The Pathway to Allah - 2

 

Today, I want to continue last week's sermon about how Allah wants us to get closer to Him through prayers, both the obligatory and additional ones. Among the billions of people in the world, especially Muslims, everyone reaches different levels of closeness with Allah. Some people, because they work hard to maintain their connection with Allah through prayers, Duahs (supplications), Zikr (remembrance of Allah), and Quranic recitations, achieve a much higher status and closeness with Him.

 

Those who reach an elevated level in the eyes of Allah, and whom Allah grants to see many things, including matters of the unseen (Ghayb) that others without such a connection do not experience, find it difficult to accurately describe their spiritual experiences in ordinary language. These experiences are so profound that they cannot be expressed in everyday words.

'Salah': The Pathway to Allah

Among all religious practices, Salah (prayer) is the most profound experience, an unparalleled means of establishing a connection between a believer and his Creator. 

Throughout the ages, humankind has found a path to Allah through Salah (prayer). This path has always been open to those who seek Allah. Before Islam was established as the perfected religion of Allah, Salah (prayer) was performed in various forms, but what was common in each Salah (prayer) was bowing and prostrating before Allah. For example, the original Salah (prayer) of the Jews before Islam was almost similar to how Muslims perform Salah (prayer) today. However, with the establishment of Islam as a Way of Life and Faith, the Jews changed their way of praying to differentiate themselves from Muslims.

 

This example highlights the true value of Salah (prayer) in the life of a true believer. When a believer stands, bows, and prostrates before his Creator with sincerity and humility of heart (Khushu), his Salah (prayer) brings tranquillity and comfort to his soul, body, and spirit. This Salah (prayer) provides true solace to a troubled mind, elevating the believer from a miserable state to one of peace and extraordinary tranquillity. Through Salat (prayers), one can attain high spiritual levels in the eyes of Allah, levels not experienced by those who lack this true connection with their Creator. Therefore, a believer who perfects his Salat (prayers) can achieve a higher spiritual status than other Muslims who have not unlocked the true potential of Salah (prayer).

Christmas and the 'Messiah'

 

No Christmas for true Christians!

In modern Christianity, facts and fabrications are inextricably intertwined. It is almost impossible for anyone to know and appreciate the true origins of the Faith with any certainty. And yet, scholars paying deep attention to specific details in the life of the historical Jesus- spiritual figure at the centre of all the debates-; studying the evolution of the fortunes of the early community of believers- they have unearthed and reconstructed vital points for the attention of truth-seekers. Consider the following: despite widespread popularity of 'Christmas' today, it is originally and essentially a pagan festival accrued to the Faith in the ebb and flow of time, and has had nothing to do with the historical Jesus! Moreover, even the theological doctrines are based on mythical Jesus and speculative wisdom. Rooted in questionable assumptions, the doubtful positions lead to unsatisfactory explanations only to be rejected by thinking minds- a fact empirically evident in the staggering denominational divisions in Christianity today.

It is to correct mistakes and to guide people in the straight path of true Faith that an Elect of God appears in any era. Since true Faith or certainty of belief comes only through Divine guidance, a Divine Messenger speaks with the help of Holy Spirit to bring the light of revelations for the guidance of humanity. Hence, by the Will and grace of God, at the beginning of the Third Millennium- the 21st Century of the Christian era; a holy personage has appeared in this era as the Reformer of all Faiths for our spiritual guidance, including to comfort the believers in the historical Jesus as a holy messenger of God: Hazrat Imam Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius, the Messiah of our times. It is also striking to note in this context that for those who were looking for a spiritual Sign in the birth and times of the new Messiah; the contemporary Messiah has arrived in the cusp of a new era for humanity, and was literally born on a day associated with ‘Christmas’ in the Julian Calendar !

 

Reproduced below is the Friday Sermon of 27 December 2024~ 26 Jamadi’ul Aakhir 1446 AH delivered by Hazrat Saheb (aba)- explaining to a considerable detail the true antecedents of modern Christianity, and the need to move away from speculative doctrines and theological fictions to true and pure beliefs in God:   

Faith and Wealth

 

The World, or Allah?

'And whatever you have been given is (only) the enjoyment of worldly life and its adornment. And what is with Allah is better and more lasting.' (Al-Qasas, 28: 61)

 

In a Hadith narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had said: “Richness does not lie in the abundance of (worldly) goods but richness is the richness of the soul (heart, self).” (Muslim)

 

Only a contented heart or a peaceful and satisfied heart, soul or inner self of a person can attain to true abundance. And this abundance cannot be accounted for in this world. Where there is true love for Allah, the heart is grateful for whatever good Allah gives it. The love of Allah is imprinted so deep that no riches can ever deviate the true lover from his Creator. The lover of God and His Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is bound to be tried in every form, as a measure, as a test of his love, as a gauge to gauge his mettle, faith, and the love he proclaims to have for Allah and His Prophet (pbuh).