Sports: Universal Instrument for Development and Peace Building

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A publication of the Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya, Nigeria

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About MKA

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ajlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya (MKA), literally meaning 'Association of Servants of the True Islam' and also known as the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Organization (AMYO), was founded in 1938 by Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) and is the youth section of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

Objectives One of its principal objectives is the moral and spiritual training of youth through a mixture of religious and secular activities. It is dedicated to ensuring its members develop and excel in qualities such as piety, honesty and fair dealing so that they can better contribute to the country in which they live.

The activities of MKA are not limited to the Muslim community. It serves the needs of all members of society irrespective of colour, race, religion or creed and promotes interfaith dialogue and co-operation in order to promote peace and harmony.

Service to Humanity MKA Nigeria has a longstanding reputation of working with charities and bringing succor to people affected with disasters. This work ranges from assisting the charities with fundraising to organising charity events.

Additionally, MKA Nigeria has been working with the National Blood Transfusion Service for several years and is now a regular donor provider throughout its branches in Nigeria. Blood donation sessions are now held at various mosques belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

Health and Fitness Sports events such as football, cricket and badminton are held on a national, regional and local basis. At national events, which are rotated annually with different regions given the responsibility of organising them, regions compete against each other for the crown in that particular sport. Apart from the physical competitiveness of these events, and regional or local rivalries, members get the opportunity to meet, network and, most importantly, develop bonds of brotherhood with other members from all around the Nigeria.

Interfaith Dialogue MKA is well known for promoting interfaith dialogue and works with faith groups and public sector organisations to promote peace, tolerance and harmony in society. Activities include holding peace conferences where members of different religions exchange views on

promoting mutual respect, working on social projects to tackle problems facing youth such as bullying and drugs, and organising visits and open days to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community's mosques to promote social cohesion.

Islam Awareness MKA is actively engaged in presenting the peaceful message of Islam and removing common misconceptions and misunderstandings about the faith. It firmly believes that tolerance, engagement, interaction and debate are vital to understand the true teachings of Islam.

It is involved in a number of programmes ranging from providing Islamic training courses to schools, colleges, universities and organisations such as the Army and Police. Invitations are also extended to mosque open days, public lectures and question and answer sessions.

Annual Ijtema (Convention) This is MKA Nigeria's flagship event of the year when thousands congregate for a three-day convention.

Members participate in religious education and sporting competitions which add an extra element of healthy rivalry between members.

The Ijtema sees the culmination of a whole year's work for the various regional and local branches of MKA with awards given to the most outstanding achievers. More importantly this event enables members to strengthen and foster new relationships in the spirit of brotherhood.

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Contents -

AL-‘IRFAN A publication of the Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya, Nigeria

Editorial Board Sadr Muhtamim Isha'at Editor-in-Chief Members

Graphics Contributors

AbdulQadir Abdul Rafi Murtadha Oriolowo AbdulGaniyy Adiamoh AbdurRaheem Ismail Sulaiman Ogunkanmi AbdulGaniyy Omopariola Hamid Bolaji Ahmad Talabi Tajudeen Olawole Abass Agbaje Luqman Al-Ghazal Oriolowo Saheed Lukman Olabanji AbdulGaniyy Adiamoh Abdul Qadir Awwal Rilwan Alausa Maruf Ajimoti

About MKA

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Holy Qur'an

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Hadith

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Sayings of Imam Mahdi

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How To Guard Against Evils Associated With Youthful Age 7 Editorial

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Sports in Islam

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Sport: Universal Instrument for Development & Peace Building

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Conquering Competition Anxiety

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Exercises You Can Do At Home

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ATFAL Zone:

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ISSN 1596 - 3187 Volume 51, No. 1 February 2012

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AL-‘IRFAN

A publication of the Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya, Nigeria

Al-'Irfan Magazine is published by the Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya Nigeria, the youth organization of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Nigeria. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily representative of the official position of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community or any of its affiliate bodies.

All correspondence should be forwarded to: The Editor Al-'Irfan Magazine Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Nigeria P.O. Box 418, Lagos State, Nigeria Email: enquiries@mka-ng.org Tel: 08079165432; 08026980159; 07056547478

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From the Holy Qur’an

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Mankind, We have created you from a male and a female; and We have made you into tribes and sub-tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is most righteous among you.

Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, AllAware.

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he principal theme of this Sura (AlHujurat) is the establishment of concord, amity and goodwill between Muslim individuals and groups and therefore it has mentioned some of those social evils which cause discord, dissensions and differences, and corrode, corrupt and contaminate a society, eating into its vitals, and enjoins Muslims to be on their guard against them. Ridiculing and taunting others, spying and calling by nick-names, and suspicion and back-biting are some of these social evils.

Women have been particularly mentioned here in that they are more prone to fall a victim to these evils.

The main cause, which lies at the root of these evils, is conceit and a false sense of superiority, which the next verse expressly deals with. By removing the basic causes of disharmony and disagreement among Muslims, the Sura laid the foundation of a firm and strong Brotherhood of Islam.

In this verse, the Sura proceeds to lay down the basis of an all-comprehensive, all pervading brotherhood of man. The verse, in fact, constitutes the Magna Carta of human fraternity and equality. It has firmly laid the axe at the false and foolish notions of superiority, born of racial arrogance or national conceit. All men having been created from a male and a female as human beings have been declared equal in the sight of God. The worth of a man is not to be judged by the pigment of his skin, the amount of wealth he possesses or by his rank or social status, descent or

Sura Al Hujurat, verse 14 pedigree, but by his moral greatness and the way in which he discharges his obligations to God and man.

The whole human race is but one family. Division into tribes, nations and races is meant to give them a better knowledge of one another, in order that they might benefit from one another’s national characteristics and good qualities. This, according to Islam, is the criterion of a person’s greatness and this is the only true and real criterion.

The Holy Prophet explained the beautiful idea of the brotherhood of man inculcated in this verse in his own inimitable way on the occasion of the Last Pilgrimage at Mecca, a short time beofre his death.

Addressing a vast concourse of Muslims, the Prophet said: “O ye men, Your God os One and your ancestor is one. An Arab possesses no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab over an Arab.

A white is in no way superior to a red, nor for that matter, a red to a white, but only to the extent which he discharges his duty to God and man. The most honoured among you in the sight of God is the most righteous among you” (Baihaqui).

These noble words spoken by the Prophet during his Farewell Pilgrimage which have resounded through the centuries epitomize one of Islam’s loftiest ideals and strongest principles. It goes to the credit of the Holy Prophet that in a society riven with class distinction, he preached a message intensely democratic.

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From the Hadith Abu Hurayra said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer although there is good in each. Desire that which will bring you benefit, and seek help from Allah and do not give way to incapacity."

(Muslim)

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Muslim is strong physically and spiritually. In order to gain the strength necessary to become a better Muslim, one needs to train his body and spirit by practicing sports and performing the prescribed prayers. The prophet (PBUH) is the best that walked this earth and his advice and teachings come second after God's commands in the Quran. He also added that: 'Your body has rights over you.'(Reported by Al-Bukhari).

This should really encourage Muslims to hit the Gym, or take on a sport. Of course within the confine of Sharia law, but the premise is that a Muslim has to be diligent in giving due rights to his body, and not abuse it. The spread of obesity and diseases resulting from sedentary living is a phenomenon that Islam is trying to avoid and protect people from falling prey to. The prophet (PBUH) advised and, short of ordered, his followers to raise their children in a healthy manner and provide them with the means to play sports and strengthen their bodies. He said: “Teach your sons the art of swimming, sharp shooting, and horse riding”. Those sports are meant to strengthen the body and teach specific skills, and playing similar sports that would provide the same benefits would also be beneficial.

In his well known book 'Zad-Al-Ma`aad', Imam IbnulQayyem states that movement is the core of sports. It helps the body get rid of waste food in a very normal way. It makes it active, enhances its immunity and protects it from diseases. Each organ has its own sport that suits it. As for horse-riding, archery, wrestling and racing, they are sports that benefit the whole body. Muslims should have no excuse, but rather an incentive to practice sports and work out their bodies.

Women are also encouraged to strengthen their bodies and keep themselves healthy. The prophet (PBUH) raced his wife Aisha, and there were famous Muslim women that could ride horses better than men, and even fight with the sword. If one of us doubts the strength necessary to ride a horse or fight with a weapon, they should ask the experts.

One famous woman in Islamic history who possessed great physical prowess, solid fighting skills, and great honor is the knight Khawla Bint Al Azwar. She was

encouraged by her brother and taught by him the art of horse riding, and the skills of sword fighting. She contributed to the success of the Muslim Army under the leadership of Khalid Ibn Alwalid in driving the Romans out of Syria. The prophet Mohammed (PBUH) was also a good wrestler who defeated his opponents. Some people argued that his feat of defeating “Rukanah” was a miracle, so it shouldn't be used as an incentive for Muslims to get off the couch and go work out, jog, or take a walk.

If we treat our body right, we could defeat diseases, obesity, stress, and all the aliments that are caused by a sedentary lifestyle. If we follow the prophet in how he dresses, or how he sits, we ought to also follow him in how healthy and strong he kept his body.

It is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once wrestled with a man called Rukanah who was well-known for his strength, throwing him to the ground more than once. (Reported by Abu Dawud) .

In another report of this incident, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) started wrestling with him. As the fight was hard, Rukanah said, 'A sheep for a sheep.' (This must have occurred before the prohibition of gambling, or perhaps the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not accept the bet and hence did not enforce its terms.) The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then wrestled him down. The man challenged the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) again, but was wrestled down again by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Being floored again for the third time, the man said, 'What shall I tell my wife? One sheep was eaten by the wolf, one ran away, but what about the third'. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, 'We are not going to defeat you and take something from you as well. Take your sheep!'Islam is very clear about seeking what's good for your body, in terms of adhering to a healthy diet or physical activity. That should be an incentive to each one of us to start or continue in the path of being good Muslims with strong bodies.

Source: http://islamic-health.com/Health SEPTEMBER 2011 | AL- ‘IRFAN

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From the Malfoozat

Righteousness

HAZRAT MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD

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n the Holy Qur'an more emphasis has been laid on virtue and righteousness than on any other commandment. The reason for this is that righteousness bestows the strength to resist all vice and urges progress towards all good. Righteousness is in all circumstances a charm that guarantees security and is a citadel for safeguarding against all harm.

A righteous person can avoid many vain and harmful contentions that often lead other people to ruin. They sow the seed of dissension among the people through their hasty actions and suspicions and lay themselves open to objection.

Elements of Righteousness There are many elements in righteousness. It is righteousness to avoid pride and self-esteem and to refrain from unlawful acquisition and ill manners. A person who displays courtesy and good manners converts his enemies into friends.

Blessed is the one who adopts righteousness in a time

of success and prosperity and most unfortunate is one who does not turn to righteousness after stumbling.

The spiritual beauty of man is to walk along all the finer ways of righteousness. They are the attractive features of spiritual beauty. It is obvious that to be mindful of the trusts of God Almighty, and to fulfil all the covenants of faith, and to employ all faculties and limbs both overt, like eyes and ears and hands and feet and others like them, and those that are covert, like the mind and other faculties and qualities, on their proper occasions and to restrain them from coming into action on improper occasions, and to be warned against the subtle attacks of vice and to be mindful of the rights of one's fellow beings, is the way of perfecting one's spiritual beauty.

God Almighty has in the Holy Qur'an designated righteousness as a raiment. Libas-ut-taqwa is an expression of the Holy Qur'an. This is an indication that spiritual beauty and spiritual ornament are achieved through righteousness. Righteousness means that one must be mindful even of the smallest details of the Divine trusts and covenants and also of all the trusts and covenants of one's fellow beings, as far as it may be possible. That is, one must try to fulfil, to the best of one's ability, all the requirements in their minutest details.

True righteousness and ignorance cannot subsist together. True righteousness is accompanied by a light, as God the Glorious, has said: “O ye who believe, if you remain steadfast in righteousness and hold fast to it for the sake of Allah, with firmness and perseverance, He will single you out from among your detractors with marked distinction.” That is, you shall be blessed with a light which will accompany you wherever you go.

That is to say, that that light would illumine all their actions and words and faculties and senses. Their intellect would be illumined and there would be light in all that they utter. There would be light in their eyes and in their ears and in their tongues and in their speech and in all their movements. The ways along which they walk would be lit up. All their ways, the ways of their faculties and their senses will be filled with light, and they will walk altogether in light.

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The Sermon

How To Guard Against Evils Associated With Youthful Age HAZRAT MIRZA MASROOR AHMAD

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oung age is such an age that if there is no special Grace of Allah and Allah's Mercy is not in support, one can become involved in many ills.

In distancing oneself away from Allah, one may develop such ills which mar one's own life, as well as create trouble for one's family. Some ills may also be a source of creating unrest in society. So this is an age when a young man, in addition to making or breaking his own life, may also play a role to make or break the life of his nation. That is why Hadhrat Musleh Maud, Khalifatul Masih II , has said: “Nations cannot be reformed without reforming its youth”.

This is such a phrase and such a slogan that to continuously have its realisation in one's heart and to ponder over and repeat it in one's mind is a task that will give surety to a splendid future of the Ahmadiyya Community.

Therefore you must always ponder over this phrase and slogan for it is no ordinary slogan. This slogan will continue to remind you to carry out self-analysis and the realisation that the progress of the Jama'at depends on our every action which will continue to persuade you to do

what Allah has commanded you to do, and stop you from the ills that Allah has forbidden.

Every good act that you will do will be a source of joy and happiness for you, and will make you realise that 'we are fulfilling our pledge we made with the Imam of the time to excel in piety and are sacrificing our life, property, time and honour and without any hesitation, and that we are advancing towards a noble aim’.

Every ill that you will give up and discard will bring you happiness. Happiness that 'in these times when in every direction there are evils, and vain pursuits are in abundance, and the paths full of thorns of evil and indecency from which it is most difficult to protect yourself as they stand as obstacles in the path at each and every step are everywhere, yet you are saving yourself from these evils to win the pleasure of Allah'.

However, you must remember that Allah says that you need Him to protect yourselves from these evils.

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How To Guard Against Evils Associated With Youthful Age Allah has commanded us to do istighfar i.e. beg Allah's forgiveness, so that we continue to do good deeds and continue to be protected from evils. It is because in man there is a capacity to commit evil which Satan wants to excite, for Satan had given a challenge that 'excepting a few of your sincere servants, Allah, I will show such alluring sights that will enchant the children of Adam you have created so that they will forget You and follow me instead'. Therefore in these times it is specifically important that we should seek Allah's help to follow His paths.

If Joseph - a servant of Allah who was blessed by Him from childhood with true dreams, and in whom Allah had put piety from his childhood as Allah had decided to make him a Prophet - supplicated to Allah when the satanic attacks attempted to incline him to commit evil by praying: I do not absolve myself of weakness for, the self is surely prone to enjoin in evil except that on whomsoever my Lord has mercy. My Lord is Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful.'

(12:54) …then all other people definitely need Allah's help and mercy and you only receive Allah's help and mercy through istighfar - a prayer to beg for Allah's forgiveness.

Therefore you should always kneel before Allah and seek His help because without it, you cannot suppress the evil desire of the “self”. As long as the incitement to evil is not suppressed, neither can one be enabled to do good deeds nor can one succeed to protect oneself from evil.

The Promised Messiah says: The true and real meaning of istighfar is to supplicate to Allah that no human weakness should become manifest and that Allah may support human nature with His Power and take the nature within the fold of His patronage and support. So as long as you will continue to make this supplication to Allah that “Please cover our weaknesses and despite our weak state, with all your Omnipotence and Power, change our condition in such a way that we do not incline to our weakness and towards evil, and with your support continue to enable us to do good deeds, for you are the Almighty and the Omnipotent Being with Whose support those servants who become pious cannot be harmed by the onslaught and cunning of Satan.” So you should try to develop such a state.

Immediately when reaching the age of 16-18 years, and even 20 years and over, these attacks of Satan gather speed.

Especially the ages between 15 and 17 years are the most vulnerable. Everyone faces ever new situations in schools and colleges that excite passions which incline to evils.

There are mixed gatherings of boys and girls in which in the name of freedom of speech they discuss all kinds of subjects and situations are created in which nafs-eammara the self that incites to evil, quickly shows its influence and Satan becomes very active and runs like the

blood in the veins of man.

In the physical world it can be compared to Malaria. In regions where mosquitoes are found in abundance, one catches fever repeatedly and even when the fever subsides and one has moved away to safer areas, the malaria parasites find room and remain in the liver and whenever one is weakened by the onslaught of a disease, the parasites attack immediately. Generally, those people who live in Africa, Pakistan or other regions where there are large number of mosquitoes, they always develop malaria with any illness they suffer. Likewise Satan finds room and sits in one's heart and whenever some crookedness develops in the heart and some spiritual weakness is suffered, Satan incites nafs-e-ammara - one's baser self. In fact, this is more dangerous than the malarial parasite, and that is why the Holy Prophet said that Satan is constantly running within the blood of man. Hence, as the baser self tries to incite man towards evil, Satan begins to move faster in his blood and immediately it entangles him and makes him commit sinful acts. At times some people have such a powerful temptation which takes hold over their strong desire that such a person loses his capacity of thinking and understanding. If he has any piety in him, only after committing the act, he realises and says: 'Oh no, what have I done, in what filth have I become entangled?'

To protect oneself from such temptation one needs to do istighfar - beg Allah's forgiveness to continuously subdue Satan. So that taking advantage of some weakness, the Satan should not mount an attack to involve you in further weaknesses.

For this you need istighfar which is not only to beg forgiveness of sins but is also a great source of protection from sins. I have said this particularly addressing the students but the situation is the same faced by the newcomers to these western countries who have come from Pakistan, India, or other countries. No sooner have they stepped into this atmosphere of so-called freedom they become afflicted with certain evils. So you must strive to protect yourselves form these evils and if you committed some mistakes even then you must do istighfar to come under Divine protection. One should repent sincerely kneeling before Allah for He is most forgiving and has the power to enable you to do good deeds in the future.

The Promised Messiah has mentioned three things for protection against sins and for sincere repentance. I will describe them briefly. The first point he mentioned with regards to giving up ills is to develop abhorrence in one's heart and mind for the things that are creating evil thoughts and to regard them extremely filthy, obscene and dreadful. If in the true sense you beg for Allah's forgiveness, you will develop these thoughts of aversion and hatred, the heart will incline towards piety.

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How To Guard Against Evils Associated With Youthful Age Secondly you should develop feelings of regret and shame. Consider that whatever evil act I am doing today in my young age, what good will it bring me. The mere thinking that “firstly the evil I am committing will give a bad name to my family and I will also defame the Jama'at”, and that secondly “it will take me away from the pledge that I have made” will indeed develop a feeling of shame and then perform its role to make you shun evil. When you have developed regret to this level, you should then resolve that you will not go anywhere near these ills and pray that you will truly develop such a state. If everyone will strive to develop such a state then, as I said, Allah, Who possesses all powers, will create steadfastness in their hearts, showing compassion, and will create means of forgiveness and will save your baser self spreading further.

Man then gains such a state about which Allah says: Verily, he, indeed, will prosper who purifies himself (87:15) Everyone should strive to attain piety with which they can become prosperous, and become those who attain to nafs-e-mutmainnah i.e. the soul at rest and find comfort in Allah with which they should continue to advance in good deeds. It is these good deeds, which will be a distinction between you and the others. It is only your relationship with Allah and your protection from ills that will bring about reformation within yourselves and will be a source of attracting others towards you. Your high morals and protection from ills will open up the field of preaching for you.

Such gatherings and annual conventions are held to bring about these changes within you and to create this realisation. Together with academic and religious programmes, other sports competitions and entertaining programmes are organised to make your body and mind healthier. You must not think that your role is just to participate in sports and win prizes, and that academic and religious participation is for others. Nay! Each one of you, with all your capacities, has to live your lives striving to win the pleasure of Allah. If you are developing the thinking that your role is just to play sports and the

religious work is for others, then such sports is of no use at all.

The Promised Messiah says that for our Jama'at we do not require men with power of wrestling, but need such people who have the strength to bring about a change in their character. He adds that the fact is that he is not a strong man who can move a mountain, no, not at all; rather, a truly brave man is he who has the power to bring about a change in his character. So remember that you should use all your courage and strength to change your moral qualities and indeed this alone is the real power and courage; thus bravery is to change one's moral qualities. So when you will thrive to do all kind of good works, then you will step ahead in high morals. Only then will you become a model for others and convey this teaching to them for which we have been commanded by Allah and His Messenger .

You will attain this level, as I have explained earlier, when you will develop a living relationship with Allah by kneeling before Him and seeking His forgiveness, and will leave your baser self behind and when you will commit no act that will displease Allah. Then, in such a state your preaching efforts will bear much more fruit than before.

So pay much attention to this you must realise that future responsibilities of the Jama'at will fall on your shoulders.

Every person is important in his place, every young man is important in his place, every Ahmadi child is important in his place, you must develop this realisation in your heart. I say this especially to the Waqfeen-e-Nau children that you have to come out of this society so pure and clean as a small child is clean and pure who knows nothing of this world.

As a newborn baby does not know anything of this world despite living in this world, despite knowing everything of the world you have to keep yourself pure and clean of all the ills of the world. These children must realise that 13 to 14 years age is a great age of reflection and understanding though there are now even older children among Waqfeene-Nau. These children must have this realisation. You must reflect and ponder what special difference and dis tinction there should be between us and other children. Think that our parents have devoted us and at the coming of age, we have by ourselves dedicated

...Protect yourselves from ills. Here I mean the evils of the internet. This is also a major ill. It is not wrong to say that in some ways, it is proving to be a major source of inclining the self towards evil. May Allah save every Ahmadi child and every Ahmadi young man from this evil.

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How To Guard Against Evils Associated With Youthful Age our life for the service of religion. As such, what kind of a relationship should we have with our Creator?

To spread the message of Islam and Ahmadiyyat what kind of a radical change must we bring about in our natures and our lives? Of what type should our Salaat worship be? What should our daily recitation of the Holy Qur'an be like? What efforts should we make to understand the meaning of the Holy Qur'an? Irrespective of what profession you have to follow, even if you are not becoming a missionary, no matter what field a Waqf-e-Nau is pursuing, from time to time each one must assess as to what progress one has made in the previous three or six months: am I progressing towards what a young Waqf-eNau should be?

Every Ahmadi young man should ponder: am I or am I not stepping in the direction to what a young Ahmadi is expected to be? What have I lost or gained in this period?

When you make a comparison between what you have lost and what you have gained, you will know yourself as to whether you are stepping ahead, stepping back or standing still.

One thing I want to say especially to the Waqfeen-e-Nau children and generally to all other children is that to reply to the baseless and absurd objections (against Islam) and to show the right picture of Islam to the world, the Ahmadi children should try to enter the field of media and for this journalism is a good subject. Furthermore all children, whether Waqfeen or non-Waqfeen, should always keep in mind that they have to advance in the academic field.

For instance, these days the local people here are less inclined to take up science subjects or to go in the field or research and it has also been highlighted in the newspapers that if this situation continued for a few years, they will not find any scientists in the future for research purposes.

Therefore I say to Ahmadi children that as well as paying much attention to their education they should also move forward in field of sciences and thus these people in the West will be compelled to assimilate you for the importance of the subject in which you have gained qualification. It shall also provide more opportunities for employment for those who have gained or are gaining higher education and skills in these subjects. Moreover this will also get rid of the false notion in the western people's minds (because of their false belief about Islam due to their self-concocted background) that these people (Muslims) are ignorant and illiterate.

So today you who are students should make up your mind that you will advance in scientific fields such that you will fulfil the future scientific needs of this country.

This will enlighten the name of Islam, and as I said, these people will then be compelled not to say anything against Islam.

In the Jubilee year Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih III had asked for a certain number of scientists, I think he said 100 scientists from among Ahmadi children, who can attain the position like that of Dr Abdus Salam. So far we have not attained this number but you who are studying in these countries and are residing where you have all the opportunities, you must avail them and continue to attain higher grades.

I also want to remind you to protect yourselves from ills.

I have said this many times before and here I mean the evils of the internet. This is also a major ill. In this regard, I have said many times before that this is such an evil that at times it is bringing to the fore most dreadful consequences and is ruining homes. In fact, it is not wrong to say that in some ways, it is proving to be a major source of inclining the self towards evil. May Allah save every Ahmadi child and every Ahmadi young man from this evil. Instead of wasting time on silly and absurd websites and entangling yourselves in such things, give more attention to preaching.

Khuddamul Ahmadiyya as an organisation should make programmes to hold seminars and symposiums in various smaller towns.... You should plan to reach the people from the educated class. You should approach colleges and universities and hold seminars. There are many universities, both small and large, as well as colleges that you should approach. In the counties where these programmes are being held it is a source of creating a good understanding and reputation of Islam. People are expressing their delight and saying that only today have we learnt what Islam really is, so far we were only considering it a terrorist religion. When the local Ahmadis will visit the smaller towns, the local people will develop an interest and the true teaching of Islam will reach the educated people and they will have the opportunity to hear the refutation of the wrong concept about the Holy Prophet and Islam. Wherever such programmes have been held, some ministers of the church and the well-educated section of society have welcomed it and the local media have also given good coverage of this in these western countries. ... If you hold such seminars in small forums among educated people, many misunderstandings about Islam will soon be removed and new opportunities will be created for preaching. The attention of your young men will be diverted, your preferences will change because you will be doing this work for the sake of Allah and at the same time you will be saved from many ills of the self and this way one good act will lead to another and piety will spread and multiply. May Allah enable you to do this work and you should truly attain a standard of Ahmadiyyat that Hadhrat Masih-e-Maud wants to create in us.

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Editorial

T

he twenty-first century world is divided within itself. The era of fellow-feeling seems to be fast disappearing. Instead, people, nations and groups have formed themselves into blocs, often with the wrong ideology that what their group represents could only be the best. This has turned our world into a fertile ground for the clash of cultures and civilization that we now experience.

What could we do to start a gradual process of blurring the lines?

Despite the desire by humans to be independent, there is a strong need to connect with others. This inter-dependence is core to our nature, and it is when we explore ways through which we could see beyond the ideologies we represent and start to extend a hand across the aisle that we could make our world a peaceful abode for all.

One of the crucial steps we must take is to treat the others with respect. We respect their values, principles and ideologies as much as we expect them to respect ours.

Beyond that, we could join hands in such activities that are mutually enjoyed across board. For instance, Muslim and Christian groups could jointly donate to a charity for orphans. There is no need to start the battle over the group that will have the first pass at the Heaven gate. We could even engage in sports activities.

In Nigeria and many other countries of the world, sports help to blur the lines we have created for ourselves and which only restrict our abilities to live full lives. I have seen how big and powerful men jubilate when they see their country's football team score a highly crucial goal. Not at all different from how every other person jubilates. I have seen presidents of countries sit at the stadium as their countries win or lose matches. Their joy and anguish are the same for all of us. In other words, we could connect more on the sports level.

The goal of this edition of Al-Irfan is to argue the case for the powerful force sports could be in our endeavour to repair our broken world. The theme of this edition Sport: Universal Instrument For Development & Peace Building explains the potency of sports in achieving peace building and development.

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A publication of the Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya, Nigeria

It is important to also explain the case for sports in Islam, and the article Sports in Islam looks at the permissibility of sports in the Noble Religion. It also explains the dos and don'ts of sports in Islam.

This edition strongly argues the need for people to engage in physical exercises. There are tips in Easy Exercises You Can Do At Home. You also get to know the Health Benefits of Sports. We hope that while you enjoy this edition, you may let us know your comments through email on sadr[at]mkang[dot]com.

Be blessed.

AbdulGaniyy Adiamoh Editor-in-Chief

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ISLAM: The Antithesis of Extremism, Terrorism ABDULGANIYY ADIAMOH Introduction

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slam is the complete way of life which emphasizes the link between a strong healthy mind and an equally strong and healthy body. Thus, Islam prohibits us from neglecting our body or harming it due to overindulgence. As Allah (swt) as required of us in the Holy Quran, “I have not created the Man and the Jinn, but that they may worship Me, (51 vs 57), the necessity of a strong and healthy body cannot be waived away.

In order to be able to perform this all-important task, Islam has taught us to keep a strong and healthy body by: 1.

Proper eating and drinking habits 2.

Exercise, work and activity 3.

Proper sleep and rest 4.

Cleanliness and personal hygiene.

The Place of Sports in Islam According to the Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia, sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants.

The encouragement for sports in Islam flows directly from Item 2 of the outlined ways of keeping the body strong and healthy.

According to Maulana M. S. Raza, Imam of the Leicester Central Mosque, the purposes of maintaining strength

through physical exercises and activity should be: 1. the need to acquire skills 2. determination 3. competition, 4. discipline, and 5. physical fitness.

However, some schools of thought have prohibited Muslims from participating in sport activities. This gives rise to the question: Does Islam sanction sports?

To start with, we must note that Islam sanctions anything that is pure and beneficial for man. One must not transgress however. In the Holy Quran, Allah says “O ye who believe!

Forbid not the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you, and transgress not. Lo! Allah loveth not transgressors.”(Al-Ma'idah: 87)”. Islam encourages a Muslim to be strong and to seek the means of strength.

In an Hadith of the Holy Prophet (saw), Muslims are enjoined to teach their children swimming, archery and horse-riding. As these were the prevailing sport activities of the Arabs of the Prophet's time, we could construe this to mean a general approval of all sport activities that are targeted to life skills.

According to Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former Head of AlAzhar Fatwa Committee, sport activities which suit the lives of the people have been invented from time immemorial. He said: “From the time immemorial, people have sought means of physical training and SEPTEMBER 2011 | AL- ‘IRFAN

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invented all kinds of sports to make their bodies strong, but each to its purposes and conditions. A nation where fighting and battles were the norm, sports like weightlifting, archery and dueling would be very common, while swimming became the favorite sports to people living on sea-shores. In the Arabian peninsula, people got used to hunting and horse-riding due to their conditions of frequent traveling and moving from one place to another.”

The Holy Prophet's sanction on sports shows the the great importance Islam places on sports in training the Muslims and making their bodies healthy and sound. It is no wonder also to hear the saying: “A sound mind is in a sound body.”

Beyond the popular games like football, cricket, tennis and so on, there are various rituals in Islam that are trained towards achieving the goals of a strong body and strong mind. For instance, the various positions Muslims assume during the Five Daily Prayers could easily be likened to the various positions that people in a workout program engage in. The walk between Safa and Marwa also is a form of exercise. Though their primary purposes are to glorify Allah, yet they exalt our bodies too.

Islam does not oppose having a strong body via practicing sports. Muslims are commanded to be of sound bodies and sound minds in addition to having sound morals. In the Hadith, we read: “A strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than a weak one.” (Reported by Muslim) A sound strong body is capable of fulfilling both the religious and the worldly duties. Islam never accepts anything that leads to neglecting these duties, save in some cases where some exemptions are made so as to make matters easy for believers.

The effects of sports on the body: In his well known book 'Zad-Al-Ma`aad', Imam IbnulQayyem states that movement is the core of sports. It helps the body get rid of waste food in a very normal way. It makes it active, enhances its immunity and protects it from

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diseases. Each organ has its own sport that suits it. As for horse-riding, archery, wrestling and racing, they are sports that benefit the whole body.

Sports appearing in Islamic rituals: In Islam, we see that many Islamic rituals contain sports that help the body attain physical fitness once they are practiced properly. The rituals of pilgrimage, paying visits to Muslim brothers, visiting the sick, going to and fro the mosque and participating in many social activities are no more than sports.

Etiquette of sports in Islam: The fact that Islam encourages the practicing of sports makes one realize how great, flexible and comprehensive is this course of Allah given to mankind. In this context, Islam stresses the importance of spiritual and moral training that should accompany physical training so that the latter yield its desired effects.

In supporting a team, hooliganism should be avoided.

Also, there is no place for gloating. Having an upper hand in games does not warrant jeering at a defeated opponent.

Islam views sports as a means of enhancing mutual love and cooperation among people, not a means of hurting feelings. That's why the winning party should never be carried away with joy to the extent of insulting the opponents, nor must the defeated party be eaten up with envy at his counterpart's advantage. He must keep in mind that his today's loss will pave way for his tomorrow success, if he keeps patience and tries to improve himself.

This reminds us of the occasion when a nomad's camel outpaced the Prophet's she-camel which was known to be ever-first in racing, Muslims felt sad. Commenting on the issue, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said: “Almighty Allah has decreed that nothing shall have a permanent glory (meaning that every situation has its ups and downs and no condition is permanent).” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, made this statement to cool down the feelings of those who

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found his camel being outpaced a difficult thing to swallow.

In contests, a true Muslim never forgets the etiquette o f giving the counterparts good treatment. Casting aside morals in contests and competitions is a form of hypocrisy to which the Prophet referred when saying: “There are four characteristics if found in a person, he is a pure hypocrite.

The Holy Prophet (saw) further said: "None of you [truely] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." This implies that when a team becomes victorious, it should celebrate it in humility.

Tips for a Muslim practicing sports: 1-A Muslim should not occupy himself with sports to the extent that leads to neglecting religious and other duties.

2-A Muslim is not permitted to give himself loose rein in practicing sports in a way that involves inflicting harm on others. Practicing sports in crowded streets, for example, thus causing traffic jam is not an Islamic way for example.

3-Blind fanaticism in favor or against a team has nothing to do with Islam, for this really contradicts the Islamic teachings calling for unity and love.

4-While practicing sports there should be no room for

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foul words, bad behavior and slandering.

5-Islam does not allow matches or games that involve both sexes, in a way that opens channels for seduction, temptation and corruption.

6-Islam rejects also all games and sports that stir sexual urge or encourage moral perversion such as women practicing dancing and being watched by the public.

Males are to practice sports that suits their nature and vice versa. In Islam, it is not allowed for females to practice sports that are unique for men.

In conclusion, it is to be made clear that upon declaring something permissible, Islam places some stipulations that aim at maintaining morality and that cope with the general wisdom of legislation. Sports are to be practiced following these stipulations so as to avoid any undesired harms. The general rule of Shari`ah is that any act that involves transgressing limits whether in eating, drinking, clothing or anything else, is prohibited. The Qur'an declares: “ O ye who believe! Forbid not the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you, and transgress not.

Lo! Allah loveth not transgressors.”(Al-Ma'idah: 87)”

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ports nowadays are considered to have a particular pedagogical value, and are regarded as “one of our society's essential components,”1 able to transmit “all the fundamental norms of social life.”2 They are seen as bearers of fundamental educational values such as “tolerance, team spirit, loyalty.”3 This is greatly emphasized by the documents released for The International Year of Sport and Physical Education, sponsored by the United Nations.

However, it is well-known that even while sports may seem to solve some problems, they are not themselves exempt from them. They are at times carriers of dangerous and uncontrollable tendencies which pollute their very value: in the instance when a sport becomes an addictive habit, a show, at times causing violence and promoting doping. There is also the risk of accepting and even contributing towards the idolatry and commercialization of one's own body.

Sport gives value to the body, an aspect which does not reduce it to a merely materialistic value. It should however be given the right place and be “used” appropriately in educating towards the development of one's ego and a sense of the community.

The body is not an object but a subject, a person. “Man is not a fragment of corporeity,” wrote Cardinal Danneels of

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Brussels, “inhabited for an instant by a spiritual spark. He is above all a spirit, a free and unique person, and it is through the body that his spirit opens up to an experience in matter and history. The soul does not come to live in an already existing home, but it establishes its corporeity specifically through matter. In this way the human body becomes the exteriorization of the soul: a totally different thing from a dress which is simply put on.”4 Educating the body implies enabling corporeity to manifest and arouse the spirit. But when is a sport able to arouse the spirit? This happens when it is able to endow those who practice it with self-dominion, enabling them to master their whole being which is always a goal to strive for and fostering moral commitment in an athlete. This includes values such as loyalty, generosity, self-denial, solidarity, courage, discipline; a sense of responsibility, of fair-play, of aesthetics; an appreciation for nature, for life and spiritual values.

One might ask whether sports automatically helps in socialization, whether it contributes substantially towards the complete development of a person according to the methods used in practicing sports and the goals one intends to achieve.

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Sport: Universal Instrument for Development & Peace Building it is a release of latent psychophysical energy, but also a type of idolatry with regard to prestige and money-making; it is the giving of self but can also fost er egoism and oppression; it is a point for meeting others but also for confrontation.”5 Sports, even sports, express certain needs love, freedom, creativity, autonomy, justice, happiness, and so on which are at the very core of the human being.

A sport is, substantially, much more than mere amusement or a difficult task to perform before achieving victory. It is, in reality, a privileged space to get to know oneself and others, to live with others, and also to open up to a holistic vision of the person. However, it is not enough to know all this: it is necessary to bring this to a level of human and spiritual consciousness and work towards its realization. We need to recognize that few other human activities contain such richness as sports: a wealth of creativity, courage, solidarity, enthusiasm, strength, respect for rules and fellow athletes, social interaction, group work, a striving for quality, fun, friendship, joy of living and so on.6 The crises in sports today underscore the fact that educational activity cannot be limited to making players aware of abstract values and ethic principles. Evidently, neither a generic pan-sportive ideology, nor an increasingly undesirable facade of fair-play can ever reveal to a person, through sports, the meaning and ultimate goal of his or her very existence.

By focusing on the highest values of human existence, sports reveals the essential dimension of the person as a “finite” being (defeat, accidents, incapability of altruism or of accepting a negative outcome), as well as an “infinite” being, capable of rising to the occasion to overcome one's limits. It is not a question of adding new contents to sports, but of highlighting their importance and orienting them in the right direction.

Nor is it a matter of either condemning or running away from the contradictions of today's sports world, from its desperate attempt to become all powerful and achieve immortality, from its slavery to money. The human being is made for competition, victory, defeat, and tends towards perfection while existing in an abyss of uncertainties; that is how he or she wants to be accepted, understood, and loved. To make oneself one with others is an ambitious challenge, accepting without reserve, not so much today's sports with their negative aspects, as much as the person who practices them, contributing to silently and patiently instilling the seeds of something positive.

De Coubertin, the father of modern Olympics, attributed to sports the ability to introduce three new and vital qualities in world affairs: democracy, internationality, and

pacifism7.

While the history of modern sports works to open horizons for the coming together of peoples in peace, one may ask whether the unity of the human family is a distant utopia. A watchful eye sees that our planet, in spite of thousands of contradictions, tends towards unity, a sign and need of our times. It seems to be a utopian project, but education, in this perspective, is a primary vehicle for achieving it.

When we believe in the relational dimension of humanity and generously invest in the qualities of the other person, our goal seems to be within reach. Through reciprocal love we experience a more authentic social harmony, a dynamic which brings together the efforts made to educate the individual person and those to build up a community. This vision is in agreement with current models of education aimed at building up communities, which underscore the need to combine individual and community building efforts. But that is not all. “The final goal of education (to develop the person, his or her autonomy) comes about, almost paradoxically, through a person's growth in relationship with others. The spiritual and educational process of establishing mutual love is the way that leads to the building of the 'utopiareality' of unity.”8 And the discipline of sports is a reliable and demanding way to test and experience our true ability and will to relate. “The first characteristic of the old as well as the new Olympic spirit is that of being a religion,”9 says De Coubertin. Sports cannot become the new planetary religion that unites the world, but it can reveal and regenerate irreplaceable resources for the building of a united world.

Let's then ask ourselves: Could universal brotherhood, instead of the clash of civilizations as so dangerously predicted by Samuel Huntington, be the way out of this state of terror and anxiety in which we live? What if brotherhood, instead of war, were synonymous with security and safety? And what if brotherhood, seen as the substance of relationships among individuals, groups, cultures and faiths, were to be the starting point and the way to coin the undeniable reality of interdependence in which we live?

Freud sustained that human beings have traded a bit of happiness in exchange for security. Faced with our growing need for security, what can the paradigm of brotherhood offer us?

According to the definition adopted by international organisations, security is the capacity to discern, avoid, or at least mitigate, a menacing threat. As we were reminded by the Nobel in Economics, Amartya Sen, security is also freedom to choose one's education, SEPTEMBER 2011 | AL- ‘IRFAN

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Sport: Universal Instrument for Development & Peace Building social and health services, and one's economic resources. And we would also add: freedom to express one's own corporeity and freedom to challenge oneself and others, challenges which are offered by motor activity and sports.

Security cannot be gained through military means, but rather through political programs which encourage and support human development. Security and development go hand in hand. They are in reciprocal relationship: the two terms either strengthen each other or cancel each other out. We need to break out of the cycle of terror and fear, to rebuild connections and relationships, giving life to social networks, an expression of a civil society composed of world citizens that keep one eye on local affairs, and the other on global events. The risk of disengagement, of lack of responsibility, the demise of public consciousness, of increased fragmentation, is real. Seen from the point of view of human rights and the common good, they are not the by-products of a free market and free trade.

In the logic of universal brotherhood, the common good and human rights are instead the central and inspiring nucleus, the point of departure and the end goal of economic and social politics. The debate on these two different ways of viewing the common good and human rights is very much alive within international organizations.

Universal brotherhood, lived out in society and therefore also in sports, is flexibility juxtaposed to rigidity, it is inclusion rather than exclusion, dialogue rather than monologue, integration rather than independence. This logic promotes commitment and has no need for noncommittal and passive behavior: it means assuming responsibility and avoiding superficial stances. In the complex interweaving of cultures and languages in today's world, which often cross and merge together, especially in urban centers, brotherhood does not require a direct translation of these languages but that we be familiar with the ways of other cultures. And we know how many opportunities sports can offer in this regard.

Brotherhood, therefore, calls for universal respect and egalitarian reciprocity. Brotherhood is another way to avoid falling back in our own worlds, closing ourselves off in our own national, cultural and religious identity. It opts for a movement towards universal respect and egalitarian reciprocity, which demands that we grow to the point of being able to establish a climate of dialogue and communion, in which diversity is not seen as threatening, but as a resource, where conflict is no longer a problem but an opportunity.

“Brotherhood can give new meaning today to the reality of interdependence,” wrote Chiara Lubich, President of the

Focolare Movement, during the first World Day for Interdependence held in Philadelphia in September 2003.

“It can give rise to projects and actions in the complex political, economic, cultural and social fabric of our world.

“Brotherhood brings peoples out of their isolation and opens the door for development to those who are still excluded. Brotherhood shows the way to peacefully resolving differences and relegates war to history books.

Brotherhood in action allows us to dream and even to hope for some kind of communion of goods between rich and poor nations, since the scandalous economic inequality in today's world is one of the main causes of terrorism. The profound need for peace expressed by today's humanity indicates that brotherhood is not only a value, not only a method, but a global paradigm for political development.

This is why a world that is increasingly interdependent needs politicians, entrepreneurs, intellectuals and artists (and we would add people in the world of sports) who put brotherhood a tool of unity at the center of their actions and thoughts.”

Seen in this perspective, sports could play a major role in forming global citizens for today's world; citizens who would be cognizant of the reality of interdependence in which they live, with the civic virtues that make them capable of building a global society apt at limiting, on one hand, the extreme behaviour of religious and ethnic fanaticism, and on the other, that of uncontrolled capitalism.

Universal brotherhood, lived out in society and therefore also in sports, is flexibility juxtaposed to rigidity, it is inclusion rather than exclusion, dialogue rather than monologue, integration rather than independence.

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MKAN holds 2nd Annual Sports Festival

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he Ogun State Chapter of the Majlis Khuddam Ahmadiyya Nigeria was the host of the 2012 edition of the Biennial Sports Festival of the group. The festival which was tagged Gateway 2012 was the second in the annals of the MKAN, the first having held at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Sports Festival had the theme: “Sports: A Tool for Inter-Religious Harmony” held at the Gateway

International Stadium, Sagamu, Ogun State. According to the National President (Sadr) of MKAN, the organisation intends to use the 2012 edition of the Sports Festival to foster inter-religious harmony among different religious groups.

The event which held between 15th February and 19th February 2012 had as participants members of the Majlis Khuddam from across Nigeria, organisations like Boys’ Brigade and

many others.

Sports events competed in included Soccer, Athletics, Taekwondo, Table Tennis, Volley Ball, High Jump, as well as other indoor, field and track events.

Oyo State MKAN came first after amassing 12 gold, 6 silver and 11 bronze medals. Ogun State 9 gold, silver and bronze medals while Osun State came 3rd with gold, silver and bronze medals.

- Maruff Ajimoti

Atfal Ijtema holds in Ede

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he National Executive Council of the Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya Nigeria (MKAN) recently organised the Annual Convention for members of the Majlis Atfal-ulAhmadiyya. The Majlis Atfal is the group for male children of ages between 4 and 15 in the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at.

Like any other Ijtima’a, the 2011 Majlis Atfal Ijtema held at the NYSC Camp, Ede, Osun State between Thursday 15 December and Sunday 18 December 2011. The annual event was full of interesting educational and sports highlights.

As directed by the Sadr Majlis Khuddam, Bro Abdul Qadri Abdul Rafi’,

the children were divided into two groups.

Those between the ages of 7 and 15 were camped in the Main Hall while children between ages 4 and 6 were in another hall at the same venue. Programmes for both groups ran concurrently. The children who showed palpable interest and were very enthusiastic about the annual gettogether keenly contested in all the competitions, be it educational, Quran and sports events. Prizes were won in all categories contested.

Other highlights at the annual event include the various lectures that bother on morality and ethics which the children were admonished on. The children also engaged in march procession among other

events.

The Convention which had the theme: “Survival of Children in a Decadent Society” was aimed at exciting the moral standards of children so that they might be inclined towards God and act rightly in the present world, despite its many ills.

In attendance was the Chairperson of the Ede Local Government Area. Also in attendance was Alhaji H.O. Sunmonu who represented the Amir Sahib, Dr. Mash-hud Adenrele Fashola and a host of important dignitaries.

- By AbdulHakeem Akintobi (See pictures on flip page) FEBRUARY 2012 | AL- ‘IRFAN

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Amir, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Nigeria,

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Medals

Group photogragh with Deputy Commissioner for Youth and Sport development in Ogun Stateo

Table Tennis

Volley Ball

Team Khuddam

Team Boys Brigade

High Jump - Ondo State FEBRUARY 2012 | AL- ‘IRFAN

Taekwondo

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Pictures from Majlis Atfal Ijtema (Convention), Ede, Osun State

Pictures courtesy of AbdulKabir Ojengbede

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COSTAS KARAGEORGHIS 'Meet with triumph and disaster and treat these two impostors just the same.' Rudyard Kipling

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port is littered with the broken dreams of those who wavered when they most needed to be in control of themselves and focused on the task at

hand.

When a competitor 'freezes' in the big moment or commits an inexplicable error, anxiety, in one of its many guises, is very often the root cause. The precise impact of anxiety on sporting performance depends on how you interpret your world. Unfortunately, far too many athletes accept high levels of anxiety as an inevitable part of the total sporting experience and fail to reach their potential.

What precisely is anxiety?

Anxiety is a natural reaction to threats in the environment and part of the preparation for the 'fight or flight' response.

This is our body's primitive and automatic response that prepares it to 'fight' or 'flee' from perceived harm or attack.

It is a 'hardwired' response that ensures survival of the human species.

Sporting competition promotes similar psychological and bodily responses because there is often a threat posed towards the ego; your sense of self-esteem. Essentially, when the demands of training or competition exceed one's

perceived ability, anxiety is the inevitable outcome.

Sport places a wide variety of stressors upon participants; it can be physically exhausting, it pitches you against superior opponents, hostile fans might verbally abuse you, the elements may need to be overcome and your emotional frailties are constantly laid bare for all to see. Despite this, sport offers participants an opportunity for growth a chance to push back personal boundaries, and a means by which to liberate the body and the mind.

Ostensibly, there is nothing damaging about the stress associated with a sporting contest, and in fact stress can be a very positive influence that leads us to tackle the challenges that make life far more rewarding. However, when we perceive stress to be negative, it causes anxiety and therefore, much depends upon how we view the demands placed upon us.

The main causes of anxiety At the same time as providing challenge and stimulation, sport also provides considerable uncertainty. The stress that sport provides therefore is inevitably linked with its inherent uncertainty. Sport is a cultural focal point because it is a theatre of unpredictability.

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of anxiety. For example, the more important the contest the greater the stress, and the more likely it is that a competitor will be prone to anxiety(1).

Also, spectators can have a huge impact on how athletes feel.

Participants in individual sports have been shown generally to suffer more anxiety before, during and after competition than participants in team sports(4).

For athletes in high-contact sports such as boxing and martial arts, the possibility of getting hurt can also be a source of anxiety. Typically, this anxiety causes some critical changes in technique. For example, anxious boxers will often lean too far forward, be clumsy in their leg movements or fight defensively, any of which may result in them getting knocked out.

An additional factor that causes anxiety is the expectation of success. Some athletes rise to the challenge imposed by public expectation while others can choke.

The symptoms of anxiety Anxiety can be recognised on three levels:

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On the cognitive level ie by particular thought processes; On the somatic level (bodily) ie by physical responses; On the behavioural level ie by certain patterns of behaviour.

Five techniques to help you control competition anxiety To reach an optimum psychological state, you need to understand your own natural responses to stress and be sensitive to your bodily signals. Learning to handle the demands of competition involves learning to read your thought patterns and physical responses, and to develop the skills necessary to find your ideal arousal level. Stress management requires excellent self-awareness because, if you know yourself well, you will better understand the roots of your anxiety.

I will begin by outlining a self-awareness technique that allows you to 'capture in a bottle' the feelings you associate with success 'the winning feeling'. I will then present the popular 'centering' exercise which relieves tension through focusing attention to the centre of your body. Following

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this , the 'five breath technique' will be described; an ideal prelude to competition for over-anxious athletes. The penultimate exercise is 'thought-stopping' which deals with the cognitive symptoms of anxiety such as negative thoughts and images. Finally, 'letting go' wil l be presented the deepest relaxation exercise of the five and ideal for the night before competition.

1. Establishing your 'winning feeling' Think carefully about the last time you were performing at the top of your game then list every detail you might associate with your 'winning feeling'. Pick out the eight most important aspects of this positive feeling and write them neatly into the boxes. You can use your winning feeling to help create an optimum competition mindset through consciously reproducing the desired elements.

2. Centering The second technique is known as 'centering' because it involves focusing attention on the centre of your body, the area just behind your navel. This is a technique that is particularly effective during sports that have breaks in the action, such as in between sets in tennis, or prior to a penalty in soccer. Centering has a calming and controlling effect, providing a simple but effective way to counteract the negative effects of anxiety: Stand with your feet flat on the ground, shoulder width apart, arms hanging loosely either side of your body; Close your eyes and breathe evenly. Notice that when you breathe in, the tension in your upper body increases, but as you breathe out, there is a calmer, sinking feeling; Inhale deeply from your abdomen and, as you do, be aware of the tension in your face, and your neck, and your shoulders, and your chest. As you exhale, let the tension fall away and focus on the feeling of heaviness in your stomach; Continue to breathe evenly, focusing all your attention internally on the area immediately behind your navel; Maintain your attention on that spot and breathe normally, feeling very controlled and heavy and calm; On each out-breath use a word that encapsulates the physical feelings and mental focus that you want eg 'loose', 'calm', 'focused', 'sharp', 'strong' etc.

3. The five breath technique This anxiety control exercise can be performed while you are standing up, lying down or sitting upright. It is ideally used just before competition, or whenever you feel particularly tense. You should inhale slowly, deeply and evenly through your nose, and exhale gently through your mouth as though flickering, but not extinguishing, the flame of a candle: Take a deep breath. Allow your face and neck to relax as you breathe out; Take a second deep breath. Allow your shoulders and

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arms to relax as you breathe out; Take a third deep breath. Allow your chest, stomach and back to relax as you breathe out; Take a fourth deep breath. Allow your legs and feet to relax as you breathe out; Take a fifth deep breath. Allow your whole body to relax as you breathe out; Continue to breathe deeply for as long as you need to, and each time you breathe out say the word 'relax' in your mind's ear.

4. Thought-stopping When you experience a negative or unwanted thought (cognitive anxiety) such as 'I just don't want to be here today' or 'She beat me by five metres last time out', picture a large red stop sign in your mind's eye. Hold this image for a few seconds then allow it to fade away along with the thought. If you wish, you can follow this with a positive self-statement such as 'I am going to hit it hard right from the off!' Thought-stopping can be used to block an unwanted thought before it escalates or disrupts performance. The technique can help to create a sharp refocus of attention keeping you engrossed in the task at hand.

5. Letting go You will need to lie down somewhere comfortable where you are unlikely to be disturbed. If you wish, you can also use this exercise to aid a restful night's sleep. Allow your eyes to close and let your attention wander slowly over each part of your body starting from the tips of your toes and working up to the top of your head. As you focus on each part of the body, tense the associated muscles for a count of five and then 'let go'. If this does not relieve the tension in a particular body part, repeat the process as many times as you need to. Once you have covered each body part, tense the entire body, hold for five and then 'let go'.

You will feel tranquil and deeply relaxed.

Summary The major problem in competition is letting your mind work against you rather than for you. You must accept anxiety symptoms as part and parcel of the competition experience; only then will anxiety begin to facilitate your performance. The techniques I have presented herein are but a small selection from the pantheon of stress management interventions. You should adapt these techniques to suit your needs or those of your athletes.

Remember that pressure is your ally and will invariably bring out the best in you, just as coal under pressure can produce a diamond!

Dr Costas Karageorghis is a reader in sport psychology at Brunel University, west London where he also manages the Athletics Club.

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Easy Exercises You Can Do At Home

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f all the different ways to improve your physical and mental health, exercise is one of the easiest and safest methods.

It is also one of the most effective. Even a little regular exercise can help ease depression, boost your energy and mood, enhance self-image, and relieve stress.

The good news is you don't have to be a gym rat or fitness fanatic, or spend a fortune on exercise equipment or club memberships, to reap the benefits. Finding simple, enjoyable activities that get your body moving can be enough to improve your health. No matter your age, health limitations, or fitness levels, there are enjoyable ways to use physical activity to make you feel better every day.

Here are some simple exercises you can do to start with.

Cardiovascular Exercises: 1. Walking ?

Walking is the simplest, cheapest and easiest form of cardiovascular exercise. ?

It is the best starting point for anyone who is just starting to exercise. ?

It is very low impact and is extremely convenient. ?

Start slowly, then gradually work up to walking longer and faster. ?

Finding a walking partner can help keep you motivated.

2. Jogging/Running ?

This is a step up from walking. It is harder and puts more impact and stress on the body. ?

If you are just starting an exercise program, work through fast walking before moving up to jogging.

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3. Cycling ?

Riding a bike is an excellent, no-impact form of cardio. ?

Be sure to follow the rules of the road and ALWAYS wear a helmet.

4. Swimming ?

Swimming involves all the major muscles of the body. ?

It is no-impact and is very useful for injury recovery ?

The major drawback is that you must know how to swim.

Resistance Training Exercises: 1. Chest Wall Push-Ups ?

Stand facing a wall with your feet about 1 to 2 feet back from it. ?

Place your hands on the wall just outside shoulder-width apart. ?

Bending only at the elbows, lower yourself forward towards the wall then push yourself away from it. ?

Keep your body stiff and straight during the movement.

2. Back Standing Rows ?

These are done from a standing position. ?

Loop a towel around a vertical pole or column or another fixed object so that the ends of the towel are pointing towards you and the towel is wrapped around the far side of the pole. ?

Have your feet close up to the pole and lean back gripping on the ends of the towel and keeping your body stiff and straight. ?

Row yourself up with both arms. ?

Keep your back arched and row with your back 3. Shoulders Seated Dumbell Shoulder Presses ?

Use something around the house for weight, e.g. soup cans or milk jugs with water in them. ?

From a seated or standing position, hold the weights just above your shoulders. ?

Push them up overhead slowly.

4. Legs Bodyweight Squats ?

Place your feet about shoulder width apart. ?

Keeping your torso vertical and a slight arch in your lower back, start the movement by bending the knees.

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Easy Exercises You Can Do At Home ? Go only as far down as you feel comfortable when first starting out. If you can go down until your thighs are just below parallel, do so. This is the full range goal. ?

Using leg power, push yourself back up to the start position. Use your grip on the bar only for balance unless you absolutely need to pull yourself up. ?

As you get stronger with squats, don't use the bar anymore. When you can do good, full-range reps without the bar, you can start using weight. ?

For weight, use two duffel bags (evenly loaded) or two milk jugs, etc. Hold them at your sides and squat.

5. Abdominals Abdominal Crunches ?

Lie down flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. ?

Hold your hands wherever you feel comfortable (on your chest or beside your head - just be sure you don't pull on your head). ?

The typical crunch is taught by instructing you to simply roll your upper torso forward. This is fine to start with. ?

To increase the effectiveness of the crunch movement, push your chest and head up towards the ceiling pushing your lower back flat onto the floor. ?

Your anatomy will automatically cause you to follow a crunching pattern. ?

Hold at the top of the movement for a second and squeeze hard 6. Biceps Dumbell Curls ?

Stand with your knees slightly bent, arms at your sides, holding your resistance bags or two dumbells in your hands. ?

The curl movement happens only at the elbow. With your upper arm pinned at your side and bending only at the elbow, lift the weight up to shoulder level. ?

Your palm should be facing forward all the way up and all the way down. ?

Squeeze hard at the top then lower slowly. ?

Do the same with the other arm, alternating back and forth.

7. Triceps Bench Dips ?

These can be done on the edge of a chair or bench. ?

Sit on the side edge of a flat bench or the front edge of a chair. ?

Place your hands on the edge of the chair right beside your glutes and grip the edge. ?

To start with, your feet should be flat on the floor about two feet in front of you with your knees bent. ?

Move yourself off the chair so you are now supporting yourself on your hands. ?

Bend your arms, dipping your body down. Go down only as far as you feel comfortable, being careful not to bounce out of the bottom. ?

Push back up, squeezing the triceps. ?

It is important to keep your back close to the edge of the bench as you do these to minimize shoulder stress. ?

When you're done the set, push yourself back onto the chair.

8. Calves Standing Calf Raises ?

This exercise can be done on the edges of stairs, wood blocks, books, etc. ?

Do both legs at the same time to start with then, as you get stronger, do them one leg at a time. ?

Hold a bag in your hand for resistance as you get stronger ?

Stand on the edge of the block with only the balls of your feet on the block. ?

Keeping knees stiff and bending only at the ankles, lower your heels down towards the floor. ?

Go down until you feel a strong stretch in your calves. ?

Reverse the direction without bouncing and push up as high as you can. ?

Do this movement slowly to feel the contraction all the way up.

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Health Benefits of Physical Exercise

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xercise is the physical exertion of the body making it do a physical activity which results in a healthier level of physical fitness and both physical and mental health.

Physical exercise is one of the most important factors that keep one away from the hospital. Generally, exercise can be a light, moderate or vigorous. Light exercises include walking for few minutes. When you walk uphill or walks faster it becomes a moderate one and when you push the body harder by running, cycling fast etc, this is a vigorous exercise.

The kind of exercise you perform and the way the body responds to it determines the kind of benefit you can get from exercise. This brings us to the classification of exercise into Aerobic and Anaerobic exercises.

Aerobic Exercise at moderate level of intensity over a long period is the most beneficial to most people. It has the following effects:It facilitates the flow of air, in and out of the lungs by so doing strengthen the respiratory muscle.

It also makes the heart pump normally which frees the vascular channels of any deposition which may cause cardiovascular diseases.

It reduces migraine attacks.

It increases the body ability to store energy molecules such as fats and carbohydrate within the muscle. It also increases blood flows through the muscle.

It also improves the muscle ability to use fat thereby preserving glycogen.

It improves sleep especially in insomnia patients.

On the other hand, the aim of anaerobic exercise is to build power, strength and muscles. Here the muscles are

exercised at high intensity for short durations.

Anaerobic means without air, anaerobic exercise improves our muscle strength and ability to move with quick burst of energy. This is useful for weight lifters, sprinters, swimmers etc.

The final common denominator in an athletic event is what muscle can do for you. What strength they can give when needed, what power they can achieve in the performance of work and how long they can continue their activity.

During anaerobic exercise, oxygen is not used and a byproduct called lactic acid is produced which cause fatigue.

Anaerobic exercise overall uses a fewer calories of energy than aerobic, this makes aerobic exercise better for sedentary workers who want to burn calories to prevent overweight. The cardiovascular benefit of aerobic exercise is also better than that of anaerobic.

By now, when you hear about physical exercise, you know how important it is and the applicable one for you.

Summary Exercise has the following benefits.

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It controls body weight It controls health condition and diseases.

It improves mood.

It promotes better sleep.

It boosts ones energy.

It makes one mentally fit.

It tones the body and makes one look younger.

It improves intellectual fitness.

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Book Review Author of the Book : Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Title of the Book : Fat-hi-Islam (Victory of Islam) Name of the Publisher : Islam International Publications Place of Publication : London Year of Publication : 1979 Reviewer: Mr. Naseem Saifi

I

n this book (written and published in 1891 CE), Hadhrat Ahmad (as) first makes mention of the efforts that the Christians were making at that time to convert the Muslims to their own faith. He remarks that the darkness has prevailed and disorder has become the order of the day. Good deeds are derided and poisonous ideas are being infused into the minds of people. He pointedly makes mention of the teachings of Christianity, which are like mines to blow up righteousness and piety and announces to the people all over the world that he has been sent by God to counter all these evils. He asks the Muslims if they do not think that it was necessary that in such circumstances, a godly man should have come to help them and the world at large. He claims that he is the one who has been sent at the most appropriate time to correct the wrongs, to revive the religion and to establish it in the hearts of the people. As for the sacrifices that would be needed, he says that revival of Islam demands a sacrifice from us and that sacrifice is that we should give our life for it.

Hadhrat Ahmad (as) outlines his work and says that in order to reform the people, there are five things that will have to be done like five separate departments, or five branches of the main task. Those five branches 1.

To write books for publication and distribution.

2.

To issue posters and handbills.

3.

To entertain those who come to Qadian for further understanding.

4.

To write letters to the people in different parts of the world.

5.

To organise those who are initiated into the field.

To assure the people that it was essential to believe in him, he says that he who leaves him, leaves Him who has sent him, and he who joins him, joins the One Who has sent him. He further says that he has a lamp in his hand and he who comes to him will partake of the light of that lamp but he who flees away from him because of suspicion and doubt will be thrown into the darkness. He says that he is the well-secured fort and whoever enters this fort will save his life from falling into the hands of the robbers and dacoits but he who stays away from his four walls will have to confront death from all sides and even his dead body will not be left intact. Hadhrat Ahmad (as) then makes mention

of his very close followers, among them Maulvi Hakim Nur-ud-Din who, on the demise of Hadhrat Ahmad (as), became his first successor. He also mentions with great affection and admiration Sheikh Mohammad Hussain Muradabadi, Hakim Fazlud Din Bherwi and Mirza Azim Beg. At the close of the book Hadhrat Ahmad (as) has made an announcement to the effect that all those who would like to ask any questions or who have any objections against Islam, the Holy Qur'an and the Holy Prophet (sa), or against himself (Hadhrat Ahmad (as)) or his claims or the work that he is doing, should write to him and seriously and sincerely ask for his answers. He tells them in this announcement that he will publish their questions or objections with his answers in a book form.

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MKAN to rejig Jama’at security

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adr of the Majlis Khuddam Ahmadiyya, Bro Abd Rafi Abdul Qadir has said the youth group is set to deepen the security of the Ahmadiyya Jama'at, officials and properties in Nigeria. The Sadr said this as the Amir, Dr. Mashhud Fashola has also promised to provide the group with the necessary financial and logistics support.

Speaking to the mka-ng.org crew, Bro Abdul-Qadri noted that the Majlis was ready to take up security matters serious, emphasizing that unauthorized persons would be further restricted from breaking into the precincts of the Jama'at or accessing its official information not in the public realm. He

also said that the nonprofit security group trained by the MKAN would be encouraged not to allow any breach of security.

The Sadr who is also the head of security of the Jama'at however pleaded with all members of the Jama'at to cooperate with the MKAN in order to carry out and fulfill this tedious assignment. He also used the opportunity to appreciate the collective and individual efforts of members of the Nigeria Jama'at National Executive Council.

He then implored members to continue their fervent prayers for him and the MKAN to achieve the noble assignment.

Washing the Body 'Cleanses' the Mind

People can rid themselves of bad feelings and self-doubt by washing with soap, research contends

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here may be some truth to the expression "cleanliness is next to godliness" after all, finds a new review of previously published studies.

University of Michigan researchers found that showering and hand-washing help people rid themselves of bad feelings, such as guilt, sadness or doubt.

"Cleansing is about the removal of residues," said researcher Spike W.S. Lee. "By even just thinking about washing themselves, people can rid themselves of a sense of immorality, lucky or unlucky feelings, or doubt about a decision."

The review was published in the latest issue of Current Directions in Psychological Science.

In examining previous studies, researchers found that people exposed to a messy room or bad odor judged others more harshly for moral wrongs than when they were sitting in a clean room.

In a separate study, researchers showed that people felt less guilty while thinking of something immoral they had done if they used an antiseptic hand wipe. As a result, they were also less likely to volunteer for a good cause in

The Prophet (saw) said: “The prayer of none amongst you would be accepted in a state of impurity till he performs ablution.” Ablution is the act of washing oneself, in particular for hygiene and ritual purification. It signifies the connection between the purification of the body and of the mind.

order to ease their guilty conscience.

The review authors also said that people who perceive themselves as "clean" feel morally superior to others and may judge them more harshly.

Physical cleanliness may also help people shed feelings of bad luck. The researchers said gamblers who washed with soap believed doing so had also "washed away" their bad luck -- so they made even bigger bets.

"Cleansing removes the residual

influence of earlier experience," said Lee in a journal news release. That applies to both happy memories and bad ones, the authors said.

They added that sanitizing the particular body part associated with a wrongdoing may have a more significant mental cleansing effect. For instance, another study revealed that liars prefer mouthwash to other types of cleansers.

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New Ahmadiyya Mosque opened in London

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eader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad has inaugurated the new Tahir Mosque in Catford, London.

The opening of the Mosque was also attended by a number of dignitaries and guests, including Heidi Alexander, MP for Lewisham East and Sir Steve Bullock, the Mayor of Lewisham.

Upon arriving at the premises, His Holiness officially inaugurated the mosque by unveiling a commemorative plaque and then offering a silent prayer in thanks to God Almighty. Thereafter a tree was planted by His Holiness to further mark the occasion.

After offering prayers in the mosque, His Holiness held an audience with local Ahmadi Muslims, in which he urged them to always remember the true purposes of a mosque. He reminded them that a mosque should be a place of inner and outer purity. And he said that Ahmadi Muslims should always maintain an atmosphere of mutual love and affection and thus illustrate Islam's peaceful teachings to the world.

Heidi Alexander MP, congratulated

the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat on the opening of the mosque. She wished the Jamaat well and said that she looked forward to working with the community in future.

Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, also congratulated the Jamaat and said that having a home for any community was very important and was a means for its growth.

Both Heidi Alexander MP and Sir Steve Bullock also thanked the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat for making donations to their local nominated charities as a further means to mark the opening of the mosque.

The function was concluded with an address by Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, in which he said that all Ahmadi Mosques were built to worship Allah and to serve humanity.

Speaking about the importance of the latter, he said: “It is essential that a Muslim should never usurp the rights of others and instead he should cast aside all differences of religion, nationality or ethnicity and seek to become the means of support and love for all others. If

someone comes to a Muslim for help, then it is the duty of the Muslim to try and fulfil that need.”

“Peace in society is a two-way process and can only be established if all parties work together towards mutual reconciliation.”

His Holiness concluded by calling for peace to be established in the world. He said: “Today we, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, are trying to bring peace in the world. We are playing our role and trying to fulfil our responsibilities in this regard. And so I would request all of you to join us in this task…

We must set aside our own personal desires and instead be concerned for the future existence and well-being of our next generations. We must adopt selflessness rather than selfishness.

When we all join together and come to respect each other's feelings and sentiments then and only then will an atmosphere of mutual love develop. It is then that we will truly see the beautiful society that all peaceful people desire.”

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Canadian Minister visits Ahmadiyya Khalifa

C

anada's Foreign Minister, John Baird MP, visited the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad at the Fazl Mosque in London. His Excellency, Gordon Campbell, the Canadian High Commissioner to the UK and other members of staff were also present at the meeting which lasted around forty minutes.

During the meeting, the Foreign Minister mentioned how the Canadian Government was in the process of setting up an 'Office of Religious Freedom' and sought the views of His Holiness about how such an Office should function.

In response, His Holiness explained that Islam taught that every person should be free to practise his religion openly and without fear of discrimination. He said that irrespective of religious differences, all members of a society should live together with a spirit of unity, peace and tolerance and that this was what the Office of Religious Freedom should strive to achieve throughout the world.

His Holiness spoke about the

persecution faced by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in various countries, most notably in Pakistan. Speaking about the situation there, he said, that quite apart from religious persecution, the community were deprived also of their basic civic rights. His Holiness said: “In Pakistan all Ahmadi Muslims are denied their basic rights. We are unable to call ourselves Muslims or use Islamic terms. My name is Masroor, but in Pakistan if somebody calls me this, then that person can be arrested and punished. Thus such laws that persecute and curtail basic rights must be changed. It is essential that religious views should not impact or interfere with Government policies.”

The Foreign Minister said that he was very concerned whenever he heard of such matters and it was against such systematic persecution that Canada envisioned the Office of Religious Freedom to act. He said that he believed that where religious freedom existed, there other rights would naturally develop.

His Holiness also used the meeting to praise Western efforts to promote

religious freedom and he said that in particular Canada deserved praise for this. He said that the efforts of the Canadian government to promote integration and religious tolerance had led to the Fourth Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat to once remark that he hoped the entire world would become like Canada.

In response the Foreign Minister said that Canada truly valued the benefits of having a relatively open immigration system.

His Holiness mentioned that when he last visited Canada in 2008, he was very grateful that Prime Minister Stephen Harper attended the opening of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat's new mosque in Calgary and indeed the Prime Minister even delayed his departure for an international summit in Japan so that he could take part in the event.

His Holiness also informed the Foreign Minister that the Holy Qur'an taught respect for all religions to such an extent that Muslims have been ordered to not only protect their own mosques but to protect all places of worship, whether they be churches, synagogues or temples.

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Atfal Zone

TALABI AHMAD …From previous edition

one here.

JANUARY 8, FEBRUARY 14, I wonder what I've done to deserve Oh what day, I don't know what what my mother is trying to do to me, today hold for my mother but I can but she forgot something that I'm also feel the excitement here, but I living in her not by her power but the can't really figure out what exactly it grace of almighty Allah. is, in a nutshell I think this day I'm very comfortable here.

JANUARY 18, Now I'm thinking of going on FEBRUARY 24, shopping for armour but where will I I don't know what is happening to get all that I want, it's just dark my mum, she must be feeling sad, around this place, and there is not and I'm not enjoying the atmosphere even enough space to move around. but why? Oh it's another storm, I have to run for my life it's getting too JANUARY 29, much to bear.

Oh I've gotten an idea, yeah she must pay for what she is about doing MARCH 12, to me but, who will help me in What a mother, I am happy living carrying out my task… I am the only here but all what she could think of is

to do away with me. Impossible! I've come to stay no matter what.

MARCH 19, Ah I feel relaxed. Now my formation has come to the final stage. I guess she must have stopped thinking of her previous idea because it's not going to work anymore. Oh mum can you see my arm, leg, head, bone, fingers everything is moving.

MARCH 31, My name is Malik. Can you hear me? I'm coming to join the league of people on earth. Remember I said I like playing football. I am already training, I want to be part of history …to be continued SEPTEMBER 2011 | AL- ‘IRFAN

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10 Conditions of Bai’at Condition I The initiate shall solemnly promise that he/she shall abstain from shirk [associating any partner with God] right up to the day of his/ her death.

Condition II That he/she shall keep away from falsehood, fornication/adultery, trespasses of the eye, debauchery, dissipation, cruelty, dishonesty, mischief and rebellion; and that he/she w ill not permit himself/herself to be carried away by passions, however strong they might be.

Condition III That he/she shall regularly offer t he five daily Prayers in accordance with the commandments of God and the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and shall try his/her best to be regular in offering the Tahajjud and invoking durud on the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa. That he/she shall make it his/her daily routine to ask forgiveness for his/her sins, to remember the bounties of God and to praise and glorify Him. Condition IV That under the impulse of any passions, he/she shall cause no harm whatsoever to the creatures of God in general and Muslims in particular, neither by his/her tongue, hands, nor any other means.

Condition V That he/she shall remain faithful to God in all circumstances of life, in sorrow and in happiness, in adversity and in prosperity, in felicity and in trial; and that he/she shall in all conditions remain resigned to the decree of God and keep himself/ herself ready to face all kinds of indignities and sufferings in His way and shall never turn away from Him at the onslaught of any misfortune; on the contrary, he/she shall march forward.

Condition VI That he/she shall refrain from following un- Islamic customs and lustful inclinations and shall completely submit himself/herself to the authority of t he Holy Qur'an; and that he/she shall make the Word of God and the sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa his/her guiding principles in every walk of his/ her life.

Condition VII That he/she shall entirely give up pride and van it y and shall pass all his/her life in humbleness, cheerfulness, forbearance and meekness.

Condition VIII That he/she shall hold faith, the honour of faith and the cause of Islam dearer than his/her life, wealth, honour, children, and all loved ones.

Condition IX That he/she shall keep himself/ herself occupied in the service of God's creatures for His sake only and shall endeavour towards the beneficence of mankind to the best of his/her God-given abilities and powers.

Condition X That he/she shall enter into a bond of brotherhood with this humble servant of God, pledging obedience to me in everything good for the sake of God, and remain faithful to it until the day of his/her death. That he/she shall exert such a high devotion in the observance of this bond as is not to be found in any other worldly relationship and connection