'Terror' is Not 'Jihad'

THE TRUE JIHAD

In this modern day and age, when the world has become considerably smaller because of the technological advancement of the various forms of media, a word has arisen clouded with doubt, distortion and mysticism from the East to the West, before finally gaining international attention. This word is “Jihad”, or as it is better known in the West, ‘Holy War’. 

The actual root of the Arabic word ‘Jihad’ is ‘Jahd’ which signifies endurance or rigorous conditions. Thus, in essence Jihad means to strive to the utmost for the achievement of a purpose and to leave nothing undone in its pursuance. Its Islamic conception is first introduced in the following verse of the Quran.

“Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed, and most surely Allah is well able to assist them.” (22: 40).

This verse throws a flood of light on what the Islamic concept of Jihad actually purports and it clearly shows that Jihad is fighting in defence of Truth. But whereas Islam, like I have told you before, allows no aggressive war, it regards the waging of it to defend one’s honour, country or faith as an act of the highest virtue. According to Islam, man is God’s noblest handiwork. He is the cause of His creation, its aim and end. Therefore, it is only natural that the religion which has raised man to such a high pedestal should also have attached very great importance and sanctity to honour life. Of all things, man’s life, according to the Quran is most sacred and inviolable. It is a sacrilege to take it except under rare circumstances which the Quran has specifically mentioned in the following verses:

Signs of Trial: Diseases, Calamities

THE APHTHOUS FEVER 2016

Like you all know, since July and beginning of August 2016, Rodrigues Island witnessed a major foot/ hoof and mouth disease, that is, the Aphthous Fever among its cattle. 

This is a highly infectuous virus which has rapidly attacked the cattles of Rodrigues, making it necessary to cull them (about a thousand animals from Rodrigues and Mauritius were slaughtered). And as a part of our cattle also originate from Rodrigues, during an investigation, it was found that a cargo of cattle originating from Rodrigues already reached Mauritius, but it was put in Quarantine. From that day on, a psychosis among the Mauritian farmers and also the Mauritians in general has settled.

EID-UL-ADHA 

As the Eid-ul-Adha is coming in a few days, the Muslims have made heard their worry concerning the Qurbani/ Udhiya. While some Muslims have negotiated to import cattle from Africa, nevertheless, the fear of contamination and sickness due to the virus is worrying the Muslims and the Mauritians in general. Many are taking precautionary measures and not participating in Qurbani this year. 

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.