Text Box: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Friday Sermon HAZRAT AMIR’UL MOMENEEN MUHYI-UD-DIN AL KHALIFATULLAH Munir Ahmad Azim 02 July 2010 (19 Rajab 1431 Hijri) (Summary of Friday Sermon) After having greeted everybody with the Salutations of Peace, the Khalifatullah read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and then he said: رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا نَخَافُ أَن يَفْرُطَ عَلَيْنَا أَوْ أَن يَطْغَى ۝ O our Lord! Surely we fear that he may hasten to do evil to us or that he may become inordinate. (Chapter 20 Verse 46) Late in the night of 27 June 2010 in Mauritius, 34 prisoners escaped from the prison of Grand River North-West, creating a buzz as to the security at the local prisons. Five prisoners were caught and harmed to excess, thus awakening as to the how of all the evading plans. It was with profound fear that two prisoners, one of whom was 31 years old phoned a radio station and voiced out the truth about their escape, uncovering the weaknesses of the prisons security systems and the supposed security guards responsible to establish fairness and justice and good treatment to the prisoners. But as the case evolved, the prisoner (for he had his cell phone with him) told the media, only one prisoner was to escape from the prison (keeping the identity secret) but as all police forces would be in a blink of an eye at his heals, it was some of the security guards themselves who forced these prisoners to escape for these people came to know too much of the illegal transactions happening in the local prison. He even said that many high-placed people were involved in these transactions, involving drugs etc. Considering the event at hand, Allah inspired me to make this sermon today so that justice in such a case may be openly voiced out by the Man of God in this era, so that truth may come manifest and the sordid state of the government officials may be exposed. In the above mentioned prayer-verse, we find such a supplication to the Creator which all believers are encouraged to pray to obtain the protection of their Creator in the face of various dangers and fear of creatures (like in the case of Prophet Musa when facing Pharaoh). But here, bearing in mind what has recently happened in Mauritius about the testimonial of one of the evading prisoners, I would stress on the appeal of any human who fears repression from the higher authorities, in occurrence the government and the police forces and who knows some of their dark secrets which if revealed, can cause those high-class people to be degraded. The fraud and corruption is at every level of the authorities. There is no denying that. This fact is reinforced by the statement of prisoners who fear for their lives for they have been forced by the authorities to do such wrong deeds which they did not want to do. Now, Mauritius is not the only country where such occurrences happen. What is present elsewhere in the world have become manifest in a small island in the Indian Ocean, reflecting the vices at world level! If we look at what Islam says about prisoners, we, Muslims are fortunate that we have such a religion that if its laws are implemented by one and all, not just by the Muslim states and countries, we would really be advanced in service and kind treatment to humans like ourselves. It may be true that prisoners’ offense can vary from stealing to killing. Nevertheless, good treatment are to be given to them, and their basic needs be cared for, without forcing them to do reprehensible deeds which is against their will. Satan is clearly an enemy for people. If prisoners are forced to do reprehensible deeds against their nature, then the burden of the act falls not on the prisoner himself but on the offender who is dressed in the garb of protector (security). In Islam, during the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), there used to be prisoners of wars. Even though prisoners were taken after war-time, Allah and His prophet have always ordered that good treatment be given to these people. One of the good treatments that were given to them was in the form of the rights to be given food and clothing. Once, a tribe took into captivity two of the Holy Prophet’s companions. The Messenger of Allah at that time also took as prisoners a man from another tribe. The captive said to the Messenger of Allah: “I am hungry; give me some food; I am thirsty; give me some water”. The Prophet told him: “Yes, you need that.” Then he exchanged him for the two men that the other tribe had taken into captivity. Another good treatment of prisoners of war is in not torturing and hitting them and not to force them to reveal the secrets of their armies. But in modern times, if we consider what has happened in Mauritius itself, in this case the prisoners have been forced to evade from their prison due to the fact that they hold with them precious information which is highly confidential and if revealed, can cause the downfall of some of the public figures. Therefore, the lives of these prisoners must be protected so that unfair treatments not be meted out to them or their lives being endangered due to the information they hold with them. Instead a profound investigation must be done so that the truth be unveiled and the real culprits (those responsible to force the prisoners to unlawful practices) be caught and punished according to law. In the times of the beginning of Islam, it was not allowed to maim the bodies of prisoners (which we see has happened in this particular case) by cutting their limbs or taking out their eyes after arresting them (and prisoners also must not harm the guards under whom they are). However, it was allowed to mutilate a non-Muslim captive if a Muslim prisoner was maim by the people of a non-Muslim one (According to the Law of Retribution – adopted by the Jews and also by the Muslims). When a person from among the Meccan chiefs was taken into captivity by the Muslims in the battle of Badr, Hazrat Umar asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to let him pull out his front teeth so that he would not be able to speak against him in public. The Messenger of Allah told him: “I won’t maim him; if I do, God will maim me, even if I am a prophet”. Thus, we notice that the prisoners of war who fell into the Muslim’s hands at the time of the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) were treated in a better way. Alas, this situation did not last long. Even though there existed such good leaders who were for the good treatment of prisoners according to the laws of Allah and His prophet, like Ali ibn Abu Talib and the Umayyad Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz etc. (only to name a few) who permitted them to obtain their basic necessities and ordered that prisoners who were related not to be separated when complains of some of the prisoners reached them. Moreover, they used to allow the Muslim prisoners (because of other offences done) to attend the prayers and the Friday Sermon if they so wished. Nevertheless there existed such bullies and stone-hearted leaders such as Yazid and Hajjaj who persecuted to the extreme their prisoners and deprived them even of the basic necessities of life, like food and clothing, and they forced these prisoners to do manual works which were beyond their capacities and kept them in dark and damp cells which attracted all sorts of pests. Nowadays such harsh treatments continue to be meted out, but in different forms and worst than ever. Muslims in other countries also who are made prisoners either though innocent or if ever they committed offences, they must be treated well; not only them but all prisoners as a whole for they are humans and thus (even if they committed offences, but that is why they are paying their sentence in prison) they must be cared for on humanity basis. Ahmadi Muslims also are regularly being made prisoners by the Pakistani Government because of their faith; if this is not pure injustice, then what is it? Prisoners must be kept only because of offence made, not because of their faith. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never forced a prisoner to accept Islam. He did invite them but never forced them. If they preferred not to accept Islam, the prophet of Allah offered them other options to obtain their freedom like ransom, or exchange of prisoners (if the enemy have Muslim prisoners with them – thus exchanging the polytheist ones in order to have back the Muslim ones). May Allah help us to understand this subject and never in one way or another ill treat others and deprive them of their basic rights, and not to condemn them on account of their faith and compulsion (to do a given act). What has happened in Mauritius merit that the Government take proper actions to safeguard the basic rights of prisoners who are innocent despite appearing as culprits. Their words must be taken into account and not be suppressed only because they are prisoners. No! Truth always finds a way to shine come what may. If people try to suppress truth and hide behind the garb of nobility and innocence, then their affair rests with Allah who shall in one way or another make them stumble to the lowest point. Their degradation shall come from where they do not expect. This warning is also for the so-called Muslims disguise in the garb of piety but who are far away from righteousness and fairness towards others; Allah is All-powerful and All-seeing. Indeed, they have to abandon their wrong attitudes and acts if they want Allah to be lenient and tolerant towards them. Glory be to Allah, the Just and Lord of the worlds. Ameen.