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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Friday Sermon
HADHRAT AMIR’UL MUMINEEN MUHYI-UD-DIN
Munir Ahmad Azim
(02 Dhul-Qaddah 1435 Hijri)
(Summary of Friday Sermon)
After having greeted all his followers (and all Muslims) round the world – mentioning Reunion Island and the other nearby islands, India, Kerala, Trinidad and Tobago etc. – with the Salutations of Peace, Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din (atba) read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and then said:
By the grace of Allah I continue today on the explanations of the verses of the Surah Al-Fatiha which I started last Friday.
The meaning of Surah Al-Fatiha (Verses 6 & 7):
“Ihdinas Siratal Mustaqim” means: Guide us to the straight path, the path of Islam (total submission to the will of Allah), the path of Iman (faith), the path of Ihsan (where we worship Allah as if we see Him and if we cannot accede to that level then at least we realize that He sees us), the path of Taqwa (piety) as we strive to accomplish and be present in all that which Allah has commanded us to do and absent in what Allah has forbidden us to do with our mind, eyes, ears, mouth, feet, hands and every part of our body.
Allah teaches us to ask Him such a path so that we may be among those who are successful in this world and the next. And if, by the grace of God, someone comes occasionally from Him to show us the right path and guide us, and he happens to possess by God’s grace knowledge of the unknown, how do we call him if not by the title of prophet of God?
Calling him a Muhaddath would be contrary to the dictionary meaning given to the word tahdith, word that forms the root of the word Muhaddath. Tahdith does not mean revelation of the unknown. On the contrary the word Nabuwwat has such meaning. The word Nabi is common to Arabic and Hebrew, and it is derived from the word Naba which means being endowed with divine revelation and the power of prophecy. To become an apostle of God it is not always necessary to be His Messenger or bearer of a new law coming from Him: One just needs to know the secrets of the unknown. One must remember that the followers of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) were promised all the favours that were previously granted to the prophets and Siddiqs (those who serve their prophets with unfailing dedication like Abu Bakr served the Holy Prophet (pbuh)) – favours that consist of gifts of prophecy and prediction and which distinguish the prophets (elevating their rank). Apart from the prophets and apostles the Holy Quran denies the gift of knowledge of the unknown to all, like Allah says in the following verse: “He does not reveal His secrets of the unknown to anyone except the one He has chosen as His Messenger.” (72: 27)
Thus, to have such knowledge, one must be a prophet. The next verse of Surah Al-Fatiha confirms this.
“Siraatwal-lazinaa an am’ta alayhim Ghayril Magzuubi alayhim walaz zwalii” means: The path of those whom You have bestowed favours (favours – the Prophets and Messengers of God); not (the path) of those who incurred Your anger and who have gone astray (that is, those who have turned their backs to those favours, to those Prophets and Messengers).
So in the same sense of the verse, it comes to: “Grant us the favours that You have given to others ...” and this is ample testimony to the fact that the followers of the Holy Prophet were not denied such knowledge, knowledge which requires that one attains the status of prophet and apostle in complete submission to the spiritual guidance of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), and we come to the inevitable conclusion that to acquire such a favour one must be a perfect double, a Zill (reflection) of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and to merge completely in him.
When Allah (swt) gave me divine revelations and raised me with a Jamaat, how can I refuse to be called Messenger and Prophet of God, and especially when it is Allah (swt) Himself who nominated me? Who am I to refuse such titles, and how can I be afraid of anyone against God?
It is only in the sense that I am not an independent prophet or a holder of a new divine law that I refuse to be called Nabi or prophet. But certainly I am a prophet in the sense that I have benefited spiritually from the help of my Noble and Grand Master and I have acquired in His name in heaven the knowledge of the secrets of the unknown.
I repeat again that I have neither brought nor introduced any new legislation, and I’ve never refused to be called a prophet except in the sense that I’ve just given (that is to say, holder of a law). Besides, as I have said, God Himself called me a Prophet and Messenger, so I do not see why I shall not hold these titles. I am a Prophet and Messenger of Allah just like the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) was also prophet and messenger.
“I am not a prophet, and have not come with any Law” means that I am not a prophet holder of a new Law. But we must not forget the important fact that, although I was called a prophet, I have not received these spiritual benefits independently and without assistance from anyone. No, there exists such a holy personage in the heavens, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) through whose spiritual patronage God has given me all these spiritual favours. It is through him, after I have completely lost my being in his (and making efforts to continue to do so), and after that I was raised by Allah as a Muhyi-ud-Din, a Khalifatullah and received the gift of knowledge of the unseen/unknown, that is why my status does not in the least ruffled the apostolic status of the seal of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).
I got to this position because I could reflect in my being all the virtues (and I continue to strive to do so) of the Holy Prophet and losing myself in his love. Allah (swt) called me Khalifatullah (His Caliph/ Caliph of Allah) and Muhyi-ud-Din (Reviver of Religion) in my revelations, as this does not decrease and derogate in the least the greatness and dignity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the Seal of the Prophets. It is clear that the objection of my opponents against the advent of a prophet after the Holy Prophet who, they say, shall break the seal of the prophets is unfounded. I assert that there is nothing in that statement of mine which may seem derogatory to the status of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) as the Seal of the Prophets.
So my mission is not in the least against the mission of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). The shadow is inseparable from the substance is in an allegorical sense to make you understand this well. Each substance, person or creation of Allah has a shadow, and this shadow is inseparable from him. Yet we cannot say that the shadow is that person. Likewise, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) shall remain the seal of the prophets, and like a shadow following its master, the prophets from within his Ummah shall always remain attached to him, and they shall not be able to become independent prophets. Those who accuse me of claiming anything other than what I have just said is a liar and a troublemaker. I am the Khalifatullah, Muhyi-ud-Din of this century and it is Allah (swt) who has given me such titles, not men. My own personality has nothing to do with it; my soul, nay, my whole being is permeated with love for Allah (swt), His Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and His Messiah of the last century Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as).
I end here to say that my opponents will remain ignorant and wicked if they continue to accuse me of lying. May Allah open their hearts after hearing several of my Friday sermons and speeches on the subject. Insha-Allah.
And to conclude for today on the very special subject which the Surah Al-Fatiha represents, it holds the secret of the coming of the prophets, as it is a call to God the Almighty to continue sending His prophets for the safeguard of the human soul, to keep it on the path of faith and divine bliss. Without the prophets of Allah, man lets himself go adrift and falls under the influence of satanic effects, and certainly the coming of prophets is crucial in the Muhammadan Ummah and this till the Last Day (Judgement Day) for the call contained and recited from the Surah Al-Fatiha Allah assures man that Allah certainly hears his call and shall always return him to the right path (if he recognises that Allah has heard his prayers). May Allah open your eyes in this world so that you may benefit from the presence of the Prophet of Allah sent for you today to guide you to your Creator, your true happiness. Insha-Allah, Ameen. |
