Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has made these comments:

Our community is a very close knit one, deriving inspiration and guidance from our Hadi and Rehbar, who is a pivot of our deeni and dunyavi life.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Staunch follower of Syedna

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The best Hadi (or Guide) is the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws).   If you have nominated any other Hadi or Rehbar and made him a pivot of your worldly and spiritual life, then it is imperitive that he follow exactly, the Quran and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), if indeed he wills to guide you to Allah and His Mercy.  

Allah has not authorized man to choose his own Hadi and Rehbar, but has appointed our guide as Mohamed-ar-Rasool Allah (saws).  

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:  There is indeed the best model for you to follow, in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisa verse 79-80:  We have sent you (O Mohamed) as a Messenger to mankind, and Allah’s witness suffices for this. Whoever obeys the Messenger, in fact obeys Allah, and whoever turns away from him, he will be accountable for his deeds. Anyhow, we have not sent you (O Mohamed) to be a guardian over them.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 31-32:  Prophet, tell the people, "If you sincerely love Allah, follow me. Then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for He is All Forgiving, All Merciful." Also say to them, "Obey Allah and His Messenger." And if, in spite of this, they do not accept your invitation, warn them that Allah does not love those, who refuse to obey Him and His Messenger.

It has been reported by Jabir ibn Abdullah (r.a.) in an authentic narration that the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon: "The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance (hadi) is the guidance (hadi) given by me, Mohamed (saws).

If you follow any other Hadi or Rehbar blindly, without confirming from the Quran and Sunnah of the Messenger (saws), please remember that Allah states in the HolyQuran that these will not be accepted on the Day of Judgement.   Allah has revealed a syllabus in the form of the Quran for our guidance, and if we follow anything or anybody else who is not in accordance with the Quran, then this is nothing but mis-guidance.   The Hadi and Rehbar invites you to himself and his dead ancestos in the graves, whereas Allah and His Messenger (saws) invite you to the worship and invocation of the One True Lord.

There is absolutely no evidence in the Holy Quran that you have to follow any other Hadi or Rehbar, and would appreciate if you could find and send me your evidence and your proof from the Holy Quran that the Syedna is your Rehbar and your Hadi.

Your comment: Unlike the general ummah of the muslim world, we do not have to prove our faith to the muslim brethren or the world at large.

No muslim needs to prove their faith to the world.   But yes, he has been commanded by Allah in the Holy Quran to propagate the deen of Islam to the whole of mankind.   Mohamed (saws) is the Last Messenger of Allah, and there is no other Messenger coming after him till the Day of Judgement.   Thus Allah has ordained this duty and amaanah(trust) of propagating the deen of Islam to all of mankind on the Muslim Ummah at large.

Allah says in the Holy Quran: Chapter 16, Surah An-Nahl Ayat 125:  Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition and argue with people in the best manner. Your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Way and who is Rightly guided.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Al-Mu’minun verse 52:  And this ‘Ummah’ of yours is one ‘Ummah’, and I (Allah) am your Lord, so fear Me alone!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 72-73:  We (Allah) offered this 'amaanah' (trust) to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they all refused to bear it, and were afraid it. But man undertook to bear this trust. Indeed, he is unjust and ignorant! The inevitable result of bearing the burden of the trust is that Allah should punish the hypocrite men and women, and the mushrik (one who invokes others with Allah) men and women, and accept the repentance of the believing men and women. Allah is indeed Forgiving and Merciful.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imran verse 85: And whoever adopts any other than this way of Islam, that way shall not be accepted from him and in the Hereafter, he shall be among the losers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imran verse 19: Indeed, Islam in the ONLY right way of life in the sight of Allah.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 110: You (muslims) are the best community which has been raised for the guidance of mankind. You enjoin what is right, and forbid what is evil and you all believe in Allah Alone.

Your comment: We believe with conviction, as we are the people, who testify in the 'iman-ul-Gaib' in its true pristine self,in the Holy Quran, in the Prophets and Ahlul Bait (S.A.) the Doat-ul- Mutlaqeen because of the benign presence of our beloved Aqa Moula (TUS)and his hidayaats.

You may believe with conviction in anything, but to be a true believer in Islam, one must believe with conviction only in what is ordained by Allah in the Holy Quran, and follow the traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws).   If anybody upholds these two tenets of Islam, then they are guiding you to the Straight Path.   If anybody is guiding partly from the Quran and partly from his own intelligence, then it is nothing but misguidance.

My beloved brother in Islam, please note that there is absolutely no evidence from the Holy Quran that one must believe in the 'imam-ul-ghaib', or the 'duat mutlaqeen' as an article of faith.

The articles of faith are clearly mentioned by Allah in the Holy Quran in Surah Baqarah:  1. To believe in Allah Subhanah in the unseen, 2.  To believe in all the Messengers of Allah, 3.  To believe in the angels, 4.  To believe in all the revealed books of Allah, 5.  To believe in the concept of the Hereafter, and 6.  To believe in the Divine Destiny (Qadr).

Anything you testify, without evidence from the Holy Quran,  is again,  nothing but misguidance.    It could be anything,  but I assure you from the Holy Quran,  it is not Islam.

Your comment: However, with the advent of internet, the knowledge frontiers have expanded. With minimum effort, a mere 'click of the mouse' a person can have in his grasp, a vast treasure trove of knowledge, depending upon his aptitude and interest. While studying about the growing influence of Islam is US ( every fifth person in this world is a muslim) I came across several interesting articles. As Islam is facing stiff challenges from the deeply entrenched zionist and catholic lobbies in the materialistic charged western world, some articles, make interesting reading, as they confront the challenges. In the context, that Qurtan is a revelation from Allah to Mohammed (S.A.) and openly challenges the non-believers with words : 'Do they not consider the Quran? Had it been from any other than Allah, they would surely have found much discrepancy' From the time of Mohammed (S.A.) to the present day encompassing more than 14 centuries, countless have tried but in vain. In the light of the above I narrate below the following fact. Abu Lahab the paternal uncle of Mohammed (S.A.) was his arch enemy, so much so that Allah revealed a sura 'tabatyada Abi Lahab' (6th sura in order of revelation)

Abu Lahab is the paternal uncle of Mohamed (saws), and was indeed one of his arch enemies.   Allah did reveal the 111th Surah of the Holy Quran, namely Surah Al-Lahab.   But it is incorrect that this Surah was the 6th Surah to be revealed in order of Revelation.  The more accurate time of the Revelation of this Surah is during the Boycott of 'Shab Abi-Taalib' by the pagans of Makkah, which started in the beginning in the month of Muharram in the Seventh Year after the appointment of Prophethood, until the 10th Year.   Abu Lahab was the only person from the Bani Hashim, who forsook his clan and sided with the pagans of Makkah and was instrumental in enforcing this boycott because of his enemity to the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Your comment: Abu Lahab lived for many years after the Sura was revealed. Many mushrekeen embraced Islam by merely reciting the 'sahada', some out of true conviction, some to buy peace, some for worldly gains.  In order to make a mockery of the revelation, and prove his point, Abu Lahab could have easily entered the fold of Islam, by lip servicing the 'sahada' as countless had done. He could have easily embraced Islam and then made mockery of the revelation, which states that Abu Lahab is of jhannam and his wife is the fire carrier. (A finite statement - that he will never ever embrace Islam, as both Abu Lahab and his wife died mushrik, carrying with them the burden of their evil deeds)

Again, it is absolutely untrue that many mushrekeen embraced Islam by merely reciting the 'shahaadah', some out of true conviction, some to buy peace, and some for worldly gains, in the first 10 years after the appointment of Mohamed (saws) as the Prophet.  The only people who became muslims during this period, were the ones who took the 'shahaadah' with conviction, simply because they had nothing to gain and everything to loose in this period of 10 years in Makkah.   Anybody who became a muslim was prosecuted, ridiculed, beaten, punished and boycotted by the mushrekeen of Makkah.   This 10 year period, and especially the last three years when the 'shab Abi Taalib' boycott was enforced, any muslim who had taken shahaadah for worldly gains, would have definitely fled the fold of Islam, but not even one did!!!   This was such a trying time for the Muslims in Makkah.   All the people who became muslims in this first period of 10 years before the migration to Medina, took the shahaadah only because they believed in the Message of Allah and His Messenger (saws).   They had absolutley no worldly gains to gain, as they were the ones who were being severely prosecuted by the pagan of Makkah.  Allah himself honors the people who proclaimed Islam in this period in the Holy Quran.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 59 Surah Hashr verse 8, in appreciation of the early companions of the Holy Prophet who migrated for Islam: They (the companions who migrated from Makkah to Medina) seek Allah’s bounty and His goodwill, and are ever ready to succour Allah and His Messenger. They indeed are the truthful.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 100:  Allah was well pleased with those Muhajirs and Ansaar who were the first to respond to the invitation of the Faith, and with those also, who followed them in their righteous conduct, and they too, were well pleased with Allah. Allah has got ready for them Gardens, underneath which, canals flow, and they will abide therein for ever. This is the Greatest Success.

Thus it is absolutely incorrect in light of the Holy Quran, that there were among the people who first embraced Islam had any other motive other than the Pleasure of Allah Subhanah, and this Allah has Himself verified their status in the Holy Quran!   But yes, in Medina, when the muslims came to power, then some people, who had malice and the greed of the world entered Islam, and were termed 'munafiq' (hyprocrites) in the Holy Quran.   Now the muslims had power, and wealth, and these hypocrites embraced Islam to gain some wordly advantages and/or gain peace....  This disease of hypocrisy started only after the Migration of the Prophet (saws) and the believers to Medina.

Your comment: This is just one of the many instances sited by the muslims against the zionist and catholic arguments. As stated by me earlier, we do not require arguments and proofs to nourish and fortify our belief, the hidayaat of our beloved Aqua Moula (TUS) and his benign presence is all encompassing in itself.

One of the attributes of Allah is that He Alone is the 'Al Wasi' or the All Encompassing!   Please note that believing that any person has the same attributes as Allah, is 'shirk'!  

The Syedna is no more than a human being himself, who was created by none other than the One Creator Who created everything that exists in this Universe.   He Alone deserves that you bow down to Him in worship and invocation.   He Alone deserves to be feared and revered.   He Alone gives life to everything, He Alone will ordain death, and He Alone will give life again and gather all mankind on the Day of Judgment!  Thus He Alone deserves our worship and our invocation.   We bear witness that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, worthy of worship and invocation, except the One Lord Allah Alone!  

The truth is that you have taken blindly whatever your Aaqa Moula gives you, without ever referring to the Glorious Quran.   You say you do not require arguements and proofs, and that is precisely what the Bohra leadership has done.  They have guided you away from the guidance of the Holy Quran, because you never demanded any proof or evidence for your set of beliefs from the Holy Quran.   Instead of guiding you towards the invocation of the One Lord Alone, you invoke the graves of your aaqa moula's ancestors and think that they can hear you, answer your prayers, and help you from their graves!    Allah Alone is the All Hearing, and He Alone can answer your prayers and your supplications!    

Having worshipped Allah, with all these intercessors and 'shofa'a' as the middlemen, is not having worshipped Allah at all!!!   This is precisely what the Quran condemns as the single largest sin in Islam; a sin that Allah has promised Himself in the Quran that He will not forgive; a sin, the committer of which who dies in that state, Allah has made Paradise forbidden for him, and made Hell is eternal abode!   And the Bohras are involved in nothing but manifest 'shirk' and they are deluded to believe that they are the true believers.   Yes, they are true believers in the Syedna and his family of cronies, rather than Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Allah says in the Quran: Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa Verse 48:  Shirk (associating other deities with Allah) is the only sin that Allah does not forgive, and He forgives, whomsoever He pleases, sins other than this, for whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commits the most heinous sin.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 72:  Whoever commits ‘shirk’ (invoking anything with Allah), Allah shall forbid for him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode. And for such wrong doers there will be no one to help.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 46 Surah Ahqaf verses 4-6: Prophet, say to them, "Have you ever seen them with open eyes those whom you invoke instead of Allah? Show me what they have created in the earth? Or have they any share in the creation and control of the heavens? Bring me a Book revealed before this, or produce some remnant of knowledge in support of your beliefs if you are truthful." And who could be further astray than the one who invokes, instead of Allah, those who cannot answer him till the Day of Resurrection. Nay, they are even UNAWARE THAT THEY ARE BEING INVOKED. And when all mankind shall be gathered together (on the Day of Qiyamah), they (the so called leaders and intercessors) will become enemies of those who invoked them and they will DISOWN THEIR WORSHIP!!!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Fusselat verse 37: Do not do ‘sajdah’ to the sun and the moon, but do ‘sajdah’ to that Allah, Who Created them, if you really are indeed His worshippers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 77: Oyou who believe, do ‘rukoo’ and ‘sajdah’ to Allah Alone, worship Allah Alone, and do righteous deeds. It may be that you attain true success.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verse 2-3:  So worship Allah Alone, making your religion His exclusively. Beware! Religion is the exclusive Right of Allah. As for those who have taken other ‘auliyas’ (guardians) with Allah (and justify their this conduct by saying): "We serve them only that they may bring us closer to Allah." Allah will surely judge between them concerning all that in which they differ. Allah does not show guidance to any liar and denier of the Truth.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraf verse 190-196:They associate with Allah partners who do not create anything, but are themselves created! Who cannot help them nor have the power to help themselves! If you invite them to follow the Right Way, they will not follow you! It will be all the same for you whether you call them or keep silent. Those whom you invoke with Allah are MERE SERVANTS OF ALLAH LIKE YOU! Just invoke them, and if what you say of them be true, they will answer your prayers! Have they feet that they should walk with them? Or have they hands that they should hold with them? Or have they eyes that they should see with them? Or have they ears that they should hear with them? Tell them, O Mohammed, "Call up the partners you have set up, and then all of you sit down together and plot against me, and give me no respite. My Protector and Helper is Allah, Who has sent down this Book (Al Quran), and, it is He who protects the righteous people."

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 20-21:  All the other beings, whom the people invoke with Allah, create nothing! Nay, they are themselves created. They are DEAD, not living, and they do not at all know themselves when they shall again be raised to life!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 71-72:  They worship besides Allah those for whom Allah has sent down NO AUTHORITY! Nor they themselves have any knowledge about them. Such transgressors have no helper! And when our CLEAR REVELATIONS are recited to them, you perceive signs of disdain on the faces of the disbelievers, as though they were going to ASSUALT those who recite our Revelations to them!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 66-68:  On the Day their faces are rolled about on the Fire, they will say, "Would that we had obeyed Allah and His Messenger!" And they will say, "O our Lord, we obeyed our CHIEFS and our GREAT MEN, and they led us astray from the Right Path. O our Lord, give them a double chastisment and curse them severely".

Your comment: However, reading of such articles illuminates our mind and enhances our knowledge.

The source of all knowledge is the Holy Quran.  Just imagine how much that can illuminate your mind and enhance your knowledge!   The Glorious Quran is the very words of our Lord and Creator, Allah Subhanah, and He has sent this Book for our guidance.   Do you not think that we should read it at least once in our lifetime with understanding?   What will we reply to our Creator on the Day of Judgment, when He asks us; "Do you receive my Message?",  "Did you understand my Message?",  "Did you follow my Message?".   And some of us will say, we received it, but and we read the Quran in Arabic day and night but did not understand the Message, thus we did not follow the commandments.   But yes, we follows our Aaqa Moula with conviction and he promised us day and night that he was guiding us from the Quran and towards Your Mercy, O Allah!    And if Allah asks you,  "did I appoint the aaqa moula, or did you make him a leader amongst yourselves!   Did i tell you to follow anybody or anything else, other than My Messengers and Prophets?".

There is not an iota of evidence in the Holy Quran that any body has to be followed, except the Messenger of Allah (saws).   And if anybody follows anybody else, without referring to the Quran and Sunnah of the Messenger (saws), will have nobody to blame except himself in the Court of Allah on the Day of Judgment.

Your comment: May Allah grant our revered Aqa Moula (TUS) sehato-afiyaat ta kiyamat. Ameen

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 185:  Every soul shall taste of death!

The Syedna is a mere human being, and he shall taste his death, just as all the Messengers of Allah tasted death.   Thus, it would be a little impossible to get this prayer answered!

The supplication we should be asking is what the Messenger of Allah (saws) asked for himself and taught the believers: "O Allah, give me life till it is good for me, and grant me death when it is good for me."  Allah Alone is the All Knowing, All Wise.

May Allah the guide the ummah of Islam to come out of the invocation and worship of man, and come to the worship and invocation of their One True Lord and Creator, Allah Subhanah.   May Allah guide the ummah of Islam to come out of becoming slaves of man (Abde-Syedna) and turn to become the slaves of their One True Lord and Creator, Allah Subhanah!   May Allah have mercy on the Ummah of Islam.

Your comment: Abde Syedna (TUS)

Abd-Allah (Slave-Servant of Allah)

Burhan Mohamed