Solar Eclipse, in Mauritius: A Grand Sign

DEEP PARTIAL ANNUAL SOLAR ECLIPSE VISIBLE FROM MAURITIUS

Like you witnessed yesterday (01 September 2016), a deep and partial annular Solar Eclipse was visible here in Mauritius, as well as the other nearby islands and countries like Rogrigues, Reunion, Madagascar, and Central Africa. The eclipse was also partially visible in parts of the Indian and Atlantic Ocean.

An annular eclipse occurs when the moon is farthest from the earth from its orbit. Thus, this makes the moon look smaller, and the outer ring of the sun’s fires or rays of light is seen. For yesterday’s eclipse, the sun disc was eclipsed up to nearly 90% (88.8%). In simpler words, it was noticeably dark here in Mauritius.

The start of the partial phase of the eclipse was seen 27 minutes after noon and reached its maximum at around 14.13pm. The last phase of the eclipse ended at 15.44pm. As for the maximum duration of annularity, it lasted for 3 minutes.

In our sister Island, that is, Reunion Island (the first island outside Mauritius where I went to propagate the teachings of the Promised Messiah (as)), mainly in Saint-Louis, at the Etang du Gol, dubbed as the Eclipse Village, the eclipse  was magnificently whole with a beautiful ring of fire from 14.09-14.11pm, that is, two minutes and 44 seconds of annularity. 

For the first time since 1901, that is, after 115 years, an eclipse of such a magnitude was witnessed from Mauritius by the Mauritians. This is the only deepest solar eclipse to be witnessed from Mauritius itself for the 21^st century. The next eclipse of such magnitude shall manifest in the year 2200.

This is one of the mighty signs for this era, especially with the advent of this humble Messenger of Allah in this 21^st century (CE) and 15^th Century (AH), whereby Mauritius witnessed an eclipse of such a nature.

Islam on Rules of Warfare

Islam does not teach aggression as did Judaism through the law of retaliation. Nor does it, like present-day degraded Christianity, preach a contradiction. It does not ask us to turn the other cheek and at the same time to sell our clothes to buy a sword. 

The teaching of Islam fits into the natural instincts of man, and promotes peace in the only possible way. Indeed, Islam preaches the middle way, neither too extreme, nor too lenient, but justice should be justly done according to the situation prevailing, but like Allah advises in the Holy Quran, forgiveness and patience are best especially in respect to killings and aggression.

All in all, Islam forbids aggression, but it urges us to fight if failure to fight jeopardises peace and promotes war. If failure to fight means the extirpation of free belief and of the search of truth, it is our duty to fight. This is the teaching on which peace can ultimately be built, and this is the teaching on which the Holy Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) based his own policies and his practice.

'Terrorism' Knows No Religion

Islam means submission and peace, and it altogether signifies the religion and the way of life of man. Someone who sincerely says that he belongs to Islam will make it a must to make his life an embodiment of peace. He will strive to obey all the commandments of Allah, the Overpowering Lord, the Unique God. He will find himself surrounded by noble teachings, and as a responsible human being filled with the innate willpower to spread goodwill everywhere, he strives to establish securely the bond between man and Allah, between man and man, and between man and the rest of Allah’s creation.

Islam reflects the true nature of the soul of man. When he is born in this temporal world, he is Muslim. He has no religion, no creed whatsoever except being intrinsically and extrinsically devoted to Allah. While the magnet of the earth pulls him to connect with the material, yet his soul is ever thirsty of the spiritual, of the great divine love which has enable for him this journey to earth. Thus his soul strives to soar high above everything material and flimsy, i.e., all mundane connections to connect with the True Reality, i.e. Allah.

Islam reinvigorates the individual, giving him the necessary baggage to last a lifetime on earth whilst being only a temporary traveller. Islam is the true religion of all mankind; it is their true identity and it is that belongingness which ultimately connects him to His Maker, Allah (swt). It is only with the touch of this material world, that man temporary loses his true sense of direction. Some progress further into Islam, while some get beguiled by the attractions of this world and lose the aura of their purpose of being born on earth. As such, man devises several gods of their own making to fill the gap of their lost touch with the true Maker, unable to recall their promises made to Him before their advent on earth.

To guide peoples or nations aright, Allah sent thousands of prophets and messengers among them to re-establish that lost bond which they once had with their Creator. While the accursed one (i.e. Satan) and his army strive to “honour” his word to misguide man and remove him from the righteous path, the purpose of every Adam, in the capacity of Representative (Caliph) of Allah is to preach the word of Allah to the people, to wake up their consciousness and revive the essence of their Islam which has been concealed deep within by layers of worldliness.

From Adam to Muhammad (pbuh), Allah perfected the identity of man by defining once and for all the true name for his creed, faith and religion. Allah consolidated His word, His promise to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), by making him the Seal of all Prophets and by revealing to him his true status of Muslim, and for all his true followers and giving him the perfect book, the Quran so that he, and the rest of Muslim believers till the Day of Judgement abide by it in a true way. But Allah knows that man is weak and falls prey from time to time to the attractions of the satans. That is why, He already revealed that whenever religion will be in danger, he shall send His elect, a truthful guide to lead the people out of the darkness of the world into the divine light. If Islam is the first and foremost religion and identity of man, yet man is beguiled from time to time by his abased desires/ passions which make him cut connection with Allah. Sometimes again, he interprets the Holy verses of God, without the support of a man of God and acts upon them according to his own thoughts and thus ruins the real commandments of Allah. Such is the case concerning Terrorism.

Terrorism in itself knows no religion. It is not specific to any religion. Anybody, whatever his creed and faith may fall prey to terrorism. Terror, the act of terror belongs to the field of the malicious Satan. Islam, being peace cannot refer to the domain of terror. Peace and terror – except of course the FEAR OF ALLAH – cannot cohabit, then how and why did Islam earn the title of ‘Religion of Terror’?

Coercion- Against the spirit of Islam

A common misconception that has resurfaced recently and this time in a magnified, out-of-proportion blow is that the instrument for the spread of Islam was force. This is indeed an age-old allegation, the root of which kept on growing with hatred against Islam, to stop the progress of truth, peace and harmony.

Islam never advocated compulsion. If the Holy Quran, the books of Hadith and historical records are carefully examined, studied and listened to attentively, as far as possible, one is bound to reach one positive conclusion. That conclusion is that the allegation that Islam permitted the use of sword - or any other armament for that matter - for the spread of religion is shameless and utterly unfounded. This, in fact, is the view held by only those who have not studied the Holy Quran or the Traditions or other reliable sources of Islamic history without prejudice. 

Some have even gone to the extent of fabricating lies and levying unfounded charges upon Islam without inhibition. I know that the time is approaching fast when those who are hungry and thirsty for Truth will see through their deception. 

Can a religion be described as a religion of compulsion when its Holy Book, the Quran, has categorically prohibited the use of force for the spread of faith? So says the Holy Quran: There is NO COMPULSION in religion. (2: 257).

Can we accuse that great prophet of using force against others, who for thirteen years, day and night, exhorted all his companions in Mecca not to return evil for evil but to forbear and forgive. When, however, the mischief of the enemy exceeded all limits and when the various peoples around him made determined efforts to exterminate Islam, God’s attribute that He always defends His beloved one so demanded, “Let those who raised the sword perish by the sword.”

'Zikrullah' for Inner Happiness

“Those who believe and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah: 

Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Ar-Rad, 13: 29).

Zikrullah (Remembrance of Allah) is the true nourishment of the hearts. The heart, mind and soul of man thrive on Zikrullah and shrink without it. Zikrullah is not difficult. It is indeed a most simple duty and the reward and significance of Zikrullah are indeed great. One who is neglectful of such an important, yet simple and most rewarding practice is most unfortunate. Indifference to Zikrullah is an invitation to calamity upon oneself.

Allah describes in the Holy Quran those who have let go of Zikrullah and relegated it to oblivion:

“Satan has gained the mastery over them, so he has caused them to forget the remembrance of Allah. They are the party of Satan. Verily, it is the party of Satan that will be the losers.” (Al-Mujadila, 58: 20).

Therefore, we Muslims should strive to remain in the remembrance of Allah (swt) even if it becomes increasingly hard when we engage ourselves in our worldly activities. Zikrullah is a powerful weapon against Satan’s whispers which slowly try to overtake our hearts and lead us to self-deception. Today we notice how even though technology is supposed to help people gain extra time and better quality of life, people are more and more restless, sad, stressed and anxious. This is because Satan is winning them over by distracting their attention from Allah (swt) and misleading them in their decisions. Staying in constant Zikrullah makes us fear Allah (swt), always allowing us to put life matters into perspective by rearranging priorities accordingly to Allah’s commands in order to maintain individual, social as well as environmental harmony. Consequently, evil deeds are wiped out by sincerity of the heart to enjoin what is good and forbid evil acts, permitting us to find tranquillity of heart.

Despair and Hope: Our Emotions

Despair corrodes the Soul

Despair is a very bad trait that is found in the heart of man. Once its presence is manifested, the individual feels suffocated, trapped and feels that there is no more hope. At that moment, his life becomes very bland, his path darkens and he has the feeling that everything is over for him. In such a situation, the servant resigns from any effort since he is psychologically conditioned that all has now become impossible for him (to achieve). So no question to fight because according to him this would be useless! 

The examples below illustrate this fact:

(i) A student who despairs in ever succeeding shall certainly hate school, books, teachers, private lessons/ tuitions etc. His despair caused by failure shall take away from that environment and push him to live a carefree without realizing the catastrophic results ahead.

(ii) An individual who is affected by an incurable disease - his despair shall make him lose confidence in the care and treatment given to him, and thus develop distaste for hospitals.

(iii) A person who is heavily indebted feels crushed by the weight of him debts. His despair overwhelms him with loneliness and he lets himself be dominated by anxiety.

So when the servant does so, he ignores the harm and damage that despair shall bring in his life. Indeed, this is one of the biggest obstacles to progress. It is a poison that corrodes the soul and kills it, a hurricane that destroys all energy. 

Cultivate Hope and Trust in God

A true believer is one who cultivates hope in his heart and never despairs; whatever happens. This is due to the fact that Allah (swt) is always there for him in his life. A good believer never acts in this way because despair is a characteristic of infidelity. Hope sustains the believer, illuminates his heart, enlightens his way, makes him taste happiness and feel the joy of life, and it also gives him the chance to succeed. In short, hope is the elixir of life. It motivates action which enables him to forget the pains and sorrows of life and inspires him joy. 

The Envoys of Allah, even while being perfect elects, faced extreme difficulties that no one among ordinary human beings would have suffered (to that extent). Despite this, through the many reassuring revelations from God, they never despair of His infinite Mercy. Although through their humane weakness they may come to despair in a particular situation, but God does not take long to raise hope in them. The following verses prove this:

“O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.” (Yusuf, 12: 88).

“Until when the messengers despaired and the people became sure that they were indeed told a lie, Our help came to them and whomsoever We willed was delivered; and Our punishment is not averted from the guilty people.” (Yusuf, 12: 111).

So, O servants of Allah! stand up vigorously, hoping and trusting in Allah (swt), for it then that you shall taste the joy of life, whatever the circumstances.

The Despair of People under Oppression 

I especially address myself to all believers of the Muhammadan Ummah (pbuh) who are presently being persecuted and boycotted in several countries, and even in our little island where we live. You currently live in despair and fear, but O my brothers and sisters, have you not heard of Pharaoh (Ramses II), the famous tyrant who continually transgressed his people in Egypt? He was an unprecedented rebel, who even forged the biggest lie against God by taking himself as god. His crimes were so atrocious that history cannot deny his extreme cruelty and hardness of heart towards his fellow men. Allah (swt) confirms all this in His Holy Book and He said:

“Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions,

oppressing a sector among them, 

slaughtering their sons and keeping their females alive. 

Indeed, he was of the corrupters. 

And We wanted to confer favour upon those who were oppressed in the land

and make them leaders and make them inheritors, 

And establish them in the land 

and show Pharaoh and (his minister) Haman and their soldiers 

through them that which they had feared.” (Al-Qasas, 28: 5-7)

Pharaoh as we know very well, died in humiliating conditions. He became the very sign of the curse of Allah because he had stood up against Allah and His Prophet Moses (Musa), peace be on him. And Allah (swt) ordained the sea to throw his body so that he can remain a sign to the people after him. But unfortunately, instead of cursing him constantly, many people take him as the perfect model and the best example to follow.

The Tactics of the Tyrants

The Pharaoh of that time (during the life of Prophet Moses) died but several others were born. After him, many countries have been led and are still being governed by power-hungry pharaohs. They follow the same principles adopted by the cursed Pharaoh so as to rule at ease. Among others, there are the system of “Divide and Rule”, the restriction on freedom of expression, and grabbing all wealth. And there is also the use of force in case of the uprising/ rebellion of the people. 

And what is stranger still, we find that among the leaders, there are those who have crossed the age of seventy or even eighty years, but who prefer continue their routes (as leaders) and do not wish to finish their careers. There are even some among them who cannot even walk and who arrive in parliament or at official functions in a wheelchair. The ardent love for the throne or chair of power prevents them from accepting the sentence: “It’s time to go” and is disgusted with the very idea (of renouncing to their power). When they hear this sentence from the mouth of their peoples they explode with rage as if they are entitled to everything and are untouchable.

Tyrants will be Destroyed; Injustice will Wash Away

The pharaohs of our time and all future Pharaohs (if there shall be still some time before the Last Day of Judgment occurs) should all know and bear in mind that injustice is only for a while. Allah will come quickly to the aid of His oppressed servants, such is His promise.

“Surely Allah defends those who believe. Allah does not love anyone treacherous and ungrateful.” (Al-Hajj 22: 39).

These tyrants persist in their rebellion and their injustice, and thus Allah has manifested His divine favour in this century in the form of His Caliph (Khalifatullah), the Messiah of this century to establish peace and justice. Insha-Allah, the authority of the Pharaohs will be destroyed and their injustices will disappear without doubt. 

Be confident and patient, that day will come certainly. Ameen.

---- Friday Sermon of 29 July 2016 ~(24 Shawwal 1437 AH) delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.  

Islam on Protection of the Environment

Cleanliness is not a secondary issue. Islam has placed much importance on cleanliness as it is considered an integral part of our faith. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “Purification is half of faith.” (Muslim).

It is also said in the Quran: “Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you; He only wants to purify you and complete His favour upon you, that you may be grateful.” (Al-Maida, 5: 7).

And it also mentions that “Allah loves those who repent and who purify themselves.” (Al-Baqara 2: 223).

However, cleanliness applies not only to the body but it also relates to our environment. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) challenges us: “Keep clean the area in front of your house so as not to offend passersby.”

Then we understand how important it is to properly maintain one’s interior, not only that, but also to respect the environment in which we live, that is to say, our neighbourhood, our city and above all, nature. This is an order of our beloved Prophet (pbuh). Therefore, as Muslims, we must comply to this instruction if we do not want to incur the wrath of Allah (swt) upon us. 

Also, do not forget that our behaviour is a reflection of Islam. Others judge our religion through our behaviour. Some believe that a well-kept house is a waste of time and is quite unimportant in the eyes of Allah (swt). Now we have just pointed out that it is not.