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.

A Book on ‘Qur’anic Commands’

 

'Guidance for the Human Soul'

Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International- India Chapter [Noor’ul Islam Masjid- Mathra, South Kerala] recently published a new Book on the Amazon Publishing Platform, Alhamdulillah. The Book, titled “Qur’anic Commands: Guidance for the Human Soul” is essentially a compilation of selected Verses of the Holy Qur’an concerning Divine commandments, prescriptions and prohibitions.

 

Reproduced below are the Acknowledgement and Preface sections as they provide an intimate glimpse of the new Book for the benefit of our interested readers:

Acknowledgement

 

‘All praises are due to the Almighty Alone. That is the defining thought for me as I complete this modest effort to educate myself on the Divine Teachings of the Holy Qur’an.

 

According to the great Muslim saint and reformer of the previous century, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian [1835-1908], there are over 700 verses of clear rulings in the Holy Qur’an and it is only by being aware of, and following them in full measure, that one becomes a true believer. Hazrat Mirza writes:  ‘...beware and do not take a single step contrary to the teaching of God and the guidance of the Qur’an. I tell you truly that anyone who disregards even a small injunction of the seven hundred commandments of the Qur’an, shuts upon himself the door of salvation’.(Noah’s Ark, p. 42, English edition, UK: 2018). 

'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)

A Good ‘Muslim’: 10 Signs

  

Say, ‘Follow me if you love Allâh’ (3:32)

 

A ‘Muslim’ is, literally, one who submits to the Will of God; someone who follows in the footsteps of holy prophet Muhammad ^(sa) in quest of Divine forgiveness and approval and salvation. Between the lines of its pure message, the Holy Qur’an gives us an intimate portrait of true believers. Indeed, the character-sketch of a sincere devotee of God is clearly discernible  in the Book of God. A Muslim is one who loudly proclaims ‘Laa Ilaaaha Illallah, Muhammad Rasulullah’ [There is no diety except Allah; Muhammad is His messenger’]. A true Muslim is the one who backs his/her verbal declaration or profession of commitment to Faith with actual good deeds in everyday life as evidence in support of his claims of belief.    

 

The Qur’an notes: ‘The desert Arabs say, ‘We have faith.’ [Prophet], tell them, ‘You do not have faith. What you should say instead is, “We have submitted,” for faith has not yet entered your hearts.’ If you obey God and His Messenger, He will not diminish any of your deeds: He is most forgiving and most merciful. The true believers are the ones who have faith in God and His Messenger and leave all doubt behind, the ones who have struggled with their possessions and their persons in God’s way: they are the ones who are true.’ (49: 15-16)

According to the Qur’an, most people know only the outer aspects of life in this present world and have no concern for the life to come in the Hereafter. On the other hand, believers are acutely conscious of the hidden realities of life in this universe. Even when they cannot see God, the believer understands that all journeys’ end in our Sustainer, the Great Fashioner of all destinies; and that 'free-will' entails the choice to abide by Law in exchange for Divine pleasure in Heavenly abode, or to earn the punishment of Hellfire for choosing to be a lawbreaker in this world, and that everyone will face their own records on the Day of Judgement before our Just Lord.

Indeed, what distinguishes true believers from the rest of the people is their sense of gratitude towards the Lord who makes it possible for us all to experience the blessings of life in this world. The human faculty of discernment is illumined when the clear guidance of Divine wisdom- taught by the Prophets- is followed and implemented in everyday life. A believer recognizes that through the creation of humans with free will, God wishes that we use our ‘brains’ and follow His revelations (the Scripture and the Balance), and thereby become perfect believers- the resplendent and illuminated women and men of Faith in this world- the real ‘trustees’ of God on earth: those who attain the true purpose of life and gain the high destiny He promises for the truly good in the Garden of Bliss, Insha Allah, Aameen.

The Signs of 'Qiyamah'- 7

The Signs of the End of Times 

The signs of Qiyamat, both predicted by the founder of Islam Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), and also by way of divine revelations when I was preparing this sermon, are such words and happenings which, as per the revelations of Allah, despite already existed and known from before, yet their intensity will be much more grievous, much worse in this era than in the previous eras. People will take the Maal-e-Ghaneemat [spoils of war] and Amanat [trust] which are not theirs [i.e. they will take the wealth and properties of others] as their own. Some will consider the Zakaat as tax; others will learn religion only for this temporal world [only for grandeur and to benefit from the contributions of people who are contributing for religion] and they will take religion as a marketplace, as business for their own gain and to fill in their pockets. Now, we all know that this is what is exactly happening in the case of most politicians, those who make politics to garner grandeur, honour, to fill in their pockets – to spend away [waste] the money of the people – and all this is also happening in the realm of religion as well. 

The Day of 'Qiyamah'

 

The Signs of the End of Times- 4

اِنَّ السَّاعَۃَ لَاٰتِیَۃٌ لَّا رَیۡبَ فِیۡہَا وَ لٰکِنَّ 

اَکۡثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ

The Hour is certainly coming, there is no doubt about it. But most people do not believe. (Al-Mumin, 40: 60). 

Allah (twt) makes us understand that the Qiyamah [the Last Day / The Day of Judgement/ The End of the World] will certainly come, without a doubt, but many people do not believe it. Allah (twt) has fixed a special day to reward His believers for their good deeds and also to punish them for their evil deeds, and for His good servants, He will grant them the blessings of Paradise, while for those who have sinned, their retribution will be hell. This special day is called Qiyamah. 

Living Signs of Divine Favours

In his Friday Sermon of 17 July 2020~ 25 Dhul-Qaddah 1441 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius narrated a number of interesting, pure dreams made by devout members of the Jamaat in recent times. These dreams, in their own different ways, confirm the validity, power and blessings of prayers in the Divine Way. When believers remain true to the covenant of the Faith, observe the moral teachings of the Holy Prophet (sa) by following in the footsteps of the Khalifatullah (aba) of their times, and show sincerity of purpose in utter self-surrender to the Will of God amidst the trials of earthly circumstances; the Divine gaze keeps such humble ones relatively safe even in times of grave dangers, and elevates them morally and spiritually that they become blessed with countless favours of the Divine. Indeed, the light of Divine mercy and grace embrace and illumine them and their surroundings in myriad ways that they become living signs of pure Faith, notes Hadhrat Saheb (aba) in the discourse. 

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon Below:  

 '...I tell you about an amazing dream that one of my followers in Kerala, Sulfikar Ali Sahib saw last week. 

This dream is based on the importance of duahs and trust in Allah that Allah will grant [realise] these duahs, and it is an extraordinary sign that this dear disciple saw this dream on 05 July 2020, and since a long time, Allah had already helped me to prepare these series of sermons on the theme of duahs, and last week Allah inspired me to start my Friday sermons on the subject of invocations, without me being aware of this dream. It was not until after the sermon last Friday that I learned of this dream. So this is by no means a coincidence. The ways of Allah are truly extraordinary.

So the dream (which he saw around 3:00 a.m.) is as follows: He found that he was in the company of a few people, making fervent invocations to Allah (swt), a lot of Duahs ... yet, he thought there was no way his duahs would be accepted and was on the verge of despair. Then the person who was with him, told him not to despair, but to increase his invocations because Allah (swt) listens to the prayers of His servants in distress ... he advised him to repent a lot, to seek Istigfaar and to continue with his prayers so that Allah the Most Merciful will listen to him. So he continued his prayers ... in abundance. Eventually, he reached a space where he understood that he was meeting Allah. Appearing in the form of a person ... the being said to him: “Your prayers are accepted, you are going to be granted Jannat (paradise)”.

Cyclone Ockhi: A Sign

Nature's Fury, Shattered Lives 

Innal-Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raajiuun. 

To God we belong and to Him we shall return.

That’s the defining thoughts for everyone who face the trial of misfortune and loss. 

Tragedy has come home to people in our land this week. Cyclone Ockhi, the most devastating cyclonic storm in the northern Indian Ocean region since 2015 has struck many lands in its tentacles: the coastal regions of Sri Lanka, the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the Lakshadweep Islands, and also the Maldives.

Nature’s fury in the form of bad winds and cyclonic storms has taken away the lives of scores of people; hundreds of fishermen are missing after the storms, with no information about their whereabouts and search and rescue operations by the Indian agencies still ongoing till now. Beyond the shattered lives, possessions and property worth millions and millions has been destroyed. The damage to electricity transmission lines, agricultural crops, roads and passageways will continue to leave a chain of negative effects on the everyday life world of the affected regions and peoples for the months to come.

Divine Revelations and Actual Signs

There are scientists who say that the earth on which we live is very small. Compared to other divine creations, for them the earth is only an insignificant thing. Verily, neither what they say is accurate, nor is it our belief that God reveals Himself only through a particular nation or sect. God has no connection or special love for a particular nation. 

What is correct (to state) is that God, the God of the universe as a whole has created the means to physically nourish and develop everything that He has put on earth without distinction, and according to our faith, that same God (Allah) is “Rabbul Aalameen”, that is to say, He is the One Who provides the whole universe everything we need; it is He who gives us all sorts of favours/ benefits. He has provided cereals (i.e., food and also drink), air, water, light, etc. to all His creation.

Similarly, in every period of human existence and to every nation He has, from time to time sent reformers to reform peoples. As stated in Surah Fatir of the Holy Quran, Allah the Almighty is the God of the universe. 

In fact, in this regard, we find no contradiction in the scriptures that were given to the nations from time to time. This is so because the advent of a reformer is a necessity when the world tends to indulge in evil and unethical practices such as lying, stealing, quarrels and general immorality that lead people to move away from purity and virtue and to be enslaved by selfishness. Their submission to such wrong practices/ to such evils is such that they abandon the worship of God and they indulge in idolatry.

God takes care of the physical and spiritual well-being of man. His Munificence requests that in such times of spiritual darkness, He needs to appoint a person to reform (mankind) and the concept of such a representative (of God) does not affect any law of nature.

Signs of Trial: Diseases, Calamities

THE APHTHOUS FEVER 2016

Like you all know, since July and beginning of August 2016, Rodrigues Island witnessed a major foot/ hoof and mouth disease, that is, the Aphthous Fever among its cattle. 

This is a highly infectuous virus which has rapidly attacked the cattles of Rodrigues, making it necessary to cull them (about a thousand animals from Rodrigues and Mauritius were slaughtered). And as a part of our cattle also originate from Rodrigues, during an investigation, it was found that a cargo of cattle originating from Rodrigues already reached Mauritius, but it was put in Quarantine. From that day on, a psychosis among the Mauritian farmers and also the Mauritians in general has settled.

EID-UL-ADHA 

As the Eid-ul-Adha is coming in a few days, the Muslims have made heard their worry concerning the Qurbani/ Udhiya. While some Muslims have negotiated to import cattle from Africa, nevertheless, the fear of contamination and sickness due to the virus is worrying the Muslims and the Mauritians in general. Many are taking precautionary measures and not participating in Qurbani this year. 

Afflictions of 'Qiyamah'

And guard yourselves against a chastisement which cannot fall exclusively on those of you who are wrong-doers, and know that Allah is severe in punishment. (8: 25)

Man needs to understand this well that whenever there is birth, there shall be definitely death like mentioned in the Holy Quran whereby Allah the Exalted has said that:  “Each soul (life) shall taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned.” (21: 36). 

The Hadiths, narrated by Hazrat Anas (ra) also inform us that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “A time shall come when those practicing religion shall be similar to those holding embers in (the palm of) their hands.” (Tirmidhi).

What is being explained (in the Hadiths) is that there shall be many people who shall consider it a burden to practice religion like it is difficult for one to hold embers in one’s hand. And our beloved prophet (pbuh) has informed his Ummah also that before the Day of Judgement (Qiyamah) there shall many afflictions (fitna) which shall be like darkness wherein believers shall not see any way out; such afflictions which shall be frightening and dangerous. Many of these believers shall lose faith and shall not practice religion at all. In the morning there are some who shall have faith (Iman), but due to personal gain, or under the domination of the tyrants (Zalims), or under the influence of an infidel, such kind of believer shall lose his faith in the afternoon. As for those who are weak in faith, they shall see it difficult to remain firm on the path (the religion) of Islam.

on the 'Alaamaat' of Qiyamah

Wattaquu Yawman-turja ‘uuna fiihi ‘ilaallaah. Summa tuwaffaa kullu nafsim-maa kasabat wa hum laa yuz-lamuun.

“And fear a Day (that is, Qiyamah) when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be treated unjustly.”(2: 282).

The word Qiyamah appears 70 times in the Holy Quran. Allah the Almighty has also called it (Qiyamah) by many other names in the Holy Quran and each name shows an aspect of Qiyamah. For example, among others:

 1. As-Sa’a (The Appointed Hour)

 2. Al-Yaum-ul-Haqq (The Day of Truth, that is, the advent of such a day about which there is no doubt)

 3. Al-Yaum-ul-Mal’oom (The Known Hour)

4. Yaum-ul-Aazifa (The Terrifying Day which is approaching), 

5. Yaum-un-Assir (The Hard Day),

6.  Yaum-un-Azim (The Great Day), 

7. Yaum-ul-B’ath (The Day of Resurrection), 

8. Yaum-un-Talaaq (The Day of Meeting, that is, meeting with Allah the Almighty), 

9. Yaum-ul-Jama (The Day of Assembly), 

10. Yaum-ul-Khuruj (The Day of Coming Out, that is, from the tomb) 

11. An-Naba-ul-Azim (The Great News). 

12. Al-Haqqa (The Inevitable).

State of the World and the Celestial Signs

A Divine Mission in an age of raw passions

By the grace of Allah, throughout the years in which God dipped me in the fountain of His Divine Manifestation, He has taught me lots of things of which I never knew before. He taught me the languages of the birds and also of His beautiful creations of earth. All through the years, through His eyes, I have felt cherished in a special cocoon: Divine Love. He made me into an Adam (as) to reach out to people and make them understand the philosophy of life and living for a special purpose: the worship of one God.

Among the things He showed me is the need for peace, not only at our inner level, but also at world level. Through the inspirations He vouchsafed me, He taught me that the real cause of human strife and wars is due to selfishness, on one hand and the sacrilege of God’s remembrance and association to God in His Pure and Only Divinity, on the other. When people let go of the thread of unity, of sincerity and spirituality and preferred to indulge in self-interest, and when he forgot to act according to the divine laws, and forget to respect the rights of others, in the same go, he showed to himself the way down to hell; a hell of his very own creation.

Gone are the harmony and concord he should have gotten had he held fast to the commandments of God and act decently in the best interest of one and all. The respect he should have had for his neighbours, friends, surroundings, and his very own family, had he acted upon this respect and defended the spiritual values bestowed to him since the creation of the heavens and earth, he should have been successful in opening the secret door leading him to God.