Friday, May 1, 2015

Human Rights and Justice Matters

Today (1st May), some countries in the world are celebrating International Workers’ Day, or Labour Day. Whether in France, or other major countries of the world, many, including Mauritius celebrate Labour Day to commemorate the working class, to give a just impetus to the injustices they had to suffer throughout the years. This is a holiday where the mass and the superpowers also must reflect on the human side of workers, regardless of their rank in the work industry and give them all the rights they deserve. Unfortunately, it is a sad fact that despite that the rights of workers and all people are recognized, but these rights are rarely taken into consideration.

Injustice today reigns in favour of the “strong”.

Injustice, despite the fact that it is considered one of the most repulsive characters of man, continues to make havoc in every corner of the world. We witness it in our daily lives. It is no longer seen as something bad but something good! People ignore its seriousness. The situation is completely reversed. Instead of making justice govern our decisions, our reasoning and our judgment, it is injustice that has the upper hand. Even stranger, man rejoices in his unjust act without considering the grievous consequences that await him.

The injustice towards others is something the Lord of the Worlds has categorically prohibited. He even forbade it on Himself. Injustice is a major sin and manifests itself in many forms. In the world of work, the injustice of bosses, entrepreneurs, businessmen towards their employees, their workers, their servants is not a secret. How many thousands of workers are poorly paid or denied their wages or their rights while their bosses lead a life of luxury, in extreme extravagance breaking the heart of these poor people! Similarly, we witness injustice in the legal field. When a man in power accuses a weak low-ranking person, the latter is quickly judged and undergoes his sentence without defence.


Otherwise, that is to say, if a weak (powerless) person accuses a man of power, the latter ignores the law and the judgement is made in his interest. Even if he has committed a serious offense, he will always be innocent. Instead of being punished by law, he is rewarded with a promotion in his position or he will get more benefits. That said, even in the world of religion, this trend is visible and even tangible. Today, fraudsters who happen to be at the top in the religious circle steal money of the contributors be it in churches, temples and even mosques and they are often protected to preserve the image of the religious community in question. These highly hateful people who violate God’s teachings are promoted in other religious sectors to show the world that they are still “trustworthy” (Amine).

The injustice of a state over its people has become a common occurrence nowadays. Citizens decry the foul of leaders almost everywhere in the world. They are deprived of their rights and their freedom. Leaders have fun without limit; dances, parties, travel (air tickets) at the expense of the contributors etc. They drive the best cars, live in the most luxurious houses while their people (or those under their responsibility) suffer from hunger and poverty. There are billions of people in this world who receive a meagre salary (about Rs 60-100) per day and are heads of families, responsible for them. How sad!

Even in the religious realm, this is widespread. I cite my own experience. Having been a worker of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of Mauritius, it was only on the basis of divine revelation (when they came to know that I was receiving revelations from Allah) that they expelled me from the community and my work without giving me prior notice (according to the law of the country) and also without giving me my salary and my lumps sum (for the whole time I devoted as a worker). 

Is all this Islamic to trample the rights of a worker and also of a member of the community where they had the nerve to judge my faith and to send a false report to dishonour and discredit me before the caliph at that time (Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad) and the entire community.

Sometimes the injustice of a leader is manifested on a racial basis like in Burma where Muslims are deprived of their rights and their identity. They are not recognized as Burmese people. Moreover, a restriction law of two children was enacted against them, causing them to follow a method of “family planning” which is contradictory to Islam.

If Muslims are undergoing the worst martyrdom at the hands of unbelievers who deny them their human and civil rights, now even in the Muslim world, among Muslims there is a hollow that divide Muslim (spiritual) siblings and children. This is visible in Pakistan where our Ahmadi brothers, sisters and children are persecuted on a daily basis. They are forbidden to give the call to prayer and to declare themselves as Muslims. In Iraq and other neighbouring countries in the Middle East, Shiites are persecuted at the hands of the Sunni mass. 

Minorities are trampled upon because of the religious faith they profess. And most distressing in all this is that all are people who proclaim the creed of Islam: “La Ilaaha Illallah, Muhammadur Rasullullah” while they are far from understanding and putting into practice that same sacred credo. As for the Palestinians, they were expelled from their homeland and were housed in an enclosed area on all sides, like prisoners. Furthermore, they are qualified as oppressors and tyrants by the Jews.

As for the Muslims in China, they are the target of the Buddhist regime. It even happened (a few years back) that an order was directed to young Muslims of northwestern Xinjiang province not to fast during the holy month of Ramadan. They even brought food so they can break their fast. Where are human rights in all this?

As for the worst injustices, they are practiced by the big countries, called superpowers. The leaders of these countries do what they want with the weak. They invade their countries, monopolize their wealth, kill innocent people, attack women, separate children from their mothers, bombard cities, industries, and sow war among the inhabitants, and light the flame of enmity between Muslims. They do all this on the pretext to make peace, to eradicate terrorism etc.

Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

“And these are the towns we destroyed when they committed iniquities and We set an appointed time for their destruction.” (18: 60)

“Such is the extent of the seizure of your Lord when He seizes the towns while they are unjust. His punishment is painful, severe.” (11: 103)

Today we see how God is bringing a destruction of land and people, not because He is unjust but only as a repercussion of the acts of people and as a lesson to the world. The free will that God has given people is such that they are to be judged, rewarded or punished according to the deeds they do and the intentions they have.

With the arrival of a Messenger of Allah, we find that there are a lot of things that happen, whether it be at national and international level. And by grace, Allah has already revealed to this humble self about the calamities that shall hit the world.

Just recently we have sadly witnessed through the media the fatalities that resulted in the aftermath of the earthquake of magnitude 7.8 that seized Nepal and Delhi too. To date, more than 8,000 people have died and the figures does not end there. There is the assumption that more than 10,000 have died in Nepal as a result of this earthquake.

In Italy, there has been the sinking of a boat of migrants. 800 people died. Between 19 March and 17 April 2015, the death toll in Yemen in consequences of the civil war is 944 dead and 3487 wounded – military and civilian. In South Africa, the xenophobic violence remains latent.

At national level, for example, after the Ramgoolam (ex Prime Minister of Mauritius) case, with his vaults and money laundering charges, eventually this also resulted in the arrest in Italy of an agent of the Labour Party and close collaborator of Ramgoolam, Nandanee Soornack.

There is also the BAI-BRAMER case. 

Personally, I see this (the BAI-BRAMER case) as a political vendetta. We must not forget that some 4000 to 5000 employees and their families may suffer from this. This Government is in no position to qualify the BAI case as a Ponzi Scheme. I wonder if the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance really understand what a Ponzi Scheme really is.

A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent financial structure of remunerating client investments primarily through funds provided by other clients. For example, you invest Rs. 1 million in an institution that promises 15% monthly interest. Each month you get your 15% interest. Except that the institution pays you with money invested by another client, who gets his interests of another client funds and so on.

In the case of the BAI-BRAMER, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in collaboration with the Bank of Mauritius has taken a decision to revoke their banking license. This action was carried out through a representation in accordance with Article 17 (3) of the Banking Act. Under this provision of the Banking Act, when the license of a bank is revoked by the regulator, the said bank must appeal the decision within seven days. And the Bank of Mauritius has fourteen days to make its decision. If it maintains its decision to revoke the banking license, it should circulate this information in the “Government Gazette” and publish a notice in three different newspapers.

The way the government is dealing things have important consequences. It is an economic crime. This is a well-orchestrated strategy. It is a government revenge on the BAI and BRAMER case. They wanted to finish the BAI and BRAMER because there are Muslims who are involved in these two companies, and the big boss is none other than a Muslim, Dawood Rawat.

They want to end the BAI and BRAMER BANK and establish a national commercial bank. What money shall be injected into the new bank? That of the government? I also wonder why the Prime Minister and Ramesh Basant Roi did not react this time like they did for the MCB-NPF case (Mauritius Commercial Bank - National Pension Fund) when both of them occupied the same posts at the time. So I repeat that the BAI-BRAMER case is a political vendetta. There is also the Betamax case.

The question can be asked: where is the Equal Opportunity in all this? This is just a hollow slogan. We cannot really distinguish how ministers are working for the people. There are too many doubtful schemes.

Briefly, I can tell you that Allah continues to reveal to me about the various calamities that shall hit the world - National (Mauritius) and International. I must tell you that the world will go through great suffering with other impending earthquakes in several countries, with flood causing thousands of deaths. There will also plane crashes, even more wars and bombings. The world does not care that Allah is sending them messages. Fraud, corruption will do more damage. Immorality is widespread. Revenge and wish for demanding accounts will be everywhere, and the wild grass of jealousy shall grow so fast that families, religions and the global community will be trapped by it. Instead of peace and harmony, there shall be disunity, hatred and anguish that shall be rampant.


Justice is thus certainly precious. Justice is a symbol of Islam. We must fight so that justice reigns in our life, in our family, our society, our religion (Islam), in our country and the world. We must not keep silent in the face of injustice. On the contrary we must follow the teaching of our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) when he says:

“The biggest struggle is to say a truthful word before an unjust ruler.” (Tirmidhi).

Certainly injustice leads to the ruin of civilization. Allah grants victory to a State that respects justice even if it is not an Islamic one but does not grant victory to the State which practices oppression even if it is an Islamic one.

Let every tyrant and oppressor make a good reflection on his acts and put an end to his injustice before it is too late for him. Let him not underestimate the oppressed, who is weak in front of him because he has such “a strong card” in his hand, if he plays that against his oppressor, this shall certainly be the end of his reign: Three people whose invocations are not rejected: the fasting person until he breaks his fast, the just ruler and the oppressed whose invocations Allah raises above the clouds, opens for him the door of heaven, and says, “By My power, I certainly will come to your aid, even if it is later.” (Tirmidhi).


So be careful and obey the messages that God gives you through this humble one. Turn to the only God, the Unique God. Cleanse your hearts to make it reflect the oneness of God, and recall Allah by making such Zikr like Allahu Akbar” and Laa Ilaaha Illallah”; such Zikr that are not only on the lips. Remove all small idols which monopolize your hearts and which prevent Laa Ilaaha Illallah from filling your hearts. May Allah bless you and make you understand the message today. Insha-Allah. Ameen.

- Friday Sermon of 01 May 2015 ~ (07 Rajab 1436 Hijri) delivered by the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius