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
...”

Falling Prey to the Lure of the World

Knowledge comes from Allah

I thank my Rab that He has given me by His immense grace the golden opportunity to continue the sermon which I started last Friday, and verily without the grace, favour and Ilm (Knowledge) of my creator, I could not have addressed you today on this subject. Indeed the blessings and favours of my Rab is like a never-ending ocean which immerge out of my heart to call out to you to purify your hearts in it, to let them be full of the light of Allah which descends upon each one of you so that you also may benefit from this extraordinary light and blessings. Insha-Allah.

Indeed without the help and guidance of Allah, without His support and tutoring and His increasing my knowledge to carry on this noble work, nothing would have been possible. It is really difficult to explain to people how my Rab helps me and guides me, how He has chosen me in this era as His Khalifa, not elected by men, but chosen by Allah Himself. So I thank again my Rab and I continue on the same topic of my sermon of last Friday.

Prophet's Wisdom

Our beloved prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said: “Do not be envious of one another; do not inflate prices by overbidding against one another; do not hate one another; do not turn away from one another; do not enter into commercial transaction when others have entered into that (transaction); but be you, O slaves of Allah, as brothers. A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim; he neither oppresses him, nor does he lie to him, nor does he look down upon or humiliate him. Piety (Taqwa) is here (and he pointed to his chest three times). It is evil enough for a Muslim to humiliate his brother. All things of a Muslim are sacred for his brother-in-faith: his blood, his property, and his honour.” (Muslim)

 ...and the Ahmadiyya condition today

It is very strange that despite him mentioning this to his companions and Ummah, these very instructions being in both Quran and Sunnah, despite being Muslims, especially the so-called defenders of Islam and Ahmadiyyat they do not follow these clear instructions and commandments. The Jamaat Ahmadiyya who should have been a model for the other Muslims have also fallen prey to the unislamic ways, just like the other Muslims fell prey to the allures of the worldly and unislamic way of life. It is my prayer that my sincere disciples and followers do not fall prey to the traps of the satans who lurk in the alleys of Islam to try to deviate them from the right path and to separate them from their brothers and sisters in faith. May Allah protect you all from this, Ameen.

Heart and Divine Illuminations

Allah created man and made man the best of creation. He is the best of creation because He has the ability to gain the Ma’rifat of Allah. This Ma’rifat (realization) is gained by the heart. The heart has the knowledge of Allah. The heart strives to gain the pleasure of Allah, it strives to gain proximity to Allah Ta’ala. The other organs are all followers and at the service of the service of the heart. If the heart is saved from “Ghairullah” – people and things that drift you away from Allah – it is accepted by Allah and if it is attached to Ghairullah it is rejected by Allah. If an effort is made on the purification of the heart it gains the pleasure of Allah. On the other hand, if it is left to be polluted with sin and disobedience it is rejected and inflicted with hardships. In reality, it is the heart which is obedient to Allah. Deeds and Ibadah are the fruits of the heart’s obedience. It is the heart that transgresses the limits of Shariah and the actions of man in transgression is the result of the heart’s transgression. If man recognizes his heart, he recognizes himself and if he fails to recognize his heart, he fails to recognize himself, he fails to recognize Allah Ta’ala. Unfortunately many are ignorant in regard to their “nafs” and heart.

Oh my Muslim brothers and sisters, Allah Ta’ala is in control of our hearts. He directs it in whichever direction He wills. He inspires the heart and removes from the heart what He wills. Allah Ta’ala says:

“But Allah has endeared the faith to you and has beautified it in your hearts.”(49: 8).

“And whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart.” (64: 12).

“And (as for the believers) Allah has put affection between their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have produced that affection, but Allah has produced it.” (8: 64).

Divine Guidance and Free Will

Alhamdulillah Summa Alhamdulillah, Allah (twt) has given me this opportunity to continue the subject matter of last week’s Sermon on the need of the advent of a prophet of God, and the reality of the miracles and faith which are joined together for the realization of the designs of Allah.

Indeed God Almighty talked in the past, is talking even today to His humble servants and messengers. It is unbelievable that a Merciful and Loving God would remain unmoved at the sight of mankind floundering in error and worldliness and yet He would take no measures for their guidance and direction. So my dear brothers and sisters, if there is a God, He cannot permit this!

If He feels for His servants in their trials and yet makes no provision, we must conclude either that He has no power to guide mankind to the truth, or that to attain communion with God is not the object of man’s existence, and that man was created merely to eat, drink, and to lead a purely worldly and animal existence. But each of the alternatives previously mentioned is insupportable.

To imagine that He who created the universe has no power to provide means for the spiritual guidance of mankind is absurd. The Creator of the whole must have power to create a part. If we admit the existence of a Creator, we must admit that He has absolute power and that nothing is impossible unto him, and He can accomplish everything except whatever is incompatible with His holiness and perfection, nor can we imagine that man has been created merely for the purpose of a worldly existence for, in that case, we would be compelled to admit that an All-Wise and All-Knowing Creator has brought this huge universe into being to no purpose.

Miracles and the Light of Faith

In continuation to last Friday’s sermon, the condition of the world itself demands the advent of a prophet. For, where can be find today the light and the faith of which we read in connection with the prophets? Who can show the signs and miracles which men were wont to witness at the hands of the prophets and their companions? We find a great deal written in the books of each religion, but where can be find the practical proof of it? Where is the gift of prophecy which the companions of Moses possessed? Where are the signs which the disciples of Jesus were wont to show? The books of every religion talk of a living God, but is that living God living today also? Does He still maintain with His servants the relation which Jehovah was wont to maintain with the followers of Moses or the Heavenly Father with the disciples of Jesus, or Allah with the Muslims?

If not, what reason can be assigned for this change? And, has this change occurred in God, or in man? We find that, in order to avoid having to face this question and to admit that this change has occurred, the contents of the revealed books of different religions are sought to be explained away, and meanings are assigned to passages which the words are incapable of bearing.

It may be permissible to us to say that God spoke to His servants in this or that manner, or spoke to His servants in this or that way, or that His relations with His servants were of this or that kind, but it is not open to us to assert that God has never talked to man in a manner which should exclude all possibility of doubt or misgiving nor is it open to us to say that God never showed any miracles to demonstrate conclusively the truth of a particular religion or of a particular prophet. We may be permitted to assert that the relationship which existed between God and His servants in the past was of a nature different from that ordinarily understood or accepted, but after a perusal of the scriptures of different religions we cannot honestly assert that God has never dealt with His servants in manner from which the world could judge that a Living God exists who displays his Might and Mercy for those He loves.

On Children in Conflict with Law

In a speech in the West of Mauritius on August 27, 2014, the Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (atba) said it is time to question why we refer to children as being beyond control. This is a stigma towards them. 

Our young people are branded as violent and out of control most of the time. The recent incident at the Rehabilitation Youth Centre (RYC) raises many questions on this type of attitude. Many parents, when their children commit a small offence, just lodge a case against them and the children are sent to the Rehabilitation Youth Centre (RYC). Reaching a certain age, many young people face behavioural problems. Just imagine the situation where we are putting all the children with problems in one place; this will surely deteriorate. That is what happens at the RYC. 

He believes that if the situation has worsened, this is because the two main institutions in our society, school and family, have failed. The family is the first institution where we should inculcate values but with growing tensions, the children do not blossom well if they experience a difficult childhood. Now, when the child reaches school, he faces a different kind of situation. If he is a brilliant student then he gets all the attention, if academically poor, he/she is set aside. These kinds of dysfunction provoke the child even more. At school more attention is given to academic education. There is no class on values.

He moreover said: "Our young are undergoing great difficulty. Today’s young are our future and we need to protect them. Personally I have been working with youngsters having behavioural problems since long, and I have never encountered any kind of problem in dealing with them. If we put them behind closed doors, they will surely become frustrated and violent. Many times, they tend to think that because their parents do not love them, they are sent to Rehabilitation Youth Centre. So this creates a kind of negativity in them.”

The Benefits of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is, in fact, such a natural physiological process that we tend to believe that this practice could easily be adopted as a choice rather than a necessity. Since ancient times, mothers have perceived breastfeeding as a necessity; however, due to industrialization and other social influences, breastfeeding was casted aside. As soon as they were given the choice between breastfeeding and boxed milk, they preferred to choose ease rather than necessity. Today, the emphasis is now given on measures aimed at supporting and promoting breastfeeding, so that they are strengthened even more so that moms realize that there is no true substitute for breast milk.

In the past, support in a traditional way was provided by older women in the family and in the community, especially during the first 40 days after delivery. However, as societies evolve, especially with urbanization, more and more nuclear families emerged to the point that other members of the family may be far away. In addition, the pressure to return back to work is also steadily increasing. These are some of the factors that are responsible for the disappearance of this period of maternal care to infants. The theme which had been chosen this year for the World Breastfeeding Week is “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life”. Due to the fact that with the decline in breastfeeding rates, the need to continue to promote breastfeeding as an essential part of child development and maternal health is being felt more than ever.