Sacrifice and Striving: The Road to Success

The political, economic and ideological precepts and value systems being practiced today are leading the world, inevitably and inexorably, to the brink of natural and man made-disasters, including war. On the other hand, as a religion, Islam offers a fascinating, analytical framework to lead life in all its complex settings. Islam’s ability to appeal to the human mind and its innate capacity to recognize and accede to what is just and right and morally appropriate is evident from its great confidence and self assurance in declaring that the norms, principles and methods that Islam deploys to analyze and critique the worldly  systems and competing ideologies, will eventually gain universal appeal and traction. The open challenge to produce an equally appealing, if not exceeding, philosophy of life that Islam presents to the world stand testimonial to this magnificent edifice, built on the sure foundation of guidance from a Living and Ever-Subsisting God, as against the illusion-filled worship or pursuit of mere human images and conceptions.

Through his exemplary personal conduct and exceptional sacrifices, the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) portrayed the trajectory of practical spirituality in  individual and social life. Hadhrat Muhammad (sa), thus, left enduring imprints on the sands of time for all peoples and souls in search of the ultimate Divine reality. It is astonishing to note that even at times when material preoccupations have corrupted the general Muslim populace, Islam’s inherent capacity to produce the Divinely-raised saints in every age was never in doubt. These saints or Khalifatullah, who gave practical guidance on the ordinances of spiritual life in their epochs, injected fresh blood and revitalized Islam through their tireless sacrifices and striving in the cause of Allah and His religion.

As a way of life, the superiority of Islam over all other frameworks and ideologies, is self- evident to Muslims who practice Islam. The incremental expansion of the Muslim Ummah, in its own way, slowly but surely, testifies to the turning tide and the inevitable victory of the Divine Truth. The Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam is today engaged in this noble and extraordinarily important mission of spreading the message of Islam at many, different levels, with different initiatives being pursued simultaneously. In his Friday Sermon of March 15, 2013 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius exhorts the noble believers to imbibe and imprint in their hearts the culture of supreme sacrifice and mighty striving and do all they can in their every day life so that the glory of Islam can illuminate the world in its darkest hour.

SYRIA: Some Prophecies and the War Clouds

According to the Holy Qur’an, men of purified intelligence can ‘read’ the ‘world’ as a ‘text’. For, the Signs of Allah are present everywhere for the discerning eye. And there are many prophecies that will find there fulfilment in the promised Latter Days of Islam. Many of these prophecies have been indeed fulfilled in the times of the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as). And hidden dimensions and other subtleties of those prophecies unclear in the previous era will unveil itself and become apparent in the present times, Insha Allah, with Allah the Most High raising His Chosen Messenger for the era, Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius amongst us, Alhamdulillah.  

  

One of the stunning prophecies made by the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as) was about the arrival of the ‘Zaki Ghulam’/ ‘Musleh Maoud’ in the Jamaat-a- Ahmadiyya, who would be a servant of Allah for his times. Ruminating on future world events, the Promised Massih (as) indicated about troubling times ahead when there will be wars and countries invading one another, and instances of kings subjugating kings. He specifically mentioned that the centre of these all-encompassing troubles shall be Syria and that is the political and material context in which the Musleh Maoud would be making his Divine Mission. Most aspects of the signs were fulfilled in the times of Hadhrat Khalifa Sani Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad (ra), physically and literally. When Hadhrat Khalifa Sani (ra) made his public claim of being the Musleh Maoud, the Second World War was  still raging and there were troubles all over the Middle East and beyond, as indicated in the sacred prophecies.

It is astonishing to note that a great blessing for our times is that Allah has once again raised a spiritual son of the Promised Massih (as) with the grand title of ‘Musleh Maoud’ on February 20, 2004. It is also instructive to note that the political and military scenario emerging and unfolding in our times as well point to the arresting scenarios divined in the prophecies, if one pays close attention to the developments in the Arab world in the last decade and elsewhere. Indeed, for those who believe in Allah and His astoundingly subtle ways, these are times of a second Musleh Maoud in the personhood of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba), spiritually and metaphorically fulfilling the great Divine prophecies in this era.

The Divine Favour of Ahmadiyya Khilafat

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community takes pride in the Khilafat system which they have instituted among themselves. They elect their Khalifa from among themselves once a vacancy arises within the leadership. Both literally and in fact, that is the practice. Yet, Ahmadi leaders delude themselves to believe that they did not elect their Khalifa and that the electoral process in the International Majlis Shuura, is simply and merely a method for the implementation of the Divine Will, as their minds conceive it. And the Ahmadiyya theology would have us believe that the Khalifa or the man-elected-man enjoys the shadow of Divine favour and protection. 

With such theological technologies at hand, the leadership practices sophistry with élan: common folks in the Jamaat have been hoodwinked into vain desires of Divine nearness by their leaders for too long. Yet when you question Ahmadis about the Divine connection of their Khalifa, honest among them will admit: they have no sure knowledge on it, and they are merely following conjectures within the Jamaat and they never applied their reasoning power on their beliefs. It is instructive for Ahmadis to remember the admonition of the Holy Qur’an which provides a simple method to test the veracity of claims: And they say, ‘None shall enter Heaven unless he be a Jew or a Christian.’ These are their vain desires. Say, ‘Produce your proof, if you truthful.’ [Surah Al Baqarah, 2:112].

Unfortunately for the Jamaat –e- Ahmadiyya, the deep waters of Divine favour seem to have been dried up in our times. The present Khalifa Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib seems to have been deprived of the great and august blessing of Divine revelations. There is damning evidence that corroborates the assertion that Masroor Sahib does seem to have been stripped of this great Divine favour: for he completes almost a decade on the high seat of Khalifa, without ever presenting a Divine Message.

The Heavenly Signs of Hadhrat Ahmad (as)

One of the most important beliefs among the Muslims is the appearance of Al Imam Al Mahdi in the Latter Days. The grand prophecies of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) regarding the appearance of his substitute in the Latter Days also point to the sign of solar and lunar eclipses. The appearance of the Divinely-ordained soul took place at the appointed time and the signs of celestial events also fulfilled as foretold in the holy traditions. Allah the Most High kept his side of the bargain. Yet, the world in general and the contemporary theologians in particular, rejected him. 

In his Friday Sermon of 22 March 2013, Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius reflects on the personal background of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian who was raised to the august spiritual office of Al Imam Al Mahdi by Allah the Most High, against the backdrop of the decline of the fortunes of Muslims in India and their capacity to articulate Islam’s spiritual appeal in general. In his speech, the Khalifatullah (atba) bears witness to the sublime truth of Hadhrat Ahmad (as) and further, confirms that his own Divine Mission in this era is inextricably intertwined with the Divine Mission of the Promised Massih (as) in the previous era.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

The year 1835 holds a proud place in the human calendar. During that year a child was born in Qadian, an obscure village in northern India. For generations his ancestors had ruled with distinction over the region around Qadian. Prior to his arrival even Islam fell in decline and lost much of its glory. The child who was born was not ordinary. He was intended to bring about a great revolution not only in the realm of the spirit, but also well into the realm of matter. He was born on 13 February 1835 and was named Ghulam Ahmad by his parents and later became famous under the name of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani. He was appointed by God as the Messiah and Mahdi.

Interpreting the Prophecy on Musleh Maoud

In a special speech delivered on the occasion of the Musleh Maoud Day on February 20, 2013 Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius paid glowing tributes to the grand prophecy revealed to the Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) regarding the birth of an auspicious, blessed, fortunate son who would be a servant of Islam. Extolling the literal and physical fulfilment of that great prophecy in the time of the second Khalifa of the Jamaat-e- Ahmadiyya, Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad (ra), the Chosen Messenger of Allah of our times points to the contemporary relevance of this prophecy.

A revelation of Allah can be realised in many ways and in different eras also. Just as there was the physical fulfilment of this prophecy in the previous period, the metaphoric and spiritual fulfilment of the prophecy takes place in this era on 20 February 2004, when Allah the Most High raised Hadhrat Khalifatullah with the title: “Musleh Maoud”.  Further, drawing upon the principles of interpretation of numerical values familiar to the great, mystical saints of Islam, Hadhrat Sahib provides an interesting explanation regarding the fulfilment of the prophecy in this era on his august personhood, Alhamdulillah.

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:    

Prophecy on the "ARAB SPRING"

Contemporary world is characterized by an upsurge of democratic aspirations and collective struggles over fundamental human rights and freedoms and the quest for dignity and quality of living standards. And the signs of the "Latter Days"- prophecied in the Holy Qur’an -are apparent everywhere: in contemporary history, national political orders, international relations, economic systems, governance systems, human rights, women’s rights,  scientific breakthroughs, technological innovations, emergence of geological and astronomic insights, the phenomena of globalization, etc. At another level, developments in all fields of human activities and critical intellectual engagements, both in the Arab world and outside it, in our times, provide a profound testimonial to the wisdom and foresight of the author of the Holy Qur’an which contains the promise of enduring divine guidance for the believers along with the prophecies on the signs of the “Latter Days”.  It is to guide the mankind in these troublingly complex times that the Holy Qur’an prophecied about the advent of Divine Messengers in the Latter Days. 

According to the Holy Qur'an, "Allah knows  best where to place His Message" [6:125] and He raises His Messenger accordingly. We are, thus, living through a defining moment in world history: at a time when a Messenger of Allah in the person of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius (atba) is present among the African people to guide us on the path of spiritual upliftment and material progress.  Hadhrat Khalifatullah’s statements in 2009, appears in retrospect, a prescient forecast or prophecy on events yet to unfold with the recent emergence of the Arab Spring when the Arab massess in North Africa Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Algeria and elsewhere- revolted against their dictatorial elites and liberated themselves from decades of oppressive oligarchies.

Recent Dreams about the Divine Manifestation

“The world of dreams is in a manner like the world to come. The wonders that nature has sealed up in the dreamland and the mysteries therein and the manner in which these spiritual phenomena appear are similar to that of the Hereafter. One might say that the dreamland is a kind of reflection or a photograph of the world yet to come. That is why death and dreams have been spoken of as real sisters, alike in their features, appearance, components and integral parts.

The only way to have a glimpse at the secrets of the world to come without the aid of inspiration and revelation, is this source- the world of dreams; it is, therefore befitting for the wise and thinkers, if they are keen on acquiring some knowledge of the happenings of the next world, that they must ponder and deliberate over the happenings in the dreams because the wonders of the world to come are not unlike the wonders of the dreamland. Just as the state of dreams is created after a strange change so are the conditions transformed in the Hereafter”.- Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (SURMA CHASHM ARYA; p. 159).

By the grace of Allah, Allah keeps sending new revitalising signs in His Divine Manifestation as a constant blessing. In other words, Allah keeps on pouring down His multitudinous spiritual grace in the hearts of both His Chosen Servant, the Khalifatullah of this era, Hazrat Munir Ahmad Azim (atba) of Mauritius and the sincere believers in his advent. For the benefit of our readers, we present below two important dreams (dated Sunday 24 February 2013), one seen by the Khalifatullah (atba) and the other by one of his most devoted, wise and pious disciples.

The Trajectory of Spiritual Triumph

Divine Messengers appear to call the people back to the sublime path of spirituality, especially when the times witness the materialistic inclinations in society. Since the mundane preoccupations of the affluent will delude them about their sense of destiny and privilege in society, only a few (weak ones) will join the league of the Messenger, initially.  Yet, it is a recurring irony of history that the truth of the Messenger and the power of his messages triumph against all odds.  In spite of apparent weaknesses in terms of material means and riches, the small band of believers prevails over their powerful adversaries. How does this stunning transformation in the fortunes of the two forces come about? What are the spiritual principles in operation in this battle of ideas? What lessons can we learn from the majestic example of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) and from the experience of the Awwaleen (first disciples)?   

In his Friday Sermon of 15 February 2013 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius continued the discourse on victory of truth over falsehood in the spiritual realm. Drawing upon the lived experience of Divine Messengers of the past and the history of spiritual communities, Hadhrat Sahib (atba) offers an eloquent explanation on a very complex and multi-layered subject of much significance for spiritual seekers in every age. Addressing the small band of believers -Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam-, the Messenger of Allah of our times pointedly observes that if they reflect the “light of Allah” in their everyday lives, they will gradually overcome the forces of falsehood and emerge triumphant: “it is this light itself which shall bring into operation all these changes”.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

I continue on the same subject of the sermon I made last Friday, and I read before you the Verse 82 of Chapter 17: “And say, ‘Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, ever bound to depart.’” 

“AL HAQ”- A Divine Attribute

The essence of pure belief is captured in the concept of Taqwah or God- consciousness. When one attains a stage of certainty of faith and establishes a true and real bond with the Truthful Being, it invariably leads to changes in a person- in one’s perceptions and priorities, both internally and externally. Such a person shall be able to walk under the shadow of Divine Help. The special Light or guiding force takes care of all his/her/their spiritual and material affairs in ways that will baffle and confound the mundane world. When a community of such believers straddle the earth, the spiritual light it emanates will illumine the world, conquering the darkness of disbelief and forces of evil. Such a community, howsoever small or insignificant in numbers or material riches it might appear, eventually vanquish their apparently ‘superior’ enemies in the battle of progress and endurance.

The universality of this spiritual principle is a recurring theme in the lived history of Divine Messengers and their spiritual communities. The most important testimonial of its practical application is available to us from the times of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) when the early believers have had to literally confront, far superior armies on the battlefields. It is the readiness to struggle and sacrifice, make efforts and change destinies that characterizes and distinguishes a believer from others. Through grit, determination and a sense of pure belief, the small band of believers go on with their tasks and missions, achieving what are, otherwise, apparently formidable and un-achievable. 

At another level, the principle is a profound commentary on the subtle ways of the Truthful God, AL HAQ. In his Friday Sermon of 08 February 2013, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius provides a profound commentary on the Divine Attribute of Al Haq and exhorts the believers - Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam- who have the Divine mandate to re-establish the faith in this age to take heart from the theory and praxis of this important spiritual principle in their every day lives.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

“And say, ‘Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, ever bound to depart.’” (17: 82)

Holy Qur'an at Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School, one of the most prestigious institutions of its kind in the world, has recently posted a verse of the Holy Qur’an at the entrance of its Faculty Library, describing the verse as one of the greatest expressions of justice in history. Verse 135 of Surah Al Nisa (The Women) has been posted at a wall facing the faculty’s main entrance, dedicated to the best phrases articulating justice: 

“O you who believe!

Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses 

To Allah, even as against 

Yourselves or your parents, 

Or your kin, and whether

It be (against) rich or poor; 

For Allah can best protect both". 

Established in 1817, Harvard is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. Among its alumni is US President Barack Hussein Obama and a host of influential journalists, writers, media and business leaders and even professional athletes. According to its official website, The Words of Justice exhibition is a testimony of the endurance of humanity’s yearning for fairness and dignity through law. “The words on these walls affirm the power and irrepressibility of the idea of justice.”

We reproduce below an insightful explanation of this particular verse provided by the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius as part of his forthcoming Commentary on the Holy Qur’an:

‘Humanity at the Brink of Disaster!’

Through recurring revelations of unmistakable intensity and clarity, Allah the Almighty has charged Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius with a heavy responsibility as a Warner sent unto mankind: to alert and warn the world about the impending Disasters. Thus, in his Friday Sermon of  01 March 2013 (17 Rabi’ul Aakhir ; 1434 Hijri ) Hadhrat Sahib has had to convey to the world the spine-chilling news about the Disasters waiting to unfold in a striking way all over the world. The world appears to be condemned to witness the consequences of its evil ways : for the chronicle of earth-shattering events foretold include wars, calamities, ethnic conflicts, communal violence/racial riots, the destruction of despots and the desecration of cities.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:  

Allah (swt) chose me as His Khalifatullah in this era and my Creator has informed me through revelation several times since Friday, 08 February 2013 and continually so, till now that a third world calamity is to come. Despite the fact that these days all these calamities are hitting the world, yet people do not learn from these happenings, and these do them nothing that these calamities come from the Creator of the universe. They continue to persist in their sin and continue in the practice of Shirk on several levels. They have all forgotten the divine teaching; they trampled the teachings of God and give man’s words the greatest value. The majority of people in the world have turned their backs to the divine messages and rejected the Messenger of God in this present age.

Abolition of Slavery: Islamic Ethics

In the dark chapters of human history, social relations were characterized by exploitation, oppression, subjugation, domination and hegemony. Perhaps slavery represents the worst example of this social order. On the other hand, Islam seeks to create an egalitarian social order where traditional practices that unjustly discriminate against fellow beings will be contained and eventually abolished. Islamic teachings are, thus, designed to reduce and abolish the class differences and the institutional vestiges of inequality in society. Islam imagines a social space where diversities lead to creative ensemble and the flowering of the human spirit and not to oppression and injustice and the unjust enrichment for a few over the many. [Inset: Watercolor by unidentified artist, depicting plantation slaves dancing and playing musical instruments; banjo player and a percussion player (possibily playing a gourd) at right.  Image courtesy of The Atlantic Slave Trade and Slave Life in the Americas: A Visual Record  ]

In his Friday Sermon of 01 February 2013 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius explained the Islamic attitude towards the ancient problem of slavery. Drawing upon the express verses of the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (sa), the Messenger of Allah of our times demonstrates the spirit of human equality and empathy for the victims of slavery apparent in the teachings of Islam. In a world characterized by neo-slavery mind-set of modern men who consider women as chattels and sexual trafficking of women and girl children are everyday occurrences, the Islamic teachings are a reminder to the oft-blaming conscience of man.  

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

The year 2013 marks the 178^th year since the abolition of slavery in Mauritius. Thus, every 1^st February is a public holiday in Mauritius. A section of the Mauritian population is made of African originated slaves, thus the appellation of these types of people, Creoles. But as a generality, every Mauritian is known as Creole despite his or her religious or cultural background and beliefs, and our mother tongue is Creole.

Prophet Muhammad (sa) and His Marriages

Both anti-Islam elements and mindlessly ignorant critics have long called attention to the multiple marriages of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa), in an effort to tarnish the sublime spiritual life of the father of Muslims and to decry that Islam has no space for women’s dignity and rights. Nothing can be further from the truth. For history and traditions of the Muslims testify that the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) elevated the status of women in society through his precepts and practices. If one cares to examine the historical record in its entirety and the material circumstances of the events of the Prophet’s marriages and the times in which such marriages happened, one could come to an intelligent conclusion-that Islam and the Holy Prophet (sa) upheld the dignity and rights and status of women in society. 

In his Friday Sermon of 25 January 2013, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius continued his exposition on some important aspects of the life of the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa), a theme he began in the previous week. The Sermon especially provides profound insights on the attitude of the Holy Prophet (sa) towards women and the circumstances of his many marriages. In a fractured and divided tribal society, where women’s lives were considered cheap and disposable, the Prophet’s marriages brought dignity to vulnerable, widowed women and protection to their young children, mend the faultiness of tribal discord, raised the status of slave women, provided unique opportunities for the training of the Ummah on religious values and norms, points out the Messenger of Allah of our times.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

Islam has over the centuries been both commended and criticised concerning the rights of women in society. The modern westerners flaunt the so-called liberty of their women folk before the world, and in their ignorance falsely allege that Islam reserves an inferior place to woman and that she is more of a slave than a person of equal status to man. Whilst the world before Islam casted women as a lowly thing, with the advent of Islam the woman regain her true identity as excellent servant of God, and man’s great treasure, help and equal. 

Attributes of a Divine Seeker

How does one traverse the narrow path of spiritual proximity in a mundane world? How does one attain nearness to Allah, the Most High? What are the qualities that transformed common human beings into Divine Messengers and raised them to the elevated status of friends of Allah?

The precepts of faith are to be practiced in an everyday life, beset with troubling choices and complex questions. In the solitude of man, he is often troubled by perceptions of his own capability and material circumstances in shaping the outcomes. Islam theorises that without the command and permission of Allah the Most High, not even a leaf moves where it does. Thus, Islam offers the empowering idea of Divine Help and succour to the believer who offers fervent prayers to Allah, the Most High and does her best. Yet, a linear understanding of this idea, which does not take account of the Divine Will, would be a mistake. In his Friday Sermon of 11 January 2013, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius (atba) provides illuminating insights onto the difficult and complex questions of Divine proximity.

In the service of religion and humanity, a Divine seeker has purity of heart, sincerity of intention, and selflessness in practical action. Regardless of mundane circumstances, they move ahead with their noble responsibilities, with only faith as their armour. They have the courage to walk alone amidst the storms of life and the grace to grow over individual sufferings and afflictions. They have the capability to stare down the prejudices of the self and display unpretentious humility and lack of arrogance defines them in personal life. These are amongst the qualities of real Divine seekers who attains spiritual proximity and becomes the friends of Allah, says the Khalifatullah (atba). Those who adopt these attributes come under the shadow of Divine Help and communion in the varied circumstances of this present life itself, points out the Messenger of Allah of our times.  

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.” (7: 24)

'Become A Plant of Allah'

Islam promises the dawn of a new era in human relations through its ethical vision and spiritual teachings. As the reform of the world is through the reform of the individual, Islam insists upon personal reform as the way forward. By creating a community of people who restrain themselves from the evil whispering of Satanic impulses and do perform good deeds for the sake of their own souls and the progress of humanity, Islam seeks to achieve the larger goal of a progressive spiritual community. 

In the times of a Messenger of Allah, the heavy responsibility of calling mankind to the path of the Lord Almighty and the way in which He has designed and created the human nature, falls on the humble shoulders of the faithful who follow the Messenger.Yet, the spiritual project is not without its share of doubts and concerns for the individual believer in his or her every day life. By looking at the sheer magnitude of the tasks and responsibilities ahead- both at individual and collective, societal level, a believer may even become overwhelmed by a sense of  incapacity and helplessness. How to negotiate these spiritual anxieties and ethical concerns at the individual level?

In his Friday Sermon of January 04, 2013 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius offers profound guidance on the matter. Continuing on the theme of seeking to purify oneself from the evil inclinations of the lower self, the Khalifatullah (atba) exhorts the believers to seek Divine Forgivemess for personal and collective fallibilities by reciting the prayers taught by Allah Himself in His Holy Qur’an. One ought to become a real ‘plant’ of Allah, to be watered and nursed  and preserved by the Lord Himself against all odds and adverse circumstances. A real sense of devotion, love, affection, humility and sincerity in the path of Allah are personal qualities that can open one’s path of Divine Favour, underlines the Messenger of Allah of our times.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon :

“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.” (7: 24)

‘Restrain from Evil Inclinations’

In his Friday Sermon of 28 December 2012, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius gave a profound discourse on the hidden pearls of wisdom underlying the Qur’anic teachings on keeping away from evil inclinations and Satanic tendencies. Belivers are those who do good deeds and prefer the welfare of others even over their own personal comforts. They keep away from selfish desires and other evil inclinations and constantly seek to deny giving any corners for Satan to cast his evil whisperings.

“When you, the believers, leave behind the temporary attractions of this world and refuse to follow Satan in his path, and you give Allah preference over all things, it is then that the divine blessings are bestowed upon you; Allah sends down extraordinary blessings, and along with these you reap the good of your good deeds and you get a complete Iman (faith)”, exhorts the Messenger of Allah of our times.

Read the Extracts from the Speech:    

This is enlightenment for mankind and guidance and mercy for a people who are certain (in faith). (45: 21)

In this Quranic verse, Allah says that this Quran and the words therein contain such clear proofs for humanity, that is, when someone studies it with Taqwa (fear of Allah) and in whichever he wants, then he shall certainly see clear proofs (of the truth) in it.

Afterwards Allah says that it is guidance and mercy for the holders of faith, those who have complete faith in it. In the next verse, Allah says: “Or do those who commit evils think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds– (make them) equal in their life and their death? Evil is that which they judge.” (45: 22)

Muslim Parents and the Upbringing of Children

In his special sermon of October 05, 2012 on the occasion of the Annual Conference [“JALSA SALANA”] of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius reflected on the fundamental values and structural norms on which the edifice of human society is constituted. The proper upbringing of children is central to the evolution of an orderly society and Islam lays much emphasis on this by insisting upon, inter alia, the moral standing of parents themselves.

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

“Now I should like to say a few words on the Islamic teachings concerning the right upbringing of children. Islam has laid a strong emphasis on this point. Many social evil can be removed by the way we bring up our children, and the future generation may be saved from a lot of difficulties if kids are brought up properly and made to follow certain lines of conduct. Because we belong to diverse religions and diverse races, our children grow up with certain prejudices that could be eliminated through proper education in their very childhood.

Let us teach our children to love one another irrespective of caste, colour or cult. Let us tell them that the same blood courses through their veins and the incidence of birth in different homes does not make them different from one another. All children are equal and hence they should love one another. The fact of belonging to such a religion or such a race does not make one superior and another inferior. All are children of God and there should be no ill-feelings, rancour or hatred among them.

The Moral Standing of Parents

The first guidance offered to us by the religion of Islam is that husband and wife should marry on the basis of virtue and good moral standing. All psychologists agree on the point that the moral standing of parents leave an abiding impression on the children born of their union. Another guidance is that at the moment of this sexual relationship the father and mother say this prayer: “O our God, keep us away from Satan and keep Satan away from us.”

Islamic Family Values

In his special sermon of October 05, 2012 on the occasion of the Annual Conference [“JALSA SALANA”] of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius reflected on the fundamental values and structural norms on which the edifice of human society is constituted. The speech explains, in simple and eloquent manner, the Islamic family values which are designed to address all the vagaries of human nature and the complex contingencies of   man-woman relationships in society.

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

Another infrastructural unit for human society is the family. To constitute a family, the most important part is the relationship between man and woman. Just as Islam has laid down certain rules for the honour and responsibility of man, it has placed woman also on the same footing with respect to man. The Holy Quran says: “They are a garment for you and you are a garment for them.” (2: 188)

Besides, the Quran has placed both man and woman on the same status of equality so far as their rights are concerned by declaring: “O you who believe! It is not lawful for you to inherit a woman against their will; nor should you detain them wrongfully that you may take away part of that which you have given them, except they be guilty of a flagrant evil; and consort with them in kindness, and if you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing wherein Allah has placed much good.” (4: 20)

Moreover, the following verse of the Holy Quran shows the basis of the relationship between men and women: “And one of His signs is this, that He has created wives for you from among yourselves that you may find peace of mind in them, and He has put love and tenderness between you. In that surely are signs for a people who reflect.” (30: 22)

The only means of creating a relationship between man and woman is marriage. In today’s world the choice of a partner is made on the following consideration: beauty, wealth and social standing. That’s the reason why difficulties arise and multiply, in social life. Our Holy Prophet (saw) has said: “The first thing to consider when a partner is sought for is virtue and moral standing.”

Islam and Human Rights

In his special sermon of October 05, 2012 on the occasion of the Annual Conference [“JALSA SALANA”] of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius reflected on the fundamental values on which the edifice of human society is constituted. Paying rich tributes to the idea of human freedom and individual liberty from an Islamic perspective,  Hadhrat Sahib underscores the profound correlation between the recognition of identity and individual rights and societal peace and progress.  

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

A society is made up of a number of individuals. That’s why Islam has provided a lot of directions for the freedom, progress and protection of the individual. The individual has been granted full liberty of conscience by this revelation to the Prophet (saw): “LA IKRAHA FIDDIN” There’s no compulsion in religion.

Each member has a mind of his own and is free to make his own choice. Man has been granted a free will and he can make use of his own judgement. He is not an automation directed by a blind force. This freedom of conscience, this liberty to choose and make our own destiny, that has been granted to every individual member as his birthright is considered – and justly so – to be the greatest blessing of God to humanity.

Preaching in an Atheistic World

Atheistic notions and materialistic preoccupations generally dominate the societies today- East and West, North and South. The counter-religious, atheistic ideas and prejudices have evolved over the past many centuries, especially in Europe. This is, in many ways, a consequence of the corruption in the very idea of religion itself as presented by its so-called adherents in history. When the ‘religion’ challenged common sense and instituted anti-nature notions and belief systems in the name of God, thoughtful people moved away from what they could see around.

One of the world’s most influential scientists, Sir Isaac Newton (January 4, 1643 - March 31, 1727) was among those who rejected such inherited beliefs and distorted religious traditions. In the 1690's, Newton wrote a number of religious tracts dealing with the literal interpretation of the Bible, including a manuscript in which he disputed the existence of the Trinity. Many others preferred to be agnostics or even atheists, rather than follow what their intellects could not agreed to. The trajectory of spiritual history and the secular revolt in Europe testify to this. Given this historic background and contemporary situation, the dilemma of the Believer is this: how to do the preaching of Islam to a world that does seem to reject the concept of God itself?

In his Friday Sermon of November 02, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius analyses the larger context and problem. The Messenger of Allah of our times points out that the issue is not beyond a solution. The believers have to equip themselves with sufficient knowledge and understanding about the background of people to whom they are bringing the message of God/Allah. Different strategies and tools have to utilised and deployed in reaching out to people from diverse backgrounds. At the end of the day, it is one’s own example-sublime faith in God and the profound practice of Islam in the everyday life of the believer- that will attract the world to the fold of Islam.   

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

“And who is better in speech than one who invites (people) to Allah and does good works and says, ‘Indeed, I am of the Muslims’.” (41: 34).