‘Salat-al-Kasuf’: Prayer of Eclipse

 

'…He created the sun, moon, and stars to be subservient to His command; all creation and command belong to Him. Exalted be God, Lord of all the worlds!’ (7:55)

‘It is He who created night and day, the sun and the moon, each floating in its orbit.’ (21:34)

The sun and the moon follow their calculated courses’. (55:6)

'The night, the day, the sun, the moon, are only a few of His signs. Do not bow down in worship to the sun or the moon, but bow down to God who created them, if it is truly Him that you worship.’—(41:38)

'The sun and the moon are two signs of the Almighty. Solar and lunar eclipses do not occur because of the life or death of someone; in fact, the Almighty warns His people through such phenomena. So, when you see them, beseech the Almighty, celebrate His sovereignty, offer the prayer and spend in His way’. 

---Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa)

Recently a Muslim brother from India contacted Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Al Siddique Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius requesting guidance on Islamic prayer to be offered in times of solar or lunar eclipses. We are reproducing below the clear guidance given by Hazrat Saheb (aba) on the occasion for the benefit of all truth seekers in relation to the religious prayer to be offered in times of solar or lunar eclipse:

An 'Imam' guided by Allah

 

The Divinely-Elected Imam & True Guidance (Part 2)

“One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams; those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure), and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.” (Al-Isra 17: 72) 

 

Alhamdulillah Summa Alhamdulillah, I continue today the second part of my subject on the explanation of the verse which I have just recited before you.

 

Allah says: “those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure)” – This is the Quranic metaphor for passing the test of faith and for undergoing all trials successfully. The right hand is a symbol of blessing while the left is that of punishment. Also in the human body the right side enjoys superiority over the left since the tissues of the right side are generally stronger than those of the left.

The Role and Function of 'Imam'

 

In his Friday Sermon of 26 May 2023 ~05 Dhul-Qaddah 1444 AH, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius reminds us profoundly about the forthcoming accountability that all of us- human beings on the face of earth- are bound to face  on the Day of Judgement. Allah (swt) has gifted us the freedom of choice in this world, and the power is hinged with responsibility and consequences for our own future well being- both in this world and in the world to come. As God is Just, and no injustice shall be done to anyone on the Day of Decision when the Book of Records shall be unveiled; indeed, in the life to come, the fire of Hell or the bliss of Heaven awaits people based on the record of their deeds. 

Allah (swt) raised messengers and prophets in the past to guide human communities on the correct path to follow in life. The 'Imams' so raised  warned people about the two highways of life: of the need to believe in Divine guidance and messages, and to be wary of the deviant path and temptations the Satanic forces promote. Indeed,  Prophets and saints imbued with the Holy Spirit (Roohul Quddus) provide true guidance to people in every era. They are the true ‘Imam’ believers follow in their spiritual quest, for these men of God lead people to the heavenly abode whereas the deviant ‘Imam’s- satanic leaders- marshal people to Hellfire. Whereas the True Imam leads to Divine Contentment and Heavenly Bliss, Divine Wrath and Hell fire is the fate of those who follow their own whims, or the lead of those who promise delusion.

In this discourse, Hazrat Muhyiuddin (aba) points out that Divine revelations and inspirations are a subtle spiritual reality that has meaning and substance even in this era. Contrary to popular perception, the door of Divine communion and communications remain wide open. To attain true guidance and certainty, one needs to purify one’s heart for sincere faith in God; offer repentance in true devotion to the One and Only God. Such truly humble devotion and secret invocations and prostrations at the Throne of God can open up one’s spiritual path, and enable one to experience true guidance and mystical communion even in this era.     

Read the Friday Sermon:  

The Divinely Elected Imam & True Guidance

 

“One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams; those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure), and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.” (Al-Isra 17: 72)

 

In the Holy Quran Allah (swt) says: “One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams”

 

What is the meaning of being Imam here? Some understand the meaning to be that each nation or group will appear with its leader, who will bear witness to its virtues or sin. Another view is that the imam is their revelation, their book [which they received].

Divine Message and Our Choices- 2

Guidance & Misguidance: Rewards & Punishments: Part 2

 

“Those who reject Allah and hinder from the Path of Allah, for them will We add penalty to penalty, for that they used to spread mischief.” (An-Nahl 16: 89)

 

Allah has established the system of reward and punishment as the result of the deeds and intentions of mankind on earth. The rewards are doubled and multiplied much more - to a larger extent, more than one can imagine - for the true believers who recognise, accept and follow His Messenger whenever He sends one to this world.

 

As for those who harbour hatred and hinder people from the way of Allah, by restricting them from listening to the prophet of Allah and to believe in the Divine Message he has come equipped with, therefore such people invite upon themselves penalty upon penalty because not only have they disbelieved but they have also contributed to a larger extent to the ruin of the faith of others, lying as barriers in their path to forbid them from the way of Allah.

 

Hell is a place made by Allah to punish the evildoers in the hereafter. Paradise and Hell each has seven levels. The concept of stages or levels in Hell is based on the extent and weight of the sins committed by the sinner and those levels are associated with different kinds of punishments that are both physical and spiritual in nature.

A Good ‘Muslim’: 10 Signs

  

Say, ‘Follow me if you love Allâh’ (3:32)

 

A ‘Muslim’ is, literally, one who submits to the Will of God; someone who follows in the footsteps of holy prophet Muhammad ^(sa) in quest of Divine forgiveness and approval and salvation. Between the lines of its pure message, the Holy Qur’an gives us an intimate portrait of true believers. Indeed, the character-sketch of a sincere devotee of God is clearly discernible  in the Book of God. A Muslim is one who loudly proclaims ‘Laa Ilaaaha Illallah, Muhammad Rasulullah’ [There is no diety except Allah; Muhammad is His messenger’]. A true Muslim is the one who backs his/her verbal declaration or profession of commitment to Faith with actual good deeds in everyday life as evidence in support of his claims of belief.    

 

The Qur’an notes: ‘The desert Arabs say, ‘We have faith.’ [Prophet], tell them, ‘You do not have faith. What you should say instead is, “We have submitted,” for faith has not yet entered your hearts.’ If you obey God and His Messenger, He will not diminish any of your deeds: He is most forgiving and most merciful. The true believers are the ones who have faith in God and His Messenger and leave all doubt behind, the ones who have struggled with their possessions and their persons in God’s way: they are the ones who are true.’ (49: 15-16)

According to the Qur’an, most people know only the outer aspects of life in this present world and have no concern for the life to come in the Hereafter. On the other hand, believers are acutely conscious of the hidden realities of life in this universe. Even when they cannot see God, the believer understands that all journeys’ end in our Sustainer, the Great Fashioner of all destinies; and that 'free-will' entails the choice to abide by Law in exchange for Divine pleasure in Heavenly abode, or to earn the punishment of Hellfire for choosing to be a lawbreaker in this world, and that everyone will face their own records on the Day of Judgement before our Just Lord.

Indeed, what distinguishes true believers from the rest of the people is their sense of gratitude towards the Lord who makes it possible for us all to experience the blessings of life in this world. The human faculty of discernment is illumined when the clear guidance of Divine wisdom- taught by the Prophets- is followed and implemented in everyday life. A believer recognizes that through the creation of humans with free will, God wishes that we use our ‘brains’ and follow His revelations (the Scripture and the Balance), and thereby become perfect believers- the resplendent and illuminated women and men of Faith in this world- the real ‘trustees’ of God on earth: those who attain the true purpose of life and gain the high destiny He promises for the truly good in the Garden of Bliss, Insha Allah, Aameen.

Illnesses of the 'Ummah'- 2

 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, Allah has given me the Tawfeeq to continue my Friday Sermon on the illnesses which are affecting Islam nowadays, on their causes and the solutions which can be brought forward to trigger a change in the present situation. Insha-Allah, I will come on this subject, step by step.

 

Like I cited before you last Friday; Allah says in the Quran: “Those of the Children of Israel who went astray were cursed by the tongue of David, and of Jesus, son of Mary. That was because they rebelled and used to transgress. They used not to forbid one another any malfeasance that they performed. Miserable indeed was whatever they were performing!” (Al-Maida 5: 79-80)

 

The Hadiths of our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) give more details about these Quranic verses and shed more light [i.e. understanding] on them:

 

Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “The first defect (in religion) which affected the Children of Israel in the way that man would meet another and say to him: ‘Fear Allah and abstain from what you are doing, for this is not lawful for you.’ Then he would meet him the next day and find no change in him, but this would not prevent him from eating with him, drinking with him and sitting in his assemblies. When it came to this, Allah led their hearts into evil ways on account of their association with others.”

Qur'an: The Final Message

 

As the last message of God to human kind sent through prophets in spiritual history and originally revealed to the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (sa), the Qur'an contains perfect teachings for the moral guidance of man. In his Divinely-inspired, English Commentary of the Holy Qur'an entitled AL AZIM TAFSIR'UL QUR'AN, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Al Muhyiuddin Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius reflects profoundly on the nature and character of the Book of God.  

Read the Extracts from the Introduction to the Book, Volume 1:   

Studying the Qur'an

The Quran basically is a book of moral guidance for man. It addresses itself to the totality of the human situations, internal as well as external. Its subject matter is man in relation to his guidance, his beliefs, attitudes and motives, his personality and character, his individual and social life, his role in history.

The greatest favour bestowed on mankind by God Almighty is the guidance that He sent from time to time through His Messengers and Prophets to guide His creatures. He sent down countless numbers of apostles, some of whom left written records. It begins with Adam (as), the first prophet and with Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) the ultimate Messenger to mankind. He is the Prophet to all peoples and for all times to come.

The Questioning at 'Qabar'

  

One of the constitutive beliefs of the Muslims is in relation to the hidden, mystical realities of the Hereafter, where man will reach after his brief sojourn in this world- to account for all his words and deeds in this life. Everyone will face their Lord on the Day of Reckoning. And the questioning at Qabar is unavoidable and inevitable. Allah (swt) prescribes His commandments so as to allow us to discriminate and recognize the good from the evil, by following His Prophets and other Elects through whom He conveys His messages of clear guidance to all humanity. Rejecting a messenger is tantamount to ignoring God. Hence, everyone who lives in the times of a Divine Messenger will have to account for their attitude towards such a Divine servant in the Hereafter. Everyone of us who live in this world today will be questioned tomorrow whether we behaved responsibly, or abused our free will to ridicule God’s message when it reached us- a glad tiding for true and faithful believers, and a warning for the deniers and rejecters of God’s messages and messengers.   

Reproduced below are certain Divine Revelations vouchsafed to Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Al Mahdi Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (aba) of Mauritius on Saturday, 24 July 2021. Alhamdulillah. Summa Alhamdulillah, Yaa Rabbul Aalameen. These revelations provide awe-inducing insights into the nature of questioning that humans will face after their death and departure from this world, in their graves, in the presence of angels; the segregation and rewarding of the faithful believers who will see Paradise; the judgement and punishment of Hellfire on the disbelievers and the hypocrites. People who blindly follow their leaders to unfairly and irresponsibly reject a Divine Messenger will face the evil consequences of their stupidity in the court of Allah (swt). May Allah (swt) enable those who are sincere seekers of Divine Truth and verities to derive much benefit from the insights and guidance available through these vital revelations, Insha Allah, Aameen.  

Read the Extracts from a related Jamaat Communication: 

 'Allah  revealed to this humble self: 

 O Khalifatullah! When a faithful believer is made to sit in his grave, then, the angels come to him and testify him: 

LAA ILAAHA ILLALLAH WA ANNA MUHAMMADUR RASSULLULLAH, meaning: ‘None has the right to be worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’. 

The Promise on 'Khilafat-e-Ruhani'

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908 AD),  founder of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, left behind a treasure trove of illuminating spiritual writings, explaining subtle and abstruse points of religious philosophy and practical wisdom useful in our quest for clear guidance on the Divine Way. It is important to revisit and re-read his profound and timeless writings every now and then, to gain a sense of true perspective on the extraordinary nature of the spiritual claims and Divine messages he left behind for the benefit of posterity. Perhaps even more importantly, returning to the original writings of the Promised Messiah (as) and studying them carefully can shake up the cobwebs of later theological 'engineering' and doctrinal confusion created in the minds of common Ahmadis by the administrative establishment- Nizam-e-Jamaat- to perpetuate their own control and authority. Due to the long-standing brainwashing by the Ahmadiyya establishment, the common folks have no idea how they have been transformed into devotees of the Nizam even without they realizing it! 

Indeed, ours is an age in which most Ahmadis have forgotten their own true spiritual moorings. In any case, most people have a blurred and twisted understanding on the basics of their community's true beliefs or their deep roots in Islamic spiritual expectations.  Unfortunately for them, the devotees are not allowed to use their own God-gifted intelligence and reasoning power to investigate and understand the inner world of Islamic spirituality. People remain content with the received notions from their elders- what they have inherited from their fathers and leaders within the Nizam-e- Jamaat. As a consequence, a generation is growing up in the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya who cannot frame relevant spiritual questions for themselves, nor explain where the Promised Messiah (as) stood on the question of enduring Divine Guidance and spiritual leadership ('Khilafat-e-Ruhani'). 

Contrary to the myth-making within the Nizam-e-Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, the Promised Messiah (as) did not believe that Revelation-based Khilafat has come to an end with him, and that henceforth, only men-elected caliphs will be the leaders of the Ummah, NO! The Promised Messiah (as) claimed that he came as a Khalifatullah  (Vicegerent of God) and with the title of a 'Nabi' in the Ummat-e-Muhammadiyya, and that there could be many other individuals like him in future as well. 

Qur'anic Commandments- 3

In times like ours, the world of ‘religion’ resembles every other arena of human affairs: a fertile field full of thieves, scamsters, fraudsters, scoundrels and speculators! Wishful thinking, metaphysical speculation and theological conjecture seem to ‘thrive’ on the bazaar of religions today. For instance, in our country (India) today, countless ‘godmen’ (and ‘godwomen’) literally capitalize on the ignorance and stupidity of gullible masses. Out to exploit the emotions and devotional sentiments of the people who flock to them, the religious fraudsters confuse and deviate the ignorant folks who come to seek respite from their everyday problems. Through deceitfully claiming nearness to God or presenting themselves as no less than 'Avtaar', promising welfare and spiritual salvation; the religious thugs rob the poor of their precious financial savings, and what not! It is as though a Qur’anic warning has come alive: “many rabbis and monks wrongfully consume people’s possessions and turn people away from God’s path.” (9:35). In South Asia and elsewhere, the moral decadence and corruption among the chiefs and the priests is found widely among all communities of the land- Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and the Muslims- today. 

Fortunately, Islam has a way  for reclaiming its original spiritual moorings even when its true legacy is twisted and corrupted at the hands of lesser men who "consume people’s possessions and turn people away from God’s path” (9:35). Muslims could go back and rediscover the spiritual treasures of their religion by seeking to know and understand the framework of Qur'anic ethics. To put at rest the metaphysical speculations and theological conjectures widely seen among other peoples- practices that have deviated the peoples from the correct appreciation of their own true spiritual doctrines-, the Qur'an emphatically declares that in ‘religion’, true guidance is the guidance of God. Whenever men interpret religion to suit their own whims and vanities (Bid'ah), as they will in every generation, there is a need for a stream of Divine Elects, to teach the Scripture and wisdom, and to purify the people morally and spiritually, through their own exemplary lives. The roots of the Islamic concepts of spiritual renewal, moral awakening of the Ummah, true succession to the Prophetic heritage, etc.- represented in the august spiritual office of 'Mujaddid', 'Muhyi-ud-Din', 'Khalifatullah', etc. claimed by Divine savants throughout the history of Islam-  can be traced back to the very philosophy of religion that Islam espouses. Whenever corruption and evil stalk the land, believers can be reassured by the fact that Allah (swt) will raise High representatives (24:56) to reclaim the True Legacy of Divine worship among the humans.

Indeed, the Book of Revelations, sent by God Almighty through His chosen messenger(s), set the criterion for distinguishing between good and evil. Inspired by the Holy Spirit (Roohul Quddus), the Heavenly-imbued souls who teach the Holy Book to their own people after their Prophet(s), strive to illumine the correct and straight path of life for the benefit of all around them. Most certainly, Divine guidance is built on solid foundations, and the Arc of the Prophets is firmly anchored on Divine waters. It is the obligation of the believers, individually and collectively, to implement the spirit of the Divinely-ordained code of conduct in their everyday life- be it in private and family spaces; in professional and social life; in community and national practices; in the rules and regulations a people abide by in the global comity of nations. Hence, it is important for the believers to be aware of Divine commandments and expectations so as to guard against evil, and to remain on the path of God- consciousness and prudence in life. 

'Khataman-Nabiyyine': The Seal of Divine Favours

On the Advent of Prophet-Reformers in Islam

'O children of Adam, if there come to you messengers from among you relating to you My revelations, then whoever fears Allah and reforms - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.” (Al-Arraf 7: 36).

This directive has been given to those who believe in the Holy Quran. When a prophet is sent among them in the future, they must be careful not to deny him. On the contrary, they must welcome him with open arms and reform themselves so as not to be ashamed before God on the Day of Judgment. But if there was no prophet after the revelation of the Holy Qur’an, how can one follow this direction found in this same book? Especially when it teaches us the following prayer: 

“Guide us on the right path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your favours.”

Allah (swt) here asks us to pray that we should be among those who have been rewarded by Him. Moreover, the Holy Quran mentions four dignities that are accessible to those who receive the favours of Allah (swt), namely: The rank of prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs and the pious ones - those who walk on the right way.

“Whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger ... these are among those upon whom Allah bestows His blessings, namely, the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. And what good companions are these!” (An-Nisa 4 : 70)

Thus, of these four categories of rewards, the prophets rank first. How then can we say that there will be no more prophets in Islam?

Our Holy Prophet (pbuh) has been called Khataman-Nabiyyine, and a misinterpretation of this term has given rise to a great misunderstanding where we have translated it as meaning ‘last prophet’, while in reality it means ‘seal of the prophets’, that is, without the seal of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) or without his confirmation [i.e. without any one confirming the fact that he is the follower of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and Islam, coming as an Islamic reformer based on Islamic teachings and the approval of Allah], no prophet can come any more. To become a prophet, one must be a disciple / follower of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).

Hazrat Aisha (ra) explained the term “Khataman-Nabiyyine” in these words: “Say he is ‘Khataman-Nabiyyine’ but do not say that there will be no more prophets after him.” (Takmila Majma’ul-Bihar, 85).

To be the seal of the prophets is an honour, to be the last of the prophets gives no greatness whatsoever. Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) himself said, “I am superior to all previous and future prophets.” (Ad-Dailmi)

Finding ‘Balance’ in the Trials of Life

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) is reported to have said:

'This life is the dwelling of crookedness; not straightness, and the residence of sadness; rather than happiness. Those who acquire knowledge in its true reality will not feel joy in times of ease, nor grieve in times of hardship. 

Verily, Allah the Exalted has created this life as a test and the Hereafter as the dwelling of recompense. He made the test of this life a reason behind earning the reward of the Hereafter and the reward in the Hereafter as compensation for the test in this life. He takes so that He gives and tests so that He recompenses.

The life of this world vanishes rapidly and changes suddenly. Therefore, beware of its sweetness so as to avoid the bitterness of its depriving, and beware of its delights so as to avoid the pains they lead too. 

Do not excessively build a life that Allah has decided is bound to destruction, and do not recline to (or like) it. Verily, Allah has ordained on you that you should avoid its danger. Otherwise, you will expose yourselves to His Anger and justifiably earn His Punishment."

This prophetic wisdom is, in many ways, also a summation of the Qur’anic message on the fleeting nature of our fortunes in this world, and that everything is subject to a law of nature or the Divine Law. The Holy Qur’an says, “No misfortune can happen, either in the earth or in yourselves, that was not set down in writing before We brought it into being- that is easy for God- so you need not grieve for what you miss or gloat over what you gain.” (57: 23) Long ago, Luqman the Wise counselled his son to endure with fortitude what befalls and the Qur’an notes: “Bear anything that happens to you steadfastly” (31:17).

Our Wishes and Divine Expectations

The Qur’an alludes to the wisdom behind this balanced approach to our earthly life’s contingent circumstances- fortunes and misfortunes; situations that can and will evolve in the fullness of time in the life of a believer. With a deeply flawed sense of the human self- "foolish and unjust", according to the Qur'an- man is inherently incapable of making the wise decision as regards what is harmful or beneficial for him without Divine guidance. Our wishes, desires and inclinations are to be tempered in accordance with Divine commandments and expectations wherever applicable, depending on the varied circumstances of one’s life. 

Allah (swt) encourages the believers to trust in His better knowledge of how things will turn out to be in the end, and of what benefits a person in his present life and the Hereafter. Submission to God and adherence to Divine expectations would better serve and suffice the believer's larger interests, says the Qur’an in its own inimitable style: 

“You may dislike something although it is good for you, or like something although it is bad for you: God knows and you do not.” (2: 216)

“Live with them (your wives) in a goodly manner: if you dislike them, it may well be that you dislike something which God might yet make a source of abundant good." (4:20) 

One of the Divine revelations recieved by the Promised Messiah (as) in the previous era on the same theme is as follows: 

"God will bestow your reward in full and will be pleased with you and will perfect your name. And it is possible that you hold something dear, yet in reality it is harmful for you; and it is possible that you dislike something , yet in reality it is beneficial for you. God Almighty knows the end results of things and you do not know." [Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part IV, p. 391, UK: Islam Int'l Publications, (2016). 

Imam Ibn al Qayyim al-Jawziyya (691-751 AH; 1292-1350 CE), the medieval polymath and classical commentator of the Holy Qur’an, has left behind a deeply insightful exposition on this theme of the Qur’an, advising the believing servants on how to profit from these profound words of the Book of God.

Special Advices for a Brilliant Future

A Blessed Friday 

....(B)y the grace of Allah, today “it is a blessed Friday for the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam of Mauritius, of course!” It is verily a grace, a blessing for the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam of Mauritius. When Allah is blessing the members of our Jamaat, it is tantamount to Him blessing the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam. When Allah is pouring down His grace and blessings upon His chosen servants, upon people who show obedience to Allah and His Prophet, then definitely Allah shall reward them. 

When Allah gives an instruction, the instruction/ message comes from Allah, or even when the Messenger of Allah gives some instructions, advices and messages, then you simply have to say: Labbaik! (Here I am - (In other words) I am ever ready to follow the instructions, to submit to the will of Allah). Likewise, ponder over how many “Labbaik, Allahumma Labbaik” our brothers and sisters who are going for the Hajj shall pronounce. We also, in all our sacrifices for the cause of Allah and to please Allah, we say “Labbaik”. We do not go against those instructions, we do not start any dispute and lengthen it but instead we simply submit and obey Allah and His Prophet.

Benefits of Spiritual Obedience 

And you shall agree (with me) that you have witnessed that, whenever Allah has given an instruction in the past and we have shown obedience, then we have witnessed the (positive) result of such obedience (to Allah) - when we did the works of Allah - despite the countless difficulties we encountered and the restrained means we have. But Allah indeed put in His Spirit/ Breath and blessings in such efforts (from our part) and by the grace of Allah, it is that very obedience which have borne its fruits. It is through that obedience that we were successful.

If there is no obedience towards our Creator and towards the Messenger of Allah, then we shall never succeed in anything. Therefore, obedience towards Allah and His Messenger, like Allah mentioned in the Holy Quran - in many verses therein - “Obey Allah and Obey the Prophet” (Obey Me and Obey My Prophet). Allah says, “Whenever I give you a message, an instruction, a revelation, you just need to obey, and then I shall turn your obedience into success.”

Divine Revelation, What Is It?

"For them (i.e. the friends of God Almighty) are glad tidings in this life (through revelation and converse with Allah) and will also have the same experience in the hereafter." (Yunus, 10: 65)

It should be kept well in mind that revelation does not mean that an idea should arise in the mind of a person who sets himself to ponder over a thing as, for instance, a poet having thought out half a verse seeks the other half in his mind and his mind suggests the other half. This is not revelation but is the result of reflection, in accordance with the law of nature. When a person reflects upon something good or bad, a corresponding idea arises in his mind. For instance, one person who is pious and truthful composes verses in support of truth, and another one, who is wicked and vicious, supports falsehood in his verses and abuses the righteous.

So, if the arising of an idea in the mind should be accounted as revelation, a vile poet who is the enemy of truth and of the righteous and writes in opposition to the truth and has recourse to imposture, would be called a recipient of divine revelation. Many novels are written in excellent style and set forth altogether false but continuous well arranged tales. Then would these stories be designated as revelation?

If revelation were to mean merely an idea arising in one’s mind, a thief would also be called a recipient of revelation, for an expert thief often thinks out surprising ways of theft and robbery, and many clever plans of robbery and murder pass through his mind. Would all these unclean projects be called revelation? Indeed not. Such is the thinking only of those who are not aware of the true God Who comforts the hearts of His servants with His converse and bestows the understanding of spiritual knowledge upon those who are not familiar with it.

 

What then is revelation?

It is the living and powerful converse of the Holy and Mighty God with a chosen servant of His, or with one whom He designs to make His elect. When this converse starts in an adequate and satisfactory manner, being altogether free from the darkness of false concepts, and is not composed merely of a few inadequate and meaningless words, and is full of delight and wisdom and grandeur, then it surely is the word of God with which He designs to comfort His servant and to manifest Himself to him.

'Eid' in the Times of a 'Khalifatullah'

THE TWO FESTIVALS OF MUSLIMS

We Muslims belonging to the spiritual family of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and Islam have two festivals, two days of celebrations which Allah (twt) has given us as moments of joy and as a token of His love and satisfaction to the sacrifices we happily do for His sake, as per the fulfilment of His divine commandments. These two moments of joys are the Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha.

The Eid-ul-Fitr comes after the blessed month of Ramadan, the month of fasting for the sake of Allah with the intention to reap the harvest of Allah’s proximity and belonging to Him heart and soul. As for the Eid-ul-Adha, it is what is known as the greater Eid, the greater celebration as it concludes the Hajj rites and commemorates the great sacrifice of the Patriarch and Prophet of Allah, Ibrahim (as) and his devoted son Prophet Ismail (as).

By the grace of Allah, after a month of Ramadan, we are to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr, Insha-Allah, tomorrow. This Eid (Joy) is of the essence of Allah and reflects the devotion of the faster who sacrificed himself and his way of life for a whole (lunar) month just for the sake of Allah, as fasting during this blessed month has as reward Allah Himself.

THE SUNNAT ALLAH CONCERNING THE ADVENT OF DIVINE ELECTS

And by the grace of Almighty Allah, Allah has enabled us (Ahmadi Muslims) to be born Muslims and also belonging to the spiritual family and identity of the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) who came more than 100 years ago with a rise of a new century to bring people from darkness into light.

It is Sunnat Allah (the blessed practice of our Lord Almighty, Allah) that whenever the original divine message is in danger of extinction, that is, when people have deviated from the right path and has taken their own souls as prisoners and cast them in the dungeon of unfaith, then Allah, merciful as ever, before seizing them with His mighty punishment, chooses to send to them, time after time, era after era someone from Him to bring back the pristine message of Islam, the pristine divine message.

It is a reality which existed since the dawn of time and which the Quran highlights that those in power try to manipulate the mass so that the people listen to what the corrupted divines have to say instead of the true Messengers of Allah who come to the world with the Ruh-il-Quddus (Holy Spirit) to warn mankind and to give good news of the approval and pleasure of Allah when those who come forward embrace the divine light which is offered to them.

If the teachings of Islam as a whole were being manipulated by the so-called divines and scholars so much so that Allah saw the need to send the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), then do you think that now the people in the Jamaat of the Promised Messiah (as) shall remain as devoted and pure as when the Ruh-il-Quddus was still descending on the Promised Messiah (as) when he was yet alive?

Islamic Law as 'Divine Law'

Islamic Law is divine in origin and is based on divine revelation. Being divine in origin, Islamic Law is distinct from human law which is the outcome of customary rules and which can never, with perfect success, produce uniformity of conduct within the field of action to which they apply as do the divine laws with their specified norms of good and bad, virtue and vice.

Divine Laws are the standards of right conduct and provide guidance, not only in establishing a well-ordered society, but also in distinguishing between “good” and “evil”. As a well knit system of obligation they safeguard the rights of all, and as the product of divine wisdom which alone knows what is absolute good, they ensure the welfare of the entire humanity. The peculiarity of Divine Law is that it is eternal and immutable and yet contains principles broad enough to meet the growing needs of society. 

In contradistinction to this, human laws are based on human reason which is liable to err. Further, they are made according to the needs of society and to sub-serve its interest, hence they change with the change in society. They depend for their existence on the vagaries of public opinion or upon the whims and fancies of a ruling monarch and, as such, cannot represent that unity of divine law which results in the uniformity of society.

Divine Law is a declaration on all matters and provides for every possible eventuality and this is the claim advanced by the Quran itself: “And We have revealed to you a Book as an exposition of all things.” (16: 90)