'I'tikaaf' and the Blessings of 'Laila-tul-Qadr'

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 

Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? 

The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. 

The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” (Al-Qadr 97: 1-6).

Like you all know, we have already entered the third part of the month of Ramadan, whereby in one of these nights there is a extremely special night which is worth more than a thousand months of blessings which we usually receive through our Ibaadat (all acts of worship) in normal times.

Like mentioned in a Hadith, our Noble Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “This is a month, the first part of which brings Allah’s Mercy, the middle of which brings Allah’s forgiveness, and the last part of which brings emancipation from the hellfire.” (Bukhari). In another Hadith, Hazrat Anas bin Malik (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah stated about the month of Ramadan: “This month (of Ramadan) has begun and therein is a night better than one thousand months. So, any one deprived of its blessings is actually deprived of all goodness. Indeed, He is truly deprived who is kept away from its good.” (Ibn Majah, Mishkat).

Behind the Divine Scheme on Laila-tul-Qadr

In the light of these verses of the Quranic Chapter Al-Qadr (the Destiny/Decree) and the Hadiths which I have put before you today, it shall be good if I explain to you once again how these verses were revealed. Years come and go but the words and teachings of Allah and those of His Messenger (Rasul) shall ever remain flawless and whole, and it is my duty to repeat these teachings to you for all this forms part of our history as Muslims, such a history which needs to remain alive till the Day of Judgement, such a history which shall encourage all Muslims to give their time, means and lend their helping hands to enable Islam to shine in the world.

Divine Revelation, What Is It?

"For them (i.e. the friends of God Almighty) are glad tidings in this life (through revelation and converse with Allah) and will also have the same experience in the hereafter." (Yunus, 10: 65)

It should be kept well in mind that revelation does not mean that an idea should arise in the mind of a person who sets himself to ponder over a thing as, for instance, a poet having thought out half a verse seeks the other half in his mind and his mind suggests the other half. This is not revelation but is the result of reflection, in accordance with the law of nature. When a person reflects upon something good or bad, a corresponding idea arises in his mind. For instance, one person who is pious and truthful composes verses in support of truth, and another one, who is wicked and vicious, supports falsehood in his verses and abuses the righteous.

So, if the arising of an idea in the mind should be accounted as revelation, a vile poet who is the enemy of truth and of the righteous and writes in opposition to the truth and has recourse to imposture, would be called a recipient of divine revelation. Many novels are written in excellent style and set forth altogether false but continuous well arranged tales. Then would these stories be designated as revelation?

If revelation were to mean merely an idea arising in one’s mind, a thief would also be called a recipient of revelation, for an expert thief often thinks out surprising ways of theft and robbery, and many clever plans of robbery and murder pass through his mind. Would all these unclean projects be called revelation? Indeed not. Such is the thinking only of those who are not aware of the true God Who comforts the hearts of His servants with His converse and bestows the understanding of spiritual knowledge upon those who are not familiar with it.

 

What then is revelation?

It is the living and powerful converse of the Holy and Mighty God with a chosen servant of His, or with one whom He designs to make His elect. When this converse starts in an adequate and satisfactory manner, being altogether free from the darkness of false concepts, and is not composed merely of a few inadequate and meaningless words, and is full of delight and wisdom and grandeur, then it surely is the word of God with which He designs to comfort His servant and to manifest Himself to him.

'Seek God Through Prayer'

By the grace of Allah, I continue the subject-matter of my Friday Sermon which I started last week in Kerala.

Wa aqimis-Salaata tarafayin-nahaari wa zulafam minal-layl; innal hasanaati yuzhibnas saiyi-aat; zaalika zikraa liz-zaakiriin.

And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember. (Hud, 11: 115).

In the Holy Quran, in verse 115 of chapter 11 (Surah Hud) which I have just recited before you, it is stated that ‘hasanat’, that is, good deeds, remove one’s shortcomings. Here by ‘hasanat’ is meant Salat and the presence of heart and mind during Salat. Such presence is achieved by imploring and beseeching God in one’s own language. The best prayer is Surah Al-Fatiha because it is a complete prayer. When the farmer has learnt the skill of farming, he would then be on the right path of farming and he will be successful. Likewise, you should seek the right path that leads to a union with God and you should pray to Him saying, “O Allah, I am a sinful servant of Yours and am miserable and worthless. Please guide me, for You alone can guide me. I need Your help for You alone can help me.”

You should present all your needs, be they great or small before Allah because He alone is the Provider. He who prays the most and with complete sincerity and humility, is the most good. If a person were to beg every day at the door of the most mean person, one day he too would give something. Why then would a person not find what he asks at the door of God Almighty Who is the Most Generous, without comparison. It is the case that he who asks, does eventually receive.

Spirituality, Peace and Social Harmony

To coincide with the visit of Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius to India, the Peace Park Special School at Mathra (an initiative of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala) organized an Inter-Faith Conference on 'Spirituality, Peace and Social Harmony' on Thursday, January 19, 2017. 

Along with the Seminar, the School also initiated the idea of establishing a 'Spiritual Library' where the religious literature and spiritual traditions of various communities  could be assembled for the benefit of its readers and for the purpose of facilitating critical reflections on the original texts, so far as they are available today. At the end of the Seminar, Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba)of Mauritius recieved on behalf of the School Spiritual Library the many books gifted by different individuals and organizations. 

At around 3.00 pm, Amir Jamaat Mukarram Jamaluddin Raother Saheb, who is also the Manager of the Peace Park Special School, made welcome remarks to the gathering. President of the Karavalur Panchayat, Mr. V. Rajan, inaugurated the Seminar. Elected representatives of the village, social workers, leaders of different community organizations and members of different religious denominational groups attended the meeting. Those who spoke on the occasion include the following: Arjunan Pillai, Sasidharan, R. Vijayan Pillai, G. Suresh Kumar, K.A. Nebu and Tamimul Ansari. Fazil Jamal Saheb performed the Vote of Thanks at the end of the function, in addition to introducing the chief guest Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) to the local community of people who were present on the occasion, besides our Jamaat members. (Inset: News item on the event, Malayala Manorama Newspaper, January 21, 2017, Kollam Edition (Kerala), p.2). 

The highlight of the event was the Inter-Faith Message of the Khalifatullah (atba). In his sermon, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) focused on the vast, common ground of shared values and humanistic teachings across all major religions and cultural systems, even as he explained the philosophical roots of the Islamic way within the larger Divine scheme of Guidance across time, nations, languages and communities. 

Journeys of Life: A Qur'anic Prayer

      “O my Lord, make my entry a good entry,

       and make me go forth a good going forth. 
       And grant me from Yourself a helping power.” 
                    ---(Al-Isra, 17: 81).

This prayer was revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) before his migration from Mecca to Medina. Within it lies a prophecy about his eventual return as well as his migration. It also contains a much wider meaning. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was persecuted for thirteen years in Mecca and it was for this reason that he migrated to Medina. He would depart with the truth and return with the truth.

The question arises as to why his return has been mentioned before his departure. God in His wisdom, did not want the Holy Prophet (pbuh) to suffer for a moment the thought that he might have to leave Mecca permanently. His re-entry has been mentioned first to make it more definite and to assure him that he would return and so have no reason to grieve and worry. This prayer also reveals the circumstances under which the Holy Prophet (pbuh) would have to leave Mecca. His opponents had branded him as a liar, fabricator and a false prophet. The welcome he received in Medina bore witness to his truth. With reference to Medina the verse implies that the people would bear witness to his truth and so would the people of Mecca on his return. This would result from his prayers and the exclusive help of God. 

This prayer should also be offered with regard to all journeys. The Quranic prayers have a wide meaning and may be offered in connection with various matters. Whatever prayer the Quran relates, a particular event or situation may also be applied to more or less similar kinds of situations which occur in daily life. This was the practice of the Holy Prophet and his companions.

Another aspect of this prayer relates to the continuing changing conditions in a person's life. These changes can move from bad to good or vice-versa. Also in the previous verses God has revealed prayerful guidance by which means the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) may rise to great spiritual height:

“Establish regular prayers -
at the decline of the sun till the darkness of the night, 
and the morning prayer and reading: 
for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony. 
And pray in the small watches of the morning: 
(it would be) an additional prayer (or spiritual profit) for you: 
soon will your Lord raise you to a Station of Praise and Glory!”
 ----(Al-Isra 17: 79-80).

Everyone who wants to fly high spiritually should offer the prayer regularly and understand its meaning properly otherwise he would be liable to go astray as was the case with Balam son of Baura who was a righteous man and who was lured away from piety by worldly attractions and subsequently suffered disgrace.

Why do Muslims offer Prayer?

“And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humble in spirit, 

Who know for certain that they shall meet their Lord and that they shall return to Him.” (Al-Baqara, 2: 46-47).

Prayer (Salat) is a spiritual purification through which Muslims are required to undergo five times a day. Prayer is an integral part of Islam and is thus incumbent upon every sincere Muslim believer. Prayer enables Muslims to affirm five times per day the Unity and attributes of Allah, and their belief in Muhammad (pbuh), His Messenger. Prayer is therefore a part of the everyday affairs of the Muslim – he has been commanded by God Almighty to pray in the morning before sunrise, prayer is also ordained for him just after midday, a third in the afternoon, a fourth just after sunset, and a fifth in the evening before going to bed. Prayer is thus the first daily preoccupation of a Muslim and also his last. Prayer enables man, even when at his busiest, to disengage himself from worldly affairs in order to remember his Maker. Whilst Islam emphasises the accountability of each and every individual to Allah, it allows for the weaknesses and imperfection of man.

Although one is supposed to pray five times a day, allowances are made for those whose work schedules are such that they cannot break off at the required times of day. Thus, certain prayers can be combined and said together. Furthermore, if one is ill or on a journey, concessions are made so that the number of prayers are reduced, or in the case of illness, the actual form of prayer may be changed. For example, Instead of standing for prayer, the sick person may sit down to pray and if he is unable to do even that, he can lie down on the bed to pray.

Finding God: Five Steps for the Seeker

Make God Almighty your Ultimate Goal:

People who are rather short-sighted and lack discernment define different reasons for their lives and are limited to worldly objectives and ambitions. But the purpose decided for man by God Almighty is according to His own holy words:

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (51: 57)

The real aim of God is to make the man understand the main purpose of his existence on earth, that is to say, to be completely devoted to Him. It is obvious that man cannot set a goal to his own life because he neither comes into this world on his own nor does he leave this world on his own, according to his will. He is a creature and the One who has created him and invested in him better faculties which are superior to animals has also identified a goal for his life. We understand it or not, the fact remain that the purpose of the creation of man is undoubtedly worship and understanding of God and a complete devotion to Him. Elsewhere in the Holy Quran, God Almighty has said:

“Surely the true religion in the sight of Allah is Islam...” (3: 20)

“So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth (as one devoted to God). It is the nature made by Allah, the nature according to which He has created men. There can be no change in Allah’s creation. This is the true religion. But most people do not know.” (30: 31).

The religion that gives us a real appreciation of God and prescribes His true worship is Islam. Islam is inherent in human nature and man was created in accord with ISLAM - submission to the One God - and such is the eternal and true faith. This is to say that God wanted man to be fully devoted to His worship, that he loves and obeys Him with all his faculties. So He (Allah) has blessed man with all appropriate faculties to achieve ISLAM (to submit to Him, that being the real target for the creation of mankind).

Despite the fact that man is taken up by the various projects of his life, he can find true happiness only in God Almighty (Allah). After having accumulated enormous wealth, after having held high office, after having become a great trader, and ruled over a vast kingdom, and after having been recognized as a great philosopher, at the end he leaves all these commitments with great regret. His heart constantly reproaches himself for his total concern for worldly affairs and his conscience never accepts his illicit activities full of trickery and artifice.

An intelligent person can better understand that problem. We cannot assign a higher purpose to something beyond its/ his capacity, beyond which it/ he can no longer function. For example, the highest work of a bull is the ploughing of fields or irrigation or transportation. Its faculties are not adapted to anything else. Thus the aim of the life of a bull comes down to these three functions. It has no ability to do anything else. 

But by examining the faculties of man and trying to find their limits, we find him in search of God the Exalted. He wishes to become so devote to God that he devotes everything he owns/possesses to God. He shares with other animals his natural survival instinct. However, in the field of manufacturing certain animals surpass him. Indeed the bees extract the essence of different varieties of flowers to produce a honey so excellent that it surpasses the understanding of man up till now. It is therefore obvious that the summits of human faculties are to meet God the Exalted. So the real purpose of his life is that the window of his heart should open to God.

'Shade of God, For the Truly Humble'

“This (Quran) is enlightenment for mankind and guidance and mercy for a people who have Faith with certainty. What! Do those who commit evils think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe and do righteous deeds - that equal will be their life and their death? Ill is the judgment that they make. And Allah created the heavens and earth with truth and so that every soul may be rewarded for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.” (45: 21-23)

By the grace of Allah, Allah (swt) gives me once again the opportunity to continue the explanation on the subject of the three Friday sermons that I had made in the month of Dhul-Qaddah (that is to say, on 28 August as well as on 04 & 11 September 2015).

It is a subject which is so vast and important and I hope that by the grace of Allah, every Muslim around the world and all my dear disciples who are in the different countries of the world understand what I’m trying to make them understand, in their own interest, for their own good vis-à-vis their Creator and I recommend you to try to make an analysis of what I said in those Friday sermons, and today it’s the fourth sermon which I am doing on the same subject. It is for your own benefit if everyone gets to reform himself; for he will then have no fear on the day when he will have to appear before his Creator. So if everyone understands what I say, then everyone will have to clear all their discussions/disputes, their passions and hatred and grudges they have towards their brothers of the same religion, and the disputes and wars that exists between them.

The majority of people who are engaged in wars (between themselves) and who do nothing to calm their anger and passions are people who cannot become the friends of Allah. So I make an appeal to you all without distinction that it is high time now to give up, to abandon all peccadilloes (vain differences and arguments), all unimportant things because it is now time to engage in the great and extraordinary work (of religion). So I never tire of telling you every time that you need to adopt this path, because without it we cannot come under the shadow of Allah, in the refuge of Allah in peace.

Munir Javed: Hubris and Stupidity

Since a very long time, ever since the time of the fourth Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Movement, before 1993, there was a man named Munir Javed who has remained always the private secretary to the Khalifat-ul-Massih, and who takes himself as a strong supporter of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya. He claims to know everything when in reality it is only a false claim because he knows nothing, and he is even in the process of becoming all the more deprived of knowledge. This same man is currently conducting an anti-Divine Manifestation policy. It was only on my return from UK on 05 January 2015 that we set to work on the materials – the Dawa works and the two letters which I sent to the Khalifat-ul-Massih V during my stay in England in the month of December 2014 – to be posted on the website. On 24 March 2015 I received a letter from the office of the private secretary of the Khalifat-ul-Massih V, dated 16 March 2015 in which the answer given is very dull, just like the paracetamol tablets which every time doctors give to their patients, be it in dispensaries and hospitals. Despite the different kinds of ailments of those patients, paracetamol (panadol) is prescribed as the quickest means to “cure” these people as if there are no other remedies for their ailments. It is basically like this for Munir Javed also! 

Munir Javed Sahib replied instead of the Khalifat-ul-Massih and he said that my letter was received and read by the Khalifat-ul-Massih V. According to the letter, the Khalifa did not object to what was intended for him in writing. 

Munir Javed did not mention anything of the reaction or the words of the Khalifat-ul-Massih V about the invitation letter. Munir Javed takes himself as ‘more royalist than the king’ to add that he prays that Allah Almighty illuminates my heart and all those who have deviated from the right path. 

Can Munir Javed declare on which path have we deviated? I can tell you that by the grace of Allah, Allah has poured down His light – His divine messages – upon me. Had Allah not lit up my heart, I would have been like Munir Javed, that is, I would have been like Allah mentions in the Holy Quran: “Summum bukmum um-yun fahum la yarjiuun” – deaf, dumb and blind, they will not return (to the right path). 

When he (that is to say, Munir Javed) made the deaf ear and became dumb and blind regarding the signs of Allah, and the fact that he turned his back on the Divine Manifestations, then for this type of person it is Allah Himself who took away the light from him and left him and those like him in the dark, so that they may not see anything at all.

Can Munir Javed say 100% for sure that he is on the right path? Can he give the guarantee that paradise has already been reserved for him? If he has doubts about the messages that I address (to the world), then let him come forward and prove that he is right and let him seek help with anyone and prove also that we (I and all those who have recognized the Messenger of Allah, and divine signs and manifestations of this century) have gone astray? As for me, I was sent by my master Allah (swt), confirming what you already have. So if you do not have an answer to give, then just put a rock in your mouth so as not to say any nonsense. Thus, in order to avoid giving unnecessary fatwas.

'Imaan' and Tranquillity of the Heart

Oh Allah, grant me to pay obeisance to You, open my breast to repentance through Your security and grant me knowledge to continue the third part of my sermon on “The Heart” so that the hearts of the pious (Muttaqi) and the seekers of truth – those who are not hypocrites – may obtain from You light coming down from the heavens, penetrating their hearts and giving them the much sought, Tranquillity of the Heart. Ameen. 

Tranquillity and contentment of the heart lies in the remembrance of Allah the Almighty and in the firmness and steadfastness of Iman (faith). Allah the Almighty describes the speech of Hazrat Ibrahim (as) as thus: “My Rab (Lord), show me how you give life to the dead.”

Allah said: “Do you not believe?” 

He (Ibrahim) replied: “Yes, but I ask so that my heart be at ease.” (2: 261) Meaning: O my Rab, my faith will become more firm by witnessing with my eyes the manifestation of Your power. 

Allah the Almighty describes the request of the companions of Hazrat Isa (upon him be peace) that Allah bestow upon them His blessing in the following verse: “We wish to eat thereof that we may satisfy our hearts” (5: 114), meaning that “Our hearts may rest in peace and we become more firm in our faith. If we see the blessing of Allah showered upon us, then with the proofs we will grow richer in belief and acquire peace of heart.”

Ruminations on Life and Death

The thoughts and prayers of sincere believers revolve around their Lord. And they spend their moment in the Universe with a wider consciousness about the fleeting nature of time and would try to remain detached from, and unaffected by, events around them. In a recent conversation, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius profoundly explained the right attitude to life to be adopted by true believers. Hadhrat Sahib (atba) was responding in the context of a mail written by a father about his little child’s dream and a subsequent incident at the house of the person concerned. For the benefit of our readers we reproduce below extracts from the exchanged letters. 

The letter addressed to Hadhrat Sahib (atba) read as follows:

“...A couple of days back in the morning, our little ... (child) got up to say that he saw a dove in his dream. And I was wondering what could that dream may mean.

This morning, it so happened that a dove entered the main hall of our house from the balcony and got hit in the ceiling fan, which was at full speed and it fell dead. A bird flying high, gets caught up in a revolving machine and it fell dead on its wings, in the blink of an eye. Between the throbbing life and the stillness of mortality there was nothing but a transient moment. 

Kindly pray that Allah (swa)'s Mercy and Grace allow us to do some good deeds before one's time is up,

Wassalam,

Fi Amaanillah
...”

Poem: A Prayer in Solitude

O Allah, open the door of the heart

The mind has tried and tried and failed; not once has it succeeded.

You are All-Powerful and lacking nothing; why do You delay?

I am tossed between pain and pleasure; why have I not yet had a chance?

Have mercy, O Bountiful One! Take my mind at attention to the skies.

The mind asks for false comforts, and does not know the reality.

It hankers after worldly pleasures, and does not taste the nectar of the sound.

What should I tell the mind, and how should I persuade it?

It does not take to heart the words of my Rab

The mind is strangely made; it does not love and care for the sound.

How can it escape the cycle of eighty-four? It does not repeat the Name of my Rab.

I will be buffeted in this world, and will be dragged headlong to the regions of death.

I have borne these sufferings for a long time. The mind does not heed and has forgotten.

You are the Moving Spirit in all hearts, O Lord, why do You not call this sufferer to You?

Except for You I have no other; You alone can take me to the eternal abode.

A Prayer under Divine Inspiration

O Allah! Give me success in my supplications,

And show me my days of joys.

O my Lord,

Be for me,

And O the Knower of my pain and sadness,

O the One whom the weak ones adore,

Purify me and adopt a lenient attitude towards me.

All the opponents have renounced me and have humiliated me in all sorts of ways,

I did not have any other alternative which presented to me,

Than to go in quest of Thy help and support.

O the One who fulfils prayers,

I have complete hope that Thou will give me back my days.

When my Sun is preparing itself to set and my heart has become tired with worry,

I take an oath on Thee O Allah that my supplications are not because I am behind fame and glory;

No! But instead it is for Islam which the enemies are attacking.

The sun has set on Islam and Ahmadiyyat and there is darkness everywhere.

O my Lord! Have Mercy upon us and accept my supplications.

Safar Zikrullah and the Fate of Ariel Sharon

The Muslim world faces enormous challenges in our present era. Powerful adversaries have conquered and destroyed the Muslim lands and peoples in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, etc. Millions of Muslims have become refugees and internally displaced peoples, in search of right to life and dignity. The bombings and killings and the hardships of war and crimes have afflicted the Muslim psyche with feelings of helplessness and agony. The events of the last decade- Ariel Sharon laying siege on the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Bush-Blair combine unleashing the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan-powerfully underscored the tragic situation of the Muslim Ummah.

It was under these circumstances that Allah the Most High directed His Chosen Messenger- Muhyi-ud Din Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba)- to observe Safar Zikrullah, a spiritual retreat to devout time for fervent prayers for the destruction of the arch-enemies of Islam. In his Friday Sermon of January 17, 2014 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius briefly mentioned about the event in the context of the end of Ariel Sharon, the war-criminal politician of Israel, who died last week after 8 years in coma.

The QURBANI of Hadhrat Ibrahim (as)

People practice different rituals in their quest for Divine satisfaction. Sincere good deeds and personal sacrifices made solely for the purpose of seeking the pleasure of Allah have special resonance at the throne of Allah (twa). In the quest for understanding the spirit of sacrifice in the service of Tawheed, the life of Hadhrat Ibrahim (as) serves as an enduring model and inspiration for all believers. For his experiences in all their complex and varied settings represent an extraordinary saga of submission to the Divine Will. Even under conditions of severe trials, requiring extreme patience in the contingencies of life such as being asked his son, Hadhrat Ibrahim (as) remained sincere, solely devoted to the protective hands of the Divine [Inset: Artistic impression of that great sacrifice).

In his Friday Sermon of 04 October 2013, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) Mauritius reflected on the purpose of Qurbani, a ritual of faith all devout Muslims observe on the occasion of the performance of Hajj / Eid-ul-Adha in the backdrop of the story of the life of Hadhrat Ibrahim (as).

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

“(O Prophet) Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (6: 163)

Why Obey the Divine Messenger?

Our age, in many different ways, bear witness to the great religious and spiritual loss of man. It seems as though people are under an all-pervading, evil spell which cause them trample to dust the spiritual norms of ethical life.   Restoring the sublime values of man’s eternal life requires the coming of a Divinely-raised soul: to teach what the people have allowed to be forgotten- prudence and the straight path. For, it is the enduring practice of our Ever Merciful Lord that He raises His Messenger when things go awry.  In the evocative words of Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba), “the need for a prophet of Allah, of a messenger of Allah is when man ceases to remain in the frame of spirituality and has lost all bearings on his own religious integrity and spirituality”. In his Friday Sermon of 03 May 2013, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius gave a discourse on the paramount importance of recognizing and accepting a Divine Messenger whenever he arrives in the world. 

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; but those who turn away, We have not sent you over them as a guardian. (4: 81)

Islamic Way: Secret of a Long Life

"Any one who wants to have his provision expanded,

 his term of life prolonged and for people to speak well of him

 should maintain ties of kinship" 

                                                                                        - Prophet Muhammad (sa)

In his Friday Sermon of May 04, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius spoke about the practical ordinances of Islam to be kept in mind in our everyday lives. Islam detests idleness and forbids practices such as usury that breeds and perpetuates a culture of idleness and irresponsibility. On the contrary, it envisions the believers as a community of people devoted to constant personal improvement in their spiritual states and collective progress in material conditions. The very lifestyles and priorities on every single day of their lives will reflect this enduring commitment to individual enterprise and collective growth. 

The believers are to strive for excellence in their chosen fields of occupation or profession so that the world may benefit from their work. Their charity, generosity and service will embrace not just family and kin, but will extend to neighbours and strangers as well. Thus, the Muslim becomes a source from which flow virtue, goodness and peace which everyone around him shall benefit.  ‘That which benefits the people endures in the earth’, says the Holy Qur’an. Adhering to the Islamic way has beneficial consequences, including possibly, a long and productive life, asserts the Messenger of Allah.   

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

The Muslim, if he wants that Allah grants him a long life, must comply with the scheme of everyday life as prescribed by Islam. This requires, inter alia, that the Muslim wakes up early and goes to bed early. The Muslim begins his day at dawn at least, before daybreak. And he welcomes his morning by being pure, before the afternoon catches up with him, full of weaknesses, shortcomings and even sins. This is why our beloved Saviour, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) showed us that we must come what may, and in any situation seek God’s forgiveness for the soul is prone to evil, except that which Allah protects against the ravages of Satan. Therefore, Muslims greet their day early, and this is the virtue praised by the Holy Prophet (sa) when he wished them prosperity and abundance in these times, “Allah bless the precocity of mine (that is, my people).”