Islam and Slavery

Slavery as a social institution existed in different parts of the world for a very long period of time.  It is a stark reminder of the dark episodes in world history when men- including in Muslim lands- had had no qualms about treating his fellow beings as mere chattel. [Illustration: "Slave-dealers and slaves—a Street Scene in Zanzibar" ]. In this post-modern age, ideas of basic human dignity and fundamental rights have gained widespread acceptance all over the world. And, the very notion of slavery militates against the concepts of decency, propriety and equality in human relations.

The teachings of Islam are designed to gradually eliminate evil practices such as slavery. While all Muslims cannot absolve themselves of not indulging in slave trade in the past,  Islam as practiced by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) certainly envisions a social order designed to reflect the sublime spiritual values it espouses: live in this world with a wider consciousness about your duties towards the Creator and the fellow beings. Learn to recognize the essential unity and common brotherhood of all mankind. Discharge your responsibilities towards fellow human beings. Empathy and understanding, compassion and consideration for people who are in need of assistance is a Qur’anic obligation on believers, reminds the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) in a recent article on the subject in “Le Socialiste” Newspaper of Mauritius on February 15, 2012.

Read the Article: 

The advent of Islam was to be known as the absolute way of life of a human being. Islam verily means complete submission to the Creator of the Universe, the Supreme God, our Master and Guide.

As a Creator, Almighty God does not differentiate between His servants and thus, so as to guide us all to His path, He sends from time to time His elects to make people understand His Divine Message. Muhammad (saw) was such an Elect, who through his perseverance and absolute obedience to Almighty God received the distinction of Seal of Prophethood, the Best of Mankind and the best example and role model to follow. He indeed was the personification of the divine laws as established in the Holy Quran.

To know Islam, one must analyse deeply the life of Muhammad (saw). In fact, his life reflect many aspects of life as lived by both the poor and the rich, and among the poor there was of course the slaves who were devoid of rights in the pre-Islamic times. Muhammad’s (saw) compassion to the poor and the slaves knew no bound.

Janbah Sahib Signs on the Mubahila Challenge

In his Friday Sermon of February 17, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius (atba) informed the members of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International about an important development- Abdul Ghaffar Janbah Sahib of Germany who claims to be the Mujaddid of the current Century and his disciple Mansoor Ahmed Sahib have both finally signed the Mubahila Challenge after months of dilly-dallying, a challenge that was originally issued by the Khalifatullah on November 21, 2011. 

Read the Announcement:

“Before closing this sermon, I would like to inform all our members that yesterday (16 February 2012) I received a confirmation email (dated 15 February 2012) and the signed document of the Mubahila Challenge (Pg. 68 - unknown date) which both Abdul Ghaffar Janbah (Kiel, Germany) and Mansoor Ahmed Sahib (United Kingdom) signed.

Before uploading it officially online on our website and with Insha-Allah the signature of our brother Mukarram Fazil Jamal Sahib, we are waiting for an English translation of the Comments of Abdul Ghaffar Janbah Sahib entitled “Lion of God” which he wrote in Urdu – so that the whole world may easily know what has been said in a language clear to all. [Inset: The Last Page of the Mubahila Document as signed by all the parties concerned. The Full Document is subsequently uploaded at the Official website and is now available here]. 

Zafrullah Domun Sahib: Shifting Views

‘Nowadays I have nothing to do with Munir Ahmed Azim', so wrote Zafrullah Domun Sahib to an Ahmadi Brother in Kerala.  In his Friday sermons these days, however, the Domun Sahib “acknowledges” the Divine Manifestation. Yet, he forgets to name the person behind it, in whose hands he himself took the Bai’at in the year 2003! It is the same Domun Sahib who even proclaimed that if ever he had to stand by the Ka’aba to say that Munir Azim is the truthful one and that the messages he receives are truthful messages, he shall without hesitation do so. What explains this 180-degree shift in his positions between then and now? Humility of obedience and vanity of pride and arrogance are both traits ingrained in human nature and the distance is not much, reminds the Holy Qur’an. In a recent Book, Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) reflected upon the reasons behind the shifting stand of Zafrullah Domun Sahib. Read extracts from the recent Book:

And Allah says in the Holy Quran: 

Man is not weary of supplication for good (things), but if evil touches him, he is hopeless and despairing. And if We let him taste mercy from Us after an adversity which has touched him, he will surely say, "This is (due) to me…” (41: 50-51)

It is most unfortunate that after hundreds of divine favours in the aftermath of recognising and accepting a humble Messenger of Allah, Zafrullah Domun Sahib went away along with his family members from the Divine Manifestation they witnessed at close view. He “acknowledges” the Divine Manifestation but not the person behind it; person whom Allah has chosen as His Elect and whom he recognizes and took the Bai’at (oath of allegiance) in the year 2003 onwards.

Recently he testified in his Friday Sermon (06 January 2012):

“Today is also the first Friday of this year. I cannot forget that fateful day of 5th January 2001 when the then amir made a Khutbah Jummah in Dar es Salaam Rose hill announcing our expulsion from Jamaat. At that time many thought we would rush to present our excuses and re integrate the Jamaat. But Allah stood by us although the then caliph and his amir and consequently almost all members of the Jamaat sided with them. At that time Allah comforted us saying that we should not at all be worried because he was with us and He would destroy those who did wrong. As always Allah is true to His words.

At that time He told us that although it might take more than ten years yet what was promised would come to pass. You all know how the then amir thought that he was riveted to the chair of amarat with the blessings of his clique from London. But Allah kept repeating to us that “I will humiliate he who tries to humiliate you” and “we will punish them from where they expect not”. Nowadays everyone knows how evil has been the lot of that amir. He has been ousted from his chair by the caliph in person although quite reluctantly and with great humiliation. The world has seen what happens when you try to mess with Allah’s representatives.”

Now, it is interesting to note that Zafrullah Domun Sahib has witnessed so much and verily it became true what Allah has vouchsafed to this humble self (as the recipient of the divine messages he mentioned in his Friday Sermon), and yet he finds himself now far from the circle of Allah’s Representative (Khalifatullah).