Islam & Humans- 2

In his Friday Sermon of 28 January 2022~ 25 Jamadi’ul Aakhir 1443 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius spoke about a profound problem afflicting the Muslim Ummah of our times: the scourge of sectarian differences coupled with violence and bloodshed that afflicts Muslim lands almost everywhere. Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) underscores the need for respecting the obligations of  brotherhood, and the importance of unity and solidarity across all differences- keeping the spirit of Islamic teachings as taught by the Holy Prophet (sa) through his sublime, personal example.   

The Muslims of today need to rediscover the real essence of their exalted Faith, awake to their true responsibility of embracing it wholeheartedly; being true to the commandments and prohibitions of the Way by following in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet (sa)- rather than following their own whims and interpretations based on selfish inclinations. Muslims who renew the true spirit of the Faith would eventually find the shadow of true help and succour from their Lord and it is indeed such devote believers who inherit the true favours and blessings both in this world and in the world to come, notes Hazrat Saheb (aba) in the Discourse.      

Read the Friday Sermon Below:

In the year 2001, with the advent of the Divine Manifestation, the number of Muslims around the world greatly exceeded the threshold of one billion. The world which was vast at the time of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) has shrunk with the advancement of technology, means of transport and modern communications. Technological development has also contributed to the degradation of the Ummah, which has completely forgotten the teaching of the Prophet (pbuh): “Every Muslim is a brother”.

Allah designates the 'believer' by saying:  

Allaziina amanu wa amiilus-Saliihaat 

“Those who believe and do good.” 

Islam & Humans

 

Islam is a religion that is both temporal and spiritual. This is because this religion emanates from the One Who created the human being and Who knows, therefore, what suits him best. Allah, our Creator, knows, in particular, what is necessary for the relations of man with his fellows to be harmonious. For social relations to be good, they must be based on right principles; it is necessary that the individual does not feel attacked either in his physical person, or in his moral personality, so that a healthy and united society is achieved.

 

Allah honoured the descendants of Adam (as) by endowing them with reason, which should be able to lead man to faith in Allah: “Verily we have honoured the Children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good things for them, and have preferred them above many of those whom We created with a marked preferment.” (Bani Isra’il, 17: 71) 

This faith, this conviction, requires that we recognize Allah and accept His Laws. Obeying Allah and His Laws is the culmination of self-knowledge, as the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever among you knows himself best, knows his Lord best!” He who is convinced that Allah is indeed the Creator and the Lord of the universe not only comes to have admiration for the laws of Allah, but also to want to respect them, because he knows that these laws are what is best for each individual and for society. 

Many of these laws relate to social relations without which there would be no human civilization. They govern the relationship of the individual with himself, with his fellows, and with the universe in general. 

General laws are useful; but, in everyday life, the rules of convenience and good manners, which relate to details, are just as necessary. One of the qualities of Islam is to contain both general laws and precise rules of life. 

Instincts exist in humans as in animals, it is true. But, unlike the animal whose destiny is to obey its instincts, the human being, who has been endowed with reason and a sense of responsibility, must be able to control his instincts. It is not a question of “suffocating” them, but only of making them speak wisely. Indeed, Man was not created solely to survive and reproduce. Allah has assigned him and the Jinn a higher purpose: “I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me.” (Az-Zariyat 51: 57) 

'Khalifatullah': The Rope of Allah

 

‘Hold fast to God’s rope all together; do not split into factions. Remember God’s favour to you: you were enemies and then He brought your hearts together and you became brothers by His grace; you were about to fall into a pit of Fire and He saved you from it– in this way God makes His revelations clear to you so that you may be rightly guided. Be a community that calls for what is good, urges what is right, and forbids what is wrong: those who do this are the successful ones. Do not be like those who, after they have been given clear revelation, split into factions and fall into disputes: a terrible punishment awaits such people.’ [3:104-106)

Elects of God appear to call people to the Right Path- providing them with true and clear guidance to discriminate between good and the bad; reforming their communities through Divinely-gifted teachings; laying solid foundations for great nations by unifying hearts in Divine worship and urging adherence to the higher values of life. It is those sublime teachings established by the Prophets through their noble personal examples that constitute the Rope of Allah for their nations to cherish and act upon in all their lives. Hence, Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) left behind a treasure-trove of eminently-sensible, behavioural principles and practical guidance in the form of the Holy Qur’an and the sacred traditions of Holy Practices for the Muslims to hold on for all times. If only people follow the teachings of God in the way in which they are expected to be followed: it would benefit the believers in their individual and social lives, and would also profit them in the world to come, Insha Allah.

When Prophets leave this world, their spiritual successors are elected by the assembly of the Pious to carry on and establish the heavy tasks of Faith in all its divine sanctity and purity. And then comes a time in the life of the community- especially when error and deviance impact people’s lives in profoundly negative ways- when Allah (swt) in His infinite wisdom raises His Elect in the community to repeat the cycle of spiritual renewal once again. Islamic history bear witness to this grand Divine principle and established practice. After the death of the Holy Prophet (sa), the Muslim Ummah witnessed the presence of righteous Caliphs in the early days, and also, in later centuries, the advent of a series of Mujaddidin who appeared to guide and rejuvenate Islam at times of difficult fortunes for the Ummah. In our own times, to renew the original teachings of the Prophet (sa), Allah (swt) has raised a Muhyiuddin, a Khalifatullah, a Mujaddid, a Mahdi, a Dhul Qarnayn in our midst. Indeed, with all the aforesaid spiritual titles and more, the Divine Manifestation in the person of Hazrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (aba) of Mauritius is here to revive and restore sublime Faith in the Prophetic Path as an enduring, living, thriving Highway to God. It is by recognizing and following such pure servants of God that believers can cling to the Rope of Allah in this era, and access felicity and progress in both the worlds. 

The Virtues of the 'Sunnah'

  

All the paths that lead to God are closed except to the one who follows the way of Muhammad (pbuh). These words should be written in luminous golden letters in the night of every part of the world, to enlighten the hearts of those who believe in a Creator. 

All the prophets (as) have taught the same truths, since Adam (as), the first prophet on earth. They are taught faith in God the Unique, Who does not beget and was not begotten, the existence of angels, of paradise and hell, the Last Judgement, obedience to the prophet, etc. 

The beliefs have remained the same through the ages, only the rites of worship have changed and evolved according to the time and the prophet. But with the proclamation of Muhammad (pbuh) as the seal of all prophets, the ritual teaching of all previous prophets (as) is abrogated. The only teaching now recognized and accepted by God is that of His prophet Muhammad (pbuh), any other way being condemned forever.