President Trump: 'The beginning of his end'

"Surely, Allah is All Knowing, All- Aware", declares the Holy Qur'an (31:34). In the words of a well known scholar of the Qur'an, it means that God is both "Self-Knowing and fully aware of everything besides Him. He Himself knows everything and also informs him whom He likes". Hence, one of the principal functions of a Divine Servant is to pass on the Messages being vouchsafed to him by Allah (swt) for the attention of all humans who wish to listen and profit by. Often these messages contain glad tidings for the truly humble who believe in God and do good deeds in service of His creatures. Likewise, in equal measure, the messages may also contain dire warnings for despots who remain arrogant on earth without any right, and exceed all limits, seeking to oppress the people. Thus, speaking truth to power is a function of the Prophets. Indeed, the Qur'an preserves in its pure pages of Holy revelation several accounts from history where the Divine Elects spoke the daring truth to the reigning Pharaohs of their times. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) famously said: "Indeed, the best 'Jihad' is a Just Word in the presence of an Unjust Ruler". 

Consider our own times, the Fifteenth Century of the Islamic Era. The world of Islam today faces enormous challenges, both internally and externally. Powerful adversaries have conquered and destroyed the Muslim lands and peoples in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, etc. The bombings, senseless killings and the hardships of war and terror have afflicted the Muslim psyche with feelings of helplessness and agony. The events of the last two decades- Ariel Sharon laying siege on the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Bush-Blair combine unleashing the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan, the civil wars in Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Libya, etc.- powerfully underscore the tragic situation of the Muslim Ummah. Due  to the 'internal' conflicts in many Muslim nations, and also the oppression of the Muslim minorities in several nations- Bosnia, Central African Republic, Myanmar, China, etc.- millions of people had been forced to flee their home and hearths and seek refuge and dignity in exile. Finding Islam under siege in our times from both the enemies of the Faith and its misguided adherents, Allah (swt) has raised a humble man amongst us with His holy words to be a practical exemplar and defender of the Faith in the person of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius. 

The Divine Messages of 21-23 June 2018

In his Friday Sermon of 06 July 2018 (21 Shawwal 1439 AH), Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius presents before the world the recent Divine Messages which he received from Allah (swt). These Messages from the Unseen contain profound insights into the uncompromising monotheism that Islam espouses as the spiritual path for the humans. Under the Islamic conception of God, the ultimate sovereignty and authority lies entirely with that Unique, Eternal and Everlasting Being who is the Lord of the Universe. So comprehensive and so complete is the Lord’s control over all affairs that the humans are utterly dependent upon His favours for the chance gains of this life. Divine Grace and Mercy determines his very existence and continued welfare, both in this world and in the world to come.

A necessary corollary of this concept of Divine Lordship/Rule is the ideas of human equality and universal brotherhood. In the Kingdom of God on Earth, all people of various identities- across classes, peoples and nations- are to share the global space and live in harmony and amity, celebrating the promise of diversity in our common humanity and shared destiny. Amidst all the God-made differences in the world, people can and should learn from each other in a spirit of humility and modesty, building networks of solidarity and mutual cooperation and of healthy competition in the pursuit of good deeds. In such a Divine Order, there is no space for Satanic impulses like arrogance, false pride, vanity and hubris.

The Divine scheme of things in the real world of the humans acknowledges that 'spiritual diseases' are a reality and that the true believers need to be aware of it. The vicious offshoots of satanic impulses can prevent us from being just to God and the fellow humans. Both in human relations and international affairs, one can see the individual and collective ‘self’ at work. Often the way in which one defines the ‘Self’ also determines his/her attitude towards the ‘Other’. A capacious conception of the ‘self’ make us humble and humane and allows us to empathize to, and identify with, the problems of other peoples/nations like us, whereas a narrowly-defined ‘self’ induces us to have a blurred view of the 'other'. The chance gains of this life- individual attainments; family ‘pedigree’; riches; class/group identities; national power- can even turn us away from our larger responsibilities towards God and our fellow beings. Whereas all blessings of this life come from God, to credit these bounties to any false sense of 'self' is nothing but delusions induced by the work and whisperings of the satans. As it happens, false pride and arrogance leads to an inexorably destructive trajectory of intolerance, fanaticism, extremism and violence; whereas humility and empathy for others lead us to gaze at the whole human race as ‘limbs of the same body’.

The Divine Message invites our attention to the ‘Way of Allah’. In a world that has virtually turned upside down- riven with imperialist overreach fueling conflicts in the poorer nations; capitalist aggrandizement exacerbating global injustice; inequality and poverty amidst concerns of global warming and climate change; scant regard for human dignity and the rights of the indigent masses, migrants and refugees- it is important to underscore spiritual values and ethical principles in the quest to reclaim the world on an even keel. By raising an Elect of His with a mission- the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International- the Lord of the Universe indicates where the future belongs in our world, Insha Allah. Just as all prophets and other Divine messengers in the long chain of human history had called the people of their times to God; a Divine servant of our times is here to remind us about the wisdom of eternal teachings preserved in the Holy Qur’an- be humble; shun arrogance and seek to strive in the pure and clear path of Divine proximity, Alhamdulillah, Soumma Alhamdulillah. 

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

Today I have chosen to present to you the Divine Messages which I received from Allah on the 21 June 2018 in English, messages which continued sometimes continuously and other times intermittently till 23 June 2018.

Al-Yawma ak-maltu lakum Diinakum wa atmamtu alaykum nimatii wa raziitu lakumul Islaama Diinaa. [Which means: This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as religion.]

O Munir Ahmad Azim, My Khalifatullah and Messiah of this era, I raised you in this era as Dalil Al-Khayrat (The Guide to good deeds) and Nasih (The True Counsellor and Transformer of Men’s souls) with a Jamaat named Sahih al Islam.

Sahih al Islam means: The truth of Islam which corrects and cancels man’s distortions of divine truths previously revealed and re-establishes the true message of Allah (swt).

A Divine Message for the 'Jamaat'-II

[These are extraordinary times in the history of Islam-of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam. Like providential rain on a parched earth, Allah (swt) is pouring down His messages and revelations on His chosen servant at a time when the world is desperately looking for Divine guidance. 

Reproduced below are extracts from the Friday Sermon of 29 June 2018 (14 Shawwal 1439 AH) delivered by Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius. Like the previous posts in the series,  in the present post also, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) continues to present before the world, especially to his disciples and followers in the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, the most recent of Divine revelations the Lord Almighty has descended on his blessed heart. These Divine messages contain a gist of the Qur'anic wisdom for the spiritual illumination of all human souls, reminding everyone about the consequences of their choices including through contemporary illustrations, urging in the strongest of terms to tread the path of purity and obedience to God and His Messenger and His Khalifa of this era, Alhamdulillah, Soumma Alhamdulillah].   

'...O you who have believed, follow the path of Allah, obey His Messenger and seek a means to come closer to your Rab. Strive to tread on His path so that you may prosper and seek to please Allah, and Allah shall remove you from darkness and lead you towards light. Through His grace He guides you to a righteous path. Recall the favour of Allah upon you when He removed you from obscurity and made you take the Bai’at in the hand of My servant and it is (verily) with Allah that you have taken the Bai’at.

Therefore follow the command of Allah. Allah verily knows what is in your hearts. Keep firm with Allah and His Messenger and always attest to the truth. Do not let the hatred of those who do not believe affect you and hinder you from establishing justice between truth and falsehood. This makes you come closer to the path of Allah. Follow Allah’s order because Allah is aware of all that you do. Allah makes this promise to those who have believed sincerely that they shall gain (His) forgiveness and a great reward. On the other hand, those who reject Our signs shall become the in-dwellers of the great fire (hellfire). I, Allah, I am Al-Jaleel.

'Wahyu': A Challenge to the 'Nizam-e-Jamaat'

The 'mainstream' Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, in its institutionalized ‘Khilafat’-system, today represents only an empty 'shell' devoid of the 'kernel' of True Islam. Over the century after the death and departure of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian, the Ahmadiyya establishment or the 'Nizam-e-Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya' as it is known, has corroded the very idea and essence of ‘Ahmadiyyat’ as taught by the Promised Massih (as). For at the heart of the claims and teachings of the Holy Founder of the Jamaat-e- Ahmadiyya in the last century stands the continuity of Divine revelations in the Muslim Ummah till the Day of Judgement and the arrival of righteous servants as Elects of God who speak with the help of Roohul Qudus. Yet today, in an  age of wealth and affluence within the community; the Nizam-e-Jamaat is more concerned about ‘power’ and ‘authority’ over the mundane riches than with the profound spiritual questions pertaining to the continuity of Divine revelations and the appearance of Divine servants in a new century of Islam. 

Trappings of ‘power’ within the Nizam-e-Jamaat, the growing institutionalization and the consequent need for greater coherence and integration has meant that the role and status of the assembly-elected leader, the ‘Khalifatul Massih’, is carefully ‘calibrated’ so much so that the Caliph is equated to the ‘shadow of God on earth’. Foundational values and basic principles of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya had been 'tweaked' and adjusted to suit the rulers that be- to the extent that the position of the Caliph is elevated to the Elects of God, even when he is not a recipient of Divine guidance. Thanks to the ongoing 'doctrinal' brainwashing by the Mullahs under the Nizam-e-Jamaat in their quest for the elusive 'victory' of Ahmadiyyat,  most Ahmadis today are critically unaware of their own community’s history and its spiritual moorings and are more or less become 'frogs in the well', as it were- completely  oblivious of their own ignorance of the oceans beyond. And the Nizam-e-Jamaat  and the Ahmadi Mullahs in India and elsewhere, in their vanity and false pride over the continuation of their man-elected ‘Khilafat' system, arrogantly and defiantly doubt and dispute the very descent of Divine revelations in this era outside of their 'charmed circle' and seek to negate the truth about the spiritual titles being vouchsafed to Divine servants in our times. 

It is against this dismal social and religious backdrop that one should view the ongoing ‘churning’ within the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya. Consider the Divine Manifestation in Mauritius: a born Ahmadi- soldier of Islam and a recipient of Divine revelations, Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius has been Divinely-blessed with almost all the spiritual titles that, throughout history, were vouchsafed to the great savants of Islam- the people whom devout Muslims over the millennium revere as no less than the spiritual heirs of the Holy Prophet (sa), Alhamdulillah, Soumma Alhamdulillah. If anyone today is truly interested in the sublime world of seeking proximity to the Lord Almighty through Islamic teachings and is on the quest for a Living Exemplar of that great spiritual path, s/he need not look further than the Sheikh-ul-Islam Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.

In his Friday Sermon of 29 June 2018 (14 Shawwal 1439 AH),  Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) provides a fascinating account of the Divine revelations recieved in the last couple of weeks, Alhamdulillah, Allah-u-Akbar. These Divine Messages are compulsory reading for all those who are interested in a Living  God who speaks to His blessed servant on  a range of issues and concerns pertaining to spiritual guidance on the true path. We also hope that the Divine messages and the Discourse in general would be of special interest to all Ahmadis- of every denominational group in existence today-, considering that the entire leadership of the Nizam-e-Jamaat- from the local Ahmadi Mullahs, Amirs in between,  down to the Caliph- stand challenged for a spiritual duel if they truly stand by their baseless assertions/ wild allegations on the nature and character of the present Divine Manifestation in Mauritius.  

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon Below: 

A Divine Message for the 'Jamaat'

The Divine Messages of 18-19 June 2018

Today’s sermon was to be on the believers who had maximized completely the benefits and blessings of the month of Ramadan, and I deeply wish and pray that Allah (swt) accept all their efforts on the day that they shall present themselves before Him. Insha-Allah. Alhamdulillah many among our brothers and sisters, after Eid-ul-Fitr have observed the six supererogatory (Nafl) fasting. Alhamdulillah, may Allah (swt) reward them for all the love which they have for Him alone. Ameen. 

I need to tell all my dear disciples in the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam throughout the world that what I shall deliver to them today was not initially the subject of the Friday Sermon which I wanted to present before you today. But as it is a message which comes directly from Allah (swt), it is my duty to inform you about it as the Khalifatullah of the age. 

On Monday 18 June after the Esha prayers, and after reading the Holy Quran – I was reading the Chapter 3 Al-Imran – and the Attributes of Allah, Rabbanas and other duahs, I went to bed to sleep around 11.00 pm and I was not feeling well at all. All the members of my household were profoundly asleep and as for me, I was awake and not feeling well at all. I was sweating greatly, shaking and having heart palpitation and anxiety. And in that same condition, I felt a heavy weight on my head and I heard a very fine and beautiful voice talking and I at once understood that revelation was coming. I heard:

Auzubillahi minash Shaytaan-ir-Rajeem, Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim. 

Yaaa ‘ayyuhan-naasu ‘inna wa’ dallaahi haqqun - falaa taghurran-nakumul-hayaatud-dunyaa: wa laa yaghurrannakum billaahil Gharuur. (This verse is found in Surah Fatir, Chapter 35).

Translation: O mankind, indeed the promise of Allah is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and do not let the Chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah.

After the revelation of this verse , Allah (swt) then informed me about various matters (Revelation in Creole Language).

O Munir Ahmad Azim, I have bestowed a great favour upon you when I gave you the title of Amir-ul-Mumineen and afterwards I gave you the title of Muhyi-ud-Din (Reviver of Faith of this era) whereby many [people] put their hands in your hand – indeed it was not your hand but the Hand of Allah – to unite them all on the unity of Allah. In other words, all of them took the oath of allegiance (Bai’at) in your hand and believed in you as the Muhyi-ud-Din of this era.

“O Munir Ahmad Azim, look how your Rab (Lord) does His work, without man understanding [i.e., any of it]. They all expect another proclamation, whereas Allah (swt) in His Majesty (Grandeur) has already manifested Himself as from the start itself with the title of Amir-ul-Mu'mineen and afterwards Muhyi-ud-Din and then I gave and revealed you many other titles such as Muslih-ud-din, Muslih Ma’ud till I elevated you as Khalifatullah and after Khalifatullah, as Massih Maud, Mujaddid, Nabiullah, and Rasulullah.

Man is making his plans and Allah also is planning and the plans of Allah are the best. These people are in torment, and they do not know what is falling upon them and [on the other hand] Allah is elevating His [Chosen] Servant and all those who follows him [i.e., his followers] to a high peak [i.e. station/ rank/ honour]. What your Rab has decreed, nobody can ever restrict (prevent) it. Your Lord shall cause the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam and the Divine Manifestation to be known throughout the whole world without human intervention (effort), Insha-Allah. Do not despair, for Allah is with those who are steadfast (patient).”

On the Night of 'Eid-ul-Fitr'

Eid & Divine Forgiveness

When Ramadan comes to an end, we get the night of Eid - Lailatul Jaa’izah, that is to say, the night of retribution. On the morning of Eid, Allah (swt) sends the angels to earth, where they take up positions shouting in a voice that all except humans and Jinn can hear: “O Ummah of Muhammad (pbuh), come forth from your houses towards a Lord that is noble and gracious, who grants much and pardons the major sins.”

When the people proceed for the Eid prayer, Allah asks the angels : “What indeed is the reward of that employee who had rendered his services?” 

The angels reply: “O Lord and Master, it is only right that he should receive his reward in full for his services.” 

Allah then says: “I call you to witness, O My angels, that for their having fasted during the month of Ramadan, and for their having stood in prayer by night, I have granted to them as reward My pleasure and have granted them forgiveness.”

Addressing His servants, Allah says: “O My servants ask now of Me, for I swear by My honour and My greatness, that whatsoever you shall beg of me this day in this assembly of yours for the needs of the Hereafter and this world, I shall grant you. By My honour I swear, as long as you shall obey my commands, I shall cover your faults. By My honour and by My greatness do I swear that I shall never disgrace you among the evil-doing ones and disbelievers. Depart now from here, you are forgiven. You have pleased Me, and I am pleased with you.”

The angels upon seeing this great reward bestowed by Allah upon the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) on the day of Eid (Eid-ul Fitr) become greatly pleased and happy.

*** O Allah count us also among those fortunate people, Ameen. ***

Beyond Ramadan: 'Strive to Remain with Allah'

For this last Friday in the month of Ramadan (30^th day of Ramadan/ 15 June 2018), I would like to give some advices (for you all) to follow so that these Ramadan days are not wasted and that the good habit developed during this blessed month remains (strong as ever). First of all, after Jumu’ah prayer, read 2 cycles of additional prayer (A 2-Rakat Nawafil Salat). In the first cycle, after the Surah Al-Fatiha, read the Surah Al-Ikhlaas 10 times and in the second cycle after the Surah Al-Fatiha, read the Surah Al-Kafirun 3 times. And after the prayer, read the Darood Shariff 10 times.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: “The supplications of a faster are never rejected.” This is because the heart of the faster is in a state of repentance. In fact, he has reached close to Allah and has obeyed Him. He has abandoned his food and drink for fear of Allah, his King, his Sustainer and Supreme Donator. The faster has restrained his desires in obedience to the Lord of the Heavens and Earth.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: “Supplication is worship.” Thus, if you see a servant (of Allah) seeking charity (i.e., the charity/ mercy of Allah) by praying a lot, doing long prostrations with lots of duas, then know that he/ she is close to Allah and trust (and confiding) in Him.

The companions (Sahaba) asked: “O Messenger of Allah, is our Lord near to us, so we can secretly talk to Him, or is He far, so we should call upon Him (loudly)?” Thereupon Allah the Almighty revealed this verse: 

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me. So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” (Al-Baqara 2: 187).

Moreover, the Messenger of Allah has said: “Truly, you do not call to one deaf or absent, but truly to One who hears and sees; and He is with you; and He to whom you pray is nearer to you than the neck of your camel (riding beast).”

Allah (swt) requires us to ask of Him, to call upon Him. Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Call upon your Lord in humility and privately; indeed, He does not like transgressors.” (Al-Arraf 7: 56).

In another verse of the Quran, Allah says: “Your Lord says: Call upon Me and I will respond to you. Verily, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell in humiliation.” (Ghafir 40: 61).

The Larger Meaning of 'Eid-ul-Fitr'

For the Muslim believer, Allah (God Almighty) has given him two great celebrations, moments of joy (Eids) in his life: Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. Whereas the Eid-ul-Adha is the Eid of Sacrifice, commemorating the great sacrifice of Prophet Abraham (as), the Eid-ul-Fitr commemorates the intense sacrifices which the Muslim believer has done for His Lord (Rab) during the fasting month of Ramadan.

MUNIR A. AZIM

HAZRAT IMAM MUHYI-UD-DIN

JAMAAT UL SAHIH AL ISLAM

If fasting has been prescribed by the Lord of the World (Rab’ul Aalamin) as a way to draw His sincere believers to Himself, to enable them to get Himself as reward, Allah has also given them a day of rejoice for fasting a whole month for Him. This day is the Eid-ul-Fitr, and is filled with extraordinary blessings for the Muslim believers who truly and sincerely complied with all requirements of the fasting days of the holy month of Ramadan.

Fasting in Ramadan is not like fasting any other day. It has certain restrictions and limitations which if followed, opens the door of Divine Pleasure. If fact, God Almighty draws closer to such people and pours down His mercy and love upon them. That is why also, all true Ramadan fasters strive to acquire the intense blessings of this month because of the Most Cherished Treasure (i.e. Allah) they shall acquire at the end of their fasting.

If Ramadan is both a sweet and sour trial for the believer, Eid-ul-Fitr comes as a liberation from all limitations imposed by God Almighty during the blessed month and it also acts as a reminder and an encouragement for him to pursue the same good habits till the next Ramadan and this, till the end of his temporal life. Thus, Ramadan is a month of intense training for the physical, moral and spiritual growth of the believer. Every Ramadan is meant as a training for his body, mind and soul to rid themselves from all darkness and to greet light with open arms. All negativity, all stress, all evil-mindedness, and all intrinsic and extrinsic problems of the believer fade away to let in pure divine light which gives him a most needed boost for his very own well-being and that of his family, friends, neighbours, his environment and society as a whole. Everybody shall be at peace with him when he is himself at peace. And if evil try to get in the way, the peacefulness, serenity and the spirit of goodness he has developed and/ or acquired during that month makes him strive to combat it by peaceful means and with Divine Succour.

'Lailat-ul-Qadr': Times of a 'Khalifatullah'

In the evocative language of the Qur'an, the descent of Divine revelations take place on 'Laila-tul Qadr': the 'Night of Destiny'. When people grope in the darkness of spiritual despair, the Divine Mercy unfolds itself in the form of a Blessed Soul. Hence, the life and times of a Divinely-raised renewer of Faith among the Muslims can be described as a period of Divine Blessings.  As we have recently noted in another post, the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as) specifically linked the coming of a Khalifatullah in every century with the spiritual concept of Laila-tul Qadr. In his book “Victory of Islam”, the Promised Massih (as) clearly stated that the Khalifatullah appears to rouse people to spiritual consciousness and that angels descent with him- through revelations, they enable him to provide a living testimonial to the vitality of Islam in that age. 

As the Divinely-raised "Muhyi-ud-Din" and "Khalifatullah" of this era, Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius is the most qualified spiritual commentator on matters of Divine verities in our times. On the blessed occasion of the 27th of Ramadan (1439 AH) today, we are reproducing an important Friday Sermon of 03 June 2011, wherein Hadhrat Saheb (atba) profoundly explained the relevance of 'Laila-tul-Qadr' to the blessed advent of Divine Elects in every era, also keeping in view the blessed writings of the Promised Massih (as) on the theme.

Read the extracts from the Friday Sermon:

“By the grace of Allah, one of my sincere disciples called my attention on the fact that the Promised Messiah (as) draw the people’s attention to the coming of a Khalifatullah, especially when he speaks about the period of a Khalifatullah as a Laila-tul-Qadr (Night of Decree, of blessings) and that when the Caliph of Allah comes down to earth, he comes down accompanied with the light of Allah which thereafter the sincere people who surrounds the Khalifatullah receive. 

By the grace of Allah, the Promised Messiah (as) has in other others say he has come to earth in the mantle of a Khalifatullah, but that which is much more surprising is that he has already said that not only in his time there shall be one (a Khalifatullah), but this Khalifatullah shall come in confirmation of his (the Promised Messiah’s) truthfulness. It is this Khalifatullah who shall come in conformity with his words and he shall come in confirmation of his truth like the Promised Messiah (as) came in confirmation of the prophecy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), where the Prophet of Allah (sa) said (while putting his hand on the shoulders of Salman Farsi) that when faith shall go to the Pleiades, then there shall come someone from Persian descent shall bring it back.

'Zakaat' in Islam

Zakaat is a pillar of Islam and an obligatory act of charity ordained to every eligible Muslim. It is an act of devotion and an effective form to achieve social justice. It is also one of the five pillars of Islam and prescribed in the Holy Quran and in the Hadiths. The root of the word Zakaat in Arabic means blessing, growth, purity or improvement. The word Zakaat refers to the part of the wealth prescribed by Allah to be distributed among the categories of people described by Allah in Surah At-Taubah (Chapter 9, verse 60) and the Hadiths. Zakaat is an act of worship that purifies the wealth and soul of Muslims.

 

The purification of wealth means the mobilization of goods for financial growth and justified distribution (equal repartition of wealth). Purification of the soul means liberation of the Muslim’s heart from hatred, jealousy, selfishness, and greed.

 

Technically speaking, Zakaat is a fixed proportion that is withdrawn on an annual basis from the wealth and distributable profits and given to beneficiaries of this fund (as indicated by the Quran and Sunnah) for the well-being of Muslim society. Zakaat is calculated on the net balance after the Muslim has deducted his expenses for personal, family and other purposes (necessities). At the end of the year if the Muslim is in possession of 85 grams of gold or 595 grams of silver or the cash equivalence or article of commerce he must pay Zakaat on it at 2.5% tax, also applicable to agricultural products and livestock.

'Lailat-ul-Qadr': The Night of Destiny

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” (Al-Qadr 97: 1-6).

When the month of Ramadan begins, Muslims perform Ibadat (acts of worship) with great enthusiasm to please Allah. The Ibadat made during this month include obligatory acts (Fardh) as well as many voluntary/ additional (Nafl) acts of worship, and the mosques are filled with worshipers, Alhamdulillah. But Insha-Allah, it is essential also that this state of things remain the same even after the month of Ramadan. In this blessed month, the tendency to help the poor and the needy is also great and very important.

The Laila-tul-Qadr

During this month, we get the night of Lailatul Qadr also called, Shabe Qadr (The Night of Power). According to the Hadiths of our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), the rewards for the Ibadat performed during this night are equal to the Ibadat performed for more than a thousand months and if we calculate all this well and do not make any mistake in our way of counting (our math), so it is equal to 83 years and 4 months. Taking into consideration the length of human life today, it would be impossible for a person to do this great amount of Ibadat during his whole life, even if he does it day and night.

There is a story behind that Night. A person named Samsun (ra) belonging to the Tribe of Israel was a person who made a lot of Ibadat. He used to fight against the infidels and the latter feared him a lot. Allah (swt) had given him such strength that even the army of the infidels had no hold over him to defeat him, or even to wound him. So, in the life of Samsun (ra) there is a very interesting story, concerning his faith (Imaan) in Allah, his courage and the strength he possessed. He was always ready to do Jihad for a thousand months. When the Messenger of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) heard the story about this extraordinary person who belonged to the Children of Israel from the Archangel Gabriel (as), his thought was for his Ummah (his community). He thought that life was short and that we would not have the opportunity to receive the same intensity of blessings bestowed upon Samsun (ra) for his devotions and loyalty for a thousand months.

Allah (swt) therefore accepted the desire of His Messenger and granted to Him and His Ummah (community) a great favour; such favour that the other Ummat (communities) did not receive; such a favour with an extraordinary prescription, that is, the Lailatul Qadr, the Night of Power. It was during this very night that the Holy Quran was revealed, that is to say, the pure revelations of Allah on His beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh).

'Laila-tul- Qadr': Rise of a 'Mujaddid'/ 'Khalifatullah'

In the Muslim spiritual imagination, the month of Ramadan is deeply embedded as the sacred month of Fasting for the sake of God Almighty. The month also reminds us about the advent of Divine revelations on the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and the sacred birth of the Holy Qur'an! Indeed the Holy Qur'an itself acknowledges that it was in the blessed nights of Ramadan that the very first verses began to be revealed on the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa). The Holy Book says: “The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).” [2:185] “Verily! We have sent it (this Qur'an) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree).” [97:1].  "Truly, We revealed it in a blessed Night"(44:3). 

Distinguished lexicographers and Qur'an scholars have noted that wherever the Qur'an speaks of "Lailah", it has a deep connection with the descent of Divine revelations. The saints of Islam had noted the profound connection of "Lailat-ul-Qadr" with the advent of Muhaddith (recipient of Divine revelations), "Khalifatullah" (Caliph of God) and Mujaddid (Divine reformer) in every era of Islam. The Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian also sought to educate and remind the Muslims of his era about the significance of 'Lailat-ul-Qadr' and the deep spiritual verities of Surah Al Qadr, especially with regard to the raising of great spiritual souls in every era of Islam as 'Mujaddid', 'Muhaddith', 'Khalifatullah', etc. 

Reproduced below are the words of Hadhrat Massih Maoud (as) from one of his books, Fateh-e-Islam: 

“Allah gives glad tidings to the faithful in Surah Al Qadr that His prophet and His revelation descended from the heaven during the period of Laila-tul- Qadr (the Night of Decree).

Every Muhaddath and Mujaddid who is commissioned by Allah always appears during the Night of Decree. 

Do you understand what is meant by the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree or the Laila-tul- Qadr is the name of a night when spiritual darkness reaches its ultimate gloom. That gloom, metaphorically, demands a light from heaven for its dissipation. This night is symbolically called the Night of Decree. In fact, it is not a night, but a period, which is referred to as a ‘night’ because of its intense darkness. 

One thousand months is the approximate life span of a human being. It is also a period after which normal human senses ceases to function. The elapse of a period of one thousand months, following the demise of a Prophet or his spiritual successor also signals the commencement of a ‘night’ of darkness. This ‘night’ triggers fervour in the heavens and the seeds of the birth of one or more reformers (Mujaddidin) is stealthily sown. Thus such a Mujaddid or prepare to emerge at the head of the new century. The following verse is also an indication by Allah towards this phenomenon:

           

  “The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months”.  (Surah Al Qadr, 97:4) .

The Many Blessings of 'Lailat-ul-Qadr'

From among the many signs of God Almighty – referred to by the Muslim as: « Allah » which literally means such a Being Who has no associate, no partner – there is His exquisite love for mankind. That is why He sends prophets and reformers from time to time to consolidate His commandments, to reform the lives of people and to direct them to Him in all humility and with such a fear filled with intense respect and love for Him (i.e. Taqwa).

For all people/nations, God decreed fasting as a means of purification for them. With the advent of Islam, Muslims also received the commandment to fast. Fasting is beneficial to the body and the spiritual soul involved in each and every human being. When witnessing the month of Ramadan and complying with the commandment of God Almighty (Allah) to fast, the Muslims are in fact, if I may say so, signing a contract with Allah to let go of their past lives, which may have been filled with mistakes and sins, and to reform their lives in such a way that they get the intense joy of being Muslims in every facet of the word and meaning. The month of Ramadan gives them a second chance for a new beginning. In the life of a long-lived Muslim, he therefore gets many such “second chances” to shed away his past errors and to return to Allah repentant and as a new individual with the good intent to serve Allah in the best way possible.

Ramadan is an opportunity for him to reform himself, and to control his temporal desires, so when such a good-natured Muslim is really willing to reform himself with a true and repentant heart, Allah gives him the reward of such a Night which is known as “Laila-tul-Qadr”.