Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan
Friday Sermon – 14th Feb 2025
Sermon 1 & 2 : Raghbat towards Daulat-e-Kareema (Islamic government) is the duty imposed on us by Imam -e- Asr (a.t.f.s)
Guidance is a fundamental need for every era, and Allah has not deprived any generation of this essential support. The same holds true for Taqwa. The greatest blessings granted to the believers of Allah and His Messenger (s.a.w.s), as mentioned in the Holy Quran, are the advent of the Holy Prophet (s) and the Quran itself. Following these, the third blessing is the Ahlulbayt (a), which has been bestowed upon believers for their guidance and protection. This indicates that the believers of the present era have been given special privileges. The finest leaders of the universe have been granted to the believers, with the seal of Imamat resting with Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s), a blessing specifically bestowed upon this final generation.
Today marks the blessed 15th of Shabaan, the birthday of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s), and we extend our congratulations and greetings to all followers of the path of Wilayat. The Bani Israel failed to recognize the value of these blessings, rejecting and denying them. Allah has presented this in the Quran to remind believers not to disregard these gifts. We ought to assess which of Allah’s blessings we truly value—be it the Quran, the Prophet (s), or the Imams (a). Instead of seeking faults in others, we should introspect and identify our own shortcomings first. Even if we point out the mistakes of others and they correct them, what do we gain? We need to evaluate what we possess from the Quran: Do we have Quranic education, principles of economy, politics, or any other systems? We often only have reciters and Qaris of the Quran. The Quran is a book of guidance, and unless this guidance is actively implemented and established, we have not fulfilled its true purpose. This book serves as comprehensive guidance for society.
What distinguishes believers from non-believers? In both India and Pakistan, democracy prevails. The judicial laws in Pakistan are similar to those in Britain. The education system is derived from Britain, and the culture is influenced by Hindu traditions. Yet we still identify as Muslims. The Quran warns that on the Day of Judgment, it will complain before Allah, saying, “My people have forsaken the Quran.”
How much have we valued the Imams since the beginning of the era of Imamat? History tells us how the Ummah treated Imam Ali (a), despite the clear declaration of his Wilayat by the Prophet (s). As soon as the Prophet (s) departed from this world, they turned their backs on this Wali. The Ummah obeyed and respected everyone else but him. Over time, eleven Imams came and went through this Ummah, enduring solitude, imprisonment, and hardships before leaving this world. Now we are in the era of occultation, during which many believe they have no responsibilities. However, this was also the case when the Imams were present. Consider the example of Imam Hussain (a) and how the people valued him, as well as all the other Imams. None of the Imams were allowed to rule.
Historically, who has governed Pakistan? The Mongols, Mughals, Afghans, and Iranians came one by one, ruling over us while we submitted to their authority. The most despised conquerors, the English, took over our lands, and we remained loyal to them to such an extent that we still cling to their culture, education, and language, yearning to visit their lands. When the Mongols, Afghans, and Turks arrived, were you not believers in Imamat? You supported them all. You placed the Banu Abbas on the throne and everyone who came after them, except for those whom Allah designated for this position. When Pakistan was established, the military came into power, and you supported and saluted them. They ruled for years, and later, democrats took over, receiving your allegiance. This has been our behavior throughout the entire period of major occultation. We did not turn to Imamat at all. Followers of the Imam, despite having their Imam present, became followers of Taghoot. Taghoot refers to anyone who exceeds the limits set by Allah and establishes their own governance without divine permission. Whether appointed by the people, a cabinet, or any other entity, they are Taghoot. One after another, these Taghoots ruled, and you remained loyal to them, using the excuse that we are in a period of occultation (Ghaibat).
How do we interpret occultation (Ghaibat)? It’s akin to marking attendance in school—present or absent. We have counted our Imam as absent. When the teacher is not present in class, the students take control. Often, the most unruly student dominates when the teacher is away, while the diligent student sits quietly in the corner. This absence of the Imam has been misconstrued as an opportunity for Taghoots to govern. You have claimed that the Wali of this community is not present, allowing others to step in, and you support them. When a corrupt person like Muawiyah came to power, he addressed the people of Kufa, who initially resisted Banu Umayyah but grew fearful of rebellion. Muawiyah assured them that he would not rule like previous tyrants. His sermons, along with those of Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, were pivotal in swaying the Kufans, who remained loyal to others out of fear but never to the Imams.
Today, you have a government in front of you. If you ask your scholars which government they view as the worst, they will likely say Iran, as they do not recognize the Wali e Faqeeh. Yet they accept the democracy in Pakistan and Turkey because it is established by the people. In Arab countries, there are monarchies, but scholars typically remain silent about them. In India, scholars do not speak out against Modi, yet they criticize Wilayat e Faqeeh. Why are you loyal to Taghoots while being antagonistic toward Imamat? What messages have your parents conveyed to you? You seem to reject the governance of Imamat, whether actual or representative.
What has been communicated to us? What is the duty or responsibility of our youth today? Our youth have yet to grasp their responsibilities. The duties imposed by the Imam of the era are articulated in Dua e Iftitah, a supplication compiled by Imam e Hujjat (a) and sent through his representatives for believers to recite, act upon, and prepare according to its teachings. The first part of this Dua focuses on praising Allah. In the second part, the Imam articulates.
اَللَّهُمَّ وَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ عَلِيٍّ أَمِيرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
وَوَصِيِّ رَسُولِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ
عَبْدِكَ وَوَلِيِّكَ وَأَخِي رَسُولِكَ
وَحُجَّتِكَ عَلَىٰ خَلْقِكَ
وَآيَتِكَ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ
وَٱلنَّبَإِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
وَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ ٱلصِّدِّيقَةِ ٱلطَّاهِرَةِ
فَاطِمَةَ سَيِّدَةِ نِسَاءِ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ
وَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ سِبْطَيِ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ
وَإِمَامَيِ ٱلْهُدَىٰ
ٱلْحَسَنِ وَٱلْحُسَيْنِ
سَيِّدَيْ شَبَابِ أَهْلِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ
وَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ أَئِمَّةِ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ
عَلِيِّ بْنِ ٱلْحُسَيْنِ
وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
وَجَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَمُوسَىٰ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ
وَعَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَىٰ
وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
وَعَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَٱلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
وَٱلْخَلَفِ ٱلْهَادِي ٱلْمَهْدِيِّ
حُجَجِكَ عَلَىٰ عِبَادِكَ
وَأُمَنَائِكَ فِي بِلادِكَ
صَلاةً كَثِيرَةً دَائِمَةً
Imam E Asar is now telling us the manifesto of responsibilities of this era
اَللَّهُمَّ وَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ وَليِّ أَمْرِكَ
ٱلْقَائِمِ ٱلْمُؤَمَّلِ
وَٱلْعَدْلِ ٱلْمُنْتَظَرِ
وَحُفَّهُ بِمَلائِكَتِكَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَ
وَأَيِّدْهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ
يَا رَبَّ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ
اَللَّهُمَّ ٱجْعَلْهُ ٱلدَّاعِيَ إِلَىٰ كِتَابِكَ
وَٱلْقَائِمَ بِدِينِكَ
ٱسْتَخْلِفْهُ فِي ٱلأَرْضِ
كَمَا ٱسْتَخْلَفْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ
مَكِّنْ لَهُ دِينَهُ ٱلَّذِي ٱرْتَضَيْتَهُ لَهُ
أَبْدِلْهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِ أَمْناً
يَعْبُدُكَ لاَ يُشْرِكُ بِكَ شَيْئاً
اَللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّهُ وَأَعْزِزْ بِهِ
وَٱنْصُرْهُ وَٱنْتَصِرْ بِهِ
وَٱنْصُرْهُ نَصْراً عَزِيزاً
وَٱفْتَحْ لَهُ فَتْحاً يَسِيراً
وَٱجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ لَدُنْكَ سُلْطَاناً نَصِيراً
اَللَّهُمَّ أَظْهِرْ بِهِ دِينَكَ وَسُنَّةَ نَبِيِّكَ
حَتَّىٰ لاَ يَسْتَخْفِيَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ
مَخَافَةَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ ٱلْخَلْقِ
Then the last part of this comes where the actual responsibility is present that is taught to us by the Imam of Asr
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَرْغَبُ إِلَيْكَ فِي دَوْلَةٍ كَرِيمَةٍ
تُعِزُّ بِهَا ٱلإِسْلاَمَ وَأَهْلَهُ
وَتُذِلُّ بِهَا ٱلنِّفَاقَ وَأَهْلَهُ
وَتَجْعَلُنَا فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلدُّعَاةِ إِلَىٰ طَاعَتِكَ
وَٱلْقَادَةِ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِكَ
وَتَرْزُقُنَا بِهَا كَرَامَةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلآخِرَةِ
اَللَّهُمَّ مَا عَرَّفْتَنَا مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ فَحَمِّلْنَاهُ
وَمَا قَصُرْنَا عَنْهُ فَبَلِّغْنَاهُ
اَللَّهُمَّ ٱلْمُمْ بِه شَعَثَنَا
وَٱشْعَبْ بِهِ صَدْعَنَا
وَٱرْتُقْ بِهِ فَتْقَنَا
وَكَثِّرْ بِهِ قِلَّتَنَا
وَأَعْزِزْ بِهِ ذِلَّتَنَا
وَأَغْنِ بِهِ عَائِلَنَا
وَٱقْضِ بِهِ عَنْ مُغْرَمِنَا
وَٱجْبُرْ بِهِ فَقْرَنَا
وَسُدَّ بِهِ خَلَّتَنَا
Then if Imam presented the problems of our era and how to get out of this. The solution for your problem is handed over to you in your hands. That problem is Daulat e Kareem.
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَرْغَبُ إِلَيْكَ فِي دَوْلَةٍ كَرِيمَةٍ
تُعِزُّ بِهَا ٱلإِسْلاَمَ وَأَهْلَهُ
وَتُذِلُّ بِهَا ٱلنِّفَاقَ وَأَهْلَهُ
We have a profound desire for Daulat-e-Kareema. In Arabic, the term “Daulat” refers to the continuous turning or changing of circumstances. It encompasses various states such as poverty and prosperity, hardship and ease; this dynamic nature is what is meant by Daulat. The word is specifically used to denote governance in the Arabic language, and when you visit Arabic-speaking countries, you will often hear “Daulat” used to refer to their government. The term signifies the fluidity and transition of power within governance.
Imam-e-Asr (a.t.f.s) employs this same term to remind believers of their responsibilities during this era of occultation. He calls upon us to cultivate a fervent desire (Raghbat) for the divine government. In our prayers, we express, “O Allah! I yearn for and am drawn to that noble government.” The term Daulat-e-Kareem is unique to the Shia tradition and is not commonly found elsewhere. We are essentially saying, “O Allah, I long for this Daulat-e-Kareem (noble divine governance).”
“Kareem” and “Karam” represent the highest expressions of virtue in Arabic, encompassing all noble traits that a person can possess. What are the characteristics of this government? A Kareem individual does not overlook anyone in need; instead, they actively seek to fulfill the needs of others. In contrast, the opposite of Karam and Kareem is “Laem,” which describes a lowly and abased person who lacks any noble qualities. Such individuals harbor envy, malice, and enmity, and they seek to cause trouble for others.
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!تُعِزُّ بِهَا ٱلإِسْلاَمَ وَأَهْلَهُ
The only source of dignity, honor of believers is Daulat e Kareema. Imam-e-Asr says governments are also of two types; one is the abased, lowly governments which comes into existence when lowly, abased persons become rulers. They bring wrath on the people. Such people become rulers when people abandon Daulat-e-Kareema. Today’s beleiver’s desire should be Daulat-e-Kareema. I desire, support such a government and I am frustrated with lowly, abased goverments. Islam and its followers get dignity from such government
وَتُذِلُّ بِهَا ٱلنِّفَاقَ وَأَهْلَهُ
Then the hypocrites gets disgraced from this government.
وَتَجْعَلُنَا فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلدُّعَاةِ إِلَىٰ طَاعَتِكَ
وَٱلْقَادَةِ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِكَ
وَتَرْزُقُنَا بِهَا كَرَامَةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلآخِرَةِ
اَللَّهُمَّ مَا عَرَّفْتَنَا مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ فَحَمِّلْنَاهُ
وَمَا قَصُرْنَا عَنْهُ فَبَلِّغْنَاهُ
In this government, we all become advocates and leaders of the divine path, attaining the honor and nobility that this world and the hereafter have to offer.
We ask for the ability to uphold the truths we have recognized and to fulfill the rights associated with those truths. For the truths that remain unclear to us, we seek the capacity to discover and understand them. A deeper understanding of this distinction will help us recognize the gap between the religion of Imam and that of mere Zakirs.
We have been deprived of the blessings of Imamat for centuries because our desires have shifted. We have become distracted by thoughts of Houris and streams of milk in Jannah, causing the desire for the Daulat-e-Kareema to diminish within us.
SERMON 2
Allah has established a system of guidance and protection. However, the comprehensive system of religion has been largely overlooked in religious education, despite the fact that it has existed since the time of descent. Initially, Allah set forth the system of guidance, followed by the laws that would govern it. Religion was revealed in this context. The laws of religion began to be revealed in Medina, while the foundational system preached by the Prophet (S) was introduced in Mecca. As the system became established in Medina, the laws were revealed one by one. Unfortunately, when we learned about religion, the system was often disregarded, and only the laws were emphasized. Corrupt rulers seized control of the system and merely provided the laws to the people. This trend continues today, with the system in the hands of Taghoots and the laws with scholars. Imam-e-Asr (a.t.f.s) stated that this approach will never lead to true guidance. The religion should be inverted; systems should precede laws. For many Pakistanis, however, culture takes precedence, followed by a superficial adherence to laws, while only a few connected to the Orwatul Wuthqa truly understand the system.
We navigate our lives within various systems such as education, judiciary, and politics, all of which have made our lives difficult under their governance. The most fundamental of these systems is the government, as every other system falls under the control of the political or governance framework, which is consistent worldwide, including in religion. Everything that Allah has created must be executed and implemented by a government, but not just any government—only the Daulat-e-Kareema, the Islamic government. This government is known as Imamat. We often regard Imamat as a sacred title, but it is fundamentally a governance system. While revered figures may receive respect, they often lack authority, leading them to seek involvement in parliament.
In contrast, we have marginalized the Imams from governance and relegated them to shrines, stating that we would visit them there. The rulership is not with the Imams. When the government is not led by those whom Allah has nurtured and perfected, it will fall into the hands of abased and lowly individuals. Consequently, you will face disgrace and humiliation, resulting in the destruction of both your worldly life and the hereafter. To secure both, we must strive to establish the Daulat-e-Kareema. In the Dua taught by Imam-e-Asr, we express our desire (raghbat) for this Islamic government, and if it exists, we must manifest it in practice.
Raghbat is not merely a fleeting thought; it is a strong intention that inspires action. If you only entertain thoughts without intention and action, it is merely a wish, not true raghbat. Wishes alone do not establish a government. The first step in obeying the Imam (a.t.f.s) is to refrain from pursuing abased, lowly individuals and instead demonstrate attraction and intention toward the Daulat-e-Kareema. If you make this intention today, Allah will soon bring you closer to that goal, making your journey easier. It may seem daunting to start now, but this is not how Allah’s laws operate. Imam-e-Asr (a) assures us that what people perceive as distant is, in fact, very near. As believers, we must cultivate a desire for the Islamic government. It is not acceptable to seek support from Taghoots or lowly beings. When one turns away from the Islamic government to pursue the company of abased individuals, they diminish the prospects for the establishment of the Islamic government.
Imam (a.t.f.s) emphasizes that when the Daulat-e-Kareema is established, what will be gained? You will witness the dignity and honor of Islam. Gaza exemplifies the dignity of Muslims; we should feel ashamed of the humiliation they have endured. If respect and honor were to come from abased individuals, they would come from people like Erdogan or Bin Salman. Instead, a handful of Zionists have trampled upon your dignity because Allah has not placed true honor in the hands of corrupt individuals; it resides within Islamic governance.
An Islamic government will disgrace hypocrisy and hypocrites. It is the governance system where I will actively work to invite people to obedience. As we celebrate today, let us pledge that from this moment onward, in Jamea, Masjid-e-Baitul Ateeq, during Friday prayers, we will act according to the instructions of Imam-e-Asr (A) and take every step necessary for the establishment of the Islamic state.
We will be among those who guide others toward your path, gaining karamat, dignity, and salvation in both this world and the hereafter. This Daulat-e-Kareema is the desire of Imam-e-Asr, who commands us to pursue it. Instead of focusing solely on meeting the Imam, we must direct our efforts toward establishing an Islamic government. The Imam states that anyone who claims to meet him (a.t.f.s) while ignoring this duty is misleading themselves. The Dua reminds us to seek understanding and to act upon the truths we have comprehended, striving to achieve what we have yet to grasp. Through the establishment of this Islamic government, may Allah alleviate the challenges that Imam has outlined for this generation.
