Text Box: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Friday Sermon HAZRAT AMIR’UL MUMINEEN MUHYI-UD-DIN Munir Ahmad Azim Made in Mayotte (Petite-Terre – Labattoir) 12 July 2013 ~ (03 Ramadan 1434 Hijri) (Summary of Friday Sermon) After having greeted all his followers and truth-seekers in Mayotte, and addressing also the salaams to all the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam members (and all Muslims) round the world – mentioning the other nearby islands, India, Kerala, Trinidad and Tobago etc. – with the Salutations of Peace and wishing them “Ramadan Mubarak”, Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din (atba) read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and then said: O my brothers and sisters of Mayotte, I am very happy to be here and to spend a few days in the month of Ramadan with you. Allah be praised for the grace He has given us to make us meet after so many years of separation, and I would also like to extend my sincere greetings to the new truth seekers who as soon as they heard of the coming of the Khalifatullah of this era, they came forward to testify to this truth. May Allah open your way to salvation and give you the Tawfiq to remain faithful to His Divine Manifestation in this century, Insha-Allah, Ameen. Alhamdulillah, today for the Friday sermon, the subject of fasting is important, like why Allah has made it obligatory and the philosophy behind this commandment. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ۝ “Yaaa-ayyu-hallaziina aamanuu kutibaa alay-kumus Siyaamu kamaa kutiba alallaziina min-qablikum la-alla-kum tatta-quun.” O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous. (2: 184) What is there in fasting that Allah (The Most High) has made it mandatory through time? The purpose of Islam is for people to become obedient to their Creator (Rab). Humans were created as servants of Allah and worshipping Allah is part of their nature. Allah, Who throughout the year has provided man with food now wants to try (test) him to see if he can “leave aside” foods and drinks to please Allah, control his desires, and this for a month (during the day). That is why Allah has made it obligatory on all people. The human being is the “Ashraf-ul-Makhluqaat”, that is, he is the best from among all living beings, therefore, the highest ranking from among all creatures. He can distinguish right from wrong and can also control his passions. But when he lets his emotions, his desires control him, then he becomes lower than animals. In contrast, if he struggles against his passions and desires and overcome them, then he may reach the degree for which Allah has created him, making him superior to the angels. Fasting is a sign of strength of our faith. Besides fasting, all other forms of worship have movements that are visible. For example, during prayer we make several postures which are visible, such as bowing (Ruku) and prostrating (Sajda) that people can see. During the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) we make a long trip from thousands of people. In respect of the Zakaat there is a donor and a recipient. So these are acts of worship that we cannot hide. But fasting is an exception to this rule because it is an act of worship which only Almighty Allah and the faster know. So if someone take the meals before and after fasting (that is, Suhur and Iftar respectively) with others and then secretly eat during the day, then no one but Allah will know. But reality shows us that the faster will not eat or drink even in secret because he fasts for the cause of Allah and it is a sign of faith. That faith in God gives him the strength to stand against hunger and thirst during the day and in addition to stay away from every evil action with the aim of preserving his fast. In fact disobedience to Almighty Allah and sins, is forbidden to Muslims, whatever the moment and whatever the amount (of it which man commits). But during Ramadan, these evil deeds become more reprehensible. Let us see the greatness and importance of fasting through the words of our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him). 1. Hazrat Sahl ibn Sa’d (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Paradise has eight gates. Among these gates, there is one called Ar-Rayaan. It is through this door that Allah will let fasters enter paradise and when these fasters have entered the door shall be closed.” (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi). 2. Hazrat Abu Huraira (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “For every good deed which a person does, he gets ten to seven hundred rewards except for fasting, for which Allah says: “Fasting is observed for Me (My sake) and it is I who shall give reward for it.” For the fasting person there are two moments of joys: the first, when he breaks the fast and the second when he meets his Creator (that is, in prayer). The smell from the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk.” (Bukhari, Muslim, Mishkat). Fasting is not a burden for a believer, but must be seen as an institution of discipline where man (human being) gains power over his passions, learn to control or dominate his desires, and at the same seize the opportunity to dominate the accursed Satan. If he could do without the things normally permitted during the fast, so why does he not make effort to avoid prohibited actions; this is the purpose of fasting which Allah has imposed upon us. In addition, fasting prevents the person from speaking ill of someone behind his back, lying, saying bad words or from doing blameworthy actions. In addition, when we feel hunger and thirst during fasting, we are aware of the difficulties faced by the poor, those who do not get anything to eat and drink. This should encourage us to do more charity and help the needy more often. Hazrat Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said that if someone fasts but does not avoid saying bad words, Allah will not take him into consideration although this person have deprived himself of food and drink. (Bukhari, Muslim). In fact, disobedience to Allah (The Most High) and sins, whatever the amount, is forbidden to Muslims, whatever the moment. But during Ramadan, these deeds become more serious, more reprehensible in the sight of Allah. Hazrat Abu Sa’id (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever observes a day of fasting for the cause of Allah, Allah will take him away from hell by a distance of seventy years.” (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi). Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said that Fasting and the Holy Quran will intercede for a servant (of Allah). Fasting will say: ‘I prevented him from food and from the sexual act during the day, so accept my intercession for him’ and the Holy Quran will say: ‘I prevented him from sleeping at night, so accept my intercession for him’ and Allah by His mercy will accept the intercession of these two speakers. (Mishkat). Hazrat Abu Huraira (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “When Ramadan begins, (all) the gates of Paradise are opened and (all) the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” (Bukhari, Muslim, Mishkat). The meaning of this Hadith that “(all) the gates of Paradise are opened” means that Allah sends His blessings in abundance; good deeds and prayers (invocations) of fasters are presented before Allah without exception and are fulfilled. Thus fasters still get the opportunity to accomplish more good deeds and invocations. The meaning of “(all) the gates of Hell are closed” means that the desires that drive people to make sins are monitored and controlled. “The devils are chained” means that the path of evil thought is closed. The mission of Satan is to put people in the wrong way. Since Satan is chained during Ramadan, then why do people continue to commit sins? There are two categories of demons, as mentioned in the Quran (114: 7) 1. The demons that are among the jinn. 2. The demons that are among humans. The first category is chained but the second class is free and affects humans. A Saint once found a demon sitting comfortably and carefree and thus he asked, “You are the devil, is it not your job to sow discord among men, making them take the wrong path and make forget the adoration of their Lord?” Thereupon the devil says, “You spoke the truth but whatever work I should do, humans are doing it for me! So I am able to relax without worry because man took my place (is doing my job).” Oh Muslim brothers and sisters, we must take advantage of this blessed month of Ramadan which we have obtained (from Allah). Every second that passes during the day or night, we need to understand its value and maximise it. We must strive as much as possible to stay far from the wrath of Allah and make it our duty to stay away from sins and also to prevent others from committing these sins, Insha-Allah, Ameen! At the end, before I conclude (this sermon), I am very pleased to tell you all my brothers and sisters that nobody can prevent the decree of Allah from happening, in spite of the bad-mouthing which the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association has made against me, through their so-called Mullah and Amir who came for Jalsa Salana here at the time when the missionary Said Attoumane was still here. But all their plans went up in smoke, and it’s unfortunate that today we find that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association has no centre here, the latter being closed. Those who formed part of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya were left without a Jamaat and our opponents here in Mayotte seized this opportunity to make a lot of criticism. And some brothers told me how the Foondi have humiliated them when the Ahmadiyya centre was closed by a Mullah who had supposedly studied at Jamiah. But by the grace of Allah, you are neither an orphan of a Jamaat, nor did you become Christians. If today I am with you in this month of Ramadan, it is by divine instruction, an instruction from my Rab (Lord). I am here since 6 July to rectify all situation and this time I did not come as a Jamaat missionary, but as a Messenger of Allah and to establish the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in Mayotte and by the grace of Allah, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam was officially registered in Mayotte and published in the Official Journal by the grace of Allah because Allah helps His humble servant to go ahead in his mission here in Mayotte and Insha-Allah, all over the world too, until my last breath. So this is a historic day for the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Mayotte, when the Khalifatullah of this era is doing the first Friday sermon (Khutba Jumu’ah) of the month of Ramadan here in Mayotte, in Petite-Terre and after Salat-ul-Asr, Insha-Allah, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam shall put for the first time the foundation stone for its first mosque (masjid). And I know that the land is far from here, where we will lay the foundation stone for the first Masjid in Mayotte, but I know that despite Ramadan, you will all be present on the land for this historic event and today I see the joy on the face of each of the brothers, sisters and children with my presence here, and Insha-Allah we will organise several programs. And as for the critics with all their plans and the havoc they promoted, what did they get out of this? They dug a hole for us and it is they who verily fell into this hole. Insha-Allah, we will return to this subject in our next programmes. May Allah make you all Mubarak here in Mayotte and may Allah give you the Tawfiq to remain attached come what may, with Allah and the Messenger whom He has chosen to send to you in this century. We have the duty to protect Islam and make it shine in the four corners of the world, Insha-Allah, Ameen. Ramadan Mubarak!