Sirat-un-Nabi Speech 2020

In a special Speech delivered on 31 October 2020~15 Rabi’ul Awwal 1442 AH against the backdrop of Milad-e-Sharief/ Seerat-un-Nabi 2020, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius provides an appealing portrait of the life and times and teachings of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa(sa). Appearing at a very critical moment in history when idolatry and inequity stalked the world in all its diverse regions, the Prophet of Islam devoted his life to re-establish Divine Unity and Heavenly Order (Tawheed) in the world. Through a perpetual struggle against evil in all its  settings and manifestations, the Holy Prophet (sa) stood up for justice and fairness, compassion and understanding, kinship and giving for all of humanity, beyond all racial, ethnic/tribal or other individual or national considerations and prejudices. Indeed, the Islamic Way celebrates the diversity in Creation- of races and languages, animals and plants, flowers and colours in nature and the environment as a wondrous sign of the Unique Creator and Master and Protector of the Universe. Through the advocacy of sublime, ethical teachings designed to truly benefit all humankind in their everyday lives, the Holy Prophet (sa) blazed the trail of a path of spiritual liberation from false deities and their misleading conjectures. Islamic teachings offer social emancipation for everyone in their specific contexts: men; women; the youth; the aged; the widows; the indigent, the enslaved, etc. By constantly reminding about the Day of Reckoning, Islam put the fear of God on the hearts of the rich and the powerful in their dealings with the rest of the society. Indeed, the Islamic social order recognizes specific rights and corresponding obligations on all members of human solidarity, and everyone stand to gain by observing the duties towards God and fellow humans. Indeed, the noble teachings as well as the exemplary personal record of the Holy Prophet (sa) in establishing an ideal way of life remains to this day as a glittering star to guide mankind for all times, notes Hazrat Saheb (aba) in the Speech. 

Read the Discourse Below: 

My dear disciples, and my other brothers, sisters and children of Islam, I wish you all: 

Assalamoualaikum Warahmatullah Wabarakaatuhu

In the context of the Sirat-un-Nabi, I have chosen to talk to you about several aspects of the life and personality of the Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh), including the events preceding his birth.

Poem: ‘The Light of Muhammad’

In the cultural memory of the Muslims, Rabi’ul Awwal 12 marks the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). As the messenger of God and embodiment of Qur’anic ethics, the Prophet of Islam spiritually-liberated humankind for all times from the clutches of devilish ideologies and pagan practices in the name of deities and divinity. His exemplary personal qualities of head and heart inspired generations of people to value faith above the world, and yet, earthly dominance did not elude them either. Despite a millennium of hostile propaganda by anti-Muslim elements, independent historians today openly admit and recognize that the Prophet of Islam stands tall amidst the rise and fall of nations in the shifting sands of time. If Hazrat Ibrahim (as) was once given a Divine-promise of an Ummah as numerous as the stars on the night-sky, at one level, its literal fulfilment is found in the dominance and global spread of Islam through the centuries. It is also instructive to note that by all accounts, Islam is the religion of the future as well. Indeed, the light of Muhammad continues to illumine the spiritual horizons of the world- with more and more people finding solace in the shade of the Prophetic Teachings, as time goes by.

Reproduced below is the translation of a Persian poem by the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (originally appeared in the Review of Religions of February 1991):

 

What a marvellous light

And radiance is to be found

In the life and person

Of Muhammad! Indeed this is a mine

Wonderfully rich in rubies

Of priceless worth.

 

Look wheresoever, I may,

In the two worlds

I can absolutely find no one

With the greatness and grandeur

Of this the greatest benefactor

Of the human race.

 

If you long to obtain

Deliverance from the lust

Of your mind, then come

To include yourself

Among his devotees.

'Sirat Allah' and Women

Two distinct strands are visible in male attitudes towards women in different cultures before Islam. At one end of this spectrum, in idolatrous nations, in the rituals of religion, we see the celebration of women as daughters of God, making them deities and goddesses on a lofty pedestal. On the other end, in real life, women face discrimination and injustice and ‘glass ceilings’ everywhere. This glaring contradiction in religious outlook and social practice abounds, on a much larger scale, in the traditional patriarchal frameworks of our societies: the male elites claim to respect and 'worship' women deities, yet they relegate their women to an inferior position- ignoring their dignity and identity, and denying them their interests and rights on an equal footing. 

Islam emerged in an Arabian social order that was already grappling with these broad trends on the status of women. In the pre-Islamic Arabia, many people worshipped female deities and goddesses as well as angels with female names such as al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat, etc. In spite of such religious practices, like many other patriarchal societies around the world at that time and later, in pre-Islamic Arabia, the dominant male gaze betrayed a contempt for women- reflective in their preference for male progeny and regarding daughters as no more than a necessary evil. While the gender of the child should make no difference in the flow of parental love, it is the decadent social order that hinders the true appreciation of, and gratitude towards God, for the miracle of life in their midst. Indeed, to expound on its progressive outlook on women’s role and function in the social order of the believers, the Qur’an condemns the manifest contradictions in the pre-Islamic Arab attitudes on the question of women: 

‘They ascribe daughters unto God, who is limitless in His glory- whereas for themselves (they would choose, if they could , only) what they desire (male issue): for, whenever any of them is given the glad tiding of (the birth of) a girl, his face darkens, and he is filled with suppressed anger, avoiding all people because of the (alleged) evil of the glad tiding which he has received (and debating within himself:) Shall he keep this (child) despite the contempt (which he feels for it)- or shall he bury it in the dust? Oh, evil indeed is whatever they decide!’ (16: 58-60). 

‘Why for yourselves (you would choose only) male offspring, whereas to Him (you assign) female: that, lo and behold, is an unfair division!’ (53: 22-23). 

Hence, the Qur’an utterly condemns the pre-Islamic male attitudes towards the suppression of women. Female infanticide and foeticide are among the evil practices that continue to exist even in our times. The pre-Islamic practice of burying girls alive may or may not be happening on a larger scale now. However, its modern equivalents such as denying girls’ access to opportunities for developing their qualities and potentials continue to be a bane of several societies. For instance, it was only recently that the Taliban regime wanted to close down women’s education in Afghanistan. It is ironic that Muslim communities privilege pre-Islamic practices that ignore or evade or seek to bend Islamic teachings to suit their social conservatism. In the name of religion and customary practices, women are being denied ‘an equal sky’. 

'Duah': Invocations to Allah- XII

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah - By the Grace of Allah, it is the twelfth week today since I have been speaking to you about “duahs” (invocations or supplications to Allah, The Unique God) in my Friday sermons. Today I present to you some “duahs” that are found in the Holy Quran. All the movements in prayers [be it in Salat & duahs] express the deepest humility before God. The tongue and heart, body and soul come together to sing the praises of God and to praise His Glory and Greatness, and to express verbally and concretely the most complete state of weakness and humility of man. In the Holy Quran Allah (swt) has shown us many duahs through His Messengers. Now I present to you these few Quranic duahs. 

To seek the good of this world and the hereafter:

Rabbana aatina fid-dunya hasanataww wa fil ‘akhirati hasanataww waqina ‘azaaban-naar. Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire!  

Rabbana hablana min azwaajina wa zurriy-yatina, qurrata ayuniww-wa-jalna lil-muttaqeena Imaama. Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous. 

Rabbi innii limaa anzalta ilayya min khayrin faqiir. My Lord, I am in great need of whatever good You bestow on me.  

‘Darsul Qur’an’ in Malayalam

Qur’an for Soul Illumination

As the religion established by the Creator Himself, Islam’s teachings display an inherent awareness about human nature. It shows an intuitive understanding about the sublime heights to which a humble soul can soar high- or rather, be lifted up by the Heavenly Grace. It also indicates the darker depths to which the arrogant self would be brought down by the raging fires of Hell within when it moves away from its truer moorings. 'Did We not give him two eyes, a tongue, two lips, and point out to him the two clear ways (of good and evil)?' (HQ, 90: 9-11). 'Truly We guided him upon the way, be he grateful or ungrateful' (76: 4).   

According to the Book of God, what lays ahead for the human soul as well as for the wider fortunes of a nation is entirely based on the choices they prefer; the informed decisions they make concerning their own material and spiritual futures. Indeed, the God-gifted free will allows the humans to choose their life journeys: both the highways of righteousness and moderation, and of evil and injustice are open for selection by individuals and their communities and nations. The Holy Prophet (sa) clearly advised, 'O people! There are only two highways: the highway of good and the highway of evil. Make not the highway of evil more beloved to you than the highway of good'. Whether to become a people of moral responsibility and ethical restraint, who prefer racial and religious amity, tolerance of other ways of life, compassion for the less privileged, and show residual goodwill for all fellow beings- including animals and nature; or to become a society of maniacs who thrive on conquest, disorder and triumphalism- each could pursue what one prefers in this world for as long as Allah (swt) wills it so. After all, the final outcome or the eventual judgement of all matters are in the Hands of Allah (swt).   

In the perplexing surroundings of life on earth, the human soul craves for pure guidance: it is to aid and help in this latent human quest for illumination that Allah (swt) sends His messages through His chosen representatives in every era- a sublime act of mercy for His earthly creatures. Indeed, the advent of the Holy Prophet (sa) and the exemplary model of patience and steadfastness and Divine consciousness he left behind as his life in this world is a perennial source of inspiration for all those who are at crossroads of life, but remain in awe of God at all times: 'The Messenger of God is an excellent model for those of you who put your hope in God and the Last Day and remember Him often' (HQ, 33:22). 

Indeed, the Book of God left behind by the Prophet (sa) provides all encompassing guidance to the human soul, illuminating the correct and straight path to tread in the contingent circumstances of our earthly life. According to the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), there are over 700 verses of clear rulings in the Holy Qur’an and it is only by being aware of, and following them in full measure, that we become believers. Hazrat Mirza (as) wrote:

 ‘...beware and do not take a single step contrary to the teaching of God and the guidance of the Quran. I tell you truly that anyone who disregards even a small injunction of the seven hundred commandments of the Quran, shuts upon himself the door of salvation’.(Noah’s Ark, p. 42, UK edition, 2018). 

'Duah' : Invocations to Allah- X

'Massih Maoud' @ 10

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, [yesterday] September 10 marked 10 years of my official proclamation as the Promised Messiah of this era and the Mujaddid of the 15th century of the Hegira (September 10, 2010- 2020). Certainly, when an honour comes from Allah, He proclaims it in the heavens and on the earth in an exhilarating way, and the faithful and the seekers of truth are those who come forward because Allah opens their hearts to recognize and accept this truth.

All glory belongs to Allah Who has raised me as His Chosen Servant and Messenger in this century and bestowed upon me the honour/ title/ mantle of Messiah and Reformer for the benefit of mankind.

It is my humble prayer that Allah may guide the people who have the fear of Allah in their hearts and direct them to His Divine Manifestation of this century and to the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam so that Islam and humanity as a whole be welded once again under the banner of Tawheed (the oneness of God). Ameen.

Today the world is in the grip of multiple degradations, both on the material and spiritual front. We can say that the world is very sick, the people are in extreme pain. Our little Mauritius is also not spared from the dangers that lie in wait [and which have already gripped it], especially with the doubtful and worrying events which have occurred in recent months with the entry of the Japanese bulk carrier “Wakashio” into our territory at Pointe d’Esny and the drama that followed with the leak of tons of diesel and fuel oil making the coast of Mauritius unrecognizable and killing sea creatures. 

After this event, many events took place, but Insha-Allah, if Allah give me the Tawfiq, I will speak to you a little more about this in another speech. 

What I want you to understand is that humanity is in danger [like I have since the beginning told you and keep repeating to you], the conscience of man is in danger because this conscience is threatened by malicious troubles which make him choose the world over the spiritual [Allah]. He prefers to race for money and vain pleasures instead of seeking true spiritual pleasure, the pleasure of Allah which is eternal.

Therefore, prayer is essential in our daily life. Without prayer to the One God [Allah] and without His remembrance (Zikr), we will achieve nothing. Remembering Allah is to guarantee a strong bond with Him, to guarantee His pleasure for us and His help in all circumstances of our life.

Pandemic and the Prophet

[Reproduced below is an article by Dr. Craig Considine of the USA. Originally appeared in Newsweek International on 17 March 2020; against the backdrop of the Covid-19 global pandemic, the article provides a glimpse into the Divinely-inspired advices and healthy practices left behind by the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa). In the search for safety and security from the deadly contagion stalking the world today, the finest minds amongst us testify to the stunning validity and effectiveness of the Prophetic practices even in these uncertain times. Along with his devoted prayers to God Almighty, the Holy Prophet (sa) valued reason and common sense in every day life, including in the fight against epidemics: a lesson for all who truly seek to practice the most ideal way of life]. 

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing governments and news sources to provide the most accurate and helpful advice to the world's population, as the disease is indeed global in reach. Health care professionals are in high demand, and so too are scientists who study the transmission and effect of pandemics.

Experts like immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci and medical reporter Dr. Sanjay Gupta are saying that good hygiene and quarantining, or the practice of isolating from others in the hope of preventing the spread of contagious diseases, are the most effective tools to contain COVID-19.

Do you know who else suggested good hygiene and quarantining during a pandemic?

Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, over 1,300 years ago.

While he is by no means a "traditional" expert on matters of deadly diseases, Muhammad nonetheless had sound advice to prevent and combat a development like COVID-19.

Muhammad said: "If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; but if the plague outbreaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place."

He also said: "Those with contagious diseases should be kept away from those who are healthy."

Muhammad also strongly encouraged human beings to adhere to hygienic practices that would keep people safe from infection. Consider the following hadiths, or sayings of Prophet Muhammad:

"Cleanliness is part of faith."

'Duah': Invocations to Allah- IX

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, I implore God by His most beautiful names and His most sublime attributes, and I thank Him for giving me the blessed opportunity to continue the Friday Sermon series on the duahs of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). I am making this effort only by the grace and help of Allah. I also implore Him to enable me to benefit from them both during my lifetime on earth and after my death, and to share it with the people - anyone who reads the sermons on the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam’s website. All praise is to Almighty God [Allah] and we praise and implore His help as well as His forgiveness. Ameen.

As for the Holy Prophet (pbuh), he tells us: “He who remembers his Lord and he who does not remember his Lord are like the living and the dead.” (Muslim)

Anyone who recites a letter from the Book of God will have done a good deed knowing that every good deed is rewarded many times. And I don't mean by letter: Alif-Lam-Mim, because Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter. (Tirmidhi)

Now let’s see the duahs which Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) used to recite:

Allahumma anta Rabbi, Laa Ilaaha Illa anta khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana ala ahdika wa wa’dika maa stata’tu. Audhu bika min sharri maa sana’tu. Abu’u laka bini’matika alayya wa abu’u bi-dhanbi. Faghfir li fa-innahu laa yaghfiru dh-dhunuuba ilaa anta.

O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped except You; You created me and I am Your servant and I abide to Your covenant and promise as best I can, I take refuge in You from the evil of which I have committed. I acknowledge Your favour upon me and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sin except You. (Bukhari)

Allahumma afini fi badani. Allahumma aafini fi sam’i. Allahumma aafini fi basari Laa Ilaaha Illa anta. Allahumma inni audhu bika minal kufi, wal-faqri. Wa audhu bika min adhabil-qabri. Laa Ilaaha Illa anta. [to recite three times]

O Allah, make me healthy in my body. O Allah, preserve for me my hearing. O Allah, preserve for me my sight. There is none worthy of worship but You.

O Allah, I seek refuge in you from disbelief and poverty and I seek refuge in you from the punishment of the grave. There is none worthy of worship but you. (Bukhari, Abu Dawud, Ahmad)

Hasbiy-Allahu Laa Ilaaha Illa huwa alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa Rabbul arshil azeem. [to recite seven times]

Allah is sufficient for me, there is no Deity except Him. I place my trust in Him and He is the Lord of the great throne. (Abu Dawud)

Whoever recite these words seven times in the morning and in the evening will see God spare him from all the worries that will preoccupy him, both on this earth and in the hereafter.

'Duah': Invocations to Allah-VIII

Waz-zaakiriinallaaha kasiiraww-wa zaaakiraati ‘a-‘addallaahu lahum-maghfirataww-wa ‘ajran ‘aziimaa.

… men and women who remember Allah often—for (all of) them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward. (Al-Ahzab 33 : 36)

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, thus stated: “I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My Heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance), and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near Me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him.”

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, Allah (swt) gave me the Tawfiq to continue my sermons on the subject of “Duahs” and today is the 8th part. All this is by the grace of Allah (swt) and His blessing and where He is pouring these duahs on me so that I can present them in front of all the brothers, sisters and children in Islam as well as all my dear disciples around the world. Ya Allah, Ya Azim, Ya Ghaffar, Ya Rabbul Aalameen (O Allah The Almighty, The Indulgent, The Master of all worlds), thank you for all Ilm (knowledge) that You pour out on me so that I lead Your servants on the right path. Ameen.

We pray that Allah (swt) will grant mercy, salvation and blessing to our prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as well as to his family and all of his companions. Ameen.

It is thanks to this great prophet Rahmatul-lil-Aalameen (who is a mercy to the whole universe) that we know these duahs. Allah taught us the duahs that His Nabi Kareem (pbuh) used to address to Him, and especially under what circumstances they should be recited. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself is this perfect guide and model, and we have no guide except the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). [That is to say] It is from him that all people take example in order to perfect their own Islam and Iman (faith).

'Duah': Invocations to Allah- VII

Yaaa-’ayyuhallaziina ‘aamanuz kuru-laaha zikran-kasiiraa; Wa sabbihuuhu bukrataww-wa ‘asiilaa.

O you who believe, remember Allah abundantly, and glorify Him morning and evening. (Al-Ahzab 33: 42-43)

In a Hadith found in Sahih Muslim, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “When a group of people assemble for the remembrance of Allah, the angels surround them (with their wings), (Allah’s) mercy envelops them, Sakina, or tranquillity descends upon them and Allah makes a mention of them before those who are near Him.”

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, we have entered a new Islamic year, the year 1442 Hijri and today is the 1st Muharram. Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.

As you all know, Muharram is one of the four holy months, along with Rajab, Dhul-Qaddah, and Dhul-Hijjah. For the Muslim, it is the start of our new Islamic year. So, I wish all Muslims all over the world, as well as my followers in different countries of the world, a “Naya Saal Mubarak”.

'Duah': Invocations to Allah- VI

Alhamdulillah Summa Alhamdulillah, it is purely by the grace of Allah that I continue my sermon on the subject of duahs. 

In Bukhari's book of Hadiths, Kitab’ul Manaqib, there is mention of a duah for Hadhrat Jabir Bin Abdullah (ra). The introduction is as follows: the narrator relates that Hadhrat Jabir (ra) said: My father Abdullah died in a state where he was in debt... and certainly it is very important that when someone dies leaving a debt/ some debts, then the first thing to do is that his children have to repay his debts.

Hadhrat Jabir (ra) said: I was very worried because there were only a few dates with me [in my property], and that was not enough to pay off all of his debts. So I went to Hadhrat Muhammad (pbuh) and said to him: These few dates that I have are not enough to pay off my father's debts, and I [then] have to keep paying that debt for many more years... and he said to the Holy Prophet (pbuh): “Come with me, so that his creditors don't abuse me.”

Since his creditors were all Muslims, he thought that when they would see Hadhrat Muhammad (pbuh) with him, they would not abuse him. Hadhrat Muhammad (pbuh) told him to go and collect all the dates and put them in a pile. Hadhrat Muhammad (pbuh) then went around the dates making duahs. Then he sat down and advised the creditors to forgive Hadhrat Jabir bin Abdullah (ra).

Jabir (ra) said: 'I paid all my creditors in the form of dates until all of my father's debts were completely paid off. And as much as the amount of dates which Hadhrat Muhammad (pbuh) had given as payment, a similar number remained thanks to the prayer that Hadhrat Muhammad (pbuh) made'.

'Duah': Invocations to Allah- V

Allah says in the Quran: “Invoke your Lord in humility and secretly; Indeed, He does not like transgressors. And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope; Surely, Allah’s Mercy is (ever) near unto those who do good.” (Al-Arraf 7: 56 & 57)

[In light of these Quranic verses, Huzur (atba) spoke about the importance of making peace, and keeping peace, and to invoke Allah in secret, and the best way to invoke Allah in secret is when you wake up at night for the Tahajjud prayer, where you meet Allah in secret, whereby no one knows about it and you invoke Him. A person may not invoke Allah only at night, but also during the day in his Zikr. Allah may not accept a duah right away, or the next day or in a week, etc. After many years also He can grant that duah and fulfill it. 

Do not do like the woman who despite being in prayer but each time someone came at her neighbour’s place, she used to count the number of people by placing pebbles and then she used to count the number of people who came through the number of pebbles which there were. In the end, it is these very pebbles which formed a barrier between her and Heaven and finally she fell into hell. On the other hand, there is the example of the prostitute upon whom Allah has mercy because of a good deed she did. On day, she saw one of the creatures of Allah, a thirsty dog. She put herself to great trouble only to quench the thirst of the dog. She went to seek water for it and removed her shoe and used it as a recipient to hold water so that she could give it to the dog and quench its thirst. In the end, Allah admitted her to Paradise for her good deed.

You should never create disorder on earth after you have secretly invoked Allah. You should not nullify your invocations and prayers by doing evil upon the earth. And you should not dare to say that despite multiple prayers that you have done, but Allah is not fulfilling those invocations. You should never doubt the ability of Allah to fulfill those duahs. On the contrary, a believer should always trust in Allah and be confident that Allah will listen and grant him his prayers. 

Du'ah: Invocation to Allah- I

'Who is it that answers the distressed when they call upon Him? Who removes their suffering? Who makes you successors in the earth? Is it another god beside God? Little notice you take!' .---(Surah An-Naml; 27: 63).

After having expounded on the ATTRIBUTES OF ALLAH – and I hope that you understood the subject well - I begin today a series of sermons [Friday sermons] on invocations [to Allah] - DUAHS.

In the light of the verses that I have just recited before you, I will teach you some invocations (duahs) that Allah (swt) Himself taught me by His grace and His favours. And personally, I think that Allah (swt) had taught in the same way [these invocations] to His chosen servants in the past and I ask you all to listen carefully to these invocations and to say “Ameen” [May it be so] in your hearts.

Allah Himself opened my mind, enlightened my mind, and my heart, and He placed these extraordinary words on my lips [lit. in my mouth], so that I can address Him. As for me, I am just a beggar in front of [my doorstep] my Master’s door. It was by His grace and favours that He taught me how to address Him. Even if these invocations already exist, and I do not know of their existence, then it is a great favour of my Master to have taught them to me; certainly these are extraordinary invocations. So I have to be very grateful to my Allah [God] and I am very fortunate that Allah (swt) Himself taught me all these duahs [invocations]. Alhamdulillah.

O Allah, I am very weak, full of sins; every day by the weaknesses that overwhelm me [that I have], I commit sins. O Allah, I ask You to wash me of all my sins, to cleanse myself of all the faults that I have, to test my heart by the piety of hearts, O You Who effaces the stumbling of sinners.

The Attributes of Allah- VI

Al-Hafeez

It is purely by the grace of Allah that I continue my series of sermons on the attributes of Allah [Part 6] and to quote some attributes of Allah with certain explanations.

Al-Hafeez is an attribute of Allah which is derived from the word Hifz which means protection. So Al-Hafeez means The Protector. There is nothing in existence that can protect [us] all the time and in all situations because it requires knowledge that covers and encompasses every atom that exists and an absolute capacity.

No one except Allah the Almighty possess this. Therefore, He is the only one who has all knowledge. His knowledge covers everything. Nothing escapes His knowledge. And it’s Allah Almighty alone Who has the capacity [power] over everything. Nothing and no one can make Allah the Almighty incapable, powerless or helpless. So it’s He alone Who is Al-Hafeez. Allah the Almighty knows each creature and He knows where and in what situation it is. He knows what everyone needs and how much he needs. And He has the ability to grant him what he needs. Nothing can hinder [becoming an obstacle in] the work of Allah the Almighty. Reciting this attribute in abundance and invoking Him through this is a very effective way to develop trust in Allah the Almighty. It is a way for someone who is in distress and in pain to feel protected in regard to his life, his family, his property, his dignity and his honour.

Al-Hakeem: Hakeem is derived from Hikmah. Hikmah means wisdom, mastery and perfection. Nothing is perfect except Allah the Almighty. His work exceeds all skill and He is beyond all expertise. This is why in the truest sense of the word, it is Almighty Allah alone Who is Al-Hakeem. It is because of the fact that the knowledge of Allah Almighty is perfect. His work is perfect. It was Him who shaped each atom of the universe into a balanced and appropriate shape and dimension.

If we examine this from the verb Hakama which means to govern, then at that moment it will mean that all authority is in the hand of Allah the Almighty. His decision is final. No one can object or overturn His decision. And no one can even surpass Allah the Almighty in His power and authority.

When the word Hakeem is attributed to someone other than Allah the Almighty, then it means someone who has knowledge of the Deen and whose behaviour is based on the knowledge he has. That is to say someone whose behaviour does not betray his knowledge which is based and founded on established and solid principles.

If a person meditates on this attribute, he will completely submit to the decision of Allah the Almighty. Note that this submission does not prevent us from invoking Allah the Almighty, but what is essential is that we leave the final decision to Him and that we are satisfied with what happens to us after having invoked Him in prayers (duahs).

'Eid-ul-Fitr' Sermon 2020

I wish Eid Mubarak to all my disciples around the world and I pray that this Eid be a blessing for us and the entire Muslim world. Insha-Allah.

Islam uses the word “Eid” to express joy. It’s a day that comes at the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting and sacrifice. It is a day when our prayers (Salaat and Duahs) are accepted, and we must make this supplication: O Allah, make this day come more often. Ameen.

On that day, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) used to praise Allah in a very special way with great love and brilliance. A question was asked: When was Eid first celebrated?

The first Ramadan was observed in the second year of the Hegira and it was during this same Ramadan that Muslims fought the battle of Badr. The Muslims weren’t even done dressing the wounds of war. It is mentioned that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was so exhausted that he leaned on Hazrat Bilal (ra) and it was only with the help of the latter that he stood up and pronounced his sermon.

A few days before the celebration of Eid, he announced the Sadaqat-ul-Fitr which he had made compulsory for every Muslim. As soon as this Fitrana was announced, the companions generously contributed. The money thus collected was distributed among the poor before and after Eid festival.

However according to another tradition (Sunnah), it was during this same Eid that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) had, outdoors and in a vast place celebrated the Eid festival. According to Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (ra), the Holy Prophet (pbuh) in his sermon, placed great emphasis on the glory and the Hamd (praise) of Allah. He praised Allah in an extraordinary and special way.

The Truth about 'Isra-Miraj'

'Isra wa Miraj' is one of the most celebrated events in the Muslim cultural consciousness, and every year on the 27th of Rajab in the Hijri calendar, Muslims mark one of the greatest mystical experiences the Prophet Muhammad (sa) have had in his eternally-blessed life. Whereas 'Isra' points to the Night Journey from Makka to Jerusalem undertaken by the Holy Prophet (sa) in the space of a single night; 'Miraj' denotes the Heavenly Ascension where the Holy Prophet(sa) encountered several Judeo-Christian prophets and finally came into the Divine presence: within two-bows'length of God Himself or nearer (53:10). The spiritual journeys of the Holy Prophet(sa) are significant for the deep connection it establishes between Divine messages of the past and the present- between Islam and the Prophetic heritage of old, with the ancient religions with Jerusalem as their spiritual home. Likewise, it was during the Miraj that the ritual prayer of Islam- the Salat- recieved its present form and shape.

Although rooted in events indicated in the Qur'an, with a range of details described also in scores of sacred traditions attributed to the Holy Prophet (sa); there is, however, much confusion and misunderstanding prevails among the masses concerning the true nature and meaning of the 'Isra-Miraj' journeys. Whether both the Night Journey and the Heavenly Ascension were physical occurrences? Where these journeys point to one incident with two different names, or, are, in reality, two entirely-different incidents, or were they two-stages of one mystic experience? What is the meaning and significance of the 'Isra-Miraj' journeys for devout Muslims- those who aspire to the Divine Presence in the fashion of the blessed Prophet of Islam? On the occasion of the Miraj Shareef- Saturday, 21 March 2020~ 27 Rajab 1441 AH, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir A. Azim (atba) of Mauritius made a well-rounded speech after the Salat-ul-Esha to explain concerning the 'Miraj and Isra'.

Here is the Text of the Speech:

The Divine Mission @ 20

All Praise Belongs to the Almighty Alone. That is the defining thought for us as  the Divine Manifestation in Mauritius in the person of our beloved Imam Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (atba) marks the completion of the first two-decades of its spiritual mission this week. Even as the world marked the end of the second millennium after Jesus (as), and commenced a new century in the trajectory of time in the year 2000-01, spiritually-illumined dreams, sublime mystical visions and Divine revelations were bestowed upon this most humble man who already made it his life’s vocation to devote all his time and energy in sharing the Word of God to the people near and far.  As the Divine Manifestation enters its twenty-first year; this week also marks for the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International, the 12th anniversary of its distinct identity as a spiritual commune, Alhamdulillah, Soumma Alhamdulillah.

The Divine Manifestation of Mauritius is in perfect accordance with the finest traditions of Islamic spirituality. Indeed, it is a living, thriving example of the vitality of Islam as a religion and way of life. The deeply-rooted belief in the Islamic world- and the experience of the distinct Muslim communities around the world- regarding the appearance of Divinely-imbued souls among the believers finds one of its clearest manifestations in the spiritual circle of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam today. 

An Inspired, Divine Mission

Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) is a born-soldier of Islam, having had with him from a relatively very young age of his blessed life, an abiding interest in religious matters and an intuitive understanding of effective preaching and an exceptional drive to spread further and further the true message of Islam for all of humanity. Years before the Divine call, as a devout Daai-e-Ilallah, Hadhrat Munir was the ambassador of the Promised Massih (as) to several communities and peoples of the Indian Ocean Island-states, including Reunion Island (1990), Mayotte (1997) and Seychelles (2000), helping to establish the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in these distant lands. During those years, through his fervent prayers and the Divine Grace over his ardent preaching efforts,  hundreds of people in these nations got the opportunity to recognize the sublime path of true Islam. Indeed, in the annals of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, the extraordinary services rendered by this humble servant of Islam to the mission of the Promised Massih (as) had been recorded by the then (Fourth) caliph Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Sahib himself. Even more importantly, Allah (twa) showed His deep appreciation and profound satisfaction for the sincere and earnest efforts, when Allah (swt) took him under His wing of Mercy at the age of 40 when he became a frequent recipient of divine revelations and spiritually-infused messages from the Unseen. 

By the Grace of Allah (swt), for the last two decades now, Hadhrat Munir (atba) has been blessed with an abundance of Divine communications and spiritual messages, to a level and scale unheard of in the records of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya since the times of the Promised Massih (as) in the previous century.  Like the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908 CE) in the previous era, Hazrat Munir (atba)  claims Divine revelations and messages as the authority behind his spiritual titles and religious claims in this era. Allah (swt)  bestowed upon him several spiritual titles in this era- Hazrat, Amir-ul-Mu’mineen, Muhyi-ud-Din Khalifatullah; Mujaddid, Messiah, etc. He is charged with a Divinely-inspired mission of reclaiming and revitalizing the enduring message of Tawheed in this new century of the Islamic Era. 

'Khalifatullah': A Divine Blessing- III

The Promise of Allah to the Prophet & the Believers

It is by sheer grace of Allah that He has enabled me – armed me with the opportunity, courage and knowledge – to explain this subject to you in more details so that in the century you live in, this present century, you cannot say that you did not receive the message and that nobody gave you explanations, or did not enlighten you on the subject.

So, as the Khalifatullah of this era, I do the work that I have [been ordained] to do, and it is Allah Who guides and directs me to give those very important message because tomorrow when you present yourself before your Creator, you will not be able say you weren’t aware of anything. You will not be able to say, “No one said anything; I did not receive the message.” You will not be able to say this to your Creator! I am doing the work that Allah (swt) has given me, according to divine instruction and now it is up to you to take the responsibility to either accept or reject the message. It is up to you whether you accept it or turn your back on the divine message. Each one of you will be responsible for his action, on the Day of Retribution when each will be accountable to the Creator. In this temporal world, we are all travellers, we are temporary in this world; so we have to think a little bit about the afterlife, because it’s life after death that will be permanent for us.

Now I quote a verse found in Surah An-Nur, the Chapter “The Light” (24: 56), where Allah says: “He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them”. Similarly in Surah Al-Maida (5: 4), Allah also said, “This day I have perfected for you your religion, and have completed My favour upon you and have approved Islam for you as religion.”

'Good Life': Prophetic Teachings

‘Bear in mind that the present life is just a game, a diversion, an attraction, a cause of boasting among you, of rivalry in wealth and children. It is like plants that spring up after the rain: their growth at first delights the sowers, but then you see them wither away, turn yellow, and  become stubble. There is terrible punishment in the next life as well as forgiveness and approval from God; the life of this world is only an illusory pleasure. So race for your Lord’s forgiveness and a Garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers: that is God’s bounty, which He bestows on whoever He pleases. God’s bounty is infinite.’ (57:22) 

Leading a good life is an all-embracing aspiration for every human person in this world. And yet, what it means to lead a good life? In life’s varied settings, values professed by a person would guide the decision on what is ‘good’ for him/her under the conditions of individual and social life. Perhaps in shaping one’s frame of reference in such critical junctures, an ethical and spiritual outlook intuitively appeals to the human mind. Certainly, the teachings of religion -rooted as it is in the wisdom of the ages- offer fascinating ideas to reflect on, especially for those who are at the crossroads of life journeys. 

Those who struggle with life’s contingent circumstances could find profound insights, generative of amazing hope of Divine mercy in the rich legacy of Islamic teachings. The Islamic Way, or the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (sa), offers us glimpses of a good life for anyone hoping to embark on a journey in the highway to God. Muslim saints of the past have preserved in their books some of these appealing pieces of advice on leading a good life left behind by that great prophet of human kind. For the benefit of our readers, we reproduce below the gist of certain vital advices in the words of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) describing what it takes to lead a good life:

I. Ibn Abbas (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age; your health before your illness; your riches before your poverty; your free time before your work; and your life before your death.” (Attributed to Shu’ab al-Imān).

II. Abu Dharr reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, instruct me.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “I advise you to be mindful of Allah Almighty, for it will beautify all of your affairs.” I said, “Tell me more.” The Prophet said, “You must recite the Quran and remember Allah Almighty, for you will be mentioned in heaven and you will have light upon earth.” 

I said, “Tell me more.” The Prophet said, “You must observe long periods of silence, for it will drive away Satan and help you in the matter of your religion.” I said, “Tell me more.” The Prophet said, “Beware of too much laughter, for it will deaden the heart and take away the light on your face.”

I said, “Tell me more.” The Prophet said, “Speak the truth, even if it is bitter.” I said, “Tell me more.” The Prophet said, “Do not fear the blame of any critic in the matter of Allah.” ----[Attributed to Shu’ab al-Imān]