'Eid-ul-Adha' Sermon 2022

 

On 10 July 2022 ~10 Dhul-Hijjah 1443 AH, marking the occasion of the Eid-ul-Adha, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius delivered his special sermon on a very vital subject: the enduring legacy of Hazrat Ibrahim (as), the man whose utter devotion to God became a synonym for pure faith, earning him the unique title of Khalilullah, the Friend of God; the great fountainhead of a multitude of spiritual streams in the ancient world: Hagar and Isma'il; Sarah and Isaac, and many other nations- in accordance with the grand Divine promise that his progeny would spread in the earth, just like the numerous stars in the heaven. In the present discourse, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) makes several interesting observations on the basis of historical facts from ancient records, pointing to the striking similarities in the rites and practices of  the religions of India and Persia as well, alluding to the great legacy of Ibrahim/Abraham/ Abram/Brahma in different lands.  

       

Read the Eid-ul-Adha Sermon below: 

The Story of Abraham/Abram/Ibrahim/ Brahma

 

Ibrahim, the Patriarch and Friend of Allah, saw in a vision that he was offering his only son Isma’il as a sacrifice to the Lord. He said to the boy: “O son of mine, I have seen in a dream that I was slaughtering you; So, tell me what you think of it.’

 

The boy replied: “O Father, do as you have been commanded; you will find me, if Allah please, of those who are steadfast.”

 

Ibrahim made the necessary preparations. When all was ready and he was about to proceed to the fulfilment of what he thought he had been commanded to do, he received the revelation that he had indeed fulfilled his dream. (As-Swaffat 37: 104-108).

 

The true meaning of the dream was not that he should sacrifice his son in the manner in which he had seen himself doing in the dream, but that both he and his son should be ready to make a great sacrifice to win the pleasure of God. This great sacrifice was that the boy and his mother should be settled in a distant, barren valley, so that the boy should be made an instrument for the purpose of establishing the true worship of God in and around the Sacred House. (Ibrahim 14: 38).

Civility in Religious Debates

Be it writing on social media, or appearing on television channels on public debates; the persons exercising their free speech rights have a duty to observe civility and courtesy, and not to fan hatred between different classes of people, nor spread bigotry among religious communities, especially so when they are leading politicians and spokespersons of a party ruling a country. When political elites fail to observe restraint and cross the red-lines in public discourse on people’s beliefs, or faith-related controversies; it invariably generates public resistance and political backlash, muddying the social relations- nationally and internationally.

Recently, two leaders of the ruling BJP in India, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal, indulged in wanton anti-Muslim tirade, in public television and on social media. In their visceral hatred of the Muslim community in the country, these ruling politicians went to the extreme extend of attacking and vilifying the religion of Islam, and insulting the sacred memory of the Holy Prophet (sa) and his family. Making hurtful comments about the Holy Prophet’s life with his young wife Hazrat Ayesha (ra), these thugs from the majority community in the land sought to humiliate the minority community by insulting their religious beliefs. With the Muslims in India holding angry public demonstrations against the culprits, and many Muslim majority-nations in unison calling out the Islamophobia on full display in India, the episode involving the gross misconduct of its spokespersons embarrassed not only the governing party but also caused deep humiliation for the country’s image and standing internationally. [Inset: People hold posters during a protest demanding the arrest of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokeswoman Nupur Sharma and expelled BJP leader Naveen Jindal. Credit: Reuters photo/ Deccan Herald/ PTI, June 10, 2022]. 

Khalifatullah's Dream

 

Reproduced below is a very important dream made by Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius on 16 June 2022 ~15 Dhul Qaddah 1443 AH, before the Tahajjud prayers. The pious dream has several layers of information contained within it. The Khalifatullah's dream, in its own way, to begin with, calls attention to a world gone upside down: where escalating prices of essential fuels is forcing people to value the traditional modes of transportation and living. Likewise, the spiritually-infused dream throws profound light on several other matters of special importance in this era, especially the decline of spiritual values in society and the revival of Faith and its rulings through a grand Divine Manifestation which is linked to the pure ancestry of ancient prophets and their holy teachings. Two points are especially noteworthy in this context:

Hindustan, the ancient land of India, was the historical abode of many prophets and saints and other Avtaars from time immemorial. Despite the tumultuous torrents of time and the inevitable corruption of the original mores of religion as taught by the pious ancestors, the core of Divine teachings left behind by those holy men and women remain in the sacred memory of the people. Thoughtful Indians, however, now acknowledge that the value systems are all in disarray in the country. Indeed, the tentacles of power and pelf, or the prevalence of injustice and unfair takings, viciously threaten the very moral fabric of the social order. Moreover, India's ancient scriptures testify that when Dharma ( righteousness) disappears from society in the Last Days, a Divine Elect or an Avtaar will appear among the people to remind and restore the higher and truer values of life.    

Secondly, despite belonging to different races and tribes, all humans are from one another, the children of Adam;  like one family, as it were.  Indeed,  prophets and messengers of God are linked to one another, across generations, through their absolute faith in, and preaching about, the Uniqueness and Lordship of Allah (swt). To guide human communities around the world, Allah (swt) raised many prophets in the line of Hazrat Nuh (as) and Hazrat Ibrahim (as), including our beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, the present dream contains glad tidings relating to the holy ancestry of the Elect of God in our times, the Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah of this era Hazrat Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius, and the dream as well foretells the brilliant future that awaits the Divine Manifestation in the days to come, Insha Allah, Aameen.  

Hindu-Muslim Amity in India

We took a pledge from you, ‘Do not shed one another’s blood or drive one another from your homelands’. You acknowledged it at the time, and you can  testify to this. Yet here you are, killing one another and driving some of your own  people from their homes, helping one another in sin and aggression against them..’ (2: 92)

‘Lord, we fear he will do us great harm or exceed all bounds’ (20:45)

‘We have put our trust in God. Lord! Do not make us an object of persecution for the oppressors’ (10: 85)

‘Lord, we have put our trust in You; we turn to You; You are our final destination. Lord, do not expose us to mistreatment at the hands of the disbelievers. Forgive us, Lord, for You are the Almighty, the All Wise’.  (60:6) 

‘Truly those who persecute believing men and believing women, then do not repent, theirs shall be punishment of Hell, and theirs shall be the punishment of burning’. (85:11) 

An Unjust World

Today, millions of people suffer injustice, persecution and slaughter at the hands of unjust regimes around the world. In several nations- whether they are Muslim-majority or non-Muslim majority, minority communities are facing legal discrimination and political oppression. Consider the recent events impacting certain peoples, the harrowing accounts of systematic oppression are mind-numbing, and make for depressing reading: genocide of the Bosnian Muslims in Europe in the 1990’s; the ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Muslims in Central African Republic; the high-handedness of the  Myanmar/Burma regime vis-a-vis the Rohingya Muslims; the inhuman treatment being meted out to the Uighur Muslims in China;  the throttling of civic, political and economic freedoms of Muslim- majority provinces in Russia (the situation of Chechnya/ Dagestan, Crimean Tartars, etc); the volatile situation in Kashmir; the fifth-generation/ long-suffering Palestinian refugees;  the situation of millions of refugees from, and internally displaced persons in, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, Libya, Yemen,  etc.  

The mindset of the self-exalting Pharaohs, hell-bent on persecuting the hapless children of Israel in ancient times, seems to be alive, as if it were, and bedevil, almost every nation and generation of people. The denial of human rights and community interests and political oppression is often serviced in the name of superior race; majority religion; superior caste; pure ethnicity; national culture; secular law, popular will, etc. Not just under despotic regimes, but also under so-called democracies, minority communities and their interests are trampled upon. The national ‘self’ is imagined in such a narrow way that the minorities are treated as the ‘other’ and the law is unleashed to deny and deprive the basic rights of such persons: citizenship, civic and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, etc. Hence, in the name of socially-codified communal prejudices in such democracies, the human dignity, basic identity, fundamental rights and other collective interests of the minority is unrecognized, and often, criminalized. 

The Darkness in Delhi

As I write this, my city, Delhi, is limping back to ‘normalcy’ after the dastardly, orchestrated, anti-Muslim violence of last week that claimed over 50 innocent lives, and critically- injured hundreds of others, ordinary people going about their everyday lives. Shops and establishments, vehicles and other properties, houses and the mosques of the Muslim community were particularly targetted by the criminal thugs on steroid. The communal fire and riots were ignited and perpetrated with a clear and malicious intent to destroy the peaceful and dignified co-existence of the Hindus and the Muslims of the city for several decades. By attacking the very livelihood of the minority community, the marauders and their political dons hope to break the harmony in society. With every communal violence, the 'distance' between communities increase, leading to 'apartheid-cities' segregating the people from one another, further and further. [Inset: 'A mosque in Delhi's Ashok Nagar was torched and a saffron flag associated with the Hindu far right was placed on the minaret' [File: Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Al Jazeera]

The Little Girl of Kathua

'And when the baby girl who is buried alive will be questioned about; 

For what offence was she killed?'

                                            ---Surah Al Takwir, Ch:81: 9-10)

Last month, the kidnapping, gang-rape and brutal killing of an eight-year old little girl in Kathua, in the Jammu region, caused a national outrage in India. And the country witnessed a series of popular protests against the rising tide of horrific incidents of violence against women and girl children in recent years. The government’s woeful record of abject failures in dealing with the question of safety and security of women and girl children was highlighted in these mass mobilizations. Across several cities and townships, public meetings called for ending the prevailing culture of impunity around sex and gender-related crimes. That the Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself was reminded on Indian women’s safety by well-meaning foreigners during his recent tour of Britain speak volumes about the national dishonour and humiliation these institutional failings represent for the people.

The Myths of The Hindus

"And they have taken (for worship) gods other than Allah, to give them power and glory! No! Those "gods" (i.e. false gods) will deny their worship of them and will be against them as opponents [on the Day of Judgement]." (Maryam, 19: 82-83)

Today is a Public Holiday in Mauritius (i.e. Maha Shivaratree). Perhaps in the other countries also, they are celebrating the Maha Shivaratree. My Hindu friends have requested me that today in my Friday Sermon I talk about their three gods: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

'Super Blood Moon' : A Grand Celestial Sign

There is no doubt that our Earth is dying. Day after day, hour after hour, the Earth nears its end, just like all humans and every living being shall inevitably meet their end. 

But no one can with exactitude say when the final Hour shall occur. Only the Almighty, Allah (twa) owns information about it and has not disclosed it to anyone, even His closest and most beloved of all prophets and creatures, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

WHAT IS THE “FINAL HOUR/
THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT”?

In the Holy Quran, Allah (swt) clearly states:

They ask you about the Hour: when is its arrival? 

Say, “Its knowledge is only with my Lord. None will reveal its time except Him. It lays heavily upon the heavens and the earth. It will not come upon you except unexpectedly.” 

They ask you as if you are familiar with it.

Say, “Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most of the people do not know.” 
----(Qur'an , 7: 188)

“People ask you concerning the Hour. Say, “Knowledge of it is only with Allah. And what may make you perceive? Perhaps the Hour is near.” (Quran 33: 64)

The Bible also makes clear that only God Almighty knows the timing of such, and anyone who makes such a prediction (claiming that he knows the time of the Hour) acts contrary to the Word of God.

Spirituality: Learn about All Religions

My dear brothers and sisters,   

   May the peace of God be upon you.

I most warmly thank you – guests and members of the Jamaat present – for answering the call of our religious society – Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam – and came today. By the grace of Allah (God Almighty), our religious society organised this conference today as part of the centenary of the advent of the message of a reformer of God named Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) – originating from India – in Mauritius.

1915-2015: It has been a hundred years since the message of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) came to our little island of Mauritius. His message was spread to the four corners of Mauritius and today there are thousands of followers (who believed in his message) and who are located in several towns and villages of Mauritius and also in Rodrigues. His coming was already prophesied in the Holy Quran and the sayings of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). 

An 'Avatar' in the Age of 'Kalyug'

The Bible as well as the religion of Hinduism also prophesied about the coming of a reformer, and other great religions are still waiting for the advent of a reformer who will come for the reform of humanity. I’m sure that you, my Hindu and Christian brothers and sisters will agree with me that the world has entered the era of Kalyug (darkness), and therefore everyone is waiting for the promised Saviour/Reformer.

Then the Khalifatullah (atba) listed a series of evils which has gripped the present society, describing the actual Kalyug where people (men, women and children/youths) have abandoned Spirituality – the mosques and all places of worship – to grip the vices of this world such as drugs, gambling, fraud, corruption etc. People are now in places of worship only as a routine, but they are devoid of spirituality. 

Elections and Political Faultlines in Mauritius

First of all I thank Allah (swt) who has given me the opportunity to continue the subject of the sermon which I addressed you last Friday. Like you all know, there remain only a few days for the General Elections in Mauritius, Rodrigues and Agalega – Wednesday 10 December 2014.

For all people of Mauritius, this General Election to be held on 10 December 2014 is a prospect to make Mauritius a second republic and whereby the ex-leader of the opposition shall become the Prime Minister of the island for 5 years, Insha-Allah, after having struggle really hard for the goodwill of all Mauritians. He is verily a man who deserves that position, with the intelligence, competence, and capacity as state leader. He is a honest man with great visions for the country. He spent 47 years in politics, struggling for all Mauritians, and he even escaped death (when there was an attempt to kill him when he was a young man) and ever since his young days, he plunged into politics and struggled for the rights of workers so that they may get their dignity and he protected them from being crushed by their employers. He gave a lot of himself for the people of Mauritius, but the Mauritians did not (or refuse to) recognise his value, competence and capacity. Very often the politicians and people from different religions who do not have any real competence, along with the socio-cultural groups have crushed this able man, honest, whereby nobody can say that he is power-thirst or that he stole something, or even was involved in fraud and corruption. He did not also protect male and female allies. That honest man is Paul Raymond Berenger, the historical leader. It is the fanatics who have all the time tried to create all sorts of communal problems to bar him from becoming Prime Minister. This shows to you that the sincere, honest and devoted people have all the time great enemies and adversaries who try to create all sorts of problems and spread communal talks for them. Such is the case also for Paul Raymond Berenger who had to face all these people who do not want him to become the Prime Minister of Mauritius.

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: