A Message of Peace to All Hajjis

The journey to the House of Allah in Makkah, prescribed as part of the religious obligations of the able faithful, is the representational act of complete submission to the Divine Will and Command in this life and the ultimate metaphor for the journey to the Hereafter. In November 2007, Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Munir Ahmad Azim (atba) of Mauritius paid a poetic tribute to all Hajjis on the occasion of their proceeding on the spiritual pilgrimage to the land of the Prophet of Islam for the Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha. The depth of meaning and sheer beauty of the soulful prayer captures one’s imagination so much so that one keeps repeating the poem long after the first recitation. As another Hajj is culminating in the Eid, we reproduce the poem below for the benefit of all our readers:   

From the bottom of my humble heart,
May your flight to the land of the Prophet of Islam,
Bring about a great spiritual change in you,
And may you revolve in Allah’s Love,
And gain proximity with Him,
Who have made Hajj the essence of purification,

I call to you O Allah, my Lord,
To bless all those who are dear to You,
And who have readied their heart,
To accomplish Your command,
And come to You,
From all corners of this temporal world as true devotees of the Lord of all the worlds,
To sacrifice their selves in the hands of purity, Incha-Allah. Ameen

Muslims of Mauritius: Challenges Ahead

Mauritius is an island-state situated in the Indian Ocean with a population of over a million,  belonging to numerous ethnic/religious/linguistic groups, including the Hindus, Christians and Muslims. After centuries of colonial mercantile interests that caused and brought about waves of immigration from South Asia and elsewhere, the country today has the Hindus as the largest ethno-linguistic and religious group while the Muslims (at around 2,00,000) constitute a minority with around 17 per cent of the national population. With the attainment of independence from Britain in 1968, the country adopted a secular and democratic Constitutional framework and all social groups, thus, enjoy full freedom of worship and performance of religious rites and rituals. As the dominant community, the Hindus, however, continue to occupy important political and administrative positions and enjoys certain other privileges. On the contrary, the minority Muslim community remains to be on the social periphery with many grievances yet to be addressed.

In his Friday Sermon of June 07, 2013 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius has called attention to the several problems and legitimate grievances of the Muslims of Mauritius, including on the twisted Hajj policy of the Mauritius Government. The spiritual pilgrimage to Makkah (in Saudi Arabia) for the performance of Hajj is one of the fundamental religious obligations of Muslims, wherever they are. In our times, thanks to improvement in transportation linkages and communication facilities, millions of Muslims engage in the preparation (of a life time) to make that august journey to Makkah. The Saudi Arabian Government has thus been constrained to delimit the number of believers assembling at the Holy City at this most important period of time due to logistical and accommodation/space- related concerns. Thus, countries have been allotted Hajj-quota (limiting the number of persons who will get visa to perform the Hajj in a specific year) and the opportunities to receive the visa are limited.

In the case of Mauritius, it is observed that influence-peddlers and other vested interests exercise undue influence to bear on who gets the recommendation for Hajj visa under the national quota. The politician-ministers tilt the scales in favour of their own cronies and other elite sections, leading to the unjust deprival of the opportunity to perform the Hajj to common Muslims who may be saving all through their lives for the purpose. Thus, year after the year, the same set of people-who are highly connected and politically influential- manage to get the visa and go for the Hajj, though it is not mandatory to perform Hajj more than once. On the contrary, most poor Muslims who may save for many years to go and perform the Hajj may not be able to get even the visa. The political leadership in the country essentially seeks to manipulate and exploit the divisions within the minority Muslim community and has virtually ignored or put on cold storage the important concerns of the Muslim community, including the need for an embassy in Saudi Arabia, which would facilitate the negotiations for an increase in the Hajj quota as well as in seeking trading and other labour market opportunities.     

Even at the risk of being labelled “communal”, one may have to warn that both secularism and democracy in Mauritius are under threat from racist vultures in its body politic, feels the Khalifatullah (atba). When the minority Muslim community’s religious rights- to go on pilgrimage to Makkah for Hajj- and their social, administrative and economic progress within the country are being thwarted surreptitiously, it points to the presence of communalism on the body politic, points out the Khalifatullah (atba). Further, the Sermon provides illuminating guidance to the Muslims to come out of their predicament by paying attention to their community identity and the responsibilities of solidarity being conveyed through the Divine Messages available in their midst.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:   

'Khalifatullah shall Perform Hajj’

Hajj or the pilgrimage to Mecca for the performance of spiritual rites is one of the most sacred obligations in Islam. An able Muslim has to undertake the pilgrimage at least once in his or her lifetime. The Holy Qur’an describes the Hajj in a manner that reinforces spiritual brotherhood, universal solidarity, and oneness of humanity symbolizing the essential unity and egalitarian spirit of all mankind worshipping the Lord Almighty.   

And yet, the Mullahs have instigated the mundane caretakers of the ‘Ancient House’- (‘Baitul Aqiq’) so much so that Muslims who believe in the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as) are prevented from performing their spiritual obligations at Mecca. This is a patent subversion of the Qur’anic idea of Hajj which seeks to unite humanity under the banner of Islam, rather than divide the world on the grounds of sectarian prejudices and jaundiced perceptions.

It is only logical to consider that irrespective of what the mundane caretakers of the the ‘Ancient House’ may prescribe, the original Qur’anic perspective of uniting mankind at Mecca shall have to happen, especially with the advent (and departure) of the Promised Massih (as). Now that Allah has sent a Chosen Messenger of His in our times in the personhood of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius, there is a valid spiritual expectation that the promised uniting of all humanity under the symbolic banner of Hajj shall take place in the present era itself. Allah knows Best.

It is instructive to note that in his recent speeches- November 04 & 06, 2011- on the subject of Hajj and Eid,  Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius made certain pertinent observations based on what Allah the Most High has informed him through revelations.