'Be Truly Muslim'
This has reference to the misconduct and disorderliness of the Christians who failed in the matter of due veneration of the Holy City and brought about its ruin in arrogant pride. For those who were guilty of such arrogance, disgrace in this life and a severe chastisement in the hereafter is pronounced.
Allah says in the Holy Quran: “To Allah belong the East, and the West; whether so ever you turn, there is the countenance of Allah. Surely, Allah is All-Pervading, All-Knowing.” (Al-Baqara 2: 116).
“Never will the Jews be pleased with you, (O Prophet), nor the Christians until you follow their way. Say: ‘Surely Allah’s guidance, is the [true] guidance.’ Should you follow their desires disregarding the knowledge which has come to you, you shall have no protector or helper against Allah.” (Al-Baqara 2: 121).
The only true guidance is the guidance sent by Allah.
Too much deference towards a people ends in one’s becoming one of them. That is why the Holy Quran has warned: The Jews and the Christians will by no means be pleased with you unless you conform to their faith, creed, way or religion. To please another one has to praise his doctrine also. One should therefore, avoid too much deference – lest your feet slip and you become one of them.
“And recall when We made the House [i.e. the Holy Ka’aba] a resort for mankind and a place of serenity and commanded: ‘Take the Station of Abraham as a place for prayer. We enjoined upon Abraham and Ishmael: ‘Purify My House for those who circle it, who go therein into retreat and those who bow down and fall prostrate in prayer.’” (Al-Baqara 2: 126).
The station of Abraham means agreeable qualities, love of God, submission, acceptance and fidelity. That is the true station of Abraham that is bestowed upon the Muslims through following in the footsteps of Abraham and by the way of spiritual inheritance from him. He who has been modelled in accord with Abraham’s heart is also worthy of being followed in accordance with this direction.
“Take the station of Abraham as a place for prayer”, means render perfect obedience that you may be saved. This Abraham has been raised so that you should perform your worship and formulate your doctrines according to him and model yourselves in everything upon him. There is an indication in: “Take the station of Abraham as a place for prayer”; that when the Muslims are divided into many sects in the latter days, then an Abraham will be raised up, and the rightly-guided community will be that of his followers.
“When his Lord commanded him: ‘Submit [to
My will]!; he responded: I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds.” (Al-Baqara 2: 132)
I consider it my duty to admonish my community (Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam) and to convey it to them (it is for them to pay heed or not) that he who desires to save himself and is eager for pure and eternal life should dedicate his life to the service of Allah. Everyone should strive and be anxious that he should arrive at the stage where he can affirm: “My prayers, my sacrifices, my life and my death are all for the sake of Allah.” Let the soul of everyone respond, like Abraham: “I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds.” So long as a person does not lose himself in God and does not die for Him, he cannot achieve a new life. You who have established a spiritual relationship with me know that I consider it the object and purpose of my life to dedicate it to the service of Allah.
Then look inwards and see how many of you approve of my stand for your own selves and yearn to dedicate their lives to the service of Allah. Read in the Holy Quran:
“And Abraham enjoined the same upon his
children, and so did Jacob: “My children! Behold, Allah has chosen this [living]
Faith [or Way of Life] for you, so make sure you devote yourselves to Him, to
your dying moment.’” (Al-Baqara
2: 133).
This world is fleeting and all are headed towards death, one after the other. Graves are calling open-mouthed and every one enters therein turn by turn. Age is so untrustworthy and life is so ephemeral that far from being sure of respite for six months or even three, one cannot be sure of being spared to take a second step after the first. The hour of demise is uncertain, but its arrival is inevitable. It is part of wisdom to be ready for it every moment. The Holy Quran has admonished: Death whenever it comes should find you in a state of submission to Him.
So long as a person does not commit his affairs to Allah and trust in Him and obey Him in all His commandments, and does not discharge his obligations fully, he is in peril. Obligations fall into two categories; those owed to Allah, and those owed to His creatures. Again these last also fall into two categories; those owed to brothers in faith, whether fathers, brothers or sons, they are all bound to each other in a brotherhood of faith, and those owed in true sympathy to all mankind.
Of obligations owed in true sympathy to all mankind,
is that He alone should be worshipped, and His worship should not proceed from
any personal motive. Even if there were no heaven and no hell, He should be
worshipped just the same and there should be no diminution in the personal love
that a creature should bear towards his Creator. These obligations should in no
way be affected by considerations of heaven or hell. In the sphere of sympathy
for mankind I hold that till one prays for one’s enemy, the mind is not
completely cleansed.
In the Holy Quran, Allah says: “Those were a people that have passed away; for them is what they earned and for you is what you earn. You will not be answerable for what they did.” (Al-Baqara 2: 135).
All prophets before the Holy Prophet (pbuh) were a people who have passed away. They were responsible for what their people did. But the latter were not answerable for that which they did. Similarly, in this era, I am responsible for what you do, but you will not be answerable for what I did.
Like Allah commands us in the Holy Quran, we should affirm:
“We believe in Allah and in that which
has been sent down to us and that which was sent down to Abraham and Ishmael
and Isaac and Jacob and his children and that which was given to Moses and
Jesus, and that which was given to all other prophets from their Lord. We make
no distinction between any of them and to Him do we wholly submit ourselves.
Then, if they believe as you have believed, they are rightly guided, but if
they turn back, then know that they are determined to create a schism. In that
event Allah will surely protect you against their mischief. He is the
All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (Al-Baqara 2: 137-138)
O Muslims! Believe and affirm as follows: We believe in God Whose name is Allah and whose attributes are as they are set out in the Holy Quran. He comprises all perfect qualities and is free from all shortcomings. We believe in the word of Allah that has been revealed to us, namely the Holy Quran, and we also believe in His word that was revealed to Prophet Abraham and to Prophet Ishmael and to Prophet Isaac and to Prophet Jacob and to the sons of Prophet Jacob, and which was given to all the prophets in the world by their Lord, Who provided for them and supported them are proved to the world that He is their Helper, Supporter and Guardian, wherever and among whatever people they may have appeared. We make no discrimination between God’s prophets. We don’t believe in some and reject the others. No! We believe in all who came from God to the world. Thus, as we have been taught by God, do we enter Islam and submit ourselves to God.
Then if all others who oppose Islam also believe like this and do not reject any prophet sent by God, then surely they too shall be rightly-guided. If they turn away, believing in some prophets and rejecting others, then they are opponents of truth and are creating a schism in the cause of God. Be sure then that they shall not prevail and Allah has the power to punish them. God hears all that they say and has knowledge of all that pertains to them. If they believe as you have believed then they too are rightly-guided, but if they do not so believe, then they are a people who do not wish to give up opposition and do not desire peace. Allah is sufficient for repelling their mischief. He hears all and knows all.
So, may Allah (swt) be your Helper in putting down all
who are creating obstacles in the way of your mission, and enable you to go
from victory to victory in this New Year 2021
through your dedication to His cause, in all humility, not with arrogance or
vanity. Be truly Muslim in every way. Let your submission to Allah and your
obedience to Him and His Khalifatullah be exemplary. Insha-Allah, Ameen, Summa Ameen, Ya Rabbul
Aalameen.