Thursday, December 28, 2017

Jalsa Message: 'Cultivate Taqwah'

Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, Kerala (South) observed the 7th Jalsa Salana (Annual Conference) at the historic Noor'ul Islam Masjid, Mathra on December 22-23, 2017. On the occasion, our beloved Imam, Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius addressed a special message to the members of the Jamaat in this part of the world.

In his speech, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) underscores the significance of 'Taqwa' in our spiritual life. A believer always need to strive for perfect congruence between  public declarations of faith and the actual deeds on everyday life. And yet, as a fallible human being, s/he is prone to be tempted and distracted into sins by "Satan and his army". By being aware of God's laws and regulations and restrictions in the affairs of this world; and through seeking Divine forgiveness after misdeeds are committed and by adopting 'Taqwa' as the true commander of the Heart in all affairs, a believer can make a good beginning in the quest for the True Beloved, confirms Hadhrat Saheb (atba). 

Read the Special Message below: 

Race with one another towards Forgiveness from your Lord and towards a paradise the width of which spans the heavens and the earth. It has been prepared for the God-fearing; Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men; for Allah loves those who do good - and those who, when they happen to commit a shameful act or wrong themselves, remember Allah, then, seek forgiveness for their sins - and who is there to forgive sins except Allah? And who do not willfully persist in the wrong they did. For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath - an eternal dwelling: How excellent a recompense for those who work (and strive)! (Al-Imran, 3: 134-137).

My dear disciples of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam,
Assalamoualaikum Warahmatullah Wabarakaatuhu.
It is indeed a pleasure for me to address you few words on the special occasion of the 7th Jalsa Salana, Kerala - South Zone, being held at our Noor’ul Islam Masjid in Mathra.

Like I have always and consistently advised all my disciples and truth seekers worldwide, it is absolutely necessary for a true believer in Allah to conform his life with ISLAM, i.e. the true way of life, by being a true Muslim and complying to all precepts of Islam. That is why, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam should always promote the true Islam, and mould our members, my humble disciples, and those who shall one day come after me, to be true examples of Islam for their own selves and their families, but also as role models for the rest of mankind.

Therefore, it is imperative that Taqwa (fear of Allah) regulates your heart, in that which you come out strong and ever decisive in your struggle against your inner satans. Bear in mind that this struggle is never easy, but not impossible also. That is why Allah has sent one among you, a human like you to give you the message and indeed fortunate are those who are true to their covenants and who obey Allah and His Messenger (pbuh) and the Khalifatullah of this age.

A person devoid of Taqwa shall never taste the sweetness of true Iman (faith) and proximity to Allah. The Taqwa of a person is what attracts the attention of Allah on him or her, and determines His love for you all. That is why Allah and His Messenger (pbuh) have always commanded the believers to be meek of heart, to be gentle, polite and have fear of Allah, for it is that very fear which shall transform in a most exquisite love for Allah and enable the devotees of Allah to feel a special connection with Him.

Remember, Allah does not ask you to forsake the world, but what He asks you is to remember Him in every nook and corner of your existence on earth. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the most splendid example of such perfect connection between a human being and God Almighty. Whilst he was a simple human being, made of flesh and blood, he fulfilled all his worldly duties as a son, grandson, nephew, friend, companion, husband, father, grandfather, chief of believers, leader of a nation and leader of mankind etc. But during the whole time that he accomplished his duties, he did not forget his Creator, his Allah. His lips and concentration and all efforts he made were to attract the pleasure and love of Allah upon him. He was thirsty of the eternal divine love. He was filled with Taqwa, and his Taqwa became so perfect that Allah did not want to leave him alone, helpless. Though he had to go through the several trials to test his mettle so that he may become a truly perfect example for others in time of troubles and difficulties, and so that the Muslims and mankind as a whole may know what to do in such and such situations, yet it was Allah Himself Who came to his rescue every time. It is Allah Who manifested miracles to show the people how beloved and true he was as a Messenger of Allah, and God’s very own perfect example of a true and perfect human being who ought always be submissive to Him.

The gift of life is what it is: a gift, such a gift which has been bestowed to us from Allah with love. Allah loves us, and wants us to reciprocate this love. If our hearts are devoid of Taqwa, and the very notion of His existence; if our hearts are fearless and hardened in matters concerning Allah and His Religion, then our hearts would be dead. If you say that you are members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam, and disciples of the Khalifatullah of the age, then it is time for you to embark on that journey to reform yourselves, to rid yourselves of all satans so that you may experience a pure relationship with Allah, and become close to Him. Those who stick to their old unreformed way of life, such way of life which is not in favour of Islam, and which separates you from Allah, then these people are indeed most unfortunate.

Fortunate and blessed are those who break all shackles of their past “sinful” or “unislamic” or “imperfect” life and they come forward and promise themselves and promise Allah, that “come what may, I will make the necessary efforts to mould myself into the shape of true Islam, by being a true Muslim, never missing my daily rendez-vous with my Allah (i.e. Salat/ prayer) and taking care in fulfilling also all my spiritual and worldly duties in capacity as a true Muslim.”

Bear in mind, Satan is the worst enemy of man. His promises are false, his objectives are vain and spiteful. He and his army are jealous of you. If you make the efforts to break all the nets they have launched upon you to render you weak in your duties to Allah, then you need to make the first step to break that satanic net. When trust in Allah, fear for Allah and the earnest desire to please Allah and become close to Him overpower all thirst for worldly recognition, it is then that in the true sense you have become victorious. If when you look at the creations of Allah, you remember Allah, when you look at your wives or husbands and children you remember Allah and are thankful to Him, it is then that slowly but surely Allah opens for you the gates of His heart. For indeed large is Allah’s heart; His generosity and love is boundless. Those who gain access to His paradise of love shall never die. Their souls are forever alive and they do not care if the world is spiteful against them or are persecuting them or have a wrong opinion on them. They are those who have in this sense let go of the world to let the pleasure of Allah regulate their lives. They work hard for the cause of Allah, to spread the light of Allah, they fulfil their worldly and spiritual duties by being filled with Taqwa and are ever vigilant in remaining within the limits of the laws of Allah.

That, my dear disciples is what true Taqwa makes a true believer do. It changes his or her life in a wonderful way. This fear of Allah is truly an exquisite love and extremely grand respect which he or she has for Allah, and that believer does everything in his or her power to realize Allah in this very life itself before acceding to Him in the afterlife. And the best way to achieve this is prayer (Salat), supplications to Allah (duahs), remembrance of Allah (Zikrullah), reading of the Holy Quran (Tilawat-i-Quran) - with concentration and translations and meditating on its meanings - and seeking the guidance of Allah in every matter in one’s life. When you make the effort to seek Allah, to make Him take charge of your life, it is then that you have truly become His. Everything is from Allah, for Allah and returns to Him. When life and death is weighed on a scale, then life shall weighed heavier for the believer because he becomes forever alive despite the fact that one day his body of clay shall become inert but his soul shall rejoice in Allah’s love forever.

This is a lesson of love which Allah and His Khalifatullah has for you today. Cultivate Taqwa in your heart; give your heart the opportunity to feel spiritually refreshed in the love of Allah and nearness to Him. Do not deprive your heart and soul from worshipping Allah for they will die. Come to Allah, and Allah shall then never leave you. Make the necessary efforts and Allah shall embrace you, never to leave you. Keep being for Allah and you shall be reassured that such companionship with Allah shall be eternal for you, but if you let go of the thread of Islam, of Taqwa, of your belongingness to Allah, then Allah also shall depart from you. Nay, on the contrary, it is you who put the wall of separation between you and Allah. So, I advise you my dear ones, never let such a situation arise in your life when Allah feels disconnected with you. I will not say, when such a situation comes when you feel disconnected with Allah. No, I will say, never let such a situation arise in your life when Allah feels disconnected with you, because bear in mind, that it is you who need Allah and not the other way round. The more you love Allah, the more Allah shall love you back. The more you distance yourself from Allah, the more Allah shall distance Himself from you.

Bear in mind the following Hadith-e-Qudsi, where Allah says:  “I am as My servant thinks (expects) I am. I am with him when he mentions Me. If he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to Myself; and if he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly greater than it. If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.” (Sahih Bukhari)

So, I pray for all of you my disciples in Kerala and also elsewhere in the world that you make your heart and soul become a true and permanent residence for Allah. Your heart need to belong completely to Allah, and this is possible when you realize Allah in everything around you also. You need to be kind to others, help them out, be kind, loving, considerate, compassionate, and pray for them. When you see them, you pray for them, and you realize that Allah is Seeing you, and is gauging your reaction in every situation of your life. ʻSo, what am I to do in such and such situation? Allah is watching me’, and then you put your trust in Him, that it is Him your Eternal Saviour Who shall always be there for you and remove you from impossible situations. It is then that you become truly Allah’s in the real sense of the word. This is my prayer for you.

May Allah accept my prayers and make you all as well as this humble servant and messenger of His be ever close and subservient to Him and we love Him and are always loved by Him. Insha-Allah, Ameen.