Muslims of Mauritius: Challenges Ahead

Mauritius is an island-state situated in the Indian Ocean with a population of over a million,  belonging to numerous ethnic/religious/linguistic groups, including the Hindus, Christians and Muslims. After centuries of colonial mercantile interests that caused and brought about waves of immigration from South Asia and elsewhere, the country today has the Hindus as the largest ethno-linguistic and religious group while the Muslims (at around 2,00,000) constitute a minority with around 17 per cent of the national population. With the attainment of independence from Britain in 1968, the country adopted a secular and democratic Constitutional framework and all social groups, thus, enjoy full freedom of worship and performance of religious rites and rituals. As the dominant community, the Hindus, however, continue to occupy important political and administrative positions and enjoys certain other privileges. On the contrary, the minority Muslim community remains to be on the social periphery with many grievances yet to be addressed.

In his Friday Sermon of June 07, 2013 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius has called attention to the several problems and legitimate grievances of the Muslims of Mauritius, including on the twisted Hajj policy of the Mauritius Government. The spiritual pilgrimage to Makkah (in Saudi Arabia) for the performance of Hajj is one of the fundamental religious obligations of Muslims, wherever they are. In our times, thanks to improvement in transportation linkages and communication facilities, millions of Muslims engage in the preparation (of a life time) to make that august journey to Makkah. The Saudi Arabian Government has thus been constrained to delimit the number of believers assembling at the Holy City at this most important period of time due to logistical and accommodation/space- related concerns. Thus, countries have been allotted Hajj-quota (limiting the number of persons who will get visa to perform the Hajj in a specific year) and the opportunities to receive the visa are limited.

In the case of Mauritius, it is observed that influence-peddlers and other vested interests exercise undue influence to bear on who gets the recommendation for Hajj visa under the national quota. The politician-ministers tilt the scales in favour of their own cronies and other elite sections, leading to the unjust deprival of the opportunity to perform the Hajj to common Muslims who may be saving all through their lives for the purpose. Thus, year after the year, the same set of people-who are highly connected and politically influential- manage to get the visa and go for the Hajj, though it is not mandatory to perform Hajj more than once. On the contrary, most poor Muslims who may save for many years to go and perform the Hajj may not be able to get even the visa. The political leadership in the country essentially seeks to manipulate and exploit the divisions within the minority Muslim community and has virtually ignored or put on cold storage the important concerns of the Muslim community, including the need for an embassy in Saudi Arabia, which would facilitate the negotiations for an increase in the Hajj quota as well as in seeking trading and other labour market opportunities.     

Even at the risk of being labelled “communal”, one may have to warn that both secularism and democracy in Mauritius are under threat from racist vultures in its body politic, feels the Khalifatullah (atba). When the minority Muslim community’s religious rights- to go on pilgrimage to Makkah for Hajj- and their social, administrative and economic progress within the country are being thwarted surreptitiously, it points to the presence of communalism on the body politic, points out the Khalifatullah (atba). Further, the Sermon provides illuminating guidance to the Muslims to come out of their predicament by paying attention to their community identity and the responsibilities of solidarity being conveyed through the Divine Messages available in their midst.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:   

Mubahila Statement on Nasir Ahmad Sultani

In the Friday Sermon of May 31, 2013, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius invited Dr. Nasir Ahmad Sultani Sahib of Jamaat-e- Ahmadiyya (Haqiqi) to a Mubahila duel to finally determine the truthfulness of their respective claims. In the aftermath of the Speech, the Sultani Sahib issued his response on June 1, 2013. In the response statement, the Sultani Sahib maintains and continues with his earlier stand of rejecting and vilifying the viewpoint of Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) and his claims. Yet, the Sultani Sahib has refused to come in the field of Mubahila now, by raising a revolving door-set of arguments.

Sultani Sahib is absolutely certain that the duration of the Mubahila, according to Islamic teachings, “should be fixed 1 (one) year”.  According to him, if the period of Mubahila is varied from one year- for instance: say, any period more than one year, including two years- by the parties to the Mubahila for any reasons whatsoever, it would not be permissible under Islamic law nor acceptable to Sultani Sahib. Further, Sultani Sahib considers such a variation of period “a wrong condition” of Mubahila. Although Sultani Sahib did send an official e-mail on 12 December 2011 whereby he “accepted the Challenge” of Mubahila made by Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba), he did not complete the minimum requirements for the world to know that he is indeed in a Mubahila (such as signing the Mubahila document and notifying the world by publishing it in his website). At least, now we know: the ‘reason’ for not joining in the Mubahila challenge at that point of time was this “wrong condition”!

Sultani Sahib now refuses to join the Mubahila Challenge with Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba). This is because of the presence of the 2-year Mubahila between Hadhrat Sahib (atba) and Abdul Ghaffar Janbah Sahib of Germany.  According to Sultani Sahib, the Islamic period of the Mubahila-“one year”- is over and both have been proved to be “liars”! If the ‘result’ of the (non-Islamic) Mubahila between the two is crystal clear to the “Mujaddid of 15^th Century of Islam”, why should he wait for a longer period to prove his own truthfulness!??

In a special Booklet issued on June 2, 2013 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) has prepared and personally signed an Official Mubahila Document with “ONE YEAR” as the limitation period. Dr. Nasir Ahmad Sultani Sahib has now the option to “come forward and sign” or move away and “keep quiet” on the matter! 

Read the Official remarks and Mubahila Statement:

Mubahila Challenge to Nasir Ahmad Sultani

As the Mubahila between the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius and Abdul Ghaffar Janbah Sahib of Germany (and the respective Jamaats) enter into its second year, believers are patiently awaiting the Great Divine Decree to reveal and unravel itself in the cause of truth and His Truthful Messenger. Yet, there are others (outside the two Jamaats) who are keen to know the outcome of the Mubahila and are turning impatient. The Ameer of “Jama'at e Ahmadiyyah (Haqiqi)” NASIR AHMAD SULTANI SAHIB, who is also a claimant of “Mujaddid 15th century of Islamic Calendar” recently declared that since all the parties are still alive even after a year of Mubahila, it only means/proves that they are all liars. Thus, Sultani Sahib declares himself the winner in a contest he was not even party to!

In the aftermath of these developments, the Messenger of Allah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius has decided to respond. In his Friday Sermon of May 31, 2013 the Khalifatullah clarifies that it is permissible for parties to a Mubahila to agree upon the time period of Mubahila. Drawing upon the experiences/practices of the Promised Massih Hadhrat Ahmad (as), the Khalifatullah (atba) points to the instances in which there were Mubahilas with greater time periods. Finally, in a language that can penetrate and crack the hardest of rocks, the Lion of Allah challenges Sultani Sahib to show some spine and come to the court of Allah in the cause of truth by entering into a Mubahila.       

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

Recently, I have received some correspondences which relate to Mubahila and especially concerning the Mubahila which I invited Abdul Ghaffar Janbah Sahib and his Jamaat (and specifically also one of his disciples Mansoor Ahmad Sahib) to accept. The thing is, instead of waiting for the specified two years limit mentioned in the Mubahila, some people like Mushtaq Malik Sahib and another claimant of divine vicegerency, Nasir Ahmad Sultani have made some comments to which I must respond.

‘A Pious Mother is Priceless’

Commodification of culture has become a rampant phenomenon in our times. It has pervaded almost all of our social institutions including family and religions.  Commercial interests are thus, increasingly driving and shaping the people’s latent cultural consciousness and traditional values and practices by promoting “combo-packages” and “special offers” on ‘festival’ occasions. Thus, it has become a ‘trend’ of our times- to commemorate/ celebrate a particular day in the year for various otherwise worthy causes and events. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Children’s Day, Family Day, etc. are illustrative examples.  In his Friday Sermon of May 24, 2013 Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius took note of these contemporary trends in the context of the recent celebration of “Mother’s Day” in Mauritius and elsewhere. While rejecting such commercially-induced and market (and debt) - driven practices which trivialises our sense of who we are, the Khalifatullah (atba) underscores the importance of parents and especially the mother in the social engineering and nation-building process.  

In an age in which the rights of the elderly parents are being disrespected by their own children and the old people are increasingly staring at a bleak and un-cared future, nation after nation is forced to bring in legislations and other protective, welfare measures to ensure the human and fundamental rights of the elderly. Islam offers an august space and status to the mother and exhorts Muslim children to be grateful for their parents’ selfless sacrifices and redeem the debt they owe when they grow up and their parents need them the most. Islamic teachings and normative expectations are a signpost for Muslims in fulfilling their spiritual and moral responsibilities, points out the Khalifatullah.

Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon:

“We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him.” (31:15)