The Review of Religions by A K

January 2011 - vol. 106 - issue one

The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets(saw ) part 2

The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam 12

Biodiversity 36

Imam Hussain(ra) and Karbala 40

David(as) 50

The Promised Messiah and imam mahdi and founder of the review of religions

Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi was born to a noble family in Qadian, India. From an early age he had a keen interest in religion and developed a love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw). He was also known for his honesty, friendliness and resolve. Over time his knowledge and understanding of religion and its application to society deepened. Being a Muslim it was his firm belief that all religions were true at their source but with the passage of time had drifted away from their original teachings; he upheld the dignity of religion and demonstrated its relevance to everyone.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw) prophesied that the Promised Messiah(as) would be raised near a white minaret, east of Damascus. This prophecy was fulfiled with the advent of the Promised Messiah(as) from Qadian, India, a city directly east of Damascus.

Hadhrat Ahmad(as) had established himself as a respected writer and had written over 80 books. His writings have been translated into more than 60 languages and continue to inspire readers to this day. One of his greatest scholarly works was The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, prepared as a paper and read out at the Conference of Great Religions in 1896.

His earnest defence of religion was ultimately blessed when he started to receive direct revelation from Allah – a blessing that he received for the rest of his life.

He also wrote a fascinating treatise in 1899 entitled Jesus in India, a book that uncovered remarkable evidence of Jesus(as)’s journey to India. In 1902 the Promised Messiah(as) initiated The Review of Religions which has covered a vast array of topics on religion, philosophy and contemporary issues of the day. It is the longest running English magazine in defence of Islam and the values it teaches.

His mission was to revitalise the truth that all religions held within them and to revive the teachings of Islam. It was through this that he would bring mankind together and establish everlasting peace.

From 1889 until the time of his demise in 1908 tens of thousands of people accepted him. This blessing has continued and will continue through his Khalifas (successors).

In 1889, under Divine Guidance, Hadhrat Ahmad(as) founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – a community that has since grown in its stature and strength and has remained active in conveying the message of Islam to the ends of the earth.

Currently under the fifth successor, we are seeing that the tide of acceptance is worldwide and that the message of Prophet Ahmad has really reached the ends of the earth.

Equality “Whoso acts righteously, whether male or female, and is a believer, We will surely grant him a pure life; and We will surely bestow on such their reward according to the best of their works.” Islam, the Holy Qur’an, Ch.16:V.98

“Allah does not look at your appearance or your possessions; but He looks at your heart and your deeds.” The Holy Prophet(saw ), narration of Abu Huraira(ra) in Muslim

“So what of all these titles, names, and races? They are mere worldly conventions.”

Buddhism, Sutta Nipata, 648

“I call heaven and earth to witness: whether Jew or Gentile, whether man or woman, whether servant or freeman, they are all equal in this: that the Holy Spirit rests upon them in accordance with their deeds!” Judaism, Midrash, Seder Eliyyahu Rabbah 10

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

“Our God has never discriminated between one people and another… The earth created by God Christianity, Bible, provides a common floor Romans, 2.9-11 for all people alike, and His sun and moon and “I look upon all creatures many stars are a source equally; none are less dear of radiance and provide to me and none more dear.” benefits to everyone equally.” Hindusim, Bhagavad Gita, The Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi(as), A Message of Peace

9.29

“Know all human beings to be repositories of Divine Light; stop not to inquire about their caste; in the hereafter there are no castes.”

Sikhism, Adi Grant, Asa, M.1, p.349

“By nature men are pretty much alike; it is learning and practice that set them apart.”

Confucianism, Analects, 17.2

“The Law is that which leads to welfare and salvation. It forms conduct and character distinguished by the sense of equality among all beings.” Jainism, Somadeva, Nitivakyamrita, 1.1

contents january 2011

6 Editorial

New Year, New Resolutions Tommy Kallon, UK

8 Notes & Comments Differently Able Fazal Ahmad, UK

12 The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam — Part I

Based exclusively on the Holy Qur’an, a unique philosophy of Islamic thought underlying its deep wisdom that won world acclaim Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi

24 The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets(saw) — Part 2 Remarkable incidents from the early life of the Holy Prophet(saw) Hadhrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra)

36 Biodiversity

2010 was designated International Year of Biodiversity to engage the world to fight to protect life on Earth. To what extent have these efforts been successful? Mansoor Shah, UK

MANAGEMENT BOARD Munir-ud-din Shams (Chairman), Mansoor Shah (Secretary), Naseer Ahmad Qamar, Mubarak Ahmad Zafar, Mirza Fakhar Ahmad, Abdul Baqi Arshad

40 Imam Hussain(ra) and the Tragedy of Karbala The merciless massacre of the grandson of the Holy Prophet(saw), Imam Hussain(ra), his family and companions in the fields of Karbala that led to the Shiite-Sunni split

Hafiz Muzaffar Ahmad, Rabwah, Pakistan

50 David(as)

A highly respected figure in all Abrahamic faiths. Exploring circumstances of his life and his impact on Judaism Fazal Ahmad, UK

60 Calendar of Religious Events and Festivals January 2011

62 From Phenomenon to Calamity Asif M Basit

CHIEF EDITOR & MANAGER Mansoor Ahmed Shah EDITORIAL BOARD Adam Walker, Amer Safir, Bockarie Tommy Kallon, Fareed Ahmad, Fauzia Bajwa, Fazal Ahmad, Khullat Munir, Mansoor Saqi, Nakasha Ahmad, Sarah Waseem, Tanveer Khokhar  PROOFREADERS Abdul Ghany Jahangeer Khan, Farhana Dar, Munavara Ghauri DISTRIBUTION Muhammad Hanif DESIGN AND LAYOUT Ahsan Khan SPECIAL CONTRIBUTER Arif Khan PUBLISHER Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah Ltd. Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. All correspondence should be forwarded to the Editor at: The Review of Religions Tahir House 22 Deer Park Road London, SW19 3TL United Kingdom Telephone: + 44 20 8544 7614 Fax: + 44 20 3044 3030 info@reviewofreligions.org www.reviewofreligions.org

editorial

New Year, New Resolutions Tommy Kallon, UK

As another year came to a close and a new one began, nations across the world euphorically celebrated with magnificent firework displays across major cities. Sadly, for many this only occasioned a pretext to drink, socialise and engage in merry-making. For believers, however, the beginning of anything new is an opportunity to render thanks and praise to Allah, the Almighty, for His bounties in the past and to beseech Him to bestow on them even greater bounties and shelter them under the mantle of His impenetrable protection in the future. While for many the New Year will give rise to trite resolutions about eating, drinking or shopping less, the believers resolve more than ever before to enhance their standards of piety 6 The Review of Religions | January 2011

and righteousness, to become more sincere in their devotion, more eager in their response to the call of duty and to proliferate their supplications and prayers in the future. The dawn of each year reminds us that we are on this earth only for a finite time and draws our attention to the following Divine exhortation of the Holy Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an: By the testimony of time, surely, man is in a state of loss, except those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to accept truth, and exhort one another to be steadfast. (Ch.103:Vs.2-4) Humphrey Fisher accuses Ahmadis of translating â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Asr in the above verse as

‘time’ “rather than the more commonly understood ‘evening’” shows how little he understands Arabic because an evening rendering would be entirely meaningless. Paying heed to the heavenly guidance, the inception of a new year should bring with it an increasing imperative. More than a composite of the usual emaciated resolutions, we should resolve and strive to instil within ourselves a relentless yearning to achieve a pious change in our lives, to act with remarkable kindness, humility, gratitude, justice and truthfulness in every sphere of life, to instil greater God-consciousness in our hearts and to stand tallest among the servants of Allah.

The birth of any new period of reckoning is indeed a time for selfevaluation but it is only by making it a time for true spiritual awakening would we be included in that righteous class, described in the following terms by Allah, the Almighty, Himself in the Holy Qur’an: They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and enjoin what is good and forbid evil, and hasten, vying with one another, in good works. And these are among the righteous. (Ch.3:V.115) May Allah enable everyone to enjoy a blessed, peaceful and prosperous 2011. Ameen.

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notes & comments

Differently Able Fazal Ahmad, UK

For centuries, people have been labelled by mainstream society as disabled and suffered limited life opportunities and discrimination. Conditions such as Downs Syndrome, blindness, deafness and Autism have been treated with pity at best, and sometimes neglect and even abuse. Religious societies are taught to treat all people with dignity and equality, but in reality, this is seldom the case. Yet, a lot of recent research is showing a different side to this story. There are many cases of people with Autism (a spectrum of conditions rather than a specific condition) finding it hard to engage with society whilst having extraordinary skills in other areas such as mental arithmetic, art and literacy. On the milder end of the spectrum, people with Aspergers Syndrome are often cited as having a genius ability in their admittedly narrow area of interest. A more recent study by the University of Western Ontario in Canada (reported in Nature Neuroscience) suggests that 8 The Review of Religions | January 2011

people born deaf may develop and adjust their brains by rewiring connections to enable them to spot and track objects visually much faster than a normal person. This compensates for the lack of hearing of the person. There are other stories of people gifted with much stronger sense of smell than normal, and putting that to amazing use. Nature too shows us so many instances of creatures which appear weaker in so many senses, yet show abnormal strength in other areas. Tiny creatures can carry more than 50 times their body weight. So nature also alerts us to this balance of skills. There are some societies in Europe and North America where they are providing hope, dignity, opportunity and equality for people with a range of conditions. The United Kingdom sets a standard for treating people with ‘disabilities’ and encouraging them to participate fully in society. This should inspire other nations to do the same. People with ‘disabilities’ actually have a lot to offer, and are often far more

motivated than ‘normal’ or ‘able-bodied’ people. Even children with severe difficulties are highly valued by their families and have a unique character and charm that must not be under-valued. We still understand very little about the human mind and spirit. Referring to the earlier study about deaf people developing an enhanced spatial awareness, Dr. Stephen Lomber is quoted as saying: “The brain wants to compensate for the lost sense (hearing) with enhancements that are beneficial. If you’re deaf, you would benefit from seeing a car coming far off in your peripheral vision, because you can’t hear that car approaching from the side; the same with being able to more accurately detect how fast something is moving.” This is surely just one of many areas in which the brain and body learn to compensate. Look at the way people who have lost a limb are able to train themselves with prosthetics and are then able to run at great speed. Even in the sphere of religion, Moses(as) did not have fluent speech, yet due to his conviction and piety, was able to deliver a strong and clear message to Pharaoh (Qur’an, Ch.20:Vs.28-29) The Almighty Creator judges individuals on the basis of the rightful use of their given abilities and takes into account

human weaknesses and personal disadvantage. The Holy Qur’an states: Allah burdens not any soul beyond its capacity. It shall have the reward it earns, and it shall get the punishment it deserves. (Ch.2:V.287). The fact is that humans have created a view of what is normal and what is abnormal; what it is to be able, and what it must be to be disabled. We must realise that although some people are not given abilities that we might consider normal, often they might be given other abilities which we would definitely consider abnormal and amazing. Perhaps rather than considering them as disabled, we should class them as ‘differently able’. Indeed, in many cases, their achievements in spite of their capabilities would put the rest of us to shame. For completeness, we must mention the verse: But whoso is blind in this world will be blind in the Hereafter, and even more astray from the way. (Ch.17:V.73). Here blindness refers not to the physically blind but those who are spiritually blind, who hold themselves above reckoning, who do not believe in their Creator. It is such who are blind in this world and their blindness will continue in the Hereafter. January 2011

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An Introduction to The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam An Introduction to The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam With the renewed public and media interest in Islam, The Review of Religions is reprinting, in serial form, the well-known essay The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as). This essay presents the deep meaning and intellectual sophistication behind true Islamic principles. It offers Islamic arguments that take into account the psychology of human psyche, and represent the true Islamic model as taught by the Founder of Islam, the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw). Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian(as), the Promised Messiah, was the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and originally wrote this as an essay in Urdu, Islami Usul Ki Philosphy. It was presented at the second 10 The Review of Religions | January 2011

Conference of Great Religions in Lahore. Organised by a Hindu named Swami Sadhu Shugan Chandar. The purpose of the conference was to gather learned representatives from many of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading religions in order to discover the true religion. Each representative was asked to present to the audience the beauties of their own religion based upon its source, proving that it was the true religion. The idea behind the conference was that, having listened to proofs and arguments from a variety of religious faiths, the audience would be better informed to make its religious choice. To this end, each participant was asked to answer the following five questions published in advance by a committee, to be answered by each speaker using his religionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s holy book:

What are the the physical, moral, and spiritual states of man? What is the state of man after death? What is the true purpose of man’s existence on earth, and how can this be achieved? What are the affects of one’s deeds in this life and the after life? W hat are the sources of divine knowledge? The conference was widely attended and brought together representatives from a variety of faiths, including Hinduism, Christianity, Free Thinkers, and Sikhism, as well as scholars, lawyers, doctors and thousands of other professionals and academics. While the Promised Messiah(as) was unable to attend, he sent one of his Companions, Maulvi Abdul Karim(ra), to read out the essay. Six people were chosen as moderators, including the Judge of the Chief Court of Punjab and the former Governor of Jammu. Before the conference had even begun, the Promised Messiah (as) publicly declared that his was no ordinary manuscript: “God, the All-Knowing, has revealed to me that my paper will be declared supreme over all other papers.”

“by far the best lecture at the conference was the one written by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.” Indeed, the events of the conference amply proved his claim. While each speaker was allotted two hours to present on the five questions, when Maulawi Abdul Karim’s first two hours had finished, he had not yet gone through even half of the paper. But the audience was so captivated by the essay that the moderators agreed to extend the conference in order to finish the reading of the paper. Moreover, in reports of the conference, various newspapers declared the superiority of this essay. For example, The Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore, declared that it “was an expert and flawless defence of Islam,” while the newspaper Chaudhawin Sadi reported, “by far the best lecture at the conference was the one written by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.” Given the significance of this essay then, it is essential reading for anyone who wants to gain a deeper insight into the principles and meaning behind the teachings of Islam. January 2011

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The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam part 1

Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi translated from urdu by sir muhammad zafrulla khan

Grand news for those searching the truth In the conference of Great Religions which will be held in Lahore Town Hall on the 26th, 27th and 28th of December 1896, a paper written by this humble one, dealing with the excellences and miracles 12 The Review of Religions | January 2011

of the Holy Qur’an, will be read out. This paper is not the result of ordinary human effort but is a sign among the signs of God, written with His special support. It sets forth the beauties and truths of the Holy Qur’an and establishes like the noon-day sun that the Holy Qur’an is

in truth God’s own Word and is a book revealed by the Lord of all creation.

all directions. It also illumined my hands. Thereupon someone, who was standing by me, proclaimed in a loud voice: Allahu Everyone who listens to this paper from Akbar, Kharibat Khaibar (God is Great, the beginning to the end, to my treat- Khaibar has fallen). The interpretation is ment of all the five themes prescribed for that by my mansion is meant my heart on the conference, will, I am sure, develop which the heavenly light of the verities a new faith and will perceive a new light of the Holy Qur’an is descending, and by shining within himself and will acquire Khaibar are meant all the perverted relia comprehensive commentary on the gions which are afflicted with paganism Holy Word of God. This paper of mine and falsehood, in which man has been is free from human weakness, empty raised to occupy the place of God, or in boasts and vain assertions. I have been which divine attributes have been cast moved by sympathy for my fellow human down from their perfect station. beings to make this announcement, so that they should witness the beauty of It was thus disclosed to me that the wide the Holy Qur’an and should realise how publication of this paper would expose mistaken our opponents are in that they the untruth of false religions and the love darkness and hate light. God, the truth of the Qur’an will spread progresAll-Knowing, has revealed to me that my sively around the earth until it arrives paper will be declared supreme over all at its climax. From this vision my mind other papers. It is full of the light of truth, moved towards the reception of revelawisdom and understanding which will tion and I received the revelation: “God put to shame all other parties, provided is with you, and God stands where you they attend the conference and listen to it stand. This is a metaphor conveying the from beginning to end. They will not be assurances of Divine support.” I need able to match these qualities from their write no more. I urge everyone to attend scriptures, whether they are Christians the conference in Lahore even at some or Aryas or those of Sanatan Dharm or inconvenience and listen to these verities. any others, because God Almighty has If they do so their reason and their faith determined that the glory of His Holy will derive such benefit as is beyond their Book shall be manifested on that day. expectation. Peace be upon those who follow the guidance. I saw in a vision that out of the unseen a hand was laid on my mansion and by Ghulam Ahmad the touch of that hand a shining light Qadian, 21 December 1896. emerged from the mansion and spread in January 2011

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Essay by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad , read out by Maulana Abdul Karim in Lahore in the Conference of Great Religions Dharam Mahutsu on 27th December 1896 (as)

Bismillah Hir-Rahman Nir-Raheem (In the Name of Allah, the Gracious the Merciful) Nahmaduhu wa Nusalli ‘Alaa Rasulihil Kareem (We praise Allah and send salutations upon His noble Prophet ) (saw)

It is necessary that a claim and the reasons in support of it must be set forth from a revealed book. In this auspicious Conference the purpose of which is that those who have been invited to participate in it should expound the merits of their respective religions with reference to the questions that have been formulated. I shall today set forth the merits of Islam. Before I proceed to do so I deem it proper to announce that I have made it obligatory upon myself that whatever I state will be based upon the Holy Qur’an, which is the Word of God Almighty. I consider it essential that everyone who follows a book, believing it to be 14 The Review of Religions | January 2011

revealed, should base his exposition upon that book and should not so extend the scope of his advocacy of his faith as if he is compiling a new book. As it is my purpose today to establish the merits of the Holy Qur’an and to demonstrate its excellence, it is incumbent upon me not to state anything which is not comprehended in the Qur’an and to set forth everything on the basis of its verses and in accord with their meaning and that which might be inferred from them, so that those attending the Conference should encounter no difficulty in carrying out a comparison between the teachings of different religions. As all those who believe in a revealed book will also confine themselves to statements comprised in their respective revealed books, I shall not make any reference to the traditions of the Holy Prophet(saw), inasmuch as all true traditions are only derived from the Holy Qur’an which is a perfect book comprehending all other books. In short, this is the day of the manifestation of the glory of the Holy Qur’an and I humbly beseech God Almighty to assist me in this undertaking – Amin. FIRST QUESTION The Physical, Moral and Spiritual States of Man

In the first few pages of this paper I have set forth certain introductory matters which might at first sight seem irrelevant, and yet it is necessary to have a clear concept of those matters for the proper appreciation of the reply to the quest on that has been set out above. Three Types of Human Actions The first question relates to the natural, moral and spiritual states of man. The Holy Qur’an has indicated three separate sources of these three states. In other words, it has pointed out three springs out of which these respective states flow. First Source: The Self that Incites to Evil The first spring, which is the source of all natural states is designated by the Holy Qur’an the Nafsi Ammarah, which means the self that incites to evil, as it says:

which predominates over the mind of a person before he enters upon the moral state. This is man’s natural state, so long as he is not guided by reason and understanding but follows his natural bent in eating, drinking, sleeping, waking, anger and provocation, like the animals. When a person is guided by reason and understanding and brings his natural state under control and regulates it in a proper manner, then these three states, as described, cease to remain the categories as natural states, but are called moral states. Second Source: The Reproving Self The source of the moral state of man is designated by the Holy Qur’an as Nafsi Lawwamah, as is said:

…the soul is surely prone to enjoin evil… (Ch.12:V.54) This means that it is a characteristic of the human self that it incites man to evil and is opposed to his attainment of perfection and to his moral state, and urges him towards undesirable and evil ways. Thus the propensity towards evil and intemperance is a human state

A person’s spiritual state varies at different stages of his or her life

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….and I do call to witness the selfaccusing soul…. (Ch.75.V.3)

manifested in any aspect of human life, and natural emotions and desires should be regulated by reason.

That is, I call to witness the reproving As it reproves every vicious movement, self; that is to say, I call to witness the it is called the reproving self. Though it self that reproves itself for every vice reproves itself in respect of vices, yet it is and intemperance. This reproving self is not fully effective in practicing virtue and the second source of human state from occasionally it is dominated by natural which the moral state is generated. At emotions, when it stumbles and falls. It this stage man ceases to resemble the is like a weak child who does not wish animals. Calling it to witness is for to stumble and fall but does so out of the purpose of doing it honour, as if weakness, and is then remorseful over his by advancing from the state of the self infirmity. In short, this is the moral state that is prone to evil and arriving at the of human self when it seeks to comprestate of the reproving self, it has become hend within itself high moral qualities worthy of honour in divine estimation. and is disgusted with disobedience, but cannot achieve complete success. It is so called as it reproves man on vice and is not reconciled to man’s submit- The Third Source: ting to his natural desires and leading The Soul at Rest an unbridled existence like the animals. The third source which should be It desires that man should be in a good described as the beginning of the spiristate and should practise good morals, tual state of man is called by the Holy and no kind of intemperance should be Qur’an Nafsi Mutma’innah, that is to say, the soul at rest, as is said:

It is like a weak child who does not wish to stumble and fall but does so out of weakness, and is then remorseful over his infirmity 16 The Review of Religions | January 2011

And you! O Soul at peace! Return to your Lord well pleased with Him and He well pleased with you. So enter you among My chosen servants, And enter you My Garden. (Ch.89-Vs.28-31)

That is, O soul at rest that has found com- That is, he who purifies his soul of earthly fort in God return to thy Lord, thou well passions shall be saved and shall not sufpleased with Him and He well pleased fer ruin, but he who is overcome by his with thee. Now join My chosen servants earthly passions should despair of life. and enter into My garden. In short, these three states may be called This is the stage when the soul of a per- the natural, moral and spiritual states of son being delivered from all weaknesses man. As the natural urges of man become is filled with spiritual powers and estab- very dangerous when they are roused lishes a relationship with God Almighty and often destroy the moral and spiriwithout Whose support it cannot exist. tual qualities, they are described in God’s As water flowing down from a height, on Holy Book as the self that incites to evil. account of its volume and the absence It may be asked what is the attitude of of any obstruction, rushes with great the Holy Qur’an towards the natural force, in the same way the soul at rest state of man, what guidance does it furflows towards God. That is indicated by nish concerning it and how does it seek the divine direction to the soul that has to control it? found comfort in God to return to its Lord. It undergoes a great transforma- The answer is that according to the Holy tion in this very life and is bestowed a Qur’an the natural state of man has a paradise while still in this world. As this very strong relationship with his moral verse indicates in its direction to such a and spiritual states, so much so that even soul to return to its Lord, it is nourished a person’s manner of eating and drinkby its Lord and its love of God becomes ing affects his moral and spiritual states. its nurture, and it drinks at this fountain If the natural state of a person is subof life and is thus delivered from death. jected to the control of the directions This is indicated at another place in the of divine law it becomes his moral state Holy Qur’an where it is said: and deeply affects his spirituality, as is said that whatever falls into a salt mine is He indeed truly prospers who purifies it. converted into salt. That is why the Holy And he who corrupts it is ruined. Qur’an has laid stress on physical cleanliness and postures, and their regulation in (Ch.91:Vs.10-11) January 2011

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Eating various kinds of foods in moderation is important

relation to all worship and inner purity and spiritual humility. Reflection confirms that physical conditions deeply affect the soul. For instance, when our eyes are filled with tears, even if the tears are artificially induced, the heart is immediately affected and becomes sorrowful. In the same way, when we begin to laugh, even if the laughter is artificially induced, the heart begins to feel cheerful. It has also been observed that physical prostration in prayer induces humility in the soul. As a contrast when we draw ourselves up physically and strut about with our neck raised and our breast pushed forward, this attitude induces a mood of arrogance and vain glory. These instances establish clearly that physical conditions certainly affect spiritual conditions. 18 The Review of Religions | January 2011

Experience also shows that different types of food affect the intellect and the mind in different ways. For instance, careful observation would disclose that people who refrain altogether from eating meat gradually suffer a decline of the faculty of bravery; they lose courage and thus suffer the loss of a divinely bestowed praiseworthy faculty. This is reinforced by the evidence of the divine law of nature that the herbivorous animals do not possess the same degree of courage as do carnivorous ones. The same applies to birds. Thus there is no doubt that morals are affected by food. Conversely those who are given to a diet consisting mainly of meat and eat very little of greens suffer a decline of meekness and humility. Those who adopt the middle course develop both types of moral qualities. That is why God Almighty has said in the Holy Qur’an: …Eat and drink but do not be immoderate…. (Ch.7:V.32) That is to say, eat meat and other foods but do not eat anything to excess, lest your moral state be adversely affected and your health might suffer. As the soul is affected by physical

conduct, in the same way sometimes the soul affects the body. For instance, when a person experiences sorrow his eyes become wet, and a person who feels happy, smiles. All our natural actions like eating, drinking, sleeping, waking, moving about, resting, bathing etc., affect our spiritual condition. Our physical structure is related intimately to our total humanity. If a certain part of the brain is injured, memory is immediately lost. Spiritual birth is similar to physical evolvement An injury to another part of the brain causes loss of consciousness. Poisonous air affects the body and through it the mind, and the whole inner system, ...Then We develop it into a new creation. So to which the moral impulses are related, blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators. is impaired and the unfortunate victim (Ch.23:V.15) passes out quickly like a madman. This means that God bestows a new creThus physical injuries disclose that there ation on the body that is prepared in the is a mysterious relationship between the womb and that new creation is called the soul and the body which is beyond the soul. Greatly blessed is God Who has no ken of man. Reflection shows that the equal as a creator. body is the mother of the soul. The soul does not descend from outside into the The affirmation that a new creation womb of a pregnant woman. It is a light is manifested from the body is a mysthat is inherent in the sperm which tery that reveals the reality of the soul begins to shine forth with the develop- and points to the strong relationship ment of the foetus. The Word of God between the soul and the body. We are Almighty conveys to us that the soul also instructed thereby that the same phibecomes manifest from the framework losophy underlies the physical acts and that is prepared in the womb from the words and movements when they are sperm, as is said in the Holy Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an: manifested in the cause of God, that is to January 2011

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say, all these sincere actions are charged with a soul as the sperm is charged with a soul. As the framework of those actions is developed, the soul with which they are charged begins to shine and when that framework becomes complete the soul inside it shines forth in its full manifestation and discloses its spiritual aspect. At that stage those actions become fully alive. This means that when the framework of actions is completed, something shines forth from it suddenly like a flash of lightning. This is the stage concerning which God Almighty says in the Holy Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an: So when I have fashioned him in perfection and have breathed into him of My Spirit, fall you down into submission to him. (Ch.15:V.30) That is, when I have completed his framework and have set right all his manifestations of glory and have breathed into him My spirit, then fall down in prostration all of you, on his account. This verse indicates that when the framework of actions is completed, a soul shines forth in it, which God attributes to Himself inasmuch as that framework is completed at the cost of worldly life. Thus the divine light which is dim in the beginning suddenly shines 20 The Review of Religions | January 2011

The affirmation that a new creation is manifested from the body is a mystery that reveals the reality of the soul and points to the strong relationship between the soul and the body forth, so that on the beholding of this divine manifestation, it becomes incumbent on everyone to fall into prostration and to be drawn to that Light. Everyone perceiving that light falls into prostration and is naturally drawn to it, except Iblis who loves darkness. Here it would be useful to mention that the human foetus shows signs of life almost four months and ten days after its conception, that is, at the inter-medial stage of its existence in the womb. The same laws of nature that cause the foetus to evolve from the vegetative to the animal state are also operative in spiritual birth. In other words, just as a foetus spends half the span of its existence in the privacy of the womb and then starts showing signs of animation and life, the same condition obtains in the birth of spiritual life as well.

as a distant possibility. Just as when a dam bursts its banks and destroys whatever lies in its path, so does the flood of carnal passions imperil human life. In this state, how can he ever believe in the subtleties of the hereafter? Instead, he mocks and derides religion and parades his own dry logic and sophistry. Of course, if he is good by nature, he may believe in God, but does so without full faith and sincerity and that too is conditional upon his own success. If his desires are fulfilled he turns to God, if not, he turns to Satan. In short, youth is a critical period of one’s life and without Divine grace one might well land in the pit of hell. The fact is that It is no secret that before he is forty a this part of one’s life is the root of all evil. man’s life is mostly obscured by igno- It is at this time that one contracts most rance. The first seven or eight years of physical ailments and some unmentionhis existence are passed in infancy, and able diseases. The mistakes made in the the following twenty-five or so years are callowness of youth often cause man to mostly spent in the pursuit of learning turn away from the True and Immutaor frittered away on libertine pleasures. ble God. Thus, at this age he fears God Afterwards, he is married or is otherwise but little and is driven by carnal passion beguiled into chasing wealth and honour and dominated by his baser self. He pays and exceeds all bounds in doing so. At this stage, even if man turns towards God Just as when a dam bursts its his quest is somewhat tainted with matebanks and destroys whatever rial desires. His prayers are mostly for worldly gains and his cries and supplica- lies in its path, so does the tions are sullied by worldly desires. Thus, flood of carnal passions what little faith he has in the hereafter is imperil human life. offset by the fact that death appears only The better part of a person’s life, before the onset of senility, can be measured at approximately eighty years, half of which is forty. Here the number forty correlates with the first four months the foetus spends in the womb prior to its first physical movements. Experience tells us that when man has lived half of his productive life – the first forty years which bear a strong likeness to the first four months of a foetus’ existence – his soul awakens and shows nascent signs of spiritual life, provided he is blessed with a pure disposition.

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little heed to the advice of others and suffers the consequences of this age for the remainder of his life. As man approaches forty, he starts shedding the vagaries of his youth and ruefully looks back at many of his follies from which his counsellors had failed to dissuade him. The ebullience of his youth naturally begins to subside, for his physical condition declines with advancing age. The rebellious blood is no longer there, nor is there any more physical vitality and recklessness of youth. The time of deterioration and decay approaches fast. At this stage, he also witnesses the passing away of his elders and even the untimely death of younger people whose loss leaves him stricken with grief. His parents too are probably no more and the world begins to betray its transience in a number of ways. It is as if God places before him a mirror and says, ‘Look, this is the reality of life of which you are so fond.’ It is then that he recalls his past mistakes with regret and undergoes a radical transformation ushering in a new life, provided he is well-meaning by nature and is one of those whom God has summoned. It is in this context that Allah, the Almighty, says: 22 The Review of Religions | January 2011

And We have enjoined on man to be good to his parents. His mother bears him with pain, and brings him forth with pain. And the bearing of him and his weaning takes thirty months, till, when he attains his full maturity and reaches the age of forty years, he says, ‘My Lord, grant me the power that I may be grateful for Your favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do such good works as may please You. And make my seed righteous for me. I do turn to You; and, truly, I am of those who submit to You.’ (Ch.46:V.16) That is, we enjoined on man [saying to him:] “Be good to your parents. You should realise what agony your mother suffered for you! During your pregnancy she suffered pain for a long period of time and with pain she brought you forth. For thirty months she remained in discomfort during gestation and breastfeeding you. Again, He says that when a good person reaches forty and matures he recalls Divine exhortations and says, ‘My Lord, let me be grateful for the favours You have bestowed on me and on my parents and grant me the opportunity to do such good works as may please You, and make my seed righteous for me. That is to say, if I failed in my duty to my parents,

Note about references

let not my children do the same. If ever I strayed from the right path, let them not follow suit. My Lord, I repent and turn to You and am of those who submit’ Thus, God has made it clear that the fortieth year is a blessing for those who are righteous and it is then that the spirit of truth awakens in them. Most of God’s Prophets were raised in the fortieth year of their lives. For instance, our Lord and Master, the Holy Prophet(saw) was also raised for the reformation of mankind in his fortieth year. Continues in the next edition

Verse references to the Holy Qur’an item count ‘Bismillah…’ (In the Name of Allah…) as the first verse of each Chapter. In some non-standard texts, this is not counted. Should the reader refer to such texts, the verse quoted in The Review of Religions will be found a verse earlier, i.e. at one verse less than the number quoted in this journal. For the ease of non-Muslim readers, ‘(saw)’ or ‘saw’ after the words, ‘Holy Prophet’, or the name ‘Muhammad’, are used normally in small letters. They stand for ‘Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam’ meaning ‘peace and blessings of Allah be upon him’. Likewise, the letters ‘(as)’ or ‘as’ after the name of all other prophets is an abbreviation meaning ‘peace be upon him’ derived from ‘Alaihis salatu wassalam’ which are words that a Muslim utters out of respect whenever he or she comes across that name. The abbreviation ‘ra’ or (ra) stands for ‘Radhiallahu Ta’ala anhu and is used for Companions of a Prophet, meaning Allah be pleased with him or her (when followed by the relevant Arabic pronoun). Finally, ‘ru’ or (ru) for Rahemahullahu Ta’ala means the Mercy of Allah the Exalted be upon him. In keeping with current universal practice, local transliterations of names of places are preferred to their anglicised versions, e.g. Makkah instead of Mecca, etc.

The life & character of the seal of the Prophets(saw) part 2

Hadhrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra)

24 The Review of Religions | January 2011

Second part of the English rendering of Hadhrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra)’s magnus opus, ‘Seerat Khatamun Nabiyyin’, an outstanding biography on the life of the Founder of Islam, the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw). This section features incidents from his early childhood, including an interesting meeting with Bahira, the Christian Monk. translated from urdu by ayyaz mahmood khan

His Mother’s Demise After a stay of approximately one month, Aminah [the Prophet (saw)’s mother] departed on her return journey, but her death was destined to be in a foreign land just as her husband’s had been. She fell ill on the way and passed away at a place known as Abwa’, – and thus was buried there.1 Once in the time of his prophethood, the Holy Prophet(saw) passed by the same location and honoured the grave of his mother by his presence. Upon seeing the grave of his mother, the Prophet(saw)’s eyes welled with tears. When the Companions of the Holy Prophet(saw) saw this sight, they also began to shed tears. The Holy Prophet(saw) addressed his Companions saying: “God has given me permission to visit the tomb of my mother, but He has not permitted me to pray upon it.”2 This does not mean that the mother of the Holy Prophet(saw) would not be forgiven, because this matter rests in the hands of God, and none can draw conclusions regarding it; however, from this instance we find that just as the Holy Prophet(saw)

had elaborated upon other occasions, it is not right to pray for the forgiveness of one who dies in a state of idolatry. Instead, the affair of an idolater should be entrusted to God alone. The mother of Muhammad(saw) passed away, and consequently he became an orphan; without mother or father. It would be no small grief to be absent from home and apart from dear ones at such a young age. It could not be an insignificant grief to lose one’s mother when one’s father had already passed away. Hence, these events left a deep and ever enduring effect on the heart of the Holy Prophet(saw). Undoubtedly, the Prophet(saw) was sent as Rahmatullil-‘Alamin,3 however, due to external causes occurrences of this nature had a very profound influence on the disposition of Muhammad(saw). To some extent, these initial grievances were the reason behind his immense love for the poor and special sympathy for the less fortunate; thus, his nature became exceptionally distinguished. The Holy Qur’an mentions the orphanage of Muhammad(saw) in the following words: Did He not find thee an orphan and January 2011

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give thee shelter?... So the orphan, oppress not.4

so much so that even the sons of ‘Abdul Muttalib would sit at some distance. But the young Muhammad(saw) due to his sentiments of love, would sit right beside ‘Abdul Muttalib, and he would always be pleased to see Muhammad(saw). At times, the paternal uncles of Muhammad(saw) would attempt to restrain him from sitting upon their father’s carpet, but Abdul Muttalib would always stop them saying, “Reproach him not.”

Guardianship of ‘Abdul Muttalib Af ter the demise of his mother, Muhammad(saw) reached Makkah with his slave Ummi Aiman. This is the same Ummi Aiman who was given to Muhammad(saw) as a female slave through inheritance when his father passed away. When Muhammad (saw) matured, he freed her and would always treat her with much kindness. Ummi Aiman was Demise of ‘Abdul Muttalib later married to a freed slave of the Holy It was in this very relationship of love Prophet(saw), Zaid bin Harithah, and from that the days of Muhammad(saw) were this relationship Usamah bin Zaid was passing by, when Abdul Muttalib also born. Ummi Aiman lived even after the passed away. As the funeral proceeded, death of the Holy Prophet(saw). In any case, Muhammad(saw) followed with tears flowafter the death of his mother, the young ing from his eyes. This was the third great Muhammad(saw) returned to Makkah shock that Muhammad(saw) was made to with Ummi Aiman. Upon reaching there, bear in his childhood. At the time he was Abdul Muttalib took Muhammad(saw) eight years of age, and the age of Abdul directly into his own custodianship. Muttalib due to varying narrations, is Abdul Muttalib kept Muhammad(saw) recorded as between 80 to 140 years.5 very dear to himself. While performing Tawaf of the Ka‘bah, Abdul Muttalib Abdul Muttalib had many sons from would place the young Muhammad(saw) various wives. Among these sons, the upon his shoulders. Muhammad (saw) most eminent were Harith, Zubair, Abu gradually became quite informal with Talib, Abu Lahab, Abdullah, Abbas and Abdul Muttalib as well. It was the habit Hamzah. Among them, Abu Talib and of Abdul Muttalib to sit in the courtyard Abdullah were of the same mother. Perof the Ka‘bah upon a carpet, and none haps due to this relationship, upon his had the courage to sit upon it with him, deathbed, ‘Abdul Muttalib entrusted the 26 The Review of Religions | January 2011

young Muhammad(saw) Abu Lahab into the guardianship of Abu Talib, whilst bequeathing him the special care of the child. Thereafter, Muhammad(saw) began to live in the custodianship of Abu Talib. Among the national duties belonging to Abdul Muttalib, the responsibilities of Siqayah [supplying pilgrims with water during the Hajj] and Rifadah [feeding pilgrims during the Hajj] were delegated to his eldest son Zubair. Since this work required significant finances, Zubair found these responsibilities far beyond his capacity and handed them over to Abu Talib. Similarly, Abu Talib was also

The Holy Ka窶話ah in Makkah

unable to manage the financial commitment involved, and therefore the task of Rifadah was transferred to the Banu Nawfal. Eventually, Abu Talib handed over the work of Siqayah to his brother Abbas who was considerably wealthy. At this point, it is necessary to mention that during the lifetime of Abdul Muttalib, the Banu Hashim were extremely dignified and honoured, and possessed an eminent position among all the tribes January 2011

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of the Quraish. But after his demise, no man from the Banu Hashim came forward who could maintain this esteem. Overall power escaped their hands, and gradually the Banu Hashim’s rival tribe, the Banu Umaiyyah, gathered strength. Guardianship of Abu Talib Abu Talib acted upon the will of his father with tremendous honesty and justice and held Muhammad(saw) dearer than his own children. He would always keep the child before his eyes and during the night he would usually keep him in his company.

To the south of Syria there is a very well known place called Busra, where a very strange incident took place. A Christian Monk resided there by the name of Bahira. When the caravan of the Quraish passed by this monk’s holy abode, he witnessed all the rocks and plants falling into prostration simultaneously. In the light and spirit of divine scriptures, he was aware that a prophet was to be raised, and due to his deep insight, he concluded that this very prophet was present in the caravan. Hence, he was able to recognise Muhammad(saw). The Monk informed Abu Talib of this fact, and advised him to protect the young Muhammad(saw) from the evil designs of the Ahl-e-Kitab [People of the Book].

Travel to Syria and the Incident of Bahira the Monk When Muhammad(saw) was twelve years of age, Abu Talib was required to travel In the spirit of ‘Ilm-e-Riwayat, this parto Syria with a mercantile caravan. Since ticular narration is rather weak. However, the travel was long and difficult, Abu if such an instance did in fact occur it Talib decided to leave Muhammad(saw) should not be the cause of surprise. If behind in Makkah. However, for young this event did actually occur, the prosMuhammad(saw) the thought of separa- tration of trees would be considered tion from Abu Talib was too painful to a Divinely inspired sight of the monk, bear. Therefore, at the time of departure which is not unusual in relation to the overcome by his emotions of love, the status of the Holy Prophet(saw). child clung to Abu Talib and began to weep. When Abu Talib witnessed this Has Islam been influenced by he was moved and decided to take the Christianity? young Muhammad(saw) along. At this point it is necessary to mention that Sir William Muir, along with 28 The Review of Religions | January 2011

various other non-Muslim historians, have used the incident of Bahira the Monk and various other occurrences in which Muhammad(saw) met Christians prior to prophethood, in order to falsely conclude that the Holy Prophet(saw)’s claim to prophethood was as a result of the direct influence of Christianity. Furthermore, his teachings have also been attributed to this influence. However, this notion is completely false and is contrary to facts. Anyone who possesses even little knowledge of the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet(saw), and whose eyes are not shrouded by the veil of prejudice, cannot be taken in by such allegations. It is definitely true that every sensible human being analyses his surroundings in accordance with his capacities. Therefore, it is quite natural to acquire a good or bad impression of one’s environment, its virtues and vices.

and teachings of the Holy Prophet(saw) are a direct result of those impressions. Firstly, it cannot be firmly established that Muhammad(saw) met any Christian prior to his prophethood in a manner that might have left very deep and permanent impressions on his nature. If hypothetically there was any influence upon the Prophet(saw) in regards to Christianity, it was, most certainly an unfavourable one. Every individual is well-aware of the fact that the teachings brought by the Holy Prophet(saw) completely differ from Christianity on many fundamental issues. For example, at the present time the religion of Christianity is primarily based upon the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus(as), trinity and atonement. However, even a child knows well that the Holy Qur’an has expressed strong aversion to these three basic concepts. So much so, that while alluding to the supposed “Godship” and “sonship” of the Messiah, the words used are that this doctrine is such that due to this incredible belief the heavens and the earth should burst.6 It is nothing more than a desperate and futile attempt to falsely associate the teachings of Islam with Christianity.

Nonetheless, prior to his prophethood, the Holy Prophet (saw) perhaps came across Christianity, and may have had the opportunity to hear its teachings as well. Therefore, naturally the heart of Muhammad(saw) may have developed impressions with respect to the merits and demerits of Christianity. However, The matter remaining is that the Holy it is definitely erroneous and baseless to Qur’an has praised the Messiah. This fact deduce the notion that the prophethood does not serve as a supporting argument January 2011

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either. Firstly, the praise bestowed upon the Messiah is rendered whilst acknowledging him as a prophet, and not the son of God nor God himself as the Christian faith asserts. Secondly, this praise is not unique to the Messiah. The Holy Qur’an has praised all the prophets of the past and has declared them to be righteous and respectable personalities. As a matter of fact, the Holy Qur’an has stressed the point that prophets of God were sent to every nation of the world.7 By doing so, the Qur’an has firmly established a sense of respect in the hearts of all Muslims for the saints of every nation. However, it is obvious that the “godship” of the Messiah and other principles of Christianity have been firmly rejected by Islam. Moreover, the Messiah has not been given a rank

The Holy Qur’an has presented this unique feature, that all the everlasting truths, wisdoms and eternal teachings of past scriptures are gathered in it higher than that of a man and a prophet who went through the days of his life and passed away, as did the prophets before 30 The Review of Religions | January 2011

him. Hence, the allegation that Islam was influenced by Christianity is absolutely false and unfounded. Moreover, if it is argued that various religious and moral teachings of Christianity are also common to Islam, which gives rise to its ideology, and that perhaps Islam has derived these teachings from Christianity, this can be proven to be a baseless allegation as well. Firstly, consider the fact that a better part of the principal teachings of present-day Christianity differ completely from those of Islam. The mere fact that the various ancillary elements of these two teachings resemble one another is not sufficient evidence to support the fact that one has been derived from the other. Secondly, when Islam declares the Messiah a chosen messenger of God and that it, in itself, also claims to have originated from God, it is inevitable that since both have sprouted from a common source, it was only logical that Islam and Christianity should resemble each other in certain aspects. Indeed, the principles of guidance are the same for every age and every nation. Thirdly, the Holy Qur’an itself claims that it has consolidated the everlasting truths of all the teachings that have come to pass. The Holy Qur’an states (i.e., therein are the everlasting

teachings)8, which indicates that the Qur’an comprises all the wise and eternal aspects of past scriptures. Hence, from this perspective also, well, no distinction of Christianity can be established. At this point, it is necessary to mention that the Holy Qur’an has presented this unique feature, that all the everlasting truths, wisdoms and eternal teachings of past scriptures are gathered in it, as an expression of its utmost perfection. From this perspective, the Holy Qur’an has been given similitude to the honey bee [Ch.16:Vs.69-70], which extracts the fine essence of various plants to produce an extremely exquisite product through a complex chemical process. Although it is the essence of various plants, it evolves into a new creation that cannot be attributed to any specific flower or plant. Moreover, the Holy Qur’an has not only derived the wise teachings of past scriptures, but, being an everlasting law of conduct, has also contributed new subtleties in light of universal requirements that transcend time, thus presenting a perfect and eternal law. The Holy Qur’an has been endowed with such qualities that, in the similitude of this physical world, it possesses the hidden opulence to provide for all the religious requirements of mankind as

they arise, until the end of time. In reality the Holy Qur’an is a compendium of the following teachings: 1. Those aspects of past scriptures, which possess the ability to become part of an everlasting and universal law. 2. In light of the future requirements of the various nations of the world, it possesses a permanent teaching which enables one to fulfil Huququl‘Ibad [the rights of mankind] and Huququllah [the rights of God]. It possesses the teachings necessary for the success and progression in every aspect of one’s moral and spiritual life until the Day of Judgement. Furthermore, the notion that the Holy Qur’an or the prophethood of the Holy Prophet(saw) was a result of the teachings of Christianity or another faith, is absolutely erroneous and vain. A statement of this nature can be made only by one who has absolutely no knowledge of Islamic history and teachings. To attribute Islamic teachings particularly to the encounter with Bahira the Monk as mentioned above, is a ridiculous statement which cannot be uttered by any wise individual. January 2011

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Pasturing of Goats by Muhammad(saw) After he returned from his journey to Syria, Muhammad (saw) continued to reside with Abu Talib. It was a custom among the Arabs that children were given the responsibility of tending the flock. Hence, the young Muhammad(saw) also undertook the task of pasturing goats and performed this task on various occasions. In the time of his prophethood, the Holy Prophet(saw) would say that: “The pasturing of goats is the tradition of the prophet.9 and I too have pastured goats.” On one occasion, while travelling, the Companions of the Holy Prophet(saw) were gathering some fruit upon which the Prophet(saw) said, “Search for this particular fruit in darker colour, for when I used to tend to the goats I have found through experience, that the darker its shade of black, the finer it proves to be .”10

various occasions, the whole night would be consumed in these gatherings. In his childhood curiosity, Muhammad (saw) also ventured out to observe one of these spectacles. However, God the Almighty disliked the idea that His Khatamun-Nabiyyin [Seal of the Prophets] partake of such nonsense. Therefore, once Muhammad(saw) departed for such a gathering but fell asleep en-route and remained in a state of sleep until dawn. The young Muhammad(saw) intended to witness a similar gathering a second time; however, the unseen hand prohibited him this time also. During the time of his prophethood, the Holy Prophet(saw) said, “I intended only twice, in the entirety of my life, to observe such a gathering, but I was restrained both times.”11

Harb-e-Fijar The Arabs were an excessively combatant nation and it was considered an God’s Protection from Evil honour to fight to death. It was due to On one night during the childhood of this very reason that even upon trivial Muhammad(saw), he requested his com- differences the sword was instantly panion, who was also a partner in grazing unsheathed. Whenever this happened, goats, “Tend to my flock so that I may go to the Arabs would fill a large goblet with the city in order to view the nightly gather- blood and dip their fingers in it whilst ing of the people”. In those days, it was a taking an oath that they should die on custom of the Arabs to gather at a single the battlefield but would never retreat location whereafter they would relate sto- from combat. There existed constant ries and share various forms of poetry. On enmity between various tribes as every 32 The Review of Religions | January 2011

individual tribe considered it absolutely obligatory to safeguard its reputation and grandeur. In carnivals, etc., where diverse types of people gathered together, quarrelling and fighting was nothing out of the ordinary.

fourth battle of the Harb-e-Fijar. The passion with which this last fight was such that some commanders had themselves tied to the battleground with ropes, thus intentionally leaving themselves no means of retreat even if desired. During the initial portion of the day the Qais ‘Ailan led in battle, however towards the end of the day the Banu Kinanah over their opponents. After the defeat of the Qais Ailan, both parties were reconciled in a concord of friendship.

It was during the childhood of Muhammad(saw) that when the ‘Ukaz Carnival was being held, in a pleasant valley situated to the east of Makkah at a distance of approximately three days, provocation was spurred between the tribes of the Qais Ailan and Banu Young Muhammad(saw) also participated Kinanah. At that time, the various tribes in this war. However, from various narof the Qais Ailan resided in the south- rations it is found that Muhammad(saw) east, between Makkah and Ta’if. For did not actively engage himself in batsome time, the tribal leaders of both par- tle. Instead, his participation was merely ties successfully managed to avert warfare. limited to the fact that he was a part of This war is known as Harb-e-Fijar in his- the army, and would hand over arrows tory, which means ‘The Unlawful War’, to his paternal uncle. At the time because this war commenced in the Muhammad (saw) was approximately sacred month when fighting was forbid- twenty years old. In this battle every tribe had its own commander. Therefore, the den, according to ancient custom. Banu Hashim was under the command This war was fought with such vigour and of Zubair bin Abdul Muttalib; however, violent fervour, that it possesses distinct the commander-in-chief of the entire notoriety among the wars of the Jahili- army of the Banu Kinanah was Harb bin yyah. The Banu Kinanah paired with the Umaiyyah, who was the father of Abu Quraish, and on the opposing side was Sufyan and the paternal grandfather of the Qais Ailan allied with the Hawa- Amir Mu’awiyah.12 zin. The most dangerous battle of this war was the last one, referred to as the January 2011

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Hilful-Fudul In the past, various noble-hearted individuals of Arabia thought to establish a mutual agreement. This agreement stated that the rights of the oppressed would be protected, and that the oppressor would be restrained from injustice. In the Arabic language, the word fadl also refers to one’s ‘right’, which transforms into fudul when expressed in plural. This is why the agreement was named the Hilful-Fudul [i.e. Confederacy of Rights]. In accordance with other narrations, it is also said that since the names of the proponents of this confederacy contained the word fadl, this agreement was named HilfulFudul.13 In any case, after the infamous Harb-e-Fijar, Zubair bin Abdul Muttalib, a paternal uncle of Muhammad(saw), was most probably inspired by this war and proposed to revive this agreement once more . Therefore, representatives from the different tribes of the Quraish gathered at the home of Abdullah bin Jad‘an, where arrangements for a feast had been made. All the representatives unanimously took an oath that they would forever restrain injustice, and assist the oppressed. The ones who took part in this agreement included; the Banu Hashim, Banu Muttalib14, Banu Asad, Banu Zuhrah and Banu Yatim. 34 The Review of Religions | January 2011

Muhammad(saw) was also present on this occasion and joined in the agreement. Once during the time of his prophethood, the Holy Prophet(saw) said: “In the house of ‘Abdullah bin Jad‘an, I once partook in such an oath that even if I was called to it today, in the age of Islam, I would present myself saying, here I am to do thy undertaking”. Perhaps it was due to the influence of these deep sentiments that during the time of Amir Mu’awiyah, when his nephew Walid bin ‘Utbah bin Abu Sufyan, the governor of Madinah, usurped one of the rights of Hadhrat Husain bin Ali bin Abi Talib(ra), Hadhrat Husain(ra) said, “By God if Walid does not return my due right, I shall stand before Masjid-e-Nabawi [the Prophet’s Mosque’ in Madinah], with my sword in hand, calling people towards the Hilful-Fudul.” When Abdullah bin Zubair heard of this, he said, “If Husainra calls me to this oath, I shall surely present myself saying, here I am to do thy undertaking, and we will either acquire his right or all of us shall perish in this endeavour.” Many other individuals also repeated these words upon which Walid’s evil intentions were suppressed, and he eventually returned the right of Hadhrat Husain(ra).15 It should be kept in mind that Abdullah bin Zubair was of the Banu Asad tribe, which took part in the Hilful-Fudul.

endnotes

This narration is generally that of most historians. Some narrations state that Aminah bint Wahab passed away in Makkah, and that her grave is situated in the Valley of Hujun, Makkah. (Author)

* Sahih Muslim, Kitabul-Jana’iz, Babu Isti’zanin-Nabi(saw) Rabbahu ‘Azzawajal fi Ziyarati Qabri Ummihi, Hadith No 2258 * Sunan Ibni Majah, Kitabul-Jana’iz, Babu Ma Ja’af Ziyarati Quburil-Mushrikin, Hadith No. 1572

A mercy for all peoples (publisher)

(Ch.93:Vs.7-10)

At-Tabaqatul-Kubra, By Ibni Sa‘d, Al-Juzul-Awwal, Babu Dhikri Dammi ‘Abdil-Muttalib Rasulallahi(saw) ilaihi ba‘da Wafati Ummihi wa Dhikri Wafati ‘Abdil-Muttalib wa Wasiyyati Abi Talib bi Rasulillahi(saw), p.56, Daru Ihya’it-Turathil-‘Arabi, Beirut, First Edition (1996)

(Ch.19:V.91) 7. (Ch.35:V.25) 8. (Ch.98:V.4)

shepherd. Therefore, by assigning prophets the work of shepherds in their young age, God indicates through depicted foreshadowing that they should soon prepare themselves to tend to the flocks of humanity. (Author) 10.

Sahih Bukhari, Kitabu AhadithilAnbiya’, Babu Ya‘kifūna ‘ala Asnamin lahum, Hadith No. 3406 11.

Tarikhut-Tabari, vol.2, p. 207, Babu Dhikri Rasulillahi(saw) wa Asbabihi, Darul-Fikr, Beirut, (2002) 12.

As-Siratun-Nabawiyyah, By Ibni Hisham, Babu Harbil-Fijar, pp. 146-148, Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, (2001) 13.

Raudul-Anf, By Imam Suhail, Volume 1, p. 242, Babu Hilfil-Fudul, DarulKutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, (2001) 14.

Bear in mind that the Banu Nawfal and Banu Umaiyyah remained separated from the Banu Hashim in this instance (Author) 15.

As-Siratun-Nabawiyyah, By Ibni Hisham, Babu Bābu Hilfil-Fudul, p.112, Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, (2001)

From this it can be concluded that in a way the work of a prophet is like that of a January 2011

The Review of Religions

Biodiversity mansoor shah

36 The Review of Religions | January 2011

The Great War or the First World War (1914-1918) was a military conflict played out largely in Europe amongst the Triple Entente (Britain, France, and Russia and their allies) and the Central Powers (Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary and Turkey) that resulted in 9 million deaths. Following the Treaty of Versailles (1919-1920), a League of Nations was formed in the hope of preventing such a conflict in the future. The Treaty of Versailles, the ineffectiveness of the League of Nations, the position in which Germany found itself, the spread of European nationalism and the break up of some empires led to the Second World War (1939-1945). World War II mobilised more than 100 million personnel from both the Allies and the Axis and resulted in between 50 million and 70 million deaths (historians differ on the statistics but Soviet Union lost 23.9 m, China 10-20 m, Germany 6.6 m, Japan 2.7 m, UK and USA 0.8 m). The United Nations was formed to prevent future conflicts, foster co-operation on laws, security, economic development, and social progress amongst the nations and establish human rights. However, like its predecessor League of Nations, the United Nations comprising â&#x20AC;&#x153;peaceloving nationsâ&#x20AC;? quickly became a piece of putty in the hands of superpowers who

could manipulate weaker nations to agree with them. As the world stands on the brink of an unimaginable holocaust, why has the UN become the great un-doer? The short answer is that there is a lack of true justice in international relations, be that on the legal, economic, social or security matters. Even some tiny insignificant states have learnt that they can hold superpowers to ransom because they wield immense lobbying power in the policy making of that superpower and as a result they can engage in war and ignore UN resolutions with impunity. With the five Security Council members enjoying veto powers, its proceedings have failed to deal with conflicts that continue to recur. Unfortunately, this malaise has begun to manifest itself beyond military conflict to even debates that affect the future of the human race on this planet. The UN designated 2010 as an International Year of Biodiversity. Biodiversity is meant to be a science devoted to arresting the scale of change in life forms on the earth so that future generations can benefit from their continued existence. Since life began on the earth, many species have ceased to exist. In particular, after the emergence January 2011

The Review of Religions

biodiversity

of humans, the rate of extinction has increased dramatically resulting in an unprecedented destruction of plant and animal life. Species are disappearing at up to 1000 times the natural rate of extinction. Population growth encroaching upon an ever-reducing flora and fauna, making way for the exploitation of natural resources, the deforestation of the Amazon, the haphazard way of waste disposal, the movement of animals from their natural habitat to far flung zoos and many other factors have contributed to the situation where we find ourselves. What your forefathers and ancestors ate or hunted, can only be depicted in two dimensional pictures to you and those who follow you. In September 2010, United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, implored world leaders to commit to reversing the alarming rate of biodiversity loss and rescuing the natural economy before it was too late. ‘Conserving the planet’s species and habitat … had the potential to generate annual economic gains worth trillions of dollars… Allowing biodiversity to decline was like throwing money out of the window,’ he continued. Warning that the 2010 deadline for substantially reducing the rate of biodiversity loss would not be met, 38 The Review of Religions | January 2011

Mr. Ban urged leaders to muster the political will to turn that goal into reality, as their legacy and “gift to generations to come”. Speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, Yemen’s representative said: “It is the poor of the world who will suffer the most if we do not stop the loss of our biological resources, since the poor depend disproportionately on biodiversity for their day-to-day livelihoods.” Sadly, the 2050 biodiversity vision expected to be adopted at the Tenth Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Nagoya, Japan, also lacked any meaningful commitment by the leaders of the world. Rather than worry what future generations will see of previous species, world leaders have far too many other important issues to face such as banning the Islamic veil, banning minarets, controlling a propped up financial sector paying itself huge bonuses, struggling with crumbling economies, and when not so engaged, how to cling on to the seat of power. The world is immersed in its material pursuits, every man for himself, and no one cares about the rest of creation. Even when we talk of biodiversity,

Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is endangering various species, including tree frogs

we cannot move away from talking of dollar savings. Who has the time to cooperate and improve the condition of the others, restore peace and provide an environment of security? Background The Biodiversity Conventionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three objectives are conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources, by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding. The Heads of State and Government attending the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg in August/September 2002, agreed to substantially reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010. This commitment was confirmed by the 154 Heads of State. However, biodiversity continues to be lost at unprecedented rate, thus threatening the capacity of the planet to continue providing its good and services. If current loss rates continue, it is expected that an area of 1.3 billion hectares worldwide â&#x20AC;&#x201C; about 1.5 times the

United States â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will completely lose its original biodiversity levels by 2050. This unprecedented loss is compounded by climate change. More than 30 per cent of all known species may disappear before the end of this century owing to climate change. 2010 was designated as the International Year of Biodiversity with a view of engaging the people all over the world in the fight to protect life on Earth to raise an awareness about the importance of biodiversity, to communicate the human costs of its ongoing loss, and to get the people, and in particular youth and children, involved in efforts to conserve and sustainably use our natural heritage and to protect our lives and the lives of our children. The Year of Biodiversity will give way to the launch of the 2011 International Year of Forests but that is another story altogether.

January 2011

The Review of Religions

Imam Hussain(ra) and the Tragedy of Karbala

The marytdom of Imam Hussain(ra) was one of the most tragic incidents in Islamic history

Hafiz Muzaffar Ahmad, Rabwah, Pakistan

40 The Review of Religions | January 2011

translated from urdu by amer safir

adhrat Imam Hussain(ra) was the blessed grandson of the Holy Prophet(saw). On 4th Hijri (four years after the Prophet(saw)’s migration from Makkah to Madinah) he was born to the daughter of the Holy Prophet(saw), Hadhrat Fatimah(ra), and her husband Hadhrat Ali(ra). The child was named Hussain(ra). ‘Hassan’ means beauty in Arabic, hence ‘Hussain’ means one part of beauty. The Prophet(saw) himself recited the Adhan (call to prayer) in his ear, as is the custom for newly born Muslim children, and also performed the Aqeeqah ritual (when the baby’s hair is shaved off ). (Al-Nisai).

Amongst the male progeny of the Holy Prophet(saw) none lived to adulthood, hence he naturally loved his young grandchildren, Hussain(ra) and his brother Hassan(ra)1. A servant of the Holy Prophet(saw) Hadhrat Anas(ra), said that out of everyone in his household, Hassan(ra) and Hussain(ra) were most loved by the Holy Prophet(saw). The Holy Prophet(saw) would often go to their house to meet them. He would enjoy watching them play and would lift them and hold them against his chest with affection. Sometimes, when the Holy Prophet(saw) was in prostration during prayers, his grandchildren would climb on his back and the Prophet(saw) would remain in prostration for some time. After completing the prayers, the Holy Prophet(saw) would lift them onto his lap. Once, the Holy Prophet(saw) was delivering the Friday Sermon in the Mosque. When Hussain(ra) entered, the Holy Prophet(saw)’s eyes turned to him. He stood down from the Minbar from where he was delivering the sermon, lifted Hussain(ra) and placed him against his chest. The Holy Prophet(saw) would especially pray for his grandchildren: “O Allah, I love both of them, Thou, too, love them similarly.” (Bukhari, Kitabul Fadha’il) January 2011

The Review of Religions

imam hussain (ra) and the tragedy of karbala

The Holy Prophet (saw) would say: was involved in the reconciliation with “Whoever loves them loves me (and who- Amir Muawiyah. His knowledge was ever bears a grudge against them bears a exemplary and his oratory outstanding. grudge against me. Hussain is mine and His nights would be spent in worship, I am Hussain’s. Whoever loves Hussain and he would give alms abundantly. The will be loved by Allah)”. (Musnad Ahmad Holy Prophet(saw) once stated that “To bin Hanbal). me, Hassan and Hussain are both the best fragrance of the world”. (Bukhari For seven years Hadhrat Hussain (ra) Fadha’il Sahaba) was blessed with the good fortune of being educated by the Holy Prophet(saw). According to Hadhrat Anas(ra), Hassan(ra) Hadhrat Umar (ra) and Hadhrat Abu and Hussain(ra) bore the greatest resemBakr(ra) the First and Second Khalifas blance to the Holy Prophet(saw). (Bukhari after the Holy Prophet(saw) respectively, Kitabul Fadha’il). also looked upon Hadhrat Hussain(ra) with respect and reverence because of The Holy Prophet (saw) stated that their nearness to the Holy Prophet(saw). In Hassan(ra) and Hussain(ra) “are the leaders the era of Hadhrat Uthman(ra) the Third of youth in paradise”. He said “whoKhalifa, Hadhrat Hussain(ra) had the ever wages war against them wages war honour of waging Jihad in Tabiristaan against me, and whoever reconciles with (or Tapuria). (Ibn Kathir, vol.3, p.45). them reconciles with me.” During the besiegement of Hadhrat The martyrdom of Hadhrat Hussain(ra) Uthman (ra), Hadhrat Hussain (ra) and was one of the most tragic incidents in Hadhrat Hassan (ra) were ordered by Islamic history. No Muslim can read Hadhrat Ali (ra) to guard Hadhrat the accounts of the events that unfolded, Uthman(ra), and hence they kept the rebel- without being extremely hurt and lious people at bay. (Tarikh Al-Khulafa, aggrieved. Jalaludin Suyuti). The two main people, Yazid and Hadhrat (ra) After Hadhrat Ali ’s martyrdom, Hussain(ra), both claimed to be Muslims, Hussain(ra) took the pledge of allegiance and both professed the Muslim creed. with his brother, Hadhrat Hassan(ra), and Yet one of them – Yazid, did not truly 42 The Review of Religions | January 2011

Shrine of Hussain, holy site of Shia Islam in the understand the meaning of Islam. He city of Karbala, Iraq disregarded the Islamic faith and injunctions regarding honesty and justice, and hence became the oppressor. Hadhrat A large section of the Muslims took the Hussain(ra), on the other hand, immersed pledge of allegiance at the hand of Yazid himself in the true Islamic spirit, display- to prevent divisions. However Hussain(ra), ing bravery, tolerance and steadfastness, Abdullah bin Umr (ra), Abdullah bin and was the oppressed. (Friday Sermon, Zubair(ra) and some others, felt that due Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba), to Yazidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impiety, he was not worthy, Khalifatul Masih V, 10 Dec 2010). nor possessed the right to the Khalifat. Amir Muawiyah retorted that after his The Incident of Karbala appointment of Yazid as heir-apparent, it In 56 Hijri Amir Muawiyah (who claimed was not appropriate for anyone to reject he was the Khalifa after Hadhrat Ali(ra)), or oppose this decision. appointed his son Yazid heir-apparent. January 2011

The Review of Religions

imam hussain (ra) and the tragedy of karbala

After the demise of Amir Muawiyah in 60 Hijri, Yazid ordered the Amir of Madinah to immediately take the oath of allegiance from these three i.e. Hussain(ra), Abdullah bin Umr (ra), Abdullah bin Zubair(ra), upon which, Hussain(ra) and Abdullah bin Zubair(ra) went to Makkah. Numerous letters were sent from Iraq stating a desire to take the pledge of allegiance at the hands of Hussain(ra). He sent Muslim bin Aqeel(ra) to Kufa to find out about the 18,000 apparently ready to take the pledge of allegiance. He intended to go to Kufa, but Abdullah bin Abaas(ra) and other elders opposed this decision. Hussain(ra) told them to perform Istikhara prayers and said: “Make your mind up according to the Divine Will”. Thus finally, they decided to go to Kufa. Meanwhile, Yazid found out that the people of Kufa had taken the pledge of allegiance of Imam Hussain, through Muslim bin Aqeel(ra). Yazid sent the Amir

Hussain(ra) had taken stock of the precarious situation in Kufa, and decided that everything was in the hands of God 44 The Review of Religions | January 2011

of Basra, Ibn Ziyaad, to Kufa and the situation reached a stage where Muslim bin Aqeel was martyred. Hussain(ra) had taken stock of the precarious situation in Kufa, and decided that everything was in the hands of God. He thought that whatever He Wills would occur. Indeed, every day He manifests Himself in a new splendour. “If the Divine Will is with our objective,” he thought, “then we will be grateful to God for this. But if the Divine will prevents our objective from being accomplished then that is not something erroneous, for a person who fears God and whose intention is pious.” Hussain(ra) found out about Muslim bin Aqeel(ra)’s murder. Aqeel(ra)’s brother went to Kufa to exact revenge. During this time Hussain(ra) saw the Holy Prophet(saw) in a vision, who provided him with some instructions. He interpreted this dream to mean that whatever may happen to him now, there was no turning back. He gave everyone in his group the choice to return. The general public dispersed and only the Ahle Ba’ait (family of the Holy Prophet(saw)) and a few Companions remained – there were in total approximately 72 people in Hussain(ra)’s camp. In

the meantime, Yazid brought an army of 1000, and wanted to detain Hussain(ra)’s group and take them to Kufa.

He read out the directive of Ibn Ziyaad, “Hussain should come to Kufa and pledge allegiance to Yazid”. (Ibn Kathir)

Hussain(ra) stated plainly, “I was going to Kufa on the beckoning of the people of Kufa; if they have changed their minds then I shall return”.

On the 7th of Muharram they turned off the water source to Hussain(ra) and his family. His family started becoming extremely distressed due to this. In fact, one person from Yazid’s camp could not tolerate this act of cruelty and defected to Imam Hussain(ra)’s group.

He showed Hurban Qais the letter from Kufa. Hurbain replied; “We have not written this letter, and we have instructions from the Amir to send you to Kufa”. The 10th of Muharram was the last night of the esteemed delegation of Imam (ra) Hussain responded, “Death would be Hussain(ra). Hussain(ra) and his people better than this”. prepared for death. They sharpened their weapons and spent the night in The option of returning was no longer deep worship. Upon seeing this his sispossible. The Divine Will had deter- ter, Zainab, said to Hussain(ra): mined. Imam Hussain(ra) suddenly woke from his sleep. He said “InnaLillah” “If only death would cause my end today! (surely to Allah we belong, and to Him After my mother Fatima, father Ali and we shall return) and then “Alhumdulillah” brother Hassan (passed away), you alone (all praise belongs to Allah), and said were our support”. “in my dream a traveller stated that the nation is moving towards its death”. His son Zain ul Abideen(ra) said, “what does it matter if death comes on the path to the truth?”. On the 3rd day of the month of Muharram, Ibn Sa’ad arrived with an army of 4000.

Tears started flowing from Hussain(ra)’s eyes. Zainab(ra) also started crying. Hussain(ra) told her to be patient. January 2011

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imam hussain (ra) and the tragedy of karbala

Hussain replied “Zainab do not hand over your honour to Satan”. She said, “Brother, for you I can sacrifice my life”.

“Lord, You are the One I rely on in every affliction, and You are the reliever of every difficulty; You have always been my protector and I have always submitted before You alone. You alone are the Master of all goodness.”

Tears started flowing from Hussain(ra)’s eyes. Zainab (ra) also started crying. Once again he demanded safe passage to Hussain(ra) told her to be patient and a peaceful place from the enemy, howsaid, “One day we all have to return to ever they insisted he pledge allegiance our Lord. Promise by God that after my to Yazid first. death you will not act contrary to the example of the Holy Prophet(saw). Do not Hussain(ra) performed the Zuhr (noon) defame anyone, saying anything unto- prayers in this atmosphere of danwardly” (Tarikh Ibn Kathir, p.514). ger. Heavy fighting then ensued. The famous warrior Hanafi(ra) stood in front Finally, on the morning of Ashura (the of Hussain(ra) and gave his life protect10th of Muharram), judgment day arrived. ing him. After this Zahir bin Qais(ra) was There were only 72 people with Hussain martyred. One by one the others came forward until finally all of Hussain’s companions were killed fighting, desperately There were only 72 people trying to defend him. (ra)

with Hussain soldiers

against 4000

against 4000 soldiers. The flag of the Hussain(ra) camp was in the hands of Abbas(ra). Before entering the field of battle Hussain(ra) placed the Qur’an in front of himself, raised his hands and prayed: 46 The Review of Religions | January 2011

They exclaimed, “We were unable to help you!”. “May Allah grant you the reward due for the righteous”, was Imam Hussain(ra)’s reply. After the martyrdom of all these loyal people it was now the turn of the Ahle Ba’ait (family of the Holy Prophet(saw)).

The young Ali Akbar(ra) stepped onto thirst, when an arrow fired at him hit the field of battle and said; “I am the him on his face, causing blood to spurt son of Hussain, son of Ali. I swear by out like a fountain. Yet, he fought valGod, I am the Companion of the Holy iantly until his last breath. He said to Prophet”. He sacrificed his life fighting the enemy: with great bravery, in battle. His paternal Aunt, Zainab(ra), was unable to hold her- “I swear by God, anyone you kill after self back. Thus, Hussain(ra) sent her back today will not incur God’s fury to a to the camp. Ali(ra)’s body was placed near greater extent than (anyone you kill) one of the tents. today” Subsequently Abdullah(ra) son of Muslim After this the people of Kufa started bin Aqeel (ra) and grandson of Jaafar looting the Muslim camp. They even Tayyar(ra), Addi(ra), rushed into battle began taking off the headscarves from and were killed. Abdul Rahman(ra) son of the women. Aqeel(ra), and Qasim(ra) son of Hassan(ra), next attained martyrdom. Horse riders instructed by Umar bin Sa’ad, rode forth and trampled upon the Witnessing this on the beckoning dead body of Imam Hussain(ra). of Abbas(ra), Abdullah(ra), Jaafar(ra) and Uthman (ra) – three brothers, formed Umar bin Sa’ad then exclaimed; “Who a wall-like barrier in front of Imam amongst the horse riders will tramHussain(ra). They too were murdered. ple over Hussain(ra)?” 10 horse riders Abbas(ra) was the last remaining person answered this call and trampled over with Imam Hussain(ra). He also was killed Hadhrat Imam Hussain’s body, to the and thus attained martyrdom. extent that his chest and back were completely disfigured. 20 members of the family of the Holy Prophet(saw) had been killed in the field Imam Hussain(ra) had been hit 45 times of Karbala. by arrows, 33 times by spears and over 40 times by sword blows. In an act of Imam Hussain(ra) was now left alone. He excessive cruelty, Hadhrat Hussain’s head went towards the river to quench his was severed and sent to Kufa, where the January 2011

The Review of Religions

imam hussain (ra) and the tragedy of karbala

governor had it displayed for public view.

order to remove a tyrannical despot, a self-appointed Khalifa, and thus safeguard and help the oppressed.

In short this was a tragic day in Islamic history, when the blood of the noble people of God was shed in this merciless Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), the slaughter. However, Imam Hussain (ra) Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, has had given his life to uphold the truth, of stated in his writings that Yazid was an impure worm of the earth, blinded by this there can be no doubt. the love of the world. Whilst Hussain(ra) Many a people wrote eulogies after the was truthful and provided a pure model barbaric murder of Imam Hussain(ra), for future Muslims to follow. He writes such as Sakeena his daughter, who wrote: that it is extremely wrong to discredit Hadhrat Hussain(ra), and one who does O eye, thou shall not shed lifelong tears so wastes his faith. on thy children, mother, father and friends, Once in the house of the Promised But on the bloodshed of the grandchild Messiah (as), the incident of Hadhrat Hussain (ra) ’s martyrdom was being of the Messenger related. Upon hearing this the Promised Imam Hussain(ra)’s stand against Yazid Messiah(as) started crying profusely, and Unfortunately, a minority of Muslims stated with immense pain: “Yazid perconsider Hadhrat Hussain (ra)’s rejec- formed this cruel act against the grandson tion of Yazid as rebellion, whereas this of the Holy Prophet(saw), but God also is contrary to the reality. Hadhrat Imam rapidly brought His wrath down upon Hussain(ra)’s stand against Yazid was not the oppressors.” (Seerat Tayyiba, Hadhrat for the reason that Yazid had claimed he Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra), p.36) was a rightly guided Khalifa. The Khilafat Rashida (rightly guided succession of Remembering Karbala Khilafat after the Holy Prophet(saw)), The martyrdom ultimately led to the had come to an end thirty years after Shia-Sunni split, with the Shites holdthe demise of the Holy Prophet(saw), as ing that Imanat (leadership) of the the Prophet had prophesied himself. Muslim followers belonged to Hadhrat Imam Hussain (ra)’s resistance was in Ali(ra), whereas the Sunnis adhere to the 48 The Review of Religions | January 2011

Traditions of the Holy Prophet(saw). Many other differences later emerged in each group.

Darud, however, has been expounded by the Holy Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an, the Traditions of the Holy Prophet(saw) have drawn attention to it, as has the Promised Messiah, Hadhrat Each year in the first ten days of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), Founder of the Muharram, some Muslims around the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. It is a world commemorate the martyrdoms most excellent way of professing love for of Hadhrat Imam Hussain(ra), his family the Holy Prophet(saw) and his family. Just and companions, and mourn that dread- as Hadhrat Hussain(ra) and those with ful event that took place in the fields of him, stood firmly in the face of certain Karbala over 1000 years ago. Some take death, Muslims should similarly display to the streets and wail excessively, beating this forbearance and steadfastness in their chests with their hands and other front of people with Yazid-like natures weapons. Others take part in processions, and be resolute. Hussain(ra) expressed the specially organised functions and other truth despite facing a huge army; hence events and gatherings in mosques and Muslims should present the truth withhalls. out regard for the consequences for their own persons. The best way of remembering Karbala as expounded by the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad(aba), Khalifatul Masih V, in his Friday Sermon of 10th December 2010, is to send Darud, invoking salutations and blessings upon the Holy Prophet(saw) and his family, and to bring about pure reformation within ourselves. He said that all Muslims feel endnotes sorrow and grief regarding the inci- 1 Hadhrat Imam Hassan was the elder dent of Karbala. Whilst certain Muslim brother of Hadhrat Imam Hussain . The groups adopt customs which appear quite Holy Prophet held them in equally high extreme in our view, that is their own way regard and in the Traditions the Prophet of recalling the incidents of Muharram. normally referred to them together (Ed). (ra)

(ra)

(saw)

January 2011

The Review of Religions

David

(as)

by fazal ahmad

– london, uk

David(as) is highly respected in all of the Abrahamic faiths, as the great second King of the Kingdom of Jews, an ancestor of Jesus’ ‘adopted’ father Joseph, and as a spiritual leader. There are detailed accounts of key events in his life in both the Bible and the Holy Qur’an, and one of the divine books the Zabur, is also attributed to him. This article explores the circumstances of Judaism at the time of David(as) and his impact and legacy on Judaism, and also seeks to confirm the identities of Jalut and Talut as described in relation to David(as) in the Qur’anic account. 50 The Review of Religions | January 2011

Judaic Context Before the advent of David(as), Judaism was splintered into the kingdoms of Israel to the north and Judah to the south. There was little unity amongst the various Jewish tribes. Moreover, they had gradually diverged from their monotheistic origins by incorporating Canaanite deities and practices (Wilson, p.103). So Judaism, far from being a uniting and powerful force, was a fragmented and failing cluster of tribes, bickering with each other for land and worldly influence. Amid this disunity, David(as) was born in 1040 BCE in the town of Bethlehem, the same town which would host Jesus(as), the Messiah of Judaism, a thousand years later. David(as) was the youngest son of Jesse and the Bible records Eliab, Abinadab and Shammah as being among his seven older brothers (1 Samuel 16:6-8). Ibn Kathir, a great 14th century Muslim historian from Syria, records his lineage back to Abraham(as) and cites according to a genealogist of the time, his full name as being; â&#x20AC;&#x153;David bin Jesse bin Aweid bin Aber bin Salmun bin Nahshun bin Amenadab bin Iram bin Hasrun bin Fars bin Judah bin Jacob bin Isaac bin Abraham.â&#x20AC;?

He was known as a great warrior and then became King of Judah, (a territory south of Jerusalem down to Beersheba and including Hebron), in 1010 BCE. At that time the unifying king of the greater Israel (including Judah), was Saul. This was in the context of trying to stop the attacks of the Philistines and Goliath. Philistines The story of David(as) comes to life with the victory over Goliath, who was from one of the Philistine tribes at war with the Israelites. Many Jewish scholars believe that the Philistines were not a single tribe, but rather a collection of local tribes as well as sea peoples, from Crete and southern Turkey. These tribes had been raiding Egypt and the Middle East and had eventually settled at the start of the 12th century BCE, in the cities of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron. They were also at war with Ramesses III in Egypt (Shanks, p.86). They used the most advanced weaponry of their time. In order to understand the situation in which David(as) found himself, we need to turn back two hundred years before his era, to the original conflict between the Israelites and Gideon, and the forces of Jalut (the same Philistine tribes). January 2011

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david (as)

The Jews had a large army but most were reluctant to fight, and the following incidents related in both the Bible and the Qur’an, describe how the troops were reduced in number to those that believed in the unity and power of God:

Gideon was a mighty warrior, but also a spiritual man who wanted his people to return to the monotheistic belief in Yahweh ( Jewish name for God). In an act reminiscent of a forefather Abraham(as), he destroyed the idol and altar of Baal (a regional pagan deity). Whilst reminding the Jews of their monotheistic origins and beliefs, this act also antagonised neighboring tribes who similarly worshipped Baal, and sparked a battle with the Midianites and their allies.

52 The Review of Religions | January 2011

So he (Gideon) brought the troops down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, “All those who lap the water with their tongues, as a dog laps, you shall put to one side; all those who kneel down to drink, putting their hands to their mouths, you shall put to the other side.” The number of those that lapped was three hundred; but all the rest of the troops knelt down to drink water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred that lapped I will deliver you, and give the Midianites into your hand. Let all the others go to their homes.” ( Judges 7:5-7) The Qur’an describes the battle between Jalut and Talut (Gideon), and then the intervention of Dawud(as) (Arabic form of the name David(as)) as follows: And when Talut set out with the forces, he said: ‘Surely, Allah will try you with a river. So he who drinks therefrom is not of me; and he who tastes it not is assuredly of me, except him who takes a handful of water with his hand.’ But they drank of it, except a few of them. And when they crossed

it – he and those who believed along with him – they said: ‘We have no power today against Jalut and his forces.’ But those who knew for certain that they would one day meet Allah said: ‘How many a small party has triumphed over a large party by Allah’s command! And Allah is with the steadfast.’ And when they issued forth to encounter Jalut and his forces, they said: ‘O our Lord, pour forth steadfastness upon us, and make our steps firm, and help us against the disbelieving people.’ So they routed them by the command of Allah; and David slew Jalut, and Allah gave him sovereignty and wisdom, and taught him of what He pleased. And had it not been for Allah’s repelling men, some of them by the others, the earth would have been filled with disorder. But Allah is munificent to all peoples. (Ch.2:Vs.250-252) In these verses Jalut (or Goliath) is not an individual, but a collection of the Midianite and Amelakite tribes described as ‘Jalut and his forces’. The trial of the water describes an incident in which the forces of Talut are asked to show self-control and faith in God, before their trial against Jalut. Although reduced to just 300 men Gideon (in the Bible) was successful, because those few men were charged with a unique Divine zeal. Interestingly, the Biblical account

is similar to the Qur’anic account in describing the incident at the water or river as a means of refining the army, and identifying those with true faith from those without. The Qur’anic verse also proceeds to the later events about David(as), which we will explore in more detail here. David(as) and Goliath Having survived a lengthy war and internal strife, in which the Philistines had killed thousands of Israelites and captured the Ark of the Covenant (sacred tablets of the Jews), the Israelites desperately sought a new and powerful King. Samuel the last of the Judges, anointed Saul as the King, but despite battles with the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, the King of Zobah and Amalekites (1 Samuel 14:47-48), Saul and his 3 sons were unsuccessful and died near Mount Gilboa. David(as), under persecution from Saul who had seen him as a rival, had previously fled to Gath and fought the enemies of the Philistines, in a pact with them. He later returned to Hebron to become the King of Judah. In 1003 BCE, after the death of Saul, he became the second and the greatest King of the United Kingdom of Israel, a position he held January 2011

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david (as)

until his death more than thirty years later. As King of Israel the Philistines now saw him as their enemy, and tried to attack him but failed twice, since the ability of his troops had greatly advanced with Divine guidance. The Qur’an also mentions David(as) as having been given Divine knowledge of how to make armour from softened iron: And remember David and Solomon when they exercised their respective judgments concerning the crop when the sheep of certain people strayed therein by night, and We were witness to their judgment. We gave Solomon the right understanding of the matter and to each of them gave We wisdom and knowledge. And We subjected the mountains and the birds to celebrate God’s praises with David. And it is We who shall do all such things. And We taught him the making of coats of mail for you, that they might protect you from each other’s violence… (Ch.21:Vs.79-81)

the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David’s hand. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine; he grasped his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him; then he cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. (1 Samuel 17:48-51)

The Bible describes Goliath as a Philistine giant, the champion of their army, whom the young and fearless David(as) struck down with a slingshot:

David(as) is mentioned as the Prophet Dawud(as) 16 times in the Holy Qur’an in Chapters 2, 4, 5, 6, 17, 21, 27, 34 and 38. The Qur’an describes David(as) as dealing the final blow to Jalut (Holy Qur’an, Ch.2:V.252) two hundred years after Talut (Gideon). Interestingly in this case also, the leader of the warring tribes is given the name Jalut (Ahmad, vol.1, p.318-320). It is noteworthy that the Bible story of the fight with Goliath does not appear at all in the Qur’an. Furthermore, the account later in the Bible (2 Samuel 21:18-20) is with various relatives of Goliath being killed.

When the Philistine (Goliath) drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward

The incidents at the time of David(as) happened because of the weakness shown by

54 The Review of Religions | January 2011

Saul. After his death, David(as) was given permission to annihilate the forces of Jalut, because of their continued assaults and denial of God. David(as) as King of Israel In his new role as King, David(as) moved his capital from Hebron to Jerusalem, taking the Ark with him. He united all of the Jewish tribes into a single force and restored a single Jewish faith, worshipping the one God Yahweh. This proved to be a wise decision. Jerusalem was centrally located and not associated with his old kingdom of Judah, nor the tribes to

Jerusalem. Old city

the north, so Jerusalem became a new neutral city, through which all the tribes could be united (Wilson, p.109). One of the significant verses is: â&#x20AC;ŚAnd We subjected the mountains and the birds to celebrate Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s praises with David... (Ch.21:V.80) But this verse is not to be taken literally. The Arabic terms used for mountains and birds can be interpreted as great men January 2011

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david (as)

David(as) is also portrayed in the Qur’an as a great spiritual leader. In the Qur’an, David(as) is described as being given the Zabur (Psalms) through divine revelation with the power and strength of mountains, and spiritual men who ascended great spiritual heights. Some commentators have suggested that David(as) literally gained control of mountain tribes around the city of Tyre. Nevertheless, the verse is likely to have the metaphorical meaning described above. The truth of this verse is evident if one reflects the extent to which David’s empire grew. David (as) led his armies to combat injustice and defeated the Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites. He grew his united Kingdom from the Dead Sea to the south, up to the bend of the Euphrates covering Syria, Lebanon and parts of modern Iraq. One example of his superior judgement came when he needed to appoint a chief priest. As with his choice of Jerusalem, 56 The Review of Religions | January 2011

he also appointed two priests: Abiathar (Samuel 23:9) descended from Moses(as) lived in the north in Shiloh, and Zadok (2 Samuel 8:17) descended from Aaron(as), lived in the south in Hebron (Wilson, p.112). This was again a wise decision as it prevented regional factions from forming during such a turbulent time. Whilst being aware of the needs of the various tribes, he had also proven himself to be decisive and ruthless in key policies, such as when he sent an army to utterly destroy the Edomites. At the same time, he allowed the Philistines to retain a token presence on the coast. David(as) was also able to build strategic alliances with the Phoenicians and other tribes with whom the Israelites established successful trade links, as is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an: And We strengthened his kingdom, and gave him wisdom and decisive judgement. (Ch.38:V.21) So this verse describes his attributes of strength, wisdom and judgement. It was in his reign that Israel reached its zenith due to his vision, religious conviction, leadership qualities and his ability to dispense justice fairly, to all people under his leadership. Thus, it was during the reign of David(as) that through its spiritual and

secular development Israel enjoyed its golden age. Zabur (Psalms) David(as) is also portrayed in the Qur’an as a great spiritual leader. In the Qur’an, David(as) is described as being given the Zabur (Psalms) through divine revelation (Ch.4:V.164). Hence, according to Islamic tradition it would be incorrect to claim that he wrote the Psalms through his own authorship. The Bible names his scribe as Jehoshaphat (2 Samuel 8:16), who recorded these revealed verses and poems for the wider Jewish population. The Arabic name Zabur is similar to the Hebrew names Zamir or Zimra (song) and Mizmor (melody), which could be used to describe the Psalms. In the Qur’an, the Zabur is described as one of the revealed books of the Jews, alongside the Torah of Moses(as) and the Injeel (Gospel) of Jesus(as). All three of these are elements of the modern Bible, supplemented by letters and other historical texts, incorporated into the Bible at various stages of history. The Qur’an repeatedly mentions the Psalms and even quotes them: And already have We written in the Book

of David, after the exhortation, that My righteous servants shall inherit the land. (Ch.21:V.106) Interestingly, this verse validates the authenticity of the Psalms, as Psalm 37, verse 29 in the Bible reads: The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever. (Psalm 37:29) In the modern Bible, at least 73 of the 150 Psalms are directly attributed to David(as), although older Bibles lack a lot of these references. Thirteen also carry additional contextual information before the Psalms, describing the events when the Psalms were written. David(as) was known for his beautiful singing voice when reciting from the Psalms. The Hadith (sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw)) recorded by Imam Bukhari, record a Tradition narrated by

In the Qur’an, the Zabur is described as one of the revealed books of the Jews, alongside the Torah of Moses(as) and the Injeel (Gospel) of Jesus(as) January 2011

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david (as)

Adbullah bin ‘Amr(ra) in which the Holy Prophet(saw) said: ‘The most beloved fasting to Allah was the fasting of (the Prophet) David who used to fast on alternate days. And the most beloved prayer to Allah was the prayer of David who used to sleep for (the first) half of the night and pray for 1/3 of it and (again) sleep for a sixth of it.’ (Bukhari, vol.4, ch.34, Hadith no.631) This illustrates another side of David(as)’s character, for whilst he is often depicted as strong and brave, his spiritual devotion here is considered exemplary. His reciting of the Zabur is described here as the most beloved prayer. Conclusion David(as) died in 970 BCE at the age of 70, in the city of Jerusalem. On his death, he passed his kingdom to his son Solomon(as). The Tomb of David(as), lies just outside the Sion Gate in Jerusalem (Murphy-O’Connor p.93). Much folklore has evolved around David(as). However, it is indisputable that he united the Jewish tribes into a single Kingdom, ruled with strength and justice, and restored the Jewish monotheistic faith to its original, spiritual level. This 58 The Review of Religions | January 2011

David(as) was known for his beautiful singing voice when reciting from the Psalms would not have been possible for a purely secular ruler, so there is no doubt that he was bestowed with a divine mission. A thousand years later the Jewish Messiah Jesus(as) was born both as the son of God and of Davidic descent. His followers claim that he was born in Bethlehem, (although this may have been recorded in the Bible in order to reinforce his credentials as being from the Davidic family line). Many other notable figures have claimed their lineage back to David(as), including the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie 1st, and Maimonides, the great 12th century Spanish philosopher of Andalucia. There is no doubt that all notions of a great Jewish nation and state originate from his time. What is evident is the cycle of history. The Jews and their nation of Israel always prospered when they became spiritual and acted with justice, equity and mercy. This is apparent when they escaped bondage from Pharaoh in Egypt and

repelled the Philistines, and later at the hands of Cyrus the Great. But whenever they moved away from their faith and became tyrants, ignoring the several opportunities to change God gave them

references

1. Abu Khalil, Dr Shauqi, Atlas of the Qur’an, Darussalam Publishers, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2003. 2. Ahmad, Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud, The Holy Qur’an with English Translation and Commentary (five volumes), Islam International Publications Ltd, Tilford, UK, 1988.

over many decades, their lands and power were taken away from them, as happened notably at the hands of the Persians and Romans.

6. Glasse, Cyril, The Concise Encyclopaedia of Islam, Stacey International, London, UK, 1999. 7. Ibn Kathir, Imam Imaduddin Abul-Fida Ismail, Stories of the Prophets, Darussalam Publishers, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2005. 8. Murphy-O’Connor, Jerome, The Holy Land - An Archaeological Guide From Earliest Times to 1700, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 1986.

3. Ali, Maulawi Sher, The Holy Qur’an Arabic Text and English Translation, Islam International Publications Ltd, Tilford, UK, 9. Shanks, Hershel, Ancient Israel - A Short History from Abraham to the 2004. Roman Destruction of the Temple, SPCK, Washington DC, USA, 1988 (Chapter 4 4. Armstrong, Karen, The Great The United Monarchy was edited by Andre Transformation - The World in the Time of Lemaire). Buddha, Socrates, Confucius and Jeremiah, Atlantic Books, London, UK, 2007. 10. Wilson, Ian. The Bible is History, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, UK, 5. Khan, Dr Muhammad Muhsin, The 1999. Translation of the Meanings of Sahih Al-Bukhari, Arabic-English, Vol.IV, Islamic University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, January 2011

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Calendar of

Religious

Events & Festivals

Sunday, 1st Jan Event: Oshogatsu Faith: Shintoism

Thursday, 6th Jan Event: Epiphany Faith: Christianity

Japanese new year celebration in which people visit Shinto shrines.

Celebration feast day marking the revelation of God in human form. Some mark Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; baptism, and others mark the visit of the 3 wise men. Armenians celebrate this as their Christmas Day.

Wednesday, 5th Jan Event:Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Faith: Sikhism Birthday of the final Sikh leader Guru Gorbind Singh (1666-1708) who became a Guru at the age of nine years. It was during his stewardship that the Sikh Khalsa (pure disciples) were established and their holy books the Guru Granth Sahib was formally accepted. 60 The Review of Religions | January 2011

Friday, 7th Jan Event: Orthodox Christmas Day Faith: Christianity Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas Day on this date rather than 25th December.

January 2011 Friday, 14th Jan Event: Makar Sankranti Faith: Hindusim

Monday, 31st Jan Event: Birthday of Guru Har Rai Faith: Sikhism

Celebration of the Winter Solstice in India marked through the giving of balls of sesame sweets to encourage better behaviour in the coming year.

Birthday of Guru Har Rai (1630-1661) who was the seventh of the Gurus and known for his compassion for animals and plants.

Thursday, 20th Jan Event: Tu Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sheveat Faith: Judaism Jewish New Year for trees and one of four new years mentioned in the Mishnah.

January 2011

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From Phenomenon to Calamity Asif M Basit

Thousands of people apply for a passport in Pakistan each day. However, what is not quite normal is that every applicant is additionally required to declare his or her faith on the application form in order to obtain this document to travel. An applicant who declares faith in Islam has to sign a disclaimer included in this form. The wording of this declaration is as follows:

62 The Review of Religions | January 2011

“16. DECLARATION IN CASE OF MUSLIM I,…………………s/d/w/of……………..aged adult Muslim, resident of…………….…………….. hereby solemnly declare that: a. I am a Muslim and believe in the absolute and unqualified finality of the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him) the last of the prophets. b. I do not recognize any person who claims to be prophet in any sense of the word or of any description whatsoever after Muhammad (peace be upon him) or recognize such a claimant as prophet or a religious reformer as a Muslim. c. I consider Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Quadiani to be an impostor nabi and also consider his followers whether belonging to the Lahori or Quadiani group, to be Non-Muslim. 17. Date…………….. Signature & Thumb impression”

As a Pakistani by origin, I find this document quite shameful and resonant of ages long gone. According to Pakistani Law, one does not have to recite the Kalima (the Muslim creed – an affirmation that there is no God but Allah, Muhammad(saw) is a Messenger of Allah) or believe in the articles of the Islamic faith to be a Muslim. Instead, one is required to take an oath before the passport issuing authorities. This would mean that to be a Muslim, you do not have to say what you are; instead you have to state what you are not. You do not mention what you believe; you mention

what you do not believe. In order to be certified as a Muslim, you have to declare another sect as being non-Muslim. It is ridiculous, and, above all, un-Islamic.1 With all the propaganda against Islam, one would have imagined that Muslims would defend their faith with rational arguments but the only method they have found is to denounce someone else as a non-Muslim and outside the pale of Islam. By putting everyone outside this pale is going to leave nothing inside it and would spell the death of their faith.2 January 2011

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One should be careful about the consequence of such acts. In the Holy Qur’an, Allah makes it very clear: …We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (Ch.17:V.16) Herein lies a warning for the past, the present and the future. So, in every age and time, mankind has to identify a reformer who not only gives glad tidings to the believers, but warns the other of the wrath of God, the Almighty. This fact is accepted by all Muslims sects. The Holy Prophet of Islam, the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw), prophesied the advent of a divine reformer. Therefore, all sects of Islam expected a divine reformer. The need of such a reformer was felt acutely as Islam was in a state of turmoil in every respect: spiritual, political, ethical, social and intellectual. Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) of Qadian claimed to be that long awaited reformer. He claimed to be the Mahdi, Messiah, Avatar and any other title associated to the reformer of the latter days. While many accepted him, a vast majority of Muslims opposed him bitterly, and continue to do so today. His teachings, spread over 80 books, can be broadly divided into three main areas: proofs of the truth of Islam, glad tidings 64 The Review of Religions | January 2011

and warnings. As his advent marked the fulfilment of a grand prophecy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw), not believing in his promised reformer would mean disobedience to the Prophet of Islam(saw). So Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) invited all to believe in him and come under the divine shelter of true Islam. Those who rejected him and increased in their cruelty against him and his followers were warned of the worst disaster – including political turmoil, war, tyranny, social and individual unrest, and earthquakes and other natural disasters – ever witnessed on the face of earth. “Death will cause such havoc that streams of blood will flow. Calamities of a terrible nature from earth as well as heaven will come upon men. “Many shall be saved and many shall be destroyed. The days are near, nay, they are at the door, when the world shall see an unparalleled scene of devastation. Not only will great earthquakes come, but other calamities from heaven and earth will also visit the earth, as this will be brought about because men have forsaken God, and with all their heart and all their soul they are bent low upon the world. “Had I not come, these calamities would also have been put off for a while, but with my appearance the secret designs of the wrath of God have been made

manifest, for He says that ‘punishment is not sent upon a people until a warner is raised.’ Those who repent shall be saved, and those who show fear before the calamity shall be shown mercy. “Do you think that you can be saved by your own plans? That cannot be. Do not think that severe earthquakes have come in distant places in America and your country will be safe for I see that greater distress is in store for you. Thou, O Europe! Art not safe, nor thou, O Asia! And ye that dwell in islands! No self-made deity will assist you on that day. I see cities falling down and I find inhabited places in ruin. “I say to you truly that the turn of this country is drawing near. The days of Noah will you again witness and the scene of Lot’s land will see with your own eyes. But God is slow in sending his wrath. Repent, that mercy may be shown to you. He who forsakes God is a worm, not a man and he who does not fear him is dead, not living.” (Haqiqatul Wahi (Urdu), Ruhani Khazain, London, 1984, vol. 22, pp.267-269) Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad issued this warning to the whole world. Although there are many in the world who have not yet embraced his message Pakistan chooses to be the one and only nation where the message of a Divine reformer is rejected by law. Whenever a (as)

Pakistani ‘Muslim’ applies for a passport and signs the infamous, ignoble declaration, he declares this Divine reformer, and messenger to be an imposter. The clergy has driven the masses into such frenzy that Ahmadi Muslims are denied equal rights, refused any justice and killed mercilessly in the presence of both State and non-State actors. A calamity is a natural phenomenon but of extraordinary magnitude and severity. Volcanic activity is a natural phenomenon and so is rain. But, in certain circumstances, both can result in calamities of the worst kind. Over the past few years, Pakistan has witnessed a series of calamities of a severe nature. Heavy floods, leaving thousands dead and millions without food and shelter, are a recent example. Is this only heavy rainfall randomly resulting in floods, or is it a sign or a fulfilment of a prophecy? Two points decide this matter. Bearing in mind the Qur’anic law of God, has this nation been warned by a Divine reformer? The answer to this question is definitely YES. Almost every single individual in Pakistan has come across the infamous disclaimer on the passport application at least once in his or her lifetime and is required to confirm that the “Warner” is an imposter. January 2011

The Review of Religions

The second point too is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. Describing the wrath of God on a people who were warned but did not believe, Allah says: And We rained upon them a rain; and evil is the rain for those who were warned. (Ch.27:V.59) This is a fact and has been described in the manner set out in this verse. Nevertheless, as believers of the Promised Messiah(as) we still pray for the relief of humanity. I conclude by quoting the enlightening words of the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba), Khalifatul Masih V: “May Allah bestow upon the world the sense and guidance to recognise His Messenger and be saved from the Wrath of Allah. May He also enable us to propagate the true message of Islam. May every hindrance in this cause strengthen our faith instead of being deterred by fear. May Allah enable us to do so.” (Friday Sermon, 5th March 2010, Al-Fazl International, London, 26th March 2010)

66 The Review of Religions | January 2011

endnotes 1 One may wonder as to what purpose such a declaration could serve, for the state of Pakistan, for those signing this declaration and for those who believe otherwise and do not sign the declaration. Viewed in the six decades history of bitter persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan, the extremist, ultraright wing of religio-political activists has taken every single measure to ensure that Ahmadis are not treated as Muslims and has deprived them the right to perform Hajj (pilgrimage of Makkah), one of the five pillars of faith in Islam. Mr M A Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan used Islam to provide a basis for The Two Nation Theory. In the time of Mr Liaqat Ali Khan, the term Islam was used as a social law to provide a basis for the constitution of the “Islamic Republic of ” Pakistan. Mr Z A Bhutto used it as a ventilator for his dying regime. Zia ul Haq used it to build his legacy of extremism, violence and sectarianism in Pakistan. So Pakistan has, unfortunately, ridden with Islam but the scholars have never been able to agree a definition of who is a Muslim. On the other hand, on one occasion of voting in Madinah, the Holy Prophet of Islam(saw), was asked as to who should be classed as Muslim for polling purposes. He replied that whosoever just says he/she is a Muslim, should be written down as a Muslim. 2

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