Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam-Tamil Nadu (India) recently announced the construction of its first Mosque Complex project in the State, coinciding with the historic visit of Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius and the respected and honoured members of the blessed Household to the south of India- Tamil Nadu & Kerala, November-December 2018. The Siraj-um-Munir Masjid is to come up at a plot of land donated for that specific purpose by our respected and dynamic brother Mukarram Na'ib Amir Saleem Saheb and family, Alhamdulillah. The foundation stone laying prayer for the proposed Masjid complex took place in the presence of Hazrat Khalifatullah (atba) and family in a function of the Tamil Nadu Jamaat on 20 November 2018, Soumma Alhamdulillah.
Speaking on the occasion, Hazrat Khalifatullah (atba) celebrated the blessed moment by reminding everyone about the importance of pure intention along with pure belief. In our quest to seek Divine pleasure and to acquire His approval, we need to be mindful of Divine commandments and expectations in all that we do. We also need to display solidarity and demonstrate the spirit of participation with our fellow brethren- men, women and children- in the race for doing righteous deeds in pursuit of shared goals and common objectives, Insha-Allah, Aameen.
Reproduced below is the text of the Speech:
My
dear disciples,
Assalamoualaikum
Warahmatullah Wabarakaatuhu.
We
are reunited here today 20 November 2018 in the month of Rabi’ul
Awwal 1440 (fourteen-forty) Hijri [roughly,
if I’m not mistaken either the 11 or 12 Rabi’ul Awwal]
in the land of Janab Saleem Sahib for a blessed initiative, indeed a
great initiative, that of the laying of the foundation stone of our
first mosque in the Tamil Nadu State of India. By the immense grace
of Allah, Allah has inspired the heart of your brother and his family
members to donate a piece of his land for the construction of a
mosque, and Insha-Allah,
the name of the Mosque shall be: Siraj-um-Munir
Mosque. Fortunate
are those who have the means and ability, through their sacrifices,
all for the sake of Allah to dedicate a part of their properties and
wealth for the cause of Allah. It is indeed a lofty (highly approved)
initiative in the sight of Allah.
For
every good deed, there should always be a pure intention, and one of
the best deed is the donation of lands and finances also for the
construction of the Houses of Allah, i.e. the mosques of Islam.
Allah
says in the Holy Quran: “There
is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety; it
is more worthy of standing forth (for prayer) therein.”
(At-Tawba, 9: 108).
In
the part of the verse which I just put before you, Allah refers to
the second mosque of Islam, i.e. the Masjid
An-Nabawwi which
the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions and followers
have built for the worship of Allah. It was the second mosque for
which the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) laid its foundation
stone (after Masjid Quba) and helped actively in its construction by
carrying rocks and other materials to build it. It is such a mosque
whose foundation was thus also laid from its very beginning on Taqwa,
i.e., piety, righteousness, and the fear of Allah. And this mosque
also was named ‘The
Mosque of the Prophet’.
The
consensus among the Ulama
of Islam has established that the verse refers to Masjid Quba, found
in the outskirts of Madina, which Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) helped to
build during his brief stay at Quba before entering the centre of
Madina and thereafter built the Masjid
an-Nabawi, the
Prophet’s Mosque. The verse as a whole includes both mosques of
Islam, but the mosque absolutely founded on Taqwa
is the Mosque of the Prophet.
In
the light of a Hadith found in Tirmidhi and An-Nasai, and narrated by
Hazrat Abu Said Al-Kudri (ra), it is found that the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) has referred to that mosque (mentioned in Verse 108
of the Surah At-Taubah) to be his mosque, i.e. the greatest mosque
after the Ka’aba in Mecca, the Masjid-an-Nabawwi.
The
Hadith is like this: “Two men disagreed over the Masjid whose
foundation was laid upon Taqwa
from the first day (9: 108). A man said: ‘It
is Masjid Quba’
and the other said: ‘It
is the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).’
So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: ‘It
is this
Masjid of mine.’”
In
another version (by Said Al-Kudri), it is said: “A man from Banu
Khudrah and a man from Banu Amr bin Awf were disputing about the
Masjid that was founded upon Taqwa.
The man from Banu Khudrah said: ‘It
is the Masjid of Allah’s Messenger.’
The other one said that it was Masjid Qub. So they went to ask
Allah’s Messenger about that. He said: ‘It
is this - meaning his Masjid - and in that [other] one (Masjid Quba)
there is much good.’”
(Tirmidhi).
It
is clear from these Hadiths that the Prophet of Allah meant His
Mosque, though people confused Masjid Quba to be his mosque as well,
but the decision in the dispute refers clearly to the mosque of the
Prophet of Allah, whom the Prophet Himself considered as His Mosque
and fully blessed and based or founded on Taqwa.
Besides, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is narrated to have said:
“No (religious)
journey is to be undertaken except to (pray in) the three mosques:
The Sacred Mosque (Makkah), the Aqsa Mosque (Jerusalem), and this
Mosque of mine (Madina – Masjid an-Nabawi).”
This Hadith is found in Sahih Bukhari. Sahih Muslim, Sunan
at-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah among others also
recorded it.
Moreover,
at the time of the dispute, we get to know that both the Masjid Quba
and the Masjid-an-Nabawwi
were in operation, and in that time itself, people had confusion
about to which Mosque Allah was referring to. And the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) clearly removed any misconception about it by sealing
his decision by saying it was his Masjid: ‘Huwa
Masjidiya Haadha’
(i.e. This Mosque of Mine).
So,
both the Quba Masjid and the Masjid an-Nabawi have a special place in
the sight of Allah and His Messenger (pbuh). For both mosques, Hazrat
Muhammad (pbuh) participated actively in their construction and laid
their foundation stones, in both the physical and spiritual aspects
of the words and they were established one after the other in one
same town, i.e. Madina. And both mosques are both mentioned in
connection with Verse 108 of the Quranic Chapter, At-Tawbah, and this
is evidenced plentifully in the Hadiths.
As
concerning the part “There
is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety”,
Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has clearly given us its reply, by indicating
to his Mosque, instead of taking the name of the Quba Mosque.
Remember,
my dear ones that every construction needs a very strong and lasting
foundation, a very solid base. And for every construction, there
should of course be a first brick or stone which is used to begin the
construction. In the case of a Mosque, Allah looks not only at the
actual laying of the bricks for His mosques, but He looks at your
heart also, with which intention you are doing it. Those who are
pious, and who seek to reach the nearness of Allah are those who make
the maximum efforts to reach their Goal safe and sound, in all
security and with the pleasure of Allah.
A
foundation stone for the mosque of Allah is therefore very important,
because it is not just a stone or brick, but also a promise of
durability and the efforts behind to set up a House exclusively for
the worship of Allah.
In
a report in Sahih Muslim, Hazrat Hudhaifa (ra) has narrated: The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “We
have been made to excel (other) people in three (things): Our rows
have been made like the rows of the angels and the whole earth has
been made a mosque for us, and its dust has been made a purifier for
us in case water is not available (i.e. the Tayammum).”
For
our era, and in a piece of land in the vast state of Tamil Nadu, in
India, we are therefore very fortunate that Allah has directed the
heart of one of our brothers, and his family members also to donate a
piece of land for the fulfilment of the projects of Allah; i.e. to
build such a mosque which shall be used as a centre for the worship
of Allah and as a centre of learning in Tamil Nadu.
Indeed,
without a land, a mosque cannot be built. Therefore, a land for
Islam, for the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam was essential for us to
acquire, to set up a Mosque and Centre for our members in Tamil Nadu.
And Allah by His everlasting grace has enabled this. All praise be
for Him. Indeed, He is the One Who opens closed doors and enables the
progress of the Divine Manifestation in all the directions.
Allah
encourages both men and women in the Holy Quran to excel each other
in good deeds. But it all depends also on their ability to exceed
what is expected of them by realizing the full potential of their
character and personality, and by fulfilling their responsibilities.
For this reason, believing women do not struggle for
equality with men, but exert themselves in the race to do good,
defined in the Quran as the effort to win Allah’s
pleasure.
So
when a man makes the intention to donate a land for the construction
of a mosque, and/ or, to construct a Mosque for the pleasure of
Allah, it should be borne in mind that when doing so, his wife and
children also are contributing to it, because as a family, as a
united entity, they have decided to do so, to acquire the pleasure of
Allah.
Men
and their wives, and their daughters and sons all have roles to play
in the matters of the true faith, i.e. Islam. There are wives who
play a key role in encouraging their husbands to spend in the cause
of Allah, while there are others who discourage their husbands from
helping the cause of Allah. They fear that if a piece of land or
finance is given for the construction of the Mosque of Allah or for
other projects of Islam, and of the Jamaat of Allah, they would incur
losses. But this is a wrong thought, and I strongly encourage all
men, women and children of the Divine Manifestation not to ever have
such thoughts, because when you sacrifice for the sake of Allah, this
sacrifice is NEVER lost. It may be that the rewards of your good
deeds may delay in coming to you, but it WILL come to you. It may be
that you expect that such rewards come to you in this life itself,
but it may be that Allah has accumulated all your good deeds and
intentions and decided to give you a beautiful package, filled with a
complete set of His blessings and rewards in the hereafter, which
shall be eternal for you.
Hazrat
Muhammad (pbuh) has said (and narrated by Hazrat Uthman bin Affan
(ra)): “Whoever builds
a mosque for Allah, then Allah will build for him a house like it in
Paradise.”
(Bukhari). Therefore, not only men but women also should race to
become the person most loved by Allah so that they may win His good
pleasure and be the nearest to Him, be it in this life as well as in
the Hereafter: Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Such
people are truly racing toward good things, and they are the first to
reach them.”
(Al-Mu’minun 23: 62).
May
Allah blessed this day for us in history, in the month of Rabi’ul
Awwal 1440, and November 2018. May Allah accept this Mosque project
as one founded on Taqwa,
and may you all, men, women and children work hard to fulfill and
complete this Mosque which foundation stone has been laid by this
humble Messenger of Allah of this era. May Allah accept this from us,
and enrich us in finance and knowledge for the propagation of His
Deen
(Islam) throughout the world. Insha-Allah,
Ameen.