Mauritius is an island-state
situated in the Indian Ocean with a population of over a million, belonging to numerous ethnic/religious/linguistic
groups, including the Hindus, Christians and Muslims. After centuries of colonial
mercantile interests that caused and brought about waves of immigration from
South Asia and elsewhere, the country today has the Hindus as the largest
ethno-linguistic and religious group while the Muslims (at around 2,00,000) constitute
a minority with around 17 per cent of the national population. With the
attainment of independence from Britain in 1968, the country adopted a secular
and democratic Constitutional framework and all social groups, thus, enjoy full
freedom of worship and performance of religious rites and rituals. As the
dominant community, the Hindus, however, continue to occupy important political
and administrative positions and enjoys certain other privileges. On the
contrary, the minority Muslim community remains to be on the social periphery with
many grievances yet to be addressed. 
In his Friday Sermon of June 07,
2013 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius has called attention to
the several problems and legitimate grievances of the Muslims of Mauritius,
including on the twisted Hajj policy of the Mauritius Government. The spiritual
pilgrimage to Makkah (in Saudi Arabia) for the performance of Hajj is one of
the fundamental religious obligations of Muslims, wherever they are. In our
times, thanks to improvement in transportation linkages and communication
facilities, millions of Muslims engage in the preparation (of a life time) to
make that august journey to Makkah. The Saudi Arabian Government has thus been
constrained to delimit the number of believers assembling at the Holy City at
this most important period of time due to logistical and accommodation/space-
related concerns. Thus, countries have been allotted Hajj-quota (limiting the
number of persons who will get visa to perform the Hajj in a specific year) and
the opportunities to receive the visa are limited.
In the case of Mauritius, it is observed that influence-peddlers and
other vested interests exercise undue influence to bear on who gets the
recommendation for Hajj visa under the national quota. The politician-ministers
tilt the scales in favour of their own cronies and other elite sections,
leading to the unjust deprival of the opportunity to perform the Hajj to common
Muslims who may be saving all through their lives for the purpose. Thus, year
after the year, the same set of people-who are highly connected and politically
influential- manage to get the visa and go for the Hajj, though it is not
mandatory to perform Hajj more than once. On the contrary, most poor Muslims
who may save for many years to go and perform the Hajj may not be able to get
even the visa. The political leadership in the country essentially seeks to
manipulate and exploit the divisions within the minority Muslim community and
has virtually ignored or put on cold storage the important concerns of the
Muslim community, including the need for an embassy in Saudi Arabia, which
would facilitate the negotiations for an increase in the Hajj quota as well as
in seeking trading and other labour market opportunities.
Even at the risk of being labelled “communal”, one may have to warn that
both secularism and democracy in Mauritius are under threat from racist
vultures in its body politic, feels the Khalifatullah (atba). When the minority
Muslim community’s religious rights- to go on pilgrimage to Makkah for Hajj-
and their social, administrative and economic progress within the country are
being thwarted surreptitiously, it points to the presence of communalism on the
body politic, points out the Khalifatullah (atba). Further, the Sermon provides
illuminating guidance to the Muslims to come out of their predicament by paying
attention to their community identity and the responsibilities of solidarity
being conveyed through the Divine Messages available in their midst.
Read the Extracts from the Friday
Sermon:
Hajj forms part of the 5 pillars of Islam and it is
obligatory upon a Muslim who has the means, to go perform Hajj at least once in
his lifetime, Insha-Allah. Muslims, Understand this well: If
you have already gone to perform Hajj, then let another one who has not yet got
the opportunity to go for Hajj to accomplish this obligatory duty. Be
aware that our beloved prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has performed Hajj only once in
his lifetime. Therefore, it is obligatory at least once in a lifetime of one
has the financial means and physical capacity. But on the other hand, the Holy
Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has advised to perform more often – as it is
possible according to our means – the small Hajj, that is, the Umra. Allah forgives our sins from one Umra to another Umra.
Believers must understand the present condition we
are facing in Mecca, then, it is advisable (that if you have already
gone for the Hajj), to let someone else who has never gone for Hajj to
accomplish it. Forget the adage: “First
come, First serve”. On the contrary, one must preserve an Islamic
mentality. It is in these kinds of situations that we must show our spirit of
brotherhood. Another point that needs to be raised is the limited quota on
visas for Hajj. In this situation it is advisable not to take children to Hajj
for it is not yet obligatory upon them, and thus, the place can then go to
someone who deserves to go. Let the visa be attributed to him.
Each secretary responsible for the spiritual education in his mosque
must educate those who usually go the mosque. If we are suffering today, this
is because the Muslim community has not gotten enough spiritual education and have not been sufficiently formed in his
religion (Islam). When the end shall approach, ignorance shall become more widespread.
Are we not living these times? Today the Mauritian Muslims are facing
many problems to get a visa to go and perform Hajj, and every year one notice that it is
the same people who go for Hajj just because they are the protégées of
ministers. As for those who have saved for many years to get the
opportunity to go for Hajj, they do not get the visa to go.
If Mauritius is going through these hard times to
get a good quota of visas for Hajj, this is because we do not have an embassy
in Saudi Arabia. And it is a fact that there are thousands of Mauritians to go
there each year (yet no embassy). For a single month (April), there were a
thousand Mauritians there for Umra.
In such countries where people don’t even go (or do not often go), we have
embassies there. It is to such extent that this government despise Muslims. Our
money is good to fill in the treasury of Air Mauritius.
The Minister, Arvin Boolell knows very well this
suffering of the Muslims, how they have saved cent by cent so that they may one
day perform Hajj, to accomplish the fifth pillar of Islam. Yet, they are
deprived of visas. Only 700 persons receive visas. He knows the suffering of us
not having an embassy in Saudi Arabia (yet he does nothing). Each time the
Opposition has questioned him on the subject, about the opening of an embassy
in Arabia, he has dodged the question. It is now years he is avoiding the
subject, that he is studying the probabilities.
The two mandates of this government is expiring and yet the conditions
of the Muslims are not getting better (Muslims are still suffering). The state funds are
being spent in vain outcomes all year round, such as concerts but when the
question of pilgrimage is brought forward, instead of facilitating the lives of
its people, this government says that it does not have money. And we know how an embassy in Saudi Arabia would have
opened many avenues in the labour market and other sectors in Mauritius.
Africa is already a poor country; embassies in those African countries shall be
in vain. It is only a strategy for these Misters, for their own benefits.
There are four Muslim ministers in this government, useless ones! They are doing nothing for the Ummah, to debate
in favour of the Muslim brothers and sisters so that they may go and accomplish
the fifth pillar of Islam, that is, the Hajj. Their contribution in this field
is null, and they are only looking out for more wealth, dignity, honour and
power that they are getting in this world. This is no concern to them if others
are crushing under their feet the teachings of Islam; this does not affect
them. And if they ever raise their voice on the question, then the Prime
Minister will tell them to resign. The time has come for the Muslims to open
their eyes and be aware of the treatments meted out by the government to us.
You Muslims, fight among you, divide and treat your brothers and sisters as
non-Muslims, boycott and do not unite, and then look how these people seize
this opportunity to crush the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh).
Observe this in the different sectors of the government, or in any
ministry, be it concerning promotion or otherwise, they are crushing the
Muslims and are restricting them from getting promotions. Instead, there are incompetent people who are
place at the top, and now look how this country is drowning. It is nearly a
year since the hawkers are being harassed in all places, and thus they are
unable to feed their families. Their goods are being seized and they are beaten
and put in police vans like thieves, to abase them. Most of them are Muslims.
Even if they do not get a job in government, they do not mind for they have
their own business. Is there any of those Muslim ministers or PPS
(Parliamentary Private Secretary) in the government who is fighting for them,
so that they may get a place where they can work in peace? If Muslims were
united, were one, and if we had not been fighting and consolidated and if we
had hold fast to the Holy Quran and not let ourselves be divided, then nobody
could have harmed us.
The Muslims here (in Mauritius) are being crushed;
many among us have made lots of sacrifices to go perform Hajj and have not
obtained visa. There are other Muslims who are in favour of Mr. the Minister to
obtain grandeur and they become arrogant and proud. Dr. Farad Aumeer has been
politically nominated and does not deserve the place he received. Nowadays
people are talking about him in a negative way due to his arrogance. He does
not deserve the position he is now occupying and on top of that he is crushing
the Muslims who have registered themselves more than a year ago for the Hajj –
He is listening to his Guru Minister, and people are thus criticising him, and
no chairman (in charge of Hajj) before him received so many criticisms. He
should have logically left this position on his own, and the more he stays in
this seat, the more his reputation is being soiled. He should have maintained
with dignity his career as a doctor and he should have done his work and
dedicate himself to Islam. The question is why does he (Mr. Farad Aumeer) not
leave this chairman position?
By the grace of Allah, we have a lot of answers for
the type of people like Mr. Farad Aumeer. Our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad
(pbuh) predicted that when the end of
times shall come, there shall be more ignorant people (in the field of the religion of Islam) who shall
come at the head of institutions (the Islamic state). And today, what do we
see?
The time has come for you, Dr. Farad Aumeer to
leave this position, when your head is still high (and not as an humiliated
figure) because the anger of the Ummah shall descend upon you as an avalanche
in the coming days. There is no restricting that anger of the Ummah. What,
drawing lots to choose who and who shall proceed for Hajj? Where are we going?
When there is no captain, especially a captain chosen by Allah, then the ship
is bound to sink.
Why then the payment of Rs. 3000 for an Umra visa?
Why fixing the price to three thousand rupees? Those who shall listen or read
this sermon made today in Mauritius, there shall some who shall take Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam as being
communal. By the grace of Allah, we do not worry about this thought because our
food, drink, honour, life and death are not found in their hands. I must stress
on the fact that our opponents have always use this as a means against us. But
we are not communal; on the contrary, we are defending the Ummah of the noble
prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). Those who say that against us, they are
themselves the communal ones in this country, and we see this also around the
entire world, how they are crushing Islam. I can say according to my analysis
and observations that with each day that passes by in this country, or
in this world, we see that it is the minorities who are being crushed,
especially the Muslim Community.
It is a vain venture to talk on the Muslim
ministers or secretaries at the top in the government. Their agenda is
different from the initial one with which the Muslim Community sent them with.
Later we understood how they used this slogan of defending the Ummah only to
get some votes. Afterwards, the Ummah becomes orphan of a “VOICE” which shall
defend its rights and make its voice be heard. Nowadays, each community is uniting its strength so that it may not be
trampled upon. Each community
(religion) is being defended by its representative in the government. Like
we say in Mauritius, literally speaking, “Each monkey protects its
mountain.” (Meaning to say that each one protects his own/those like
him/those belonging to the same religions or religious denominations).
But unfortunately, we Muslims do not have a voice speaking in favour of
Islam, and our
rights to accomplish the fifth pillar of Islam and to obtain promotions in our
respective fields on account of our competences, be it in the public or private
sector. Why all this is happening? Ponder over it, Oh Muslims! This is because
we are divided, and harbour hatred against our own selves (Muslims), fighting
each other and saying that such and such brothers and sisters are not Muslims,
as if we hold the patent to judge the faith of others in our hands. Therefore,
this kind of division has brought us to a weak state and thus the “Voice of
Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam” has decided to make itself heard because the
communities in majority have seized the state’s apparatuses. This is a danger
zone for the others (minority).
Has the time not come for the believers to have their hearts incline
towards the message of Allah and the truth which has come? Do not show arrogance with that which Allah the
Almighty has provided you with. Allah the Almighty does not love the proud and
arrogant. Oh brothers and sisters, Oh those who believe, fear Allah and have
faith in His Messenger. Allah the Almighty shall give you two shares of His
grace and He shall give you a light so that you may walk with His help, and He
shall forgive you. Allah is verily All-Forgiving and Merciful. Ameen, Summa
Ameen.
It is Allah who has sent you His Representative
(Khalifatullah) with clear revelations, to remove you from darkness and to
guide you to light. Allah is truly gentle towards you and He is Merciful.
Insha-Allah, I pray that Allah the Almighty opens each heart and make this
message penetrate it, and that you become great believers and dedicate your
time in the path of Allah till your last breath, Insha-Allah, Ameen.