Sunday, August 7, 2011

Eclipse of Knowledge and the Fifth Khalifa


In a Hadith recorded in Sahih Al Bukhari, the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) ruminates about the decline of scholarship and eclipse of spiritual knowledge and right understanding. And in another tradition, the Holy Prophet (sa) spoke about the emergence within the Ummah of misguided (and misguiding) leaders who will deviate people from the Straight Path through their ignorant pronouncements. The traditions are as follows: 

“One of the signs of the Hour is the disappearance of knowledge and the prevalence of ignorance".

"God Almighty does not take away the knowledge of Islamic Law and Faith by removing its books from His servants, but He takes it away through the death of scholars. When all scholars pass away, the public will make ignorant people their leaders; when they are asked about something, they answer without knowledge; they are misguided and they misguide others."

According to the Promised Massih (as), the traditions of the Holy Prophet (sa) are actually the profound commentary of the verses of the Holy Qur’an. These Ahadith could arguably be linked to what Allah says in the Holy Qur’an: “And among men is he who disputes concerning Allah without knowledge and without guidance and without an illuminating book.”(22:9)

In his book “The Victory of Islam”, Hadhrat Ahmad (as) confirms that within a century after the departure of a Divinely-raised Reformer, the community drifts away from the straight path of Sahih Al Islam. Through their grand theological discourses over satellite television and Internet, these leaders misguide the people when they seek guidance on spiritual matters. That is because they speak without knowledge and without divine guidance.

Truth be told, none has exceeded Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib, the Fifth Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Community, in paying a greater tribute to the wisdom and truthfulness of these prescient prophecies about the state of spirituality in Islam over time! Through his ignorant pronouncements on Islamic Khilafat and the future of Mujaddidiyat in recent months (May 27 and June 10, 2011), Masroor Sahib is guilty of trampling upon the teachings of the Promised Massih (as) and worse, casting aspersions on the profound Divine Scheme of permanent Khilafat for Muslims.  

In order to perpetuate the mythical grandeur of the Ahmadiyya Khilafat and to preempt any doubts about its aura in the spiritual realm, the Fifth Khalifa has fed a very appealing story to the faithful: That Islamic Khilafat ended in 30 years, Islam was without its divinely-raised Khulafa for 1400 years and that the Khilafat was reestablished after the death of the Promised Massih (as).  A common Ahmadi hearing this story would be forced to bend before the Khalifa as the poor man (and woman) was told that the Divine system has come out of the world after a period of 14 centuries and all blessings originate from there!   

Ahmadis need to awake from their bliss of ignorance if they want to know the true conception of Khilafat and the real teachings of the Promised Massih (as) in this regard. The Promised Massih (as) literally frowned upon the idea of 30-year Khilafat in Islam, pointing out that Islam offers permanent Khilafat for all times.     

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Poem: 'Ya Ramadan!'


The most distinguishing feature of the current Divine Manifestation in Mauritius is the descent of Revelations and other spiritual messages from the Unseen. The exalted Lord, Allah the Almighty, blesses Hazrat Imam Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius with special communion and sends down His messages through him for the benefit of mankind. On Saturday, 18 June 2011 at about 12.15 p.m., the Khalifatullah (aba) received the following poem:

 

YA RAMADAN!


In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Kind.

A blessed month is casting its shadow upon us;

A night of this month is better than a thousand months.


Bear with patience for the sake of Ar-Rahman.

It’s a continuous training to strengthen our Imaan.


Glory be to Allah Who sent Ramadan as a mercy to mankind.

It’s a purification of our soul, our heart, and our mind.

Friday, August 5, 2011

'Feel Welcome, O Ramadan!'



[Alhamdulillah, on 02 August 2011, LE MAURICIEN Newspaper, published from Mauritius, carried an article by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) on Fasting in Islam against the backdrop of the fast-approaching holy month of Ramadan under the Islamic Calendar. We are reproducing the article here for the special attention and benefit of all seekers of spiritual treasures].



The most desired guest for the believers is the Holy Month of Ramadan. Believers are commanded to welcome this special guest with fear of God in their heart and purity of mind and soul. The Almighty (Allah) says in the Holy Quran: “O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you, as it was decreed for those before you, that you may attain salvation.” (Chapter 2; Verse 184).



First of all, what is Fasting? In Quran and Hadiths the word defining Fasting is “Sawm” which means “to abstain”. In our current language, this means that we must not drink or eat, and abstain from sexual relations from the beginning of dawn till sunset. Fasting existed even before the advent of Islam, for all people before Islam received divine commandments to fast, even if the quantity and quality of the different fasts were not the same.


Fasting is one of the fundamental pillars of Islam. The first pillar being the Shahada (Attestation of Faith), the second being Salaat (Prayer), the third being Sawm (Fasting – especially in the month of Ramadan where it is obligatory for a believer except if one is ill, on a long journey, and for the ladies who are in their menses, or pregnant or are breastfeeding their babies), then afterwards come Zakaat and Hajj.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

JUSAI, Kerala: Three Day Camp at Mathra-II


Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala conducted a Three-Day Camp on the occasion of the historic inauguration of the Noor’ul Islam Mosque at Mathra, July 22-24, 2011. Members of the small Sahih Al Islam Community in Kerala participated with much enthusiasm and spiritual fervour and spent time together discussing many issues and learning about spiritual verities. It was almost like a family get together of the Sahih Al Islam members in Kerala, with women members of the Jamaat (Siraj Makin) also being present.[This is the second and final part of the Report, the first of which was published here on August 02, 2011.]

On July 23, Tahajjud prayers were offered, followed later by the Fajr Namaz. The Amir Sahib later led a study session on Hadith. 

At 11 a.m., Fazil Jamal Sahib read out the message (in Malayalam translation) of the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir A. Azim Sahib (atba). The original message was issued to coincide with the inauguration of the Noor’ul Islam Mosque and the three-Day Camp. Photos were taken on the occasion as a record for posterity.
                                                                                                                               
In the afternoon, Majlis Amila was held to review the Jamaat developments and to take stock of our programmes. The Meeting expressed satisfaction that our members are increasing and that the message is being spread in the state. The respected Amir Sahib encouraged members to generously contribute to our Muqaddam Fund instituted by Hadhrat Khalifatullah for the renovation of the Mosque.                                                                   

A special meeting of the Siraj Makin sisters took place in parallel to the Majlis Amila.
In the evening, Dr. Thahir Sahib led a study session on the concept of “Roohu and Nafse” as found in the Holy Qur’an. Dr. Thahir Sahib pointed out that the term “Roohu” is found at 19 places in the Holy Qur’an and invariably, the reference was with the meaning of revelation. On the other hand, the term “Nafse” can be found in over 230 verses and the reference was with the meaning of soul. In his famous book “The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam”, the Promised Messiah (as) has used the Qur’anic verse 15:30 to illuminate his point about the origin of the human soul, even though the verse in question has used the term “Roohu” with the meaning of revelation.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

JUSAI, Kerala: Three Day Camp at Mathra-I


Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala conducted a Three-Day Camp on the occasion of the historic inauguration of the Noor’ul Islam Mosque at Mathra, July 22-24, 2011. Members of the small Sahih Al Islam Community in Kerala participated with much enthusiasm and spiritual fervour and spent time together discussing many issues and learning about spiritual verities. It was almost like a family get together of the Sahih Al Islam members in Kerala, with women members of the Jamaat (Siraj Makin) also being present.  [The first part of a Report is being uploaded here.]

With the arrival of delegates from different parts of the State on the morning of Friday, July 22, 2011, at the home of Jamaluddin Sahib, the Amir/Jamaat at Mathra, the Member Registration Process began at 11 a.m.  The Amir Sahib and his family informally welcomed everyone and interacted with all those who were present. By the time of Jum’ah prayers at 1.00 p.m., 17 persons were registered at the Counter, including a few non-Members.


For the Jum’ah sermon, the Amir Sahib selected an important sermon of the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) that explained the coming of a Khalifatullah in the light of Qur’anic verses and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and the explanations thereof by the previous Mujaddid, Hadhrat Ahmad (as). In brief remarks at the end of the sermon, the Amir Sahib formally declared the Three-Day Camp open.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Noor'ul Islam Masjid- Mathra, Kerala


Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala announced the historic inauguration of the Noor’ul Islam Mosque at Mathra in the south-Indian state of Kerala on Friday, July 22, 2011. The inauguration of the Mosque represents a giant step forward for the nascent Sahih Al Islam Community in Kerala, which came into existence only after October 2010. The Mosque is a 400 sq. feet building, situated on a modest 20 cents of land (1/5 of an acre of land in Kerala) gifted to the Kerala Jamaat by the Amir Jamaluddin Sahib and his respected wife Shareefa Beevi Sahiba. 

Interestingly, the Mosque building itself has a rich history that is inextricably intertwined with all that is good and bad in the Ahmadiyya Jamaat. If we observe, all the present members of the Kerala Jamaat originally belonged to the Ahmadiyya Jamaat before recognizing and accepting the Divine Manifestation in the person of Hadhrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius. Likewise, the present Mosque at Mathra was originally constructed by the Ahmadis of Kerala in 1990 and it used to be the local Ahmadiyya Centre for years. 

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Fifth Khalifa on Khilafat and Mujaddidiyat

[This is the second and final part of the official response issued by Dr. E. Thahir Sahib of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala (India) in the aftermath of the Friday sermon of the present Ahmadiyya Khalifa Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib on the subject of Khilafat and MujaddidiyatThe first part appeared on July 11, 2011 and can be accessed here].   

After stating that each Khalifa is a Mujaddid during his era”, Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib says:  “If God so wills, He can give the status of Mujaddid to a Khalifa of the time at the turn of a century, and enable him to declare this”.

So, now he says that at the turn of a century “If Allah so wills” a Mujaddid is raised. Even then, the assembly of the faithful will elect a Khalifa first and then, Allah will have no choice other than to ask the so-elected Khalifa to declare himself as Mujaddid! Why is it that there is no proclamation of Mujaddidiyat from Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib in spite of his being ‘qualified’ in terms of the time?  He further states: “Being a Mujaddid does not alter the station of Khilafat; the status of Khilafat comes before that of a Mujaddid”. 

Hadhrat Ahmad (as) says in every century Mujaddidin will come to revive the faith. Now, Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib states that the assembly- elected Khulafa has more importance than the divinely sent Mujaddidin. He also stated that every Ahmadiyya Khalifa is also a Mujaddid only to clarify later that “if Allah so wills” at the turn of a century. In short, the divine office of Mujaddidiyat is exclusively reserved for Ahmadiyya Khulafa and nobody outside this circle including common Ahmadis can be Mujaddidin in future.  

Ahmadis usually employ two arguments to oppose the coming of Mujaddidin: Khilafat is on the precept of Nubuwwat and there is no need for “Tayammum” when water is at hand. But then, can the water be utilized even when it is muddy and impure? Has Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib any claim to Nubuwwat? Is he a recipient of divine revelations? If there is nothing, is the “water” pure or impure?