Muhammad: A Guide for All

 

The exemplary conduct of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) 

Alhamdulillah, the new moon of Rabi-ul-Awwal appeared last night. This means that today is the first Friday and the first day of that month. In Islamic tradition, Rabi-ul-Awwal has a special significance because it is in this month that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was born. Therefore, today I have chosen to discuss his exemplary conduct, which he (pbuh) demonstrated throughout his life, and I will also briefly discuss the objective of his mission on Earth.

 

From Adam (as) to Jesus (as), many prophets have been sent by the Creator; But two fundamental realities that we must remember are that the Message of Allah, His laws for mankind, is fully completed in the Qur’an, and that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the last prophet to bear the law, in his category of prophets bearing the law (i.e. the last law-bearing prophet). The purpose of his coming is a universal grace, a mercy for all humanity, as the Qur’an tells us:

 

“Wa ma arsalnaka illa rahmatan lil ‘aalamin” – We have not sent you except as a mercy to all the worlds. (Al-Anbiya 21: 108).

The Heart and Your Deeds

 

In Islam, the heart is considered the seat of faith, the centre of all intentions and actions. In a Hadith compiled in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, and narrated by Nu’man bin Bashir (ra), our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Hearken! In a person's body, there is a piece of flesh which, if it is sound (reformed), the whole body becomes sound (reformed); and if it is corrupt (corrupted), the whole body becomes corrupt (corrupted); [and listen carefully]: that is the heart.” This Hadith clearly shows that the heart is the centre of spirituality, the root of sincerity, and the source of purity. It is not just a biological organ found in each of us, but it is the centre of all our intentions, our faith (Iman), and all our actions stem from this centre of spirituality.

 

Allah emphasises the purification of the heart in the Holy Qur’an. In Surah Ash-Shu’ara (Verses 89-90), Allah says: “The Day (Day of Judgement) when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit. Only those who come before Allah with a pure heart (will be saved).”

The Gravity of Murder in Islam

In his Friday Sermon of 31 July 2026~16 Safar 1448 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius profoundly reflects upon a foundational principle of both Divine Law and Secular Law: respect for the sanctity of human life and of rule of law and justice for social peace. The ongoing genocidal violence against the people of Palestine; being perpetrated by the barbarian state of Israel under Benjamin Netanyahu with virtual impunity over the last several years; the indifference and complicity of powerful actors doing nothing to end this horrendous bloodletting of children, women, and a people under military occupation, says something about the dismal state of international rule of law and justice in our hypocritical world. Instead of displaying respect for the sanctity of agreements and shared undertakings of international humanitarian law; the Israelis- in their vengeful excesses against another people- by acting without limits of proportionality, nor the equity of military necessity, or the required restraint for the protection of a hapless civilian population,- have become lawbreakers and oppressors. Playing 'God' in pursuit of total dominance over the entire region- scheming disorder and creating havoc on God’s earth; they will only inherit the wrath of God in their tracks in the not-so-distant future, Insha Allah, Aameen.

Read the Friday Sermon below:       

Human life is a sacred treasure, a gift from Allah, and no one has the right to destroy it without just cause. In the Qur’an, Allah says: “Whoever kills an innocent person, unless he has committed a crime or spread corruption in the land, it is as if he has killed all of humanity; and whoever saves a life, it is as if he has saved all of humanity.” (Al-Maida 5: 33).

Muslim Family Values

Importance of Islam for the Family Unit & the Ummah

 

Today we live in a society where everything seems upside down. The family unit – a family unit approved by Allah – is in danger. The Muslim family, a family based on Islamic principles as it was in the past, used to be a solid pillar in society. Today, it finds itself weakened by modern influences that are not always in harmony with divine guidance. When the influence of Shaytan’s evil spreads in society, and when parents who wish to guide their children on the straight path try to set rules to preserve them within the pure environment of Islam, yet the youth begin to rebel and refuse the guidance of Allah that their parents lovingly try to give them, then the atmosphere at home becomes heavy.

Many times, even Muslim adults themselves drift away from important precepts of Islam, while the external world with its attractions tries to divert people’s way of thinking. As a result, disagreements between husband and wife increase, and the direct victims remain the children who grow up in confusion and without clear direction. Consequently, conflicts between parents and children also increase. Whether it is domestic violence or divorce – which society has normalised as something common – leading to the disintegration of the family home, all of this shows that there is a deep crisis that society in general is facing. What is even more tragic is that Muslims too have allowed themselves to be trapped by these influences. So, we Muslims of today must ask: What should we do to restore the sacred value and stability of the family?

Protection of Divine Truth against Evil

  

Allah, our beloved Creator, has always protected truth and the truthful. He has always destroyed the adversaries of faith and supported His messengers in every era. What we must understand is that humanity today enjoys blessings that earlier races did not. Through the blessing Allah granted us in the creation of our ancestor Hazrat Adam (as), we possess intelligence and mental and spiritual faculties that those before us did not. We are a race honoured by Allah through Hazrat Adam (as), our ancestor and the first prophet of Allah, His representative on earth.

Many may say that human DNA has existed for thousands of years, but they overlook the fact that the genetic code Allah teaches us in the Qur’an, linking us to His prophet, is the true code we carry within us. Our race is more recent than we think. We may estimate long ages have passed, but in Allah’s estimation, our creation is recent. This is undeniable truth, for when Allah created Hazrat Adam (as) and breathed into him His spirit – a divine essence connecting Adam (as) and his righteous descendants to Allah – the angels said: “Will You place therein one who will cause mischief and shed blood, while we glorify You with praise and sanctify You?” Allah replied: “I know what you do not know.” (Al-Baqara 2: 31)

 

Allah had already planned, and He is the best of planners. In this trial called life, Allah established that evil would exist, so that those who perfect within themselves the divine essence He breathed into them could strengthen themselves to combat evil. This divine essence, this gift, is Divine Revelation. It is not only Prophethood or Messengership, but the factor of guidance that comes directly from Allah, guiding His servants upon the straight path. This gift is Divine Revelation.

The Sahaba: Role Models

 

The Knowledge of the Sahaba & Our Spiritual Heritage

When we reflect on the knowledge of the Sahaba of our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), we discover a profound truth: their knowledge was not limited to books or speeches, but was a spiritual light that transformed hearts. Allah says in the Qur’an: “Innallaziiina utul ‘ilma min qablihi idhaa yutlaa ‘alayhim yakhirruna lil-adhqaani sujjadan” (Those who were given knowledge before, when the Qur’an is recited to them, fall upon their faces in prostration.) (Bani Isra’il 17: 108). This verse shows us that knowledge is such a powerful force that it drives a person towards humility and submission.

 

The Sahaba received direct training from the Holy Prophet (pbuh). They witnessed the revelation of the Qur’an, heard Hadiths directly, and observed the Prophet’s behaviour. This closeness gave them extraordinary sincerity. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), Hazrat Umar (ra), Hazrat Uthman (ra), Hazrat Ali (ra), and others were not merely scholars, but living models. They could convince entire nations by their conduct.

Divine Warning

 

In this modern world we live in, everyone can see with their own eyes how the earth is suffering, struck by all kinds of calamities: earthquakes, floods, extreme heat, cyclones and diseases, affecting people and nations without distinction. In many countries, death comes in masses; thousands lose their lives in earthquakes, entire families disappear in floodwaters, and unbearable heat kills the elderly and vulnerable. Allah has warned all of humanity in the Qur’an:

 

“And We already sent Messengers to peoples before you (the Prophet); then We seized them with poverty and hardships [calamities] so that they might humble themselves and return to Us.” (Al-An‘am 6: 43)

 

In other words, Allah tests His servants, humans who pledged to uphold divine commandments, to distinguish between those who fulfil their promise sincerely and those who turn away from their commitments. This test is not new; Allah tested peoples before us and will continue to test peoples after us. As long as humans live on earth, Allah will test them, to separate the believer from the non-believer, the sincere from the insincere, the good from the bad. We must remember that Allah has already sent calamities upon past peoples so that they might return to Him in humility.

The Martyrdom of Imam Hussein (ra)

Today is Friday of Ashura, the 10^th of Muharram 1448, exactly 1387 Islamic years (Hijri) since the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussein (ra), son of Hazrat Ali Ibn Abu Talib (ra) and Hazrat Fatima (ra), and grandson of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). Until today, the event of Karbala remains a truth that has marked human conscience across centuries through the courage of Hazrat Imam Hussein (ra) and all the members of the family of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), young and old, who were present at Karbala to fight against a merciless tyrant who sought power, wealth and status, and who was even ready to kill the beloved family of the greatest of prophets (pbuh) to establish his illegitimate rule upon the earth.

 

This event must be recounted so that the youth of today remember the extraordinary sacrifice that Imam Hussein (ra) and the rest of the family of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) made to preserve the honour of Islam and the honour of truth intact in the face of impurities that sought to stain Islam (that is, to spoil the image of Islam). This story must remain within each of us, in our hearts – if indeed we claim to have love for Allah, for His Prophet, for His family, for His companions and for the rest of the Ummah – an Ummah of pure people, who struggle each day so that the truth of Islam triumphs over the reign of evil in the world. This sacrifice must remain engraved, alive within our hearts.

The Month of Muharram

  

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah. (All praise belongs to Allah, then again all praise belongs to Allah), Allah has granted us the Tawfiq (blessed opportunity) to witness the beginning of a new year in the Islamic calendar. Among all the months of the Islamic calendar, a lunar calendar, Allah has made four of them sacred:

 

“For Allah, the number of months in a year which He prescribed on the day He created the heavens and the earth is twelve months, among which four are sacred (Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qaddah and Dhul-Hijjah). That is the right religion. Do not wrong yourselves during these months. But fight the idolaters all together, just as they fight you all together. And know that Allah is with those who are mindful of Him.” (At-Tauba 9:36)

Death in Islam

 

Life and death are in the Hand of Allah. In the Qur’an, Allah says: “Kullu nafsin zaa-i-qatul mawt; thumma ilayna turja‘uun” Every soul shall taste death; then unto Us you shall be returned. (Al-Ankabut 29: 58)

This is a fundamental reminder showing that life on earth is only a passage; death is not an end in itself but a transition towards eternity. What is truly decisive is the state in which a person leaves this world, for as our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Every servant will be resurrected upon that which he died.” (Muslim)

 

This saying of the Prophet (pbuh) opens for us a profound reflection. Death is not a coincidence; it is a seal upon the spiritual condition of a person. If someone dies in obedience to Allah, he will be resurrected in an honourable state; if he dies in disobedience, he will be resurrected in humiliation. Therefore, a believer must be vigilant in preserving his faith and maintain this vigilance at every moment of his life so that he does not slip in his faith and fall into loss.

Love for the Holy Prophet

  

Islam preaches belief in all the Prophets of Allah and calls for love and respect among all of us (prophets). Yet for a true believer in Islam, it is necessary to love the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) more than one’s own family. This love is essential, for it teaches the believer the value of obedience to Allah and obedience to His Prophet; and the Prophet who has been granted the highest rank before Allah is indeed Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). Thus, naturally and contextually in Islam, respect and love for the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) must be elevated. Allah commanded His Prophet to say: “If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Al-Imran 3: 32)

The Sacrifice behind Eid-ul-Adha

 

Eid-ul-Adha (Bakr Eid) remains a profoundly sacred moment – the greatest Eid – which recalls an extraordinary story: that of the Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and his son Hazrat Isma’il (as). Allah commanded Hazrat Ibrahim (as) through a vision to sacrifice his son, Hazrat Isma’il (as). Hazrat Isma’il (as) had not yet reached the age of puberty, yet at this tender age he accepted with complete submission that his father should sacrifice him by Allah’s command; Hazrat Isma’il (as) displayed unparalleled courage and faith. The Qur’an honours him in these words, where his sacrifice was immortalised: “When they both submitted (to Allah’s command) and Ibrahim laid him down upon his forehead, We called out to him: ‘O Ibrahim, you have indeed fulfilled the vision.’ Thus do We reward those who do good. Surely this was a clear test.” (As-Saffat 37: 104-107).

Eid-ul-Adha Sermon 2026

 Hajj & Qurbani

In its spiritual depth, Hajj and Qurbani are two rites that mark the soul of the Islamic Ummah and which, each year, remind some among us of the sacrifices of two great prophets of Allah – Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and Hazrat Isma’il (as), as well as the sacrifice of Hazrat Isma’il’s (as) mother, Hazrat Hajra (ra).

This year, while the world is prey to conflicts, political tensions and war, these rites remind us that true peace lies in submission to one Creator, one God, the Only True God: Allah (twa). They also make us realise that as long as we, Muslims, are not faithful to Islam as we should be, as long as we are not faithful to its teachings, whether in terms of Qur’anic teachings or prophetic teachings (the Sunnah), then Islam and Muslims will continue to feel weakened within, despite the fact that Allah has given us the capacity to prevail over adversaries and relentless enemies who wish to eradicate Islam and Muslims from the surface of the earth.

The gifts of Islam

 

Reproduced below is a section from the writings of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian [1835-1908], the Muslim saintly figure who claimed under Divine inspiration that he is the promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi of the Later Days. Hazrat Ahmad (as) explains here the transformative potential of Islamic beliefs and practices upon the spiritual fortunes of a human soul striving steadfastly and sincerely in the pure path of the Prophets, seeking the Face of God: attain true humility and Taqwah; gain Holy Communion- be blessed with Divine converse and dialogue, and thereby partake of lofty discourse and deep guidance; indeed, become a true heir to the cognition of God in their times.

Islam: An Incomparable Gift

 

Islam is a gift that Allah has given to humanity at its birth; and it is a more honourable gift for anyone who is born Muslim and who grows up in the Islamic environment. A child’s upbringing in this honourable environment means that the parents also have a very great responsibility to guide them and maintain them in this Islamic, pure environment until these children become sufficiently mature, especially after the age of puberty, to know the difference between good and evil and to choose with full awareness to follow the path of truth, the path of Islam; and to make effort themselves to remain attached to the straight path, and to do everything possible to gain the pleasure of Allah, and to become a true Muslim, not by birth or by the Islamic environment in which they grew up, but by choice; a choice that is personal, that is pure, where a child, an adolescent, or even an adult – whether a young adult or even one in middle age – all have a choice to make. After the parental education they have received, where their parents guided them towards Allah, towards His Deen, towards good practice that will lead them to Paradise, will they follow this path or follow a path led astray by the influence of bad companions, bad guides who exist in the world and whose primary work is to divert them from the straight path?

Preparation for the Afterlife

  

In Islam, we all know that this worldly life is temporary. Our bodies of clay and water, of flesh and bones, will decay; while it is our soul that will return to its Creator, the One Who gives life. The Creator is indeed the One Who gives life, and He is also the One Who takes life back. The life of a human being is an Amaanat (a trust) given to his parents, his family, his environment and native land – and wherever he resides upon the earth – only for a short time. Death is a truth that cannot be denied; it is an obligatory passage that every soul must taste. Allah says in the Qur’an: “Kullu nafsin zaa’ikatul mawt” [Every soul shall taste death.] (Al-‘Imran 3: 186)

Faith & Action

 

Faith and action is a subject that deserves deep reflection, because the relationship between the two cannot be broken. When a person believes in Allah, in the Day of Judgement, and in the message of the prophets, he receives a profound motivation to please his Creator, to walk on the straight path, and to prepare for his return to Him. Faith without action is like a lamp without light; and action without faith is like a body without a soul. Allah informs us in the Qur’an: “He who created life and death in order to test you, as to which of you is best in conduct; He is Mighty and Forgiving” (Al-Mulk 67: 3). This shows that existence itself is a test, an examination that humans must pass, and the principal criterion is the quality of their actions.

'Sunnah' on Labour Rights

 The Rights & Respect for all Good Workers

 

The human condition rests upon two fundamental states: either a person enjoys good health, or he is ill. Workers, like all people, deserve respect and justice in all circumstances. Islam teaches that every human being must be treated with dignity, compassion, and fairness. The right of a worker includes receiving a fair wage, work according to his capacity, and a balanced schedule that is healthy – not exceeding limits. When a worker falls ill, his employer must make arrangements for his physical and spiritual recovery; that is, to support him with sympathy and assistance. Our Creator – Allah – has shown that Islam is not merely a religion, but a complete code of life that protects the rights of every person, including workers.

 

In the Qur’an, Allah says: “Indeed, Allah commands you to fulfil your trusts to those to whom they are due, and when you judge between people, judge with justice.” (An-Nisa 4: 59)

Life & Health as an 'Amaanah'

  

Health is a sacred treasure that Allah has granted to each of us; it is a capital that cannot be purchased with money. In the Qur’an, Allah says: “And do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruction” (Al-Baqara 2: 196). Among the many interpretations of this verse, one is that a believer must preserve his health, and this is also a religious obligation; a responsibility towards our Creator – Allah. In another verse, Allah says: “And do not kill the (human) life (Nafs) which Allah has made sacred, except by justice” (Bani Isra’il 17:34).

 

This divine reminder shows the value of the human body as a sanctuary that must be protected. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also said: “Your body has rights over you” (Bukhari). This Hadith teaches us that caring for health is not a luxury, but a duty.

Stages in Proximity with Allah

  

In spiritual life, one truth remains eternal: whoever remembers Allah with sincerity receives a special light, a Nur, which illuminates his heart and purifies his soul. Allah has said in the Qur’an:

 

“Remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and never be ungrateful.” (Al-Baqara 2: 153).

 

This verse, this divine word, is truly powerful. It shows two fundamental principles: Zikrullah (Remembrance of our Creator) and Shukrullah (Gratitude towards our Creator). These two principles form the foundation of the spiritual life of a true believer, and they attract divine reward upon him. A servant of Allah who practises these two principles finds his path opened towards divine closeness and towards a life filled with Allah’s blessings.