justified Terrorism was never by the Gene Editing: Harnessing the Power of Nature 36 The Economic System of Islam

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1 may vol issue five Terrorism was never justified by the Prophet Mohammad Terrorism Was Never Justified by the Prophet Mohammad sa 10 Peace Requires Compassion 32 Gene Editing: Harnessing the Power of Nature 36 The Economic System of Islam 62

2 The Promised Messiah as & imam mahdi The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa prophesied that the Promised Messiah as would be raised near a white minaret, east of Damascus. This prophecy was fulfilled with the advent of the Promised Messiah as from Qadian, India, a city directly east of Damascus. world faiths Peace There is no good in many of My dear ones, there is nothing Each one has to find his peace their conferences except the like peace and compromise. Let from within. And peace to conferences of such as enjoin us unite with the blessing of be real must be unaffected charity, or goodness, or the this treaty and be one nation. by outside circumstances. making of peace among men. ISLAM, THE PROMISED HINDUISM, MAHATMA founder of the review of religions makhzan-e-tasaweer And whoso does that, seeking the pleasure of Allah, We shall soon bestow on him a great reward. ISLAM, THE HOLY QUR AN, CH.4:V.115. MESSIAH AS, MESSAGE OF PEACE, P. 27. Let there be peace in heaven, Let GANDHI. A man is not called wise because Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi was born to a noble family in Qadian, India. From an early age he had a keen interest in religion and developed a love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa. He was also known for his honesty, friendliness and resolve. Over time his knowledge and understanding of religion and its application to society deepened. Being a Muslim it was his firm belief that all religions were true at their source but with the passage of time had drifted away from their original teachings; he upheld the dignity of religion and demonstrated its relevance to everyone. His earnest defence of religion was ultimately blessed when he started to receive direct revelation from Allah a blessing that he continued for the rest of his life. His mission was to revitalise the truth that all religions held within them and to revive the teachings of Islam. It was through this that he would bring mankind together and establish everlasting peace. In 1889, under Divine Guidance, Hazrat Ahmad as founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community a community that has since grown in its stature and strength and has remained active in conveying the message of Islam to the ends of the earth. Hazrat Ahmad as had established himself as a respected writer and had written over 80 books. His writings have been translated into more than 60 languages and continue to inspire readers to this day. One of his greatest scholarly works was The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, prepared as a paper and read out at the Conference of Great Religions in He also wrote a fascinating treatise in 1899 entitled Jesus in India, a book that uncovered remarkable evidence of Jesus s as journey to India. In 1902, the Promised Messiah as initiated The Review of Religions which has covered a vast array of topics on religion, philosophy and contemporary issues of the day. It is the longest running English magazine in defence of Islam and the values it teaches. From 1889 until the time of his demise in 1908 tens of thousands of people accepted him. This blessing has continued and will continue through his Khulafa (successors). Currently under the fifth successor, we are seeing that the tide of acceptance is worldwide and that the message of Prophet Ahmad as has really reached the ends of the earth. O men, what I say to you, you must hear and remember. All Muslims are as brethren to one another. All of you are equal. All men, whatever nation or tribe they may belong to, and whatever station in life they may hold are equal. Even as the fingers of the two hands are equal, so are human beings equal to one another. No one has any right, any superiority to claim over another. You are as brothers. ISLAM, THE HOLY PROPHET SA, FAREWELL SERMON. there be peace in the atmosphere, May peace fill the four quarters, May the waters and medical herbs bring peace, May planets give peace to all beings, May enlightened persons disseminate peace to all beings, May the Vedas spread peace everywhere, May all other objects everywhere give us peace, And may that peace come to us and remain with us for ever. HINDUISM, YAJURVEDA 36/37. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. CHRISTIANITY, THE BIBLE, JOHN 14:27. he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving and fearless. BUDDHISM, GAUTAMA BUDDHA, THE DHAMMAPADA: THE SAYINGS OF THE BUDDHA. Abiding happiness and peace is theirs who choose goodness for its own sake - without expectation of any reward. ZOROASTRIANISM, AVESTA.

3 contents may 2016 Vol.111 issue five 8 Belief in the Unity of God Established through the Holy Prophet sa Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi 10 Terrorism was Never Justified by the Prophet Mohammad sa Keynote address at the 13th Annual Peace Symposium. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community 32 Peace Requires Compassion Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi 36 Gene Editing: Harnessing the Power of Nature Exploring the science and ethics of gene editing using the CRISPR-Cas technique. Sinwan Basharat, Toronto, Canada 44 Life of The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa 50 The Economic System of Islam HAZRAT MIRZA BASHIR-UD-DIN MAHMUD AHMAD RA, THE SECOND CALIPH OF THE AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY 58 Calendar of Religious Events 10 Front cover picture: enciktat shutterstock.com 36 50

4 MANAGEMENT BOARD Munir-Ud-Din Shams (Chairman), Syed Amer Safir (Secretary), Mubarak Ahmad Zaffar, Abdul Baqi Arshad, Ataul Mujeeb Rashed, Naseer Qamar, Abid Waheed Ahmad Khan, Aziz Ahmad Bilal CHIEF EDITOR & MANAGER Syed Amer Safir ASSOCIATE EDITORS Nakasha Ahmad, Tariq H. Malik EDITORIAL BOARD Mansoor Saqi, Bockarie Tommy Kallon, Professor Amtul Razzaq Carmichael, Murtaza Ahmad, Fiona O Keefe, Hassan Wahab, Jonathan Butterworth, Munazza Khan, Waqar Ahmedi, Mahida Javed The world is passing through turbulent times. The global economic crisis continues to manifest new and grave dangers at every juncture. The similarities of the current circumstances to the build-up of the Second World War are stark. Events appear to be moving us rapidly towards a Third World War. The consequences of a nuclear war are beyond our imagination. In this book, the historic addresses of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, Fifth Khalifah of the Promised Messiah and Supreme Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to prominent dignitaries at Capitol Hill, the House of Commons, the European Parliament and other notable locations around the world have been collated. The book also includes the momentous letters sent by His Holiness to the numerous world leaders. Over and over again, His Holiness has reminded all that the only means of averting a global catastrophe is for nations to establish justice as an absolute requirement of their dealings with others. Even if mutual enmity exists, impartiality must be observed at all times, because history has taught us that this alone is the way to eliminate all traces of hatred and to build everlasting peace. Read online at: Purchase the book here: RELIGION & SCIENCE Editor: Dr. Syed Muhammad Tahir Nasser Deputy: Dr. Tauseef Khan ISLAM & CONTEMPORARY ISSUES Editor: Shahzad Ahmad LAW & HUMAN RIGHTS Editor: Qudsi Rasheed Deputy: Ayesha Mahmood Malik ANCIENT RELIGIONS & ARCHAEOLOGY Editor: Fazal Ahmad Deputy: Rizwan Safir CHRISTIANITY Editor: Navida Sayed Deputy: Arif Khan Women s Section Editor: Aliya Latif Deputy: Meliha Hayat BOOK REVIEWS Editor: Sarah Waseem WEB TEAM Mubashra Ahmad, Hibba Turrauf Special Collections Head: Razwan Baig SUB-EDITORS Munawara Ghauri (Head), Maryam Malik, Nusrat Haq, Mariam Rahman PROOFREADERS Farhana Dar (Head), Hina Rehman, Amina Abbasi, Aisha Patel HOUSE STYLE GUIDE Maleeha Ahmad (Head), Sadia Shah SOCIAL MEDIA Tazeen Ahmad (Head), Mala Khan (Deputy), Nudrat Ahmad, Hajra Ahmad, Mishall Rahman, Shumaila Ahmad PRINT DESIGN AND LAYOUT Ahsan Khan INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION Muhammad Hanif ACCOUNTS & MARKETING Musa Sattar ART & CREATIVITY Zubair Hayat, Mussawir Din INDEXING, TAGGING & ARCHIVING Mirza Krishan Ahmad (Head). Amtus Shakoor Tayyaba Ahmed (Deputy). Humaira Omer, Humda Sohail, Shahid Malik, Ruhana Hamood, Mubahil Shakir, Adila Bari, Hassan Raza Ahmad

5 The Promised Messiah as & imam mahdi (guided one) Belief in the Unity of God Established through the Holy Prophet sa It is a false and stinking notion that belief in the Unity of God can be achieved other than through the Holy Prophet sa ; nor can man achieve salvation without it. How can there be faith in the Unity of God unless there is perfect certainty with regard to His existence? Be sure, therefore, that belief in the Unity of God can be achieved only through a Prophet, as our Holy Prophet sa convinced the atheists and pagans of Arabia of the existence of God Almighty by showing them thousands of heavenly signs. Up till today, the true and perfect followers of the Holy Prophet sa present those signs to the atheists. founder of the review of religions Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as The truth is that till a person observes the living powers of the Living God, Satan does not depart from his heart, nor does true Unity enter into it, nor can he believe with certainty in the existence of God. This holy and perfect Unity is appreciated only through the Holy Prophet sa. 1 endnotes 1. Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani Khaza in, Vol. 22, pp (English Translation: The Essence of Islam, Vol. 1, pp. 41).

6 Terrorism Was Never Justified by the Prophet Mohammad sa At the the 13th Annual Peace Symposium organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba urges world leaders and the press to push for peace, while explaining Islam s true teachings about love and peace.

7 Terrorism Was Never Justified by the Prophet Mohammad sa KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY WORLDWIDE HEAD OF THE AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY AT THE 13 TH NATIONAL PEACE SYMPOSIUM AT THE BAITUL FUTUH MOSQUE, UK Peace Prize honoree Hadeel Qasim Hussein Al-Okbi, who was chosen for her dedicated work with refugees, shares the stage with other distinguished guests. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaba, the Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community said: Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem in the Name of Allah, the Gracious, Ever-Merciful. Assalamo Alaikum wa Rehmatullah wa Barakatohu - peace and blessings of Allah be upon you all. First of all I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all of our distinguished guests who have accepted our invitation and joined us here this evening. Your attendance is particularly noteworthy given that this event is taking place at a time when widespread fear of Islam is on the increase due to the horrific and disgraceful acts of terrorist groups. For example, last November, the world watched in horror when the terrorist attacks took place in Paris, and apart from this, there have been suicide bombings and attacks in various countries at regular intervals. In terms of the United Kingdom, very recently the Assistant Commissioner of Police warned that Daesh was planning enormous and Furthermore, there has been a sudden influx of refugees into Europe during the past year and this is causing a degree of fear, uncertainty and even panic in the minds of many people. spectacular terrorist attacks here in the UK, targeting high-profile and public places. Furthermore, there has been a sudden influx of refugees into Europe during the past year and this is causing a degree of fear, uncertainty and even panic in the minds of many people. In light of all of this, your attendance and willingness as non-muslims, to attend an event organised by a Muslim community, proves that you are courageous, tolerant and openhearted people. Nonetheless, the simple truth is that there is no need for anyone to fear true Islam. Whilst some people claim Islam to be a religion of extremism and one that promotes suicide attacks or other forms may 2016 The Review of Religions 13

8 terrorism was never justified by the prophet mohammad sa Recently, a well-known English columnist wrote about the rise of Islamophobia in a national newspaper. He wrote that he had done extensive research on suicide bombings and found that the first such attack took place in the 1980s, despite the fact that Islam had existed for well over 1300 years. of terrorism, nothing could be further from the truth. Recently, a well-known English columnist wrote about the rise of Islamophobia in a national newspaper. He wrote that he had done extensive research on suicide bombings and found that the first such attack took place in the 1980s, despite the fact that Islam had existed for well over 1300 years. He concluded that if Islam permitted or encouraged such attacks then they ought to have occurred from the outset of Islam and throughout its history. His point was valid and very well made and proved that such attacks were a modern-day evil, far removed from the true and peaceful teachings of Islam. Certainly, Islam has very clearly prohibited all forms of suicide and so there is no justification whatsoever for suicide attacks or any other forms of terrorism. Such heinous acts lead to the murder and barbaric slaughter of innocent women, children and other members of the public. A recent research article by Dr. Considine of Rice University, in Houston, Texas, clearly says that the persecution of Christians in the so-called Islamic state is not justified by Prophet Muhammad s sa writings. It further states that the Prophet s sa vision of a Muslim nation was one of religious pluralism and civil rights. Thus let it be clear that such acts are absolutely contrary to Islamic teachings. If Islam has ever permitted warfare, it is only to the extent of a defensive war, where war has been forced upon you. For example, in chapter 22, verse 40, of the Holy Qur an, Allah the Almighty has said that permission for warfare is given to those people upon whom war has been forcibly imposed. In that same verse, Allah the Almighty said that in the case of religious warfare He would help and support those who had been wronged. In early Islam, the wars that took place were genuine religious wars fought for the sake of upholding the fundamental principle of universal religious freedom. History proves that the wars fought with this intention made Muslims victorious, regardless of the fact that a handful of unequipped Muslims fought against huge, well-equipped armies. However, as a Muslim, when I analyse the wars involving Muslims today, I am certain that they cannot be classed as religious wars. For one, most of the wars taking place in the Muslim world are either internal civil strife or with Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba addresses the audience at the 13th annual Peace Symposium. the neighbouring Muslim countries. Secondly if ever non-muslim countries are involved, they have never declared the war as religious and rather helped both sides of Muslims. Thus present-day wars are not being fought for the sake of Islam or for the sake of religion, but are for economic or geopolitical gains and are proving only a means of defaming Islam s name. And so based upon what I have just said, I hope it is now clear that there is no need to fear Islam and that it is not a religion of extremism or one that permits suicide 14 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 15

9 terrorism was never justified by the prophet mohammad sa Thus, when Allah the Almighty is the Provider and Sustainer of all people and Gracious, Ever-Merciful, how could it be that He desired for those who believed in Him to mercilessly murder, violently oppose or harm His Creation in any way? Of course the answer is that it is not possible. attacks or indiscriminate violence. There is no need for Islamophobia because Islam s true teachings are of peace, tolerance and mutual respect. Islam s teachings are of upholding human values and protecting the honour, dignity and freedoms of all people. However, of course, we are all well aware that there are some extremists and so-called Islamic groups that are perpetrating the very worst forms of brutality in the name of Islam. Nevertheless, the verse of the Qur an I quoted earlier makes it clear that such acts are not permitted or justified in any shape or form by Islam. Another significant matter, which instead of leading me as a Muslim towards warfare and violence, leads me towards exhibiting love for all of humanity, is the fact that in the second verse of the very first chapter of the Holy Qur an, it is stated that Allah the Almighty is the Provider and Sustainer of all the worlds. And the third verse states that He is the Gracious, Ever-Merciful. Thus, when Allah the Almighty is the Provider and Sustainer of all people and Gracious, Ever-Merciful, how could it be that He desired for those who believed in Him to mercilessly murder, violently oppose or harm His Creation in any way? Of course the answer is that it is not possible. Nonetheless, Allah the Almighty has certainly permitted for action to be taken to stop cruelty, inhumanity and injustice. Islam states that a Muslim should seek to stop the hand of an oppressor and to end all forms of injustice and transgression. According to Islam there are two ways in which this can be achieved. Firstly, it is far better if peace can be attained through mutual dialogue, negotiations and diplomacy. However, where this is not possible, only then force may be used in order to stop wrongdoing with the intention of establishing sustainable peace. Guest speakers at the symposium included, from left to right: London mayoral candidate and Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith; Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for Countering Extremism; Rafiq Hayat, National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK; Siobhan McDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden, and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community ; and the Rt. Hon. Justine Greening, MP for Putney and Secretary of State for International Development. Outside of the religious context, in every society and nation, there are rules and laws that exist and if they are violated then punitive action is normally taken. If it is possible to reform without punishment or with just a mild sanction or reprimand, that is better; however, if that is not possible then severe punishment is duly discharged for the benefit of the wider society and as a means of deterrent to others. Moving to a religious context, according to Islam, punishment or sanction is permitted not as a means of revenge or retribution, but only as a means of ending cruelty or persecution and as a means of positive reformation. The Holy Qur an has said that if a person or group can be rehabilitated through forgiveness and mercy then this method should be adopted. However, if clemency or forbearance does not prove effective then punishment should be administered as a means of reformation and improvement. Therefore the philosophy underpinning punishment in Islam is extremely far-sighted and quite unique. Its purpose is to reform, rehabilitate and improve. It is to develop the highest standards of human values amongst mankind so that, by adopting the Attributes of their Creator, all people come to respect and care for one another. Therefore, where the rights of an individual or group are unjustly usurped, Islam permits punishments that are proportionate to the crime, however it remains the case that if reformation can be achieved without sanction it is preferable. This is why Allah the Almighty has said in chapter 24, verse 23, of the Holy Qur an that it is better to forgive and to manifest forbearance. Similarly, in chapter 3, verse 135, Allah the Almighty has said that those who suppress their anger and who forgive 16 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 17

10 terrorism was never justified by the prophet mohammad sa Allah the Almighty desires for all people to live together in peace and to be free from all forms of persecution and injustice. In terms of belief, Islam enshrines the principles of universal religious freedom and freedom of conscience. and forget are those whom Allah loves and prefers. Furthermore, at many other places in the Holy Qur an, it is stated that a person should forgive wherever possible, because the ultimate purpose is always moral reformation, rather than vengeance. In terms of conflict between nations or groups, Allah the Almighty has given a golden principle for the establishment of long-lasting peace in chapter 49, verse 10, of the Holy Qur an. In the verse, it states that if there is a dispute between nations or groups, third parties should seek to mediate and to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict. In the event of an agreement, all parties should act equitably, but if either party contravenes the settlement and takes aggressive measures, then the other nations or groups should unite together and even use force if necessary to stop the aggressor. However, once the aggressive party withdraws and adopts peace they should not be unduly restricted but should be permitted to move forward as an independent nation and a free society. Therefore, as the Provider and Sustainer of all of mankind, Allah the Almighty desires for all people to live together in peace and to be free from all forms of persecution and injustice. In terms of belief, Islam enshrines the principles of universal religious freedom and freedom of conscience. According to Islam, every person not only has the right of freedom of belief, but also has the right to peacefully propagate their beliefs. Faith is, and always will be, a matter of the heart and so there should never be any form of compulsion in religion. Whilst Allah the Almighty has deemed Islam to be a complete teaching, no one has the right to forcefully convert others to it. Anyone, whether religious or not, is free to accept Islam, but the key point is that it should be accepted freely and entirely of one s own volition and choice. Attendees at the Peace Symposium listen to His Holinesss, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba. Similarly, if a Muslim decides that he wishes to leave Islam, then, according to the teachings of the Qur an, he or she has the right to do so. Whilst we believe Islam to be a universal religion and a timeless teaching, if anyone chooses to leave it then that is their choice and prerogative. In chapter 5, verse 55, Allah says that if anyone wants to leave, let them go. He will replace 18 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 19

11 terrorism was never justified by the prophet mohammad sa In fact, he said that a true Muslim should love others, irrespective of their background or belief, in the same way that a mother loves her child. Certainly, this is the highest and purest form of love. of the Universe and the Sustainer of all the Worlds, but have not truly comprehended the meaning of this and have consequently moved far away from Islam s original teachings. Hence, it was to enlighten and educate mankind of the true Islam that we, Ahmadi Muslims, believe that Allah the Almighty sent the Founder of our Community, as the Promised Messiah and Reformer of the Age. to whoever is kind to you and to favour them in return, whether they be your monarch or ruler or whether they be the most simple and humble of people. And you should keep always keep a loving bond with them. Furthermore, the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, has also explained the true meaning of chapter 16, verse 91, of the Holy Qur an, in which Allah the Almighty states: True Muslims exude a mother s love to everyone, not just their own children. them with better and sincere ones. No government, group or individual has a right to punish them or sanction them in any way. Thus, the allegation that Islam mandates punishment for apostasy is entirely unjust and without foundation. Therefore the teachings of Islam all revolve around Allah and His Being and the fact that He is the Sustainer and Provider for the entire universe. Consequently, if a Muslim seeks to inflict merciless cruelties or to indulge in any forms of extremism then they will have to reject God s Attribute of being the Sustainer of all of mankind. Alternatively, it may be that certain Muslims accept Allah to be the Master He informed us that the era of religious warfare had come to an end and that God Almighty desired for mankind to live in peace and to fulfil the rights of their Creator and of one another. Addressing his followers about this, the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian once said: According to the true spirit of the teachings of Islam there are only two parts of the religion, or it can be said that the religion is based upon two paramount objectives. First of all is to recognise the One God with absolute certainty and to sincerely love Him and to submerge yourself entirely in His obedience, as per the demands of love and submission. The second purpose is to serve His people and to utilise all of your capabilities and faculties in the loving service of others and to always show sincere gratitude Verily, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others; and giving like kindred. The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community states that in this verse Muslims are commanded by Allah to be just and fair towards all others. Therefore, Muslims are commanded to be kind and to extend favour to all other people, including those who have not been sympathetic to them or favoured them in any way. Finally, he explained that the verse required a Muslim to love God s Creation to such an extent that they considered every person in the world to be like their own close family member. In fact, he said that a true Muslim should love others, irrespective of their background or belief, in the same way that a mother loves her child. Certainly, this Rafal Olechowski Shutterstock.com is the highest and purest form of love because in terms of the second stage, where a person exhibits kindness or favour, it is possible that an element of self-projection remains, whether covert or overt, and at some point, the individual may remind the person of their gesture and seek favour in return. However, a mother s love is truly selfless and altruistic and her unique bond with her child is such that she is willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of her offspring. She desires nothing in return and nor does she require any form of praise or tribute. Therefore, this is the ultimate standard that Islam advocates, whereby Muslims are taught to love all 20 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 21

12 terrorism was never justified by the prophet mohammad sa Publicity is the oxygen sustaining most terrorist or extremist groups and so I have no doubt that if the media takes on board what I have said we will soon find that the terrorism and violence afflicting the world will begin to die away. of humanity as a mother loves her child. These are the true teachings of Islam. Allah the Almighty has said that those who believe in Him should adopt His Attributes and so it is impossible for a true Muslim to be cruel and it is similarly impossible for Islam to permit any form of injustice, violence or extremism. Over the years, I have made these points time and time again and have highlighted these core Islamic teachings. I have repeatedly quoted the Holy Qur an to prove that what I am saying is based on Islam s authentic teachings. However, it remains that our peaceful and inclusive message is not covered extensively in the media, whilst on the other hand those relatively few people involved in brutality and carnage are given non-stop worldwide media coverage and attention. There is no doubt that the media plays a huge role in influencing public opinion and so the media should use this power responsibly - as a force for good and as a force for peace. It should show the world what true Islam represents, rather than focusing on the merciless acts of a minority. Publicity is the oxygen sustaining most terrorist or extremist groups and so I have no doubt that if the media takes on board what I have said we will soon find that the terrorism and violence afflicting the world will begin to die away. Personally, I cannot comprehend how the extremists who have plagued Islam and violated its noble teachings can seek to justify their hateful acts in its name. Islam s teachings of peace prohibit all forms of extremism, to the extent, that even in a state of legitimate war, Allah has commanded that any action or punishment should remain proportionate to the crimes committed and that it is better if patience and forgiveness is manifest. Thus, all those so-called Muslims who are engaged in violence, injustice and brutality are inviting God s wrath and anger to their doorstep. At a time when fear of Islam is ever increasing, let me stress again that the Holy Qur an has repeatedly enjoined love, compassion and benevolence. If in certain extreme circumstances the Qur an permitted defensive warfare, it was only in order to establish peace. Today, we observe that the majority of governments or groups, whether Muslims or non-muslims, involved in warfare also claim that they are fighting for the sake of establishing peace. In terms of perception, it seems that most people are willing to overlook the wars conducted by certain world powers or at least not affiliate their actions to any religion or belief. However, as we live in a climate in which Islam s teachings are being targeted, we see that all cruelties or wars carried out by Muslims are immediately linked to the teachings of Islam. Yet the voices of those people and those groups who are earnestly striving to spread Islam s true and peaceful teachings are not being heard and not being widely publicised. In my opinion this is unjust and extremely counter-productive. At a time If the media prioritised peace over ratings, we would soon see the imminent demise of Daesh and other terrorist organisations. Brian A. Jackson Shutterstock.com of worldwide conflict, we should remember this basic principle that it is better for all forms of evil and cruelty to be suppressed and for all forms of goodness and humanity to be endorsed. In this way, evil will not spread far, whilst virtue and peace will spread far and wide and adorn our society. If we promote the good that is happening in the world, we can overcome those who seek to undermine our cherished values of mercy and humanity. Yet the world does not seem to have accepted or understood this principle and that is why the media continues to prioritise its circulation or viewing figures over and beyond the peace of the world. The 22 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 23

13 terrorism was never justified by the prophet mohammad sa The media, which gladly focuses on the tiny minority involved in brutality, are feeding the propaganda machines of evil groups such as Daesh, yet they fail in their duty to highlight all that is good in the world. media, which gladly focuses on the tiny minority involved in brutality, are feeding the propaganda machines of evil groups such as Daesh, yet they fail in their duty to highlight all that is good in the world. This is an injustice that is sowing the seeds of further division and conflict. In terms of world politics and defeating terrorism, it is necessary to accept that establishing peace is our paramount objective and so compromise from all sides is required. In case you do not trust the words of a Muslim, let me present to you the views of eminent non-muslims who are well-versed in political affairs and who desire peace in the world. For example, when speaking about how to defeat extremism and in particular the terrorist group Daesh, Austria s Foreign Minister recently said: We need a pragmatic approach, including the involvement of President Al-Assad in the fight against Islamic State terror. In my opinion the priority is the fight against terrorism. This is not possible without powers such as Russia and Iran. Further, Professor John Gray, a retired political philosopher who taught for many years at The London School of Economics, recently wrote about the importance of prioritising peace over the type of political system in place. He wrote: The form of government democratic, despotic, monarchical or republican is less important than the capacity to deliver peace. In my opinion, this was an extremely insightful comment, yet the world s major powers have continued to prioritise regime change in countries that were previously relatively stable. For example, the West was determined to remove Saddam Hussein from Iraq and the painful consequences of that war 13 years ago continue to be felt to this day. Another prominent example is Libya, whereby President Gaddafi was forcibly removed from office in 2011 and ever since Libya has spiralled into a state of lawlessness and unbridled chaos. A direct consequence of the political vacuum in Libya has been the fact that Daesh has now built a significant base and terror network in the country, which it is continuing to strengthen. The situation is now extremely dangerous, not only for the region, but also for Europe and this is something that I warned of some years ago. Therefore, the priority in such countries should not be regime change for the sake of it. Rather, it should be to ensure that the members of the public are given their due rights and for long-term peace to be established. Going back to Syria, I agree with the Austrian Foreign Minister when he says that the overriding objective should be to establish peace. Hence, the major powers should be willing to open the channels of communication with Syria s Government and to seek the help of other neighbouring countries that have influence in the region. Remember, positive change is only possible if one is willing to set aside their personal interests for the greater good It is more important that a government ensures a peaceful stable society, rather than conforming to a certain type of government. Anurak Pongpatimet Shutterstock.com and is willing to act fairly at all times. As I have already said, Islam says that justice is the foundation upon which peace is built. And so we must pay heed to the urgent issues of our time. For many years I have warned that the world is moving rapidly towards another world war and now others are reaching the same conclusion. In fact, some prominent people are now saying that they believe that a world war has already begun. Nonetheless, I believe that we still have the time to stop such a war in its tracks but the solution remains, as I have already said, to act with justice and to leave aside all vested interests. On a number of previous occasions, I have 24 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 25

14 terrorism was never justified by the prophet mohammad sa Furthermore, in terms of the sale of oil, it is well-known that different groups and even governments are purchasing oil from Daesh. Why has this trade not been stopped? Why have comprehensive sanctions not been imposed to prevent such deals? It seems that when it comes to acquiring oil, morality goes out of the window. Daesh acquires dollars from the Federal Reserve Bank through Iraq s central bank. We can defeat these terrorist groups more quickly if we cut the funding off at the source. Tetra Images Shutterstock.com spoken about the critical importance of cutting the funding and supply lines of extremist groups. Yet it cannot be said that full efforts are being made in this regard. For example, a recent special investigative report published by The Wall Street Journal stated that Daesh was acquiring huge quantities of U.S. dollars from auctions being held by Iraq s central bank. Those same dollars were being provided to Iraq directly from the Federal Reserve in the United States. The article stated that the U.S. Government had known about this since at least June 2015, but personally I believe that world powers knew about such trading for much longer. Furthermore, in terms of the sale of oil, it is well-known that different groups and even governments are purchasing oil from Daesh. Why has this trade not been stopped? Why have comprehensive sanctions not been imposed to prevent such deals? It seems that when it comes to acquiring oil, morality goes out of the window. This is a point that was also made by Professor Leif Wenar of King s College London in a recent article where he said: The world tolerates all forms of atrocities for the sake of gaining oil. Thus countries have bought oil from Daesh and from Sudan where a lot of human rights abuses have taken place. This is a violation of proper fundamental market economics whereby violence should not create property rights. Furthermore, in a recent article, the Director of the Iraq Energy Institute explained how Daesh was selling its oil. The author wrote: Crude oil is transported by tankers to Jordan via Anbar province, to Iran via Kurdistan, to Turkey via Mosul, to Syria s local market and to the Kurdistan region of Iraq, where most of it gets refined locally. It defies logic to say that state officials are not complicit in this trade. Therefore, whilst it is claimed that all possible efforts are being made to eradicate terrorism and extremism, the evidence does not substantiate this claim. Given all of this, how can it be said that there is true justice in the world? How can it be claimed that honesty and integrity are considered paramount? Similarly, recently there has been widespread media coverage documenting the global arms trade. According to official reports last year the United States exported weapons worth $46.6 billion dollars, which was an increase of more than $12 billion dollars from the previous year. It was further reported that the majority of those weapons were sold to countries in the Middle East and in turn they were fuelling the wars in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. I reiterate that if such trading is taking place, how is it possible for justice and peace to be established? These few examples I have cited are all in the public domain and are the views of respected analysts and commentators. Until principles of justice are exhibited at all levels of society and between nations we will not see true peace in the world. Without justice it could take decades to defeat the evil that is Daesh and other extremist groups. However, if the world heeds this message and comes to manifest justice and genuine efforts are made to restrict the funding and supply lines of terrorism then I believe unlike a retired American military general who recently said the war against Daesh will last between 10 and 20 years that the networks of terrorism tormenting the world can be destroyed imminently. 26 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 27

15 SUBSCRIBE NOW! The magazine devoted to promoting intellectual and lively debate that is based on respect for all religions. His Holiness aba leads the audience in silent prayer. 12 Issues for 15 LESS THAN 1.99 A MONTH PLUS FREE DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR In conclusion, it is my belief that unless the world comes to recognise its Creator and accepts Him as the Sustainer of mankind, true justice cannot prevail. Not only will true justice not prevail, but we will also experience a lethal nuclear war whose catastrophic consequences will be faced by our future generations. I pray that the world comes to understand this reality. I pray that we all play our respective roles in furthering the cause of humanity. And I pray that true peace, based upon justice, is established in all parts of the world. With these words I would like to once again take the opportunity to thank all of our guests for joining us this evening. May Allah bless you all. Thank you very much. Your feedback is important to us Write to us with comments, feedback and suggestions at info@reviewof Religions.org JULY 2014 Suffer Pain to Bring Comfort to Humanity 10 The Significance of Ramadan 14 ISLAM A THREAT OR A SOURCE OF PEACE? CASE STUDY: GERMANY Religious Trends in Germany 24 VOL ISSUE SEVEN Khalifah of the Promised Messiah in Germany 40 SEPTEMBER 2013 Chimes of Messiah 8 The Beginning of Creation in Scriptures of Different Religions 34 ISLAM - A RELIGION of PEACE & COMPASSION Khalifah of the Promised Messiah as at the Houses of Parliament 46 Guests Reflect on the Houses of Parliament Event 62 Khalifah of Promised Messiah Sends Letter to Russian President 30 For more information Visit: ReviewofReligions.org/Subscription Call (UK Head office) : +44 (020) Accounts@ReviewofReligions.org VOL ISSUE NINE NOVEMBER 2013 Syria - A Religious Heritage 34 SYRIA IN CRISIS Medical Consequences of Nuclear War 46 The World in Need of a Reformer 74 VOL ISSUE ELEVEN 28 The Review of Religions may 2016

16 JANUARY 2015 Bitcoin: On Behalf of The Future 14 JULY 2015 Why The Honeybee is Dying and What It Means for Life on Earth 16 Educating Our Children 24 Wonders Experienced Through Fasting The Difference Between True Islam & Extremist Groups 30 The Islamic Dilemma Should We Fear the Religion of Peace? 30 VOL ISSUE 1 FGM Not in The Name of Religion 50 VOL ISSUE SEVEN Atheism or Belief - Which is evidence Based? 42 FEBRUARY 2015 God - His Transcedence and Manifestation 12 AUGUST 2015 The Sign of the Heavens 20 Untold Stories 26 The Plague 58 From the Archives: My Visit to Qadian 38 S P E C I A L P A G E E D I T I O N A Murder in British Lahore: Closing the Case of Lekh Ram 80 VOL ISSUE TWO Preaching Activities of Jesus as in the East 46 VOL ISSUE EIGHT World War One: Centenary of Fulfliment of a Grand Prophecy 102 MARCH 2015 A Message of Peace 10 SEPTEMBER 2015 The Economic System of Islam 10 Legal Right Verses Moral Duty 38 The Institution of Hajj 20 Is it Permissable for Prisoners of War to be Executed? 56 Mahmud s Letter From the Land of the Dearest One [Muhammad sa ] 24 VOL ISSUE THREE The Life of the Prophet Muhammad sa 68 VOL ISSUE NINE The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets sa 52 APRIL 2015 Firm Stance Against Terror At Peace Symposium 8 OCTOBER 2015 Halloween Fear or Fun? 10 The Golden Principles for World Peace 16 Shariah: A Semantic Oxymoron? 28 Three Minutes and Counting 38 Connecting to Khilafat: A Guidance for Today s Muslim Youth 36 VOL ISSUE FOUR Has Science Rendered Religion Obsolete? 66 VOL ISSUE TEN Islam s Response to the Destruction of Cultural Heritage 56 MAY 2015 Is the Shroud of Turin a Medieval Photograph? 22 NOVEMBER 2015 The Sudarium of Oviedo and the Shroud of Turin 40 Mufti Muhammad World Peace & Security Sadiq ra An Early Ray of - The Critical Issues of Western Sunrise Our Time A Brief Review of Recent CNN Documentary on the Shroud 56 Responsibilities of an Ahmadi Muslim 50 VOL ISSUE FIVE The Oviedo Cloth by Mark Guscin: Book Review 66 VOL ISSUE ELEVEN The Economic System of Islam 56 JUNE 2015 The Race to Conquer the Secret of Life 14 DECEMBER 2015 Three Gradations of Doing Good 14 The Spiritual Benefits of Fasting 24 Is Religion Truly the Cause of Disorder in the World Today? Is Religion Truly the Cause of Disorder in the World Today? Navigating Life in the 21st Century 32 Apartheid of Ahmadis in Pakistan 52 Visits to Sacred Places 54 VOL ISSUE SIX VOL ISSUE TWELVE Women s Responsibilities: Fulfilling the Conditions of Bai at 78 The front covers of our 12 Editions in 2015 ERADICATING EXTREMISM EYES CANNOT REACH HIM... REACTION to CHARLIE HEBDO...? RAY OF HOPE? The RESURRECTION Shrouding The Truth? NAVIGATING LIFE in the 21 ST CENTURY Spirituality, Morality & Material Progress The ISLAMIC DILEMMA Should We Fear the Religion of Peace? EVIDENCE FOR THE TRUTH You be the Judge... From the LETTERS of MAHMUD RA A HISTORIC JOURNEY TO THE HOUSE OF GOD SERMON on the MOUNT Connecting to Khilafat: A Guidance for Today s Muslim Youth SERMON on the MOUNT WORLD PEACE & SECURITY: THE CRITICAL ISSUES OF OUR TIME The BLAME GAME Is religion truly the cause of disorder in the world today? To order back issues info@reviewofreligions.org Subscribe 12 editions for just 15 gbp or $30 Usd Students! 12 editions for just 5 gbp or $10 Usd

17 The Promised Messiah as & imam mahdi (guided one) founder of the review of religions Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as Peace Requires Compassion My countrymen, a religion which does not inculcate universal compassion is no religion at all. Similarly, a human being without the faculty of compassion is no human at all. Our God has never discriminated between one people and another. This is illustrated by the fact that all the potentials and capabilities which have been granted to the Aryans have also been granted to the races inhabiting Arabia, Persia, Syria, China, Japan, Europe and America. The earth created by God provides a common floor for all people alike, and His sun and moon and many stars are a source of radiance and provide many other benefits to all alike. Likewise, all peoples benefit from the elements created by Him, such as air, water, fire and earth, and similarly from other products created by Him like grain, fruit, and healing agents, etc. These attributes of God teach us the lesson that we, too, should behave magnanimously and kindly towards our fellow human beings and should not be petty of heart and illiberal. Friends! Take it as certain that if either of our two nations will not treat God s attributes with respect and will not shape its conduct in accordance with the conduct of God, then, that nation will soon be wiped out from the face of the earth. Not only will it destroy itself but it will also jeopardise the future of its generations to come. The righteous of all ages have testified that following God s ways works like an elixir for the people. Moreover the survival of human beings, both physical and spiritual, depends on the same eternal truth that man should follow

18 the virtuous attributes of God Who is the Fountainhead of all that is essential for survival. God commences the Holy Qur an with the following verse which is contained in Surah Al-Fatihah: All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the Worlds. 1 That is, all perfect and holy attributes belong exclusively to Allah, Who is the Lord of all the worlds. The word alam [worlds] comprises all different peoples, all different ages and all the different countries. The commencement of the Holy Qur an with this verse was designed to counter the views of such people who attempted to monopolise God s unlimited providence for their own nation and imagined that the other nations did not belong to God or that having created these other people, God discarded them as being of no consequence, or else perhaps they were shelved to oblivion by Him, or (God forbid) they were not even created by Him 2 God also made it clear in several places in the Holy Qur an that His messengers have been appearing in different lands all over the world. In fact He did not neglect any people or any country. The Holy Qur an explains through various examples that just as God has been looking after the physical development of the people of every country, in accordance with their requirements, so has He blessed every country and every people with spiritual upbringing. Allah says in the Holy Qur an: [ and there is no people to whom a warner has not been sent ], meaning that there is no people to whom a Warner has not been sent. 3 Therefore, there is no question that the True and Perfect God, to believe in Whom is essential for every person, is the Lord of all the worlds. Furthermore, His providence is not confined to any particular people, age or country. In fact, He is the Lord of all peoples, the Lord of time and space, and He is the Sovereign of all the countries. He alone is the Fountainhead of all beneficence and the Source of every physical and spiritual strength. All that exists is sustained by Him. He is the Support for every creature. It is the universal beneficence of God which encompasses all peoples, all countries and all ages. It so happened lest anyone should have cause to complain that God has bestowed His favour upon such and such people, but not upon us. Or that So and so received the Book in order to be guided while we did not. Or that In such and such an age, He revealed Himself through His revelations, communications and miracles but in our time He remained hidden. Thus, by demonstrating His universal beneficence, He left no justification for such possible accusations. He displayed His virtues boundlessly so that no people remain bereft of physical and spiritual bounties from Him. He also did not treat any age as doomed. So, when such are the attributes of our Lord, it is but befitting for us to acquire them ourselves. So, O compatriots! This short epistle entitled A Message of Peace is being presented to you with all due respect and with a sincere heartfelt prayer that Almighty God may Himself inspire you and fill your hearts with trust in my sincerity, lest you misread this friendly gesture and consider it to be an attempt to gain some ulterior motive. Dear Countrymen! The matter of the Hereafter is very often obscured to ordinary people. Its secrets are known only to a few of the enlightened, who embrace a kind of death [for the sake of their Lord] before they actually die. The goodness of this world, on the other hand, is easily recognised by any man with vision and wisdom. 4 endnotes 1. Holy Qur an, Surah Al-Fatihah, Verse Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, A Message of Peace (Tilford, Surrey, UK: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2007), Holy Qur an, Surah Al-Fatir, Verse Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, A Message of Peace (Tilford, Surrey, UK: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2007), 9-10.

19 Gene Editing: Harnessing the Power of Nature Sinwan Basharat, Toronto, Canada In an age where engineering advancements are producing remarkable technologies, one is amazed at the power of human innovation. However astonishing these technical advancements are, one should not forget the unshakable truth of the Holy Qur an, which affirms that despite the wondrous capability of humans to engineer, all these inventions pale in significance compared to the creation of God, the Ultimate Creator. Human DNA consists of about 3 billion bases, and more than 99 percent of those bases are the same in all people. The order, or sequence, of these bases determines the information available for building and maintaining an organism. Creations Shutterstock.com Blessed be Allah, the Best of Creators 1 The field of biotechnology is built upon this very principle, that the greatest innovations are inherent within nature, and it is only a matter of identifying and harnessing the power of organisms for humans to use. The challenge is in finding a system which can be perfectly employed. The complexities that are found even in microorganisms such as bacteria are so extensive, that it was only in the 20 th century that scientists began to understand how beneficial they could be to humans. It was in 1928 that scientists discovered penicillin, the first antibiotic. Antibiotics are chemicals produced by bacteria and fungi to fight off other microorganisms. Their discovery transformed medicine and led to the rapid reduction of infectious diseases across the world, saving millions of lives. Later, scientists discovered that due to the relative simplicity of these microorganisms in comparison to animals and plants, bacterial genes could be easily modified or changed, in a process known as recombination. This discovery was not only instrumental in understanding how DNA works, but opened the doors to the field of genetic engineering. Today, many medical treatments are based upon such technology. Have you ever considered where insulin is made? Instead of going through the complexities of synthesising insulin, scientists simply take the insulin gene and recombine it into bacterial DNA. These bacteria then make large quantities of the hormone which can be collected. For example, patients suffering from diabetes have very high levels of sugar in their blood because they are deficient in the hormone insulin. In order to treat diabetes, patients are given injections of insulin. Have you ever considered where insulin is made? Instead of going through the complexities of synthesising insulin, scientists simply take the insulin gene and recombine it into bacterial DNA. These bacteria then make large quantities of the hormone which can be collected. Hence, bacteria can act may 2016 The Review of Religions 37

20 gene editing: harnessing the power of nature And He Has Subjected to You Whatsoever is in the Heavens and Whatsoever is in the Earth: All This is From Him. In That Surely are Signs For a People Who Reflect. 2 found that CRISPR serves as an immune defence system in bacteria, and only recently has its potential for gene editing been explored. 6 How does CRISPR work and how is it used for gene manipulation? Microorganisms such as the bacteria Escherichia coli have been instrumental in developing the field of biotechnology and genetic engineering. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health Released under CC BY 2.0 as remarkable genetic factories, with the ability to churn out whichever protein is inserted into their DNA. Many other drugs are produced in a similar way, by genetically modifying bacteria. This great capability to harness the power of microorganisms makes one grateful to the beneficence of The Gracious God. The intricacies of bacteria are greater than even the most complex of human creations and God has permitted humans to benefit from them. Over decades, the field of genetic engineering has progressed steadily and has led to the production of genetically modified plants, insects and even animals such as mice, which are used to study models of human diseases. However, since these animals are more complex than bacteria, their production has proven difficult, time consuming and expensive. 3 This has limited production only to those scientific or industrial labs which house special facilities and have ample resources. 4 Today however, we are amidst a revolution that is making gene editing a simple and routine process, which is being adopted in laboratories across the world. While there are multiple new gene editing techniques being developed, the most popular one is known as CRISPR (pronounced as crisper, short for Clustered Regularly-Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats). CRISPR-Cas (Cas stands for CRISPR-Associated protein) was originally discovered in the 1980s in bacteria but its function was not understood at the time. 5 In the early 2000s, researchers Bacteria, like all organisms, face a real threat from invasive viruses. However, bacteria are vulnerable as they are single-celled and so do not have any special cells dedicated to recognising and fighting off invaders, unlike animals, who have white blood cells and other immune cells. One of the ways bacteria defend themselves against viruses is by having short copies of different viral genes within their own DNA, which are known as CRISPR. 2 The CRISPR genes are always on surveillance duty. When a bacteria is attacked by a virus, the genes match up to the viral DNA that has entered into the bacteria. The Cas protein is then able to cut the foreign DNA at the specific sites where there is a match between the viral DNA and the bacterial viral DNA copy, essentially destroying the invading virus. 7 Interestingly, when exposed to new viruses, bacteria can expand their library of CRISPR genes and build up their arsenal of recognising future viruses. 8 Scientists have discovered that, instead of a viral gene, a portion of any other Insulin hormone injections have transformed the lives of those living with diabetes and it is another example of the positive impact genetically modified bacteria has had on the world. Andrey Popov Shutterstock.com gene can also be placed into the CRISPR library in the bacterial DNA. Once a cell encounters that specific gene again, the CRISPR-Cas system lines up its own copy of the DNA with the foreign DNA and cuts the foreign DNA precisely, enabling the gene to be removed and another gene to be put in its place. 9 From this, the altered foreign DNA can be transferred into different types of cells in a wide variety of organisms, ranging from insects to plants and even to human cells. 10,11 It is popular because of its simplicity, low cost and high efficiency. For this very reason, CRISPR is revolutionising the field by democratising gene editing, i.e., making gene editing possible in ordinary scientific laboratories The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 39

21 gene editing: harnessing the power of nature Special proteins read the genetic code found in all living things. With CRISPR a permanent change can be made in genes leading to a different protein being formed. David Bushnell, Ken Westover and Roger Kornberg, Stanford University flickr.com Released under CC BY 2.0 Similarly, in October 2015, scientists used CRISPR to successfully make a genetically altered line of mosquitoes resistant to the carriage of the malaria parasite. Although their experiment was only meant to illustrate that such gene editing was easily possible, the effects of manipulating an entire insect population could have catastrophic and unforeseen consequences within the ecosystem. Scientists from multiple fields are using CRISPR to add or remove genes, to study the role of specific mutations and to develop animal models to see how diseases are inherited. 13,14 Moreover, CRISPR is becoming a highly attractive tool because it offers the potential to correct genetic disorders and may even be used as a gene therapy in humans to replace faulty genes. 15 Yet, this great breakthrough is not without controversy. The scientific community was both intrigued and startled in April 2015, when Chinese scientists used CRISPR on human embryos collected from fertility clinics. The researchers used the gene-editing tool to alter the gene responsible for causing a blood disorder known as β-thalassemia. The scientists were able to successfully alter the harmful mutation in a subset of the embryos but found that some complications, such as off-target effects (i.e., other genes being altered), also occurred. 16 Although the embryos they used were not able to develop into live births, their work nonetheless raised ethical concerns regarding CRISPR technology. Similarly, in October 2015, scientists used CRISPR to successfully make a genetically altered line of mosquitoes resistant to the carriage of the malaria parasite. 17 Their aim was to show that one possible way of reducing the incidence of malaria would be to release such genetically modified mosquitoes into the environment. These mosquitoes would replicate and spread across a region, coming to dominate the mosquito population and reducing the spread of malaria. Although their experiment was only meant to illustrate that such gene editing was easily possible, the effects of manipulating an entire insect population could have catastrophic and unforeseen consequences within the ecosystem. As CRISPR use expands, such controversial experimenting will continue. To discuss the ethical concerns, an international panel of scientists held a summit in Washington, D.C., in December They focused primarily on how gene editing should be used in humans and raised important questions. 18 Would the gene-editing tool be used in humans only to return dysfunctional genes to a functioning, healthy state, or would it be used to alter characteristics based on fashion and preference? What regulations and safety standards should be employed before hospitals and clinics begin to offer gene editing therapy to parents? The summit was an important step, but international laws and standards have yet to be enacted. 19 Remarkably, the Holy Qur an provided great insight into this modern concern 1400 years ago: And assuredly I (Satan) will lead them astray and assuredly I will excite in them vain desires and assuredly I will incite them and they will alter Allah s creation. And he who takes Satan for a friend beside Allah has certainly suffered a manifest loss. 20 The second Khalifah of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad ra, has expounded on this verse by stating that the meaning of altering Allah s creation can refer to deforming or disfiguring the body of a young child and also to turning to an evil use that which God has created for a good purpose. 21 Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad rh (fourth spiritual head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community), further explained that this verse is an emphatic prophecy which was fulfilled with the introduction of genetic engineering, something inconceivable when the Holy Qur an was revealed. Moreover, he explained that gene editing and similar technologies should only be used to protect the creation of 40 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 41

22 gene editing: harnessing the power of nature God. 22 That is, they should only be used to change a diseased state to a healthy state. If they are used to alter creation by bringing about unnatural innovations, then it could have catastrophic effects. Such a misuse of this technology would be against the teachings of God and would instead be motivated by Satan who stirs vain desires in man. 23 Gene editing using CRISPR beautifully harnesses the natural processes within bacteria created by God. It has immense potential to reduce suffering throughout the world and benefit mankind. Lasting treatments for incurable genetic diseases could finally be produced, thus improving the lives of millions of people. With this new wave of gene editing, it is the responsibility of the public and scientists alike to ensure that laws and regulations on this matter adopt the divine guidance given by God, the Ultimate Creator. Only then can we truly benefit from such technologies and be truly grateful to God and become recipients of His blessings. About the Author: Sinwan Basharat is a graduate student in molecular biology at the University of Toronto, Canada. endnotes 1. The Holy Qur an, 23: The Holy Qur an, 45: Hsu, Patrick D., Eric S. Lander, and Feng Zhang. Development And Applications of CRISPR-Cas9 for Genome Engineering. Cell 157, no. 6 (2014): doi: /j. cell Sander, Jeffry D., and J. Keith Joung. CRISPR-Cas Systems for Editing, Regulating and Targeting Genomes. Nature Biotechnology 32, no. 4 (February 2014): doi: / nbt Doudna, J. A., and E. Charpentier. The New Frontier of Genome Engineering with CRISPR-Cas9. Science 346, no (2014): doi: /science Ibid. 7. Sander and Joung, Crispr-Cas Systems. 8. Ibid. 9. Doudna and Charpentier, The New Frontier of Genome Engineering. 10. Ibid. 11. Yin, Hao, Wen Xue, Sidi Chen, Roman L. Bogorad, Eric Benedetti, Markus Grompe, Victor Koteliansky, Phillip A. Sharp, Tyler Jacks, and Daniel G. Anderson. Genome Editing with Cas9 in Adult Mice Corrects a Disease Mutation and Phenotype. Nature Biotechnology 32, no. 6 (2014): doi: /nbt Ledford, Heidi. CRISPR: Gene Editing Is Just the Beginning. Nature 531, no ( July 2016): doi: /531156a. 13. Hsu, Lander, and Zhang, Development and Applications of CRISPR-Cas. 14. Doudna and Charpentier, The New Frontier of Genome Engineering. 15. Ibid. 16. Liang, Puping, Yanwen Xu, Xiya Zhang, Chenhui Ding, Rui Huang, Zhen Zhang, Jie Lv, et al. CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Gene Editing in Human Tripronuclear Zygotes. Protein & Cell 6, no. 5 (2015): doi: / s Gantz, Valentino M., Nijole Jasinskiene, Olga Tatarenkova, Aniko Fazekas, Vanessa M. Macias, Ethan Bier, and Anthony A. James. Highly Efficient Cas9-Mediated Gene Drive for Population Modification of the Malaria Vector Mosquito Anopheles Stephensi. Proceedings Of the National Academy of Sciences 112, no. 49 (2015). doi: / pnas Wade, Nicholas. Scientists Seek Moratorium on Edits to Human Genome That Could Be Inherited. The New York Times, December 4, 2015 p. A1. Retrieved from html?_r= Wade, Scientists Seek Moratorium. 20. The Holy Qur an, 4: The Holy Qur an with English Translation and Commentary (Islamabad: Islam International Publications, 1988), Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Urdu Translation, Introduction of Chapters and Brief Explanatory Notes of The Holy Qur an (Islamabad: Islam International Publications, 2000), 154 (footnote). 23. Ahmad, Urdu Translation. 42 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 43

23 Life of The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa Did the Prophet sa Seek to Continue Warfare? In the battles which had so far been fought, Muslims had either remained in Madinah or gone some distance out of it to fight the aggression of disbelievers. Muslims did not initiate these encounters, and showed no disposition to continue them after they had started. Normally hostilities, once begun, can be ended in only two ways an agreed peace or the submission of one side to the other. In the encounters between Muslims and disbelievers so far there had been no hint of a peace nor had either side offered to submit. True, there had been pauses in the fighting, but nobody could say that war between Muslims and disbelievers had ended. According to ordinary canons, Muslims could have attacked the enemy tribes and compelled them to surrender. But Muslims did not do this. When the enemy stopped fighting, Muslims stopped also. They stopped because they believed there might be talk of peace. But when it became evident that there was no talk of peace by the disbelievers, nor was there any disposition on their part to surrender, the Prophet sa thought that the time had come to end the war either by peace or by the surrender of one side to the other. War had to be ended if there was to be peace. After the Battle of the Ditch, therefore, the Prophet sa seemed determined to secure one of two things; peace or surrender. That Muslims should surrender to disbelievers was out of the question. The victory of Islam over its persecutors had been promised by God. Declarations to this effect had been made by the Prophet sa during his stay at Makkah. Could Muslims then have sued for peace? A movement for peace can be initiated either by the stronger or by the weaker side. When the weaker side sues for peace it has to surrender, temporarily or permanently, a part of its territory or part of its revenues; or it has to accept other conditions imposed upon it by the enemy. When the stronger side proposes peace it is understood that it does not aim at may 2016 The Review of Religions 45

24 life of the holy prophet muhammad sa There was only one way open to Muslims if they wanted to put an end to this strife. They were not prepared to surrender their conscience to the Arabs, to renounce, that is to say, their right to profess, practise and preach what they liked; and there was no movement for peace from the side of disbelievers. Muslims had been able to repel repeated aggression. It was for them, therefore, to force the Arabs either to surrender or to accept peace. The Prophet sa decided to do so. the total destruction of the weaker side but is willing to let it retain complete or partial independence in return for certain conditions. In the battles which had so far been fought between Muslims and disbelievers the latter had suffered defeat after defeat. Yet their power had not been broken. They had only failed in their attempts to destroy Muslims. Failure to destroy another does not mean defeat. It only means that aggression has not yet succeeded; attacks which have failed may be repeated. The Makkans, therefore, had not been beaten; only their aggression against Muslims had failed. Militarily speaking, Muslims were decidedly the weaker side. True, their defence was still maintained, but they constituted a miserable minority and a minority which, though it had been able to resist the aggression of the majority, had been unable to take the offensive. Muslims, therefore, had not yet established their independence. If they had sued for peace, it would have meant that their defence had broken, and that they were now ready to accept the terms of the disbelievers. An offer of peace by them would have been disastrous for Islam. It would have meant self-annihilation. It would have brought new life to an enemy demoralised by repeated defeats. A growing sense of defeat would have given place to renewed hope and ambition. Disbelievers would have thought that though Muslims had saved Madinah, they were still pessimistic about their ultimate victory over disbelievers. A suggestion of peace, therefore, could not have proceeded from the Muslim side. It could have proceeded from the Makkan side, or from a third side, if a third side could have been found. No third side could, however, be found. In the conflict which had arisen Madinah was set against all Arabia. It was the disbelievers, therefore, who could have sued the Muslims for peace, and there was no sign of this. Thus warfare between Muslims and Arabs might have gone on forever. The Muslims could not, and the Arabs would not, sue for peace. Civil strife in Arabia, therefore, seemed to have no end, at least not for another hundred years. There was only one way open to Muslims if they wanted to put an end to this strife. They were not prepared to surrender their conscience to the Arabs, to renounce, that is to say, their right to profess, practise and preach what they liked; and there was no movement for peace from the side of disbelievers. Muslims had been able to repel repeated aggression. It was for them, therefore, to force the Arabs either to surrender or to accept peace. The Prophet sa decided to do so. Was it war which the Prophet sa sought? No, it was not war but peace that he wanted to bring about. If he had done nothing at this time, Arabia would have remained in the grip of civil warfare. The step which he took was the only way to Was it war which the Prophet sa sought? No, it was not war but peace that he wanted to bring about. If he had done nothing at this time, Arabia would have remained in the grip of civil warfare. peace. There have been some long wars in history. Some have lasted for a hundred years, some for thirty or so. Long wars have always resulted from lack of decisive action by either side. Decisive action, as we have said, can take only one of two forms complete surrender or a negotiated peace. 1 endnotes 1. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad ra, Life of Muhammad sa (Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications Limited, 2013), The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 47

25 A solitary voice, raised in Makkah, was, under Divine Command, calling people to the worship of One God and proclaiming that through responding to this call would humankind achieve true dignity, honour, prosperity and happiness both here and Hereafter. That voice was the voice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa, the Seal of the Prophets. In this popular biography, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud- Din Mahmud Ahmad ra outlines the life of the most influential man in history in an easy-to-digest manner. Read online here: Purchase book here:

26 The Economic System of Islam by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad ra Mirza Bashir-ud-Din U Mahmud Ahmad ra *The photos used in this article were not used in the original publication, but have been added to our serialisation by The Review of Religions to help illustrate the subject matter. The Review of Religions takes full responsibility for any errors in depiction.* We continue with the serialisation of the epic lecture delivered by the Second Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad ra, later published as a book titled The Economic System of Islam. In this tenth part of the series, the final arguments for objecting to Communism on the basis of religion are presented, including its negative impacts on the family system and the value of excelling in intelect. To read the first nine parts, visit our website: 8. Communism Destroys Family Relations The eighth flaw in Communism is that it destroys home life and family relations, which will ultimately cause its decline. Communism virtually ignores the deep natural bonds between parents and their children, between brothers and sisters, and other close relations united by ties of blood. In its eagerness to indoctrinate them into Communism and to move them away from religion, it decided to treat children as belonging to the State. Communism virtually ignores the deep natural bonds between parents and their children, between brothers and sisters, and other close relations united by ties of blood. In its eagerness to indoctrinate them into Communism and to move them away from religion, it decided to treat children as belonging to the State. Instead of being raised in the care of the mother and father, the child is put completely under the government s control at least according to the law. The result is that family relations are totally disrupted. This state of affairs too cannot continue for long. It must change, for otherwise a Russian would cease to be a normal human being. Although Communism appears at the moment to be firmly established in Russia, the fact is that Communism s evident success is basically due to a reaction against the miseries wrought by the czarist regime. If Communism continues to may 2016 The Review of Religions 51

27 the economic system of islam Communism ignores blood ties and the bonds between family members and it treats children as if they belong to the state. Tomsickova Tatyana Shutterstock.com Let the world beware that such bonds of love cannot be crushed; a day will dawn when a mother will be loved as a mother, a father will be honoured as a father, and a sister will get her due place. be successful after the memory of those sufferings fades away, one could say that it succeeded in eliminating the natural bonds of love between parents and children and among siblings. Let the world beware that such bonds of love cannot be crushed; a day will dawn when a mother will be loved as a mother, a father will be honoured as a father, and a sister will get her due place. The hitherto suppressed bonds would surely reassert themselves. But right now, the system regards a man simply as a machine, not as a man. It has no respect for the feelings of a mother, a father, a sister, or any other relative. This concept of man as a piece of machinery could not survive for long. A time would come when this system would be overthrown and replaced by one that accords due recognition to filial bonds. 9. Communism Undervalues Intellectual Excellence The ninth flaw of Communism is that it does not adequately recognise intellectual and mental capabilities, which causes Russians with those capabilities to emigrate to other countries in search of higher rewards. Bolshevism regards only manual labour as real work and dismisses intellectual endeavour as a waste of time. Manual labour is undoubtedly important, but it is equally true that intellectual effort has an importance of its own. Because it is an inherent human trait that people expect to be adequately rewarded for their services, Russia must modify its philosophy if it desires to avail itself of the services of its intellectual giants and scientists. Otherwise, they will slip out to other countries and seek recognition and reward denied to them in their own country. The discoveries and inventions of Russian scientists and engineers will be registered, patented and exploited not in Russia, but in America. At present, the Soviet government prevents its people from emigration through rigid control, but as Russia s contact with the outside world expands, these controls would have to be relaxed in the interest of foreign trade, if for nothing else. Those who might wish to escape would then have ample opportunity to do so. When Germany began to mistreat Jews, many escaped to America, which benefited from their knowledge and skills. Some of the chemicals, previously manufactured only in Germany, are now being produced in the USA. If Russia were to open its doors to outside contacts, dissatisfied scientists will have a chance to slip out. But if Russia remains closed, its culture will, for want of fresh intellectual stimulus, begin to wither and end up as a pool of stagnant water. 10. Rigid Control over Economy The tenth flaw of system lies in the rigid control of the Russian economy. The provision of food and clothing is at present government responsibility, and so are industry and foreign trade. Because Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II ra predicted that if Russia didn t start recognising those with intellectual and scientific merits, it would lose those individuals to other countries who were willing to recognise their talents. Syda Productions Shutterstock.com Russia was industrially backward, it is not possible to assess the country s real economic progress. Nevertheless, one thing is quite clear even now; as long as the products of Russian industry remain shielded from foreign competition and barely meet domestic requirements, it would not be known whether the factories make profits or run at a loss. What would happen to those industries when the home market gets saturated? Would production be reduced thereafter? Or would the expansion continue? If a limit on production were imposed, industry would sooner or later start to feel the crippling effect; continued expansion, on the other hand, 52 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 53

28 the economic system of islam By undervaluing and not appreciating the intellectual skills of individuals, communist countries will lose those skills to other countries. Dirk Ercken Shutterstock.com To reiterate, there is at present little incentive to produce at the lowest cost because of the absence of international competition and this could continue for some time. This situation is similar to the one where a woman grinds five kilos of grain manually, which makes her household happy at the amount of work she puts in. would require foreign markets that could absorb the surplus at prices still profitable for Russian manufacturers. When that stage is reached, Russian industry would have to withstand the full force of foreign competition, and its success or failure would depend on how it performs. In any case, Russia from that point onward would end up behaving like any other imperialist country, bent on securing and controlling foreign markets thereby belying its claim of freedom of choice. To reiterate, there is at present little incentive to produce at the lowest cost because of the absence of international competition and this could continue for some time. This situation is similar to the one where a woman grinds five kilos of grain manually, which makes her household happy at the amount of work she puts in. But it is only when she goes out to work that she comes to realise the true worth of her work, because she earns considerably more money. Similarly, so long as the Russians consume all that is produced within the country, they would not know whether the economy was progressing or declining. The country appears to be making economic progress right now, but the reality would dawn only when its industry reaches the limits of its expansion. If it manages to survive that dire situation, there would follow another consequence that I describe below. 11. Focus on National Interests Instead of Universal Welfare The fact that the communist system is concerned only with national interests not universal interests is another major weakness of the system. If Russia somehow succeeds in industrial development, it would be forced to implement a capitalist system that is stronger and even more dangerous for the world than the one it replaces. In the face of this great danger, I am at a loss to understand why a segment of our intelligentsia is so strongly in support of Communism. The fact is that Russia has presented collectivist ownership in a manner that others are easily impressed, but a time will come that its damage to the world will become obvious. People are impressed that Communism has ensured provision of food and clothing for everyone and that is something we too welcome but the great danger that lurks in its shadow must not be disregarded. That danger is the prospect of the rise of a new capitalist system. Russia boasts that between 1928 and 1937, it raised its industrial production by 625%. This is indeed a commendable achievement. Russian Communism also claims that, during the same period, the worth Russia claimed to have raised its productive capital seven and a half times within nine years Chombosan Shutterstock.com of Russian productive capital rose from ten billion roubles to 75 billion roubles, i.e. seven and a half times (the monetary value of rouble is very low at present). It also claims that in 1937, one-third of its national income was invested to expand its factories. This, too, is quite impressive. But the question is how long can Russia maintain this pace of expansion in an economy closed to foreign trade? The present situation is that the Russian economy is quite self-sufficient, with only a low level of imports and exports. Its imports are meant basically to satisfy the 54 The Review of Religions may 2016 may 2016 The Review of Religions 55

29 the economic system of islam At some point exposure to the outside world must be faced. If it had been possible to maintain economic selfsufficiency forever, the conflicts seen all over the world which led to world wars would have never occurred. But the fact is that this state of self-sufficiency cannot continue indefinitely. requirements of its industry. This situation resembles that of an Indian farmer, who grows a little sugarcane, some lentils, a little rice, wheat and some oil seeds on his piece of land, and manages to subsist on these things. But obviously this situation cannot continue as economic and cultural progress takes place. At some point exposure to the outside world must be faced. If it had been possible to maintain economic self-sufficiency forever, the conflicts seen all over the world which led to world wars would have never occurred. But the fact is that this state of self-sufficiency cannot continue indefinitely. Your feedback is important to us Write to us with comments, feedback and suggestions at info@reviewof Religions.org The official website of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community worldwide. You can find a huge collection of free online material, including translation and commentary of the Holy Qur an and you can access literature of the Community including the books written by its founder, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as. 56 The Review of Religions may 2016

30 Calendar of Religious Events & Festivals may 2016 Sunday 1 st May Faith: Christianity Event: Easter This is the day that the Orthodox Church celebrates Easter, when they believe Jesus as ascended bodily into heaven after his death on the cross. Traditionally, this date is later on the calendar for the Orthodox Church than it is for other Christian sects. Sunday 15 th May Faith: Buddhism Event: Vesak or Buddha Day Vesak or Buddha Day is a major festival of the year from the Theravada tradition of Buddhism. Buddhists believe that the Buddha was born, received enlightenment, and died all in the same month of Vesakha. Sunday 15 th May Faith: Christianity Event: Pentecost Pentecost is considered to be the birth of the church, when the Holy Spirit is said to have entered the apostles, 50 days after Easter. Saturday 24 th May Faith: Baha ism Event: Declaration of the Bab This holiday marks the day when Siyyid Ali Muhammad declared himself to be the Bab and that there would be a promised messenger to come. He came as a forerunner to Baha ullah, founder of the Ba hai faith. Note about references Verse references to the Holy Qur an count Bismillah (In the Name of Allah ) as the first verse of each Chapter. In some non-standard texts, this is not counted. Should the reader refer to such texts, the verse quoted in The Review of Religions will be found a verse earlier, i.e. at one verse less than the number quoted in this journal. For the ease of non-muslim readers, sa or (saw) after the words, Holy Prophet, or the name Muhammad, are used normally in small letters. They stand for Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam meaning peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Likewise, the letters as or (as) after the name of all other prophets is an abbreviation meaning peace be upon him derived from Alaihis salatu wassalam which are words that a Muslim utters out of respect whenever he or she comes across that name. The abbreviation ra or (ra) stands for Raziallahu Ta ala anhu and is used for Companions of a Prophet, meaning Allah be pleased with him or her (when followed by the relevant Arabic pronoun). Finally, rh or (rh) for Rahemahullahu Ta ala means the Mercy of Allah the Exalted be upon him. In keeping with current universal practice, local transliterations of names of places are preferred to their anglicised versions, e.g. Makkah instead of Mecca, etc. SUBSCRIPTION Subscription Contacts: India - Khursheed Ahmad india@reviewofreligions.org Tel: Tel: Fax: USA - Adnan Ahmed Bhalli usa@reviewofreligions.org Tel: Canada - Muhammad Dawood Khalid canada@reviewofreligions.org Tel: Nigeria - Qasim Oyekola nigeria@reviewofreligions.org Tel: Ghana - Naeem A. Cheema ghana@reviewofreligions.org Tel: UK - Athar Ahmad Bajwa uk@reviewofreligions.org Tel: For all other subscription issues or for general enquiries info@reviewofreligions.org or contact Head Office: Tahir House 22 Deer Park Road, London SW19 3TL

31 The Review of Religions, in print since 1902, is one of the longest-running comparative religious magazines. The objective of the magazine is to present the teachings of Islam, reflecting its rational, harmonious and inspiring nature. It also brings together articles and viewpoints on different religions and seeks to make discussions on religion and religious philosophy accessible to a wider readership. The magazine is devoted to promoting intellectual and lively debate that is based on respect for all prophets and religions. Islam repeatedly stresses the need to seek knowledge and The Review of Religions provides a unique platform for people to acquire, and share knowledge. Yearly subscription is only 15 sterling or $30 for overseas customers. To subscribe, or for more info, visit Follow us on Twitter Islamic Publications, 2016 ISSN No. spine may 2016 Terrorism was never justified by the Prophet Mohammad sa Terrorism was never Mohammad vol issue five