Spring • 2 010 $4.00 “In the latter days, the sun shall rise from the west” • Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be on him) An Invitation to “Real” Secrets of the HolyHoly Qur’anQur’an 171717 Muhammadsaw 22 War Verses in 30 Madrassas in 32 Polygamy in and the Jews of the Holy Qur’an Islam the Holy Qur’an Medina The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community he Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a religious organization, international in its scope, with branches in 189 countries in TAfrica, North America, South America, Asia, Australasia, and Europe. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established in 1889 by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas (1835-1908) in Qadian, a small and remote village in the Punjabi province of India. He claimed to be the expected reformer of the latter days, the Awaited One of the world community of religions (The Mahdi and Messiah). The Movement he started is an embodiment of the benevolent message of Islam – peace, universal brotherhood, and submission to the Will of God – in its pristine purity. Hadhrat Ahmadas proclaimed Islam as the religion of man: “The religion of the people of the right path” (98:6).The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was created under divine guidance with the objective to rejuvenate Islamic moral and spiritual values. It encourages interfaith dialogue, diligently defends Islam and tries to correct misunderstandings about Islam in the West. It advocates peace, tolerance, love and understanding among followers of different faiths. It firmly believes in and acts upon the Qur’anic teaching: “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:257). It strongly rejects violence and terrorism in any form and for any reason. After the passing of its founder, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been headed by his elected successors. The present Head of the Community, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, was elected in 2003. His official title is Khalifatul Masih V or Fifth Successor of the Promised Messiah.. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) Editor Editor's Notes: Falahud Din Shams The Muslim Sunrise is published by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, USA, 15000 Good Hope Road, Silver Spring, MD 20905, Phone 301.879.0110, Fax 301.879.0115, under the auspices of Dr. Ahsanullah Zafar, Ameer and National Editorial Board President. The views and opinions expressed by individual contributers in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Imam Mubasher Ahmad Community, USA. Dr. Shanaz Butt Hasan Hakeem The Muslim Sunrise welcomes letters to the editor, questions and submissions. Email Amjad Mahmood Khan, Esq. us at [email protected] or go online to www.MuslimSunrise.com. Naveed Malik Library of Congress Call Number BP195.A5 M8 Mailing Address: The Muslim Sunrise, 2 S 510 Route 53, Glen Ellyn, IL Staff Editors 60137, Phone: (630) 790-4100, ext. 206, Fax: (630) 793-4100. Maham Khan Atif Mir Muslims follow the name of God’s prophets with the prayer alaehis salaam or Naser Shams ‘may peace be upon him,’ and for the Holy Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alaehi wasallam or ‘may peace and blessings of God be upon him.’ Companions of prophets and righteous personalities who have passed away are saluted by Staff Writers radhi-Allaho anhu/a or ‘may Allah be pleased with him/her.” While such salutations sometimes are not set out in the text for readability, we encourage Lubna Roohi Malik readers to offer these prayers as if set out in full. Sardar Anees Ahmad Dr. Zia H. Shah Dr. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq (1872-1957) was the first Ahmadiyya Muslim missionary Shazia Sohail to arrive in America. In 1921, he founded the Muslim Sunrise, which stands today as the longest running Muslim publication in America. The magazine seeks to open discussions on Islam and topics relating to religion in general. It highlights the role Hasan Hakeem, Design/Layout of Islam in an ever changing global society. It provides a platform for public Naveed Malik, Circulation opinion on contemporary issues and presenting their solutions from an Islamic Shuaib Shams, Circulation perspective. www.muslimsunrise.com 2 MuslimSunrise Muslims who believe in the Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, QadianiAS In This Issue Features 9 The Purdah: Judeo-Christian Cultural Preference 11 Concubines and the Holy Qur’an Spring 2 0 10 • Volume 90 • Issue 1 13 Physical Ascension: Myth or Fact? Departments 15 Islam and Obedience to the Rule of Law 5 In the Words of the Promised Messiahas 17 Muhammadsaw and the Jews of Medina 21 Rationale For Holy Qur’an Chapter’s names 6 Editorial 22 War Verses of the Holy Qur’an 7 Friday Sermon Attacks on Islam, the Holy 25 Dhimmis & Jizya Prophetsaw and the Holy Qur’an 27 Apostasy in Islam News, Views and Reviews 30 Madrassas in Islam 52 Book Review 32 Polygamy in the Holy Qur’an The Belief and the Life in the Holy Qur’an 34 Circumcision in Islam 53 Perspectives 35 Islam & Slavery Mean-spirited Criticism 36 Compilation of the Holy Qur’an Text 38 Hadhrat Ayesha’sra Marriage to the Prophetsaw Correction Notice: The Winter 2009 issue featured a cover graphic representing Arabic 40 Significance of Jumu’ah in the Holy Qur’an calligraphy. However, some readers may 42 Adam & Eve in the Holy Qur’an have taken it to be a part of the Qur’an, which was not intended. We regret any 44 Battle of Badr confusion this may have caused, and in 46 Etymology of the Name “Allah” order to remove any confusion, we have revised the digital version of the issue, 48 Holy Qur’an: Miracle of the Holy Prophetsaw available online. -- Editor 50 Abrogation in the Holy Qur’an SPRING 2010 3 From the Holy Qur'an Surah Luqman, 31:3-7 [31:3] These are verses of the Book of Wisdom, [31:4] A guidance and a mercy for those who do good, [31:5] Those who observe Prayer and pay the Zakat and who have firm faith in the Hereafter. [31:6] It is they who follow guidance from their Lord, and it is they who shall prosper. [31:7] And of men is he who takes idle tales in exchange for guidance to lead men astray from the path of Allah, without knowledge, and to make fun of it. For such there will be humiliating punishment. 4 MuslimSunrise In the Words of the Promised Messiah (103:4) and wa tawasow bil marhamah (90:18) i.e., believers are In short, the Holy Qur'an is those who exhort one another to truth and compassion. Elsewhere, He says full of verses that enjoin “God enjoins you to show justice us to show our love for to all people, and if you wish to go further then be kind to them, and bet- God in word and deed, ter still, show such compassion to- and to love Him more wards your fellow beings as you would do towards your own kindred.” (16:91) than anything else. Just consider whether there could be a better teaching than one that does As far as the second part not stop at enjoining compassion for of the question, pertaining mankind, but goes further and teaches eeta ay dhil qurba (being kind to oth- to God’s love for mankind, ers just as one is kind to one’s kin- let it be clear that the dred) which results from a natural de- sire (to do good). Often, one who Holy Qur'an contains shows kindness expects something in many verses in which God Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) return and at times shows resentment towards those who fail to acknowledge says that He loves those it. Occasionally, swayed by one’s emo- tions, one might even remind others of 1 son and cause him to become accursed in or- who repent, do good what one has done for them. But the der to redeem the sins of the evildoers. Curse doing of good through a natural inclina- deeds and exercise pa- upon the son of God will obviously entail a tion, which the Holy Qur'an compares curse upon God Himself, God forbid, for (ac- tience. But nowhere does to doing good to one’s kindred, is in- cording to the Christians), the Father and the deed the highest and final stage of vir- the Holy Qur'an say that Son are inseparable. Godhead and curse can- tue. It is like a mother’s kindness for her not go together. Another point to consider is, God also loves those who child, which is her natural instinct. Ob- by what love did God kill the virtuous and viously she does not expect any grati- save the wicked? Surely no righteous person love infidelity, sin and injus- tude from a mere infant. would be guilty of such conduct. tice; rather in their case it The third part of the question is: where in uses the word Ihsan (com- the Holy Qur'an is it written that man should Endnotes love his fellow beings? The answer is that in- 1. Divine love is not like human love, passion, kindness, stead of using the word ‘love’, the Holy Qur'an which involves pain and agony of separa- tion. Rather, it means that God treats those benevolence). For instance, uses two different terms, i.e., mercy and com- who do good deeds in the same way as a passion. The word love has been used spe- lover treats his beloved. it says: cifically for God because love culminates in worship.2 But in the case of mankind the Holy 2. Whenever the word ‘love’ has been Qur'an uses the words ‘mercy’ and ‘kindness’ used in connection with human relationships, “We have sent thee out of it does not imply true love.