|
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Friday Sermon
HAZRAT KHALIFATULLAH AL-MASSIH AL-MA’OUD
Munir Ahmad Azim
(29 Dhul-Hijjah 1432 Hijri)
(Summary of Friday Sermon)
After having greeted the members (and all Muslims round the world) with the Salutations of Peace, the Messiah (Massih’ullah) read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and he said:
فَانكِحُواْ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاء مَثْنَى وَثُلاَثَ وَرُبَاعَ
… Fan-kihuu maa taaba lakum-minan-nisaaa-‘imasnaa wa sulaasa wa rubaa
…Marry those that please you of women, two or three or four. (An-Nisa 4: 4)
Before coming to the core subject of this Friday Sermon, let me explain to you in brief in what context this Friday Sermon is being done today on Polygamy. I was supposed to expound on another subject today, but at the last minute Allah (Glory be to Him) made me understand that I have to base my Friday Sermon today on polygamy, and it may be that this sermon shall continue in the coming weeks, Insha-Allah.
I so happened that recently some non-Muslims have made a debate on this subject with some of our Muslim brothers (Ayub Jhageer, Irsaad Rasmally, Imran Joytee and Ibne Talib Emamdee). That debate went on for several weeks and these non-Muslims criticised Islam a lot on this subject of polygamy. At the last minute these brothers went to seek the help of some Mullahs but the latter failed to represent Islam and polygamy in a positive light. They have instead stayed clear of the subject (not defending it as it should have been defended). Therefore two of these brothers phoned me, and explained these problems, specifying the critics these disbelievers made on the subject of polygamy. Therefore, they put before me some of the questions so that they may reply these non-Muslims, and I gave them the needed replies. These Muslim brothers tried to give these answers or replies to the non-Muslims, but unfortunately for these people, they have seen how their arguments have been rendered invalid, and how we have got the upper hand over them, over their critics which they made on Islam. And finally, our Muslim brothers requested me to come forward against these disbelievers in a debate. I told them to give me few days because I have to seek guidance from Allah (Glory be to Him) and if Allah through divine revelations gives me a positive reply, therefore I shall definitely come forward in this debate whereby all the other religions and also the other Muslims also shall be present to assist this public debate.
After some days of seeking divine guidance, Allah (Glory be to Him) gave me the following revelation before Salat-ul-Tahajjud (in French): “Your Lord gives you the permission to defend these dirty critics on Islam; therefore O My servant, go and defend Islam, the perfect religion which Your Lord has perfected.”
Therefore after the Tahajjud and Fajr prayers, I phoned these Muslim brothers to explain them the situation, how Allah (Glory be to Him) has given me the permission (to defend Islam on this subject vis-à-vis the opponents) and to inform these people (the opponents of Islam) and those who have been criticising Islam on the subject of polygamy. Therefore, all the Non-Muslims opponents (after being informed about the acceptation to enter into the debate) completely refused to come forward, and this time I was able to obtain their mobile numbers, and I phoned them (all those who were supposed to come forward for the debate). With the way they were criticising Islam (and polygamy), with their ugly words, this could have started a great dispute. When I phoned them – and I went to met two among them – they had negative reactions and they refused categorically to come forward for the public debate on polygamy (after they have been floored previously with the arguments given to them through the Muslim brothers).
After some days, I was seeking divine guidance how to refute them and at the same time to make this message benefit humanity as a whole so that the Muslims may individually understand this subject (as it should be understood). Therefore, my Creator gave me the following revelation: “O Khalifatullah, you are the representative of Allah; Allah is with you. Centre your Friday Sermons on this subject whereby most people can read them and also through the audio in Creole, most of them shall Insha-Allah listen (to them).” It is for this reason that I am elaborating on this subject in the sermon today.
And I can say that in the history of Mauritius, from among all Jamaats, it is perhaps the first time this subject is being expounded in a Friday Sermon, on a minbar (pulpit), the day of Jumu’ah. And it is highly possible that they shall be some people who shall not be satisfied (with this sermon) and shall perhaps heap on critics, but I must foremost fear my Creator instead of man, for it is my Creator who gave me the permission to defend those attacks which these people (the opponents of Islam) are doing on Islam, and the subject of polygamy, and all that I shall say shall be pronounced in the light of the Holy Quran and Hadiths, and it shall not be against the Shariah. There shall not be lies in that which I shall say! I shall not invite towards any dirt and those who lies and criticise what Allah has mentioned in His Book (the Quran), it is them who should be ashamed (of their behaviour and thoughts). This commandment found in the Quran, is something which Allah has deemed it as important to enclose and expound in His Book (the Quran), and it is something which the best of people to have walked on the surface of the earth (that is, the prophets of Allah) have put into practice, such a thing is not to be considered a matter of shame or hesitation if one has the means and capacities by the grace of Allah to put this commandment into practice. Like Allah made us understand in the Holy Quran, it is with obedience that the Muslim men must conform to this commandment of Allah found in the Holy Quran if they have enough means and capabilities to put it into practice, and at the same time there should be the cooperation of all the Muslim families to make revive this Sunna.
But it is most unfortunate that these days this divine injunction is rejected by the majority of people who have believed (in Islam). And the one who wants to put it into practice fears his wife, or father-in-law or his family members, or it may be that he fears that people or even his wife and her family start saying that he is a vagabond, that he has many wives. This is a wrong thought (a wrong perception of polygamy) on a Muslim man, whereby people consider him a vagabond if he contracts more than one Nikah. If a Muslim man has two, three or four wives, he is subject to all sorts of talks; he gets to hears bad and ugly words against him, but these people do not ponder over the fact that this is in fact an instruction issued by Allah to the prophets and also the pious male Muslim believers. It is not something which has been invented by man! If you are a Muslim, if you believe in Allah’s words and the Sunna of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), Muslims (and others) should have welcomed this divine permission favourably, and (on the lips) not just to accept a part of the divine commandments and rejecting another part therefrom, and at the same time criticising such instructions, (but one has to accept all commandments)! It is a divine instruction that Allah (Glory be to Him) has revealed in His Sacred Book (the Holy Quran) and which has been put into practice by His Prophet (peace be upon him) and the other prophets (upon them be peace). There should neither have been any critics, nor see this instruction in a bad light (that is, they should have taken it in a good way). If one is against such instructions, he or she has committed a grievous sin and on the other hand, this kind of negative reaction encourages disbelievers to come forward with ugly critics on Allah’s religion (Islam), and the first culprit shall be you (the one who has negative thinking on such an instruction of Allah), and he or she shall be accountable for such deeds and thoughts before Allah.
But it is a fact that it is foremost Muslim women who are against such divine instruction. If their husbands marry other women or their husbands have the intention to contract another wedding (Nikah), women look upon this instruction in a critical way, and harbour all kind of wrong thoughts on their husbands in their heads. It can be that their husbands have been models husbands for long years of marriage but due to the fact that he has suddenly decided to implement this command of Allah, and he goes to perform another Nikah – whereby he is not committing any adultery in the eyes of Allah, but on the contrary going through a clean or pure channel in the eyes of his Creator, and that he is not contracting new marriages with the intent for sexual pleasures or as a vice, and to do it with the intention of protecting and saving the honour of a woman or unmarried girl from all kinds of wrong paths, temptations in this world etc. – therefore these (first) wives harbour evil thoughts on husbands when they should not have done so.
One knows well that when a lady does not have a husband as guardian over her, when she is not married or has become a widow or divorcee, how difficult and complicated a situation she must have to face. That is why Allah has included this commandment in the Holy Quran. Adultery is a grievous sin in the eyes of Allah and its punishment is very severe. If a man fears his wife or his (and her) families, and he commits adultery, this is more grievous in the eyes of Allah. Allah does not want that His believing servants commit adultery; He has therefore given men permission to contract several marriages, up to four from among women who please them (4: 4).
Allah (Glory be to Him) has condemned adultery, but has encouraged His male servants to marry up to four wives according to their means and capabilities. If you cannot treat them equally, then it is preferable to marry only one wife. Therefore, when it is Allah who has rendered this (permission to marry up to four wives) legal, and it is Allah who has created the female species with all her caprices and jealousy, this does not mean that in this law there is an injustice against women, because this right has been given by Allah to men only – reserved only to the believing men and not women.
On the contrary, a woman whose heart is filled with faith in Allah (Glory be to Him), and has conviction in the Justice of Allah, this woman is forced to accept this commandment with love and certitude that “If my Creator has legalise such a thing, there should be therefore be much good and benefit in it for the human race.” A woman must not consider only her own self; that she is married and is in a good position (of security etc.) whereas not considering the afflictions of her peers (her sisters in religion) who are suffering. On the contrary, a good pious lady should be worried for her sisters in Islam. Polygamy could resolve many such problems if men had implemented such Sunna, and this practice could have restrict you (Muslim men) from committing such sins like adultery, gambling, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcoholic drinks etc. And this injunction would have been a great relief for the widows, divorcees and spinsters whereby they would have been secured in marriage and they would have got tranquillity of mind and peace without getting to hear inappropriate words from the mouths of sisters-in-laws, brothers and the other family members. This would have been also a means for the husband to control his budget, whereby this money would have been spend sensibly and not in vain and useless things and places which are detested by Allah (Glory be to Him).
The other non-Muslim religions are saying that our religion encourages marriage only once, and to only one woman. I am not targeting everybody, but this (polygamy and the instruction promoting it) is a reality. How many men are there who are committing adultery outside (the institution of marriage), who are finishing their money in alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, gambling where wives and children undergo harsh times and get beaten with the husbands (and such fathers) when they are drunk? Is this (what) the divine religion (preaches)? Are these the teachings of the prophets (upon them be peace) before the advent of Islam? Or was it a fact that they had more than one wife? They are those prophets whom you are taking as gods today; but had they not given great examples whereby they married more than one wife?
If a Muslim lady believer opposes polygamy which Allah (Glory be to Him) has revealed in His sacred book (the Holy Quran), then definitely this lady is in fact opposing the words of Allah (Glory be to Him) and this is grievous, (and she must fear) lest Allah, the all-powerful snatches from her all the favours He bestowed upon her. If a woman shows disgust for polygamy, it shows her showing disgust for Islam, and this is a manifestation of Kufr (infidelity) from her part. Thus, a woman must think hard before pronouncing a word against the (this) commandment of Allah, lest she finds herself outside the pale of Islam. In certain cases, when a man is planning a second or third marriage, his wife go to complain with others by giving the impression that she is the most miserable of creature on earth! She does not think over the benefit of that marriage for the truly miserable, who through this marriage can come out of their misery! Moreover, in other cases, the woman makes her brothers menace their brother-in-law or she makes her big sons raise hands on their father!
By the grace of Allah, there are sisters who make every effort to put into practice the teachings of Islam; they must encourage their husbands to contract marriages with those women or girls who are in deep distress, problems and difficulties. Sisters (in Islam) nowadays should have shown the difference between them and those ladies who have never known the teachings of Islam in their lives; therefore what is the use of learning the teachings of Islam and knowing the value of the religion of Islam in all its aspects? Why is it that when your husband contract a second marriage, you revolt on the streets as the worst of creatures in the time of ignorance? On one hand you humiliate your husband and on the other hand you humiliate Islam before your (Muslims’) opponents.
A woman must not forget that love for the ladies is a thing which Allah has instituted in men. If Allah (Glory be to Him) had not instilled that in men, then would He have laid down this commandment in the Quran, for a man to marry, two, three or four women? Therefore, it is natural that a man can follow this divine injunction and put it into practice. He must be attracted to only those ladies or spinsters who have not yet a husband.
According to the teachings of Islam, an already married man, if ever he is interested in contracting another marriage, he has the right to do it and he can make his proposal; there is nothing blameable in this matter, for the love of women is something which exists in men.
“O people! Fear your Lord, Who created you from a single being and created therefrom its spouse, and from both of them spread many men and women; and fear Allah, in Whose name you ask one another, and (fear Him concerning) the ties of relationship. Verily, Allah is ever watching over you.” (4: 2)
“And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reflect.” (30: 22)
I end this first part of the Friday Sermon on polygamy here. Insha-Allah, may Allah (Glory be to Him) give me the courage, opportunity and knowledge to continue the second part of this sermon, and I must say that I have not yet begin refuting our opponents (of Islam) in this sermon on their questions. Allah (Glory be to Him) knows best for how many weeks these sermons shall take. May Allah (Glory be to Him) open the heart of each Muslim, man and woman with His Light so that all of us may understand well this sermon; with a positive mind, and not with negative and revolutionary thoughts. Insha-Allah, Ameen. |