بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

Friday Sermon

 

Hazrat Amir’ul Momeneen Muhyi-Ud-Din

Al Khalifatullah

 

Munir Ahmad Azim

 

11 September 2009

 

RAMADHAN MUBARAK

 

(Summary of Friday Sermon)

 

 

After having greeted everybody with the Salutations of Peace, the Khalifatullah read the Tashahhud, Taouz, Surah Al Fatiha and the Surah Al-Qadr, then Allah suddenly poured down His Revelations on His Caliph before he begins his Khutba; the revelations were in Urdu and lasted for more than 30 minutes. As the divine revelations are in another language and very long, Insha-Allah, it will be posted on the website at a later date. The following is a very brief apercu of the original Sermon delivered.

 

 

“The Night of Destiny is better than a thousand months. 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.” (97:4-6)

 

Once fasting has been established by the believer in the sacred month of Ramadan, he gets to beneficiate from its attributes in all areas: spiritual, moral and physical.

 

Allah the Almighty has classified this month in three parts: the first part being receiving the Mercy of Allah, the second part His Forgiveness, and the third part is one’s deliverance from Hellfire.

 

After having completed twenty days of fasting during this blessed month, the believer feels the deep connection between him and his Lord. He is altogether satisfied that he succeeded in fulfilling the commands of his Lord, of sacrificing many aspects of his life all for the pleasure of his Allah, his Creator. This sense of achievement is a boost for him to strive further to make the best of these remaining days when Ramadan will go away, leaving a big vacuum in his life. Like I said before, Ramadan is a month of training; such a month in which he prefers to indulge in seeking the pleasure of Allah through numerous forms of acts of worship, to seek Allah’s forgiveness and His protection against Hellfire.

 

Allah has thus divided this month in the three parts which I have mentioned earlier. When the believer has submitted himself completely to Allah, seeking His forgiveness for each and every sin or mistake he may have commit knowingly or unknowingly, then the week of forgiveness in this blessed month appeals to him for further repentance, to be sure that Allah forgives him and grants him release from the torture of guilt and loneliness. When he is spiritually reinvigorated, he gets to enjoy this bliss which he gets to be in connection with Allah. This is the case with a Messenger of Allah who, when he let go of the base attractions of this world, and attaches himself with Allah in all aspects of his life, then each day of the month of Ramadan brings to him the essence of a special day and night; especially the “Laila tul Qadr”. (Night of Decree)

 

Hadiths: Narrated by Aisha: Allah’s Apostle used to practice Itikaf (spiritual retreat) in the last ten nights of Ramadan and used to say, “Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan.”

 

Narrated By Ibn Abbas: The Prophet said, “Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan; on the night when nine or seven or five nights remain out of the last ten nights of Ramadan (i.e. 21, 23, 25, respectively).”

 

The “Laila tul Qadr” is that special night in the last ten days of Ramadan amongst all nights in this month. This night brings in its wake special signs of the grace and mercy of Allah which the righteous, pure and close to Allah perceive. These signs are revealed to them; the same signs which beforehand were invisible to their eyes and heart. These people of Allah are made to see these signs with both their physical and inner eyes, to witness the light and favours of Allah pouring down upon them either through a true dream, vision or even revelation. This night is witness to the descent of angels, including the Holy Spirit which comes down to enlighten those whom Allah has chosen to enlighten.

 

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.

 

“Allahumma innaka A’fuwwun tohib’bul afwa fa’afu anna”

(O Allah, you are the Most Forgiving, and One who loves forgiving, therefore forgive us)

 

Insha-Allah, the Khalifatullah will continue his Khutba next Friday.