Islam & Humans- 2

In his Friday Sermon of 28 January 2022~ 25 Jamadi’ul Aakhir 1443 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius spoke about a profound problem afflicting the Muslim Ummah of our times: the scourge of sectarian differences coupled with violence and bloodshed that afflicts Muslim lands almost everywhere. Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) underscores the need for respecting the obligations of  brotherhood, and the importance of unity and solidarity across all differences- keeping the spirit of Islamic teachings as taught by the Holy Prophet (sa) through his sublime, personal example.   

The Muslims of today need to rediscover the real essence of their exalted Faith, awake to their true responsibility of embracing it wholeheartedly; being true to the commandments and prohibitions of the Way by following in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet (sa)- rather than following their own whims and interpretations based on selfish inclinations. Muslims who renew the true spirit of the Faith would eventually find the shadow of true help and succour from their Lord and it is indeed such devote believers who inherit the true favours and blessings both in this world and in the world to come, notes Hazrat Saheb (aba) in the Discourse.      

Read the Friday Sermon Below:

In the year 2001, with the advent of the Divine Manifestation, the number of Muslims around the world greatly exceeded the threshold of one billion. The world which was vast at the time of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) has shrunk with the advancement of technology, means of transport and modern communications. Technological development has also contributed to the degradation of the Ummah, which has completely forgotten the teaching of the Prophet (pbuh): “Every Muslim is a brother”.

Allah designates the 'believer' by saying:  

Allaziina amanu wa amiilus-Saliihaat 

“Those who believe and do good.” 

Islam & Humans

 

Islam is a religion that is both temporal and spiritual. This is because this religion emanates from the One Who created the human being and Who knows, therefore, what suits him best. Allah, our Creator, knows, in particular, what is necessary for the relations of man with his fellows to be harmonious. For social relations to be good, they must be based on right principles; it is necessary that the individual does not feel attacked either in his physical person, or in his moral personality, so that a healthy and united society is achieved.

 

Allah honoured the descendants of Adam (as) by endowing them with reason, which should be able to lead man to faith in Allah: “Verily we have honoured the Children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good things for them, and have preferred them above many of those whom We created with a marked preferment.” (Bani Isra’il, 17: 71) 

This faith, this conviction, requires that we recognize Allah and accept His Laws. Obeying Allah and His Laws is the culmination of self-knowledge, as the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever among you knows himself best, knows his Lord best!” He who is convinced that Allah is indeed the Creator and the Lord of the universe not only comes to have admiration for the laws of Allah, but also to want to respect them, because he knows that these laws are what is best for each individual and for society. 

Many of these laws relate to social relations without which there would be no human civilization. They govern the relationship of the individual with himself, with his fellows, and with the universe in general. 

General laws are useful; but, in everyday life, the rules of convenience and good manners, which relate to details, are just as necessary. One of the qualities of Islam is to contain both general laws and precise rules of life. 

Instincts exist in humans as in animals, it is true. But, unlike the animal whose destiny is to obey its instincts, the human being, who has been endowed with reason and a sense of responsibility, must be able to control his instincts. It is not a question of “suffocating” them, but only of making them speak wisely. Indeed, Man was not created solely to survive and reproduce. Allah has assigned him and the Jinn a higher purpose: “I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me.” (Az-Zariyat 51: 57) 

'Khalifatullah': The Rope of Allah

 

‘Hold fast to God’s rope all together; do not split into factions. Remember God’s favour to you: you were enemies and then He brought your hearts together and you became brothers by His grace; you were about to fall into a pit of Fire and He saved you from it– in this way God makes His revelations clear to you so that you may be rightly guided. Be a community that calls for what is good, urges what is right, and forbids what is wrong: those who do this are the successful ones. Do not be like those who, after they have been given clear revelation, split into factions and fall into disputes: a terrible punishment awaits such people.’ [3:104-106)

Elects of God appear to call people to the Right Path- providing them with true and clear guidance to discriminate between good and the bad; reforming their communities through Divinely-gifted teachings; laying solid foundations for great nations by unifying hearts in Divine worship and urging adherence to the higher values of life. It is those sublime teachings established by the Prophets through their noble personal examples that constitute the Rope of Allah for their nations to cherish and act upon in all their lives. Hence, Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) left behind a treasure-trove of eminently-sensible, behavioural principles and practical guidance in the form of the Holy Qur’an and the sacred traditions of Holy Practices for the Muslims to hold on for all times. If only people follow the teachings of God in the way in which they are expected to be followed: it would benefit the believers in their individual and social lives, and would also profit them in the world to come, Insha Allah.

When Prophets leave this world, their spiritual successors are elected by the assembly of the Pious to carry on and establish the heavy tasks of Faith in all its divine sanctity and purity. And then comes a time in the life of the community- especially when error and deviance impact people’s lives in profoundly negative ways- when Allah (swt) in His infinite wisdom raises His Elect in the community to repeat the cycle of spiritual renewal once again. Islamic history bear witness to this grand Divine principle and established practice. After the death of the Holy Prophet (sa), the Muslim Ummah witnessed the presence of righteous Caliphs in the early days, and also, in later centuries, the advent of a series of Mujaddidin who appeared to guide and rejuvenate Islam at times of difficult fortunes for the Ummah. In our own times, to renew the original teachings of the Prophet (sa), Allah (swt) has raised a Muhyiuddin, a Khalifatullah, a Mujaddid, a Mahdi, a Dhul Qarnayn in our midst. Indeed, with all the aforesaid spiritual titles and more, the Divine Manifestation in the person of Hazrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (aba) of Mauritius is here to revive and restore sublime Faith in the Prophetic Path as an enduring, living, thriving Highway to God. It is by recognizing and following such pure servants of God that believers can cling to the Rope of Allah in this era, and access felicity and progress in both the worlds. 

The Virtues of the 'Sunnah'

  

All the paths that lead to God are closed except to the one who follows the way of Muhammad (pbuh). These words should be written in luminous golden letters in the night of every part of the world, to enlighten the hearts of those who believe in a Creator. 

All the prophets (as) have taught the same truths, since Adam (as), the first prophet on earth. They are taught faith in God the Unique, Who does not beget and was not begotten, the existence of angels, of paradise and hell, the Last Judgement, obedience to the prophet, etc. 

The beliefs have remained the same through the ages, only the rites of worship have changed and evolved according to the time and the prophet. But with the proclamation of Muhammad (pbuh) as the seal of all prophets, the ritual teaching of all previous prophets (as) is abrogated. The only teaching now recognized and accepted by God is that of His prophet Muhammad (pbuh), any other way being condemned forever.

Revelations of 14 January 2022

 

Allah (swt) is the Lord and Master of the Universe. And Allah loves the doers of good, not those who plot evil and commit injustice. Allah (swt) brings about the days of fortune and misfortune in this world among the believers, with the sole purpose of testing and proving their mettle- to know whether they turn to their Lord with faith; hold patience in adversity, and show sincerity in God’s cause. Hence, the evil-doers will never attain a happy state in permanence, even if fleeting gains might confuse them in the present world for a period. Indeed, the future belongs to the Elects of God and the righteous believers- the true servants of God who believe in the Grace and Help of God and put their full trust in their Lord as the disposer of all affairs.

The Qur’an teaches us a lesson of spiritual life and a sublime Duah from the struggles of the Prophets and devote companions in God's Way:

“And how many a Prophet has had to fight (in God’s cause), followed by many God-devoted men: and they did not become faint of heart for all that they had to suffer in God’s cause, and neither did they weaken, nor did they abase themselves [before the enemy], since God loves those who are patient in adversity; and all that they said was this: ‘Our Lord, forgive us our sins and our excesses. Make our feet firm, and give us help against the disbelievers,’ and so God gave them both the rewards of this world and the excellent rewards of the Hereafter: God loves those who do good.” (3:147)

Khalifatullah: A Message for Jamaat

 

‘Consider the flight of time!

Man is bound to lose himself,

Except those who believe,

Do good deeds,

Urge one another to truth,

And urge one another to steadfastness’

   -----[Holy Qur’an, Surah Al Asr, (103:1-3)]. 

In a moving, special message to the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam members in India, Sheikh-ul-Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (aba) of Mauritius recently spoke of the critical situation in the world- of the extremely dangerous challenges facing our precarious world, and of the need for everyone to return to the path of prudence and piety; of invocations and charitable giving; of obedience to Allah (swt), and His messenger (sa), and His chosen Elect of this era; of remaining united in forgiveness and solidarity, without any arrogance or ill feeling; of embracing one another in a spirit of brotherhood. As someone who receives Messages like no else all around us does, and as people generally and mostly fail to appreciate the enormous burden that he carries in this heavenly responsibility of conveying Divine communications to all the world, Hazrat Saheb (aba)’s personal, spiritual message to members in the Jamaat assumes vital importance for the disciples' individual conduct and social engagements, and larger spiritual outlook and hope in God’s mercy and grace, Blessings and Favours amidst the turbulence all around.  

Read an interpretative Text of the recent special Messages sent by our beloved Imam (aba) through our humble brother Hazrat Mukarram Shahul Hameed Faizal Saheb of Saudi Arabia:  

The Economic System In Islam

In his Friday Sermon of 24 December 2021~19 Jamadi’ul Awwal 1443 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius explains the outlines of Islamic economic values. Islam fosters fair trade, and contractual arrangements based on free consent within a non-exploitative business environment. The prohibition of usurious interest, rejection of monopolistic ownership and control over natural resources, and other unfair trade practices, etc. are emblematic of the Islamic economic system. Likewise, to ensure the fair spreading of economic assets across the social classes and for the welfare of the masses, Islam created a range of institutionalized public-giving and other charitable practices, such as Zakat, Sadaqah, Wasiyyah, Waqf, etc. In this discourse, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) underscores the need for the believers of be aware of, and to be conscious of these religious, institutional arrangements for the creation of a healthy economic order and a just society, especially in the context of the foundational obligations of Faith.

Read the Friday Sermon Below:

The Freedom of Women

In his Friday Sermon of 07 January 2022~ 04 Jamadi’ul Aakhir 1443 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius speaks about the evils and dangers lurking beneath contemporary conceptions of women's freedom. The prevailing Western cultural model, or the unbridled pursuit of individual ecstacy at any quest, has twisted people's thoughts on women's liberation.  Hence, the current notions of 'freedom' in the West, ironically and actually, 'enslaves' women within a consumerist, capitalist, and hedonistic cultural milieu of commodification- literally trapping them within a male-centric world of objectification, with its constant need on its victims to 'fitting in' to the male-gaze, and worst abuses (treating women as 'use' and 'throw' chattels; sexual anarchy, abortions; break-down of family system, with increase in divorces and drug addictions) all around.  As true freedom indicates the ability to make well-reasoned choices  in a fully-informed manner about the good and the bad in life, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) calls attention  to the well-balanced Islamic values that safeguard women's role, agency and rights within the social order, and underscores the need for infusing true values of Islamic life in the younger generation so as to prepare them for cultural encounters in the West. 

Read the Friday Sermon Below:   

Hazrat Khalifatullah @ 61

 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah...the Birth and Living Presence of an Elect of God is the greatest Divine Gift for a community of believers. Hence, the devotees of Allah (swt) found in the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International today are truly a blessed group. For, they have in their midst a Divine Elect in the person of Imam- Jamaat, Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (aba) of Mauritius. And today, January 7^th marks the blessed Birth Day of Hazrat Saheb (aba). The Sahih Al Islam Blog joins the larger Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam family in wishing our beloved Imam (aba) a very happy Janm Din Mubarak, Hazaar Hazaar Mubarak!   

As Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) marks his 61^st Birthday Today, it is our prayers that as time go by, may Allah (swt) continue to bless his august self with good health, long life, great energy and meaningful initiatives to sustain and establish the momentum and reach of the Divine Mission among ever-widening circles of peoples, Insha Allah, Aameen.   

 

In this context, for the benefit of our readers, reproduced below is a beautiful Ode to our Imam (aba) by the respected members of the Holy Family, and originally published in the Dawah Magazine 2021 edited by Hazrat Ummul Mu’mineen International Sadr Saheba Fazli Amena Varsally. The sublime invocations to Allah (swt), inter alia, give expression to the innermost thoughts and prayers of every devout member of the Jamaat for Divine Forgiveness, Mercy and Grace; for the long life, good health and well-being of our beloved Imam Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) and for the glory of the Divine Mission entrusted to him, through stage by stage progress of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam against all obstacles and enmities, Insha Allah, Aameen. 

Reclaim The 'Sunnah'

Around us, we always see and observe a sociological reality: despite apparent claims of faith in hallowed Divinity, and associated higher values of life; the religious institutions and leaders resemble and emulate the ways of the prevailing material culture, and its everyday practices. Despite holding on to the lofty language, and grand symbols of religion (the rites, rituals, and other practices of offering of prayers and allegiance to forms of worship), people are emptied of the 'spirit' of Divine consciousness in their every day lives. While religions are 'captured' by priestly class, and by the social and political elites in all societies, 'Islam' in our times is not impervious to this wider decay in social culture. Indeed, Islam, as a social identity, has been co-opted to promote the agendas of the prevailing, deviant elites so as to subserve their material/mundane interests. 

In his Friday Sermon of 31 December 2021~26 Jamadi’ul Awwal 1443 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius makes profound reflections on the dire state of spirituality today: the glaring crisis of spirit that engulfs the world of Religion in our times. Divinely-mandated and raised with the charge of reviving and renewing the spirit of true Faith in this era as a spiritual Deputy of the Holy Prophet (sa), and also a Trustee of God on earth (Khalifatullah), Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) points to the the ways in which utter darkness looms over the world of spirituality: "Nothing of Islam Except Its Name, Nothing of the Qur'an Except Its Text"- where the spirit of Imaan has virtually 'left' earthly  people to the distant stars, to the Pleaides as it were. 

Hazrat Saheb (aba) underscores the need for true believers to hold on to the true legacy of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa). Indeed, Islam is a comprehensive code of conduct- as exemplified by the Holy Prophet (sa) through his Sunnah, with its principles and prescriptions covering the whole spectrum of human life. In responding to challenges of social conditions, the Muslims should not be overawed by the apparently alluring, but deviant ways of the Others. Rather we need to revive and renew the true teachings of the Faith, and follow the noble example of our pious ancestors in evolving solutions. Instead of living under the physical and ideological dominance of other religions and other collective groups, Muslims can truly liberate themselves from the clutches of false ideologies only through a true commitment to Allah's commandments and restrictions on what is lawful and what is Haraam, relying entirely on Allah in the shaping of fortunes in the creation of a just society- standing up for individual and collective good, and rejecting all Evil, notes Hazrat Saheb (aba) in this Discourse. 

Read the Friday Sermon Below:

Qur'an: The Final Message

 

As the last message of God to human kind sent through prophets in spiritual history and originally revealed to the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (sa), the Qur'an contains perfect teachings for the moral guidance of man. In his Divinely-inspired, English Commentary of the Holy Qur'an entitled AL AZIM TAFSIR'UL QUR'AN, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Al Muhyiuddin Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius reflects profoundly on the nature and character of the Book of God.  

Read the Extracts from the Introduction to the Book, Volume 1:   

Studying the Qur'an

The Quran basically is a book of moral guidance for man. It addresses itself to the totality of the human situations, internal as well as external. Its subject matter is man in relation to his guidance, his beliefs, attitudes and motives, his personality and character, his individual and social life, his role in history.

The greatest favour bestowed on mankind by God Almighty is the guidance that He sent from time to time through His Messengers and Prophets to guide His creatures. He sent down countless numbers of apostles, some of whom left written records. It begins with Adam (as), the first prophet and with Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) the ultimate Messenger to mankind. He is the Prophet to all peoples and for all times to come.