'Killing of Innocents is against Islam'

The face of the Muslim world is increasingly stained with the blood of the innocents. In the recent past, imperial interventions over a number of Muslim countries have unleashed political consequences and  thereby, exacerbated sectarian tensions among different ethnic and religious groups. Trapped in the quagmire of the sectarian tensions between the Shias and the Sunnis,  in many States- Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, etc- a host of terror groups are operating  in the name of Islam- ranging from the Taliban in Afghanistan/Pakistan to the ISIL ( the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) under its Caliph Abu Baker al Baghdadi. These entities have poisoned the fair name of Islam by inextricably linking their quest for political power-grabbing with Islamic ethics. They make world headlines for all the wrong reasons in our times- including the destruction of historic monuments and cultural artefacts of enduring significance for the human civilization. They commit wanton and indiscriminate murders in the name of Allah. The targets of their attacks are not just the religious/sectarian/political opponents. The most brutal and heinous killing of innocents- women, children and even innocent civilians who have not taken arms against them- have been rightly described in the media as a crime against humanity. The victims of ISIL, for instance, include fellow brethren-in-faith, the Shiah Muslims and also the other religious minority groups in the region such as the ancient Yazidi community and the Arab Christians who over centuries, lived amicably among their Muslim brethren in the Middle East. 

In this complex, political and religious matrix, it is important to assert and reclaim Islam and its original, peaceful teachings that holds human life as a sacred responsibility. Unlike what  the ISIL in Iraq/Syria and the Taliban in Afghanistan/Pakistan assert, Islamic teachings promote social peace and tolerance of diversities under the rule of law- the maintenance of amicable relations among different, religious communities by recognizing the sanctity of life. In his Friday Sermon of February 27, 2015 the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius eloquently explains the Islamic norms for the balancing and stabilization of social life and peaceful co-existence, with the framework of Islamic law recognizing equitable retaliation only for the purpose of meeting the exigencies of justice and for preserving social order against extreme evils.

The Instrumental Role of Divine Revelations

Revelation may be a single word but its meaning is immense, just like a drop of water rippling a whole ocean. The nature of revelation is various, and among the types of revelations, we have satanic whisperings also which are not to be confused with the spiritual truthful context of revelations, that is, Divine Revelations. Any person can receive divine inspirations, yet divine revelations, as pure and frequent as that received by messengers of Allah are of an exquisite nature, which leaves no doubt as to the source of this special light. Therefore, revelation in Islam is tantamount to the extraordinary connection which links an exceptional servant of Allah to His Lord. ( Inset: a depiction of the archangel Gabriel instructing Divine revelations to the Holy Prophet (sa), from the manuscript Jami' al-tawarikh by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, AD 1307). 

This servant of Allah comes to taste of a special bond through which Allah reveals Himself to His servant, and little by little – just like a gardener who waters a newly planted seed into the soil to see it grow big, strong and productive – this servant of Allah through dreams, visions, divine inspirations and revelations grows from one spiritual state to the other and in capacity of exceptional blessed instrument of Allah, he gets to receive within him such light as to illuminate the whole world. His being becomes an object of light, a beacon of light as to attract those who are within the nexus of the pleasure of Allah to perceive his light, just like a radar emitting a powerful signal, to manifest his presence among the people of the earth, especially, those endowed with true knowledge. (Inset: Prophet Moses (as) with the tablets of the Ten Commandments, a painting by Rembrandt (1659).  

Very often, these people who are qualified as “Ulul’al-Baab” (People of understanding, people endowed with true knowledge) are very humble in nature. They may be viewed as hopeless and poor people in the eyes of men, whereas in the eyes of the Almighty, their status is most high. This is because they do not sell their consciousness and pure heart and faith to the attractions of this world; they do not let themselves be attached to it. A person also can be rich and be among the true Ulul’al-Baab because despite the money and riches he earns, yet he is not greedy for it, and canalise this wealth in its proper channel, that is to say, he obeys the instructions and commandments of the Quran and he shares his wealth to the poor in the proportions made obligatory to him by Allah, and also those parts of his wealth that he gives in charity, with good faith as a voluntary action due to tenderness of his heart to help the less fortunate and also the community of believers in Dawah Mission (Inviting and Bringing people to Allah, to Islam).

Therefore, the Ulul’al-Baab, whether rich or poor, or in-between (neither too rich nor poor) captures the signal emitted by the special radar sent by Allah, so that within the circle of this exquisite connection one may be able to reach to Allah without any doubt. This Messenger of Allah, the Holder of Light, the guidance to the world comes to teach people how to get this connection with Allah. And this he is able to do with the help of the Ruh-il-Quddus (Holy Spirit).

Like I have always told my disciples in Mauritius ever since the beginning of the Divine Manifestation, connection with Allah comes with a purification of the heart, and it is in that state of purification – whereby there is no doubt as to the truthfulness of the Spiritual Guide (that is, this humble self) and the Divine Manifestation – and with belief, faith, and trust that the God who has sent His Messenger with the Holy Spirit has indeed the power of speech despite having no tongue to talk, that the person in question can reach to Allah. I am talking for the current Divine Manifestation of this age, because I have been sent in this era to you all to guide you to Allah, and thus, belief, faith and trust in the veracity of this humble self is essential if someone wants to get to the exquisite proximity of Allah taking this humble self as guide and mentor.

'Musleh Maoud': Trajectories of a Grand Prophecy

Before ending my sermon on this vast subject – Revelations – I wish to say a few words on the prophecy of 20^th February 1886. Today is the 20^th February, and this reminds us of the grand prophecy in the announcement of 20^th February 1886 concerning the Promised Messiah’s entreaties to Allah in Hoshiarpur to bless him with such a physical son as to become his physical and spiritual heir in majestic respect.

A prophet, envoy of Allah always wants pious children, from his own lineage and blood to carry on his mission, his works with the same intensity of devotion as he showed towards Allah throughout his life on earth. Prophets of Allah seek such gems from their own blood but only after supplicating Allah for them. When Hazrat Ibrahim (as) prayed for a blessed son and messenger of Allah, after being childless for years, he sought a miracle of Allah from the grace and majesty of Allah, and his Zaki Ghulam (Pure Son) was not only from his own blood, but also his spiritual heir, in that which he became a Prophet of Allah, chosen and purified by Allah. The same was for Hazrat Zakariyya and Hazrat Dawud (as) among others. 

A prophet of Allah is not mistaken in his entreaties to Allah as to which type of son he is seeking from Allah! He seeks a biological and spiritual heir, who shall have both these attributes in him (physical and spiritual for the sake of Allah and from Allah) from his own body to carry on the works he is blessed with from Allah. And when a prophecy, more specifically a glad tiding is granted to him from Allah that he shall father such a son, and for whom Allah has granted much more spiritual and divinely attributes in him to reflect that purity of being the son of a prophet of Allah, therefore, the prophet of Allah, in occurrence, the Promised Messiah of Islam, the first of his kind, was granted such a request.

Through several of his announcements, he made it clear that he was waiting for the fulfillment of a physical son who shall be that reformer of Islam, who shall be his mirror image, that is, possessing messianic qualities to carry on his mission to the end of the worlds.

As you all will agree with me, whenever a prophet of Allah comes on earth, as it has always happened ever since the creation of the earth, it is expected that this prophet of Allah shall have spiritual heirs, prophets of Allah who shall confirm his veracity and spread his mission and honour for as long as life exists on earth. Moreover, it is Sunnat-Allah (the way of Allah) to preserve the honour of all His prophets from the beginning to the end of times. Therefore, spiritual heirs of prophets are bound to come, especially after the advent of the final religion, Islam whose extent is a universal one, and the purpose of receiving messengers from Allah is for the revival of the state of Muslims and to bring back the glory of Islam.