Anti-Islam Film is ‘Hate Speech’

For the Western Orientalists and their intellectual progenies, in the post- Communist era, Islam is the quintessential ‘Other’- the evil enemy that does not share their values of ‘freedom’ and ‘liberty’. The ‘West’, in this narrative, represents all that is ‘liberal’, ‘progressive’ and ‘modern’, in that order. Correspondingly, Islam is deemed the negation of all that ‘civilization’ and ‘culture’ stands for. Under this skewed logic and perverted reading of history and blatant distortion of the lived experiences of people, a political and cultural climate is created that incites the lampooning of the sacred symbols of Islam.

Thus,anyone who abuses the religion of Islam or vilifies the father of Muslims automatically and instantaneously becomes a champion of free speech and liberty! Muslims who oppose such characterizations and resist these representations would be branded intolerant and worse. In short, anti-Islam hate speech and the vilification of Holy Prophet (sa) would be mere expressions of freedom of speech and intellectual liberty and those who oppose such elements are projected the real trouble-makers! [Inset: A protest march in Cairo against the recent anti-Islam Film].

In a special speech on September 17, 2012, the Messenger of Allah and Khalifa of Islam Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius took note of the disturbingly, deviant social trends in the western world which incites the vilification of the noble character of the Holy Prophet (sa). The Khalifatullah (atba) took serious note of these contemporary trends where Muslims and their sacred symbols are treated as “doormats...to rub their dirty feet...” and warned the anti-Islam elements and hate-mongers against what they are sowing. 

 Read the Extracts from the Speech:

And if Allah were to punish people for what they do, He would not leave upon the earth any creature; but He grants them respite until an appointed term. And when their time comes, then Allah has all His servants ever under (His) sight. (Fatir 35: 46)

Prophethood: A Divine Favour

Islam, as taught by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), validates the universality of spiritual experience and recognizes the fact that all communities in the past were recipients of Divine favour through the raising of spiritually awakened souls among them. Reflecting upon the profound impact of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) on the history of spirituality, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius, in his Friday Sermon of 21 September 2012, spoke about the extraordinary spiritual revolution brought about by the arrival of Islam in a world of pagan rituals and animistic practices. The Khalifatullah describes the raising of prophets as a special Divine blessing for the human kind, for such spiritually-aware souls provide a living, practical example for the common folks to emulate in their own individual, spiritual lives.  

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

“Certainly Allah has conferred a favour upon the believers by raising among them a Messenger from among themselves, who recites to them His revelations and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error.” (3: 165).

The expression, by “by raising among them a Messenger from among themselves”, is intended to awaken in the hearts of Muslims a desire to follow the example of the Holy Prophet (sa) who was like them and one of them. The prophet was not only a man like them but was actually one of them. If he could rise to such spiritual heights, why could they not?

Muhammad (sa) and the Seal of Prophethood

In his Friday Sermon of 14 September 2012, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius explained the concept of Prophethood in Islam. By focussing on the Qur’anic title of the Holy Prophet of Islam Muhammad (sa)- Khataman-Nabiyyeen- the Khalifatullah points to the colossal mistakes that have crept into the mainstream belief  through the ebb and flow of centuries and the serious consequences it entailed for the fortunes of the Muslim Ummah. By closing the door of revelation in the Ummah, Muslims have cut at the “root of all spiritual and temporal understanding” and deprived itself of the  great blessing of Divine Guidance, points out the Messenger of Allah of our times.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:   

Almighty God appointed the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) the holder of the seal. This degree of excellence was barred to all other prophets since the beginning of time. One, who meticulously follows his footsteps, can be awarded the attributes of prophethood. But the Holy Prophet (sa) is gifted with much more than this. A spiritual and intimate linkage with him can elevate an “Ummati” to the exalted status of a prophet.

It was thus that thousands of the followers of the Holy Prophet were converted by his grace into saints of a high order. But there was to be others among the Ummah who would be wrapped in the silver linings of a prophet. One was the Mahdi and the Promised Messiah of the last century and for this century it refers to this humble self, the Muhyi-ud-din Khalifatullah. We are that person whom the Holy Prophet (sa) had himself described as prophet on four occasions (Sahih Muslim).

Heaven and Hell and the DIVINE WILL

One of the questions that many people raise is this: what will be done to the people who reject the Divine Message of an era and His Messengers? 

The grandeur of the Divine scheme of things is such that the unique Lord, the Almighty Allah, does what He wills. His Mercy and Forgiveness encompass the whole world so much so that He may forgive whomsoever He wants. And no one can question Him as to what He does. The practical operations of the Divine Will, thus, remains for the most part, shrouded as a matter of profound mystery. Except, of course, what He teaches and informs His Messengers through the angels and the Spirit of Holiness. Even His Messengers had only the duty to convey what had been conveyed to them. They had also been instructed to openly declare that they would not know about what would be done to them in this life or in the life to come.

It is plausible to consider that that people might have failed to recognize the Divine Message as a consequence of the complex circumstances and varied conditions of social life of their times.  The limits of our awareness at a humane level to factor in all those colours of human situations through our myopic eyes can and will blur our vision of reality. The essential un-know-ability of the Divine Will also must be kept in mind while interpreting the mystical, spiritual ideas such as fear of Hell and hope for Heaven and salvation of the believers and the damnation of the disbelievers,

In his Friday Sermon of 07 September 2012, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius shared some light on the meaning of these concepts for the benefit of our everyday life. The discourse of the Messenger of Allah of our times deeply underscores the limits of human knowledge to comprehend the Divine Will. He exhorts us to “remain ever at the service of God and humanity also so that you may earn not this world, but everlastingness through your devotion to God”.  

Islam and Polygamy

Polygamy as an institution has been discredited the world over in our times. Unlike in the medieval times, the patriarchal practice is now seen as an affront/insult to the dignity of women. In an age of increasing consciousness about human dignity and the basic rights of women, polygamy has gone against the grain of societal acceptance as an indulgence by men and worse. Critics of Islam always frown upon Islam for the perceived/alleged legitimacy it extends to men through the institution of polygamy. They argue that it militates against the notions of equality and women’s rights.

The Mujaddid of the Fourteenth Century, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian engaged with the arguments of the critics of Islam in several of his writings and even defended the practice from the point of view of individual liberty and human rights. While Islam recognizes the practice of polygamy and allows men to take more than one wife at a time, as the Promised Massih (as) points out, Islam has not made it a compulsory institution or an obligatory practice on the men.

Marriage is a bilateral agreement/contract under the Law of Islam. Hence, the parties are perfectly entitled to design the conditions of agreement/rules of engagement as well. Muslim women can, if they so wish, certainly determine the conditions of their marriage and not powerless, as is generally being thought of. In the search within the Islamic tradition for the empowerment of Muslim women against the abuse of religious doctrines by the men, the viewpoint of the Promised Massih (as) has been found to be singularly useful. It is pertinent to note that in the century that followed since these observations were made by the Promised Massih (as), the family law reforms in most Islamic countries have moved in this direction as well.

ISLAM and the Universality of Spirituality

Those who study and reflect upon the belief systems of religions and cultures are immediately struck by the common humanity and shared spirituality so unmistakably apparent in all of them. A profound faith in the Unity of God, a strong orientation to be good and do good to the wider society in which you dabble in, individual accountability for our every day actions- these are characteristic traits that are distinctly present in almost all religions. As a spiritual order, Islam validates this universality of spiritual experience and seeks to consolidate and build upon the profound legacy of religions that emerged before it on the horizon of humanity. The Holy Qur'an recognizes the diversity of clans, tribes, languages, religions, cultures and nations as a blessing for humankind.

In his Friday Sermon of August 31, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius shared some light upon this important theme which places the experience of Islam firmly in its wider historical and spiritual context.

Read the Extracts from the Speech:

“Surely those who believe and the Jews and the Christians and the Sabians – whosoever truly believe in God and the Last Day and do good deeds, shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.” (2: 63)

'Taqwah': Meaning and Essence

In his special sermon on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr on August 20, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim(atba) of Mauritius gave a discourse on the most important quality a Muslim aspires to acquire: TAQWA.

Read the Extracts from the Eid Sermon:

“...When a person does a good deed, he must do so only for the pleasure of Allah. That person must have the Taqwa, that is, piety, righteousness.  Of what essence is that Taqwa? If you ask somebody on the street, what is that piety (Taqwa), he shall be embarrassed to give you an answer. And if you tell him that it means becoming pious, he can open wide his eyes or laugh at you. In his ignorance, when he hears those words, he can laugh it off. Therefore it must be understood that Taqwa is the master of words, a key word in Islam. Taqwa designates a virtue, a quality which is precise and well appreciated by Allah the Almighty.