I pray to Allah that He grants me also and
all of us together this true spirit of sacrifice and whenever we have to do a
sacrifice, that Allah accepts it from us. Thus, like you heard after the Surah
Al-Fatiha, I recited the Verse 96 of Chapter 3 (Al-Imran), where
Allah says:
Say: Allah speaks the truth. Follow then the religion of Ibrahim, (who was) ever turned (to Allah), and was not among the idolaters. (3: 96)
The fundamental attribute of Hazrat Ibrahim (as) was Ibrahim the Hanif, that is, the ever turned to Allah. He humiliated himself before the One to whom he was ever turned (that is, he curbed/prostrated himself before Allah only). Therefore, even if ever he did an error, but the fact remains that he turned himself completely to Allah, he worshipped Allah only. He did not incline himself to any other than Allah. Therefore the central attribute for him is Ibrahim the Hanif.
The truth is that the place about which it
has been said that Hazrat Ibrahim (as) has made it become a ‘Mussalla’,
in fact means to say that you should make it become your (spiritual)
stage/position. Allah has said ‘Makaam’, not ‘Mukaam’; ‘Mukaam’ means
‘that place’, and ‘Makaam’ means ‘Martabah’, stage,
grade/status/position. Therefore,
follow the example of Ibrahim (as) and make his grade, stage/status/position
become your stage in Namaz/Salat (prayer). And this is
verily what Hazrat Ibrahim (as) received (the stage he received from Allah) and
this is therefore how he has been able to establish connection with Allah. As a
result of this connection with Allah, he got to have steadfastness. This
firmness/steadfastness, he really could not have got it without duah (supplication
to Allah).
Now the wonderful way which Hazrat
Ibrahim (as) established connection with Allah, therefore, it is in the
aftermath of this connection that Allah has named him Khalillullah,
that is, Allah befriended him. Thus, Makame Ibrahim means
an excellent moral quality where one does all that it takes to please Allah.
The qualities which Allah loves and seeks, and Muamla billah, means
connection with Allah. Therefore, the way which Hazrat Ibrahim (as) established
connection with Allah, you should also connect with Allah in the same way.
In this respect, the love of Allah, the pleasure of Allah,
and fidelity, these are the very same stage of Ibrahim (as). The love of Allah (within him), his
complete submission to Allah, His (Allah’s) pleasure and his (Ibrahim’s)
fidelity, these are the same stage (all these are found in that stage) of
Ibrahim (as) that the Ummah (community) of Hazrat Muhammad
(pbuh) has received as teaching and inheritance. In other words, the Ummah (community)
of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has received that stage of Ibrahim (as) naturally,
and it was like an inheritance which we received from Ibrahim (as). The one who
is a follower of Ibrahim (as), therefore he shall see his stage in that stage
(of Ibrahim) itself. The one whose heart is like the heart of Hazrat Ibrahim
(as), for that person also, he shall receive peace which Hazrat Ibrahim (as)
received therein (in that stage); therein is deliverance for that person,
especially when he follows the way of the heart of Hazrat Ibrahim (as). It is
similar to that stage: “Raziiyatam-Marziyya”, whereby that
person is pleased with his Rab (Allah) and Allah also is pleased with that
person.
About truth, one must bear in mind that if
a person does not become a sincere creature of Allah, with all cleanliness and
purity (of heart), then it would be difficult for him to accede to that stage.
Concerning Ibrahim (as) and his connection to Allah, Allah gave him Shahaadat (martyrdom),
in that which Ibrahim (as) was the one who completed all rights of fidelity and
completed his deeds (for Allah). Likewise, for you to be able to purify your
heart and rid it from all ‘Ghairullah’ (all that which
is not Allah and/or for Allah) and fill it with the love of Allah and submit to
the will of Allah – and like a complete submission – likewise, you must make it
a must to make the will of Allah yours – one same will – not different from one
another. These are only granted through duah (supplication
to Allah).
Thus, to acquire all these is not that
easy. One must supplicate Allah a lot, and with sincerity. And one must have
firm belief that these supplication shall be granted, and therefore little by
little Allah shall grant him all that he prayed for. Hazrat Ibrahim (as) went
through that stage of perseverance, that firmness (in belief) in such a way
that he made to see in his dream/vision that he was sacrificing his (only) son.
He could have sought other interpretations to that dream/vision, but he did not
do so because he had such great faith (Iman) and
firmness of belief in Allah that he was ever ready to do whatever he is
instructed to do by Allah. And thus, he went forward for the sacrifice
of his son, with his own hands.
Ponder over this: If today someone’s child
dies because of some illness, then he gets all sorts of doubts on Allah, His
existence and he opens his mouth to make thousands of complaints and objections
against Allah. But it so happened that there such an Ibrahim (as) who crushed
down his own paternal love for his son, and was ever ready to sacrifice that
same (beloved) son. These
kind of people, definitely Allah does not let them lose the value of their good
deeds. Their sacrifices/actions are not wasted.
Hazrat Ibrahim (as) used to receive lots
of revelations and Allah mentions in the Holy Quran that He sent Ibrahim (as)
also with a (sacred) Book, with revelations, commandments. For example,
Allah affirms in the Quran: “Ibrahimallazi
Waffa” – It is Ibrahim who showed a remarkable
example of fidelity. (53: 38). Or: “Ya Ibrahim
Qad-sadaqtar-Ru’yaa Inna Ka-zaalika Najz-zil Muhsineen” – Oh Ibrahim! You have fulfilled the vision.
Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. (37:
105-106)
This was revealed to Ibrahim (as). This is
(the stage) that a person must strive to accede to. If there is not this,
therefore what is the use of dreams/vision and revelations? The sight of a
believer is always on doing good deeds. Hazrat Ibrahim (as) did not receive
this title – “Ibrahimallazi Waffa” easily! He remained
sincere and loyal all through his life and as a result, he was granted this
title.
To obtain the divine blessings and
benefits, cleanliness of heart is required, very important.
Nothing is granted so long that your hearts are not clean. It must be that when
Allah cast a look into your hearts, He should neither see the least taint nor
any sign of hypocrisy in any corner of your hearts. When such a situation crops
up (when Allah finds your heart clean), it is then that you receive the divine
manifestation and all things are made to be clear for you.
On this subject, I need to warn you all in
the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam also that this is a really
difficult work. And if you study its reality, then lots of people can lose
courage in that path of the divine manifestation, needing to do sacrifices
again and again, an stage by stage. It also means that it is such a
stage where your heart is rid from all aspects of ‘Ghairullah’ (there
should not be any Jesus/Isa, Ram, Shiva, Pir/ Saints (for
certain Muslims) and Khalifatul-Massih (for the Ahmadis) in
the heart). There
should only be Allah, that
is, if each person looks into his heart, then in many corners they shall find
many ‘Ghairullah’. Therefore, one must not get frightened by
this, and flee this (difficult) path. No! The remedy is found in supplicating
Allah a lot (make a lot of duah). Allah knows best in whose
hearts there are idols and He has the capacity to remove these idols at His
will.
Thus, you need to have such a level of
sincerity and veracity like the like of Hazrat Ibrahim (as). Follow him in his
sincerity and also the example of Hazrat Muhammad (saws). When someone follows
that example, he shall become a blessed person and no mundane humiliation can
ever touch him, and he does not get any problem or difficulty in his
provisions. Allah opens the door of His grace and favours on him, and he
becomes a heir of the blessings of Allah and Allah guards him against of kinds
of temporal humiliations and He gives him a fruitful stage (in felicity, for
his good deeds).
Likewise when you do financial sacrifice
in the path of Allah, therein is good news; all difficulties shall be cleared
for you. And Allah gives such person the best of rewards both in this world and
the next. Insha-Allah. May Allah count us among these
exceptional felicitous people, Insha-Allah, Ameen. Eid Mubarak.
-Eid-ul-Adha Sermon delivered on 10 Dhul Hijjah 1435 Hijri~ 2014 October 05 by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Hazrat Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius.