A Publication of Lajna Ima‘illah & Nasiratul Ahmadiyya Lajna Matters USA 7 Safar 1433 - 8 Jumada I 1433 Issue 1 - 2012 January 2012 - March 2012 Special Features Holy Qur’an The Glorious Qur’an Message from Sadr Lajna Correspondence Majlis i Shura 2011 Muslims for Life 2011 Update Khidmat-e-Khalq Matters Taleem Matters Tarbiyat Matters Tabligh Matters Publication Matters Media Watch Matters Handicrafts Matters Ijtema/Camps Local Matters Urdu Matters We are pleased to announce that Lajna Matters will now include an Urdu section for our readers! ―O ye who believe! Let not one people deride another people, who may be better than they, nor let women deride other women, who may be better than they. And defame not your own people, nor call one another We hope that you by nicknames. Bad indeed is evil reputation after the profession of belief; and those who repent not are the enjoy this new wrongdoers. feature. O ye who believe! Avoid most of suspicions; for suspicion in some cases is a sin. And spy not, nor backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his brother who is dead? Certainly you would loathe it. And fear Allah, surely, Allah is Oft-Returning with compassion and is Merciful.‖ 49: 12-13 ―He utters not a word but there is by him an alert watcher who takes care to preserve it.‖ 50:19 Lajna Matters Publications Team: Farzana Safiullah Publications Secretary [email protected] Bushra Mirza Editor, Lajna Matters [email protected] ―And vie with one another in asking for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Paradise who price is the Aeman Bashir heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing Layout, Lajna Matters Mabroor Jattalla Those who spend in prosperity and adversity, and those who suppress anger and pardon men; and Allah Urdu Section, Lajna Matters loves those who do good.‖ 3:134-135 [email protected] Lajna Matters 1st Quarter Issue, 2012 2 of 48 ―Verily, Allah knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth. And Allah sees all that you do.‖ 49:19 Ahadith Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophetsaw said: away from Hell Fire.‖ He said, "Shall I not tell you of the ―Beware of suspicion for suspicion is great falsehood. Do peak of the matter, its pillar, and its topmost part?" I said: not search for each others faults nor spy nor hanker after "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He said: "The peak of the that which others have, nor envy, nor entertain ill-will, matter is Islam; the pillar is prayer; and its topmost part is nor indifference and be Allah‘s servants, brethren to each jihad." Then he said: "Shall I not tell you of the other as you have been commanded. A Muslim is a controlling of all that?" I said, "Yes, O Messenger of brother of a Muslim; he does not wrong him nor Allah", and he took hold of his tongue and said: "Restrain humiliate him nor is contemptuous towards him. this." (Tirmidhi) Righteousness dwells here, righteousness dwells here; Abdullah bin Amir ibn ‗As relates that the Holy and he pointed to his chest. It is enough evil that a Muslim saw should look down on a brother Muslim. Everything of a Prophet said: ―A Muslim is one from whose tongue Muslim is forbidden to another Muslim, his blood, his and hand the Muslim is secure, and an emigrant is one who abandons that which Allah has prohibited.‖ (Bukhari honor and his property. Allah does not look at your bodies or to your features or to your works, He looks at and Muslim) your heart.‖ (Muslim) ―Believers are united like a building, each part of which Muadh bin Jabal said, "O Messenger of Allah, tell me of is a source of strength for the other.‖ (Tirmidhi) an act which will take me into Paradise and will keep me Writings of the Promised Messiahas Only he has purified himself, who has set right his rela- spiritual bliss? If human beings cannot deal honestly with tionship with both God and man, his Creator and his their own brothers, how can they with God? True, fellow-creatures. We must discharge our obligations to God's claim on our obedience is very great. But the both. God requires that we must live in practice every measure of how pure your account is with God is how word we utter in affirmation of God. God is One, with- pure it is with His creatures. One who is not straight out associate. What we affirm with our tongues we and sincere with men cannot be straight and sincere must illustrate by our deeds, not ever reducing God to with God. To be straight and sincere is no small matter. the status of man. We owe to our fellow-creatures that It is something big and difficult. Sincere love is one we harbor no malice, hatred, prejudice, rancor, desire thing, insincere and hypocritical love, quite another. to harm, or intent against them to injure. It is not easy When a believer falls ill, another believer goes and visits to attain these negative virtues. You are still very distant him to express his concern. If a believer dies, fellow- from this spiritual station. Have you set right your per- believers join his funeral. No questions should be raised sonal relations with your brethren? I am afraid not. You over small matters. It is best if such things are ignored. have not given up complaints and counter-complaints God does not approve of your living at a distance from nor backbiting. You trample over other people's rights. one another. Without true love, there is no Jama'at -- it God wants you to live like brothers and to function as is the end of the Jama'at. (Badr, 1908) parts of one organic whole. Thus alone can you attain 3 of 48 Lajna Matters 1st Quarter Issue, 2012 MESSAGE FROM SADR LAJNA, USA Saliha Malik My Dear Sisters, in our families and local communities. The Today it is the first day of January 2012! We heart that is preoccupied with hatred cannot rose up in the small hours of the night and receive Allah. Khalifatul Masih Vatba has im- made our way to our mosques to join to- plored us to become each other‘s Wali - gether in Tahajjud prayer. It was a beautiful true friend. In his Address to Lajna Ger- way to start the New Year. May Allah forgive many at Jalsa 2010, describing the meaning us our sins and grant us Mercy from Himself, of Wali, he says: Ameen. They possess feelings of great love In our Tarbiyat program of this quarter we and affection for each other; they are are reminded to ‗cover our beauty except that each other‘s helpers; each other‘s which is apparent thereof‘ (Holy Qur‘an protectors and they safeguard each 24:32). Khalifatul Masih IVrh explained in his other‘s matters. In order to gain from Address to Lajna USA at Jalsa 1991 that the the blessings, which Allah has prom- charms and the beauty, which shine out ised them, it is essential for believing through every covering are those, which have men and women to shed all hatred come from loving Allah. He says such beauty and animosity, which is budding in or ‗zeenat‘: the hearts. (6/26/2010) …Is that your heart, mind and all Therefore, as we seek forgiveness from Al- other faculties of consciousness that lah and beseech Him for His Mercy you are adorned with become a throughout the coming year, let us earnestly ‗masjid‘ where you prostrate and the resolve to cleanse our hearts of every rancor entire space of your inner universe is and use our tongues in the best manor pos- filled with God‘s presence. This kind sible, for prayer and goodly speech – as Al- of spiritual beauty becomes apparent lah says: ―And who is better in speech than by itself and none can hide it he who invites men to Allah and does good (6/29/91) works and says, ‗I am surely of those who submit?‖ 41:34 However, we can never shine with this kind of beauty if our hearts are caught up in sus- May this New Year be a year full of Bless- picion and jealousy, if we harbor grudges, ings and true progress for each and every backbite one another and hold on to quar- one of us and for our Jama‘at, Ameen. rels, ill-feelings and disputes, creating rifts Lajna Matters 1st Quarter Issue, 2012 4 of 48 National Correspondence Letters from Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih Vatba June Report 2011 of the problems of drug and alcohol abuse sadly now being Dear Sadr Lajna Ima‘illah USA, encountered by some young men. May Allah accept your As-Salamu ‗Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatohu efforts and may they be met with success. May you con- atba tinue to work with commitment and dedication in all as- Hudhur has received and read your report for June pects of Jama‘at work. 2011. Jazakallah. Please convey my loving salaam to all Nasirat and Lajna Your June report reflects the hard work that has been car- Ima‘ilah members in the USA. ried out during the month. Ma Sha‘Allah. August Report 2011 Congratulations to Lajna Ima‘illah USA for holding various Dear Sadr Lajna Ima‘illah USA Tabligh events throughout this month, which enabled ef- Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rah- fective preaching to take matullahi Wa Barakatohu place. Your Interfaith seminar in Albany was a I have received and read your great success, as it congre- report dated August 2011, gated 300 members of the which included Nasirat report local community and and your Lajna Magazines, raised money for domestic ―Ayesha‖ and ―Lajna Matters‖ issues, as well as the Japa- for this period.