Hazrat Ibrahim: An 'Ummah'

 

 إِنَّ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةٗ قَانِتٗا لِّلَّهِ حَنِيفٗا وَلَمۡ يَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ

 

Indeed Ibrahim was a whole community by himself, obedient to Allah, exclusively devoted to Him. And he was never one of those who associated others with Allah in His Worship. (An-Nahl 16: 121)

Hazrat Ibrahim (as) – Abraham – is considered to be a community (Ummah) and a universe by himself. The question that arises is why Hazrat Ibrahim (as) was granted the title of ‘Ummah’?

Ibrahim (Abraham) was an Ummah i.e. a leader having all the good, righteous qualities of a nation, obedient to Allah, Hanif i.e. being someone who worshipped none but Allah and he was not one of the polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and those who joined partners – false gods – with Allah.

Chaos in the World

In his Friday Sermon of 14 June 2024~ 07 Dhul-Hijjah 1445 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius profoundly reflects on the ongoing conflicts- the portent signs of chaotic disorder in the contemporary international system. Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) underscores that at the root of the present chaos in the world lies the ‘worship’ of the Satan. Indeed, when the Faith weakens, and fear of God is lost, people are lured by the hedonistic trappings of this world: they will aggressively pursue material interests and selfish impulses without any concern for moral restraints, nor for the broader good- resulting in all round conflicts and chaos.  

Indeed, wars and other forms of severe calamities are engulfing and afflicting our world. With entire nations being devastated by the hands of unscrupulous men, the catastrophic events should inspire deep soul-searching. For thoughtful people, there is little doubt that in the interest of our common humanity; urgent course-correction is required on all sides for peace and tranquillity to prevail in the world: there is no alternative to recognizing the power of principles and ethical conduct as ordained by God Almighty through His prophets- the Divine laws brought by the messengers through divine revelations.

Historically, the early Muslims under Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), and the righteous Caliphs established principles and rules of social engagement injecting compassion and humane considerations, including in times of war, in the just treatment of prisoners of war and conquered peoples, women and children. Yet today, the Muslim world has lost its original moral moorings, and rich nations among them are ignoring their vital obligations of solidarity, and are often complicit in the oppression of the persecuted, siding with the oppressive forces, or in any case, preferring to remain neutral even in times of great evil. They seem to give priority to their own economic development and national progress, neglecting the obligations of Faith and morality. True devotees of God should re-establish Islamic values and way of life through Duahs, personal reform, and reclaiming the spirit of sacrifice and striving for the collective good, urges Hazrat Saheb (aba) in the discourse. 

Read the Friday Sermon Below: 

'Eid-ul-Adha' Sermon 2024

 

The Pilgrimage & the Eid Festival

In Islam, Muslims around the world celebrate two Eids: Eid-ul-Fitr which marks the end of the blessed month of Ramadan, and Eid-ul-Adha which marks the end of the Hajj through a sacrifice of sheep or cattle or even camel, also known as sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (as), his son Isma’il (as) and his wife Hajra (ra). It is more commonly known as the festival of Udhiya (Arabic) or Qurbani (Urdu).

Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, comes in the last month of the lunar calendar, Dhul-Hijjah (which literally means, Month of Hajj). The Hajj is an exceptional occasion where Muslim unity appears in its finest form. The Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sees itself united in the same spirit of sacrifice and in the same garment: two simple unsewn white cloths. Therefore, we bear witness to the unified state of Muslims, the same state that must be manifest in every Muslim throughout the world.