Remembering Hamza Saheb

Hamza Ibrahim Saheb, one of the senior-most members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam-India, passed away in Kerala this week. He was 74 years old and has had certain age-related health concerns for some time now. Possibly, he was waiting for the ongoing Covid-related public health emergency in the State to subside so as to go for a thorough medical check-up, when the death came of heart failure on the evening of 18 October 2020, around 5.30 pm, Innallillahi wa inna ilayhi raajeeoune.

Hamza Ibrahim Saheb worked with the judicial department of the Kerala government, in the administrative/clerical side of the subordinate courts system, until retirement from service almost two decades ago. After retirement from job, he continued to be active in striving to be a good Muslim in life, as he understood it. It was this life-long commitment to the Prophetic Way that induced him to keep his mind and intellect open to spiritual perceptions until his last breath in this world. He did not hesitate to follow his heart in recognizing the Truth as he perceived it- even when such spiritual explorations and interests took him away from conventional wisdom and the prevailing orthodoxies of his social environment. Born and brought up in a traditional Muslim household in Alappuzha, Hamza Saheb displayed spiritual conviction and courage in embracing the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in 1979. Subsequently, he got married among the Ahmadis of Karunagappally, and came to live in the region. While remaining an Ahmadi Muslim, he came to hear, learn about and went on to recognize the spiritual station and Divine mission of Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius in 2010- indeed, he was one among the first group of believers in Kerala. In his death, he leaves behind his biological family (wife and two grown-up sons and relatives), and the spiritual commune (Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam-Kerala) of the last 10 years of his life. 

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’. 

Khalifatullah's Journey across Kerala

Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, India was established and officially registered with the government in the State of Kerala in the year 2010, with the Bai’at of our brother Mukarram R. Jamaluddin Raother Saheb of Mathra (presently Amir Saheb of the South Kerala Jamaat), Dr. E. Tahir Saheb of Kannur (presently Amir Saheb of the North Kerala Jamaat) and the other brothers in Alappuzha.

It has been a longstanding wish of the members of the Jamaat in Kerala to meet with the Divinely-inspired and appointed Muhyi-ud-Din of this era, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius, ever since the time Allah (swt) blessed them with the light of faith to recognize and accept His Messenger of the era. Alhamdulillah, it is this cherished spiritual wish of the sincere believers that has come to fruition with the visit of the Khalifatullah (atba) and the blessed family members to India in January 2017. Travelling from Mauritius through Dubai, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram airports, with the delegates from the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam- South Kerala joining them at both Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram, the larger caravan of people reached Mathra on the night of January 16, 2017, Alhamdulillah. For the post on the arrival of Hazrat Khalifatullah (atba) in India, click here. 

Living Islam: Miracle on a Dawa Mission

It is refreshing to note the diverse nature of the work of faith and spiritual conviction, being performed by the brothers of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in India on a voluntary, personal and collective basis, to establish Tawheed in this era and to bring about spiritual transformation in society through the sustained, internal engagement with, and propagation of, the Message of Allah in this era, through the advent of the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib(atba) of Mauritius. 

In the course of his Friday Sermon of January 23, 2014 the Khalifatullah (atba) shared with the world some of these remarkable efforts being made by his disciples in India. Inspired by the personal example of the Khalifatullah (atba) himself, the Amir Sahib of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, (Kerala-South) Mukarram Jamaluddin Sahib of Mathra goes on a Dawa Mission and is blessed with an astonishing experience of a miracle in favour of living Islam through the advent of the Khalifatullah (atba), and also with an extraordinary dream filled with the sweetness of faith; a Tarbiyat/Tabligh seminar in the northern region where a section of our brothers assembled to talk about the challenges of remaining true to one's own spiritual convictions and the obligations of Bai'at it entails; brothers in Tamil Nadu seek to spread the message of the advent of the Khalifatullah (atba) through publications in their Tamil language, etc.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon: 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, the Amir of our Jamaat in Kerala (South Zone) Jamaluddin Sahib has related to me how he was inspired by Dawa Missions around the world, and he decided after my return from London that he shall also go on a special journey to spread the message of Islam, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam and the advent of a Khalifatullah to all people he shall meet. He chose specific parts of Tamil Nadu, especially those places where Islam were first implanted in those parts of the state. (For a 360 veiw of the Ervadi Dargah in Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, click here.) 

He says that unfortunately, nowadays these places have become dirty places (both physically and spiritually) and the worst of sins which people commit is when they go on Dargas to pray the saints (Pirs), or people whom the others take as saints. Therefore, along with his cousin who is a member of the Sunnat-e-Jamaat, they went to those places. The Amir Sahib went for his Dawa/tabligh, to bring these people back to Tawheed (the unity of God) whereas his cousin was one of those who are believers in those saints and practices.