‘Laila-tul-Qadr’: An Interview

 

“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).” (2:185)

'Truly, We revealed this on a Night full of blessings...’ (44:4)

We revealed it on the ‘Laila-tul-Qadr’ [the Night of Destiny, the Blessed Night & filled with virtues] (97:2)

'Itikaaf' Guidelines

 

In his Friday Sermon of 29 March 2024 ~18 Ramadan 1445 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius offers an exposition on 'Itikaaf’, the devotional Muslim practice of staying in a spiritual retreat at a Masjid or other secluded space in the last 10 days of the fasting month of Ramadan for pure worship of the Divine, far away from all material entanglements of everyday life. In this discourse, as true believers around the world prepare themselves to perform 'Itikaaf' in the final ten days of Ramadan, Hazrat Saheb (aba) offers practical guidance on 'Itikaaf'- related invocations and supplications and additional prayers in the seclusion of the meditative space. 

Read the Friday Sermon Below:   

Religion (Deen, Deen of Allah, Islam) came to bring balance and perfection to man in his life. Without religion, man loses his bearings and therefore will not be able to live a healthy life. It is religion that encourages marriage, family life and prayer.

 

The fact that we are being watched (by Allah, and His angels) and that we must one day be held accountable for our actions forces us to behave well and think twice before committing despicable acts. The religion of Islam advocates moderation and does not tolerate any extremes. On the one hand, there is the obligation of everyone to seek a lawful livelihood, and on the other hand one must engage in religious obligations every day. But during the year one should have a balance between worldly activities and spirituality. And this is where we note that the prophet (pbuh) dedicated the last ten days of each Ramadan to Itikaaf. It is narrated by Hazrat Aisha (ra) that after the death of the Prophet (pbuh), his wives also sat down for the ten days of Itikaaf (Bukhari).

'Tahajjud' and 'Tarawee'

  

In the aftermath of a humble request for explanations from his spiritual mentor and guide in this era, a humble disciple of the Khalifatullah Hazrat Munir A. Azim (aba) has axed his questions on the importance of Tahajjud and Tarawee in Islam. His questions are as follows:

 

1. What is the difference between Tahajjud and Tarawee?

2. Do we pray Tahajjud (After Isha, before Fajr) at different times during Ramadan and non-Ramadan (nights)?

3. The Prophet (pbuh) did not perform the Tahajjud prayer or the Tarawee prayer together. Why do we do it?

 

Hazrat Khalifatullah's considered response to these set of questions shine  a clear light of guidance on a vital aspect of Islamic spiritual practice in the fasting month of Ramadan: the devotional practice of offering voluntary prayers known as the Tarawee Prayers after the Esha prayers- both in its original, historical context, but also in relation to the Tahajjud Prayers, explaining the practices against the wider backdrop of the Holy Prophet's own approach and those of the pious second caliph Hazrat Umar (ra), and what these additional prayers mean  in the spiritual journey of the believers in their quest for Divine nearness, pleasure and approval. 

Water: A Divine Sign

‘Did We not make the earth a home for the living and the dead? Did We not place firm, lofty mountains on it and provide you with sweet water?’ (77: 26-28)

 

‘Do they not see the sky above them––how We have built and adorned it, with no rifts in it; how We spread out the earth and put solid mountains on it, and caused every kind of joyous plant to grow in it, as a lesson and reminder for every servant who turns to God; and how We send blessed water down from the sky and grow with it gardens, the harvest grain, and tall palm trees laden with clusters of dates, as a provision for everyone; how with water We give [new] life to a land that is dead? This is how the dead will emerge [from their graves].’ (50: 7-12)

 

‘It is He who sends the winds as heralds of good news before His Mercy. We send down pure water from the sky, so that We can revive a dead land with it, and We give it as a drink to many animals and people We have created.’ [25: 49-50]

 

Say, ‘Just think: if all your water were to sink deep into the earth who could give you flowing water in its place?’ (67: 31)

‘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:

Qur'an, Prayer and Healing

 

‘He who cures me when I am ill’ (26:81)

‘He will heal the believers’ feelings’. (9:14)

Several verses testify to the fact that the Quran is a mercy to those who are receptive to its message. It's teachings act as a cure for various ailments of the heart, including ignorance, doubt, hypocrisy, rancour, hatred, and enmity. For a true believer, the Book of God enables one to acquire virtue and perfection of character, adorning him/her with the gifts of knowledge and wisdom. Indeed, those who seek cure from the Qur’an, it is God Who will cure them: 

‘People, a teaching from your Lord has come to you, a healing for what is in [your] hearts, and guidance and mercy for the believers.’ (10:58)

 

‘We send down the Quran as a healing and mercy for the believers’. (17:82)

 

‘Say, ‘It is guidance and healing for those who have faith’. (41:45) 

Poem: ‘Supplication to Allah’

 

O You, for Whom I would sacrifice my life,

My heart, and every particle of my being!

With Your mercy, open for me

All the paths to recognizing You.

 

The philosopher who seeks You

Through reason, is insane;

The hidden path that leads to You

Lies far from reason’s domain.

 

None of them ever found

Your Holy Abode;

Only through Your limitless Grace

Has anyone ever found the Road.

The remembrance of God- 7

 

Allah states in the Holy Qur'an: 'In houses which Allah has allowed to be raised up, and His name to be remembered therein, in the morning and evening are men who glorify him therein, whom neither trade nor sale can divert from the remembrance of Allah, and (they) establish the prayers, and pay the Zakaat; fearing a day when hearts and eyes shall be turned about, that Allah will recompense them for the finest deeds they did and increase them from His bounty. Allah provides without measure to whom He will.' (24:37-39)

 

The above verses stipulates that there are such houses in which there reside true servants of Allah who day and night they glory Allah and they have made their house become a Masjid (Mosque), a pure sanctuary for the remembrance of Allah. They are so close to Allah and have recognised the eternal essence and truthfulness of Allah that they are ever ready to offer their submission to Allah in every way. They are those people who do not let their houses become cemeteries! They do not let Satan enter their houses. They do their best to inculcate in themselves the right examples for people, and they first start with their house, with their family members, educating them, giving them the right lessons to submit to One God (Allah Tabarak Wa Ta’ala) and follow the path of His prophets and if it happens that they are living in an era of a prophet of Allah, they encourage their children to “Obey Allah and Obey His prophet”. They are ever conscious of their duties to Allah, and they opt to correct their way of living to fit the commandments of Allah (found in the Holy Qur'an).

 

These believers are such ones whom Allah loves for they sacrifice their time in His worship, attaching themselves to Him and making every possible effort to please Allah. Nothing of the attractions of this world distracts these believers from the remembrance of Allah. They have made their houses, their homes become a haven of peace, a haven where only the words of Allah are recited. Such houses are blessed by Allah, for in such houses where the name of Allah is glorified, thousands of angels descend to bless the occupants of the house for their devotion to Allah.

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.  

'Zikr Allah' - II

  

"As for him who disregards the Zikr of his Lord, He will direct him to ever increasing retribution." (Ch. 72 Al-Jinn V.18)

I am continuing the Sermon which I had started last Friday on the Remembrance of Allah (Zikr Allah). The verse of the Qur'an which I have just cited is giving a severe warning to those people who turn their backs from the Zikr of our Lord. They do not remember at all their Creator, and thus Allah says that He will bring these types of people towards a severe punishment.

If one analyses well this verse, one will see that Allah is teaching us (humans) a good for our own well-being, and the words which Allah has used in this verse: "As for him who disregards the Zikr of his Lord", thus by the word: "the Zikr of his Lord"; even though Allah has not mentioned it directly here in this verse, but reference is being made to "Laa Ilaaha Illallah" — There is no god but Allah (The Creator of the Universe Who possesses all powers and Who is All-Powerful).

We must always look for those things which is a source of purity for us and with which we will stay clear from all impurities. A small example is that one must have soap to clean dirty clothes, or one usually takes shampoo or perfumed soap when bathing to keep one's body clean and perfumed — so that no dirt or other impurities may be found on his body.

Likewise, the thing which will keep our heart clean and pure is none other than the Remembrance of Allah and this Remembrance of Allah is the best alternative to purify us and rid us from all dirt which there may have been in our heart. Moreover the Remembrance of Allah protects us from the wrath and punishment of Allah.

Patience and Hope in God

  

"O you who believe! be patient and excel in patience and remain steadfast, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, that you may be successful." (The Holy Qur'an, 3:201)

 

Life is a strain to which every believer is called to deal with a lot of patience. God commands the believer repeatedly in the Holy Quran to persevere in patience and constancy in the face of disasters and hardships of life. In that patience lies the happiness of the hereafter.

 

"If Allah gives you His help, none can overcome you. If He forsakes you, who is there then that can assist you after Him? In Allah the believers must put their trust." (3:161)

 

Misfortunes and calamities that visit the believer from God, such as, impatience and frustration cannot eliminate them. The believer must put absolute and clear trust in Allah to be spared from all harm because no one else can help him except God. Anything that affects the Muslim, be it exhaustion, disease, sorrow, pain, suffering or distress, "surely, God is with those who are patient." (2:154)

On Jama'ah Prayer & 'Women' Angels

 

As an inspired servant of God with a mandate to correct the doctrinal mistakes and religious practices of the Muslims of today, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius is in a unique position to clarify the right perspective to be adopted on religious beliefs and everyday practices of the believers in this era, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah; from time to time, Hazrat Muhyiuddin (aba) offers illuminating guidance on spiritual questions brought before him by people from around the world. By the Grace of Allah, these Question and Answer sessions reveal much insight into issues that confuse and confound people, and the guiding light of a servant of God steeped in the spiritual Way is indeed very useful for truth seekers. For instance, in a recent interactive session with the Sahih Al Islam YouTube Channel, Hazrat Saheb (aba) shares his perspective on the need for balance and prudence in the performance of religious duties while explaining the importance of congrégational prayer. Likewise, in the same Interview in response to another question, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) explains the nature of appearance of angels in the spiritual visions of human beings. 

Read the Text of the Discourse Below : 

 

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakaatuhu. Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, we are here again for another session of Questions & Answers with the Khalifatullah Al-Mahdi of this era, Hazrat Munir A. Azim (atba).

Patience and Prayer

 

The Holy Qur’an is a depository of perennial wisdom; through its prescient guidance, the holy Book seeks to raise the human soul from the depths of darkness into light. Through explicit verses of clear commands as well as subtle hints of allusive wisdom, the Book of God defines what is right and what is prudent in exigent circumstances of everyday life. Indeed, the Qur’an is an appeal to the human heart and higher consciousness: to realize and recognize the station of the Divine in our human settings; to be grateful for His favours and blessings; to seek His guidance, protection and help under all circumstances; to plead forgiveness and repentance for all our sins in the quest for salvation, and the gardens of Divine pleasure in the life to come. Those who critically examine their own public conduct as well as private counsel; those who are true to their own inner voices; they will find much merit in the Qur’anic commands and exhortations.

Consider the Qur’anic advice on the effectiveness of patience and prayer. In numerous verses, the Holy Book defines and describes in detail fine qualities of the true believers, the truly good in the eyes of God. The distinguishing characteristics; the profound attributes of a true servant of God invariably point to his or her pure beliefs, righteous deeds and patience and steadfastness under difficult circumstances. The Book of God states:    

‘Goodness does not consist in turning your face towards East or West. The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travellers and beggars, and to liberate those in bondage; those who keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges whenever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity, and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God.’ (2:178)

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].

'O Allah': Whispers of the Heart

 

O Allah, forgive me my sins,

Overlook my many faults, mistakes and failings,

Absolve of me of my bad deeds

O my dear Lord, the All Hearing, the All Seeing

I take refuge with You

From the goading of the evil ones;

Save me from the pangs of Evil.

 

O Allah, strengthen my soul in its struggle

Against the evil within and outside;

Secure me from the temptations of the baser self;

Save me against my own impulses and excesses

Protect me from self-inflicted wounds

 

O Allah, do not abandon me

In the wilderness of an unguided existence;

Bless me with a share of Your grace and mercy,

Grant me a Light to walk in the footsteps

of Your noble prophets and saints

For, whoever is gifted Divine wisdom

Has truly been given much good

'Duah': Prayer of Light

 

Oh Allah!

Place light in my heart

And light in my tongue

And light in my hearing

And light in my seeing

And light from above me

And light from below me

And light on my right

And light on my left

And light ahead of me

And light behind me

 Place light in my soul

Magnify for me light

And amplify for me light

Make for me light

And make me light

'Duah' and 'Zikr' in the Night

 

True faith in the heart leads to sincerity in devotional worship, marking out true believers from the rest. That is why, along with regular prayers in the day, Islam prescribes supplementary prayers in the stillness of the night for the truly devout who seek nearness to God. Indeed, according to the Holy Qur'an, a clear sign of the true believers is their fervent seeking of Divine forgiveness and mercy, leaving aside the comforts of rest in the night: ‘Those who spend the night in devotion to their Lord, in prostration and standing.’ (25:65) 'Their sides shun their beds in order to pray to their Lord in fear and hope' (32: 17). 

Divine commands exhort the believers: ‘Celebrate the praise of your Lord before the rising and setting of the sun; proclaim His praise in the night, and at the end of every prayer.’ (50:40-41) In other words, true believers are ‘[T]hose who spend the night in devotion to their Lord, in prostration and standing.’ (25:65)  

‘Stand up in Prayer at night except a small part of it–half, or a little less, or a little more– and recite the Quran slowly and distinctly. Verily, We shall charge you with a weighty Word. Verily, getting up at night for prayer is the most potent means of subduing the self and most effective in speech.’ (73:3-7)

‘And wake up for it (the Qur'an) in the latter part of the night as a supererogatory service for you. It may be that Your Lord will raise you to an exalted station.’  (17:80)

'Salah': Mistakes to Avoid

  

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, I am continuing my Friday Sermon of last week on Salat (i.e. Prayer), and today I would like to talk to you about some of the major mistakes which Muslim believers do when establishing the Salat. Like I told you, Salat is one of the fundamental pillars of Islam. It comes just after the Shahada [attestation of the faith in Islam’, i.e. Laa-Ilaaha Illallah Muhammadur Rassullullah – There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.

 

In other words it is to believe in Allah and in His Messenger Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), and not associating anybody or anything else in the worship of Allah, to give Allah an exclusive and pure worship, and not worshipping even Muhammad (pbuh) who is only a Messenger of God and not a god or partner along with Allah. It is about believing firmly in the unicity of Allah and submitting oneself completely to His will.

It is only after one has established himself firmly in the Shahada that one establishes himself in prayer, as a sign of the very submission which he proclaimed, not only openly but inwardly, with all his intellectual faculties as well as his inner consciousness which we usually coined as the mind, as well as with his heart and soul. These three mind, heart and soul intertwined each other in nearly similar significance as these three concerns the spiritual side of the believer, which is beyond his body and carnal passions. If these three as well as his body are regulated in the correct way, then the submission to Allah comes naturally without any clash with external or even internal passions which may ruin his bond with Allah. To maintain his body and soul in harmony with Islam, Salat is thus very important. And the establishing of Salat in the correct way will assure the believer success in this world and the Hereafter.

'Salah' in Muslim Life

 

“Surely I, Ever I, am Allah; there is no god except I; so worship Me, and Aqimus-Salah (establish prayer) for My remembrance.” (Taha 20: 15) 

Salah (prayer) is of vital importance in the life of a Muslim. Allah (twt) did not just say to offer or perform prayer (Salah). He has commanded mankind, and especially His true servants to establish prayer, meaning that it goes beyond the mere performance of the prescribed movements and the servant of Allah is called to experience the feeling of perfect submission and humility before Allah the Almighty. It refers to the commitment one makes to Allah after His given command to obey Him and keep up regularly, and as ordained, the prescribed spiritual meetings between Allah and His servant. That spiritual meeting is manifested also through the physical demonstration of submission when the believer submits himself with all his heart, soul and body to the Grandeur and Majesty of Allah even though he does not see Him with his physical eyes.

 

Moreover, Allah (twt) commands the correct performance of Salah. Sometimes a believer’s Salah may seem empty of any pleasure or deep feeling of attachment with Allah, but with Sabr (patience) and perseverance, he will get the perfume of pleasure in his Salat (prayers). He may face deep difficulties and not see any issue, he may pray without putting any real trust in Allah. But what does Allah say?

 

Allah (twt) states in the Holy Quran: “O you who believe! Seek help in steadfastness and prayer. Surely Allah is with the steadfast.” (Al-Baqara 2: 154)

 

The Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) is quoted to have said: “Prayer is a light, charity is proof, and patience is illumination.” (Muslim)