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Death is usually considered a ghastly concept; still there are some brave people who embrace it so gallantly that one just marvels. This article considers life after death from an Islamic perspective. It begins with the various types of death according to thanatology [the study of the medical, psychological, and sociological aspects of death and the ways in which people deal with it], then casts a glance at death in different world religions so that a comparison can be drawn. Then the article moves on to a study of the Islamic perspective of what happens when one dies, the status of the soul, heaven and hell and whether communication with the dead is possible according to Islamic teachings. The article also provides a glimpse into the various Islamic rituals and practices relating to the dead body, burial and the grave. Types of Death According to Thanatology According to Thanatology there are various types of death which include: 1. Somatic or Clinical Death: The extinction of personality as a whole due to the irreversible loss of function and independence of three vital systems; i.e. the respiratory system, the CNS (central nervous system) and the CVS (cardiovascular system). It involves organs as a whole. Life ceases in the body but persists in its component parts, viz. tissues and cells.[1] 2. Molecular Death: The progressive disintegration of body tissues, which signifies death of component parts of body/organs and is completed within 3 to 4 hours after the Somatic death. It depends upon time proportionate to the ability to resist hypoxia (lack of oxygen), e.g.: Nervous tissue – only a few seconds Muscular tissue – 3 hours Cornea – 6 hours Skin – 12 hours[2] 3. Brain Death: The irreversible cessation of all brain functions. In some instances, special reference is made to brain-stem death. Brain stem death is where a person no longer has any activity in their brain stem, and has permanently lost the potential for consciousness and the capacity to breathe but may still have some spinal cord function.[3] ‘The Encyclopaedia Britannica’ (under Death) has defined death as ‘the permanent cessation of the vital functions in the bodies of animals and plants.’[4] According to the ‘Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics’, biological death is ‘The cessation of an organism. There is no confusion in using the same word for the end of the individual as such, and for the apparently irreversible process, which leads to the end.’[5] A Glance at the Concept of Death in World Religions Judaism Let us now consider how different religions perceive death. As for the life in the hereafter, the Old Testament is not rich in detail. It states: ‘And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.’[6] Again, in Ezekiel 37:4-6 we have: “O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live: and I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you and ye shall live, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.”[7] About Hell, ‘The Jewish Encyclopaedia’ with reference to the Erobian Talmud says, ‘The fire of Gehenna (Hell) does not touch the Jewish sinners because they confess their sins before the gates of hell and return to God.’ Referring to Berkat the Talmud states, ‘Heretics and Roman oppressors go to Gehenna, and the same fate awaits the Persians, the oppressors of the Babylonian Jews.’[8] As for the modern Jews, Sale states: “It is a received opinion among the Jews at present, that no person (from among the Jews) be he ever so wicked, or of whatever sect, shall not remain in Hell above eleven months or at the most a year, except Dathan, Abiram, and atheists (from among the Jews) who will be tormented there to all eternity.”[9] Abiram and Dathan rose against Moses and were destroyed by God.[10] In ‘Derech Eretz Zuta’, one among fifteen tractates which although compiled later than the rest of the Talmud and are usually included in printed editions, we find that some Biblical figures like Enoch, Elijah and Hiram escaped death altogether and went directly to reside in Paradise.[11] Christianity Christianity maintains that ‘As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned’.[12] In the Urdu book, ‘Qamusul Kitab’, we read: ‘We should admit that death came due to Adam’s sin, and its punishment resulted in both types of death, i.e. physical and spiritual death’. Again, it says: ‘Physical death is the proper sign of the spiritual death which is a must due to sin.’[13] Buddhism Regarding death Buddha said, ‘Short, O monk, is the life of men,’ ‘Life, indeed, ends in death’. Death is only the beginning of a new existence for the punishment of sin: death and punishment are synonymous.[14] About transmigration of the soul we thus read: “Theoretically Buddhism teaches neither the existence of the soul nor its transmigration, but insists on revolution, or ‘stream’ of existence. In its practical influence on popular mind, however, this doctrine amounted to much the same as any other doctrine of transmigration […] In this vast ocean of renewed births there are innumerable streams of existences, conditioned by their respective deeds and retributions, flowing uninterruptedly not only in the continuity of the individual being but also in the solidarity of a group of existences.”[15] Hindusim In Hinduism, a dead body is considered a symbol of impurity, hence minimal physical contact is maintained. The body is bathed by purified water and then dressed in new clothes. Further, a few drops of the Holy Ganges water may be put into the mouth of the deceased, so that the soul may attain liberation. Also, a few leaves of the herb basil – which is considered holy, are placed on the right side of the dead body. Thereafter, the close relatives of the deceased person carry the stretcher on their shoulders to the cremation ground. There is no permanent Heaven or Hell in Hinduism. The soul enters into a rebirth cycle. Reborns can become an animal, a human or a divinity. This reincarnation continues until the final release is gained.[16] Zoroastrianism In Zoroastrianism (Parsee), when a person is on his deathbed, two Parsee priests make the dying person confess his sins. The dead body is bathed and covered with a clean white but worn out suit of cotton, which must be destroyed and never used again after having served this purpose. A man bearing a vase containing fire, followed by the relatives and friends, the corpse, the priests and additional members of the deceased family, leads the funeral procession en route to the tower, the place for the disposal of the body. At the gates of the tower, the bier is set down, the face is uncovered to allow the procession to pay their last respects to the deceased. The body is then carried into the tower and placed on beds of stone with the head facing southward. The clothes of the corpse are removed, leaving it naked. The men then come out to leave the deceased to be devoured by the vultures already waiting there. Within one or two hours, the body is reduced to a mere skeleton.[17] Concept of Death in Islam According to Islam, all creatures are destined to die. Death means the permanent separation of the soul from the body. The Holy Qur’an declares thus: “Allah takes away the souls of men at the time of their death, and of those also that are not yet dead, during their sleep. And then He withholds those against which He has decreed death, and sends back others till an appointed term. In that, surely, are signs for a people who reflect.”[18] This shows that the soul has its own entity. A living person has both a body and a soul. At the time of death, the soul departs from the body never to re-enter it. The body becomes obsolete after death and is buried. We will later discuss what happens to the soul after death, let us first establish wherefrom it comes into the body. It should be clarified that each and every thing is the creation of God, and so is the soul. ‘It is an essence which is distilled from the body in the course of a long process during the period of gestation.’[19] God says in the Holy Qur’an: ‘What! Did you think that We had created you without purpose, and that you would not be brought back to Us? Exalted be Allah, the True King.’[20] This leaves no ambiguity that man has been created for a purpose. He is not simply destroyed after living a few score years. So it follows that, the soul must live on after death to achieve a greater purpose. The Soul After Death – Barzakh – The Intermediary State Now, what happens to the soul after a person’s death? The Holy Qur’an says: “Woe unto man: How ungrateful he is! Does he not consider, from what thing did God create him, then in due course He causes him to die and assigns a grave to him, then when he pleases, He will raise him up again.”[21] This reveals that Allah assigns a grave to every person who dies. This is not the grave dug out by men to bury the corpse, for not every corpse is buried; some are cremated some are devoured by nature’s scavengers and some drown in rivers and seas. The place where the soul dwells after death is termed as ‘Barzakh’ (barrier) in the Holy Qur’an: “Until, when death comes to one of them, he says entreating repeatedly, ‘My Lord, send me back that I may do righteous deeds in the life that I have left behind.’ That cannot be! It is only a word that he utters. And behind him is Barzakh [a barrier] until the day they will be raised again.”[22] Immediately after departing this physical world, the soul is invested with a new body. This body is a representation of the person’s actions, good or bad, in his earthly life. The Holy Qur’an says: ‘On the day when some faces shall be white, and some faces shall be black.’[23] Naturally, the evildoers will be having dark bodies and the righteous ones, bright. The Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Jama‘at, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, says in this context: “I have often had experience in a complete state of wakefulness of meeting some persons who had died, and I saw the bodies of some evildoers and misguided ones were so dark as if they had been made of smoke.”[24] This state of ‘Barzakh’ or ‘grave’ is an intermediate state representative of the imminent rewards or punishments of Heaven and Hell, which await the soul. The Holy Qur’an teaches: “As for those whose faces shall be black, it will be said to them: ‘Did you disbelieve after believing? Taste, then, the punishment because you disbelieved. And as for those whose faces will be white, they will be in the mercy of Allah, therein shall they abide.”[25] After the battle of Badr, God made the souls of the dead enemy soldiers hear the words of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa in Barzakh (the intermediary state). It is clear that a person immediately begins experiencing his punishment or reward post-death, from the following: “Those whom the angels cause to die while they are wronging their souls, will offer submission, pleading, ‘We used not to do any evil’. It will be said to them, ‘Nay, surely, Allah knows well what you used to do. So enter the gates of Hell to abide therein. Evil indeed is the abode of the arrogant.’”[26] Those whom the angels cause to die while they are pure, they say to them, ‘Peace be unto you. Enter Heaven because of what you used to do’.[27] The Holy Prophetsa also teaches the same: ‘The grave is one of the gardens of Paradise or one of the pits of Fire.’[28] After the state of ‘tomb’, ‘grave’ or ‘Barzakh’, comes the state of resurrection of the body. This may resemble the birth of a child, whilst the first stage of Barzakh resembles that of gestation. Now, the soul invested with a new body, is able to perceive full knowledge of the Lord, and the soul now fully experiences its recompense, whilst in the state of Barzakh it only partly experienced this. According to the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, a holy person maintains a connection with the grave and this material world for a few days after death. However the soul still immediately reaches its destination at death and does not remain in the body. In both the states – Barzakh and Resurrection – all the spiritual conditions of a person in this life will be manifested physically. The Holy Qur’an reveals: ‘Whoso is blind in this world shall be blind in the hereafter, and even more astray from the way.’[29] This means that those who are spiritually blind in this world, will be physically blind in the next. Having acted like a blindman, unable to see, for example, the heavenly truths, so they will become physically blind in the hereafter. The reason for this is that the body in the hereafter will evolve as a reflection of a person’s actions in this world. As the soul shares the torments and comforts of the body, so in the hereafter the punishments and rewards incurred by man will be felt both physically and spiritually. From this it becomes manifest that the punishment is in fact a direct result of the evil deeds of a person, not something imposed forcibly by God. The Holy Qur’an is unequivocal about it: ‘Read thy book. Sufficient is thy own soul this day as reckoner against thee.’[30] Purpose of Hell In fact, Hell can be likened to a hospital wherein the diseased persons shall enter for treatment, thus any afflictions during a process of treatment is quite natural. It is interesting to learn that a person of normal good health – the inmate of Paradise – who enters into this hospital (Hell) to visit a friend, will remain unharmed therein. The Holy Qur’an elucidates concerning this subject: “A speaker from among them will say, ‘I had an intimate companion who used to say, ‘Art thou, indeed, among those who believe the resurrection to be true when we are dead and have become dust and broken bones, shall we, indeed, be requited?’ The speaker will then ask those around him, ‘Will you have a look and find out about him?’ Then he will see him in midst of the Fire.”[31] So the ‘Fire’ by which this sick person is being treated will not harm at all the visitor who goes straight into Hell to see his friend. It should be borne in mind that all the ‘punishments’ mentioned in the scriptures are but different modes of treatment. For example, the dwellers of hell will be given cactus to eat.[32] We know that cactus is an effective remedy for several diseases including syphilis.[33] Again, ‘They will taste therein neither coolness nor drink, save boiling water and a stinking liquid, intensely cold — a meet requital.’[34] The Arabic word used for ‘a stinking liquid’ is Ghassaq which also means pus (Lisan). It is known that vaccines are prepared from pus. As these people used to coldly dismiss the prophets of God, so as ‘a meet requital’ and as a cure they will be made to drink extremely cold water. And because they did not listen to the words of God due to being hot-tempered, so they will be treated with hot water. As they were firebrands against the prophets, so they will be treated by ‘Fire’ in Hell. We know that fire is also used for cauterization, a medical treatment to cure wounds. It should be apparent now why Hell is something very important for those sick persons that require treatment therein to be cured so that they may live a normal, healthy, blissful life in Heaven. According to the Islamic concept of Heaven and Hell, after being cured they will be ‘discharged’ from this hospital. The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Indeed there will come upon Hell a time when there will be none in it, and this will be after they had lived therein for ages.’[35] The Holy Qur’an also teaches that Hell will not be everlasting: ‘Surely, Hell lies in ambush, a resort for the rebellious, who will tarry therein for ages.’[36] As their diseases are deep-rooted, so a very lengthy period of time will be needed to completely cure them. Until this occurs, they would remain unfit to live in Heaven, just as a chronically sick person requires confinement to his bed in hospital until he recovers. The purpose of man’s creation as declared by the Holy Qur’an is: ‘I have not created the jinn and the men but that they may worship Me’.[37] The word used for ‘worship’ in the verse is ‘Ya‘budun’, which means to do ‘Ibadah’. In Arabic ‘Ibadah’ means to undergo a rigorous discipline so as to be able to manifest in oneself God’s attributes to a certain extent. So, the purpose of man’s creation is very noble and spiritual. Hence, Hell cannot be everlasting. It must one day cease to exist. Its occupants after being cured will go to live their normal, healthy lives in Paradise. There they will continue to acquire greater degrees of closeness to God Almighty and will manifest His attributes more and more. As God’s attributes are limitless, so Paradise will be everlasting. A misunderstanding prevails among certain people who think that there will be nothing to do in Paradise, save eating, drinking and indulging. According to the Islamic point of view, a life without action is simply purposeless. True happiness lies in action and progress. The Holy Qur’an reveals: ‘There light will run before them and on their right hands. They will say, “Our Lord, perfect our light for us and forgive us, surely Thou hast power over all things.”’[38] It means that the inmates of Paradise will be constantly preoccupied with catching the light running before them and will continue progressing spiritually. So, as compared to our actions in the life here on Earth, we will make greater efforts in the hereafter. Every moment we will be progressing, as we enhance our divine knowledge. However, this perpetual effort in the hereafter will not cause fatigue at all: “And they will say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah who has removed all grief from us. Surely, our Lord is Most Forgiving, Most Appreciating, Who has, out of His bounty, settled us in the Abode of Eternity, where no toil will touch us, nor any sense of weariness affect us therein.’”[39] According to the Holy Qur’an, the greatest blessing of Paradise is the pleasure of God: “Allah has promised to believers, men and women, Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide, and delightful dwelling-places in Gardens of Eternity. And the pleasure of Allah is the greatest of all. That is the supreme triumph.”[40] The Reality of the Fair Maidens of Paradise Let us now consider the ‘houris’ (chaste maidens) in Paradise. The Holy Qur’an says, ‘And We shall give them as companions fair maidens having large black eyes.’[41] And, ‘Therein also be chaste maidens restraining their glances, whom neither men nor jinn will have touched before them.’[42] These are the chaste, righteous women who are their own wives. Their spiritual beauty will be manifested in physical beauty as well. If somebody goes to Hell and his or her spouse goes to Heaven, then he or she will become the spouse of someone in Paradise who will be closer to him or her spiritually, through marriage. It is evident that a person going to hell will become incompatible with one going to paradise. But only God Alone knows who will be paired with who in the hereafter. It seems necessary to admit that we lack the faculty of perceiving the exact nature of the life in the hereafter, while we are in this material world which has its own limitations. So, this explanation is but to give a general idea of life after death in terms of our present life. The Holy Qur’an is quite explicit in this concern. It states: ‘And no soul knows what joy of the eyes is kept hidden from them, as a reward for the good they used to do.’[43] The Holy Prophetsa has said about the blessings of Paradise, ‘No eye has seen them, nor has any ear heard of them, nor can human mind conceive of them’.[44] The same is true about the punishments of Hell. Is Communication With the Dead Possible? At this juncture it seems relevant to answer this important question: Is it possible for us to have communication with those who have died? The answer is in the affirmative, but it depends solely upon the Will of God. Sometimes He does allow His servants to have communication with those in the hereafter, and this is done in the form of Kashf (vision). This is why others present at that moment do not hear such conversations. Once, the Holy Founderas of the Ahmadiyya Jama‘at stopped some five or six miles away from Hoshiarpur, during a journey en route to Qadian. He alighted from the ox-driven two-wheeled carriage saying, ‘This is a nice shady place, let us have a stop here for a while.’ There was a tomb of some Muslim saint at that place. He went to the tomb. The narrator, Hazrat Abdullah Sanorira says: “I followed behind him, while Sheikh Hamid Ali and Fateh Khan remained by the carriage. His Holiness went inside the tomb and raised his hands in prayer. He prayed for a while and returned and addressed me saying, ‘When I raised my hands for prayer, the inmate of the grave came out of the grave and sat in front of me respectfully. If you were not with me, I would have talked to him as well. He had a slightly dark complexion and large eyes.’ Then he said, ‘Look around, if there is some caretaker of the tomb, so that we may inquire from him about him.’ So, Huzur asked the caretaker, who said, ‘I personally have not seen him, for he died about a hundred years ago, but I have heard from my father or grandfather that he was a big saint in this area.’ When asked about his features, he said, ‘He had a slightly dark complexion and large eyes.’”[45] Again, in Hadith of Muslim, ‘Kitabul Jannati wa sifati Na’maiha wa ahliha’, it is narrated by Hazrat Anas bin Malikra that after the Battle of Badr the Holy Prophetsa went to the dead infidels and said, ‘O so-and-so son of so-and-so, have you found to be true what God and his Prophetsa promised you? Indeed, I have found to be true what God promised me.’ At this, Haḍrat Umarra said, ‘O Prophet of God, how can you talk to bodies which have no souls?’ He said, ‘You do not hear better what I am saying to them than they do, only they can’t respond.’ This means that God made their souls hear those words in Barzakh. Let it be clear that the claims of the so-called spiritualists that departed souls can communicate with living persons through some medium, are simply deceptive. The following illustration will suffice to convey the truth. In 1924, when Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra, Khalifatul Masih II, Second worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, toured Europe, he visited a spiritualistic association or club on appointment. The spiritualist asked His Holiness whose spirit he wanted to call. ‘I would like the Holy Prophet Muhammad’ssa soul to come’, he replied. After a while the spiritualist told him that the required soul was there. Thereupon His Holiness said, ‘O Prophet of Allah, recite Surah Fatihah.’ The reply – through the medium (the spiritualist) – was predictably, ‘I don’t know’.[46] Is it at all possible that the Prophet Muhammadsa did not know Surah Fatihah, the Qur’anic chapter he had taught people throughout his life, which even young Muslim children memorise? The living can communicate with souls in kashf (vision). This is a God-given gift and is not earned by worldly efforts. Now, a few words about the soul’s connection with its body in the grave, from the Islamic perspective. The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘There is no Prophet but he remains in the grave (after death) for forty days.’[47] The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Communityas elaborating this, states: “This indicates that a person, be he a holy one, maintains a connection with the grave and this material world for a few days (after death) – some on account of longing for serving religion and others due to different reasons. Then this concern becomes feeble (and ceases) as if the deceased leaves the grave; otherwise, the soul immediately after death, without any delay, goes to heaven and stays there at its spiritual station.”[48] As the soul had been dwelling in the material body for several years, so after death it remembers it and maintains a connection with it for some time. This does not suggest that the soul remains in the body of the deceased for that period. Not at all. For, at death, it immediately reaches its destination in heaven. With the passage of time, this connection weakens and ultimately ceases to exist. It is like the link of a person with his native land who emigrates to some distant country forever. He continues remembering his native land for a certain period of time, then slowly this attachment diminishes and no longer exists. The holy person may meet certain deceased ones in Kashf only. Kashf is a very refined and advanced form of a dream. A dream is seen in sleep and the Kashf is seen whilst awake. When you see somebody in a dream, it does not mean that the person actually comes to you. Likewise, in Kashf you meet the deceased while his soul remains in its place in heaven. Islamic Rituals and Practices at the Time of Death In Islam, Surah Yasin (Chapter 36 of the Holy Qur’an) is recited near to a dying person to comfort him. When a person is about to die, Surah Yasin (36th chapter of the Holy Qur’an) is recited near him, because in this chapter death and the hereafter have been mentioned in a way that would comfort the dying person. Takbir and Kalima Shahadah are also recited in a low tone. When the person dies, those who are there and those who hear the news afterwards should say, ‘Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him shall we return.’ This expresses a firm conviction in the hereafter. The eyes of the deceased are closed. By tying a band of cloth around the chin and head, the mouth is closed. There should be no wailing and lamentations. Patience should be maintained. While washing the dead body, first those parts are washed which are washed in during the ablutions for daily prayers. Then the right side of the body is washed, followed by the left side. The private parts should remain covered by a piece of cloth. Men should wash the male deceased, and women, the females. Of course, a husband may wash his deceased wife and vice versa. It is narrated that Hazrat Alira washed his wife Hazrat Fatimah’sra dead body.[49] Hazrat Abu Bakrra was washed by his wife Asma’ and his son Abdul Rahman to comply with his will.[50] For the shroud, a white cloth is recommended. Shroud for the male is a sheet for the upper part of the body, a sheet for the lower part, and a third large sheet to cover the entire body. For the female, in addition to these three pieces of cloth, two more are added, one for the chest and one for head. After this preparation, the body is carried on a bier to the place of the funeral prayer. The body of the deceased is placed in a position so that the right side of the body is towards the direction of the Ka’bah. Those present arrange themselves in rows. Let it be clear that it is not mandatory that the rows should be in odd number, as the Holy Prophetsa once led a funeral prayer and he arranged the attendants in two rows.[51] The Imam stands ahead of the rows in the middle, the dead body being in front of him. The funeral prayer has three parts. The Imam says ‘Allahu Akbar’ aloud (‘God is the Greatest’) while raising his hands up to the ears or shoulders, and returning them to the chest, right hand over the left. He then recites Thana silently followed by Surah Fatihah. The followers do the same behind the Imam. Then the Imam again says ‘Allahu Akbar’ aloud to begin the second part in which the blessings of Allah are invoked on the Holy Prophetsa. Then ‘Allahu Akbar’ is said aloud for the third part of the prayer. At this point the following funeral prayer is recited silently: “O Allah, forgive those of us who are living and those of us who are deceased and those of us who are present and those of us who are absent and our young ones and our old ones and our males and our females. O Allah, those of us whom Thou keepest alive, keep them alive in Islam, and whom Thou causest to die, cause them to die in faith. O Allah, deprive us not of the benefits relating to the deceased and put us not in trial after him.” The Imam then says ‘Allahu Akbar’ and turns his face right and left, saying ‘Assalamu alikum wa Rahmatullah’ each time. If the deceased is a child, the following prayer is added: ‘O Allah, make him/her for us a forerunner, a predecessor and a treasure and a reward and a pleader whose pleading is accepted.’ Now, the bier is carried to the cemetery, preferably on men’s shoulders; a vehicle may also be used. The body is lowered into the grave and the procession recite: ‘In the name of Allah’ in accordance with the way of the Prophet of Allahsa. After the burial, a brief, silent congregational prayer is offered with raised hands. Then the mourners leave the cemetery saying, ‘Peace be upon you, and we, God willing, will certainly join you.’[52] The words of the funeral prayer include the entire international Muslim Community – living and deceased, those present at the funeral prayer and absent, young and old, male and female. This depicts a universal Islamic brotherhood. Sometimes, some interests and benefits, spiritual or otherwise, are connected with the deceased, so the believers pray that the Community or the individual may not be deprived of their benefits even after the departure of the deceased. And sometimes the death of a person proves to be a setback for some individual or the Community, so the funeral prayer includes supplications to God that the death of the deceased may not become a source of trial for others. Let it be clear that when a Muslim stands by a grave and prays for the deceased, it does not mean that the deceased hears the words of the prayer. Prayer is addressed to God, and He is the All Hearing. Of course, if God so wills, He may let the deceased’s soul hear. The Holy Qur’an is quite clear about this point. It says: ‘Nor alike are the living and the dead. Surely, Allah causes him to hear whom He pleases; and thou canst not make those hear who are in graves.’[53] In a nutshell, the soul after departing the body is like a good or bad ‘seed’, according to one’s good or bad actions in this life, which develops in the state of Barzakh or ‘grave’ into a body with a very fine soul which is evolved within this body. Then, a complete person emerges from this state into the state of Resurrection, which is like ‘taking birth’. Naturally, this body will be healthy or diseased in accordance with the good or bad actions of a person’s in this life. This draws our attention towards always doing good deeds and shunning bad ones so as to be healthy in the next life and to go straight to Heaven and avoid being treated in the ‘hospital’ of hell. The heavenly life is eternal, death will die its own death there. Of course, after an exceedingly long period of time, which may be termed as ‘eternal’, this state may cease to exist if God so Wills. Endnotes 1. Dr Shahbaz Ahmad, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 71. 2. Ibid. 3. Edward Morgan MD, Clinical Anaesthesiology, 809. 4. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1951 Edition, Volume 7. 5. “Life after Death”, Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics. 6. Daniel 12:2. 7. Ezekiel 37:4-6. 8. “Gehenna”, The Jewish Encyclopaedia. 9. Wherry, Vol. 1, (79; ch. 2). 10. Numbers (ch. 16). 11. Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics. 12. Romans 5:12. 13. F.S Khairullah, Qamusul Kitab’ (Lahore: Masihi Isha’at Khana, 1997), 970. 14. “Death and Disposal of the Dead”, Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics. 15. “Transmigration – Buddhist”, Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics. 16. Kent A. Jacabsen, Three functions of Hell in Hindu Traditions. 17. Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics. 18. Holy Qur’an, Al-Zumar, Verse 43. 19. Ahmadiyyat or the True Islam, 205. 20. Holy Qur’an, Al-Mu’minun, Verses 116-117. 21. Holy Qur’an, ‘Abasa, Verses 18-23. 22. Holy Qur’an, Al-Mu’minun, Verses 100-101. 23. Holy Qur’an, Al Imran, Verse 107. 24. The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, p. 97. 25. Holy Qur’an, Al Imran, Verses 107-108. 26. Holy Qur’an, Al Nahl, Verses 29-30. 27. Holy Qur’an, Al Nahl, Verse 33. 28. “Tirmidhi”, Kitab sifatil Qiyamah. 29. Holy Qur’an, Bani Isra’il, Verse 73. 30. Holy Qur’an, Bani Isra’il, Verse 15. 31. Holy Qur’an, Al Saffat, Verses 52-56. 32. Holy Qur’an, Al Waqi‘ah, Verse 53. 33. Hakeem Muzaffar Husain A’wan, “Thohar”, Kitabul Mufradat, (Lahore, Hyderabad, Karachi: Sheikh Gulam Ali & Sons Ltd.). 34. Holy Qur’an, Al Naba’, Verses 25-27. 35. “Surah Hud”, Ma‘alimut Tanzil, Vol. 2, Verse 109. 36. Holy Qur’an, Al-Naba’, Verses 22-24. 37. Holy Qur’an, Al Dhariyat, Verse 57. 38. Holy Qur’an, Al Tahrim, Verse 9. 39. Holy Qur’an, Al Fatir, Verses 35-36. 40. Holy Qur’an, Al Taubah, Verse 72. 41. Holy Qur’an, Al Dukhan, Verse 55. 42. Holy Qur’an, Al Rahman, Verse 57. 43. Holy Qur’an, Al Sajdah, Verse 18. 44. “Bukhari”, Kitab Bad’il Khalq. 45. Tarikhe Ahmadiyyat, Vol. 1, 276. 46. Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadra, Darsul Quran, 23 Ramadan, March 6, 1994. 47. Kanzul ‘Ummal, Kitabul Fadail, Albabuth Thani. 48. Izalah Auham, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 3, p. 227 (footnote). 49. Abu ‘Umar Yusuf, Alisti‘ab, Bab Al Nisa wa kunahunna, bab: Alfa, (Beirut: Kutub Al-Islamiyyah). 50. Muhammad Rada, Al Khulafa’ Al Rashidun (Al Kitab Al ‘Arabi). 51. Hadith of Muslim, Kitabul Janaiz, Bab Fit-Takbir ‘alal-janazah. 52. Salat (Islamabad: Islam International publications Ltd.). 53. Holy Qur’an, Al Fatir, Verse 23. By Malik Jamil R. Rafiq is the Principal of Jamia Ahmadiyya (Ahmadiyya Institute of Theology) in Rabwah, Pakistan. We present extracts from the writing of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi (as), on displaying sympathy and compassion to all mankind and on the need to reform oneself to achieve this. These are re-published from the first volume of The Essence of Islam. The second aspect of devoting one’s life to the cause of God Almighty is that one’s life should be devoted to the service of His creatures and to sympathise with them and to share their burdens and sorrows. One should suffer pain to bring them comfort, and one should experience grief to bring them consolation. This shows that the reality of Islam is a very superior thing and that no one can truly deserve the title of Muslim till he surrenders the whole of his being to God, together with all his faculties, desires, and designs and till he begins to tread along His path withdrawing altogether from his ego and all its attendant qualities. A person will be truly called a Muslim only when his heedless life undergoes a total revolution and his evil-directing self, together with all its passions, is wiped out altogether and he is invested with a new life, which is characterised by his carrying out all his obligations to Allah; which should comprise nothing except obedience to the Creator and sympathy for His creatures. Obedience to the Creator means that in order to make manifest His Honour, Glory and Unity, one should be ready to endure every dishonour and humiliation, and one should be eager to undergo a thousand deaths in order to uphold His Unity. One hand should be ready to cut off the other with pleasure in obedience to Him, and the love of the grandeur of His commandments and the thirst for seeking His pleasure should make sin so hateful as if it were a consuming fire, or a fatal poison, or an obliterating lightning, from which one must run away with all one’s power. For seeking His pleasure one must surrender all the desires of one’s ego; and to establish a relationship with Him one should be ready to endure all kinds of injuries; and to prove such a relationship one must break off all other relationships. The service of one’s fellow-beings means to strive for their benefit purely for the sake of God in all their needs, and in all the relationships of mutual dependence which God has established out of true and selfless sympathy for them. All in need of help should be helped out of one’s God-given capacity and one must do his best for their betterment both in this world and in the hereafter.[2] The purport of my teaching is: Believe in God as One without associate, and have sympathy with God’s creatures and be of good conduct and think no ill. Be such that no disorderliness or mischief should approach your heart. Utter no falsehood, invent no lies and cause no hurt to anyone whether by your tongue or your hands. Avoid all manner of sin and restrain your passions. Try to become pure hearted, without vice. It should be your principle to have sympathy for all human beings. Safeguard your hands, your tongues and your thoughts against all impure objects and disorderly ways and all kinds of deceit. Fear God and worship Him with pure hearts. Refrain from committing wrong, trespass, embezzlement, taking bribes or unfair partisanship and keep away from evil companions. Safeguard your eyes against treachery and your ears against listening to backbiting. Entertain no ill designs against the members of any religion or any tribe or group. Be sincere counsellors for everyone. Let no mischief-maker or one given to bad behaviour ever be of your company. Shun every vice and try to acquire every virtue. Your hearts should be free from deceit, your hands should be innocent of wrong and your eyes should be free from impurity. Take no part in any evil or transgression. Put forth your utmost efforts to recognise God, finding Whom is salvation and meeting Whom is deliverance. He manifests Himself to him who seeks Him with love and sincerity of heart, and He reveals Himself to him who becomes truly His. Pure hearts are His thrones, and tongues that are free from falsehood, abuse and vain talk are the places of His revelation. He who loses himself in seeking His pleasure becomes a manifestation of His miraculous power.[3] If the superiority of any Prophet can be established by such works as proclaim true sympathy with mankind exceeding that of all other Prophets, then, O ye people, arise and bear witness that in this respect Muhammadsa has no equal in the world…. Blind worshippers of creatures have not recognised that great Prophetsa who set forth thousands of examples of true sympathy with mankind. I perceive, however, that the time has arrived when this Holy Messengersa would be recognised. If you wish you might record my statement that henceforth the worship of the dead will decline daily till it disappears altogether. Will man set himself up against God? Will a despised drop frustrate the designs of God? Will the projects of mortal man disgrace Divine commandments? O ye who can hear, listen, and O ye who can reflect, consider and remember that truth will be proclaimed and he who is the true light will shine forth.[4] Endnotes 1. This is a generic title given by The Review of Religions to describe the collection of quotes we have selected of Hazrat Ahmad, the Promised Messiahas. This title has not been used by the Promised Messiahas himself nor is it found in Essence of Islam. 2. A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 5, pp. 60- 62 (Eng. Translation in The Essence of Islam, Vol. 1. pp. 22-23). 3. (Kashf-ul-Ghita’, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 14, pp. 187-188 (Eng. Translation in The Essence of Islam, Vol. 1, pp. xxxiii-xxxiv). 4. (Majmu‘a Ishtiharat, Vol. 2, pp. 305-307 (Eng. Translation in The Essence of Islam, Vol 1, pp. 209-210). - See more at: http://www.reviewofreligions.org/11052/suffer-pain-to-bring-comfort-to-humanity/#sthash.IzVKdN3B.dpuf By Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad - The Promised Messiah and Mahdi (as) Religion Drips with Blood (chapter one) Did our history begin with the curse of Cain? It is a gory tale of murder, assassination and torture in any event. So much blood has been spilled throughout history that the whole world could be painted red with it – with plenty to spare. When will man stop killing his fellow men? When will his thirst for blood ever be quenched? Abel was the first man to be killed, by his brother, for no reason. The story of that murder has been preserved by the Qur’an and the Bible as a lesson to us all – it will remain as an example till the end of time. Study history, and one thing becomes clear: that man is an aggressive creature. His aggressiveness has been untamed by the growth of civilisation. Man is as cruel today as he was thousands of years ago. The story of his ruthlessness, his tyranny and his aggression is long and painful. The fire of human aggression has not been quenched even after thousands of years of savagery. Assassination of individuals and the annihilation of whole groups of peoples are a repetitive theme of history. States have attacked states; countries have fought against their neighbors and against nations far from their borders. Hordes of people living in the steppes and deserts conquered nations with ancient civilisations; blood was shed by Caesar and by Alexander; Baghdad was destroyed by Hulagu and Gengiz; the soil of Kurukshetra ran red with the blood of Kauravas and Pandavas. Sometimes blood was spilled in the name of honour, sometimes in the name of revenge for supposed wrongs. Sometimes angry hordes overran peaceful lands in search of food, sometimes in search of world domination. But more often the blood of man – created in God’s image – was shed in the name of his Creator. Religion was used as an excuse for mass murder. Seeing this aspect of human nature makes one wonder if mankind is not the basest and most ruthless species on earth. One expects religion to teach man to be civilised, yet religion itself drips with blood. This fact recalls the incident which took place at the time of the creation of Adam(as), described by both the Qur’an and the Bible. The Qur’an says: And when thy Lord said to the angels, ‘I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth,’ they said, ‘Wilt Thou place therein such as will cause disorder in it and shed blood? – and we glorify Thee with Thy praise and extol Thy holiness.’ He answered, ‘I know what you know not’. (Ch.2.V.31) This dialogue between the angels and God is baffling because any book on religious history would seem to prove that the angels were right. If so, why did God refuse to accept their ‘advice’ or uphold their objection to His plan? It was, in fact, an objection to prophecy itself and ultimately to the prophethood of the Seal of Prophets, Muhammad(saw). The history of religion in any part of the world at any time is the history of torture, repression, execution and crucifixion. It is disappointing indeed to find that religion, which is supposed to be the last refuge of peace in a world of war and conflict, is a cause of destruction and bloodshed. Religion itself is not the real cause of mass murder, however, and it is a mistake to think it is. Religion was not given to man to encourage killing. When one discovers, with mixed feelings of satisfaction and surprise, that God did not make religion for this purpose, one receives a ray of hope. The vicegerent of God, whose creation the angels questioned, was really a great reformer. The religion he preached was named Islam – the religion of peace. The question remains: why, at first glance, does history create the impression that religion sanctions bloodshed and murder in the name of peace? The Qur’an points out very clearly why a cursory glance at history can lead one to such a conclusion. It cites the past to show that those who perpetuate brutality in religion’s name are either anti-religious or people whose religion has been corrupted. There are also religious leaders who have no warmth, compassion, mercy or piety. To be honest, they are hypocrites with a lust for power. Cruelty is their ruling passion. It would be a great mistake to associate religion with the misdeeds of such men. The real truth is that God – the Fountainhead of Mercy – does not allow the followers of any religion to oppress His people. The Qur’an quotes many historical examples to prove this point. The early part of the prophets’ lives is given by the Qur’an as a standard for religious reform or for preaching. If physical force had been allowed by God, then surely it would have been permitted by the founders of religions. It is quite clear that force is forbidden. Those followers who came long after the prophets and preached by force either inherited a religion corrupted by time or were themselves corrupt. They used force in the name of religion, yet their religion opposed the use of force. The Qur’an’s religious history is full of examples of force and violence used in the name of religion by people who had no religion. People were tortured in the name of God by those who had not the faintest clue about God. Noah(as) who called people to righteousness and piety, was not an oppressor – those who wished to suppress his voice were in the wrong. On hearing Noah(as)’s message they said: ‘If you don’t desist, O Noah, you shall surely be one of those who are stoned.’ (Ch.26:V.117) The history of religious persecution, as told by the Qur’an, clearly shows that followers of true religion are the victims of violence. The Qur’an gives the example of Abraham(as), who called the people to God by using love, sympathy and humility. He had no sword…not a single weapon. But the elders of his people did exactly what the anti-religious opponents of Noah(as) had done. Abraham(as)’s father, Azar, said: “If you do not desist from your belief I shall stone you.” The words used by Azar were virtually identical to those used by Noah(as)’s enemies. Both Noah(as) and Abraham(as) were insulted and humiliated, both were beaten and tortured, yet both accepted it all with patience and fortitude. Having lit the fire of oppression and mischief, the tormentors of Abraham(as) tried to burn him alive. Those who opposed Lot(as) knew nothing whatsoever about religion. Yet they were his enemies and opposed him and his followers in religion’s name. They threatened him with violence; they warned him that he and his followers would be banished. They did their best to stop him teaching his religion. The persecutors of Shuaib(as) did the same and told him: ‘Assuredly we will drive you out and the believers with you from our town and you shall have to return to our religion.’ (Ch.7:V.89) By citing these examples, the Qur’an proves there is a pattern of conversion to true religion and also to the force used by the enemies of truth against such conversion. Shuaib(as)’s reply to the threats typifies the attitude of all God’s prophets. He said: ‘Even though we be unwilling?’ Is it possible to change hearts by force, can a man be reconverted to a religion he has discarded after discovering it to be false? And can he be reconverted after he has discovered the truth of a new religion? No dictator has ever been able to escape this logic. The historical fact is that the sword has never ruled and will never rule men’s hearts. If the human body can be subdued by force, then the soul cannot. Belief is a thing of the heart. It is human nature which never changes. Innocent people who are sentenced to death in the name of religion by those who do not understand it will continue to raise their voice against this injustice. They will forever pose the question: ‘Do you want us to stick to the beliefs our intelligence has rejected?’ Whenever this question has been asked, enemies of religion across the world have accused the prophets of apostasy and sentenced them to death. Inhumane torture and punishments were invented… the story of violence is one which never ends. Moses(as) and his followers met the same fate at the hands of the so-called religious heads of the time – Pharaoh, Haman and Korah – who said: ‘Slay the sons of those who have believed with him and let their women live.’ (Ch.40.V.26) Conversion from one religion to another was not punished by the prophets, yet they and their followers were punished for the so-called apostasy. After Moses(as), Jesus(as) endured similar torture and violence which culminated in an attempt to kill him on the Cross. Bloodshed and violence have always been carded out in religion’s name: their victims have throughout time been those found guilty of apostasy. Yet not a single revealed book sanctions the punishment of those who changed from one religion to another. If the texts of revealed Books have been altered by dishonest people, one can hardly blame the Books themselves. By their very nature, Books revealed to God’s prophets cannot teach violence. Making reference to the history of religions, the Qur’an proves that the prophets and their followers were victims of violence; who, nonetheless, accepted brutality with patience. It is beyond one’s belief that people who change faiths can be tortured in the name of religion, and prophets of God, who are sent to convert us, cannot accept it either. It makes nonsense of their own mission. The Qur’an also tells how a prophet’s followers are punished for conversion not only during his life, but for hundreds of years after his death. Such oppression has no sanction from God. Then there is the Qur’anic story of the people of the cave. These Christians were persecuted for 300 years, and I have seen the places where these poor people were tortured – the amphitheatres intended for gladiatorial combat with bulls and lions. It was in these places that naked Christians were thrown to hungry wild animals. The animals howled and made short shrift of the defenceless Christians. Sometimes these ‘apostates’ were thrown to bulls which had been starved for several days. The starving creatures bellowed and snorted and, with hissing screeches, attacked. The Christians were gored or trampled to death. And after this festival of blood, the laughing Romans returned joyfully home. The ‘apostates’ had been fittingly punished. But while the Christians’ legs trembled, their hearts beat strongly with faith in God. Their persecution went on intermittently for three centuries. And when they found no place to hide, they fled underground to the catacombs. These long labyrinths exist today and they remind us that the Christians could live with insects, scorpions and snakes but not with religious leaders in their fine clothes. As well as those people who fled underground – Ashab-ul-Kahf – the Qur’an also mentions other Christians who believed in the Unity of God and were burned alive for their pains. God says: “By the heaven having mansions of stars, and the Promised Day, and the witness and he to whom witness is borne, cursed be the Fellows of the Trench – the fire fed with fuel – when they sat by it and they were the witnesses of what they did to the believers. And they hated them not but only because they believed in Allah, the Almighty, the Praiseworthy, to Whom belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is Witness over all things.” (Ch.85:Vs.2-10) The enormity of these atrocities is made worse because of the so-called religious protectors who actually prevent worship of Allah; their victims feel a greater anguish from being prevented from worshipping than they do from torture itself. The Qur’an says: ‘And who is more unjust than the man who prohibits the name of Allah being glorified in Allah’s mosques and seeks to destroy them?’ (Ch.2:V.115) So the Qur’an totally rejects the use of force to suppress religious freedom. It declares that though such suppression takes place, true believers never use force to preach the name of Allah. So far we have told the story of the persecution of prophets who came before the time when God’s light was to illuminate the world. But eventually the sun of eternal truth rose on the skies of the Arab peninsula and the world was soon to bask in the light of Muhammad(saw)’s message. For thousands of years the world had awaited the greatest prophet. One hundred and twenty-four thousand prophets had lived and died in the hope of welcoming this Seal of the Prophets. The man for whom the whole world was created finally appeared, reflecting the full glory of his Creator. He was greater than all the prophets; his religion was complete. But he, too, was persecuted and his persecution was without precedence. Our Master and Lord, Prophet Muhammad(saw), endured every conceivable form of punishment, torture and torment suffered by the earlier prophets and their followers. Early Muslims were laid out in the blazing sun. Burning stones were put on their chests; they were dragged through the streets of Makkah like dead animals. They were shunned, and kept hungry and thirsty. They were thrown into dungeons, their belongings were seized and their families were broken up. Pregnant women were thrown off camels, their inevitable deaths the cause of merriment. Their dead bodies were cut asunder – even the liver of the Prophet’s uncle was eaten. They were cut down with swords and pierced by arrows. The Prophet(saw) was stoned by ruffians and vagabonds and was chased and pelted by urchins till the cobblestones of Taif ran red with his blood. And at the battle-ground of Uhud the Prophet(saw) was seriously wounded. This bloodshed took place in the name of religion, because Muslims said Rabbunallaha, our Lord, is Allah. This persecution and torture was perpetrated in the name of religion because, according to the polytheists of Makkah, the Prophet’s and the Muslims were apostates. The polytheists called the Prophet and his followers ‘Sabi’—people who discard their ancestral religion and adopt a new one. In order to put down this ‘evil’, the Makkans adopted methods of torture and suppression which had been used by their predecessors. Muhammad(saw) and his followers suffered patiently and with fortitude for a long time to prove that evil is caused by anti-religious people and not by followers of the truth. The Prophet(saw), exalted by Allah to a position with no equal, showed his persecutors only unsurpassable love, mercy and forgiveness in return for their evil. When victory finally came and the polytheists of Makkah were subdued by the Prophet(saw), he ordered a general amnesty. There was no massacre and no punishment for his persecutors. No arrests were made. No executions took place. Instead of retribution there was the Qur’anic proclamation: ‘Let no reproach be on you this day. May Allah forgive you. He is the most merciful of the merciful.’ That day the cruellest of the cruel were pardoned. Those who had tormented helpless slaves on the burning sand were forgiven. Those who had dragged Muslims through the streets like dead animals were absolved. Those who had breached the peace were pardoned, as were those who had stoned defenceless Muslims – even the woman who had eaten the liver of the Prophet(saw)’s uncle. If the history of the world from Adam(as) to the present day were ever lost – and with it the record of every persecution and of every charter of human rights – a glance at the life of the Prophet(saw) would more than prove that true religion does not cause hatred, persecution, repression or the suppression of thought. But the Prophet(saw) did not confine his teachings to calling for religious tolerance. Since the Prophet(saw) of Islam is ‘A Mercy for the Universe’ (Ch.21:V.108), a general proclamation is made by the Qur’an: ‘There shall be no compulsion in religion.’ Compulsion is unnecessary because, ‘Guidance and error have been clearly distinguished’ (Ch.2:V.257) and there is no possibility of confusing the two. On the face of it, this proclamation seems unusual and anomalous. On one hand there was an arbitrary authority, hell-bent on wiping out a small group of people because of their ‘apostasy’ with every means at its disposal. And when this group of ‘apostasy’ gained power, it was told by the Qur’an to proclaim that: “There shall be no compulsion in religion, for guidance and error have been clearly distinguished; so whoever refuses to be led by those who transgress and believes in Allah, has surely grasped a strong handle – one which knows no breaking.” (Ch.2:V.257) But it must be noted that this proclamation is made in the second chapter of the Qur’an, Al-Baqarah, which was revealed in the first two or three years after the Prophet(saw)’s arrival in Madinah, a place where Muslims were not only free from Makkan persecution but also held power. What could be a more human and generous proclamation of peace from a prophet who, only a year or two earlier, had been persecuted for ‘changing his religion’? People who persecute in the name of religion are totally ignorant of the essence of religion. Religion is a metamorphosis of hearts. Religion is not politics and its adherents do not make up political parties. Neither is it a nationality with limited loyalties, nor a country with geographical borders. It is the transformation of hearts – transformation for the good of the soul. The home of religion is in the depths of the heart. It is beyond the sway of the sword. Mountains are not moved by the sword, nor are hearts changed by force. While persecution in the name of religion is the repetitive theme in the history of human aggression, freedom of conscience is the Qur’an’s repetitive theme. The Prophet(saw) was asked again and again to proclaim: ‘This is the truth from your Lord; let him who will, believe, and let him who will, disbelieve.’ (Ch.18:V.30) Truth is obviously a matter of the heart; it has nothing to do with force. Once it has been beheld it cannot be blotted out by any power. Hence the Qur’an’s assertion that once truth is known it is our choice to accept or reject it. Yet, elsewhere, the Qur’an says: ‘Verily, this is a reminder: so whosoever wishes may take to the way that leads to his Lord.’ (Ch.76:V.30) No charter of human rights can surpass the clarity of the Qur’anic phrase faman Shaa’ (whosoever wishes). The word ‘whosoever’ is all inclusive. It is surprising that after such a clear declaration anyone could possibly think that Islam supports the use of force. Again, in the 39th chapter of the Qur’an, the Prophet(saw) is ordered to tell unbelievers: ‘It is Allah I worship in sincerest obedience.’ Now, as far as you are concerned, ‘Worship what you like besides Him.’ (Ch.39:V.16) Since freedom of conscience – freedom to believe and to preach – is the cornerstone of religion, and repression of religious heresy is the aim of antireligious forces, the Qur’an lays great emphasis on the freedom of conversion. The last line of Chapter 109 of the Qur’an sums up the basic principle of a true religion. ‘For you, your religion and for me, my religion.’ In an earlier passage, God refers to the same principle by asking a rhetorical question. Addressing the Holy Prophet(saw), He says: ‘If thy Lord had enforced His will, surely all those on earth would have believed, without exception? Will thou, then, take it upon thyself to force people to become believers?’ (Ch.10:V.108). In the scheme of creation, man must have complete free will to believe or otherwise; there is no compulsion; a man must use his reason and understanding. After all, faith is a gift given by God to those He thinks deserve it. One hundred and twenty-four thousand prophets were sent by God and showed, by their teaching and example, that the bearers of the divine message are the oppressed, not the oppressors. The prophets won over hearts by moral and spiritual strength, not by physical force. It is a great tragedy that the ordained priests and the turbaned Mullahs with their flowing robes of ‘piety’ became the tormentors of the innocent in the name of oppressed prophets. They monopolised religion, yet they knew nothing of it. They claimed to protect the honour of their prophets by maligning others, by spreading malicious lies and, above all, by perpetrating crimes of violence which shamed humanity. They did it before the birth of the Holy Prophet(saw). They do it still. In medieval Europe, the so-called followers of Christ(as) – the popes and the prelates, cardinals and canons, and the elders of the Church – wrote a chapter of terror into the history books. St Augustine called it ‘righteous persecution which the Church of Christ inflicts upon the impious’ (1). Today’s Christian historians admit that this ‘righteous persecution’, inflicted in Christ(as)’s name, was a disgrace to the Church. Madame Tussaud’s waxworks museum in London has a strange, moving and terrifying exhibition of this persecution. The museum was originally founded in Paris in 1770 and moved to England in 1802. Its walls are lined with waxworks of famous and infamous people. Its Chamber of Horrors is a kind of underground dungeon. The figures there have been modelled into such uncanny likenesses that you can almost see them breathing. Many visitors there have stopped to ask directions from a friendly looking curator, only to find they have been talking to a dummy! On display are the death-masks from the guillotined heads of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, which were personally cast by Madame Tussaud. There are authentic gallows with other instruments of torture: pillory, stocks, whipping-post, ducking-stool, iron maiden rack, galleys, bed of Procrustes, cross, gibbet, halter and many others. Some exhibits are so gruesome that they are covered with screens to keep them away from children and squeamish adults. It is a strange world where a man can rise to the heights of prophethood and talk with his Creator, then sink to the depths of becoming a priest and questioning Joan of Arc about her visions of angels. He can sink even lower and become an inquisitor. The instruments of torture shown at Madame Tussaud’s tell the tragic story of the Spanish and French Inquisitions. Innocent people were tortured for their so-called apostasy; they were forced to confess that they had recanted from the true religion. When they refused, they were whipped and flogged, put on the rack, lynched, impaled, pilloried, branded and burned. The victims either confessed or died a miserable death. These dignitaries of the Church in all their finery, who tortured innocent Christians, remind one of Christ(as) with his crown of thorns, bleeding on the Cross and crying with a loud voice: ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ (Matthew 27:46). These were the people who symbolically consumed the flesh and blood of Christ(as) at Communion services, yet could not recall that the Pharisees had asked Pontius Pilate to crucify Christ(as) because he had ‘apostasised’ and abandoned the religion of his forefathers. But the crucifixion of Christ(as) pales into insignificance when compared with the Inquisition of medieval Christians. It is with a sense of relief and, indeed, pride that Islam, with its declaration of ‘no compulsion in the matter of belief’, has finally closed the door on such atrocities in the name of religion. But this sense of relief and pride is only short-lived. Any Muslim will lower his head with shame when he sees today’s ‘ulema [Muslim clergy] vying with what the Christian priests of medieval Europe did to devise new ways of suppressing freedom of thought and conscience. And yet these are the very ‘ulema who claim to protect the honour of the Holy Prophet(saw) whom the Qur’an describes as a ‘Mercy for the Universe’. These ‘ulema claim to be the very personification of mercy, but their hearts are without compassion. Instead, they are filled with anger. The use of force in the name of religion has now become part of their faith. In the name of God’s holy water – sent to cool our tempers – they kindle the fires of hatred and anger in the hearts of the innocent. The followers of the Prince of Peace(saw), whose blood cleansed barbaric Arabia, are now being persuaded to murder helpless people. In the name of the protector of poor people’s unguarded homes his followers are encouraged to rob the homes of people who are powerless to defend themselves. In the name of the Prophet(saw) who protected the honour of even the wives of ruffians, the happy and loving marriages of Muslim women are annulled and transformed into adulterous relationships. In the name of the builder of the first mosque in Madinah, who offered it to the Christians of Najran for Sunday services, in the name of the Prophet(saw) who taught his followers to respect the temples of other faiths, today’s ‘ulema incite the masses to destroy the mosques of a small group of people whose lives are devoted to the spreading of shahada. The unjust acts the Prophet(saw) condemned and banned forever are now being perpetrated in his very name. What would the Holy Prophet(saw) think if he could see the ‘ulema of his umma falsely accusing the elders of other Muslim groups of all sorts of misdeeds and shouting abuse about women and housewives? How will an agnostic react to this demonstration of ‘religious zeal’? What Muslim could think, even for a moment, that our Prophet(saw), would have advised the ‘ulema of his ummah to deliver provocative, disruptive speeches; or that he would have ordered them to deliver such fiery sermons that entire villages of poor and helpless people would be set ablaze? Not satisfied with all this, could the Prince of Peace(saw) have told religious leaders to treat as apostates all those Muslims whose understanding of Islam did not conform to their own? Would he have sanctioned the killing of them and their women and the destruction of their mosques – said to be the only divine way to blot out apostasy? These are the questions about which we should all think seriously. Muslims should consider the attitude of these ‘ulema. For suppression, torture, execution, arson and the razing of mosques are not the Prophet(saw)’s tradition. Every stone in the streets of Makkah over which the so-called apostates were dragged bears witness to this. Every grain of burning Arabian sand where helpless people were tortured for accepting Islam does the same. The cobbles of Taif, where the blood of the Holy Prophet(saw) was spilled, bear witness to the fact that our great Master mercifully did not teach that religious belief was compulsory, that he did not order the burning of houses of worship in the name of worship or the dishonouring of women in the name of honour. Muslims hang their heads in shame and their souls cry out over today’s religious leaders who preach violence in the name of the Prophet(saw). Murder in the Name of Allah can be read in its entirety at: http://www.alislam.org/library/books/mna/index.html Murder in the Name of Allah was written by Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru), Khalifatul Masih IV, Fourth Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim community. It is based on the Urdu book Mazhab ke Nam per Khoon which was written in the 1950s and inspired by the extremely violent 1953 anti-Ahmadiyya riots in Pakistan. Instigated by the Jama’at-i-Islami and Abul A‘la Maududi, a leading Sunni cleric of the time, the riots involved large scale looting, murder and arson attacks against members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. Murder in the Name of Allah is a reminder that the purpose of any religion is to spread peace, tolerance and understanding. It argues that the meaning of Islam – submission to the will of God – has been steadily corrupted by minority elements in society. Instead of spreading peace, the religion has been abused by fanatics and made an excuse for violence and the spread of terror, both inside and outside the faith. In light of the recent Lahore attacks against two Ahmadi mosques resulting in 86 martyrdoms, we reproduce below the first chapter from this book. ISBN: 978-0718828059 By Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru), Khalifatul Masih IV, Fourth Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim community. To read more interesting and inspiring articles like this visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. The physical resurrection and ascension of Jesus(as) is a most crucial facet of the Christian faith. The entire foundation of Christian belief is based on the supernatural and miraculous resurrection of Jesus’(as) atonement for the sins of mankind through his death. If, however, we choose to believe that Jesus(as) actually died on the cross, we would also have to admit that all his efforts were lost in vain, and that it was a shameful end of his ministry on the cross. The previous articles in this Edition explained how God saved the Prophet Jesus(as) from being killed on the cross to prevent him from dying an ‘accursed death’, and in answer to his supplications to be saved. Here, we will examine evidence that the reliability of the Gospel accounts is highly contentious and does not provide any firm evidence of Jesus’(as) physical or spiritual resurrection or ascension. If this is proved to be true, it would indicate that Jesus(as) survived the crucifixion and was alive. The Credibility of the Resurrection Narratives Jesus’(as) Body Placed in the Tomb In Mark 15:46 and Luke 23:50-54, Joseph of Arimathea takes the body of Jesus(as) and lays him in an open tomb. According to Matthew 27:59-60, 66, Joseph of Arimathea takes the body of Jesus(as), lays it in his own new tomb and the Roman guards secure the front of the tomb. John 19:41 has a different interpretation altogether where Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea take the body of Jesus(as), anoint him with spices, wrap the body and place it in the open tomb in the garden nearby. Visiting the Tomb Church of the Holy Sepulchre According to Mark 16:1-2, Mary Magdalene, Mary (follower of Jesus(as)) Mother of James and Salome , take spices to anoint the body and arrived at the tomb when the sun had risen. In Mathew 28:1 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the grave as it began to dawn. According to Luke 24:10, Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, Joanna, and other women took spices which they had prepared the night before to anoint Jesus(as) body and they arrived at early dawn. John 20:1 says only Mary Magdalene went to the tomb when it was still dark. When is the Tomb Stone Rolled Away? Who is at the Tomb? In Mark 16:3-4,5, the women arrive at the tomb, the tombstone is already rolled away and one angel is sitting on the right side, inside the tomb. According to Matthew 28:1-2, the women arrive at the tomb, there is an earthquake, then an angel appears, removes the tomb stone and sits on it. In Luke 24:2, 4, when they arrived, the stone had already been removed and two angels are standing by the women, inside the tomb. In John 20:1-2, 12, when Mary arrived, the stone had already been taken away, she sees the missing body, runs out and when she comes back the second time then she sees two angels one at the head and the other at the feet where Jesus(as) was laid. The Reaction of the Women after Discovering the Missing Body, and the First Appearance of Jesus(as) According to Mark 16: 6-8, the angel was told to go and tell the disciples that Jesus(as) has risen and was travelling towards Galilee. The women left the tomb trembling with fear, and did not say anything to anyone. In verse 9, Jesus(as) appears to Mary Magdalene. It is not clear where he met her. It was some time after she fled the tomb. Matthew 28:4-8, 9, mentions how the guards shook with fear at the appearance of the angels. The women were told to go and tell the disciples that Jesus(as) has risen and would see them in Galilee. The women left quickly with joy and ran to let the disciples know, but they met Jesus(as) on the way in Jerusalem before they saw the disciples. Matthew further adds, in verses 11-14, that while the women were on their way, the guards went into the city and reported what had happened to the chief priests. They assembled with the elders who consulted and decided to give the soldiers a large sum of money, and instructed them to tell people that: ‘You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep. And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.’ They took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day. In Luke’s story (24:5-11) the women are terrified, the two angels tell them that Jesus(as) had risen. They return and inform the disciples, who would not believe them. Peter runs to the tomb and sees the linen wrappings. Luke’s account of the first appearance of Jesus(as) is different to Matthew and Mark. Luke mentions that on their way home about 7 miles away from Jerusalem in Emmaus, Cleopas and another (not Mary Magdalene) met Jesus(as) who accompanied them on their way, but they do not recognise him. When they reached the village they asked him to stay, and they recognised Jesus(as) when he sits to eat with them, but after that, he disappears. John 20:11-18 gives a completely contradictory account in comparison to the synoptics (Mark, Matthew and Luke). The angels ask Mary why she was crying. As Mary was about to respond, she turned around and saw Jesus(as), disguised as gardener, standing there. There are no angels giving instructions to Mary in John’s story. On the contrary, in the Fourth Gospel, it is Jesus(as) who appears to Mary in person, not the two angels, telling her that he has risen. John’s account also does not mention the Roman soldiers, whom Matthew places at the tomb. Without the presence of the guards at the tomb, John’s Mary believed that Jesus(as)’ body had been removed from the tomb. Jesus’(as) Other Appearances after Leaving the Tomb A tomb near Nazareth dating to the 1st Century. It is likely that Jesus(as) may have been placed in a similar, airy tomb. It is widely believed that Mark 16:9-20 is a much later insertion which is not found in the earlier ancient manuscripts of the New Testament Gospels. However, the later addition asserts that Jesus(as) appeared to the eleven disciples telling them to preach to the whole world. However, in Matthew 28:16-20, the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus(as) had designated. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some were doubtful. Then Jesus(as) told his disciples to preach: ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.’ In Luke 24:36-49, Jesus’(as) followers were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. He said to them: ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And then showed them his hands and his feet. He said, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of fish; which he took and ate in front of them. Then Jesus(as) explains the Law of Moses, the prophets and Psalms to his disciples indicating that they must be fulfilled. According to John 20:19-30, in the evening on the same day, Jesus(as) met his disciples behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, and he showed them his hands, feet and his side. According to Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus(as) made this appearance to all the eleven surviving Disciples. Paul’s version mentions the presence of all twelve Apostles (1 Corinthians 15:5), although Judas had long since died (Matthew 27:5, Acts 1:18). Contrary to all this, John’s story places only ten disciples at the scene, Thomas being absent! (John 20:24). Strangely, Paul never mentions the physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus(as). He also does not mention the empty tomb, appearances to the Disciples, or the ascension of Jesus(as) into heaven. In Galatians 1, he mentions that he first met Jesus(as) in a ‘revelation’ on the road to Damascus, not in the flesh. 1 Corinthians 15; Paul says the original eye-witnesses—Peter, James, the twelve Disciples, and hundreds of others—saw Jesus(as) the same way Paul did, then he describes how the body that dies is not the body that rises. This indicates quite strongly that Paul did not believe in the physical resurrection, but something completely different. The Resurrection and Ascension Many scholars, including Constantine Von Tischendorf—the noted German Biblical scholar and author of Criticial Edition of the New Testament—generally agree that the author of Mark pureposely stopped at verse 16:8. This means that the original version of the Gospel did not describe any post-resurrection appearances of Jesus(as). According to the later additional verses of Mark 16:14-19, Jesus(as) went up to heaven and sat at the right hand of God, but there is no clear evidence that this is an accurate reference. There is only one account of the ascension in Luke 24:50-51. This was also omitted in the early ancient texts. The cross-reference to the ascension is in Acts 1:9-12; the author of Acts is also Luke. If the original reference was omitted in Luke, then it does not have much credibility in Acts at all. Inside the Edicule, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, where many believe Jesus(as) was first buried. The resurrection narratives would thus be deemed unreliable and a cause for real concern, because of the conflicting inconsistencies. In fact, it appears that the resurrection became a growing legend over time as the Gospels slowly emerged one by one several decades after the crucifixion (each author of the Gospel adds an addition to the story one after the other) because of contradictions in the accounts. The main issue to bear in mind is that, how can it be possible that such a crucial and essential tenet of the Christian faith as the resurrection is recorded so poorly and inaccurately? If this was truly a divine and miraculous event, then surely God would have enabled the account of Jesus’(as) resurrection to be safeguarded and preserved in its actual form of the Biblical narratives as a primary and fundamental source of reference for its followers. The Gospel narratives clearly indicate that the appearances to the Disciples were real and actually happened. The evidence that the New Testament narratives provide, are that Jesus(as) was alive and he was not roaming the world in a supernatural state as a ghost or spirit. He had all the faculties and signs of a living human being, expressing the need to physically eat and drink, and his followers could touch his physical body. He was disguising himself and was hiding out of fear of persecution. Yet he was mindful of his incomplete mission, and continued to guide his disciples whilst in hiding. All of these facts indicate that he was not God. For arguments sake, even if he was, then why would there be a need for God to be incarnated and resurrected? It is very likely and plausible that the idea of the physical resurrection was borrowed from the idea of gods being expected to raise people bodily from the dead. Associating Jesus(as) with this idea would have been a very easy mistake to make at the time: ‘Babylonian folklore claimed that Tammuz was worshipped during the spring. However, after he was slain, his mother (Easter) so wept that he became alive again. The manifestation of his resurrected life was the arrival of vegetation in the spring. When Jesus(as) arose in the spring following his crucifixion, logic seemed to dictate a connection between ignominious fable and the glorious fact. Then, when the church later desired to become popular with pagan and saint, it amalgamated the celebration of Jesus(as) resurrection with the fertility rites, eggs, and other accoutrements of a pagan holiday. After all Easter celebrated the arrival of spring, the resurrection of life from the dead of winter. What could be more appropriate?’[1] Earliest Sources The inaccuracies, contradictions and inconsistencies in the New Testament cast a great shadow of doubt on its reliability and accuracy. In view of this, the most ardent scholars have attempted to go back to the original early sources (ancient texts of the Bible in the form of Codices, fragments and manuscripts) in the aim to try and trace exactly what happened during the life of Jesus(as). Such ancient sources have come to light through archeological findings. After decades of excavation, archaeological discoveries have provided evidence and assisted researchers in the verifying the reliability of the Old and New Testaments. Some discoveries have shed completely new light on the Biblical stories. Amongst the discoveries were: A portion of the Codex Sinaiticus, from one of the leaves that at the time was at the University of Leipzig, containing Esther 2:3-8. (The majority of the manuscript is now at the British Library, London: the other parts are in Leipzig, the National Library at St. Petersburg, Russia, and St Catherine’s Monastery at Sinai in Egypt.) (Source: Plate XXII. The S.S. Teacher’s Edition: The Holy Bible. New York: Henry Frowde, Publisher to the University of Oxford, 1896.) ‘Over 1000 previously unknown documents, written in Greek, Arabic, Syrian, Armenian, Ethiopian, Gregorian and Latin. This astonishing collection, buried for nearly 200 years and unknown to the outside world for nearly 2000, must be included in the sequence of major twentieth-century discoveries that includes the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Gnostic Gospels’.[2] Amongst the discovered Codices, the masterpiece was the Codex Sinaitcus, which is the oldest surviving Bible in the world. The Codex Sinaticus is also one of the most important witnesses to the Greek text of the Septuagint (the Old Testament in the version that was adopted by early Greek-speaking Christians) and the Christian New Testament. This manuscript of the Christian Bible written in the middle of the Fourth Century has immensely contributed to the reconstruction of the original Christian Biblical text and history. Resurrection and Ascension References in the Early Texts When examining early texts, the process of searching for the truth becomes ever more complicated for Christians: ‘According to St Marks Gospel, as contained in Codex Sinaiticus, They went out and ran away from the tomb, beside themselves with terror. They said nothing to anybody, for they were afraid. There, according to codex Sinaiticus, the Gospel of mark comes to an end. It does not so end, of course, in the Authorized Version of the English Bible, nor in the received texts of any of the orthodox Christian Churches. Their version all continued with a further 12 verses.’[3] ‘The scribe who brought Mark’s Gospel to an end in Codex Sinaiticus had no doubt that it finished at chapter 16, verse 8. He underlined the text with a fine artistic squiggle, and wrote, The Gospel according to Mark. Immediately following begins the Gospel of Luke.’[14] In Luke 24:51 we are told how Jesus(as) left his Disciples following the resurrection. ‘He blessed them, was parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.’ This last phrase ‘and was carried up into heaven’ does not appear in Codex Sinaiticus or in Codex Vaticunus. According to the textual critic C.S.C. Williams, if this omission is correct, then ‘There is no reference at all to the Ascension in the original text of the Gospels.’[5] Interestingly, Bentley points out that: ‘The early century manuscripts Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Syriacus, Codex Vaticunus and Codex Bobiensis do not contain the last twelve verses of the Gospel of Mark. This is a notable omission: it is these verses only which contain the description of Jesus(as) resurrection appearance. Since Mark’s (in accordance with the Synoptic theory, discovery of who wrote first amongst Mathew, Mark and Luke) account seems to be not only the earliest but also that on which Matthew and Luke based their accounts, a question arises: what is the basis for the accounts of Jesus’(as) bodily resurrection according to Matthew, Luke and John?’[6] The Ending of Mark Regarding the abrupt ending of Mark, Bentley writes: ‘Once we assume that Mark was written first and used by at least two of the other evangelists, we are forced to ask whether or not they, so to speak, watered down what he had to preach. John Fenton makes no bones about this. Mark’s theology, he asserts, was too rigorous for the church, and the revisions that were made by Matthew, Luke and John were adaptations to meet the weakness of human nature. Everywhere in his Gospel, Mark presupposes that Jesus(as) is alive…The extra twelve verses we have already quoted were probably added by a presbyter named Aristion in the second century.’[7] Did Jesus(as) Predict his Own Resurrection? ‘And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.’ (John 3:13) This reference relates to a visit by Nicodemus (John 3). Nicodemus was afraid, or ashamed to be seen with Jesus(as), therefore he would visit him in the night. Jesus(as) welcomed him. Nicodemus did not talk with Jesus(as) about the state affairs, though he was a ruler, he discussed his own concerns of his own spiritual state. Jesus(as) explained the necessity and nature of regeneration or a new birth to be born again. Here Jesus(as) is talking about a spiritual rebirth and reformation. Nicodemus misunderstood Jesus(as) and he acknowledged this, which showed his desire to be better informed. What Jesus(as) was trying to preach was the necessity for change in order to be fit enough to ‘enter into the kingdom of God till we are born again.’ This refers to the hereafter and the Day of Resurrection, not Jesus’(as) own bodily resurrection and ascension. Christians have interpreted this verse to mean that Jesus(as) was omnipresent, but Jesus(as) never made such a claim. What the Biblical references refer to is that he was fearful of times to come and spoke very clearly and openly. Resurrection Theories Christians traditionally believe that Jesus(as) died and rose supernaturally, and miraculously. However, others have provided other theories relating to the empty tomb. One such theory is that Jesus’(as) body went missing, or was stolen. Regarding this, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(rh), the Fourth Successor to the Promised Messiah(as) said: ‘We know for certain that the Jews were unhappy and disturbed at not finding the body of Jesus Christ(as). They wanted to be sure of Jesus’(as) death and for that they needed the universally acceptable proof of death, that is, the presence of a dead body. Their complaint, lodged with Pilate, evidently displays their uneasiness about its potential disappearance. The real and simple answer, however, lay in the fact that as Christ had not died in the manner that was believed so the question of a missing body was totally irrelevant, and in keeping with his promise he must have left Judea in search of the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Obviously he could not be seen again.’[8] Conclusion Christian belief relies on the historical event of the resurrection. If Jesus(as) was not bodily resurrected, He was not God, He did not redeem mankind and Christianity would have no standing. As Paul Says: ‘If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!’ (1 Corinthians 15:17.). If Jesus(as) could not rise from the dead, He is not the saviour and faith is a lie. The fact remains that God saved Jesus(as) from dying as a result of the most extreme, shameful form of punishment, that of crucifixion. He did not die as a criminal, openly, shamefully and disgracefully in the eyes of the world: ‘Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.’ (Galatians 3:13). Jesus(as) has been a dominant figure in history for over the last two thousand years, but more evidence will continue coming to light to prove that Jesus(as) did not die on the cross, he was not resurrected and he did not ascend to heaven. God the Exalted says in the Holy Qur’an: ‘O Jesus(as), I will cause thee to die a natural death and will exalt thee to Myself, and will clear thee from the charges of those who disbelieve, and will place those who follow thee above those who disbelieve, until the Day of resurrection; then to Me shall be your return, and I will judge between you concerning that wherein you differ. (Ch.3:V.56) Prior to his crucifixion, Jesus(as) instructed his followers: These twelve Jesus(as) sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 10:5-7) But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. (Matthew 10:23) Jesus(as) escaped the clutches of his persecutors and the son of man continued his mission in search of the lost sheep of Israel. Navida Sayed is on the Editorial Board of The Review of Religions. She has been the Coordinator of the Ahmadiyya Community’s Lajna Research Team UK since 1992, whose work has predominantly revolved around Biblical Studies. Endnotes
By Navida Sayed, UK. To read more interesting articles from talented writers like this visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com. Please feel free to comment and share this article with your friends. This article looks at the various traditions and celebrations that have gradually become a part of Easter, and examines their origins, what place they have, if any, according to the scriptures and the teachings of Jesus(as) and the significance of the days leading up to Easter. While the emphasis is religious, Easter has become so heavily commercialised these days that the start of spring sparks supermarkets to load the aisles with Easter cards, Easter bunnies, Easter eggs, Easter bonnets, Easter foods and spring daffodils. But for many devout Christians, the real focus of Easter is on Jesus’(as) resurrection and their belief that he died on the cross, so that their own sins could be forgiven. Easter is the most important time of the year for Christians. In preparation for this day, many Christians around the world observe some or all of the special days associated with it, beginning with Shrove Tuesday (also known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras), Ash Wednesday, followed by the forty-day period of abstinence or fasting known as Lent. This period concludes with Holy Week; (Palm Sunday and Holy Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday), Triduum – Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Saturday, – with the last day being Easter Sunday. Easter procession in Kurks, Russia – painting by Ilya Repin (1880-83) Shrove Tuesday: Pre-Lenten confession and celebration Shrove Tuesday is the first Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, and became the last day for celebrating and feasting before the 40 day Lenten period of fasting. It takes its name from the word “shrive,” or to confess. On Shrove Tuesday, Christians confess their sins and ask God for forgiveness after the evening prayer, ushering in the advent of Lent. ‘In medieval England a priest would hear a confession and, in theory if not in practice, write down, or prescribe, an appropriate penance. After absolution, the person was said to have been shriven.’1 However, since Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving up one’s favourite things, many see Shrove Tuesday as the last chance to indulge, and to use up the foods that are not allowed in Lent, such as meat, fats, eggs, milk and fish. In the Middle Ages, as the food storage systems were not adequate and to avoid wasting the foods to be abstained from in Lent, people would hold big feasts on Shrove Tuesday. In England, the tradition of eating pancakes originated because this was the best way to consume as much milk, fats and eggs as possible before Ash Wednesday. In France, this day came to be known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, because it was a day of consumption of all fats and fatty foods. Shrove Tuesday was also the last opportunity for eating meat, the Latin for which is carnis: -flesh, hence ‘carnival’ and similar words in other languages, became associated with Shrove Tuesday. Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday is a half secular, half religious holiday of revelry that grew up among Mediterranean-based Catholics in anticipation of the austerities that would commence on Ash Wednesday.2 Over the years, that revelry has increased. In Europe Mardi Gras celebrations include the wearing of flamboyant masks and costumes during the carnivals. The carnival in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) includes balls, pageants, and parades with hundreds of dancers dressed in vibrant costumes. In New Orleans, Mardi Gras is also celebrated during parades featuring large floats, followed by throngs of people dressed as eccentric characters. The emphasis of the day is on eating, drinking and dancing, as well as practical jokes and humorous street plays. Ironically, for many people around the world Shrove Tuesday has evolved into a day of extravagant indulgence, but for devout worshippers the focus remains on confession of one’s sins, repentance and prayer. There are no instructions in the Bible or from Jesus(as) to observe this day. Ash Wednesday – A universal day of penitence marked by Ashes Shrove Tuesday is followed by Ash Wednesday. This marks the beginning of the Lenten season when special services are held in Churches. In preparation for this service the priest makes blessed Holy Ashes, by burning palm crosses from the previous year’s Palm day service. The Ashes are mixed with Holy water to make a paste. When worshippers go to church on Ash Wednesday, the priest dips his thumb in the Ash paste and marks the sign of a cross on each worshipper’s forehead. For Christians ashes are a symbol of remorse for their wrong doings, which they want to be rid of forever. It is also a reminder to them that “we all come from ashes, and to ashes we all will return.3” The marking on the forehead with ash marks their commitment to Jesus Christ and God, and is a symbol of repentance for the wrong things Christians think they have done in the past year. This was the practice in Rome for penitents to begin their period of public penance on the first day of Lent. They were sprinkled with ashes, dressed in sackcloth and obliged to remain apart until they were reconciled with the Christian community on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter. When these practices fell into disuse (8th–10th century), the beginning of Lent was symbolised by placing ashes on the heads of the entire congregation. The observation of Ash Wednesday in the Roman Catholic Church includes fasting, abstinence from meat and repentance, a day of contemplation of one’s transgressions. 4 Some have linked this Holy day to sorrowful repentance by sprinkling oneself with ashes as mentioned in the Old Testament: 2 Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1; Isaiah 58; 5 Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3; Jonah 3:6. And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that [was] on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying. (2 Samuel 13:19) When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; (Esther 4:1) Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus(as) was thought to have been crucified and buried. Biblical and historical evidence prove Jesus(as) did not die on the cross. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? [is it] to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes [under him]? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? (Isaiah 58; 5I) And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. (Job 2:8) And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: (Daniel 9:3) For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered [him] with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. (Jonah 3:6.) However, these references cannot be used to justify the practice of creating a new day called Ash Wednesday. The Old Testament clearly illustrates how early Christians grieved sorrowfully by covering themselves in ashes, or by wearing handmade garments of sackcloth covered in Ashes, not by having a little Holy Ash cross marked on their forehead by a priest or minister. Lent – A season of prayer, penance and self – discipline The word “Lent” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten, which means spring, derived from the Anglo-Saxon word lenctentid, referring to the lengthening days in spring. This is a season of fasting observed by Catholics and other non-Catholic denominations.5 Christians observe Lent by fasting and by trying to abstain from sin and vice. The Church instructs Christians to seek penance by being remorseful for their sins and turning to God. The aim of the Church is to enable Christians to understand how fasting and maintaining self-discipline during Lent will enable the worshipper to gain the self control needed to purify the heart and renew one’s life.6 It is of interest to note that Lent was not observed by the church in the first century. Scholars dispute whether Lent was first mentioned in the Council of Nicea in (325 AD), when Emperor Constantine officially recognised the church as the Roman Empire’s state religion. According to the Encyclopaedia of the early church, “Lent is mentioned for the first time in 334, by Athanasius,”7 Any other forms of Christianity that held doctrines different from the Roman Church were considered to be enemies of the state. In 360, the Council of Laodicea officially commanded that Lent be observed, and by the end of the fourth century the 40 day fast was observed everywhere, not only by those who were to be baptised, but all Christians preparing themselves for Easter. 8 Originally, people did not observe Lent for more than a week. Some kept it for one or two days. Others kept it for 40 consecutive hours in the false belief that only 40 hours had elapsed between Jesus’(as) death and his resurrection, according to Christian doctrine. Eventually, Lent became a 40-day period of fasting or abstaining from certain foods. Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre ‘The emphasis was not so much on the fasting as on the spiritual renewal that the preparation for Easter demanded. It was simply a period marked by fasting, but not necessarily one in which the faithful fasted every day. However, as time went on, more and more emphasis was laid upon fasting…During the early centuries (from the fifth century on especially) the observance of the fast was very strict. Only one meal a day, toward evening was allowed: flesh meat and fish, and in most places even eggs and dairy products, were absolutely forbidden. Meat was not even allowed on Sundays.’9 But from the ninth century onward, Lent’s strict rules saw a gradual relaxation. Greater emphasis was given to performing “penitential works”, rather than to fasting and abstinence. According to the apostolic constitution Poenitemini of Pope Paul IV (Feb. 17, 1966), ‘abstinence is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of the year that do not fall on holy days of obligation, and fasting as well as abstinence is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.’ 10 Christians observe Lent in different ways; some people may abstain from indulgent foods and others may abstain from a normal part of their daily routine, to remind themselves of the sacrifice Jesus(as) made for them. Some people stop “eating out” during Lent, and then donate the money they would have spent to charity. There is absolutely no reference to Lent in the Old or New Testaments, nor any reference of Jews or Christians observing an annual fasting period of 40 days before the Passover. Those who practise it justify its observation by linking the repentance and fasting of forty days, with references relating to the number forty. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. (Gen 7:12) And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. (Exodus 34:28) After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, [even] forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. (Numbers 14:34) And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. (Jonah 3:4) And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year. (Ezekiel 4:6) And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. (1 Kings 19:8) According to the New Testament, Jesus(as) never observed Lenten fasting, neither did he command or teach his apostles to do so. However, Christians believe that the duration of Lent can be identified with Jesus’(as) time spent in the wilderness. And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. (Luke 4:1-13) During Lent Christians commemorate the time when Jesus(as) retired to the desert to fast and pray, before beginning his work for God. It also is a remembrance of when Jesus(as) was tempted by Satan, but was able to successfully resist and remained steadfast and thus succeeded in the eyes of God. Clearly, the above references do not instruct that a new season of Lent should be created, so how did this come into Christianity? ‘The Roman Church developed a high mass for celebrating the resurrection of Christ, but attached to it much of the paganism of the spring festival. Included in this process was the forty-day season of fasting known as “Lent”, adopted by Rome during the sixth century. It corresponds to a forty day fast practised by ancient Egyptians. Others identify Lent with a practice among Babylonian worshippers of Semiramis. The death and resurrection of Tammuz, was celebrated by a great annual festival preceded by the Lenten fast.’11 The question arises that if the Roman church was aware that the observation of Lent was not an inherent part of the Biblical teaching nor of Jesus’(as) practice, then why did they constitute a pagan holiday? Many hold the view that the Christian Church amalgamated the festivals in the hope of subtly integrating Christianity into the nation at large. Its origin is the pre-festival fast, which was also observed at this time of year, by those being initiated into the Christian community. Mothering Sunday – A day of rest on the fourth Sunday of Lent This is celebrated in England on the fourth Sunday of Lent. (In other parts of the world this day is also known as Mother’s Day, often celebrated on a different date). Over the centuries Mothering Sunday became an important day for people to return to their home or “mother” church at least once a year, in the middle of Lent. It is uncertain where the name ‘Mothering Sunday’ originated. ‘A possible explanation is that the Pope said Mass on that day at the basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Holy Cross in Jerusalem), which contained the relics of the Holy Cross acquired in Jerusalem by Empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. The epistle quoted St Paul’s reference to the heavenly Jerusalem ‘mother of us all’, – Galatians 4:26. In the same way, the local cathedral, mother church of the diocese, was the focus of worship on this Sunday…Whatever the reason, this Sunday was associated in people’s minds with the idea of ‘Mother’. Consequently, it became customary in England for servants and apprentices to be given time off to attend the church where they had been baptised, with their families. They presented their mothers with a cake made of eggs, butter, simnel and the finest flour; ingredients which were not otherwise used in Lent.12 It is thought that this day could have been adapted from the annual spring festival held in honour of the Greek Goddess Rhea, or from the Roman spring festival dedicated to Cybele. Cybele was often referred to as the Mother of the Gods; the Greeks identified her with Rhea the mother of most Olympian Gods.13 Holy Week – Commemorating events of the days before Jesus’(as) Crucifixion Fabergé eggs were commissioned by Czar Alexander III of Russia as an Easter surprise for his wife Maria Fyodorovna Holy Week is the final week of Lent before Easter. It commemorates the events immediately preceding the crucifixion and the last week of Jesus’(as) life. This is the most solemn period during the church year. Christians devoutly observe this week, commemorating the Passion and Jesus’(as) death on the cross. Holy Week observances began in Jerusalem in the earliest days of the Church, when devout Christians travelled to Jerusalem to re-enact events of the week prior to Jesus(as) crucifixion. (The earliest days of the church were during the first centuries after the time of Prophet Jesus(as) when Paul constituted the church and it was being formed; over the centuries the fathers, then the popes took over; later, the denominations crept in with their own views. But the main body is the Catholic Church.) The Holy Week marks the final days of Jesus(as) before Easter Sunday. It consists of: Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. The final three days are part of the Easter or paschal Triduum. Holy Week originated during the 2nd century. Two masses took place in the Early Church; one to reconcile sinners to God and the other to commemorate communion. By the 3rd century, the Great Vigil started and became the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Holy Week was first called “Great Week” by the Greeks in the second half of the 3rd century. Around the 4th century “Holy Week” was given its name by the Archbishop of Alexandria and the Bishop of Constantia. (The term “Holy Week” is a recent title; previously this was known as Passion Week.)14 Palm Sunday – This is the Sunday before Easter on which day an annual “procession of the palms” is held, in memory of Jesus’(as) entry into Jerusalem. This day reminds Christians of the journey Jesus(as) made into Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish festival of Passover (Pesach). On his arrival, people welcomed Jesus(as) by shouting, waving palm branches and throwing branches down in the path of the donkey which he rode. (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11) It is believed that Palm Sunday originated in Jerusalem: ‘According to Ergia’s 4th century account of the Holy week celebrations in Jerusalem, the people of Jerusalem were led to re-enact this event at the spot where it had actually happened. The faithful of Jerusalem gathered around their Bishop on the Mount of Olives…they set out carrying olive palm branches in their hands, accompanying the bishop who was seated on a mule, to the church of the resurrection…from Jerusalem this custom made its way into the churches. By the middle ages the rite of the palms had acquired a distinctly dramatic form.’15 Over the centuries the church blessed this custom and they continue to celebrate this day by re-enacting it. In countries where worshippers cannot re-enact the events, they are given small crosses made from palm leaves, which they keep in their homes all year round as a symbol of their faith. The Church keeps any palm crosses which are left over until the following year, when they burn them to use their ashes for a special service on Ash Wednesday. Holy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – These are the three days when the Church reflects on the last days of Jesus’(as) earthly life. These days are commemorated through various church services, where hymns and scriptures are recited, following the same cycle of events recorded in the story of the Passion, as told by the Evangelists. In the home, Christians are meant to spend more time focusing on prayer, during this period. Most families also use this time for spring cleaning. It is said that cleaning the house during these days is similar to the Jewish tradition of cleaning before the Pesach. The Easter Triduum The Triduum (‘three days’), referred to as The Paschal Triduum, the Holy Triduum or Easter Triduum, begins on the evening of Holy Thursday and ends on the evening of Easter Day. According to Catholics, the death of Jesus(as) cannot be separated from his resurrection: ‘Christ redeemed humankind and gave perfect glory to God principally through his paschal mystery: dying he destroyed our death and rising he restored our life. Therefore the Easter triduum of the passion and resurrection of the Lord is the culmination of the entire liturgical year. Thus the solemnity of Easter has the same kind of pre-eminence in the liturgical year that Sunday has in the week. The Easter triduum of the passion and resurrection of the Lord begins with the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, and closes with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday, the Sunday of the Lord’s resurrection.’16 The Triduum is observed for three days to celebrate the heart of the Christian faith: salvation, redemption, the death and resurrection of Jesus(as). However, many Protestant churches do not recognise the Triduum as liturgical, and observe Lent until the Easter Vigil begins. Holy or Maundy Thursday – The Easter Triduum begins with Mass on Holy Thursday evening. This day commemorates the final Passover Jesus(as) celebrated as his last supper, with his disciples. Some of the early Christians debated whether to keep the date of Easter separate from the week-long Jewish festival of Passover, which celebrates the Exodus and freedom of the Israelites from ancient Egypt. It is believed that “the Last Supper” was in reality “the Seder meal”, which marks the start of Passover. For Christians this Holy day marks four key events; the washing of the feet of the disciples by Jesus Christ, the institution of the Last Supper, the agony of Jesus(as) in Gethsemane and the betrayal by Judas Iscariot. The re-enactment of the washing of the feet takes place in many churches, and in Britain monarchs customarily washed the feet of a selected group of poor people. Holy Thursday is also the traditional day for a thorough cleaning of the church altar and everything associated with it. Most churches celebrate communion on Maundy Thursday. 17 There are no instructions in the Bible about the observance of Holy Thursday, nor did Jesus(as) instruct his disciples to observe this day. Good Friday –The celebration of Good Friday is according to some historians, a custom which originated in the 4th century. Over the centuries, the day gradually became a time of penance and fasting, at the anniversary of the crucifixion and (according to Christians) the death of Christ. Many churches hold quiet services from noon until three (called Tre Ore or Three Hours). This service focuses on the words Jesus(as) uttered as he hung on the cross; i.e., Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?, which means, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mt 27:46 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23:34) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. (Luke 23:46) After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.(John 19:28) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30) Another tradition is to venerate the cross by kissing a crucifix on Good Friday. As mentioned previously, Good Friday is a sombre time in the Catholic Church, thus there are no flowers, and the altar, the chancel, statues, pictures and the cross, are all draped in black to represent mourning. However, once again, there are no biblical teachings that direct Christians to celebrate Good Friday. Not all Christians do so, with some churches refraining from communion until Resurrection Sunday. Holy Saturday – This is the last day of the Triduum in the Holy Week and the 40 day Lenten Fast, which commemorates Jesus(as) lying in the tomb. Holy Saturday is a day to be observed as quietly as possible. This day is also known as the ‘day of the entombed Christ’, when Christians reflect on the passion, suffering and death of Jesus(as), and how he was finally laid to rest in his tomb. No services are held on this day; the worshippers spend the day quietly reflecting and this leads them to the Easter Vigil. The Easter Vigil – On this night Christians all over the world will gather in the dark, the darkness representing their sombre reflections of the day. The Easter Vigil is the high point of the Easter Triduum, which St. Augustine called ‘Mother of all Holy Vigils.’ Initially, this vigil was held in the morning, but this was restored to the liturgy in 1951 by Pius XII, who thought it was appropriate to restore the feast of Easter to its proper place in the life of the Church.18 The reason why this vigil takes place during the night is because it is believed to coincide with Jesus’(as) resurrection, which also occurred during the night. During this night, worshippers silently pray and focus on the hours when they believe Jesus(as) slowly came back to life. They also celebrate his profound sacrifice for their sins. The Easter Vigil rites begin with the lighting of a new flame or fire, which represents Jesus’(as) return from the darkness of death, bringing with him the new light of hope and salvation through his resurrection. Some churches use a special Paschal Candle for this part of the service, which is then used for lighting the individual candles of every worshipper, while they sing the Easter proclamation. The Easter Vigil also includes the recitation of some readings provided by the church and the blessing of the water for baptism. It also includes the baptism of new members wishing to be initiated into the church, who receive the Eucharist for the first time. After this, everyone rejoices in the resurrection of Jesus(as), and celebrate Easter Day. The rituals and traditions of Holy Week, appear to have entered Christian practice long after the demise of Jesus(as). One therefore has to question the significance placed on the rites performed, and their relevance to the teachings of Jesus(as). Easter Day Sunrise Service – While this custom is not practised by all Christians, some will participate in ‘the Easter Sunrise Service,’ when worshippers rise before dawn on Easter Day and go to an elevated place or to the side of a church, and face towards the rising sun. After the sun rises, the worshippers sing an Easter hymn praising the resurrection of Jesus(as), whilst holding spring flowers. They close this service by holding hands and praying together, and then proceed home to prepare for church services. The Old Testament mentions a similar practice in Ezekiel 8:1-18, where Ezekiel saw that the people of Israel were facing towards the east when the sun rose and worshipping the sun. This was strictly forbidden, as it constituted sun-worship. But this is exactly what worshippers do in the Easter Sunrise Service. If Jesus(as) did not instruct this kind of worship then where did it come from? ‘The sunrise service originates not in Christianity but in the Pagan rites of spring. Sunrise services are not unrelated to the Easter fires held on the tops of hills in continuation of the New Year fires, a worldwide observance in antiquity. Rites were performed at the vernal equinox, welcoming the sun and its great power to bring new life to all growing things.’19 On Easter Sunday churches are decorated with flowers to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus(as), likening it to the flowers blossoming in the spring. The ‘Easter lily’ flower also crept into Christianity much later, again with no basis in scripture or the teachings of Jesus(as). Easter – also known as Pascha, is a spring festival which is celebrated on the Sunday following holy week. Easter celebrates the central event of the Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus(as) three days after his crucifixion. Easter is the oldest Christian holiday and the most important day of the church year. All the Christian movable feasts and the entire liturgical year of worship, are arranged around Easter which is followed by a fifty days Easter season (Easteride) which extends to the Pentecost. On Easter day Christians celebrate and rejoice Jesus’(as) sacrifice of his life to free mankind from sin. It is widely believed amongst the Christian world that Jesus(as) was the sacrificial lamb offered at the Passover as mentioned in Exodus 12:13-14. According to the biblical account of this first Passover, the Israelites marked their doors with the blood of a lamb to prevent the Angel of Death killing their first born; their doors were therefore literally “passed over”. Jewish temples began to sacrifice lambs ritually to mark the Passover. It was only the blood of the slain lamb that protected each Israelite home, while Egypt suffered the plague of death, the Israelites were spared death by obeying God’s command and by faith in His promise to protect them. Following this, the Jews celebrated the Passover meal in remembrance of God’s Mercy. In keeping with the tradition of the Old Testament Jewish laws, which Jesus(as) devoutly followed, he also observed the Passover. From the Biblical accounts of the New Testament, it is determined that Jesus(as) was put on the cross when he was observing the feast of the Passover ( Matthew 26:17-19, Mark 14:12-16, Luke 22:7-15, John 18:28,39, 19:14). But Jesus(as) did not predict or indicate that this would happen. So where does the concept of Jesus(as) atoning for the sins of mankind as the paschal or sacrificial Lamb originate? It emerged from the Christians celebrating the death of Jesus(as) with a Paschal meal (Eucharist), on the lunar date of the Jewish Passover: Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians. 5:7-8. 20 These verses prove that it was Paul’s teaching to replace the Old Testament Passover. His New Testament concept of the Passover allowed Christ to supersede the paschal lamb. Despite Paul’s claims to love and honour Jesus(as), he did not hesitate to replace the Old Testament Passover (which Jesus(as) and his disciples followed), with his new concept. According to the New Testament accounts of the evangelists, the resurrection should have been celebrated on the first Sunday after the Jewish Passover. However, ‘controversy surrounded the determination of the date of Easter from the 2nd Century to the 8th century’21. After centuries of debate the Council of Nicea finally fixed the date of Easter to A.D. 325, i.e. to fall on the first Sunday after the full moon, on or after the vernal equinox (March 21). This means that Easter can be observed anywhere between March 22 and April 25. The Council was also responsible for separating the celebration of Easter from the Jewish Passover, probably because over the years Easter did not fall on a Sunday in accordance with the Jewish Passover, (the Sunday after the spring equinox rather than the biblically directed 14 Nisan in the Jewish Calendar), and the Church wanted to keep the observance of Easter day on a Sunday in line with the biblical account of Jesus’(as) resurrection on a Sunday. Not only was a new date selected for the celebration of Passover, but a new theme was introduced – Easter replaced Passover – and an official day was designated to commemorate the Resurrection. The word “Easter” represents the festival observed by many Christian churches in honour of the resurrection of the Saviour. Easter is a word used in Germanic languages to denote the festival of the vernal equinox22. The word Easter is not found anywhere in the Old or New Testament, except for one reference in the King James Bible. And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people (Acts 12.4).23 After reading the above one may assume that the festival of Easter may have been observed during the time of the apostles. According to the New Bible dictionary, the original word in the above translation has no reference to that, nor is there any evidence that any such festival was observed at the time when this book was written. The original word should have been ‘Passover’ (pascha) not ‘Easter.’24 The word Paschal used to describe many things associated with Easter, itself derives from Pascha the Greek/Latin transliteration of Pesach, the Hebrew word for Passover. As the observation of Easter is not instructed in the Bible, then where did Easter originate? Scholars agree that the name Easter has its roots in Paganism. It is never used in original scriptures and its exact origin remains uncertain; according to Bede it is connected with an Anglo-Saxon spring goddess.25 The time, the customs, and the traditions of Easter all come from ancient pagan, non-Christian, religious celebrations. Thus, Easter was originally a pagan festival in honour of the Goddess of Spring. The word “Easter” is supposed to be derived from “Eostre or “Eastre.” Eostre was the deity of both the dawn and spring, and “the pagan symbol of fertility.” At her festival in April, sacred fires were lighted on the hills especially in the Nordic lands. (During this same season, the ancient Romans observed the Feast of the Vernal Equinox.)26 Even though it is quite evident that Easter was clearly pagan in origin, it was the early Christian leaders of the first two centuries after Jesus’(as) crucifixion who created this festival. It was probably easier for them to draw pagan worshippers into Christianity by having it coincide with the spring resurrection feast of the pagans. Over the centuries, Easter celebrations have also supplemented many more customs, mainly incorporated from springtime fertility celebrations. Hot Cross Buns stemmed from the pagan festival which had the Saxon fertility Goddess sacrifice an ox. Thus, the horns in the form of a cross became a symbol of the season, carved into breads. The cross represented the moon, the heavenly body associated with the Goddess and its four quarters. As Christianity spread throughout Europe, buns were made in the traditional method, but the cross now symbolised the crucifix of Jesus(as). The Easter Bunny and eggs both represent fertility. Dyed eggs were also used as part of the rituals of the Babylonian religions. In the pagan spring and fertility festivals eggs were painted and given as gifts. Eggs represented fertility and to be given one was to wish children upon the receiver.27 None of these Pagan traditions have any relevance to Biblical teachings. Moreover, in accordance with the Old Testament such practices should never be adopted: “Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing so ever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” (Deuteronomy 12:30-32)28 Conclusion There is no celebration of any Christian holidays in the New Testament. Easter was not observed by the early followers of Jesus(as), nor by those who believed that they should follow the command of the Bible rather that of men. Unfortunately, over the centuries, pagan rituals have become so deeply embedded in society, that it is now generally assumed that they are Christian in origin. However, the Christians who do not follow the pagan customs and traditions associated with Easter, celebrate the resurrection of Jesus(as) at Easter by focusing on the resurrection narrative as mentioned by the evangelists. The one important verse which strikes many Christians is: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matt. 12:40). Many Christians accept that this was the one sign that Jesus(as) gave as proof that he was the messiah, that he would be in the grave exactly three days and three nights. They take this verse as evidence that Jesus(as) was resurrected. Regarding this, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV(ru) has said: ‘We prove from the Bible that God did not abandon him and saved him from the ignoble death upon the cross. This can be studied in the light of the facts relating to the period before the Crucifixion, as well as the facts of the Crucifixion itself and after it, as related by the New Testament.’ Long before that incident, Jesus(as) promised that no sign would be shown unto the people other than the sign of Jonah: Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, ‘Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.’ He answered, ‘a wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. (Matthew 12:38–41) ‘So before we determine what happened to Jesus(as), we must understand what happened to Jonah, because Jesus(as) claimed that the same miracle would be repeated. What was the Sign of Jonah? Did he die in the belly of the fish and was he later on revived from death? There is unanimity among all Christian, Jewish and Muslim scholars that Jonah did not die in the belly of the fish. He precariously hung between life and death and was miraculously saved from that situation; while any other person in his place would have died. Yet some subtle laws of nature, under the Divine command, must have conspired together to save him from death. Remember, we are not debating the issue of that being possible or not. We are only pointing out that Jesus(as), when he pointed out that the like of what happened to Jonah would also happen to him, he could only have meant that what everyone understood to have occurred in the case of Jonah would occur in his case. No one in the entire world of Judaism, whether in the land of Judea or anywhere else the Jews had dispersed and settled, would have received a different message from this claim of Jesus(as). They all believed that Jonah, miraculously or otherwise, survived for three days and nights in the belly of the fish and did not die in that period for a single moment. Of course we have our own reservations regarding this view. The story of Jonah as told to us in the Qur’an does not mention anywhere that it was for three days and nights that Jonah suffered his trials in the belly of the fish. However, we return to the case in point and try to bring to light the actual similarities which were predicted by Jesus Christ between Jonah and himself. Those similarities spoke clearly of spending three days and nights in extremely precarious circumstances and a miraculous revival from near death, and not of coming back to life from the dead. The same, Jesus(as) claimed, would happen in his case.’ 29 Careful examination of the biblical texts clearly indicate how Jesus(as) survived death on the cross. He was not God who became a man, he did not die on the cross for the sins of mankind, and he had no desire to do so. He was not resurrected from death on the cross because he did not die. If correctly understood and applied, the resurrection of Jesus(as) cannot mean the return of his soul to the same human body it had deserted at the moment of death. The term ‘resurrection’ only means the creation of a new astral body. Such a body is spiritual in nature and works as a sort of crucible for a rarefied soul within. It is created for the eternal continuation of life after death. Some call it a sidereal body or astral body, and some call it athma. Whatever name you give it, the essential meaning remains the same; resurrection applies to the creation of a new body for the soul which is ethereal in nature and not, we repeat, not, the return of the soul to the same disintegrated human body it left previously. St. Paul has spoken lengthily in exactly these terms about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He believed in the resurrection of not only Jesus(as), but the resurrection in general of all those who die and are deemed fit by God to be given a new existence and a new form of life. The personality of the soul remains the same, but its abode changes. According to St. Paul this is a general phenomenon which has to be accepted, otherwise there would be no significance to either religion or Christianity. We invite readers to examine accounts of Jesus’(as) survival from death on the cross, from a biblical perspective, brought to light by the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), in his book Jesus in India. Endnotes 1 Metford, 1991 2 The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, 2003 3 Metford, 1991 4 Metford, 1991 5 The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, 2003 6 The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, 2003 7 Encyclopedia of the Early Church, 1992 8 The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, 2003 9 The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, 2003 10 The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, 2003 11 Ingram, 2000 12 Metford, 1991 13 Classical Mythology, Dictionary, 2002 14 Metford, 1991 15 The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd edition, 2003 16 McGloin, 2001 17 Metford, 1991 18 The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2003 19 Ingraham, 2000 20 King James Bible 21 The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2003 22 New Bible Dictionary, 1996 23 King James Bible 24 New Bible Dictionary, 1996 25 Livingston, 1978 26 Ingraham, 2000 27 Ingraham, 2000 28 King James Bible 29 Ahmad By Navida Sayed, UK. To read more interesting articles from talented writers like this visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com. Please feel free to comment and share this article with your friends. To Supplicate is Human and to Respond is Divine When a child being driven by hunger cries for milk, then milk is generated in the mother’s breasts. The child does not know what prayer is, but his cries draw the milk. This is a universal experience. Sometimes when the mother does not perceive the presence of milk in her breasts, the child’s cries help to draw it. Then can our cries before God Almighty draw nothing? They certainly draw everything. But those sightless ones, who parade themselves as scholars and philosophers, cannot see it. If a person were to reflect on the philosophy of prayer, keeping in mind the connection and relationship which a child has with its mother, he would find it easy to understand. The second type of mercy comes into operation after supplication. Go on asking and you will go on receiving: “Pray unto Me, I will answer your prayer,”1 is not mere verbiage, but is a characteristic of human nature. To supplicate is human, to respond is Divine. He who does not understand and does not believe is false. The illustration of the child that I have set forth expounds the philosophy of prayer in an excellent way.2 It is at a time of trial that the wonderful and rare qualities and effects of prayer are manifested. The truth is that our God is recognized only through prayers.3 Etiquette of Prayer Prayer is a wonderful thing. It is a pity that those who pray are not aware of the true manner of prayer, nor are they acquainted with the ways of the acceptance of prayer. The truth is that the very reality of prayer has become strange. There are some who deny the effectiveness of prayer altogether. There are others who do not deny it, but as their prayers are not accepted on account of their lack of knowledge of the manner of prayer and are not prayers in the true sense, their condition is worse than that of those who deny the effectiveness of prayer. Their practical condition has pushed many others to the verge of atheism. The first condition for prayer is that a supplicant should not get tired and become a prey to despair that nothing will happen. Sometimes it is seen that a prayer is carried on till it is about to be accepted and then the supplicant gets tired and the result is failure and frustration. Frustration results in the denial and effectiveness of prayer and gradually culminates in the denial of God. It is said if there is God Who accepts prayer why have not those prayers been accepted which were offered over a long period? If those who think thus and stumble were to reflect upon their lack of perseverance, they would come to know that all their frustration is the result of their own haste and impatience which generated an ill concept of the powers of God and resulted in despair. So one should never get tired. Be Sincere and Determined Praying is like the sowing of a seed by a farmer. Apparently he buries the good seed in the soil and who can expect at that time that the grain of seed will grow up in the form of a good tree and bear fruit? Outsiders and even the cultivator himself cannot see that the grain is assuming the form of a plant inside the earth. But the reality is that within a few days the grain undergoes a change and begins to assume the shape of a plant till its shoot emerges from the earth and becomes visible to everyone. From the moment when the grain was placed in the earth it had started its preparation to become a plant, but an eye that can only perceive the visible was not aware of it till its shoot emerged from the earth and became visible. An ignorant child cannot understand at that stage that it will bear fruit only at its due time. He desires to see it bearing fruit immediately, but an intelligent cultivator will know what is the time of its bearing fruit. He looks after it steadfastly and nurtures it till the time comes when it bears fruit and which also ripens. The same is the case with prayer, which is nurtured in the same way and brings forth fruit. Those who are in haste get tired quickly and give up, and those who are steadfast persevere and arrive at their objective. It is true that there are many stages in prayer, ignorance of which deprives the supplicants of the fruits of their prayers. They are in a hurry and cannot wait, whereas there is progression in the works of the Almighty. It never happens that a man marries today and a child is born to him next morning. Though God is All-Powerful and can do whatever He wills, yet compliance with the law and the system that He has appointed is necessary. In the first stages of childbearing nothing is known, like the nurture of vegetation. For four months there is no certainty. Then a movement begins to be felt and after the expiry of the full period the child is born after great travail. The birth of the child also gives a new life to the mother. It is difficult for a man to form a concept of the troubles and travails which a woman has to endure during her pregnancy, but it is true that the coming of a child is a new life for the mother. She has to accept death so as to have the joy of bearing a child. In the same way, it is necessary for a supplicant that he should discard haste and endure all troubles and should never imagine that prayer is not accepted. At last the time arrives for the result of the prayer to be manifested; the child which is the objective is born. A prayer should be carried on to the limit until it produces a result. You will have observed that a piece of cloth is placed under a burning glass and the rays of the sun concentrate upon it and their heat arrives at the degree which sets the cloth on fire. In the same way, it is necessary that a prayer should be carried on to a stage where it should develop the power of burning up failures and frustrations and to fulfil the desired purpose. One has to be occupied with prayer for a long time and then God Almighty manifests the result. It is my experience, which is borne out by the experience of the righteous in the past, that if there is silence for a long time, there is hope of success, but if there is a quick reply the purpose is not likely to be achieved. When a beggar goes to someone and begs with humility and earnestness and does not move from his place, even after he is rebuked, and continues his supplication, then in the end the person supplicated is moved and bestows something on the beggar despite his miserliness. Then should not a supplicant have at least so much steadfastness as an ordinary beggar? When God Almighty Who is Benevolent and possesses Majesty sees that His humble servant has been prostrate at His threshold for a long time, He does not lead him to a bad end. If a pregnant woman should become impatient after four or five months and should take some abortive medicine, the child would not be born, but she herself would be involved in despair. In the same way, he who is in a hurry before the due time only suffers loss and puts his faith in danger. In this condition some people become atheists. There was a carpenter in our village whose wife fell ill and then died. He said that if there had been a God, his multiple prayers would have been accepted and his wife would not have died. In this way he became an atheist. If a righteous person practices fidelity and sincerity, his faith is fostered and he achieves his purpose. The riches of this world have no value in the estimation of God Almighty. He can do everything in a single moment. Have you not seen that He bestowed sovereignty on a people who were entirely unknown and made great kingdoms obedient to them and made kings out of slaves? If a person is righteous and becomes wholly God’s, he would lead an excellent life, but the condition is that he should be sincere and possess resolve. His heart should never be shaken and there should be no showing off and shirk in it. What was there in Abraham which made him the father of his people and the father of those who are devoted to God, and God Almighty bestowed numberless great blessings on him? It was his righteousness and his sincerity. Abraham had offered a prayer that a Prophet should appear in Arabia from among his progeny. Was it accepted at once? For a long time after Abraham no one paid any attention to that prayer, yet it was fulfilled in the advent of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and how grand was its fulfilment.4 Two Ways of Acceptance of Prayer It should be remembered that the acceptance of prayer is in two ways; one as a trial and the other as exaltation. As a trial sometimes the prayer of sinners and disobedient ones and even disbelievers is accepted, but such acceptance does not indicate a real acceptance, it is by way of trial. The condition of acceptance of prayer by way of exaltation is that the supplicant should be one of the elect of God Almighty and the lights and signs of his being one of the elect should appear in him in all directions. God Almighty does not accept the prayer, as a true acceptance, of the disobedient ones. He accepts the prayer only of those who in His estimation are righteous and obedient to Him. The distinction between the two acceptances is that in the acceptance of the prayer which is as a trial, there is no condition that the supplicant should be righteous and a friend of God, nor is it necessary that on accepting such prayer God Almighty should intimate the acceptance through a special communication. Nor are those prayers of such a high degree the acceptance of which is a wonderful and extraordinary event. Those prayers that are accepted by way of exaltation have the following signs: First, that the supplicant is righteous and truthful and a perfect individual. Second, that he is informed of the acceptance of his prayer through the word of God. Third, most of these prayers are of a high degree and relate to great affairs, the acceptance of which shows that it is not the work or planning of man, but is a special sample of Divine power which is manifested in the case of select servants. Fourth, the prayers by way of trial are accepted rarely, but the prayers by way of exaltation are accepted in large numbers. Very often a supplicant by way of exaltation is involved in such difficulties that if any other person had been involved in them, he would have seen no way out of them except through suicide. It happens that when those who worship the world and are far away from God Almighty are involved in great grief, and sorrows, and diseases, and disorders and trials from which there is no escape, they, on account of the weakness of their faith and their despair of God Almighty, take poison or jump into a well or kill themselves with a weapon. On such difficult occasions, the person who enjoys exaltation is helped by God Almighty in a wonderful manner on account of the strength of his faith and his special relationship with God. The favour of God takes hold of his hand in a wonderful manner so that the heart of one who is aware of these mysteries testifies involuntarily that the person concerned enjoys the support of God. Fifth, a supplicant by way of exaltation is the recipient of Divine favours and God Almighty becomes his Guardian in all matters and the light of the love of God and the signs of acceptance by God and of spiritual delight and favours are manifested in his countenance as is said by God, the Glorious: “Thou wilt find in their faces the freshness of bliss.”5 And: “Behold! the friends of Allah shall certainly have no fear nor shall they grieve.”6,7 What is Prayer? When our soul, in search for something, extends its hand with great earnestness and weeping towards the Fountainhead of grace, and, finding itself helpless, seeks light from somewhere through its reflection, this condition too is like a condition of prayer. All wisdoms have been manifested through such prayer and the key of every house of knowledge is prayer. No knowledge or insight is manifested without it. Our thinking, our reflection and our search for the hidden objective are all parts of prayer. The only difference is that the prayer of those who possess insight depends upon the manners of insight, and their soul recognizing the Fountainhead of grace extends its hand towards it with insight. The prayer of veiled ones is an effort which is manifested in reflection and thinking and the search for means. Those people who have not a connection of insight with God Almighty, nor do they believe in it, they too seek through reflection and thinking that some way of success might be indicated to their heart from the unseen, and a supplicant possessing insight also desires that God may open the way of success to him, but the veiled one who has no relationship with God Almighty does not know the Fountainhead of grace. He too, like one possessing insight, seeks help from another quarter and reflects on the means of obtaining such help, but a person possessing insight has an eye on the Fountainhead. The other one walks in darkness and does not know that whatever strikes the heart after reflection and cogitation is also from God Almighty, Who, treating the anxiety of the anxious one as a supplication, casts the necessary knowledge into the heart of one who cogitates. The point of wisdom and understanding that enters the heart through reflection also comes from God and, though the person himself may not realize it, yet God Almighty knows that he is supplicating Him. In the end he is bestowed his object by God. This method of seeing light, if it is pursued with insight and with the recognition of the true Guide, is the prayer of a person of understanding; but if light is sought from an unknown source, only through reflection and cogitation without fixing one’s gaze on the True Illuminer, it is only veiled prayer… Prayer and Planning are Two Natural Demands As the relationship between planning and prayer is proved by the law of nature, it is also proved by the testimony of the book of nature. It is often observed that as human temperaments at a time of distress incline towards planning and remedies, in the same way they incline by natural eagerness towards prayer and almsgiving and charity…This is a spiritual argument that the inner law of man has, from the beginning, directed all peoples that they should not separate prayer from means and planning, but should search for plans with prayer. In short, prayer and planning are two natural demands of human nature which ever since the creation of man, have been the servants of human nature like two real brothers. Planning is the necessary consequence of prayer and prayer incites towards planning. The good fortune of man consists in this, that before entering upon planning he should seek help through prayer from the Fountainhead of grace so that being granted light from this everflowing spring good plans should be made available to him.8 He who supplicates God at the time of difficulty and distress and seeks the resolution of his difficulties from Him achieves satisfaction and true prosperity from God Almighty provided he carries his supplication to its limit. Even if he does not achieve the purpose of his supplication, he is bestowed some other kind of satisfaction and contentment by God Almighty and does not experience frustration. In addition, his faith is strengthened and his certainty increases. But the one who in his supplication does not turn towards God Almighty remains blind all the time and dies blind… He who supplicates with the sincerity of his soul is never truly frustrated. That prosperity which cannot be achieved through riches and authority and health, but which is in the hand of God and He bestows it in whatever shape He wills, is bestowed through perfect prayer. If God Almighty so wills, a sincere and righteous person in the midst of his distress achieves such delight after supplication which an emperor cannot enjoy on the imperial throne. This is true success which is bestowed in the end on those who pray.9 Endnotes 1. Holy Qur’an, Al-Mu’min, Verse 61 [Publisher]. 2. [Malfuzat, vol. 1, pp. 129-130 (Eng. Translation in Essence of Islam, Vol.2, pp.198-199)]. 3. [Malfuzat, vol. III, p. 201 (Eng. Translation in Essence of Islam, Vol.2, p.199)]. 4. [Al-Hakm, vol. 7, Number. 8, 28 February 1903, pp. 1-3 (Eng. Translation in Essence of Islam Vol.2, pp. 199-203). 5. Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Tatfif, Verse 25. 6. Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Yunus, Verse 63. 7. [Tasdiq-un-Nabi, pp. 43-45 OR Maktubat-e-Ahmadiyya, vol. III, pp. 75-77 (Eng. Translation, Vol.2, pp.203-205]. 8. [Ayyam-us-Sulh, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 14, pp. 230-232 (Eng. Trans in Essence of Islam, Vol.2, pp. 206-207)]. 9. [Ayyam-us-Sulh, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 14, p. 237 (Eng. Translation Essence of Islam, Vol 2, pp.207-208)] By Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad - The Promised Messiah and Mahdi (as) The Shroud of Turin by Arif Khan The Shroud of Turin is the ‘alleged’ burial cloth of Jesus Christ(as). The cloth measures 4.37m by 1.1m (approximately 14 feet across) and exhibits a faint image of what looks like a crucified man. Between 10 April and 23 May this year, approximately two million visitors flocked to the northern Italian city of Turin to observe first hand this linen cloth, as the Shroud went on display for the first time in a decade. In April 2010, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba), Khalifatul Masih V, Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim community was given a private viewing of the Shroud of Turin (see ‘Historic Visit by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V(aba) to the Shroud of Turin Exhibit’ featured in this edition – Ed). What is the Shroud, and what relevance does it have for the world today? What is the Shroud? The Christian world is rich in relics. The most sacred of the relics claim to be the items from the lifetime of Jesus Christ(as). It is always difficult to verify the authenticity of these items. The most famous relic available to us today is the Shroud of Turin, the alleged burial cloth of Jesus Christ(as). The Turin Shroud resides in the Chapel of the Holy Shroud at Turin Cathedral The Gospels in the New Testament state that after the Crucifixion, Jesus Christ(as) was wrapped in a linen cloth: ‘And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.’1 ‘And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound [weight]. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.’2 Some claim that the Shroud of Turin is this same burial cloth. There have been other claims made with respect to this heritage but the Shroud of Turin is accepted as the most impressive and most plausible. This status of the Shroud of Turin was confirmed when in 1898 the first photograph was taken of the Shroud by Secondo Pia. The negative produced from this photograph revealed amazing levels of detail in the Shroud. Instead of a faint image that had been seen so far, the negative revealed a detailed image. Secondo Pia reportedly almost dropped the plate due to the shock he felt when he first viewed the photographic plate. How old is the Turin Shroud? The recorded history of the Shroud only dates back to the 13th / 14th century, yet recorded history of a cloth bearing the image of Jesus Christ(as) dates back almost two thousand years. There is evidence to suggest that other famous cloths, such as the Cloth of Edessa, are in fact the same cloth as the Shroud of Turin. Historian, and famous Shroud researcher, Ian Wilson, details a possible timeline for the Shroud dating back to the 1st Century3. Wilson draws on research and recorded traditions that talk about a famous cloth bearing the face or imprint of Jesus’ face. This cloth is known as the cloth of Edessa4. 3rd and 4th Century sources recount the tradition that a cloth ‘imprinted with Jesus’ likeness’5 was taken from Jerusalem to Edessa, which was instrumental in converting Edessa’s King Abgar V to Christianity. Wilson shows how the cloth appeared to have survived through the centuries. However, Wilson suggests that the resurrection resulted in a tremendous burst of energy that left an imprint on the cloth but such energy could have only come from a live body. There is speculation in the timeline put together by Wilson, but there does appear to be a possibility that the cloth mentioned in the various accounts is indeed the same Shroud that is still the subject of much mystery today. The Image The most fascinating aspect of the cloth is the image formed upon the cloth. To this day the exact process by which the image was formed is not fully understood. Another remarkable aspect of the image, as mentioned earlier, is that it is actually itself a negative image. What links the Shroud to Jesus and the Crucifixion? There are a number of significant details on the cloth that seem to correlate fully with what Ahmadi Muslims believe happened to Jesus(as) on the cross almost 2000 years ago. Flagrum & Whipping Burial shroud modeled after the shroud of Turin © Tektite | Dreamstime.com It was a common Roman practice to beat and flog the prisoner before Crucifixion. The Shroud clearly shows such marks, particularly on the back of the body. The Roman instrument used at the time was a whip with three prongs; the tips of these prongs contained bone, shaped to inflict maximum damage and to tear at the flesh. Based upon the Shroud we see scores of these marks consistent with the Roman torture instrument, the Flagrum6. Crown of Thorns One distinctive feature of Jesus’ Crucifixion is that he was mocked for claiming to be the King of the Jews. In the Gospel account by Matthew, Mark and John we find mention of a ‘crown of thorns’. ‘And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put [it] upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!’ 7 ‘And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his [head]’8 ‘And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put [it] on his head, and they put on him a purple robe’9 The Shroud of Turin shows unusual blood flows around the top of the head and traces of blood in the hair and especially the back of the head. All these are consistent with what we would have expected if a crown of thorns was worn.10 Nail Wounds Jesus(as) would have most likely been nailed to the cross with nails driven through the wrists and feet. Again, the Shroud depicts just this, with large noticeable blood flows present in both these areas of the cloth11. The nails in the hands are even more interesting, as traditional depictions suggest the nails went through the palms. Modern research has shown this would not be possible, and to support the weight of the body the nails would have to have been through the wrists12. This is consistent with what the Shroud shows. Blood Flows As mentioned already there is blood to be found on the cloth. In 1978 scientists were quickly able to prove this was real blood from a human, and not paint, pigment or animal blood. Also, the blood flows are anatomically correct. Each of the flows traces the correct lines based upon human anatomy and the arrangement of vessels and arteries13. What scientific tests have been conducted on the Shroud? In 1978 the STURP team conducted a series of non-destructive tests on the Shroud. The tests included14: • Conventional black and white and colour photography • Various scientific photographic methods • X-rays • UV photography • High magnification photography using a portable photomicroscope • Sampling the actual cloth using special sticky tape • Analysis of threads with blood and extraction of DNA The main focus of their experiments was to ascertain how the image was formed. Despite an intensive period of testing this question remains unanswered even today. There are certain features of the image on the Shroud that make it difficult to suggest a mechanism that would account for all of these features. Any theory about how the image formed must account for all the following characteristics: 1. The image is extremely faint, appearing only on the very upper fibres of the cloth. 2. There is no pigment or dyes contained in the image areas. 3. The further the body is from the cloth the more faint the image – this leads to what is known as the ‘3D’ quality of the Shroud. 4. The image is a negative. Did Carbon 14 dating of the cloth not prove it a fake in 1988? The Shroud made international headlines in 1988 when carbon dating tests carried out by four independent laboratories dated the Shroud to 1260 – 1360 CE. This seemed to settle the issue whether the cloth was a fake or not. It also fitted the known history of the Shroud, as no confirmed record existed of this Shroud before this period. The scientists were particularly dismissive of the Shroud and heralded this as some sort of triumph of science over religion. The following account is taken from the obituary of Professor Edward Hall and summarises the views of others on the Shroud when the carbon dating results were announced: “There was a multi-million-pound business in making forgeries during the 14th century,” he bluntly told a British Museum press conference. “Someone just got a bit of linen, faked it up and flogged it.” And again, “Some people may continue to fight for the authenticity of the shroud, like the Flat Earth Society, but this settles it all as far as we are concerned.”15 The Carbon Dating Result: More Questions than Answers For scholars and experts, however, the carbon dating result leads to more questions than answers. If this had been ‘faked’ how was the image produced? How was a ‘negative’ image created deliberately before the science of photography was understood? How were the anatomically correct blood flows marked when there was incomplete knowledge of anatomy at the time the cloth was supposed to have been created? Scholars looked for things that could point to an inaccuracy in the carbon dating results. Reputable scholars put out theories about the error in carbon dating, talked of a ‘bioplastic’ coating, and also speculation about how fire damage could have affected the result. There were also conspiracy theories, talking of scientists and Vatican officials conspiring to skew the dating results. Ray Rogers – Turning the Carbon Dating Result on its Head In 2005 this mystery appeared to have been solved by Raymond Rogers, an expert in thermodynamics and one of the original members of the STURP team. The research by Rogers centred around a theory proposed by a husband and wife team, Sue Benford and Joseph Marino. It should be understood that Benford and Marino are not scientists, and their theory was based upon analysis of existing images of the Shroud from 1978. What the couple observed was that the section of the cloth from which the radio carbon sample was taken looked to have been rewoven. Barrie Schwortz talked about this in a recent documentary on the Shroud: “They had taken photographs that were available of the samples used for the carbon dating and they had submitted these to several textiles experts who did not know they were looking at photos of the Shroud. Each of these textiles experts, independent of each other said, ‘You know, this looks rewoven.’”16 Benford and Marino believed that the section was repaired using 16th century cotton. The original cloth and the 16th century cotton cloth would be mixed and interwoven. Benford and Marino argued that this mixture of the original 1st century cloth, along with 16th century cotton would lead to a carbon dating result in between the two dates. They published this in a paper entitled “Evidence for the Skewing of the C-14 Dating of the Shroud of Turin Due to Repairs”. It was this paper that got the attention of Ray Rogers. Rogers stated in an interview his motivations for the work: “I had given up on the Shroud and this is about the same time that the lunatic fringe were coming up with an infinite number of ways in which the date could be wrong, and this [paper by Benford and Marino] was just the last straw.”17 Barrie Schwortz explains how he got a call from Ray Rogers about the paper: “I got a call from Ray and he’s like ‘what the hell is this? This is nonsense, I can prove these people wrong in 5 minutes; I said ‘Well, Ray, go for it’.”18 Ray was in a unique position to investigate this theory as he had in his possession samples from both the radiocarbon section of the Shroud as well as a sample from an adjacent section to the radiocarbon sample area. Barrie Schwortz explains how hours after setting out to prove this theory wrong Rogers called him again: “He calls me a couple of hours later and he says ‘Boy, you know, they were right. There is cotton here! There is no cotton in the rest of the Shroud. There is cotton interwoven here; they must be right.”19 He concluded that the theory was right in stating that the section of the cloth used for the carbon dating was actually a rewoven section. Sadly, Raymond Rogers lost his battle with cancer shortly after completing this work. His entire testimony on this research was documented by Shroud expert and colleague, Barrie Schwortz, and then published as a DVD. Just weeks before Ray passed away, a detailed article containing his findings was published in the peer reviewed Chemistry journal “Thermochimica Acta”.20 This was revolutionary for the research. Now the carbon dating result was declared invalid and the biggest objection to the Shroud’s possible authenticity removed. Does the Shroud prove Jesus(as) survived the Crucifixion? For Ahmadi Muslims who believe in Jesus Christ(as) having survived the Crucifixion, the Shroud of Turin is a powerful piece of evidence in support of this view because the Shroud does point to Jesus(as) having survived the Crucifixion. There is absence of any sign of decomposition of the body, the even nature of the image, the large amounts of blood on the cloth and the fact an image formed at all.21 Other researchers who have argued that the cloth proves the opposite, that the man covered by the Turin Shroud was most certainly dead, and they have cited suggestions of rigor mortis and the separation of blood and plasma as evidence for this.22 It is a highly controversial area and it is not helped by sensationalised approaches to discussions on the theory that the Shroud shows Jesus(as) survived. Conspiracy theories, such as that outlined by Holger Kersten in his book, The Jesus Conspiracy, have made it easier for researchers to dismiss the thesis that the Shroud proves Jesus(as) survived the Crucifixion. On the other side, the biggest proponent of the view that it proves Jesus(as) died, is Dr Frederick Zugibe who is a committed Christian. More research is required and more questions need answering. Currently it seems the evidence available is inconclusive. People have argued for both outcomes using the same empirical evidence. Below are some experts from proponents of the view that the Shroud covered a living body that was in a state of near-death: Rodney Hoare – The Turin Shroud is Genuine – 1994 Hoare talks about taking images from the Shroud to a group of forensic scientists belonging to the FBI. He talks about the discussions they had based upon the cloth and their arriving at the following conclusion: “The forensic scientists argued that the body in the Shroud was absolutely dead by pre-seventeenth century standards but in a deep coma by present-day ones.”23 He explains the reasoning for this: “Any chemical staining reaction…would almost certainly have depended on temperature: the higher the temperature the darker the stain…so the temperature of the cloth must also have been approximately uniform. This could only happen if the blood were still circulating, the heart just beating….The body must have been in a coma, therefore, and not clinically dead by twentieth-century standards.”24 In the same book Hoare also makes the comment: “…they (STURP team) did report that they managed to obtain stains most nearly like the body marks on the cloth by baking some linen which had a coating of perspiration, myrrh and aloes!”25 Hoare presents his evidence from the Shroud along with details about the Crucifixion from the New Testament to argue that Jesus survived the Crucifixion. Kurt Berna – Jesus Nicht am Kreuz Gestorben (Jesus Did Not Perish on the Cross) – 1975, Zurich Kurt Berna was of the opinion that the evidence of the Shroud and the New Testament pointed to Jesus(as) having survived the Crucifixion. In the text cited here Berna draws mainly from the observations and research of Dr. Theodor Hirt, a professor of a German University. “Once death has ensued, blood circulation in the human body follows the same law. At one moment a person’s skin may still be a reddish flesh-color because the blood penetrates to the capillaries, the hair-thin vessels just below the surface of the skin. But when the heart stops pumping, by the same law of nature that applies to the test with the glass tube, the veins draw the blood back. As a result, the capillaries are the first vessels to be emptied of blood because they are at the extreme end of the circulatory system. As the blood retracts, the skin of the deceased turns white.” “This is what happens to a corpse some eight to ten hours after the heart has ceased to beat not only does no blood flow from open wounds because there is no pressure, but the blood retracts a little in the veins.” “But what happens [at the removal of the crown of thorns] if there is blood pressure – that is, if the heart is still beating? The little wounds fill with blood; the blood flows from the head into the hair; and because it keeps flowing, it trickles through the hair onto the Shroud as we can see on the Shroud of Jesus. That is why it cannot have been a corpse that was in the Shroud the body was not dead. We can all see the evidence on the Shroud, as revealed by a camera nineteen hundred years later and the camera does not lie. It is so obvious and easy to understand that I am certain you have followed my reasoning.”26 Holger Kersten & Elmar Gruber – The Jesus Conspiracy – 1992 The central premise of The Jesus Conspiracy, by Kersten and Gruber, is that Jesus(as) survived the Crucifixion. One of the later sections of their text is entitled ‘The Image of a Living Person’ and starts as follows: “After all that we have described there can be no doubt: the Turin cloth is the cloth in which Jesus was placed for healing after being taken down from the Cross. If this is so and Jesus really was still alive when he was placed in the tomb, we should be able to find evidence of the fact on the Turin cloth.”27 The authors of the The Jesus Conspiracy draw our attention to the blood marks in particular when arguing their case. “We can be grateful that Joseph of Arimathea and his helpers did not wash the body of Jesus for medical reasons, because this allowed the traces of coagulated blood to be imprinted on the cloth. Two different types of bleeding can be clearly distinguished. Firstly there is the dried blood which came from the whipping, the crowning with thorns, the side wound and from the nails fixing the body on the Cross. Secondly there is fresh blood which flowed when Jesus was already lying horizontally in the cloth. The fabric quickly became saturated with the resinous aloe, and was thoroughly impregnated with it. This meant that most of the blood was not absorbed into the cloth, but just spread out over the surface. This would explain the surprising fact, observed by modern researchers, that most of the blood marks cannot be seen on the reverse side even though the material is quite thin. The careful treatment with the herbal solution also had the effect of re-softening the coagulated areas of the blood, so that they too were transferred on to the cloth.”28 The blood marks around the back area also highlighted by Kersten and Gruber: “Blood has collected in the cavity between the back and the buttocks. This shows clearly that the blood must have flowed only after the body was laid horizontally”29 The Second Messiah – Christopher Knight & Robert Lomas – London, 1997 Although this text supports a very different thesis about the nature of the Shroud of Turin the actual observations of the Shroud and some of the conclusions support the view that the man wrapped in the Shroud was alive. Their observations of the Shroud suggested that the man in the Shroud was not lying out on a hard rock surface, but on a cushioned soft surface: “Dead bodies are not laid out on soft absorbent beds, so it seems extremely likely that the image is not that of a corpse but of a living subject who had been horribly tortured.”30 The conclusion of these authors also is that the Shroud wrapped a living body. Approximate Year (CE) Key Event 30 Crucifixion of Jesus(as) and his burial in a tomb wrapped in a sindon (burial shroud). According to the Bible, 36 hours later, the shroud is found and the tomb lays abandoned. c.40-50 A cloth reportedly with Jesus’ imprint on it is taken to the first Christian King, Abgar V (13-50) in Edessa (modern Urfa in eastern Turkey) and is instrumental in his conversion. 216 Edessa falls under Roman control. 375 Doctrine of Addai – an account of the conversion of Edessa to Christianity refers to a ‘portrait’ of Jesus(as). 525 Edessa is flooded, and during the repairs, a cloth imprinted with Jesus’ likeness is discovered above the city gates and described as ‘not the work of human hands’. 723 During a cull on man-made images of Jesus(as) across the Byzantine and Muslim empires, the cloth of Edessa survives. 943 A Byzantine army negotiates the transfer of the Shroud to Emperor Romanus in Constantinople (modern Istanbul) where it arrives amidst celebrations on 15 August 944. 1130 Reports in Western Europe of the ‘supernatural’ Shroud in Constantinople. 1192 The ‘Pray Manuscript’ in Hungary created by an artist shows Jesus(as) in the same position as the Shroud with his hands crossed, and other features of the Shroud such as the ‘poker holes’ are also reproduced. 1203-04 French Crusader Robert de Clari reports seeing the Shroud in Constantinople’s Church of St. Mary at Blachernae. A year later, the French sack Constantinople and the Shroud goes missing. 1355 The Shroud is now owned by Geoffrey I de Charney, and is displayed in a public exposition at a tiny church in Lirey, near Troyes in France. 1418 Due to a conflict with England, the Shroud is moved from Lirey to the French castle of Montfort near Switzerland. 1453 The Shroud is handed over to the Savoy family who will be the keepers for the next five centuries. 1502 Inauguration of the new home of the Shroud at the Sainte Chapelle in Chambery. 1506 Pope Julius II assigns May 4 as the feats day of the Shroud. 1509 The Shroud is installed in a specially made silver casket. 1532 A fire at the Sainte Chapelle damages the Shroud, with molten silver scarring the Shroud, but leaving the main image intact. 1535 Invasion by French troops results in transfer of the Shroud between Turin, Milan, Vercelli and Nice (southern Italy and France). 1578 The Shroud is moved to Turin Cathedral. 1868 Public exposition of the Shroud in Turin Cathedral. 1898 After another public exposition, the Shroud is photographed by local councillor Secondo Pia revealing the amazing negative image for the first time. 1902 Yves Delage, a French Anatomy Professor argues that the Shroud image is too medically convincing and must have wrapped a genuine human crucified body. 1978-79 STURP team analyse samples from the Shroud cloth and conclude that it is not mad-made. 1988 Carbon dating of a sample from the top-left of the cloth suggests that the Shroud is much newer that historical records had suggested. 1997 A major fire breaks out in the Turin Chapel. Despite extensive damage inflicted to the chapel, the Shroud escapes unharmed. 2000 Shroud is displayed on public exhibition for Golden Jubilee. 2002 Holy See has Shroud restored, backing of cloth and thirty patches removed. 2010 Shroud on public exhibition for the first time in ten years. 2025 Next scheduled public exhibition of the Shroud. Conclusion It is very difficult to have objective research carried out on the Shroud of Turin as almost all those interested in the cloth and involved in the research have pre-existing biases and beliefs. Current scholarly opinion is still divided on the Shroud. Many lost interest after the initial carbon dating result appeared to show it was a fake and a middle age forgery; many are still unaware of Ray Roger’s work and findings. Even as recently as October 2009 there have been researchers claiming to have reproduced the image exposing it as a fake.31 Some Shroud researchers and enthusiasts want another Carbon-14 dating test to be performed on the Shroud of Turin, but access to the cloth is closely controlled and obtaining permission for more tests has historically proven extremely difficult. In the last decade it has been noticed that the faint image had started to fade and disappear. The Shroud was moved to a specifically designed container to help preserve it and avoid the image being lost. As part of this process it was treated with Thymol and experts have said this could badly affect any future attempts to date the cloth using C-14. During the Friday Sermon of April 30th 2010 Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba) mentioned some experiments carried out under the supervision of Mir Mahmood Ahmad in Rabwah. Holger Kersten also performed similar tests using aloes, myrrh and a radiator to help achieve the perspiration. Kersten’s image shared some of the characteristics with the Shroud, but not all. For the scientists and academics the Shroud poses a wonderful puzzle to which a solution is still elusive. For believers in Jesus(as) it provides a visual representation of the ordeal of the Crucifixion and the suffering he would have gone through. For those who support the idea that Jesus(as) survived the Crucifixion, it could yet prove to be one of the strongest pieces of evidence available to prove this thesis. For now, however, there is much debate about all areas of the Shroud. Time will tell if a consensus can ever be reached on the cloth. One final thought; the STURP team were able to extract DNA from the blood on the Shroud prompting the 1999 book by Leoncio Garza-Valdes The DNA of God? This leads to the question of whether or not there could be another DNA sample from a different source relating to Jesus that could be used to cross-reference the Shroud DNA, if so that could solve the Shroud mystery once and for all. References:
By Arif Khan (Editor of the Tomb of Jesus website, has had an active interest in the Shroud of Turin and has written various articles on the subject). To read more interesting articles by this and other writers please visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this article with your friends. Apostles of God claim to believe in God. Saints too make a similar claim. Ordinary believers also appear to be quite certain about their beliefs. Agnostics on the other hand, admit candidly that they do not know whether God exists or not, while atheists deny outright the existence of God. So, there is a whole spectrum of people who represent different levels of faith and certitude regarding the existence of God. The relevance of the issue of certainty pertaining to God lies in the fact that the level of this certainty happens to influence both our standard of worship as well as our conduct in a very profound way. Certainty regarding any entity, be it the Being of God or any material existence, begins at the level of logical deduction. The next level up is direct perception. The next level, further up, is the level of complete personal engagement. The human mind is gifted with the faculty of drawing logical conclusions by applying rationality to available information and established facts. With this faculty, the human mind can draw conclusions that are logically acceptable. The common adage “where there is smoke there is fire”, encapsulates this idea. Given that the existence, form and properties of fire are already within the realm of one’s knowledge, one becomes capable of deducing that there is fire when seeing its properties – smoke being one of them. The sight of smoke will lead any rational mind to deduce the presence of fire because of the prevalent knowledge; “where there is smoke there is fire”. Only if a person knows that fire produces smoke will he infer the presence of fire when seeing smoke. Hence, the precondition to such certainty would be Knowledge. The Arabic term for “knowledge” is ‘Ilm and the Arabic for “certitude” is Yaqeen. Thus, the Arabic term employed by the Holy Qur’an for “Certainty based upon Knowledge” is ‘Ilm ul Yaqeen. We read in the Qur’an, “…If only you knew with certainty based on knowledge” (Ch.102:V.6). At the level of ‘Ilm ul Yaqeen, the believer and seeker of God believes in God not on account of having directly perceived His Being, but by virtue of deducing from facts that lie within the bounds of his knowledge. Essentially, he believes in the Unseen, for which the term ‘Imaan bil Ghaib, meaning “belief in the Unseen” is used. Although the seeker has not yet perceived God, the God-shaped vacuum in his heart that keeps him restless, the abundance of reliable testimony in favour of God given by a huge number of truthful and noble people, the very existence and perfection of the orderly Universe, the acceptance of his prayers in moments of distress and the transfer of knowledge of the unseen from an Unperceivable Source to mortals like himself, lead him to deduce the existence of God. He has not seen the fire itself, but having witnessed the smoke, he is led to infer that there indeed should be a fire. Carrying on with the adage “where there is smoke there is fire,” a higher level of appreciation of the existence of fire would understandably be based upon direct observation. This level of certainty is associated with direct perception instead of logical deduction. Once someone has actually seen the flames of the fire, he no longer relies on inferring the presence of these flames from the smoke they produce. He now sees the fire directly. The smoke may still be there, but it is no longer required as proof of the fire. The Arabic term for the “eye” is ‘Ain and hence, the Arabic for “Certitude based upon observation” is ‘Ain ul Yaqeen. We read in the Qur’an, “…You will surely see it with the eye of certainty” (Ch.102:V.8]. This verse draws our attention to the fact that at the level of ‘Ain ul Yaqeen, the believer believes in God, by what could be figuratively termed as the “direct perception” of God. For the human being, whose physical senses respond only to material stimuli, perception of God obviously does not mean a physical encounter with the Being of God. Beholding the Countenance of God can only mean being a witness to overt manifestations of His Divinity. These manifestations include miraculous acceptance of prayers and Divine communion. The believer’s supplications begin to meet with generous acceptance. When he prays for something, he finds Divine grace favourably inclined towards his prayer. The believer also begins to experience true dreams, dreams that are completely fulfilled, as well as visions and precisely-worded verbal revelations, during the state of wakefulness. When these encounters become frequent and abundant, it is then that the human soul figuratively beholds the spiritual face of God. Hence at this level of certitude, the believer relies no longer on logical deductions, regarding the existence of God. At this level, it is as if he has seen God with his own eyes. Although the state of ‘Imaan Bil Ghaib, or Belief in the Unseen continues, the believer becomes much more acquainted with the realm of Ghaib or the “Unseen”, than he was at the level of ‘Ilm ul Yaqeen. Reverting to the analogy of the flames of fire, we can appreciate that at the level of ‘Ilm ul Yaqeen, the seeker has finally seen the flames. The logic based on the adage “where there is smoke, there is fire”, at this level, is of little relevance beyond being an axiom. The seeker of God, at this point, has in a figurative sense, seen God. Continuing with the analogy of the man’s journey towards the flames of fire, and his gradually increasing certainty regarding the existence of these flames, we should now proceed to examine the highest level of certainty that man can attain, be it with regard to the glowing flames of fire in the scenario being discussed, or of course the very Being of God. When the man who in search of fire, witnesses the flames, he attains a level of perception that involves one of his five senses, in this case – sight. Thus, a higher appreciation would logically involve perception through all his senses. This is not to suggest that the seeker of the flames would necessarily need to burn himself to ashes to attain this level of appreciation, but to propose that the highest level of appreciation would indeed summon all five senses. Let us assume that our protagonist continues to walk in the direction of the flames, which he has already perceived with his eyes, and finally lands himself inside the ring of the fire. At this point, he has perceived the attributes of the flames of fire by means of not just one, but all of his senses. Applying this analogy to the seeker of God, we can say that when the seeker finally perceives the Attributes of God, by means of a maximal involvement of his senses, both physical and spiritual, it is then that he attains the highest level of certitude regarding God. It is then that he can be said to have reached the level of Haqq ul Yaqeen. The Arabic for “Absolute Truth” is Haqq. The Arabic for “certainty” as we have already discussed, is Yaqeen. Hence, the term Haqq ul Yaqeen would signify the level of perfect certainty about God. We read in the Qur’an, “…Verily, this is perfect certainty” (Ch.56:V.96). At this stage, the believer believes God because he has perceived the Attributes of God in a more complete manner, as if all modes of perception available to him had come into direct contact with the beauty and glory of God. At this stage, the believer is blessed with an even greater abundance of Divine revelation. At this stage, the seeker’s prayers are so copiously accepted and answered, that each prayer becomes a miracle in itself. Prophets and saints of God dwell in this exalted state of certainty. This is the highest level of faith and certitude. This intriguing and profound theme has been dealt with in absorbing detail by the Promised Messiah(as) in his historical treatise “Haqeeqat-ul Wahy,” in which he writes: ‘…God, Who is Beneficent and Merciful, has implanted in the human soul a thirst for knowing God. Similarly, He has blessed the human nature with two sets of faculties to enable man to attain perfect enlightenment – the intellectual faculties whose seat is the brain and the spiritual faculties whose seat is the heart. The spiritual faculties are subject to the purification of the heart. The spiritual faculties tend to reach and discover such truths as cannot be wholly accessible to man’s intellectual faculties…”1 Endnotes 1. Haqeeqatul Wahy, p.6, in Ruhani Khaza’in, vol.22, p.8 By Sayed Hameedullah Nusrat Pasha, to read more interesting and inspiring articles like this visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. If it had to be summarized in a single sentence who Rabi‘a al-Basri was, the following statement would come quite close: Rabi‘a al-’Adawiyya, a woman from Basra who rejected worship motivated by the desire for heavenly reward or the fear of punishment and insisted on the love of God as the sole valid form of adoration. But this statement, although accurate and precise, would not do justice to the life of such a prominent Muslim Sufi woman from early Islamic history. Because she was born in an era when history was not recorded as a norm, some fictions revolve around her life story. Nonetheless, the facts presented in this article are taken from the popular historical account known about her. It is said that Rabi‘a al-’Adawiyya, or Rabi‘a al-Qaysiyya, was born in Basra (modern day Iraq) between the years 95-99 AH (around 717CE). Her father’s name was Ismail (of Syria), who after getting married, went to live with his wife on the edge of the desert not far from the town of Basra. After a while, Allah Almighty blessed them with a daughter and the father named her Rabi‘a. Then they had another daughter whom he also named Rabi‘a al-thaniya (Rabi‘a the Second), and a third daughter as well was named Rabi‘a al-thalitha (Rabi‘a the Third), and yet again another daughter whom he named Rabi‘a al-rabi’a a (Rabi‘a the Fourth), who was to become the beloved Saint of Allah. Although she belonged to one of the noble families of Basra, she was born in the poorest of homes and her father was a humble servant of God. The family faced much hardship and when Rabi’a was a little older, her mother and father died and she was left an orphan. A famine occurred in Basra and the sisters were scattered. One day when Rabi’a was walking abroad, and evil-minded man saw her and seized upon her and sold her as a slave for six dirhams and the man who bought her made her work hard. Rabi‘a’s master took her to Baghdad where he immediately set about using her in the way that was most profitable for himself. She was very beautiful and she also had a lovely voice, so her master taught her how to sing and play the Oud (‘Uwd; pear-shaped stringed instrument), made her dance and entertain people, and above all, to make money for himself. He sent her to weddings and celebrations where she would dance and sing, and the people would give her money for whatever they wanted from her. In this way she came to have many bad habits and ways, living a very low life amongst all sorts of people and not caring about anything that she did. This continued until she was about thirty-six years old, when one day as she was singing at a wedding she found herself singing in a different way. Songs were coming from her heart for her Beloved Who was her true Love because now Allah, the All-Mighty, had awakened Rabi‘a. From that moment she left everything that she had been doing before, and she refused to sing or dance, or play any music for anyone except for her Beloved God. This made her master very angry because he could no longer use her to make money for himself. He began to chastise her hoping that this would frighten her into returning to her former ways. But she refused. She had begun to pray all through the night, crying to her Beloved God to help her in her desperate state. Rabi’a carried out her appointed tasks and in the service of God she was standing on her feet from night until dawn. Rabi’a’s master decided to sell her. So he put a cord around her neck and took her to the slave market of Baghdad. There a holy man took Rabi‘a to his home, gave her food and simple clothes, and told her that he did not want anything from her, except that she could pray and be free in his house. Rabi‘a thanked him with all her heart and said: “If you want anything from me for the Face of Allah, He will give you your reward, but if you want anything from me for yourself only, I have nothing to give you. I have everything that I need from my Beloved God and I do not need anything from any human being.” The holy man replied that he would like to marry her, and to free her from being a slave, but that he did not ask anything from her except what she wanted to give. Rabi‘a thanked him for his kindness and consideration, and she said that she did not want to marry anyone, but was grateful for the way that he cared for her in her deep need. For Rabi‘a‘s case was that she had heard the Voice of her Beloved Who was Allah and none other than He, and she had no need for any earthly husband. Like many of the ascetic Sufis, Rabi‘a made no separation in her love between man and woman if they loved her Beloved God. Many people loved her and needed her and wanted to take from her something of the special Gift which she had been given from Allah. She had many followers who yearned to feed themselves from her Love which she gave to all those whom she loved. She never married nor did she have any children but as she said: “My peace is in solitude but my Beloved is always with me. Whenever I witness His Beauty He is my prayer niche (mihrab); toward Him is my qibla. Oh Healer of souls, the heart feeds upon its desire and its striving towards Union with You has healed my soul. You are my Joy and my Life to Eternity. You were the Source of my life; from You came my ecstasy. I have separated myself from all created beings, for my hope is for Union with You; for that is the Goal of my searching.” Not only did Rabi‘a never marry but she also never had a Shaykh (spiritual guide) to guide and instruct her. She received everything that she knew directly from Allah without the intermediary of any Shaykh. At about this time she left Baghdad and returned to Basra where she remained for many years. Rabi‘a once said that there are three kinds of men: The first believes that his hands and his sons’ hands are all that is necessary to succeed in the only world they know: the material world. The second kind prays with his hands so that a reward will be earned in the next life. The third kind has his hands tied at the wrist, bound with love to serve without thought of return. Her life and sayings became a source of deep inspiration and yearning for many who came after her. Her life gave life to the hearts of those beloved people of Allah who followed after her in the same Line of the Love of God, as she had done. Particularly, this was the case later for Abu Bayazid al-Bistami, Abu’l-Husayn al-Nuri, Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj, and Abu Bakr al-Shibli, who, around their leader and Master al-Junayd, came to be known as The Baghdad School. Once Rabi‘a fasted for a whole week, neither eating nor sleeping. All night she prayed and became very hungry. Then a visitor came bringing her a bowl of food. She accepted it and went to fetch a lamp. When she returned, she found that a cat had overturned the bowl of food. She then said to herself: “I will fetch a jug of water and break my fast by drinking.” But by the time she had fetched the jug, the lamp had gone out. She then tried to drink the water in the dark, but the jug slipped from her hand and broke into pieces. She lamented and sighed so much, “that it was to be feared that the whole house would be consumed with fire!” “O Allah!” she cried, “What is this that You are doing with this helpless slave?” Then she heard a voice say, “Be careful lest you desire Me to bestow on you all worldly blessings, but take away from your heart the caring for Me, for care for Me and worldly blessings can never be together in a single heart. Rabi‘a, you desire one thing and I desire another. My desire and your desire can never be joined in one heart.” She said then, “When I heard this admonition I so cut off my heart from the world and curtailed my desires that whenever I have prayed during the last thirty years I have thought it to be my last prayer.” Rabi‘a said: “Everyone prays to You from fear of the Fire; And if You do not put them in the Fire, This is their reward. Or they pray to You for the Garden, Full of fruits and flowers. And that is their prize. But I do not pray to You like this, For I am not afraid of the Fire, And I do not ask You for the Garden. But all I want is the Essence of Your Love, And to return to be One with You, And to become Your Face.” It was told of Rabi‘a that she was seen one day carrying a brand of fire in one hand and a pitcher of water in the other, and that she was running very fast. When they asked her what she was doing and where she was going, she said: “I am going to light a fire in the Garden and pour water onto Hell so that both these veils may disappear from the seekers, and that their purpose may be sure, and that the slaves of Allah may see Him, without any object of hope or motive of fear. What if the Hope for the Garden and the Fear of the Fire did not exist? Not one would worship his Lord, nor obey Him. But He is worthy of worship without any immediate motive or need.” One of her companions, Sufyan al-Thawri, asked her, “What is the best thing for the servant to do who desires proximity to his Lord?” She said, “That the servant should possess nothing in this world for the Next, save Him.” Rabi‘a never had any doubts about her Beloved being present or absent, because she was not concerned only to have His good pleasure and bounties. She lived for a Love which does not seek for any answer, reward or reciprocity. It was related how one day one of her followers said in her presence, “Oh Allah, may You be satisfied with us!” Whereupon Rabi‘a said, “Are you not ashamed before Him to ask Him to be satisfied with you, when you are not satisfied with Him?” By this she meant that first we must be truly satisfied with Allah, Most High, before we can ask Him to be satisfied with us. Then this was followed by the question to her, “When then is the servant satisfied with Allah Most High?” She replied, “When his pleasure in misfortune is equal to his pleasure in prosperity.” She said: “O God, whatsoever You have apportioned to me of worldly things, Give that to Your enemies, And what You have apportioned to me in the Hereafter, Give that to Your Friends, For You suffice me.” She also said: “O God, if I worship You for fear of Hell, burn me in Hell, And if I worship You in hope of Paradise, Exclude me from Paradise. But if I worship You for Your Own sake, Grudge me not Your Everlasting Beauty.” When Rabi‘a was urged to speak, her words perfectly manifested her love, her belief and her faith, for she was so totally immersed in her Lord that she became a shining Light which attracted many people to her presence to drink from the same Spring from which she drank. She said, “If I will a thing and my Lord does not will it, I shall be guilty of unbelief.” So that her faith came from her total surrender to her Beloved God, as she said, “I have fled from the world and all that is in it. My prayer is for Union with You; that is the goal of my desire.” The sole object of Rabi‘a’s life was in her yearning and passionate love for her Beloved, which meant not merely the destruction of her self (nafs) but surrender to Allah every moment in the perfect Union in which there is no Lord and slave, no Creator and created being, only He in Himself. In that state she came to realize that she existed in Him without any possibility of separation from His indivisible Oneness. Her attraction to a life of poverty was also part of her need not to be distracted from her inner journey by the necessity for material considerations. There is a story about this poverty of hers, as one of her companions said, “I went to visit Rabi`a and saw her in her house with nothing but a broken water pitcher out of which she drank and made her ablution. There was also an old reed mat and a brick which she sometimes used as a pillow. When I saw this, I felt very sad and I said to her, ‘I have rich friends. If you wish I will get something from them for you.’ She said, ‘You have committed a grievous error. Is not my Provider and theirs one and the same?’ I replied, ‘Yes.’ Then she said, ‘And has the Provider of the poor forgotten the poor on account of their poverty? And does He remember the rich because of their riches?’ I replied, ‘No.’ She said, ‘Then since He knows of my state, how should I remind Him? Such is His Will and I too wish what He wills.’” Rabi‘a’s love, which was passionate and all-consuming was also full of humility, fear and reverence (taqwa) for her Beloved, and when she was asked about how she had such a degree of intimacy, she said, “By constantly saying: I take refuge in You from everything which has distracted me from You and from every hindrance which has hindered me from You.” She also said, “You must conceal your good deeds as you conceal your evil deeds.” In the same way, she said, “What appears of any (good) works, I count as nothing at all.” The key to Rabi‘a’s reaching and living in the loving Presence of her Lord was her constant praying, remembrance and asking for forgiveness for all her shortcomings, and a knowing that her Union with her Beloved God could not come in the way that she desired, but only in the way that He desired for her. She was also well aware that her remembrance and repentance did not come from herself, but from Him, her Beloved God. It is said that someone once said to her, “I have committed many sins; if I turn in repentance toward Allah, will He turn in His Mercy toward me?” She said, “No, but if He will turn toward you, you will turn toward Him.” For Rabi‘a, repentance was a Gift from Allah. As she said, “Seeking forgiveness with the tongue is the sin of lying. If I seek repentance of myself, I shall have need of repentance again.” Or as she also said, “Our asking for forgiveness of Allah itself needs forgiveness.” She was blessed with a long life during which she continued, to her last days, to give of everything that Allah inspired her to give to all who loved her, because she was His special Light for them all. She is often referred to as the first true Saint (waliyya) of Islam and was praised, not because she in any way represented womankind, but because as Attar (another famous Sufi) said, “When a woman walks in the Way of Allah like a man she cannot be called a woman.” Attar also said that Rabi`a was “That one set apart in the seclusion of holiness; that woman veiled with the veil of sincerity; that one enflamed by love and longing, lost in union with God; that one accepted as a second spotless Mary.” Although, as she said herself, she was always busy with her Beloved God all the time and she did not have any moment for anybody or anything else but Him, she also knew the meaning of what she said, for her Beloved Allah revealed Himself to her in every face around her. She said, “The groaning and yearning of the lover of Allah will not be satisfied until it is satisfied in the Beloved.” And Rabi`a was, for many people, that Beloved. Originally published in the Muslim Sunrise, Spring 2009, pp. 15-17. By Naureen Choudhry, originally republished by Admin at Jihad of the Pen. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. When a suggestion from Satan assails those who are righteous, they are instantly alerted and become watchful [Holy Qur’an Chapter 7 verse 202] Imran ibn Husain relates that he heard the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: Between the creation of Adam and the Judgement Day there is no affair greater than the mischief of the Anti-Christ (Dajjal) [Muslim ahadith 1820 Gardens of the Righteous] For many Westerners Christmas (or Christ’s Mass as it was known) is supposed to be about the birth of the Christian Messiah Jesus (peace be upon him). But as Ahmadi Muslims we all recognise that no Prophet of God would ever condoned this. However, what many of us don’t know is the real philosophy and underlining origins behind today’s Christmas and New Year celebrations. A history that once known would make any righteous believer to immediately start to beg forgiveness from the Almighty. The real history about how the public in the West has been fooled into performing such acts as to appease pagan idols and celebrate idolatrous customs by stealth is both shocking and serious. It underlies how most people truly don’t realise how formidable and encompassing the system of the Dajjal really is. It is both very patient and persistent, much like its master the ‘sneaking whisperer’ Satan. But have no doubts it has succeeded in immersing the masses unwittingly into shirk. One of the major sins that is not forgiven by God. The problem is the numerous books, school nativity plays and films presenting over and over the falsehood of this holiday period and its fake ‘moral traditions’. The shirk instilling system starts at a very young age. Children’s cartoons on that most malevolently tool of the Dajjal, the hypnotic box in every home - the TV. The shiny eye catching decorations in houses and shops, and the fake promise that an imaginary person will deliver presents as rewards for nothing done are just some of the ways pre-school children are entwined into its philosophy. Its no coincidence that nearly all primary school children in English schools are required to participate in the nativity play. Whether a child is asked to dress as an animal or snowflake, to the keen observer it’s an obvious attempt to instil wrong ideologies into the minds of receptive children. One such thing you might notice is the scene of the nativity depicts shepherds. And common sense tells us that shepherds don’t tend their flock during December in the Middle East. The other would be that the guiding star in the shape of a Satanic symbol and the three kings are actually metaphorical for something far more sinister than they are portrayed to be. Scientific fact is that the precise day of Jesus’ birth is a complete unknown; no one has been able to prove what day Hadhrat Jesus (peace be upon him) was born. And in the first 400 years of Christianity it was not celebrated at all. Of course if the birth of Hadhrat Moses (peace be upon him) is not celebrated by Jews then why would it? So, a little digging around and we find that it was much later, that it was ‘decided’ that a ‘holy’ day should be created to conveniently coincide with the Roman Pagan Winter Solstice and ancient Norse Pagan Winter Festival and replace them with a Christian festival. It was the Catholic Church i.e. the incumbent Pope and the Church of Rome that created this as a form of revival for the Christian faith. But not all Christians are Catholics. In as recent as the 16th and 17th century, significant groups of English Protestant Christians called the Puritans strongly condemned the celebration of Christmas. Considering it a Catholic invention and the 'trappings of popery' or the 'rags of the beast'. They refused to be dragged into these immoral innovations. The ‘beast’ incidentally being a metaphorical name for the Anti-Christ (the Christian name for the Dajjal). Soon after the English civil war England’s Puritan rulers banned Christmas from 1647 to 1660. In Scotland the Presbyterian Church of Scotland also discouraged the observance of Christmas. This ideology of banning and suppressing Christmas spread across states and countries, as they realised the damage it could do to the moral fibre of their communities. With the beginnings of colonial America the Puritans of New England shared the Protestant disapproval of Christmas celebration and they too outlawed it in Boston from 1659 to 1681. And amazingly it took till as recent as the mid 19th century till Christmas became fashionable in Boston, America. This of course upset those who secretly wanted to destroy the strength of Christianity, so they devised one of the first and most successful plans of mass media control. In 1843 the iconic Victorian novelist Charles Dickens wrote 'A Christmas Carol' to revive the ‘spirit’ of Christmas. Published widely it became an instant hit not only in Victorian England but also in Europe and America. It played a major role in re-establishing Christmas. The story created in the mind of the reader a yearning to embrace and celebrate Christmas. This was even though he wasn’t even a Catholic. In 1843 and 1845 he again wrote about Christmas in his follow up stories ‘The Chimes’ and ‘The Cricket on the Hearth’. Further reinforcing the pagan holiday into the minds of society. Dickens’ influence is very synonymous still today for example words such as 'scrooge' becoming a word meaning 'miser'. And the term 'Merry Christmas' became popularised by him. Christmas Day was originally an pagan day of worship. Contrary to modern media Christmas is not universally celebrated by all Christians. The orthodox Christians in Russian and its surrounding countries including Slovakia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria etc, the Coptic Christians in the Middle East and Africa, and most of the churches in the West Bank of Bethlehem and churches in Greece for example do not celebrate the 25th of December as the birth of Hadhrat Jesus (peace be upon him). They all believe that according to the Holy Bible his birth was in August / September and thus his miraculous conception was 9 months earlier i.e. around the 7th of January. So they celebrate not the birth but the ‘immaculate conception’ on a day after the pagan festival dates. In the Holy Qur'an we are told that Hadhrat Mary (Peace be upon her) went into the desert on her own to have Hadhrat Jesus (Peace be upon him) and was helped only by the Arch Angel Hadhrat Gabriel, (peace be on him). He is narrated as having provided her support with dates and water as she leant upon the trunk of a date palm in pain. The truth and a completely different history to what is told today. History also tells us that the Romans, who conquered, built and named Britannia (Britain) and Londinium (London) were idol worshipers. And one of the chief official deities worshiped by them was Jupiter or Jove (as pronounced by them) - the god of sky and thunder, the god of war, the one they believed that gave them victory. Jupiter’s sacred animal was the eagle, which still used by some countries today. Jupiter was the equivalent of the Greek king god Zeus. Jupiter was associated with kings and kingship. And one of the most religious periods in the Roman Julian Calendar was the 17th December to 23rd December. Called ‘Saturnalia’ the Roman day of giving gifts. The Roman festival for the birth of the ‘unconquered sun’ (Dies Natalis Solis Invicta) was also celebrated in the winter solstice. This was to commemorate the rebirth of the sun. And as Jupiter was the sky god it was in awe and adoration to him. During later periods of Roman History, sun worship gained more importance and led to 'solar monotheism' i.e. only worshipping the sun god. The feast of Sol Invictus (unconquered sun) on 25th December was celebrated with great feasts and sinful fornication. Similar to today’s celebrations. In the year 321 AD the first Christian Roman Caesar Constantine the Great was instrumental in creating a turning point for the Christians. He instructed that both Christians and non-Christians should worship ‘the venerable day of the sun’ in an attempt to create harmony across the Roman Empire. This was one of many reasons why Christians later took this festival and used it to commemorate the birth or conception of their ‘son of god’ as apposed to the ‘sun god’. It is has been noted in many reputable commentaries that this is one of the ways that the sun god was substituted and represented as the son of god. As the Roman Empire spread over time it saw both the spread of Christianity and the pagan ideology of northern Europe across its vast empire. Christmas Trees are Pagan Idols In 1832 just a few years before Dickens wrote ‘A Christmas Carol’, a young Queen Victoria after her marriage to her German cousin Prince Albert had her first Christmas tree. It is reported that she was delighted to have decorations and lights on it and having had gifts placed under it. Prince Albert of Germany had brought his pagan north European traditions with him. By the mid 1840’s, due to the popularity of the Queen and her customs, and Charles Dickens’ novels, it become widespread in the UK and by 1870’s it had become widespread in America too. It is a curious fact that there are no Christmas type trees in Bethlehem, Nazareth or Galilee, in fact throughout the Middle East coniferous tree do not naturally grow. Coniferous trees or evergreens, as they are also known as, grow naturally only in cold snowy climates such as northern Europe and northern America. The northern Europeans pagans use to worship nature and tree's. And it was during the Roman Empire that this pagan worship was popularised across Germania (known today as Germany). The month of December was already a pagan holiday before the advent of Hadhrat Jesus (peace be upon him); Like in Roman traditions it was also to celebrate the winter solstice i.e. the increase in daylight hours. The northern Europe pagans came from areas today known, as Iceland, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden etc and they believed that trees held spirits within them that could benefit them. That is why they would decorate coniferous trees and place gifts underneath them to appease these spirits so they would bring them good fortune in the coming year. The very same type of worship as was popularised by Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens. What we as Muslims must realise is that just because a Christmas tree doesn’t look like a brightly coloured Hindu deity with colourful garlands and presents at its feet. The two are still venerated in the same way. And it doesn’t make it any less shirk in the sight of God Almighty. During the Roman ‘Saturnalia’ celebrations ever greens were hung on buildings, wreaths hung on doors and holly across halls in the form of pagan charms to ward of evil spirits and invoke spells. This is where we get the term ‘deck the halls with holly’. To decorate using evergreens is to acknowledge the powers of the nature gods. The bright red coloured berries were important in pagan traditions and to create a circular shape like a wreath was supposed to accentuate its magical powers. And mistletoe was used in the casting of druidic spells to make a woman open and helpless to exploitation. This is where the custom of kissing under the mistletoe comes from. And those traditions and modern plastic equivalents are still around today. Ever wondered why people say its much better to have a real tree than a plastic one? Yule or Yuletide (meaning Yule time) is meant to be a supernatural winter period. Celebrated by historical Germanic pagans and their neighbouring people as a religious festival. Originally Norse, it too was absorbed into Christ’s Mass. Yule was a pre Christian Norse fertility god pronounced ‘Jul’, and was worshiped over the December period. The Yule log was a very large and extremely hard log that was cut down and fashioned into a fertility symbol and then burned. It was supposed to hold magical power and was the centrepiece of a large bonfire that required 12 daily sacrifices to Yule. The sacrificial victims to appease the god were usually Yule goats or Yule boars. And they were burned alive in the fire. Sometimes horrifically but not always they’re were also human sacrifices too. This is the true evil origin of the modern 12 days of Christmas custom. To this day some people still continuously burn an open fire in their homes for 12 days. So in an attempt to blur the origins of this horrific ritual the incumbent Pope and the Church of Rome placed the first day of the Mass of Christ on December 25th and the 12th day on January the 6th. Despite no scriptural references the 6th was selected to represent the day the 3 Kings supposedly came to visit Hadhrat Jesus (peace be on him). This day become known as epiphany. In days past European people placed an oil-burning lamp in their windows to show passers-by that they were participating in the pagan worship of the phallic idol Yule. And in today’s commercialism this is where we have the custom of decorating the house and windows with lights. Carol singing came from the ‘kolyada’ or ‘koleda’ singing. An ancient Slavic winter ritual celebrating the old year. The singing was in honour of another pagan sun god – Dazbog. It too was also assimilated into Christmas tradition by Charles Dickens. The original names and types of singing are still in use today in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Croatia. In western culture Russian and Polish immigrants have changed it into singing on Christmas Eve. When we read in Christmas cards ‘Yuletide greeting’ that is in fact invoking the power of the fertility god Yule upon that person, another form of shirk. Santa Claus or the Norse god Odin Most children know that Santa Claus (Father Christmas) doesn’t exist. But the true origins of this fantasy person are also surprising and disturbing. It may be surprising to know that the Norse god Odin looked like Santa. He was a major god for the Germanic pagans and was also remembered over the Yule festival. Icelandic traditions say Odin had an 8-legged horse named Sleipnir and legend says that Sleipnir could leap great distances in a single bound. The origin to the story of Santa and his eight magical flying reindeer. In Norse traditions we find that children use to put straw, carrots or sugar in their boots near the chimney for Sleipnir to eat, and Odin would reward then by replacing the food with candy and gifts. With this tradition surviving even to this day in Germany, Netherlands and Belgium. As traditions moved to other countries the boots near the chimney became colourful stockings hanging by the fire. And it was sometime later that the story of a man titled Sinterklaas (Dutch for Saint Nicholas) appeared in places like Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. A huge annual feast was commemorated by some Church denominations in his honour. Legend has it that he was supposed to have conquered Satan and put him under his control. In historical artwork of Sinterklaas it usually depicted with a pet goat. The goat may have been symbolic for the devil as even today the goat is used to symbolise the devil in pagan symbology. Interestingly narrative about Sinterklaas are always told where he is helped by Zwarte Pieten (Dutch for Black Peter). A racist and pagan name for an evil spirit. And the two of them went around visiting children on the 5th or 6th of December. Zwarte Piet was supposed to be his bound Satan. It is said that Zwarte Piet carried with him a book, which had a list of good and bad children. And that Sinterklaas referred to this book and asked children to recount some scripture or good deed before Zwarte Piet rewarded them with apples, nuts and gingerbread. If a child was bad or unable to recount scripture Zwarte Piet punished the child with a beating with willow canes. In some historical pictures Zwarte Piet was depicted as a goat or a small black horned devil. In Germanic tradition Sinterklaas’s satanic helper was named Knecht Ruprecht. Ruprechet, commonly meaning the devil in German. And further research reveals that the first known origins of Sinterklaas were not from a Christian Saint but from Anglo-Saxon pagan mythology. Borrowing heavily from Norse mythology. It was said that he rode a white horse named Sliepnir, (the same name as Odin’s horse) and he flew through the air as the leader of a special wild hunt. It is narrated that he had with him two ravens that would listen at the chimneys about the good and bad behaviour of the mortals. And then Sinterklaas returned to his master Woden to report. Woden was a pre Christian Anglo-Saxon god. Note how similar the name sounds the same as the Norse god Odin. So the roots and origins of Santa Claus and his helper elves and flying reindeer are from Norse gods, Devils and Evil spirits. Its little surprise then that the name Santa can very easily be rearranged to spell Satan. When analysing historical references during Christianisation, Pope Gregory I argued that conversions were easier if people were allowed to retain their outward form of traditions. So by claiming the traditions were in honour of the Christian God, the Saint Nicholas tradition was created as part of the Catholic church’s conversion process of exchanging Odin and Woden, to a Christian counterpart. There is history of a Saint Nikolaos of Myra and that he had a habit of secret gift giving but it is far from the story that he wore red clothes, carried a staff and had with him a small goat that carried his presents on its back. So it was no surprise that Protestant churches changed the story further and named this mythical gift giver Christ Child or Christkindl and moved the date of his giving to Christmas Eve. Some world wide Christians dislike any depiction of Santa Claus saying it detracts and even parodies the religious celebration. One such denomination that refuses to celebrate Christmas are the Jehovah’s Witnesses. New Year celebrations are for Janus Even New Year celebrations on the 1st of January are a Pagan ritual the fireworks and all night partying are nothing more than Roman idolatrous celebrations. History tells us that January is named after the Roman god Janus, a 2 headed god. With one face looking forward and the other back. The faces as depicted on his statues, show his ability to see and control the years past and future. And the Romans believed that if they were to drink and feast to him this would please him and he would grant them a prosperous new year. So singing and drinking around the world on the 1st of January is again nothing more than shirk. By staying up all till 12.01am is to inadvertently recognise that Janus holds the power to grant you a successful you a new year. The 1st of January is also not celebrated across the World. Many religions and cultures have their own new year date and calendars. The question for us as Ahmadi Muslims is how many of us celebrate or fast on the first day of the Gregorian Calendar but don’t even know or fast on the date of the start of the Muslim new year? So in conclusion it is quite clear that the Christmas and New Year traditions are nothing short of getting the mass public to inadvertently appease pagan gods and their traditions. To make the world forget God. And early Christian’s resisted as long as they could. But the unrelenting and repeated attack upon the Christianity by the system of the Dajjal both from inside and outside resulted in them eventually embracing these sin infected traditions. Today we see Muslims and Muslim countries across the world are without thinking quickly adopting these sin infected traditions in a foolish attempt to appease and walk in step with their Western contemporaries. But to stop Islam, following in the footsteps of Christianity, was exactly the purpose for the advent of the Promised Islamic Messiah, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be upon him). The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) summed things up best when he explained: Whoever is aware of the momentum that these attacks are gaining, definitely feels the need for Gods help; he who is quite unaware of this situation has nothing to say about the need. Such a person asserts that nobody has done any harm to Islam. But it is a pity that he does not know that the power of Islam has dwindled and religiously speaking ‘Mukhliseena lahuddeen’ are nowhere to be found (i.e. the people who should devote themselves to the service of Islam sincerely are not to be found anywhere). Inwardly Islam has become weak and outwardly the people like to efface it from the world. The opponents think of the Muslims as very low like dogs and swine; they do not like to see them alive. Were a true Muslim to come to know of all that is happening in this respect, he would succumb to grief. It is only the Book of God (the Holy Qur’an) and His Signs that can help; the opponents cannot be faced without these two things. And that actually is the aim of my advent. [Malfoozat vol. III p449] May Allah guide us to recognise and avoid the illusions and trappings of the dunya, and hold firm to the Word of Allah attaining His Special Protection and Mercy. Ameen. By Ansar Khan - Naib Regional Qaid Tahir Region (first published 21/12/13) To read more interesting and inspiring blogs by this and other authors visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com/blog and feel free to comment and share this and all the other information with your freinds. References: 1. Tell us about your journey to Islam. I had decided at the age of about 14 (1991) that there were more important things in life than worldly progress. I thought that whatever I achieved would be largely the result of my God given abilities. This is something that no-one has any control over, so how meritorious is it really to have become a doctor, a professor etc..etc? Anyone given the opportunity and God given ability could achieve it. Achieving high morals on the other hand was something that was drastically needed, and was a worthy goal. So I set myself this goal, only concentrating on 2 aspects. (i) to be compassionate (ii) to be true I tried to help people worse off than me in different ways, and I tried to accept truth when it came. I went to university (1995) with these goals, and I thought I would find like minded people, but I found that I was pretty much alone, and it was very depressing. I despaired of life. The life full of falsehood and selfishness was worthless, and University was full of this. I was in quite a desperate situation, tired and angry with the ways of the world, and I was willing to look at anything that claimed it was the truth. I became politically active (1996-7) joining the Socialist Workers Party, which campaigned for a fairer distribution of wealth across society along the lines of Socialism. I joined because I could not counter their arguments and was impressed with their aims, but when I realised that the members of this group were motivated by jealousy and envy, I left. All this time I had an Ahmadi friend, Imran, who saw my predicament and recommended Ahmadiyyat to me, as it was what I was looking for. He told me that Ahmadiyyat has been founded by the 2nd Coming of Jesus (as), which, as a Christian interested me. He also told me about Hazoor and about his mother who saw 'dreams'. I didn't follow up the interest immediately. Imran was and is a really great friend with no hidden agenda. We agreed to go on holiday together after we graduated - back-packing around Europe. Thus, Imran invited me to Jalsa to meet his family, immediately after which, we would start our trip. I went to Jalsa because Imran had affectively made it part of our trip, so looking back, I really had no choice! I was happy to go since I was curious and quite fearless when it came to the truth, but I did not expect anything to happen…I was thinking about back-packing around Europe! I arrived at Jalsa on the Saturday and stayed one night with Imran’s family. Lo and behold, Imran’s mother had a dream which she (against Imran's 'orders') told me about. In the dream she was showing me photographs of the Promised Messiah (as). Some had long hair, some short, some had short beards, some long etc..etc.. In the dream, Imran's mother explained to me that Ahmadi's were not all the same, they were different. Some were better than others. In my eleven years in the jamaat, I have certainly found that to be true. This dream convinced her that I would become an Ahmadi. I took it as a compliment and thanked her. She said 'Don't thank me, this is what God has said'. I was very impressed by this answer. After this, I went to the Jalsa wondering what would happen. I knew that if I was confronted with arguments that I could not answer, I would convert. After talking to Ahmadis from all over the world, particularly an old convert from America and a new one from France, I received those arguments, and agreed to convert. I remember that after getting a bai'at form, I went to sit in the Jalsa Gah were Pasha Danial, Sabahus Salaam, and Kashif Javaid (all from Glasgow) were sitting. They had also just converted. Sabah turned and congratulated me. That was the first time I met him. 2. What were you perceptions of Islam before you accepted Islam and how have those changed since? Long before I knew of Ahmadiyyat, I had noted the similarity of what I came to know as non-Ahmadi 'mullahs' to the Jewish scholarly opponents of Jesus(as) in his time. Thus I mistrusted them straight away. Ahmadiyyat changed my view of Islam, and made me understand that the non- Ahmadi mullahs had fallen into the same trap as the Jewish mullahs, by rejecting their Messiah. Ahmadiyyat was simply the only way to follow Jesus (as) or any other prophet in these modern times. Since then, I have read quite a few books of the Promised Messiah (as), and got involved with the jamaat as much as I could. As a result, my love of the Holy Prophet has developed greatly, as had my relationship with God. Ahmadiyyat is the real deal. 3. How has accepting Islam changed your life and what benefits have you gained? The peace of mind I craved as a young man I now have. I have a relationship with God (although it needs a lot more work). There are worldly benefits as well which I believe were granted to me by God's Grace. I did not seek them exclusively. Allah the Kind simply gave them to me:- Career, Marriage, a son and Independence. When I became Ahmadi, I had none of the above and did not know how I would get them. Khalifatul Masih 1st used to quote a verse of the Holy Quran, the gist of which reads “If you worry about God's things, then he will take care of your needs in such a way as you will not comprehend.” One of the conditions of bai'at is to give precedence to faith over world objects. I have always tried to give faith its due station in my life. I have never worried overly about any worldly aspect of my life. In fact, I wanted to give up my education (as I was disillusioned with it) and become a missionary, but Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV (rh) refused me, and told me to complete my studies. So I pursued my career, by the Grace of Allah as I was commanded by Hazoor, and I think I have been very much blessed, and continue to be blessed because of that, and it happened (from a worldly point of view) by accident. This is Allah's Kindness. The truth is, if I knew then what I know now, I would not have applied to be a missionary. Allah's jamaat did me a great favour. Also, reading the books of the Promised Messiah (as) has had a 're-programming' effect on my mind. As my thinking has become more in step with that of the attitudes and ideas expressed in the Promised Messiah's writings, and the instructions of the Khulafah, I found that not only was the kind of spiritual advancement, that is not possible in other religions now open to me (confirmed by my discussions with those of other faiths), but worldly advancement also. In my professional life, I have (since becoming Ahmadi) impressed many colleagues at work, in education and social circles with my ideas and thoughts (without trying to do so). This kind of supremacy, and much more (Professor Abdus Salaam, Muhammad Zafrullah Khan) is granted to those who follow the Promised Messiah with sincerity. I know that many other Ahmadi's experience the same thing. 4. What challenges have you faced as a convert to Islam and how did you overcome them? The friction with my parents was the main issue, which grew worse when I started preaching openly in the Croydon town centre (where everyone used to know each other). It grew much worse when I decided to go to Pakistan to get married (because of dreams that I, my wife and others had). I did all these things because I wanted to follow the way of God. I believe that God would help me, and would improve my life. Examples such as Ibrahim Noonan were in front of me. In fact all the while, people like Ibrahim Noonan, Hafiz Fazle Rabbi, Khalil Miyan, Nasir Orchard and other members of Norbury jamaat, as well as Imran and his family, were always there to help me and guide me. 5. What has been the reaction of your friends and family to your conversion? They were angry and confused at first but now they see the positive effect it has had and simply accept it now. They love their Grandson of course! Of course being Ghanaian, my parents knew of Ahmadiyyat without knowing/understanding what it is. They didn't want to know and still don't. 6. How has being a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community helped? Members of the jamaat in general did not really understand what I was going through in this country. The main support I received was from other converts, but even our experiences as converts are not really the same. Ibrahim was a person whose experience had been similar to mine. One thing about Ibrahim is that his relationship with God is much stronger than any of his world relationships. This is the only way because human beings cannot help despite their best efforts. Among other things watching him, I believed that Allah would help me because my intentions were pure, and He did not let me down. He never lets you down. 7. How have you found integration into the Community? Coming from a multicultural background, I believe I have found it easier then most. The same human frailties are there. No-one should expect to find angels when they join the jamaat, neither should they expect that they will immediately become angles on joining the jamaat. It is a long process and often I feel that I have made no progress at all! 8. What events or activities would you like to see taking place? New Ahmadi Ijtemas as they have in Germany 9. What advice would you have for your fellow new converts into Islam? Remember that your covenant is with the Promised Messiah at the hand of the Khalifa and no one else. It is a relationship with God. You owe no one else anything, and no one owes you anything. If you act like this, God The Powerful and the Extremely Kind, will take responsibility for you. Also, read the books of the Promised Messiah deeply and follow the Khilafa. His orders, his desires, his intentions, his prayers, his likes and dislikes. Make a point of listening to his sermons regularly. Do not be worried that others around you are not listening to him and not following him. One of the orders of the Khalifa, is to read the Qur'an every day. This should also be done along with all the directions in Islam and Ahmadiyyat. Try to train yourself to seek help only from God, because He is really there, and He really Listens and Helps. After 11 years in this jamaat, I need to follow this advice myself more than ever. 10. Finally, as someone who has found Truth, what advice would you have for any seeker after Truth? Be totally honest with yourself (or with God if you currently believe in God). If you are not honest with yourself, how can you expect to be successful? I met a woman the other day who was upset because her son had become a Muslim. I asked her if she knew anything about Islam. She answered, 'yes but not from my son, from Christians'. I told her that she should read about it for herself, but she answered 'I don't want to become Muslim'. From this it’s clear that she had her own desires which were more important to her than the truth! Truth is very valuable. Religious history tells us that it can’t be attained unless a person is willing to pay a high price. May Allah give us all the courage to follow only truth. Ameen. Once you find the truth, then the real work begins (May Allah give us the strength. Ameen). To read more articles like this visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com. Please feel free to comment and share this. By Ataul Wahab Ahmad Rybinski My name is Ataul Wahhab Ahmad Rybinski. The name Ataul Wahhab means ‘Gift of The Bestower’ was given to me by Hudhur. I was born on October 9th 1980 in Warsaw, Poland. Shortly after taking my A-level exams (or rather Polish equivalent) I faced the necessity of working full time in order to support myself. I am a Jack-of-all-Trades in a sense that I was working as a bartender,decorator, promoter, stage technician, light engineer, sound technician, construction worker, bouncer, porter and chef, not necessarily in this particular order. I came to the UK, to Bradford to be specific on September 1st 2006, like most Eastern Europeans in a search for a job. I plan to start my BA in Modern European History this October. 1. Tell us about your journey to Islam/Ahmadiyyat. For most of my adult life, or rather conscious life – from adolescence or salad days until 2006 when I came to the UK, I was an Atheist, also a very militant one. That did not mean that I didn’t want to learn about the spiritual or religious side of life, which is precisely why I thought that coming to the UK is a perfect opportunity to learn about Islam. In Poland, where I’m from, Muslims are a minority and a very, very small one and I always knew that I can’t trust the western media or even historians to paint a fair picture of Islam. I arrived in the UK in September 2006 and almost straight away started to read whatever I could about Islam – globally and locally you might say, because I wanted to know a thing or two before I would contact any sect or branch of Islam present in Bradford, where I live. Alhamdolillah, I established a very friendly relationship with Abdul Latif sahib from Bradford Jama’at and his son Muhammad Tufail with whom I worked in one of the many warehouses located in Bradford. Through them I’ve learned about the Ahmadiyya Jama’at, about the Promised Messiah (as) and about Islam generally. In 2007 after one of the Jama’at’s (Community) Q&A sessions Abdul Latif sahib introduced me to Naseem Ahmad Bajwa sahib, the regional missionary for the North East region at the time, but now is the Imam of the Baitul Futuh mosque in London. It was through the long hours that I spent with Murrabi (Missionary) sahib that I came to the conclusion that in fact, I am a believer. And since even before that I’ve stated on many occasions, after due consideration of course, that ‘If there’s a God then Islam is the proper way to worship Him’; as a consequence I needed to admit to it and start changing my life. But it wasn’t until November 2008 that I was ready to sign my bay’at form though. So you might say that I needed over two years of learning through both actual studying Islam and Ahmadiyyat and through certain events in my personal life to finally make the decision that now seems to me more instinctive and natural that it would appear even a year ago. 2. What were you perceptions of Islam/Ahamdiyyat before you accepted Islam/Ahamadiyyat and how have those changed since? See, I didn’t really have any pre-conceptions. I was quite sure that Islam is not presented fairly in the mainstream media of Europe and that I shouldn’t look at any religion through the lenses of Roman Catholicism which is the predominant Christian denomination in Poland. Since one of the first books about Islam that I read was “Caravan Of Dreams” by Idries Shah, who is a Sufi, the very first impressions that I have had were that Islam must be a multi-dimensional, rich religion with a spiritual side even more developed than its social or moral end of things. Then after a while, when I started my journey to Ahmadiyyat, from the moment I heard this name for the first time, I was surrounded by Ahmadis that I must admit were and are so firm in their belief that I had to take whatever I was learning from them, however difficult it was to process or accept, very seriously. Perceptions that I had, didn’t necessarily change that much, beside the fact that now I know that my religion is so deep, rich in meanings and complex that I can’t possibly judge if it’s over or under developed in any respect – simply because this is the perfect, final stage in religious development. 3. How has accepting Islam/Ahmadiyyat changed your life and what benefits have you gained? I’ve gained something that most of the non-Muslims and non-Ahmadis spend their entire lives searching for: a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging and that peculiar variety of kinship with others, in this case with other Ahmadis that is never a burden, always a way to improvement. 4. What challenges have you faced as a convert to Islam/Ahmadiyyat and how did you overcome them? Technically not too many. At least not from the directions that one could suspect to face challenges from. I think that, like many converts I forgot about the ‘outside world’ in the initial stage…What I mean is that after the major shift, like in my case from carefree Atheism to Islam and Ahmadiyyat, we tend to go deep into the waters of what we know is good and true, but we tend to forget that it is merely the beginning of the journey, not the end. So sometimes we go too deep with too little training and preparation. But Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala is the Most Gracious indeed – we are a community, so there are people that went through similar stages, or difficulties before, and we have ears to listen, eyes to watch and minds to learn, and mouths to ask questions obviously. ‘No soul is burdened beyond its capacity’. In short, through the grace of the Almighty whatever I found difficult at one time was in fact an opportunity to learn and improve. 5. What has been the reaction of your friends and family to your conversion? Thankfully, people that I consider my friends are people free of prejudice or hatred which just proves how blessed a person I am. The worst reaction I came across was indifference. Which is, again a blessing. It goes without saying that Tabligh opportunities thus created are yet another one. As far as my matrifocal family is concerned (my father is out of the picture for over 10 years) they were also quite understanding, with my Mother being, and I quote, ‘very, very happy’. 6. How has being a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community helped? For some reason I find this question difficult to answer. I feel that me being an Ahmadi is just a fulfilment of Allah’s wish, so I honestly can’t evaluate my membership as something that helped or not. It’s how it supposed to be, it’s how it should go so I might phrase it like that: I do feel that I belong, that I am, where Allah wanted me to be. Again, I know that now I do have a solid base, people that I can count on – but it’s only the decree of Allah that sanctions it. 7. How have you found integration into the Community? It took me quite a while to decide to join the Jama’at (Community). Which means that I had opportunities to meet and get to know some Ahmadis before I actually ‘signed in’. Which in turn just made the integration process so much easier than anyone could expect. It’s probably a terrible cliché what I’m about to say, but Ahmadis are simply good people, so I can’t imagine that integration would be difficult for anyone. 8. What events or activities would you like to see taking place? I am a Khadim (literally meaning servant and also Ahmadi youth) and I need to admit that the Khuddam (youth) calendar is really busy: Taleem (education) classes, various Tarbiyyat (moral training) forums and symposiums, quite a lot of Tabligh activities and of course Ijtemas (gatherings). What I’d really like to see is some sort of educational project that would deal with the history of Islam. ‘Those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it’… I’d like to see a course, or series of lectures, presentations that would deal with the ‘practical’ history of Islam: Al-Andalus, the Ottoman Empire, interactions with Christians and Jews in the Holy Land… These are fascinating times, stories that can teach us how the vast political entities of the Islamic world worked, how they declined, ergo- ‘what went wrong’, how we could avoid making the same mistakes etc. 9. What advice would you have for your fellow new converts into Islam/Ahmadiyyat? Your trust in Allah has to be unshakable and firm. Some of us had to make sacrifices, for some of us the moral and spiritual transition can be very exhausting. But the stronger your faith will be, the less obstacles you will see in your way. Take every opportunity to learn and be as active in Jama’at works as you can and above all remember that this is merely the beginning of your journey, not the end. 10. Finally, as someone who has found Truth, what advice would you have for any seeker after Truth? Be patient in your search. Be honest with yourself – the worst you can do is to try to convince yourself that yet another piece of information you just collected is irrelevant, when your heart and mind tells you something entirely different. And above all – listen more than talk. To read more interesting and motivating articles by this and other writers visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. Below are a selection of letters to world leaders by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V (aba). Which we have kindly been given permission to share with our readers.
Letter to Prime Minister of United Kingdom 16 Gressenhall Road Southfields, London SW18 5QL United Kingdom 15 April 2012 Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Rt. Hon. David Cameron 10 Downing Street, London SW1A 2AA United Kingdom Dear Prime Minister, In light of the perilous and precarious circumstances that the world is currently passing through, I felt it necessary to write to you. As the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, you have the authority to make decisions that will affect the future of your country, and the world at large. Today, the world stands in dire need of peace because the sparks of war can be seen all around the world. Conflicts between countries on a small-scale are threatening to erupt into a global conflict. We observe that the situation of the world today is similar to the situation in 1932, both economically and politically. There are many other similarities and parallels, which when combined together, form the same image today that was witnessed just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. If these sparks ever truly ignite, we will witness the terrifying scenario of a Third World War. With numerous countries, large and small, possessing nuclear weapons, such a war would undoubtedly involve atomic warfare. The weapons available today are so destructive that they could lead to generation after generation of children being born with severe genetic or physical defects. Japan is the one country to have experienced the abhorrent consequences of atomic warfare, when it was attacked by nuclear bombs during the Second World War, annihilating two of its cities. Yet the nuclear bombs that were used at that time and which caused widespread devastation, were much less powerful than the atomic weapons that are possessed by even certain small nations today. Therefore, it is the duty of the superpowers to sit down together to find a solution to save humanity from the brink of disaster. What causes great fear is the knowledge that the nuclear weapons in smaller countries could end up in the hands of trigger-happy people who either do not have the ability, or who choose not to think about the consequences of their actions. If the major powers do not act with justice, do not eliminate the frustrations of smaller nations and do not adopt great and wise policies, then the situation will spiral out of all control and the destruction that will follow is beyond our comprehension and imagination. Even the majority of the world’s population who do desire peace will also become engulfed by this devastation. Thus, it is my ardent wish and prayer that you and the leaders of all major nations come to understand this dreadful reality, and so instead of adopting aggressive policies and utilising force to achieve your aims and objectives, you should strive to adopt policies that promote and secure justice. If we look at the recent past, Britain ruled over many countries and left behind a high standard of justice and religious freedom, especially in the Sub-Continent of India and Pakistan. When the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community congratulated Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, on her Diamond Jubilee and conveyed to her the message of Islam, he especially prayed for God to generously reward the British Government due to the manner in which it governed justly and with equity. He greatly praised the British Government for its just policies and for granting religious freedom. In today’s world, the British Government no longer rules over the Sub-Continent, but still principles of freedom of religion are deeply entrenched in British society and its laws, through which every person is granted religious freedom and equal rights. This year the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, is being celebrated, which gives Britain an opportunity to demonstrate its standards of justice and honesty to the world. The history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community demonstrates that we have always acknowledged this justice whenever displayed by Britain and we hope that in future also, justice will remain a defining characteristic of the British Government, not only in religious matters, but in every respect that you will never forget the good qualities of your nation from the past and that in the current world situation, Britain will play its role in establishing peace worldwide. It is my request that at every level and in every direction we must try our level best to extinguish the flames of hatred. Only if we are successful in this effort, will we be enabled to guarantee brighter futures for our generations to come. However, if we fail in this task, there should be no doubt in our minds that as result of nuclear warfare, our future generations everywhere will have to bear the horrific consequences of our actions and they will never forgive their elders for leading the world into a global catastrophe. I again remind you that Britain is also one of those countries that can and does exert influence in the developed world as well as in developing countries. You can guide this world, if you so desire, by fulfilling the requirements of equity and justice. Thus, Britain and other major powers should play their role towards establishing world peace. May God the Almighty enable you and other world leaders to understand this message. With best wishes and with prayers, Yours Sincerely, MIRZA MASROOR AHMAD Khalifatul Masih V Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Reply from United Kingdom Prime Minister 10 DOWNING STREET LONDON, SW1A 2AA 13 July 2012 THE PRIME MINISTER Dear Mr. Ahmad, Thank you for your letter of 15 April expressing concern about the threat of a global conflict. I welcome the continued activism of groups like the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community on these profoundly important issues. The British Government believes it is both morally right and in Britain’s national interests to work to reduce conflict and instability. We share with you the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons, and we are working hard to make that goal a reality. Britain has a particularly strong record on nuclear disarmament. We have taken a number of important disarmament steps in the last 18 months to scale down our nuclear deterrent. The Strategic Defence and Security Review, published in October 2010, announced that we would reduce the numbers of nuclear warheads and missiles on board our submarines, and reduce our overall nuclear weapons stockpile to no more than 180 warheads by the mid 2020s. However, as long as large arsenals of nuclear weapons remain elsewhere in the world and while the future security environment remains so uncertain, the British Government remains committed to retaining a credible, minimum nuclear deterrent. In addition to taking steps ourselves, we believe that the best means of achieving sustainable nuclear disarmament is by working with other countries. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is made of 189 States, and is the primary international vehicle to make progress towards a world without nuclear weapons. I would like to reassure you that the Government will continue to work towards creating a safe and stable world where Britain and others are able to relinquish their nuclear weapons. Yours Sincerely David Cameron Letter to Chancellor of Germany 16 Gressenhall Road Southfields, London SW18 5QL United Kingdom 15 April 2012 Her Excellency Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel Bundeskanzleramt Willy-Brandt-Str.1 10557 Berlin Dear Chancellor, In light of the alarming and extremely worrying state of affairs in the world today, I considered it necessary to write to you. As the Chancellor of Germany, a country which has significant power and influence in the world, you have the authority to make decisions that will affect your country and the entire world. Today, when the world is becoming divided into blocs, extremism is escalating and the financial, political and economic situation is worsening, there is an urgent need to extinguish all kinds of hatred and to lay the foundation for peace. This can only be achieved by respecting all of the sentiments of each and every person. However, as this is not being implemented properly, honestly and with virtue, the world situation is rapidly spiralling out of control. We observe that the requirements of justice are not being fulfilled by most nations, and as a result, the foundation for another World War has already been laid. Numerous countries, both large and small, now possess nuclear weapons. Thus, if a World War now breaks out, it is likely that it will not be fought with conventional weapons; rather, it will be fought with atomic weapons. The destruction that will result from a nuclear conflict will be utterly devastating. Its effects will not be limited to only the immediate aftermath; rather future generations will suffer from the long-term effects and will be born with serious medical and genetic defects. Thus, it is my belief that to establish world peace, true justice is required, and the sentiments and the religious practices of all people should be honoured. I appreciate that many Western countries have generously permitted the people of poor or under-developed nations to settle in their respective countries, amongst whom are Muslims as well. Undoubtedly, there is a minority of so-called Muslims who act completely inappropriately and create distrust in the hearts of the people of the Western nations. However, it should be clear that their acts have no link with Islam whatsoever. Such extremists do not truly love the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who brought a message of peace, love and reconciliation to the world. Indeed, the actions of just a handful of misguided people should not be used as a basis to raise objections against our religion and to hurt the sentiments of the majority of sincere and innocent Muslims. Peace in society is a two-way process and can only be established if all parties work together towards mutual reconciliation. Due to the mistrust in the hearts of the people in the West, instead of relationships between nations and people improving, the reaction of some non-Muslims is getting worse by the day and is creating a chasm between the Muslim and non-Muslim world. We observe that on the basis of the misguided acts of certain Muslim groups and nations, the vested interests of some of the major powers are given preference to honesty and justice. Some of the powerful countries of the world desire to maintain easy access to the wealth and resources of certain countries and wish to avoid competing countries from having complete access to these same resources. That is why decisions are often made on the basis of helping people, or establishing world peace. Further, a major factor underlying the current political circumstances in the world is the economic downturn, which is pulling us towards another World War. If truth was truly being exhibited then some of these countries would derive benefit from each other in a just manner, by forming proper industrial and economic ties, based on fair dealings. They would not try to derive illegitimate benefit from the resources of one another, but instead would seek to come together and mutually assist one another. In short, the disorder prevalent in the world today is based upon one overriding factor, and that is a complete lack of justice, which is causing widespread anxiety and restlessness. Thus, it is my request that strive to your utmost to prevent a World War from breaking out. Utilise all your energy, resources and influence to save the world from the horrific destruction that looms before us. According to reports, Germany will be providing three advanced submarines to Israel which could be armed with nuclear weapons. One German Professor has stated that such a decision will only serve to flare up the already heightened tensions between Israel and Iran. We must remember that nuclear weapons are not possessed by only the major powers of the world; rather, even relatively smaller countries now possess nuclear weapons. What is worrying is that in some of these small countries the leaders are trigger-happy, and appear unconcerned of the consequences of using such weapons. Therefore, once again, it is my humble request to you that try your level best to establish world peace. If we fail in this task there should be no doubt in our minds that a nuclear conflict will cause devastation that will lead to generation after generation being born with defects, and who will never forgive their elders for leading us into a global catastrophe. May God the Almighty enable you, and all world leaders, to understand this message. With best wishes and with prayers, Yours Sincerely, MIRZA MASROOR AHMAD Khalifatul Masih V Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Letter to the Ayatollah of Iran 16 Gressenhall Road Southfields, London SW18 5QL, UK 14 May 2012 Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Syed Ali Hosseini Khamenei Tehran, Iran Respected Ayatollah, Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahe Wa Barakatohu, Allah the Almighty has enabled you to serve Islam in Iran and presently, the Government of Iran also functions under your auspices. This requires that we strive to our utmost to convey the correct Islamic teachings to the world. As Muslims, we should endeavour to teach the world to live in peace, love and harmony. In particular, Muslim leaders need to urgently pay heed to this. For this reason, it is my request to you to draw the attention of your Government towards its responsibilities to establishing peace in the world. If Iran is attacked it has the right to defend itself to save the country, however it should not instigate aggression and take the first step forward into any conflict. Instead, an effort should be made to leave aside religious differences and to try and unite upon common values. It is this very approach that we find was adopted in the history of Islam. I am writing this letter to you for the reason that I am a believer, Successor and the Khalifa of the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him), whose advent in this age was prophesied by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Community he established is known as the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. With the Grace of Allah, the Community has now spread to 200 countries of the world and has millions of devoted followers across the globe. It is our ardent desire to guide the world towards living in mutual love and peace. To this end, I constantly draw the attention of people from all walks of life. Hence, I recently wrote to the Prime Minister of Israel, the President of the United States of America and also other world leaders. I have also written to Pope Benedict XVI in this regard. As the spiritual leader of a large Islamic nation, I hope that you will come to agree that if the entire Muslim Ummah unites and works together, world peace can be established. We should not pointlessly add fuel to enmities and grudges, rather, we should search for opportunities to establish peace and tranquillity. Further, even enmity or opposition against others should not be devoid of justice. This is what we have been taught in the Holy Qur’an: ‘O ye who believe! be steadfast in the cause of Allah, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah. Surely, Allah is aware of what you do.’ (Surah Al-Ma’idah, Verse 9). May Allah enable the entire Muslim Ummah and all Muslim governments to understand my message so that they prepare themselves to play their respective roles in an effort to establish peace in the world. It is my love for mankind, developed out of a love for the entire Muslim Ummah, and also because of being a member of the Ummah of the ‘Mercy for all mankind’ myself, that has led me to writing this letter. May Allah enable the leaders of the world to understand my words and may they actively play a role in establishing world peace. Otherwise, if the haste and recklessness of any nation leads to a full blown war between two nations, such a conflict will not be limited to only those countries; rather the flames of war will engulf the entire world. Thus, it is entirely plausible that a World War will break out, which will not be fought with conventional weapons, but rather with atomic weapons. A nuclear war will result in such horrific and devastating consequences that its aftermath will not only affect those present in the world at the time, rather the long-term effects of such a war would provide the terrifying ‘gift’ to future generations of being born with disabilities and defects. For this reason, no country should assume they are safe from the impending destruction. Therefore, once again, in the name of Allah and His Messenger and out of compassion and love for humanity, I request you to play your role in establishing peace in the world. With best wishes and with prayers, Wassalam, Yours Sincerely, MIRZA MASROOR AHMAD Khalifatul Masih V Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Letter to President of France 16 Gressenhall Road Southfields, London SW18 5QL, UK 16 May 2012 President of the French Republic His Excellency François Hollande Palais de l’Elysee 55, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore 75008 Paris, France Dear Mr President, I would like to first of all take this opportunity to congratulate you on being elected as the new President of France. This is certainly a vast responsibility that has been entrusted to you, and thus I hope and pray that the people of France, and indeed the entire world, come to benefit from your leadership. In light of the rapidly deteriorating state of affairs in the world, I recently wrote a letter to your predecessor, President Nicolas Sarkozy. In the letter I reminded President Sarkozy about his responsibilities as a world leader to uphold justice and I requested him to use all his power and influence to prevent a World War from breaking out. As the newly elected President of France, I considered it necessary to write to you also with the same message, because you now have the authority to make decisions that will affect your nation, and the world at large. It is my belief that the world’s governments ought to be extremely concerned at the current circumstances in the world. Injustices and hostilities between nations are threatening to boil over into a global conflict. During the last century, two World Wars were fought. After the First World War, the League of Nations was established, however, the requirements of justice were not fulfilled and consequently, this led to the Second World War, culminating in the use of atom bombs. Subsequently, the United Nations was established for the protection of human rights and to maintain global peace. Thus, the means for avoiding wars were considered, yet today we observe that the foundation for a Third World War has already been laid. Numerous countries, both small and large, possess atom bombs. What is worrying is that some of the smaller nuclear powers are irresponsible and ignorant about the devastating consequences of such weapons. It is not inconceivable that if nuclear weapons are used, the horrific aftermath will become immediately manifest and that day will be like Doomsday. The weapons available today are so destructive that they could lead to generation after generation of children being born with severe genetic or physical defects. It is said that in Japan, the one country to have experienced the devastating destruction of atomic warfare, even though seven decades have passed, the effects of the atom bombs are still continuing to be manifest on newborn children. Thus, it is my humble request that strive to your utmost to extinguish the enmities and mistrust between the Muslim and non-Muslim world. Some European countries hold significant reservations regarding the teachings and traditions of Islam and have placed certain restrictions on them, whilst others are considering how to do so. The animosity that some extremist so-called Muslims already hold towards the West might lead them to reacting in an inappropriate manner, which would lead to further religious intolerance and dissention. Islam, however, is a peace-loving religion, which does not teach us to do wrong to stop something wrong. We, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, follow this principle and believe in peaceful solutions to all matters. Sadly, we find that a small minority of Muslims present a completely distorted image of Islam and act upon their misguided beliefs. I say out of love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who was the ‘Mercy for all Mankind’, that you should not believe this to be the real Islam and thus use such misguided acts as a licence to hurt the sentiments of the peaceful majority of Muslims. Recently, a merciless and heartless person shot dead some French soldiers in the South of France for no reason, and then some days later, he entered a school and killed three innocent Jewish children and one of their teachers. We also see such cruelties regularly come to pass in other Muslim countries and so all of these acts are giving the opponents of Islam fuel to vent their hatred and a basis upon which to pursue their goals on a large scale. As a Muslim, I shall make it absolutely clear that Islam does not permit cruelty or oppression in any way, shape or form. The Holy Qur’an has deemed the killing of one innocent person without reason akin to killing all mankind. This is an injunction that is absolute and without exception. The Qur’an further states that even if any country or people hold enmity towards you that must not stop you from acting in a fully just and fair manner when dealing with them. Enmities or rivalries should not lead you to taking revenge, or to acting disproportionately. If you desire conflicts to be resolved in the best manner, endeavour to search for amicable solutions. I appreciate that many Western countries have generously permitted the people of poor or under-developed nations to settle in their respective countries, amongst whom are Muslims as well. Indeed, many Muslims live in your country and thus are also your citizens. The majority are law-abiding and sincere. Moreover, Islam clearly states that love for one’s country is part of the faith. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community acts and promotes this message throughout the world. This is my message to you also, that if this true teaching of Islam is spread everywhere, then the requirements of showing love to one’s nation and peace, will remain established within each country and between countries of the world. My humble request to you, and indeed to all world leaders, is that instead of using force to suppress other nations, use diplomacy, dialogue and wisdom. The major powers of the world, such as France, should play their role towards establishing peace. They should not use the acts of smaller countries as a basis to disturb world harmony. Thus, I again remind you to strive to your utmost to prevent the major and minor powers from erupting into a Third World War. There should be no doubt in our minds that if we fail in this task then the effects and aftermath of such a war will not be limited to only the poor countries of Asia, Europe and the Americas; rather, our future generations will have to bear the horrific consequences of our actions and children everywhere in the world will be born with defects. It is my prayer that the leaders of the world act with wisdom and do not allow mutual enmities between nations and people on a small-scale to erupt into a global conflict. May God the Exalted enable you, and all world leaders, to comprehend this message. With best wishes and with prayers, Yours Sincerely, MIRZA MASROOR AHMAD Khalifatul Masih V Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Letter to Premier of China 16 Gressenhall Road Southfields, London SW18 5QL His Excellency, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Mr Wen Jiabao Zhongnanhai, China 9 April 2012 Dear Premier, I am sending this letter to you through one of our representatives of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He is the President of our Community in Kababir, Israel and was invited by the Minister for Minorities in China. Our representative was introduced to Chinese officials during a visit by a delegation from China, which included the Deputy Minister for Minorities, to our Mission House in Kababir. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is that sect in Islam which firmly believes that the Messiah and Reformer, who was destined to appear in this age as the Mahdi for the guidance of Muslims, as the Messiah for the guidance of Christians and as a guide for the reformation of all mankind, has indeed arrived in accordance with the prophecies of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and thus we have accepted him. His name was Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be upon him) from Qadian, India. In accordance with God Almighty’s command, he laid the foundation for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in 1889. By the time he passed away in 1908, hundreds of thousands of people had joined the fold of the Community. After his demise, the institution of Khilafat was established. Currently, we are in the era of the 5th Khilafat, and I am the 5th Khalifa of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him). An extremely important and fundamental aspect of our teaching is that in this era religious wars should come to an end. Further, we believe that anyone who desires to convey or spread any teaching should only do so in a spirit and atmosphere of love, compassion and brotherhood so that he can become the source of establishing peace, reconciliation and harmony. This important aspect, which is based on the true teachings of Islam, is being promoted and propagated by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community all over the world. The Community is now spread over 200 countries of the world, and consists of millions of followers. I wish to convey the following message to you: that the world is currently passing through a most harrowing and perilous period. Indeed, it would appear that we are rapidly drawing closer to a world war. You are the leader of a great superpower. In addition, an enormous proportion of the world’s population live under your governance. You also possess the right to use the power to veto when required in the United Nations. Hence, in this context, it is my request to you to play your role to save the world from the destruction that looms before us. Irrespective of nationality, religion, caste or creed, we should strive to our utmost to save humanity. In China, after the revolution took place, there was great progress and change. Honourable Mao Zedong, who was a great leader of your nation, established the foundation for high moral standards, which can also be described in other words as the most excellent standard of human values. Although you do not believe in the existence of God and your principles are based on morality, I would like to make it clear that our God, Who is the God as portrayed by Islam, revealed the Qur’an as guidance for all mankind, and the Qur’an inculcates all such morals that you act upon, but it is also filled with even further moral guidance. It contains beautiful teachings expounding the means of sustenance for humanity and establishing human values. If the world—the Muslim world in particular—adopt these Qur’anic teachings, all problems and conflicts will be resolved and an atmosphere of peace and harmony will be fostered. Today, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community endeavours to further this very purpose and objective in every part of the world. Through our peace symposiums and through numerous meetings that I hold with various categories of people and groups from all walks of life, I remind the world of this vital goal. It is my prayer that the leaders of the world act with wisdom and do not allow mutual enmities between nations and people on a small-scale to erupt into a global conflict. It is also my request to you that, as a great superpower of the world, play your role to establish world peace. Save the world from the horrifying consequences of a world war, for if such a war breaks out, it will come to an end with the use of atomic weapons. It is quite possible that as a result, parts of certain countries and areas of the world will be obliterated off the face of the earth. The effects and aftermath of an atomic war will not be limited to just the immediate devastation, rather, the long-term effects will result in future generations being born disabled or with defects. Thus, expend all your energy, capabilities and resources in the effort to save humanity from such dreadful consequences. It will ultimately be to the benefit of your nation to act upon this. It is my prayer that all countries of the world, large and small, come to understand this message. With best wishes and prayers, Yours Sincerely, MIRZA MASROOR AHMAD Khalifatul Masih V Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Letter to King of Saudi Arabia 16 Gressenhall Road Southfields, London SW18 5QL, UK 28 March 2012 Custodian of the Two Holy Places King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Respected King Abdullah, Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahe Wa Barakatohu, Today, I am writing to you with the intention of raising a most important matter, because as the Custodian of the Two Holy Places and the King of Saudi Arabia, you hold a very high station in the Muslim Ummah. For located within your country are the two holiest sites in Islam—Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madinah Al-Munawwarah—which to love constitutes a part of the faith of Muslims. These sites are also the centres of spiritual progress for and are greatly revered by Muslims. In this light, all Muslims and Muslim governments confer special status upon you. This status requires that on the one hand, you should properly guide the Muslim Ummah and on the other, you should strive to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony within Muslim countries. You should also endeavour to develop mutual love and sympathy between Muslims and to enlighten them regarding the essence of: Ultimately, you should strive to create peace in the entire world for the benefit of all of mankind. As Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at and the Khalifa of the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him), it is my request that, irrespective of certain doctrinal disagreements that exist between the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at and other sects of Islam, we should still unite in an effort to establish world peace. We should do our level best to educate the world regarding the true teachings of Islam, which are based on love and peace. By doing so, we can dispel the misconceptions in general that are embedded in the people of the West and the world about Islam. Enmity against other nations or groups should not hinder us from acting in a just manner. Allah the Almighty states in Verse 3 of Surah Al-Ma’idah of the Holy Qur’an: ‘…. And let not the enmity of a people, that they hindered you from the Sacred Mosque, incite you to transgress. And help one another in righteousness and piety; but help not one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah; surely, Allah is severe in punishment.’ This is the guiding principle that we should keep in view so that we can fulfil our duty to present the beautiful image of Islam to the world. It is with sentiments of heartfelt love and deep compassion for all Muslims worldwide that I am requesting you to play your role in this regard. We find in the world today that some politicians and so-called scholars are planting seeds of hatred against Islam in an attempt to defame the Holy Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). They try to present completely distorted interpretations of the teachings of the Holy Qur’an to achieve their aims. Further, the conflict between Palestine and Israel is worsening every day and hostilities between Israel and Iran have heightened to such an extent that their relationship has severely broken down. Such circumstances require that as an extremely important leader in the Muslim Ummah you should make every effort to resolve these disputes with justice and equality. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at does everything it possibly can to dispel the hatred against Islam, wherever and whenever it surfaces. Until the entire Muslim Ummah unites as one and makes efforts towards this, peace can never be established. Thus, it is my request to you to do your utmost in this regard. If World War III is indeed destined to occur, at least we should strive to ensure that it does not originate from any Muslim country. No Muslim country or any Muslim individual anywhere in the world, today or in the future, will want to shoulder the blame for being the spark for a global catastrophe, the long-term effects of which will lead to future generations being born with defects or deformities, for if a World War breaks out now, it will surely be fought with nuclear weapons. We have already experienced just a glimpse of the utter devastation caused by atomic warfare when nuclear bombs were dropped on two cities in Japan during World War II. Thus, O King of Saudi Arabia! Expend all your energy and influence to save the world from annihilation! May Allah the Almighty provide you with His Help and Succour, Amin. With prayers for you and for the entire Muslim Ummah of: Wassalam, Yours Sincerely, MIRZA MASROOR AHMAD Khalifatul Masih V Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Letter to Prime Minister of Israel 16 Gressenhall Road Southfields, London SW18 5QL, UK His Excellency Mr Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister of Israel Jerusalem 26 February 2012 Dear Prime Minister, I recently sent a letter to His Excellency Simon Peres, President of Israel, regarding the perilous state of affairs emerging in the world. In light of the rapidly changing circumstances, I felt it was essential for me to convey my message to you also, as you are the Head of the Government of your country. The history of your nation is closely linked with prophethood and Divine revelation. Indeed, the Prophets of the Children of Israel made very clear prophecies regarding your nation’s future. As a result of disobedience to the teachings of the Prophets and negligence towards their prophecies, the Children of Israel had to suffer difficulties and tribulations. If the leaders of your nation had remained firm in obedience to the Prophets, they could have been saved from enduring various misfortunes and adversities. Thus, it is your duty, perhaps even more so than others, to pay heed to the prophecies and injunctions of the Prophets. I address you as the Khalifa of that Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him), who was sent as the servant of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him); and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was sent as the Mercy for All Mankind amongst the brethren of the Children of Israel in the semblance of Moses (peace be upon him) (Deuteronomy, 18:18). Hence, it is my duty to remind you of God’s Message. I hope that you will come to be counted amongst those who hearken to God’s Call, and who successfully find the right path; that path which is in accordance with the Guidance of God the Supreme, the Master of the heavens and the earth. We hear reports in the news nowadays that you are preparing to attack Iran. Yet the horrific outcome of a World War is right before you. In the last World War, whilst millions of other people were killed, the lives of hundreds of thousands of Jewish persons were also wasted. As the Prime Minister, it is your duty to protect the life of your nation. The current circumstances of the world indicate that a World War will not be fought between only two countries, rather blocs will come into formation. The threat of a World War breaking out is a very serious one. The life of Muslims, Christians and Jews are all at peril from it. If such a war occurs, it will result in a chain reaction of human destruction. The effects of this catastrophe will be felt by future generations, who will either be born disabled, or crippled. This is because undoubtedly, such a war will involve atomic warfare. Hence, it is my request to you that instead of leading the world into the grip of a World War, make maximum efforts to save the world from a global catastrophe. Instead of resolving disputes with force, you should try to resolve them through dialogue, so that we can gift our future generations with a bright future rather than ‘gift’ them with disability and defects. I shall try to elucidate my views based on the following passages from your teachings, the first extract being from the Zabur: ‘Do not fret because of evil-doers. Do not envy those who do wrong. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb. Trust in God, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture. Also delight yourself in God, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to God. Trust also in him, and he will do this: He will make your righteousness go forth as the dawn, and your justice as the noon day sun. Rest in God, and wait patiently for him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for God shall inherit the land. For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he is not there. But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.’ (Zabur, 37:1-11) Similarly, we find in the Torah: ‘Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. [But] thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, [and] all that do unrighteously, [are] an abomination unto the LORD thy God.’ (Deuteronomy, 25:13-16) Thus, world leaders, and particularly you should terminate the notion of governance by force and should refrain from oppressing the weak. Instead, strive to spread and promote justice and peace. By doing so, you will remain in peace yourselves, you will gain strength and world peace will also be established. It is my prayer that you and other world leaders understand my message, recognise your station and status and fulfil your responsibilities. Yours Sincerely, MIRZA MASROOR AHMAD Khalifatul Masih V Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Letter to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran 16 Gressenhall Road Southfields, London SW18 5QL, UK His Excellency President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Tehran 7 March 2012 Dear Mr President, Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahe Wa Barakatohu, In light of the perilous state of affairs emerging in the world, I felt that it was essential for me to write to you, as you are the President of Iran, and thus you hold the authority to make decisions which will affect the future of your nation and the world at large. There is currently great agitation and restlessness in the world. In some areas small-scale wars have broken out, while in other places the superpowers act on the pretext of trying to bring about peace. Each country is engaged in activities to either help or oppose other countries, but the requirements of justice are not being fulfilled. It is with regret that if we now observe the current circumstances of the world, we find that the foundation for another world war has already been laid. As so many countries, both large and small, have nuclear weapons, grudges and hostilities are increasing. In such a predicament, the Third World War looms almost certainly before us. As you are aware, the availability of nuclear weapons will mean that a Third World War will be an atomic war. Its ultimate result will be catastrophic, and the long term effects of such warfare could lead to future generations being born disabled or deformed. It is my belief that as followers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(pbuh), who was sent to establish peace in the world, and who was the Rahmatullil Aalameen – the Mercy to all of Mankind –we do not and cannot desire for the world to suffer such a fate. This is why my request to you is that as Iran is also a significant power in the world, it should play its role to prevent a Third World War. It is undeniably true that the major powers act with double standards. Their injustices have caused restlessness and disorder to spread all across the world. However, we cannot ignore the fact that some Muslim groups act inappropriately, and contrary to the teachings of Islam. Major world powers have used this as a pretext to fulfil their vested interests by taking advantage of the poor Muslim countries. Thus, I request you once again, that you should focus all of your efforts and energies towards saving the world from a Third World War. The Holy Qur’an teaches Muslims that enmity against any nation should not hinder them from acting in a just manner. In Surah Al Mai’dah, Allah the Exalted instructs us: “And let not the enmity of a people, that they hindered you from the Sacred Mosque, incite you to transgress. And help one another in righteousness and piety; but help not one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah; surely, Allah is severe in punishment.” (Ch.5:V.3) Similarly, in the same chapter of the Holy Qur’an we find the following commandment to Muslims: “O ye who believe! Be steadfast in the cause of Allah, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah. Surely, Allah is aware of what you do.”(Ch.5:V.9) Hence, you should not oppose another nation merely out of enmity and hatred. I admit that Israel exceeds beyond its limits, and has its eyes cast glance upon Iran. Indeed, if any country transgresses against your country, naturally you have the right to defend yourself. However, as far as possible disputes should be resolved through diplomacy and negotiations. This is my humble request to you, that rather than using force, use dialogue to try and resolve conflicts. The reason why I make this request is because I am the follower of that Chosen Person of God who came in this era as the True Servant of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(pbuh), and who claimed to be the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi. His mission was to bring mankind closer to God and to establish the rights of people in the manner our Master and Guide, the Rahmatullil Aalameen –the Mercy to all of Mankind – the Holy Prophet(pbuh)demonstrated to us. May Allah the Exalted enable the Muslim Ummah to understand this beautiful teaching. Wassalam, Yours Sincerely, MIRZA MASROOR AHMAD Khalifatul Masih V Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Summary of Letter to Prime Minister of Canada In his letter of 8th March 2012 to Mr Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba), Khalifatul Masih V, Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, similarly warned of the impending outbreak of a Third World War, and the horrific consequences that will ensue as a result. He mentioned that hostilities between nations, and injustices carried out by the major and minor powers, had already laid the foundation for a global catastrophe. He requested the Prime Minster to use his authority to help bring about peace in the world through purely peaceful means, rather than by the use of force. His Holiness wrote: “Canada is widely considered to be one of the most just countries in the world. Your nation does not normally interfere in the internal problems of other countries. Further, we, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, have special ties of friendship with the people of Canada. Thus, I request you to strive to your utmost to prevent the major and minor powers from leading us into a devastating Third World War.” Letter to President of the United States of America 16 Gressenhall Road Southfields, London SW18 5QL, UK President Barack Obama President of the United States of America The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington D.C. 8 March 2012 Dear Mr President, In light of the perturbing state of affairs developing in the world, I felt that it was necessary for me to write to you, as you are the President of the United States of America, a country which is a world superpower, and thus you hold the authority to make decisions which will affect the future of your nation and the world at large. There is currently great agitation and restlessness in the world. Small-scale wars have broken out in certain areas. Unfortunately, the superpowers have not been as successful as was anticipated in their efforts to establish peace in these conflict-hit regions. Globally, we find that almost every country is engaged in activities to either support, or oppose other countries; however, the requirements of justice are not being fulfilled. It is with regret that if we now observe the current circumstances of the world, we find that the foundation for another world war has already been laid. As so many countries, both large and small, have nuclear weapons, grudges and hostilities are increasing between nations. In such a predicament, the Third World War looms almost certainly before us. Such a war would surely involve atomic warfare; and therefore, we are witnessing the world head towards a terrifying destruction. If a path of equity and justice had been followed after the Second World War, we would not be witnessing the current state of the world today whereby it has become engulfed in the flames of war once again. As we are all aware, the main causes that led to the Second World War were the failure of League of Nations and the economic crisis, which began in 1932. Today, leading economists state that there are numerous parallels between the current economic crisis and that of 1932. We observe that political and economic problems have once again led to wars between smaller nations, and to internal discord and discontentment becoming rife within these countries. This will ultimately result in certain powers emerging to the helm of government, who will lead us to a world war. If in the smaller countries conflicts cannot be resolved through politics or diplomacy, it will lead to new blocs and groupings to form in the world. This will be the precursor for the outbreak of a Third World War. Hence, I believe that now, rather than focusing on the progress of the world, it is more important and indeed essential, that we urgently increase our efforts to save the world from this destruction. There is an urgent need for mankind to recognise its One God, Who is our Creator, as this is the only guarantor for the survival of humanity; otherwise, the world will continue to rapidly head towards self-destruction. My request to you, and indeed to all world leaders, is that instead of using force to suppress other nations, use diplomacy, dialogue and wisdom. The major powers of the world, such as the United States, should play their role towards establishing peace. They should not use the acts of smaller countries as a pretext to disturb world harmony. Currently, nuclear arms are not only possessed by the United States and other major powers; rather, even relatively smaller countries now possess such weapons of mass destruction, where those who are in power are often trigger-happy leaders who act without thought or consideration. Thus, it is my humble request to you to strive to your utmost to prevent the major and minor powers from erupting into a Third World War. There should be no doubt in our minds that if we fail in this task then the effects and aftermath of such a war will not be limited to only the poor countries of Asia, Europe and the Americas; rather, our future generations will have to bear the horrific consequences of our actions and children everywhere in the world will be born disabled or deformed. They will never forgive their elders who led the world to a global catastrophe. Instead of being concerned for only our vested interests, we should consider our coming generations and strive to create a brighter future for them. May God the Exalted enable you, and all world leaders, to comprehend this message. Yours Sincerely, MIRZA MASROOR AHMAD Khalifatul Masih V Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community by Asif M Basit (continued from a previous article titled the same) The Literary Aspect Now that we have shown that Islam emerged in the early seventh century CE, in the towns of Makkah and Madinah by a man from the Quraysh called Muhammadsa, it will be easier to understand how this change could have come about. The new faith of the Bedouins of Arabia was transmitted to them through commandments that were revealed to the Prophet from time to time. Their faith was synonymous with the book called the Qur’an—the collection of revealed verses. That there was a collection of verses called the Qur’an is obvious from the fact that a number of verses refer to ‘the Book’ as Al-Qur’an. The historical fact that the Qur’anic verses were collated physically into book form first in the Prophet’s lifetime, preserved in Abu Bakr’sra time and then spread to the entire Muslim world is sufficient evidence that the verses collated were in fact the ones revealed to the Prophet. The fact that many of the companions of the Prophet were alive at the time further suggests that there was no chance of perversion or alteration in the Qur’an, as they would have raised questions about any verse that they were not familiar with. Had there been disagreement, it would never have left the unanimously agreed text of the Qur’an without dispute. The companions would have objected to any verse that they were not familiar with from the lifetime of the Prophet. The even more credible way of keeping the Qur’anic text intact was by memorising it. The Hufaz, who would memorise any verse that was revealed to the Prophet, would have disputed any forgery—intentional or not—in the text of the Qur’an. Given Arabian culture before the dawn of Islam, it is obvious why the Hufaz were considered an authentic source. Memorising any text of importance was very common, as it served as the safest medium of transmitting it to others and passing it on to future generations. We have examples of poetry, genealogies (ansab) and proverbs (amthal) being passed on generation after generation in Arabian people.1 When ordinary poetry was commonly memorised, then we can imagine that a text, which was so inspirational that it was bringing under its fold tribes who had never known how to live together as a nation and transforming their centuries’ old way of life, would have been memorised. It is not surprising that its adherents would have felt the need to memorise it. We also should not forget that this work of collation was being done during the era of Hazrat Uthmanra, when political turmoil was at its peak during the Khilafat-e-Rashida2 (the period of the first four Caliphs of the Prophet). While the Caliph was held answerable for even the smallest of issues, it is obvious that the collation of the Qur’an—which was the main source of guidance in all religious, social, political and economic affairs—must have been carried out under the greatest scrutiny. Only one disagreement has been recorded in the collation of the Qur’an by Hazrat Uthmanra—not about the text, but rather about the style of recitation.3 It is not the case that between the death of the Prophetsa and Uthman’sra caliphate that there was no Qur’an. It had already been compiled during Hazrat Abu Bakr’sra time, when a great number of Hufaz (s.Hafiz) were martyred in the Battle of Yamama and Umarra had raised the concern lest the Qur’an may never be compiled. Upon Umar’sra suggestion, Abu Bakrra arranged for the copy of the Qur’an which was in the custody of Hafsahra, one of the Prophet’s widows, to be arranged in its current order. When Sir Willim Muir and other Western critics of the Qur’an call the order ‘haphazard’ and ‘dovetailed,’4 they actually admit that the Qur’an is in its original form, i.e., as it was revealed to Prophet Muhammadsa. This also shows the paradoxical position of those questioning Islam: they are not ready to accept that Islam has authentic historical grounds, yet criticise every aspect of it. Even stern critics such as George Sale, who identifies seven different versions of the Qur’an, agree that the difference is mainly in the number of verses—not on the words or even the ‘number of words, namely, 77,639 and the same number of letters, viz., 323,015’5. In other words, the ‘differences’ that the most critics have been able to point out are not in the least substantive. With the consensus of the Companions, Uthmanra produced this one single volume of the Qur’an and other volumes were destroyed to maximise transparency in the collation of the Qur’an. Historians agree that the majority of social reforms in the Islamic state were introduced in the time of Umarra6. Yet, although the Qur’an was finally preserved in its present form during Uthman’sra reign—after Umar’sra caliphate—there is no mention of those socio-political reforms in the Qur’an. Indeed, during Umar’sra caliphate, he was held answerable by his followers on various reforms which he justified on the basis of either the Qur’an or the Traditions of the Prophetsa. So if the Qur’an had been altered, the most probable point at which could have been changed is in the time of Umarra or immediately after his reign. But since this is not the case, there is no reason to doubt that the Qur’an compiled by Uthmanra, which is as we find it today, might not be the Qur’an revealed to the Prophet Muhammadsa and the one learned by his companions. Monophysite chroniclers of the seventh century CE, despite being critical of Uthman’sra political strategies, have mentioned him as the collector of the Qur’an7. This is not only evidence of Uthman’sra service in ensuring that the Ummah (Muslim community at large) had the one and only Qur’an that was revealed to the Prophet, but also of the fact that early Syriac chroniclers specifically mentioned the Muslims as an organised nation with one leader. Since these leaders had no other identity except as successors of the Prophetsa himself, it is hard to believe that a whole nation followed a leader who claimed succession to a person who either had never existed or, existed and had not been very significant in the eyes of his contemporaries. Since we are discussing the literary impact of the Qur’an on society, it is important to look at how literature was written and preserved when the Qur’an was revealed. It is an established fact that there was a tradition of writing down things that were important, as shown by various examples. Starting from the Pre-Islamic period, we have the Mu’alaqat, or the poetic masterpieces of outstanding excellence hung in the Ka’aba in the early days of Islam. The tradition of these Mu’alaqat being hung in the Ka’aba was prevalent at the time when Muslim history was being recorded and to challenge its authenticity would be pointless for the fact that had there been no such poets and poetical works referred to as Mu’alaqat, it would never have been accepted as part of history with no tradition and no mention in the contemporary society to support its basis. Every poetic work was memorised by the tribesmen of the respective poet, who would pass it on as a riwayah (tradition), leaving no doubt as to the existence of the work and its creator. This, subsequently, leaves no room for the hypothesis that the Mu’alaqat were merely a fictitious addition to the history of Arabia. Men of letters, ruwat (transmitters of traditions; s. rawi) or the respective tribes would have questioned any piece of poetry that they thought did not belong to their tribe. It would be impossible—especially if he belonged to the time in which the Mu’alaqat are supposed to originate—for any individual or poet of such high status to exist without an association to a tribe or clan.8 Historians of Arabic classical literature have no reason to doubt whether the poets of the Mu’alaqat existed, especially the poet Labid bin Rabiah, who accepted Islam in the lifetime of Prophet Muhammadsa, since both phases of his life—pre- and post-Islam—are known to historians,9 as is his iconic appreciation of the Holy Qur’an. To quote a passage of George Sale, where he too appreciates the beauty and the eloquence of the Qur’an: “I will mention but one instance out of several, to show that this book was really admired for the beauty of its composure by those who must be allowed to have been competent judges. A poem of Labid Ibn Rabia, one of the greatest wits in Arabia in Mohammed’s time, being fixed up on the gate of the temple of Mecca, an honour allowed to none but the most esteemed performances, none of the other poets durst offer anything of their own in competition with it. But the second chapter of the Koran being fixed up by it soon after, Labid himself (then an idolator) on reading the first verses only, was struck with admiration, and immediately professed the religion taught thereby, declaring that such words could proceed from an inspired person only. This Labid was afterwards of great service to Mohammed, in writing answers to the satires and invectives that were made on him and his religion by the infidels, and particularly by Amri al Kais, prince of the tribe of Asad, and author of one of those seven famous poems called al Mollakat”.10 Similarly, Hassan bin Thabit, who was a renowned poet of Arabia Prophet Muhammad’ssa time, converted to Islam. Literary historians of Arabia acknowledge his existence and that wonderful poetry was attributed to him. After his conversion, he wrote polemic poetry in response to Bedouin poetry that mocked Islam and its teachings.11 Ka’ab, son of the renowned poet Zuhayr, is also accepted by Arab literary tradition to have written similar polemic poetry.12 Now, let us review: we have the evidence of the famous poets of the Mu’alaqat and the Mu’alaqat themselves. We have the poet Imraul Qais, and his poetic attacks on Islam, and we have the poet Labid, who converted to Islam at the hands of the Holy Prophetsa, and his poetic replies to Qais’ attacks, and the hanging of a chapter of the Qur’an in the Ka’abah. Given all this evidence, would it not be biased to doubt whether Islam existed in the early seventh century or whether the Qur’an existed then or that a man called Muhammadsa—who spread the teachings of Islam and the Qur’an—ever existed? It is also evident that the Qur’an was written and preserved in the time of the Prophetsa himself from the fact that the Qur’an itself emphasises the importance of writing down contracts or other mutual dealings, especially those of a commercial nature.13 Moreover, we find written evidence of the famous “Constitution of Madinah,” which to this day serves as the basis of an Islamic society, along with the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, which was also recorded and written down. As was the custom during and after the Prophet’ssa time, the name of the scribe who wrote the treaties and contracts was recorded in the document itself. This is seen in the Treaty of Hudaibiyah where the name of Ali ibn Abi Talib is recorded as the scribe14. If treaties and constitutions were being recorded in writing, it is hard to imagine that the most important text—the one that was changing the lives of many and being disseminated far and wide to bring people to the fold of Islam—would not have been written down. Western critics of Islam agree that the Qur’an was first collated in the time of Abu Bakrra (that is, within two years of Prophet Muhammad’ssa death), using as a source a Qur’an that was almost in book form that had been collated in the time of the Prophet Muhammadsa himself. This should leave no doubt as to the authenticity of the Qur’an. The Religious Aspect As Islam spread in and then out of Arabia, the religions that had prevailed in the region for centuries could not have let it go unnoticed. The eve of Islam had witnessed the weakening of Christianity and Judaism, the two major monotheistic religions of the world. George Sale, acknowledging the success of Islam amidst the weakened state of other religions and neighbouring empires, states: “…that it is impossible a person should make himself a prince and found a state without opportunities. If the distracted state of religion favoured the designs of Mohammed on that side, the weakness of the Roman and Persian monarchies might flatter him with no less hopes in any attempt on those once formidable empires, either of which, had they been in their full vigour, must have crushed Mohammedism in its birth; whereas nothing nourished it more than the success the Arabians met with in their enterprises against those powers, which success they failed not to attribute to their new religion and the divine assistance thereof.”15 Critics of Islam, even extremists such as Sale, are compelled to admit that the state of Christianity was dire in the period in which Islam emerged. The passage below shows the influence Islam had on the perverted forms of Christianity: “…the divinity of the Virgin Mary was also believed by some at the council of Nice, who said there were two gods besides the Father, viz., Christ and the Virgin Mary, and were thence named Mariamites. Others imagined her to be exempt from humanity, and deified; which goes but little beyond the Popish superstition in calling her the complement of the Trinity, as if it were imperfect without her. This foolish imagination is justly condemned in the Korân as idolatrous, and gave a handle to Mohammed to attack the Trinity itself.”16 Similarly, in an attempt to portray Islam as an offshoot of Judaism, Western scholars have ended up giving a detailed account of the frail state of Judaism before the advent of Islam. German historian Adolf Harnack declared that, “Islam is a recasting on Arab soil of the Jewish religion after the Jewish religion had undergone an analogous operation through contact with a Judaising, gnostic Christianity.”17 In short, the prevalent monotheistic faiths recorded the advent of Islam as it swept through the lands that these faiths had occupied for centuries. Early Syriac sources,18 dating back to as early as 633 CE (a year after the death of the Prophet) mention the emergent faith called Islam. It is from Syriac manuscripts that we know that a sumptuous Gospel manuscript was completed on 24th December 633 CE, with little hint of the storm clouds over the horizon19. Another source is the sermon of the Patriarch Sophonios, given in Jerusalem on Christmas Day in 634 (two years after the death of the Prophetsa, which declared the occupation of Bethlehem a punishment for their sins: “We have only to repent, and we shall blunten the Ishmaelite sword…and break the Hagarene bow, and see Bethlehem again.”20 Similarly, a letter by Maximus the Confessor, written between the years 634-640 CE, speaks of a ‘barbaric nation from the desert’ as having overrun a land not their own, and hints that the appearance of the Anti-Christ appears to be at hand21. In addition, an important historical Syriac chronicle named Doctrina Jacobi nuper baptizati, which also dates back to 634 CE, mentions that a prophet had appeared amongst the Arabs: “I, Abraham, went off to Sykamina and referred the matter to an old man very well-versed in the Scriptures. I asked him: ’What is your view, master and teacher, of the prophet who has appeared among the Saracens?’”22 A mid-seventh century account mentioning Islam is to be found in the chronicles of Sebeos, a bishop of the House of Bagratunis. This chronicle suggests that he lived through many of the events related therein. The following passage is of particular importance: “At that time a certain man from along those same sons of Ishmael, whose name was Mahmet [i.e., Muhammadsa], a merchant, as if by God’s command appeared to them as a preacher [and] the path of truth. He taught them to recognise the God of Abraham, especially because he was learned and informed in the history of Moses. Now because the command was from on high, at a single order they all came together in unity of religion. Abandoning their vain cults, they turned to the living God who had appeared to their father, Abraham. So, Mahmet legislated for them: not to eat carrion, not to drink wine, not to speak falsely, and not to engage in fornication. He said: with an oath God promised this land to Abraham and his seed after him forever. And he brought about as he promised during that time while he loved Ishmael. But now you are the sons of Abraham and God is accomplishing his promise to Abraham and his seed for you. Love sincerely only the God of Abraham, and go and seize the land which God gave to your father Abraham. No one will be able to resist you in battle, because God is with you.” This account of Sebeos is also helpful in interpreting another passage of the Doctrina Jacobi, where we find contemporary events being fitted into the apocalyptic scheme of the four beasts of Daniel chapter 723, but where Rome is still the fourth beast, simply humiliated by the succession of horns.24 Sebeos helps in understanding the interpretation of the beasts, with the Ishmaelites replacing Rome as the fourth beast.25 With all this to hand, this author seeks to conclude on a very simple, yet very powerful note. The fact that a faith has millions of followers—and has had millions of followers from its very inception—is a great testimony to the historical evidence of a religion. As the late historian Van Grunebaum, Professor of Arabic and later Near Eastern History at the University of California, notes: “The essential significance of the appearance of Muhammad is the crystallization of a new experience of the divine, which welded all those who shared it into a new kind of community. The effect of this experience on contemporary relationships is evident and unmistakable in both language and art. Most important, if Muhammad’s understanding of the Divine had been inaccessible to his contemporaries, he would have found no following, and both prophet and message would have fallen into oblivion, like the majority of the bringers of new tidings from God. But Muhammad and his work survived because he spoke, if one may be permitted to express it, not only for God but for Arabs, or to put it more as he saw it, because he came as an Arab prophet to his people”26. Conclusion There is enough evidence to prove that Muhammadsa was a prophet who gave the world the religion called Islam. It is miraculous to see how this faith transformed fragmented peoples into a nation and then an empire and then one of the biggest civilisations of the world. The cradle of the religion and its followers was not rocked by the intelligentsia of already established empires; rather, it was the hand of an unlettered man who introduced them to a code of life, spiritual and social, called the Qur’an. There is no doubt that the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammadsa himself and remains unaltered to this day. There can be differences of opinion in terms of interpretation of the text, but the text itself has been preserved and we find it today as it was in the day of the Prophet Muhammadsa. This article has solely focused on Western historians of Islam as Muslim historians may not seem acceptable to Tom Holland, or Patricia Crone and Michael Cook. However, to put Muslim historians aside for the reason that they are not credible is not justified in any way as they have done their utmost to fulfil the challenges of historical enquiry. The way they tested any traditions for the sake of historiography must have been a painstaking exercise and deserves due attention. However, this will be addressed separately. Endnotes 1. Shoeler G, ‘The Oral and the Written in Early Islam’, Trans.Vagelpohl U, Routledge, Oxon 2006, p 65 2. Muir W, ‘Annals of the Early Caliphate’, Elder & Co London 1883, p 296 3. Abdullah bin Masud is said to have disagreed on tajweed(style of recitation of the Qur’anic text) 4. Muir W, ‘Annals of the Early Caliphate’, Elder & Co London 1883, p 231 5. Sale G, ‘The Preliminary Discourse’ in ‘The AlCoran of Mohammed’, Charles Mason, London 1836, p 45 (will now be cited as ‘Sale’) 6. Muir and Kennedy 7. Lapidus,p 20 8. Schoeler, ‘The Oral and the Written in Early Islam’, Trans. UweVagelophl, Ed. Montgomery J E, Routledge 2006, p 65 (will now be cited as ‘Schoeler’) 9. Allen R., ‘The Arabic Literary Heritage’, CUP 1998, p 12 10. Sale G, p 48 11. Brockleman C, ‘History of Islamic Peoples’, Routledge&Kegan Paul, London 1948, p 33 12. Ibid 13. Qur’an 2:283; Schoeler, p 62 14. Schoeler, p 62 15. Sale, p 54,55 16. Sale, p 54 17. Sourdel D, ‘Medieval Islam’ Trans. J. Montgomery Watt, Rougledge&Kegan Paul 1983 18. Lapidus, p 199, a detailed account of these sources can be found in the endnotes of chapter 1 19. Ibid, p 10 20. Ibid 21. Ibid 22. Doctrina Jacobi, Readings in Late Antiquity: A Sourcebook, Routledge, 2005, p. 354. 23. Daniel 7, King James’ Version 24. Lapidus, p 9 25. Ibid, p 10 26. Grunbaum V., Classical Islam: A History 600-1258, Trans. Katherine Watson, George Allen &Unwin, London 1970, p 28
As I write this on the 23rd September 2013 the world around me is turmoil, again. The Islam I know and love is once, again, being hijacked by terrorists masquerading as Muslims. Acting in revenge for political reasons, with a self made religion made of guns, money, and politics that have nothing to do with the noble religion of Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon him). Two suicide bombers killed at least 78 innocent men women and children, and wounded at least 110, at a 130 year old Anglican Church in Peshawar, Pakistan. In what has been described as the single deadliest attack on the county’s Christian minority. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility saying it would continue to target non-Muslims until the US stopped drone attacks in the country’s remote tribal regions. Elsewhere at the same time at least 62 men women and children have been killed and 170 injured numerous were being held hostage after a 36+ hour siege in a uptown shopping mall in Kenya by the Somalian al Qaida affiliate group Al Shabaab. In what can be been described as the second most deadly attack in the county’s history. Al Shabaab said they carried out the attacks in response to Kenyan military operations in Somalia. Media incorrectly reported that they were allowing Muslims free and killing innocent people from differing religions and nations in a politically fueled revenge attack. But the reality is they killed Muslim's and particularly Muslim children as well. Just days previous at least 65 people were killed and at least 120 wounded in a triple bombing targeting a Shi’ite Muslim funeral in Baghdad, Iraq. And earlier that same day in a separate incident at least 8 Shi’ite’s were killed by a car bomb detonating in another part of Baghdad. More political acts of sectarian murder committed by rebel Sunni Muslims, fighting to overthrow a leader backed by Shi’ite Iran. Deadly attacks on Shi’ite Muslims are now becoming a nearly daily occurrence. A blood curdling 205 murdered in three days, for political reasons by so called Muslims. And sadly elsewhere hundreds of thousands of people in Syria and Egypt are engulfed in the fire of violence, oppression and rebellion. Fighting each other for political reasons. Everything revolving around guns, money and politics. ''Get money to buy guns, to force people to bend to your political views'' - and who better to fund this than corrupt religious and political leaders. It reminded me of the 28th May 2010 when 86 peaceful worshipers were killed and 124 were injured in the sectarian killing of Ahmadi Muslims in Lahore in Pakistan. In what has also been described as the single deadliest attack on the county’s Ahmadi Muslim minority in Pakistan's history. Also killing a Christian worker at the same time the Tehrik e Taliban Punjab murders shouted ‘Khatme Nabuwwat Zindah Baad’ (– Long Live End of Prophet hood). An act of pure sectarian murder committed because a previous Pakistani Government passed laws of religious intolerance in their constitution. If ever there was a clear connection with money, guns and politics Pakistan is the prime example. I was there watching the surreal events take place, lucky to have survive but destined to bury two uncles. I saw teenage terrorists that were pumped with drugs like experimental super soilders immunised against pain and burning with a desire to kill for their masters. This event woke me from my hypnotic materialism and made me realise what’s really going on. So when people ask me why do the current world events make me sad? I simply say how many more deadly attacks will there have to be for people to realise that things are getting rapidly worse. A dangerous mix of radical religious perspectives fueled by politics and money to buy weapons has been allowed to enter into the minds of the people across most developing nations. The Holy Qur’an states, ‘...and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice...’ (5:9) and ‘...that is nearer to righteousness...’ (5:9). So, it’s clear these terrorists have no righteousness and do not pay heed to the Holy Qur’an. Or they would know that to kill another person is a sin, equal as if they had killed the whole of mankind. And to kill women or children is never permitted, even in times of war a fight must between two able and strong men only. This is all about money, guns and politics because they prefer the attire of guns and grenades and a suicide vest rather than the modest dress and cloth cap of a righteous Muslim. Let’s face it, it’s always about money. They are always being funded from somewhere. Otherwise how could the Kenyan Terrorist's hole up in a shopping mall for over 36 hours and have enough weapons and bullets to last so long? Where does the money come from for such a large investment in arms and who stands to gain politically? The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of God be upon him) was a leader and a statesman, an exemplar for all true Muslims in the world. He enjoined the masses to be patient and pray for divine help, not to take matters into their own hands. He foretold that after him people would see that their rights were usurped and preferences were given to others, in addition people would see things which they considered bad. He was asked what the instruction for such a time was. He replied that the rights of rulers should be paid at such times and one’s own rights should be sought from God. In other words if one wants to be saved from hell then one should pay ones dues and obligations to all around him or her and leave the matter of the ruler with God and stay engaged in prayers. This is true righteousness and what Ahmadi Muslims are currently doing. This is why Ahmadi Muslims are worried and praying for the people of Pakistan, Kenya, Iraq, Syria, Egypt and everywhere else that people are being oppressed by their governments and being manipulated and radicalised. We all need to unite and become serious in breaking the current negative trend towards self destruction. Each of us needs to step up our efforts in spreading peace, tolerance and righteousness. The 1.6 billion Muslim population worldwide needs to wake up and recognise they have a moral responsibility to each of their neighbours to make the world a peaceful place. A place with no violence and intolerance. And chasing the money trail and politics behind the terrorists will start to stamp out this bloodshed. When we hear of Western Nations saying they want to help 'arm' rebel nations - make no mistake that is a root of terrorism. A gun is for life not just for a rebellion. And one person's rebel is another’s freedom fighter, and yet another's mujahedeen or political pawn. Did you know that a recent 2013 survey showed that the world’s ammunition manufacturers are working 24 hours to satisfy demand for bullets? The business of war has never been so good for some... By Ansar Khan, Naib Regional Qaid Tahir Region London. To read more interesting and motivating articles by this and other writers visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. The Quran and Extraterrestrial Life by the late Mirza Tahir Ahmad (Khalifatul Masih IV) (ra) The vision of the universe that the Quran presents is poles apart from the one held by the philosophers and sages of all the past ages. At the time of the Quranic revelation, it was Greek astronomy which dominated the minds of men everywhere in the world and all civilizations seemed to have been influenced by the same. This domination continued uninterrupted until the time of Copernicus. It was universally believed that the heavens consisted of layer upon layer of some transparent plastic material, studded with bright heavenly bodies we know as stars. To be more specific, the following was the sum total of the entire knowledge of the people of that age:
Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like thereof...1 It needs to be explained here that the figure 'seven' can be treated as a specific term of the Quran in this verse and many other similar ones. As such it would mean that the universe comprises many units of heavens, each divided into groups of seven (a perfect number), each having at least one earth to it which will be supported by the entire system of that heaven (galaxy). Referring to that system in general, a more specific verse on the existence of extraterrestrial life runs as follows: And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and of whatever living creatures (da'bbah) He has spread forth in both...2 Da'bbah covers all animals which creep or move along the surface of the earth. It does not apply to animals which fly or swim. It is certainly not applicable to any form of spiritual life. In Arabic a ghost will never be referred to as da'bbah, nor an angel for that matter. The second part of the same verse speaks not only of the possibility of extraterrestrial life, but it categorically declares that it does exist—a claim which even the most modern scientific researchers have not been able to make so far with any measure of certainty. Yet, this is not all that this verse reveals. Wonder upon wonder is added when we read at the end of this verse, that He (Allah) will bring together the life in the heavenly bodies and the life on earth when He so pleases: ...And He has the power to gather them together (jam-'i-him) when He will so please.3 Jam-'i-him is the Arabic expression in this verse which specifically speaks of bringing together of life on earth and the life elsewhere. When this meeting of the two will take place is not specified, nor is it mentioned whether it will happen here on earth or elsewhere. One thing however, is definitely stated: this event will most certainly come to pass whenever God so desires. It should be kept in mind that the word jama' can imply either a physical contact or a contact through communication. Only the future will tell how and when this contact will take place, but the very fact that more than fourteen hundred years ago such a possibility was even predicted is miraculous in itself. This revelation of the Quran was made at a time when cosmology as a science was not yet born. A different age of conjectural visualization prevailed which had to go a long way before it could contemplate the existence of extraterrestrial life. Even today such claims are only found in science fiction. Scientists have still not been able to completely shake off their earlier scepticism regarding the existence of life in space. No definitive evidence has as yet been discovered in its support. Scientists are still talking of only 'chances'. Professor Archibald Roy of the University of Glasgow is one of the many prominent enthusiasts deeply committed to probing into the possibilities of intelligent life forms on celestial bodies. He writes: 'At various international conferences on the problem of extraterrestrial life, the question has been discussed and it has become clear that not only is there a chance of recognizing that a signal is of intelligent origin but it would also be possible to enter into communication with the intelligent species and exchange information.'4 Not everyone shares Professor Roy's enthusiasm on this subject. Dr. Frank Tipler of Tulane University, New Orleans, can be counted amongst the sceptics. He bases his pessimism on mathematical calculations. To him the appearance of intelligent beings elsewhere in the universe through the blind processes of material evolution defy the law of large numbers. The evolution of life here on earth is dilemma enough for scientists to resolve. For it to repeat itself through a collusion of such an enormous number of chances as defy human calculations is a mathematical impossibility. Dr. Tipler states: '... extraterrestrial intelligences are not here. We just have to interpret this fact. Most astronomers cling to a belief in extraterrestrial intelligence against the evidence because of a philosophical principle: the copernican idea that our place in the cosmos must be completely typical. But we know this idea is false. The Universe is evolving: the cosmic radiation shows that there was once a time when no life existed because it was too hot. Thus, our place is atypical in time. In particular there must be a first civilization, and it happens to be ours.'5 Dr. Tony Martin, former vice-president of the British Interplanetary Society, holds similar sceptical views. Yet, despite all this opposition, Dr. Roy's scientific dream seems, at least partly, to have come within reach of realization. In the United States, NASA has already secured governmental approval for a major search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Other scientists of international fame like Professor Sagan, are also strong supporters of this cause.6 MAZING IS IT NOT that what the Quran asserted as a fact, around fourteen hundred years ago, is just beginning to appear as a feasible reality to the scientists of today! The Quran goes a step further when it predicts that man shall one day make contact with extraterrestrial life. The time for the full realization of this prophecy has not yet arrived, but its signs are appearing on the horizon. This demonstrates that the prophecies of the Quran run ahead of human scientific progress. Every new era witnesses the fulfilment of some more revelations which previous eras had no means to testify. Hence it should be clearly understood here that Quranic prophecies are intrinsically different in nature from those implied in science fiction. It has never been uncommon for human fancy to take flight from the springboard of the known facts of nature in the direction of things to be. But seldom does the future testify to the predictions implied in such fictional flights. Moreover, all works of fiction invariably remain confined to the possibilities created by the knowledge of the age. Fiction writers always take their cue from current knowledge to visualize what may emerge tomorrow. Most often however, their guesses prove to be as wild as wild can be. The future as it is carved, does not follow the dictates of their vision. This can only lead to the inevitable conclusion that the exercise of human imagination in relation to the unknown has its limitations. To illustrate the limitation of any particular era with regard to its imaginative scope, the genius of Leonardo da Vinci can be quoted as a befitting example. He attempted to visualize the possibility of human flight but could only conceive it in relation to the then available knowledge. Science and technology had not, until then, advanced to a stage where the human mind could envisage the image of man flying with the help of machines driven by fire. Thus, to visualize even a rudimentary aeroplane lay beyond the limits of Leonardo's potential. The case of the Divine scriptures, however, is a different matter altogether and the knowledge expressed in them cannot be confined to any particular era. Moreover, chance has no role to play in their fulfilment. The scientific discoveries of subsequent ages have never proved any Quranic prophecy to be wrong. So we must look forward with well-founded hope for the realization of even such prophecies as rest with the future to decide. The prophecy about the meeting of life here and the life elsewhere belongs to the same category which remains as yet unfulfilled. May we live long enough to witness the glorious day when life on earth will establish some sort of communion with life in space. REFERENCES
By Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (Khalifatul Masih IV) (ra) in his book Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth. To read more interesting and inspiring article by this and other writers please visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. By Sayed Hameedullah Nusrat Pasha The Divine authorship of the Qur’an is a matter rationally beyond doubt, and quite verifiably so. The simple fact that there is an unignorably substantial amount of knowledge of the unseen in the text of the Qur’an proves that the words of this Book poured forth, not from the mind of the unlettered mortal who claimed to be the recipient of this revealed text, but from an Omniscient God – the “Knower of the Unseen,” to whom this text is rightfully attributed. The Author of the Qur’an could not even plausibly have been human, for the simple reason that knowing the unseen and perceiving the unperceivable is by no means a human attribute. This happens to be, both by definition and as a comprehensibly rational concept, something entirely “Divine.” Matters of the unseen belonging to diverse timeframes, along with those relating to different places, can be found throughout the Qur’an. Hence, it would be safe, not to mention rational, to infer that the Author of the Qur’an is a Being whose perception and knowledge both transcend the bounds of time and space. The sheer quantum of knowledge of the unseen present in the Qur’an is sufficient to verify the absolute existence as well as the absolute awareness of its Author. It securely stands as an irrefutable testimony to the Qur’an’s claim of veracity. The Holy Qur’an proclaims that the name of its Author is “Allah.” Allah, according to the Qur’an, is most intriguingly, both the Ghayb or the “Unseen” and the Aalim ul Ghayb or the Knower of the unseen.” He is the Ghayb because His Being is not perceivable to man’s physical senses. He is Aalimul Ghayb because He alone truly knows Himself. In other words, He is the Hidden Treasure and He alone knows how He can be found. Thus, according the Qur’an, since only Allah knows Himself, therefore in order to know Him, one must turn to what His Revealed Word, the Qur’an, informs us about Him. Allah begins the text of His Revealed Word – the Qur’an – with an introduction of Himself – the Author. The very first verse of the Holy Qur’an reads, “In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.”1 This is the first, foremost and fundamental introduction of who and what, the One True God is. He informs us of who He is by His Personal Name – Allah. He then proceeds to inform us succinctly of what He is, by introducing us to two attributive names of His--Rahman and Raheem. Rahman and Raheem are therefore the primary two attributive names of God mentioned in the Qur’an. Interestingly, both these names, Rahman and Raheem, are derived from the Arabic expression Rahma, which means “Mercy.” The first of these two attributive names of God, Rahman, can be translated as “Gracious.” Raheem can be translated as “Merciful.” Both these attributive names are simply two aspects of the Mercy of God. One aspect of God’s Mercy, which reveals itself as an innate urge on the part of God, regardless of whether Divine Mercy has been earned or not, is the aspect of Rahman. The other aspect of God’s Mercy, expressed by the name Raheem, manifests itself in response to all human conduct that attracts and invites God’s Mercy. Of course, God’s response, as Raheem, is as a rule, disproportionately greater in measure than man’s conduct. Hence, according to the Qur’an, whether man receives Divine Mercy as sheer Grace or earns it as an Award, he remains in all circumstances, a recipient of the Mercy of God. It is more than evident that no one – none whosoever – can conceivably place God under any obligation or binding of any kind – none but He Himself. The Qur’an reveals to us this enchanting and ultimately hope-inspiring secret, that God has Himself, by His own choice and will, made it binding upon Himself, to eternally show Mercy to all. Hence, we read in the Qur’an, “He has Himself, made Mercy, obligatory upon Himself.”2 Mercy is, therefore, not only an innate attribute of God, it is also an eternal commitment that God has taken upon Himself. According to the Qur’an, God’s Mercy envelops His entire creation. Nothing, according to the Qur’an, lies outside the bounds of His Mercy. A conscious and wilful effort would be required to even momentarily escape the gravitational pull of the all-encompassing Mercy of God, and that too, would eventually be frustrated by His Absolute Mercy. Let us consider, for instance, the case of the rebelliously disobedient sinner. Even if his persistent sins deprive him of God’s pleasure and earn him punishment, the torment itself will serve only to cleanse the sinner’s soul and prepare him for a final and eternal bliss. The cleansing process would serve as a vehicle to Paradise. Hence, even God’s punishment, as it appears from our point of view, is in reality, an expression of His eternal Mercy. Whether God forgives man’s faults out of compassion, or punishes him in order to reform and purify him, His Mercy is in command. We read, “He forgives whomsoever He pleases and punishes whomsoever He pleases, and Allah is Most-Forgiving, Merciful.”3 Jahannam, the Qur’anic term for “Hell,” is therefore a place where a polluted soul is cleansed of all the impurities and maladies that afflict it. Jahannam, too, is therefore a materialisation of the Mercy of God. In other words, Jahannam or Hell, is the state in which the human soul is burnished to the point that all its rust is removed. This is true, not only regarding the Hereafter, but also in relation to this life. The tribulations of this life too, are as a matter of fact, known to arouse the dormant human spirit from its slumber. At the level of nations and communities, adversities are, on the same note, known to draw people out of their collective state of inertia. Suffering, pain, and calamity, although veritably undesirable from man’s point of view, are merely curative measures from God’s point of view, and thus expressions of Mercy. Sometimes, suffering manifests itself as a trial whose reward is infinitely greater than the measure of its pain. God’s Mercy encompasses not only His creation, but also His own attributes. This means that His mercy encompasses His wrath too. His wrath is subservient to His Mercy and a manifestation of His Mercy. God says in the Qur’an, “My Mercy encompasses all things.”4 Whereas the true believer, according to the Qur’an, beholds the Mercy of God perpetually at play, the disbeliever tends to miss it even when it presents itself right before his eyes. The believer never loses hope in God’s Mercy and his receiving it, while the disbeliever becomes despaired of it. We read in the Qur’an, “Those who disbelieve in the Signs of Allah, and in meeting with Him, it is they who are despondent of My Mercy.”5 This Divinely revealed principle will tend to work both ways: those who are despondent of God’s Mercy will find themselves deprived of faith, and those who lack faith will eventually become despondent of God’s Mercy. God’s Mercy, according to the Qur’an, is unconditional. He seeks nothing in return. God is reliant on none. He expects and seeks nothing in return from His creation. We humans have indeed been created to worship Him, but not because He needs our worship, but merely because true worship is the path that leads us to our purification. In terms of being absolutely Independent, God is aloof. In terms of being the Merciful, God is concerned. Hence, His “aloofness” is not in the sense of being indifferent and cold, but in the sense of not being reliant on anyone but Himself, and being the Transcendent God. On the other hand, His indulging in the welfare of His creatures is not because He needs them, but because they need Him. We read in the Qur’an, “And thy Lord is Self-sufficient – the Possessor of Mercy.”6 All Messengers of God were, in their own times, and to the extent of their assigned missions, embodiments of the Mercy of God. Mosesas was God’s Mercy embodied, for the people of Israel. Zoroasteras was God’s Mercy embodied for the people of Iran. Krishnaas was God’s Mercy embodied for the people of India. Finally, when in God’s absolute Wisdom, humanity was ready to receive the final and universal revealed message, God, according to the Qur’an, chose Muhammadsa as an embodiment of His Mercy – His Mercy unto the entire human race. Addressing the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, God says in the Qur’an, “And We have not sent thee but as Mercy Embodied for all the worlds.”7 The expression “world,” the Arabic for which is Aalam, refers to each unit of human collective existence. Its plural, Aalameen, meaning “worlds,” would thus refer to all units of human collectivity, be they nations or communities or races. According to the Qur’an, the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa is designated as Rahmatul lil Aalameen, meaning “Mercy for all mankind.” But then God further expounds this by informing us that the mercy displayed by God’s chosen ones, is in reality a manifestation of God’s own Mercy. Addressing His beloved Messenger, Muhammadsa, God says in the Qur’an, “And it is by the Mercy of Allah, that thou art compassionate towards them.”8 Thus, the most merciful of all humans and the most compassionate of all men – Muhammadsa – was what he was because he was able to mirror the Mercy of God. By the same rule, the love and compassion shown by parents, too, is in reality, a reflection of Divine Mercy. The Qur’an mentions that Prophets were sent to all peoples and nations as a Mercy from God. All revealed scriptures and books of God, are signs of the Mercy of God towards mankind. His Mercy demands that He guide us, whether we deserve His Guidance or not. Referring to the Holy Qur’an, God says, “And verily, it is a Guidance and a Mercy for the believers.”9 We also read, “And surely, We have brought them a Book, which We have expounded with Knowledge, Guidance and Mercy.”10 This principle does not apply exclusively to the Qur’an, but in fact, to all revealed books of God. Hence, regarding the Torah, the Word of God revealed to Mosesas, God says, “[...] preceded by the Book of Moses – a Guide and a Mercy.”11 The Holy Countenance of Allah – the Gracious, the Merciful – is in simple words, the bewitching countenance of Mercy. To attain His nearness, therefore, one must diligently tread the path of mercy. To become worthy of God’s special love and mercy, one must learn to show and share love and mercy with the creatures of God. To become true disciples of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, whom God crowned as the “mercy for mankind,” one must committedly follow the ways of mercy. To benefit from the light of the Qur’an, which God has declared the Book of Mercy, one must imbibe and emit the quality of mercy. It was unto the unending path of mercy that the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa invited us, when he said, “Show mercy to those in the Earth and He who is in Heaven will show mercy unto you.”12 Endnotes 1. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Al-Fatiha, Verse 1. 2. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Al-An’am, Verse 13. 3. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Aal-e-‘Imran, Verse 130. 4. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Al-A’raf, Verse 157. 5. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Al-‘Ankabut, Verse 24. 6. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Al-An’am, Verse 134. 7. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Al-Anbiya’, Verse 108. 8. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Aal-e-‘Imran, Verse 160. 9. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Al-Naml, Verse 78. 10. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Al-A’raf, Verse 53. 11. The Holy Qur’an, Sura Hud, Verse 12. Hadith of Tirmizi. By Sayed Hameedullah Nusrat Pasha. To read more inspiring and interesting articles like this visit www.tahiregion.weebly.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. The Truth Behind the Untold Story – Explaining the Origins of Islam – Part I of II By Asif M Basit Recently, British religious historian Tom Holland presented his research on theorigins of Islam in the form of a documentary titled: Islam: The Untold Story. The documentary was aired on British terrestrial channel, Channel 4. Unfortunately, the entire documentary appeared to be an effort to undermine Islamic belief by way of scepticism. The authenticity of the history of Islam was challenged and conclusions were drawn such as that nothing about Islam, its origins and early history can be said with certainty. Although the aim of the documentary seemed to be to leave viewers with an impression that to believe in Islam is nothing more that believing in myth and folklore, on one level a positive point to come out of the release of the documentary is that it has provided Muslims with an opportunity to develop a serious understanding of the origins of their faith and to answer the following questions posed by the documentary and by other Western historians: Did the Prophet Muhammadsa really exist? Was the Qur’an revealed or was it the Prophet’s monologue recorded by his followers? Is the present day Islam the same as introduced by the Prophet or was it made to measure societies that had to be conquered? This author actually appreciates the fact that the documentary by Tom Holland will lead Muslims to respond to these questions in a more academic and rational manner; which is in fact what this article will attempt to achieve. Modern view of Makkah, the birthplace of Islam Historical Evidence of Islam Islam has always faced the challenge of proving the authenticity of its historical evidences. The much talked-about recent documentary by Tom Holland1 is not the first attempt of its kind. Western historians have always wanted the origins of Islam to be examined under a strict academic method of research.2 They have tried to do so and have arrived at conclusions not much different to what would be, or rather, is, the case in a study of many of the ancient civilisations. For example, the details of the fact that Julius Caesar carried out his warfare on certain dates and certain times is widely believed, but conclusive and authentic historic evidence may not be as clearly available as it is for the American launch of what is now called the “war on terror” (although some may find this debatable as well.). The case, however, is different with Islam in the sense that historians tend to confuse civilisation with faith. Islam is different from other faiths in the sense that it had such a powerful impact on society that it resulted in the formation of a major civilisation of the world.3 Here, we will deal with this particular issue by attempting to place the right peg in the right hole, in an effort to understand the history of faith and civilisation in their own respective manners. As the occidental mind would first want to look for traces of historical evidence available for the Islamic civilisation, it would be pertinent to study the reasons we have to believe that the epic revolution in the history of civilisation, i.e., the making of the Islamic Civilisation, was all started by an unlettered man of the Arabian desert, named Muhammadsa. To do so, we need to understand the state of the Arabian Peninsula at the time when Prophet Muhammadsa is said to have existed. While millions of followers of Islam have absolute faith in the Qur’an as the Divine Law that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammadsa, this article attempts to satisfy the historian who may be in pursuit of its historic origin. Pre-Islamic Arabia Map of the Middle East in the 6th Century (Princeton University online map collection) The Arabian Peninsula, in the 6th Century C.E., was surrounded from all sides by great empires of the world: the Byzantine or the Eastern Roman Empire on the West and the Sassanid or the Persian on the East. This had left Arabia merely a route for the inter-empire trade caravans. It had not developed into an empire, despite being under the influence of its neighbouring empire.s There was no social system which could facilitate its growth into an established state, let alone an empire. The largest group with which an Arab could have allegiance, was a clan or a tribe and this was the tribal system that prevailed the Arab society.4 There were no state forces that could serve as military defence, national solidarity or enforcement agencies; all of this was done at a tribal level.5 A tribe would be responsible for the security of its adherents. The policy of retaliation was the only factor that worked as an invisible enforcement agency, hence making it essential for every individual to initiate allegiance to a tribe. Historians have almost unanimously agreed that it was in this societal backdrop that Islam emerged and brought about the revolution that turned this fragmented population into a civic society. There is ample historical evidence to prove that until the time of the attack of the Abyssinian invaders on Makkah with the intention to capturing the Ka’bah, it was in this strong tribal division that the people of Arabia lived – this was the year 570 C.E. Historians also agree on the fact that by the year 632, the Arabs had turned into a strong, civilised society that had evolved in to an empire, which not only was established in the Arabian Peninsula, but had started to spread to the outskirts too.6 It would, hence, be an overstatement by occidental historians such as Patricia Crone, Tom Holland and others from similar schools of thought, to say that no evidence is available to suggest what happened between the years 570 and 632 C.E. Makkah gradually turned into a caravan city and a place of commercial and religious attention. Photo: Old picture of Makkah. Western academics further agree that in 632 C.E., the Arabian empire was following a lunar calendar by the name of hijri and that 632 was the 10th year of this hijri calendar. No other suggestion, or even assumption, has been made by Western academia as to what could have marked the start of this unique lunar calendar. It is almost unanimously agreed upon that it was the migration of the Prophet Muhammadsa from Makkah to Madinah that marks the starting of the hijri calendar. Historians have no qualms in calling the Arabia before the year 570 C.E. the “pre-Islamic” Arabia and refer to the Arabia of this era as the “homeland of the Arabs and the cradle of Islam.”7 It is taken without doubt that it was the emergence of Islam in this period that played a decisive role in changing the religious character of the Arabs, which led to the change in its national character by “launch[ing] [them] on the paths of World conquest.”8 The Bedouins seem to have undergone a collective psychological experience by the Ayyamul Arab (literally meaning ‘the times of the Arabs’, consist of poems written to arouse Arab nationalistic sentiment) which gave way to Classical Arabic literature and a feeling of being united as a people with common interests, constraints and problems, hence the development of a loose sense of national sentiment. Meanwhile, Makkah had also come into focus by gradually turning into a caravan city for the trade that was carried out between the two neighbouring empires via the spice route of Western Arabia. This gave Makkah an advantageous position, which drew the attention of the Jews of Yathrib and the Christians of Najran, who would travel through, leaving the inhabitants of the commercial and holy city of Makkah more aware of their beliefs. Its transformation into a place of commercial and religious attention is owed to Qusayy, who undoubtedly is accepted by Western historians as an historical figure. It cannot be said with certainty, but experts on Arab history agree to the fact that it was at the start of the sixth century that Qusayy and his tribe, the Quraysh, gave Makkah its religio-economic prosperity.9 The credit of laying foundations of a monotheistic tendency in the religious life of Makkah, is also attributed by historians to the Quraish—the tribe to which Prophet Muhammadsa was born. We know as a historical fact that the Quraish had firm belief on being the descendants of Ishmaelas, (and Abrahamas), which made them possessive about the Ka’aba and gave them the conviction that they were its custodians. With all the historical evidence pointing to this detailed portrait of sixth century Arabia, an unbiased enquiry clearly points to the birth of a child called Muhammadsa, whose name too has a Quraishite origin, being born to the son of Abdul Muttalib. The Cambridge History of Islam records this historic event: “It was in the prosperous metropolis of sixth-century Arabia that a prophet, a lineal descendant of Qusayy, was born c. AD 570. With the birth of Muhammadsa, Arabia became ‘the Cradle of Islam.’”10 “The extraordinary events of seventh century completely reversed the role of the Arabs and changed the nature of their contribution. From a peninsular people who had played a marginal and subordinate role in history, they develop into an imperial race, and succeed in terminating the Indo-European interregnum in the Near East, reasserting Semitic political presence in the region, and carrying the Semitic political factor into the medieval world by the foundation of a universal state. After and with the winding caravans of ancient trade-routes, all of which stamped their contribution as one related to material culture, the Arabs now ride out of their peninsula as Muslim, inspired and animated by the ideals of the new faith, and establish a theocratic state within which develops a civilisation, religious in spirit and manifestation, that of medieval Islam.”11 The teachings of Prophet Muhammadsa, even if we were to leave Tradition12 aside and only base them on Qur’an, by no means appear to have been alien to his contemporary Makkans. Established historians of Islam, like Sir Montgomery Watt, agree that; “He [Muhammadsa] was responding not merely to what the occidental would call the religious and intellectual aspects of the situation, but also to the economic, social and political pressures to which contemporary Makkah was subject. Because he was great as a leader his influence was important in all these spheres and it is impossible for any occidental to distinguish within his achievement between what is religious and what is non-religious or secular.”13 Another factor that cannot be ignored is the fact that the Muslim civilisation that started off with the emergence of Islam in the late 6th century was not based on any existing, earlier or traditional model of civilisation nor did it emerge as a continuation of a civilisation;14 rather, it was a unique form of civilisation that was erected on the foundation of a faith. The Prophet Muhammadsa and the expansion of the Islamic Empire can by no means be taken out of a genuine historical enquiry of the late sixth century and the early seventh century as this would leave a biased historian without any substitute to offer as the shaper of the Arab, or more rightly, the Islamic Empire. Arguing on the fact that the exact birth year or early childhood of the Founder of Islam is unknown or debatable, does by no means, refute the fact that the founder ever existed. Such an approach would endanger the whole course of historiography, leaving all ancient empires and societies nothing more than a jumble of myth and legend. The Anthropological Aspect The anthropological study of pre-Islamic Arabia has been briefly touched at the start of this article when we discussed the tribal culture that prevailed. We now aim at a deeper, anthropological study of the situation where a community with hard and fast tribal divisions15 is seen evolving into a nation. Anthropologists and sociologists unanimously agree that pre-Islamic Arabia was a tribal society. An individual belonged to a group by means of kinship in the paternal line16 and the group was taken to be responsible for providing support on various social levels. The immediate blood relations worked as the basic unit of one’s loyalty and the sense of solidarity, moving on to the greater families which further joined hands to make a chain that might well be called a tribe.17 All those comprising a tribe were meant to be from the same bloodline of a male ancestor, who the tribe would be named after: thus Banu Hashim were the descendants of Hashim. The tribe was the largest group that an individual would claim allegiance to, which resulted in the loyalty and solidarity that made tribesmen unite for common interests. Any invasion by outsiders would be dealt with at the tribal level. Where two or more tribes had to unite for broader interests or concerns, they would find the bond to do so by tracing back to a common ancestor.18 However, the strongest sense of solidarity would always be within the family, then the greater family, then the clan and then the tribe. The feelings of solidarity grew weaker as tribes combined to form a greater tribe for the obvious reason that the tribes would have joined hands to deal with a temporary situation and demanded no permanent loyalty anyway.19 From the different lineages and sub-lineages that existed within a tribe would be one that was classed as the Ahl al-Bayt, or the ruling house. This status was much sought after by various lineages within the tribe, but would go to the more dominant one. The nobler the lineage, the better chance it had to win this status and the more time a lineage spent in the status, the higher chance to stay or return to it if lost at some stage. It was from this dominant lineage that the chief or the ruling group was drawn.20 It was this tribal system that kept pre-Islamic Arabia from coalescing into a unified nation. The tribe would provide protection to its members and the lextalionis, or the law of retaliation, was the only way for law and order. There was however, no higher authority to judge between disputes that would arise amongst tribes from time to time. What one could call an alliance was next to impossible amongst the tribes any situations in which they joined together were merely short-term tactics to tackle a common situation. This societal set up allowed no centralised direction to gain momentum, hence the absence of centralised institutions.21 Islam emerged as a faith and drew people from the existing tribes to join Islam. It was something unique and without precedence in the Arabian society for an individual to quit his tribal loyalty and membership to join a group that was founded on no prevalent grounds, but only a matter of faith.22 It is noticed in accounts describing early conversions how the tribesmen would be astonished as to why one of their fellow men would give up the security offered to him by the tribe and join a completely new group (i.e. Islam), which was still in its infancy, without any precedence and which was with no support from any major tribe or clan. What added more to the astonishment was that the tribesmen would quit the tribe to follow a man who, although from a noble lineage, was unlettered and had no established identity as a leader of even a tribe or a social group, let alone an autonomous religion. Moreover, the religion they were opting to follow was seen as blasphemous to the traditional Arab gods and religious tradition. Not only was it unacceptable to the polytheist Nomads of Arabia, but the existing Monotheistic faiths such as Christianity and Judaism too showed no acceptance for it at all. For this newly born religion to start, for its roots to start growing, for its stem to strengthen and for it to flourish in such a dramatic manner23 that it changed the whole Arab society into a nation that was to evolve into a major civilisation of the world; all this was on the basis of a faith that acknowledged all previous faiths, but with an inherent code of political, economic, social and spiritual code of life. It leaves historians, Muslim and Western scholarship alike, amazed and astonished at how this epic transformation of a centuries-old fragmented society could happen and that too in a matter of years.24. This anthropological study shows how the fragmented society of Arabia lived in a situation where conflict was the main theme of life. With this complexity of conflicts “came the potentiality for revolutionary change, a potentiality realised through the inspiration and leadership of the Prophet Muhammad.”25 Based on what the Prophet Muhammadsa claimed and all Muslims accept to be divinely revealed—the Qur’an—the Prophetsa laid the foundations of a society that contained all the positive aspects of the prevalent systems in and around Arabia, and actually, in all the major civilisations of the world at the time. These elements were not alien to the Arab people; this Islamic society accepted tribal identity26 only for identification purposes, but associated nobility with piety.27 Monotheistic, religious sentiment that had been passed down to the Arab society by Abrahamic religions became pivotal in the whole structure28; trade, which was at the heart of major civilisations and affected the economic atmosphere of Arabia, was given rules based on notions of faith like honesty, piety, mutual agreement, forgiveness, kindness etc.29 Above all, the fragmented people of Arabia were given the political vision that they lacked to become a nation and to prosper as a nation united in faith.30 All these elements were not alien, but those of the Arabic society—the cradle of Islam. This religion that we know as Islam, and what some would call an empire or merely a civilisation, was initiated by a man called Muhammadsa, who was born in Arabia in the late 6th century. He claimed to be a prophet of God; whether one accepts this claim or not is a totally different issue. Similar disagreements can and do exists regarding his motives behind “building” this “empire”; many believe it was to spread the Word of God, others assert it was his interest in the Christian tribes in and around Arabia; some might see it as merely a power hungry political ambition. Such difference of opinion can exist, but to argue that the Prophet Muhammadsa never existed and that the sources and origins of Islam are unknown is, permit this author to say, a display of intellectual dishonesty by sceptic historians of Islam. The Historical Aspect Historians’ interest in the pre-Islamic Arabia has reached certain conclusions that none would contest, as enough historical evidence seems to be in place for them to be unanimously agreed upon. One such historical fact is the destruction of the Abyssinian invader Abraha, who invaded Makkah with the intention to conquer the Ka’aba. It is agreed by historians of ancient Arabia that this was the year 570 C.E. This epoch in Arabian history is known and agreed upon by historians, Western and Islamic alike, as the “Era of the Elephants” on account of the huge number of elephants that Abraha and his armies brought with them.31 This attack on Makkah had come along the line of his ambition to conquer the Sassanid Empire, after having conquered Southern Arabia. It was on his way to achieve this goal that he attacked Makkah, but was destroyed.32 This epoch of Arabian history is described in the Qur’an in Chapter 105 (Surah Al-Fil). The fact that the Prophet Muhammadsa existed between the years of 570 and 632C.E. is proven by the research carried out by Western historians on the birth time of the Prophetsa. Thomas P. Hugh, in his Dictionary of Islam, brings together some works on this topic, suggesting that “Muhammadsa is said to have been born fifty-five days after the attack of Abraha, or on the 12th day of Rabiul Awwal of the first year of the Era of Elephants, which M. Caussin de Perceval believes this to have been the 40th year of the reign of Chosroes the Great (Kasra Anushirwan) and calculates the date to have been August 20th, 570 AD.”33 Spengler calculates the birthdate to be April 12th, 571 AD. Again, there can be a difference of opinion on the date, month or year of birth of the Prophet Muhammadsa, but there is absolutely no doubt, historically speaking, about his existence and his epic, revolutionary achievements, ranging from faith to polity, that changed the face of the world. It is also generally agreed upon that Makkah was under the rule of the Quraysh at the time of Abraha’s invasion, in 570C.E.. Similarly, no one would challenge the fact that in the 8th year after Hijra (629C.E.), the Makkan Quraish had given in and Muslims, led by the Prophetsa, had won back the town of Makkah. That it was a bloodless conquest is the proof of the general pardon that the Prophetsa had granted to the Makkans, otherwise, there seems no reason why the conquest, or taking over of Makkah by Muslims, should have been nonviolent, contrary to Arabian warfare culture. The general pardon from the Muslim side could not have come from anybody else but the sovereign leader of the Muslims, who, in the year 630C.E., was none other than the Prophet Muhammadsa. Historians have found from historical investigations that when Abraha made his way from Abyssinia and conquered the South of Arabia, the region was inhabited and ruled by established Jews. This left the Jews having to flee and seek refuge with the tribes of Aus and Khazrajites. However, when civil unrest arose amongst the two tribes, the Aus succumbed to the Khazrajites, and it was these Khazrajites of Yathrib that started accepting Islam.34 That the Khazrajites had come in contact with Jews to know of an awaited Messiah and subsequently converted to Islam by the year 622C.E., is a historical fact, as is the fact that it was in this year that the Prophetsa migrated from Makkah to Yathrib—the land of the Khazrejites—and so is the fact that it was this city, thence known as Madinatun Nabi or Madinatur RasulUllah, that was the capital of the early Muslims who spread the message of Islam. The very fact that the name of a town in the fertile land of Northern Hijaz, near the borderline of Najd and Tihamah, changed from centuries old name of Yathrib to Madinatur Rasulullah or Maditnatun Nabi (the city of the Apostle of God) is itself a major indicator of the transformation that the city went through on the basis of not only mass conversions to Islam—the religion of Muhammadsa—but also having been its capital in early Islam. Monophysite chronicles mention Umar (ra), the second Khalifa of Islam, building the Dome of the Rock. Photo: Interior of the Dome of the Rock in 1915 The Islamic Calendar, known as the hijri calendar, commences from the year when the Prophet Muhammadsa migrated from Makkah to Madinah. That year corresponds to the latter part of 622 and early 623C.E..35 When the Islamic emirates began to grow in number in the time of Umarra —the second Khalifah (Successor) of the Prophet Muhammadsa—he established the Islamic state on more organised grounds. Letters had to be written and deeds signed for various agreements and this required dates to be recorded on the documents, hence an Islamic Calendar had to be brought into use and was made to commence from the year of the migration (Hijrah) of the Prophet.sa 36 Since this happened in the time of Umarra, it would have happened sometime between the second and twelfth year of the Prophetsa’s death (years of Umar’sra succession and demise respectively). This was the time when a great number of Companions of the Prophetsa were alive and were there to advise Umarra. The year of the Hijra and the calendar based thereupon does not seem to have appeared alien to any of the Muslims as no disagreement of any kind is recorded in history. The time to follow the Khulafa-e Rashideen--the Rightly Guided Successors to the Prophet Muhammadsa (of which much historical record is available)—always endorsed the calendar which dated back to the migration of Prophet Muhammadsa. This is clear proof of the fact that Muhammadsa did exist, had major impact on the history of mankind, and that he existed in the time and age that is attributed to him by Muslim historiographers. Quoting a passage from Donner helps in understanding this landmark of Islamic history: “The transition to state organisation was, of course, a gradual process; one cannot isolate any specific moment at which the Islamic state can be said have come into existence. But it is clear that Muhammad, by the end of his career, controlled a polity that had in some measure acquired the main characteristics of a state: a relatively high degree of centralisation, a concept of the primacy of law or centralised higher authority in the settlement of disputes, and institutions to perform administrative functions for the state existing independent of particular incumbents. For want of a precise moment, we can select the hijra in AD 622 and the start of Muhammad’ssa political consolidation in Medina as the point at which the rise of the Islamic state begins.”37 The evidence available from the seminaries of other religions that existed around Arabia at that time, points to the existence of Islam in the time that it is said to have existed by its adherents. Monophysite chronicles dating back to the seventh century mention the Caliphs of the Prophet who lived within the first three decades of the Prophet’ssa death. A mention of Abu Bakrra, who succeeded the Prophetsa immediately after his death, is made where he is recorded advising his generals on what care to be taken in case they had to defend themselves in Syria.38 The same chronicle mentions Umar’sra building of the Dome of Rock on the site of the temple of Solomon and describes it as the rebuilding of the temple.39 Comments are to be found made on Uthmanra, the third Caliph of the Prophetsa, alleging him of “perversion of the law and modest manner of the kings who preceded him.”40 Thus, while all events surrounding the time of the Prophet Muhammadsa have had academic acceptance, what can one say about the shadows of doubt forcefully cast upon the person, the times, events and achievements of the Prophet Muhammadsa? PART II FOLLOWS IN THE NEXT EDITION Asif M. Basit, a regular contributor to The Review of Religions, is on the Board of Directors of Muslim Television Ahmadiyya International where he is a producer of several programmes including, the bi-weekly ‘Beacon of Truth’, a contemporary religious discussion programme in English focussing on Islam. Email: [email protected] endnotes 1. “Islam: The Untold Story”, n.d., www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm8xKh8eQqU. 2. Please refer to works by Patricia Crone and Michael Cook carried out in the 1970s. 3. Julius Wellhausen, The Arab Kingdom and Its Fall: Orientalism (Taylor & Francis, 1927); Irfan Shahid, “Pre-Islamic Arabia,” in The Cambridge History of Islam, Vol. 1A: The Central Islamic Lands from Pre-Islamic Times to the First World War, ed. P. M. Holt, Ann K. S. Lambton, and Bernard Lewis (Cambridge University Press, 1977). 4. Fred McGraw Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests (Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press, 1981), 20. 5. Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests, 31. 6. Marshall G. S. Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, Volume 1: The Classical Age of Islam (University Of Chicago Press, 1977), 187. 7. Irfan Shahid, “Pre-Islamic Arabia,” 3. 8. Irfan Shahid, “Pre-Islamic Arabia,” 3. 9. Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests, 51. 10. Irfan Shahid, “Pre-Islamic Arabia.” 11. Irfan Shahid, “Pre-Islamic Arabia.” 12. Tradition is the translation of Hadith which, in Islamic terminology, means the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad sasa as reported by people by means of tradition. 13. Montgomery Watt, “Muhammad sa,” in The Cambridge History of Islam: Volume 2, ed. P. M. Holt, Ann K. S. Lambton, and Bernard Lewis (Cambridge University Press, 1977). 14. Ernest Gellner, Muslim Society (Cambridge University Press, 1983), 4. 15. Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests, 20. 16. W. Robertson Smith, Kinship And Marriage In Early Arabia, ed. Stanley A. Cook (Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2007). 17. Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests; Hugh Kennedy, The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates: The Islamic Near East from the 6th to the 11th Century, 2nd ed. (Longman, 2004). 18. Kennedy, The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates; Donald Powell Cole, Nomads of the Nomads: The Al Murrah Bedouin of the Empty Quarter (Aldine Pub. Co, 1975). 19. Marshall D. Sahlins, “The Segmentary Lineage: An Organization of Predatory Expansion1,” American Anthropologist 63, no. 2 (1961): 322–345; Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests, 33. 20. Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests, 33. 21. Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests, 33. 22. Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests, 23. 23. Al Quran 48:30 mentions this miraculous growth of the newly founded faith in to a fully grown, strong tree which leaves the rest of the society astonished. 24. I.M. Lapidus, “The Arab Conquests and the Transformation of the Islamic Society,” in Studies on the First Century of Islamic Society, ed. G. H. A. Juynboll (Southern Illinois University Press, 1982), 49. 25. I.M. Lapidus, “The Arab Conquests and the Transformation of the Islamic Society,” 66. 26. Al Quran 49:14 27. Al Quran 49:14 ‘Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you.’ 28. Al Quran 2:164 is the first occasion that asserts that God is One, but occurs on a number of other occasions. 29. Al Quran 2:283; 4:30; 6:153 to mention just a few 30. Al Quran 3:104 31. Patrick Hughes and Thomas Patrick Hughes, A Dictionary of Islam: Being a Cyclopaedia of the Doctrines, Rites, Ceremonies, and Customs, Together With the Technical and Theological Terms, of the Muhammad saan Religion (Asian Educational Services, 1995), 367. 32. Carl Brockelmann, History of the Islamic People (Routledge Kegan & Paul, 1980), 3. 33. Hughes and Hughes, A Dictionary of Islam, 367. 34. Brockelmann, History of the Islamic People, 16. 35. Hodgson, The Venture of Islam, Volume 1, 20. 36. Franz Rosenthal, A History of Muslim Historiography (E. J. Brill, 1952), 309; Sir William Muir, Annals Of The Early Caliphate: From Original Sources (Smith, Elder & Co., 1883), 271. 37. Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests, 54–55. 38. I.M. Lapidus, “The Arab Conquests and the Transformation of the Islamic Society,” 20. 39. I.M. Lapidus, “The Arab Conquests and the Transformation of the Islamic Society,” 20. 40. I.M. Lapidus, “The Arab Conquests and the Transformation of the Islamic Society,” 20. PART II FOLLOWS IN THE NEXT EDITION Sermon Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad at Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community on Friday 16/08/13. After tashhud, ta’awwuz and recitation of Sura Al-Fatiha, Huzoor Aqdas (may Allah strengthen him with His Mighty Help) said that: A few days ago I had a discussion with an officeholder and it became clear to me that there are some issues I need to address. These are especially needed for a certain class of our membership. Then there are also some issues that need to be addressed for the benefit of certain of our officeholders. All that I have to say is of as great an importance for other Jama’ats worldwide as they are of importance and significance for the Jama’at here. Also these are very much needed for our new generation of Ahmadis and for those from among them who are not very active and not mostly involved in the work of the Jama’at. The issues I will be laying in front of everyone are such as are often not discussed very openly and in full detail. The missionaries, murabbis and officeholders also do not discuss these things in a manner that they need to be presented and as a consequence questions arise in the minds of some - but they do not ask these questions. This is especially the case with the young. They feel that the people or their elders or parents or the officeholders will consider their asking these questions to be something bad or they will become involved in some difficulty as a result. The fact of the matter should, of course, have been that they should have had such relationships as would have permitted them to ask these questions of their missionaries or the officeholders of the Jama’at or at the least the officeholders of their auxiliary organizations - Khuddamul Ahmadiyya or Lajna Imaillah. This would have led to them increasing their knowledge and remove any lingering doubts or misunderstandings. They can of course also write to me, and some do write to me from abroad, and even from here and they do so while remaining well within the required levels of respect and deference due, and their questions are answered also. In any case it also became clear that some officeholders also do not know the details of what their office duties demand or require of them and they are not fulfilling the requirements of their office as they need to be fulfilled. The things that I am about to say involve one aspect that has to do with knowledge of our beliefs and principles and has to do with knowing why we are established on a particular belief or principle. Similarly when we are told to do certain things we should know why we are required to do those things and why the doing of these things is necessary for an Ahmadi. For example, financial sacrifices to which we are called, people want to know the details regarding these matters. Then there are certain aspects of the duties of officeholders that have to do with the proper execution of their duties and they need to know how they can carry out those requirements. They also need to know the extent of their authority.So I will draw your attention briefly to these two matters. The first thing that needs to be mentioned relates to our beliefs and it is of utmost importance that an Ahmadi must know this and this is mentioned again and again but it is not mentioned with that required focus or it is not mentioned keeping in mind that our own members’ training and education requires that this be mentioned and stated clearly. It is normally assumed that a born Ahmadi knows these things and knows what is the purpose for which the Promised Messiah (as) was sent in to the world and why it is essential that he be accepted. Those who join the Jama’at of course know these things because they enter having read and studied these matters. But those who, as I said, are not as active and do not participate in the ijtema’s and do not also come to the Jalsas - and there are such people in every country where there is a Jama’at, whether they are small in number or large, but such a group of people does exist in every country - and it is necessary that we turn our attention to them with concern and focus. And for this purpose Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya and Lajna Imaillah need also to turn their attention and make programs and do more to address these issues. Similarly the Jama’at system also needs to pay attention to the needs of such members and try to reform them and train them instead of just pushing them aside or ignore them by saying that they cannot be reformed except, of course, such as say openly that they have no connection or association with us. But even about such people, the Jama’at’s mainstream officials should give their information to the auxiliaries because sometimes these kinds of statements are made by them because of the harshness of some senior officials. It is quite likely that they may heed the approaches made by their peers or those who are of their age or occupation etc and so the auxiliaries may be able to reach them and effect a reformation. Wherever this approach has been adopted we have seen success by the Grace of Allah. In some places there are such tarbiyyat secretaries who have developed programs keeping in mind the particular psychology and mindset of such people and such programs had a positive and significant impact and they received very good response from such members who had become alienated so much. In any case our efforts need to be to insure that we will try and save every Ahmadi as far as possible and within our abilities. This is the responsibility of every officeholder and every missionary and murabbee and at every level within the Jama’at and the auxiliary structure of the whole Jama’at - it is everyone’s responsibility. So after this basic statement, let me now turn to the first thing that every Ahmadi must know and that is: What is the purpose of the coming of the Promised Messiah (as) and why is it necessary that we much accept him and attest to the truth of his claim? For this, I thought it best to express the answer in the words of the Promised Messiah (as) himself. The Promised Messiah (as) says: “I have been sent so that I may re-establish the lost glory of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and show to the world the truths contained in the Holy Quran and all this is being done but those whose eyes are covered in a veil cannot see this even though this Movement has become manifest and shines forth like the Sun and so many people are witness to the signs and miracles shown in support of this Movement that if they all be gathered in one place, their numbers would be so many as would outnumber the largest army of any king on the face of the Earth.” The Promised Messiah (as) goes on to say that, “there are so many aspects that may be laid forth in support of the truth of this Movement that it is not easy to be able to mention all of them. Because Islam was defamed in such a brutal and callous way, so God Almighty has manifested the greatness and honor of this Movement in direct proportion to the extreme defamation that was perpetrated against Islam.” Now this is not something that was confined to the time of the Promised Messiah (as). The way in which the Promised Messiah (as) laid out the greatness of the Holy Prophet (sa) and clarified and laid bare the truths of the Holy Quran in his time in his writings and discourses - that is continuing to be done even today. I have recounted frequently how when people are told these truths they feel obliged to speak up and confirm that indeed these are great things and if indeed this is the Holy Example and Life of the Holy Prophet and his teachings then we were indeed in the wrong. I have previously given the example of a great Canadian opponent of Islam who had also printed the Danish cartoons of the Holy Prophet in his magazine, newspaper. This time when he heard my presentation and learnt about the beautiful teachings of Islam, he felt obliged to write in his newspaper that after hearing the Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at he had now realized the truth. And then he went on to accept and acknowledge his error. Similarly, I had told everyone in my previous Khutba that in America a very well known American politician had denigrated Islam on his radio program with particular reference to Jumu’ah and his radio show has a very large audience that runs into the hundreds of thousands. Upon this an Ahmadi young man of ours wrote an article expounding the true teachings of Islam regarding the importance of Jumu’ah and this got posted on their website. Then this politician was written a letter and he was told that what he had said was wrong and this man is, as I said, a very well known and popular politician, and he was asked to give us time on his own radio show and this he did. This was, without a doubt, a reflection of his good nature. So an Ahmadi young man of ours went on this program and by the Grace of Allah presented the true teachings about Jumu’ah and the Holy Quran and after hearing these things he admitted his error and this program also was listened to by hundreds of thousands of people. And they all also acknowledge that it is through the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat that they learn all these true teachings of Islam. And all this is happening and possible because of the truths that the Promised Messiah (as) disclosed to us and laid out before us and it was for this purpose that Allah, the Exalted, had sent him into the world - so that he may make clear to the world the lofty status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and disclose to everyone the truths laid out in the Holy Quran. So this is exactly what is happening through the Promised Messiah (as) and exactly as he had said, the greatness of the Holy Prophet and the truths of the Holy Quran and the beauties of Islam are being established in the world through his efforts and the things he disclosed to the world. So there is no reason why we should be victims to any kind of inferiority complex whatsoever and the young of our Jama’at need have no fear of anyone and should have courage. Wherever the Jama’at’s young are active they are able to shut the mouths of all who try to defame Islam or its Holy Founder or Holy Book. Then it is necessary for each of us also to know why it is important for every one of us to accept and believe in the truth of the Promised Messiah (as). Children as young as 13 or 14 years old ask these questions and their parents do not give them answers properly. Let me again answer in the words of the Promised Messiah (as). This is a detailed exposition of the matter and the auxiliaries can take it and print it in various pieces or portions and get additional guidance from it. At one time some maulvis asked the Promised Messiah (as) that we offer salat, we observe the fasts, we believe in the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) also, so why is there any need for us to believe in you or accept you? The Promised Messiah (as) answered: “Look, just as a man who claims to have believed in Allah and His Messenger and His Book, but then fails to fulfill the requirements of the faith - salat, fasts, Hajj, Zakat, adopting righteousness and purity - and embrace those ordinances of the faith that relate to the attaining of purity of one’s self and abandoning and shunning of all evil and any tendency to commit sin and adopting all those ways that take one towards the doing of good - if such a one abandons all these directives and does not heed them such a one has no right to claim to be a Muslim...” The Promised Messiah (as) says that a person who claims to have adopted Islam but does not follow its teachings and shun evil and adopt righteousness and do good, such a one does not have the right to call himself a Muslim. The Promised Messiah (as) goes on to say: “And it cannot be said that such a one is adorned with the pearls of true faith..similarly a person who does not accept or believe in the Promised Messiah (as) or does not see the need for believing in the Promised Messiah (as) such a one also fails to understand and is totally unaware of the truth of Islam or the need of prophethood and the purpose of the coming of the messengers of God. And such a one is not truly such as can be said to be a true Muslim or a true follower of God and His Messenger, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). Because just as Allah has sent His commandments through the Holy Prophet (sa) in the Holy Quran, in the same way He has, in the Last Days, very clearly prophesied the coming of a Last Khalifa and those who will not believe in him or will stay apart from him have been called the rebellious. There is no difference in the Holy Quran and the ahadees. The words of the ahadees are an explanation of what is contained in the Holy Quran. The word used in the Holy Quran is khalifa and this same last khalifa is referred to in the ahadees as the Promised Messiah. Thus the person with regard to whom a promise is made in the Holy Quran with such grandeur, what kind of a Muslim can he be who asks what is the need to accept this person when he appears?” The Promised Messiah (as) says that, “Allah has extended the period of the coming of the Khulafa till the Day of Judgement. And this is a distinction of Islam that for its help and renewal and staying fresh reformers have been coming and shall continue to come at the head of every century. Look, Allah, the Exalted, has likened the Holy Prophet (sa) to Moses (as).” Here I want to clear up again one matter on which people sometimes make a mistake in connection with the reference to Mujadideen - the Reformers - and they ask that if they will keep coming, then who will they be etc.? The Khulafaa will be the ones who will be the Mujadideen - the Reformers. I have already delivered a detailed Khutba on this matter and notes can be taken from that Khutba and the Promised Messiah (as) has dealt with this subject very clearly and there is much literature in the Jama’at on the topic. The Promised Messiah (as) says, “Look, Allah, the Exalted, has likened the Holy Prophet (sa) to Moses (as) as is clear from the use of the word ‘kama.’ Hazrat Isa (as) - Jesus, was the last khalifa of the Mosaic dispensation as he has himself said, “I am the last brick.” Similarly for the sake of protecting and maintaining the Muhammadi dispensation khulafa came and shall keep on coming till the Day of Judgement and in similar manner the last such Khalifa in the Muhammadi dispensation was named the Promised Messiah. And not just this, that this was mentioned in an ordinary way, but rather the signs of his coming were made mention of in great detail in all the heavenly books. In the Bible and the Gospels and the ahadees and in the Holy Quran itself the signs of his coming have been laid out. And all the peoples, Christians, Jews and Muslims are awaiting his coming and believe in this. Rejecting him can in no way be considered as being a part of Islam. And then when we consider that he is such a person in support of whom Allah has manifested signs in the heavens and in the earth - in support of his claim the plague was sent, and in his support the sign of the eclipses of the moon and the sun were shown at their appointed time. So can such a person in whose support the heavens and the earth have bore witness be considered an ordinary person accepting or rejecting whom may be considered equal or without consequence? And can people who reject him continue to be considered Muslims and the beloved of God? Certainly not! The Promised Messiah (as) goes on to say: “Remember that all the signs that had been foretold concerning the Promised One have all been fulfilled and all sorts of disorder and evils have sullied the world. The saintly and scholarly people of Islam have indeed identified this very age - the 14th century - as the age in which the Promised Messiah was to have appeared.” The Promised Messiah (as) goes on to say: “If even after such unanimous testimony of a large number of the scholarly and saintly people of Islam, someone has any doubts, such a one should turn to a careful study of the Holy Quran ponder over the contents of Sura Nur. Look, just as 1,400 years after Moses (as), Jesus (as) had come so in similar fashion 1,400 years after the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), the Promised Messiah has appeared and just as Jesus (as) was the Khatamul Khulafa of the Mosaic dispensation so the Promised Messiah (as) shall be the Kahatamul Khulafa of the Muhammadi dispensation.” The Promised Messiah (as) has said I am the Khalifa of the last milennium - all who shall now come shall come under him. So the Promised Messiah (as) who was to appear in the 14th century in fulfillment of all the prophecies is indeed Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) himself and it is highly essential that every Ahmadi should read the Promised Messiah (as)’s books. Those who cannot read Urdu - whether they can read English or any other language in the countries where they live - there is ample literature available in many languages in which the purpose of the advent of the Promised Messiah is covered in great detail and why it is necessary that we must accept him and attest to his truth. Everyone needs to make his or her own beliefs and principles well understood and strong. Respond to those who make criticisms or raise objections. Answer them. If you make the needed preparations you will learn yourself and will be in a position to give the answers yourself also. To further these objectives it is also necessary, apart from the efforts that individual Ahmadis must undertake, that the Jama’at and the auxiliaries make their own programs to insure that this information, this education reaches every member of the Jama’at so everyone becomes aware of the purpose of the coming of the Promised Messiah (as) and why it is necessary that we accept him and attest to his truth. So this is the matter that has to do with our beliefs. Now I want to turn to the second item that has to do with our training. This has to do with the connection of the members of the Jama’at with Khilafat. And in connection with this mention has to be made of Muslims Television Ahmadiyya which Allah has given us as a means to further this objective. Similarly we also have the Alislam.org website. So it must be our focus and work to try and insure that ever Ahmadi is connected to these tools as much as possible and the Jama’at System, Nizam and that of the Auxiliaries must also work towards this end. There is a very large number of sincere Ahmadis - sincere and loyal Ahmadis - who come to this Mosque in person and listen to the Khutba and there are many who in various parts of the world via MTA listen to the Khutba and do so regularly - indeed there are some who listen to these khutbas twice or three times. Nevertheless there is a certain number who do not listen. Right here in the UK there are some who do not listen to the Khutbas, nor do they watch the other programs and also do not even participate in some of the programs. In one Jama’at a large number of people did things quite opposed to the teachings and practices of the Jama’at and so, of necessity, disciplinary measures were taken against them and they had to work under some restrictions. When further investigations were done it was found that most of these were people who do not listen to the Khutbas and most were those who are not very actively involved with the Jama’at on a routine daily basis nor do they generally participate in Jama’at programs. But because they had a deep connection with the Jama’at that ran in their blood, that was a part of their being, so when they were made to comply with some restrictions, and they were punished mildly, they became worried and concerned and started writing letters of apology and seeking forgiveness showing great concern and worry. Some came to meet me also. And they would even cry at such times. If they had been worldly minded only, this would not have been their condition. So there are such people who, because of worldly concerns and involvements, become careless of their religious obligations but when their attention is drawn to these things they show that they are ashamed and they start to implore God’s forgiveness and begin to repent and strengthen their connection and involvement with the Jama’at. So this job of reminding and drawing people’s attention to these things is part of the work of the Jama’at System - Nizam which is composed of the Secretaries and the Murabbees and missionaries and the auxiliaries - this is the work of all of these. Try to develop a personal link of every Ahmadi with Khilafat. Try to arouse in the hearts of the Ahmadis love and sincerity and loyalty with Khilafat. It is there in their hearts but when members are reminded and encouraged it shines forth beautifully and if some dirt may have fallen upon this love and connection with Khilafat, upon being reminded, this dirt falls off. If the Tarbiyyat department continues to counsel members to strengthen their connection with Khilafat and keep drawing their attention to all the Jama’at programs and Khutbat and activities then we will see that while their connection to Khilafat will get stronger there also will be automatically resolved many tarbiyyat issues. The next thing that I want to draw everyone’s attention towards is the need to make clear to every Ahmadi their obligations regarding financial contributions - chandas. Remember that Chanda is not a tax. In fact Chanda is one of those obligations that has been mentioned again and again in the Holy Quran. For example, Allah, the Exalted says in one place: [64:17] So fear Allah as best you can, and listen, and obey, and spend in His cause; it will be good for yourselves. And whoso is rid of the covetousness of his own soul — it is such who shall be successful. [64:18] If you lend to Allah a good loan, He will multiply it for you, and will forgive you; and Allah is Most Appreciating, Forbearing, So it is clear from these verses that to spend in the way of Allah is most essential for a believer. Those people will attain to success only who spend in the way of Allah. And it is said that your spending in the way of Allah is as if you have lent to Allah a loan. And Allah is that Being Who returns that which is lent to Him multiplied many-fold. And people write to me many such incidents that we gave such and such chanda in the way of Allah and Allah returned it to us having multiplied it many-fold and I have mentioned many such accounts repeatedly. Allah is Ghani - Self Sufficient, and in no need of our money. In reality this is to purify us, and to see our level of obedience, and to see us advancing on the ways of righteousness, and to see how far we will fulfill our pledges of being ready to spend in His way. Allah calls upon us to spend in His way to cause the Religion of Allah to be made to spread everywhere. Every Ahmadi needs to understand this spirit of spending in the way of Allah which is why we give chanda. If we give chanda to please some secretary finance or some Jama’at President or to get him off our back then there is no value to such chanda giving - it would be better for such a person to not give chanda. If you give chanda in competition with someone else to simply show that you are giving more, than this too has no benefit either. In summary any reason other than seeking the pleasure of Allah is wrong and anyone who is giving chanda must always think that it is indeed the Grace and Bounty of Allah upon him that He is giving him the ability to spend in His way, rather than thinking that by giving chanda the person is bestowing a favor upon God or upon the Jama’at. So everyone who gives chanda must keep in mind that by doing so they are trying to gain the favor of Allah and win His pleasure. Financial sacrifice is an extremely important thing for divinely established Jama’ats. This is why I have said to all Jama’ats that they must try their utmost to have all new Ahmadis and children participate in the financial sacrifices towards Waqf-e-Jadid and Tehrik-e-Jadid - even if they do so by donating a single penny, so that they acquire the habit and become those who begin to receive the Grace and Bounty of Allah. Discussing the importance of chandas at one place the Promised Messiah (as) says: In the world we see that man loves wealth very highly. This is why it is written in the books on interpretation of dreams that if one sees in a dream that he has taken out his liver to give to someone then by this is meant wealth. This is why it is said that for the acquisition of real righteousness and piety, [3:93] Never shall you attain to righteousness unless you spend out of that which you love; The fact is that sympathy for mankind involves the spending on them of one’s wealth and till one spends to help humanity and makes sacrifices for this, one’s faith is not complete. How can one be of benefit to another without sacrificing. To be of benefit to another, sacrifice is essential. And in this verse this same sacrifice has been mentioned. So spending in the way of service to humanity is a measure of a person’s level of righteousness and piety. This level was seen in the life of Abu Bakr when the Holy Prophet (sa) expressed the need for such sacrifice and he brought everything that was in his house and presented it to him. So it is necessary that the finance secretaries of the Jama’at train the members in this way and tell them that their righteousness and faith becomes strong through financial sacrifices. Similarly the murabbis also should so counsel the members of the Jama’at whenever they get an opportunity to do so. This needs constant attention. The finance secretaries need to become active at every level. Their duty is to attend to their responsibilities and they should have a personal approach to every person. It should not be the case that this work should be handed off to the auxiliaries that they should attend to this. The auxiliaries can help only to the extent of counseling their members, beyond this it is not the job of the auxiliaries. They can focus the attention of their members and tell them to cooperate with the finance secretaries and understand the spirit of chanda giving. It is the job of the finance secretaries that they try to reach every house and residence. Nowadays there are many conveniences and especially here in Europe. In Pakistan there were finance secretaries who worked all day and then spent their evenings visiting the people in their houses...in large cities like Lahore and Karachi using bicycles they would be seen going from house to house counseling people and drawing their attention to these things. Here there are many conveniences and still they do not do their work as it needs to be done and I have received some reports that some of these finance secretaries themselves are not chanda payers at the required level. If their own chandas are not of the required level then how can such people counsel others? And this work needs to be done with love and affection and mildness. Sometimes some people become hardened so you need to go again and again, once, twice, third or even the fourth time but each time your demeanor needs to always be loving, kind and mild and no sign of harshness should be apparent on your forehead. No one should think - and all who give chanda should remember this - that the Jama’at System - Nizam - is running because of their chandas and this is why the Finance secretary comes to him again and again. This is a promise of Allah that He made with the Promised Messiah (as) that there would never be any financial straitened circumstances and things will continue insha-Allah. If he was ever concerned it was that the monies should be spent properly. By the Grace of Allah, the Exalted, we try to insure that expenditures are done in the most correct way possible. If in some places some carelessness is detected, people’s attention is drawn to such things and a system of auditing is in place for this very purpose. And this is the responsibility of the Ameer of the Jama’at that he should keep a careful eye on the expenditures and not that any and all bills that come are automatically approved of necessity. Make the audit system effective and allow it to run with independence and authority so that the auditors can work with full authority and they should be afforded complete powers. With regard to expenditures, let me tell everyone that MTA is a very big expense and separate announcements and appeals are made for it and amounts are collected but the work is now spread all over the earth and five satellites are being used and these expenses cannot be covered by just these amounts. Monies from the general budget of the Jama’at are used also. So people should also pay attention to these needs. If people listen to my Second Day of Jalsa Speech that I deliver here in the UK then everyone would realize how much blessing Allah has placed in the money of the Jama’at and how amazingly larger and larger the Jama’at’s work continues to expand and grow. By the Grace and Mercy of Allah all these expenditures are taken care of on the basis of the financial sacrifices of the members of the Jama’at. Apart from these items I also want to draw the attention of the Jama’at to some routine operational tasks. As I have said before it is necessary that people listen to the Khutbas of the Khalifa of the time and to the other directions that are given at various times and occasions. While the officeholders draw the attention of the membership to these things they themselves also should pay attention to these things. It is very much the duty of the Ameer of the country that if some directive or guidance is given in a Khutba or if there is some training and education issue highlighted he should immediately note it down and circulate it to the Presidents of the Jama’ats immediately and then the item should be carefully followed up on and it should be assessed regularly to see to what extent there is action being taken on the matter. Insofar as reporting is concerned, it is the practice of Ameer Jama’at USA alone so far that this is done and reported on and the others should also act on these lines. The UK is a small place and if work is done properly on this then much better results can be achieved here than anywhere else. Similarly, if any orders are issued from the Center or from me these should be conveyed immediately to all Jama’ats and then there should be follow up on this and feedback should be gotten and provided. Similarly the national Ameer should not simply appoint some regional ameers and then sit and say that the regional ameers are taking care of things. This should not be happening. This is not the right way to do things. As far as I have observed, the distances between the membership and the Center are growing as a result of this. In fact people are beginning to feel that they cannot get to the Center directly - I mean their own national Center and there is urgent need to end this feeling. So here and in other places also care should be taken to insure that at least two times per year a meeting should take place between the Presidents and the Ameer and an assessment should be made of the speed at which work is progressing. Those Presidents who do not carry out their duties despite repeated reminders, their reports should be sent to me. This should be also done for the secretaries of finance, tarbiyyat and tabligh - if not twice a year then at least once a year such a meeting must take place and a pulse should be taken of their pace of work. If these secretaries become effective and active then the concerns and issues faced by the other departments would get resolved automatically on their own. So, as of today, the National Ameers must make their plans and programs on how they will reach out to every local Jama’at and make the Nizam of the Jama’at fully operational and effective. This is not a difficult task at all for the UK and other small countries where the people can be gotten together easily at the national headquarters. The bigger countries like USA and Canada need to make plans on how they can establish personal contact and achieve this level of effectiveness and ensure that all Jama’ats become fully active and operating efficiently as required by the System of the Jama’at. One more thing that I have said many times before also is that the members of the Jama’at must be treated with love and affection and kindness. The things that I said at the Majlis Shoora must be made to reach every officeholder and Tabshir must make sure that this happens. With regard to routine operational matter I want to say one more things that all officeholders must become acquainted with their own office rules and requirements and responsibilities and powers. Every officeholder must know his rights and responsibilities. One of the responsibilities of the National Ameer is that when appointing a Regional Ameer he must inform the Center of the duties and powers assigned to him. There is no action being taken on this anywhere as far as I can tell because I do not recall having ever received a letter stating that such and such a person has been appointed Regional Ameer and he has been given these powers and responsibilities. Rule #177 is written about this and is very clear. Now there is need for this and attention must be paid to this. The Umara must make it a point to study the Rules 215 to 220 in the book of rules and keep them always in mind and act upon them - especially when a decision needs to be made upon a particular matter. In this connection I want to remind the missionaries also that they too should discharge their responsibilities and one of these responsibilities is that they should arrange to teach the Holy Quran in the Jama’ats. If they are on a tour of the Jama’ats they should try to train such teachers who could teach the members the Holy Quran. These classes must take place regularly, once or twice a week is not sufficient - at Maghrib or Isha, these classes can take place. If the Missionary is not on tour and is present himself he should take the classes himself. Many complaints are coming that we do not have anyone who can teach our children the Holy Quran and we are having to send our children to non-Ahmadis. Similarly there is the need for the children to be taught the qaida yassarnalquran. By doing this you will have the added benefit of attaching them to the mosques and this will be a very beneficial result of this activity and the benefit of teaching the Holy Quran is full of blessings that is very obviously there in any case. The missionaries also need to remember that usually they shift their place of work every three or four years and if necessary even in a shorter period. I have heard from some countries that there is some reluctance shown sometimes. They should accept this happily. By the Grace of Allah this has not been seen by me here in the UK at least. It is also important to remember that if it is necessary to draw the attention of the Ameer to some important matter which has to do with the sacred practices of the Jama’at or that has to do with the requirements of the Sharia, you should do this in a polite and respectful manner. But if the advice is not accepted and damage is being done to the Jama’at or some rules of Sharia are being violated then by all means let me know. There should be no need for any kind of argumentation or involvement in obstinacy of any kind taking place as a result - because such things then become the cause of creating divisions within the Jama’at. It is true that I had once said that the murabbis can draw the attention of the Umara to requirements of the Sharia etc but this needs to be done following this direction. May Allah enable all of us to become true Ahmadis and enable us to discharge all our responsibilities properly. Aameen. Thank you for reading and if you want to read more interesting articles by this and other writers / speakers visit www.tahirregion.weebly.com. Please feel free to comment and share this article with your friends. |
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