بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

Friday Sermon

 

HADHRAT AMIR’UL MUMINEEN MUHYI-UD-DIN

 

Munir Ahmad Azim

 

02 May 2014

(02 Rajab 1435 AH)

 

Summary of Friday Sermon – In the Open,

In one of the Islands of the Maldives

 

After having greeted the brothers and sisters in Maldives (and also round the world) with the Salutations of Peace, the Messenger of Allah, Muhyi-ud-Din & Khalifatullah (atba) read the Tashahhud, Ta’uz and Surah Al Fatiha and then said:

 

A question that currently arises is: if all religions were in fact founded by messengers from God, then why is there any difference in their teaching? Can the same God send down different teachings?

 

This question is answered by Islam alone, and this, too, is a distinctive feature of this religion. Islam holds that there are two basic causes of differences between various religions. First, that varying conditions had needed varying dictates and rules, and the All-Knowing and All-Wise God had provided guidance for different ages, regions and peoples in accordance with their respective needs.

 

Secondly, the contents of various faiths faded and wilted under the vicissitudes of time, hence they were not preserved in their original form. In some cases, the followers themselves introduced innovations and variations to suit changing needs, and the originally revealed books continued to be interpolated for this purpose. Obviously, such adulteration of divine message ultimately mandated fresh guidance from the original source. As God has said in the Holy Quran: “They pervert the words from their proper places and have a good part of what with which they exhorted”.

 

If we examine the history of differences between various faiths in the light of the principles enunciated by the Quran, we find that the differences tend to diminish as we reach nearer the source itself. For instance, if we limit the comparison of Christianity and Islam only to the life of Jesus and the four books of the Bible, then there will appear only very minor differences between the basic teachings of the Bible and the Quran.

 

But, as we travel further down the road of time, the chasm of these differences becomes wider and wider, till it becomes totally unbridgeable, and all because of human endeavours to revise that which was originally revealed. The history of other faiths also reveals the same basic reality, and we find strong corroboration of the Quranic view, that the direction of human changes and revisions of the divine message has always been from the worship of one God to that of several, and from reality to fiction, from humanity to deification of human beings. The Holy Quran tells us that the surest way to distinguish a true religion, despite its subsequent mutilation, is to examine its origin. If the origin reveals the teaching of the unity of God, worship of none save the one God, and a true and genuine sympathy for all humanity, then such a religion, despite subsequent changes, must be accepted as true.

 

The founders of religions that satisfy this criterion were indeed righteous and pious beings, and true messengers deputed by God, between whom we should make no distinction and in whose truth we must believe fully. They have certain fundamental features common to all regardless of differences in time and place. Thus expounds the Holy Quran.

 

“And they were not commanded but to serve Allah being sincere to Him in obedience, and being upright, and to observe prayer, and pay the Zakaat.”

 

And that is the religion of the people of the right path. Islam not only proclaims its universal character, but also lays claim to being eternal and it then proceeds to fulfil the preconditions of such a claim. A message can be eternal only if it is complete and perfect in every aspect and also guaranteed with regard to the verity of its contents.

 

In other words its revealed books should bear divine guarantee against human revision and tampering. As I have already said, for a teaching to be eternal, it is not sufficient merely that it should be complete and perfect, but that there should also exist a guarantee for its perpetual preservation in its original form. The Holy Quran amply satisfies this fundamental requirement, and the one who sent down the Quran has proclaimed it in the clearest terms that: “We have sent down this Book and verily We shall safeguard it”.

 

In other words, God Himself will safeguard it and will never allow it to be tampered with. In accordance with divine will, there have always been hundreds of thousands of people in every age who have committed the text of the Quran to memory, and this practice continues to this day. And the principle measure of safeguarding the real import and essence of the message has been the divine practice of appointing Guides and Reformers in each century, and to prophesy the advent of a grand Reformer and Reviver in the latter age. So in this age I have come, Allah (swt) has chosen me as the Khalifatullah, Muhyiuddin etc. in this era.

 

I have been commissioned as the Spiritual Head by the Almighty Himself and under divine guidance, I am to settle differences and controversies among the followers of Islam. Thus safeguarding the true spirit of the Holy Quran.

 

My visit to Maldives is verily a historic visit. What I want to say is that emphasis must be made on cleanliness and also on Pardah. Cleanliness is half of faith. I have been very astonished to see that despite being a Muslim country, but Maldives is very untidy. There is litter everywhere. Moreover, there are many women, who observe the Pardah, who cover decently, but there are others also who do not do so. Men also should cover their heads properly for Namaz, and in all the spiritual functions, especially Jummah prayers.

 

I thank you brothers and sisters of Maldives for your good response to the divine message, and having tears in your eyes and showing humility, kindness and affection to me. May Allah help you all to take into consideration my precious advices, and may Allah (swt) bless all of you to understand my overall message. Insha-Allah, Ameen.