The Houses of Allah: Part
4
During
the time of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), there lived an old Abyssinian lady
who had made it her occupation to sweep and clean the Mosque. She died during
the night time. The Sahaba buried her without informing the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh). When he came to know about it, he was bewildered and made them understand
that he should be informed whenever someone among the believers died and he
went to the cemetery and prayed on her (i.e. either Duahs or the Janaza
Prayer – as per different versions). (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah)
Cleaning the Masjid is an honourable act. Even the elder Sahaba such as Hazrat Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (ra) used to sweep and clean the Mosque. This blessed work should not be viewed with disdain and disgust as it is no ordinary menial work. For every speck or particle of dust removed from the Mosque, Allah rewards the one cleaning His House with great blessings.
The
blessings for service to the Mosque will be attained if the intention is
sincere. Some people concern themselves with the Mosque, tending to the needs
of the House of Allah for the sake of base motives. Their true intention is not
to acquire the blessings of it, but as a publicity of their “generous and pious
self”. This should not be so. I am not saying that all those who do this work
do it for self-aggrandizement, but there are still many who do it. They hanker after
the position and status of being the trustees of the Mosque. When having in
mind the grandeur of the position instead of the blessings to acquire the pleasure
of Allah, then such people destroy those blessings and their service is
rendered void and mingled with the aura of ignorance and division, as they are
separating themselves from being the partisans of Allah to become more like the
partisans of the Satan who hanker after the world while disguising himself as a
pious and well-respected man. Such people should reappraise their intentions
and purify their motives so that they do not deprive themselves of the great
and wonderful rewards which the servants of Allah’s House will receive in the hereafter.
The
reward of service to the Mosque is not to be able to act as a Trustee of the
Mosque with all the powers associated with it. The reward is the blessings
reserved by Allah for the sincere one who fulfils this service selflessly, both
in this world and the hereafter. Allah’s Pleasure, as well as His Paradise are
so great that they can accommodate any sincere one who seek Him without the
least vanity and arrogance. Those engaged in service to the Mosques of Allah
should understand and remember this well.
Plans to Disunite the Jamaat of a Mosque
Allah
says in the Holy Quran: “And who are more unjust
than those who prevent the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques
and strive toward their destruction. It is not for them to enter them except in
fear. For them in this world is disgrace, and they will have in the Hereafter a
great punishment.” (Al-Baqara 2: 115)
In
other words, such wrongdoing is unacceptable and the punishment for it is grievous.
Although this verse was revealed in particular for the infidels who prevented
people from the Mosques by their falsehood and persecution, it also applies in
general to all Muslims as well. When a Muslim actively, directly or indirectly,
becomes the cause for influencing the Muslim worshippers away from their
Mosques (near to them) and force them to perform their prayers (Salat)
in another place other than the Mosques, then such a person too comes within
the scope of the severe warning and epithet delivered in this Quranic verse.
Dismissal of the Imam of a Mosque
When
the lawful and legal authority responsible for the Mosque dismisses the Imam
from his post, very often such a one, i.e. the ex-Imam seeks revenge and
schemes to break the Jamaat (or Congregation) of the Mosque. When doing so, he
also puts himself under the scope of that same verse (Al-Baqara 2: 115).
Irrespective
of the rights and wrongs of the dismissal, and no matter how aggrieved the ex-Imam
and his supporters may feel on account of the dismissal, be it justified or
unjustified, they have no right or permission whatsoever as per the rulings of
Islam to abandon the Mosque he frequents and who is near his place of residence
to set up Salat in another Mosque so that he can nourish the hatred and revenge
against the Mosque who rejected his Imamat.
Presentation
of egoistic arguments to justify the dissension will not avail them.
Intelligent and unbiased Muslims understand that the only reason for the
dissension and discord engineered by way of setting up separate prayer venue in
opposition to the nearby Mosque is mere display of pride. But, it is the
obligation of the sincere believer to swallow such pride and humble himself by
refraining from the great sin of boycotting the House of Allah and striving to
break the Jamaat of the Mosque. Bear in mind that those who attempt to break
the Jamaat of a Mosque will break his neck in the process of giving vent to
nefarious schemes arising from the encouragements given by his ego and vanity.
When
an Imam is dismissed, it does not follow that he and his cronies are banned
from the Mosque. It does not follow that he should not come to Allah’s House as
an ordinary worshipper simply because he has been the Imam for many years.
Great people, including the Sahaba were dismissed by the Khulafa-e-Rashideen
for no apparent reason and without explanation. But they accepted the decision
of their seniors and they refrained from creating discord and dissension in the
Ummah. Such people did not let their passions and ego get the better of
them. They submitted their selves to the decisions of the authority and trusted
in Allah.
Well-known
for dismissal of official from posts of Amaanat was Hazrat Ali (ra). He
dismissed governors and commanders while acknowledging their devotion and
services while declaring that the dismissal was not because he found them to be
unqualified but that he had his own reasons which he deemed best not to
divulge.
The
dismissal of Hazrat Khaalid Bin Walid (ra), the sword of Allah (ra) by the
Second Khalifa-e-Rasul Hazrat Umar (ra) is a famous and a mind-boggling episode
in the history of Islam. Hazrat Khalid Bin Walid (ra), despite the tremendous
influence and immense power he wielded, submitted humbly and in total obedience
to the command of his superior. He handed over authority by the command of Hazrat
Umar (ra) to a Sahabi who was regarded a weakling by the army. He did not
embark on a campaign to create unrest and division in the Ummah. He
suffered and tolerated the seemingly unjustified, unwarranted insult and
disgrace which Hazrat Umar (ra) had subjected him to in public by the manner of
the dismissal. Such was his test, and he passed it by submitting to the
decision of his superior.
One
of the reasons why he was removed from his position was that he (Hazrat Khalid
Bin Walid (ra)) had been somewhat procrastinating in submitting the accounts
for the spoils of war. Hazrat Umar (ra) sent his messenger from Medina with an
order of dismissal. He instructed Hazrat Abu Ubaida (ra) to parade Hazrat
Khalid Bin Walid (ra) in public on the day of Jummah and depose him in a
humiliating manner.
In
obedience to the command of the Chief of Believers (Amir’ul Mumineen),
Hazrat Abu Ubaida (ra) ushered Hazrat Khalid Bin Walid (ra), Islam’s most
famous commander of armies, before the pulpit (Mimbar) on the occasion of Jumu’ah.
The entire army was present to witness the humiliating dismissal of this great
and illustrious general of Islam who had conquered the whole of Syria, Iraq and
many other lands for Islam.
The
order of Hazrat Umar (ra) was read out in public. Hazrat Khalid’s turban and
cap were removed from his head and tied around his neck. This was the way in
which an official was deposed in disgrace. Hazrat Khalid (ra) did not utter a
murmur of dissent and indignation. He obediently submitted to authority and in
submission to the command of Hazrat Umar (ra) set off for Medina.
Hazrat
Khalid Bin Walid (ra) did not embark on plots of dissension and discord over
his humiliating dismissal. While many people felt that the dismissal and its
method were extremely harsh and imprudent, no one created dissension and
discord. No one embarked on creating unrest and division. They humbly submitted
to authority and stayed away from sedition and dissension.
It
is noteworthy that this dismissal took place in battle conditions when the
Sahaba were locked in crucial battles with the Romans.
So,
this kind of attitude for the sake of Allah, for the sake of Islam and with
respect to authority, especially if that authority was a righteous authority
caused no bitterness in the heart of great warriors like Hazrat Khalid Bin
Walid (ra). He may have been a great soldier of Islam and fought great wars
along the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) but he showed himself to be most meek and did
not let power and status go to his head.
He
is a fit example for those who may sometime feel that they have been unjustly
treated but a righteous leader knows how to bend heads, not as a way to show
pride and power, but to show that all Muslims, the rich and the poor, the
mighty and the weak are all equal and all of the Ummah deserves a chance to
prove his worth. Sometimes, even great generals, great warriors like Hazrat
Khalid Bin Walid (ra) needed a call back to reality, but what is wonderful in
this anecdote is that he passed his test with flying colours. He was most
obedient and did not let his status - rank and power - affect his faith and
basic respect for the Prophet’s successors.
New Islamic Year & Prayers
His
is an example for all of the believers. With the advent of a New Year, 1445
Hijri, which reminiscence the great escape of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
from Mecca to Medina, and accompanied by his close companion Hazrat Abu Bakr
Siddiq (ra), we thank Allah that He has given life in such an era when He has
bestowed upon the world the manifestation of His blessings in the form of the
Divine Revelations. I thank Him for having chosen this humble one, and sent me
to all of you, and I hope and pray that you will all help me in this blessed
task to bring all people towards the exclusive worship of Allah and keep up His
Mosques in the best states and with the best intentions.
Ours
is a most difficult task, as we have so many works to do so that the Muslim
Ummah may finally understand that we are not its enemies, but rather its sincere
counsellors sent by none but Allah to safeguard His Pure Religion – i.e. Islam.
May Allah help you to be ever sincere, honest, pure in thoughts and hardworking
for His cause and to leave away any vanity and pride which may handicap our
common goal towards the construction of the Global Nation of Islam. Insha-Allah.
I
wish you all a Blessed New Islamic Year 1445 AH. May Allah accept your good
intentions in His path and grant you all the zeal and fervour to accede to His
pleasure through your good and sincere works. Insha-Allah. Ameen.
----Friday Sermon of 21 July 2023~02 Muharram 1445 AH delivered by Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius.