‘Mahmud’s Aameen’: Prayers for Children

The power of sublime Prayers

‘It is He who accepts the prayers of those who believe and do good works, and gives them more than their due reward, out of His grace...He sends down in due measure whatever He will, for He is well aware of His servants and watchful over them: it is He who sends relief through rain after they have lost hope, and spreads His mercy far and wide. He is the Protector, Worthy of All Praise.’ [Surah Al Shura, 42:27-29]

In shaping the destiny of man and in guiding his spiritual life, invocations to the Lord Almighty have a significant role to play. The lives of prophets and saints, in all their varied circumstances and unusual settings through history, bear wonderful testimonial to the eternal truth about the fulfillment of sublime prayers. Perhaps the finest example of the enduring vitality of Divine invocations would be the sprouting of the magnificent garden of Islam in the barren land of Arabia. Long ago, in a corner of the world, away from his non-believing people, Hadhrat Ibrahim (as) had made fervent supplications for the righteousness and spiritual progress of the generations to come and for the flourishing of the message of Tawheed, the life-mission of all virtuous souls. And the Qur’an records his soulful prayers for the benefit of spiritual seekers of all times. For instance, the Book of God teaches that while re-building the Ka‘bah with his pious son Hadhrat Isma‘il, Hadhrat Ibrahim (as) offered the following prayer:

"Our Lord, make us submissive to You and make of our offspring a people submissive to You. And show us our ways of worship, and turn to us with mercy; for You are Oft-Returning with compassion and are Merciful.

‘And, our Lord, raise up among them a Messenger from among themselves, who may recite to them Thy Signs and teach them the Book and Wisdom and may purify them; surely, Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.’" (Surah Al Baqarah, 2:129-130)

Becoming ‘Maryam’, Bearing ‘Isa’

Our body is like Mary.

Each of us has a Jesus inside.

If a pain and yearning shows up inside us,

the Jesus of our soul is born.

If there is no pain, no yearning,

the Jesus of our soul will return to its origin from

the same secret passageway he came from…

If there is no pain, no yearning,

we will remain deprived

not benefiting from that Jesus of the soul.

 

-Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (ra) in Mathnawi---Translated by Omid Safi, in Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition (Yale, 2018).

 

A true believer becomes like ‘Maryam’ and is infused with the Holy Spirit

 

In Surah Al Tahrim, we read: “And Allah next compares the believers to Maryam, the daughter of Imran, she took care to guard her chastity, so we breathed into him (the believer who is exemplified here) Our inspiration while she declared her faith in the revelations of her Lord and His scriptures and she became of the devoted ones to prayers and obedient to Him”- (Surah Al Tahrim, HQ, 66: 13)

 

In this Qur’anic verse, Maryam is set as an example for righteous servants of Allah. Like Maryam, true believers- though they are not Prophets of Allah- can also be bestowed with Divine revelations. Such a servant is like Maryam and then Allah will infuse His Ruh in him and he will become the like of Jesus, a servant of God and recipient of His Revelations. According to Hazrat Khalifatul Massih Awwal Allama Hakkim Nuruddin (ra), “the verse clearly informs us that in the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), there will be people- both men and women- like Maryam, who will guard their chastity, be devoted to prayers, declare faith in the Scripture and because of being an obedient servant of Allah will receive the blessings of Divine Revelations. This promise has been given in the very first chapter of al-Fatihah in the words, “Show us the path of those whom you bestowed your Mercy”.

Fourth Caliph and the Divine Signs

In his Friday Sermon of 01 February 2019~ 25 Jamadi’ul Awwal 1440 AH, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius profoundly reflects upon certain interesting Divine Signs of our times. Based on Qur'anic prophecies and the Holy Prophet's own teachings, the Later Days is the era of extraordinary developments, marking the advent of great transformations that will 'disrupt' the existing ways and 'flatten' the world, destroying the elite privileges and artificial barriers at every level of societal stratification. Thanks to breath-taking changes in transportation mechanisms and  communication technologies in our times, different classes, nations and peoples are brought together more than ever before. In this age of the Internet, all the world is virtually reduced to our finger-tips! Hence, unlike the past, ideas and images travel swiftly across the world and it is now possible to reach out and share the Divine message to people everywhere, Alhamdulillah.  

On 07 January 1938, speaking on the occasion of the installation of loudspeakers at the Mosques in Qadian, the far-sighted second caliph of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad (ra), underscored the importance of technical advancements as a means of bringing people together and he went on to virtually predict the advent of a time of technological progress when a single person sitting somewhere will be able to communicate and conduct his business globally and thereby it would become possible to spread the message of Islam across the world in an easier way through such developments. 

In this context, the establishment of the MTA International  commencing its operations from Mauritius  on 07 January 1994 was an important event in the annals of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya. The then (fourth) caliph Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad Saheb profoundly understood the significance of the moment and the opportunity MTA represents for the community. He recalled the prescient words of the second caliph on the occasion as he believed that the time to spread the teachings of Islam-Ahmadiyya around the globe arrived, with the satellite broadcasting channel in place. Anticipating the promised "victory" of Islam-Ahmadiyya in the second century of the Jamaat (1889-1989; 1989-), the fourth caliph even unleashed a programme of global bai'at, setting targets for the rank and file to convert the whole world. As it happened, afraid as they were to speak truth of the situation to the caliph,  the Nizam-e-Jamaat 'cooked the books' to reach the figures their 'boss' wanted to see and thereby perpetuated a culture of caliph-worship in the Nizam-e-Jamaat, creating a permanent crisis of credibility in its functioning 'methods'. Consider the searing paradox here: on the one hand, the caliph projected the Nizam- 'establishment'- as the true 'heirs' of the Promised Messiah (as) for all times; yet, he ended up presiding over the destruction of the fair name and legacy of the institution.  Allah (swt) raising an Elect of His choice  would upset and 'disrupt' the 'order' (the system of elected, infallible leadership) in the Jamaat. Hence, exaggerating  the 'ego' of the elected chiefs of the Jamaat, the caliph propagated that only a man-elected caliph could be the Divine Elect in future. Despite his line of thinking and public pronouncements, the caliph also understood that the All-Powerful and Exalted Allah (swt) might raise someone, anyone He chooses at a place of His choice, especially at the beginning of a new century of the Jamaat. The ambitious caliph did seem to have wished, and he certainly asked the Jamaat in so many words on the occasion of the annual Jalsa in the year 2000 CE, that everyone pray for him to be elevated as the "Mubarak Wajood "('blessed person'), like mentioned in the prophecies of the Promised Massih (as).    

Allah does what He will. Despite the caliph's ambitious plans and his arrogant pronouncements on Divine Decisions concerning the raising of a reformer in the Jamaat in the new century, the trajectory of Divine blessings and favours shifted in this era, with the advent of a man who speaks with the help of Ruh-il-Quddus, like prophesied by the Promised Massih (as) himself in his testamentary declaration, Al Wassiyat. Indeed, Allah (swt) in His infinite wisdom, used the most disruptive of technologies of communication the humans have ever known- "Ruh-il-Quddus"- to destroy the man-invented and exaggerated notions of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya and rebuild the edifice of the Divine Order of His Elects guiding humanity till the Day of Judgement, by raising a humble servant of the faith in this era- a spiritual progeny of the Promised Massih (as) himself- Hazrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius, Alhamdulillah. Like the Promised Messiah (as) also points out, despite the persecution- with "millions stand(ing) up against them", the caravan of the Divine Elect (atba) will continue to straddle the world with His Message, Insha-Allah, Aameen. 

The Divine signs narrated here calls for deeper reflection by those who use their minds- including truth seekers among the Ahmadis. In this era when the world is 'flat', the old order of special claims- of inherited family legacy and infallible authority of tribal chieftains (think of the Ahmadiyya Khilafat today)- are out of sync with the times and are bound to vanish. In the new order of God on earth, everywhere- both materially and spiritually speaking- 'the underclass', i.e., those who were  previously looked down upon, truly humble people are to inherit the earth: Indeed, the Divine favour of prophethood and sovereignty is being bestowed upon a new class of people in the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya as well- through the advent of the Divine Manifestation in Mauritius, Alhamdulillah, Allah-u-Akbar!

Read the Friday Sermon Below: 

Signs for the 'Ulul-Al-Baab'

“And it is not for a soul to believe except by permission of Allah, and He will place defilement upon those who will not use reason.” (Yunus 10 : 101).

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, Allah shows His signs in extraordinary ways. Sometimes in simple and unimaginable things. He can show His signs in a grand way. Certainly Allah guides whom He wills to the right path, and when He guides His servants, He opens for them the door of spiritual knowledge and makes them understand even a thing that seems simple and unimportant and He makes them see its importance.

On 'Bai'at' and 'Taqwah'

The founder of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi of the Later Days, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908 CE) has had profound spiritual expectations regarding the people who chose to take the Bai'at- the sacred Islamic covenant of obedience to God and His Messenger (sa) and the Divinely-raised Imam of their times that devout Muslims undertake. In his book Kishti Noohu (The Noah's Ark), the Promised Messiah (as) spoke movingly about the vital importance of inner purity and sincere soul-searching; righteous conduct and just relations with God's creatures in the abiding quest of the human soul for Divine illumination- to be accepted in the presence of God Almighty. Reproduced below is an extract from the Book where Hazrat Ahmad (as) provides some of the most profound words of spiritual wisdom for the benefit of persons who chose to follow him by taking the Bai'at at his hands as the Divine Elect of the era, clearly describing what it takes to pursue the path of purity and righteousness, upholding faith above the world and what it means to be a true seeker after Divine Countenance:

'...God does what He wills. Foolish is the person who wars with Him and ignorant is the one who objects to his works and considers that they should have been otherwise. He has sent me with over ten thousand brilliant signs, one of which is the plague. So, in these calamitous times, my soul shall intercede only for such a person who sincerely enters my allegiance of Bai’at and wholeheartedly follows me and submerges themselves in obedience to me to the extent that they relinquish their own will. 

O ye people who consider yourselves members of my community! You will be counted as such in heaven when you truly tread upon the ways of righteousness. So, offer the five daily prayers in such fear and with such complete attention as though you were actually beholding God Almighty. Sincerely observe your fasts for the sake of God. Let everyone who is liable to pay the Zakat do so and anyone upon whom the Hajj has become obligatory and who face no hindrance ought to perform the pilgrimage. Do good in a handsome manner and discard vice with disgust. Bear well in mind that no action of yours, which is empty of righteousness, can reach God. Righteousness is the root of all goodness. No action that is rooted in righteousness will go in vain. 

It is inevitable that you should also be tried with various forms of anguish and misfortune, just as the faithful before you were tried. Be on your guard, lest you should falter. So long as you have a firm relationship with heaven, the earth can do you no harm. Whenever harm befalls you, it will be from your own hands and not from the hands of your enemy. Even if you lose all honour on earth, God will bestow eternal honour upon you in heaven. So do not forsake Him. You will certainly suffer pain and many of your desires will not be fulfilled, but do not lose heart in such situations, for your God tries you to see whether you are steadfast in His path or not. If you desire that even the angels should praise you in heaven, then endure beating and remain joyful, hear abuse and be grateful, suffer setbacks but do not sever your relationship with God.

Bai'at: The Path to Cleanse the Heart

The founder of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, the Promised Massih and Imam Mahdi of the Later Days, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908 CE) has had profound spiritual expectations regarding the people who chose to come forward and take the Bai'at- the Covenant of Obedience to God and His Messenger (sa) and the Divine Elect of their times. In his book Kishti Noohu (The Noah's Ark), the Promised Messiah (as) spoke movingly about the vital importance of sincere soul searching and inner purity; righteous conduct and just relations in the  abiding quest for the illumination of the heart- to be accepted in the presence of God Almighty. Reproduced below is an extract from the Book where Hazrat Ahmad (as) speaks about the persons who take Bai'at with him, clearly distinguishing between those who truly belong and those who really do not: 

“[Y]ou must not rest satisfied merely because in outward form you have taken Bai’at at my hand. The outward form means nothing: God sees what lies inside your hearts, and He would deal with you on the basis of what He sees there. 

Lo and behold! I herein discharge my duty unto you, by making it plain that sin is a poison. Do not take it. Disobedience to God is a dirty death which you should avoid. Turn to prayer that you should get the strength. At the time of prayer, if a man does not firmly believe that Allah has power over everything, except what may be contained in a previous promise, such a one is not of my community.

He who is caught in a tangle of worldly greed, and never even raises his eyes to things which pertain to the next life, is not of my community. Whosoever does not wholly and completely keep away from every sin and every evil action, like wine, gambling, looking lustfully at women, dishonesty, bribes, and from every kind of illegal gratification, he is not of my community.

Whosoever is not constantly turning to prayer, and does not remember Him in absolute humility of spirit, he is not of my community. Whosoever does not give up association with a bad companion, who exercises an unhealthy influence over him, he is not of my community. Whosoever does not respect his parents, whosoever does not render obedience to them in things which do not run counter to the Holy Quran, and whosoever is neglectful in rendering to them the service to which they are undoubtedly entitled, he is not of my community.

'Strive to Excel in the Path of God'

Prepare for the 'Journey'

“At this time, the purpose of my address is that since there can be no guarantee of one’s life, I feel that the number of people who are gathered around me now may perhaps not be with us in the following year. Moreover, during these days, I saw in a vision that in the coming year certain friends would no longer be with us, but I cannot say who of them was referred to in this vision. I am certain that this is because everyone individually ought to prepare himself for their journey to the afterlife. As I have just mentioned, no names were disclosed to me, but I know for certain by knowledge given to me from Allah the Exalted that divine destiny and decree has its time. All must leave this transient world at some point or other.

And so, it is absolutely imperative to state that every individual and friend who is present now must not hear my words as though they were a storyteller’s tale. Rather, I counsel you from Allah and have been commissioned by Him. I address you with immense sympathy, true goodwill and with a burning heart. Hence, I call on my friends to heed my counsel. I reiterate that you ought to listen attentively and take my words to heart.

Belief in God

Allah is the most Supreme Being and He is the Light, for He has established His existence and Oneness in the Holy Quran with powerful and simple arguments. Those people who express doubts and harbour suspicion regarding His existence, despite witnessing the powers and miraculous wonders of this Magnificent Being, are truly the most unfortunate. In proof of His Magnificent and Powerful Being, Allah the Exalted has stated:

‘Are you in doubt concerning Allah, Maker of the heavens and the earth?’ (Surah Ibrahim; Ch. 14, v. 11)

meaning, can there be doubt in the existence of Allah the Exalted, who is the Creator of the heaven and earth? Now reflect, is it not perfectly clear and obvious that a created thing leads one to accept the existence of a creator? When a person sees a well-crafted shoe or chest, they are left with no choice but to immediately accept the existence of its craftsman. In the same way it is inexplicably astonishing that there should be any room for denial in the existence of Allah Almighty. How can one reject the existence of a Maker who has created thousands of wonders with which the heaven and earth are replete?

Hence, know for certain that a foolish person who doubts the Being and existence of God, even after observing these works and wonders of nature, which are beyond the power, mind or intellect of man to create, is an unfortunate person caught in the grip of Satan. Such a one ought to seek forgiveness from God. To reject the existence of God has no basis in argument or observation. In fact, to reject the existence of Allah, the Glorious, despite witnessing His powers, and the wonders of His creatures and creation at large, which fill the heaven and earth, is the height of blindness.

There are two forms of blindness: the blindness of one’s eyes and the blindness of one’s heart. A person’s physical blindness does not affect his faith. But a blinded heart does affect a person’s faith. Hence, it is necessary and absolutely imperative that every single individual constantly beseeches Allah Almighty with humility and submission so that He may grant him true divine understanding, insight and vision, and so that He may protect him/her from the evil whisperings of Satan.

'Haqiqatul-Wahi' in Malayalam

Last month, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International announced the publication of the first part of ‘Haqiqatul-‘Wahi’ (The Philosophy of Divine Revelations) in Malayalam. This classic of Ahmadiyya spiritual literature, written by the Promised Massih (as) in the last century was long available only in its original Urdu and Arabic editions, and the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya has finally unveiled an English edition of the work last week, almost 110 years after the Book was originally published. The Malayalam translation of the Book from the Arabic was accomplished by Mukarram Amir Jamaluddin Raother Saheb of the South Kerala Jamaat, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.

Reproduced below is the text of the Introduction to the Malayalam Translation:

“Haqiqat-ul-Wahi” is one of the most remarkable works of the Promised Massih and Mahdi Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908 CE). Written in May 1907 in Urdu and Arabic; the Book in many ways consolidates the saintly author’s life time of engagement with, and profound study of, the spiritual phenomenon of Divine revelations. In the social and religious context (of India and elsewhere) where dreams and other psychic phenomenon that the humans experience often confuse common people about the true nature of spiritual illumination and mislead them into giving credence to psychic illusions and there is a crying need for clear guidance on how to distinguish between false claimants and the Divinely-imbued souls in the path of the Exalted Being; the Promised Massih (as) makes this important contribution to our collective understanding on mystical realities surrounding dreams, visions and revelations.

Why Follow A ‘Mujaddid’- I

Islam after the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa)

Contemporary Muslim world is riddled with profound paradoxes and deep ironies both in its secular and spiritual realms. Muslims today stand at the crossroads of time: from providing frameworks for the profound transformation of whole communities and nations, and guiding people on the virtues of inner peace and social equilibrium; the Muslims have come to witness periods of decline and fall in their political and spiritual fortunes as well. Severe trials of history in the forms of colonialism and imperialism- the long onslaught of alien economic, military and ideological dominance over the Muslim lands- scarred the psyche of many Muslim societies and peoples. Even in the face of the jealous machinations of the enemies and the many failings of its claimed adherents, it is astonishing that Islam could survive and flourish against all odds. Indeed, by all indications and empirical projections, Islam is poised to outgrow all other religions and is destined to embrace every nook and corner of this world in the foreseeable future. Insha Allah, Aameen. 

The Path of the Saints: Mujaddid/Muhaddith/Khalifatullah 

Notwithstanding the clear intimations of Divine favour on Islam as the paramount belief system of the evolving future; it is deeply ironical that the religion is besieged by simmering internal crises. Much of the Islamic world is beset with looming fires of various kinds amidst deepening sectarian divisions. At a time when the propaganda against Islam as an oppressive social order (God forbid) remains raging in non-Muslim public/ social circles, it is also disconcerting that there is a glaring disconnect between the ideals of the Faith and the realities of practice in every day life among the Muslims. 

Since most Muslims today have an imperfect understanding of Divine commandments and religious doctrines they have inherited from their pious ancestors, it is a religious imperative that the spiritual appeal and ethical beauty of Islam is reclaimed and renewed by living testimonials in the everyday life of the community at large. It is instructive to note in this context vital Islamic teachings regarding the continuity of spiritual vicegerency in every era of Islam through the advent of some perfect followers of the Light of Muhammad (sa). Indeed the Qur'an makes a spiritual promise that Allah (swt) shall raise His special servants with a mandate to hold aloft the torch of Faith and for the renewal/re-birth of sublime morals of Islam among the believers. Such teachings about the coming of the Saints of the Faith to serve as the guiding stars even in times of crises and confusion powerfully point to the inner vitality of the Islamic Way. If Islam has survived and continues to endure as the Holy Path of God despite all the political crises in Muslim lands, it is indeed in large measure due to the instrumental and exemplary roles of the extraordinary men (and women) of God who appeared to serve the Faith over the centuries. 

Mujaddidin will continue to Appear

The Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian was a spiritual polymath, steeped in all the religious sciences. He spoke with extraordinary urgency and consistency on the need for the wider acceptance within the Muslim Ummah of forgotten Islamic teachings- regarding advent of Divinely-imbued souls such as a Mujaddid/Muhaddith/Khalifatullah among the Muslims in every era. 

Perhaps some of the finest explanations on the purpose and significance of such Divine Manifestations in Islam is found in the enduring writings of the Promised Massih (as). In an era in which his own so called followers and disciples have completely trampled to dust the great legacy of the Promised Massih (as) by ignoring and evading the Divine Manifestation of this era among the Ahmadis in the person of Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius, it is all the more important to revisit his thoughts and reclaim his profound reflections on the advent of Mujaddidin and Muhaddithin among the believers. Reproduced below are certain extracts from the Speeches and Discourses (‘Malfoozat’) of the Promised Massih (as) on the theme:

“If now is not the time for the advent of the awaited one, the earliest that he can appear now is after a hundred years. For a divinely appointed Reformer (Mujaddid) must always appears at the head of the century”. -----The First Address of the Promised Messiah (as) at the Annual Convention on 25 December 1897).

Eight Years of the Jamaat in India

A Divine Elect in our Times

The Holy Founder and Imam of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International, Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) belongs to, and lives in, the Indian Ocean- island State of Mauritius. For close to two decades now, this devout servant of Islam has been proclaiming through all means available that he has a Divinely-inspired mission: of reclaiming and revitalizing the enduring message of Tawheed-thereby helping people appreciate the correct spiritual path; strengthening them morally and spiritually in these bewildering times. Like all men of God throughout history, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) preaches Divine Love. Sharing pure Divine Messages coming from the Unseen, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) invites people to recognize the advent of his humble self in our midst as an Elect of God and consider the extraordinary possibility of acceding to the Divine countenance in this era as well by following his personal example. 

Those familiar with the profound history of Islamic spirituality over the last millennium and more- that witnessed the appearance of so many Divinely-imbued souls as the Pole Stars of the Religion and the Way- would not be surprised by the claims and arguments of Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) in our times. 

Like the Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian noted in the previous era, perfect followers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) have always been blessed with Divine converse and guidance, all through Islamic history. The Promised Massih (as) referred to this special Divine phenomenon in many of his writings, when he stated: 

“Of all the leaders of Tasawwuf that there have been till the present day, not even one has disagreed with the point that in this religion the path to become the likes of prophets is open, as the Holy Prophet Muhammad has given the glad tidings for spiritual and godly learned persons that ‘the Ulama of my nation are like the Israelite Prophets’. 

'Khilafat': Ahmadi Misconceptions

Serious misconceptions exist among Ahmadis today about the spiritual status and authority of their 'Khalifatul Massih'. Through an incremental process of  theological engineering in institutional practices over a century of its existence, the Nizam-e-Jamaat manufactured a special spiritual 'aura' around its assembly-elected leader. The institutional role and administrative authority of the office of the Khalifatul Massih has been calibrated into an 'infallible' league of its own, almost as an equivalent of an Elect of God. Today, the carefully-crafted image of 'a leader who enjoys the shadow of Divine protection' has been conferred upon the Caliph by his own sect and as such the title of 'Khalifatul Massih' holds special significance in the mind-space and religious imagination of the folks within. So much so that most members of the Jamaat today swear by a notion that 'Ahmadiyya Khilafat' is the unchanging institutional order of Islam till the Day of Judgement (Qiyamah). 

Hajj: On Blocking Access to the Ka'aba

Ever since the great Sultan Salahauddin Ayyubi (ra) took up the title "Servant of the Two Holy Mosques"  (Khadim Al-Haramain Al-Sharifain) in the medieval ages as a mark of his quest to attain nearness to Allah (swt) while he was fighting the infidels in the Crusades, many other Muslim monarchs who presided over the holy land of Makkah and Madina continued to assume this title in their times. These days, the Saudi Arabian monarchs take pride in describing their official title as the Khadim Al-Haramain Al-Sharifain, pointing to the significance of the Two Holy Mosques and the land of Makkah and Madina in Muslim spiritual and political imagination.The title refers to their important responsibility for the upkeep of mosques and holy sites within Makkah and Madina and protection of pilgrims on the Hajj. 

As the land of Makkah and Madina belong to every Muslim, all Muslims have a right to visit the Holy lands to perform the religious rites. Sectarian differences among Muslim communities and political disputes among Muslim nations are part of the existential condition of the Islamic world today. These disputes and issues should never be used as a pretext to discriminate against specific groups of Muslims or to upset the Divine order that mandates the free flow of pilgrimage into Islam's holiest shrines. Most certainly, the men whom claim to be the "trustees and stewards  of the Holy Places" have no business creating barriers in the sacred journeys of all  or any of God's devotees- regardless of their denominational identity or national origin.  

The Saudi leadership, however, has a dismal record of playing politics with Hajj in more recent times. Recently, in the aftermath of the economic blockade by the Saudi-led four nations against it, the State of Qatar has complained that its nationals are unable to register through the official channels for the Hajj this year as a direct consequence of the blockade measures instituted by the Saudi authorities due to political disputes. Likewise, speaking against the backdrop of Iranian pilgrims facing problems at the hands of the Saudi authorities, the Iranian spiritual leader Ayatullah Khamenei recently made an instructive statement:  

“The land of Mecca belongs to all Muslims. No one should think they can do whatever they want on this land. All Muslims have the same right with regard to Mecca and Medina.

“No one should manipulate and prevent the concepts of Hajj, or the points and rituals that exist in Hajj. The individuals and the government that prevent these concepts are, indeed, “creating an obstacle in the way of God” [Quran: 2:217]. The Ka'aba belongs to all the Muslims. According to the Quran, Holy Mecca belongs to all Muslims and all Muslims have the same right over Mecca and Medina. No one should think they can do whatever they want on this land.

He went on to say: “Unfortunately, the government of Saudi Arabia creates problems for the Hajj pilgrims and prevents some rituals to be performed; even though, it is righteous to allow them perform those rituals. These issues must be regarded as the Muslims’ demands, which should not be forgotten".

In his Eid-ul-Adha Sermon of 22 August 2018 (10 Dhul-Hijjah 1439 AH), Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius spoke movingly about the plight of the Ahmadi Muslims in our times who are unable to access the land of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) for the purpose of accomplishing their devotional obligations relating to the fifth pillar of Islam. In countries like Pakistan and elsewhere, in passport/visa applications for purposes of Hajj and Umrah visits, all Muslims had been forced to declare statements denying and condemning the Promised Massih (as). Such mindless sectarian prejudices and administrative highhandedness by the authorities smack of Pharoahan tactics. Drawing on Qur'anic teachings and the Holy Prophet (sa)'s instructions, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) calls for intense soul-searching by those concerned before it is too late for them. 

Read the Extracts from the Eid Sermon: 

'Lailat-ul-Qadr': Times of a 'Khalifatullah'

In the evocative language of the Qur'an, the descent of Divine revelations take place on 'Laila-tul Qadr': the 'Night of Destiny'. When people grope in the darkness of spiritual despair, the Divine Mercy unfolds itself in the form of a Blessed Soul. Hence, the life and times of a Divinely-raised renewer of Faith among the Muslims can be described as a period of Divine Blessings.  As we have recently noted in another post, the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as) specifically linked the coming of a Khalifatullah in every century with the spiritual concept of Laila-tul Qadr. In his book “Victory of Islam”, the Promised Massih (as) clearly stated that the Khalifatullah appears to rouse people to spiritual consciousness and that angels descent with him- through revelations, they enable him to provide a living testimonial to the vitality of Islam in that age. 

As the Divinely-raised "Muhyi-ud-Din" and "Khalifatullah" of this era, Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius is the most qualified spiritual commentator on matters of Divine verities in our times. On the blessed occasion of the 27th of Ramadan (1439 AH) today, we are reproducing an important Friday Sermon of 03 June 2011, wherein Hadhrat Saheb (atba) profoundly explained the relevance of 'Laila-tul-Qadr' to the blessed advent of Divine Elects in every era, also keeping in view the blessed writings of the Promised Massih (as) on the theme.

Read the extracts from the Friday Sermon:

“By the grace of Allah, one of my sincere disciples called my attention on the fact that the Promised Messiah (as) draw the people’s attention to the coming of a Khalifatullah, especially when he speaks about the period of a Khalifatullah as a Laila-tul-Qadr (Night of Decree, of blessings) and that when the Caliph of Allah comes down to earth, he comes down accompanied with the light of Allah which thereafter the sincere people who surrounds the Khalifatullah receive. 

By the grace of Allah, the Promised Messiah (as) has in other others say he has come to earth in the mantle of a Khalifatullah, but that which is much more surprising is that he has already said that not only in his time there shall be one (a Khalifatullah), but this Khalifatullah shall come in confirmation of his (the Promised Messiah’s) truthfulness. It is this Khalifatullah who shall come in conformity with his words and he shall come in confirmation of his truth like the Promised Messiah (as) came in confirmation of the prophecy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), where the Prophet of Allah (sa) said (while putting his hand on the shoulders of Salman Farsi) that when faith shall go to the Pleiades, then there shall come someone from Persian descent shall bring it back.