Spiritual Progress in the Spring of Renewal

'March' and the Spring of Renewal

Every March, we remember: the beautiful beginnings of the spring of renewal in the faith of Islam in our times. The Divine Manifestation in Mauritius in the humble person of our beloved Imam Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) has had its modest and sublime beginnings in the month of March, in the year 2000. 

With the advent of a Divinely-raised soul as an exemplar of faith to guide and lead people in the path of true spirituality on the Highway to Lord Almighty, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam was established after years of patience and trials in the year 2008, in Mauritius at a time when the country was celebrating its national liberation from the bondage of foreign occupation and colonial exploitation, Alhamdulillah, Soumma Alhamdulillah.

 Just as a people celebrate their national freedom, the advent of a Divine Elect is an occasion of celebration for the people of God. After all, a Divine Elect appears to liberate the people from the slavish bondage of moral decadence and mindless practices that keep them away from their Lord. In his Friday Sermon of March 10, 2017 Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) summarizes for us the distilled spiritual wisdom on how to liberate ourselves from the slavish bondage of a mundane existence and to gain spiritual freedom and progress in the personal fortunes of the human soul. Just as in secular life one attaches value to one's material engagements, so should one need to learn and appreciate the profound space of spirituality in our ultimate destiny both in this fleeting world and the lasting Hereafter.

Developing a liking and keen interest for Deen, and following that up with the practice of the Deen in our every day settings and surroundings, is an important condition precedent for making spiritual progress. Further, for cultivating the love and connection with Allah (swt), one needs to attach oneself with a spiritually-evolved and illumined soul, even as one should also aspire and strive to keep away from all wrongful influences and satanic impulses. 

Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) notes that the great spiritual goal of attaining nearness to God cannot be achieved except through striving to be a Muttaqi- someone who is mindful of God and the Divine commandments at all moments and contingencies of life. For a Muttaqi who strives to obtain freedom from the synthetic pleasures of this world by attaching the soul to the commandments of his/her Lord, Allah (swt) has kept hidden behind the veils of future many delights both in this life and the Hereafter. As Hadhrat Saheb (atba) notes: "All that a person seeks in this world through his efforts, he can acquire it in an effective way by being Muttaqi (being a person who has the fear of Allah). For, verily, Allah has promised a very pleasant life to him who practices His Deen. He has given him the assurance that He will solve his problems and give him everything he needs in unexpected ways".  

Read the Friday Sermon below: 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, today marks 9 years since our Jamaat - Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam has been officially registered with the authorities - at national level. Moreover, in two days time - on 12^th of March, Mauritius also will celebrate its 49^th year of independence (1968-2017). As a result, 9 years (and even more, since the end of 2000) have passed like a wind of spiritual revolution which has testified in our favour again and again of the grace of Allah which has spread in great quantity upon us, on the Jamaat which Allah has raised up to do His work throughout all the world. 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah. We thank Allah for that immense favour He has granted us - me personally, as His humble servant and messenger, and everyone in the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam because each one of you has a very important work to do in the plan of Allah. But for this, all of you throughout the world, without exception, you must make immense efforts and great sacrifices so that the decrees of Allah are realized and that together we see the victories that Allah has promised us. By the grace of Allah, with the days and years that are passing by, we are witnessing by the immense grace of Allah how Allah is opening for us this door so that we succeed in winning this victory And that we please Him in our effort to submit to His will, come what may.

 Cultivate an interest for Deeen 

One thing that normally seems difficult to achieve, can be achieved with ease if there is a will. The will arises from interest (one has in it, to achieve it), which also means that if there is no will, then accordingly, an easy thing too can become difficult (to realize). Why is it that something that we can do for this present world (Duniya), we cannot do the same (this effort towards/ for) our Deen (religion)? 

We accept to make sacrifices for the cause of the temporal world. We accept to wake up early and we gladly walk a long way to take the bus to work, but (unfortunately) we find it a burden, something hard to come to the mosque, and yet the mosque can be found very close to our house (next door). If we analyze these two options in terms of ease, we will find it easier for us to come to the mosque rather than to go to work. But we do it (that is, go to work) because we find therein our (material) interest. And coming to the mosque would be easier for us but the fact remains that we do not care about that because we do not realize its importance.

In a Hadith, our noble prophet (pbuh) said that if the hypocrites knew how many benefits there would be in carrying out the prayers of Esha and Fajr in the mosque, then they would have certainly marked their presence even if they had to crawl (toward the mosque) to accomplish them.

Practice the Deen in every day settings

So the main thing in all this is to develop love for Allah Almighty because this will create the interest for the Deen (religion - Islam) and the Aakhirah (hereafter) in us and this in turn will bring about the will (in us) to practice the Deen.

After that, we will find nothing difficult or ridiculous or illogical in the Deen. We will consider this way of living as the way advocated and appreciated by our True Beloved, our Allah the Almighty. The development/ creation and progress of love for Allah The Exalted does not come at once. We must strive to acquire it. We will succeed in having it through our commitment to practicing the Deen. We must make the necessary efforts to make the Zikrullah (Remembrance of Allah) in the form of the tasbeehaat (glorifications of God), Darood Shareef (The invocation of blessings on the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)) and Istigfaar (seeking forgiveness - from Allah). We must make it a must to accomplish all these every day. We must also dedicate a specific time to do the Telawat-e-Quran (reading the Holy Qur'an).

Be in the company of Righteous Souls

One of the things/ effective solutions (to succeed in doing this) is to frequent the Deendaar (pious people, those deeply immersed in the Deen); Do not frequent those who have no connection with Allah, those who are only attached with the pleasures of this lowly world, as they are tied with this (temporary) world. They think they will live here forever, even if they have a foot in the tomb (Qabar) and a foot on earth, but despite that they continue to make efforts to increase their worldly possessions. Nevertheless they know very well that tomorrow the bell of death will sound for them, and they will have to leave everything. The deceased person then will not take anything with him. He will leave everything behind in this world, and will only take his (good) deeds.

These kinds of people do not think about their death that will surprise them one day. They do not reflect on what will happen to them after death and they continue to harm their neighbours/ people like themselves. They do all kinds of wickedness and tricks in order to acquire the goods of this lowly world in great quantity and then as soon as they succeed in having these wealth, they manifest in them arrogance and treat poor people, people at the bottom of the ladder (of society) with disgust and they do not realize that all they possess, it is Allah who granted it to them and indeed nothing really belongs to them because all this will come back to Allah the Exalted. All their life on earth then becomes a waste as they make no spiritual progress.

So a believer is someone who makes a lot of efforts to make His Rab (Master, Allah) happy with him and forgive his weaknesses, his sins, and faults. So that's the advice I give you. Stay with the Deendaar, for it is the most effective way to acquire the love of Allah the Almighty. After a certain time, this practice will return to our system because then we will not feel comfortable as long as we do not practice the Deen. This is the point where we can finally say that our hearts are beginning to be connected with Allah the Exalted. 

Watch-out for Wrongful Influences

Keep a close watch on the connections/ friendships/ relations/ frequentations you make, as well as those of your children. You must take many precautions because this too is very important lest you frequent a faasiq. A faasiq is someone who commits a major sin. In the same way, someone who persists in committing a minor sin also becomes a faasiq. Someone denigrates himself when he commits a sin and makes himself unworthy. He shows himself as someone shameless. That is why the testimony of this kind of person is not acceptable. It is very sad that someone is honourable in the eyes of people but is (verily) not honourable in the eyes of Allah the Exalted.

Strive to be a Muttaqi

True honour is the honour that is perceived from the eyes of Allah. This is indeed an honour that will remain forever (which will endure) and it is a true honour. Therefore, someone who is truly honourable is not one whom people take him triumphantly over their shoulders, but he is a Muttaqi (one who has the fear of Allah, who is pious) or one who is sincere and very serious in the Deen. Someone serious in the Deen is someone who assumes his duties towards his Creator and his brothers and sisters (humans like him) according to the principles taught by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). 

All that a person seeks in this world through his efforts, he can acquire it in an effective way by being Muttaqi (being a person who has the fear of Allah). For verily, Allah has promised a very pleasant life to him who practices His Deen. He has given him the assurance that He will solve his problems and give him everything he needs in unexpected ways. 

Nothing is impossible or difficult for Allah the Almighty. He has the ability to do whatever is difficult to become easy, the impossible become possible. He has the ability to do what is unfavourable to become favourable. All that we need is found in the hand of Allah the Almighty. There is only one way to acquire all that. It is only by becoming Muttaqi. After that, everything will become right again.

Glory to Him Who has control over everything. Verily, everything is found only in His hand. O Allah, honour us by keeping us in Your submission. And do not leave us miserable through our disobedience to You. Ameen.

--- Friday Sermon of 10 March 2017---(10 Jamad'ul Aakhir 1438 AH) delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.