With
the objective of spreading the message of Islam and to attend the meeting with
his disciples and other truth seekers and well-wishers, the Khalifatullah
Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) visited the Rodrigues Islands
(located in the heart of the Indian Ocean) last week, May 20-24, 2013. The visit assumes
importance as the island has a special significance in the history of the
Divine Manifestation in Mauritius. Years before the Divine call and the descent
of Divine revelations entrusting him with the larger mandate of revival of Islam
Din in this era, Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) used to preach in the
Island, calling people to the truth of the Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad (as). In his Friday Sermon of May 24, 2013 made brief remarks in which he touched upon the
contemporary context of his visit within the wider backdrop of the persecution/evil
plots he has had to endure from the Jamaat-e-
Ahmadiyya in the last decade as a consequence of his Divine mission.
Read the Extracts from the
Friday Sermon:
“It
is a pleasure for me today to address my Rodrigues brothers and sisters. Today
is the salaam is extended from Rodrigues to all nearby islands – Mauritius,
Reunion Island, Mayotte, Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar – Kerala, Trinidad
& Tobago, Japan and other countries in the world where we have our members,
to all I extend my “Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullah Wabarakaatuhu” (greeting peace,
grace & blessings of Allah be upon you all).
Since Monday 20 May 2013 I am here with you in
Rodrigues, and much Jamaat work has been done – administrative, meeting
members, Dawa, finding (and dealings
for) the centre. I pray a lot for and I wish to thank our brother Aza who has been with us since the
beginning, from my departure from Mauritius till my arrival in Rodrigues. He is
someone who does his work with much dedication, and he has invested himself
wholly in his work, night and day, he and others. May Allah bless him.
Rodrigues is an island which is
connected with Mauritius, which belongs to Mauritius as its district,
and we have many Mauritians to come to Rodrigues also. And there are also many
Rodrigues people who go to Mauritius and despite their birthplace being
Rodrigues, but they hold Mauritian passport and identity cards as well as all
the privileges which the Mauritians enjoy. And the Mauritians also when they
come to Rodrigues, they also adapt to Rodrigues’ life.
Compared
to the work which we did at the beginning, the first time in Rodrigues, we came to propagate the mission of Hazrat
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), last era’s Messiah, and we made lots of Dawa – inviting people towards the
unicity of Allah and also to inform them that the Promised Messiah awaited by
all religions (e.g. Christianity which awaits the coming of Jesus) has already
come in the person of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as).
And
like you all know, when an era was ending and we entered a new one (the 20th
Century) – Year 2000, when for three months, my family and I were in Rodrigues,
working very hard and as soon as we came back to Mauritius, ploys have already
been devised in Mauritius itself, whereby negative reports were sent against
me, and when I went back to Mauritius – You all recall the last sermon I made
amongst you in the year 2000, how much you were distressed (tears in the eyes
of brothers and sisters) – on the 1st
January 2001 itself, Christian (solar) calendar, I was
expelled from the Nizam-e-Jamaat.
Why?
Because
I say that Allah gives me revelations. When a Messenger (of Allah) comes, he
does not walks on red carpet (i.e. his mission is not easy). His words, works,
messages and invitations towards one God (Allah) are not appreciated by all
people. He gets many problems, persecutions, but despite all, he perseveres in
his mission. He has full belief, sincerity and hope that when Allah the
Almighty has chosen him as His Messenger, being the Messenger of Allah, then
come what may, even all kinds of persecutions and tortures that he has to go
through, despite the ill-thoughts about his message, despite the plans to expel
and humiliate this humble servant of Allah, but today Allah the Almighty… (is
with the Messenger of Allah, raised him with a Jamaat).
You
all will recall that I came to Rodrigues in 2009 along with my family, my
delegation and I return yet again in 2011, and I am now present here with you
(this year) in 2013, and now Insha-Allah, we shall open our centre. When back
in year 2000, you were upset and in tears during the sermon, after the sermon
you approach me to ask me why I spoke as if it was my last visit among you.
Some even thought that I prefer to work in such country like Reunion Island and
that is why I shall not come to Rodrigues again, and there are some who even
thought that I was talking about death and that was why I would not be present
among you. But by the grace of Allah, it is death encountered with evil plots,
hatred and jealousy of others, who have persecuted me. Had Allah the Almighty
not been with me, I would have been a finished man!
But Allah the Almighty little by
little raised me, and in 2009 I came back, this time with a Jamaat with which
Allah raised me. My goal this time, is to propagate the
unicity of Allah, to make you stay firm in your faith in Hazrat Massih Maud
(as) and now also I have come with a tabligh, a Dawa to invite you all to
believe in the advent of this humble servant whom Allah has sent in this era.
Despite all kinds of falsehoods which these people uttered, despite all evil
schemes, you who are here and who have witness, and who have related to me many
things, among which you said what words these people said and the things they
did and which prompted you to stop involving yourself in the Jamaat Ahmadiyya.
Therefore, now
I
have come back among you, but this time not as a missionary of the Jamaat
Ahmadiyya. Now I have come as a Dai-Ill-allah, a servant of Allah, a Messenger
of Allah, a Prophet of Allah and I am here before you. Thus, my stay among you
is coming to an end, but the work shall continue…”