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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Friday Sermon
HAZRAT KHALIFATULLAH AL-MASSIH AL-MA’OUD
Munir Ahmad Azim
(11 Ramadhan 1432 Hijri)
Length of time: 2hrs
(Summary of Friday Sermon)
After having greeted everybody (mentioning: all the Muslims brothers and sisters, including all the brothers and sisters of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya, Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, be them in Mauritius, Mayotte, Comoros – whereby a terrible misfortune befell them – Kerala, Bihaar, Delhi, Trinidad & Tobago and others places and countries) with the Salutations of Peace, the Messiah (Massih’ullah) read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and he said:
Ramadan is our guest, which we receive at our place. (The Khalifatullah (atba) then personified this month so that all people may understand the value of a guest, especially the blessings of Ramadan.) When a guest comes, how do we receive him? There are even some (chief of state) from other countries who come in our country, whereby all obstacles are removed and mortars are placed everywhere so that they may care for his security, everywhere he may go; all sorts of precautions are taken for him. Now, when this (spiritual) guest, Ramadan comes; such a guest which comes from Allah the Almighty with the specific instructions for you to take care of it, now imagine how much more precautions we must take! For humans you are prepared to go to great lengths to please him, but as for the guest coming from Allah, you do not receive it with pomp?
There are some people who invite the fasters to diner etc. – good! – But all day long their time is wasted in the preparation of food, thus missing vital time which they could have devoted in Zikr, Namaz, Holy Quran reading. The women reunite to talk about others, they miss their Namaz in congregation. (The Khalifatullah (atba) does not blame all women; there are hard-working women, who at times due to fatigue feel sleepy. He does not condemn also the preparation of good food for Iftaar, but it must be so that the preparation is not time-consuming and that all acts of Ibaadat are not neglected). Sometimes when this state of affairs is manifested, people take it (preparation of good food) as rejoice – too much so! (What is more unfortunate) is that those who do not observe the fast, it is often them who are foremost to come forward during Iftaar. There is a way to break the fast, or to participate in Iftaar.
(Afterwards the Khalifatullah (atba) explained on the importance of invoking Allah in supplications just before the Iftaar because therein is a great blessing whereby Allah accepts the prayers of the fasters. Furthermore he said:-
Allah is giving you overtime, will you not then maximise it? In mundane jobs, and studies you seek overtime and tuition. You accept to pay a little more so that he (your child) may come to learn a bit more than what he learns at school, so that he may obtain good exams results. In the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), you have got the favour to maximise this overtime so that you may obtain Allah as reward. Nowadays, it has become a popular trend to have families organise Iftaari, whereby all time are unfortunately spent in food cooking to receive fasters. You get to lose vital time of Zikr, Nafl prayers etc. Allah gives you overtime (in spirituality); that is (of the explanation which the Khalifatullah (atba) mentioned) 30 minutes before breaking the fast, you pray (invoke Allah in duas, Quran reading etc.), in the morning you pray the Tahajjud before Sehri and after Fajr, you read the Holy Quran and Hadiths etc. In a nutshell, you are being well paid for your overtime (in this blessed month). Then recite the Rabbana invocations found in the Quran, the attributes of Allah, duas just before breaking the fast. Enjoy a light Iftaar whereby no excessive time has been lost in the kitchen! The ladies must maximise these precious time all the more. At the time of breaking the fast, the children also must be disciplined. Therefore, we must know how to welcome our guest, Ramadan.
Ramadan, our blessed guest is here, but have we welcomed it with a true happy heart and together as one body? Are we trying to ensure that we fulfil the duties of Ramadan (by reforming ourselves, purifying us, go to the mosque on time and doing Zikr etc.), jam division and devote ourselves to meritorious acts which shall make us earn, Insha-Allah Allah's pleasure?
(The Khalifatullah (atba) cited also the examples, that how people today see the good acts and prayer in the month of Ramadan as a burden, to such an extent that many after the Tarawih prayer would rush, in the blink of an eye, outside to light up their cigarettes! He also mentioned the fact that we should look at our brothers and sisters of other countries who are suffering, not having any food or drink. He expressed the wish that we join in prayer so that Allah forgives us for all our weaknesses. He said that he does not seek Paradise, but verily he seeks Allah, to remain with Allah always, near His throne.)
Ramadan is such a special blessing which the Muslim Ummah enjoys which no other religion before received… It is very important to emphasize that all the fasting of Ramadan is a pillar of Islam. When we start fasting on the same day, the length of fasting is the same for all, especially in a small country like Mauritius where we all await sunset to break the fast, we focus on reading the same Quran, we will do the same five daily prayers and the Tarawih prayers, and we shall seek the Night of Decree in the same last ten nights and we will enjoy together the benefits and profits that Allah the Generous shall grant us this month.
(Furthermore, the Khalifatullah (atba) explained that the Holy Quran is a perfect book, and therein is the verse that the Quran is only for the “Muttaqi”. As he puts it: “Now it is for us to analyse ourselves!” He further said that we all like to remain in the Mosque to get the “Laila-tul-Qadr” and blessings, but the greatest of “Laila-tul-Qadr” is with the advent of a Messenger of Allah on earth. We all read the Surah Al-Fatiha, to benefit from divine blessings and be protected from becoming like the Jews and Christians and when Allah does send His Chosen One, what do we see? Many divisions among brothers! each labelling his brothers as Non-Muslim or not on the right path. In a nutshell, we are not one whole body! – How we would have wished to be Abu Talha who sacrificed his hand to protect the most beautiful of Jewels (that is, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)). He preferred to have his hand mutilated than to let anything happen to the prophet of Allah. He further precise that all signs and light one may perceive, he perceives it because of his standing in the light of this “Main Electric Transformer” – he (that person) cannot say that he is that “Main” when he receives that light because of he being only getting just a light from the “bulb”. A Messenger of Allah, when he comes, he is that Main Electric Transformer, emitting light to profit the people, so that they may not be left in darkness).
But despite the fact that we have all this in common, even though we are of the same race, same culture, same religion, the Ummah (Muslim community) does not unfortunately form a whole. Of course, we do rituals with our bodies together, but our hearts are not together. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Fast when they fast, and break the fast when they break, and make the sacrifice on the day of their sacrifice.”
So in this blessed month, we must feel a greater sense of unity and of being a single Ummah due to fasting together. The well-being of people will not be complete, neither in this world nor in the hereafter, except with the ijitimaa (the whole community – collectivism), ta'aawun (mutual cooperation), and tanaasur (mutual help). Islam attaches great importance to working together.
Knowledge: Even in acquiring knowledge, the blessing was placed in the community (as one – collectivism) as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “No people gather in a house among the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquillity descends upon them, mercy envelops them, angels surround them and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him.”
See, that also Islam has taught us: to eat together! It is unfortunate that people nowadays eat separately. It is therein (in being in group) that there is the grace and blessings of Allah.
So O Muslim brothers and sisters, I make a vibrant appeal to you in this blessed month, why so many divisions, discussions, and hate amongst us? Do we not find ourselves in the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), believing in the unity of Allah, reading the same Quran, giving the same Azan, turning towards the same Qibla, and even fasting in the same blessed month, that special guest which came for us all in the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him)?
Thus, I make to you all a vibrant appeal…
(Thereafter the Khalifatullah (atba) talked about the slogan “Love for all, Hatred for none” of the Ahmadis, saying that it is the opposite which have gripped their hearts, so much so that upon their hearts there is a veil, and they cannot hear also. The Ahmadis are now turning their backs (to Allah’s words) whereas others who, long ago were like them, but now, it is them who are foremost coming forward and being enlightened by (the message of Allah). Prophets came in the past (the Khalifatullah (atba) mentioned the name of some prophets – as well as the Promised Messiah (as)) but verily Allah said in the Holy Quran, that in every city, there are the great chiefs etc. who become the enemies of these prophets. He said: “Would you tomorrow account before these people (the enemies of true faith) or before Allah?...Therefore do not say “Love for all, Hatred for None.” This slogan must not be in writing or on the lips, but not reflecting in your hearts. There is verily a hatred, and therefore the month of Ramadan has come to break all these barriers, so that every division, dispute, hatred stops.”)
Therefore, do we not find ourselves in the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), believing in the unity of Allah, reading the same Quran, giving the same Azan, turning towards the same Qibla, and even fasting in the same blessed month, the month of Ramadan? Do we not all find ourselves in the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him)? Are we all not observing the same fast and prayers? (Or it is that the Azan of an Ahmadi/Wahaabi etc. is different to the other Muslims (in other groups)? Thereafter the Khalifatullah (atba) mentioned the talks he encountered during his numerous Dawa in the North of Mauritius whereby some Mullah Mafias say, do not pray Namaz on hearing this Azan, because that Azan was given by a Wahaabi!... He also gave us food for thought by saying: But why if someone other than a Sunni Muslim has made an oath that he has seen the Ramadan or Eid Moon, then why believe him, why do we then begin Ramadan or celebrate Eid? If people were not to believe each other, would there not be all the more divisions, whereby everyday, one after the other, the different sects would have chosen to begin their own fasting period or celebrate Eid according to their own witnessing the Eid Moon – by not trusting other sources?)
.,. I (frankly) do not understand why give the order to boycott another Muslim, saying that he is Wahhabi, Ahmadi, Sunni or from another Muslim sect when we all constitutes the whole body of Islam?… or saying that he is a rebel, who does not believe in the Khalifa, despite the fact that they are being informed about what wrongs have gripped the Jamaat, whereby they are being corrected on the basis of the Holy Quran (and Hadiths) and also what the Promised Messiah (as) has said, but they say, no, he is a rebel! When these kinds of people give such instructions (to boycott), therefore it is at this point that we cease to form one whole body… Then how will these people (who are themselves creating divisions) reunite us as one true and whole body, as a Sahih al Islam – to return back to that authentic Islam!
Then why such a boycott, and creation of hatred between brothers in Islam? How long will it last like this? Is this how Islam shall triumph all over the world? With this kind of mentality?
So it was for the purpose of unity of mind and nourishing the collective brotherhood and more importantly that we all converge to one God (Allah) as a single body (not separate parts of one same body) that Allah, Exalted is He, has given us Ramadan, not just to remain without eating and drinking (each taking himself as more superior than the others, richer (etc.) when our goal for all of us is to obtain Allah as our reward. Then do you expect to get Allah like this; just by remaining without food or drink?), but also to become a true believer, to live as brothers of one religion without any division, not offending his brother of the same faith; one month where we all live in collectivism, in all daily prayers, Tarawih prayer, Iftar, Darus Quran, patience, forgiveness, and our desire to help others in difficulty and the poor etc. So let us all unite together and forget our differences of opinions and ideas. Let us work for the progress of the Muslim Ummah, a true Islam that will end up (Insha-Allah) as in the time of its spiritual birth in the bosom of Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him).
Brothers and sisters in Islam, let us live in harmony; harmony is not a slogan but a mission. Harmony does not fall from the sky like rain! This is a personal work that everyone should do; it requires an individual commitment; that is to put aside one’s own ego and not to promote our interests (there are many people who promote their own interests, like we are seeing since the beginning of the year, be it in mundane or spiritual affairs, religion, Jamaat, at country level, etc.), but to promote the religion of Allah. Then uproot weeds in the garden of our heart – Hatred, resentment, jealousy, lust for power, the feeling of superiority towards our brothers and sisters in Islam, the belief that we alone are on the right track and the others are in the wrong – but what should be cultivated instead is tolerance, compassion, kindness, patience and forgiveness, forgiving others constantly. Cultivate in yourselves the attribute of Allah of Forgiving.
Then why are you gripping fast and firm to the coat or hand of a Khalifa who is creating division? He is himself expelling people. He even said to go and create your own Jamaat, that when one (or two) goes and millions will come. Ponder over this. There are others who are gripping fast to Pirs, celebrating Urs and crying for: “Ya… (such Pir)” etc., but where is “Ya Allah”?
Then, when people start gripping the pocket or coat of other creatures, then shall there not be division? … In the month of Ramadan, you do everything for Allah, but when Ramadan is over, you perform Urs? You cry for such and such Pir? Try to understand what I am telling you.
Let us ask Allah to grant us the opportunity to help ourselves in maintaining harmony during this blessed month. He is the One Who hears and He is the only One to answer. Ramadan, an opportunity to seize for Ramadan has great value (the balance to see the weight of the value of Ramadan cannot ever be created, for its value is countless. If you lose the blessings of this month, then it will be too late. Even if afterwards you fast for 50-60 days or even doubling it to 120 days, or stay one whole year in fasting, even then it will not equal the fasts which one observes in the month of Ramadan. Therefore, learn to control yourselves, learn to control your machine, know how to maintain yourselves, and thus you shall not commit any mistakes in your life. When you shall come to know how to maintain yourselves in the month of Ramadan, likewise you shall know how to maintain yourselves for the rest 11 months to come) and is more than ever, obligatory for every believer to live this holy month in total submission to the Supreme Creator.
Therefore, all that which Allah has forbidden us to do, we do not do it. And all that which drift us away from Allah, Exalted is He, we must remain away from these kind of things. So I propose a comprehensive guide that would certainly help the Muslim to take advantage of this golden opportunity, Insha-Allah. What to avoid at all costs:
1. Avoid sleeping excessively at night as well as during the day. 2. Do not overeat during Sehri (Suhur) or the Iftaar. 3. Do not waste time in futile dialogues: at the exit of mosques, the corners of the street, near small shops etc. 4. Avoid hassles, anger and futile discussions, not to insult and not hitting (anybody). 5. Do not spend long hours watching TV to pass the time. 6. Do not waste your time in the kitchen. Do not cook more than is reasonable. Avoid the daily preparation of delicious dishes which wastes valuable time and tires women. 7. Avoid window shopping, 'shopping' everyday to fill the time, is not on the agenda of the believer who wants to get closer to Almighty Allah. 8. Do not rush the reading of the Quran to end earlier the thirty parties. Focus on quality over quantity. 9. Avoid unnecessary reading: magazines, journals etc., which bring us nothing. 10. Avoid backbiting, slander, dishonesty, deceit, lies and shameful acts which reduce the value of fasting, or at worst, nullify it. 11. Avoid family disputes that disrupt the Islamic atmosphere at home. 12. Avoid illegal locations from the Islamic perspective: such places which rub shoulders with the forbidden: music, indecency, mixed places etc.
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