I have come to you as a plain Warner.
Innii ‘akhaafu alaykum Azaaba yaw-min Alim.
I fear for you the torment of a painful. in Warner.
Innii ‘akhaafu alaykum Azaaba yaw-min
Alim.
I fear for you the torment of a painful.
Yaa-
Qawmi ‘ara-aytum in-kuntum ‘alaa Bayyinatim-mir-Rabbii wa ‘aataa-nii Rahmatam-min
‘Indihii fa-ummi yat ‘alaykum? ‘Anul-zimuku muuhaa wa ‘antum lahaa kaari-huun?
“O my people! Consider if I stand on a clear proof from my Lord and He has blessed me with a mercy (i.e. prophethood) from Himself, which you fail to see. Should we (then) force it on you against your will?”
Alhamdulillah, Summa
Alhamdulillah, I continue my
Friday Sermon today on the subject of Humanity in Danger, and as you also know,
we are in the month of Shaban, a month filled with blessings where our beloved
Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) used to fast in preparation for the coming great
blessed month [i.e., Ramadan]. And in this month of Shaban, there is a blessed
night but unfortunately many Muslims have associated other non-Islamic things
with it, such as preparing sweets and flatbreads and going to the tombs and
leaving all these for the dead. This is completely against the teachings of
Islam – it is outside the scope of Islam. On Shabe-Baraat, or 15th
night of Shaban, it is not forbidden to fast and do much worship, but don’t go
nullifying all your good deeds with Shirk actions [which are against the
will and the oneness of Allah]. When we look at this world today, everywhere we
look we see a world shrouded in darkness.
So, O my people, Muslim
brothers, sisters and children and all humanity! My mission is to this wicked
world, plunged in sin. My mission has a double character as in the mission of
all Men of Allah (swt). My mission is to warn men against evil and call them to
repentance, and I have to give all of you the glad tidings of Allah (swt). The
Divine message is a guidance and mercy for all of you, O my dear peoples around
the word. Don’t become unbelievers. Believe in one God, seek His forgiveness. Don’t
become the three powerful human motives of evil to resist grace, i.e.:
1.
Jealousy
of other men, where such
people say, ‘Why, you are no better than us’, half perceiving the
Messenger of God superiority, and half ignoring it.
2.
Contempt
of the weak and lowly, who
are often better intellectually, morally and spiritually; they say, ‘We can
neither believe nor do what these fellows, our inferiors in social rank,
believe or do.’
3.
Arrogance
and self-sufficiency,
which a vice cognate to, looked at from a different angle; they say: ‘We are
really better than the lot of you!’
Now in this era the claim
made on behalf of God’s Message by His Messenger (i.e. this humble self) has attacked
all these three attitudes. And some of you belie the pure intention and works
of the Messenger, claiming that he is doing nothing, or that he is disturbing
them in their daily routine, in their deviating ways.
The Man of God who
speaks in the later ages is a pattern of humility, gentleness, persuasiveness,
truth, and love for his own people.
First, he meekly (not
exultingly) informs all humanity and his own people that he has received a
message from God.
Secondly, he tells his
own people and all humanity that it is a message of mercy even in its warning;
though in their arrogance the mercy may be hidden from them.
Thirdly, he tells his
own people and all humanity around the world plainly that there can be no
compulsion in religion but will they not accept with good will what is for
their own benefit?
I plead to all of you
as one of my own. Since the beginning of the Divine Manifestation up to now
many people accuse me as a liar, a madman, that I take drugs or medicine. I
seek no reward from any one of them, and I will continue hear all the insults
they heap on me, for I look to my Rab (Allah) –I seek His Support – rather than
men. These people do not only insult me but they insult the poor and needy and
those who believe in me and who come to me in faith, and some foolish Mullahs
think that I will send them away in order to attract the great ones of the world.
I tell these foolish Mullahs that it is they who are mistaken and the ignorant
ones; not the poor and needy that come to seek God’s truth! Insha-Allah,
many people around the world will come to seek God’s truth.
The verses which I have
recited before you are verses which are also found in the Holy Quran and which Allah
(swt) has revealed to me, has given me the Ilm (knowledge) to deliver this
message to all of you in my Friday Sermon today. This message is for all
humanity, the people of my own country [my fellow Mauritians], all Muslims
brothers, sisters and children around the world as well as all my disciples
around the world.
The revelation which
Allah has sent to me today and which I have recited before you points out that
God watches men and deals with them according to their action and makes
provision for their guidance as circumstances demand. As this provision is made
for their good, those who do not benefit by it suffer moral death. While
worldly progress may be possible for a time without observing Divine
commandments, permanent success is granted to those people only whose thoughts,
time and deeds are devoted to God Almighty [Allah], and who are both true to
Allah and men, and it is a reality that their memory will perpetuate and their
name will indelibly be imprinted on the world’s history.
A question may be asked:
Why believers triumph over disbelievers and the latter fail in their
struggle against truth?
I present before you an
example of peoples who were once mighty in power and strong in numbers, but who
met with destruction when they rose against the apparently humble followers of
God’s Messenger, like Allah (swt) mentions in the Holy Quran, the peoples of Nuh,
Hud, Salih, Lut, Shuaib and Musa (as), in relation not to the Israelites but to
Pharaoh, who along with his arrogant people was destroyed, because he rejected
the divine message.
So, believers are warned
against associating with people for whom divine punishment is decreed, for
association with such people is calculated naturally to involve them in
punishment meant for the latter. All punishment is in the hands of God, and He
knows best when His punishment will descend. But this I can tell you with
certitude: His punishment is sure to fall down upon you if you do not repent.
And when it comes, you will not be able to ward it off.
Now let us have a view at
what is happening in the world and in my own Island [Mauritius] also.
The effects of the
Covid-19 pandemic and its variants on human capital are likely to persist. Here
in Mauritius, there is now the regulation of self-isolation as in other
countries. A question everyone should ask: What does this accomplishment
mean to the world of work?
Regardless of the
regulations in force, companies must absolutely be attentive and considerate to
their employees. A Covid-19 negative employee may be required to take time off
to care for a loved one or even his child who is in self-isolation. Faced with
the outbreak of cases, it is certain that companies will be more affected by
the health crisis. In addition to the short and long-term economic impact, [the
change in] human, productivity and behaviours are likely to persist.
Students continue to
test positive at school. This is a subject of debate in the school environment
and so far we will continue to have cases of Covid-19 in schools, despite the
sanitary measures. Some students prefer to stay at home when the situation is
alarming in their school and do not even care about their absenteeism. They
prioritize their health and that of their loved ones.
Many people confirm
that the Covid-19 has turned their lives upside down. A daily life turned
upside down by new measures. In addition, fear of the virus leads people to a
state of almost permanent stress. Faced with this growing anxiety, stress
affects the immune system and makes people more vulnerable to diseases and
Covid-19 [as well as its other variants].
A personal suggestion:
Control your breathing. However, to get there, I advise you to focus on your
breath. Being often in stressful situations, our defence system must constantly
fight against this state of overwork. It is therefore necessary to be able to
send a signal to the brain to indicate that we are going to eliminate the
stress and this can be done with a breathing technique. The breathing exercise
can be done for a few seconds, several times a day.
Seeing what is
happening in Ukraine and Russia with this war where people are forced to stay
together in large numbers, then the number of deaths related to Covid-19 [and
its variants] has increased. We also note a jump in the number of new positive
cases. The Covid-19 virus and its variants seem to be gaining momentum again
with the number of new cases which is on the rise, as is the number of deaths.
Now, regarding the
situation in Ukraine and Russia, it is a real humanitarian disaster. The centre
of Kyiv, the usually strong capital, is now under curfew and looks like a ghost
town. Armed and armoured men were posted at major crossroads near government
buildings. Rare passers-by stopped to exchange the latest news as sirens and
explosions sounded in the cloud-laden sky. They started bombing civilian neighbourhoods.
As a result of this
war, the price of raw materials remains very high, with a barrel of Brent oil
above 100 dollars even if the American WTI had returned to around 95 dollars.
Russia and Ukraine are essential countries for the supply of oil, gas, wheat,
and the other major world stock markets are recovering after their sudden
plunge despite the uncertainty.
Let’s now see what is
happening in Mauritius. The price structure is the subject of many disputes.
The voices are raised against the high level of tax and contributions that
enter into the price structure of petrol and diesel. A reduction or even the
abolition of these ‘direct’ and ‘indirect’ taxes is strongly recommended to
relieve motorists.
In the year 2015: Rs.
25.36 billion
In the year 2016: Rs.
22.55 billion
In the year 2017: Rs.
30.48 billion
In the year 2018: Rs.
38.39 billion
In the year 2019: Rs.
36.37 billion
In the year 2020: Rs.
24.57 billion
In the year 2021: Rs.
24.81 billion
(Source: Statistics Mauritius)
The most important
point to note is that the STC adheres to a minimum floor when setting prices,
so that surpluses accumulated during generally low oil price cycles are
diverted to the price stabilization account (which should help absorb bullish
cycles technically). In practice it is something else. Therefore, in times of
globally low oil prices, we do not fully benefit from low prices, but in times
of high global oil prices we suffer, which then demonstrates the non-idealism
of our current oil pricing mechanisms and its inherent fiscal impositions.
These demands are justified because you can milk the cow to some extent, but
how much? At some point, you will end up suffocating it, especially the most
modest households. We need a reformed oil pricing and taxation system that
supports our domestic consumption, the fiscal sustainability of our country,
but also the standard of living of the people. Here is the problem:
When you get a double
whammy of high oil prices, higher taxes, higher freight prices and our currency
(and the purchasing power of our fellow citizens) which has devalued by 25%;
you experience pain, that is abnormally ‘painful’.
Petrol and diesel
prices are artificially inflated relative to import prices; we pay more
expensive petrol by almost Rs. 30. There were certainly additions with the
contribution for the Covid-19 and that of the vaccine. This price structure has
always been a kind of dairy cow. Beyond all these contributions, there is a
large share that goes into the Consolidated Fund through customs duties. Some
of these contributions are not justified. That of the RDA, for example, which
is supposed to have its own fund; ditto for the contribution on the vaccine
while we received a good part in donation or with friendly countries! Moreover,
we do not know how and where all these contributions are spent.
It is unfair that it is
the motorist alone who has to pay for everyone, including the wealthy class. In
addition to abnormally high world prices resulting from international geopolitical
tensions between Russia and Ukraine, rising freight prices and the historic
devaluation of our currency, fuel stations bills are at historically high
levels and the purchasing power of the population, adjusted net of inflation,
is at its lowest.
The fact that prices
remained unchanged at the start of the pandemic when the cost of a barrel had
plummeted also arouses discontent. The price of oil has been falling for long
periods. Instead of passing it on to consumers, the selling price remained unchanged.
The State appropriated massive surpluses.
In the immediate
future, to please the population or to avoid too much anger, customs duties on
the price of fuel should be reduced. But, O my brothers and sisters, this is
only a short-term remedy that can lessen the impact of a new price increase on
the cost of living.
Let’s not forget that
we are in a situation of war with what is happening with Russia and Ukraine.
And once again it is the consumers who will pay the price. This is a purely
political decision.
And that’s not all. Our
little island of Mauritius has faced floods, mini-tornadoes, very intense
tropical cyclones, heavy rain, violent thunderstorms [Just like last night –
with lightning]. We can say that several times in the year 2022, there have
been heavy rains with violent thunderstorms. There was flooding which caused
several houses to be flooded. Everything is finished: food, clothes, school
materials, etc. Several vehicles are flooded and transported by the current and
even the bus which carries passengers is flooded and several people as well as
the firefighters came to save the lives of these people.
Japan, meanwhile, has
been using a next-generation satellite (Himawari-8) since 2015 to monitor
tropical cyclones at high resolution and frequency. In addition, it uses
microwave sensors that provide data on many hydrological properties around
tropical cyclones. And as with ground-based observation, radar is a powerful
tool for studying thematic cyclone structure characterized by rainfall
distribution and wind fields.
The government must
therefore use public funds wisely and provide the Vacoas Weather Station with
equipment capable of saving lives. However, this requires a vision which is
unfortunately non-existent in Mauritius. It’s sad to say, but it is. I deplore
the fact that the current government has only one goal: to become a high-income
country. Only GDP growth counts! But for God’s sake, what’s the point of
reaching such a level when you can’t watch over the people as you should? We
have treated the management of cyclones very lightly; it is very regrettable
for its people where it makes them suffer a lot.
Pay attention, because
there is a Unique God Who looks at you, Who looks at all those who are wronging
this people and also wronging the servant of God.
Be aware of all your
faults and resolve the situation before it is too late. And I say to humanity
also, have the fear of the One God, Who asks nothing of you except to remain
faithful to Him, Him the Lord and that you turn towards Him and perform good
deeds to serve humanity, because it is in goodness that there are blessings.
Wickedness and lust for power will get you nowhere. May Allah open your hearts
before it is too late! For this, you will have to make efforts also towards
God, and ask Him to show you the right path, and then when He shows you this
right path, you must remain faithful to this right path and not deviate from
it, i.e. the path of Allah. Insha-Allah, Ameen.
---Friday Sermon of