Time Planning is an Islamic Virtue

In his Friday Sermon of April 27, 2012, Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius (atba) continued his discourse on the significance of leading a full life in this world. Good deeds form half of the Faith. Believers are to diligently pursue their noble objectives on every single day of their lives. One must rank one’s priorities and set objectives in terms of importance and try to accomplish each of these tasks in the required time. The main duty or sacred duty (Farz deed) must be fulfilled before performing a supererogatory one, and this is equally valid for other cases. ‘Exploit (your) time fairly and effectively’ and ‘not be among the thoughtless and forgetful’, exhorts the Messenger of Allah of our times.

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

“...There is no favour to any particular person where time is concerned. This is because the latter is split equally between men. But some have more merit in how to manage, operate and profit from it. Allah (swt), who evaluated time, and shared it among His servants, distinguished some moments that are better than others.

In terms of ritual actions, Allah (swt) has spared some time for the seasons where expected rewards are increased, as the month of Ramadan and the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Other moments are more favourable to the fulfillment of prayers, as the last third of every night, every Friday afternoon, the breaking of the fast for the faster, and the sacred night (Laila-tul-Qadr) in the month of Ramadan!

Every day you have before you a moment in the morning, a moment in the evening and another at dawn, where you can raise your pure mind to the heavens to win both favours of this world and the hereafter. Before you, there are the seasons of the submission, the days of meditation and nights of sacrifices, to which you refer to the Holy Book (the Quran) and the teaching of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Try then to be among those who remember and call on their Lord, and not be among the thoughtless and forgetful. Be those who act, not of those who laze. Enjoy your time, time is like the sword, and neglect procrastination because there is nothing more harmful.

SAFAR Zikrullah: March 2003

Islam swears by a Living Allah. He is Merciful and Compassionate and hears and answers the prayers of His servants. Divine Mercy encompasses the whole world. So much so that there has never been any nation that has not received its share of divine guidance. The Holy Qur’an testifies that all communities have witnessed the appearance of Divine Messengers among them. It is an enduring Divine practice that Allah raises His Messengers and servants whenever He finds the community of people in disarray due to lack of unity and real spirituality in society.

There is little doubt among thoughtful people that the Islamic world is witnessing such an era. The signs are unmistakably apparent- obvious to every one except the ones who have veils over their eyes. The fortunes of the Muslim Ummah have touched the lowest ebb. The ravaging of Arab lands- American occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan and the prolonged suffering of Palestine under Israeli colonial domination and the ongoing encircling of Iran, all points to this state of decline and crises. 

Allah raised Musa (as) to take on the Pharaohs of his times. Prayer was his ultimate armament. In an age when everything is upside down, a Man of Allah appears to show the way, to teach the people the real path of sublime spirituality. Such a Servant of Allah seeks the protection against the worst enemies of people through reciting fervent prayers. 

In March 2003, Allah, the Most High guided His Chosen Messenger of the era Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius (atba) to organize a special spiritual retreat- an event that has since come to be known as “Safar Zikrullah”. For a few days, the close disciples of Hadhrat Sahib and some other truth seekers joined him to spend time in Divine remembrance and to offer fervent prayers for the destruction of modern Pharaohs like Ariel Sharon who has since then been reduced by Allah the Almighty to a miserable state in this very life!  Safar Zikrullah is thus one of the most important spiritual events of the last decade.

Beyond the external impact of the prayers of a Man of God manifesting in the world at large, it is remarkable to note that this extraordinary event has had an internal dimension as well. The disciples of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba), each one of them who attended the Safar Zikrullah Programme, witnessed at their own levels one Divine sign or the other that testified to the veracity of the chosen Messenger of Allah. All Praise belongs to the Almighty Alone!    

The biographical essay on the life and message of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) contains a narrative on Safar Zikrullah.

Read the relevant extracts:

Islam and Slavery

Slavery as a social institution existed in different parts of the world for a very long period of time.  It is a stark reminder of the dark episodes in world history when men- including in Muslim lands- had had no qualms about treating his fellow beings as mere chattel. [Illustration: "Slave-dealers and slaves—a Street Scene in Zanzibar" ]. In this post-modern age, ideas of basic human dignity and fundamental rights have gained widespread acceptance all over the world. And, the very notion of slavery militates against the concepts of decency, propriety and equality in human relations.

The teachings of Islam are designed to gradually eliminate evil practices such as slavery. While all Muslims cannot absolve themselves of not indulging in slave trade in the past,  Islam as practiced by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) certainly envisions a social order designed to reflect the sublime spiritual values it espouses: live in this world with a wider consciousness about your duties towards the Creator and the fellow beings. Learn to recognize the essential unity and common brotherhood of all mankind. Discharge your responsibilities towards fellow human beings. Empathy and understanding, compassion and consideration for people who are in need of assistance is a Qur’anic obligation on believers, reminds the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) in a recent article on the subject in “Le Socialiste” Newspaper of Mauritius on February 15, 2012.

Read the Article: 

The advent of Islam was to be known as the absolute way of life of a human being. Islam verily means complete submission to the Creator of the Universe, the Supreme God, our Master and Guide.

As a Creator, Almighty God does not differentiate between His servants and thus, so as to guide us all to His path, He sends from time to time His elects to make people understand His Divine Message. Muhammad (saw) was such an Elect, who through his perseverance and absolute obedience to Almighty God received the distinction of Seal of Prophethood, the Best of Mankind and the best example and role model to follow. He indeed was the personification of the divine laws as established in the Holy Quran.

To know Islam, one must analyse deeply the life of Muhammad (saw). In fact, his life reflect many aspects of life as lived by both the poor and the rich, and among the poor there was of course the slaves who were devoid of rights in the pre-Islamic times. Muhammad’s (saw) compassion to the poor and the slaves knew no bound.

SALAT and Divine Communion

In his Friday Sermon of October 21, 2011 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib continued the subject of Islamic prayer and reflected upon the psychological benefits of Salat. 

Beyond the psychological benefits to the human body and mind, Salat offers the real possibility of expressing the true yearning of the human heart and soul to reach the Divine presence, points out the Chosen Messenger of our times. 

Read the extracts from the Sermon:

Allah has said:

“Whoever shows enmity to a friend (servant) of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religions duties I have imposed upon him, and My servant continues to draw near me with Nawafil so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears: his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask something of Me, I would surely give it to him. And were he to ask refuge, I would surely grant it to him.” (Bukhari)

What is implicit in this Hadith is that man can transcend the space time barrier and acquire the attributes of divinity, to control his entire environment. This means that he can, by following the Sunna, insures both physical and mental health not only for himself but will also effect changes in his environment. This is the meaning of the successes of all Muslims and the source of their dynamism.

Prayer said with utmost humility and tenderness of heart becomes special prayers, just like a suckling who cannot speak can attain utmost kindness of the mother by weeping, in the same manner the Duah with tears and utmost humility is the most effective way to communicate with God.

There has been sent down an extremely effective, healing and beneficial medicine, from the heaven of mercy. It is easily available in one sense, but rare in another. It appears to be common, but is the most special. It is beyond our description and praise, because it is universal remedy for thousands of diseases. Such a miraculous medicine is Salat, and duah. Prayer is the yearning of the heart to be one with the Creator and an invocation for His blessings.

SALAT : A Healing Balm for the Bruised Soul

In his Friday Sermon of October 21, 2011 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib continued the subject of Islamic prayer and reflected upon the psychological benefits of Salat. Drawing upon the latest trends in psychiatry and the treatment of mental illnesses, Hadhrat Khalifatullah sketches down the ways in which recourse to Salat and its postures would be beneficial. 

Read the extracts from the Sermon:

“A good doctor will utilise the three aspects of therapy to effect a cure:

 (1) Drugs, to actually combat the illness or relieve pain.

 (2) Food to strengthen the defences of the body and,

 (3) Fear, hope, joy or grief are emotions which the doctor should evoke by counselling the patient to conquer his illness.

If a man is engaged in worship, he will feel apprehension, fear and hope, nervousness and love. And when he takes thought of the next life, he will strengthen the faculties, delight the heart and drive away disease by this very means.

The latest trends in psychiatry, both in causation and therapy, postulate a biochemical basis for mental illness. Salat and indeed Zakat can produce mental changes and even psychotic behaviour has been determined most positively. The converse would also apply. The latest trends in psychiatry regarding the causation of depressions and even Neuroses as well as psychoses reveal that anti-Sunna behaviour is implicated. 


This anti-Sunna activity ranges from error in diet to faulty nutrition (Example, lack of Nicotinic Acid Vitamins etc. causes dementia) and to anti-social activity like isolation, lack of social companionship and lack of orientation. All these factors which represent in the various aspects of Salat, (whereby Salat in congregation leads to a fostering of brotherly feelings and companionship) can prevent mental illness. 

Worship in Islam: Three Elements

In his Friday Sermon of October 14, 2011 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius explains the spiritual purpose of Creation- the worship of the Almighty Allah-by looking at the deep meaning of the various elements and postures involved in the Islamic prayer- Azaan, Wudu and Salat. 

The unique character of the Islamic call to prayer- Azaan, the external purifying impact of Wudu for active and awakened participation in worship and the spiritual and physical benefits that arise out of performing the Salat through its various prescribed postures are explained in the sermon. The Khalifatullah offers illuminating insights on the structural design of human personality and the benefits it may derive by engaging in Salat. 

Read the extracts from the Sermon:

Allah says in the Holy Quran: 

“I have only created Jinns and men, that they may worship Me.” (51: 57). The purpose of creation, according to the Quran in Surah Az-Zariyat (51:57), is but that of worship, and the Salat is the most important worship in Islam. There are three elements to worship in Islam:

(i)                 the preparation or call (Azaan).

(ii)               The purification or Wudu and

(iii)             Salat, the prayer itself.

Each of these elements coalesce and overlap and no exact demarcation is possible, as the Azaan proclaims: Come to prosperity, while the Salat itself is described in Surah Ash-Shams (91: 10) – Those who purity their souls will make progress.

Azaan is the unique call among all religions in that it does not consists of tolling bells or the sounds of the Shofar (Jewish horn) or trumpet. The Azaan proclaims in a language which everyone can comprehend, the cardinal principles of Islam, the witnessing of the existence of one sole God, and the apostleship of Muhammad (peace be upon him).

This beautiful call echoing in the early dawn, which requires repetition after the Muezzin according to the Sunna, evokes far greater reaction than the musical tones of the bell or trumpet which requires an aptitude for musical perception, something not granted to all. The tolling of mournful bells or fear-instilling blasts of the trumpet represent a wrathful divinity compared to the Beneficent and Merciful God of Islam; calling people to progress and prosperity both in this world and the next.

This is the reason for the repetition of the words: Come to prosperity and come to prayer, each call signifying the separate worlds of existence. The early morning call signifies the awakening of the inner soul of all. Creation as is proved by the wakening of all nature, the lifting of darkness, the chirping of the birds and the emergence of the radiating fingers of sunshine.

Noor'ul Islam Masjid- Mathra, Kerala

Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala announced the historic inauguration of the Noor’ul Islam Mosque at Mathra in the south-Indian state of Kerala on Friday, July 22, 2011. The inauguration of the Mosque represents a giant step forward for the nascent Sahih Al Islam Community in Kerala, which came into existence only after October 2010. The Mosque is a 400 sq. feet building, situated on a modest 20 cents of land (1/5 of an acre of land in Kerala) gifted to the Kerala Jamaat by the Amir Jamaluddin Sahib and his respected wife Shareefa Beevi Sahiba. 

Interestingly, the Mosque building itself has a rich history that is inextricably intertwined with all that is good and bad in the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. If we observe, all the present members of the Kerala Jamaat originally belonged to the Ahmadiyya Jamaat before recognizing and accepting the Divine Manifestation in the person of Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius. Likewise, the present Mosque at Mathra was originally constructed by the Ahmadis of Kerala in 1990 and it used to be the local Ahmadiyya Centre for years. 

Never Despair: the story of Prophet Ayub (as)

All those who are in the cusp of change in material conditions and stare transition in life situations would benefit from Allah’s help and succor in turbulent times. That is why in the Holy Qur’an, Allah has taught us a beautiful prayer to recite in times of transition from one place or stage or phase of life to another: “My Lord, admit me an entrance of truth and let me exit an exit of truth, and grant me from Yourself lasting authority, to help me.” (17:81)

In his Friday Sermon of July 01, 2011, Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius profoundly expounded on the several dimensions of this prayer. He illustrated various situations and conditions that can arise in the life of a common believer by referring to the anecdotes from the history of the Messengers of Allah. Extraordinary trials and adverse circumstances do not hinder a firm believer. With humility, patience and prayer, he goes forward with his mission, regardless of the situation, relying wholeheartedly upon his Lord, always ready to submit to His Will. In this context, Hadhrat Sahib drew the attention of one and all to the life of Prophet Ayub (as):     

“Prophet Ayub (as) was born some 1550 years before Prophet Isa (as) and 200 years before Prophet Musa (as). Some scholars disagree on this point; some say that he was a prophet for the Children of Israel while some say that he came for another people. The Bible did not quote his birth place, while some Muslim scholars mention his birth somewhere in Syria. In brief, that which the Bible mentions in Prophet Ayub (as), it mentions that he was a good person who possessed riches be it in form of jewels, money or animals. He had a wife and children, and he used to do a lot of work for religion.

Divine Claims and the Prayer Methods

Allah the Most High has provided means for the assurance and conviction of people who are never satisfied with mere hearsay, however conclusive may be the evidence in support of it. The Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as) thus prescribed prayer as a sure method to test and verify the claims of an Elect of Allah. The Promised Massih (as) advised the people:

A person should for forty consecutive days offer the following prayer with an unbiased mind, the last thing at night beseeching God in the following words:-

“Lord, if this man who claims that God has sent him to establish the Divine faith of Islam in the world, by presenting it in its true form and thus inducing men to believe in it, has in truth been sent by Thee, then I, who owing to my ignorance of real facts, am unable to arrive at a correct decision concerning the Truth, pray Thee, O Truth, that are the Fountain Head of all Truths, and O Guide, that are the Source of all guidance, and O Merciful One, that loves not to see Thy creatures troubled, make his Truth manifest unto me”. 

Blessings of Prayer: A Testimonial

SYED ABDUL QADIR JILANI (1077- 1166) was a great saint of Islam. Born to two well known saints of their time, he was a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (sa) from both his parents. His spirituality was of such high order that Allah raised him as the Mujaddid of the Era with a title “Muhyi-ud-Din” (Reviver of Faith). He strived in the path of spirituality so completely that Allah ordered him to make the well known, unique declaration: “My foot is on the neck of every saint”, an indication of the exalted spiritual status that he enjoyed in his time. 

In his book Futuhul Ghaib, the Muhyi-ud-Din Sheikh (ra) spoke in detail about the sacrifices needed for the acceptance of prayers and the blessings that will be bestowed on those who chose the spiritual path: 

"If you desire to become an accepted one of God, then, believe with utmost certainty. Understand that your hands, your feet, your tongue, your eyes, and your whole being and all its organs, are like idols in your way. And all other creation is similarly an idol barring your path. Your children, your wife, the worldly objectives you wish to achieve, worldly riches, worldly honor and prestige, every worldly hope and fear, your reliance or trust on anyone or anything, your fear of being harmed by anyone- all these are idols in your way. So do not become subservient to any of these idols. Do not lose your way in pursuit of them. In other words, have recourse to them within the bounds of the Shariah and the way of the righteous.