•ea11 to the path of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with people in the best possible manner. " (Holy Quran 16: 125)

Exponent of Presents Islam Islam as: 'tllUIthe Light PEACEFUL IAhore The TOLERANT Movement & Islamic Review RATIONAL for over INSPIRING seventy years. May - June 1994

Tributes to Hazrat Ghu/am Ahmad by eminent Muslim religious leaders and writers. See pages 6-8.

Vol. 71 CONTENTS No. 3 3 A brief account of my life -from his book 'Kitab al-Barriyya•. by Hazrat . 6 Tributes to the Promised Messiah - by eminent Muslim religious leaders and writers. 8 Prayerand itsacceptance - 'Id al-Fitr Khutba at London Centre, by the Editor. 11 Dr. Iqbal and the Abmadiyya Movement - Part 3: Ahmadiyya views reflected in his writings, by Maulana Hafiz Sher Muhammad. 14 Background to the Abmadiyya Movement - Historical Survey, by Mr. Shahid Aziz. 16 Gems from the Quran, by Mr. Mirza A.R. Baig. 17 Instructions for the Abmadiyya Jama'at - Its objectives and duties of its members, by Maulana Muhammad Ali. *

Ahmadiyya Anjuman lsha 'at Islam Lahore Inc. U. S.A. 1315 Kingsgate Road, Columbus, Ohio 43221-1504, U.S.A.

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The Light was founded in 1922 as the organ of the AHMADIYYA ANJU MAN ISHA. AT ISLAM (Ahmadiyya Association forthe propaga­ About ourselves. tion of Islam) of Lahore, Pakistan. The Islamic Review was pub­ lished in England from I 913 forover 50 years, and in the U.S. A. The Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha'at Islam Lahore has branches in the following 1980 to 1991. The present periodical represents the world-wide countries: branches of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha'at Islam, Lahore. U.S.A. Canada. ISSN: 1060-4596 England. Germany. Editor: Dr. Zahid Aziz. Format & Design: The Editor. Holland. South Africa. Circulation: Mrs. Samina Sahukhan, Dr. Noman I. Malik. India. Indonesia. I Australia. Fiji. Articles, letters and views are welcome, and should be sent to: Trinidad. Guyana. The Editor, 'The Light', 15 Stanley Avenu,:, Wembley, Suriname. I Middlesex, HAO 4JQ. ENGLAND. The Movement has members and supporters in many other countries as For circulation matters, contact U.S.A. address on front cover. well. In Berlin, it has a large historical mosque constructed in the mid-1920s. Beliefs and aims. Achievements: The main object of the A.A.l.l.L. is to present the true, original The Anjuman has produced extensive message of Islam to the whole world - Islam as it is found in the literature on Islam. originally in English Holy Quran and the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, obscured and Urdu. including translations of the today by grave misconceptions and wrong popular notions. Holy Quran with commentaries. These Islam seeks to attract the hearts and minds of people towards books are being translated into other lan­ the truth, by means of reasoning, good moral example, and the guages, such as French. German, Spanish, Russian. Chinese and Japanese. natural beauty of its principles. It neither aspires 10 gain political power, nor allows the use of force in support of tbe faith. The Anjuman has run several Muslim missions around the world, including the Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad ( 1835-1908), our Founder, arose first-ever in Western Europe. to remind the world that Islam is: The Movement's unique contribution International: It recognizes prophets being raised among all to Islamic thought is summed up in the nations and requires Muslims to believe in them. Truth and column on the left. goodness can be found in all religions. God treats all human History: beings equally justly, irrespective of race, nationality or 1889: Hauat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad religion. founded the Ahmadiyya Movement. Peaceful: Allows use of force only in unavoidab1e self-defence. 1901: Movement given name Ahmadiyya Teaches Muslims to live peacefully under a:oy rule which after Holy Prophet Muhammad's other accords them freedom of religion. famous name Ahmad. 190S: Hazrat Mirza appoints central body Tolerant: Gives full freedom to everyone to hold and practise (Anjuman) to manage the Movement. any creed or religion. Requires us to tolerate differences of 1908: Death of Hazrat Mirza. Succeeded belief and opinion. by Maulana Nur-ud-Din as Head. Rational: In all matters, it urges use of human reason and 1914: Death of Maulana Nur-ud-Din. knowledge. Blind following is condemned and independence of Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha'at Islam thought is granted. founded at Lahore to continue the original Anjuman, to preserve Hazrat Inspiring: Worship is not a ritual, but provide! living contact Mirza's real mission. Maulana with a Living God, Who answers prayers and speaks to His Muhammad Ali elected as Head. righteous servants even today as in the past. 1951: Death of Maulana Muhammad Ali after fifty years of glorious service to Non-sectarian: Every person professingIslam by the words IA the cause of Islam. Maulana Sadr-ud­ illlha ill-Allllh, Muhammad-ur rasal Allllh(There is no god but Din (d. 1981) becomes head. Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) is a Muslim. A Muslim cannot be expelled from Islam by anyone. Since 1981 Dr. Saeed Ahmad Khan, an eminent doctor and religious scholar, He also taught that no prophet, old or new, is to arise after the has led the Movement, at a time when it Holy Prophet Muhammad. However, Mujaddids will be raised by faces intense persecution and opposition. God to revive and rekindle the light of the faith of Islam. THE LIGHT ■ MAY - JUNE 1994 3

truthfulnessor falsehood. It is obvious that for this A brief account of my life purpose everyone needs to know a somewhat detailed account of events. Many a time it happens From the book 'Kitab al-Barriyya' that someone starts reading about the events of the life of a famous person in his biography very by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad eagerly and his heart is full of the urge to derive some benefit by learning about all his circum­ (The extract below is taken from the section of this book stances. Then, if it so happens that the biographer in which the Promised Messiah briefly describes the has been content with being very brief and has not events of his life.) presented the life sketch in clear detail, the reader becomes thoroughly disgusted and disheartened, and I have presently received a letter from Haji very often he criticises such a biographer in his Muhammad Ismail Khan Sahib, chief of Datavali, heart. In fact, he has a right to raise such an along with a printed request, in which he has objection because at that time, due to tremendous expressed his intention of compiling a book eagerness, he is like a starving man beforewhom is containing notes about famous personalities of placed a tray of delicious food, but just as he takes India, including , from all walks of life. For a morsel the tray is removed. this reason, he has asked me also formy biography. I too considered it proper to write something for Hence it is the duty of those esteemed persons general benefit in accordance with his request, and who take up the pen to write biographies that, in to set down in writing for publication in his book order to make their book widely beneficial, popular something of the history of my family, something and well-liked by the people, they should write the about my own life and somewhat about my claim to life-events of famous people in such detail, with be the Messiah and the arguments in support of the patience and magnanimity. and present their life claim. But the requirement of brevity, with which completely in such a manner that its reading he intends to do this work, does not allow sufficient becomes a substitute for meeting. So if such an scope to fulfil this purpose. Hence as far as excellent narrative makes someone spend time necessary, I wish to write this article in some detail. profitably he might also offer prayers for the I hope the respected Khan Sahib, having regard to success of that biographer in the world and the my labour and trouble of a few days, and looking at hereafter. Students of history know very well that the value of the work, will not refrain from this is exactly what has been done by those revered including it completely and fully. scholars who have written the biographies of the outstanding personalities of the nation with good Purpose of biography. intentions and for the public good. It is clear that unless the events of a man's life are Ancestral history. sketched by drawing a full picture, a few brief lines cannot benefit the public, nor can any trustworthy Now the events of my life are as follows. My name result come out of writing them. The real purpose is Ghulam Ahmad, my father's name was Ghulam of biography is that the contemporaries or the future Murtaza, my grandfather's name was Ata Muham­ generations, by pondering over the events of the mad, and my great-grandfather's name was Gul lives of those people, create in themselves some­ Muhammad. And as has been related, our tribe is thing of their morals, courage. righteousness and Mughal Barias.• It transpires from the old piety, knowledge and wisdom, work forthe cause of the faith, service of humanity, or some other I. It was seventeen or eighteen years ago that I came to kind of praiseworthy achievement. Or at least this, know fromrepeated revelations of God the Most High that my forefatherswere of Persian origin. I included that having come to know of the lives of the great all those revelations at that very time in the Barallfn persons of the nation, they should be so convinced Ahmadiyya, Part II. One of those revelations about me of the grandeur and dignity which has always been is this: Khudhu-l-tauhfd al-rauhrd ya abnti'al- ftiris, "O found among the stalwarts of Islam that they are sons of Persia, hold on to Unity [of God], hold on to able to present this beforethe adversaries in defence Unity". A second revelation about me is this: Lau of the community. Or that they may form an kdna-1-fmiin mu'ala q-an bi-1-thurayya la-ntila-hura jul­ opinion about the status of these people and their un min Joris, ..Had faith gone up to the Pleiades, this man of Persian origin would have gone there and got 4 THE LIGHT ■ MAY - JUNE 1994 documents of my forefathers. which are still victims of discord. which are still in their posses­ preserved, that they migrated to this country from sion. In short, in that period of anarchy in the land, Samarqand. and with them were approximatel� two he was a sovereign chief in that vicinity. Invariably hundred persons comprising their subordinates. about fivehundred men. sometimes more sometimes servants and family. less. took food in his dinner service. There also lived with him about one hundred learned men. Settlement in . pious persons. and those who had committed the They entered this country like a respectable noble Holy Quran to memory. who had been granted and settled at the site of this village. at that time a sufficient stipends. In his court there was frequent wilderness. situated at a distance of approximately talk of the word of God and the Prophet. None fiftykos north-east of Lahore. They inhabited it and among his workers and associates neglected prayer. named it /sldmpur which later on came to be known so much so that even the women who worked the as Islampur Qazi Majhi. Gradually people omitted grindstone said their five daily prayers and the the word lsliimpur, and Qazf Majhi became just tahajjud prayer. QiiZi. Then ultimately it became Qiidi, from which it was then distorted into Qiidiylin.The reason why High, noble qualities of MirzaGul Muhammad. it was called Qazi Miijhi has been explained t•:> be The respectable Muslims of the vicinity, who were that this entire area which is about 60 kos in length mostly Afghans. had given to Qadian, then known was called Majhah in those day. probably because as Islampur, the name Makka because in that time of the abundance of buffaloes in the country which of upheaval this town was a blessed refuge for are called majh in the Hindi language. Further. every Muslim. In most other places there prevailed since our ancestors. in addition to the estate of the unbelief, wickedness and injustice, but Qadian villages. had also been assigned the rulership of this radiated the fragrance of Islam. righteousness, entire territory. they became known as Qazi. moral purity and justice. I have personally seen I have no knowledge why and for what reason people who lived close to that period describing our ancestors came to this country fromSamarqa.nd, Qadian to be in such fine condition as if it was at but it is indicated by the documents that in that that time a garden in which were planted hundreds country too they were respected chiefs and belonged of defenders of the faith, the pious, the learned, and to the house of the rulers and that they had to h!ave extremely noble and brave persons. In this area the country because of some strife and dispute in events are well-known showing that the late Mirza the nation. On arrival in this country they were Gut Muhammad belonged to the most venerable of awarded many villages as estate by the king of the the spiritual leaders of the time and worked miracles time. Consequently. a permanent state of theirs was and extraordinary feats. In order to keep his established in this vicinity. company. many men of God, righteous ones and scholars had assembled in Qadian. Most curiously. Great-grandfather's time. many of his miracles are so well-known that a large In the early Sikh period my great grandfadtler. number of opponents of Islam also have been . was a renowned and well­ bearing witness to them. known chief of this area. owning at that time 85 In short, besides rulership and leadership of the villages. Many villages went out of his possesnion state, he was very famous for his honesty. righ­ due to repeated attacks of the Sikhs. Yet he wa, so teousness, manly bravery, lofty ideals, defence of brave and generous that even out of such a small the faith and concern for the welfare of the number he had given several villages. out of Muslims. The participants of his assembly, one and benevolence. to some Muslim chiefs who had been all, were righteous, of good character, had a sense of honour for Islam, avoided transgression and it". Then there is a third revelation about me: Inna-1-adhfna wickedness, and were brave and dignified. So much kafaril radda 'a/ai-him rajul-un min faris shakara-1.!ahu so . .that I have heard many a time from my late sa 'ya-hu, "This man of Persian origin has refuted the father that once a minister of the Moghal Empire. religions of those who disbelieve; God is thankful for his known by the name of Ghias al-Daula, came to efforts". All these revelations show that our oris inal Mirza Gul Muhammad's way ancestors were Persian. "And the truth is what Allah has Qadian and witnessed manifested." of statesmanship, sharpness of mind, resolve, THE LIGHT • MAY - JUNE 1994 5

enterprising spirit, firmness, intelligence, under­ his times God's wisdom and purpose caused the standing, defence of Islam, passion forsupport of Sikhs to come to power. My late grandfather made the faith, piety, purity and dignity of the court, and elaborate arrangements for the security of his state found his small court entirely consisting of very but as destiny and fate did not favour his aims he sober, wise, virtuous and brave men. Then, with failed and none of his plans succeeded. By and by, tearful eyes, he said: "Had I known earlier that in the Sikhs kept taking control of the villages of our this wilderness there is a man of the Moghal house estate till the late grandfather was left with only possessing the necessary qualities of statecraft , I one, Qadian. At that time Qadian was a small town would have tried to save the Islamic kingdom by in the form of a fortress, with four towers in which placing him on the throne of during the the fighting men were stationed. There were a few period of inaction, incompetence and impropriety of guns, and the rampart was about twenty-two feet the Chughtai kings." high and so wide that three carts could easily move abreast on it. It so happened that a group of Sikhs Teaches noble lesson on death-bed. called Ram Garhias first entered Qadian through a At this point, it would not be without benefit to ruse by getting permission and then took its record that my great-grandfather, Mirza Gul possession. At that time our elders suffered great Muhammad, died of hiccough along with other destruction and like the Israelites they were made ailments. During the intensity of the disease, the captives, all their property and possessions being physicians unanimously said that if alcohol was used looted. Several mosques and finehouses were razed for a few days for this disease it would probably to the ground. Gardens were destroyed out of help. But they did not have the courage to say it to ignorance and bigotry. Some mosques, one of which him. At last some of them mentioned it to him is still occupied by the Sikhs, were converted into gently. Then he said: "If God the Most High Sikh temples. That day there was also burnt a intends to heal there are many other drugs created library of our elders. It contained fi ve hundred by Him; I do not want to use this filth, I am content manuscript copies of the Holy Quran which were with the decree and fate ordained by God." At last burnt utterly disrespectfully. At last, after some he died of the same illness a few days later. Death thought, the Sikhs ordered our elders to leave. was destined but his way of righteousness became a Consequently all men and women were boarded in permanent memorial, that he had preferred death to carts and turned out. They took refuge in a state of taking alcohol. What does man not do to escape the Punjab. Shortly afterwards, according to the death? But he preferred death to committing a sin. plan of the same enemies, my grandfather was Pity be on those lords, aristocrats and rulers who, poisoned. in this short life here, neglecting entirely their God and His commands, and cutting offall connections Return to Qadian in father's time. with Him, indulge in sin to their heart's content and Then, during the last days of the rule of Ranjit drink alcohol like water. Thus making their life Singh, my late father, , filthy and unclean, they lose even the natural span returned to Qadian. The said Mirza Sahib received of life and die sooner by falling victim to some back five villages out of the villages of his father. dreadful ailments, leaving behind a very sordid For, during this period, had, by example forposterity. subjugating most of the other smaller states, established a big state of his own. Thus all our Timeof grandfather. villages had also come under the control of Ranjit Now the gist of it is that when my great-grandfather Singh. From Lahore to , and on the other died, my grandfather, i.e. his noble son Mirza Ata side up to Ludhiana, had his rule spread. In short, 2 Muhammad, was installed as his successor. During our old state having been eradicated, we were in the end left with only five villages. Still, in view of 2. My family tree is as follows: My name Ghulam being an old established family, my father Mirza Ahmad, son of Mirza Ghulam Murtaza, son of Mirza Ghulam Murtaza was a well-known chief in this • Ata Muhammad, son of Mirza Gul Muhammad, son of vicinity. He was always invited to the court of the Mirza Faiz Muhammad, son of Mirza Muhammad Qa'im, son of Mirza Muhammad Aslam, son of Mirza Muhammad Dilawar, son of Mirza Allah Din, son of of Mirza Abdul Baqi, son of Mirza Muhammad Sultan, Mirza Ja'farBaig, son of Mirza Muhammad Baig, son son of Mirza Hadi Baig, the progenitor of the family. 6 THE LIGHT ■ MAY - JUNE 1994

Governor General. as belonging to the cla!:s of 1. MirzaHairat of Delhi. chiefs who were entitled to a seat in court. In 1857 He was editor of the Cun.on Gazette. In his obituary C.E. he served the British government by providing of Hazrat Mirza, he wrote: fifty horses. purchased out of his personal funds, along with fiftyriders, and promised to give similar , The services of the deceased, which he help to the government in future too whenever rendered to Islam in confrontation with the needed. He had received from British government Christians and the Arya Samajists, deserve the officials of the time letters of commendation highest praise. He completely changed the flow wishing him well, in view of services rendered. Sir of the debate, and laid the foundationsof a new Lepel Griffin too has mentioned him in his book literature in India. History of the Punjab Chiefs . In shon, he was much liked by the authorities. Many a time, fo1 his , We admit, not because of our being consolation, the officials of the time, such a:; the Muslims but being seekers after truth, that the deputy commissioner or the commissioner, would top most Arya Samaj leader or Christian call at his house to meet him. This, briefly, i.s an missionary could not dare open his mouth to account of my family. I do not consider it nece!:sary confrontthe late Mirza sahib. The incomparable to prolong it much . I books which he wrote in refutation of the Arya Samaj and Christian creeds, and the shattering [A fter this the Promised Messiah gives an account ofhis replies he gave to the opponents of Islam, we own life, which we shall move on to in the next t,art.J have not seen any rational refutation of these except that the Aryas have been hurling abuse at the Founder and the teachings of Islam in an * * * * * uncouth manner. without being able to give a sensible reply. Although the deceased was a Punjabi, yet his pen was so powerful that today in the whole of the Punjab, even in the whole of Tributes to the India, there is no author of such power. .. . and it is true that, on reading some of his writings, Promised Messiah one goes into a state of ecstasy. Although he did not receive any regular education in Arabic Views of eminent Muslims language, literature or grammar, he gained such a proficiency in Arabic by his God-given compiled by the Editor intellect and nature that he could write it quite naturally .... It is widely alleged that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad has been universally considered by all , His followers are not only common and Muslims to be a kiifi r and outside the foldof Islam. unlearned people, but include able and bright This is a totally false assertion. It is only the graduates, viz., B.A .• M.A., and very learned petty-minded mosque preachers, the ignorant Ulama. It is a matter of no small pride for a mullas, and political aspirants seeking to exploit the religious leader of this day that persons educated ignorance of the masses, who have conder.nned on traditional lines as well as persons educated Hazrat Mirza as kafir. Eminent Muslim religious on modern lines, both types, should become his scholars and leaders, especially those who wer,e his followers. Surviving the heat of predictions of contemporaries, have not only regarded Hazrat his death, opposition, and criticism, he cleared his way to reach the highest pinnacle of prog­ Mirza as a Muslim but have proclaimed him to be 1 a great servant and champion of Islam. To mark the ress. , anniversary of the death of the Promised Mes13iah, 2. Lahore Municipal Gazette. which took place in May 1908. we present here The editor wrote: some tributes to Hazrat Mirza by prominent Muslims of his time and after.

l. Curzon Gazette, Delhi, 1st June 1908. THE LIGHT ■ MAY - JUNE 1994 7

, The Mirza sahib was specially renowned for his confrontation with the Christians and the his knowledge and scholarship. His writings Aryas has received the seal of general approval, were also eloquent. In any case, we are grieved and forthis distinction he needs no introduction. by his death for the reason that he was a We have to acknowledge the value and greatness Muslim. We believe that a scholar has been of this literature from the bottom of our hearts, taken from the world. , 2 now that it has done its work. This is because that time cannot be forgotten nor effaced from 3. Maulana Abul KalamAzad. the mind when Islam was besieged by attacks on He was a very famous Islamic scholar, author and all sides. and the Muslims, who had been journalist in India this century. He was also entrusted with the defence of Islam by the Real President of the Indian National Congress before Defender, as the means of defence in this world independence, and after the independence of India of causes and means, were lying flat sobbing in he held high posts in the federal cabinet of the the aftermath of their shortcomings, doing Republic of India. At the time of the death of nothing for Islam or not being able to do Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, he was acting as the anything forit . ... editor of a well-known Muslim newspaper. the Wa keel of Amritsar. We give below extracts from , Then began that counter-attack fromthe side the lengthy obituary of Hazrat Mirza that Maulana of the Muslims in which Mirza sahib had a part. Abul Kalam Azad wrote in it: That defence not only shattered to bits the initial influenceof Christianity, which it really had due , That man, that very great man, whose pen to support from the government, and saved was a magic wand and whose tongue spell­ thousands, nay millions, of Muslims from this binding; that man whose brain was a complex of dangerous attack which would have succeeded, wonders, whose eye could revive the dying and but the talisman of Christianity itself was blown whose call aroused those in the graves, whose away like smoke . ... fingers held the wires of revolution and whose , So, this service rendered by Mirza sahib fists were electrical batteries; that man who for will place the coming generations under a debt thirty years was an earth-quake and typhoon for of gratitude, in that he fulfilled his duty of the the religious world, who, like the trumpet of defence of Islam by joining the front rank of Doomsday, awakened those lost in the slumber those engaged in the jihad by the pen, and he of life, he has left the world empty-handed. This left behind him as a memorial such literature as bitter death, this cup of poison, which entrusted will last so long as Muslims have blood flowing the deceased to dust, will remain on thousands, in their veins and the urge to support Islam nay millions of tongues, as words of bitter remains their prominent national characteristic. disappointment and regret. ... Besides this, Mirza sahib performed a very , In spite of our strong differences with Mirza special service for Islam by crushing the sahib in respect of some of his claims and poisonous fangs of the Arya Samaj . ... beliefs, his separation for ever has convinced the , India today is an exhibition house of educated and enlightened Muslims that one of religions, and the number of great and small their very great personages has left them. And faiths found here, along with their mutual with him the mighty defence of Islam against its struggles which announce their existence, cannot opponents, which was linked with his person, be matched anywhere else in the world. Mirza has come to an end. His special characteristic, sahib's claim was that he was the arbiter and that he acted against the enemies of Islam as a judge for them all, but there is no doubt that he victorious general, compels us to express openly possessed a special talent to make Islam pre­ our feeling that the grand movement which for eminent among all these religions. , so long defeated and trod over our opponents should be continued in the future also. . .. 4. Maulvi Siraj-ud-Din. Maulvi Siraj-ud-Din was the editor of the leading , The literature produced by Mirza sahib in Muslim Urdu daily paper, the Zamindtirof Lahore, at the time of Hazrat Mirza's death. He was the 2. Municipal Gazette, Lahore, 1908. 8 THE LIGHT ■ MAY - JUNE 1994 father of the well-known Maulvi Zafar Ali Khan, following comment appears about Hazrat Mirza: who himself later became editor of Zaminddr. In his "I found him to be a believer in the finality obituary of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad published of prophethood, and a lover of the Holy in this paper, Maulvi Siraj-ud-Din wrote: Prophet in the true sense. When I studied the life of Mirza sahib, I found that he was , Mirza Ghulam Ahmad sahib was a clerk certainly a very active, resolute and deter­ near the district of Sialkot in about 1860 or mined man. Having understood the true spirit I 86 I . He would be about 22 or 23 years of age of religion, he presented the same practical at the time. We can say from personal experi­ teachings of Islam as are to be found in the ence that, even in his youth, he was a very time of the Holy Prophet and the early virtuous and righteous person. After work all his Khalfjas." (ibid., November 1961) time was spent in religious studies . He did not much meet people. In 1877 we had the honour of his hospitality at his home in Qadian for one * * * * * night. In those days too, he was so engrossed in worship and devotion that he conversed little, even with guests . ... We have oftensaid , and we again say, that even if his claims were the re:sult Prayer and its acceptance of mental pre-occupation, he was innocent of pretence or fabrication. . .. Scholarly figures 'Id al-Fitr Khutba, London such as Maulvi Nur-ud-Din and Ma.ulvi Muhammad Ahsan, and products of modern by the Editor education such as Khwaja Jamal-ud-Din, 8.A., Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, B.A., and M2.ulvi (This is the text of the Khutba delivered on the occasion Muhammad Ali, M.A., are among his followers . of 'Id al-Fitr at the U. K. Centre of the A.A.1.1.L. on 13 Though we personally did not have the honour March this year. Some 200 people were present.) of believing in his claims or revelations, "O you who believe. fa sting is prescribed fo r you as nonetheless we consider him to be a perfect it was prescribed fo r those befo re you. so that you Muslim. , 3 may guard against evil ...- The Holy Quran 2: 183. S. Allama Niyaz Fatehpuri. "And when My servants ask thee concerning Me, In more recent times, Allama Niyaz Fatehpur.i of surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the India has written: supplicant when he calls on Me, so they should hear "Mirza Ghulam Ahmad sahib came to the My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the defence of Islam at a time when even the right way ...- 2:186. greatest scholar of the Faith could not dare to The purpose of fasting is clearly described in the 4 confront the opponents." first verse, and it is to learn to refrain from following one's wrong urges and desires by "What I have studied so farof the founder of developing self-control. Fasting is not meant as a the Ahmadiyya Movement, and not only me social custom or bodily ritual which you go but anyone who studies his life and character through, but which does not change you in any way sincerely and truthfully, will have to concede whatsoever. Many Muslims say that they fast that he was a lover of the Holy Prophet, in "because Allah has commanded us to", but they the true sense, and had within him a sincere forget that Allah has also told us of the aim and 5 urge for the cause of Islam." purpose to be attained through fasting. If we make no attempt to reach that aim, then we are not doing In a subsequent issue of the same monthly, the �hat Allah has commanded us to. True spirit of worship. 3. 7.amindtlr, 8 June 1908. Regarding prayer it is clearly stated in the Quran: 4. Monthly Nigiir, Lucknow, India, October 1960. S. ibid. , July 1960. "Woe to the praying ones, who are unmindful THE LIGHT • MAY - JUNE 1994 9

of their prayers, who do it just to be seen, what is obligatory] until I love him. When I and refrain from acts of kindness. " eh. 107. love him, I am his hearing with which he So the physical act of prayer is, by itself, of no use hears, and his sight with which he sees, and and is even condemned by Islam when it is his hand with which he holds, and his feet performed only as an outward act without leading with which he walks, ..." (Bukhari, 81 :38) you to do good. Again regarding the sacrificemade Such is his relation with God that all his actions are at the time of the hajj , the Quran says: so much in accordance with the Divine will as if his "Not their flesh, nor their blood reaches faculties and limbs are being directly controlled by Allah, but what reaches Him is your righ­ God . teousness." - 22:39. The man who reached this status of nearness to God to the highest degree was the Holy Prophet So we can be as meticulous and precise as we like Muhammad. His life abounds with instances about observing the physical details of fasting and showing how close he felt to God . When he and other worship, it will count fornothing with God - Abu Bakr were sheltering from their murderous it does not reach Him - unless we have brought enemies in the cave of Thaur during the hijra, and about a change for the better in ourselves as a their pursuers reached the very mouth of that cave, result, however small that change may be, provided the Holy Prophet remained perfectly calm and it is a real change. consoled his companion with the words: "Fear not, The Quran says several times that even the surely Allah is with us" (the Quran 9:40). smallest amount of good a person does, counts with Followers of the Holy Prophet throughout the God and leads to good consequences. So the ages too reached high stages of Divine nearness. Let smallest change forthe better in ourselves through me recount an incident from the life of Hazrat fastingis a real gain and is the foundationof further Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He, like all other reformers progress. from God, had aroused much opposition. Once he As taught in the verses fromchapter 107 quoted had to go to the Delhi central mosque where a above, the doing of actual good deeds in practice is public debate had been arranged between him and essential (as distinct from believing and performing some Ulama. When he arrived there he found a acts of worship) . Such importance does the Quran most hostile crowd, its tempers having been brought give to this that it is said to be the object of man's to the boil by the religious leaders. The gathering existence: was fuming with fury and indignation against him, and was poised to attack him when given the signal "(Allah is He) Who created death and life by the leaders. He calmly walked through the crowd that He might try you as to which of you is with his few friends and sat down in the mosque. best in deeds." - 67:2. One of his companions said to him anxiously: "They are very incensed and excited." Hazrat Mirza Nearness to God. replied with perfect composure and tranquillity: In connection with fastingGod says in the Quran, in "What harm can the dead do to the living!" Those the second verse read at the beginning, "when My who have the true feeling of nearness to God know servants ask thee concerning Me, surely I am nigh". that they are protected by Him and are unafraid of God is near. This is the realization which religion their opponents. aims to create in a person's heart. Once that is created a human being becomes the possessor of the Acceptance of prayer. highest noble qualities, and he leads such a life that The verse quoted above in which Allah says "I am those around him can see Divine light in Him, and nigh" continues with the words: "I answer the call the hand of God can be seen working in his life. of the supplicant when he calls on Me, so they The Holy Prophet has said: should hear My call and believe in Me that they "Allah has said: Whoever is hostile to a wali may walk in the right way." of mine, I declare war upon him. .. . My Islam teaches that prayers are answered, both servant ceases not to attain nearnessto Me by prayers relating to personal matters as well as means of voluntary efforts [over and above prayers relating to nations and to mankind. The life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad as well as the lives 10 THE LIGHT ■ MAY - JUNE 1994 of countless righteous Muslims in history show effortsto get a thing and when findingitself endless examples of prayers being fulfilled for devoid of resources it seeks light, through objectives which appeared impossible. The Holy thinking, from other quarters than its own­ Prophet's life is replete with such examples. He self, the state of mind which ensues as a prayed before the battle of Badr forvictory of the result is, in fact, a state of prayer. It is Muslims, and they defeated a much more powt:rful through such prayers that all the sciences of foein their very firstenc ounter. the world have come into being. ... Our The reformation of Arabia by the Holy Prophet thinking, our pondering, our directing our was also a result of his prayers. As the Quran tells thoughts to findingout the hidden matters - us, he grieved for his people. Regarding this, all of these are included in the act of praying. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad writes: ... But the man in the veil of ignorance, who has no attachment to God, does not recognise ..That strange event which took place in the the source of grace. Like the man of spiritual desert land of Arabia, by which millions of knowledge, he also, in the course of his people who were spiritually dead were mental struggle, seeks help from a source resuscitated in a very short time, and people outside and makes effortsto secure that help; who had remained corrupted for generations with this difference that the man of knowl­ became imbued with Divine attributes and the edge sees that source whereas this one walks blind regained their power of vision and the in darkness and is not aware that whatever dumb became eloquent in respect of the comes to the mind as a result of his thinking knowledge of God, and a revolution took and pondering, is also from God Who, place in the world in such a sudden manner accepting the thinking of the thinker as a kind that the like of it no eye had seen before, and of prayer, communicates the knowledge to no ear had heard - what was it after al.I? It his mind." (ibid.) was at bottom the silent prayers in the darkness of the night of a lonely man who As to the laws of nature, he wrote that there are had annihilated himself in God that created also other laws of nature besides those known to this huge tumult in the world, and produced man, and God can make things happen according to those strange phenomena which seem almost those laws yet unknown to us. When a prayer is impossible to have been effected by that accepted, God brings about the causes which unlettered, helpless man." (Barakiit-ud-Dua') produce the effectwhich was being prayer for.The acceptance of prayer also shows the existence of a Modem times. spiritual world which is superior to the physical About a century ago, some objections arose world, for by spiritual means you can cause to regarding the acceptance of prayer. As science: had happen that which is considered impossible by the discovered laws of nature which governed how physical means available to man. things happen, rationalist thinkers in the world Examples of acceptance in this age. including some Muslims came to believe that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad also gave literally prayers could not cause anything to happen bec:ause thousands of examples of the acceptance of his whether something happened or not was detem1ined prayers, and of being informed beforehand by God by laws of nature. The Founder of this Movement as to the fulfilment of the prayer. Likewise, there wrote extensively in refutation of this view. He were many prominent men and women of this explained that the basis of prayer is that when we Movement who were renowned for the acceptance find ourselves helpless we turn to one whc• has of their prayers, and they used to be approached by greater knowledge and power than we do, and we Muslims outside this Movement to pray forthem in implore such a one for help. This is what we do particular matters. The vast improvement in the when we turn to various experts for help. Prayer is material condition of the Muslims in the last similar. He writes: hundred years, and the failure of the powerful "In short, when our soul stretches its hands movements which tried to discredit Islam as a false of petition with utmost enthusiasm and religion and to lure its followers to other faiths,has humility towards the source of all grace in its come about through the prayers of the righteous. ■ THE LIGHT MAY - JUNE 1994 11

Similarly, the survival and rescue of this Movement itself in the face of attempts and exertions of every Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal possible kind to eradicate it, is due to the prayers of its well-wishers. and the Ahmadiyya Lack of apparent acceptance of some prayers. Movement - 3 Not all prayers are accepted by God. Obviously. if God was bound to accept every prayer, even from A chronological survey of his relation­ only certain exalted individuals, then He would be ship with the Movement more a servant than a master! Regarding why God does not always grant prayers, even of the righteous by Maulana Hafiz Sher Muhammad whose prayers are always sincere and for unselfish motives, Hazrat Mirza writes: (In the first two parts the learned Maulana traced the history of lqbal's connections with the Ahmadiyya "If the acceptance of a certain prayer may Movement: starting from his acclamation of the bring harm to the man who prays, and God movement during the life of the Promised Messiah and wants his moral and spiritual training, His the time of Maulana Nur-ud-Din 's leadership, continuing rejection of the prayer is in reality a kind of with his support for the movement till about 1930, and acceptance. Sometimes a certain prayer of a ending with his opposition in the last five years of his life. It was shown that even during this final phase, man remains unfulfilled and he thinks that his which was prompted by the false beliefs coined by Mirza prayer has been rejected whereas the fact is Mahmud Ahmad and the Oadianis, Iqbal still exonerated that God grants his prayer and it takes the Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and the Lahore Ahmadiyya form of its apparent rejection, wherein Movement. In this finalpart, the influence of Ahmadiyya consists his good and welfare. ... The fact is thought in lqbal 's prose and poetry is traced.) that He listens to every prayer of His ser­ vants as He says: 'Pray to Me and I will Views in prose. answer you' (the Quran 40:60). The secret of Iqbal wrote as follows: such apparent rejection is that the good and the welfare of the petitioner lies along this , Non-Arab sufism dominates the hearts and line. The law of prayer is that God is not minds of the Muslims of India. They are under the behest of our desires. Consider unable to understand Arab concepts. I am an how dear a child is to its mother and how ordinary man, but even if the Holy Prophet anxious she is to see it safe from all troubles. Muhammad himself were to be born again to But if the child foolishly cries for and insists preach Islam in this country I am sure that on having a sharp knife or flaming piece of the people of this land, in view of their firein its hand, will the mother, with all her present conditions and the influences upon real love and tenderness forthe child, allow them, would probably not understand Islamic it to burn its hand with an ember or to cut its truths. , 1 hand with the sharp edge of the knife? It is evident she will not. ... , I believe that the Holy Prophet Muhammad is "God, Who is the real well-wisher of man alive, and the people of these times can and can see the ultimate results of things derive spiritual benefit from him just as did desired, sees the harm and ill-effects of the his Sahaba (Companions). But in this age prayer so addressed, in the event of its being even the expression of a belief of this kind would be unacceptable to most minds, so I granted, rejects the prayer as it is, and this 2 rejection itself is, in fact, its acceptance." keep quiet. , In the verse quoted above, God says that just as , By life is not meant life with the physical I answer your prayer, you should answer My call and walk in My way. Those who answer His call 1. Makiitlb Iqbal (Letters of Iqbal), Letter to Niyaz-ud­ find that He answers their prayers all the more. I Din Khan, p. 53. 2. ibid. , Part II, p. 317. 12 THE LIGHT • MAY - JUNE 1994

body. Hazrat Abu Bakr recited the verse of realize that what was referred to by Sir the Quran: •Messengers before him have Samuel Hoare as the League of Nations, the passed away', and this is the truth. , 3 Quran has explained the principle of the same with simplicity and eloquence. If Muslim The view expressed by Iqbal in this quotation leaders and statesmen had pondered over the supports the Ahmadiyya interpretation that Jesus is Quran, a League of Nations would have been not alive in his physical body, and that he had died established in the Islamic world centuries before the Holy Prophet Muhammad just as all ago. The history of the League of Nations other prophets were dead at that time. founded in the present day also shows that until the will of nations follows the Divine , Would that the prayer of Maulana Nizami be law, no path to world peace can be found. accepted in this age, and the Holy Prophet Besides the two kinds of war mentioned Muhammad re-appear to unveil his teachings above, I know of no other war. To wage war to the Muslims of India. , 4 to satisfy territorial greed is prohibited in Islam. By this reasoning, it is also forbidden to raise the sword for the propagation of the Indeed, not only Maulana Nizami's prayer but the 6 prayers also of countless other people were faith. , accepted, and a servant, lover, spiritual image (buraz) and self-effaced follower of the Holy , I believe that the task of the propagation of Prophet came and unveiled before the world the Islam has priority over all other duties at this original picture of the religion of the Holy Prophet time. If the aim of the Muslims in India is and the true teachings of Islam. But the world merely to achieve independence and eco­ meted out to him the same treatment which it does nomic prosperity by political means, and the to all those who come from God. defence of Islam is not among their aims, as appears to be the case fromthe attitude of the , To understand religious issues, especially the nationalists of today, then the Muslims shall religious teachings of Islam, requires a never succeed in their aims. I say this from particular kind of education. Regrettably, the personal insight, and after a little experience new generation of the Muslims is entirely of current politics, that so far as the Muslims unfamiliar with this. With regard to Muslims, are concerned the direction of politics in the cause of this trouble is that education India is a great danger for the religion of became completely non-religious. , 5 Islam. In my view, the threat of the shuddi movement [by militant Hindus to convert , The critic is wrong in saying that Iqbal Muslims to Hinduism] is of no importance when compared to this danger, or at least this supports war in this progressive age. I do not 7 support war, nor can any Muslim do so in too is an unperceived formof shuddi. , view of the clear limits set by the Shariah. Influence of Ahmadiyya views on lqbal's poetry. According to the teaching of the Quran, there 1. Regarding the continuation of revelation from can only be two forms of jihc'id or war: God, Iqbal wrote in poetic verse: defensive and corrective. In the first case, that is, when Muslims are persecuted and "If some audacious personwere to be the like driven out of their homes, they are allowed, of Moses, even now there comes from behind not ordered, to take up the sword. the bush at Tur the call 1e ar not ·. 8 "Until the Book is revealed to your con­ , The second case, in which jihad is obliga­ science, the knots cannot be unravelled by tory, is given in 9:49 [in the Holy Quran]. Reading those verses carefully you will 6. ibid. , Part I, pp. 203-204, letter to Maulvi Zafar 3. ibid. , p. 40. Ahmad Siddiqi. 4. ibid., Part I, p. 41. 1. ibid., pp. 209-210. S. ibid. ,Part I, p. 259. 8. These words were the revelation of Moses. THE LIGHT • MAY - JUNE 1994 13

either Rizi or the author of Kashshiif,9 3. According to Dr. Iqbal, a man is not a believer unless 12 "I am in communication with Gabriel, the he reaches the rank of lauliik: Amfn, there is no rival, messenger or doorman "The world is the inheritance only of the for me in this path. fearless believer, he is not a believer who has "O God, the meanings which You reveal to not reached the stage of lauliik. my soul like dew, through them I have "The whole world is the heritage of the true created a new world for wailing and crying. believer, the proof of my statement is the "If a Shuaib could be procured, it only takes subtle point of lauliik." two steps from tending sheep to receiving Divine revelation." 10 Believer is "Abraham, Jesus, Muhammad" - lqbal's verses and interpretation by his student. 2. Iqbal and his admirers and students consider Iqbal fu rther wrote in poetic verse: it permissible to use the terms nabi (prophet), paighambar (messenger), juzw-i-nubuwwat (partial "No one knows the secret that the believer, prophethood) etc., about non-prophets. Iqbal wrote: apparently only reciting the Quran, is in reality the Quran. "I am, as it were, prophet (nab() of the land of poetry, on my lips runs the word of Hali. "The world is a house of idols, and the man of truth is khalil [Abraham who broke the "If the aim of poetry be to lead mankind, idols], this is the idea which lies concealed in then poetry is the heir to prophethood." Iii iltiha [There is no other god]. A biographer of Iqbal writes: "The true believer strikes like lightening from the sky, his fuel is the cities and "Wherever I have used the word mujaddid uninhabited areas of east and west. and likewise the word paighambar for the Allama, I have not meant them in their "We are as yet enveloped in the darkness of technical sense in the Shariah but have used creation, but he takes part in running the them in their literal sense. " 11 world. An interpreter and admirer of Iqbal, and famous "He is kalim [Moses], and Masih [Messiah], Pakistani religious writer and philosopher, Dr. and kh alil [Abraham], he is Muhammad, he KhalifaAbdul Hakim, writes in a poem in praise of is the Book, he is Gabriel. " Iqbal: An interpreter of Iqbal, Professor Yusuf Salim "This is poetry which is called a part of Chishti, explains these verses as follows: prophethood, this is poetry which is a verse (iiyat) coming from the discipleship of the "It should be made clear that in the 8th, 9th Beneficent God. and 10th stanzas the advice Iqbal has given to young people can be summed up as follows: "This poetry is in reality reared by Divine 0 young people, acquire the quality of fa qr revelation, the blessing is highly exclusive [resignation to God]. However, this quality but the benefit is very general. cannot be created without the company of a "One whose word is of this kind is called spiritual guide, as is proved by the lives of kalim [one spoken to by God], it is full of the Sahaba. So he is describing the attributes wisdom, he is called hakim [wise]." of the perfect spiritual guide: 0 reader! the appearance of the man of truth, the perfect 9. These are classical commentaries of the Quran. man, takes place according to the Divine 10. The reference is to Moses' stay with Shuaib, during which he tended sheep, and to his receiving revelation 12. This term comes from the opening words of a saying while returning home after that stay. contained in Hadith according to which God said to the 11. Maulvi Muhammad Tahir Faruqui, Strat-i Iqbal, p. Holy Prophet: "If it had not been forthee (/au ltlka), 210. I would not have created the world." 14 THE LIGHT ■ MAY - JUNE 1994

will. He comes from heaven . When God so "Look to the descent of your God upon the wishes, He raises for the reformation of His minaret of the heart, and stop waiting even creatures a righteous servant in whom the for the Mahdi and Jesus. attributes of the Holy Prophet Muhammadare "Did Jesus die or is he still alive? Are the reflected as an image. That man of God, the Divine attributes distinct from God's person perfect mentor, annihilates the forces of or identical with His person? falsehood. His characteristics [according to Iqbal in the above verses] are as follows: "By the one to come, is it meant the original Jesus or a Mujaddid possessing the attributes "a. While people like us are merely conjec­ of the son of Mary? turing in the dark about the creation, i.e. we are bound by time and space, and are the "Are not enough for Muslims in this age, subservient creation, he is involved in the these idols carved out by theology?" 14 organization and running of the system of creation. That is to say, he is the ruler of creation. It should be made clear that by 'one * * * * * who takes part in the running of creation' Iqbal means the man with whom are associ­ ated matters relating to creation, just as with prophets are associated matters relating to Background to the religious law. Hence Sura Kahf[ch. 18 of the Holy Quran] refers to such an exalted person Ahmadiyya Movement - 3 in the words 'a servant from among ser­ vants'. by Shahid Aziz Secretary, A.A.1.1.L., U.K. branch "b. He is the heir to the spiritual qualities of Moses, Jesus, Abraham and Muhammad, (This is the final part of the speech, delivered in London, peace be upon them all. In him is manifested dealing with the in ternalcond ition of the Muslims at the the image of the attributes of the prophets. time the Ahmadiyya Movement came in to being.) He is potentially a prophet, but not actually a prophet because prophethood has come to Intolerance between fellow-Muslims. an end. This point has been explained by Now there was one problem in particular that I want Mujaddid Alif Sani in his Maklabat. to mention, and that is, the problem of intolerance. "c. All the holy men of God derive spiritual And I turn to extracts fromHali and another scholar benefit from his person. called Shibli Naumani. In his poem, Hali says about the Ulama and what they do, at a time when the "d. He firstof all purifiesthe souls of human Muslim world is under attack from all and sundry, beings and kindles the fire of Divine love in that: their hearts. Then he shows them how to rule the world." 13 "Their writings are those that increase hatred, their speeches are those that hurt people, they ridicule and insult those who 5. Regarding the mi 'raj of the Holy Prophet, Dr. have falleninto error, and their own Muslim Iqbal writes: brothers they call heretics . This is the way of "You have put Him on the 'arsh, 0 preacher, our scholars, and this is the courtesy of our what a God is He Who avoids the people. " guides and leaders." 6. As to the coming of the Mahdi and the Then he goes on to say: Messiah, he writes: "No way should the Sunni love the Shia, or the Naumani and the Shafi'i unite, or the hatred between the Wahhabi and the Sufi 13. Yusuf Salim Chishti, Sharh Jawaid Na ma, lshrat Publishing House, Anarkali, Lahore, pp. 1198-1199. 14. Armaghan-i Hijaz. 15 THE LIGHT ■ MAY - JUNE 1994

should be reduced, or the conformistand the night we are giving declarations of heresy non-conformist should not curse each other, against various classes which are spring­ and these religious leaders want such a war ing up amongst the Muslims. Do you and hatred to go on, between these followers think we are sitting here with nothing to of the Qiblah, that the whole world should do that we should have time to go and laugh at what they call God's religj,_on. If propagate Islam to Europe?" someone should try to reform this nation, then he's worse than Satan for these people." AhmadiyyaJama'at comes into being. There is an incident that two parties of Muslims So this was the context in which the Jama 'at was were taken to a famous Muslim judge, the writer created. I'm not going to say anything about the Maulvi Nazir Ahmad of Delhi, forhaving created a Jama'at, but having read out what Hali and others disturbance. There had been a debate on a religious said, I'm just going to read out to you what Hazrat issue, and these people had come to blows. He Mirza Sahib wrote, at a time when people were asked, What was the disagreement? They said, saying "This house of Islam is about to fall". He "Well, one party is the party of duiillfn and the wrote this in a poem: other party is the party of zuallfn " . This is the last "In the Heavens, a spirit is rising to call word in Surah Fatihah, and the controversy was people to the truth, angels are descending on whether the firstletter should be pronounced as d or good souls, the people of Europe they are as z. He laughed, because in Arabic the pronuncia­ turning this way, the pulse of the dead is tion is actually between ducillin and zuallfn. As the beating as if they were coming to life, sound of the initial letter of this word does not exist intellectuals are now leaving Trinity." in non-Arabic languages, Muslims in India pro­ nounce it either as d or as z. These were the things Remember this is a man sitting in Qadian with no on which Muslims were writing papers and setting formal education, at the time when the most learned up committees. Muslims were saying that "this pillar [of Islam] has moved away from its centre of gravity", and he is Calling one another karn-. writing that the intellectuals of Europe are now There is a famous poem by Shibli Naumani, a about to say goodbye to Trinity. "Now they will lay prolific religious writer, about the reaction of the down their lives for the Unity of Godhead'', says Maulvis to the successful work of Khwaja Kamal­ he. He talks about the "scent of Yusuf", referring ud-Din in England and the conversion of Lord to the history of the prophet Joseph whose father Headley to Islam. He writes about the symbolic could scent him froma distant land. So he's saying Maulvi: that "I can scent the propagation and spread of Islam, and at this time you'll call me mad, at this "I said to a Maulvi, Aren't you aware of the time of distress and despondency I'm telling you conditions in Europe, there are thousands that Islam will spread, but I will wait for that day who are turning to Islam in London, although because that day will surely come. " they are not yet ready to proclaim it publicly. You see the difference, that there is one Those whom the name Islam used to make can unlettered man sitting in Qadian writing that, and furious, even in those we don't find signs of there are all these learned people, looking at the prejudice now. The sad thing is that either we Muslims' political situation, looking at their don't have missionaries, or the missionaries saying that "we are about to that we have are, according to you, irreli­ educational position, be destroyed and even though we don't exist as a gious, they are not Muslims [this is referring nation any more, we are going to be trampled even to Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din]. In your group or further. " That man stood up as a reaction to those sect or class, doesn't anyone have concern for this, aren't you ready for this work? He things. [the Maulvi] became irritated and angry, and I will just end by saying that what he did, as said: contrasted with the orthodox, with Sayyid Ahmad Khan, with the Sufisand with everyone, was that he "This is impertinence! What you are showed the Muslims was the median way. And saying is definitely punishable. Day and Islam calls itself the Middle Way, not going to 16 THE LIGHT ■ MAY - JUNE 1994

either extreme. You don't reject anything just Then a vivid description is given of the day of because you can't confront or face it, you don't Judgment when the guilty will be recognized by reject the Quran because you find that a new philo­ their works. Section 3 deals with the reward of the sophy has come up, or you don't run away and righteous, describing the bounties of paradise at hide. What you do is to look at the Quran, to look length, ending with "blessed be the name of your at Islam, not change the fundamentals but what you Lord of glory and honour!" find is that with an expansion and research in The perfection, beauty, wisdom and the rhythm knowledge every time you look at the Quran, new and rhyme of the verses of this chapter, Ar­ meanings of the same verses will become obvious to Rahman, are totally enchanting and unique, being you. Because the knowledge in there is forall time. the composition of the Supreme being, by all So this is the context, and, basically, in a few poetical standards. Thus after recounting each set of sentences, I have explained to you the position that bounties and wonders of His creations, He repeat­ the Promised Messiah took up in that situation. edly asks the question: Which, then, of the bounties Thank you very much. I of your Lord will you reject ? This makes each set of verses complete. Melodious-voiced qaris have vied with one * * * * * another in the recitation of Ar-Rahman to the best of their abilities over the ages. Some of them make it so enchanting that it brings tears of joy and Gems from the Quran- 11 thanksgiving to the eyes. Today many tapes are available in the market. by Mr. Mirza A.R. Baig, Texas There was Divine intent in revealing the Quran, the Last Book of guidance for the whole world, The Beneficent, chapter 55 containing complete guidance and wisdom, more detailed and specificthan the Torah or Bible, to an Section 1: Divine Beneficence. illiterate Arab at Makka in the most backward "'The Beneficent God, 2Taught the Quran, 3He country in the world. It would thus become obvious created man, 4Taught him the mode of expression. that it came directly fromthe Supreme Architect of ;The sun and the moon fo llow a reckoning. 6And the the universe. No prior holy book stands comparison herbs and the trees do adore (Him). 7And the with the Holy Quran. It removes errors from the old heaven, He raised it high, and He made the books, which had crept in over the centuries, and measure, 8that you may not be inordinate in respect filled in the missing parts. Lastly, the Quran also of the measure, 9And keep up the balance with contains predictions of future events in the world. equity, and do not make the measure deficient. The text of some scriptures was not complete as 10And the earth, He has set it for living creatures. the details were not recorded as things happened. 11There is in it fruit and palms having sheathed For example, the Bible was compiled hundreds of clusters. 12And the grain with its husk and fr a­ years after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ from grance. 13Wh ich, then, of the bounties of your Lord hearsay. Similarly, due to force of circumstances will you reject ? 14He created man fr om dry clay like the ten commandments that Moses brought back earthen vessels, i;And created the jinn of a flame of from Mount Sinai, inscribed on stone tablets, got fire. 16Which, then, of the bounties of your Lord will 1 smashed up when Moses in his anger and disap­ you reject ? 7Lord of the East and Lord of the We st. pointment dashed the tablets on hard terrain, on 18Wh ich, then, of the bounties of your Lord will you finding thathis people had reverted to idol-worship reject? 19He has made the two seas to flowfr eely so during his forty day absence on the Mount. Today that they may meet together. 20Between them is a the complete text of the commandments is not barrier which they cannot pass. 21Which, then, of available. the bounties of your Lord will you reject ?" On the other hand, by the grace of God and the personal effortsof the Holy Prophet, peace be upon There are 78 such verses in this chapter. In Section him, each revelation was promptly written down by 2 it is stated that everything in nature is subject to his scribes and even committed to memory by some decay, except God, the Lord of glory and honour. of his holy companions. Thus, the Holy Quran is THE LIGHT • MAY - JUNE 1994 17

totally intact in its original text todayas it was 1500 Our system of organiZlltion: years ago. You can go to Russia, China, Far East, 1. We all respond to one call and India, Egypt or Turkey, every word, notation and respect that call. even the places where the Holy Prophet used to 2. That call is the call of the consensus of the pause fora breather in his recitation, is 100 percent Jama'at, from which no individual should stray . the same today as it was 1500 years ago . And there 3. The financial system is that all members must: are thousands of persons in the world today who (i) give two-thirds of their zakiitto the Jama'at, have memorized the entire text of the Quran by (ii) pay out of their income one anna for every heart. They keep word-perfect by constant recitation rupee• as contributions, and (iii) donate towards and more specially during the month of Ramadan, particular arising needs. the month in which the Holy Quran started to be revealed to the Holy Prophet. I 4. Respect and honour one another, think well of * * * one another, and hold the leaders to account. * * Means of our progress: 1. The zeal and fervour of faithcreated in us by the Instructions for the Promised Messiah, due to his spiritual power, must be ever on the increase. Ahmadiyya Jama'at - 1 2. To meet one another. To visit the centre, Lahore, and to attend the annual gathering is Our objectives and how to attain them essential. In your own towns and cities, apart from the Friday gathering, there should be by Maulana Muhammad Ali another day fixed for coming together and discussing some religious topic. (This is the translation of an Urdu booklet written as a guide book for the members of the A.A. I. I.L., summariz­ 3. Dars of the Holy Quran (talks explaining ing the aims and objectives of the Movement and laying meanings of some part of the Quran) must be down the basic duties of each member for the attain• conducted regularly. ment of those aims.} 4. We must keep up study of the literature of the Summary of the Guide. Movement and its periodicals. Our work: To prepare religious knowledge, 5. Our children's education, so far as possible, including translations of the Holy Quran in different should be at the Muslim High School. 2 languages of the world, and to spread it throughout 6. The poor, needy, orphan children and widows the world. should be looked after. Distinctive features of our Jama 'at: 7. Marriages should take place among ourselves. 1. The aim of our lives is the propagation of Islam. 8. When anyone notices something in the organiza­ tion which requires rectification or improve­ 2. To make sacrifices of one's person and posses­ ment, they must inform about it. sions for this end. 9. We must be concerned about extending the 3. To learn about Islam and its history. and about Jama'at in size. We must propagate the message other faiths. of this Movement to our relatives, and then to 4. To follow the teachings of Islam and respect its others. We must ensure that our wives and institutions. children take the bai 'at. 5. To show tolerance and broad-mindedness in the propagation of Islam, and love for Muslims. 1. The Rupee is the currency in Pakistan and India, and 6. To respect and honour the service of Islam. was divided into 16 annas at the time of writing. 2. This was a school founded and run by the Anjuman in Lahore. 18 THE LIGHT • MAY - JUNE 1994

The Guide. phant over all religions, and if the Promised The brief guidance given here· is for those who. by Messiah was sent by Allah, and he surely was, then having taken the bai 'at of the Promised Messiah. that true picture of Islam to which the Imam of the have pledged to hold the religion above the world. age has drawn our attention must be presented and I want these points to be always kept in view. The propagated in all the languages of the world. secret of success towards any goal is no more than A useful work having begun, in order to that man must not neglect that goal no matter what continue it and complete it. it is necessary that the condition he finds himself in. He must keep it in Jama'at which began that work must continue to view under all circumstances that befall him, and exist under an organized system which safeguards it remain engaged in the struggle for it. from deterioration. It must progress and grow, for Before I deal with those matters. it is necessary if we do not progress then decline must necessarily to explain what work has so far been done by our follow. And if our system is not an organized one. community. and what work remains to be done in then the present Jama'al cannot continue to exist. future. Without going into details. I wish to say that This would damage the cause of Islam, for a useful the most essential work, which is required not only work of the most excellent order, having started, to propagate and spread Islam among other peoples would have come to a halt. Therefore all the steps but the internal reformand progress of the Muslims for the strengthening and the progress of the is connected with it as well. is to disseminate the Jama'at must be kept in view by each one of us in Holy Quran in different languages of the world and all our circumstances. The stronger the Jama'at and to publicize the teachings contained in this Holy the more progress it makes, this useful work of the Book. to take the story of the life of the Holy service of Islam will advance all the more. Prophet Muhammad lo non-Muslims and Muslims. Conversely. the more defective is the organization so that it serves as a source of attraction for the of the Jama'at and the slower is the pace of former. and as a source of right guidance for the progress, this great work of the service of Islam latter. and by showing the world the pure face of will suffer accordingly. And in the sight of Allah all Islam to remove all the blots which are upon it. of us shall be responsible for having neglected the It is clear that this is the weapon with which work which we promised to do, at the hand of one Allah Himself sent the Promised Messiah. and this sent by God, and for failingto fulfil that compact. is the successful means which will in the end crush Distinctive fea tures of our community. falsehood. To prepare material about the true The first point is that we must never forget the teachings of Islam in different languages is the first distinctive features of our community, by adopting It is task. The second is to spread those teachings. which we remain distinguished from others. I will by these two means that the promise of the verse .. only refer to a few main such features. "He will make it prevail over all religions will be seen to be fulfilled. 1. Our real and most prominent distinction is By the grace of God. our community has taken that our lives have one particular aim, that is, the the first step in this gloriously important work. and propagation of Islam. I do not deny that there may has also seen the recognition which Allah has made be many other people in the world the aim of whose that work to receive. After our translation. the call lives is the propagation of Islam. However, it is our arose from many quarters to have the Quran distinction because our community came into translated into English. We do not question existence for this very purpose of spreading the anyone•s sincerity but if the aim is the service of name of God and His Messenger in the world. In Islam then there are scores of other kinds of fact, our community exists to keep alive the work writings required. As the Holy Quran has been which Allah assigned to the Mujaddid of this translated into English, it should have been tried to century and the Imam of this age. This was to break meet the other needs first. In any case. these calls the doctrines of the Cross and to take Islam to the show that by the grace of Allah our step is in the world till it is triumphant over all religions. The right direction of success. However, what we have breaking of the doctrines of the Cross was particu­ done is nothing as compared to what we have to do larly selected because the most powerfulobstacle to in future. If the promise of Allah is true, and it is the spread of Islam is the religion of the Cross. i.e. surely true. that the faith of Islam shall be trium- Christianity. THE LIGHT ■ MAY - JUNE 1994 19

When a man or a community makes a certain exist in us is that we must be ever ready to leave purpose the goal of life, then whatever work he or our homes and countries for the exaltation of the it does should help in the attainment of the goal . word of Allah when required, and do so without But no work becomes the goal of life by merely any hesitation. If we have to bear physical hardship, saying so. It is when a man understands what is the we must bear it, and if we have to spend money we goal of his life that there arises an urge in his heart must give the highest priority to that expenditure for that work. For its attainment a passionate love and be pleased to spend it. And when we have is created in him. Even if thousands of difficulties nothing to spend, we should feel pained over it, and can be seen in the path of its attainment, they pale have the deep desire in our heart that Allah may into insignificance in the face of his determination give us something to spend in His way. and courage. No attraction or love can divert his 3. As the work of the propagation of Islam attention from this work. requires us to have sufficient knowledge of Islam, We saw with our own eyes how much passion on the one hand, and of the religions of the nations and fervour there was in the heart of the Promised among whom we seek to spread Islam, on the other, Messiah for raising aloft the word of Allah. That the third distinction of our community ought to be passion set alight, not hundreds, but thousands of that each one of us, whether great or small, must hearts, and ultimately produced a revolution in the make the fullest effort to acquire knowledge of world. Those very Muslims who were entirely Islam and other religions. /To be continued/ indifferent to the work of the propagation of Islam, as they held it to be of no importance, are today calling out from all directions for the necessity of SUBSCRIPTION FORM this work. At all hours, he had but one anxiety: how can the name of God be made to reach the To subscribe to Th e Light & Islamic Review, most distant lands? This was the object forwhich he please complete and return the form below. prayed in the middle of the night, and forwhich he (Note that subscribers in the U.K. should contact the British wept in the court of the Lord. All else was sacri­ branch of the A.A.1.1.L. at: IS Stanley Avenue. Wembley, ficed for this purpose. That same condition must be Middlesex HAO 4JQ. Tel: 081-903 2689) produced in our hearts today, the same urge, the same shedding of tears before the Lord, and the same sacrifices. This I consider to be the first r------1 I distinction of our community. I I Sacrifices. Name: ...... •• • • • • • • • • • · · · · · · I 2. No goal can be reached, nor a step taken towards its attainment, until great sacrifices are made for the Address: cause. Therefore if we have really made as the aim of our lives the propagation and preaching of Islam, it is essential that another distinction be created in ...... us, namely, that we makeunpa ralleled sacrificesfor the attainment of this goal. The sacrifices may be of ...... life or of possessions: "They struggled hard in the way of Allah with their possessions and lives" I enclose payment. Please bill me. (Holy Quran, 8:72) . A person cannot make any D D sacrifice unless he considers his life and his One year's subscription: property, which Allah has given him, as a trust Within U.S.A. $1 5.00 Outside U.S.A. $18.00 from God which he must cheerfully return in His (by surface mail. I way when demanded by Him. In the verse, "Surely Return to: 'The Light', 1315 Kingsgate Road, Allah has bought from the believers their lives and Columbus, Ohio 43221, U.S.A. their property; for them is the Garden" (Holy Quran, 9: 111), the reference is to exactly this fact. Phone: 614 457-8504 Fax: 614 457-4455 Therefore the second distinction which must L------Some of our publications

World renowned literature produced by The Ahmadiyya Anjuman lsha'at Islam, Lahore

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The Holy Quran. Pp. 1300 Other Books. Arabic text, with English translation, ex haustive The Teachings of Islam. commentary. comprehensive Introduction and large Index. Leading English translation. Has since 1917 by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Highly-acclaimed influenced millions of people all over the wo rld. discussion of the Islamic path for the spiriwal Model forall later translations. Thoroughly revised progress of man. in 1951. Testimony of the Holy Quran. Pp. 100 •To deny the excellence of Muhammad Ali 's trans­ lation, rhe influence it has exercised, and its A discussion by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad on his proselytising utility, would be to deny the light of the claim of Promised Messiah based on the Quran. sun. • - Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi, Indian Muslim scholar. ■ NEW PRINTING ... NEW PRINTING ■ •Thefirst work published by any Muslim with the thoroughness worthy of Quranic scholarship and Message of Peace, revised translation of achieving the standards of modernpublications. • - lecture by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad . Amir Ali in Th e Student's Quran, London 1961. The Debt Forgotten, by Mr. Rahim Bakhsh. The Holy Quran: other translations. Booklet on achievements of Ahmadiyyat. Versions of the above work are now available in Spanish and French. Versions in German and Introduction to Islam for younger readers, Russian are forthcoming. Question/answer booklet by Dr. Zahid Aziz. The Religion of Islam. Pp. 700 Books recently re-typeset and printed include: Comprehen sive and monumental work on the sources, principles and practices of Islam. Living Thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad. "... an extremely useful work, almost indispensable Introduction to the Study of the Holy Quran. to the students of Islam. • - Dr Sir Muhammad Muhammad and Christ. Iqbal, renowned poet and philosopher. The MuslimPray er Book. "Such a book is greatly needed when in many all by Maulana Muhammad Ali. Muslim countries we see persons eager for the revival of Islam, making mistakes through lack of just this knowledge. • - Marmaduke Pickthall. For prices and funher details, information A Manual of Hadith. Pp. 400 about other books, free catalog and fr ee Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad on practical literature, please contact The Publications life of a Muslim, classified by subject. Arabic text, Manager at the address on the front cover. English translation and notes.