بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

Friday Sermon

 

Hazrat Amir’ul Momeneen Muhyi-Ud-Din

Al Khalifatullah

 

Munir Ahmad Azim

 

18 September 2009

 

 

JUMMAH-UL-WIDA

(RAMADHAN)

 

(Summary of Friday Sermon)

 

 

After having greeted everybody with the Salutations of Peace, the Khalifatullah read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and then he read the following verse of the Holy Quran (a continuation of the last sermon):

 

 

Allah the Possessor of Glory and Majesty has said:

 

 

“The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by their Lord’s leave, to carry out every command. Peaceful it is until the advent of the dawn.” (97:5-6)

 

The descent of the angels and the Holy Spirit is witnessed also when a Messenger of Allah appears and calls out people to the worship of Allah. These angels and the Holy Spirit are made to descend upon the heart and soul of this Messenger to feed him with the spiritual food from the Heavens; such a food that he has to distribute to his surroundings, that is, his immediate followers and humanity at large.

 

These angels also descend upon the soul of the believers as a brilliant light, reassuring them of their truthful stance by adhering to the truth of divine revelations. These special people are made to feel the light which these angels radiate.

 

Moreover, the Messenger of Allah, chosen for the purpose of reuniting mankind under one banner: “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”, gets to receive divine revelations which are a constant truth throughout his life. The angels’ radiant light becomes the core essence of his being; the angels’ light is reflected through his face, his character, his stand, and speech. This special light from Allah, carried forward by the Holy Spirit and the angels of revelations is the essence of his existence, for it is through this light which pervades him that he gets to share the divine messages to the people. The angels act as a harbinger of good news for the Messenger of Allah, and assure him of their devotion to him as per the will of Allah. These angels of revelation become sincere soldiers of mercy in the army of the Messenger of Allah. They act as per his command through the command of Allah Who directs them to obey His Messenger. They are a source of joy, for when revelation descends upon His Chosen one, Allah manifests Himself as such and declares that He (Allah) is ever present with His Messenger to guide him in his noble work, assisted by the angels and the sincere followers of that Messenger.

 

In this era, Allah has sent this humble one as His Messenger, as the Reviver of Faith and His Vicegerent. Frankly speaking, the life itself of a Messenger of Allah, and the period of time he is made to stay in this world to preach the message of Allah is itself a “Laila tul Qadr”.

 

The “Laila tul Qadr” that a believer may strive to obtain in an ordinary month of Ramadan is not at all like the “Laila tul Qadr” which a believer receives in the month of Ramadan in the presence of a Messenger of Allah. The sacrifice spent to propagate the message of Allah, the keen interest of the believer to please Allah and His Messenger, and to obey Allah and His Messenger, then this bring about a positive transformation in the life of the believer. He gets to benefit from the blessings of fasting, of every single sacrifice which he has to do in the month of Ramadan. His life becomes completely one with the life of the Messenger of Allah, whereby he accepts to sacrifice his time for religious work and dedicates his life to promote the greatness of Islam and its founder, the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

 

Such a time in history happened centuries ago, when our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent unto this earth in Arabia to preach his message. The every single sincere companion who took the oath of allegiance at his hands hoped and died in Islam. This was the true “Laila tul Qadr” of their lives, for they witnessed the arrival of the most prominent Messenger of Allah, the Most Noble Prophet, the beloved of my heart, the King of the pious and humble Muhammad (peace be upon him).

 

He came to teach us each and every aspect of Islam, the reflection of his own life. During the month of Ramadan, he used to teach the believers such supplications and prayers so that Allah may have mercy upon them all, and admit them in His grace and love, and open for them the gate of “Ar-Rayaan”; the gate through which the devoted fasting believers will enter paradise.

 

Hadith: Narrated By Abu Salama bin Abdur-Rahman: “I asked Abu Said Al-Khudri, “Did you hear Allah’s Apostle talking about the Night of Qadr?” He replied in the affirmative and said, “Once we were in Itikaf with Allah’s Apostle in the middle ten days of (Ramadan) and we came out of it in the morning of the twentieth, and Allah’s Apostle- delivered a sermon on the 20th (of Ramadan) and said, ‘I was informed (of the date) of the Night of Qadr (in my dream) but had forgotten it. So, look for it in the odd nights of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. I saw myself prostrating in mud and water on that night (as a sign of the Night of Qadr). So, whoever had been in Itikaf with Allah’s Apostle should return for it.’ The people returned to the mosque (for Itikaf). There was no trace of clouds in the sky. But all of a sudden a cloud came and it rained. Then the prayer was established (they stood for the prayer) and Allah’s Apostle prostrated in mud and water and I saw mud over the forehead and the nose of the Prophet.”

 

Allah promised goodness for the one who fasts only for His pleasure, to seek Him alone as his recompense. In these days, the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gladly sacrificed everything for the sake of Allah and His Prophet, the Blessed One. The days of Ramadan were for them an opportunity anew to strive to obtain the forgiveness and mercy of Allah all the more, to purify them and attain their goal, that is, Allah.

 

Hadiths: Narrated By Aisha: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers.

 

Hazrat Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) stated: “I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), “If I find Laila tul Qadr then what should I do?” He (peace be upon him) said: “Recite this duah: “Allahumma innaka A’fuwwun tohib’bul afwa fa’afu anni” (O Allah, you are the Most Forgiving, and One who loves forgiving, therefore forgive me) (Tirmidhi)

 

The Mother of the Faithful, Aisha further reported that every year till the time of his death, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) used to go into retreat into the mosque during these ten days and nights of Ramadan, and the same practice was executed by his wives both during the life of the Holy Prophet and after his demise. The retreat “Itikaf” starts after the morning prayers on the twentieth of Ramadan. It is permissible for a person observing this seclusion to go out of the mosque for Friday prayers or for personal hygienic needs, but he must at all costs remain within the limits prescribed by Islam, and try to benefit from these days and nights through prayers, supplications and meditation in the hope of witnessing the signs of Allah in the one blessed night worth a thousand months.

 

As for the one who gets to witness the advent of a Messenger of Allah, and is blessed by his presence, his “Laila tul Qadr” is on-going, if he is sincere and obedient to Allah and his Messenger. Allah shall bless him with such signs and favours as he had never witnessed before. His life becomes a treasure, an example for the future generations, just as the lives of the companions are pure examples of piety and sacrifice for us today.

 

O my people and O those who are thirsty of the truth of the on-going blessing of the “Night of Decree” of this era, think no further, and rush to the fountain of love and mercy which Allah has sent for you, so that you may be made to drink from its waters to purify your selves and feel the light of Allah penetrate you as a boon of life, both in this world and the next.

 

May Allah shower upon you His immense blessings, and may make you witness further true dreams and visions, pure revelations which come from Allah as a sign of His presence among us and His helping hand lifting us spiritually in the Heavens through His goodwill and love. May Allah be always my Help in conveying to you His true and lasting message to help you improve yourselves further as true soldiers of Allah and His Messenger of this era. May Allah grace you with His forgiveness and insight and make you blessed whenever you may be, along with this humble divine messenger in this era. Ameen.