Islam and the West: Beyond Identity

More than ever before, individual and social identities are in flux. Ways of life as understood in both tradition-bound societies, and also in the advanced industrialized nations, are shifting under the strong currents of economic globalization and associated transformations. The usual lense of 'spiritual' East and 'materialist' West does not really explain the creeping changes around the world. In his Friday Sermon of 04 January 2019~ 27 Rabi’ul Aakhir 1440 AH,  Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius spoke about the growing churning happening in the Arab-Islamic world and in the West, pointing to a deep irony: whereas a 'god-less' Europe increasingly appreciates the values of diversity and humanitarianism at the root of a spiritual outlook; the rich-Arab States-despite their claims of faith in God- are increasingly turning to materialism and are virtually indifferent to the solidarity obligations of core Islamic values. Pointing to the inherent limitations of synthetic materialism to sustain human interest over the longer term and the profound appeal of the spiritual path in the inner quest of people for lasting happiness; Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) highlights the major opportunity it represents for Islam to fill the growing 'emptiness' in the West, even as the Speech underscores the profound need for the Muslim societies' in our times to appreciate and reclaim their pure faith/spiritual legacy from corrupting influences that grip their social orders: the 'worship' of riches;  denial of human rights; mindless extremism, internecine violence, etc. 

Read the Friday Sermon Below:   

SPIRITUALITY AND MATERIALISM

There is a common belief among us that the Arabs and Muslims in general are spiritual while the West, i.e. industrialist and capitalist American and European societies, is materialistic. But how true is this claim?

Politics of 'Jihad' and 'Victimhood' in Paris

The killings in Paris

Before coming on the subject matter of my sermon today, I shall talk a little on what has transpired in France, Paris last Friday, 13 November 2015. Friday the 13^th is believed by many, including the French people as a very inauspicious day. This superstition was reinforced with the killings which happened there (last Friday) and which made lots of victims. It was really a sad event, especially for the victims of these attacks. 

But unfortunately, I must stress also the fact that the Government of France, with all their arrogance won’t budge from their stand, especially concerning the giving of armaments to the people of Syria with the intention of capsizing the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, and also to reinforce their plans for the killings of the Muslims among themselves, thus weakening Islam further.

The Politics of 'Jihad'

It is true also that the type (and execution) of the Jihad which the so-called Muslims are putting into practice is completely unislamic. The attacks which they are perpetrating are not justifiable attacks as they are killing their own selves, committing suicide and having suicide as intention so as to kill innocent people.