Dishonesty & Corruption

 

The Signs of Qiyamah- 5

“Do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly, nor deliberately bribe authorities in order to devour a portion of others’ property, knowing that it is a sin.” (Al-Baqara 2: 189)

 

As we observe the current times, we are living in societies where corruption has infiltrated every sector. In the context of the signs of the Hour, we see that what our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) foretold is manifesting more frequently and in greater numbers than before.

 

In a Hadith reported by Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) and recorded in Sahih Bukhari, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “When honesty is lost, then wait for the Hour (As-Sa’at).” He (pbuh) was asked: “How will honesty be lost, O Messenger of Allah?” He (pbuh) replied: “When authority is given to those who do not deserve it, then wait for the Hour (As-Sa’at).”

Life and Times of Shuayb (as)

 

Allah (swt) has created the humans as His trustee(Khalifa) on earth. We owe our Creator, our very existence. Human life and progress for a period are all entirely due to His mercy and unending blessings. The Divine Trusteeship entails grave responsibility of conduct on our part. As trustees of Allah (swt) on earth, we owe a duty to care for all of His creations on earth- being just in all financial transactions; doing fair in all human relations; remaining moderate and balanced in our social engagements, etc. It is to remind us of this heavenly trust on our shoulders that the Prophets and saints of God appear in every era, among the people- 'weak' and 'forgetful' and 'prone to the temptations of Satan' as we flawed humans are.

Hence, it is height of stupidity and ignorance to challenge common sense and combat God's Message. Blinded by their own passions, the arrogant elites in their vanity laugh at the messages they dislike, seeking to fight against God and His Elects when they come to lead them to prudence and wisdom. If only the spiritually blind had the 'vision' to recognize the Light they are missing! The light of wisdom that the Prophets bring in do not profit  a people who are self-satisfied, who remain aloof from, and who show contemptuous disregard for the higher values of life that these messengers teach- clinging as those earthly worms to the pleasures of a fleeting time. Like Qur'an testifies in the case of numerous communities that persecuted Prophets in the past, Divine justice will pursue their excesses in ways they will least expect, and in moments of His choosing their reckoning would take place. Indeed, going by evidence of what happened in the recorded past, Divine vengeance is something to be wary of, by anyone who is sensible. Allah's mercy and blessings engulf a people who listen and follow the Divine commandments and teachings that the Prophets bring in, for their own welfare in this world and for salvation in the world to come. 

Divine Calamity To Those Who Disobey

In his Friday Sermon of 26 November 2021~20 Rabi’ul Aakhir 1443 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius explains the life and times of Prophet Shuayb (as) as a spiritual lesson for our times. The Holy Qur'an preserves the example of Hazrat Shuayb (as) as a man of Divine principles and ethical restraint in a society given to the worship of riches at any cost. Yet, all that people amassed in excess through unfair methods proved to be of no use to them on the day of Divine punishment. On the other hand, those who follow the Prophets in letter and spirit, they become recipients of Divine Mercy and Grace in every era, Insha Allah, Aameen.

Read the Friday Sermon Below: 

The Quest for 'Ummat-e-Wahida'

The time period of a Khalifatullah or a Divinely-inspired messenger is a vital phase in the spiritual and political spheres of his community. For instance, when Jesus (as) appeared among the Israelites, the spiritual (and political) expectation of the times was that he would establish the Heavenly Kingdom on Earth. Likewise, when the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) preached Islam in Arabia, it eventually resulted in the establishment of a just and humane political order in the land as well. Indeed, the Islamic Aqeedah  contains within it the design and seeds of an equitable social order that will truly liberate humans from the chains and shackles that confine them to the clutches of Taghut and other satanic elements.

In this era of a Khalifatullah, political and material conditions of our societies clearly point to a world in decadence, disarray and anarchy, with much violence and bloodshed and unconscionable inequalities and rampant corruption. While capitalist social orders swear by civic freedom and liberties, and secular laws passed in people's assemblies are ostensibly for providing justice and welfare to the people, corruption and decadence have permeated every fiber of nations. Despite claims of being democracies that value freedom and liberties of people, the reality on the ground is such that much injustice and exploitation of the vulnerable take place on an everyday basis, ravaging our pretentious claims of being civilized peoples. All of these call for a just social and political order that protects the vulnerable from the 'slavery' of the 'free' (the rich and the influential).

In the reconstruction of the deeply-flawed and anarchical world order in our times, Islamic values can shine a light in ensuring freedom from slavery and other inhuman exploitation. Against this backdrop of the quest for a just world order, in his Friday Sermon of 21 May 2021~ 08 Shawwal 1442 AH Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius spoke about role of Islamic Aqeedah in reimaging the world order and in the creation of another world. 

Fixing Our Broken Politics

Towards a Political Revivification-III

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, I continue my Friday Sermon today on the subject of fraud and corruption in politics. I still take Mauritius as an example, for in the world today, Mauritius has exceeded all limits [as the last straw which breaks the camel’s back]. With its entry into the blacklist, thus revealing a very large black hole in the management of the country as a whole, Mauritians have realized that our beautiful island is now the prey of power-thirsty sharks, who instead of watching over the welfare of the people and the good reputation of the country, they insist on becoming notorious for their mismanagement by placing incompetent people in key positions in the country, those who are the protected people and even the puppets of the present government. And this practice has existed all the time, not only during the mandate of this government. We all know that as soon as a government [of several countries and even Mauritius] takes charge of the country, it puts [in key positions] the people who are in its favour, and these people become puppets in its hand.

 

All Mauritians know very well that the proceedings of the elections of November 07, 2019 are unheard of [have never occurred before in the country]. Never before has the vote count continued until the wee hours of the morning (the next day) - going until 3.00-4.00 a.m. Many misdemeanours took place where original ballot papers were found in sugarcane fields and many Mauritians found themselves off the electoral list, thus unable to vote. Instead of the Mauritians, there are foreign workers who have received the approval of the authorities (the government - since its first term) to vote. In light of recent evidence [which has made the news], election expenses for some political parties have exceeded allowable limits.

 

There are a lot of frustrations expressed by the Mauritian people. Mauritians revolted against these injustices, not only in Mauritius but in other countries as well.

 

I cite a few examples of the tragedies that took place in Mauritius during the COVID-19 containment. There is too much to say, but I will only name a few that have made a strong impression on Mauritians and Mauritius’s reputation at the global level.

The Laws of Inheritance in Islam-II

In his Friday Sermon of 10 August 2018 (27 Dhul-Qaddah 1439 AH), Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius provides a magisterial survey of Islamic inheritance law. In this significant discourse, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) elaborates on the the most important features of the normative framework of Islam on matters of inheritance succession and comprehensively explains the profound obligations on devout Muslims in this regard- of making clear distributive arrangements for smooth transitions in matters of succession. Acknowledging that the subject is vast, complex and delicate, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) underscores the need for careful handling of the question at the various levels "with honesty and Taqwah": individual believers need to draw up clear testamentary declaration (Will); influential/powerful legal heirs need to respect the rights of the vulnerable ones and also serve the pecuniary interests of other non-heir, but close persons of the deceased through gifts; the State/Jamaat officials need to ensure that justice is done to all parties involved. 

The Sahih Al Islam Blog has published the First-part of this vital sermon on August 14, 2018. Reproduced below are the second and final installment of the Two-part series:

THE WIFE’S CHILDREN FROM A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE

If a woman had children with another husband, and after divorce, Talaq, she contracts Nikah with another man, then the children of this woman from her previous marriage are not eligible to receive anything from the inheritance of their mother’s new husband.

INHERITANCE OF A LEGITIMATE CHILD

According to Shariah, a child born in the Nikah of his parents is a legitimate child and thus he shall inherit from his mother and father. Shariah acknowledges the legitimate pregnancy of a woman whose biological child is born between 6 months and two years.

Explanation : If a child is born five months after the date of the Nikah or more than two years after the death of the father (its mother’s husband), then the child shall not be legitimate for the father and thus shall not inherit from him. [But Allah knows best. It may be that Allah manifests exceptions and extraordinary miracles.

'Riba': Unjust Enrichment is Illegal

“O you who believe! 

Do not consume usury, 

doubled and multiplied, 

but fear Allah 

that you may be successful.” 

 --(Al-Imran, 3: 131).

“Those who consume interest 

cannot stand (on the Day of Resurrection)

except as one stands 

who is being beaten by Satan

into insanity.” 

  --(Al-Baqara 2: 276).

Interest or more precisely, interest rate is defined as the price of money, the price at which money can be borrowed and determined like other prices by the collusion of the forces of supply and demand. Originally usury was any premium we had to pay against the use of currency. Nowadays, usury also means the practice of asking for a very high interest premium through borrowing as well.

The verses which I recited consist of an injunction for mankind – especially Muslims – that represents and severely condemns the practice of usury or interest. Thus any transaction relating to usury (i.e. Riba) is illegal, as well as all transactions acquired by illegal means; Transactions such as: bribes, fraudulent transactions, gambling, bank interest, etc.