Contents February 2002, Vol.97, No.2

Editorial – Grand prophecy about an exceptional son whose qualities would be truly outstanding ...... 3

Comments – A time to understand and end hatred ...... 4

Achievments of the Promised Reformer – Our feature length article enlists the major achievements during the life of theblessed son of the Promised (as) – Ataul Munim Rasheed...... 7

Assessment of Belief – Part III – The time appointed for the advent of the has arrived. Hadhrat (as) ...... 24

QUESTION & ANSWER: Harmony and Peace – Religious differences should not prevent a civil life. Hadhrat ...... 29

Islam’s Response to Terrorism – A keynote address to prevent crashing aeroplanes and sending suicide bombers. Abdul Ghany Jahengeer Khan ...... 33

A Game of Chess or a Game of Chance – The spontaneous emergence of life is about as likely as the assemblage of a 747 by a tornado and other evidence – Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad...... 40

The Holy Qur’an on War and Peace – An understanding of ’s teachings in warfare including the treatment of prisoners. Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad. . . . . 48

Chief Editor and Manager Chairman of the Management Board Mansoor Ahmed Shah Naseer Ahmad Qamar Basit Ahmad Bockarie Tommy Kallon. Special contributors: All correspondence should Daud Mahmood Khan Amatul-Hadi Ahmad be forwarded directly to: Farina Qureshi Fareed Ahmad The Editor Fazal Ahmad Proof-reader: Shaukia Mir Fauzia Bajwa The London Mosque Mansoor Saqi Design and layout: 16 Gressenhall Road Mahmood Hanif Tanveer Khokhar London, SW18 5QL Mansoora Hyder-Muneeb United Kingdom Navida Shahid Publisher: Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah © Islamic Publications, 2002 Sarah Waseem ISSN No: 0034-6721 Saleem Ahmad Malik Distribution: Tanveer Khokhar Hanif

Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the opinions of the Muslim Community. 1 the unknown, one being the prophecy of the Promised Son.

Editorial On 12th January 1889, the Promised Messiah( a s ) w a s Of all the greatest men on blessed with a son whom he earth, very few are granted named Mirza Bashiruddeen sons perfectly reflecting their Mahmud Ahmad(ra). He was to excellent qualities. Allah, the grow into an intelligent youth, Most High, decreed that the replete with knowledge both Promised Messiah( a s ) r e c e i v e secular and spiritual, honoured this special grace. Intimation with Divine revelation and of this extraordinary blessing imbued with the Holy Spirit. At was vouchsafed unto him the tender age of twenty-five, through a wonderful this promised son assumed the revelation. Allah Almighty told mantle of Khalifatul Masih II the Promised Messiah that he and for over half a century led would be granted an the Ahmadiyya Muslim exceptional son whose C o m m u n i t y. His tenure of qualities and excellence would office was blessed with be truly outstanding. enormous success. Wi t h extremely limited funds, he This was a grand prophecy established the community in vouchsafed unto the Promised 46 countries, a foundation Messiah in 1886. He had been upon which the community has in retreat for 40 days devoting continued to build so that himself entirely in solitude to today it is established in more Divine worship and suppli- than 170 countries. The special cation. Having completed this insight granted to him by Allah period of 40 days, he allowed him to know exactly announced on 20th February when to launch challenging 1886 that during the period of schemes or to restructure the his retreat he had been community’s vital activities in honoured with the disclosure of significant ways. He showed a many matters with regard to keen understanding of complex

2 Review of Religions – February 2002 Editorial political and social issues of thousands of spiritual truths successfully guiding the and hidden secrets, many of community through two fear- which had never been some world wars and a presented before. migration en masse to after the 1947 partition of the While it is well nigh impossible Indian subcontinent from to adequately cover his many where he started the whole achievements, this month’s city of from absolute feature article attempts to scratch in a most inhospitable summarise some of his major land. ones. Beginning with the grand prophecy announced in But the Promised Reformer(ra) February 1886, the article stands out in his knowledge and gives a glimpse of his unique mastery of a vast range of and glorious services to the subjects that his very person is cause of Islam so that as a Divine miracle in itself. The members of the Ahmadiyya fathomless ocean of his Muslim Community remember knowledge is exposed in his the world over 20th February masterpiece, the Ta f s i r- e - as Musleh Ma’ud (The Promised K a b e e r, an exhaustive com- Reformer) Day, the readers of mentary on the Holy Qur’an. In the Review of Religions are this astounding work, the reminded of that holy Promised Re f o r m e r( r a ) u n c o v - personage whose advent was, ered his mastery on such in the words of the prophecy, widely varying fields as history, ‘as if Allah has descended from p h i l o s o p h y, psychology, geol- .’ o g y, physics, chemistry, Bockarie Tommy Kallon s o c i o l o g y, politics, biology, linguistics, medicine, botany, entomology, embryology, cos- COVER PHOTO: mology, astronomy, Egyptology Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad. In the background is Hadhrat and many more. But above all, Muhammad Zafrulla Khan. this ten thousand-page com- mentary contains an exposition

Review of Religions – February 2002 3 Notes & Comments A TIME TO UNDERSTAND AND END HATRED by Mansoor Ahmed Shah – UK

A common misconception that unfounded charges without resurfaced recently was that age- inhibition. I know that the time old allegation that the sword was is approaching fast when those the instrument for the spread of who are hungry and thirsty for Islam. We quote the Founder of Truth will see through their the Ahmadiyya Muslim community deception. Can a religion be on this subject: described as a religion of compulsion when its Holy Book, ‘Islam never advocated the Qur’an, has categorically compulsion. If the Holy , prohibited the use of force for the books of and the spread of faith? So says the historical records are carefully Holy Qur’a n : examined, studied and listened to attentively, as far as There is no compulsion in possible, one is bound to reach re l i g i o n . (Chapter 2: 257) one positive conclusion. That conclusion is that the allegation Can we accuse that great that Islam permitted the use of of using force against sword for the spread of religion others, who for thirteen years, is shameless and utterly day and night, exhorted all his unfounded. This, in fact, is the Companions in Makkah not to view held by only those who return evil for evil but to have not studied the Holy forbear and forgive. When, Q u r’an or the Traditions or ho w e v e r , the mischief of the other reliable sources of Islamic enemy exceeded all limits and history without prejudice. Not when all the various peoples only this, but some have even around him made determined gone to the extent of efforts to exterminate Islam, fabricating lies and levying Go d ’ s attribute that He always

4 Review of Religions – February 2002 Notes & Comments

defends His beloved one so and his bosom are lit up with de m a n d e d : the light of faith. Hence no compulsion had any role to play “let those who raised the in Islam.’ sword perish by the sword.” (Roohani Khazain, Vol 15: Masih Hindustan Main pp11-12) Otherwise in no way has the Holy Qur’an permitted compul- Then again: sion in religion. Had compulsion been employed in any way in ‘None of the true Muslims who winning converts and had the ever lived, maintained that Companions of our Holy force should be employed in Pro p h e t (s a ) , been the fruit of the spread of Islam. On the compulsion, it would have been other hand, Islam has always impossible for them to have flourished on the strength of its demonstrated at the time of inherent qualities of excel- trials, such steadfastness and lence. Those who do have the sincerity as only true believers distinction of being called could have displayed. The Muslims, yet believe that Islam loyalty and faithfulness of the should be spread with force, do Companions of our master, the not seem to have any Holy Pro p h e t (s a ) is a fact so well awareness of the inherent known as need no comment beauties of Islam.’ from us. It is no secret that (Roohani Khazain Vol 15: among them were examples of Tiryaqul Qulub, footnote loyalty and steadfastness the p. 1 6 7 ) parallel of which is difficult to find in the annals of other Having dispelled that allegation, nations. This body of the what can the Muslims do to create faithful did not waver in their a better understanding in their loyalty and steadfastness even relationship with other commu- under brandishing swords. On nities? Hadhrat Mirza Nasir the contrary, in the company of Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih III, their Great and Holy Pro p h e t (s a ) , coined the phrase ‘Love for all they displayed such stead- and hatred for none’. This catchy fastness which no man can theme became a motto of the demonstrate unless his heart Ahmadiyya Muslim community.

Review of Religions – February 2002 5 Notes & Comments

This theme is a sharp contrast to I declare that he does not some who sow seeds of hatred belong to me. If anyone of my and cause division and disunity followers, having seen someone leading to distrust, discrim- attempting to murder a ination, lawlessness, mayhem and Christian, does not endeavour di s o r d e r . Such people view others to save (the Christian), I most with suspicion and create an truly declare that he does not atmosphere of fear. We have belong to us.’ already heard the phrase (Roohani Khazain Vol 12: ‘Islamophobia’, a phobia not Sirajum Muneer. p. 2 8 ) associated with any other religion or . There are many amongst In another place, he stated: such people who do not even know who their neighbours are. ‘I proclaim to all Muslims, There are many who ignore the Christians, Hindus and Aryas, teachings of their religions to love that I have no enemy in the their neighbours. There is thus a world. I love mankind with the divide between people: it is them love that a compassionate and us, all the time. We must mother has for her children: overcome this gap. If centuries of even more so. I am only the civilization brought people enemy of the false doctrines to g e t h e r , do we want to unwind which kill truth. Human the clock and begin to live in our sympathy is my duty. My isolated cocoons? principle is to discard false- hood. I reject paganism, Here is a beautiful teaching wrong-doing, misconduct, presented by the Founder of the injustice and immorality.’ Ahmadiyya Muslim community, (Roohani Khazain, Vol 17: Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(a s ) : Arbaeen, Part 1, p.344)

‘The principle to which I adhere If all of us began to adopt this is that we have kindness at principle of reaching out and heart for the whole of mankind. expressing kindness to our If anyone sees the house of a ne i g h b o u r , and each neighbour Hindu neighbour on fire and did the same, the mutual benefits does not come forward to help would extend to the larger world extinguish the fire, most surely co m m u n i t y .

6 Review of Religions – February 2002 Achievements of the Promised Reformer

By Ataul Munim Rashed – UK

‘I confer upon thee a sign of My mercy according to thy entreaties and have honoured thy prayers with acceptance through My mercy and have blessed this thy journey. A sign of power, mercy and nearness to Me is bestowed on thee, a Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddeen Sign of grace and beneficence Mahmud Ahmad is awarded to thee, and thou its ills; so that people may art the key of success and understand that I am the Lord v i c t o r y. Peace on thee, O of Power and do as I will and victorious one. Thus does God so that they may believe that I speak so that those who desire am with thee, and so that life may be rescued from the those who do not believe in grip of death, and those who God and deny and reject His are buried in the graves may religion and His Book and His emerge therefrom, so that the Holy Messenger, Muhammad, superiority of Islam and the the chosen one, on whom be dignity of God’s Word may peace, may be confronted become manifest unto the with a clear Sign and the way people, and so that truth may of the guilty ones may become arrive with all its blessings and manifest. falsehood may depart with all

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, Sahib, Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib, Hadhrat Sayeda Nawab Mubarka Begum Sahiba, Hadhrat Mirza Mubarak Ahmad (who passed away at an young age).

Rejoice, therefore, that a greatness and wealth. He will handsome and pure boy will come into the world and will be bestowed on thee. Thou heal many of their ills through wilt receive an intelligent his Messianic qualities and youth who will be of thy seed through the blessings of the and will be of thy progeny. A Holy Spirit. He is the Word of handsome and pure boy will Allah, for Allah’s mercy and come as your guest. His name honour have equipped him is Emmanuel and Bashir. He with the Word of Majesty. He has been invested with a holy will be extremely intelligent spirit, and he will be free from and understanding and will be all impurity. He is the light of meek of heart and will be Allah. Blessed is he who comes filled with secular and from heaven. He will be spiritual knowledge. He will characterised by grandeur, convert three into four. It is

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M o n d a y, a blessed Monday. Son, delight of the heart, high ranking, noble; a manifes- tation of the First and the Last, a manifestation of the True and the High; as if Allah has descended from heaven. His advent will be greatly blessed and will be a source of the manifestation of Divine M a j e s t y. Behold a light cometh, a light anointed by God with the perfume of His The Promised Messiah(as) (in the dark coat) with his companions. To his right is the pleasure. He will pour His young Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud spirit upon him and he will be Ahmad. sheltered under the shadow of God. He will grow rapidly in solitude to Divine worship and stature and will be the means supplication. Having completed of procuring the release of his period of 40 days, he those held in bondage. His announced on 20th February fame will spread to the ends 1886 that during the period of of the earth and people will his retreat he had been be blessed through him. He honoured with the disclosure of will then be raised to a many matters with regard to the spiritual station in heaven. unknown. Out of them he This is a matter decreed.’ mentioned the above prophecy (Green Announcement – 20 which related to his own person. February 1886) Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddeen This was a grand prophecy Mahmud Ahmad, the Second vouchsafed unto Hadhrat Mirza Successor to the Pr o m i s e d Ghulam Ahmad(as), the Promised M e s s i a h( a s ) was a remarkable Messiah and Holy Founder of the personality. He was the Promised Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Reformer and fulfilment of this He had been in retreat for 40 grand prophecy. To live up to the days devoting himself entirely in many qualities mentioned in the

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Proceeding to an Annual Gathering in Rabwah. On the right of Hadhrat Musleh Maud is Ch. Ghulam Ahmad Akhtar Sahib, Nazir A’la.

prophecy is inconceivable for an In fact, his achievements begin ordinary person, but the quite some time before his Promised Reformer was to fulfil Khilafat. He formed M a j l i s the various aspects of his role Tasheez-ul-Azhan at the young most magnificently. It was the age of 17, a committee that was decree of Allah, the Almighty. later to start a monthly His period of Khilafat for nearly publication by this name. This 52 years was a golden period in not only showed the great the history of the Ahmadiyya intelligence and capability that Movement and of Islam, one that God had endowed him with, but is remembered with pride to this the good way he used this by day, and he will be remembered initiating a publication that so forever and ever. This article many children still enjoy and outlines the major achievements benefit from even today. The of his lifetime, particularly with Promised Reformer was its first regards to the progress of editor. In 1913, he also started Ahmadiyyat. the Al-Fazl, which is a daily

10 Review of Religions – February 2002 Achievements of the Promised Reformer publication. It is the official organ of the Ahmadiyya Community. These two examples highlight his sincere dedication to serve Ahmadiyyat right from an early age. A few years later, in 1908, while still only 19 years old, he displayed a clearly unique single-minded resolve. It was the year that his holy father, the Promised Messiah passed a w a y. While standing by his body, he promised that even if all the others deserted him, he would strive to continue the mission of the Pr o m i s e d Messiah(as).

History bears witness to how Addressing an Annual Gathering. Ch. Muhammad Asadullah Khan, younger true he was to this pledge. This brother of Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan was not just an emotional claim is on Hadhrat Musleh Maud’s right. at a sad time but a sincere one. At the young age of 25, in 1914, was the decree of Allah, in the he was elected as the Second years of his Khilafat to follow, Khalifa to the Promised Messiah. the Ahmadiyya Community There were many at that time became a truly dynamic force. It that doubted his ability and became organised and began to maturity at such a young age. A expand rapidly as had not been small section of the community seen before to all parts of the even refused to take the Bai’at world. or Oath of Allegiance at his hand and went their own way to form The Promised Reformer played a the Lahori Ahmadi group. But key part in this. As with all God had assured the Promised things, organisation is a vital Messiah that this Promised Son precondition for success. But of his would grow rapidly. And as this was even more so in the

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case of the Ahmadiyya of the message of Islam. By Community, for which God had 1922, M a j l i s - e - S h o o r a w a s promised that it would spread all established as a permanent over the world. The Promised institution within the Reformer realised this and made Community and is convened changes that we still thrive on annually or as is necessary to today. The propagation of the deliberate important policy message of Islam was so matters of the Community. This important to him that in April blessed idea, mentioned in the 1914, just one month into his Holy Qur’an, is now one of the Khilafat, he called a great features of Ahmadiyyat Consultative Body known as that no one else can claim to Majlis-e-Shoora particularly for have. In fact, it is an institution deliberating the dissemination in Islam second only to Khilafat.

Hadhrat Musleh Maud arriving at the Talimul Islam College, Rabwah. In black cap is Hadhrat , Principal, who later succeeded as Khalifatul Masih III. In the middle is Professor Habibullah Khan Sahib.

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Hadhrat Musleh Maud with hsi eleven fellow travellors at the 1924 Wembley Conference. Behind Huzur on the right is Hadhrat Sahibzada Mirza Sharif Ahmad Sahib.

In April 1919, various for girls under the age of 15. departments known as Then in December 1938, Majlis Nazaarats were set up. This was Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya was indeed a very profound born. This was for young men landmark in the history of between the ages of 15 and 40. Ahmadiyyat, which consolidated Majlis , for men its structure of organisation and above 40, was established in increased its efficiency July 1940 along with M a j l i s tremendously. In the years to A t f a l - u l - A h m a d i y y a for boys f o l l o w, the Community was under the age of 15. With these divided into various auxiliary auxiliary organisations, all the organisations. Lajna Ima’illah different groups in the was the first of these. Created in Community could then be December 1922, it was an activated to work towards the organisation for ladies above the common goals of Ahmadiyyat, age of fifteen. In 1928, Ma j l i s namely to spread the message of Na s i r a t u l - A h m a d i y y a was formed the true Islam, in whatever way

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Providing specific instructions on a visit

was appropriate. It was for this become missionaries of a high specific task that in May 1928, calibre. This idea was so useful he re-inaugurated J a m i a and successful that we now have Ahmadiyya, an elite institution similar Jamias not only in for the training of those who Rabwah and , but also in wished to devote their entire Indonesia and various countries lives for the service of Islam and of West . In this regard, it

14 Review of Religions – February 2002 Achievements of the Promised Reformer must also be mentioned that he Islam that Ahmadi Muslims was also responsible for the full- wished to spread. He also scale launch of the scheme for established a judicial system in Wa q f - Z i n d a g i, or dedicating the Community, known as Dar- o n e ’s life for the service of ul-Qadha, in 1925. This provided Islam. This was done as early as the Community with a very easy, 1917. This revolutionary scheme fair, economic and dignified way has, by the Grace of Allah, for Ahmadi Muslims to get their become a distinguishing mark of internal disputes settled, in the Ahmadiyya Community. accordance with the teachings Ahmadiyyat has spread, by the of Islam. Ever since, this has Grace of Allah, as a result of continued to operate throughout these volunteers, who have the world. The Pr o m i s e d chosen this noble work over Reformer was also a great everything else, and solely to educationist, deeply interested gain the pleasure of Allah, not in increasing the educational enticed by any worldly gain. The and intellectual standards of all great sacrifices made and being men and women. For this made by these devotees will, purpose, he established an through Divine grace, be written institute for scientific research. in golden words in the history of For ladies, he established a Ahmadiyyat. And credit is M a d r a s s a, started a theology certainly due to the Promised class and laid the foundation of Reformer(ra) for starting this. the Nusrat Girls School in Qadian. These, and many more While he had high desires and institutions of similar nature, expectations for the progress of played a very important role in the Community, he also looked enhancing the standard of after its welfare. An example of education within the this is that he established the C o m m u n i t y, and are fine first ever orphanage in examples of how much emphasis Ahmadiyya history. This was in Islam lays on acquiring know- Qadian, in 1919. This fulfilled a ledge, and also on the duty of very important need of the both men and women to do so. Community, and was an example to all of the high qualities of He became the perfect leader

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that the Community needed. occasions, that the supposedly God Almighty had declared him, weak can overcome the mighty. in the words of the prophecy, to As a result of this well-planned be a ‘key of success and victory.’ action, the Hindu designs were He not only guided the utterly frustrated. Pr o m i n e n t Community most skilfully, but Muslim leaders with immense also enabled the Community to gratitude openly acknowledged serve the cause of Islam as a this fact. In this respect, even whole. He himself was a great one of the most outspoken and champion of Islam who always hostile newspapers, Zameendar, grabbed every opportunity of had to admit the following: serving and defending the cause of Islam. Through his noble ‘The dedication, zeal, example, he created the same compassion and enthusiasm zeal and dedication amongst the with which Ahmadi Muslims members of the Community and have taken part in this encouraged them to uphold the campaign is so sublime that banner of Islam flying high at all every Muslim is genuinely times. The Shuddi Camp is a proud of it’. case in point. In 1923, the (The Daily Zameendar – Hindus launched a widespread , 24 January 1923) campaign to convert Muslims to Hinduism in the Indian In the following year, in 1924, he subcontinent. The Pr o m i s e d attended the We m b l e y Reformer immediately rose to Conference of Religions in the occasion and launched a London, where he presented the counter-campaign. He set up message of Islam before ‘this’ organisation (the Suddi believers in other religions. In Camp), where 150 trained doing so, he became the first members of the Community successor to the Pr o m i s e d began preaching. This proved Messiah to travel abroad for such a success that not only propagating the message of were Muslims no longer being led Islam. His famous lecture, later a s t r a y, Hindus started coming on published in a book entitled into the fold of Islam. Allah Ahmadiyyat: The True Islam, showed, as He has on so many was eloquently read out by

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Hadhrat Chaudhry Muhammad the delight of all, he was elected Zafrulla Khan. It was well to lead the All-India received and greatly appreci- Committee as its first President. ated by all. He strove hard for the rights of the oppressed Kashmiri people. The Promised Reformer was not It was a struggle for humanity a politician. He was a divine and and justice, as well as for fellow religious person and gifted with Muslims. The first ever Kashmir qualities of head and heart. He Day was celebrated under his also had a deep understanding guidance. His dedicated services and insight into political in this cause are indeed a part of matters. A couple of examples history that no one can overlook. illustrate the case in point. In After the partition, in June 1930, the dispute over Kashmir 1948, he raised a battalion of was becoming a crisis. The Ahmadi Muslim volunteers,

Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II (white turban) at the Imperial Institute, London where The Conference of Religions within the Empire was held in 1924

Promised Reformer became named the Furqan Force to fight involved at this time at the along with the Pakistani Army repeated requests of the for the liberation of Kashmir. respectable Muslim leaders of There were many successes and India. The famous poet, Alama fine examples of bravery among Iqbal proposed his name, and to the Ahmadi Muslim fighters,

Review of Religions – February 2002 17 Achievements of the Promised Reformer

Hadhrat Muslah Maud on his 1955 European Tour with a Dutch guest and the Missionary- in-Charge of Holland.

openly acknowledged by the cases, it can be argued that the then Commander-in-Chief. He decree of Allah was at work. In put the name of Ahmadiyyat in the case of many countries history forever. Sadly though, winning their freedom, the these services are all but Promised Reformer was really forgotten by most of the people, the person behind it. Hadhrat and today Pakistan is paying the Chaudhry Muhammad Zafrullah price for its deplorable Khan was his able spokesman in ingratitude. His era saw the the UN General Assembly. The freedom of over 30 countries in Promised Reformer was his the world. Though this was not source of guidance. In any case, through his direct efforts in all the part of the prophecy that

18 Review of Religions – February 2002 Achievements of the Promised Reformer said he would be the means of presses dedicated to the service procuring the release of those of Islam. These are all the sweet held in bondage was fulfilled. fruits of Tahrik Jadid. Along with this was Waqf-e-Jadid, started The Promised Reformer, during in 1958. It was for similar these difficult times, did not at purposes, with particular all neglect the Community. On emphasis on preaching in the the contrary, he took measures rural areas of Pakistan, India and to ensure that the Community Bangladesh. There was a new would be resilient and self- drive for the propagation of subsisting. In 1934, there was a Islam. Ahmadiyyat began to nation-wide anti-Ahmadiyya spread like no one had imagined. movement launched by the The message now reached the Ahrar group, their declared masses of people within the mission being to eradicate the rural communities. At the same name of Ahmadiyyat from the time, missionaries were being surface of the earth. This was deployed all over the world to the design of the enemy of form centres that are now well Ahmadiyyat; but Allah Almighty established and bearing great had His own scheme of things. fruits. Part of the success was He enabled the Pr o m i s e d due to the way the Promised Reformer to steer the ship of Reformer inspired the members Ahmadiyyat to safety while also of the Community to contribute. laying the foundations of its He laid down guidelines such as global victory. Reference is only cooking one dish for meals. made here to the establishment Simple though it was, it created of Tahrik Jadid, the fund he set a collective spirit of sacrifice not up for the propagation of the seen in any other community. It message of Islam in foreign brought about simplicity and countries that is still active maximised the resources of the today. Presently, the Community Community. is well established in nearly 176 countries of the world with Perhaps his greatest achie- thousands of mosques, mission vement was his outstanding centres, hospitals, clinics, contribution to literature. schools, colleges and printing Though he had no worldly

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qualifications, he clearly talks on Surah-Fatiha, the displayed the ability that he was opening chapter of the Holy promised by Allah in both Qur’an, alone. He went on to religious and secular know- write over 6000 pages on the ledge. He liberated the world subject of the Holy Qur’ a n , from old and corrupted ideas including the ten glorious and beliefs. He wrote about two volumes of Tafseer-e-Kabeer, an hundred books on various topics, in-depth commentary, and also including argumentative books, the more brief commentary, books on history, jurisprudence, Ta f s e e r- e - S a g h e e r. There was politics, Kashmir, and also one thus something for everyone to hundred on Ahmadiyyat. Some of benefit from. He also followed the notable ones are Invitation the Promised Messiah in writing to Ahmadiyyat, E c o n o m i c a great many poems that are Structure of Islam, now compiled in the collection Remembrance of Allah a n d entitled Kalaam-e-Mahmud. He Introduction to the Study of the was so confident in the Holy Qur’an (an extract from knowledge God had given to him this book follows as a separate that he invited anyone to discuss article). The latter was one of any matter with him to witness many of his works on the theme this fact. Being a teacher to the of the Holy Qur’an. This was the whole world, he took on the area of his greatest success. painstaking task for the first Very early on, he began the time of translating the word of practice of a regular Dars-ul- God so that it could be Qur’an, an educational session understood by all. During the for propounding the deeper period of his Khilafat, the Holy meaning of Qur’anic verses. He Q u r’an was translated was granted a remarkable completely in no less than understanding of the Qur’an by sixteen languages. On this Allah, which he passed on to the foundation, the Community Community. He himself said that continued to build, and now, by he was a teacher to the world. the grace of Allah, more than He was granted knowledge that fifty translations are complete. was previously undisclosed. He delivered over three hundred Another landmark in Ahmadiyyat

20 Review of Religions – February 2002 Achievements of the Promised Reformer was just after the time of the partition. Many Muslims, including many Ahmadis, were forced to flee from India and the Community was in a delicate position, with- out any headquarters to operate from. But then, under Divine indication, a piece of barren land was bought to set up the new headquarters of the Community in Pakistan. This was, of course, Rabwah, founded on the 20th of September 1948. To begin with, it had only mud huts on an area that was considered uninhab- 1955 European tour: On Hadhrat Musleh Maud on the right is Sahibzada Mirza Mubarak Ahmad Sahib, Sayed Mir Daud itable. But the idea Ahmad Sahib and Ch.Abdul Latif Sahib, Missionary proved a wise invest- Germany. ment and became the active centre of the Community regarding the coming of the and an exemplary town in its Messiah, and became an identity peaceful environment. Qadian symbol for Ahmadi Muslims. also benefited from him with the completion of Minarat-ul-Masih, The life and achievements of the the white minaret. Construction Promised Reformer will always had begun in the life of the stand out in the history of Promised Messiah but was not Ahmadiyyat and Islam. He led completed. Its completion in the Community for over half a 1915, under the supervision of ce n t u r y . He started with just a the Promised Reformer was an few thousand people with him all-time reminder of a prophecy and led them through times of

Review of Religions – February 2002 21 Achievements of the Promised Reformer

great adversity. With all the odds against him, even to survive would have been an achieve- ment. But the Pr o m i s e d Reformer did so much more and fulfilled the prophecy to the word. He then returned to Allah on the 9th of November 1965. He was indeed a sign of the glory and power of God. There now follows one of the many tributes paid to him. Under the heading of A Great Nation-Builder, the Editor of The Light wr o t e :

‘The death of Mirza Basheer- ud-Deen Mahmud Ahmad, head of the Ahmadiyya movement, rang the curtain down on a most eventful c a r e e r, packed with a multitude of far-reaching enterprises. A man of versatile genius and dynamic personality, there was hardly any sphere of contemporary thought and life during the past century, from religious Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad – scholarship to missionary Promised Reformer organisation, even political caption, ‘A Great Nation leadership, on which the Builder’) deceased did not leave a deep imprint.’ That was the view of at the very (Maulana Muhammad Yaqoob most, an impartial person. We, Khan, Editor, The Light, 16 as Ahmadi Muslims, owe the November 1965 under the Promised Reformer immense

22 Review of Religions – February 2002 Achievements of the Promised Reformer gratitude for the way we are any better. This article is a now. So many of his achieve- humble attempt to summarise ments are still with us today. He his achievements and pay himself said, on the occasion of tribute to him. It is in no way a Annual Convention in 1961: perfect assessment. In fact, to go into full depth and discuss the ‘I declare, depending on the far-reaching impact of his favours and the blessings of extraordinary performance is Allah, that my name shall be beyond the ‘author’. He himself preserved in the world pointed out that the full and real forever. Although I will die one assessment will only be made by day, my name shall never be nations coming after several erased from history. This is a generations. May Allah enable us decree of Allah.’ to value his efforts, and to carry them on, and may He grant him He goes on to say the highest of rewards. We conclude with one of his ‘If not today, then after forty couplets: years, or fifty years, or maybe after a hundred years, history ‘A time will come when all will decide itself whether this people will proclaim in unison: statement is right or wrong. May the mercy of Allah descend No doubt I will not be present upon this great servant of Islam, at that time, but one thing is who sacrificed his whole life for for certain, that whenever the this cause. Ameen.’ history of Islam and Ahmadiyyat is going to be written, then every Muslim historian will be duty-bound and compelled to mention my name in that history. History will not be complete without the mention of my achieve- ments.’

This could not have been stated

Review of Religions – February 2002 23 Assessment of Belief – Part III

Presented below is a translation of the address delivered by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, on 31 August 1901 on the occasion of a visit to Qadian of the Municipal Commissioner of Wa z i rabad, Janab Babu Ghulam Mustafa Sahib. For the purpose of translation, the original script of this address has been taken from Malfoozat, Vol. 4, pp.12–15.

[Translator’s note: All references to the verses of the Holy Qur’an are given in as they occur in the text. The English translation, presented in Italics is taken from the translation of the Holy Qur’an by Hadhrat S a h i b( r a ).Where the Promised M e s s i a h( a s ) has himself stated a certain interpretation of the Arabic verse, this is incorporated in the main body of the text]. Translated by Amatul Hadi Ahmad

(Continuation of address given on 31 August 1901 by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the The founder of the Ahmadiyya Promised Messiah and Mahdi) Muslim Community was Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. It has also been stated in the In 1891, he claimed, on the basis Ahadith that at the time of the of Divine revelation, that he was Promised One the world would the Promised Messiah and Mahdi be full of falsehood and whose advent had been foretold oppression. However, by by the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) and by the ‘oppression’ it is not here scriptures of other faiths. meant that the government of His claim constitutes the basis of the time will be cruel. Those the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya who understand it to mean this Muslim Community. are committing a great error. It

24 Review of Religions – February 2002 Assessment of Belief – Part II is essential that at the time of and the fair-minded Deputy the Promised Reformer the Commissioner was able to government should be just and discern the true facts of the that it should be generally a matter and understood that the peaceful time. Hence, we are lawsuit had resulted from the grateful to God that He has cunning scheming of some low granted us a just and peace- minded persons. Captain loving government the like of Douglas, who is currently a which is not to be found Deputy Commissioner in , anywhere in the world today. At will always be remembered for the time of the previous this unparalleled just judge- Messiah, i.e. (as), there was ment – and this is an example of a Roman Government that was only one official of this also famous for its system of Government. There are thou- fairness and justice but our sands of similar examples. The Government, the British statement of the Ahadith that Government is, in comparison, the world [at the time of the many times better than the second advent of the Messiah] Roman government and is more would be filled with oppression advanced in its system of and falsehood, therefore, points justice. For instance when the to the fact that there would be Missionary, Henry Martin Clarke a prevalence of hypocrisy and brought out a lawsuit against the worship of things other than me, Captain Douglas who was in the one true God. Hence, as you those days the Deputy can observe, there is Commissioner of Gurdaspur, widespread worship of idols, realised the truth of the matter worship of the cross, worship of and gave a judgement in my the dead and many other types favour. This was despite the fact of worship and the true God has that some short-sighted people been completely abandoned. considered that as this lawsuit was brought by a respected A discerning person should now Missionary [who had come from carefully consider all the facts Britain], the judgement was that have been presented above very likely to go in his favour. and should ponder over what I This, however, was not the case have stated. Is it something that

Review of Religions – February 2002 25 Assessment of Belief – Part II

may be rejected after a cursory offers the title of Kasirus-salib glance or is it something that to the person who successfully requires deeper thought and deals with this challenge and careful consideration? Whatever this is the second title of the my claim may be, is the time of Promised Messiah. The Holy the claim not at the head of the Qur’an and the Ahadith have century? Had I not been dealt with this subject in appointed [as the Messiah and different ways and both have Mahdi] even then it was offered the glad tidings of a necessary for every God-fearing Promised Reformer. This point and intelligent person to seek should be well understood the divinely appointed person because a weak understanding because the new century is is as if there is no understanding upon us and now when twenty at all. It is difficult for someone years have passed since the to lead astray a person who beginning of the new [Islamic] gains a full understanding. century, there should have been Hence, I strongly advise you to a need to search even harder. take good care to resolve this The current state of the times is issue – do not consider it to be calling out for a Re f o r m e r. some ordinary small matter of has spread such no great consequence. It is, unrestrained free thinking that instead, a matter of one’s faith there seems to be no end to it. and a matter of hell or paradise. Its influence on Muslim children Rejection of what I am stating is is such that it seems as if they not merely a rejection of me, it are not Muslim children at all. is a rejection of Allah and His Prophet (peace and blessings of If we leave all else and consider Allah be upon him). This is the eventuality that should a because whosoever falsifies me Reformer appear to face only implicitly falsifies God. The the challenge posed by the reason being when such a spread of worship of the Cross person sees the state of Islam alone, what name would be that internally and externally given to him? The tribulation the tribulations it faces are posed by the widespread excessive and despite the worship of the cross by itself promise vouchsafed by God in

26 Review of Religions – February 2002 Assessment of Belief – Part II the Holy Qur’an: end here. It leads to the further implied refutation of the fact that in the Holy Qur’an the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa) has been referred to as being ‘similar to M o s e s( a s )’. This would be an Verily, We Ourself have sent incorrect belief, in such an down this Exhortation, and argument, because for the full most surely We will be its completion of the similarity Guardian between the Mosaic and (Ch.15: v.10) Muhammadiyya lines, it was necessary that at the head of Should he believe that no the fourteenth century after the Reformer has appeared then he Holy Prophet Muhammad( s a ) implicitly believes that God did there should be born in his not make any arrangement for Ummah a Messiah just as the the reform of the Muslims. Such previous Messiah came at the a person believes all this head of the fourteen century despite the fact that he after (as). Moreover, this apparently has faith in the Holy line of argument would also Qur’an when it states that God lead one to falsify the verse of has vouchsafed the promise of the Holy Qur’an that makes the establishing a system of prophecy of a promised one who vicegerent in the has yet to come and who will be Muhammadiyya line as was a symbolic manifestation of the established in the Mosaic line. Holy Prophet(sa) in his second H o w e v e r, [those who do not attribute of ‘Ahmad’, [the first accept me as the one appointed being his first attribute of by God] implicitly believe that ‘Muhammad’]: God has not fulfilled His promise and that there is no Caliph now in the Ummah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa) [as his vicegerent]. This line of argument does not, however, ...among others from among

Review of Religions – February 2002 27 Assessment of Belief – Part II

them who have not yet joined. Without doubt, falsification of (Ch.62: v.4) God becomes a necessary consequence of rejection of me Following a mistaken line of and acceptance of my claim argument [rejection of my indicates acceptance of God’s claim] leads one to implicitly Truth and leads to a firm and falsify many verses of the Holy consolidated belief in the Qu r ’an. In fact, it is my claim existence of Almighty God. that from Al-Hamd to Al-Naas, Moreover, rejection of my claim that is, the whole of the Holy is not merely a falsification of Q u r’an, would have to be me, it is a falsification of the abandoned. Holy Prophet Muhammad( s a ). Hence, before someone now You should think again! dares to falsify me, he should Falsification of my claim is not think deeply and ask for a an easy matter. I do not state fatwa from his own heart as to this from myself. I swear by whom exactly is he falsifying. Almighty God that this is the Truth and whosoever rejects me and falsifies me, through this act of his, he falsifies the whole of (To be continued) the Qur’an and abandons God, even though he may not say in so many words. Such a link has been hinted at [by God] in one of the revelations received by me where God has stated: Anta minni wa ana minka [that is, You are from me and I am from you]

[This Revelation was received at various times including April 1902 – recorded in the volume entitled Tadhkira]

28 Review of Religions – February 2002 Harmony and Peace

Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, the Fourth Head of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, from time to time offers people of all nationalities, faiths and beliefs the opportunity of raising questions and issues that are of interest to them. Presented below is the answer to a question raised in a session held in the Mahmud Hall, London on 15th February 1998. Prepared by Amatul Hadi Ahmad

QUESTIONER Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad: The question has taken only a few There is no doubt that minutes - the answer required to there is a clear separation satisfy the various aspects that between Islam and have been touched upon would Hinduism. However, in require much greater time. the past there did emerge a common culture among You have touched briefly upon them, particularly during Emperor Akbar’s idea of ‘Deen-e- the Raj and much more Illahi’. I do not have time here to g e n e rally under the explain the background to all of Moghul Emperors such as this but, fortunately, I have Akbar. Was it because of explained these matters in other this that the Indian sessions and sittings with invited Muslims tended to place friends and I have expressed my less and less emphasis on views clearly and at length and the austere aspects of audio/video cassettes of these Islam and more on Sufism, sessions should be available. its devotions, its music H o w e v e r, you have asked the and so on. I would like to question and I must answer it know your views on this even if it is briefly. subject?

Review of Religions – February 2002 29 Harmony and Peace

‘Deen-e-Illahi’ of Akbar was not a respect each other or to make religious movement because he sacrifices for the sake of the had no right to carve a faith for unity of humanity living in India. the people as he was not God. His Such a force requires a prophetic own life in practice was not a movement without which no religious one. What he attempted country has achieved this to do was to politically carve out objective. What it did succeed in for the Muslims in India a future creating were further divisions in with which the Hindus would not the name of religion without any be at variance and to consolidate sense of responsibility towards politically the rule of the Moghul other human beings. dynasty – this was the only purpose. However, it backfired However, at the beginning of the to some extent and even the twentieth century, Hadhrat Mirza Muslims disagreed with this effort Ghulam Ahmad(as) of Qadian(as), and when he breathed his last, wrote a booklet entitled ‘A his ‘Deen-e-Illahi’ also breathed Message of Peace’, Paigham-e- its last. There was also a strong S u l a h which contained an reaction from the Hindus. important message for the people of India. Sadly, he died before its What you refer to as ‘Sufism’ publication. In that message he with its music and song also called upon all the people of failed in achieving closer links India to return to common values. between the communities. Music He encouraged them to focus was generally employed by the upon the good values that all Sufis to attract Hindus in whose religions claim to possess instead religion music already played an of emphasizing differences. He important role. The result was wrote that if the people of India that instead of Hindus being were to concentrate upon the attracted to Islam, many Muslims good values then all the people of were ultimately driven away from India, whatever their faith, would the values of Islam and sects that achieve unity at least as human were born out of such efforts beings and the religious dif- came to nothing. They did not ferences would not then be have any moral influence on the permitted to stand in the way of people of India to bring them to that unity. understand each other or to

30 Review of Religions – February 2002 Harmony and Peace

This is exactly our message to Unfortunately, the leadership of India today. If people wish to Congress at that time became too remain as Hindus, they can do so. engrossed in the fact that Hindus H o w e v e r, if their concept of formed the greater part of their Hinduism gives them the teaching membership as against the that they should serve the Muslims. They now wanted the creation of God then the Muslims Muslims to merge into Congress are also the creation of God. without preserving their own They should not show any separate entity. This is what bitterness towards them or Qaid-e-Azam fought against and towards the people of any other repeatedly attempted to make religion and others should not the Congress move away from harbour any bitterness towards this stand but, unfortunately, the Hindus. As human beings let some Hindu leaders of the time us relate in an ideal manner and stood in the way. Eventually work for the good of the country Qaid-e-Azam became so frus- in a united spirit. trated that he abandoned politics altogether and returned to This, I think, is the message that . He said that he would must be brought to the attention not get involved with the politics of people again and again. This is of India again. the only message that can save India from disharmony and However, what followed immedi- further division. ately after this is what the historians of Pakistan never tell ‘Jamat-e-Islami’, however, was you but the facts that were born under a completely published in the English different concept. People gener- newspapers of the time do tell ally are not fully aware of the you are that a message was sent background to the message of to Qaid-e-Azam by my late father, Jinah who later Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin came to be known in Pakistan as Mahmud Ahmad, the then head of Qaid-e-Azam (The Great Leader). the Ahmadiyya Movement in For the greater part of his life Islam. He beseeched Qaid-e- Qaid-e-Azam had served the Azam to return to India. He Congress party of India and he further asked the Imam of the wanted India to remain united. London Mosque (who at that time

Review of Religions – February 2002 31 Harmony and Peace

was Hadhrat Abdur-Rahim Dard) This shows that united India was to repeatedly request Qaid-e- the fundamental politics of Qaid- Azam to give him time. At last e-Azam and that he was Qaid-e-Azam gave him time and compelled to leave India to in a meeting or a series of create that ‘ideal India’ in which meetings which lasted many religious differences would not hours, Qaid-e-Azam ultimately hinder people from participating agreed to return to India. History in the civil life of the country. written in Pakistan is so different This is what has been abandoned from reality! in Pakistan. This is what has created all the problems that you Qaid-e-Azam then returned to see Pakistan suffering from today. India to create a party under the title of ‘The Muslim League’ which was in fact not disloyal to the idea of one India but strove to establish the rights of Muslims. It tried to remove any possibility of oppression by the majority of Hindus over a minority that would have merged with them. It was, however, ultimately compelled to create a separate nation for itself.

The most interesting point in all this is that Qaid-e-Azam did not change his mind about the unity of people. Within Pakistan he did not follow the ideology of two nations. He positively declared that the concept of Pakistan he entertains knows no Hindu, no Sikh, no Christian, no Muslim, no sects. ‘We are one, we belong to a single nation’.

32 Review of Religions – February 2002 Islam’s Response to Terrorism

By Abdul Ghany Jahengeer Khan – UK

Islam means the religion of ashad-du minal qatl’ – meaning peace. A person following Islam that in the sight of Allah, will find that he or she is ‘, or making people surrounded by noble teachings, constantly fear for their lives, is the aim of which is to establish much worse than killing’. And peace between man and Allah, also: ‘Lâ ikrâha fid-dîn’ – ‘There the Creator of all; between man shall be no compulsion in and man; and between man and religion’, that is to say, that no the rest of Allah’s creation. one has the right to force others into complying with their How does such a religion deal demands or compelling others to with the issue of terrorism? And follow their line of thinking. what does the word terrorist mean? Dictionaries will define a Allah Almighty warns the terrorist as one who believers again and again that systematically uses violence and they should never abandon Him, intimidation to achieve political the source of all goodness. Allah ends – or one who controls or Almighty reminds us that it is forces others to do something by those who have abandoned Him violence, fear or threats. and thrown away all good, and divested themselves of every All these definitions are covered shred of human decency, that are by two words in the Holy Qur’an, the ones who will eventually the sacred book of Islam: Fitnah resort to terrorizing others, and Ikrâh. forcing them into complying with their demands. The believers are In the Holy Qur’an, God begins to repeatedly reminded that they deal with the issue of terrorism would lose Allah Almighty’s love by teaching Muslims never to and His favours if they ever began become terrorists in the first to behave in that way. place. Two of the very first verses of our Holy Book say: ‘Al-Fitnatu But Islam does not content itself

Review of Religions – February 2002 33 Islam’s Response to Terrorism

with these injunctions strongly It is related by ‘Ayesha, may Allah forbidding Muslims from ever be pleased with her, the talented becoming terrorists. It also makes wife of the Holy Pr o p h e t sure that the believers are made Muhammad, may peace and into highly moral, excellently blessings of Allah be upon him, behaved people, by inculcating that some desert Arabs came to those lofty human values that can him one day and asked: ‘Do you turn them into people who kiss your children?’ He answered: sincerely love humankind without ‘Yes.’ They said: ‘We never kiss distinction of religion, race or them.’ The Pr o p h e t( s a ) s a i d : social status. Islam no doubt ‘What can I do if your hearts have encourages the logical and been stripped of compassion?’ He rational discussion of views with also said that Allah Almighty has people of all creeds in a calm and no mercy for him who has no dispassionate way, with the only mercy for his fellow beings. aim that truth prevail over error and falsehood. But it also reminds The measure of compassion us that it is error and falsehood as shown by the Holy Pr o p h e t( s a ) such that are to be hated and cannot but amaze anyone who detested. The people who knows how rough and violent was unfortunately hold on to error are the society into which he had never to be hated. That is why been born. Abu Qatâdah, may the motto of the Ahmadiyya Allah be pleased with her, relates Muslim Community is ‘Love for that the Messenger of Allah told all, hatred for none.’ him: ‘It happens that I stand up to lead the prayer, having in mind In Islam, an amazingly powerful to lengthen it. Then I hear the cry emphasis is laid on developing of an infant and I shorten the love for mankind and on the vital prayer fearing lest I should cause importance of showing mercy and inconvenience to its mother.’ sympathy towards every creature of Allah Almighty, including Far from inciting hatred and human beings and animals. For aggressiveness in its followers, indeed, love and true sympathy Islam keeps on enjoining kindness are the very antidote of and sympathy for all. The Holy terrorism. Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon

34 Review of Religions – February 2002 Islam’s Response to Terrorism him, said: ‘Charity is incumbent ones out of her nest.’ The Holy upon every human limb every day Prophet(sa) said: ‘Restore them to on which the sun rises. To bring h e r. No mother must be about reconciliation between two tormented on account of her contestants is charity. Helping a child.’ person mount his animal or to load his baggage on to it is On another occasion, he found charity. A good word is charity. one of his companions setting fire Every step taken toward the to an anthill. He immediately mosque for prayer is charity. To told them to put out the fire remove anything from the street saying: ‘No one has the right to that causes inconvenience is torment others with fire.’ charity.’ As Allah Almighty says in the Holy He incessantly admonished Qur’an that the true believers Muslims to behave well towards are: ‘those who suppress their their neighbours, saying: ‘That anger and forgive people’, one will not enter Paradise whose likewise, the Holy Messenger of neighbour is not safe against his Allah, Muhammad, may peace mischief.’ and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: ‘Allah is Gentle and He also declared: ‘By Him in loves gentleness in all things. Whose Hands is my life, you will Make things easy and do not make not enter Paradise unless you them hard. And cheer people up believe, and you will not truly and do not repel them.’ believe unless you love one a n o t h e r. Shall I tell you It is clear that the true believers something whereby you will love and all other good, honest people one another? Multiply the are always on the receiving end greeting of peace among of terrorism, never on the yourselves.’ delivering end. Whenever such tendencies appear in society by One day he found a mother bird which the peace is being beating her wings on the ground disturbed and people cannot live in distress. He asked his their lives without fear, Muslims companions: ‘Who has done this?’ are enjoined to counter them They said: ‘We took her young first of all by reasoning with

Review of Religions – February 2002 35 Islam’s Response to Terrorism

those responsible for the The Messenger of Allah declared: disturbance. The Holy Qur’ a n says: Article 1: This is the treaty of Muhammad, Call unto the way of your the Prophet (the Messenger of Lord [that is the way of Allah) between the Believers and justice and goodness] with Muslims of the Quraish and the wisdom and goodly people of Yathrib, and between exhortation, and argue with those who follow them and join them in a way that is best. them in fighting (the common (Ch.16: v.126) enemy).

And the Qur’an repeatedly tells Article 2: us to seek help from Allah And it is that they constitute an Almighty with patience and Ummah Wâhidah (One Nation) p r a y e r. But if reasoning with separate from other people. those people bent on wickedness and praying for them fail to bring Article 25: about a change in their ways, And also that the Jews of the then Allah Almighty says, again at tribe of ‘Auf constitute an the end of Chapter 16, verse 127: Ummah Wâhidah with the ‘Then if you desire to punish the Believers - even though the Jews oppressors, punish them to follow their own religion and extent you have been wronged.’ the Muslims will follow their own - and this will include both their Allah Almighty commands the friends and themselves. (Quoted Muslims that when things get out from Reuben Levy in ‘Sociology of of hand, they should join forces Islam, part I, pages 279-282) to restore peace by use of reasonable force. They have been Here, all the inhabitants of the enjoined by the Holy Pr o p h e t city of Yathrib, or Medina, were Muhammad, may peace and called upon to join in fighting the blessings of Allah be upon him, to forces that were terrorizing the join forces if need be with citizens. followers of other faiths to do so. Thus, in the famous document Muslims have been made to known as the Treaty of Medina, promise that they will help

36 Review of Religions – February 2002 Islam’s Response to Terrorism defend the followers of other from his monastery, no priest faiths from unjust and cruel from his place of worship, attacks as well. For example, in and no pilgrim will be his charter for all time to come detained in his pilgrimage. addressed to all Christians living None of their churches and as citizens under Muslim rule, the other places of worship will Holy Prophet Muhammad, may be desolated or destroyed or peace and blessings of Allah be demolished. No material of upon him, states: their churches will be used to build mosques or houses for I promise that any monk or the Muslims; any Muslim wayfarer who will seek my doing so will be regarded as help on the mountains, in recalcitrant to Allah and His forests, deserts or Prophet. Monks and Bishops habitations, or in places of will be subject to no tax or worship, I will repel his indemnity whether they live enemies with my friends and in forests or on rivers, in the helpers, with all my relatives East or in the West, in the and with all those who North or in the South. I give profess to follow me and will them my word of honour. defend them, because they They are on my promise and are my covenant. And I will covenant and will enjoy defend the covenanted perfect immunity from all against the persecution, sorts of inconveniences. Every injury and embarrassment of help shall be given them in their enemies in lieu of the the repair of their churches. poll tax they have promised They shall be absolved of to pay. If they prefer to wearing arms. They shall be defend their properties and protected by the Muslims. Let persons themselves, they will this document not be be allowed to do so and will disobeyed till Judgment Day.” not be put to any (Quoted from Balâdharî) inconvenience on that account. In Islam, every effort is thus made to protect the peace of not No bishop will be expelled only the Muslims, but also of the from his bishopric, no monk followers of other faiths. Allah

Review of Religions – February 2002 37 Islam’s Response to Terrorism

Almighty says: give no trouble to them. In the enemy country, do not kill And if Allah did not defend any women or children, nor some men by means of the blind, nor the old. Do not others, there would surely pull down any tree; nor pull have been pulled down down any building.’ monasteries, churches, syna- (Quoted from Halbiyyah, gogues and mosques wherein Vol.3). the name of Allah is oft remembered. So the only permitted in (Ch.22: v.41) Islam is the war of the oppressed against the oppressor, the war H o w e v e r, Muslims have been waged to protect the peace of all warned by the Holy Founder of people irrespective of their Islam, Muhammad, the Messenger religion or creed. Tactics used of Allah, may peace and blessings today such as suicide bombing, of Allah be upon him, that when etc. are absolutely out of the they enter the territory of those question for true followers of who have been terrorising and Islam. Allah Almighty says: harshly persecuting them, they should not lose all sense of And kill not your own selves. perspective and justice, and be Surely Allah is Merciful to tempted to start acting savagely, you. like the terrorists themselves. (Ch.4: v. 30) The worst crime of ungratefulness would be that …and cast not yourselves into committed by a people who, ruin with your own hands… having forgotten that they had (Ch.2: v.196) just been subjected to terrible cruelties, start meting out the Islam strictly forbids the killing of same, if not worse, cruelties to innocent, non-aggressive people: others. The Prophet ordered: …no hostility is allowed ‘ You will meet those who except against the aggressors. remember Almighty Allah in (Ch.2: v.194) their houses of worship. Have no dispute with them, and These three verses alone are

38 Review of Religions – February 2002 Islam’s Response to Terrorism sufficient to prevent Muslims 3. If all reasoning fails, then to from crashing aeroplanes into join forces with all good buildings, or from sending suicide people to combat the bombers to blow up innocent mischief-mongers until peace civilians. has been restored, but always keeping the dictates of justice Once the evil-doers have ceased in view. misbehaving and have been justly punished for their crimes, then It is our belief that not only Allah Almighty says: Islam, but no true religion, whatever its name, can sanction And fight them until there is violence and bloodshed of no more persecution, and innocent men, women and religion is freely professed children in the name of Allah for Allah. But if they desist, A l m i g h t y. Terrorists may use then remember that no religious or political labels, but hostility is allowed except no one should be deceived by against the aggressors. their wily ways and treacherous (Ch.2: v.194) guiles. They have nothing to do with religion. They are the To sum up, Islam advocates three enemies of peace. They must be steps against terrorism: combated at every level as advocated by Islam, the religion 1. To give an excellent moral of peace. upbringing to all Muslims, so that they become upright, just, moral, kind and loving people, thereby ensuring that they never disrupt the peace of others.

2. Whenever the peace is disrupted, to reason and argue with the evil-doers, and sincerely pray for them, to make them change their ways.

Review of Religions – February 2002 39 A Game of Chess or a Game of Chance

This is an extract taken from the book Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge and Truth, written by Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad.

'The Ball no question makes of Ayes and Noes But Here or There as strikes the Player goes; And He that toss'd you down into the Field, He knows about it all - HE knows - HE knows!’1

‘But helpless Pieces of the Game He plays Upon this Chequer-board of Night and Days; Hither and thither moves, and checks, and slays, And one by one back in the Closet lays.’2

Visualize the drama of life and death as staged, act by act, from the beginning of evolution to the present time. As the curtain lifts, does it lift from the vision of a mindless universe endlessly engaged in the casting of dice, or does it lift from a completely different scenario? The drama, it should be noted, remains the same, as also the actors who play their part. The vision alters only in relation to the viewer. If the viewer sees it through the coloured glass of deep-seated, preconceived, atheistic prejudices then of course he will view nothing but chaos wedded to chaos, giving birth to a brood of meticulously shaped and well-disciplined offspring. This happens generation after generation after generation. Each generation invariably recedes yet again into a world of utter chaos, continuously giving birth to order and discipline without exception, without fail. So the drama of evolution moves on from chaos to order without an orderly disciplined mind to

40 Review of Religions – February 2002 A Game of Chess or a Game of Chance command it. Despite this, however, order always emerges out of disorder, until man the masterpiece of evolution is created - the ultimate child of compounded chaos and confusion.

If, on the other hand the viewer is an unbiased observer of what he sees and permits his vision to be led to whichever direction the scheme of creation leads him, then of course the same drama will take on a completely different complexion. At each replication of life into more complex and more organized entities of higher order and at each step forward on the evolutionary journey, he will perceive the guiding hand of the Supreme Creator. If the former scenario can be likened to a game of roulette, the latter perhaps would be more aptly described as a game of chess where every pawn, king, queen, bishop, castle etc., is moved by the hand of a Prime Mover. Evidently the perplexities and the problems that we are discussing can only be resolved if the invisible hand of a Conscious AllWise Operator is contemplated to be at play. As if an astoundingly vast chequer-board of chess were spread out from end to end over the entire expanse of the globe, over dry land and water, over hills and dales, over highs and lows; such is the vastness of the arena in which countless actors played the drama of the synthesis of life from nothingness. All they had to work on was a state of stark death which prevailed over the entire planet Earth some 4.5 billion years ago.

Was it really a game of chess being played with a Prime Mover representing order, wisdom, design, foresight, command and patience on the one hand and vast limitless chaos on the other? Or was it a mere game of roulette contested between chaos on the one hand and chaos on the other? An encompassing confusion of the grandest scale was locked in a battle of life and death with its opposite number, a vast unruly disorder blowing across the face of earth in every direction from every direction. There were no rules of the game, no purpose, no set design, yet it was hoped without awareness by the mindless cosmos that neither of the giants of chaos would win. Both would end up in mutual destruction or commit suicide in utter frustration, hopelessness, despondency and despair. A grandiose display of hara- kiri indeed! For the proponents of chaos versus chaos giving birth to a

Review of Religions – February 2002 41 A Game of Chess or a Game of Chance

child of perfect order, it is here in hara-kiri perhaps that the solution lies. This is the only advanced mathematical absurdity which they can think of to advocate their cause. What homage to the goddess of chaos by her devotees! Evidently if chaos is destroyed at the hand of chaos or through an act of self-demolition, whatever is left is either nothing or order. Hence no dilemma, no riddle, no mystery is left to be resolved. Good riddance!

So far in the previous discussions we have attempted to draw some logically inevitable conclusions. But in the final analysis it is after all no more than the word of an outsider against the word of a constellation of eminent secular scholars. To lend our inferences some additional support, we have decided to bring this subject to a close by quoting some competent scientists who had to confess that the only solution to the problem of creation lies in the admission that there does exist a Supreme Creator. It was He Who created options at every creative step and it was He Himself who selected the right option to usher the creation into a higher order of existence. Hence, stage after stage it was He Who made choices with purpose, design and direction.

Frank Allen, Professor of Biophysics, University of Manitoba, Canada and recipient of the Tory Gold Medal, Royal Society of Canada writes:

'The adjustments of the earth for life are far too numerous to be accounted for by chance.’ 3

What he evidently means is that in the long journey of evolution we find design, order and harmony which cannot be ascribed to chance.

Commenting on the complexity of proteins and the manner in which they play the essential role of building supporting and advancing life, Allen categorically rejects the idea of attributing this to chance.

Also for a single protein molecule to be formed out of chance would require 10248 years! As far as the known span of evolution is concerned, for it to accommodate all the figures as have been mentioned, is as impossible as impossible can be. All the amazing steps of creation only

42 Review of Religions – February 2002 A Game of Chess or a Game of Chance took 4.5 billion years!

Scientists conduct their experiments in precisely controlled laboratory conditions. A chance spillage or leakage would ruin an experiment; the apparatus would have to be reorganized, and the experiment repeated in order to negate the effects of the mistake. A conscious mind has to supervise what is going on and make sure nothing goes wrong by chance.

The conditions prevailing at the time of some of the major stages in evolution were far from favourable. It has in fact been described by John Horgan that:

‘... life evolved and survived under unpleasant and periodically even hellish-circumstances.’4

For special favourable conditions to prevail uninterrupted over an exceptionally long period of time is not by itself sufficient to evolve and fix a new character in the evolving species. Time is not a creator; it is just a neutral span, like a vast cauldron, in which any constructive or destructive interaction takes place. If different elements are shoved into a cauldron haphazardly without purpose or design, time by itself, however long, cannot organize ingredients into any meaningful product.

Scientists who try to simulate the creative phenomenon in nature, in carefully controlled laboratory conditions, fully realize that the whole process has to be precisely monitored and guided step after step to achieve the intended purpose. Yet they are frustrated despite the fact that the entire exercise is pre-planned and consciously masterminded by highly knowledgeable scientists. Leave the laboratory at the mercy of time alone and return to it after a lapse of some fifty or more years and observe the disorder time created and the ruin to which it has led whatever it comprised.

Given time, order turns into chaos if no countermeasures are consciously designed to protect it.

Review of Religions – February 2002 43 A Game of Chess or a Game of Chance

William Krantz, Kevin J. Gleason and Nelson Caine in their article, Patterned Ground write:

'Order in nature would appear to be the exception, not the rule. The regularity of the solar system, the complex organization of living things and the lattice of a crystal are all transient patterns in a grand dissolution into chaos. The prevailing theme of the universe is one of increasing entropy. All the more wondrous, then, are the examples of order in nature.’5

There are many other scientists who having pondered over the issue of the origin of creation and of life in relation to time and chance, have drawn the inevitable conclusion that there has to be an Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent Supreme Intelligence to design, organize and govern creative phenomena. Without Him, the beginning of creation and evolution of life are mathematically inconceivable.

Horgan in his article In the Beginning quotes Crick’s observation:

'The origin of life appears to be almost a miracle, so many are the conditions which have had to be satisfied to get it going.’6

But why ‘almost’ one may ask, it is indeed a miracle! Horgan goes on to say:

‘Some scientists have argued that, given enough time, even apparently miraculous events become possible - such as the spontaneous emergence of a single-cell organism from the random couplings of chemicals.’ 7

But how many chances of random couplings would be needed for the creation of life is the very question which has been answered by Fred Hoyle, the renowned British astronomer, in the following words:

‘...such an occurrence is about as likely as the assemblage of a 747 by a tornado whirling through a junkyard.’7

44 Review of Religions – February 2002 A Game of Chess or a Game of Chance

Professor Edwin Conklin, an eminent biologist at Princeton University, puts it like this:

‘The probability of life originating from accident is comparable to the probability of the Unabridged Dictionary resulting from an explosion in a printing shop.’8

Dr Winchester, another great biologist, admitted that:

‘. . . after many years of study and work in the fields of science, my faith in God, rather than being shaken, has become much stronger and acquired a firmer foundation than heretofore. Science brings about an insight into the majesty and omnipotence of the Supreme Being which grows stronger with each new discovery’9

The time scale required for evolution, if haphazard blind brainless chance were to be its creator, is so enormously large that it boggles the mind of even the most expert mathematician. No human expression can describe it, no human mind can grasp the immensity of the figures involved.

As mentioned earlier, Allen estimated the time needed for the chance synthesis of the complex proteins to be 10248 years. The entire span of evolution however requires a much larger slice of time than the mere production of proteins to which Allen refers.

To help the unfamiliar reader visualize this mathematical concept, we would like to remind him that the total age of the universe since the Big Bang is only eighteen to twenty billion years. No name has been ever invented or will ever be invented to denote the astronomical figure Professor Frank Allen has worked out. Perhaps eternity is the nearest name to it.

To cut a long story short, we request the reader to realize that even if the creation of the universe and the subsequent evolution of life had

Review of Religions – February 2002 45 A Game of Chess or a Game of Chance

actually started a trillion multiplied by a trillion years ago, it would still be mathematically impossible for evolution to reach the stage of man.

This simply means that both the author of this treatise and the reader who is holding this book in his hand, are neither here nor there. The pen shall never be created nor the hand which holds it. The eye that reads it and the mind that struggles to grasp what the pen has drawn have not even been conceived by the blind creator - chance. Who am I, O reader, and who are you? What is the quarrel about? Let us slump into a restful slumber until that remote time when mindless, sightless chance would have consummated the plan of evolution that it never conceived. For each chance step that it will take in the right direction, it will have to blunder into millions upon millions of steps in the wrong direction. But by that time, alas, entropy would have left nothing of the universe to evolve into anything, nor of the blind creator itself. Chance will cease to play any role whatsoever in the inert state of an all pervading death. The figure 10248 is most certainly larger than the time needed for entropy to finish off everything.

Evidently it takes a very determined person who is otherwise sane to believe in such insanity. Yet many sane, highly intellectual scientists do believe in it. Their case is like that of a religious fanatic, who in ordinary affairs of life appears quite normal, but when it comes to matters of faith and belief, shuts himself off completely from the light of rationality and common sense into a cocoon of mindless prejudice. It is amazing how the human mind is capable of withdrawing itself into a midsummer night's dream in broad daylight. Perhaps it is more realistic to say that he continues to live in two different worlds of reality and fantasy simultaneously. Only death can liberate man from his bondage to a life of make-believe.

46 Review of Religions – February 2002 A Game of Chess or a Game of Chance

References

1. HERON-ALLEN, E. (1899) Edward Fitzgeralds Rubdiydt of 'Omar Khayyam. H.S. Nicholas Ltd., London, p.104.

2. HERON-ALLEN, E. (1899) Edward Fitzgeralds Rubayat of ‘Omar Khayyamm. H. S. Nicholas Ltd., London, p.102.

3. ALLEN, F. (1968) The Origin of The World - By Chance or Design? In: The Evidence of God in An Expanding Universe, by Monsma, L.C. Thomas Samuel Publishers, Bombay, p.20.

4. HORGAN, J. (February, 1991) In the Beginning. Scientific American: p.121.

5. KRANTZ, W.B., GLEASON, K.J., CAINE, N. (1988) P a t t e r n e d Ground. Scientific American: p.68.

6. HORGAN, J. (February, 1991) In the Beginning. Scientific American: p.125.

7. HORGAN, J. (February, 1991), In the Beginning. Scientific American: p.118.

8. KORNTELD, E.C. (1968) God -Alpha and Omega. In: The Evidence of God in An Expanding Universe, by Monsma, LC. Thomas Samuel Publishers, Bombay, p.174.

9. WINCHESTER, A.M. (1968) Science Undergirded My Faith. In: The Evidence of God in An Expanding Universe, by Monsma, L.C. Thomas Samuel Publishers, Bombay, p.165.

Review of Religions – February 2002 47 The Qur’an on War and Peace

This is an extract taken from the book Introduction to the study of the Holy Qur’an, written by Hadhrat Mirza Bashir-ud-din mahmud Ahmad

The teaching of Islam is which the Prophet(sa) based his different from both these own policies and his practice. teachings. It strikes a mean The Pr o p h e t( s a ) s u f f e r e d between the two. Islam does continuously and consistently not teach aggression as did at Mecca but did not fight the M o s e s( a s ). Nor does it, like aggression of which he was an present-day (and presumably innocent victim. When he corrupt) Christianity, preach a escaped to Medina, the enemy contradiction. It does not ask was out to extirpate Islam; it us to turn the other cheek and was, therefore, necessary to at the same time to sell our fight the enemy in defence of clothes to buy a sword. The truth and freedom of belief. teaching of Islam fits into the natural instincts of man, and We quote below the passages promotes peace in the only in the Qur’an which bear on possible way. the subject of war.

Islam forbids aggression, but it (i) In Ch.22: Vs.40-42 we have. urges us to fight if failure to fight jeopardizes peace and Permission to fight is given promotes war. If failure to to those against whom war fight means the extirpation of is made, because they have free belief and of the search of been wronged - and Allah truth, it is our duty to fight. indeed has power to help This is the teaching on which them - Those who have peace can ultimately be built, been driven out from their and this is the teaching on homes unjustly only

48 Review of Religions – February 2002 The Qur’an on War and Peace

because they said, ‘Our those who help to establish Lord is Allah’ - And if Allah freedom and worship. It did not repel some men by follows that fighting is means of others, there permitted when a people have would surely have been suffered long from wanton pulled down cloisters and aggression – when the churches and synagogues aggressor has had no cause for and mosques, wherein the aggression and he seeks to name of Allah is oft interfere with the religion of commemorated. And Allah his victim. The duty of the will surely help one who victim, if and when he attains helps Him. Allah is indeed to power, is to establish Powerful, Mighty. - T h o s e religious freedom and to who, if We establish them protect all religions and all in the earth, will observe religious places. His power is Prayer and pay the ZakSt to be used not for his own and enjoin good and forbid glorification, but for the care evil. And with Allah rests of the poor, the progress of the the final issue of all country and the general affairs. promotion of peace. This teaching is as unexceptionable The verse purports to say that as it is clear and precise. It permission to fight is given to proclaims the fact that early the victims of aggression. God Muslims took to war because is well able to help the they were constrained to do victims-those who have been so. Aggressive wars were driven out of their homes forbidden by Islam. Muslims because of their beliefs. The are promised political power, permission is wise because, if but are warned that this power God were not to repel the must be used not for self- cruel with the help of the aggrandizement, but for the righteous, there would be no amelioration of the poor and freedom of faith and worship the promotion of peace and in the world. God must help progress.

Review of Religions – February 2002 49 The Qur’an on War and Peace

FIGHTING IS TO BE FOR THE SAKE OF GOD, NOT FOR OUR OWN SAKE OR OUT OF ANGER OR AGGRANDIZEMENT, AND EVEN FIGHTING IS TO BE FREE FROM EXCESSES, FOR EXCESSES ARE DISPLEASING TO GOD. FIGHTING IS BETWEEN PARTIES OF COMBATANTS. ASSAULTS ON INDIVIDUALS ARE FORBIDDEN.

(2) In Ch.2: Vs191-194 we have hostility is allowed except against the aggressors. And fight in the cause of Allah against those who Fighting is to be for the sake of fight against you, but do God, not for our own sake or not transgress. Surely, out of anger or aggrandize- Allah loves not ment, and even fighting is to transgressors. And kill be free from excesses, for them wherever you meet excesses are displeasing to them and drive them out God. Fighting is between from where they have parties of combatants. driven you out; for Assaults on individuals are persecution is worse than forbidden. Aggression against killing. And fight them not a religion is to be met by in, and near, the Sacred active resistance, for such Mosque until they fight aggression is worse than you, then fight them: such bloodshed. Muslims are not to is the requital for the fight near the Sacred Mosque, disbelievers. But if they unless an attack is first made desist, then surely Allah is by the enemy. Fighting near Most Forgiving, Merciful. the Sacred Mosque interferes And fight them until there with the public right of is no persecution, and pilgrimage. But if the enemy religion is professed for attacks, Muslims are free to Allah. But if they desist, r e p l y, this being the just then remember that no reward of aggression. But if

50 Review of Religions – February 2002 The Qur’an on War and Peace the enemy desists, Muslims not fight against those who must desist also, and forgive take no part in warfare. and forget the past. Fighting is to continue so long as religious (iv) Even after the enemy has persecution lasts and religious initiated the attack, it is our freedom is not established. duty to keep warfare within Religion is for God. The use of limits. To extend the war, force or pressure in religion is either territorially or in wrong. If the desist from respect of weapons used, is it and make religion free, wrong. Muslims are to desist from fighting the Kafirs. Arms are to (v) We are to fight only a be taken up against those who regular army charged by the commit excesses. When enemy to fight on his side. We excesses cease, fighting must are not to fight others on the cease also. enemy side.

Categorically, we may say, the (vi) In warfare immunity is to verses teach the following be afforded to all religious rules: rites and observances. If the enemy spares the places (i) War is to be resorted to only where religious ceremonies for the sake of God and not for are held, then Muslims also the sake of any selfish must desist from fighting in motives, not for aggrandize- such places. ment or for the advancement of any other interests. (vii) If the enemy uses a place of worship as a base for (ii) We can go to war only attack, then Muslims may against one who attacks us return the attack. No blame first. will attach to them if they do so. No fighting is allowed even (iii) We can fight only those in the neighbourhood of who fight against us. We can- religious places. To attack

Review of Religions – February 2002 51 The Qur’an on War and Peace

religious places and to destroy to be no war, even if it is the them or to do any kind of harm enemy who starts it. to them is absolutely for- bidden. A religious place used (3) In Ch.8: Vs.39-41 we have as a base of operations may invite a counter-attack. The Say to those who dis- responsibility for any harm believe, if they desist, that done to the place will then which is past will be rest with the enemy, not with forgiven them; and if they Muslims. return thereto, then verily the example of the former (viii) If the enemy realizes the people has already gone danger and the mistake of before them. And fight using a religious place as a them until there is no base, and changes the persecution and relgion is battlefront, then Muslims must w h o l l y for Allah. But if conform to the change. The they desist, then surely fact that the enemy started Allah is Watchful of what the attack from a religious they do. And if they turn place is not to be used as an their backs, then know that excuse for attacking that Allah is your Protector. place. Out of reverence What an excellent Muslims must change their Protector and what an battle-front as soon as the excellent Helper. enemy does so. That is to say, wars have been (ix) Fighting is to continue only forced upon Muslims. But if so long as interference with the enemy desists, it is the religion and religious freedom duty of Muslims to desist also lasts. When religion becomes and forgive the past. But if the free and interference with it is enemy does not desist and no longer permitted and the attacks Muslims again and enemy declares and begins to again, then he should act accordingly, then there is remember the fate of the

52 Review of Religions – February 2002 The Qur’an on War and Peace enemies of earlier . peace of Medina and of the Muslims are to fight, while territory around. In spite of religious perse-cution lasts, this, victory went to the and so long as religion is not Muslims and important leaders for God and inter-ference in of the enemy were killed. To religious matters is not retaliate against such unpro- abandoned. When the aggres- voked aggression seems sor desists, Muslims are to natural, just and necessary. desist also. They are not to Yet Muslims are taught to stop continue the war because the fighting as soon as the enemy enemy believes in a false ceases it. All that the enemy is religion. The value of beliefs required to concede is and actions is well known to freedom of belief and worship. God and He will reward them as He pleases. Muslims have no (4) In Ch.8: Vs.62-63 we have: right to meddle with another people's religion even if that And if they incline towards religion seems to them to be peace, incline thou also false. If after an offer of peace towards it, and put thy the enemy continues to make trust in Allah. Surely, it is war, then Muslims may be sure He Who is AllHearing, All- of victory even though their Knowing. And if they numbers are small. For God intend to deceive thee, will help them and who can then surely Allah is help better than God? sufficient for thee. He it is Who has strengthened thee These verses were revealed in with His help and with the connection with the Battle of believers. Badr. This battle was the first regular fight between Muslims That is to say, if in the course and disbelievers. In it Muslims of a battle, the disbelievers at were the victims of unpro- any time incline towards voked aggression. The enemy peace, Muslims are to accept had chosen to disturb the the offer at once and to make

Review of Religions – February 2002 53 The Qur’an on War and Peace

peace. Muslims are to do so accept an offer of peace. Both even at the risk of being piety and policy make the deceived. They are to put acceptance desirable. their trust in God. Cheating will not avail against Muslims, (5) In Ch.4: V.95 we have: who rely on the help of God. Their victories are due not to O ye who believe when you themselves but to God. In the go forth in the cause of darkest and most difficult Allah, make proper investi- times, God has stood by the gation and say not to anyone Prophet(sa) and his followers. So who greets you with the will He stand by them against greeting of peace, ‘Thou art cheats. An offer of peace is to not a believer.’ You seek the be accepted. It is not to be goods of this life, but with rejected on the plea that it Allah are good things in may only be a ruse with which pl e n t y . Such were you before the enemy seeks to gain time this, but Allah conferred His for a fresh attack. favour on you; so do make proper investigation. Surely, The stress on peace in the Allah is well aware of what verses is not without signif- you do. icance. It anticipates the peace which the Pr o p h e t( s a ) That is to say, when Muslims go signed at Hudaibiya. The out for war, they are to make Pro p h e t (s a ) is warned that a sure that the unreason- time will come when the ableness of war has been enemy will sue for peace. The explained to the enemy and offer is not to be turned down that he still wants war. Even on the ground that the enemy so, if a proposal of peace is was the aggressor and had received from an individual or committed excesses, or that a group, Muslims are not to he cannot be trusted. The turn it down on the plea that it straight path inculcated by is not honest. If Muslims turn Islam requires a Muslim to down proposals of peace, they

54 Review of Religions – February 2002 The Qur’an on War and Peace will not be fighting for God, rations are for self-defence, but for self-aggrandizement Muslims are to accept the and worldly gain. Just as claim and desist from war. religion comes from God, They are not to argue that the worldly gain and glory also enemy prepa-rations point to come from Him. Killing is not nothing but aggression; maybe to be the aim. One whom we he intended aggression, but his wish to kill today may be intention has changed. Are not guided tomorrow. Could intentions and motives Muslims have become Muslims continually changing? Did not if they had not been spared? enemies of Islam become Muslims are to abstain from friends? killing because lives spared may turn out to be lives (6) On the inviolability of guided. God is well aware of treaties the Qur’an says what men do and to what ends clearly: and with what motives they do it . Excepting those of the idolaters with whom you The verse teaches that even have entered into a treaty after war has begun, it is the and who have not duty of Muslims to satisfy subsequently failed you in themselves that the enemy is anything nor aided anyone bent upon aggression. It often against you. So fulfil to happens that no aggression is these the treaty you have intended but that out of made with them till their excitement and fear the term. Surely, Allah loves enemy has started prepa- those who are righteous. rations for war. Unless Muslims (Ch.9: v.4) are satisfied that an aggressive attack has been planned by Pagans, who enter into a pact the enemy, they are not to go with Muslims, keep the pact to war. If it turns out, or if the and do not help the enemy enemy claims, that his prepa- against Muslims, are to have

Review of Religions – February 2002 55 The Qur’an on War and Peace

reciprocal treatment from Prophet that he should Muslims. Piety requires that have captives until he Muslims should fulfil their part engages in a regular of a pact in the letter as well fighting in the land. You as the spirit. desire the goods of the world, while Allah desires (7) Of an enemy at war with for you the Hereafter. And Muslims who wishes to study Allah is Mighty, Wise. the Message of Islam, the (Ch.8: v.68) Qur’an orders: That is to say, it does not And if anyone of the become a Prophet to make idolaters ask protection of prisoners of his enemy save as thee, grant him protection, a result of regular war so that he may hear the involving much bloodshed. The word of Allah : then convey system of making prisoners of him to his place of security. enemy tribes without war and That is because they are a blood-shed practised untiland people who have no even after the advent of Islam, kn o w l e d g e . is here made unlawful. (Ch.9: v.6) Prisoners can be taken only from combatants and after a That is to say, if any of those battle. at war with Muslims seek refuge with Muslims in order to (9) Rules for the release of study Islam and ponder over its prisoners are also laid down. Message, they are to have Thus we have: refuge with Muslims for such time as may be reasonably Then afterwards either necessary for such a purpose. release them as a favour or by taking ransom – until the (8) Of prisoners of war, the war lays down its burdens. Qur’an teaches: (Ch.47: v.5) It does not behove a

56 Review of Religions – February 2002 The Qur’an on War and Peace

The best thing, according to ransom but who have no one to Islam, is to let off prisoners pay ransom for them – if they without asking for ransom. As still ask for their freedom, can this is not always possible, obtain it by signing an release by ransom is also undertaking that, if allowed to provided for. work and earn, they will pay their ransom. They are to be (I0) There is provision for allowed to do so, however, prisoners of war who are only if their competence to unable themselves to pay, and work and earn is reasonably who have none who can or will certain. If their competence is pay, for their release. Often, proved, they should even have relations are able to pay, but financial help from Muslims in do not, because they prefer to their effort to work and earn. let their relations remain Individual Muslims who can prisoners possibly with the afford to do so should pay or intention of misappropriating public sub-scription should be their property in their raised to put these unfor- absence. This provision is tunhates on their feet. contained in the Qur’an: The passages from the Qur’an And such as desire a deed which we have quoted above of manumission from contain the teaching of Islam among those whom your on the subject of war and right hands possess, write peace. They tell us in what it for them, if you know circum-stances, according to any good in them; and give Islam, is it right to go to war them out of the wealth of and what limits have to be Allah which He has observed by Mluslims when bestowed upon you. they make war. (Ch.24: v.34) Muslim teaching, however, That is, those who do not does not consist only of deserve to be released without precepts laid down in the

Review of Religions – February 2002 57 The Qur’an on War and Peace

Qur’an. It also includes the • When Muslims enter enemy precepts and example of the t e r r i t o r y, they should not Pr o p h e t( s a ). What he did or strike terror into the general what he taught in concrete population. They should situations is also an essential permit no ill-treatment of part of the Islamic teaching. common folk. We append here some sayings (Muslim) of the Pr o p h e t( s a ) on the subject of war and peace. • A Muslim army should not camp in a place where it • Muslims are forbidden causes inconvenience to the altogether to mutilate the general public. When it dead. marches it should take care (Muslim) not to block the road nor cause discomfort to other • Muslims are forbidden to wayfarers. resort to cheating. (Muslim) • No disfigurement of face is • Children are not to be killed, to be permitted. (Bukhari nor women. (Muslim) and Muslim)

• Priests and religious • The least possible losses functionaries and religious should be inflicted upon the leaders are not to be enemy. interfered with. (Abu Dawud) (Tahavi) • When prisoners of war are • The old and decrepit and put under guard, those women and children are not closely related should be to be killed. The possibility placed together. of peace should always be (Abu Dawud) kept in view. (Abu Dawud) • Prisoners should live in comfort. Muslims should

58 Review of Religions – February 2002 The Qur’an on War and Peace

care more for the comfort of Abu Bakr, the First Khalifa of their prisoners than for their Islam, supplemented these own. commands of the Pro p h e t (s a ) by (Tirmidhi) some of his own. One of these commands appended here also • Emissaries and delegates constitutes part of the Muslim from other countries should te a c h i n g : be held in great respect. Any mistakes or discourtesies • Public buildings and fruit- they commit should be bearing trees (and food ignored. crops) are not to be (Abu Dawud, Kitan Al-Jihad) da m a g e d . (M u ’ a t t d ) • If a Muslim commits the sin of ill-treating a prisoner of From the sayings of the w a r, atonement is to be Pro p h e t (s a ) and the commands made by releasing the of the First Khalifa of Islam it is prisoner without ransom. evident that Islam has instituted steps which have the • When a Muslim takes charge effect of preventing or stopping of a prisoner of war, the a war or reducing its evil. As we latter is to be fed and have said before, the principles clothed in the same way as which Islam teaches are not the Muslim himself. pious precepts only;. they have (Bukhari) their practical illustration in the example of the Pro p h e t (s a ) The Holy Pr o p h e t( s a ) was so and the early Khalifas of Islam. insistent on these rules for a As all the world knows, the fighting army that he declared Pr o p h e t( s a ) not only taught that whoever did not observe these principles; he practised these rules, would fight not for them and insisted on their God but for his own mean self ob s e r v a n c e . (Abu Dawud).

Review of Religions – February 2002 59 Subscription Review of Religions

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