WORLD AFFAIRS - SOCIAL ISSUES - WORD ON THE STREET - FITNESS - ISLAM
TARIQ MAGAZINE M A J L I S K H U D DA M U L A H M A D I Y YA U K JUN - AUG 2018
THE WORD ON THE STREET? HOW DOES LONDON VIEW ENVIRONMENT?
FEATURE
BE PART OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL RENAISSANCE WWW.TARIQMAGAZINE.ORG.UK
ENVIRONMENT
GROW YOUR OWN PRODUCE
MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to this edition of Tariq Magazine, a publication produced to enhance you in every way possible! Excellence is the key to being successful in this world and we should all strive daily to be the best that we can possibly be. In every aspect of our lives there is unlimited room for progress and advancement, it is only through focus and effort that this can be unlocked and we can become happy. The greatest role model living today who is an example of excellence and advancement is Huzuraba himself. His relentless efforts to improve everything around him is astonishing. Huzuraba deals with everything equally and in doing so does not select the things that are important and leave others. However, sometimes we believe that to advance in life we should neglect or not deal with certain aspects of life which may include family life, health, Jamaat work etc and focus on other more “important� tasks.
working life is extremely important and leaves their health to rot. Eventually their health will put them in hospital where they cannot work anymore and cause them pain. Another common example is if a person neglects their wife and kids or extended family then when their family walks away from them because of neglect they are left depressed wishing they could have been more focused on them. To avoid this happening to us we need to be able to become objective and not emotional. When it is time to work we should work, when it is time for family we should give them attention, when it is time for health and fitness we should exercise and everything else life throws at us. Our daily schedule should be split evenly and equally between all aspects of our lives so that we are not burnt later by the things we let slide! This is key to our mental and physical health and if we need a person to look at as a role model in doing this we can see Huzuraba himself and how he deals with life.
This mentality will eventually destroy us because our minds can only be at peace if everything around us is dealt with well.
Yours Faithfully
An example of this is if a person believes that
Zubair Ahmed Hayat
HOLY QUR’AN
FROM THE HOLY QUR’AN
[16:8] And they carry your loads to a land which you could not reach except with great hardship to yourselves. Surely, your Lord is Compassionate, Merciful. [16:9] And He has created horses and mules and asses that you may ride them, and as a source of beauty. And He will create what you do not yet know.
SHORT COMMENTARY
Surah Al-Nahl When God has taken so much care to provide for the physical and material needs of man, the idea cannot be entertained for a single moment that He should have neglected to make a similar provision for his spiritual needs. The words may mean that God will bring into existence new means of transport which were yet unknown to man. The prophecy has been wonderfully fulfilled in the form of railway trains, steamships, motor cars, aeroplanes, etc. God alone knows what new means of transport are yet to be invented.
HADITH
FROM THE SAYINGS OF THE HOLY PROPHETSA Jaabir, God be pleased with him, narrates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The one dearest to me and the one nearest to me on the Day of Judgment, will be the one who is most well mannered. The most loathsome from among you and furthest removed from me on the Day of Judgment will be the boastful, the braggarts and the al mutafaihiqoon.” The Companions enquired, ‘We know the ones who are boastful and those who brag, but who are the mutafaihiqoon?’ The Holy Prophet answered, ‘They are those who are arrogant and spiteful.” (Tirmidhi)
The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “You can never enrich people with your money alone; so help them cheerfully and with good grace.” (Risalah Qushariyyah)
Abu Hurairah, God be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “He who is not grateful to people is not grateful to Allah.” (Tirmidhi)
The life of the Holy Prophetsa, peace be on him, was a life of grand success. In his high moral qualities, his spiritual power, his high resolve, the excellence and perfection of his teaching, his perfect example and the acceptance of his prayers, in short, in every aspect of his life, he exhibited such bright signs that even a person of low intelligence, provided he is not inspired by unreasonable rancour and enmity, is forced to confess that he was a perfect example of the manifestation of Divine qualities and was a perfect man.
WISDOM
FROM THE WRITINGS OF THE PROMISED MESSIAH Gog and Magog are a people who surpass all other in their ability to put fire to various uses and are indeed pioneers in this field. Their very names (Note: in Arabic Yajooj and Majooj are dervied from the word Ajeej which means fire) indicate that their inventions, be they ships, trains or other machines were to be fuelled with fire and they would fight their battles with firearms, They would excell all other nations on the Earth in pressing fire into their service. This is why they are called Yajooj and Majooj. Obviously, therefore, they are the European Nations who in the science of utilising fire are so skilfil, adept and outstanding that it needs not be elaborated upon. They are the same Europeans who have been referred to as Gog and Magog in the old scriptures given to the Israelite Prophets. Moscow is even mentioned therein by name, which was the capital of ancient Russia. It was destined that the Promised Messiahas would appear in the age of Gog and Magog. (Ayyamus Sulk Roohani Khaza’in Vol. 14, p 424-425)
For the latter days God in His Mercy sent us Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas who is the Promised Messiah and Mahdi. The Promised Messiahas is the metaphorical second coming of Jesusas of Nazareth and the divine guide, whose advent was foretold by the Prophet of Islamsa.
A companion of The Holy Prophetsa relates: One day we were sitting with The Holy Prophetsa when this chapter was revealed. I enquired from Muhammadsa. Who are the people to whom the words and among others of them who have not yet joined them refer? Salmanra, a Persian was sitting among us. The Holy Prophetsa put his hand on Salmanra and said “If faith were to go up to the Pleiades, a man from among these would surely find it”. (Bukhari)
IS IT TOO LATE TO SAVE THE PLANET?
What can we do to help save the planet, one tree at a time.
GROWING YOUR OWN PRODUCE BY SARMED TAHIR PRESIDENT MKA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY “After Brexit you will suffer…even governments and other organisations are planning to start farming, so Khuddam-Ul-Ahmadiyya should also encourage this” (Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Al Khamisaba, on the occasion of the National Khuddam Amla UK Mulaqat, 18/02/17) Hazrat Khalifatul Massih Al Khamisaba has highlighted the ever-changing political dynamics of the world and how this could impact food supplies. Huzoor (may Allah strengthen his hand) referred to how countries around the world are turning their attention towards farming; as uncertainty grows worldwide. Along with this, our beloved Imam also emphasised the importance of members of Khuddamul Ahmadiya to start growing their own produce and participate in self-farming. This article aims to further discuss the various components which make the call for self-farming so important from a socio-political, economic and environmental point of view – which our beloved Huzoor referred to. Not our own Did you know that more than 50% of the UK’s food originates from foreign countries? Researchers have concluded that the UK’s food selfsufficiency has declined substantially over the last few decades. In comparison to 25 years ago there has been a sharp rise in food and feed being imported from other countries. The EU, south-east Asia and South America are the most common places where the UK sources its food,
but studies suggest that increasing reliance on overseas food will only make the situation harder for the UK to become self-sufficient. Data from the National Farmers Union suggests that the UK will be one of the most populated countries in the EU, by the mid-2040s – meaning that UK will only be able to grow food to feed 53% of the population.1 Just in recent times we witnessed a shortage of vegetables here in the UK, caused by bad weather in southern Europe, which highlighted this dependence on supply from outside the UK.2 Though many do not focus on such issues with great importance, nevertheless they are very serious and can have dire consequences. Therefore, becoming self-sufficient in terms of growing food is essential. A larger footprint The situation grows increasingly complex as the countries who grow to provide for the UK are themselves troubled with negative environmental impacts. The Journal of the Royal Society Interface found that since 1986, the land used to grow the UK’s produce abroad has grown by 23% to cater for the growing demand. The same Journal found that levels of greenhouse gases and pollution released from foreign soils to produce the UK’s food have risen from 50% in 1987 to 62% in 2008.3 Now, if there was a higher self-growing and selffarming culture in the UK we would not have so much demand from outside sources, and in turn the negative environmental impact from outsourcing our food would also reduce.
ENVIRONMENT
Out of Europe With so much uncertainty surrounding the effects of Brexit, it will most surely have direct impacts to the UK’s fruit and vegetable industry – as Huzoor (may Allah strengthen his hand) alluded to. Looking at how low our self-sufficiency is already and how much food comes from the EU, it is obvious how dependent we are on Europe. For example, at the moment the UK imports fruit and vegetables from Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, and Poland just to name a few. Brexit will only strain the UK as the food market will be directly impacted- shopping markets are already seeing this as a great concern. One of the major consequences of Brexit would be that Britain will be unable to produce the fruit and vegetables grown in the UK, if the government cannot come to a deal that allows tens of thousands of Europeans to work on UK farms as seasonal workers. It is said, that if Britain took the EU workers out of the supply chain, UK supermarket shelves will be completely empty from British grown produce within five days! Sue Pritchard, director of the RSA Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, warned that no deal over the exit from EU would have a dramatic and instant effect: “What would be available on the shelves would change dramatically. There will be delays at ports and all along the food supply system – the impact will be felt very, very quickly,”4 Another direct impact will be on food prices – which will certainly rise significantly. Following Brexit, the UK will face higher tariffs on fruit and vegetables being imported from the EU; raising the overall price of fruit and veg for us as well. UK throwing away £13bn of food each year Food is a valued resource and yet UK households throw away approximately 7.3 million tonnes of food every year. Of this, 4.4 million tonnes could have been consumed. Whilst food is being wasted in the UK, there are millions around the world who are suffering from a shortage of food. In fact, many people suffering from food shortage grow their own food anyway, yet still have difficulty providing for themselves (due to adverse weather conditions for growing food). By growing your own food, the waste will automatically decline as one learns to appreciate the care and effort which goes into growing. Further, growing your own will help to decrease the food wastage during transportation and storage and even the carbon emissions created from importing food. Growing your own vegetables, herbs or fruits and
using them as ingredients at home, would only make you value food more. Likewise, you would think twice about wasting your food after all the effort. Grow Now With all this dependency on foreign supply, it is vital that we try to become as self-sufficient as possible. Even a minor shock to the political, economic and industrial systems of the world could very easily land the UK (us!) with no food on our shelves. However, there is a solution; one which our ancestors have been using for millions of years – self farming! Growing your own vegetables and produce is not rocketscience, in fact every single reader of this article can start growing from today! Take Kathleen Frith’s words (the managing director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School) who says: “growing food is very simple. It takes a little time, but things like tomatoes, lettuce, peppers — basic kitchen crops — are very forgiving. Really, anyone can learn to grow food pretty easily.” 5 Plus, besides the benefits mentioned in this article like the positive effect on the environment and the reduction in food wastage, there are countless benefits of growing your own food. You will have fresh, pesticide free, and 100% organic fruit and vegetables which will also be richer in nutrients and minerals as compared to the highly treated supermarket fruit and vegetables. Your food will also taste better as the moisture and nutrients will be retained. Further, growing your own food is highly rewarding. The satisfaction one receives from picking his own fruit and vegetables is second to none, but you will have to try it to see for yourself ! Countless studies have concluded that food which is grown at home is much healthier and nutritious than that of those bought in supermarkets due to the lack of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides which is usually sprayed on mass produced fruit and vegetables. Studies have also shown that growing your own food alleviates signs of depression and anxiety 6 –in fact, growing vegetables is an approved therapy for improving mental health. And of course, the physical benefits of growing your own food go without saying! One of the major advantages of growing your own food
is the money you can save. The price of some seeds is extremely cheap, one pack of seeds costs as less as £3 (sometimes even less) which can give you a good number of fruits or vegetables. Also, keep in mind that ‘organic’ vegetables and fruit always cost a lot more in super markets (keep in mind that they are not 100% organic anyway), but if you grow your own you are receiving organic food for free!
Society is a platform for Khuddam to learn and develop their skills in growing their own food whilst sharing one another’s knowledge, experiences and advice.
Those who grow their own fruit and vegetables will testify to the fact that their shopping bills reduced after they started to grow their own food.
[Endnotes]
Growing your own food is also a fun activity in which all your family and friends can get involved. From digging up the ground to planting the seeds, and finally harvesting the produce; it is an activity which involves everyone.
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38666752
MKA Horticultural Society The greatest motivating factor for us all is the instruction of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih (may Allah strengthen his hands) who has directly advised that Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya should also focus on growing and farming. In light of Huzoor’s instructions the MKA Horticultural Society has been set up to aid, motivate and help Khuddam in farming and self-growing. The MKA Horticultural
So keep an eye out for future articles, events and training – watch this space!
1. https://www.nfuonline.com/assets/43617
3. Journal of the Royal Society Interface - Published 6 January 2016 4. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/ nov/01/most-of-uks-fruit-and-veg-is-from-other-eu-nationsso-brexit-impact-may-be-dramatic 5. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/backyardgardening-grow-your-own-food-improve-yourhealth-201206294984 6. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/ jun/04/nhs-depression-gardening
GET INVOLVED! Based on the advice given by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V , that Khuddam should learn to grow their own produce MKA UK announces the creation of the MKA Horticultural Society. aba
Aim - To inspire within Khuddam & Atfal a passion in the science, art and practice of horticulture. Objectives - Safeguard and advance the science, art and practice of horticulture for the benefit of future generations and the environment. - Create horticultural experts within MKA UK that can inspire others to garden. - To improve and benefit MKA UK’s health and wellbeing. - To improve food security and reduce waste amongst the Majlis by showing how easy it can be to grow your own trusted food source. - To help relieve food shortage amongst wider society. Visit http://horticulture.khuddam.co.uk/contact Enter your details to sign up to the Society and claim your free seed packet to get you going straight away!
WORD ON THE STREET ENVIRONMENT
Why is important to be aware of the issues about our planet? As we have seen now, the planet is being destroyed each year and only we can reverse this. If we continue going at this rate we cause our own destruction and life will become very difficult. So it is in our own interest to organise eachother and deal with the planet in a way which is natural and harmless. Erica, Colliers Wood
Why do you think we are destroying the planet? For our own personal gain, to fuel our way of living. We look after ourselves before we look after anything. We look after our needs before anything external. This means we will use the planet in whatever way we like but that will come back to get us in the future and we will have to pay for that. Big time! Sanjay, Wimbledon
We went to the streets to see what people felt about the environment and the impact we are having on it.
THE KHALIFA ON TRUMP
Is President Trump disprespecting his own people?
THE KHALIFA ON PRESIDENT TRUMP
POLITICS
BY QASEEM AHMED HAYAT HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER, LLB DIRECTOR OF JOULES LAW LONDON
T
he Trump phenomenon has awakened the political beast in us all. What is happening on the world stage is unprecedented, to say the least, but equally inevitable. It is an expression of frustration and anger fuelled by ignorance. Far-right and extreme positions are the norm with centre-ground being the new minority. One does not have to dig too deep to have an opinion on Trump. Although, to tarnish everything he says with the same brush would be unwise. He won the electoral-college vote but lost the popular vote. It’s a strange dichotomy. The people rejected him, but the system voted him in. He won fair and square (until proven otherwise). Trump certainly does not act like a leader who got in through the back door on a whisker. He hails his success, and anything else he likes, with the overuse of adjectives, seemingly to distract from the increasingly indefensible and harsh realities of his actions. But he won the faith of his Bible Belt supporters and they were a major factor in his winning the presidency. People entrusted their feelings and sentiments in Trump, with the hope that this alignment of values would be mutually respected. Why else would they have voted for him? He won hearts and minds and has to now deliver on his promises, in the same colourful way he pitched them. Respecting and upholding a view does not require one to disrespect another. To disrespect is an entirely freestanding action and is done, in a political sense, to devour your opponent and ambitiously gain ground. It is an aggressive and offensive tactic deployed deliberately. Whereas we would expect to see the newly elected president reaching out across the globe and living up to his title of ‘Leader of the Free World’, he is taking an altogether different approach. Trump is constantly
on the back foot and is retreating to the comforts of isolationism. The world over, leaders speak out against Trump when his ill-judged contemptuous remarks encroach upon their shores. Political leaders react begrudgingly and with trepidation, but then again only to safeguard their own standing. We are seeing the rise of community leaders, activists and unyielding individuals agitated and unafraid to openly weild their moral compass in protecting the vulnerable and appealing for common sense. The shackles are off and the void left by politicians is quickly being filled by selfless, bold and adroit visionaries. Religious leaders rarely form partnerships in response to political chaos but the world is turning to their counsel ever more. In a recent and unique joint video appeal entitled “Make Friends”, religious leaders, including Pope Francis, the Dalai Lama, Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh, Grand Mufti Shawki Allam and Archbishop Justin Welby set out the need for people to come together from all backgrounds on a shared understanding. Commonality, healthy interaction and tolerance were the cornerstones of their message. It is this sort of joined-up approach that the world is lacking and in dire need of. It is a much needed lesson in self and mutual respect. Division and self-preservation are the driving forces behind Trump’s America-First ambition. The natural consequence of such arrogance is that by only seeing fault and flaws in others, people inevitably turn in on themselves. We witnessed exactly that on day one and the situation has deteriorated since. Muslims, Hispanics and African Americans have thus far borne the brunt of negative propaganda, targeted discriminatory
policies and civil unrest. The uncontrollable rise of white supremacy is the most troubling consequence of the current US administration for a multi-racial population. Two days into Trump’s new life as President-elect, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba, when asked his views about the election result at a press conference in Calgary, said “My advice will be that whatever he was saying during his election campaign should not be implemented now, because it may create some chaos in the country”. We know that relations between the Trump-administration and other countries is fast-forwarding towards obliteration. Disparaging comments reportedly made by Trump in a recent White House meeting about Haitians and some African nations ignited a media frenzy and only served to entrench antipathy and bad blood amongst (perhaps former) allies. In response to the current situation, one year into Trump’s presidency, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba had this to say: “I don’t like what Trump is saying. If he respects America, Americans will be respected. If he does not, then even small countries will behave in the same way. Don’t play with the religions of others. Don’t play with the sentiments of others. All humankind is the same.” Huzuraba is reflecting on the bigger picture. The world
is looking beyond Trump and is seeing the American people for what they are or are becoming. It remains to be seen how the reactions by smaller nations, organisations and groups of this world play out on this and future issues. The only way to push through a failed agenda is by trampling on others, so as to deflect from the truth. Whilst simultaneously dismissing the Haitians and Africans Trump sought to attract the Norwegians. The feeling was not mutual and the sensible Norwegians threw it right back at him. Respecting one and disrespecting another in the same breath – it’s a Trump thing. We can thank Trump for helping us to appreciate one fundamental pillar of a civil society – build bridges not walls. America-First is rapidly morphing into Certain-Sectors, with Certain-Interests and Certain-Persons-First. If that is how President Trump treats his own people, what hope is there for the rest of us, the so-called undeserving 95%? We are today witness to this unfolding trend towards global extremism and far-right nationalistic movements. In 1992 all these trends and more were foretold and vividly described by the late Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IVaba in his seminal book, Islam’s Response to Contemporary Issues. The myriad of upcoming problems developing systematically in all societies, along with their solutions are to be found in this font of wisdom. 13
Harvey Weinstein and his alleged licentious escapades has kicked open a Pandora’s Box of sexual abuse that has rocked the world.
WHO CREATED HARVEY WEINSTEIN?
WORLD AFFAIRS
FROM THE EDITOR
T
he beleaguered Moghul of Hollywood Moghuls, Harvey Weinstein and his alleged licentious escapades has kicked open a Pandora’s Box of sexual abuse that has rocked the world.
Those in the offender’s social group are aware of that person’s immorality and in many cases immoral acts and yet they all keep quiet. This can only understood as a message of support and encouragement by the offender to push the limits even further.
The insatiable global media is the battleground for a tsunami of claimants tweeting and posting to display the scalps of society’s leaders and celebrities for wrongs or crimes present and decades old.
One can view the mainstream Hip Hop videos as a typical sample of the powerfully potent messages daily being presented to young men and women about their respective sexual roles. What is the role of the dominant ‘player’ in the videos and how do all the submissive ones behave?
All of us desperately want an end to this appalling blight on humanity, but to do so, we first need to understand the causes. Is this simply an issue of sexual gratification gone bad or is it something more complex, more primeval and more insidious? Due to the sheer number of people coming forward with their history of sexual harassment, abuse or rape (first it was only women but now it is men too), we can only conclude that the sorry ensemble of perpetrators had varying motivating causes, such as so-called sex ‘addiction’, being under the influence of drugs, etc. However one recurring pattern that emerges is that nearly all these cases show that the person holding a position of power takes advantage of a weaker person, who may be seeking employment from an executive or was simply idolizing a celebrity. The main motivating factor seems to be that of manifesting one’s power, dominance and so-called superiority over a willing or unwilling person. Such an act of dominance is not driven by sex but by the excitement of being drunk with power and exulting in its thrall. The perpetrator appears convinced that the ability to repeatedly and overtly break social taboos without consequence is the sign of his or her domination of other people.
It is clear that any normal adult who uses his or her power over others immorally or criminally is full aware of and responsible for such actions and needs to be held lawfully accountable with due punishment. Yet to what degree are we the society complicit by creating, nurturing and even knowingly harbouring these deviant people by giving them the constant social message that engaging in all types of flirtatious behaviours is actually a ‘laddish’ thing and is actually amusing to all involved, without clearly stating where the line is drawn? As much as the society feels the need to immediately censure and ostracise people who have allegations made against them in the media, even before going to the police, it is also the responsibility of the society to demand that an appropriate standard of moral accountability is expected from all its members, more so from the role-models and leaders. The education of people, particularly of adults, in morals is not perceived as an obligation on the society and this is where religion has always stepped forward with clear moral guidelines that anyone can train themselves in – as a personal development program. Over the last 100 years the public has increasingly moved away from organised religion due to the everwidening media coverage which has exposed the immoral and underhand behaviour of the priesthood of all the religions with an unrelenting stream of priests who perpetrate sexual crimes while their
administration has historically covered up for them. This has resulted in the ordinary person missing out on the moral guidance and training given by humanity’s greatest and most successful teachers, the likes of Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna, Confucius, Plato and Socrates. It is claimed that religion and its moral code is restrictive and stops an individual from living a normal, happy and successful life. Yet all these great men did not anywhere teach that men and women should enslave themselves to one another as does a sheep which just follows another sheep. All people, whoever they are, whatever they are, are born with morality in their DNA. Nobody is happy to be scammed. Nobody wants their loved ones to suffer any loss at the hands of a bully. We all have an understanding of how we would like to be treated by others - that is morality right there! Our common natural, inner morality is the reason why the general public collectively becomes upset and outraged when they witness in the media that in another country a stranger has been sexually abused by
an unrepentant domineering person. Our united call for immediate punishment of the offender rents the airwaves and social media streams. Instead of only locking the unending torrent of culprits and throwing away the key, why not solve the problem for the future generations by starting a global campaign to teach morality? Let people be proud to be icons of morality in the society. This will teach our children, our youth and our senior citizens how to treat others. Otherwise any stronger person will seek admiration from peers by bullying, harassing and abusing a weaker or different Just as you would teach your little sister or brother not to walk down dark alleyways in the night, so you can teach them the right social behaviours and be proud to be a social activist and campaigner for morality as well as the right for individuals to be free and protected by abusers.
INTERVIEW
3Questions with....
Why did you start doing Calligraphy?
Mubashar Zafri
Jamia UK Student and Calligrapher
So when I joined Jamia, I wanted to carry on with art but I was bit apprehensive, whether art was allowed in Islam or not. This resulted in me searching up Islamic art and the rest is history. I began writing everything in calligraphy. I wasn’t sure whether I was doing it right or wrong but Islamic calligraphy had captivated me. Then once a beloved teacher of mine, Mr. Abada Barbouche Sahib, who at that time was a teacher in Jamia, spoke to us about Islamic and Arabic calligraphy. I was very inspired and I spoke to him. He was very happy to hear that I was fond of calligraphy and so he pushed me to carry on.
How long does it take to become good? When I further researched into calligraphy, I realised that there were certain rules that had to be applied for it to be called calligraphy. I searched further and further until and stumbled across an Arabic calligraphy book by an Iraqi calligrapher. It had all the rules for Arabic calligraphy. I started reading that and started learning from that and have been ever since.
What do you get out of doing Calligraphy? There are many things that I have gained from doing calligraphy. Even though I am miles away from being called a calligrapher, rather I am an amateur but I have gained so much that it is impossible for me mention them. There are certain things that I would wish to keep to myself because they are so personal. However, one thing that I have gained it satisfaction. When you write the names of Allah and the Holy Prophet in a beautiful manner it is as if you are doing Zikr-e-Ilahi or Durood. It is a sensation that cannot be explained in words. Furthermore, I am able to continue to do art which I have loved from the very beginning. It is a shame that this type of art is becoming extinct. There are a handful of people who practice the art of Islamic calligraphy in the Jamaat. It is my wish that people start turning towards this beautiful craft and start appreciating the intricacies and beauties of Arabic calligraphy.
INSTAGRAM.COM/AMYRUNNINGCLUB TO JOIN THE CLUB GO TO WWW.MERCY4MANKIND.ORG/RUNNING
The future of technology and the guidance of The Almighty.
BE PART OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL RENAISSANCE
FEATURE
A
s a Khadim, you or your family members may want to lose weight or get a super fit body with a ‘six-pack.’ You may want a tougher body for your sport, for your work or business or for your daily spiritual exercises. You will find a multitude of global industries aggressively working in a mad rush to develop ever-advanced products, refining techniques and creating apps to give you better fitness, nutrition, lifestyles and luxuries for a quality of life which has never existed before. Actors and celebrities are transforming their bodies within months and appearing as if they have become Olympic athletes. So we see the development driverless cars, Hyperloop transport systems, Fusion energy reactors developing an unlimited power source, robot dogs that will soon move faster than your eyes can see, machines controlled by the brain’s electrical output, and so on. One such example occurred on 6th February 2018, when Elon Musk’s company SpaceX launched the world’s fourth-highest capacity rocket ever built, called Falcon Heavy. This rocket carried on its nose, as its payload, the all-electric car that Elon Musk drove around in, a midnight-cherry Tesla Roadster car. This car on the front of the rocket had a dummy wearing a real SpaceX spacesuit sitting on the driver’s seat as if driving the car and David Bowie’s epic song, Starman was booming out, on a loop, into the airless void out of the car speakers. The rocket and car is today en route to arrive in Mars orbit by July 2018. From there it will continue onwards in a solar orbit for millions of years. This is just one of the scientific, technological and industrial marvels that are now happening on this planet. Great industrialists are working (and having fun) while achieving astounding results. You may well be asking yourself, “What equivalent wonders are those nations who love and subscribe to Islam, to the Holy Prophetsa and to the Holy Quran also creating right now?” Look out towards all the Earth’s horizons and you will see that the Muslim nations are either locked in endless feuds and hatreds between themselves or are transfixed in a prostrate posture at the feet of the political superpowers. Muslim governments outdoing one another in the competition for humanitarian aid from the global powers. If you ask them why they will not create a SpaceX or an equivalent cutting-edge enterprise, the most devout amongst will proudly repeat the mythical mantra of the Christians, Hindus and Buddhists priests. Like parrots they will repeat, “We care not a jot for worldly things, we care and strive only for spiritual things!”
Having said that, they they will return to their in-fighting, their latest iPhones and much loved 4x4 off-road vehicles. Some Islamic groups come together with pride calling themselves Boko Haram (translated generally as ‘Western education is a sin’) or an equivalent name which has the same connotations. It is also worth noting that if these Muslim nations or individuals so rigorously and methodically rejected the things of this world and are focused on spiritual truths and realisations, then those blessings should be apparent on their own persons or perhaps radiate from them towards the spiritually thirsty peoples. But again we never see this anywhere. This retort of today’s Muslims contains not an atom’s worth of Islamic teaching. Little can they reflect on the fact that the Companionsra of the Holy Prophetsa were all the Elon Musks of their age. They ruled and developed this planet for the benefit of all humanity right up till Doomsday! They voluntarily suffered to safeguard and then create advanced worldly sciences, technologies and industries. Each day creating unimaginable advancements and luxuries for society while simultaneously, through the dark nights, struggling to develop within themselves advanced spiritual realisations of the Incomprehensible God. They were ever in hot pursuit of morsels of the most advanced realisations of their dearest mentor, that Khatamun Nabiyyeensa. Today Ahmadiyya Islam is the only global Islamic powerhouse that can guide Muslims and Non-Muslims to understand that it is Allah the Beneficent and Magnificent, Who bestows on humanity all the advanced worldly favours and spiritual favours. God, like a loving mother, wants His creation to have the comfort, security and happiness so that man can be motivated to augment his own quality of life in every aspect by using that all that Allah has created for him. The following is an extract of a Commentary of the Sura Fatiha verse expounded by his Holiness Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV, the late Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadra, The supreme head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim movement in Islam. Herein he discusses the stance of Islam on the pursuit of worldly things. He particularly instructs Muslims using Sura Fatiha. He explains how Muslims must work to achieve the worldly favours of Allah and thereafter use that same system to achieve the higher spiritual favours. Commenting on the verse below, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IVra says: The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy favours, those who have not incurred Thy displeasure, and those who have not gone astray. [Surah Al-Fatiha, 1:7]
“I am talking of the most ordinary meaning (i.e. generalised application) of Anamta ‘alayhim [On whom Thou hast bestowed Thy favours], because from the Holy Quran I have proved and I am going to further prove that that the word Nayma [i.e. favours] is not only applicable to the religious favours but also to the worldly favours. So in this regard this would be the widest meaning. We are directed [by the Holy Quran] to study the history of mankind, the history of people, and if we want to achieve worldly goods, that is Nayma of Allah [favours of Allah] in the worldly sense then we must study the behaviour and conduct of those people who achieved these worldly goods. What they did and what they avoided - what they did not do. We must learn a lesson from these people as well. Nowadays the West is the recipient of Allah’s favours worldly-wise. Sura Fatiha tells us in this particular instance, that they did not receive these favours automatically without exertion, without putting in labour. They trod a path in a certain way and they put a lot of labour into it. So if your eyes can rise only to that extent, to those favours, then learn from these people who have done it before you. This shows that they earned what they possessed and they earned it in a very special way. So you should study the conduct of the Western nations or the more advanced nations, whether they are Western or Eastern. For instance, the Japanese, they are also the recipients of Anamta, they are also the objects of Anamta alayhim [those on whom favours of Allah were bestowed] in its lowest meaning.
There they have excelled no doubt and they have learnt the art of industry and these are the people who have also been mentioned in Sura Al-Kahf: ‘Those whose labour is all lost in search after things pertaining to the life of this world’ [18:105]. They did not only pursue the path of worldly favours, but also spent and devoted all their energy to the pursuance of this path, to the pursuance of the worldly favours. So they achieved great results - ‘They think that they are doing good works’ [18:105]. Now they begin to believe and perhaps rightly so that they can industrially produce things most excellently. The word ‘Soona’ [i.e. good works] mentioned in this verse are, in this context, their industrial products. If you, the Ummate Muslima, (Muslim community) want to take your lessons then you should learn from these people, because unless you have some model before you, you will not be able to learn perfectly. You may learn, but after a lot of waste of time. Those things which have already been achieved and demonstrated, for them you do not have to waste unnecessary labour. It is a very stupid thing to start discovering anew. When a thing has already been discovered, why not draw the benefit out of that discovered thing? This is why the Holy Prophetsa has condemned the attitude of rejecting goodness wherever it is found because it has been earned by a people who may be different from you. The Holy Prophetsa tells us and guides us very positively when he says, “The word of Hikma (i.e. wisdom) is like the lost property of a believer.”
If that wisdom is to be found even among the Dhalleen (i.e. among those who have gone astray), that wisdom itself can never be turned into a rejectable commodity. You should not reject wisdom simply because it comes from a lowly people or from an enemy camp or from a hostile people. Take it and accept it as your own property!
but not as an end in itself.
Sura Fatiha has spoken of this so clearly to us and demonstrated this fact to us that you must follow the path of those who have earned Allah’s favour - in any regard, no distinctive line is made between the worldly favour and any other favour.
“…So if you apply yourself to the pursuit of worldly things they will not be denied to you, because the Holy Quran tells us that you have no right to deny them to others so why should Allah deny them to you?
But also seek Allah’s help to guide you to that path and also to teach you how to learn these things and to give you courage and strength to follow these things to perfection, following the examples of those who have earned those favours. But this is the most ordinary meaning (i.e. the widest and basic application) of the word Inam. But unfortunately this is the meaning which is known to the world and they stop their journey at it. Again the same verse which I referred to earlier which is in Sura Al-Kahf: ‘Those whose labour is all lost in search after things pertaining to the life of this world’ [18:105] … although they also pursued Allah’s favours, to pursue Allah’s favours in worldly matters is not wrong initially. But to devote their entire attention to them, this is what is wrong! To think that is all that they (the people) were created for, that is wrong! They were created for higher things and only during the course of their (higher) journey they should have achieved this as a base or platform for their higher ascents,
It is because they have lost the purpose for their creation and they have satisfied themselves with the achievement of the worldly favours alone, so as such they will be rejected and they will be punished (by God).”
If you are pursuing them - you will achieve them, but do not make them your (final) objectives. Do not consider them as your be-all and end-all for the creation of mankind. They are favours but only to guide you to other favours. They are not the ends but they are the means to an end. Those people who turn them into ends for themselves, they will be destroyed by Allah and they will have the wrath of Allah, this is what has been mentioned here [in Sura AlKahf ] as well as in Sura Fatiha.” Listen to the full Commentary on Youtube Video Title: Al Fatiha Verse 7 [English Commentary of the Quran by Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad: Ep 13
WISDOM
HAZRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH VABA ON RIGHTEOUSNESS “The world does not know that even in this day and age there are people who aspire to righteousness and who are restless to be of benefit to others. They try to do good which establishes high standards of sacrifice of Life and property in order to spread religion and spread good which enhances them in obedience and they do not see what is most dear to them, they only see that they are obedient to god. A large part of the world do not know who these people are. Indeed these are the people who have joined the true and ardent devotee of The Holy Prophetsa and in joining him they have gained the insight into attaining what piety truly means.�
TRAIN YOUR BODY “If you have a body you are an athlete.” - Bill Bowerman
NUTRITION
HEALTH & FITNESS
5 Steps to Reach Your Nutrition Goals Set small goals. Look at your comprehensive list of things you’d like to change about your diet. It’s tempting to change them all at once, but while that may work for a few weeks or even months, the odds are that you’ll get burned out and end up back to your old routine. I’ve found in making smaller changes over time sets you up for lasting success. With your list, choose one thing you can focus on for the week. Do not worry about anything else, just focus on that one change. In the weeks that follow keep adding changes from your list and over time you will develop habits that are lasting. Meal prep. Meal prep comes in many forms. Some like to cook the same meals for the entire week, while others will double what they cook for dinner to eat for meals the following day. No matter what your preference is, set yourself up on the right foot during a busy week and plan out your meals prior. If you choose to plan daily meals, at the beginning of the week decide on your proteins, vegetables, and starches. Take healthy snacks on the go. Some healthy snacks to keep on hand include nuts and seeds, dried fruit, or granola bars such as Kind bars and Lara bars, essentially ones with minimal ingredients. If you’re traveling in your vehicle, more and more gas stations are offering healthier options to include Greek yogurt, veggie and fruit packs, prepackaged salads, prepackaged hardboiled eggs, and nuts and seeds. When searching for a healthy snack always pair a carbohydrate and protein. For example, a piece of fruit with a plain Greek yogurt or 1 to 2 ounces of nuts with fruit is a great snack. Make sure you’re eating enough. You get faster as you get leaner, right?! This is true until you hit a point where the opposite occurs. Compromising your diet too much can lead to deprivation, which leads to an adverse effect from training. Instead of getting faster, you will be lethargic, have a longer recovery time between workouts, and experience overall fatigue. Frustration ensues because you are not seeing the gains you’re expecting from the efforts in your workouts. If this is the case, are you consuming enough calories or are you skimping to lose that extra 5 to 10 pounds or that percentage of body fat? Becoming too obsessed with the scale can leave you frustrated and tired. Instead, focus on proper timing of meals and snacks. Finally, cut yourself some slack! Do not set goals so rigid you cannot maintain them. There may be days or weeks at a time where “life happens” and sticking to your plan goes out the window. But consistency in healthy eating day in and day out is what garners results. Recognize this, but don’t beat yourself up over an unhealthy choice and get back to making the small changes towards a healthier plan!
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