Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam: Basic Beliefs

In October 2010, an Ahmadi seeker of truth from Kerala, India wrote a letter to Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (aba) of Mauritius. While seeking information about the exact nature of the claim of Hadhrat Sahib, he expressed his conviction: "[i]t is incumbent upon me as a Muslim to accept the divinely appointed Khalifatullah of the Age". Hadhrat Sahib’s considered response to the letter throws profound light on the concept of Tawheed and the continuity of Divine revelations in Islam and a brief account about the divine bounties bestowed on him in recent times by Allah the Most High.

As the letter provides a glimpse into the nature of foundational beliefs held by Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, we are reproducing the letter below (omitting personal details), for the benefit of our readers:

“….By the immense grace of Allah, He has recently officially (10 September 2010) raised me in addition to being an Amir'ul Momeneen, Muhyi-ud-Din and Khalifatullah to the honourable position of Mujaddid and Massih Maoud of this age. I have come to revive the teachings of Islam, the teachings of the Holy Quran and to guide the whole humanity towards the worship of one God, Allah (Tabaarak Wa Ta'ala).

Khalifa Sani and the Miracle of Survival

On the occasion of Musleh Maoud Day, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius delivered a special sermon on February 20, 2012. The speech contains illuminating insights on the life and personality of the Musleh Maoud Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, the  Son and Promised Reformer from the family of the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as). The first instalment of this important speech was published on February 23, 2012 and is available here. The speech is also significant for the powerful and unassailable spiritual arguments the Khalifatullah brings forward in defence of Hadhrat Musleh Maoud (ra), especially in the backdrop of the objections being raised against his divinely-granted status by Abdul Ghaffar Janbah Sahib of Germany who claims to be the Mujaddid of the era].

Read the second and final instalment of the Speech:

Remembering Hadhrat Musleh Maoud

On the occasion of Musleh Maoud Day, Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius delivered a special sermon on February 20, 2012. The speech contains illuminating insights on the life and personality of the Musleh Maoud Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, the Promised Son and Reformer of the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as). The speech is also significant for the powerful and unassailable arguments the Khalifatullah brings forward in defence of this Man of God, especially in the backdrop of the objections being raised against his status as Musleh Maoud by Abdul Ghaffar Janbah Sahib of Germany who claims to be the Divinely-appointed Mujaddid of the era.

This part contains the first instalment of this important speech and deals with the major milestones in the life of Hadhrat Khalifa Sani (ra). The second instalment dealing with the accusations that he met with an accursed death of a false claimant of Divine office is examined against the backdrop of true Islamic teachings on the Divine shadow of help over the missions of Divine Elects, historic record of martyrdom of the Jewish Prophets and the experiences of the Holy Prophet (sa) himself. For the second and final part of the Speech, click here].  

Musleh Maoud Day marks the announcement of the revelation of the prophecy by the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), about the birth of a son to him who would be the Musleh Maoud or Promised Reformer. The advent of Musleh Maoud was not only prophesised by the Promised Messiah but also by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and the saints of Islam who lived before the advent of the Promised Messiah and in the scriptures and traditions of the past.

Born on 12 January 1889, Hazrat Musleh Maoud started his education in early 1895 with the simple reading of the Holy Quran. He attained fluency in reciting the Holy Quran within the short period of two years and an Ameen function was held to mark the happy occasion on 07 June 1897. For this memorable achievement the Promised Messiah (as) composed a poem in the form of a moving prayer, in acknowledgement of the grace and favour of Allah. (Thereafter Huzur (atba) sang the said poem).

He was then enrolled in the District Lower Primary School and then later joined the Talimul Islam School. Due to his constant ill-health and weak eyesight he did not achieve any degree of success in his secular studies. The Promised Messiah was very much concerned about his son’s illness to the degree, that in the last days of his life, he called one of his attending physicians and told him to take greater care of Mahmood’s health and should be more attentive to his treatment. His teachers were not altogether satisfied with the educational progress he was making in his studies, so they complained to the Promised Messiah who had him undergo a hand-writing test and found that his handwriting corresponded almost to his own. In his matriculation examination he could only secure passes in Arabic and Urdu.

Subsequently, Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddin (ra) took over the duties of his religious education. At the early age of fourteen, he composed his first poem in which he addressed Allah in the following words: “I seek Thy pleasure all the time. If I am favoured with it, I shall feel that I got all that there is to get.” This was the state of the heart that was to revolutionise the world and we find that was his guiding theme throughout his life which led him from success to success.

In 1903, he married Sayyeda Mahmooda Begum who later became known as Hazrat Sayyeda Umme Nasir. In May 1914 he married Hazrat Sayyeda Amatul Hayy, the daughter of Hazrat Khalifatul Massih I. Then in 1925, he married Hazrat Sayyeda Sarah Begum. He subsequently married Hazrat Sayyeda Umme Tahir. The first mentioned wife bore him Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad who then became Khalifatul Massih III, while the last mentioned wife bore him Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (may Allah forgive him) who then afterwards became the Khalifatul Massih IV.

Among his other renowned sons are Mirza Mubarak Ahmad. In March 1906 he started the publication of a magazine known as Tashhizul Azhan of which he was the editor. His first editorial covered fourteen pages. In the Jalsa Salana (Annual Gathering) of the same year, he delivered his first important lecture which was highly appreciated by the audience and which was later published as a book.

At the age of nineteen, he started giving lessons on the Holy Quran after Maghrib (evening) prayer. In 1913, with the permission of Hazrat Khalifatul-Massih I, he started Al-Fazl newspaper from Qadian on a bi-weekly basis but it has since been converted into a daily newspaper. In the meantime, he also organised an association called ‘The Anjuman Ansarullah’ with the objective of raising the Community to greater activity in pursuing its objectives. Also when he was nineteen his illustrious father, the Promised Messiah, died and standing by him, he made the following historic statement: “Even if everybody deserted you and I were left alone to battle against the whole world, yet will I stand against the whole world and shall not heed any opposition or hostility.”

During the years from 1909 to 1911, he took lessons in English from Hazrat Maulvi Sher Ali and on the very first page in his notebook he wrote a very remarkable prayer which runs as follows: “O Lord God, help me in learning this language and bless every word that I learn from my teacher and help us in breaking the power of the cross and in slaying the swine, for man has no power without Thy aid.”

In March 1914, Hazrat Khalifatul Massih I became seriously ill, so he appointed Hazrat Musleh Maoud to lead the prayers. It may here be noted that Hazrat Musleh Maoud was only 25 years old at that time and to be appointed Imaam for prayers by the Khalifatul-Massih I showed what qualities must have been observed in him.

In this context it may be pointed out that an old and very respected companion of the Promised Messiah whose name was Pir Manzur Muhammad, after studying the works of the Promised Messiah on the subject of Musleh Maoud concluded that Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad combined in himself all the qualities which mark him out very clearly as the Musleh Maoud of the prophecy. He wrote a paper on it deducing fourteen points and applied the prophecy to Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra). He presented the paper to Hazrat Khalifatul Massih I and having written a gist of the discussion between himself and the Khalifatul Massih, he presented it to him, requesting his signature for confirmation.

Hazrat Maulvi Nuruddin (ra) wrote the following on the paper and signed it: “We have known this for a long time. Haven’t you noticed that in our personal attitude towards him there is a deep inner shade of deference? I confirm that I said this in the course of a talk with Brother Pir Manzur Muhammad.”

On Friday 13 March 1914, Hazrat Khalifatul-Massih I passed away and the following day Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) was acclaimed as Khalifatul Massih II at that young age of 25. According to the prophecy announced by the Promised Messiah about the Musleh Maoud, two of the qualities mentioned are that he would be filled with secular and spiritual knowledge. During more than half a century of his Khilafat, Hazrat Musleh Maoud (ra) demonstrated these qualities in an exceptional manner. 

In 1924, he travelled to England to present a paper at the Conference of Living Religions of the Empire. The natural outcome of the paper is his book Ahmadiyyat or The True Islam. On 19 October 1924, he laid the foundation stone of the London Mosque. During the early thirties, he played an important role in the Kashmir situation and was unanimously acclaimed as the first President of the All India Kashmir Committee, a duty which he performed meritoriously. The result of the All India Kashmir Committee were nothing but miraculous.

He initiated Jalsa Seerat-un-Nabi (pbuh) and some years later, he launched All Prophet’s Day. With the combined efforts of the Ahrar and the Mullahs to undo the Community, Hazrat Musleh Maoud (ra) initiated the scheme of Tahrik-i-Jadid which roused the members of the Jamaat to respond admirably with great sacrifices. In 1944, he announced publicly that it was revealed to him that he was the Musleh Maoud (Promised Reformer) mentioned in the prophecy of the Promised Messiah who was the recipient of Divine revelation from his very youth.

He wrote by the grace of Allah more than two hundred books and pamphlets and his most famous work was the Tafseer-i-Kabeer which is a veritable storehouse of knowledge. All his writings and speeches display a very high scholarship in both the religious and secular fields and they stand second to none in his time. In every aspect of his life and action was fulfilled in every detail the prophecy about him being the Musleh Maoud. It was on Monday, 08 November 1965 that he breathed his last.

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).

Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam: Fulfilment of a Dream

More than a decade back, Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius (atba) began receiving dreams, visions and revelations whose subject matter shows a breath- taking range of ideas and issues. Janab Zafrullah Domun Sahib, former National Amir of Jamaat Ahmadiyya, Mauritius who had the privilege of witnessing many of this, later noted in his eloquent testimonial:

“During the course of those conversations I understood that he was receiving several revelations and that through the dreams, visions and revelations we were being told about matters of which we knew not. Our attention was being drawn to several verses of the Holy Qur’an, to known and unknown ahadiths, to several prayers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), to prayers, the source of which we were unaware of, and also to extracts from the Promised Messiah's books or from his malfoozaaat.

 At the same time we received long texts on particular topics pertinent to spiritual understanding and elevation: what is Islam, what is the meaning of God being close to man, zikr , tawhid , the condition of humanity, international current affairs, religious reform, the necessity of revelation, and many others. I have to confess here that later on we became aware that many of the texts received already existed in one form or other in some books or articles but we were not aware of them when they were being received. As far as we are concerned many of these materials were new to us and they were spiritual delights…”

In a recent Book throwing light on the early days of the Divine Manifestation, the Khalifatullah writes about an important dream he made years before the eventual establishment of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam.

Read the Extracts from the Book:

 “In the context of the foundation of the new Sahih al Islam Jamaat, I recall a very important dream which Allah showed me at the beginning of the year 2000:

The 'Split' in Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen

Tests of faith are a recurring theme in spiritual history and it takes different forms and ways in the every day lives of believers. Islamic history itself bears witness that hundreds of hypocrites left the presence of the Holy Prophet (sa) after claiming to be his followers, at critical moments of his Divine Mission when serious issues of life and death hovered over the early Muslim community. Yet, such incidents and events did not and could not harm the cause for which the Divine Messenger stood up and called the world’s attention. Indeed, the survival (and later, flourishing) of the Divine Mission against all odds and trials and tribulations tells its own story: it points to the extraordinary help and succour of Allah that protects and sustains His Message and His Messenger at times of severe shakings. In our own times, one of the questions Ahmadi friends generally raise pertain to the dissension against the Divine Manifestation witnessed within the framework of Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen, a Jamaat founded and led by the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius under clear instructions from Allah the Most High. Some persons feel that the departure of people within a few years of their professing belief from the midst of the Messenger makes him a lonely man. Remember that immersed as they are in Divine remembrance and spiritual contemplation, Elects of Allah prefer solitude of their chamber any time over the company of hypocrites. Yet, people seem to believe that such events represent a credibility crisis for the Divine Manifestation. Worse still, in their wild imagination, some of them even conjure up that such incidents represent Divine displeasure (God Forbid) on the Chosen Messenger!

A recent booklet written by the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) provides insightful comments on the 'Split' that happened within the Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen. 

Read the extracts from the Book:

The Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen as planted by the hand of Allah promised to bear its fruits until Allah tried them with their faith in His humble Muhyi-ud-Din. Slowly, all kinds of doubts kept entering into their hearts. They began taking the revelations of Allah as an ordinary occurrence, preferring to analyse them in their laboratory instead of complying to the commandments therein. Unfortunately, Oh so unfortunately, Zafrullah Domun Sahib became a party of these people’s – who were mostly his near relatives – scheming. He preferred to join hands with his blood relations instead of holding fast to his belief in his spiritual brother whom Allah had bonded him with. Doubts crept in, all kinds of questions were asked, and finally against all odds, the Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen was taken in charge by the Managing Committee, having Zafrullah Domun Sahib, the President at its head.

Divine Manifestation in Mauritius- Early Days

Many Ahmadis and other seekers of truth have, in recent times, come to hear about the Divine Manifestation in the person of Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius. Among all the claimants of Divine revelation and special Divine Mercy in this age, the arguments and claims of the Khalifatullah stands distinctly superior.The Divine Messages the Khalifatullah says he receives from Allah the Most High and presents before the world is of sublime quality. (For an illustrative list of the Divine revelations of the Khalifatullah, click here). 

For an Ahmadi Muslim, these messages, pouring down like heavenly rain, cannot be dismissed out of hand except at the cost of ruining one’s own spiritual self- abandoning long-held beliefs about the continuity of Divine revelations and the coming of Divinely-raised souls in Islam. More thoughtful among them are convinced that the Khalifatullah is profoundly immersed in the spiritual waters of Qur’anic verities. They find that the arguments and viewpoints being articulated by the Khalifatullah are extraordinarily powerful and appealing. Yet, they want to know more about aspects of the Divine Manifestation they are not clear about. The recent set of questions raised by some seekers of truth must be seen in this backdrop.

To address such concerns, in a recently published Booklet, Hadhrat Sahib reflected on the early days of the Divine Manifestation and provided illuminating insights on the Divine favours and trials that are inextricably intertwined in the times of the coming of a Divinely- raised soul. Drawing upon Qur’anic principles and stories of prophets, the Khalifatullah graphically portraits the events of his time- the role played by Zafrullah Domun Sahib, the founding of Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Muslimeen in the early days of the Divine Manifestation and the circumstances in which Divine favour resulted in the subsequent establishment of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam. The book stands as a living testimonial to the subtle ways in which Allah’s help and succour follows His Chosen Messenger even when his own people seeks to ridicule him and worse still, abandon the Divine Message altogether.

Extracts from the Book:

The Promises of Allah are true in all ways. Ever since the beginning of the Divine Manifestation in the year 2000 in Mauritius, Allah bestowed upon this humble self countless revelations which was noted down by Zafrullah Domun Sahib, and many of these revelations have been realised, and the proofs of the existence of these revelations are with Zafrullah Domun Sahib. Indeed he himself, till today is a continued solid proof of this humble self’s veracity.

Preaching of Islam: Ethical Guideposts

‘Islam does not enjoin upon every Muslim to devout himself wholly to the preaching of Islam; for if it were so, Muslims could not earn their livelihood nor take part in other healthy pursuits of life. Whereas all should try to preach and propagate the truth of Islam, only a section of the community is required to devote itself exclusively to work of propagation. Though all must contribute their quota, there should be a party of men among Muslims who should be entirely devoted to this work'. 

The Holy Qur’an provides guidelines for preaching the message of Islam and the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius gave a profound discourse on the subject in his Friday Sermon of January 20, 2012.  

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortations and argue with them in a way that is best, surely your Lord knows best who has strayed from His way, and He knows those who are rightly guided.” (16: 126)

The word “Hikma” (wisdom) in the verse means: (1) knowledge or science; (2) Equity or justice; (3) Forbearance or clemency; (4) Any saying or disclosure dealing with the exigencies of the occasion; (5) Gift of prophesy; and (6) What prevents or restrains from ignorant behaviour.

Freedom of Conscience: An Islamic Value

As a religion and spiritual order, the ideology of Islam is essentially an appeal to the human conscience and its inherent capacity to embrace the right and reject the wrong. Allah, the Most High has extended to all human beings the faculty of reasoning and the intellectual capability of judgement -Free Will- to choose his or her path in life. It is entirely up to a person’s conscience whether (s)he wants to profit from the spiritual guidance on offer in the form of divine revelations. And there shall be no compulsion in matters of faith. 

In his Friday Sermon of January 20, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius expounded on the principle of freedom of conscience in Islam.Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

“And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed - all of them entirely. Then, would you compel the people in order that they become believers?” (10: 100)

In essence, every religion possesses a missionary character. It starts with an individual and seeks to persuade and convince others of its truth and of the beneficent nature of the values it expounds. It must, therefore, stand for freedom of conscience, including the freedom to change one’s religion and the other freedoms which are conducive to the beneficent adjustment of human beings. The Holy Quran explains that it is only within the competence of God, the All-Knowing, the Almighty, to make a person believe, but even He does not force anyone to believe. He leaves everyone to exercise his or her reason and judgement.

Questions about Ahmadi Doctrines

[Janab R. Jamaluddin Raother, the respected Amir Sahib of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala (India) received a bunch of questions through e-mail from an Ahmadi brother who described himself as a “truth seeker”. 

These questions cover a number of issues that are pertinent to the central ideas underpinning the current Divine Manifestation in the person of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius. They include issues such as the continuity of divine revelations and the coming of Mujaddidin and other divinely raised souls in Islam, the historic trajectory of the current Divine Manifestation, especially the episode involving the establishment of Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Muslimeen and the issues pertaining to our previous relations with (and present views on) Zafrullah Dumun Sahib, etc.

Reproduced below is the first installment of an edited transcript of the views shared by this humble writer in response to the questions raised by the brother who sought “clear cut one by one answer for (his) questions”. Some of the responses include added material as well.].       

1. I heard that Mr. Munir Azim (is) claming to be Mujaddid, Like that Mr. Nasir Ahmed Sultani, Abdul Gaffar Janba also claiming. All are denying each other. If so, what is the measurement to understand true one and fake one?

To understand and recognize the Imam of the Age, a truth seeker should ideally learn the nature and scope of the views being clearly articulated by the respective persons who says they have a Divinely ordained mission to fulfill. He should examine the claims in the light of the noble teachings of the Holy Qur’an, the path of the Holy Prophet (sa) and the explanations to these teachings given by the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as). Based on a careful study of the views being articulated by the claimants and by applying the spiritual logic to the issues involved, a truth seeker could reach his conclusion. To dispel doubts still remaining, if any, in his mind, he should invoke the ultimate solution of prayer to Allah as famously suggested by the Promised Massih (as).

2. Both this Respected Mr. Munir Ahmed Azim sahib and Mr. Zafarulla Domun were together before, why did they separate? Or (Do you) Still accept Zafarullah Domun as your Imam.

Zafrullah Domun Sahib was the first person to recognize and accept the Divine Manifestation in the person of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba). He was the first person to take Bai’at at the hands of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib as well.

In the recently published Biographical Essay on the life of Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib, one can read about an extraordinary event which throws searching light on the special spiritual relationship they shared in the past:    

“On 08 March 2003, the third night of the Safar Zikrullah, Hazrat Munir Ahmad Azim (atba) supplicated Allah to honour his brother Zafrullah Domun Sahib along with him, and therefore he (Hazrat Munir) without receiving any revelation from Allah, humbly dedicated the title of Amir’ul Mumineen to Mokarram Zafrullah Domun Sahib in a special program with the Jamaat. On the spot, he received divine reprimand whereby Allah told him, who has given him permission to dedicate that title which Allah has given him to Mokarram Sahib?

Responsibilities of a Muslim

In his Friday Sermon of January 13, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) spoke about the distinctive characteristics of a real believer and the manifold responsibilities the membership of his Jamaat entails today. The Khalifatullah defines the basic framework of faith and good deeds expected from the believers who accepted (or seek to recognize) his divine office and become members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam.

‘The distinctive characteristic of a member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam should be undivided and consummated attachment to Sahih al Islam; and this devotion should control his life to such an extent that the slightest deviation from God’s laws is abhorrent to him’, states the Khalifatullah.

Read the Summary of the Sermon:

“A member of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam is a Muslim who believes in One God, Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi whose advent had been foretold by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and in the Khalifatullah and Muhyi-ud-Din raised by Allah in this era with Divine Revelation.

The Khalifatullah of this era (that is, this humble self) is a Messenger of God. I call upon all mankind to accept the truth of my divine office; but this is not all. Islam is a practical way of life which demands total resignation to the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). The attainment of this deal must be the resolve and goal of every member of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in whose life the principles of Islam should be manifested in every manner of living. The real object of man’s life according to the Holy Quran is, therefore, a true knowledge and worship of God and a total resignation to His will that whatever is said or done is said or done for His sake only. What is the Sahih al Islam? It is the burning fire which consumes all low desires and, setting fire to false gods and it is the offering of our property and honour as a sacrifice before God. It is that sacred fire which burns all papers of trials to uncover the face of God Almighty in the true believer’s pure golden heart.

Nizaam-e-Jamaat: Evolving a Parallel ‘Culture’

‘‘Within a century after the departure of a Mujaddid, his followers lose their spiritual self. They become creatures of the earth, lusting after material riches and vain pursuits’. 

This prescient observation of the Promised Massih (as) is today staring the Jamaat-e- Ahmadiyya in its face- the same Jamaat that he established to revive the faith of Islam more than a century back in India. 

While Ahmadis continue to delude themselves that they remain in the right path, a parallel ‘culture’ has developed within the Jamaat that has corroded and subverted its inner core of sublime spirituality. The empty shell of Khilafat as it exists today is virtually incapable of stopping the eroding ground beneath its feat. Forget about reversing the tide altogether! 

In his Friday Sermon of January 06, 2012 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius confirms what thoughtful Ahmadis have feared for years- the development of a parallel ‘culture’ within. The sermon contains a searing critique of the gross mismanagement and the resultant disarray within the rank and file of the Nizaam-e-Jamaat. It describes the apparent features of this parallel ‘culture’ that has eaten into the vitals of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya's value systems, corroded the ethics of its members and has come to define their ill-informed decisions and wrong choices today.

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

“The fifth Caliph is not taking care of the Jamaat of the Promised Messiah (as) like the latter had established the management of the Jamaat. The Caliph is basing himself on false reports of his amirs and mullahs. It is his so-called mullahs and amirs who are leading the Jamaat astray and the caliph is not taking the right decisions for the cause of Allah and according to the precepts of Islam. It is those around him who are taking the major decisions, especially about whom the Ahmadis should greet salaam or not, and boycott.

State of the World- 2012: A Grim Reminder

In his first Friday Sermon of the year on January 06, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius took stock of the precarious state of the world in general and his country Mauritius in particular. In a succinct statement of extraordinary breadth and depth, the Khalifatullah shares his assessment on virtually all important aspects of national and international life- individual and society, family relations, polity and economy, education, health and finance, war and peace, crime and calamities, etc. It is a grim reminder of the stark realities facing a world that has lost its spiritual vision and ethical grounding.

Read the Extracts from the Sermon:

“I shall now tell you the precarious state of the world – international level: There shall be world financial crisis – depreciation of the Euro – in many countries there shall be riots, strife and national state of war in many countries, especially in the Arab countries – there shall be rivers of blood, the problem between Palestine and Israel shall not alleviate, neither finishing nor stopped, there shall be loss of lives and many buildings shall be damaged.

In Africa, there shall be famine, rise in poverty – creating havoc along with epidemics, and viruses which shall make thousands of deaths. In some countries there shall be more floods and cyclones (hurricanes, typhoons etc.) which shall cause many deaths (where lot of people shall disappear), epidemics, and many buildings shall collapse. There shall also be air-crashes whereby many passengers and the crew shall die.

Pakistan and Afghanistan shall not be spared from the Divine punishment, and even Bangladesh and Kashmir, because of that which they did with the Ahmadis. On the international level, petrol, essence and diesel shall climb up (high prices). Many international companies shall shut down and many people shall lose their jobs. Immorality in all countries, with thefts with violence, crimes filled with violence, rapes, prostitutions, sodomy, abortion, and more devastating marriages between same-sex people (homosexuals).

Great countries which took themselves as the superpowers of the worlds and which used to dominate (arrogantly and pitiably) the other small countries shall be weakened (no more super-powered) and the Divine wrath shall seize them in a hard way. In many countries there shall be increase of fraud, corruption, embezzlements whereby many chiefs of state (of countries) shall go to prison and there shall be some whom their people shall revolt against them. The year 2012 shall also mark the death of world leaders and also religious leaders.

National level (Mauritius):

The year 2012 shall mark more frauds, corruption – ongoing corruption; appalling secrets shall be unfolded, and there shall continue to be protection of “petit copain” (the privileged associates of the Government – especially this present Government).

‘Allah Blesses me with His Revelations’

In his Friday Sermon of January 06, 2012 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) spoke about the inextricably intertwined Universe.  The grandeur and majesty of the Creator par excellence is written all over the space so much so that an accidental coincidence is impossible to conceive. Human mind perceives the potential role of an intelligent design behind it all. While human sensory organs are incapable of observing God, Almighty Allah reaches out to his Chosen servants in every age through the medium of divine revelations.  In this speech, the Khalifatullah throws light on the subtle subject of divine revelations by quoting from the writings of the Promised Massih Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as). Further, the Khalifatullah (atba) confirms that for the last 12 years, he has been blessed with the special Grace of Allah and that he is a recipient of divine revelations, Alhamdulillah.      

Read from the extracts of the Sermon:

“And verily this Quran is a revelation from the Lord of all the worlds.” (26: 193)

There is an accurate orderly design and deep interrelation between different creations in the universe. How could food, air, water and sunlight, which are all indispensable for life, come to assemble accidentally on the earth? If the eye was created accidentally, then how the sun was also brought into existence accidentally? If the ear was formed accidentally did the air also come into existence accidentally to aid the ear in hearing sounds? If man appeared accidentally did woman also accidentally to aid him in procreation and to relieve his emotions?

Example after example could be listed. There is a deep interrelation and interdependence between different things in the universe which cannot happen by accident. We are forced to come to the conclusion that there exists an All-Knowing, All-Powerful and All-Wise Creator Who designed the whole pattern of the universe and then brought it into existence. It is the view of some people that, no doubt, God created the universe, designed it and set in motion but after that it is operating automatically in accordance with inherent laws and God never interferes with its operation. Were this so then we are unable to find answers to the following questions. Why did God create such a strange universe and what was the purpose of its creation? Did He reveal His purpose to man? Is there life after death and will man be rewarded or punished in the Hereafter in accordance with the merits of his actions?

Perils of Alcoholism

In his Friday Sermon of December 30, 2011 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius spoke about the inevitably disastrous consequences of liquor consumption. Speaking on the eve of a New Year, the Khalifatullah called the attention of one and all to the foolish pursuit of synthetic happiness and entertainment so pervasive in all the societies of our times. 

Read the extracts from the Sermon:

“In this last sermon of the year 2011, I seize this opportunity to talk on alcoholism in society. Alcohol can be very dangerous and it is the country’s most abused drug. Alcohol is a drug that is taken mainly for its psychological effects. Alcohol drink is very, very expensive in Mauritius and in the last budget of the Government; the latter has made it a must to increase the price of cigarette and alcohol drink. But these are two evils which the Government knows that shall not decrease, because the more the prices of these commodities go up, the more people will continue to buy, regardless their prices, because these evils have already become some people’s drugs.

So, basically alcohol depresses the nervous system and allows people to lose their inhibitions. If drug companies had discovered the effects of alcohol, then today maybe there would be no chance of it receiving approval from a drug’s safety committee and it would never be marketed for human consumption.

The immediate effects of alcohol are:

 The loss of inhibitions,

 Less self-conscious behaviour,

 Loss of self-control,

 Becoming more talkative and,

 A feeling of cheerfulness.

However, alcohol acts more as a depressant than a stimulant (i.e. it is a drug that dampens down the activity of the nervous system rather like a tranquilliser). Many heavy drinkers are aware that their thinking is not as good as it used to be.

Children of Adam, ‘God is One, Let us be United’

[On the eve of a new year unfolding in the horizon, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) addressed the world on the larger theme of unity in diversity through an article published on December 29, 2011 in the newspaper Le Mauricien. His reflections are deeply imprinted with a profound vision of the essential unity of mankind and human solidarity. In an age ravished by the passions of man- “strife, war, jealousy, arrogance, and thirst for power”- the Messenger of Allah calls the mankind back to sanity and reason and exhorts us all to reclaim our original identity as “Children of Adam”. We are reproducing the original article below for the benefit of our readers].

   

UNITY IN DIVERSITY: The following adage is widespread yet so little understood and put into practice:  The world goes round and round and the mentality of people does not change despite the flying years.

The Torah, Gospels and the Holy Quran inform humankind that we are one, from one Source, from the divine essence, and we come from one man, Adam, the father of mankind. That is why, the Almighty addresses human species as “Children of Adam”. Yet, blood ceases not to be oozed out from our own body – the body of mankind - because of strife, war, jealousy, arrogance, and thirst for power. Blood of red incarnadine ceases not to mar the surface of the earth in the name of justice, yet justice is a long way to be attained by sheer bloodshed.

The Muslim world is shredding itself to pieces because of disunity and a feeling of superiority over their own Muslim brethrens. The rest of humanity is fighting against Islam in the name of terrorism. And some people blame religion for the chaos which the world is facing on a daily basis. The question is: Should it have been so? Should the world be divided and sub-divided till a point that we feel estranged to each other, that we lose our identity as the “Children of Adam”, the ultimate perfected creation of God, that is, the human species?

We are from the essence of God, believe it or not! Good and bad is in our nature but the Almighty has given us the ability to fight against our own devilish side and plunge into the light of felicity through unity and compatibility to each other, the whole mankind as one manifestation of the Lord. Is this utopia? Is this aim so impossible to imagine?