'Laila-tul-Qadr': The Night of Decree

  

For today’s Friday Sermon, the penultimate Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, the theme I have chosen is on the Laila-tul-Qadr, as well as the Duah that our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has taught us on this occasion.

He taught this Duah to his wife Aisha (ra) so that she and the entire Ummah could take advantage of this illustrious night in divine forgiveness, and thus imitate him in the accomplishment of this great Duah. The Duah is as follows: “Allahumma Innaka Afuwwun tuhibbul afwa fa’ fu anni.” The translation of this Duah is as follows: O Allah, You are Forgiving, You love to forgive, so forgive me.

 

So, let us see the words that our beloved Prophet (pbuh) used to beg forgiveness from Allah, and that according to him is the greatest Duah that one can recite during the duration of this blessed night.

The Future of Chagos

 

Against the backdrop of the 55^th national independence day of his beloved homeland, in his Friday Sermon of 10 March 2023 ~17 Shabaan 1444 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius spoke about a profound question of collective injustice and gross violation of human rights: the colonial Great Game over the Chagos Archipelago, and the arbitrary expulsion as well as the continuing forced prevention of the Chagossian people from returning to their homeland.

 

In a recent research report entitled 'That’s When the Nightmare Started’ UK and U.S. Forced Displacement of the Chagossians and Ongoing Colonial Crimes’ published by the Human Rights Watch called attention to the colonial crimes in Chagos islands and the need for reparative justice to the victims. In their Cold War rivalry with the USSR for global supremacy and military dominance in the Indian Ocean region, the United States and the United Kingdom secretly colluded to establish a naval base in the Diego Garcia and deployed inhuman machinations to dispossess an indigenous community of access to their historic land and means of livelihood through forcible expulsions. The searing injustice meted out to a hapless people by the superpowers of the day, and the continuing struggle of the people to justice and fairness is gaining increasing international attention now. 

With the ground beneath its feet shifting, the United Kingdom is constrained to be losing out on international legitimacy in its treatment of the larger Chagos question, including the patently illegal detachment of sovereign territory from Mauritius before granting national independence in 1968. Indeed, from outright denial of any legal responsibility in the past, to be seen to be sitting at negotiating table with Mauritius now, the United Kingdom is politically affected by the eroding global support to its conduct on the question of Chagos. As the wheels of international politics turn once again, it is feared that the ruling elite in Mauritius might be tempted to cut a deal with the foreign powers for profit without due regard for the legitimate expectations and basic rights of the Chagossian people.  In this discourse, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) warns against the impulses for unjust deal-making, urging national authorities to respect the entitlements of the displaced Islanders in the spirit of solidarity and national unity.  

Diseases and Medicine

 

Cancer, Avian Flu & the Importance of Honey

Today, by the grace of Allah, I will talk to you a little about cancer, as well as honey because where modern medicine cannot do anything, traditional medicine can bring hope, and add a few extra years of life. And despite the viruses that are lurking in these times, it can help in controlling these viruses, even if it is not 100%, but it will do our body a lot of good. Insha-Allah.

  

As you may already know, cancer is a serious health problem that affects a large percentage of the world’s population. World Cancer Day, celebrated on the 4^th of February each year, remains an opportunity to raise awareness of this disease as a public health problem and to increase actions aimed at strengthening screening and access to care. Cancer is the third leading cause of death in Mauritius behind cardiovascular diseases (34.55%) and diabetes (20%).

'Observe Ramadan Properly'

 

In his Friday Sermon of 31 March 2023~ 08 Ramadan 1444 AH, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius spoke about the significance of fasting in devotional life. True observance of the spirit of fasting is God-consciousness. Great rewards of Divine approval and pleasure is attached to fasting performed with correct etiquettes of being. Believers ought to be keeping away from all impurities and evil impulses promoted by Satanic temptations. If fasting is not accompanied by refinement in personal conduct and behaviour, it has no value in the eyes of God. Hence, each of us needs to be aware of the ways and means deployed by Satan to deviate people from the path of purity, cautions Hazrat Saheb (aba).

 

With the ubiquitous reach of digital gadgets facilitating free flow of all content- good and bad; social morals and ethical values are increasingly under threat in our times. When immorality is allowed free reign in a society, it directly affects the vulnerable young population, corrupting their sense of judgement, and propriety, decency and related behavioural standards. Comprehensive action against the spread of immorality is required by all right-thinking people belonging to all communities and religions coming together for the common good, exhorts Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) in this discourse. Moreover, Hazrat Saheb (aba) also speaks about the vital role of water, illustrating the ways in which this precious resource can help us in leading a healthy life.  

Read the Friday Sermon Below: