Editor: Nasir Ahmad B.A. LL.B. IN MEMORY OF JALAL-UD-DIN AKBAR IBN-I ABDULLAH, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

Transcription

1 February-April 2014 Editor: Nasir Ahmad B.A. LL.B. Vol. No. 7, Issue No. 19 IN MEMORY OF JALAL-UD-DIN AKBAR IBN-I ABDULLAH, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA CONTENTS Page Ch. Saeed Ahmad at the Berlin Mosque Editorial Note... 2 Announcments 3 Ch. Saeed Ahmad Brief Life history 3 Reminiscences about his 16 years Stay at the Berlin Mosque Maliha Hussain, Islamabad, Pakistan. 5 News from Berlin 8 Ahmed Saadat Sad Demise 10 The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement Presents Universal Vision of Islam 12 Imam Kalam Azad Mohammed, Trinidad. Human Capacity and How to Achieve it 19 Dr. M. Ikram Jahangiri, USA News & Reviews. 22

2 Editorial Note This issue of The HOPE Bulletin consists of news and material received during the months of February to April, 2014, which, due to unavoidable circumstances, we could not reproduce earlier. 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement The 100th anniversary convention organised by Lahore Central Ahmadiyya Anjuman on the eve of the Annual Prayer Conference at Darus Salaam, Lahore from 27th to 30th December, 2013 was to commemorate the founding of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement in On this occasion, besides lectures by speakers from Jama ats in Pakistan, special guests from Indonesia Br A. S. Yatimin and from Trinidad Br Enayat Mohammed and Imam Kalamazad Mohammed made valuable contributions. A Documentary and a tableau about the circumstances leading to the Split in the Ahmadiyya Movement Two presentations of great interest on this occasion were a tableau and a documentary about the circumstances leading to the Split in the Ahmadiyya Movement and the humble start of the Lahore Anjuman in Lahore. The script of the tableau and the documentary was written by Mr Amir Aziz, the General Secretary of the Central Anjuman, and was presented by our young sister, Miss Khadija Ahmad, granddaughter of our late genius and President Award-holder, Mr Wasy Omar. The documentary was produced by Mr Waqqas Ahmad. Lifetime Achievement Award Holders for 2013 On the eve of the Annual Prayer Conference, as usual, some well-deserved workers of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement were given Lifetime Achievement Awards. This year s presentations went to the following persons: 1. Choudhary Saeed Ahmad, former Imam, the Berlin Mosque, Germany. 2. Mr Yakoob Ahmad, In-charge, Darul Kutub Ilmiyya, Publications Section of the Central Anjuman in Lahore. 3. Mr Muhammad Zaman, Head Cook of the Guest House, Central Anjuman, Darus Salaam, Lahore. 4. The late Sh. Fazlur Rahman, Treasurer of the Central Anjuman, Lahore. 5. Mr Nasir Ahmad, former Editor of The Light and Paigham-i Sulh, Lahore, and presently Editor of the monthly The HOPE Bulletin. 6. Mrs Bano Anwar, In-charge, the UK Mission House at Wembley, London, UK, and wife of the late Mr Muhammad Anwar Shaheed, former Imam of the UK Ahmadiyya Jama at. In this issue we are publishing a brief life history of Choudhary Saeed Ahmad and his reminiscences as narrated to his daughter, Mrs Maliha Hussain. We will try to publish introductory notes about other award holders in coming issues. *** 2 Page

3 Announcements Centenary Commemoration of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement in Canada The Ontario Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha at Islam (Lahore), Canada organized a special programme to commemorate the 100th year Anniversary of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement on Friday April 18th 2014 (Good Friday) at 175 Toryork Drive, Ontario Unit 54, Canada. Friday sermon was delivered by Maulana Mustapha Kemal Hydal. Centenary celebrations at the Paulkerland Mosque, The Hague The Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i Islam, Holland will be celebrating the centenary of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement at the Paukerland Mosque in The Hague on 11th May, Mr Sjaikj Kasiem, President of The Hague Jama at, has made elaborate arrangements for this special event. This will be a joint venture of all the Jama ats in Holland. 25th Anniversary of the Stichting Ahmadiyya Anjuman, The Hague The 25th anniversary of the Stichting Ahmadiyya Anjuman will be held at the Kepplerstraat Mosque on 25 May 2014 in The Hague. Mr Reza Ghafoerkhan, the Imam and other learned Ahmadi members of the Stichting and other Jama ats will speak on various aspects of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement and works accomplished by the Stichting Anjuman. A Brief Life History *** SAEED AHMAD CHOUDHARY Former Imam of the Berlin Lahore Ahmadiyya Mission Compiled by Nasir Ahmad Mr Saeed Ahmad Choudhary took charge of the Berlin Mission in October 1987 along with Mr Abdul Aziz, who was to assist him. Mr A. S. Abdul Santoe, Co-ordinator of the Central Ahmadiyya Anjuman (Lahore) in Europe, came from Rotterdam, Holland to facilitate the takeover. The new Imam assessed the financial and organisational aspects of the Mission, especially the repairs that the Mosque and the Mission House required. His first priority was to generate funds for these urgent repairs. In this connection, he undertook an extensive tour of Jama ats in Holland and made vigorous efforts to collect funds. The response was very encouraging. Brothers A. S. Santoe and Shams-ud-Din Elahi Bakhsh of The Hague not only helped him in collecting financial support, but even provided volunteers who went to Berlin with material to do the urgent repairs manually. Imam Saeed Ahmad was born at Gujrat, Pakistan on 23 September He had his education in Aircraft Engineering at the Aircraft Technical School, Sikandarabad and Gindi Engineering College, Madras, India. He worked as Assistant Engineer at the Thal Development Authority and also as Agriculture Engineer at the Commonwealth Livestock Farm at various centres in the District of Mianwali, Pakistan, from 1951 to In 1958, he joined the Engineering Department of Pakistan International Airlines and retired as Engineering Officer in During this period, he worked mostly in Peshawar, but also served at Karachi and Dhaka (now in Bangladesh) stations. Page 3

4 During his tenure of 16 years ( ) at the Mosque his main thrust had been to encourage people of all faiths to visit the beautiful historic Mosque in Berlin, Germany. According to the records maintained by the Imam during this time, about ten thousand visitors came to the Mosque. They included students from schools and universities, tourists, teachers, police, nursing staff, and groups from various churches. Fifty-three men and women from various nationalities entered the fold of Islam. At one point he was able to elicit the cooperation of four Germans to start a quarterly magazine, Islam Heute, meaning Islam Today. Br Ibrahim Schadow and Dr Franzen from Celle were mainly responsible for editing, printing and distributing this magazine. However, due to financial difficulties, it had to be discontinued after some time. In 1991, an international Ahmadiyya Convention was held at the Mosque and was attended by representatives from Pakistan, Holland, England, Surinam, the USA and Canada, and also present were prominent members of the local Government and local parishes. The main object was to highlight the activities of the Mission and to launch a worldwide appeal for funds for the repairs of the Mosque and the Mission House. It was decided to declare the year 1996 as the Year of the Berlin Mosque in order to give a boost to the campaign for collecting funds. In 1997, seventy years after the building of the Mosque, an elaborate programme was made to celebrate this auspicious occasion. A special function arranged at the Mosque was attended by local German Muslims and prominent people from all walks of life. It was presided over by the Mayor of Wilmersdorf. Dr Ahmed Mokrani, an Algerian engineer, spoke about the positive missionary work being done by the Berlin Mission. The Imam on this occasion made a special appeal to the Mayor to help the Mission in restoring the original beauty of the Mosque and the Mission House, which were damaged during World War II. Afterwards a formal application was made to the local authority to include the Mosque and the Mission House building in the list of National Monuments. The request was accepted. The Monument Department prepared an estimate of the urgent repairs required, especially with regard to the renovation of the two minarets. After mutual consultation, in which Mrs Samina Malik, Vice-President of the USA Ahmadiyya Jama at, played a pivotal role, the plan and estimate were agreed upon. As a result, DM was contributed by the Central Ahmadiyya Anjuman, Lahore, 70,000 DM by the USA Jama at, and 800,000 DM was paid by the Monument Department of Berlin, Germany. These funds were utilised under the supervision of the Monument Department to completely renovate the two minarets and to do urgent repairs to the Mission House and the Mosque. Some major repairs to the dome and ceiling of the Mosque still remain to be done. Imam Saeed Ahmad Choudhary, due to health reasons, finally relinquished the leadership of the Mission towards the end of January Mr Riaz Ahmad Choudhary, a Law graduate from the University of the Punjab, took over as Imam of the Mosque. *** 4 Page

5 Narration of cherished memories to her daughter: Maliha Hussain, Islamabad, Pakistan My Father s Passion for the Berlin Mosque SAEED AHMAD CHOUDHARY Imam of the Berlin Lahore Ahmadiyya Mission (1987 to 2003) I sat with my father, Chaudhry Saeed Ahmad, and asked him questions about his time at the Mission House and the Berlin Mosque, in Germany. I am sharing some of the things he talked about. He was there for about 16 years 1987 to He was 63 when he went to Berlin and 79 when he left due to ill health. He said that when he went there, about eight to ten people would turn up for prayers. The Mosque was basically used for people to say their prayers. He felt that the purpose of a mosque was much more than that. A mosque needs to be like a community centre, where people gather to say their prayers, discuss their issues and help one another. The role of the Imam, he felt, was not just to lead prayers, but to make sure that everyone in his community was all right and felt a part of the community; if they had any issues, they should trust him enough to approach him for help. With that in mind, he started building a Jama at, and God blessed his efforts and at the next Eid the Mosque was packed with people. When Imam Chaudhary took over the charge, he worked with a passion to make the Mosque a centre which should not be just a prayer house, but a nucleus for the community and people of other faiths should come and know what Islam really means. He made special efforts to develop very cordial relations with the media and interfaith organisations in Berlin. Several of his interviews were published in the local dailies. To maintain the Mosque and the Mission House has always been a difficult exercise due to financial constraints. When Imam Choudhary started to organise things as he wanted, there were not sufficient funds in the Mosque s account, so at times he would use his own money to get tea and snacks for people who would visit. He even placed a donation box close to the entrance of the Mosque. Due to the gradual flow of visitors, donations started pouring in. That money would then go to the Mosque s account and soon there was enough for the Mosque s monthly expenses and to entertain visitors. (I know that most of his salary, which was not much, also went into this donation box.) The assistant who had gone with him initially did help him with some work. Imam Saeed s priority was to make the Mosque comfortable and presentable for the congregational prayers and for the visitors, as well. He found some carpets in good condition rolled up in the basement. He and his assistant pulled them out and washed them one by one. They took them in at night and out again every morning until they were completely dry. Page 5

6 In spite of his best efforts the Mosque still needed a lot of repairs. When he came to Pakistan the following December for the Annual Gathering, he made a passionate appeal in his speech for help with the repairs. Mian Fazal Ahmad, the Financial Secretary of the Central Anjuman, announced that all the donations collected that year would go towards the repairs of the Mosque in Berlin. My father later on also went to America to collect donations for the repairs. He was able to have necessary repairs done to the Mosque and the Mission House in the next few years. The basement, because of the old heating system, was totally black with soot; piles of books and other things that were not used were everywhere. They pulled everything out, cleaned it, had the heating system working. He and his assistant re-did the whole basement. Then they went through the books and other material lying in the two rooms on the ground floor, re-furnished it as far as possible, and arranged the books in the almirahs so that it became a small library where people could comfortably sit and read. My father developed very cordial relations with the Jama at in Holland. Br A. S. Santoe of Rotterdam took an active part in the Mosque and was able to enlist volunteers who could do the repair work manually. This group of dedicated people brought their own tools, etc., and even food, and spent a week doing work at the Mission House and the Mosque. This happened several times. It was amazing to see this group of dedicated men and women working and cooking and when the time for prayers came had congregational prayers, as well. The Imam re-did the garden also. He cleaned it and planted new plants. The neighbours would watch him with interest and curiosity and would sometimes help him. As word spread that the Mosque was up and running and open to everyone, groups from various institutions and schools started paying visits and even sending their students to learn about Islam. My father said that in his childhood his health was not very good, so his mother would take him to her father, Dr Basharat Ahmad, for medical advice and also to listen to his Quranic discourses, as he was a much-enlightened scholar of Islam and delivered interesting explanations of the beauties of the Qur an. On such occasions my father also had the opportunity to visit the house of Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali, the well-known translator of the Qur an into English. Because of his ill health, however, instead of playing with other children outside, my father would join the company of the visitors and listen to the talks about the religion and carefully noted how the Maulana answered people s questions. That experience proved very helpful to the Imam in answering people s questions about Islam when he started working at the Berlin Mosque. His daily routine of work was almost 16 hours a day. His diary would be full of appointments. He would get up very early to clean the Masjid and to tidy the Mission House and get ready for those who visited during the day. Those who became interested in Islam after listening to him would come back, read the Qur an and other books, and ask more questions. Such question/answer discussions proved fruitful, and by the grace of Allah, 52 people accepted Islam during my father s 16 years at the Berlin Mosque. Continuous work ultimately taxed his health and around 1992/1993 he started having problems. Being alone after his assistant had left, he could not afford to absent himself from the on-going work at the Mosque for medical check-ups and to undergo operations. He decided therefore to get treatment for all three of his illnesses in one go of surgery and had his gall bladder and appendix 6 Page

7 removed and his hernia taken care of. His son, Kamran, who was studying in the United States at the time, came and took care of him, as he was all by himself then. In the summer of 2001 he had his first heart attack. He was all by himself when the pain started at night. For those who know the type of person he is, he did not want to disturb anyone by calling them in the middle of the night, so he stayed up all night in pain and called a friend in the morning who then took him to the hospital right away. God works in mysterious ways. His granddaughter, Sadaf, had just finished her studies at London University and had planned to visit him in Berlin. She arrived the same day that he was taken to hospital and was taken straight there from the airport. The Jama at he had formed was very helpful in this time of need. They were like a family to him. They also helped Sadaf extend her visa, as she had decided to stay with her grandfather until he recovered fully. At the hospital they put a stent in his heart, which was helpful for the time being. My father had his second heart attack six months later and ended up with two more stents. His family started asking him to return to Pakistan as they were concerned about his health, especially after the first heart attack, but he was so involved in his work that he could not imagine his life without it. Again, God helped him through the transition. When Kamran, his only son, had his first son, Sagar, in September 2002, my father visited him in December of that year. He became very attached to Sagar and felt that he had an important role to play in his upbringing. Even so, it took him more than two years after that to wrap up the work in Berlin and join Kamran, who was in Rome by that time. The family was relieved, and he started his next phase of life, spending time with Sagar, reading him stories, showing him pictures, computer programmes, taking him to the garden and other places of leisure. When you talk to my father now about his 16 years in Berlin, he does not like to talk about the challenges, which we know were many. He, however, loves to talk about his achievements. First of all, the 52 people who entered the fold of Islam, some of whom were scholars and had studied Islam in depth before accepting it. He remembers that his maternal uncle (Maulana Muhammad Ali) used to say that if you give someone a copy of the Qur an, the Qur an does the work after that. He therefore distributed many copies of the Qur an in his 16 years in Berlin. He would keep copies in the Mission House and present them to those who visited and asked questions. What he loves to talk about is his detailed conversations with thousands of students and others who visited the Mosque and how he helped them change their perception about Islam by answering their questions. He also feels good about the fact that when he went to the Berlin Mosque in 1988 it was in a very bad shape, but when he left 16 years later, it was all renovated. Of course major repairs were done by the Monument Department of the Berlin Council. Even though it has been almost eight years since he left Berlin, the community he developed while he was there still remembers him fondly. A message from one of them a few months ago reads as follows: Dear Uncle Saeed, Assalamo alaikum. Today, though it is a long time, I think with special gratitude of you! It s 20 years ago that you were my witness of Shahada (recitation of the Islamic formula at the time of embracing Islam) in Berlin, alhamdulillah! Page 7

8 Wish you all the best for your health and for your family my best wishes too! Much love and good thoughts for you. Ghasala Poerschke He has had a very blessed life, though not an easy one, but very rewarding in many ways. At almost 88 years of age he likes to spend his time reading most of the time and spending time with his children and grandchildren and sharing with them his experiences while in service and doing work at the Berlin Mosque in Germany. *** News from the Berlin Mosque By Ahmed Saadat The Berlin Mosque getting prominence in the electronic media We are pleased to report that since last year the Berlin Mosque has become the focus of much attention in the media. Last year, a Cairo-based TV company, visited the Mosque and made an impressive video of it. The video was shown on one of the Al-Jazeera channels during Ramadan. Recently a Berlin TV channel also made a film of the Mosque with commentary in German, and showed a brief interview with the acting Imam, Mr Ahmed Saadat. We will be reproducing some of the photos from the two videos with their links in the next Issue. 7 th February, 2014 A group of 14 students from the Art School in Weissensee along with their tutor Mr. Sven Borger visited the Mosque and spent some time. Being art students they were inquisitive about the architectural details of the Mosque and how the design of the Mosque was conceived. It was quite interesting to listen to art students describing artistic beauty of the Mosque. 17 March 2014 It was a happy surprise to receive Imam Mahmud Taha Zuk and his wife Elzbieta Zuk Widmanska from Poland. The learned Imam is a well-known Muslim scholar in Poland and is an old friend of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. He has been in touch with Central Anjuman in Lahore for a long time. He is the person who has rendered several booklets of Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali into Polish. The Imam was very happy to visit the Mosque and was pleased to learn of the present activities taking place. We hope that regular communication will promote further visits between Poland and Berlin. Imam Taha Zuk presented the Imam with some of his booklets in Polish. 8 Page

9 27 March 2014 A very well organised conference was held on 27 March from 5.00 to 8.30 p.m. at the City Hall located at Rotes Rathus Brosser, Fesstaal Rathau Streasse 15, 10178, Berlin. It was attended by segments of all sections of the religious and cultural organisations in Germany. The theme was Interfaith Discussion and Dialogue. We appreciate the efforts of Frau Anika, its Coordinator. The Local and semi-government bodies in Berlin not only encourage the promotion of interreligious coordination and mutual understanding but support such efforts in various ways. 5 April 2014 Members of staff at the Roman Catholic Parish, St Ludwig at Ludwigkirchplatz, 10719, Berlin, visited the Mosque and exchanged notes about the services held at the Mosque. They also invited Mr Saadat to their services. The visit was quite fruitful in developing close relations with the two religious institutions in Berlin. Mr Saadat informed them that the Mosque is keen to develop close relations with sister religious institutions, particularly in Berlin. He expressed his appreciation for the group s visit. 9 April, 2014 Dr Marat M. Gibatdinov PhD, head and researcher at the Tartar Community History Searching Centre, visited the Mosque. He is a Muslim scholar holding an important position at the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Institute of History, Centre for History and Theory of National Education. At the Mosque we have some publications in Turkish and other languages and Dr Marat spent some time looking through the collection. Our learned sister, Dr Gerdien Jonker, was kind enough to be there to explain some of the important publications. 14 April 2014 A group of 25 volunteers with their teacher visited the Mosque from Boussac, Germany and showed interest in the Mosque s history and beautiful structure. They were also interested in how Islam promotes a sense of brotherhood among Muslims through congregational prayers and institutions like Fasting and Zakah. They are a volunteer organisation that helps and provides food and medical assistance to needy people. 21 April, 2014 Mr Basharat Ibrahim, a German Muslim, visited the Mosque. He started his contact with the Mosque way back in the 1980s and helped in bringing out Islam Today in German. He is a keen artist. His grandfather was the architect of a well-known historical building, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. A brief introduction on him and his contribution has been mentioned on page 173 of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement in Europe in German, compiled and edited by our learned friend, Mr Manfred Backhausen of Pulheim, Germany. It also carries detailed information and photographs about the Mosque right from its founding. Page 9

10 26 April 2014 It was a happy occasion that young Inshaal Ahmad, the son of Dr Jawad Ahmad of Aylesbury, UK, was on a visit to the Mosque. He is in his first year at Nottingham University in the UK, with German as his favourite subject. He was asked to deliver the Friday sermon in German on that occasion and is expected to do so on 3 May, as well. We hope to give details about his sermons and other activities in the next issue. We wish him all the best in his studies and his keen interest in the activities of the Mosque. *** Sad Demise Mian Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, Karachi, Pakistan We announce with a heavy heart the news of the sad demise of Mian Aftab Ahmad Sahib of Karachi. He passed away on Friday 7 March 2014 in Karachi. Inna Lillahi wa inna Ilaihi Raajeoon. Hazrat Ameer Dr Abdul Karim and Mr Amir Aziz went to Karachi to condole the sad demise and console members of the bereaved family. Mian Aftab Ahmad Sahib was the father of Mian Khurram Aftab Sahib, a very active member of the Karachi Jama at. The late Mian Sahib was a devoted, pious and generous member of the Jama at and regularly attended the Friday congregational prayers. The late Mian Sahib had been member of the General Council of the Lahore Central Anjuman and rendered great service to the Jama at on various occasions. We appreciate his devotion and dedication and offer heartfelt condolences. May Allah bless his soul in the heavens of eternity. We pray that Allah may grant patience and His special blessings on Mian Sahib s widow and other family members to bear this sad loss. Br Malik Mushtaq Ahmad Zai, Hayes, London We are sorry to record with heartfelt condolences the death of our elderly and devoted member, Mr Malik Mushtaq Ahmad Zai, on 3 February 2014 in Hayes, London. He was the brother-in-law of our very sincere brother, Mr Saeed Aziz of Manchester. We express our deep sympathy and sorrow on the sad demise and pray that Allah may bless the departed soul with peace and comfort. 10 Page

11 Mrs Shamsun Nehar Begum, Hounslow, UK Mrs Shamsun Nehar Begum, mother of our learned brother, Syed Anis Ahmad, and grandmother of Mr Hamad Ahmad, expired on the morning of 26 April. She was buried on 28 April in the Muslim section of the Hounslow Borough cemetery. She was 90 years old and had led a very noble and active life. She was widowed at the age of 22 when her two sons had just started going to school. She stood the hard test of time and looked after her children and other members of the family with commitment and dedication. She was regular in her daily prayers and took a keen interest in teaching the Qur an to her granddaughters. Our sympathies and condolences go to Br Anis Ahmad and other members of the bereaved family on this sad demise. Col. Retired Mehmood Shaukat, Orlando, Florida, USA Col. Retired Mehmood Shaukat, former Imam of the UK Jama at and brother-in-law of Hazrat Ameer Dr Abdul Kareem Saeed, passed away on the morning of 26 April His janaza and burial took place the same day after the Zuhr prayers. Col. Retired Mehmood Shaukat had been an active member of the Jama at and spent most of his time serving the cause of the Movement in the UK as well as in the USA. May Allah shower His choicest blessings on the departed soul and grant patience and fortitude to the members of his family to bear this loss. * Condolence message from Mr Amir Aziz, General Secretary, Central Anjuman, Lahore, Pakistan Hazrat Ameer and members of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha at-i Islam, Lahore condole on the sad demise of our devoted member, the late Col. (Retired) Mehmood Shaukat Sahib. He served our Movement with utmost devotion and sincerity of heart. He was the brother- in-law of Hazrat Ameer, Dr. Abdul Kareem Saeed Sahib. It is a great loss for our Movement. We highly appreciate his services to the Jama at and pray that Allah may bless his noble soul in the heavens of eternity. We also pray for the family members to bear this great loss with patience and perseverance. *** Page 11

12 The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement Presents a Universal Vision of Islam by Imam Kalamazad Mohammed, Trinidad & Tobago (Talk delivered on 28 December 2013 at the Annual Du aiyya and 100th Anniversary of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. Imam Kalamazad Mohammed attended the special Jalsa as a guest of the Central Anjuman, Lahore, Pakistan.) Which brand is true Islam? A few years ago I read in an issue of Time magazine, USA, that the crucial problem that non-muslims face when deciding whether to accept Islam as their religion is: Which brand of Islam shall we choose the Saudi, the Afghani, the Egyptian, or which other? Recently while reading the book Western Muslims and the Future of Islam by the Iranian scholar Tariq Ramadan I found that he lists some of the dilemmas that Muslims face in a Western setting. First of all, Muslims living in the strange environment of the West mostly have the classical Islamic works for guidance to come to terms with the social, cultural and political realities with which they are confronted. In order to build a future for themselves they have three questions which demand precise answers: 1. Where do we stand as Muslims in the Western set-up? 2. How can we maintain our identity? 3. In what way do we want to belong? The orthodox answers, he contends, are confusing and drag Muslims into living in the West out of the West or into becoming Muslims without Islam. The second problem is whether the old immigrants wanted to be Muslims in the West or rather Pakistani, Turkish and Arab Muslims in the West, and this too poses problems for European and American converts who cannot distinguish between what is essential Islam and what are merely cultural trappings that are inseparably brought into the religion by different nationalities. The next problem is that Muslims sometimes have to lead two different lives: privately they are practising Muslims but in society they follow the customs of the majority, that is, non Muslims, and so live a dual life. This disjuncture brings a heavy psychological confusion in their thoughts and practices. Finally, he addresses the questions of education and co-operation with the non-muslim community. What type of education should Muslims have? The same kind as in their original homelands? Or should it change to cater for the new demands of their social environment? And should they participate in the affairs of their new communities or live in isolation? And of course there is a new resurgence of Islamophobia since the 9/11 incident. 12 Page

13 Universal vision of Islam It is my contention that the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement removes all those dilemmas and many more and that it is the only vehicle for a world Islam that will remove all fears and doubts from the hearts of Muslims and non-muslims alike. I list only a few salient reasons as time is short. It removes Islamophobia from the hearts of non-muslims and provides true guidance to Muslims by revealing the true meaning of Jihad and the real concept of the Mahdi in Islam. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, explained these concepts in the light of the Qur an and Hadith in his books The British Government and Jihad and The Reality of the Mahdi. Our learned brother from the UK, Dr Zahid Aziz, has also summarised admirably all that the Ahmadiyya Movement has inferred from the Qur an and the Hadith on this sensitive issue in his recent publication Islam, Peace and Tolerance. How can the Muslim Ulama remove this fear and forestall extremism when they themselves believe in and teach the advent of a warrior Messiah and a blood-shedding Mahdi who will combine to exterminate non-muslims and make Islam pre-eminent thereby? As regards segregation of Muslims and isolationism, the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement has plainly delineated what is essential Islam from what is cultural, and that Islam can be practised anywhere in the world whilst at the same time respecting the different national cultures that are not contrary to the Qur an and the Sunnah. In addition, we believe in participating in the affairs of whatever country we inhabit. The Holy Qur an commands: And help one another in righteousness and piety, and help not one another in sin and aggression, and keep your duty to Allah (5:2). This injunction frees us from misplaced and self-imposed restrictions. In addition, we hold and promote interfaith conferences and dialogue with people of all persuasions, even atheists. Also, of supreme importance we are not discouraged by the favourite pastime of the so-called Ulama who pass verdict of kufr every now and then on frivolous issues. As Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, taught us, we accept all who confess the Kalimah as brethren, and this is a sure recipe for achieving the cherished goal of brotherhood in Islam. Very importantly, besides being the most peaceful community upholding religious co-existence and mutual harmony, we are also the only group that is free from any type of religious baggage. For example, we do not shout to the high heavens that the Holy Prophet (sas) is the Khatamun Nabiyyin yet at the same time we keep an Israelite prophet alive in heaven to return to complete the conquest of Islam without even blushing at the paradox. On the other hand we strongly refute the interpretation that more prophets will come, for Khatamun Nabiyyin means that the Holy Prophet (sas) has the seal to make non-law-bearing prophets. Let me quote: Let alone one, thousands of such prophets will come. This is a statement made by the leader of the Qadiani group in his book Haqiqatun Nubuwwat and asserted that the Founder was a haqiqi nabi (real prophet). It is with pride that we can say that we are not a cult nor do we have an infallible Pope as our leader, who cannot be contradicted even if he is wrong, nor have we created a dynasty. The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement has written clearly in his book The Will that the system of Mujaddids (Ordained Reformers) in Islam will continue to the Day of Resurrection. Page 13

14 How can we harbour insoluble mysteries and yet say that we are rational? However, the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement has proven that rationality and spirituality, that science and religion are indeed complementary and that in fact science is the hand-maiden of religion and there is neither dichotomy nor unbridgeable chasm between the both. To verify our statement we suggest people study the Lahore Ahmadiyya writings and commentaries of the Qur an in Urdu and English by Maulana Muhammad Ali and the writings of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Sahib. In this connection we would like to quote often-quoted verses of the Qur an in Ahmadiyya literature: In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day, there are surely signs for men of understanding. Those who remember Allah standing and sitting and (lying) on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord, Thou hast not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee! Save us from the chastisement of the Fire (3: ). In explaining the verse of the Holy Qur an, He it is who sent His Messenger with the guidance and the true religion that He may make it overcome the religions, all of them, though the polytheists may be averse (61:9), Hazrat Mirza Sahib says that this is a prophecy of the coming of the Promised Messiah who will have two tasks: one internal and the other external. Guidance refers to his role as Mahdi to reform the Muslim nation and his task as Promised Messiah and champion of Islam to refute all the base allegations of the opponents of Islam. Firstly, internally, he has cleansed the house of Islam from all the false beliefs and superstitions that had crept into it over the centuries. I mention just two, because in the words of a respected Sunni scholar, these have become the bane of Islam and obstacles to the spread of the religion among non-muslims. He refers firstly to the false conception of the intercession of the Holy Prophet (sas) on the Day of Resurrection that the Holy Prophet (sas) will intercede for his followers and out of respect for him Allah, Most High, would allow all Muslims to enter Paradise regardless of what kind of life they had led in their sojourn on earth. Secondly, Muslims believe that they have now replaced the Jews as the favoured nation of Allah and so all who believe in this idea have developed a superiority complex and a demeaning and patronising attitude to non-muslims. They quote chapter 3, verse 109 of the Holy Qur an as the basis of this disposition: You are the best nation raised up for men: you enjoin good and forbid evil and believe in God. They fail to realise that there is a word that is not explicitly stated but understood in the above statement and that word is provided you enjoin the right and forbid the wrong and so being the best nation is conditional. The Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement proved the universality of Islam and the tolerance and respect it teaches for all peoples when he wrote: The principle to which we adhere is that we have kindness at heart for the whole of mankind. If anyone sees the house of a Hindu neighbour on fire and does not come forward to help extinguish the fire, most truly I declare that he does not belong to me. If anyone of my followers, having seen someone attempting to murder a Christian and does not endeavour to save him, I most truly declare he does not belong to us (Siraj-i Muneer, p. 28). 14 Page

15 And further he went on to say: I proclaim to all Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Aryas that I have no enemy in the world. I love mankind with the love that a compassionate mother has for her children; even more so. I am only the enemy of the false doctrines which kill truth. Human sympathy is my duty. My principle is to discard falsehood. (Arba een, Part. 1, p. 344). And to further underscore his respect for people of all religions and their founders, he wrote: Of all the principles to which I have been made to adhere firmly, there is one that has specifically been revealed to me by God Himself. That principle is to desist from declaring false in essence such religions as have been revealed by God through His prophets and which have the following characteristics: they have met with wide acceptance in certain regions of the world; having survived all challenges, they have become well-established and deeply rooted; having stood the test of time for long, they have acquired a measure of age and an air of performance. According to this principle such religions are essentially true and their founders were most certainly true prophets of God (Tohfa-i Qaisariyya, p. 256). Misconceptions about Islam removed More of the misconceptions of Muslims and their errant behaviour have been detailed in the writings of the Founder, especially in his article How to be free from sin (Gunaah se naajat kyon kar mil sakti hai) (Review of Religions, January 1902). Externally, Hazrat Mirza Sahib has defended Islam from all attacks, has delineated the beauties of our religion and directed how Islam should be propagated to all parts of the world to people of all temperaments, cultures and intellectual levels. The Christian missionaries were the first to be confronted for Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad came to break the cross and kill the swine, and the Christian missionaries were the most vituperative against Islam. Among the many points of criticism he made against them was usurping the rights of God when they turned a mortal, that is, the Prophet Jesus (as) into God and proclaimed the erroneous doctrine that salvation depended on taking him as God or the Son of God. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad next turned his attention to the Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj groups who held the view that souls and matter existed before God, Who was merely an assembler of both. If this were so, how can He have any control over them, he asked. The doctrine of Reincarnation held so tenaciously by Hindus was dismantled and all its shortcomings were exposed. The Jews and their adherence to strict formalism and their rejection of the Prophet Jesus (as) and their killing of ancient prophets also received attention, not to mention their extremely erroneous belief that they are the favoured nation of God above all those whom they regarded as gentiles. Even the Atheists and the Naturalists were not spared by the power of his pen, especially the philosophers who demanded certainty of proof before accepting faith. Four of his many rebuttals were: 1. Did you create yourselves? 2. Avert death if you are so truthful and so powerful. 3. Produce a book or a fragment of writing like that of the Holy Qur an. 4. Do you not have faith in all worldly matters except belief in God? Page 15

16 In fact, there are no false teachings nor any philosophical principle opposed to Islam that has not been refuted by the pen of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement and scholars of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. Religion as a spiritual science However, Hazrat Mirza Sahib did not confine himself to intellectual matters only for he himself said Islam cannot be spread by intellectual arguments alone. In this vein, he treated religion as a spiritual science just as materialists do to the physical sciences and other disciplines. A few examples will suffice as time is limited. 1. He explained to the world the attributes of Allah, Most High, and in particular the four main attributes of Rabb, Rahmaan, Raheem and Maaliki Yaum al-deen, as was not done before by anyone, and he did so in a scientific manner. 2. He revealed the nature and power of the soul of man and the different psychological and spiritual stages of man: the ammarah, the lawwamah and the mutma innah. 3. He emphasised the importance of salah and also of du a, as nothing can bring a man closer to Allah than salah. The Holy Qur an has repeatedly emphasised that the greatest force in the heavens and the earth is supplication. It is also my most effective and strongest weapon as it was of my leader and Master, Prophet Muhammad (sas). At the same juncture he laid special emphasis on istighfar and taubah (seeking Allah s forgiveness and protection) for the purification of the soul. These spiritual disciplines, he emphasised, help man to subjugate his greatest enemy, which is his ego, for if the ego is not conquered man would become like Pharaoh and his cohorts. 4. He also beautifully explained the true nature of Angels and their role and purpose in the development of man, both physically and spiritually. 5. He addressed the phenomenon of Divine revelation in all its forms and assured that although Prophetic revelation had come to an end with the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas), yet lesser forms of revelation (ilhaam) and visions (kashaf) would always continue in the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (sas), for it is that distinction which makes Islam the only living religion in the world, for no other religion can truly claim that anyone from among them is spoken to by the Almighty. Every false claimant would be obliterated as happened to Reverend Dowie, an American, and many others elsewhere. In this regard, he also proved to the world that God is not dead but He is very much alive and speaks to His chosen ones and answers the prayers of His true devotees and that He also sends down signs and reveals prophecies and converses with His noble ones. 6. The meaning of salvation was also clarified and all wrong doctrines like that of Atonement and Original Sin were rebutted, as well as the false belief of having to undergo various re-incarnations as both repentance and seeking forgiveness are meaningless according to the Christians and Hindu reformist Movements such as the Arya Samaj, in particular. 7. He dealt with various stages of taqwa (i.e., righteousness) that takes us closer to our Maker and colours us with the Divine colours all these stages of righteousness enable us to develop every 16 Page

17 faculty with which Allah, Most High, has blessed us. He also clarified the significance of the two main duties of man: i. Those we owe to Allah Most High (muttaqi). ii. Those we owe to His creation (muhsin). He quotes two examples, out of many, from the Holy Qur an: chapter 2, verse 112, and chapter 108. In these he underscored the pivotal role of humility in achieving this goal for, according to him, humility is the seed of all spiritual progress. Without it there is no spirituality just as there is no plant without the seed. 8. He complained that it pained him to see that the love of God had grown cold in the hearts of men and to me his greatest gift to mankind was to bring back that love for Allah, Most High, into the heart and soul of man. Two examples from his writings will be sufficient: i. Our God is our paradise. Our highest delight is in our God for we have seen Him and have found every beauty in Him. This wealth is worth procuring though one might have to lay down one s life to procure it. This ruby is worth purchasing though one may have to lose oneself to acquire it. Oh ye who are bereft, run to this fountain and it will satisfy you. It is the fountain of life that will save you. What shall I do, and how shall I impress the hearts with this good news, and by beating what drum shall I make the announcements that this is your God, so that people might hear? What remedy shall I apply to the ears of the people so that they should listen? (Kashti-i Nooh, p. 30). ii. And this is how he expresses his heart in the following Persian couplets regarding devotion: How beautiful You are, O captivator of my heart! How lovely are Your attributes, O love of my life! Ever since I beheld Your face, I have given my heart to You Except You, no one else remains in my world. I can renounce both the worlds, But any separation from You burns my bones. It is easier to consign one s body into fire, But any separation from You terrifies me out of my wits. (Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, pp ) 9. Without doubt, guided by the inspiration of Hazrat Mirza Sahib and with total and unswerving adherence to the teachings of Islam, the Leader of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, Maulana Muhammad Ali, and other founding members have left a legacy of scholarly research and a body of insightful and authentic writings that have been gratefully accepted by Muslims and non-muslims alike all over the world. I would like to mention just two such works, both by Maulana Muhammad Ali, namely: i. The translation of the Holy Qur an into English with commentary. ii. The Religion of Islam. This literary legacy has been continued by other Lahore Ahmadi scholars over the last century up to the present day and the Lahore Ahmadi presentation of Islam is gaining ground wherever people are introduced to it. With translation into other languages and the arrival of the internet the world has been given the opportunity to select the authentic presentation of Islam from the labyrinthine maze Page 17

18 of other brands purporting to represent the essence of Islam. More and more people besides us are now considering the Lahore Ahmadiyya presentation of Islam as the true Islam that represents the religion revealed to our Holy Prophet (sas). In conclusion, in his commentary of the following verses of the Holy Quran: He it is Who raised among the illiterates a Messenger from among themselves, who recites to them His messages and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and the Wisdom although they are before certainly in manifest error. And others from among them who have not yet joined them. And He is the Mighty, the Wise (62 : 2-3), Hazrat Mirza Sahib refers to others from among them as a prophecy relating to him and his companions and cites the hadith of the Holy Prophet (sas) who said in response to a question relating to the same phrase in these words: Even if faith were near the Pleiades, a man from among these (i.e. Persians, for he pointed to Salman, who was present there) would surely find it. And it is a fact of the religious history of Islam that after the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas) and his companions there has been no greater leader than Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Sahib, the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, who has re-established the veracity of the teachings of Islam by presenting a rational interpretation of the Qur an and the Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas). In this regard the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement has played a pivotal role. In fact, this blessed Movement is fulfilling the prophecy of the Second Coming of the Messiah by slaying the Dajjal with the sword of the pen and forcefully showing the splendour of the Holy Qur an. The Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement fortifies our hearts and solidifies our resolve when he says: Rest assured that this is a tree planted by the Hand of God; He will never permit it to go to waste. He will not be satisfied until He has seen it through to its fullness. He will see to it that it is well-irrigated and will build a protective fence around it. Thus God will bless my followers with astounding progress and prosperity. Have you left any stones unturned (in trying to destroy this Movement)? Had it been the work of man, this tree would have been cut and felled long ago and no trace of it would have remained (Anjaam-i Atham, p. 64). I reaffirm with all the conviction of my heart and soul and my puny frame as I answer the question posed in the beginning that in today s world there is no brand of Islam that is qualified to propagate and worthy of assuming the mantle of propagating the religion of Islam worldwide other than that of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. May Allah, Most High, bless the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement and his true companions and may He further bless the successive and present leader and followers of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Anjuman who are indeed the legitimate heirs of his teachings; who have purified Islam from dross and polished it and brought it back to its original principles so as to become the only undisputed vehicle for world Islam for uniting both East and West as was the dream of the Promised Messiah. No other body can save us from the curse of the modern world rampant materialism except a more powerful force which is the sun of spirituality with which the Founder provided us and to which the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement is the rightful inheritor. *** 18 Page