Unity of the Muslim Ummah- 2

 

Reaching for Unity (Pt.2)

 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, I shall continue to expound today in my sermon about the Unity of the Ummah, and why the community of Muslim believers cannot bring itself to unite while the non-believers are successfully uniting themselves in their common goals.

 

So, the third cause…

 

THIRD CAUSE

 

Disagreement among the people of truth does not arise from lack of zeal and aspiration, nor does union among the people of misguidance arise from loftiness of aspiration. Rather disagreement among the people of truth arises from their misuse of high aspiration, and union among the people of misguidance arises from the weakness and impotence that come from lack of aspiration. What impels the people of guidance to the misuse of their high aspiration - and hence to disagreement, and rivalry - is the desire for heavenly reward that is counted as a praiseworthy quality in the Hereafter.

 

It is even recorded in authentic traditions of the Holy Prophet that at the End of Time the truly pious among the Christians will unite with the people of the Quran and fight their common enemy, i.e. irreligion. Then the people of religion and truth will sincerely unite not only with the truly pious and spiritual ones among the Christians, but with all classes of pious and sincere people refraining from the discussion and debate of points of difference in order to combat their joint enemy, i.e. aggressive atheism.

'Ummah': Unity in Diversity

 

In his Friday Sermon of 30 December 2022~ 06 Jamadi’ul Aakhir 1444 AH, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius begins a series of reflections on forging unity within the global Muslim Ummah. As the existential conditions of the Muslims around the world are characterized by deep diversity- languages, races, regions, nations and peoples, etc.-and the Ummah is virtually split into numerous sects and factions, with each group claiming monopoly over the Truth; formidable challenges confront the tasks of Muslim unity.

Through this discourse, Hazrat Muhyiuddin (aba) addresses this vital question of Islamic unity by calling attention to the foundational guidance of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) on the role of sincerity and humility in religious relations. People are prone to 'worship' their own ideas and inherited notions, customs and practices; preferring their own position, wealth and power and other passions of the self. On the other hand, overcoming the inclinations of the self and preferring others to one's own dictates is the path to spiritual progress and God realization. For the sake of Divine approval and pleasure over the Ummah as a whole- rather than seeking fringe benefits and cheap sectarian victories-, people have a strong basis in religious sincerity and humility for remaining united for collective welfare and attracting Divine blessings, points out Hazrat Saheb (aba).      

A Vision for A Just World

In his Friday Sermon of 16 December 2022 ~21 Jamadi’ul Awwal 1444 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius speaks movingly about the struggles of persecuted minorities; stateless refugees and other peoples caught up in climate change-induced migration; the deep connections between ecological disasters and armed conflicts, and also the problem of modern slavery: human trafficking across borders amidst deepening misery and despair at home in several lands.  

Speaking against the backdrop of the material conditions in Mauritius, Imam Azim (aba) urges fellow citizens to be deeply grateful to God for the available social blessings of peace, relative prosperity and global standing of the nation, and at the same time, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) gently reminds people to be conscious of long-term societal trends, and also be aware of the moral and ethical obligations the people owe to fellow beings in their midst- especially those in suffering and are vulnerable due to their difficult circumstances.  In this eloquent discourse, Hazrat Azim (aba) invites our attention to the obligations of our common humanity towards the refugees and the vulnerable migrants. Warning against the pitfalls of indifference, silence and negligence, Hazrat Saheb (aba) urges one and all to stand up for the less privileged and try to make a difference in our surroundings for our collective welfare and shared progress. Muslims especially have a duty to be the forces of good; fighting evil within and outside; standing up for justice and equity. Indeed, true faith and allegiance to Divine worship requires us to be mindful of the needs of our fellow beings and ease up their travails, and engage ourselves in the larger causes of humanity, reminds Hazrat Saheb (aba).

Divine Manifestation: 23 Years

 

‘It is He who made the sun a shining radiance and the moon a light, determining phases for it so that you might know the number of years and how to calculate time. God did not create all these without a true purpose; He explains His signs to those who understand.’----The Holy Qur’an, (10: 6)

‘By the passage of time!  man is [deep] in loss, except for those who believe, do good deeds, urge one another to the truth, and urge one another to steadfastness.’ (103: 2-4)

 

For a man without Faith, the flight of time and all happenings are merely accidental and without any consequences in this world, nor in the world to come! On the other hand, for a believer, there is a meaning and purpose attached to all the events in the ebb and flow of time. He/she lives with a wider consciousness about Divine commands and the Day of Judgement when one’s deed shall make or break one’s fortunes, eternally, as it were. Hence, every New Year is a great reminder- of the years passing by, and the times coming ahead by the Will of Allah, and more importantly, about our duties to choose wisely and act prudently as time goes by.