July 2017 Editor: Nasir Ahmad B.A. LL.B. Vol. No. 12, Issue No. 7 IN MEMORY OF JALAL-UD-DIN AKBAR IBN-I ABDULLAH, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA CONTENTS Page ANNOUNCEMENT AND PROGRAMME: 1 IST EUROPEAN INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL CONVENTION (LAHORE AHMADIYYA MOVEMENT IN ISLAM) 1 Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at-i Islam, Berlin (Germany) INTERNATIONAL INTERFAITH CONFERENCE 2 HIJACKING OF THE BEAUTIFUL CHARACTER OF ALLAH 5 Iain Dixon NEWS FROM BERLIN MOSQUE, GERMANY 7 Amir Aziz, Imam, The Berlin Mosque A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF LATE KHWAJA ABDUL HAMIED 11 Founder of CIPLA, Mumbai, India IST EUROPEAN ANNUAL CONVENTION OF LAHORE AHMADIYYA MOVEMENT IN ISLAM (Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at-i Islam, Germany) On 15, 16 & 17 September 2017 at the Berlin Mosque at 7/8 Brienner Str. Wilmersdorf, Berlin 10713 ON 16 SEPTEMBER 2017 WILL BE AN INTERNATIONAL INTERFAITH CONFERENCE PROGRAMME OF THE INTERFAITH CONFERENCE Subject: The future of mankind in view of radicalism Speakers: Recitation of the Holy Qur’an & Introductory Remarks: 16:30 Key Note: Prof. Dr Abdul Karim Saeed (Worldwide President & Ameer of Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam) Prof. Dr Gerdien Jonker (Erlangen Center for Islam and Law in Europe (EZIRE) Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg) Rabbi Prof. Dr Walter Homolka PhD (King’s College London), PhD (University of Wales Trinity St. David), DHL (Hebrew Union College, New York), Professor of Modern Jewish Thought and Executive Director of the School of Jewish Theology (University of Potsdam ,Germany) Break Dr Thomas M. Schimmel Franziskanische Initiative 1219. Religious and Cultural Dialogue (Head) Mr Mohamed Taha Sabri Imam, Dar-as-Salam Mosque, Neuköllner Begegnungsstatte e.V Awarded the Order of Merit of Berlin 2015 by Governing Mayor Michael Müller (SPD) Mr Emmanuel Luther Ratiq Presidential award winner, writer and senior journalist (Sweden) 2 | Page Mrs Roline Twahira Samsoedein Minister of Physical Planning, Land and Forest Management, Chairperson of the Women’s Commission of the SIV, Former District Commissioner in Suriname Closing Remarks & Prayer: 19:30 Dinner *** INVITATION AND PROGRAMME Dear Sisters and Brothers, Assalamu ‘aliakum I hope to find you well. I am sending you programme of Ist European Convention Berlin for your information. You are requested to inform beforehand about your arrival to help us in making better arrangements. Thursday 14 September All guests will assemble at the Mosque at 18:30 for dinner. Then Maghrib and Isha’ congregation- al prayers will be offered. We will wait for our guests from Holland who will be coming in group by coach, in case they arrive late. Friday 15 September Friday prayer will be at 13:30 . All participants are requested to be in the mosque in time. After Friday prayer tea snacks will be served. Afternoon session will start at 16: 30 followed by dinner at 19:30 hosted by sister Nasma Nasrullah from Rotterdam, Holland. May Allah bless her for this generous offer Saturday 16 September Peace Demonstration Peace Demonstration against Terrorism will be held at Europa Center, Berlin from 12:30 to 14:00. All participants and local people will gather there. It will be the first public demonstration by members of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Community and friends of the Berlin Mosque. Local and foreign delegates and participants are requested to bring handy flags of their respective countries to be waved on that occasion. This will be a public procession so all members are request- ed to be there in time. Tea and snacks will be served at the Berlin Mosque at 15:00. Interreligious Programme will start at 16:30 at the Mosque Dinner will be at 19.30 Page | 3 Afternoon Session: Interfaith Conference 16:30 Sunday 17th September Convention will start at 10:00 am. It will finally conclude at 12:30 Immediately afterwards the guests from Holland will start their return journey, but afternoon ses- sion will be held as usual. Important Please bring small flags of your countries to represent it. If you have any suggestion to make about The Peace Procession to make it more impressive or if you have any suggestion regarding slogans or banners or the theme of the Interfaith Conference, please let me know so that we can incorporate them in our programme. Programme is attached. Looking forward for your confirmation With regards, Amir Aziz Imam, the Berlin Mosque Brienner Strasse. 7.8 Wilmersdorf, Berlin 10713 Phone: 00-49-30-8735703. Mobile & Whatsapp : 00-49-15175629668 (English translation & designing: Courtesy Bro. Selim Ahmad, Bro. Muhammad Ali) *** 4 | Page IDENTITY THEFT (3) – THE FINAL PART HIJACKING OF THE BEAUTIFUL CHARACTER OF ALLAH IAIN DIXON “They have obedience [merely] on their lips.” – (The Qur’an, 4:81) Jesus said: “This people draws nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” – (The Bible, Matthew 15:8) My frustration In this short series of articles, I have tried to convey my frustration that people have misrepresented the beautiful character of Allah, hijacking His loving nature, and turning it instead into something repulsive. A moth gladly flutters towards a lightbulb, but cockroaches will flee from the light emanating from the same bulb. How has the Creator of Heaven and Earth been represented to a watching world? Has Allah been painted as loving, compassion- ate, full of tender mercy towards His creation? Are we drawn to Him as a moth is drawn to the light? Or have we in the same breath said “Allahu Akbar” and represented Allah as pure evil, desiring to crush, kill and destroy? Just as cockroaches run from the light, have we portrayed Allah in such a way that people want to flee from Him, rather than run to Him? We are reminded in the Honoured Quran that “those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, will Allah, Most Gracious, bestow love” (19:96). We are also told “He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion” (16:90). Mockery in the name of Islam Much that is done in the name of ‘Islam’ makes a mockery of much that is written in the Quranic Scriptures. Allah is looking for a people who will represent His character, a people who will reflect His love, compassion and mercy. Just as a fingerprint reveals the unique identity of its possessor, so too we are to be ‘the fingerprints’ of Allah, bearing His beautiful image to a broken world. People have dishonoured Allah and His law through their actions. Pride for status, selfishness, and a disregard for His righteousness have caused havoc in the world. It is pure rebellion towards the Creator of Heaven and Earth, a rebellion that drives people away from encountering the beauty of Allah, a rebellion that leads people into darkness and captivity. As the Bible expresses it: “the heart is deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9); “We all, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). Have we followed the way of Iblis and become rebellious, defiant? “He refused and was haughty, he was of those who reject faith” (Qur’an, 2:34). Unfortunately, the way of true Islam, true submission to Allah, is hard to find today. But it exists! Don’t be fooled by looking to great organizations, sects or religions. Begin by turning your own face to Allah. When I hear the Azaan (call to prayer) I am reminded of a compass point pointing north, in that it brings direction and focus in all the chaos we call ‘the map of life’ – a life filled with changes Page | 5 and turnings, dead ends and roadblocks. The compass points ‘true north’ and helps us recalibrate our lives. The Azaan challenges all the distractions of life, and there is a call to come out of the world and point our hearts in the direction of Allah. In the Bible, we are told of a worldwide ‘Azaan’. Although people have misrepresented the character of Allah there is a worldwide call to return to the true God, a call that leads us to worship Him in submission and truth. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people, saying with a loud voice ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgement has come, and worship Him that made the heaven and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters’ ” (Revelation 14:6-7). Did you notice that “the hour of His judgement has come”? I wonder if that phrase could be inter- preted in two ways. Sure, Allah’s eyes are upon us now, and He sees our thoughts and actions. We are being judged. But have you ever thought that Allah Himself is being judged by an unbelieving and sceptical world? Has the misrepresentation of His character resulted in Allah being laughed at, scorned, hated? Not taken seriously? Is this worldwide Azaan a challenge for us – so love God, so obey Him, so serve Him – that people would begin to recognize the magnificence of our Creator? I find it interesting that Jesus himself lived to give glory to Allah. When Jesus was nailed to the cross, beaten and scarred, it was not as a defeated person. He lived and breathed integrity to Allah. The DNA of Jesus’ life was “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10). He was the embodiment of true Islam. Many centuries before he was born into this world, it was said that: “He will magnify the Law, and make it honourable” (Isaiah 42:21). Jesus did everything to bring honour to Allah, despite being mis- understood and mistreated.