The Next Life

  

In the Islamic view of life, nothing is more important than success in the eternal life; the life after death. This success isn’t measured by wealth or comfort, but by entering Paradise after receiving Allah’s forgiveness. That is the true triumph: when a person rises above the limits of this worldly life and reaches an everlasting life filled with endless joy. In His infinite wisdom, Allah has set clear signs to guide us towards this noble destination. 

A Muslim is invited to seek Allah’s pleasure and stay away from anything that brings His anger. This doesn’t just mean avoiding sins; it means living a life that reflects divine values and principles, with the hope that Allah will welcome us with His mercy – not only when we leave this world, but also on the Day of Judgement. Allah says in Surah Al-Imran (3: 32): “Say: If you truly love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”

 

This verse reminds us that Allah’s love comes through obedience to the Prophet – whether it’s the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), or any prophet sent in different times to revive Islam in the hearts of those who had forgotten it. We must remember that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the perfect example for all humanity, even for the prophets who came and who will continue to come after him. These prophets are called to uphold his honour, the honour of Allah –our Creator, and to restore the true value of the Qur’an. The life of the Prophet is a model of virtue for all of us. Whoever follows his path will receive Allah’s forgiveness and love – two essential gifts for entering Paradise.

Our Islamic Faith

 

Ashhadu alla ilaha illallahu wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh.

 

I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (pbuh) is His servant and Messenger.

 

This testimony is an integral part of the Tashahhud (the testimony) that I recited at the beginning of my sermon and is a fundamental aspect of Islamic life, whether in Salat (prayer) or in every aspect of a Muslim believer's life. This testimony prevents anyone from considering the greatest and seal of prophets, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), or any person or thing on this earth as equal to Allah.

 

As the Khalifatullah and Messenger of Allah in this era, it is important for me to present to you what I, as a believing Muslim, hold to be true. First and foremost, I firmly believe in the existence of an All-Powerful God Who is perfect in all His attributes. Allah is a Being without any flaws, weaknesses, imperfections, insufficiencies, laziness, and He lacks nothing and never forgets. None of the human or animal weaknesses that afflict His creatures affect Him, the Creator. He possesses all excellent qualities at the highest level, beyond the full understanding and realization of humanity.

'Doomsday'

The Signs of Qiyamah- 6 

'I swear by the Day of Resurrection! And I do swear by the self-reproaching soul! Do people think We cannot reassemble their bones? Yes, We are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers. But man wishes to go on violating Allah’s injunctions (even in future) ahead of him.' (Al-Qiyaamah 75: 2-6)

 

It is by the wisdom of Allah that man was created. The universe was created, and the system of habitation for man on earth was established so that Allah’s beloved creation could learn to find their way on this earth and seek Him, Allah, their Creator. With the intelligence that Allah endowed the new Adam, our common ancestor, we have seen how Allah sought to protect the human race so that it would not fall into Satan’s traps. Where there is light, there is also darkness. While darkness is a blessing from Allah for mankind to find rest, it is also the ideal time for Satan to carry out his work.

 

Allah created man to worship Him alone, without associating anyone with Him. All the souls that Allah created from His divine breath, and which He decreed to be born from the creation of the first Adam until the Day of Judgement, have all received guidance to show them the path to Allah. This guidance, the guides of Allah, are the prophets and messengers of Allah, and in times when there are no prophets and messengers, it is the reformers and pious people who carry out this work, guiding their people towards the worship of Allah alone, without associating anyone with Him.

‘When I Die’: A Reminder

  

‘Every soul will taste death and you will be paid in full only on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have triumphed. The present world is only an illusory pleasure.’ (3:186)

‘Bear in mind that the present life is just a game, a diversion, an attraction, a cause of boasting among you, of rivalry in wealth and children. It is like plants that spring up after the rain: their growth at first delights the sowers, but then you see them wither away, turn yellow, and become stubble. There is terrible punishment in the next life as well as forgiveness and approval from God; the life of this world is only an illusory pleasure. So race for your Lord’s forgiveness and a Garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers: that is God’s bounty, which He bestows on whoever He pleases. God’s bounty is infinite.’ (57:22) 

‘Lord, inspire me to be thankful for the blessings You have granted me and my parents, and to do good deeds that please You; admit me by Your grace into the ranks of Your righteous servants.’ (27:20)

Life is transient in this world, and the lost moment never comes back. It is our responsibility to be conscious of our precious opportunity in this world before go forever from here to the Hereafter: to be good, and to do good; to uphold justice and to help God and His messenger/s, in our times among the people. On the Day of Resurrection and of Judgement, we are to give an account of our deeds- good and bad- to the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, our Lord Almighty as we await our rewards- the Paradisical Gardens of Divine pleasure and nearness in the world to come; or, our punishment- the Hellfire of Divine Anger and Rejection, God Forbid.  

 

Reproduced Below is a powerful reminder on the big picture of human life in this world, and the forthcoming accountability that everyone of us need to be prepared for, in the world to come after death and departure from here; a devout Muslim writer of Arab descent has left behind a succinct statement of our essential beliefs on individual accountability on the Day of Judgement when we face the chronicle of our records before God:

‘Tarbiyyat’ Lessons- 6

  

A God-centric approach can enable and empower us to deal with shifting fortunes in personal and social life. As humans, our hearts experience a range of emotions in the varied settings of life. Hence, we encounter both moments of ecstasy and agony; of fortune and misfortune; of happiness and sadness; of hope and despair. Islam prescribes temperamental moderation and a well-balanced approach to issues that affect the individual at the deepest level; teachings that are essential for personal mental health and emotional stability, and for collective well-being of the community at large. It envisages that in times of ease and comfort, we should remain grateful to God for all the blessings of life, and remain within the bounds of Shari’ah, and not commit excesses while taking our fill of pleasure. Likewise, we should turn to our Creator and invoke His sublime attributes in our low moments: times when we experience misfortune and sorrow; feel a huge void at the loss of a dear one, or feel sad and depressed after a sincere relationship falls apart. Indeed, at such emotionally-vulnerable points, to find the inner strength to cope with the vagaries in our fortunes; we could and should rely entirely on God’s mercy and hope for His grace through spiritual invocations and Duahs.  

In a recent series of messages with his spiritual disciples and followers, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius provides fascinating insights on human emotions and related Islamic teachings on Divine remembrance to empower people struggling with emotional burdens in vulnerable situations.

 

Read the Messages Below:

On Life Lessons- 5

On Marriage:

To every man, the Day you marry your wife, is the day Allah places a trust and responsibility on you to give her the rights as a wife, and she becomes your family, your comforter, the mother of your children, so fear Allah as in regards to your duties as husband.

To every woman, when you marry your husband you leave your birth home and you become a real woman. Your husband becomes your family, your maintainer and protector, the father of your children, your friend and lover so treat him well and follow him to the ends of the earth, fear Allah in regards to how you treat him.

Marriage in Islam completes half of your Deen. Do not be swayed by good looks, or money as these will come and go; marry a man who truly fears and loves Allah, who puts Islam first before anything. 

Financial Sacrifice- 2

  

In his Friday Sermon of 15 September 2023~29 Safar 1445 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius gives an exposition on the larger theme of financial sacrifice in the Divine Way. Continuing on the theme from previous week, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) underscores that true believers only seek God’s approval and pleasure in obeying His prescriptions and prohibitions and it is they who inherit Paradise as a reward for their goodness in this world. Just as the rich are on trial on how they conduct with the possessions they have been entrusted with, the needy also have obligations of patience and goodness in the Divine Law of life.

Elaborating on the theme of a Qur’anic verse identified at the beginning of the sermon (13:23), Hazrat Saheb (aba) notes that the true believers perform their social obligations and do all the services that they render only for the sake of God’s countenance: they do not do charity or other good deeds for selfish reasons, or out of pride or religious ostentation. Needy believers endure hardships caused by restricted means of livelihood, or other emotional deprivations, and yet they do not incline to evil and bad deeds, remaining steadfast in faith, in goodness and in fact, they also race to do good in their own way. Diligent in the performance of devotional prayer at prescribed times; disciplining the self and its inclinations in this temporary world; being mindful of the reckoning before the Lord on the Day of Judgement, true believers are hopeful of the enduring rewards of God’s pleasure and blessings in the Hereafter.  

Divine Punishments & Rewards

  

The System of Divine Punishments & Rewards

 عَسٰی رَبُّکُمۡ اَنۡ یَّرۡحَمَکُمۡ ۚ وَاِنۡ عُدۡتُّمۡ عُدۡنَا ۘ وَجَعَلۡنَا جَہَنَّمَ لِلۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ حَصِیۡرًا ﴿۹

 

“It may be that your Lord will have mercy on you, but if you repeat (your crime) We shall repeat (the punishment), and remember that We have made hell a prison for the disbelievers.” (Bani Isra’il 17: 9).

 

There is disgrace, humiliation for those who cause trouble in this temporal life and in the Hereafter; this humiliation as well as the punishment that Allah will give to these types of people will be much more humiliating and painful than all the earthly punishments that you can ever think of.

 

The Message of the Holy Quran is addressed to all of you. Those who have faith and demonstrate this faith in their intentions and actions, they will surely get their spiritual reward which is a reward that is beyond any earthly reward that a person can ever conceive.