'Fasting is a Shield against Evil'

Yaaa-’ayyu-hallaziina ‘aamanuu kutiba ‘alay-kumus-Siyaamu kamaa kutiba ‘alal lazina min qablikum la-’alla-kum tatta-quun.

“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous.” (2: 184).

The word ‘Siyaam’ (fasting) as mentioned in the Holy Quran can also be called ‘Sawm’, which means ‘to abstain from something’. Abstaining from something does not mean only abstaining from food and drink, no! It also refers to abstaining from vain talks/too much talking; for on the contrary you should concentrate more on Quran reading as well as its translation, concentrate on the remembrance of Allah (Zikrullah) and supplications (duas). Abstention should also be made of sleep, whereby you devote yourself to the voluntary additional prayers when you are fasting during the day. During this period, therefore abstention should also be made of sexual relation with your spouses, and you must learn to control your carnal desires (nafs) and your tongue. This also allows you to multiply more good deeds, help the poor and spend a lot in charity.

When you learn to understand this verse of the Quran (the above-mentioned verse) and you reflect on it, you shall see (deduce) that all the good deeds done in this blessed month (Ramadan) are all acts of worship which a believer does and he does it sincerely for Allah alone. He (the believer) accepts to abstain from all things which were usually licit for him during the previous eleven months and which are made (temporary) illicit for him from before sunrise till after sunset.

Ramadan: Ibadah and Taqwa

“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous.” (2: 184).

Wa maa khalaqtul-Jinna wal-’insa ‘illaa liya’-buduun.

“I have not created jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (51: 57).

The month of Ramadan is once again before our door by the grace of Allah. It is a month which is awaited by believers because it contains many benefits and virtues. During the month of Shabaan, Friday sermons (Khutba) often focus on the value of this great month. It is said that Ramadan is a month of worship (Ibadah). Verily, we must rather say that it is a month to increase our acts of worship (Ibadah) because we have been created with the purpose of worshiping Allah (swt).

“I have not created jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (51: 57).

In addition to the virtues of this blessed month it is important that we know what is the purpose of these acts of worship during this month. In the Quran, Allah (swt) clearly defines the purpose of the fasting month of Ramadhan: “O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous.” (2: 184).

Generally the word taqwa is translated by ‘fear of Allah’ or ‘piety’. The word taqwa is derived from the word ‘waqaa’ which means protection/protecting oneself.

Gaza: Letter to the Israel PM

The Prime Minister of Israel

Benjamin Netanyahu

Prime Minister’s Office
3 Kaplan St. Hakirya

Jerusalem – 91950

14 July 2014

Mr. the Prime Minister,

As the worldwide spiritual leader of Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, I am deeply sad to learn that in this holy month of Ramadan where all Muslims around the world are fasting and also our brothers, sisters and children in Palestine are observing fasting and concentrating on all the instructions given by the Creator of the Universe during this holy month, how merciless on your part – the Israelites – that you do not respect this Islamic holy month and the Muslim faith.

It is with a heavy heart that I learnt how Israel attacked among many others the Northern Gaza strip, hitting the centre for the disabled, killing two disabled women and wounding four. They fired a rocket and it hit these people without any warning. Later on, an Israeli strike hit the Tuffah district in eastern Gaza city, targeting a home and a mosque and killing nearly 20 people. In another strike which happened in the evening, three people were killed in Rafah in south of Gaza. And around dawn on Sunday a 14 year old Palestinian boy died when an Israeli air strike hit his home in Jabaliya. The bodies of five Palestinians killed in an Israeli air strike on a house are seen in the Shifa hospital in Gaza city.

Israel Defense Forces stroke 60 targets in Gaza; 14 Palestinians killed overnight. Is Israel preparing for additional long days of fighting, spreading the blood of the Muslims? 124 Palestinians were killed by an Israeli air bombardment since Tuesday 8^th July and this has been confirmed by medical sources in Gaza. An estimated 900 Palestinians have also been wounded, with some losing limbs and others disabled for life. The majority of the wounded are children. All of the casualties are victims of Israeli bombs dropped on Gaza since Tuesday 8^th July.

Videos have been circulated on the barbaric bombardment of Israel on Gaza, with also the Israeli Air Force dropping mortars on the roofs of homes before destroying them with bigger bombs. Terror in the voices of the Palestinian could be heard. And buildings are destroyed seconds later! What is the difference between state terror and any other king, except the magnitude? Do you take yourself as God on earth to take lives of innocent people in this way? I have seen many false gods on earth, how they were destroyed by the overpowering Lord when they dared to play God on earth!

Divine Favours: 'Count your Blessings'

Fabi-‘ayyi ‘aalaaa-‘i Rabbikumaa tukazzibaan?

“So which of the favours of your Lord will you deny?”

(Ar-Rahman: Chapter 55)

This verse of Surah Ar-Rahman is mentioned 31 times in order to properly inform the believers that they should never forget that all these blessings come from our Creator and from no one else and that He has reserved such blessings also in the hereafter (Aakhirat). Indeed, all the needs of a living being are made ​​available to him (by Allah). Allah (swt) says:

 

“We (Allah) have made ​​the day for livelihood.” (78: 12)

See a living example starting with ourselves.

Once we wake up, we have to face many routines. First we need to breathe in clean air. Do we immediately think that it is one of favours we have been given?  We are healthy – another favour of Allah, the Most Glorious – we have no difficulty to do so because our respiratory system works perfectly.

As soon as we open our eyes, we see near and far images. Is this not a great favour of Allah? When we think, even for a minute, that there are at this moment, thousands of people who are blind! Did you know that the centre of the sight is found in the rear brain occupying few cubic centimetres?

on the 'Alaamaat' of Qiyamah

Wattaquu Yawman-turja ‘uuna fiihi ‘ilaallaah. Summa tuwaffaa kullu nafsim-maa kasabat wa hum laa yuz-lamuun.

“And fear a Day (that is, Qiyamah) when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be treated unjustly.”(2: 282).

The word Qiyamah appears 70 times in the Holy Quran. Allah the Almighty has also called it (Qiyamah) by many other names in the Holy Quran and each name shows an aspect of Qiyamah. For example, among others:

 1. As-Sa’a (The Appointed Hour)

 2. Al-Yaum-ul-Haqq (The Day of Truth, that is, the advent of such a day about which there is no doubt)

 3. Al-Yaum-ul-Mal’oom (The Known Hour)

4. Yaum-ul-Aazifa (The Terrifying Day which is approaching), 

5. Yaum-un-Assir (The Hard Day),

6.  Yaum-un-Azim (The Great Day), 

7. Yaum-ul-B’ath (The Day of Resurrection), 

8. Yaum-un-Talaaq (The Day of Meeting, that is, meeting with Allah the Almighty), 

9. Yaum-ul-Jama (The Day of Assembly), 

10. Yaum-ul-Khuruj (The Day of Coming Out, that is, from the tomb) 

11. An-Naba-ul-Azim (The Great News). 

12. Al-Haqqa (The Inevitable).

‘Ilm-e-Ghayb’ and the Divine Signs

Signs of our Times

‘Innas-Saa-’ata la-’aatiyatul laa rayba fiihaa wa laakinna ‘aksaran-naasi laa yu’-minuun. – “Indeed, the Hour is coming - no doubt about it - but most of the people do not believe.” (Al-Mu'min, 40: 60).

Nowadays, we are seeing that time is passing so quickly and that all sort of problems are cropping up. We are suffering a change in nature and also a change in the human attitude and behaviour.

Consequently, we (as humans) are worried about our future. When we analyse the situation, we see how the world is being degraded and going to its lost: there are hypocrisy, power thirst, wars, strife, persecution against the weak, infidelity, bestiality, as well as atrocities, complicity and concealed tolerance for the crimes against humanity etc.

On the other hand, in alarming and uncontrolled proportions, there are all sorts of calamities of nature: heat wave, drought, fire, flood, famine, strange maladies (viruses etc.), earthquakes, cyclones and other catastrophes. This tendency brings us to think if there are not other cataclysms in the near future? When nature is inflicting upon us such sanctions, this also means that it is giving us a message, but unfortunately we are not understanding the message it is giving and thus as the situation is now and being presented to the world, spirituality has no place in such a world of decadence.

Divine Servants and the Ilm-e-Ghayb

In the Holy Quran, Allah the Exalted has said that the universe shall not exist forever and that from time to time, there shall be such occurrences and signs which shall announce the approach of the end of the universe. It is therefore necessary for us to be alert of those signs so that we can meditate on them and consequently consolidate our faith. Through the series of sermons (Friday Sermons) which I shall do on this subject, you shall come to realise that all messengers of Allah, and also this humble servant of Allah who is present before you all today have a profound knowledge of the unseen (Ilm-e-Ghayb) through Allah, and you can see that already many of the predictions/prophecies made have been realised, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, and a believer must have faith that the other announced signs also shall come what may be realised by the infinite grace of Allah.

15 Shabaan 1435 Hijri: Shaab-e-Baraat

Today, June 13, 2014 is 14 Shabaan 1435 Hijri. In the Islamic faith tradition, 15^th Shaaban is generally observed with devotional recitations, special invocations and solemn prayers  as Shaabe Baraat. In the course of his Friday Sermon today, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius made certain remarks on the subject, especially in the context of the ways in which many in the Ummah have deviated from the original spirit of these solemn occassions by transforming them into something else. 

Read the extracts from the Friday Sermon:

Before ending, I wish to address you some words on the Shaabe Baraat which is a night in the middle of Shabaan, and therefore tonight is the 15 Shabaan 1435 Hijri, when Nabi Kareem Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) used to spend his night in worship of Allah. The reason for this is that he was informed by Hazrat Jibreel (as) that when mid-Shabaan comes, the deeds of man goes up to Allah, and Allah through His Rahimiyyat forgives generously His servants who repent and pray a lot during this interval. According to a Hadith, Nabi Kareem Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) says that he prefers to be in fasting state when his deeds are presented before Allah.

In Islam, each moment of our life is blessed, especially with the coming of a Messenger of Allah. And moreover Allah, from those days of the life of man chose certain days which are better than others, like the 15^th Shabaan, the month of Ramadan wherein are the last 10 days which we shall live again soon, wherein is found the Laila-tul-Qadr (Night of Decree), and also the blessed days of Hajj.