بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

Friday Sermon

 

HAZRAT AMIR’UL MOMENEEN MUHYI-UD-DIN

AL KHALIFATULLAH

 

Munir Ahmad Azim

 

31 December 2010

 

(24 Muharram 1432 Hijri)

 

(Summary of Friday Sermon)

 

After having greeted everybody with the Salutations of Peace, the Messiah (Massih’ullah) read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and then he said:

 

By the grace of Allah, today is the 31 December 2010, and the year 2010 is ending in about 11hrs, but unfortunately there would be lots of festivities, amusement and wastage.

 

If we are truly humans, each of us, starting with the ministers and deputies, parliamentary members and government and private sector officers and all other people, before doing so much wastage of money and food, let us look around us and care for the needy people, those who do not have a morsel of food to put in their mouth. Let us remind us that there are many poor countries where there are poor people who are deprived of food and where children are going through all kinds of misery. Instead of wasting money in vain things, if all people together would have made contributed these money meant to be spent in firecrackers and vain merriment on New Year Eve and in alcoholic drinks, this would have helped these poor people and would be considered a good deed in the eyes of Allah (God) and therefore we would in return be rewarded for it. Also, whenever a danger or a calamity menaces our country, then Allah shall save us from this danger which can be destructive for us, without us realising it.

 

This good deed, which will save us from such calamities, will become a shield for us against divine punishment. I have come to give good advice to humanity, especially the Muslims, without forgetting the Ahmadi Muslims, to remind you all not to waste the money which Allah has provided you with; especially in the month of December, when employees (be it from governmental sectors or private sector) receive additional money or end of year bonuses.

 

Whenever Muslims (and Ahmadi Muslims) see others buying anything that comes before them, they tend to imitate these people. In Mauritius, this is a yearly occurring, be it in times of Christmas, and New Year festivities where people spend a lot in firecrackers. Among all wastages, wasting money in the buying of firecrackers is widespread. There are also people who despite having good furniture at home, but when New Year is nearing, they want to change these furniture for new ones, and to change the decorations and settings of their homes. Moreover, they suddenly are in need of new fashionable clothes despite their exorbitant prices. All these changes to welcome the New Year! During these days, supermarkets, hypermarkets, shops – all are invaded with people completing their shopping for the New Year festivities. They of course do not forget to buy expensive bottles of alcoholic drinks and cigarettes to consider their partying worthy of welcoming the New Year.

 

Thus, people take extra precaution to well prepare themselves for the end of year festivities. Ponder over this O Muslim believers (and Ahmadi Muslims), for us New Year Eve (spending time in lighting firecrackers, having fun, eat and drink) is not like for the Laila-tul-Qadr (where we believers spend our time in worship). It is on the Night of Decree that Allah makes the angels come down with our annual destiny.  Thus, we must beware for it is not the welcoming of the New Year which shall bring us the mercy of Allah, but verily it is our good deeds which shall bring it to us on earth.

 

For end of year festivities, there are also hazard games which are present everywhere to tempt you with the receipt of massive amount of cash; thus beware falling in such traps! Do not let you be tempted by these hazard games especially nowadays when upon drawing lots, you can win big cash, but all this is a trap of Satan to direct you towards the fire of Hell. Be satisfied with what little you have which is licit money provided to you by Allah, for it is far more better than illicit money. Here in Mauritius (and in other parts of the world) there are lots of Muslim businessmen, traders, thus trade or do business in that which is licit for you. Do not sell firecrackers, lotteries, alcoholic drinks, music instruments, Music or film CDs. Beware of what you and your family are consuming. In these end-of-year (Gregorian year) preparations, there are lots of publicity spots in newspapers or otherwise, and unfortunately many Muslims fall prey to them, where they spend their money and end of year bonuses in forbidden expenditure.

 

Moreover, there are many Muslims (including Ahmadi Muslims) who spend lavishly during these times of festivities. Those invited in cocktails and end of year parties do not hesitate to buy expensive clothes, and go to make them smart through professional services, without looking at the high prices involved.

 

There are some people who even book hotels in advance for dinners and to celebrate New Year Eve and they do not hesitate to spend exorbitant sums of money to merry. Burning money in firecrackers is one of the examples of wastage which brings shame and which is forbidden by Allah.

 

Allah has shown us the seriousness of such acts in the Holy Quran. In Chapter 17 Verse 27 and 28 He says:

 

“And give to the kinsman his due, and to the poor and the wayfarer, and squander not your wealth extravagantly. Verily, the extravagant are brothers of satans, and Satan is ungrateful to his Lord.”

 

This makes me recall that when the fourth caliph of the Ahmadiyya Movement came to Mauritius in 1993, in December, everywhere in the big families (of the so-called defenders of Ahmadiyya) there were great diners and on 31 December, at the place of one of these so-called defenders only people like him were invited for a great diner and it is unfortunate to say that the diner finish late in the night – though I was not among them – but I was present as chauffeur (driver) and when I was leaving the place, I witnessed how these people were celebrating and how the fourth caliph himself all smiles was participating in lighting firecrackers along with them, without him as a spiritual leader forbidding them to do such things. On the contrary he encouraged them for these people were the great rich families of the Ahmadiyya Movement; they were not ordinary Ahmadi Muslims. Thousands of money had been spent in such amusement without the fourth caliph or his private secretary or officers stopping them and thus that day, upon leaving, I deeply felt the materialisation of the degradation of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya.

 

When someone believes in the revelation that his brother is receiving, that itself (for them – these people) is false and according to them, they must do everything in their power to remove him from their way and boycott him, but Allah says about these so-called defenders of Islam, of Ahmadiyya: “Verily, the extravagant are brothers of satans”; these are the words of Allah, not me, and yet these people are still in the Ahmadiyya Movement, and there is no boycott, no sanction against them, no removing them from the administration of the Jamaat, and now today Allah the Almighty has done His justice on this matter.

 

Do not think that the houses of Ahmadi Muslims are devoid of Christmas trees. It is unfortunate to see that many Muslims and also some Ahmadi Muslim families indulge in celebrating Christmas and New Year like the infidels. There are many of them (Muslims and Ahmadi Muslims) who say that Christmas is a festival for the children and many justify their words, although they say not celebrating Christmas, by giving away gifts to children to make them happy on this occasion. Upon doing that, are they pleasing Allah? Is it not imitating the infidels?

 

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: “The one to invite a people, he shall be among them.” (Abu Dawud)

 

It is sad to see that there are Muslim families who put Christmas trees in their homes and they make their children believe in the existence of Santa Claus, and that the latter will bring gifts for them. Take the time to ponder over this. Don’t our children have a Muslim identity? Will Muslims always imitate others, non-Muslims? On the contrary, it should have been the non-Muslims to follow the Muslims’ good examples. Muslim parents should have explained to their kids that they are Muslims and that Allah has given them only two festivals. Whenever we celebrate Eid, do the infidels imitate us? Therefore, why imitate them?

 

As a good Muslim, when others are partying in end of year festivities, you should instead be praying, meditating on the greatness of Allah, and read the Holy Quran, with translation and commentary. When the infidels lights firecrackers at midnight, you along with you family should be preparing yourselves to perform the Tahajjud prayers with lots of invocations and supplications to Allah. Do not be negligent about it lest Allah be angry with you.

 

Before ending this last sermon for the year 2010, I make an appeal to my brothers, sisters and children, let us make great efforts to make us pure and to remain far away from sins and disobedience (to Allah). Let us maintain our identity as Muslims, and do not make a mix of traditions with others (mixing our Muslim traditions with that of non-believers).

 

Allah told the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to tell the infidels of Mecca: “To you your religion, and to me my religion.”

 

Christmas and New Year celebrations are not found in Islam; thus do not let all these tempt you to imitate what others are doing. Our true and real life is found in the next world; it is there (paradise) that the believers shall merry eternally.

 

May Allah give us the capacity to understand all this and may He guide us on the right path (always). Insha-Allah. Ameen.

 

Announcement: Members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam are invited tonight after prayer for a special programme in the Mosque where the appraisal of events and calamities will be presented for the year 2010 (January to December). All that has happened, be it negative or positive, be it at national, world or Jamaat level will be detailed like Allah revealed to me. Insha-Allah, we shall end the programme with supplications, attributes of Allah, and Tahajjud prayers. If our other brothers and sisters are interested to follow the programme by phone, they are to inform us so that the appropriate arrangements can be made, especially with the difficulty of moving at night at these odds hours and with the end of year festivities. May Allah protect you all from the harm of satan. Ameen.