... The HOPE Bulletin..

Transcription

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful... The HOPE Bulletin.. Health, Ongoing Projects, Education October 2006 AAIIL Worldwide Edition Editor: Akbar Abdullah CALIFORNIA JAMA AT PROJECT: APPROVED BY THE CENTRAL ANJUMAN, LAHORE Introductory Notes Central Anjuman s Approval On our application to the Central Anjuman seeking approval to publish The HOPE Bulletin as a coordinated project of the California Jama at, Professor (retd.) Aziz Ahmad Sahib, General Secretary, Ahmadiyya Anjuman, Lahore, wrote. In accordance to Majlis-e-Muntazima s Resolution No dated 8 th October 2006, the newsletter, The HOPE Bulletin, which is published by Mr. Akbar Abdullah with the coordination of the California Jama at USA is hereby recognized as requested. Jazak Allah Khaira! Seeking Central Anjuman s Mandate For some years we have been engaged in circulating requests for dua-e-shifa for our ailing brothers and sisters in the global Jama at, and this, in time, became a regular feature. In cases of death we would announce obituary news. As a follow-up we would circulate a personal history of the ailing brothers and sisters and of those who were deceased. From time to time we have expanded this initiative to include international Jama at news and other events of interest within the Jama at. We made it possible for members in Europe to know what is going on in the Pacific Region and vice versa. In support of this effort we would get mail from all over the world in support of this venture. It did not take long for the global Jama ats to welcome this initiative and everyone encouraged us to carry on. With the worldwide Jama at s encouragement we decided to publish The HOPE Bulletin to include Health news of our global members, information on Ongoing Projects, and Education news. In order to instil an interest amongst all global Jama ats to fully participate in our programme, it was necessary for us to apply to the General Secretary, Central Anjuman, Lahore, to grant us an official mandate to publish the Bulletin as a part of the California Jama at s ongoing projects. Alhamdollillah! This approval is now

2 granted to us, and we most heartily thank the members of the Majlis-e-Muntazima, Lahore for granting us this mandate. New Features What Our Readers Say In this issue, we are introducing a new, regular feature, What Our Readers Say. Comments, suggestions, words of appreciation etc. from readers will be placed in this section. All About Us This section will be expanded to include biographies of past and present stalwarts of our Jama at. In this issue we will publish part one of a life sketch of Maulana Muhammad Ali Sahib Marhoom (of blessed memory) and this will be followed by the second part in the next issue. Eid-ul-Fitr Greetings We most heartily reciprocate the warm greetings received on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr from Hazrat Ameer, Brigadier Mohammad Saeed, Dr. Abdul Waheed, Ejaz Sayal (Pakistan), Ashraf and Nafiesa Ali, and Nadara Khan [AMLT] (Trinidad & Tobago), Dr. Zahid Aziz, Dr. Mujahid Saeed, Shahid Aziz, and Ross Mahmood (UK), Mary and Khaliel Ghafoerkhan, and Riaz Ahmadali (Suriname), Shagufta Tareen (India), Mohammad Mahawat Khan, and Maks Imami [Faaiin] (Netherlands), Ebrahim Mohamed (South Africa), Ameen Sahu Khan and Sadr-ud Dean Sahu Khan (Australia), Shaukat A. Ali (Thailand), Abid Raza (New Zealand), Jalal UD Dean (Fiji Islands), and Mohammad Mustapha, Captain Abdus Salam Khan, Ch. Akthar Masud and Zafar Abdullah (USA). We reproduce below the Eid message received from Br. Sadr-ud Dean Sahu Khan, President of AAIIL, Sydney, Australia: Eid Message from Australia Dear Hazrat Ameer Saheb, the Central Anjuman and members of the movement worldwide. Assalaam aleikum wa Rahmatull ah wa Barakata hu. On behalf of the Sydney Australia Jama at I wish to extend Eid Mubarak to you all. May Allah Almighty in His mercy accept all our fasting and prayers. After the spiritual exercise of this holy month I am sure we are all prepared to and will forgive one another for whatever faults we may have had. In this context I thought it relevant to remind ourselves when Lady Ayesha (rta) once asked the Holy Prophet (pbuh) what du a (supplication) she should make if she ever experienced that extraordinary Night of Grandeur, and this is the prayer he gave to her: "O Allah! Thou art the Forgiving and thou lovest forgiveness, so please forgive me." To be able to be forgiven by Allah Almighty, we should first of all be prepared, from the bottom of our hearts, to forgive one another. If we are not prepared to forgive another human being, how can we in all sincerity ask for forgiveness from Allah? Further if we have any animosity or ill feeling or spite against one another (I am not saying we as Ahmadees have) we should get rid of the same. Allah Almighty in chapter 59 verse, 10 says: 2

3 And those who come after them say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brethren who had precedence of us in faith, and leave no spite in our hearts towards those who believe. Our Lord, surely Thou art Kind, Merciful. May Allah Almighty accept all our du a and give us the courage, health, wealth and the wisdom to carry on with the propagation of Islam, the very purpose for which our Jama at was formed. Once again Eid Mubarak to you all. Wassalaam. Sadarud Dean Sahu Khan, President AAII, Sydney Australia. News from the Centre Hazrat Ameer s Eid Message, October 2006 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Read in the name of thy Lord Who creates, creates man from a clot, read and thy Lord is Most Generous, Who taught by the pen, taught man what he knew not (Al Alaq, 96:1 to 5). Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Jama at, Assalaam-o-Alaikum Wa Rakhmatullahi Wa Barakaato Hoo. As you celebrate the festive day of Eid-ul-Fitr, I am sending you this message to ponder over along with my best wishes. The verses of the Holy Qur an quoted above are the first five verses revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. These verses were revealed as the Prophet was fasting and praying in Ghar-i-Hira in Ramadan. With the revelation of these verses, the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was granted the eminent position of the last Prophet to be sent to humankind by Allah Almighty. It was the beginning of his prophethood and the process of revelation of the Qur an; but it was also the beginning of many hardships that he was to endure. As we celebrate Eid we all know that this day marks the happiness of having completed a sacred duty and the nearness to Allah we have attained through it. However, many of us may not realise another cause of celebration of this day; this also marks the granting of prophethood to the Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and the start of a long period of trials and tribulations that was unleashed upon him by his opponents. So today, along with celebrations, we should resolve to continue with the good virtues we have practiced in Ramadan and also thank Allah for sending us His last Prophet and the Holy Qur an, a book of guidance for us. We should resolve to show steadfastness in the trials that we face for the sake of our religion and follow the example of endurance set for us by the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his companions. We should resolve to read the Qur an along with its translation and live our lives according to the guidelines it gives. I wish you all a very happy Eid. I pray that you and all the members of your families and the Jama at will be successful in your Eid day resolve. Aamen. Please convey this message to all members of the Jama at. 3

4 Professor Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed, Ameer-i-Jama at, Worldwide Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement 21 October 2006 Snippets from Hazrat Ameer Appreciation of Begum Razia Madad Ali s Tribute Booklet The tribute to Razia Madad Ali Marhooma has been a commendable effort on the part of all those who have contributed to it. My wife Sabiha wishes me to thank you and all those who contributed to it. I convey through your esteemed paper thanks to all the writers, namely, Akbar Abdullah (USA), Brigadier Mohammad Saeed from Central Anjuman, Nur Jahan Alam (Australia), Yaseen Sahu Khan (Canada), Jalal UD Dean (Fiji), Mansoor Baksh (Guyana), Muhammad Ali (Germany), A.S. Abdul Santoe (Holland), Hikmat Mahawat Khan (Holland), Prof. F. Ahmadi (Indonesia), Abid Raza (New Zealand), Ejaz Sayal (Pakistan), Mary & Khaliel Ghafoerkhan (Suriname), Riaz Ahmadali (Suriname), Shaukat A. Ali (Thailand), Ashraf Ali (Trinidad & Tobago), Mujahid Ahmad Saeed (UK), Zahid Aziz (UK), Ross Mahmood (UK), Syed Nasir Ahmad (UK), Captain Abdus Salam Khan (USA), Choudry Akthar Masud (USA) and Fairuz Maida Abdullah (USA). I had received dozens of messages from friends, family and members of the Jama at all over the world. I take this opportunity to thank all of them for the sentiments they have shown for Razia Apa. Comments on The HOPE Bulletin I am grateful to you for having sent the first copy of the HOPE to me and at that time I prayed for the success of the project. I am glad the HOPE has come a long way since the idea was floated. I read with great interest the encouraging comments made by your readers, namely, Brother Jalal UD Dean from Fiji, and Mian Fazl-i- Ahmad and Dr. Abdul Waheed from Pakistan. I also appreciate the interest Zahid Aziz (UK), Mujahid Ahmad Saeed (UK), Riaz Ahmadali (Suriname) and other Team members have shown in the project and the precious advice they have given in formatting content and designing the title page of the HOPE. Photos that appear in the HOPE are of excellent quality and add to the excellence of the newsletter. Sympathy on Minister Louis Farrakhan s Illness I am sending a letter of sympathy to the Honourable Minister Farrakhan. I pray for his health. When you see him please let him know that we are praying for his health. I am sure he will be there for years to come and advise his wisdom to whomever steps into his organization. World News Kashmir Earthquake Update In our July issue of the Bulletin we reported that a number of students from California Medical College volunteered to conduct relief work in the most affected areas in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Kashmir and the north of Pakistan. A report on the activities of these students has been published in their college newsletter and this can be accessed by clicking the following link: 4

5 On October 8, 2006, the first anniversary of the earthquake in Kashmir, Yahoo News reported an ABC/ Associated Press article, Pakistani quake survivors still fearful. You can read the story by clicking on the link, (To access the article on this site, type Pakistan quake survivors still fearful in the SEARCH box as this link may have expired by now. Or do a search on All News to see the article.) A Christian Woman s Letter to Muslim Women The Harouns of the United Kingdom were kind enough to provide us with this very interesting article in which a Christian woman is giving advice to our Muslim sisters. Kindly open the article by clicking on the following link: Minister Louis Farrakhan Stepping Down Due to Illness On learning from a press report that the US Nation of Islam s Louis Farrakhan is stepping down due to illness, Hazrat Ameer wrote. I am grieved by the sad news of Farrakhan s health and his decision to step down. His hospitality and understanding of the Ahmadiyya message which I delivered to him will always be appreciated by me We sent to the Honourable Minister Louis Farrakhan a get-well card as desired by Hazrat Ameer. The latest report is that the Honourable Minister has delegated the day-to-day responsibilities of the Nation of Islam to the Board of Directors of the governing body in the United States. We all pray and wish him good health and a speedy recovery. W.D. Mohammad s Ramadan Sessions During the weekend of October 13 to 15, Imam Warith Deen Mohammad conducted Ramadan sessions in the auditorium of the Convention Center of Homewood Hotel in Illinois, USA. Thousands of his followers attended this spiritual gathering. I attended the Friday session which was so full that many of the attendees had to be accommodated in the hallway and other adjoining rooms. During his deliberation, which lasted several hours, Imam Mohammad repeatedly mentioned that he learned from his teacher, making reference to Maulana Muhammad Abdullah Marhoom. Open Letter to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI by Thirty-eight Leading Muslim Scholars and Leaders In an unprecedented move, an open letter signed by thirty-eight leading Muslim religious scholars and leaders around the world was sent to Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 12, The letter, which is the outcome of a joint effort, was signed by top religious authorities such as Shaykh Ali Jumu'ah (the Grand Mufti of Egypt), Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah (former Vice-President of Mauritania and a leading religious scholar), and Shaykh Sa'id Ramadan Al-Buti (from Syria), in addition to the Grand Muftis of Russia, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Slovenia, Istanbul, Uzbekistan, and Oman, as well as leading figures from the Shi'a community such as Ayatollah Muhammad Ali Taskhiri of Iran. The letter was also signed by HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal of Jordan and by Muslim scholars in the West such as Shaykh Hamza Yusuf from California, Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and Professor Tim Winter of the University of Cambridge. All the eight schools of thought and jurisprudence in Islam are represented by the signatories, including a woman scholar. In this respect, the letter is unique in the history of interfaith relations. 5

6 The letter was sent, in a spirit of goodwill, to respond to some of the remarks made by the Pope during his lecture at the University of Regensburg on Sept. 12, The letter tackles the main substantive issues raised in his treatment of a debate between the medieval Emperor Manuel II Paleologus and an "educated Persian," including reason and faith; forced conversion; jihad vs. "holy war"; and the relationship between Christianity and Islam. They engage the Pope on an intellectual level concerning these crucial topics which go well beyond the controversial quotation of the emperor pointing out what they see as mistakes and oversimplifications in the Pope's own remarks about Islamic belief and practice. The Muslim signatories appreciate the Pope's personal expression of sorrow at the Muslim reaction and his assurance that the words of the Byzantine emperor he quoted did not reflect his personal opinion. By following the Quranic precept of debating "in the fairest way," they hope to reach out so as to increase mutual understanding, re-establish trust, calm the situation for the sake of peace, and preserve Muslim dignity. Christianity and Islam make up more than half of humankind in an increasingly interconnected world, the letter states, and it is imperative that both sides share responsibility for peace and move the debate towards a frank and sincere dialogue of hearts and minds which furthers mutual understanding and respect between the two religious traditions. Indeed, the scholars point out, both religions teach what Christianity calls "the two greatest commandments." The commandment that "the Lord our God is one Lord" and that we shall love Him are enshrined in the first testimony of faith in Islam, "There is no god but God." The second commandment, "to love thy neighbour as thyself," is also found in the words of the Prophet, "None of you believes until he desires for his neighbour (in another version, his brother) what he desires for himself." The signatories also point out the positive contacts the Vatican has had with the Islamic world in the past. The official and full English version of the text along with the complete list of signatories is available now on the Islamica Magazine website ( (This report was forwarded to us by Br. Khaliel Ghafoerkhan. Editor.) Dr. Zahid Aziz s Comments on an Israeli Journalist s Remarks on the Pope s Speech The Israeli journalist s remarks can be read at In connection with the Pope s speech, please read the article by the Israeli columnist with comment by Dr. Zahid Aziz. (This article was forwarded to us by Brs. Khaliel Ghafoerkhan and Ross Mahmood.) I quote the following passage near the end of this article: "Every honest Jew who knows the history of his people cannot but feel a deep sense of gratitude to Islam, which has protected the Jews for fifty generations, while the Christian world persecuted the Jews and tried many times by the sword to get them to abandon their faith. The story about spreading the faith by the sword is an evil legend, one of the myths that grew up in Europe during the great wars against the Muslims the reconquista of Spain by the Christians, the Crusades and the repulsion of the Turks, who almost conquered Vienna. I suspect that the German Pope, too, honestly believes in these fables. That means that the leader of the Catholic world, who is a Christian theologian in his own right, did not make the effort to study the history of other religions." 6

7 Jama at News AAIIL, Oakland, California, USA Br. Mohammad Mustapha, President of the Jama at. reports that Rupees 60,000 ($990) of the donations collected on the night of the Great Du a has been remitted to Lahore for the benefit of medical expenses incurred on behalf of Br. Usman Ahmad who recently underwent a second major delicate operation in Pakistan. A similar amount was remitted to a brother in need of medical expenses in the Fiji Islands. Jazakallah! May Allah bless the work of this Jama at. Br. Zafar Abdullah, President of AAIIL, Hayward, California, USA telephoned to say that on Saturday 21 October, Lailat-ul-Qadr was observed at the Oakland Mosque and he was amongst several speakers who spoke that night. Alhamdollillah! We are pleased to learn that the Oakland Mosque provides a suitable venue where our Northern California Ahmadi brothers and sisters can conveniently meet to fulfil their religious obligations. Report from Fiji Islands From a recent circulation by the Central Anjuman we learned that on October 9, 2006, the Fiji Times reported that religious bodies met for a week to promote interfaith harmony and understanding. The Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam of Fiji is amongst the organisations listed as members of this interfaith movement. Alhamdollillah! As a result, our brother, Jalal UD Dean of Suva, Fiji, wrote as follows: Thanks for the circulatory article on the Fiji Times regarding Interfaith Search Fiji. Interfaith Search is non-political. AAII (Lahore) is a foundation member since This formation came about following coups d'etat in Fiji and overtly possessive action by the Methodist Church in Fiji to take control of the government system and to declare Fiji as a Christian Methodist State. My brother (Nizam Ud Dean) and I are active members since Currently I am the National Vice- Chairperson of the Interfaith Search in Fiji. We hold gatherings on 10th of each month at religious centres on a given topic. The methodology involves reading out excerpts from the scripture that validates our views and actions. Then there is reflection and discussion to better understand each other's faiths. In addition, we write on topical religious issues for discussions in public gatherings. Participation from Qadianis is seldom. Participation from Sunnis is zero. Spiritual Gift Br. Riaz Ahmadali has provided the community with a free Spiritual Gift by giving our valued readers online access to spiritual songs recorded for their enjoyment. At our request Br. Riaz has kindly agreed to leave the songs online until 15 November, by which date you can download and save the songs. We have found these songs extremely melodious and full of spiritual blessings. Alhamdollillah for a great effort! May Allah bless them all. (Ameen.) The Spiritual Gift letter circulated by IVISEP is reproduced below. On October , the Institute for Islamic Studies and Publications released the CD "Look with your Heart", containing Islamic songs for different occasions. The CD was presented to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Suriname, Drs. M. Hassankhan, on October 17. You can read more about this here. 7

8 On the occasion of Eid ul-fitr 2006, the Institute presents to you the CD as a gift, available for free download at this page. The full versions of the songs will be available for download until the end of October 2006; after that, abridged versions will be available. To maintain uniform copies of the CD worldwide, we kindly ask that you: include all provided songs on your copies of the CD; keep the songs in the same order; include the original CD cover with your copies of the CD. Please feel free to distribute copies of the CD amongst your family and jama'at members, and others. We would like to hear from you if you were able to download the songs and compile your copies. Feedback on this compilation will also be welcome. Khuda Haafiz. Riaz Ahmadali Institute for Islamic Studies and Publications Paramaribo, Suriname info@ivisep.org Kindly right-click on the songs below (MP3 files) and select "Save Target As" to save the songs on your computer. CD cover (PDF file) 1. Hai mehshar (3.32 MB) 2. Laa ilaaha ill-allaah (Ramadan) (3.26 MB) 3. Look with your Heart (3.26 MB) 4. Aao mil kar kaam kare (2.05 MB) 5. Mini sins and maxi sins (1.94 MB) 6. Afsoz tu rukhsat huwa (Eid) (4.09 MB) 7. Glory to Thee o Allah (Birthday) (2.40 MB) 8. Laa ilaaha ill-allaah (Eid) (3.28 MB) United Kingdom Dr. Zahid Aziz reports: 1. The November 2006 issue of The Light, U.K. Edition, is attached herewith in pdf format. To access previous issues, please visit the webpage: 8

9 2. Please read the new, 90-page book "Islam, Peace and Tolerance" by Dr Zahid Aziz at: 3. The Eid-ul-Fitr prayers and khutba at the U.K. Lahore Ahmadiyya Centre in London, on Tuesday 24th October, was successfully transmitted live by webcast on the Internet. The transmission started at about a.m. U.K. time. Some people acted as test viewers and they later reported successful reception at their locations. The following website has been set up for live transmission of such events by the U.K. Lahore Ahmadiyya Jama at: The live transmissions (when they are being broadcast) can be viewed by anyone in the world with access to an Internet connection. [Prior to the Eid celebration at Darus Salaam, London we were provided with a link to operate the virtual mosque webcast from the UK. Our examination of the system had the markings of complete success. We congratulate the UK Jama at for the introduction of this very useful and practical innovation benefiting members who could not conveniently attend religious functions, including Friday prayers, in their distant mosques. Editor.] New Design of aaiil.org Dr. Mujahid Ahmad Saeed, Webmaster of Central Anjuman s website, desires that we passed on his message to our readers: The Centre of AAIIL has launched the new design of aaiil.org. Please spare a moment and take a look. We have checked the new design at Alhamdollillah! It is quite attractive. Congratulations, and may Allah bless Dr Mujahid Ahmad Saeed for this most noble work. (Ameen.) Br. Ross Mahmood, Trustee AALMI, UK, reports: Below is a search engine link to our websites in aaill.org and You may want to save it in your Favourites and publish it in HOPE so that all our Ahmadi boys and girls can search our sites. I entered muhammad ali, yaqub khan, basharat and quran and was pleasantly surprised, as it fetched all the articles, photos etc and showed the relevant article links. All accolades go to Brother Zahid Aziz for creating this fine search engine. Jazak Allah for a job well done. May Allah bless him. (Ameen.) A.S. Abdul Santoe Welcomed in the UK During a recent visit to London, while accompanying Hazrat Ameer after the conclusion of Hazrat Ameer s tour of Holland and Germany, Br. A.S. Abdul Santoe was honoured at a reception given by 9

10 Sister Jameela Khan, President of AAIIL, UK, at her residence. Photographs taken on this occasion will, Insha Allah, be issued separately as a supplement to this month s Bulletin. Correspondence from Br. Khaliel Ghafoerkhan, Suriname Last Sunday Mary had her taqreer (lecture) in the Mosque on which she received many compliments. She spoke about the sad situation in the world and attacks on Muslims and Islam. She quoted from the Holy Qur an, Chapter 32, verse 5, and gave reference to Maulana Muhammad Ali s interpretation of this verse. Tomorrow I will talk about the remarks of the Pope and how we must react to his speech according to the teaching of our Religion. Reports on Eid Supplement Jazak Allah. So far we have received Eid celebration photographs for our Eid Supplement from Br. Mohammad Mustapha, President AAIIL, Oakland, California, USA; Eid khutba from Br. Shahid Aziz, Secretary UK Jama at, and photographs taken at the SIV Paramaribo Mosque in Suriname from Br. Khaliel Ghafoerkhan. Members and Jama ats of other countries are kindly requested to submit their Eid celebration reports so their contribution may also be included in this supplement. October Death Anniversaries Dr. Zahid Aziz reminded us earlier in the month that the death anniversaries of three of the most eminent persons of our Jama at would occur on consecutive days: Hafiz Sher Muhammad Sahib Marhoom died on 12 October 1990 Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali Sahib Marhoom died on 13 October 1951 Hazrat Ameer Dr. Asghar Hameed Marhoom died on 14 October 2002 We reproduce below photographs of each of these noble personalities. Hafiz Sher Muhammad in the centre flanked on either side by two advocates who represented the AAIIL in the South Africa case 10

11 Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali Sahib Marhoom (of the blessed memory) Dr. Asghar Hameed Sahib, former Hazrat Ameer All About Us Commemoration of Death Anniversary of Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali Marhoom To honour this most eminent stalwart of the Jama at, Maulana Muhammad Ali Marhoom, we give below part one of his life sketch written by Choudry Akthar Masud, Secretary AAIIL, Hayward, California, USA. Part two of the biography will, Insha Allah, appear in the November issue of The HOPE Bulletin. MAULANA MUHAMMAD ALI THE GREATEST OF ALL (Taken from The Islamic Review; available at "Probably no man living has done longer or more valuable service for the cause of Islamic Revival than Maulana Muhammad Ali of Lahore." -- Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall 11

12 "Perhaps no Muslim, living or dead, has done more than Maulana Muhammad Ali to lead people to see the good side of Islam. With these books no student of world religion would find any excuse for failing to learn about Islam." -- W.J. Milburn During the 14 th century Hijrah, many great men by the name of Muhammad Ali were born in the Islamic world. Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar, the great orator, patriot and politician; Mr. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of a country and a nation, Pakistan; and Mr. Muhammad Ali, boxer, probably the greatest boxer of all times, but most probably Maulana Muhammad Ali, M.A., LL.B., of Lahore will go down in the history of mankind as the greatest of them all, for, through his writings, he shaped the future of mankind by bringing a change at the intellectual level. Being the first Muslim author of an English translation and commentary of the Holy Qur an, which is considered the best and the most authentic, he became instrumental in illuminating the minds of the thinkers and intellectuals of the West. The Nation of Islam, in the USA, is living evidence of his efforts, as it was his English translation of the Holy Qur an which was presented by Fard Muhammad to His Excellency Elijah Muhammad and resulted in transforming the lives of hundreds of thousands of persons through his movement. Through his books on various Islamic topics he expounded the beauteous teachings of the Qur an and the beauteous character of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in such accomplished terms that the West came to acknowledge the Qur an as the greatest spiritual force and the Holy Founder of Islam as the greatest man known to history. It can be said without any fear of contradiction that Maulana Muhammad Ali s writings were the major source of information about Islam in the West in the major part of this century. The depth of Maulana s learning is borne out by the fact that he wrote thousands of pages during his more than fifty years sojourn in the field of religious literature, and not a single contradiction can be found in his writings of various periods. This makes him the most outstanding and accomplished author on religion of this century -- and all others fall much below him in this respect. He died on October 13, 1951, and in acknowledgement of his unparalleled services to the cause of Islam, we are publishing a brief biographical sketch of this illustrious son of Islam. Life and Work It was probably in the winter of 1876 that Muhammad Ali was born at Murar, a small village in the Kapurthala State of India. He was the fifth son of Hafiz Fath Din, the headman of the village. He was not yet five years old when sent to the nearest village school of Dialpur with his brother Aziz Bakhsh who was four or five years older than he. After three years the two brothers were sent to Kapurthala High School and from there they passed their Matriculation examination in Muhammad Ali was a brilliant boy, doing very well in school. His love of virtue and truth was proverbial, commanding a great respect for him from teachers and fellow scholars. He was not taught to read and recite the Qur an before he was admitted to the school, but having an inherent love for this Sacred Book he used to study it regularly till he learnt to recite it by himself. After completing his studies in school, his father was anxious to give him higher education, and with scanty means he managed, somehow, to provide funds for sending both of his sons to the Government College, Lahore, Pakistan. The Maulana spent five years in this college, passing the Faculty of Arts examination in 1892, Bachelor of Arts in 1894, and Master of Arts in

13 As for his academic life, his college career was brilliant. Having an aptitude for mathematics, he stood first in that subject in the Punjab University in B.A. When he once asked for a certificate from one of his professors the only remark he received was: "He is the best mathematician of our College." For his M.A., he took up English as his subject and was one of the five candidates out of twenty-three declared successful in the examination. Strangely enough, during his college days he never took part in literary activities. He never wrote anything for publication and never appeared on the college platform to deliver a speech. He was only interested in athletic sports and was a good player in football (even at the age of 75 he went for long walks early in the morning, this being perhaps the secret of his good health even in his old age). After passing his B.A. examination in 1894, and while still attending the M.A. classes at the Government College, Lahore, Pakistan, he joined the Islamia College, Lahore, as a lecturer in mathematics, when he was only nineteen. After getting through his M.A., while still working in the Islamia College, he joined the Law College and came out second, first and third in the three Law Examinations of the Punjab University. In 1897, he left the Islamia College for the Oriental College, Lahore, where he worked as a professor till 1900, when he left that college, too, to start practice as a lawyer in Gurdaspur, but before three months had passed he decided to begin the great work of his life as Editor of the Review of Religions, in obedience to the wishes of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, Founder of the Ahmadiyyah Movement. Contact with the Founder of the Ahmadiyyah Movement It was in 1892 that the Founder paid a visit to Lahore and the two brothers had the chance to visit him frequently. They had heard much about his reputation as a great saint in their village Murtar, being situated only twenty miles south of Qadian. They now had the opportunity to hear from his own lips what the saint of Qadian had to say. It was at this time that they were told that the time had come when Islam was destined to triumph in the world. The impression left on their minds was going to stay with them for the rest of their life, though at the moment Muhammad Ali did not realise that these meetings had in fact cast his life in a different mould. Later Muhammad Ali paid a visit to Qadian in March 1897, in the company of Khwaja Kamal al-din, the Founder of the Woking Muslim Mission and Literary Trust, Woking, England, who was also at the time a lecturer in the Islamia College and who had earlier joined the Ahmadiyya Movement. There he, too, enlisted himself as a member of this great revivalistic Movement in Islam and had his spiritual instructions in the company of the Founder and was enlightened on the deeper meaning of Islam. He admits it himself in the preface of the English translation of the Qur an: "And lastly, the greatest religious leader of the present times, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, has inspired me with all that is best in this work. I have drunk deep at the fountain of knowledge which this great Reformer -- Mujaddid of the present century -- and Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, has made to flow." 13

14 After joining the Movement he remained at Lahore for three years. During that time he paid frequent visits to Qadian and did the work of rendering into English many of the manifestos issued by the Founder. This was just the beginning of his literary career. A visit to the village of Qadian in those days was rather a hard task, as it was situated at a distance of about eleven miles from Batala, the nearest railway station, and accessible only through an ekka (a type of horse carriage) on a kachcha road (mud road). But often would Muhammad Ali walk over this distance at midnight on Saturday in the company of friends and come back on foot on Sunday evening for his work in the college next morning. When he decided to start work as a lawyer in 1890 he sought the advice of the Master, who, after some time, told him that he was thinking of starting an English monthly to carry the message of Islam to Europe and America, and that he would like him to edit the journal. Muhammad Ali immediately gave up the idea of working as a legal practitioner. Assiduously learning all he could in the company of the Founder, he now undertook, for the rest of his life, to convince the world of the beauties and practicability of the teachings of Islam. The first number of the Review of Religions came out in January 1902 with the following declared object: "Our object in starting the Review of Religions is two-fold. Firstly, to draw the world to truth, viz., to teach true morals, to inculcate true beliefs, to disseminate true knowledge, and last but not least, to make men act upon the principles of truth ordained. "Secondly, to draw them with a magnetism so mighty in operation that it may create in them a power to act upon the doctrines taught." This declaration ends with the words: "It shall defend the cause of truth and oppose every false doctrine or erroneous teaching which is in violation of the rights of the Creator or the created." Dealing with all the burning questions which troubled men s minds in those days, the Review, within a period of three years, acquired fame not only in India but also in the religious circles of England and America. Its great merit was its clear exposition of the religion of Islam, though at the same time it carried on controversy with other religions, particularly with Christianity. The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement had, however, also a desire to get the Qur an translated into English, to which he gave expression in 1891 in his book entitled Izalah Auham. He passed away on 26 May, 1908, at Lahore and the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya, Qadian, which was founded by him to carry on his mission, worked under the guidance of the late Maulana Nur-ud-Din, who was a great scholar and religious divine of his age. In 1909, Muhammad Ali was called upon to undertake the work of the translation of the Qur an. Here also Nur-ud-Din helped him and went through "the greater part of the explanatory notes and made many valuable suggestions" (Preface to the English translation of the Qur an). It took him eight years to accomplish this task. The labour spent on this translation is evident from the wealth of the footnotes attached to it. The author had to work hard for these years, tracing not only original authorities and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and all sorts of questions 14

15 that are dealt with in the notes, but also the great Arabic Lexicons on which he based his interpretations whenever he made a departure from the interpretations of the current translations. He worked on it for almost twelve hours daily and had at times to perform the task in a standing posture, to keep himself fit, for which he used a high desk to enable him to work in this position. He gave up this habit only after many years when he was forced to the use of a table and chair entirely. What Our Readers Say Br. Ross Mahmood, UK After wishing you all Eid Saeed I would like to thank you for the Hope Bulletins which I always look forward to read. It keeps us in touch with the health and activities of our USA and worldwide members and Jamaats. Excellent work. Br. Jalal UD Dean, Suva, Fiji Islands Congratulations once again on your fine exposition of editorial skills in your putting together and coordination of The HOPE Bulletin. Whilst the material size of our Jama'at is small compared to other sectarian Islamic mainstream groups, we are not so small in our hearts. People know that; but feel uncomfortable to admit as a fact. The HOPE Bulletin demonstrates most impressively what goes on with AAII Lahore around the globe and that successes displayed in the articles are clearly joint efforts of AAII Lahore members together with Allah's choicest blessings. It would be utterly beyond the stretch of imagination of a sane human being to deny this fact. An average non-aaii Lahore member would be utterly astonished to learn that so many achievements are cantered around a small group of devoted Muslims, operating under most difficult political regimes in some countries. Those of us who live in open and practical democracy have no idea whatsoever about the complications that our other AAII Lahore brothers and sisters face in liberally practicing their faith in their own homelands. I sincerely feel that the initiation of The HOPE Bulletin is excellent albeit rather late in the day. It is a good step forward and all contributors must keep up the inflows of quality material acceptable to all members and in all countries' jurisdictions. At this juncture, I consider mindful to cautiously remind people that The HOPE Bulletin should be free of all aggressive material against other communities and in fact become the bridging of gaps between AAII Lahore and other communities in all countries, without any fear of reprisal. The HOPE Bulletin can become a common conduit for peace. Please proceed with this sterling work together with dependable faith in Allah. Ameen. Dr. Zahid Aziz, UK Congratulation on a very well-produced HOPE Bulletin magazine and thank you for all your hard work. The magazine will be highly informative for our members around the world and will keep in touch with news of other Jamaats. Br. Abid Raza, New Zealand May Allah Subhanatalla give you good health and strength to continue with your untiring efforts to keep the Jamaat informed of the global affairs relating to personal needs, events and progress report on Hazrat Sahib s Europe tour and his Ramazan Message. 15

16 Jazak Allah for some very encouraging comments from Brs. Jalal UD Dean, Ross Mahmood, Dr. Zahid Aziz and Abid Raza Sahib. May Allah bless them all. (Ameen.) Health & Prayer News Akela Haroun, UK According to Br. Haroun, Sister Akela has been transferred to the Oxford Centre for Enablement. He does not know how long she will be there, but the facilities are better than at the previous institution and her therapy will be more intense. Hopefully by the grace of Allah she will show signs of greater improvement. Br. Haroun writes further: "I have conveyed your messages of duas and salaams and she is very touched by all the kind words she is receiving from you and all the other Jamaat members throughout the world Brother Nasir, Dr. Jawad and family went to the hospital on Sunday. Please continue to pray for our dear sister s full recovery. Begum Akthar Aziz, UK Dr. Zahid Aziz writes: Our mother is expected to stay in the hospital for some weeks due to stoke. Please do continue prayers for her recovery. Members are requested to please continue your du a-e-shifa as requested by our dear brother for his mother s speedy recovery. Br. Wahid Ali Bux, Suva, Fiji Islands As reported previously, Br. Wahid Ali Bux, uncle of Brs. Mehboob Raza and Abid Raza, was admitted to a local hospital with a serious condition. Br. Wahid Ali Bux is the eldest son of the late Tazim Ali Raza Sahib of Fiji and also the brother of Usman Gani Bux of Canada, Jaffar Ali Bux of California, Haneef Bux of New Zealand and two sisters, one each in Canada and New Zealand. The latest update is that his condition is now stabilized. Please continue to pray for his shifa and speedy recovery Obituary News Br. Dr Abdullah Jan, Peshawar, Pakistan Dr. Abdullah Jan Marhoom went to the United Kingdom for surgery and after gaining some strength he returned to Pakistan accompanied by his wife and his son, Dr. Masood Jan. On arrival in Pakistan, his condition required him to be hospitalized in Islamabad. Now we have received the sad news that our dear brother, Dr. Jan, has returned to Allah. According to the arrangements made, Hazrat Ameer will lead the janaza prayer at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, October 31, O soul that art at rest, return to thy Lord well pleased, well pleasing. So enter among My servants and enter My garden (89:27-30). Ameen. 16

17 Santoe Marhooma Brigadier Mohammad Seed Sahib, Moderator, Lahore Ahmadees made the following obituary announcement: Assalaam-o-Alaikum Wa Rakhmatullahi Wa Barakaato Hoo. We announce with great sorrow that the mother of our revered brother, Abdus Samad Santoe, the Central Anjuman s Regional Coordinator for Europe, expired in Rotterdam on 19 th October 2006 at the age of 84 years. Inna Lillahi wa inna elaihi raaji oon. May Allah Ta ala rest the departed soul in peace in the highest pedestal of Janna-tul-Firdaus. We also pray that Allah Ta ala grant brother Santoe and other members of the bereaved the family patience and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. Ameen. Hazrat Ameer led the Namaaz-i-Janaazah Ghaaibana at Jaamiah Darus Salaam Lahore after the Jummah tul Widah congregation on 20 th October Members of the worldwide Anjumans are requested to offer Namaaz-i-Janaazah Ghaaibana for the departed soul in their respective locations. Condolence messages may be sent to brother Santoe at the following address: a.santoe1@chello. nl Seeker of your prayers, Lahore Ahmadees Moderator Mohammad Saeed On hearing the sad news, Hazrat Ameer phoned Br. Santoe Sahib and personally condoled with him the irreparable loss of his dear mother and consoled him to bear this sad loss with patience, fortitude and courage. He also told Br. Santoe that the credit of his accomplishments and dedication to the Jama at s work goes to his mother, who gave birth to such a worthy son. Br. Habiboellah Maulabux Br. Maks Imami, webmaster, Faaiin made the following announcement: We announce with great sorrow that former Imaam and Chairman of Sadar Tartiboel Islam, Mr. Habiboellah Maulabux, passed away in Nickered, Surname, on Monday, 16th October at an age of 82. Inna Lillahi wa inna elaihi raaji oon.---lahore Ahmadees Moderator, Mohammad Saeed Ongoing Projects In continuation of Hazrat Ameer s tour of Europe to energize Jama ats in the UK, Holland and Germany, we intend to publish a report by Br. Zafar Abdullah, President of AAIIL Hayward, California, USA, who specially travelled to Holland to receive and welcome Hazrat Ameer when he arrived at the Amsterdam Airport from London. Br. Zafar Abdullah stayed with Hazrat Ameer in the same place in Rotterdam and accompanied him on his trip to Berlin before returning to California. He has submitted a report on meeting Hazrat Ameer and other Jama at members in Holland and Germany. Insha Allah, when we assemble the photographs of his visit we will also publish a brief report in the next issue of this newsletter. 17

18 Education News At times it would be necessary for us to provide our readers with articles that can enhance our knowledge. We reproduce below an analysis of why Muslims lag behind in achieving scientific feats that may warrant awards of the Nobel Prize. This article also refers to an award given to Pakistani scientist, Mr Abdus Salam, who, because he is an Ahmadi, was spurned in his home country. We received this article from Br. Ameen Sahu Khan of Sydney, Australia. Nobel and Muslims Saleem H. Ali While many Islamic countries claim to have been victimised by the war on terror, it is interesting to note that since September 11, 2001, three of the six individual Nobel peace laureates have been Muslims. Their area of recognition has spanned from human rights activism (Shirin Ebadi, 2003) to nuclear vigilance (Muhammad ElBaradei, 2005) to micro-credit entrepreneurship (Muhammad Yunus, 2006). What is perhaps even more astonishing is that in the 106-year history of the Nobel peace prize there are only two other Muslims who have been so honoured. Anwar Saadat (1978) and Yassir Arafat shared the prize with Israeli leaders for highly variable and controversial contributions to building peace in the Middle East. Out of more than five hundred Nobel laureates in the sciences, only two have been of Muslim lineage. Pakistan can claim one of them: Abdus Salam, who shared the prize in physics in 1979, and memorably wore a shervani and turban to the award ceremony in Sweden. However, as a member of the Ahmadiya community, he was regrettably spurned at home as a non-muslim. The other Muslim science laureate is Ahmed Zewail, an Egyptian-American chemist based at the California Institute of Technology who received the prize for chemistry in The reason for the paucity of Muslim laureates in the sciences is perhaps the relative intellectual inertia in the educational institutions in many Muslim countries. There is a tendency to atavistically celebrate the accomplishments of tenth-century Muslim mathematicians, while investing little in developing contemporary educational capacity. Far too often we hear from imams about the etymology of algebra coming from Arabic and the pharmaceutical accomplishments of Avicenna, but do we ask why more of such great scholars have not been seen for a thousand years in Islamic countries? Those Muslims who are educated and proceed to develop successful professional careers are often sanguine with a comfortable job but would rather not invest in cutting-edge creativity. An interesting example is the medical profession in which many Muslims, and indeed Pakistani Muslims, have excelled considerably. However, most of these brilliant doctors are focused on making money in clinical practice rather than in creative research which would lead to laurels such as the Nobel Prize. There is cultural complacence that leads to a mindset where success is marked by simply making a good living for the family, contributing some earnings to charity and then living a lavish life. As for the recent Muslim peace laureates, what is even more striking is that many Muslims have rejected their efforts and refused to accept them as role models, labelling them instead as stooges of the West. I was amazed at the reaction of one Canadian Muslim professor to the Nobel Prize awarded to Muhammad Yunus this year. There was spiteful criticism of Dr Yunus as a narcissist who was charging 18

19 the destitute exorbitant un-islamic interest rates. As with Shirin Ebadi and Muhammad ElBaradei, many Muslims also consider Dr Yunus a stooge of the West. While there are some valid critiques of the Grameen Bank model in Bangladesh, it is unfortunate that any novel idea has to be met with such contrarian zeal with few alternative solutions. The overall picture is fairly clear: Bangladesh is at least showing strongly positive signs of development, as measured by indicators developed by Pakistan s own celebrated economist, the late Mahbub-ul-Haq (who may well have become the first Muslim to win the Nobel Prize in economics had he lived long enough). According to the director of the UN s Human Development Report, Kevin Watkins, Bangladesh has seen child mortality falling at an annual rate 50 percent higher than India, and in 2006 the child survival rate is better in Bangladesh than in either India or Pakistan. This is especially remarkable for a country that has all natural odds against it with annual floods, cyclones and a capricious agricultural climate. Let us now turn to this year s other Muslim Nobel laureate, Orhan Pamuk of Turkey, who won the Nobel Prize for literature. The late Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz is the only other Muslim writer to have won this prize. Both of these writers have been known to marginalize their Islamic identity at various times, and perhaps the literature prize mirrors the peace prize in its political message. Just as Gandhi was denied the peace prize despite being an inspiration to so many later laureates, some Muslim writers may claim a measure of discrimination here, contending that only a certain liberal elite is even considered seriously. In the case of Mr Pamuk, one Turkish writer commented in the Wall Street Journal that he has not taught anyone anything they didn t already know but has made precisely the right noises that the progressive arbiters of taste in Europe like to hear. Alfred Nobel, the man who perfected the alchemy of dynamite, could scarcely have imagined how momentous his legacy would be for times to come. Every autumn we await the announcements from Scandinavia about this most coveted of international honours. As the pantheon of laureates grows larger and more diverse, the Islamic contribution to this prize remains relatively small. This is a time for introspection among Muslims and non-muslims alike regarding the means and merits of such rewards, and how best to use them as incentives for improving the human condition. [The author of this article is Dr Saleem H Ali, an associate professor of environmental planning and conflict resolution at the University of Vermont, USA.] Contact Address: Akbar Abdullah Editor, The HOPE Bulletin Mailing Address: P.O. Box A South Clark Street Chicago, IL 60690, U.S.A. Address: akbar_786us@yahoo.com Telephone Number: (773) Facsimile Number: (773)