‘Trust Allah in Trials of Life’

 

Tarbiyyat Lessons- 23

 

‘The testing of a believer, male or female,

In respect to one’s person, children, and property

Will not cease until one meets Allah the Exalted

 Unburdened by any sin’ 

*****

 

‘When Allah wants good for a mortal

Allah hastens affliction in this world;

And when Allah wants ill for a mortal,

Allah leaves him be with his sin

Until his soul is taken

on the Day of Resurrection’

 

*****

 

‘Be mindful of Allah,

And you will find Allah in front of you.

Acknowledge Allah in ease,

And Allah will acknowledge you in distress.

And know that what misleads you 

will never enable you to do right,

And what enables you do right 

will never mislead you.

And know that help comes with patience,

And that relief comes with distress;

And that with difficulty comes ease.’

 

*********

Allah & His Chosen One

In his Friday Sermon of 05 July 2024~28 Dhul-Hijjah 1445 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Al Mahdi Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius speaks on true faith and devotion to God, explaining what it entails from sincere believers in every day life.  In this era, as in the times of Divine Elects in history, believers stand to gain rewards when they demonstrate  gratitude and loyalty to God and His commands; a commitment to struggle against the selfish [evil] impulses through patience and prayer; a sound heart embracing God’s will and pleasure at all times regardless of mundane setbacks and personal losses, notes Hazrat Saheb (aba). 

Divine Punishments & Rewards

  

The System of Divine Punishments & Rewards

 عَسٰی رَبُّکُمۡ اَنۡ یَّرۡحَمَکُمۡ ۚ وَاِنۡ عُدۡتُّمۡ عُدۡنَا ۘ وَجَعَلۡنَا جَہَنَّمَ لِلۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ حَصِیۡرًا ﴿۹

 

“It may be that your Lord will have mercy on you, but if you repeat (your crime) We shall repeat (the punishment), and remember that We have made hell a prison for the disbelievers.” (Bani Isra’il 17: 9).

 

There is disgrace, humiliation for those who cause trouble in this temporal life and in the Hereafter; this humiliation as well as the punishment that Allah will give to these types of people will be much more humiliating and painful than all the earthly punishments that you can ever think of.

 

The Message of the Holy Quran is addressed to all of you. Those who have faith and demonstrate this faith in their intentions and actions, they will surely get their spiritual reward which is a reward that is beyond any earthly reward that a person can ever conceive.

Faith: 'Muslims under Trial'

 

In his Friday Sermon of 04 November 2022 ~09 Rabi’ul Aakhir 1444 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius calls attention to a very sobering lesson for all true believers in every era: the future and good fortune of a people is linked to their piety and righteousness in life. Likewise, according to sacred spiritual wisdom preserved in the Holy Qur'an, when a people become lawbreakers and deviates from Divine teachings, the quagmire of misguidance, misfortune and enslavement would engulf them in a cycle of never-ending despair and disaster. 

According to the profound wisdom and prescient assessment of the Holy Prophet (sa), fatal flaws can encircle a people under trial when they let go of the true spirit of Faith, embrace materialism and splinter into different sects and political groupings. When they drown in immorality and injustice; worship money and ease; neglect the poor, and oppress the defenceless; become enamoured of other cultures even at the price of one's Faith and corrode the strength of its values through frequent disputes, schism and factional feuds; they themselves will be complicit in external intervention in internal affairs, perpetuating the vicious cycle of degradation of faith and moral fibre and consequent national decadence. Pointing to a sacred tradition of the Holy Prophet (sa) on the aforesaid theme, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) observes in this discourse that each one of the signs of decadence is discernible in the dire state of our world today, especially in the predicament of the Arab nation.        

 

Reflecting on the continuing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories- including East Jerusalem [the land of the holiest Masjid Al Aqsa]- without any fair deal for the people under subjugation for over half a century, and the recent events involving Arab leaders facilitating Israel's integration into the regional rivalry against Iran, in the backdrop of US- scheming in the region; Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) notes the searing reality that despite their public statements, the Arab leaders in the ring show no real commitment to the cause of the Oppressed, as they are more concerned about their own narrow interests of power and pelf. The agony and misfortune of foreign occupation and the humiliation of subjugation today is a grim reminder of the ways in which Divine vengeance engulfs a people under trial, observes Hazrat Saheb (aba) in the discourse.

Covid-19 Prophecy and the Ahmadis

In an important message on 16 May 2020 ~ 22 Ramadan 1441 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius, addresses certain recent allegations and insinuations being levelled by the maulvis and members of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya (Qadian) in India. By converting a moment of sorrow at the death of an elderly, and admittedly, long-ailing member of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in Tamil Nadu in these Covid-times to parade their prejudices and hatred against the Divine mission of the Khalifatullah (aba) in this era; the Ahmadi mullahs in India have exposed their disgusting stupidity for all the world to see.

As graceless and repulsive as their pronouncements are, these decadent Ahmadis, in their own way, confirm the need for a Divine servant in these times, precisely to explain the Divine commandments on good conduct; to show them the path of ethical prudence and spiritual rectitude. In this important message, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (aba) eloquently and beautifully accomplishes this task: teaching Ahmadis on how to read and understand prophecies; the fulfillment of Divine promises amidst worldly trials; reminding Ahmadis about their own history- especially how far they have come to resemble the tormentors of their spiritual father, the Promised Messiah (as), in the way they behave and the way they speak about their fellow brothers- the true believers! 

It is interesting to note that the present caliph of the Jamaat-e- Ahmadiyya- Khalifatul Massih V Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad- himself has rejected any personal claims of Divine revelations concerning the outbreak of the global pandemics, nor has he got any assurance of security from God in these turbulent days, and in fact, he has given subtle expression, in a recent interview, to his latent, personal fears of being contracted with the Covid-19 virus by pointing to the fact that the man-elected-caliphs in the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya in the past contracted such deadly-diseases. Consider the refreshing contrast here: in his recent series of Friday Sermons as well as the special messages, Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) clearly mentions Divine revelations on the topic containing dire warnings on the enemies of God, His messenger (sa), and His Khalifa (the Khalifatullah) in this era; glad tidings of security and tranquility for the sincere servants of God in the Jamaat of Allah; and the spiritual path forward for the benefit of all truth- seekers around the world, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.  

Read the Message Below: 

'Is it ever so, that, when there comes to you a messenger (from Allah) with that which you yourselves do not desire, you grow arrogant, and some you disbelieve and some you killed?' (Al-Baqara 2: 88).

'Faith Entails Trials in Your Way'

Faith & the Strong Believer

Dear brothers, sisters and children, for today’s Friday Sermon (Khutba Jumu’ah), it is very important that I talk to you about faith (Iman) and Islam and the difference between a weak believer and a strong believer.

Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Say, ‘You have not (yet) believed; but say (instead), ‘We have submitted,’ (We are Muslims) for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything’.” (Al-Hujurat 49: 15).

Indeed, Iman (faith) is the confession/ attestation (by the tongue) and acting (according to one’s responsibility) and Islam is confession (by the tongue) without acting.

It should be remembered that those who integrate the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam as Muslims and say that they believe in my advent as the Khalifatullah of the age need to make extra efforts to perfect their Islam and put this Islam into practice in their daily lives. Through the practice of Islam in your daily lives, true faith shall enter your hearts, and no doubt whatsoever, can come into those hearts to deviate you from the right path.

Very often, a Muslim – and I am specifically talking about my followers, the Sahih al Islam members – can feel that he is trying to do all the right things in his life so as to come close to Allah, and despite his various efforts, he is not able to succeed in his efforts and therefore he despairs of the mercy of Allah. He feels abandoned, and thus, he abandons his Salat (prayers) and all acts of worship due to his insecurity and doubts. Now, this is very wrong. This person should bear in mind that acquiring true faith is not an easy matter. He has to go through lots of trials, lots of fires, i.e. difficulties, so that his mettle, his capacities as a true Muslim and believer, and his faith in Allah may be victorious.

Remember, Allah always gives more trials and difficulties to those whom He loves the most. Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him.” (Muslim).

Patience in Adversity

Patience, Perseverance and Endurance

To succeed in establishing in his soul beautiful qualities, such as patience, perseverance, endurance, the Muslim must absolutely resort to various verses of the Holy Quran and explicit Hadiths on the subject. Certainly the Holy Quran gives us clear examples that make us think, to boost us to take this path and succeed. Without patience, perseverance and endurance, the believer will not succeed in opening himself spiritually to the understanding of religion - in this case, Islam - and the essence of faith in itself.

Our Lord, Allah (swt) tells us in the Holy Qur’an:

“Give good tidings to the patient, those who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.’ Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.” (Al-Baqara 2 : 156-158).

“O you who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah; that you may prosper.” (Al-Imran 3 : 201).

“We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.” (An-Nahl, 16 : 97).

“Be patient, your patience is not but from Allah.” (An-Nahl 16 : 128).

“Bear anything that happens to you steadfastly, for this is firmness (of purpose) in (the conduct of) affairs.” (Luqman, 31 : 18).

“And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.” (Al-Sajda 32 : 25).

“The patient will be given their reward without account.” (Az-Zumar, 39 : 11).

These are some blessed verses from the Holy Qur’an that God the Exalted has sent down to humanity for all times. They show that where patience and endurance prevail, success is a sure cure. To these two elements forming the character of man, we must certainly add faith and piety as a whole. It is then that the divine blessing falls. For Allah (swt) reminds the Ummah through the Qur’anic verses of the value of patience and endurance.

Indeed, among the virtues that constitute the adornment of a Muslim, there is patience and endurance. These two elements, adopted with conviction help to combat the harm of others for the sake of Allah. Patience is simply the constraint of the soul to accept what is repugnant to it and to endure with impassivity, with constancy the evil that reaches it.

In times of trials, Muslims and especially my disciples of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam must restrain themselves and persevere in the accomplishment of good deeds and become models of virtues. You must not be alarmed or irritated or angry. On the contrary, you must have complete trust in Allah. Remember that the difficulties you are experiencing are only trials that you must overcome for the sake of Allah. These are tests, exams that God makes you undergo to bring out your true value and your true faith.

'The Days of Noah are Coming...!'

A Difficult Time in Mauritius

We never punish (a people) until we have sent a messenger. (Al-Isra, 17: 16).

My brothers and sisters, reflect well. 

From the beginning of this year 2018, Mauritius is going through a difficult situation. When you think that from the first day of the New Year (01 January 2018) a great accident happened where two brothers died, and then the next day an ex-husband killed his ex-wife with a revolver (when she came to visit her child in the home of the ex-husband) and then killed himself.

Since the 1^st of January, the rain has not stopped falling; heavy downpours except on Sunday 07 January 2018. At the beginning of the school activities for the new year, on 08 January 2018, heavy rainfall continued to flood, destroying the agricultural fields (fruits and vegetables) and amenities of thousands of houses and cars. Then a dangerous cyclone, named Berguita, came to make matters worse since Tuesday 16 January until 18 January 2018 and for the first time in Mauritius (after many years) more than five thousand people, men, women and children have gone to seek refuge in the shelter centers, leaving their homes and all their furniture, food and other amenities, taking only their own persons and their family members to shelter from the cyclone. Social workers and even the government only distributed biscuits and bottled water to support all those people.

After the passage of Berguita, vegetables and fruits have almost disappeared from the shelves of the markets and for the fruits and vegetables remaining, prices have skyrocketed and it has become very difficult for the Mauritian nation given the rise in prices at all levels. These torrential rains, lightning and cyclone Berguita caused quite a lot of damage nationwide, blocking drains/ canals, flooding the streets and destroying cars too. Afterwards we saw a lull in the density of the rains in some parts of the country, but in other regions the rain did not cease to cause misfortunes.

The situation became alarming when on Wednesday and Thursday, 24 & 25 January respectively, the notice/ warning of heavy rain forces the government and the organizations concerned to close schools, universities and even some workplaces. The panic was felt here in Mauritius with the rising waters and the continual torrential rain. Given the situation, the Ministry of Health advised people to boil water before drinking to stay healthy and avoid diseases such as gastroenteritis and other health problems. Despite the precautions many have also caught conjunctivitis.

It is impossible for me to list all the problems that Mauritius is facing because our little island is consecutively going through trials.

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. 

Navin Ramgoolam: Deeds on Trial

In a Special Speech on 17 May 2012, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius spoke succinctly on a range of world and national issues, and religious and political developments. The Speech was made in the backdrop of recurring Divine Revelations received by the Khalifatullah (atba) and it included many comments that were prescient and prophetic, waiting to be unveiled in the fullness of time.

Almost three years down the timeline from that Speech, it is astonishing to reflect on the extraordinary Light of Truth the short document represents in many ways. In this essay, we shall seek to illustrate in this article the truthfulness of the Divine words which Allah made the Khalifatullah (atba) to pronounce on the Special Sermon vis-a-vis the then Prime Minister of the country, Mr. Navin Ramgoolam.

It is instructive and striking to note that the Speech that was made in May 2012 began its assessment of the national issues with a frontal attack on the wily character of the then actual Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and his rampant, corrupt business practices, seeking to defraud the national exchequer by millions of rupees and his hypocritical duplicities and strategies to remain in power even beyond his term of office (ending in 2015). The Khalifatullah (atba) goes on to state: “If a profound investigation is made on his activities, then there is prison involved for him, and it is possible that such prison terms be for life!”  

Recently, on 17 March 2015, the journalist James Wan of the Al Jazeera English Network reported the ongoing predicament of the former Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and his coterie of people who face the troubling prospect of their ignominious deeds swiftly catching up with them. The long arm of national law and justice system is certainly seeking to put them on trial for their misdeeds and egregious offences.

Extracts from the Report is reproduced below: 

At the start of December 2014, Ramgoolam's future could barely have looked more rosy. 

Parental Responsibilities

Nowadays parents are teaching their children a lot on only the material aspect of education. They make all necessary preparations in this field ever since the birth of their children. Here, in Mauritius, we see children being admitted to pre-primary schools at around 3 years old, and when they reach their 5 years old, they go to primary school, then secondary, and finally to university, be it locally or they are sent abroad (to pursue their studies). Parents are ready to make debts so that their offspring study to obtain a degree or diploma. They readily invest a lot of money to secure his (material) future. They are even ready to mortgage their houses, lands to make their children succeed in their advanced studies and become doctors, engineers or lawyers etc., and they do it all with much pride.

All these endeavours are very good, I am not condemning this, but you (parents) should not look at only the material aspect of your children’s education. When you do so, you let this world attract you more so that you may get acclamations in society as the parent/s of such doctor, lawyer etc; and, this despite being overloaded with debts which you contracted to make him/her reach this level of mundane success. And, this despite the fact that there is no guarantee that he/she is grateful to you for the sacrifices done to make him/her get his/her diploma; he may as well neglect you and cast you aside. Or, despite the efforts made, even if your child succeed in becoming a doctor, engineer, lawyer etc., but at the end of the day he is null in Deen (religious) matters. All in all, it is a serious matter for you as parents if all this does not affect you the least.

The neglect of Deen

If your child turned out to be ungrateful and/or disconnected with religion after having obtained his degree as a doctor, or lawyer, and he does not pray Salat/Namaz, neglect the reading of the Holy Qur'an and is not at all attached to the religion of Islam, does this not bring a regret in your heart? Does this not affect you if he is Muslim only in name? Then, who is responsible for this state of affairs? This makes you go back in time to see whether you have given him some teachings of the religion of Islam (and how much of it). If ever you actually gave him some training in Deen (religious) matters, then bear in mind that this is not restricted to only a little practice of Namaz (obligatory prayers) – even then, even if prayer is not done in time – or a little reading of the Holy Quran – whenever he gets the time to do so! Despite a little practice of Namaz (Salat) and Qur'an reading, bear in mind that your child has not obtained all Islamic teachings!

'Muttaqi' and the Good Life

Taqwa is a quality or character (or way of being) which enables a person to live according to the Shariah (Islamic Laws). It regulates his entire life according to the divine commandments, by enabling the person to follow or imitate the blessed behaviour and practices of our beloved prophet, the noble prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). The one who inculcates this quality in him in a permanent way is called a Muttaqi (God-fearing/pious, righteous person). That is why we also call him Deendar (devout, religious) or someone who is very serious in matters of Deen (meaning to say, religion, particularly, Islam).

A religious person has always the good fortune of living well in this temporal life also. Allah the Almighty says in the Noble Quran:

“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life…” (16: 98).

As for the difficulties he experiences, these are only easily surmounted difficulties, easily resolved because he knows that life on earth is only temporary/limited. Therefore, he knows that the problems also are temporary. (In his perspective) knowing that the problems are temporary is in itself a great relief. Being a Muslim, he knows that come what may, all situations that he undergoes are what Allah has decreed for him.