'Duah' and 'Zikr' in the Night

 

True faith in the heart leads to sincerity in devotional worship, marking out true believers from the rest. That is why, along with regular prayers in the day, Islam prescribes supplementary prayers in the stillness of the night for the truly devout who seek nearness to God. Indeed, according to the Holy Qur'an, a clear sign of the true believers is their fervent seeking of Divine forgiveness and mercy, leaving aside the comforts of rest in the night: ‘Those who spend the night in devotion to their Lord, in prostration and standing.’ (25:65) 'Their sides shun their beds in order to pray to their Lord in fear and hope' (32: 17). 

Divine commands exhort the believers: ‘Celebrate the praise of your Lord before the rising and setting of the sun; proclaim His praise in the night, and at the end of every prayer.’ (50:40-41) In other words, true believers are ‘[T]hose who spend the night in devotion to their Lord, in prostration and standing.’ (25:65)  

‘Stand up in Prayer at night except a small part of it–half, or a little less, or a little more– and recite the Quran slowly and distinctly. Verily, We shall charge you with a weighty Word. Verily, getting up at night for prayer is the most potent means of subduing the self and most effective in speech.’ (73:3-7)

‘And wake up for it (the Qur'an) in the latter part of the night as a supererogatory service for you. It may be that Your Lord will raise you to an exalted station.’  (17:80)

Faith: 'Muslims under Trial'

 

In his Friday Sermon of 04 November 2022 ~09 Rabi’ul Aakhir 1444 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius calls attention to a very sobering lesson for all true believers in every era: the future and good fortune of a people is linked to their piety and righteousness in life. Likewise, according to sacred spiritual wisdom preserved in the Holy Qur'an, when a people become lawbreakers and deviates from Divine teachings, the quagmire of misguidance, misfortune and enslavement would engulf them in a cycle of never-ending despair and disaster. 

According to the profound wisdom and prescient assessment of the Holy Prophet (sa), fatal flaws can encircle a people under trial when they let go of the true spirit of Faith, embrace materialism and splinter into different sects and political groupings. When they drown in immorality and injustice; worship money and ease; neglect the poor, and oppress the defenceless; become enamoured of other cultures even at the price of one's Faith and corrode the strength of its values through frequent disputes, schism and factional feuds; they themselves will be complicit in external intervention in internal affairs, perpetuating the vicious cycle of degradation of faith and moral fibre and consequent national decadence. Pointing to a sacred tradition of the Holy Prophet (sa) on the aforesaid theme, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) observes in this discourse that each one of the signs of decadence is discernible in the dire state of our world today, especially in the predicament of the Arab nation.        

 

Reflecting on the continuing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories- including East Jerusalem [the land of the holiest Masjid Al Aqsa]- without any fair deal for the people under subjugation for over half a century, and the recent events involving Arab leaders facilitating Israel's integration into the regional rivalry against Iran, in the backdrop of US- scheming in the region; Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) notes the searing reality that despite their public statements, the Arab leaders in the ring show no real commitment to the cause of the Oppressed, as they are more concerned about their own narrow interests of power and pelf. The agony and misfortune of foreign occupation and the humiliation of subjugation today is a grim reminder of the ways in which Divine vengeance engulfs a people under trial, observes Hazrat Saheb (aba) in the discourse.

Quran’s Truth in Science

 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, in the light of the last Friday’s sermon, let us see today the truth revealed more than a thousand years ago about the creation of this world and man, and what Islam and Science have said on the subject.

 

Compared to the other divinely-revealed scriptures, the Holy Quran is the only Divinely-sent Scripture which has survived the passage of time without interpolations. It is only the Quran which can be interpreted, without altering even a vowel sign of its sacred text, in a manner that completely satisfies the present generation’s sense of inquiry, and approaches its level of intellect, as it did of the preceding one’s in the past.

 

Today, like yesterday, the Quran is speaking to the seekers of truth. Their every question, formulated in the mind is being responded to by Allah through their contact with the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran has therefore become the oracle of truth, the mirror of purity and progress. Opening the Quran has become one’s way to communicate with Allah and vice-versa.

 

The knowledge contained therein, whether spiritual or scientific is amazing. Allah has revealed such details about His creations that an unlettered man from Arabia or any other would not have known until our times today when advanced technologies, by the grace of Allah, have helped to discern the truth found in this amazing Holy Book.

Islam & Women's Rights

 

In his Friday Sermon of 21 October 2022 ~24 Rabi’ul Awwal 1444 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius continues his exposition on the rights of women in society- aspects of a theme that was eloquently explained in the previous Friday Sermon in the light of specific Divine revelations he originally received  as early as two decades ago. Against the backdrop of contemporary issues in various nations involving Muslim women's status and social rights, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) underscores the truly progressive spirit of original Islamic teachings concerning appropriate social conduct among men and women, and the related regulations it introduced to enable people to safeguard against evil and indecency. Despite the rise of Islamophobia in the West, the growing number of women from non-Muslim cultures and  social backgrounds discovering Islam, including its modes of dressing, in recent years testify to the essential wisdom underlying the enduring teachings of Islam. 

At the same time, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) calls attention to the gross excesses being committed by those in authority in the name of implementing religious norms. The ongoing protests in Iran, in the aftermath of the killing of a young Mahsa Amini in the name of Hijab violations by the national "moral police" may also mark the beginning of the end of an oppressive regime of Mullahs playing God on earth.    

   

Elucidating on the Islamic concept of a non-exploitative social order where men and women have an equal responsibility in recognizing the dignity, rights and interests of one another, Hazrat Saheb (aba) underscores the need for the community of believers- both men and women- to gain a proper appreciation of the ethical roots and subtle wisdom that underlies the Islamic regulations of social life.   

'Pardah': A Divine Message

 

An Important Message on the Islamic Pardah

 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, as you all know that Allah, through the advent of Islam and the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has restored the Status of Women in society. This creature that has been trampled on for so long, Allah and His beloved Nabi [prophet] has given them back their value, but the ladies too must not exceed the limits in what Allah has given them permission to do.

 

Today, I am sharing with you a divine revelation that I received on Friday, 21 May 2004, in the beginnings of the Divine Manifestation, and the creation of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen. Today, the same message is valid for the gents and ladies of the Divine Manifestation with the advent of this humble Servant of Allah as the Khalifatullah and the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam.

 

I will put in front of you the parts that concern you today and which are very important that you pay very particular attention to and that you also follow this divine advice so that you may gain the benefits of these instructions too, and you come closer to Allah through you obedience to Allah and His Muhyiuddin Al-Khalifatullah of this century. Insha-Allah.

Noble Traits of the Prophet

 

 The Character and Life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

It is essential to inculcate in one the reverence and respect for the lofty character and habits of the Messenger of Allah, the Holy Prophet of Islam and [of] whole Humanity Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). It is necessary that the morals of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) become established in one’s heart so that love for the best of mankind (pbuh) becomes dominant in the heart and eagerness to follow his holy character is induced in the believer. I will mention some Quranic verses and Hadiths in this regard.

 

Allah the Exalted has said: “Verily, you (Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character”. (Surah Al-Qalam 68:5)

 

Allah furthermore says: “O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet for a meal without permission. If you are invited, you may enter, but be punctual (so that you will not be waiting while the meal is being prepared). When you have finished eating, leave his home. Do not sit around chatting among yourselves. This will annoy the Prophet but he will feel embarrassed to tell you. God does not feel embarrassed to tell you the truth...” (Al-Ahzab 33: 54)

 

This is a reference to a particular incident. Some companions stayed longer than what was proper on this occasion at the home of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) who was anxious to retire for the night. They continued in conversation. Although the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) was inconvenienced by their late stay, he nevertheless refrained from telling them anything. This was in regard to his personal matters and not to such affairs which came within the purview of Tabligh.

 

Hazrat Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (ra) narrated “The Prophet (pbuh) was more shy (from Haya: i.e. pious shyness from committing religious indiscretions) than a veiled virgin girl.”

Revelations of 17 October 2022

 

‘O you who believe! When you hold secret counsels do not confer to promote sin, transgression and disobedience to the Messenger. Rather confer (to promote) piety, and righteousness and restraint from evil. And take Allâh as a shield, (Allâh) before Whom you shall be gathered together. Holding secret counsels (with evil intentions) is (the work) of satan (who does it) to cause unrest and distress to those who believe. Yet he can do them no harm at all except by the leave of Allâh. Therefore let the believers repose their trust in Allâh.’ (58:10-11)

On Monday, 17 October 2022 at 11.45 am, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius received Divine revelations during Duah and Zikr. These revelations, along with a brief commentary provided by Hazrat Saheb (aba) while announcing the same, contain pure guidance that can benefit all true devotees of God in this era- an era of stealth and subterfuge, of secret plots and dark deeds. 

Indeed, true believers need to be aware of the secret, black deeds of the Hypocrites who seek to deviate people who joins the Divine Elect of their times, by sowing the seeds of doubt and suspicion in their minds by spreading false accusations. The Holy Qur'an emphatically states that the good and the bad are not alike, and that the believers have to be vigilant against Satanic impulses that lead to secret plots, sin and transgression at all times, and in all contexts, they should be ready to fight along with the Elects of God for establishing equity and justice on earth by promoting good and righteous causes.