Ramadan Days in the Jamaat

 

As the world of Islam observes the spirit of fasting in this holy month of Ramadan, the brothers, sisters and children of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in India and elsewhere are maximizing spiritual blessings through engaging in various forms of worshipful remembrance of God such as Zikr, Tilawat-ul-Qur’an, Dars-ul-Qur’an/Dars-ul-Hadith in this fasting period, Alhamdulillah. 

Along with fasting and diligent observance of Divine supplications at individual and collective levels, the Jamaat members in Tamil Nadu, in Kerala, in Delhi have also been socially engaged, with visiting and spending time with people facing various misfortunes, hardships and ill health, offering them possible help and sustenance amidst the great trials of life that engulf them in their economic, social and personal conditions. 

In seeking to share and spread the light of Divine Love through compassionate outreach programmes, these brothers and sisters are bearing witness as it were, in their own ways, to the ideals of Islam as taught by the Holy Prophet (sa) and his high representative, the Imam Al Muslemeen, Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb of Mauritius in this era, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.  

'Ibadat' in 'Laylatul Qadr'

   

'In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. Surely We revealed it [i.e. the Quran] on the Laylatul Qadr [the Night of Destiny, The Blessed Night & filled with virtues]; And what will make you understand what the Laylatul Qadr is? The Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by the permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is [They spread peace] until the emergence of dawn.' (Al-Qadr 97: 1-6).

In the general context, the Laylatul Qadr refers to the odd night of the last ten days of Ramadan, such a night when the angels and Hazrat Jibreel (as) descend and send Salaam until sunrise on the Muslims who do the Ibadat of Allah. 

In a Hadith, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) related [to his companions] about a pious man [a Wali] from among the people of Israel,  (ra) who used to spend his nights in the worship of Allah and his days in Jihad in the way of Allah. And he lived a thousand months of his life in this way. 

When the companions [Sahaba] heard this, they were saddened, thinking that they cannot match that person in terms of worship (of Allah). To encourage them, Almighty Allah revealed the Surah Al-Qadr, specifying that if the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) worship Allah during this blessed night, their Ibadat will be better than a thousand months of Ibadat.

Poem: 'The Fire of Moses'

 

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

 

If a Witch you think I am,

And witchcraft is my Art,

Then let me show you the Wonders,

Of the great Wizard,

Whose staff ate away,

The serpents of unfaith;

 

If him a Wizard you label,

Then a Witch am I for God's sake,

The fire of Moses is burning within me,

For it seeks to purify me,

To the Core of my Being;

Keep Away from 'Shirk'

  

True Oaths in Islam 

And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way. [Al-Baqarah, 2: 187]

Islam teaches man to address his Creator directly. There is no need to use any intermediary. There is no need to go through creatures to join the Creator. It is on earth that man uses this means to reach another person like him. For example, to join a Minister, you have to make an appointment with his secretary and then later you join him [i.e. the Minister].

 

This is the way [of doing] of man. But talking with Allah is so easy that you just have to call on Him, and He will answer your call. If someone offers a sacrifice (e.g. an ox, a hen etc.) to others besides Allah, he is committing Shirk. He has no right to say: “I am doing this sacrifice on the name of such Pir or such Saint.” It’s Shirk.

A ‘Bow’ to Adam

 

‘When We told the angels, ‘Bow down before Adam,’ they all bowed.’ (2:35)

In the Islamic spiritual realm, Hazrat Adam is the first Khalifatullah; the human who was taught the true values of life and elevated by God Himself as the perfect exemplar of his people. Like Adam, the prophets who followed him in history, and all other Elects of God are the embodiment of Divine vicegerency; a serious responsibility to ascertain divine will and strive to imbibe divine attributes; sent in this world  to be the guiding lights for humanity in every era. Indeed, Allah (swt) raises an Adam, His Khalifatullah, in every era. As the Qur’an notes, ‘Allah chooses whom He pleases (for exclusive nearness) in His presence, and shows the path to come towards Himself to everyone who turns (towards Allah) heartily.’  (42:14) 

These exemplary servants of God are the teachers of mankind; they are the carriers of the Divine Light of justice, compassion and love for fellow human beings and all other creatures in this world. As the trustee of the Divine mission on earth, such a saintly figure is worthy of the respect, esteem, affection, assistance, submission and obedience of their fellow beings. When such a servant of God appears, it is likely that devoted hearts will bend down before him in veneration, and offer their respects and offerings to him.  At one level, it is this conceptual principle that the aforesaid Qur’anic verse in Surah Al Baqarah embodies within it.

 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, we are pleased to bring to the attention of everyone a sublime sign heralding the special spiritual status of the Khalifatullah of this era. On Monday, 18 April 2022, in the North of Mauritius in the afternoon, a Great Divine Sign unveiled on the person of Allah's Messenger, the Khalifatullah of this era, Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din Munir A. Azim (aba).

 

Describing the incident/ the event of the great Sign, Hazrat Tayyeba Shaheeda Aliah Nasrine writes:

 

‘While he was walking on the main road, suddenly a man came and cried out, addressing Huzur as: ‘JAI JAI GURU DEV, JAI JAI GURU DEV. His cry attracted other people, who in turn also cried out JAI JAI GURU DEV, and they all fell down in prostration before Huzur.

They cried out: ‘GURU DEV KI... JAI!’

Ramadan & Fasting- 2

  

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). (Al-Baqara 2: 184)

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, we have entered the blessed month of Ramadan, and today I continue the second part of my Friday sermon that I started last Friday.

 

Hadith: Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “Fasting is a protection and a powerful fortress.” (Ahmad, Baihaqi).

 

As I have mentioned last week, the month of Ramadan is a month wherein a Mumin (believer) must make a lot of sacrifice. The sacrifice he has to make is that he has to get up early in the morning to do the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud and take the Sehri. In my last week’s sermon I quoted this Hadith which shows the importance of Sehri. I also said that Roza [fasting] keeps us healthy. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) reported that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Keep the fast and you will stay healthy.” (Tibrani).

Ramadan & Fasting- 1

 

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). (Al-Baqara 2: 184)

 

Before I begin, I wish all my brothers and sisters in Islam, as well as my disciples across the world, a Ramadhan-ul-Mubarak -for the month of fasting is behind the door [i.e. close] - so that we let go of all our routines and focus more on Ibaadat and multiply our good deeds.

 

First of all, what is fasting (Roza)? In Quran and Hadiths the word which defines fasting is “Sawm” which means “to abstain”. In our common parlance, this means that we do not drink and eat, and abstain from sexual relations from the beginning of dawn until sunset.