about His plan
(and oppose it)! The earth belongs to Allah and He has made all arrangements to
dwell the number of men He wants on this planet. What power do you then have to
restrict nature from doing its job?
There is not
the least doubt that there is a purpose in the creation of man and woman as two
different creatures. Each of them has his role to play on earth. The Creator
has imposed certain laws to enable both man and woman to come together in a
legal union which has as purpose reproduction of the human species. This
relation between both sexes is not only found in humans but also in animals and
plants. Allah informs us in Chapter “The Cow”: “Your wives
are a place of sowing of seed for you, so come to your place of cultivation
however you wish and put forth (righteousness) for yourselves. And fear Allah
and know that you will meet Him. And give good tidings to the believers.” (2: 224)
When Allah is
qualifying the woman as a place of sowing of seed for man, it is clear which
message He is giving in this verse. When one has a plantation which belongs to
him legally and one has the intention to cultivate that plantation, therefore
after the sowing of seeds, it is harvest which one awaits. How pleased is the one
who plants a seed and later on that same seed germinates and becomes a small
plant. When man sees the fruit of his labour he is pleased with it. Now how
would you call that man who possess a plantation but who poison that land with
his own hands, thus restricting production? When that same man shall want to
cultivate again that land next time, he shall not be able to do so for the land
has become too much poisoned. And if there may be production, but then there is
the risk that this production brings in its wake many defects. Therefore, why
do we not cultivate that land correctly? Giving birth to a child legally after
marriage is a thing to be encouraged! And it is the duty of a believer to
encourage other believers to beget children, and not to do birth controls or
putting in the mind of people to practice abortion.
If we look at
the reality surrounding us today, there are many developed countries, nearly
100% which have legalised abortion and have instituted Birth Control. What do
we see? There are instead many ravages. In many great countries and even in
islands, with each minute which passes by there are crimes, rape and armed
robbery. All ills which may come to your mind happen in this very world! There
is not a country whereby these evils have not penetrated and that which is more
surprising is that it is the government of these many countries which have
legalised these evils, such evils which we are in no need of, like abortion,
Birth Control etc.
The movement
for Birth Control began in Europe. And that movement took a leap when there was
the industrial revolution in Europe. Women were forced to go to work and the
men of the West encouraged these women to go out of their homes to go and work
so as to earn money and live the life they want. Therefore, because of their
work, these women could not afford to have children often. And if they ever got
children, this becomes a handicap for them and their employers. Therefore as a
solution for this, they turned to using contraceptives so as not to beget children.
What do we see
today in Mauritius, our small island? When women have started working in
factories, they have neglected their household responsibilities. Nowadays women
not only work in factories but also in offices, and do such jobs as bus
conductors, attendants at petrol stations etc. And what is worst is that women
are in the sex trade (prostitution) and they have the gall to say that it is a
human right that they have the choice to work in the sex trade.
Therefore, this so-called freedom that women have obtained has made them become
modern-time slaves. They do not have any time to look after their home.
Therefore what time do they have to raise children? It is as if children have
now become a problem, a burden. Therefore the only solution that they have come
up with is Birth Control. Look where liberalisation of women has brought us!
The role of the mother as
the first university of a child has become redundant. We are now living in an
egotistical world. We think
only about ourselves. We do not want that others partake of what we have
obtained. There is work, nourishment and work and work; man
and wife operating as robots and one has to see what kind of nourishment also
people are now taking! There is work, intake of food and drink and sleep. Is
this the progress of this civilisation?
Where has the time gone when our ancestors had many
children, and the society they lived in was less corrupted and there was
pleasure of life and living? There were many brothers and sisters and each
person used to live in harmony with one another. In that epoch, women did not
know about going out to work. And if that which we are now seeing around us we
call it development, then let me tell you that this is a development operating
in opposite direction!