The Attributes of Allah- VIII

“He is God: there is no god other than Him, the Sovereign, the Supreme-In-Holiness, Source of Peace, Granter of Security, Guardian over all, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Majestic (Al-Mutakabbir) …” (Al-Hashar 59 : 24).

Al-Mutakabbir is The Majestic, Conscious of His greatness. Allah alone has the right to know and to proclaim His greatness and omnipotence over everything and everyone. He magnifies Himself and sees grandeur and superbness only for Him. All greatness belongs to Him. This attitude is completely justified because it is true.

Allah is distinguished by an exclusive greatness just for Him and by an absolute Royalty. He controls everything. He is the one who shows His greatness in all things and by all means.

Know well [what will follow], O my brothers and sisters! Do not be fooled by the simple verbal intention that you give to the meaning of your life, because God hopes to see a radical transformation [in you which] change this.

He demands that you inflict a kind of death on yourselves, after which He will breathe new life into you. Make haste to promote peace among yourselves, to forgive your brothers and sisters their weaknesses, because the one who is not inclined to make peace with his brother is mean, and he risks being excluded [from the proximity of Allah] because he is a source of dissension.

Give up your base desires and don’t cultivate resentment. Even if you are right, behave humbly as if you were wrong, so that forgiveness is reserved for you. Eliminate obesity from your ego, because narrow is the door you have to go through. So eliminate your ego and pride so that you can go through that door.

The Attributes of Allah- VII

It is essential that you know with certainty that you have a God, Creator, and Support of all existence Who is Almighty, and whose attributes are eternal and immutable. He is distant, yet close. He is close, yet distant. He is One, but His manifestations are manifold. God cannot undergo any change, for He is eternally unchanging and Perfect in His attributes. Do not prefer the world, its resources or your loved ones to Him, but prefer Him to everything else so that in heaven you will be among those registered in His community. 

The Omnipotent God has always shown His mercy. If you want to enjoy it, make sure that nothing separates you from Him, that your will submits entirely to His, and that your pleasures and desires are identified completely with His. Whatever the circumstances, whether successful or unsuccessful, always bow down before the threshold of His Throne, that He may accomplish what He wishes. Deploy whatever is in your power to establish His Oneness on earth. Show kindness and mercy to His creatures; do not harm them, be it with your tongue, hands or any other means, and work to promote their well-being [to improve their plight].

Do not act proudly with anyone, even if he is your subordinate or servant, and do not swear at anyone even if you are insulted. Be humble and kind, and have real sympathy for your fellow human beings so that God accepts you. There are many who are only humble in appearance, but deep down, they are real hungry wolves. Externally, they seem to have a pure nature, but internally, they are real vipers. God will only accept you if your tongue and your actions conform to your heart. If you have a high rank, show consideration for those who are below you, and do not despise them. If you are learned, do not boast about it, and do not conceivably disdain the ignorant, but enlighten them with your good advice. If you are rich, don’t boast about it, and don’t flaunt your pride before the poor, but serve them and help them.

Covid-19: Towards A 'New Normal'

With the Covid-19 pandemic severely disrupting life as we knew it, millions of people around the world face uncertain times.  Indeed, whole nations are in the midst of difficult transitions, adjusting to the 'new normal' in public health, economy and polity. An existential imperative for the nations caught up in the cauldron of the 'invisible enemy'; rebuilding shattered lives through re-energizing decimated economies require governments to adopt prudence and wisdom in national policies. Protecting the most vulnerable social groups in these turbulent circumstances, especially the poor and the indigent, is a collective responsibility. Social and economic plans need to be inclusive in character, and not just cater to the elites in the corporate sector! Unfortunately, around the world, many governments have lopsided priorities. In the name of fighting the pandemic / dealing with public health emergency, democracies are witnessing 'power games': usurping excessive powers way beyond what they actually possess, 'authoritarians' are undermining democratic processes of institutional checks and balances. Transparency, accountability and good governance are all stake in these extraordinary times. Moreover, almost all the time, the real beneficiaries of State policies are the big business/ corporate sector, and not the labour class, or the hungry masses. Indeed, the pandemic is testing national elites as to 'reveal' the strength of resilience of their core values and principles: whether they can 'arise and create a new world'- addressing the problems and challenges in an equitable and just way, respecting the rights and interests of the underclass- the fellow humans among them. In his Friday Sermon of 29 May 2020 ~ 06 Shawwal 1441 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius speaks about this vital issue of contemporary concern. Articulated against the backdrop of recent national initiatives in Mauritius on responding to Covid-19, Hadhrat Saheb's perspective and guidance on dealing with the 'new world' would be of considerable interest to thoughtful people everywhere. 

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon: 

THE “COVID-19 and QUARANTINE ACTS”

Now I’ll talk a little bit about the news in our country, especially regarding the new “Covid-19 & Quarantine Acts” that were passed recently.

As a Mauritian citizen, I too have the right to say a few words on the “Covid-19 Bill” and the presentation of the 2020-2021 Budget which will take place on Thursday 4th June 2020. All Mauritians know very well the “Covid- 19 Bill” and the “Quarantine Bill” because these subjects were at the heart of the news of the National Assembly.

However, the measures presented by the government do not seem to be unanimous in parliament and in the country. Personally, I see that there was no consultation or dialogue before their presentation. Yet they affect the freedom of our citizens, labour rights, and the reserves of the Central Bank [among many]. And government can use public funds without transparency, governance and accountability [without being accountable to anyone].

The “Covid-19 Bill” also includes the creation of funds never seen before and draconian measures that affect our democracy.