Ashhadu alla ilaha illallahu
wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan
‘abduhu wa rasuluh.
I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,
and I bear witness that
Muhammad (pbuh) is His servant and Messenger.
Thus, we recognise that Allah is immensely generous towards humanity. He tests us through various trials. There are periods of drought as well as times of overwhelming rainfall, where the sheer volume of rain can wreak havoc everywhere. We see this exemplified in the great flood during the time of Hazrat Nuh (as), when the entire land (of his nation) was submerged. Hence, a creation of Allah can be a blessing, but it may also act as a tool through which Allah imparts lessons to humanity.
Allah does not ask much
of us in return for all the favours He has bestowed upon us. He has instructed
us: Believe in Him alone and do not associate anyone with Him. This forms the
foundation of faith. Yet, this very principle is what people find most challenging
to adhere to. So deeply swayed are they by satanic allurements that their
intellect becomes clouded, leaving them unable to distinguish between truth and
falsehood.
Furthermore, Allah
commands us to believe in all that He has created. He has specified that humanity
must have faith in His angels and His prophets, through whom He delivers
revelation. The perfect revelation He has sent is preserved in the Holy Quran,
the final book of law. But this belief does not stop there. Allah instructs us
to believe in all His revelations – whether those that came before the Quran,
the Quran itself, or the revelations sent to reinforce the Quran. These latter
revelations serve to revive the Quran in the hearts of people. They are true
revelations through which Allah blesses humanity in specific eras, such as
during the time of Hazrat Massih Ma’ud Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) and even in our
time. Allah commands belief in all His Messengers, to do good and avoid evil,
to believe in destiny, and to remember that one day, inevitably, we shall
return to Allah for the final reckoning. This is what we call the Day of
Judgement, and it is after this judgement that those deserving of goodness
shall enter Paradise, and those deserving punishment shall be sent to Hell for
a designated time.
The concept of Taqdir
(Destiny) is one that not everyone can comprehend in its depth. Bear in mind
that this earthly life is but a temporary abode, a world of trials. Allah
periodically tests His servants to reveal the depths of their hearts and the
sincerity of the faith they profess. Not everyone is able to endure these
trials. Yet Allah reminds us in the Holy Quran that He has given each person
the capacity to withstand challenges, that He does not burden any soul beyond
its ability to bear it.
“Allah does not place upon any soul a burden
greater than it can bear.”
(Al-Baqara, 2: 287)
Yet, when trials befall
a person, they (i.e. he or she) often become so overwhelmed by despair that
they fall into a deep pit, unable to see the light of hope. And yet, Allah has
already granted them the capacity to overcome it. How so? It is when they turn
to Allah in prayer, seeking His help, that He strengthens this innate capacity
within them, making it manifest and apparent to them.
We say that Allah
determines the destiny of a person, but this also works alongside the free will
that He has granted them. Allah has declared that if one does good, walks the
straight path, fulfils all that He has commanded, and stays away from evil,
then Paradise is assured for them. But if they do wrong, turn away from
goodness, and pass away in a state of sinfulness, then Hell is prepared for
them.
Now, imagine someone
who has spent their life steeped in sin, but as their end approaches – unknown
to them but known to Allah alone – if the mercy of Allah touches that person,
He can guide them towards righteousness. If they realise their errors, place
complete faith in His Oneness, and submit entirely to Allah – thus becoming a
Muslim (one who submits to Allah) – then, in His mercy, Allah forgives all
their previous sins. He attracts them so close to Him that they are counted
among the inhabitants of Paradise.
This is why it is
critical to understand that although Allah may make a person a scholar or a
judge on this earth, He has not granted them the ability to judge the faith of
others. The Deen of Allah is not one of fear; Allah has made it full of ease,
ensuring that practising His Deen is not a burden for humankind.
We see that even during
the time of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), he discouraged his
companions from judging the faith of others. He was deeply angered during a
battle when an enemy, who was under the sword of one of his companions (Usama
Ibn Zaid), proclaimed “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” (There is no deity worthy of
worship except Allah), yet Usama killed him regardless. Upon hearing this,
Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) was furious. When Usama (ra) came to him (pbuh), he
asked why he had done so, despite the man’s declaration of faith. Usama
replied, “But he only said that to save his life!” Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh)
rejected this reasoning, and in another version, he responded, “Did you open
his heart to see whether he said it sincerely or not?” He repeated this so
insistently, emphasising the recitation of “Laa Ilaaha Illallah” (there
is no deity worthy of worship except Allah), that Usama wished he had never
committed such a grievous sin. (Bukhari, Muslim)
Thus, we observe that
even the Sahaba themselves made mistakes, which Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) had to
correct, ensuring that after him, they would not turn the Deen of Allah into a
burden. The key lesson here is that only Allah judges the hearts of people. If
someone claims to believe in Allah alone, even if they do not affirm “Muhammadur
Rasullullah,” we do not have the right to condemn them. It is solely
Allah’s judgement to determine whether or not that person is on the right path.
If Allah wishes to forgive someone, He will do so, whether you are pleased with
it or not. Allah does not require your permission. If, after committing a sin,
a person becomes consumed by remorse to the extent that they sincerely seek
forgiveness for their wrongdoings, then in His mercy, Allah will forgive them.
Allah forgives all sins if people repent sincerely before they leave this
world.
Take the example of
Pharaoh during the time of Hazrat Musa (as). When he was drowning, and the
promised punishment of Allah overtook him, only then did he proclaim his belief
in the God of Musa (as). Here, in the Quran, Allah Himself, in His own words,
declares that Pharaoh’s declaration of faith came too late. It was not Hazrat
Musa (as) who judged Pharaoh’s words or faith, for Hazrat Musa (as) was
preoccupied with saving the people of Israel from Pharaoh and his army. It is
Allah who recounts that, knowing all hearts, He recognised that Pharaoh’s
statement was made merely to save his life, but it was too late. Had Pharaoh
repented sincerely before the punishment Allah had threatened him with arrived,
it is possible that Allah might have forgiven him. But Allah Himself declared
that it was too late – the time allotted for Pharaoh to repent had elapsed, and
so Allah rejected his repentance.
Hence, we see that in Taqdir
(Destiny), there is an appointed time that cannot be exceeded. This is why
Allah grants periods of respite.
In the case of the
death of the uncle of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), we observe that despite all the
good Abu Talib had done for the Holy Prophet (pbuh), at the time of his death,
when the Prophet (pbuh) encouraged and even implored him to believe in Allah,
Abu Talib, though close to his final hour, refused to affirm the Oneness of
Allah. Instead, he chose to remain in his previous belief system. This shows
how delicate the matter of Deen is. One day a person may believe, and the next
they may lose their faith. Despite his love for his nephew and his lifetime of
protecting him from his enemies, Abu Talib refused the most important tenet of
all: belief in Allah as the sole God, the very foundation of Islamic faith. As
a result, he died a non-believer. Here, we see that even though his nephew was
a Prophet, he could not save his uncle from Allah’s punishment. This is because
his uncle was deep into Shirk, and Allah does not forgive Shirk
if a person dies in that state. Thus, Abu Talib’s Taqdir was sealed when
he admired Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) but rejected belief in the One God, the God
of Muhammad (pbuh) and of all creation – his own [Abu Talib’s true] God.
When we reflect on the
life of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), we observe that one of his uncles was openly an
enemy to him, and Allah later referred to him as “Abu Lahab” (the Father of
Fire). Here we see that even being of the same bloodline as Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh)
does not guarantee Paradise for a person. Whoever opposes Allah will face their
punishment, unless Allah’s mercy touches them at the final moment. It is solely
within Allah’s prerogative to forgive or to punish. We, as humans, are not
capable of judging the hearts and faith of others.
As a Messenger of Allah
in this era, my role is solely to convey the message of Allah and not to judge
anyone’s faith. I deliver the message, and it is Allah who opens hearts to
accept it. I do not possess the ability to grant faith to anyone. Only Allah
can bestow Iman (faith) upon whomsoever He wills.
Therefore, I urge my
sincere disciples not to judge the faith of anyone. Do not forget that you
yourselves were once astray, and it was Allah who chose to guide you and place
you on the right path. Always remain humble and avoid invoking Allah’s wrath
upon yourselves. Do not judge the Iman (faith) of others, but strive to
the best of your ability to spread the message of Allah everywhere. It is Allah
alone who softens some hearts for acceptance and leaves others hardened like
stone, for He alone knows those hearts; He knows the depth of their sincerity.
Hence, you must always
pray that Allah keeps you steadfast on the straight path and that He maintains
your Iman (faith) strong in Him, His Messenger Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh),
and this humble servant, the Khalifatullah, until your final breath on this
earth. You must strive to become a model for others in goodness, sincerity, and
Islam. Do not follow others, but instead, become an example of piety
yourselves. The only perfect example you should follow is that of Hazrat
Muhammad (pbuh). He is the perfect man and prophet, and you must endeavour to
become a small representation of this perfect man on this earth, Insha-Allah.
May Allah assist you in your journey of sincerity and loyalty to Him, to Hazrat
Muhammad (pbuh), and to the Messenger of your time. May Allah treat you with
His mercy and not with His wrath. Insha-Allah, Ameen.
---Friday Sermon of 14 February 2025~ 14 Shabaan 1446 AH delivered by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius.