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CONTENTS August 2006, Vol.101, No.8 Editorial: . 2 Sarah Waseem, London – UK Essence of Islam – Part 10 . 3 A translation of some poems in remembrance of the Holy Prophet(saw) by his ardent lover and devoted servant. Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) – Promised Messiah and Mahdi Mercy for the Universe . 16 Why is the offence of ‘sabb’ (defaming the Holy Prophet(saw)) not a capital offence? Its punishment is in the Hands of Allah alone. Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru) – Khalifatul Masih IV Jalsa Salana – Fiji . 30 Speech by Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya community on how its members should follow the teachings of Islam by following the examples of the Holy Prophet(saw). Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Khalifatul Masih V Dangers of the Age and Safeguarding of Islamic Values . 43 By following guidance given by Islam, we can prevent ourselves from the immoral and evil dangers affecting mankind. Bilal Atkinson, Hartlepool – UK Abdus Salam and the International Centre for Theoretical Physics . 58 A brief look at the origins and achievements of the Centre as it celebrates its fortieth anniversary Sameen Ahmed khan – Oman COVER PIC: Fijian palm trees: Copyright of dreamscape photo library. Basit Ahmad Chief Editor and Manager: Mansoor Ahmed Shah Bockarie Tommy Kallon Management Board: Special contributors: Design and layout: Fareed Ahmad Mr Munir-ud-din Shams (Chairman) Amatul-Hadi Ahmad Tanveer Khokhar d Fazal Ahmad Farina Qureshi r Mr Mansoor Shah (Secretary) Publisher: a Fauzia Bajwa Mr Naseer Ahmad Qamar Proofreaders: Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah o Mansoor Saqi Mr Mubarak Ahmad Zafar Abdul Ghany Jahangeer B Khan and Shaukia Mir Distribution: Mahmood Hanif Mr Mirza Fakhar Ahmad l Muhammad Hanif Mr. Abdul Baqi Arshad a Mansoora Hyder-Muneeb i r Navida Shahid All correspondence should The Review of Religions © Islamic Publications, 2006 o t Sarah Waseem. be forwarded to the editor at: The London Mosque ISSN No: 0034-6721 i 16 Gressenhall Road d Saleem Ahmad Malik London, SW18 5QL E Tanveer Khokhar United Kingdom Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community 1 EDITORIAL Sarah Waseem– UK Prophets of God demonstrate through pened to all prophets. Those of the their messages and personal example established faiths believe that their way how God wants us to live our lives. The of life is the truth and do all they can to most excellent of these models was the discredit new ideas. Holy Prophet(saw) of Islam. His qualities of truthfulness and beneficence to his ‘After the Hijrah, the Quraish of fellow men were known and appreciated Makkah joined forces with these Jews to by those around him even before his stop the progress of Islam. The claim to prophethood. hypocrites were already there, starting work as fifth columnists’ (Murder in the In his Jalsa address in Fiji this year, Name of Allah). Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V said: ‘He [the Holy Prophet(saw)] established high Such individuals tried to create examples in honouring the rights and dissention among the believers. Sadly obligations that man owes to Allah and this continues today albeit in a different the rights that are due to other human form. Muslims themselves are guilty of beings.’ The standard of his worship are misunderstanding the message of the an example for those who wish to attain Holy Prophet(saw) and create disunity by nearness to Allah and want that their end fighting one another in the name of should be good.’ Islam and try to demonstrate that they are the true believers. They fail to When we ignore the commandments of appreciate that the real message of Islam God, and guidance given to us, society is to worship God and then declare that opens itself up to dangers. Bilal ‘Muhammad(saw) is the prophet of God’. Atkinsons discusses some of these in his article ‘Dangers of the age and Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih IV(ru) warns us safeguarding of Islamic values’. He that ‘….people who reject prophets of explains how Islam provides clear God and men of peace ….. stand directions as to how to avoid those evils disunited and bereft of the blessings of which ultimately destroy a society. the peace they sought to disturb. They breed violence and terrorism’ (Murder However, it is the way of man that in the Name of Islam) The truth of these whenever prophets are sent to him with words is evident in the world today. guidance, his initial stance is to disbelieve and ridicule. This has hap- 2 The Review of Religions – August 2006 ESSENCE OF ISLAM: Poems in Rememberance of the Holy Prophet(saw) – Part 10 This series sets out, in the words of the Promised Messiah(as), Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, a summary of his exposition of four outstanding topics: ISLAM; ALLAH, THE EXALTED; THE HOLY PROPHET(saw) and THE HOLY QUR’AN. The original compilation, in Urdu, from which these extracts have been translated into English, was collated with great care and diligence by Syed Daud Ahmad Sahib, Allah have mercy on him and reward him graciously for his great labour of love. Amin. The English rendering is by the late Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan, may Allah be pleased with him, and is quoted from The Essence of Islam, Volume 1. All references throughout, unless otherwise specifically mentioned, are from the Holy Qur’an. Fire of Devotion to the Beauty of Of the excellences of Muhammad(saw) Muhammads(saw) – (Persian Poem) I am ready to offer my heart and soul The fire that burns within me For the beauty of Muhammad(sa); Is the fire of the love of My body is merely the dust of the lane Muhammad(saw); Treaded by the progeny of The water that I possess Muhammad(sa). Is from the sweet and pure water of Muhammad(sa). I have seen with my heart’s eye (Majmu-ah-Ishtiharat, Vol.1, p.97) And heard with perceptive ears; The trumpet of the beauty of Muhammad(sa) Manifestation of the Eternal God – Echoes everywhere. (Persian Poem) Except the Lord of Mercy, This ever-flowing water which I Who can ever comprehend the lofty distribute station of Ahmad(saw). Freely among God’s creatures; He effaced himself to such an extent Is but a drop from the ocean As if the letter ‘M’ had fallen away The Review of Religions – August 2006 3 ESSENCE OF ISLAM – PART 10 from the name ‘Ahmad(saw)’ So lost was he in the Beloved Lord, That because of his extreme love His person became the very similitude Of the Gracious Lord. From his holy countenance Emanates the fragrance of the True Beloved; His divinely inspired person and its attributes Became the very mirror of the Eternal Lord. The founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community was Hadhrat Even if I am accused of heresy and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as). disbelief, The founder of the Ahmadiyya I cannot help saying: Muslim community was Hadhrat There is no loftier Divine Throne Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as). In 1891, Than the heart of the Holy Prophet – he claimed, on the basis of Divine Ahmad(saw) revelation, that he was the Promised Messiah and Mahdi whose advent God be thanked had been foretold by Muhammad, That despite opposition on the part of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace the worldly-wise and blessings of Allah be upon him) I would court a thousand and one and by the scriptures of other faiths. troubles His claim constitutes the basis of the For the sake of that Spring of Grace. beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. By the grace of God And by His bounties to me I am an enemy of the Pharaoh and (was so passing strange) that his hordes, I can’t help proclaiming it aloud Because I love this Moses of mine-the If only I could find Holy Prophet(saw). One eager heart along the path. The unique and exalted station This alone is my wish, my prayer, and Of the Holy Prophet(saw) as revealed my firm resolve. 4 The Review of Religions – August 2006 ESSENCE OF ISLAM – PART 10 That may my heart and soul be His countenance is so blessed that sacrificed one glimpse of it In the sacred path of love Transforms an ugly face into a For the Holy Prophet beautiful one. Muhammad(saw). (Taudih-e-Maram, Ruhani Khaz’ain, Like a star, his enlightened soul has Vol.3, pp.62-63) lit up Countless hearts which were full of darkness. The Status of Ahmad(saw) – (Persian Poem) He is so blessed that his coming My heart is aflame praising the Holy Signifies the mercy of the Lord of all Prophet; Who has no peer in the worlds. excellence. He is Ahmad of the latter days, it is Who loves the Eternal Friend with all for his light his heart, That human hearts became brighter And whose soul is in communion with than the sun. the Beloved. He is more beautiful than all the He who is the recipient of divine progeny of Adam; favours, He is purer than the purest pearl. And has been brought up like a child in the lap of God. From his lips issues forth the fountain of wisdom; He is an ocean of virtue and piety, His heart overflows with the water of And is a unique pearl in all its Kauthar – the heavenly stream. splendour. For the sake of God, he repudiated In generosity and beneficence, he is all else; like the spring rain; On land and sea there is none like His bounties and favours are like him. those of the sun.