Listen well!
Absolutely no one is exempt from this!
No one is exempted!
Maula Ali is not exempted!
Fatima tuz Zahra (a) is not exempted!
Prophet Muhammad’s progeny is not exempted either!
This principle applies to everyone!
How to Recognise a Momin
There must be a criterion, right?
In order to recognise, there must be a criterion.
For example, 'who is a Momin?', there must be a criterion with which you recognise a Momin.
So what is the criterion to recognise a Momin?
God has mentioned the characteristics of a Momin in the Holy Qur'an.
So look for those characteristics in one who claims to be a Momin.
One of the first things God has mentioned about a Momin can be found in Surah al-Hujarat.
‘Qaalatil araabu aamannaa'
Which means: the Arabs claimed they are Momin
and God said, ‘O Messenger of God (saw)
‘qul lam tu’minoo'
'Tell them'
‘lam tu’minoo (you are not Momin)’.
‘Wa laakin qulu'
'Rather, you should say’
‘aslamnaa'
'We have only accepted Islam'
‘Wa lamma yadkhulil emaanu fee quloobikum'
'And divine energy has not yet entered our spiritual hearts, so we cannot be Momin'.
Therefore, the criterion of a Momin is that divine light must have settled into the heart.
What happens when divine light settles in the heart of a Momin?
‘Allazeena yazkuroonal laaha qiyaaman wa qu'oodan wa 'alaa junoobihim’
Which means: a Momin is engaged in Zikr Allah whether he is sitting, standing or sleeping.
‘Allazeena yazkuroonal laaha qiyaaman wa qu'oodan wa 'alaa junoobihim’
‘They are engrossed with Zikr Allah whether they are sitting, standing or tossing and turning in their bed’.
A common person whose heart has not been enlightened with Zikr Allah
may engage in loud chanting of Zikr Allah while they are sitting and standing but they are incapable of engaging in Zikr Allah while they are asleep.
You will only be able to engage in Zikr Allah when Zikr Allah is synchronised in the beating system of your heart.
You will be sleeping and your heart will invoke the name of God as it continues to beat.
What is another criterion for recognising a Momin?
Never forget this.
I am telling you these things in the light of the Qur’an.
What did God say in the Qur’an?
‘Qul in kuntum tuhibboon allaha fatta bi'oonee yuhibibkum allahu’
Which means: tell them, ‘Do you wish to love God?’
‘fatta bi’oonee’
‘then colour yourself in my hue’.
'Become obedient to me and God will love you himself’.
Thus the religion of Islam itself is to be in servitude to Prophet Muhammad (saw).
The religion of Islam is to become obedient to Prophet Muhammad (saw), to become dyed in the Prophet’s colours.
Therefore, we must determine how obedient to the Prophet (saw) is one who claims to be a Momin.
Furthermore, I would like to present a prophetic tradition to you.
Prophet Muhammad (saw) declared,
‘la yo'minoo ahadakum hatta akoonu ahhaba alayhi min walidahi wa waladahi wannaas ajma'een’.
‘la yo'minoo ahadakum (none from among you can be a Momin)’.
‘Hatta akoonu ahhaba alayhi min walidahi wa waladahi wannaas ajma'een
(until you love Prophet Muhammad more than you love your mother and father, more than yourself and the entire humanity)’.
So if someone claims to be a Momin, take a look at their character
and see how much love they have for Muhammad (saw). How much do they love their children? How much do they love their mother and father?
If they truly do not love anyone more than they love Muhammad (saw) then they are qualified to be a Momin.
If one’s mother is dearer to them than Muhammad (saw),
if one’s father is dearer to them than Muhammad (saw),
if one’s children are dearer to them than Muhammad (saw)
such a person is not a Momin!
They are a hypocrite! They are rejected by God.
So this is the sign of a Momin.
You have to look at one’s character.
How much do they love the Beloved of God?
And this love is not expressed by wearing the colour green,
it has nothing to do with eating cucumbers!
Love is to adopt the character of Prophet Muhammad (saw).
Dedicate yourself physically, materially, spiritually; your entire (esoteric and exoteric) being,
your lower self, your spiritual heart, all of it, in the name of the servitude and imitation of the Beloved Prophet (saw).
You qualify to be a Momin only if the sublime character of Prophet Muhammad (saw) reflects in your own character, otherwise, you are nothing.
This is one of the signs of a Momin.
If you love your mother and father more than you love Muhammad (saw)...
you have no faith.
And listen well!
This is what the prophetic tradition states.
‘La yo'minoo ahadakum’
The word ‘ahadakum’ means ‘not a single person among you’. Absolutely no one is exempt from this!
Listen well!
No one is exempted! Maula Ali is not exempted! Fatima tuz Zahra (a) is not exempted! Prophet Muhammad’s progeny is not exempted either! This principle applies to everyone that they must love Muhammad (saw) the most, more than their fathers, more than their grandfathers, more than their sons-in-law, more than their fathers-in-law. This is the law for all that as long as one loves Muhammad (saw) more than they love anyone else, that is the only evidence of faith.
Absolutely no one is exempted from this.
Maula Ali is not exempted!
Fatima tuz Zahra (a) is not exempted!
Prophet Muhammad’s progeny is not exempted either!
This principle applies to everyone that they must love Muhammad (saw) the most,
more than their fathers, more than their grandfathers,
more than their sons-in-law, more than their fathers-in-law.
This is the law for all that as long as one loves Muhammad (saw) more than they love anyone else, that is the only evidence of faith.
This is not only for the Ummati (followers of the Prophet), it also applies to the Prophet’s Household -
if they, too, lack in their love for the Prophet, they also lack in faith
but, of course, that is not so.
Maula Ali, Syeda Fatima, Imam Hussain, Imam Hassan, Imam Zayn al-Abidin -
these great personalities were known by these names but they were a walking, talking reflection of the Prophet’s sublime character.
They did not love anyone more than they loved Muhammad (saw).
This was proven by their characters.
In a similar way, in this day and age,
one who qualifies to be a follower of Imam Mehdi
is one who does not love anyone, more than he loves Imam Mehdi.
regardless of who they may be
A Momin bil Mehdi (Believer in Mehdi) is one who does not love anyone more than Imam Mehdi.
And if they do, then they are not a Momin.