Lessons from Hazrat Ibrahim- 2

 

The Messengers of Allah

'The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. They believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His messengers. (They proclaim) “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” And they say, “We hear and obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord! And to You (alone) is the final return.” (Al-Baqara 2: 286)

Alhamdulillah Summa Alhamdulillah [Praise be to Allah, again (I repeat) Praise be to Allah], the life of Hazrat Ibrahim (as) [Abraham], as I explained last week, was far from easy. He faced numerous trials, starting with his own parents, and also encountered Namrud [Nimrod] and his people who sought to burn him alive in a great fire simply because he made them question the false gods they were worshipping.

Marriage in Islam

 

Marriage is the root of the family structure in society. It is the legal frame for the relief of desires as well as the vital link between generations through children in the family. An enabling environment for the proper upbringing of children in secular affairs and in spiritual ways, the bonds of marriage and family indeed facilitates the construction of a peaceful and harmonious society. In his Friday Sermons of 24 September 2010 [15 Shawwal 1431 Hijri] & 01 October 2010 [22 Shawwal 1431 Hijri], Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius gave a comprehensive exposition on the larger objectives and purposes of the institution of marriage in Islam; explaining the considerations that should guide a Muslim in choosing a life partner. 

In the second discourse, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) explains sacred teachings of the Holy Prophet (sa) on marriage-related questions that emerged in the life and times of the pious companions. The discourse clearly affirms that it is illegal to marry off a woman against her will. Parents or guardians cannot coerce a Muslim woman into a marriage she dislikes. And free consent is a condition precedent to the legal validity of a Muslim marriage. Hazrat Saheb (aba) also notes that Muslim men are not allowed to wear gold ornaments. The believers need to keep in mind the Shari’ah-compliance of cultural traditions associated with marriage rites in their local communities. The principle is illustrated with reference to the exchange of engagement rings as a symbol of the marital commitment.    

 

Read extracts from the two Friday Sermons Below:

 

Marriage: an act of worship. The conservation of life and its continuation until Judgement Day are part of the teachings of Islam and that is why it encouraged marriage and preferred that the couple after becoming parents and children, they have grandchildren.

 

"Allah has given you from yourselves wives, and from your wives gave you children and grandchildren. And He gave you good things." (16:73)

Covid-19: World in Panic

The Precarious State of the World 

Everyone is in awe (fear) with the 2nd and 3rd waves of the pandemic which are wreaking havoc across the whole world. People are confined to the house, and those who do not respect the confinement, there are tickets for non-compliance with the confinement, and laws have been passed. [And here in Mauritius, some people are ignoring the warnings of the police and continue to circulate without following health advice and protocols]. The law states that anyone accused of non-compliance with confinement or non-wearing of a mask will have their conviction for this offense displayed on their character certificate. 

Here in Mauritius, there is a scare that governs in the neighbouring regions! The villages will switch slowly into the red zone same as the towns [such as the village of Canot]. The number of cases continues to increase, and the containment which was to be removed on March 31, has been extended until April 30, 2021. The authorities have sealed the perimeters of the most infected places, that is to say, the red zones. No one has the right to enter or leave it except those who are in possession of special “Work Access Permits” [WAPs] for red zones, as well as children who have exams, and the parents who accompany them. And until this ban is lifted, everyone must abide by these limits so that the virus does not spread. Contact tracing continues, and as I told you, the country (Mauritius) has hundreds and hundreds of positive [local] cases. 

For me personally, I fear for all mankind that the Astra Zeneca vaccine would cause long term side effects. 

'Ghibbat': Part- VI

Surah Al-Hujurat: On 'Ghibbat'

Islam is such a religion where Allah has made available to believers all solutions to various problems, and it [i.e. Islam] has also taught man how to live his life.

Despite the presence of all these divine teachings, but the problems keep spreading and continue to get worse every day, like I explained to you in my sermon last Friday on the relationship between mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and daughter-in-law, on how many problems arise in a home, between a couple, and how a mother-in-law should treat her daughter-in-law, without creating problem in a home and how a daughter-in-law should deal with her mother-in-law. Often, the daughters-in-law are intolerant and constantly fill their husbands’ ears [with negative comments against the husbands’ family] to keep them away from their mums and other family members. Yet when the Quran mentioned the subject of marriage, it mentioned it in such a way that the subject of pity (Rehem) is brought up towards the parents of the couple, i.e. the parents of the husband as well as the parents of the wife. It applies both ways.

So, in this sense, we must try to reform the society and here too it is “Ghibbat” (backbiting) that causes the worst effect. 

'Become Models of Islamic Piety'

During the recently concluded tour of South India, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius addressed the women believers at the Noor'ul Islam Masjid at Mathra on the occasion of their Ijtema on 05 December 2018 (27 Rabi’ul Awwal 1440 AH). In this spiritual discourse, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) encourages women believers of the Divine Manifestation to recognize their important role in the transmission of the Divine messages of our times both within their family circles and beyond. While being models of piety in individual and collective lives, the believers need to appreciate the roles and responsibilities that go with their terrain and be ready to participate- based on their respective capabilities and specific skills- with sincerity and steadfastness in the larger causes of the Jamaat at all levels, exhorts Hadhrat Saheb (atba).    

The Believing Women of the Divine Manifestation

Dear Suruj Makin (i.e. the Strong and Firm Lamps of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam), Assalamoualaikum Warahmatullah Wabarakaatuhu.

By the grace of Allah, Allah has enabled this humble self to come to Kerala again this year, after nearly two years now since January of the year 2017. And Alhamdulillah, I am here present today for your special Ijtema to address you few words of encouragement in the path of Allah.

You should know that working for the cause of Allah reaps the sweetest of fruits, be it in this world and the hereafter. As women of the Divine Manifestation of this age, it is your duty to see to it that other women also get the divine message. It is my prayer that Allah gives you the power of tongue, whilst being in Pardah and in a cultured manner to represent Islam in the best way vis-à-vis other ladies, be it of Islam and the various religions.

Today, you are the fortunate ones whom Allah has guided to accept His truth, to recognize His signs and Khalifatullah. Now, you should not neglect your duties to Allah and the Messenger of Allah. You should strive in the various fields of works, like Dawa/ Tabligh and the translations of the documents of the Jamaat, as available in our website. Alhamdulillah, you take good care of your homes – husbands, parents, children and other family members, but how beautiful it would be if all those with the necessary knowledge, contribute in translation works also, especially the Commentary of the Holy Quran inspired to this humble self in your local language, i.e. Malayalam, and Insha-Allah, other local languages of India.

As a spiritual father to you all, it is my duty to motivate you to work selflessly for the cause of Allah. Working for the Deen-e-Islam is indeed a great blessing which few receive or take the step forward to hold firm to. Those who receive the blessings of working for the cause of Allah are indeed fortunate because their sacrifices and dedication shall NEVER be in vain. Allah will illumine them and show them the right path and bring them close to Him.

Conjugal Relations in Islam

Imam Bukhari mentions a Hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), reported by Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) which is as follows: “If a husband calls his wife to his bed (i.e. to have sexual relation) and she refuses and causes him to sleep in anger, the angels will curse her till morning.”

 

There are many women who, as a result of a dispute between themselves and their husbands, think that they are punishing them (i.e. their husbands) by not allowing them to satisfy their carnal desires. However, this attitude can lead to serious problems that can lead the husband to commit a prohibited act or things can turn against her (i.e. the wife) and he will think about getting married to a second woman. The wife must therefore satisfy his desire by putting into practice a recommendation of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):  “If the man calls his wife for sexual intercourse, she must answer spontaneously even if she is on the saddle of a camel!” 

 

All the same, the husband must also take into account the condition of his wife, who may be sick, pregnant or have trouble, all this to reach an agreement (with her, mutual agreement) without difficulty.

'Yaum-un-Nabi': The Prophet as a Father

The Holy Prophet of Islam as a Father

Today is Friday the 12 Rabi'ul Awwal 1439 AH. The majority of the Muslim World is celebrating Yaum-un-Nabi - the Day of the Prophet (pbuh), while others call it Milad-un-Nabi - the birthday of the Prophet (pbuh). While celebrating birthdays was not a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), each Muslim must bear in mind that celebrations which resemble the practices of the non-Muslims (e.g. cake cutting and blowing on candle and making wishes, partying with dancing, music and alcoholic drinks etc.) are strictly forbidden in Islam.

As for us, we prefer to commemorate the Seerat-un-Nabi, i.e. the life story of the Prophet (pbuh) so that we may remind ourselves of his perfect character as a human being and prophet.

Muhammad literally means much praised. Even before he made claim to prophethood, his own people knew him to be truthful and trustworthy. The Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh) was the father of three sons and four daughters. Two sons, Qasim and Abdullah, named in the family Tayab and Tahir were born from Hazrat Khadija. Another son, Ibrahim, later on, was born from Hazrat Maria, his Coptic wife (who later became Muslim).

The first born was Qasim after whom, according to the Arab custom, the Holy Prophet himself was called Abul Qasim, i.e. father of Qasim. Qasim died at the age of two before the advent of Islam. Next to Qasim was his eldest daughter named Zainab. Next to her were daughters Ruqayya, Umme Kulsoom, and the youngest of all daughters was Fatima. The youngest offspring of the Holy Prophet and Hazrat Khadija was Abdullah, who passed away as an infant before the advent of Islam.