Khalifatullah visits Reunion Island

June 2014: Dawa Highlights

Day One

Alhamdulillah, upon reaching Reunion Island, the Khalifatullah^(atba) was warmly welcomed by the Vice-President of the Jamaat. There was a good interaction between the two and our respected brother took Huzur^(atba) to refresh himself before the start of the mini-Jalsa Salana (half-day) to be held after Zuhr prayer.

Jalsa Salana Programme:

v  Quran Recitation (with translation) by our brother Mohamed Ahmad.

v  An Opening/Welcoming Speech by the Vice-President of the Jamaat.

v  A speech by the Sadr Siraj Makin of the Reunion Jamaat axed on the role of women of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in the modern society.

v  A break of 20 minutes spent in our members & guests from various religious denominations meeting with the Messenger of Allah^(atba).

o   Diner & Salat-ul-Maghrib/Esha in congregation.

v  Quran Recitation (with translation) by our brother Ismaël.

v  Closing Speech by Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim^(atba).

v  Collective Prayer (duas) & refreshments.

The Mini-Jalsa Salana ended at around 20.45pm, and everybody returned home satisfied and thankful to Allah that they have got the opportunity to meet with Huzur^(atba) twice in a year. Alhamdulillah.

Day Two

Huzur^(atba) and some of our members spent the day in Dawa at Sainte Clotilde. In the course of the Dawa expedition, he encountered a Mourid Imam with whom he got a clash on the matter of religion. Later on, he met with a Muslim (a Shiite Mullah) at Moufia and there itself was held a question and answers session on the death of Jesus Christ^(as), to which many people assisted. The Khalifatullah^(atba) exposed to him several verses of the Holy Quran and other proofs from the Hadiths but despite all this, the Mullah refused to acknowledge the truth exposed by the Holy Quran on the subject. He even sought to deviate the people who were witnessing the debate from the true viewpoint of the Holy Quran which the Khalifatullah^(atba) sought to make apparent.

When the Mullah saw that the debate was turning against him and his viewpoint, he drifted the debate on Hazrat Ali^(ra), saying that the latter alone was the true Imam, and that Hazrat Abu Bakr, Umar, & Usman^(ra) were all false. The Messenger of Allah^(atba) gave him befitting replies to all his questions, and these answers were so poignant that Huzur^(atba) himself explained that he hopes that this Mullah does not forget these arguments till his death.

Huzur^(atba) reported that those Muslims who supported the point of the view of the Shia Mullah, as well as the other Muslims who have wrongly interpreted the teachings of Islam showed antipathy towards him and did not want that the debate be either audio or video recorded. As they were fully aware of the proclamation of Huzur^(atba) through the various tabligh and dawa efforts of our members, they feared that all these materials find a way to the official website of the Jamaat. Even many people who witnessed the debate saw how inconsistent those people were in their supposed arguments for the convictions they hold within Islam. These viewpoints went totally against the spirit of the Holy Quran.

After renting a car, Huzur^(atba) was able to go to distant places to continue his Dawa till very late at night. He met with many people, including those hailing from France and also met with his Dawa contacts from his last visit to Reunion Island.

Day Three

Some officials of the Jamaat accompanied the Messenger of Allah^(atba) to the Sub Prefecture of Saint-Benoit to meet the sub-prefect, Mrs. Rouland-Boyer. The meeting went well by the grace of Allah, and later on Huzur^(atba) went on to meet the Mayor of the town, Mr. Friteau and his officers. He delivered to them the message of Islam and mention to them about the advent of the Prophet Muhammad^(pbuh) which has been mentioned in the Bible. As one of the officers professed the faith/views of the “Salut et Guérison” (Salvation & Healing) Mission, the small debate on the question was quite interesting. Unfortunately, there came two so-called Muslims who recognised the Prophet of Allah, and the situation became tense and dangerous. Huzur^(atba) received a message to leave the place as there was a big plot being organised against him (by those Muslims who are now fully informed about the spiritual status of Hazrat Munir^(atba)).

Therefore afterwards, Huzur^(atba) went to some touristic places of Reunion Island to continue his Dawa, and alhamdulillah, he met with many tourists and also natives and gave them the message of Islam and also the purpose of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam. This Dawa venture ended till Maghrib time, and Huzur^(atba) later on interacted with two youths (from the Shia Community) and preached them Islam in its authenticated state. Although stressed out with the hard work done for the cause of Allah, but Huzur and the officials and members of the Jamaat were highly appreciative of the situation and after collective prayer, did not miss to thank Allah in special duas.

Day Four

Visit to the house of a long-lost firm brother in faith of Huzur^(atba) since olden times (active member of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya who helped Huzur^(atba) a lot back then in his mission). Unfortunately, he and his wife have died five years ago (Innallillahi wa inna ilayhi raajii-un), and they were outlived by their seven children, five daughters and two sons (Ahmadi Muslims). Alhamdulillah, when Huzur^(atba) exposed to them the object of his visit as well as the message he brought, they welcomed the divine message and accepted willingly and wholeheartedly to integrate the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam and refine their Islam through the guide whom Allah has chosen for them in this era. This awakened in them the sweet memories of their father who sacrificed a lot along with the Khalifatullah^(atba) – in the Jamaat Ahmadiyya – in tabligh ventures. By the grace of Allah, they also helped a lot to facilitate the visit of Huzur in their island and participated in the rest of the programmes organised by the Jamaat during Huzur’s visit.

The Messenger of Allah^(atba) also met with another of his Dawa contact who also responded positively to His message. He was the first president of the Jamaat when Hazrat Munir^(atba) established the Jamaat Ahmadiyya in Reunion Island back then. And now Huzur^(atba) has nominated him as the Amir of the Southern part of Reunion.

After lunch, Huzur^(atba) went on to make Dawa to some Comorians, and later on to a native of the island (La Rivière Saint-Louis) where Huzur^(atba) and his delegation were well received. Alhamdulillah.

Day Five

In the course of his Dawa, the Khalifatullah^(atba) met with some French people as well as the Reunionese. Huzur^(atba) gave them pamphlets and exposed to them the message of Islam as well as the New Divine Manifestation in this era, and alhamdulillah they were cordial and very receptive to the message. He received questions pertaining to the name of “Muhammad” ^(pbuh) in the Bible, a fact unknown to them and also about circumcision.

Muhammad in the Bible:

Moses and Jesus both prophesied the coming of Muhammad^(pbuh). In the Old Testament God said to Moses, “I will raise for them from among their brothers (not among themselves) a prophet like you; I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him to say. And if someone does not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, it is I who will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy 18: 18)

And in the Gospels Jesus said: “Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you (the Jews), and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (such a nation which is not Jewish).” (Matthew 21: 43)

After a long exposé on the question, Huzur^(atba) asked these people to ponder carefully over the above-mentioned biblical verses. Jesus son of Mary was a holy man like all other prophets and the Muslims have the duty to respect him like all the other prophets.

Circumcision:

Why do the Muslim men have the obligation to have themselves circumcised? In the course of his reply, Huzur^(atba) amicably and politely returned the question to the questioner and stressed on the example of Jesus^(as) himself: The questioner being a Christian himself, then had he had sincere love for Jesus^(as), he would have followed the example of Jesus^(as) who was circumcised also. Don’t the Christians say that Jesus came to redeem the sins of people by sacrificing his blood for them? When they say that they love Jesus^(as), then won’t the Christians have the decency to follow in his footsteps and have themselves circumcised, leave a nice beard and keep their private parts clean (shaved)? Huzur^(atba) asked the questioner: “Between you and me, who then is a true Christian, having great love for Jesus^(as)?” (Inset: 'Isaac's Circumcision,' Regensburg Pentateuch (c. 1300) Photo by Regensburg Pentateuch)

Later on, in the course of his journey, the Khalifatullah^(atba) encountered a Comorian Imam with whom he made tabligh and they inevitably came on the subject of “Wafaat-e-Massih” (Death of Jesus). There were about 10 persons present who saw the debate. After presenting the arguments in favour of the natural death of Jesus^(as), the Comorian Imam was left without argument.

After the debate, Huzur^(atba) went to Sainte Suzanne and Sainte-Marie and distributed again several pamphlets on the message of Islam and the mission of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam to the Reunionese Christians. He also made Dawa to the Mayor and some other officials of the Town Hall of Sainte-Marie till night fall.

Day Six

Prior to Jummah, Huzur^(atba) went to Saint-Louis and made tabligh with a Maorais man (hailing from Mayotte) and while the Messenger of Allah^(atba) was talking to him, two Comorian women joined in the conversation. Meanwhile a young hot-headed Comorian Imam accompanied by his friend came and shouted at the women in their native language (Comorian) and Huzur^(atba) learnt that the Imam was dissuading these people from listening to his message.

Just then, Huzur^(atba) turned in his direction and defended the status of women in Islam. He broached the subject of the need for women to go to the mosques and Jummah also. He brought in the argument, why men bar the doors of mosques to the women whereas women go for Hajj? If it is Halal (licit) for them to go for Hajj, then why not mosques? Then Huzur^(atba) gave them the following argument as food for thought: Is the role of women reduced to cook food, clean the house, sit before the television set and shun Quran and prayer and be deprived of Jummah and access to the mosque? Then the Khalifatullah^(atba) put before them the verse of the Quran (Surah Jumu’ah) and some Hadiths where women were welcomed to the mosques and participated actively in the congregational prayers in the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad^(pbuh). Exhausted with arguments, the Imam and his friend fumed with rage and departed, leaving the people around in a state of utter disgust for his behaviour.

A woman recently converted to Islam and another Muslim man expressed their disgust about the Imam and also gave a vote of appreciation for the way the Khalifatullah^(atba) brightly explained the role of women in the Islamic context, and that also, by the prescriptions of Quran and Sunnah. The woman gave her vote of approval for the true Imam elected by Allah and made the remark that the Comorian Imam despite being a man of religion could not respond to the arguments brought forward by the Khalifatullah^(atba) and that the “Islam” that he was preaching was not at all Islamic. Therefore Hazrat Khalifatullah^(atba) told her that verily like predicted by our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad^(pbuh), today’s Imams (the religious leaders of the last days) have become the worst creatures under the canopy of the heavens. Afterwards Huzur^(atba) explained to her and those present how the teachings of Islam have been trampled and the woman in question showed her appreciation and interest to enter the fold of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam.

After Jummah in the South of the Island (which was axed on the favours bestowed by Allah on man (and Jinns) and also about the coming month of Ramadan), there was the erection of a small place of prayer on a small plot of land offered by the new members of the Jamaat (the donation/contribution of a family). After working hard, giving a helping hand to finalize the arrangements for the Ibaadat Khana, Huzur^(atba) was amply satisfied with the efforts made, and after he and all the members prepared themselves for prayer, it was as if a new lease of life has been given to the Jamaat which had been abandoned by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association.

Alhamdulillah, now Allah has entrusted to the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam the task of continuing this work and each of them is accomplishing his share of responsibility. Besides the Mauritian Jamaat, Huzur^(atba) cited the hard works done by the Kerala/Tamil Nadu Jamaat, especially in the field of Tabligh/Dawa, translations works and financial sacrifice. He cited the name of the two respected Amirs of the Kerala Jamaat Jamaluddin Sahib & Dr. Thahir Sahib, as well as our Sadr Sahib’al-Faraj, Azim Ahmad Saheb and his team – the spiritual sons of Huzur^(atba) – who are doing a great work in translating the documents of Huzur^(atba) and the website contents into the Tamil language. Moreover, there is the great contribution of another spiritual son of the Khalifatullah, Mukarram Fazil Jamal Saheb. 

Alhamdulillah Huzur ^(atba) was highly appreciative of their works and efforts and cited their examples for our members in Reunion Island. Like them, our brothers and sisters of the Jamaat in Reunion Island should attach themselves firmly to Allah and His Khalifatullah^(atba) especially in this era of Divine Manifestation which is witnessed at least once in the lifetime of a human being. Alhamdulillah, the members of our Reunionese Jamaat felt invigorated to do “Fastabikul Khairaat” (Competition in good works). Insha-Allah.

Alhamdulillah, the Sahib’al-Faraj of the Reunion Jamaat, having been qualified for the finals of a football organised by the town hall invited Huzur^(atba) to watch their match. Alhamdulillah, they won the match 2-1. On the return back to Saint-Denis, Huzur^(atba) met a group of Muslim youths, and they were enthusiastic to ask Huzur^(atba) some questions on religious matters.

Day Seven

Among other programmes, the Khalifatullah^(atba) went for some time to Saint Gilles and Saint Paul for Dawa. At night there was a long session of work with all office-bearers of the Jamaat. Huzur^(atba) stressed on the sending of elaboration their one-year plan of work, sending regular reports, friday sermons, study-circles, tarbiyyat class, dawa & financial sacrifice among others for the approval of Huzur^(atba). Furthermore Huzur^(atba) gave one of the Amirs the important task of spreading the message of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in France and Belgium.

Day Eight

The next day there was the distribution of notices on the Divine Manifestation in Saint-Denis. Huzur^(atba) met with some Africans students hailing from different African countries and gave them the message of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam.  

Huzur^(atba) later on met with the members of the Jamaat before preparing himself for his return back to Mauritius.

Alhamdulillah, despite much opposition, yet again the Overpowering Hand of Allah was at work for the establishment of the success of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in Reunion Island. May Allah bless His Khalifatullah Hazrat Munir A. Azim^(atba) and his devout disciples in Reunion Island as well as all Sahih al Islam members round the world. Ameen. May Allah keep our faith ever firm up till our last breath and beyond this temporal life. Ameen. 

© Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International, June 2014