'Sham': The Holy Land

Alhamdulillah Summa Alhamdulillah, today is the third day of Eid [in the context of the Eid’-ul Adha] and an Eid’-ul Jummah. The sacrifice of Abraham and his son will remain forever engraved in the history of mankind, because let us all remember that Abraham (as) as mentioned in the Qu’ran was the father of two nations: The Ishmaelites [that is, the biological as well as spiritual children of Isma’il (as), i.e., the Muslims] and the children of Issac, and consequently those of Israel [i.e., Jacob (as) who are better known as Jews as well as Christians]. 

In these dark times of history, we see the descendants and followers of the two prophets: Ishmael and Issac, fighting among them to dispute a land which since the dawn of time has been a holy land. Although this land came under the responsibility of Muslims, but other countries have widened the chasm of hatred and strife to make this sacred land a land of war and dread.

Eid-ul-Adha Retreat 2021

 

In the clear light of Divine revelations ahead of the Eid-ul-Adha this year, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (aba) of Mauritius recently instructed his disciples /Jamaat members to converge at their area-Masjids and other designated places of prayer for five days and “celebrate the three days of Eid-ul-Adha together and partake of this golden and blessed opportunity to stay as one congregation, as one family and maximize not only the spiritual food [in terms of the Eid-ul-Adha Khutba, the spiritual programmes and Zikrullah], but also partake of your daily food together [breakfast, lunch and dinner]. And on the day of Eid [and for the Sacrifice of Ibrahim (as)], like Allah has instructed me, there will be the Zaba [Sacrifice] of an animal and all of you join together for the Eid prayer and animal sacrifice [Qurbani/ Udhiya]…and you enjoy this exceptional and blessed moment together as one blessed spiritual family and you all sit together and eat from the sacrificed animal [Qurbani].” 

In obedience to Allah and His Khalifatullah’s instructions, the members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros, Mayotte, and India recently came together to partake of the Divine blessings in the company of fellow brothers and sisters, in their own respective places. In India alone, Eid-ul-Adha Retreats were organized at the Siraj-um-Munir Masjid in Tamil Nadu, as well as at the Noor’ul Islam Masjid at Mathra, Kerala. Likewise, members of the Jamaat in distant places within the country organized programmes of devotional worship and remembrance of the Divine with family and friends in their own local settings in these Holy and Blessed Days of Dhul Hijjah, experiencing the joy of togetherness and spiritual upliftment, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.

Israel: A Racist Bully

 

Israel & U.S under Fire 

Israel’s attempt to justify its recent brutal assault on Gaza rings hollow to anybody familiar with events in Israel, where the government of Israel, backed by anti-Arab racists, has systematically, cruelly, and persistently violated the basic human rights of the Arab population. Like I told you last week in my sermon, Human Rights Watch, a global NGO with many Jewish leaders, has condemned Israel for crimes against humanity. 

Israel behaviour puts US President Joe Biden’s administration, which professes a foreign policy based on human rights, under the spotlight. If that commitment is genuine, the administration should support an independent UN investigation of Israeli human rights violations against the Arab population and suspend military aid to Israel until the inquiry is completed and the human rights of the Palestinians are secured. 

Eid-ul-Adha Sermon 2021

The Sacrifice of the Self

“Here I am, O Allah, here I am, Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and thanks and all blessings and all sovereignty are Yours. You have no partner.” 

Pilgrims chant this prayer during their pilgrimage, from within the boundaries of the Ka’aba to the plains of Arafat; A prayer that elegantly underlines the process of this enterprise- total devotion after a complete renunciation of worldly desires. 

There are perhaps about sixty thousand pilgrims participating in the Hajj this year. Faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, it is people of different nationalities who already live in Saudi Arabia who are making the pilgrimage this year. This is the second time in this century [the 21^st century], as well as since the founding of Saudi Arabia [in 1932] that the Hajj has not taken place under normal conditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its variants. Last year for the first time in Saudi Arabian history, Hajj was performed by just about a thousand people in Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims from other countries did not receive visas to perform Hajj during these two years as a precaution and to preserve the health and life of the pilgrims. 

So in this century of divine manifestation, the Hajj, which usually attracts over a million pilgrims from dozens of countries, has not taken place under normal conditions.

All Muslims around the world cherish the desire to one day perform these sacred rites of Hajj - one of the five pillars of Islam. With this pandemic that has changed a lot of human behaviour, as well as the systems of the world, Hajj is no exception. Despite the Hajj taking place, but its normality is abruptly interrupted. 

For the hundreds of millions of Muslims who stay at home, and who mourn this loss of non-observance of Hajj, because of this restriction, there is Eid-ul-Adha, celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Hajj [Dhul-Hijjah] when, in Mecca, the pilgrimage ends. Devotees usually go to the mosque for prayers, after which they slaughter animals as sacrifices. In these days how necessary it is for every believer to remember his duties towards his Creator as well as towards his fellow men!