Keep Away from 'Shirk'

  

True Oaths in Islam 

And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way. [Al-Baqarah, 2: 187]

Islam teaches man to address his Creator directly. There is no need to use any intermediary. There is no need to go through creatures to join the Creator. It is on earth that man uses this means to reach another person like him. For example, to join a Minister, you have to make an appointment with his secretary and then later you join him [i.e. the Minister].

 

This is the way [of doing] of man. But talking with Allah is so easy that you just have to call on Him, and He will answer your call. If someone offers a sacrifice (e.g. an ox, a hen etc.) to others besides Allah, he is committing Shirk. He has no right to say: “I am doing this sacrifice on the name of such Pir or such Saint.” It’s Shirk.

A ‘Bow’ to Adam

 

‘When We told the angels, ‘Bow down before Adam,’ they all bowed.’ (2:35)

In the Islamic spiritual realm, Hazrat Adam is the first Khalifatullah; the human who was taught the true values of life and elevated by God Himself as the perfect exemplar of his people. Like Adam, the prophets who followed him in history, and all other Elects of God are the embodiment of Divine vicegerency; a serious responsibility to ascertain divine will and strive to imbibe divine attributes; sent in this world  to be the guiding lights for humanity in every era. Indeed, Allah (swt) raises an Adam, His Khalifatullah, in every era. As the Qur’an notes, ‘Allah chooses whom He pleases (for exclusive nearness) in His presence, and shows the path to come towards Himself to everyone who turns (towards Allah) heartily.’  (42:14) 

These exemplary servants of God are the teachers of mankind; they are the carriers of the Divine Light of justice, compassion and love for fellow human beings and all other creatures in this world. As the trustee of the Divine mission on earth, such a saintly figure is worthy of the respect, esteem, affection, assistance, submission and obedience of their fellow beings. When such a servant of God appears, it is likely that devoted hearts will bend down before him in veneration, and offer their respects and offerings to him.  At one level, it is this conceptual principle that the aforesaid Qur’anic verse in Surah Al Baqarah embodies within it.

 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, we are pleased to bring to the attention of everyone a sublime sign heralding the special spiritual status of the Khalifatullah of this era. On Monday, 18 April 2022, in the North of Mauritius in the afternoon, a Great Divine Sign unveiled on the person of Allah's Messenger, the Khalifatullah of this era, Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din Munir A. Azim (aba).

 

Describing the incident/ the event of the great Sign, Hazrat Tayyeba Shaheeda Aliah Nasrine writes:

 

‘While he was walking on the main road, suddenly a man came and cried out, addressing Huzur as: ‘JAI JAI GURU DEV, JAI JAI GURU DEV. His cry attracted other people, who in turn also cried out JAI JAI GURU DEV, and they all fell down in prostration before Huzur.

They cried out: ‘GURU DEV KI... JAI!’

Ramadan & Fasting- 2

  

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). (Al-Baqara 2: 184)

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, we have entered the blessed month of Ramadan, and today I continue the second part of my Friday sermon that I started last Friday.

 

Hadith: Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “Fasting is a protection and a powerful fortress.” (Ahmad, Baihaqi).

 

As I have mentioned last week, the month of Ramadan is a month wherein a Mumin (believer) must make a lot of sacrifice. The sacrifice he has to make is that he has to get up early in the morning to do the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud and take the Sehri. In my last week’s sermon I quoted this Hadith which shows the importance of Sehri. I also said that Roza [fasting] keeps us healthy. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) reported that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Keep the fast and you will stay healthy.” (Tibrani).

Ramadan & Fasting- 1

 

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). (Al-Baqara 2: 184)

 

Before I begin, I wish all my brothers and sisters in Islam, as well as my disciples across the world, a Ramadhan-ul-Mubarak -for the month of fasting is behind the door [i.e. close] - so that we let go of all our routines and focus more on Ibaadat and multiply our good deeds.

 

First of all, what is fasting (Roza)? In Quran and Hadiths the word which defines fasting is “Sawm” which means “to abstain”. In our common parlance, this means that we do not drink and eat, and abstain from sexual relations from the beginning of dawn until sunset.