Contents February 2004, Vol.99, No.2 Editorial The role of absolute justice in the human body and beyond By Fareed Ahmad ................................................................................................................. 2 Notes & Comment Food For Thought: The impact of food on humans and animals. By Fareed Ahmad, UK ......................................................................................................... 3 The Need For Righteousness A look at the true source of righteousness for man from the writings of the Promised Messiah(as) .............................................................................. 5 Was Islam Spread by the Sword? How understanding, not force, was the driving force behind Islam’s rapid progress across the globe – Friday Sermon delivered by Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Community............................ 15 Balance Within the Body The latent system of justice that governs the microcosm - extracts taken from the book Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship: The Three Creative Principles by Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(ru)....................................................... 27 Moderation in a Fattening World How following Islamic teachings can lead to a healthier life – By Manzural A Sikder, MD, USA ................................................................ 48 The Prophet Promised Through Moses(as); Jesus(as) or Muhammad(sa)? Examining a biblical prophecy about Prophet Muhammad(sa) – By Dr. A.R. Bhutta, Nigeria................ 54 Basit Ahmad Chief Editor and Manager: Mansoor Ahmed Shah Bockarie Tommy Kallon Management Board: Special contributors: Design and layout: Fareed Ahmad. Mr Munir-ud-din Shams Amatul-Hadi Ahmad Tanveer Khokhar Fazal Ahmad (Chairman) Farina Qureshi Publisher: Fauzia Bajwa Mr Mansoor Shah (Secretary) Proof-reader: Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah Mr Naseer Ahmad Qamar Mansoor Saqi Shaukia Mir Distribution: Mr Mubarak Ahmad Zafar Mahmood Hanif Muhammad Hanif Mr Mirza Fakhar Ahmad Mansoora Hyder-Muneeb Navida Shahid All correspondence should The Review of Religions © Islamic Publications, 2004 Sarah Waseem be forwarded directly to the The London Mosque ISSN No: 0034-6721 editor at: 16 Gressenhall Road Saleem Ahmad Malik London, SW18 5QL Tanveer Khokhar United Kingdom Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the beliefs of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. 1 Editorial From the micro to the macro there is where the punishment is meted out a very refined system of balance in by a force beyond man’s control. our universe. This balance, like the Interestingly enough the punishment universe itself, is not the product of acts as a warning as well as being an chance but is a reflection of a quality action in the interest of man himself, of its Creator. One of God’s as it seeks to limit the wider damage characteristics is that he is ‘al-Adl’ that could result. If man rectifies his i.e. ‘The Just’ and this forms the behaviour he may live on, perhaps fountainhead of absolute justice for with some restrictions, but the the heavens and the earth. The nature objective of justice would have been of this justice permeates every sphere served. If he continues to ignore the of creation and every law of nature, warning signs then he may suffer for without this there can be no even more. Such justice is required to balance or harmony. maintain balance and order within the body otherwise it would cease to In this issue of The Review of function, and to be effective it must Religions two articles examine the operate independent of the will of balance created within man and man. review its impact on man himself. It seems that if there is a disregard for This is a good reflection of the system justice at one level and if this remains that operates at every level in life and unchecked, then action is taken at a man should be ever wary that his different level to remedy it. In the actions never go unnoticed, and if he human body, for example, the mercy ignores the principle of absolute of God has allowed man some justice then he will, without flexibility in the way he looks after exception, be made accountable for his health. However, persistent this neglect. excesses are ultimately punished and Fareed Ahmad disorders such as diabetes and heart disease are an outcome of man’s disregard for the natural limits. The balance also reflects an in-built system of crime and punishment 2 The Review of Religions – February 2004 Notes and Comment Food for Thought dwindled. On average each year Twenty years ago it seemed as if a nearly six million Ethiopians are still moment of sanity had swept across kept alive by international aid the world as it responded to the cry of (although this figure was a staggering the dying people in Ethiopia. With 14 million in 2003). governments either unable or unwilling to act, people responded to Ethiopia’s predicament, however, is the plight that was broadcast to their not an isolated one but it does act as a living rooms. Hundreds of millions of stark reminder of the invisible plight dollars were donated to alleviate the of the poor and destitute whose lives s u ffering of those in the famine- are nothing more than a daily struggle ridden country and perhaps also to for survival. The figures make alleviate the donors’ guilt of not shocking reading – compare the six having taken any interest beforehand. million in Ethiopia with the 900 The noble efforts were welcome and million or so worldwide who live in saved up to two million from death, chronic and persistent hunger – that is but as a recent BBC report1 made one person for every seven on the clear, it was not enough; at best it was planet. There are one billion people a palliative measure rather than a surviving on less than one dollar per longer term cure. Sadly, twenty years day, and every day nearly twenty-four on the situation for the poor in thousand die of hunger.2 Although the Ethiopia is no better with more people vast majority of this crisis is faced by facing starvation now than in 1984. the Third World, it is by no means exclusive to it. Those who find The aid that reached Ethiopia was themselves living in the margins of valuable in sustaining life for millions society in the developed world also but there was no real larg e - s c a l e suffer the same torments of hunger development investment in the and poverty. country. The result of this is that its agricultural capacity has weakened Yet, as many economic studies have and hopes of reviving the country’s shown, the problem of hunger is not ability to be self-sufficient in food are due to there being insufficient food in disappearing as fast as its dusty the world. Even now, as noted by the topsoil. Its food production has UN’s World Food Programme, there The Review of Religions – February 2004 3 Notes & Comment is enough food in the world not just to disease and other health problems3. keep people alive but to allow them to How strange this must seem to those lead healthy and productive lives. hanging on to life. This is despite a huge population increase in the latter half of the Is this not a reflection of the cruel twentieth century. This abundance of disparity of the modern world? Often food is in line with the Islamic we hear that a key to solving the teaching that God, Who is ar-Rahman problems of the Third World is and ar-Razzaq i.e. The Gracious and education, so that the poor can learn The Provider, has created man and and apply their knowledge for self- provided ample resources so that no advancement. It would seem that the person should go hungry. So where is developed world could also benefit all this food? Some is stockpiled in with a few sharp doses of education the developed world and some is as well – for the sake of their own exported by the third Third world health and the health of the 900 World to finance its debts, wars or million who suffer the pangs of corruption – or in extreme cases all hunger every day. For them, the three. However, it is also disturbing additional amounts spent by people to note that some is simply consumed on overfeeding themselves and their in excessive amounts as a result of pets would be enough to make the greed and indifference. difference between life and death. In this respect it is rather perplexing Fareed Ahmad – UK to see that as one part of the world is dying as a result of little or no food the other is dying due to too much References food. Obesity and its related problems 1. Ethiopia: A Journey with Michael are on the increase worldwide, but Buerk 11/1/2004. especially in the developed world. 2. World Hunger: 12 Myths. By Furthermore, the findings of a recent Frances Moore Lappe, Institute study by the US based National for Food and Development Policy Research Council show that it is not B a c k g rounder Summer 1998, just people that are becoming Vol.5, No.3. overweight but also their pets. The 3. The Daily Telegraph, 2/1/2004. study reveals that twenty-five per cent of dogs and cats in the western world are obese and at risk of diabetes, heart 4 The Review of Religions – February 2004 The Need of Righteousness On 8th January 1903, after Maghrib prayers, three people took the Oath of Allegiance at the hand of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) of Qadian, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi. The three included Sheikh Noor Ahmad Sahib from Abbotabad and Sayyed Hamid Ali Shah Sahib of Baddumalli and one other person. After the Initiation, the Promised Messiah(as) addressed the assembled group. Presented below is a translation of that address delivered in Urdu.