The Critical Issues of

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1 november vol issue eleven World Peace & Security: The Critical Issues of Our Time Mufti Muhammad Sadiq ra An Early Ray of Western Sunrise 18 World Peace & Security - The Critical Issues of Our Time 38 Responsibilities of an Ahmadi Muslim 50 The Economic System of Islam 56

2 The Promised Messiah as & imam mahdi The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa prophesied that the Promised Messiah as would be raised near a white minaret, east of Damascus. This prophecy was fulfilled with the advent of the Promised Messiah as from Qadian, India, a city directly east of Damascus. world faiths Tolerance & Respect for All Believers And if thy Lord had enforced His will, surely, all who Now consider that this is the Qur anic teaching are on the earth would have believed together. Wilt despite the fact that it treats idols as of no significance. founder of the review of religions makhzan-e-tasaweer thou, then, force men to become believers? And no soul can believe except by the permission of Allah. Islam, the Holy Qur an, Ch.10:V Yet God teaches the Muslims to abstain from insulting even the idols and admonishes them instead to adopt a course of gentle persuasion lest they [the idolaters] should be provoked, in turn, to abuse God. Islam, the Promised Messiah as, A Message of Peace, p. 32. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi was born to a noble family in Qadian, India. From an early age he had a keen interest in religion and developed a love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa. He was also known for his honesty, friendliness and resolve. Over time his knowledge and understanding of religion and its application to society deepened. Being a Muslim it was his firm belief that all religions were true at their source but with the passage of time had drifted away from their original teachings; he upheld the dignity of religion and demonstrated its relevance to everyone. His earnest defence of religion was ultimately blessed when he started to receive direct revelation from Allah a blessing that he continued for the rest of his life. His mission was to revitalise the truth that all religions held within them and to revive the teachings of Islam. It was through this that he would bring mankind together and establish everlasting peace. In 1889, under Divine Guidance, Hazrat Ahmad as founded the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community a community that has since grown in its stature and strength and has remained active in conveying the message of Islam to the ends of the earth. Hazrat Ahmad as had established himself as a respected writer and had written over 80 books. His writings have been translated into more than 60 languages and continue to inspire readers to this day. One of his greatest scholarly works was The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, prepared as a paper and read out at the Conference of Great Religions in He also wrote a fascinating treatise in 1899 entitled Jesus in India, a book that uncovered remarkable evidence of Jesus s as journey to India. In 1902, the Promised Messiah as initiated The Review of Religions which has covered a vast array of topics on religion, philosophy and contemporary issues of the day. It is the longest running English magazine in defence of Islam and the values it teaches. From 1889 until the time of his demise in 1908 tens of thousands of people accepted him. This blessing has continued and will continue through his Khulafa (successors). Currently under the fifth successor, we are seeing that the tide of acceptance is worldwide and that the message of Prophet Ahmad as has really reached the ends of the earth. A man among the Muslims and a man among the Jews reviled one another. The Muslim said, By Him who chose Muhammad sa above the universe, and the Jew said, By Him who chose Moses as above the universe. Thereupon the Muslim raised his hand and struck the Jew on his face, and the Jew went to the Prophet sa and told him what had happened between him and the Muslim. The Prophet sa summoned the Muslim and asked him about that, and when he informed him the Prophet sa said, Do not make me superior to Moses, for mankind will swoon on the day of resurrection and I shall swoon along with them. I shall be the first to recover and see Moses seizing the side of the Throne; and I shall not know whether he was among those who had swooned and had recovered before me, or whether he was among those of whom God had made an exception... Do not make distinctions between the Prophets. Islam, the Holy Prophet sa, Hadith of Bukhari and Muslim. Those who praise their own doctrines and disparage the doctrines of others do not solve any problem. Jainism, Sutrakritanga The Buddha says, To be attached to a certain view and to look down upon others views as inferior--this the wise men call a fetter. Buddhism, Sutta Nipata 798. Like the bee, gathering honey from different flowers, the wise man accepts the essence of different scriptures and sees only the good in all religions. Hinduism, Srimad Bhagavatam 11.3.

3 contents november 2015 Vol.110 issue eleven 10 Untold Stories 14 Respect for Other Religions Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi 18 Mufti Muhammad Sadiq ra An Early Ray of Western Sunrise Accomplishments of Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib ra and his role in establishing Islam in America. by Asif M. Basit, London, UK 38 World Peace & Security - The Critical Issues of Our Time How can Islamic principle of universal harmony be achieved while safeguarding the rights of mankind? Address by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V aba, at the Dutch National Parliament. 50 Responsibilities of an Ahmadi Muslim Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi 56 The Economic System of Islam The harms of interest and the Islamic solution to this problem. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad ra 38 Front cover picture: (PA Groups/AP/Bebeto Matters) 18 56

4 Deep in the heart of the Arab Peninsula, amidst the desert and the valleys of Pharan, stands a modest bricked structure. This monument is undisputedly the single most sacred, revered and Holy Shrine of Islam; the compass point for which the Muslim world aligns itself on a daily basis in prostration to God. MANAGEMENT BOARD Munir-Ud-Din Shams (Chairman), Syed Amer Safir (Secretary), Mubarak Ahmad Zaffar, Ataul Mujeeb Rashed, Naseer Qamar, Abdul Baqi Arshad, Abid Waheed Ahmad Khan, Aziz Ahmad Bilal CHIEF EDITOR & MANAGER EDITORIAL BOARD Syed Amer Safir Mansoor Saqi, Bockarie Tommy Kallon, Professor Amtul Razzaq Carmichael, Murtaza Ahmad, Fiona ASSOCIATE EDITORS O Keefe, Hassan Wahab, Jonathan Butterworth, Nakasha Ahmad, Tariq H. Malik Munazza Khan, Waqar Ahmedi, Mahida Javed RELIGION & SCIENCE SUB-EDITORS Editor: Dr. Syed Muhammad Tahir Nasser Munawara Ghauri (Head), Maryam Malik, Deputy: Dr. Tauseef Khan Nusrat Haq, Mariam Rahman ISLAM & CONTEMPORARY ISSUES PROOFREADERS Editor: Shahzad Ahmad Farhana Dar (Head), Hina Rehman, Amina Abbasi, Aisha Patel Its name is the Ka bah, literally translating from Arabic as the cube, but is synonymously referred to as Baytul Haram or the Sacred House. It was established for the benefit of the whole of mankind, to act as a centre for the unification of humanity. Does its inception lie with the earliest human populations viz-aviz Adam as and his Community or were Abraham as and his son Ishmael as the individuals responsible for its initial erection? And what purpose does the Ka bah actually serve? LAW & HUMAN RIGHTS Editor: Qudsi Rasheed Deputy: Ayesha Mahmood Malik ANCIENT RELIGIONS & ARCHAEOLOGY Editor: Fazal Ahmad Deputy: Rizwan Safir CHRISTIANITY Editor: Navida Sayed Deputy: Arif Khan GENDER & EQUALITY Editor: Aliya Latif Deputy: Meliha Hayat BOOK REVIEWS Editor: Sarah Waseem HOUSE STYLE GUIDE Maleeha Ahmad (Head), Sadia Shah SOCIAL MEDIA Tazeen Ahmad (Head), Mala Khan (Deputy), Nudrat Ahmad, Hajra Ahmad, Mishall Rahman, Shumaila Ahmad PRINT DESIGN AND LAYOUT Ahsan Khan INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION Muhammad Hanif ACCOUNTS & MARKETING Musa Sattar ART & CREATIVITY Zubair Hayat, Mussawir Din Purchase print copy: WEB TEAM Mubashara Ahmad, Hibba Turrauf Special Collections Head: Razwan Baig INDEXING, TAGGING & ARCHIVING Mirza Krishan Ahmad (Head). Amtus Shakoor Tayyaba Ahmed (Deputy). Humaira Omer, Humda Sohail, Shahid Malik, Ruhana Hamood, Mubahil Shakir, Adila Bari, Hassan Raza Ahmad

5 SUBSCRIBE NOW! The magazine devoted to promoting intellectual and lively debate that is based on respect for all religions. The world is passing through turbulent times. The global economic crisis continues to manifest new and grave dangers at every juncture. The similarities of the current circumstances to the build-up of the Second World War are stark. Events appear to be moving us rapidly towards a Third World War. The consequences of a nuclear war are beyond our imagination. In this book, the historic addresses of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, Fifth Khalifah of the Promised Messiah and Supreme Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to prominent dignitaries at Capitol Hill, the House of Commons, the European Parliament and other notable locations around the world have been collated. The book also includes the momentous letters sent by His Holiness to the numerous world leaders. Over and over again, His Holiness has reminded all that the only means of averting a global catastrophe is for nations to establish justice as an absolute requirement of their dealings with others. Even if mutual enmity exists, impartiality must be observed at all times, because history has taught us that this alone is the way to eliminate all traces of hatreds and to build everlasting peace. JULY 2014 Suffer Pain to Bring Comfort to Humanity 10 The Significance of Ramadan 14 ISLAM A THREAT OR A SOURCE OF PEACE? CASE STUDY: GERMANY Religious Trends in Germany Issues for 15 LESS THAN 1.99 A MONTH VOL ISSUE SEVEN Khalifah of the Promised Messiah in Germany 40 SEPTEMBER 2013 Chimes of Messiah 8 The Beginning of Creation in Scriptures of Different Religions 34 ISLAM - A RELIGION of PEACE & COMPASSION Khalifah of the Promised Messiah as at the Houses of Parliament 46 VOL ISSUE NINE Guests Reflect on the Houses of Parliament Event 62 NOVEMBER 2013 Khalifah of Promised Messiah Sends Letter to Russian President 30 PLUS FREE DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR Syria - A Religious Heritage 34 SYRIA IN CRISIS Medical Consequences of Nuclear War 46 The World in Need of a Reformer 74 VOL ISSUE ELEVEN Read online at: Purchase the book here: For more information Visit: ReviewofReligions.org/Subscription Call (UK Head office) : +44 (020) Accounts@ReviewofReligions.org

6 God, I am conscious of my weakness but I am equally conscious of Your immeasurable strength. I wish that You make my admission perfect and rectify my deficiencies. I do not want to know how You do it because I am convinced You can do it. speak to the Dean on her behalf and she did not object. The Dean later asked us in and I presented the lady s case as promised and within minutes the Dean resolved her problem and asked her to proceed to the screening hall. I stayed back and the Dean then inquired what I wanted. I told him that I was also a student with a deficiency. He laughed and said that I had already been advocating on another student s behalf. A Supplication Answered I am a legal practitioner and a teacher. I teach forensic law at undergraduate level at the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano. I applied in 1999 to study Law at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, but I had a deficiency in English Literature. When I received the admission notification, I was uncertain if I would pass the admission screening exercise, as competence in this subject was a prerequisite. I put my trust in God Almighty. So, one day I decided to go to the university to face the screening panel, no longer fearing the consequences. When the car approached the university, I saw the university mosque a few kilometres before the main building. I stopped there to offer two rakats (two sequences of the formal Muslim Prayer) at about 10am. In my prayer I supplicated, God, I am conscious of my weakness but I am equally conscious of Your immeasurable strength. I wish that You make my admission perfect and rectify my deficiencies. I do not want to know how You do it because I am convinced You can do it. After my prayers I went to the faculty. There, a vast crowd of applicants were queueing for the screening. My confidence almost vanished. I became doubtful. However, a little part of my spirit kept encouraging and reassuring me that I had prayed to the One Who alone is capable of fulfilling my desire. At one point I decided to approach the Dean of Law to explain my predicament and I went straight to his office. At the reception, I found his secretary and a lady who I later discovered was also a student with a problem. I sat there anticipating to be called after the lady. However, before the Dean could call either of us we began to discuss our individual problems. I found the lady s problem to be less difficult than mine; I told her that I would I presented my case and the Dean acknowledged that it was difficult. I became nervous and began to supplicate again silently. After some time, the Dean said, Oh, I remember there was a memo that granted a waiver to any student aspiring to study combined law i.e. Common and Islamic Law. This waiver is to the effect that in place of English Literature, Arabic can be accepted. He searched for the memo and attached it to my admission letter and told me to proceed for my screening. I was excited and elated. As I was about to leave, the Dean beckoned me to wait. He took the document from me and led me by the hand to the screening hall. When we got there he addressed the congregation and told the panelists 10 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 11

7 untold stories to consider Arabic Language in place of English Literature, especially for Combined Law students. After my successful screening, I returned to the mosque and offered two further Raka at (or units of prayer) in gratitude. Today, I am a lawyer and a teacher of law. Alhamdulillah (All praise belongs to Allah). Trust in God supersedes all things. Badr Mohammed Bashir Esq Guidance Through Dreams In October of this year, I had the opportunity to travel to Uruguay from Calgary, Canada, in order to establish an Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama at (Community) there. My other objective was to also assess the area for potential future preaching activities. Alongside our missionary, Yusuf Khan, I approached various contacts and gave them the message of Islam and Ahmadiyyat. One lady, whose name was Khadijah, converted and asked us to speak to her husband, whose name was Dennis. Hence a few days later, Yusuf Khan and I went to her house. As soon as we entered, her 12 The Review of Religions november 2015 husband exclaimed that he had seen me in a dream a few nights previously, in which I had come to see him. We sat for a short time and discussed our beliefs. Shortly after, Dennis and his children accepted Ahmadiyyat. It is amazing how we hear our beloved Khalifah (Head of the Ahmadiyya Community) talk about such incidents in his Friday Sermons. To live that moment yourself, an experience that can only be felt by the grace of God, is wonderful. With the help of Allah the Almighty, we were able to achieve nine converts. Dr. Mohammad Baten, Calgary, Canada Do you have an Untold Story you wish to share with us? us your unique story at editor@reviewofreligions.org The Review of Religions has launched its brand new YouTube channel with cutting edge content and video virals on contemporary religious issues. Check out the latest viral video. A social experiment on the streets of London showing the real view of the public on Muslims and Islam in the UK. Join the conversation on twitter and instagram with #IAmAMuslim

8 The Promised Messiah as & imam mahdi (guided one) Respect for Other Religions In other words, do not even abuse the idols of the non-believers lest they abuse your God out of ignorance. [1] founder of the review of religions Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as Now consider that this is the Qur anic teaching despite the fact that it treats idols as of no significance. Yet God teaches the Muslims to abstain from insulting even the idols and admonishes them instead to adopt a course of gentle persuasion lest they [the idolaters] should be provoked, in turn, to abuse God. The Muslims would then be responsible for such abuses. What manner of people are they who revile the name of this great Prophet of Islam sa and speak of him with utter disrespect, brutally assailing his honour and tarnishing his spotless character. He is the highly revered Prophet whose name is held in such awe as when uttered the great Muslim kings vacate their thrones and bow their heads to his commands. They consider it an honour to be counted among the humblest of his servants. Is this respect not a bounty of God? Those who dare insult the recipient of such honour do, in fact, quarrel with God Himself. The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa holds such a high station with God that to prove his truth He has shown the world great miracles. Is this not the work of His Mighty hand, which has bowed the heads of 200 million people

9 before Muhammad s sa threshold? Granted that every Prophet had many a heavenly signs in his support, but the peerless signs shown in Muhammad s sa support outnumber them all. They continue to appear even today as they were manifested in the past. [2] endnotes 1. Holy Qur an, Surah Al-An am, Verse Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, A Message of Peace (Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2007), 32. THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE TEACHINGS OF ISLAM MIRZA GHULAM AHMAD THE PROMISED MESSIAH & MAHDI AS Read online: Or purchase here: store.alislam.org/englishbooks.html SERIALISED IN The Review of Religions The Review of Religions serialised the famous treatise The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, by the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Initially written for the Conference of Great Religions on December 26-29,1896, each speaker at the conference was asked to present to the audience the beauties of their own religion based upon its scripture, proving that it was the true religion, based on the following topics: The Physical, Moral, and Spiritual States of Man What is the State of Man after Death? The Object of Man s Life and the Means of its Attainment The Operation of the Practical Ordinances of the Law in This Life and the Next Sources of Divine Knowledge

10 Mufti Muhammad Sadiq ra An Early Ray of Western Sunrise by Asif Mahmood Basit, London, UK Wiki Commons The history of Islam in America dates back to the time of the thirteen colonies, thus Islam has existed in this vast country throughout its modern history. [1] Like many other deep and lasting sociocultural impressions of the African slave trade on American society, Islam is no exception. West African slaves that were traded into America had brought with them their faith of Islam and continued to practise it even when it was near impossible for them to live and act freely. [2] It is interesting to note that the areas of Africa first victimised by the transatlantic slave trade had been the first to be introduced to Islam. Both phenomena had coincidentally been through trade; Islam was brought to the West Africans by Muslim merchant-missionaries and slavery through the worst trade of human trafficking. Their deep-rooted affiliation to Islam is evident from the fact that they managed to practice Islamic rituals like Salat (obligatory prayers), fasting and even offered Zakat (prescribed alms). It was in the final two decades of the 19 th century that the formerly enslaved Africans began to decrease and with their deaths, Islam as a religion started to wane Like many other deep and lasting sociocultural impressions of the African slave trade on American society, Islam is no exception. West African slaves that were traded into America had brought with them their faith of Islam from America. The descendants of these Muslim slaves had no connection with the faith of their forefathers, although they had saved their prayer mats, prayer beads and their sacred book, the Holy Qur an, as relics and souvenirs. [3] By the early twentieth century, Islam had virtually disappeared from the canvas of American society. This may be classified as the first phase of Islam in America. The second phase was destined to coincide with the final phase of Islam itself, which was prophesied by the Prophet sa of Islam. Islamic eschatology, agreed upon by all sections and denominations of Muslims, has it that the second phase of Islamic glory is to resume with the advent of the Messiah in the latter days. november 2015 The Review of Religions 19

11 mufti muhammad sadiq ra an early ray of western sunrise Slave market in the United States in the 1850s: there was a vigorous internal slave trade with wealthy traders who transported slaves to the newly opened lands west of the Mississippi river. Shutterstock Everett Historical It is also unanimously agreed upon by all canonical works of Islamic tradition that this would be the time when the sun would rise from the West, symbolically meaning that the message of Islam would reach the Western hemisphere. Advent of the Mohammedan Messiah All major religions of the world awaited a Saviour or Messiah, to relieve the world of social, moral and spiritual ailments. Islamic and Christian eschatology foretold the advent of Jesus Christ as, or someone in his similitude, in the latter days for the reformation of all mankind. The middle of the nineteenth and almost all of the twentieth century saw a proliferation of reform movements in almost all major religions. All faiths sought to reform their beliefs so as to make their doctrines compatible with the challenges of modern life. They felt that by not being able to do so, their faiths were prone to becoming extinct. Islam was no exception and a vast array of reform movements arose in various parts of the Muslim world. From the antiinnovation movement of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab in Arabia to the South Asian Anglophilic movement of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, a number of Islamic reform movements took off during the aforementioned span of time, bearing testimony to the fact that the need for reform and a reinterpretation of Islamic doctrine was acute. Whilst the interpretations of certain Islamic doctrines were mooted, the most powerful stroke came from Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian, India. Through divine guidance, he set out to rectify the most fundamental of misconceptions: that of Jesus as being alive in the heavens. Hazrat Ahmad as proved from the Holy Qur an that Jesus as had died a natural death and that the Messiah that was prophesied was meant to be a person with similar characteristics to Jesus as, rather than Jesus as himself. This metaphorical reincarnation of Jesus as, Hazrat Ahmad as claimed, was fulfilled through his own self. He claimed to be the Messiah and Mahdi (Divinely Guided Leader) who had been divinely commissioned to reform the world of all wrongdoing and stray behaviour. The Dual Challenge for Hazrat Ahmad as With this claim, Hazrat Ahmad as had to face fierce opposition from not only the Muslims, but also Christians. The arguments put forward by Hazrat Ahmad as were so logical that both groups found no way to counter them, hence resorting to illogical and nonsensical accusations against the person and character of Hazrat Ahmad as. Muslim circles accused him of being an agent of the British Government commissioned to destroy the Muslim nation; a baseless allegation with no grounds whatsoever, as the prevalent Muslim appetite for sectarianism and exclusionism left the Muslim nation in no need of an external agency It was in the final two decades of the 19 th century that the formerly enslaved Africans began to decrease and with their deaths, Islam as a religion started to wane from America. to erode them. Another fact overlooked by such an allegation was that, how could a person be an agent to a nation, whilst challenging the very foundations of their faith through his claims and widely publicised writings? A great deal of the writings of Hazrat Ahmad as focused on proving that Jesus as had died a natural death, was not alive in heaven and will not return to this world in person. This was no less than a fatal attack on the very foundations of the Christian faith. Christian missionaries took serious notice of this new Messiah and their agitation was noticed in their reports sent back home from India. Christian missionary societies were perplexed at this novel approach taken by a Muslim against Christian beliefs. [4] Amidst such tensions, where conflict 20 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 21

12 mufti muhammad sadiq ra an early ray of western sunrise and fierce opposition clouded the skies, Hazrat Ahmad as stood firm not only in adhering to his claims, but also to publicising and proselytising his understanding of Islam. The whole world, of course, included the Western hemisphere where Christianity was the dominant religion. Foreign Missions and the Outreach Scheme Hazrat Ahmad as began sending literature for worldwide printing during his lifetime. Newspapers from Australia to London and from Europe to the Americas would, from time to time, carry The Promised Messiah as. Makhzan-e-Tasaweer his message in their publications. [5] He had also began a seminary in Qadian to train missionaries who could take the message of the true Islam to the corners of the earth. Soon after the demise of Hazrat Ahmad as, Ahmadi missionaries were sent to many countries, notably to England and America, where the population was predominantly Christian. What paved the way for early missionary deployment in the Western hemisphere was based on a vision of Hazrat Ahmad as, when he had seen himself conveying the message of Islam to the Western world and its acceptance. An even more basic motive was a tradition of the Prophet sa of Islam where the sun is symbolically said to rise from the West in the latter days. The Ahmadiyya Muslim mission in London was established in 1914 and Hazrat Chaudhary Fateh Muhammad Sayal ra was appointed as the first missionary. The London mission served as a training camp for almost all missionaries heading to various parts of the world in the early twentieth century. Mufti Muhammad Sadiq ra in London One prominent name among the many missionaries who stayed in London and gained hands-on experience of preaching to the Western public was Mufti Muhammad Sadiq ra. Mufti Sadiq ra was later to be the first Ahmadi missionary to take the message of Islam to America, and among the very first to actually revive the message of Islam in America. Mufti Sadiq ra is unanimously described as a learned and well-respected representative of his faith, a philologist and expert in Arabic and Hebrew. He also had a deep spiritual commitment, and came to his task with ardor. [6] But before moving onto A great deal of the writings of Hazrat Ahmad as focused on proving that Jesus as had died a natural death, was not alive in heaven and will not return to this world in person. This was no less than a fatal attack on the very foundations of the Christian faith. his services for Islam in America, it is important to take a look at the time he spent in London as it laid the foundation for many successes that came his way later serving as a missionary in America. The approach taken by Mufti Sadiq ra, like other early Ahmadi missionaries in London, was to propagate the message of Islam to members through general lectures in Hyde Park on Sundays, and to members of various societies and clubs during the week. Mufti Sadiq ra and a co-missionary, Qazi Muhammad Abdullah ra, would actively proselytise through printing and distributing literature and delivering lectures far and wide in the country. An example 22 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 23

13 but also the hearts of many English men and women who embraced Islam after receiving its true message. Hyde Park London in Wiki Commons of such booklets was The Crying Need of the Age Fulfilled, a print copy of a lecture delivered by Qazi Abdullah ra, introducing the advent of the Promised Messiah as and the revival of Islam. [7] The booklet offered universities and societies an opportunity to invite Mufti Sadiq ra or Qazi Abdullah ra to deliver lectures. Such offers were readily accepted by a great number of institutions across the country. These lectures won him great renown amongst the intellectual circles of the country. It attracted the attention of literary and religious societies which felt honoured to have him as a speaker. His command on philology earned him acclaim and he was invited as a regular speaker at the Société Internationale de Philologie, Sciences et Beaux-Arts. This society was founded in 1875 for the advancement and encouragement of all branches of Science, Literature, Music, and the Fine Arts generally, and particularly the science of Philology. [8] The Society registered him as a member and granted him an honorary degree of B. Phil., acknowledging his work on the comparison of the Arabic and Hebrew languages. The Philomath, the literary journal that worked as the organ of the Société, acknowledged his lectures with high esteem. [9] These lectures and publications not only won degrees for Mufti Sadiq ra The Sunrise from the West Mufti Sadiq ra was instructed by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad ra (Second Successor to the Promised Messiah as ) in December 1919, to proceed to America and take the message of Islam Ahmadiyyat to Americans. [10] Mufti Sadiq ra boarded the SS Haverford (a major transatlantic steamship) from Liverpool that set sail for the American state of Pennsylvania on January 24, 1920, arriving on February 15, [11] This first step of the representative of the Promised Messiah as and his Khalifah, was the first significant step towards the revival of Islam in America. The first difficulty faced by Mufti Sadiq ra upon his arrival was that he was arrested by the American authorities on suspicion that he had landed in their country to preach polygamy. [12] This arrest was based on the Immigration Act of 1891 that deemed Polygamists; or persons who admit their belief in the practice of polygamy inadmissible to the United States of America. [13] The immigration officers wanted to deport him, however Mufti Sadiq ra asked for a chance to present his Opening ceremony of the Muslim Mosque of Highland Park, July case before the federal authorities. He argued before the tribunal that there was a difference between Halal (permissible) and Fardh (obligatory) in Islam. Islam, he argued, does allow men to marry up to four women at a time, but does not make it obligatory to do so. [14] His argument was heard and accepted, resulting in him being allowed to walk free with the condition that he would not promote polygamous trends in America. [15] The time spent behind bars was not wasted as Mufti Sadiq ra utilised this time in propagating the message of the true Islam. Many in the detention centre showed an interest and he converted nineteen inmates in a very short period 24 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 25

14 mufti muhammad sadiq ra an early ray of western sunrise of two months before his release in April [16] The Historic Significance of Mufti Sadiq s ra Confinement The sacrifice that Mufti Sadiq ra offered, by going through the ordeal of confinement in the Philadelphia Detention House in Gloucester, New Jersey, was not something that remained confined to his person. It was a sacrifice of greater historic value. It seems to be the first ever instance when the American authorities explicitly showed a gross misunderstanding of Islamic doctrine by not only misinterpreting it, but also by passing a bill based on this gross misunderstanding. [17] As stated above, the Immigration Act of 1870 clearly seems to take polygamy as a commandment of Islam, hence not allowing any Muslim to step on the soils of America. Mufti Sadiq ra, by appealing against the deportation orders of the immigration authorities and by presenting his case before the American federal (Source: US Subject Index to Correspondence & Case Files of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service Viewed on co.uk on 8 September 2015) Government, became the first Muslim to initiate a campaign to remove Western misconceptions about Islam. What Mufti Sadiq ra performed before the American government was a legacy he had inherited from the Holy Founder of Ahmadiyyat, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian: the legacy of nonviolent Jihad (inner struggle) by way of reasoning and logical discourse. [18] This legacy of the Promised Messiah as continues to this day with his Successor, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, Supreme Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, who travels throughout the world to remove misconceptions and to show the true and beautiful teachings of Islam. [19] Another factor that made this confinement historically important, was that this sacrifice of an Ahmadi missionary opened the otherwise closed gates of America for the active proselytisation of the faith of Islam. There existed a strong discrimination against Indian and Muslim immigrants in the United States in the early part of the twentieth century. The American immigration authorities had refused entry to many Muslim immigrants on the grounds that they were neither Caucasian nor African. [20] The racially oriented uprisings and riots of 1907 on the West Coast targeted immigrants from the British Indian Punjab, whom the local citizens saw as economic immigrants. This class of Punjabi immigrants included Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims, but the American eye branded them all as Hindus for the turbans they wore on their heads. Agnes Foster Buchanan, writing in The Overland Monthly saw this as the propitious moment for the State Department to [ ] tell our brothers of the East that while the earth is large enough for us all, there is no part of it that will comfortably accommodate both branches of the Aryan family. [21] There existed a deep-rooted hostility in America against people of Asian origin, which laid the basis for the Oriental Exclusion Act of 1917, declaring an Asiatic Barred Zone. This zone included Arabia, India, Afghanistan, the East Indies, Indochina and all other Asian nations. The Johnson Act set up strictly His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba at the European Parliament. Makhzan-e-Tasaweer Legacy of the Promised Messiah as continues to this day with his Successor; Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, Supreme Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, who travels throughout the world to remove misconceptions and to show the true and beautiful teachings of Islam. limited quotas for Asian immigrants and in 1924, the Johnson-Reed Act set up a national origins system which was extremely discriminating as it virtually blocked all ways for non-european 26 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 27

15 mufti muhammad sadiq ra an early ray of western sunrise Richard Brent Turner very justifiably sees the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as unquestionably one of the most significant movements in the history of Islam in the United States in the twentieth century, providing as it did the first multi-racial model for American Islam. immigrants. [22] Mufti Sadiq s ra appeal to the higher immigration tribunal and the federal authorities of America, thus, played a pivotal role in opening up and paving the way for people of other-thanwhite ethnic origins in general, and for the peaceful teachings of Islam in particular, to reach America. [23] Sowing the Seed of Muslim Identity All historians agree that Mufti Sadiq s ra steps on American soil served as the dawn of an Islamic identity in the American nation. [24,25] Yvonne Haddad, with her co-author Jane Smith, declares that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was unquestionably the most influential group in African American Islam. [26] The aspect of Mufti Sadiq s ra approach that attracted the Americans, especially the African Americans, was his openness to people of all ethnic origins. [27] Richard Brent Turner very justifiably sees the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as unquestionably one of the most significant movements in the history of Islam in the United States in the twentieth century, providing as it did the first multi-racial model for American Islam. [28] Mufti Sadiq ra highlighted the anti-racist teachings of Islam, that became highly attractive to African Americans in particular. [29] Mufti Sadiq ra, under the guidance of the second Khalifah, Hazrat Mirza Bashir- Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad ra, proactively established mosques and reading rooms, translated the Qur an into English, and countered what they saw as the distortions of Islam by the media. [30,31] Mufti Sadiq ra missionised through lecturing and writing. By May 1920, he had contributed twenty articles on Islam to various American periodicals and newspapers, among them The New York Times. During his first year of missionary work in the United States, he delivered fifty public lectures on a variety of subjects in American cities, including Chicago, New York, Detroit, and Grand Haven, Michigan. [32] Historians of Islam in America all admire his intellectual, literary and missionary capabilities. Richard Brent Turner describes him as a learned man who was a graduate of the University of London, a philologist of international repute, and an expert in Arabic and Hebrew whose work had been published in [The] Philomath. [33] Nabil Echchaibi draws our attention to a very important aspect of Mufti Sadiq s ra contribution, in emphasising a Muslim identity in America. He initiated the publication of The Moslem Sunrise [34] the first English-language Muslim newspaper to be published in America. [35] This historic journal featured articles on the missionary work of the Ahmadiyya leaders, introduced new Muslim converts to the proper performance of religious rituals, and defended Islam against misrepresentation in the American press. [36] Readers will agree that this publication was a great milestone for Islam in America. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has historically always been at the forefront of demystifying myths and misconceptions concerning Islam in the West. Under the leadership of Khalifatul Masih V, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, Ahmadiyyat is the torchbearer of actively taking the true and peaceful message of Islam to the corners of the earth, primarily through the teachings of the Holy Qur an. [37] The Ahmadiyya Tradition of Winning Hearts The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, from its very inception, laid emphasis upon the fact that Islam was meant to be spread by winning hearts not territories. He stressed that territories had been won alongside hearts in the early phase of Islamic glory, but that was a by-product of the political stateof-affairs of the world at that time. The second phase of Islamic glory, Hazrat Ahmad as taught, was to dawn upon the world through winning hearts and not political-geographic territories. [38] This teaching has always been at the heart of Ahmadiyya missionising. Mufti Sadiq ra had set foot in America with the same philosophy. Sally Howell gave a very befitting description of Mufti Sadiq s ra efforts for propagating the message of Islam to the American public. She describes him as an energetic agent of Islam in the United States, speaking at whatever public engagements he could arrange, writing frequently to local newspapers, and launching the Moslem Sunrise, the newsletter of the Ahmadiyya Movement in America. [39] Mufti Sadiq ra, and his co-missionaries, had attracted more than one thousand 28 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 29

16 mufti muhammad sadiq ra an early ray of western sunrise Historians credit the Ahmadiyya contribution to Islam in America by acknowledging that it was Mufti Sadiq ra who established the first, and in some cases, the only, centers for Islamic gatherings. converts, most of them African Americans in cities such as Chicago and Detroit. [40] Historians credit the Ahmadiyya contribution to Islam in America by acknowledging that it was Mufti Sadiq ra who established the first, and in some cases, the only, centers for Islamic gatherings. [41] In 1923 alone, Mufti Sadiq ra gave five lectures at the UNIA [Universal Negro Improvement Association] meetings in Detroit and managed to convert forty Garveyites to his faith. [42] Sylviane A Diouf credits the efforts of Mufti Sadiq ra by crediting the fact that the Ahmadiyya Movement provided Qur ans and other Islamic literature in English. [43] Mufti Sadiq s ra contribution to the propagation of Islam in the United States laid the foundation for the Islamic identity taught, practised and upheld by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; the identity of Islam as a winner of hearts through the Ahmadiyya motto of Love for All, Hatred for None [44]. A Prophecy Fulfilled The services that Mufti Sadiq ra carried out for the cause of Islam resulted in the fulfilment of a prophecy. Mufti Sadiq ra always had an ardent desire to acquire knowledge. While seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree, he had partially qualified, with one examination remaining. He asked the permission of the Promised Messiah as to travel to Lahore to sit the examination. The Promised Messiah as replied, You have already resigned from state service, why should you seek further qualifications? You do not need to attempt for this examination, degrees will themselves come to you. [45] Acknowledging his aforementioned qualifications and the papers he read before various learned societies and the articles he wrote for a range of journals and newspapers, he was awarded honorary degrees by various British and American degreeawarding bodies and universities of his time. Mufti Sadiq ra was awarded degrees from the College of Divine Metaphysics, a New Thought-oriented institution, and the Oriental University, which was affiliated with the spiritualist Universal Theomonistic Association. [46,47] He was also awarded a degree by Lincoln-Jefferson University, Chicago, in recognition of his work. This university was founded on the principle that educational qualifications should be made accessible to those who had a desire to learn but could not afford, due to lifestyle constraints or lack of finances, to join established resident universities. [48] Lincoln-Jefferson University would also award honorary qualifications to individuals of the general public who had achieved outstanding performance in their disciplines of knowledge. [49] The prophecy of Hazrat Ahmad as, the Promised Messiah, was thus fulfilled. The Saga of Jazz Musicians The arrival of Mufti Sadiq ra in America coincided with the height of the search by African Americans for a new identity in the American context. [50] As mentioned above, the Islam brought to American soil by the West African slaves had become extinct with their deaths. Their descendants were left without Islam but with Islamic impressions on their very troubled lives, where an identity crisis plagued them. The Western African slaves had called out Adhan (Islamic call to prayer) and sang anthems while at work in the fields. Their descendants carried out this tradition with some similarities and more variations. This musical impression left by the West Africans modified and evolved into a musical genre known as the blues. As more and more African Americans migrated from rural areas to cities, this genre gained popularity and lead the African-American musicians to create bands and try their luck in other genres. This popularity created more forms of music that have their roots in the African melancholy songs of the long-dead African slaves. Some jazz musicians of international renown, like the Grammy Award winner Dr. Yusef Abdul-Lateef, joined the Ahmadiyya Community. This generation of African Americans had inherited the artistic rhythm of the adhan (call to prayer) and they replaced the recitation of the Holy Qur an with music. This nation found its lost soul in Ahmadiyyat, which brought back the true, original, artistic beauties of Islam. All sections of American society were deeply moved by the arrival of Islam, musicologists being no exception. 30 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 31

17 mufti muhammad sadiq ra an early ray of western sunrise Conclusion The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has the honour and privilege to have taken the message of Islam to America the nation now considered a superpower. A nation that always questioned and continues to pose questions about Islam. Mufti Sadiq ra, a devout companion of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as of Qadian, was chosen by Allah to be the first ray of light to bring about the prophesied sunrise from the West. His intellect, his fervour for sowing the seed of Islam in the hearts of the American people, his enthusiasm to bring about the revival of Islam, and above all, his contribution to Islam in America, is acknowledged by all who knew him. About the Author: Asif M Basit is Curator of Ahmadiyya ARC (Archive and Research Centre) and Director of Programming MTA International abasit@mta.tv endnotes 1. Sylvaine A Diouf, Muslim Minority Groups in American Islam, in The Oxford Handbook of American Islam (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), Ibid. 3. Sylvaine A. Diouf, Muslim Minority Groups in American Islam, in The Oxford Handbook of American Islam (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), Asif M. Basit, The Holy War, The Review of Religions, accessed October 29, 2015, reviewofreligions.org/8918/the-holy-war/. 5. A great range of foreign newspapers carried Hazrat Ahmad s as correspondence with them or covered his claims and prophecies. 6. Yvonne Y. Haddad & Jane I Smith, Muslim Minority Groups in American Islam, in The Oxford Handbook of American Islam (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), British Library shelfmark X.100/26796 published in 1918, 4 Start Street London. 8. The Philomath, October A description given in every issue of The Philomath. Records can be viewed at the British Library under shelf mark General Reference Collection Ac Al Fazl, Qadian, 11 December Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience (Bloomington, Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997), Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience (Bloomington, Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997), Kambiz GhaneaBassiri, Religious Normativity and Praxis among American Muslims, in The Cambridge Companion to American Islam (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013), Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience (Bloomington, Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997), Ibid. 16. Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience (Bloomington, Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997), Kambiz GhaneaBassiri, Religious Normativity and Praxis among American Muslims, in The Cambridge Companion to American Islam (New York: Cambridge University Press 2013), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, The British Government and Jihad, in Ruhani Khazain (literally translated Spiritual Treasures, being the 23 volume collection of the writings of Hazrat Ahmad as ), Vol 17, London, For a glimpse of the efforts of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, see World Crisis and Pathway to Peace, an anthology of various lectures, addresses and correspondence by His Holiness to audiences of global influence, org/pathway. 20. Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience (Bloomington, Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997), Agnes Foster Buchanan, The Overland Monthly, California, April Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience (Bloomington, Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997), Definition of white given by American law was only European in the aforementioned laws. 24. Kambiz GhaneaBassiri, Competing Visions of Islam in the United States: A Study of Los Angeles (Greenwood Press: 1997), The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 33

18 mufti muhammad sadiq ra an early ray of western sunrise 25. Kambiz GhaneaBassiri, Religious Normativity and Praxis among American Muslims, in The Cambridge Companion to American Islam (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013), Yvonne Y Haddad & Jane I Smith, Muslim Minority Groups in American Islam, in The Oxford Handbook of American Islam (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), Ibid. 28. Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience (Bloomington, Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997), Sally Howell, Laying the Groundwork for American Muslim Histories: , in The Cambridge Companion to American Islam (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013), Yvonne Y Haddad & Jane I Smith, Muslim Minority Groups in American Islam, in The Oxford Handbook of American Islam (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), This mission is to this day carried out under the guidance and instruction of Khalifatul Masih (Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, Supreme Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Community) through his personal and persistent efforts and the many bodies established by His Holiness to demystify the teachings of Islam when not only the Western media but certain circles of so-called Muslims, themselves, are vigorously distorting the face of Islam. 32. Richard Brent Turner, Islam in the African-American Experience (Bloomington, Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997), Ibid. 34. Later spelled The Muslim Sunrise. The journal is still published quarterly as a newsletter/ organ of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, USA. 35. Nabil Echchaibi, American Muslims and the Media, in The Cambridge Companion to American Islam (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013), Ibid. 37. Yvonne Y Haddad & Jane I Smith, Muslim Minority Groups in American Islam, in The Oxford Handbook of American Islam (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), Hazrat Mirza Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, The British Government and Jihad, the work sheds light on the true concept of Islamic notion of Jihad. 39. Sally Howell, Laying the Groundwork for American Muslim Histories: , in The Cambridge Companion to American Islam (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013), Michael Muhammad Knight, Converts and Conversions, in The Cambridge Companion to American Islam (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013), Kambiz GhaneaBassiri, Competing Visions of Islam in the United States, (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1997), Ibid. 43. The Oxford Handbook of American Islam (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), Although the theme of this motto was always a part of the Ahmadiyya teachings, but the phrase as a motto was prescribed so by Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad ra (Third Successor of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as ). 45. The Al Fazl, January 4, 1944, reporting on a speech by Mufti Sadiq ra on the Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community held in Rabwah on December 26, The text in speech marks is translated by the author from Urdu, which is the language of the original text. 46. Founded by Dr. Joseph Perry Green in Dr. Green was a pioneer of The Metaphysical Movement in America. He is amongst the signatories on Mufti Sadiq s ra degree. The college has ever since remained functional. 47. Michael Muhammad Knight, Converts and Conversions, in The Cambridge Companion to American Islam (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013), Lincoln-Jefferson University Bulletin , Vol. V, No. 1b (British Library Shelf Mark R.ac.2691.ek). 49. Ibid. 50. Yvonne Y. Haddad & Jane I. Smith, Muslim Minority Groups in American Islam, in The Oxford Handbook of American Islam (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 35

19 In the current socio-political climate, international peace and security are the most critical issues of our time. With violence, warfare and extremist groups on the rise across the world, there is a pressing need to protect the freedom and liberty of all people. Therefore, our only hope is the Islamic principle of universal harmony while safeguarding the rights of mankind. But how can this be achieved?

20 World Peace & Security - The Critical Issues of Our Time ADDRESS BY WORLDWIDE HEAD OF THE AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY AT THE DUTCH NATIONAL PARLIAMENT On 6 October 2015, World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifah (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, delivered an historic address at a special session of the Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs at the Netherlands National Parliament in the country s capital city of Den Haag (The Hague) in front of an audience of more than 100 dignitaries and guests. The formal If we analyse the situation objectively, we realise that world peace and security is indeed the most critical issue of our time. session commenced as Mr van Bommel welcomed His Holiness to Parliament and introduced the committee members. He also welcomed various foreign Parliamentarians, Ambassadors of State and dignitaries representing countries including Albania, Croatia, Ireland, Montenegro, Spain and Sweden. We present the keynote address delivered by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba below Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V aba commenced with: Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, Ever-Merciful. All distinguished guests, peace and blessings of Allah be upon you. First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely express my gratitude to the organisers of today s event for inviting me to address this gathering. november 2015 The Review of Religions 39

21 In today s world we see that certain issues are constantly being highlighted and labelled as the most significant problems of our time. For example, some people are emphasising the threat of global warming and climate change. Then, there are some who are extremely concerned about the escalation of various conflicts and the increasingly volatile There is a long list of possible reasons as to why the peace of the world is being disturbed, of which I have mentioned just a few. Whatever the causes, I certainly believe the lack of peace in the world to be the most precarious issue of this generation. state of the world. If we analyse the situation objectively, we realise that world peace and security is indeed the most critical issue of our time. Unquestionably, with each day that passes the world is becoming increasingly unstable and dangerous and there are a number of potential causes of this. For example, the financial crisis and economic instability that has affected many parts of the world may be one major factor. Another possible root cause is the lack of justice displayed by certain world leaders towards their own people and towards others. A further reason may be the fact that some religious leaders are prioritising their own personal interests above the greater collective good, and are not discharging their responsibilities with sincerity. In terms of international relations, a major source of conflict may well be the discrepancy between the rich and poor nations of the world. It is observed that powerful nations often seek to benefit from the natural resources of poor nations, without giving them the appropriate share of their own assets. Thus, there is a long list of possible reasons as to why the peace of the world is being disturbed, of which I have mentioned just a few. Whatever the causes, I certainly believe the lack of peace in the world to be the most precarious issue of this generation. Upon hearing this, many of you may respond by saying that it is in Muslim countries where we see the most instability and the world s lack of peace is rooted in the disorder we see in the Muslim world. Indeed, because I am the leader of one of the worldwide Muslim communities the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community perhaps you will consider that I too bear some responsibility for this. You may also believe that the birth of extremist groups and the rise of terrorism is actually inspired by Islamic teachings. However, it is entirely unjust to associate Islam with such disorder and hatred. At this time, there is no need to speak in detail about the history of religions, but suffice to say that if we look at the I wholeheartedly accept that over time Muslims have also moved away from Islam s true teachings. This led to frustrations and rivalries developing, which in turn have led to sectarianism, violence and injustice. history of all religions objectively, we see that over time the followers of every religion moved away from the original teachings and this led to internal division and conflicts. People were killed and great cruelties were inflicted. Keeping this in view, I wholeheartedly accept that over time Muslims have also moved away from Islam s true teachings. This led to frustrations and rivalries developing, which in turn have led to sectarianism, violence and injustice. However, from the perspective of a true Muslim, my faith does not decrease upon observing the desperate state of Islam today. This is because over 1400 years ago, the Founder of Islam, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa, prophesied that gradually 40 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 41

22 world peace & security - the critical issues of our time The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has informed us of a vital principle. He said that to establish peace it was essential that mankind sought to adopt and follow the Attributes of God Almighty to the best of their abilities. Islam s teachings would become corrupted and Muslims would enter into an age of moral decline. However, he also foretold that at such a time of spiritual darkness, a Reformer would be sent by God Almighty, as the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi, to guide mankind back towards the true and peaceful teachings of Islam. As foretold by the Holy Prophet sa, the Promised Messiah as enlightened us with the original and entirely peaceful teachings of Islam. Thus, we Ahmadi Muslims are not amongst those people who are creating or partaking in today s disorder and unrest. Rather, we are the people who desire peace in the world. We are the people who seek to heal the world. We are the people who seek to unite mankind. We are the people who seek to transform all hatreds and enmities into love and affection. And most certainly, we are the people who make every possible effort towards establishing world peace. As a religious leader, I wish to say that instead of blaming and provoking one another, we should focus upon building true and long-lasting world peace. In this regard the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has informed us of a vital principle. He said that to establish peace it was essential that mankind sought to adopt and follow the Attributes of God Almighty to the best of their abilities. He said that this was the way to ensure the continued wellbeing of mankind. Indeed, he further explained that the welfare and prosperity of humanity, both physically and spiritually, was directly linked to observing the Attributes of God Almighty, because it was through His Attributes that all forms of peace emanated. This is reflected in the very first verse of the Holy Qur an where it states that Allah is He who is Lord of All the Worlds. This means that He is the Provider, Sustainer and Master of every single person and of every form of Creation. He is not only the Lord of the Muslims, but He is the Lord of the Christians, the Jews, and the Hindus and indeed of all people - no matter their religion or beliefs. God s love and benevolence towards His Creation is incomparable and unique. He is also the Gracious and Merciful. He is the Source of Peace. Thus, when Islam stipulates that a Muslim should seek to inculcate the Attributes of God Almighty, it becomes impossible for a true Muslim to harm others. Rather, the faith of a true Muslim compels him to love all of mankind and to treat every person with respect, grace and sympathy. It is often queried that if Islam is a religion of peace then why has the Qur an given permission for war? However, that permission must be understood in its When Islam stipulates that a Muslim should seek to inculcate the Attributes of God Almighty, it becomes impossible for a true Muslim to harm others. Rather, the faith of a true Muslim compels him to love all of mankind correct context and in light of what I have just explained. Maintaining long-lasting peace is of paramount importance and value. And, on certain occasions, punishments or warnings are also required in order to ensure long-term peace. Accordingly, when permission for warfare was given by Allah the Almighty it was given as a means of restoring peace and only as a defensive measure. Thus, it 42 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 43

23 world peace & security - the critical issues of our time It is an injustice of the very highest order that certain groups or individuals seek to associate the Holy Qur an and the Holy Prophet sa with violence or cruelty. If we study the Holy Qur an and the life of the Holy Prophet sa in an impartial way then we see that Islam is completely against all forms of extremism and bloodshed. is an injustice of the very highest order that certain groups or individuals seek to associate the Holy Qur an and the Holy Prophet sa with violence or cruelty. If we study the Holy Qur an and the life of the Holy Prophet sa in an impartial way then we see that Islam is completely against all forms of extremism and bloodshed. Due to the limitations of time, I cannot speak in detail but nonetheless, I will mention certain basic Islamic teachings, which prove beyond doubt that Islam is a religion of peace. As I just said, a basic and common allegation levelled at Islam s door is that it is a religion that promotes extremism and warfare. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Thus, in chapter 2, verse 191, Allah has commanded that war can only ever be justified as a means of defence. This point is reiterated in chapter 22, verse 40, which categorically states that permission for war is given only to those who have been attacked and upon whom war is forced. Further, where Allah the Almighty has given Muslim governments permission for war, it has been given only as a means to secure religious freedom and freedom of belief. Thus, in chapter 2; verse.194, Allah has commanded Muslims that they are not permitted to engage in any battle or war where religious freedom already exists. Therefore, no Muslim country, group or individual, has the right to engage in any form of violence, warfare or lawlessness, either against the State or its people. Quite simply, in Europe and in the West, the governments are secular and so a Muslim can never have the right to violate the laws of the land, to violently oppose the government or to instigate any form of rebellion or insurgency. In fact, according to the true teachings of Islam, even if a person considers that he or she does not have true religious freedom, whilst living in a non-muslim country, they must not engage in dissent or lawlessness. Rather, they should leave that country and migrate to a place with more favourable conditions. In chapter 16, verse 127 of the Holy Qur an, Muslim governments have been commanded that if they are ever attacked they must respond proportionately and only to the extent of self-defence. Thus, the Qur an is very clear that punishment should be limited and proportionate to the crime committed. In chapter 8, verse 62 of the Holy Qur an, Allah has said that if your opponents have ill-intent and are planning to harm you, but thereafter decide to desist and move towards reconciliation, you must immediately accept their gesture and work towards a peaceful In fact, according to the true teachings of Islam, even if a person considers that he or she does not have true religious freedom, whilst living in a non-muslim country, they must not engage in dissent or lawlessness. Rather, they should leave that country and migrate to a place with more favourable conditions. resolution, no matter what their motivation is. This Qur anic teaching is a key principle for maintaining international peace and 44 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 45

24 world peace & security - the critical issues of our time Islam teaches that in all circumstances, no matter how difficult, you must remain firmly attached to the principles of justice and integrity. Thus, even in a state of war, justice and fairness are of paramount importance and when a war concludes, the victor must continue to be just and never resort to undue cruelty. security. In today s world, there are many examples where countries have chosen to develop very aggressive policies in response to the perceived hostility of others. It seems they act upon the principle that, It is better to destroy them, before they destroy us. However, Islam teaches that no opportunity for peace should be wasted and so even if there is only a glimmer of hope then you must try and grasp it. In chapter 5, verse 9, Allah the Almighty has proclaimed that the enmity of a nation or people should never incite you to act otherwise than with justice and fairness. Islam teaches that in all circumstances, no matter how difficult, you must remain firmly attached to the principles of justice and integrity. Thus, even in a state of war, justice and fairness are of paramount importance and when a war concludes, the victor must continue to be just and never resort to undue cruelty. However, in today s world we do not find such high moral standards and levels of integrity. Rather, after a war is finished, countries impose sanctions and restrictions that limit the progress of the defeated parties and prevent their nations from attaining true freedom or independence. Such policies are harming international relations and can only ever increase frustrations and have a negative impact. The truth is that sustainable peace can never be established until there is justice at every level of society. Another important teaching of Islam, which we find in chapter 8, verse 68 of the Holy Qur an, states that Muslims are not permitted to take prisoners outside of a state of war. Hence, extremist and terrorist groups who are taking prisoners for no reason, are acting completely against the teachings of Islam. Indeed, according to reports, they are not just taking prisoners but are also inflicting the most barbaric cruelties upon their victims. What these terrorist groups are doing can only be condemned in the strongest possible terms. On the other hand, the Qur an teaches that even where prisoners are justifiably taken, it is better to exhibit favour upon them and to release them wherever possible. A golden principle for the establishment of peace is given in chapter 49, verse 10 of the Holy Qur an, where it says that if there is a dispute between nations or groups, third parties should seek to mediate and to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict. In the event of an agreement, if either party unjustly seeks to subjugate the other and contravenes the negotiated settlement, then the other nations should unite together and use force if necessary to stop the aggressor. However, once the aggressive party withdraws, they should not be humiliated or unduly restricted. Rather, they should be permitted to move forward as a free nation and a free society. This principle is of great significance in today s world and in particular for the major powers and international Harry van Bommel, Dutch Parliamentarian and Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs, meeting His Holiness. organisations such as the United Nations, to act upon. In terms of establishing world peace, an extremely momentous principle, ensuring universal religious freedom, is enshrined in chapter 22, verse 41 of the Holy Qur an. The Qur an states that if permission for war was not granted, then in addition to mosques, churches, synagogues, temples and the places of worship of all religions, would be in grave danger. Thus, where Allah the Almighty permitted the use of force it was not just to save Islam but to save religion itself. In truth, Islam guarantees the freedom, liberty and protection of the people of 46 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 47

25 all religions. Islam protects the right of every individual to follow his or her own chosen path or belief. I have narrated before you just a few points from the Holy Qur an, which are the means for fostering unity at all levels of society and in all parts of the world. These are the golden keys to peace that the Holy Qur an has handed to the people of the world. These are the teachings which were followed perfectly by the Holy Prophet of Islam sa and his true companions. And so, in conclusion, I would like to reiterate once again that the world stands in desperate need of peace and security. This is the urgent issue of our time. All nations and all peoples must come together for the greater good and unite From left to right: 1. Hibatunnoer Verhagen, national president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama at Holland. 2. Pieter Omtzigt (CDA party) ; Parliamentarian and member of Christian Democratic Appeal. 3. Harry van Bommel (SP party) ; Parliamentarian and member of the Socialist Party. 4. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. 5. Han ten Broeke (VVD party) ; Parliamentarian and member of Peoples party for Freedom and Democracy. 6. Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (D66 party) ; Parliamentarian and member of Democratic party Michiel Servaes (PVDA party) ; Parliamentarian and member of Labour Party. 8. Theo van Toor, griffier (clerk for the Standing Committee of Foreign Affairs). in their efforts to stop all forms of cruelty, persecution and injustice, perpetrated in the name of religion or in any other way. This includes the mockery of any religion which can incite frustrations and resentment and of course also includes the hateful activities of extremist groups who are falsely justifying their evil acts in the name of religion. Furthermore, we must be sincere with all nations and seek to help them, so that each and every country can prosper and realise its potential. The jealousies and rivalries that we are seeing are a result of a mad hunger for wealth. In this regard, the Holy Qur an has given a golden principle stating that one should not covet the wealth of others with greed. By following this teaching we can promote world peace. At every level of society, the requirements of justice must be fulfilled, so that each person, regardless of creed, caste or colour, is able to stand upon his or her own two feet with dignity and honour. Today, we are seeing many first-world countries increasing their investments in the poorer and developing nations. It is imperative that they act with justice and seek and do not merely utilise their natural resources and cheap labour forces for their own national gains and profitmaking. They should seek to re-invest the majority of what they earn in those countries and use the wealth to help the local people develop and flourish. To help those nations, if the developed countries act in this way, it will not just be of benefit to the poorer nations, but will prove mutually beneficial. It will increase trust and confidence and remove frustrations that are building up. It will eradicate the impression that the wealthy nations care only for themselves and desire to unjustly derive benefit from the resources of the weak and poor. Furthermore, it will be a means of improving the local economies and so in turn will elevate the world s economy and financial health. Most certainly, it would be a means of establishing a sense of global community, compassion and humanity. And above all, it will be the foundations for true peace in the world. If we do not pay heed to this then the state of today s world peace will lead to the outbreak of a disastrous world war; whose repercussion will be felt for generations to come and consequently our generations won t forgive us for this. With these words, I would now like to take your leave. May Allah enable for true peace to emerge in the world. Thank you, very much. 48 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 49

26 The Promised Messiah as & imam mahdi (guided one) founder of the review of religions Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as Responsibilities of an Ahmadi Muslim The members of my Jama at, wherever they might be, should listen with attention. The purpose of their joining this Movement and establishing the mutual relationship of spiritual preceptor and disciple with me is that they should achieve a high degree of good conduct, good behaviour and righteousness. No wrongdoing, mischief, or misconduct should even approach them. They should perform the five daily Prayers regularly, should not utter a falsehood and should not hurt anyone with their speech. They should be guilty of no vice and should not let even a thought of any mischief, or wrong, or disorderliness, or turmoil pass through their minds. They should shun every type of sin, offence, undesirable action, passion, and unmannerly behaviour. They should become pure-hearted and meek servants of God Almighty, and no poisonous germ should flourish in their beings...sympathy with mankind should be their principle and they should fear God Almighty. They should safeguard their tongues and their hands and their thoughts against every kind of impurity, disorderliness and dishonesty. They should join the five daily Prayer services without fail. They should refrain from every kind of wrong, transgression, dishonesty, bribery, trespass, and partiality. They should not participate in any evil company. If it should be proved that one who frequents their They should not design harm against the followers of any religion or the members of any tribe or group. Be true wellwishers of everyone

27 company does not obey God s commandments...or is not mindful of the rights of people, or is cruel or mischievous, or is ill-behaved, or is seeking to deceive the servants of God Almighty by speaking ill or abusively of them, or is guilty of imposture towards the persons with whom they have entered into a covenant of bai at, it should be their duty to repel him and to keep away from such a dangerous one. They should not design harm against the followers of any religion or the members of any tribe or group. Be true well-wishers of everyone, and take care that no mischievous, vicious, disorderly, or ill-behaved person, should be ever of your company, or should dwell among you; for such a person could at any time be the cause of your stumbling. These are matters and conditions that I have been urging from the beginning, and it is the duty of every member of my Jama at to act upon them. You should indulge in no impurity, mockery or derision. Walk upon the earth with good hearts, pure tempers, and pure thoughts. Not every evil is worth fighting, so cultivate the habit of forgiveness and overlooking defaults, and behave with steadfastness and meekness. Do not attack anyone improperly, and keep your passions under complete control. If you take part in a discussion, or in an exchange of views on a religious subject, express yourself gently and be courteous. If anyone misbehaves towards you, withdraw from such company with a greeting of peace. If you are persecuted or reviled, be mindful that you should not meet stupidity with stupidity, for otherwise you will be counted in the same category as your opponents. God Almighty desires that you should become a Jama at that should set an example of goodness and truthfulness for the whole world. Hasten to exclude everyone from your company who sets an example of evil, mischief, provocation and ill-behaviour. He who cannot dwell among us in meekness, goodness and piety, using gentle words and comporting himself in ways of good conduct, should depart from us quickly, for God does not desire that such a one should dwell among us. He will die miserably, for he did not adopt the way of goodness. Therefore, be alert, and be truly good-hearted, gentle and righteous. You will be recognised by your regular attendance at Prayer services and your high moral qualities. He who has the seed of evil embedded in him will not be able to conform to this admonition. [1] A man should not be conceited, nor indecent, nor ill-mannered towards the fellow beings. He should act with love and goodness and should not bear ill-will towards anyone for personal reasons. He should behave firmly or gently in accordance with the occasions or conditions. [2] endnotes 1. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, Ishtihar (The Announcement), May 29, Majmu ah Ishtiharat, Vol. 3, pp , Eng. Translation: Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, Conditions of Bai at and Responsiblities of an Ahmadi (Tilford, Surry: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2006), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as, Malfuzat, new edition, Vol. 5, p. 609, Eng. Translation: Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad aba, Conditions of Bai at and Responsiblities of an Ahmadi (Tilford, Surry: Islam International Publications Ltd., 2006), 87.

28 The Holy Prophet Muhammad sa treatment of neighbours The Holy Prophet sa always treated his neighbours with extreme kindness and consideration. He used to say that the angel Gabriel had emphasised consideration towards one s neighbours so often that he sometimes began to think that a neighbour would perhaps be included among the prescribed heirs. Abu Dharr ra relates that the Holy Prophet sa said to him: Abu Dharr ra, while broth is being cooked for your family, add a little more water to it so that your neighbour might also share in it. This does not mean that the neighbour should not be invited to share in other things but, as the Arabs were mostly a migratory people and their favourite dish was broth, the Holy Prophet sa referred to this dish as a typical one and taught that one should not think so much of the taste of the food as of the obligation to share it with one s neighbour. Abu Huraira ra relates: On one occasion the Holy Prophet sa exclaimed: I call God to witness that he is not a believer! I call God to witness that he is not a believer! I call God to witness that he is not a believer! The Companions inquired: Who is not a believer, O Messenger of Allah sa? and he replied: He whose neighbour is not secure against injury and ill-treatment at his hands. On one occasion when he was addressing women, he said: If anybody finds only the foot of a goat to cook, that person should share it with his or her neighbour. He asked people not to object to their neighbours driving pegs into their walls or putting them to any other use which occasioned no injury. Abu Huraira ra relates: The Prophet sa said: He who believes in God and in the Day of Judgement should occasion no inconvenience to his neighbour: he who believes in God and in the Day of Judgement should occasion no inconvenience to his guest, and he who believes in God and in the Day of Judgement should utter only words of virtue or should keep quiet. [1,2] endnotes 1. Sahih Muslim. 2. Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad ra, Life of Muhammad sa, (Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications Limited, 2013), Masood T

29 The Economic System of Islam by Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad ra Mirza Bashir-ud-Din U Mahmud Ahmad ra We continue with the serialisation of the epic lecture delivered by the Second Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, later published as a book titled, The Economic System of Islam. In this fourth part of the series, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-Ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad ra speaks about the harms of interest and the Islamic solution to this problem. To read the first three parts, visit our website, Barriers to Illegitimate Accumulation of Wealth in Islam Prohibition of Interest (Riba) Islam forbids lending and borrowing of money on interest, which also entails certain limits on commerce. It is ironic that this country s intellectuals tend to look with favour on Communism, and yet are inclined to support an economic order based on interest. The fact of the matter is that interest has been the most important cause of economic and financial catastrophes in the world. Interest enables a shrewd and clever businessman to accumulate vast amounts of money, which then enables him to control markets or establish large factories, thereby reducing many people to perpetual economic subservience. Interest enables a shrewd and clever businessman to accumulate vast amounts of money, which then enables him to control markets or establish large factories, thereby reducing many people to perpetual economic subservience. If one were to examine the list of the world s richest men, it would be found that it was made up of mostly people who owe their rise to interest. They start with a small amount of capital but soon establish a reputation of creditworthiness, which allows them to leverage their small personal capital many times over via bank borrowing and overdrafts, thereby becoming super-rich in just a few years. There are others, who may not have any significant amount to invest, but use their wit and contacts to cultivate relationship with bank managers november 2015 The Review of Religions 57

30 the economic system of islam Shutterstock hidesy Unfortunately, despite the clearly visible harmful effects of interest, people remain entangled in the deadly web of interest, and do not ponder over the destructive impact that this financial system has at national and international levels. to borrow large sums of money. Only a tiny percentage of the rich make their entire money from personal capital. Interest is one of the most destructive economic forces in the world and a major hurdle that stops the poor from moving forward. It is thus imperative that mankind rid itself of interest. If the rich were unable to borrow money on interest, they would be left with one of two choices: they could expand their business by including more people in their partnership, which would of necessity involve spreading the earnings over a wider group of people; or, alternatively, they would not be able to grow their business and become a hindrance to other small businesses. Either way, there would be a more equitable distribution of wealth. It would also prevent the accumulation of wealth into the hands of a few people, which is extremely dangerous and detrimental for overall economic progress. Unfortunately despite the clearly visible harmful effects of interest, people remain entangled in the deadly web of interest, and do not ponder over the destructive impact that this financial system has at national and international levels. Ironically, even the supporters of Communism do not escape from this trap, for they do not find anything wrong with interest even though it is the root of capitalism. There are communists around the world who do not see anything wrong with interest, and as such end up inadvertently lending support to the very foundation of capitalism. Islam adopts a rather broader definition of interest. According to the Islamic definition, certain transactions, which are generally not considered to fall within its purview, nevertheless fall within its domain and are therefore prohibited. Islam defines interest as any transaction where the profit is guaranteed. Therefore all trusts, (local monopolistic arrangements) which are set up to guarantee profit by destroying competition, are to be considered un-islamic. For example, suppose fifteen or twenty large businesses in a country got together and formed a monopoly that fixed prices and restricted competition. Then a commodity that sells for (say) two rupees in a competitive market could sell at an artificial monopolistic price of (say) five rupees. Since everyone would be colluding to sell the commodity at five rupees, consumers would not be able to shop around for the best price and would have no choice but to pay the higher price. Smaller businesses would not have the ability to compete with such trusts. Even if they tried to compete by reducing the price, the trust with its monopolistic power would start a price war, which they would find impossible to win. Thus, all monopolistic arrangements are dangerous both for the country and for the global economy. In connection with certain commercial schemes of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I once had the occasion to collect information concerning the shellac business, which requires only a small capital to set up and is confined to certain areas of India, notably the Patiala state. I was surprised to discover that one single European firm had established a monopoly over its trade. On enquiring as to how this monopoly had emerged, I learned that other firms were very small, while this firm was doing business of far greater magnitude. It not only controlled the shellac trade, but was also engaged in trading wheat, cloth, jute and other products. If any business ventured to compete, the European firm would reduce the shellac price so low that a new entrant could not survive for long. In fact the new entrant was often made to sell its remaining inventory to the European firm, which would then recoup its lost earnings by raising the shellac price. That is how the firm managed to maintain its monopoly power and did not allow a competitor to come in. It is as such evident that all monopolistic arrangements that seek guaranteed profit, hurt the public at large and are therefore against the Islamic precepts. 58 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 59

31 the economic system of islam Shutterstock Tang Yan Song Similarly, cartels formed across countries are also unlawful under the Islamic economic system. Such cartels involve businesses belonging to different countries, which get together and agree on a price for a particular commodity. While trusts are monopolistic arrangements between local businesses, cartels are formed across countries. For example, firms from America and England, or America, England and Germany, or England and India might come together to agree on the terms for trading in specific commodities. Suppose these firms entered into an agreement in the chemicals industry, which is largely in the hands of American, English and German firms; if firms from these countries were to collude in fixing the prices of medicines, the world would be compelled to pay the higher prices, and deliver the negotiated profits to the cartel network. The system of cartels is so dangerous that many governments are troubled by it. Just a few days ago the government prosecuted some businesses on antitrust charges and even punished them. Islam is against any mechanism that leads to guaranteed profit and hence the monopolisation of wealth in a few hands. It seeks to ensure that money continues to circulate throughout the economy so that the poorer segment of society also has a chance to improve itself. Thus, cartels and monopolies are not allowed in an Islamic system of governance. Withholding Supplies from the Market Forbidden Islam also demands that supplies should not be deliberately withheld from the market with the purpose of artificially boosting prices. If a person hoards goods for this reason, he does so by going against the Islamic principles. If a trader has wheat but deliberately withholds its supply from the public in order to raise prices, he is engaged in a sinful activity, according to Islamic teachings. Some people believe that regulation of markets by the state is a modern economic concept, but Islam has always recognised its need. The British have now come to recognise that hoarding with the purpose of extracting higher prices is not good for the economy, but Islam recognised it 13 centuries ago. An Islamic government would require that no trader could hoard his goods, and if any trader were found to be doing so, the government would be entitled to force liquidation of his inventory at appropriate market prices. Thus, the broader Islamic principle mandates that any good that is a need of the people must not be artificially hoarded. The word used for hoarding is ihtikar which primarily refers to the hoarding of food grains. But in line with the Islamic rules of jurisprudence, this injunction would be interpreted broadly to cover all goods that are withheld from the market with the intent of raising the price. Injunction Against Artificial Lowering of Prices Similarly, Islam does not permit that prices be forced down by artificial means, because, as mentioned above, this too enables unscrupulous traders to strangle their rivals by forcing them to sell at reduced prices. During his reign, Hazrat Umar ra, while inspecting the market, came across a trader from outside Madinah who was selling dried grapes at prices that local producers and traders could not compete against. Hazrat Umar ra ordered the man to remove his produce from the market or to sell it at the price prevailing in Madinah. When asked for the reasons of this order, Hazrat Umar ra replied that without such an order the local merchants would have suffered a loss even though they were not charging an undue price. Some people believe that regulation of markets by the state is a modern economic concept, but Islam has always recognised its need. The British have now come to recognise that hoarding with the purpose of extracting higher prices is not good for the economy, but Islam recognised it 13 centuries ago. It is true that some companions questioned the validity of this order in view of the saying of the Holy Prophet sa that market prices should not be interfered with. However, their objection was not well founded, since the prohibition 60 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 61

32 the economic system of islam against state intervention in market prices by the Holy Prophet sa pertained to interference with the free interplay of supply and demand. The government should avoid undue interference, as it would provide no benefit to consumers while inflicting serious losses upon traders. The validity of this principle is borne out by recent events. The government failed in its attempt to fix the wheat price because, in the prevailing war conditions, no trader was able to sell at cost price and remain in business. The result was that the normal market activity for wheat came to a standstill and a blackmarket emerged. Starving people were ready to buy wheat at whatever price they could afford. The price that was fixed at six rupees a maund [1] by the government, at once soared to 16 rupees in the black market. People did not even report to the government about the black market because their survival depended on it. Several months ago, I had drawn the government s attention to this danger but this warning went unheeded. The right course was adopted only after a great deal of suffering and serious unrest among the public. The earlier wheat price control order was meant to safeguard farmers interests, but in reality the farmers lost heavily while the traders netted large profits. In short, the Holy Prophet sa prohibited only improper interference with price levels or unnecessary disruption in the normal operation of supply and demand. He did not forbid regulation to check abnormal price movements whether prices are driven artificially high or artificially low. The prohibition of ihtikar, which is firmly established according to the sayings of the Holy Prophet sa, also bears this out, because ihtikar only means that artificial increases in prices be checked. Therefore, Hazrat Umar s ra action, although an interference in the market, was a necessary regulation; it was consistent with shariah and demonstrated a sound principle of Islamic teachings. The aforementioned are the three sources of unlawful wealth accumulation that Islam has prohibited. In this manner, Islam blocks all channels that lead to the unlawful and excessive accumulation of wealth. Since clever and shrewd people might still find ways to accumulate excessive wealth, to the detriment of the less fortunate, Islam has adopted the following means to address this problem. Measures Adopted in Shariah to Achieve a Just Economic System Zakat Islam introduced the system of zakat, which is a 2.5% annual tax on wealth that is held in the form of gold, silver, currency or other assets for a period of more than a year. The proceeds of this tax are used to promote welfare of the poor. Thus, if a person has 40 rupees in his possession and he keeps the money for the entire year, he must pay one rupee as zakat to the government. It should be noted that this is not an income tax on earnings. Instead, zakat is payable on accumulated wealth and is spent for the welfare of the poor. Zakat is due on all kinds of wealth, whether coins, animals, produce, jewellery or other tradable assets. However, jewellery that women use normally, and especially if they also occasionally share it with less fortunate women, is exempt from zakat. According to Islamic scholars, if jewellery is used only for personal use and is not shared with poor women, zakat should preferably be paid for it. In any event, Islam strictly mandates that zakat be paid on those pieces of jewellery that are not in common use. Shutterstock Zurijeta Islam introduced the system of zakat, which is a 2.5% annual tax on wealth that is held in the form of gold, silver, currency or other assets for a period of more than a year. The proceeds of this tax are used to promote welfare of the poor. Zakat is payable every year as long as the wealth in one s possession does not fall below the taxable minimum. Zakat is paid not only on capital but also on the accumulated profit that it fetches. The moral basis of zakat is that if anyone, despite all the provisions against excessive accumulation of wealth, still manages to accumulate money, the 62 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 63

33 the economic system of islam from the mine. Any excess income saved by the owners of the mine for over a year will be separately subject to zakat year after year. In this way, the government has a direct ownership stake in the mines. It also has a share in the money saved from excess income of the mines, which it collects for the benefit of the poor. Islam also enjoins individuals to offer voluntary charity. It is prescribed for every person and is to be given to orphans and the poor and for the care and support of the weak. Shutterstock iurii Islam does not allow anyone to leave his estate to any single heir, but instead his property must be distributed to all legal heirs. All sons and daughters are given a legal share, as well as parents, wife, and husband, and, in certain instances, even brothers and sisters. Islamic government will tax a portion of it every year, on grounds that, because of their hard work, the poor have a right and a share in the wealth accumulated by the rich. Therefore, a system has been put in place to take away the due right of the poor from the rich every year. Khumus One-Fifth Royalty on Mining A second means for accumulating undue wealth is through the exploitation of mines. Islam deals with this issue by giving the state the right to impose a royalty of one-fifth of the produce of the mine. This fifth is due on any income derived Voluntary Charity Islam also enjoins individuals to offer voluntary charity. It is prescribed for every person and is to be given to orphans and the poor and for the care and support of the weak. This emphasis on charity also helps to redistribute the wealth so that it does not excessively accumulate in the hands of a few. Islamic Law of Inheritance If despite the above safeguards an individual still manages to leave behind money or property after his death, it would be redistributed among his family members immediately after his death according to the Islamic law of inheritance. Islam does not allow anyone to leave his estate to any single heir, but instead his property must be distributed to all legal heirs. All sons and daughters are given a legal share, as well as parents, wife, and husband, and, in certain instances, even brothers and sisters. The Holy Qur an clearly states that no one is allowed to deviate from these rules and pass on his property to a single heir. Islamic law forcefully distributes a person s property after his death to all legal heirs, and every relative must be given the share prescribed in the Holy Qur an. It is surprising that while people favour interest, which causes great financial inequity in the world, they are against the enforced distribution of the wealth of a deceased among all legal heirs. Instead, they allow a single son to inherit the entire estate, thereby causing wealth to remain perpetually concentrated in a single family. However, in the Islamic system no matter how wealthy a person, his wealth will be redistributed, generation after generation until his progeny is at the same level as 64 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 65

34 the economic system of islam The Islamic economic system is thus naturally furnished with pruning devices that come into action if someone starts to have excessive amounts of wealth. The excess capital starts to go to the government, or is distributed among other people, or gets distributed among the descendants. the average person. In this way no matter how large an estate or how vast a person s wealth, it cannot last more than a few generations. After this time, the succeeding generations would feel the need for generating their own wealth. The reason for the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few rich people in Europe and the United States is that, under the British law, the eldest son can inherit the entire property, and in the United States, a person may pass on his entire wealth to just a single son. Thus, other children, parents, brothers and sisters, or the spouse may be left with nothing. Sometimes the super-rich bequeath a large part of their inheritance to the eldest son to preserve family legacies and leave only meagre amounts to other relatives. Islam considers this practice entirely wrong and maintains the welfare of the entire society to be the paramount consideration. No matter how high and noble a family might consider itself to be, Islam wants large estates to be divided and further subdivided over generations so that the poor do not have to compete with large capital owners who prevent the poor from making economic progress. Thus, in the first place, Islam curbs the inducements and impulses that result in accumulating excessive wealth. Secondly, it forbids spending of money on fulfilling one s vain desires and other wasteful pursuits. Thirdly, it disallows all such avenues of generating wealth that provide guaranteed profit. Fourthly, it stipulates the payment of zakat and voluntary charity. If despite all these mechanisms, someone is able to accumulate excessive wealth due to his wit and astuteness, and there is a danger that his wealth might hinder the progress of the underprivileged, Islam stipulates that his wealth be distributed among the heirs immediately after his demise. Thus if a person has 10 million rupees and has ten sons, his wealth would be equally divided into one million for each son and then if they each have ten sons the wealth would get further divided into 100 thousand rupees in the following generation. By the time of the third generation, only 10 thousand rupees would be left for a family. This way, even a large estate would get greatly diminished within three or four generations and it would not become a hurdle in the progress of the poor. The disposition of wealth after one s demise can only be prevented for that part of the property that is given away for the good of the public to a non-profit organisation. Obviously, anyone who accumulates capital with a view to supporting the welfare of the poor and the public at large cannot be expected to use unlawful means to earn money. The Islamic economic system is thus naturally furnished with pruning devices that come into action if someone starts to have excessive amounts of wealth. The excess capital starts to go to the government, or is distributed among other people, or gets distributed among the descendants. Under this system, no one can remain rich forever and no family can maintain its financial dominance generation after generation or be able to subjugate the poorer sections of the society. It is regrettable that Muslims have not fully followed Islamic guidance on this matter. The teaching about zakat is there but it is ignored. Extravagance is prohibited but they continue to indulge in it. The laws of inheritance are not strictly followed. Nevertheless, there is some partial observance, and consequently, the gap between the rich and poor is less extreme in Islamic countries than in others. It is still possible that the above-mentioned Islamic injunctions would not fully address the problem of economic inequity. In particular, it is possible that the money that the government collects is diverted back to the rich upper class in various ways. The Holy Qur an also addresses this issue and restricts the ways in which government revenue can be spent. endnotes 1. A measure of weight used in India, equal to about 82 pounds. 66 The Review of Religions november 2015 november 2015 The Review of Religions 67

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36 Calendar of Religious Events & Festivals november 2015 Sunday 1 st November Faith: Christianity Event: All Saints Day On All Saints Day Christians remember all the saints and martyrs, known and unknown, throughout Christian history. Remembering the saints and dedicating a specific day to them each year had been a Christian tradition since the fourth century, but in AD 609 Pope Boniface IV decided to include all martyrs as well. Originally 13th May was designated, but in AD 837 Pope Gregory IV changed the date to 1st November. Saturday 14 th November Faith: Baha ism Event: Birth of Baha u llah On this day Baha is celebrate the anniversary of the birth in 1817 of Baha u llah, the founder of their faith. Baha u llah means Glory of God. Baha u llah gave up his privileged life to follow the Bab, the herald of the Baha i faith. After the death of the Bab, he became the movement s leader and laid down the laws and principles of the Baha i faith. His birthday is one of the nine holy days of the year when work is suspended. Saturday 14 th November Faith: Sikhism Event: Birthday of Guru Nanak Guru Nanak was the founder of the Sikh faith and the first of its ten Gurus. He was born in the Punjab in Sikhs celebrate with prayers, the singing of religious songs and readings from the Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Book). Free sweets and community meals are offered to everyone at the temples. Houses and temples are lit up for the festivities. Note about references Verse references to the Holy Qur an count Bismillah (In the Name of Allah ) as the first verse of each Chapter. In some non-standard texts, this is not counted. Should the reader refer to such texts, the verse quoted in The Review of Religions will be found a verse earlier, i.e. at one verse less than the number quoted in this journal. For the ease of non-muslim readers, sa or (saw) after the words, Holy Prophet, or the name Muhammad, are used normally in small letters. They stand for Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam meaning peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Likewise, the letters as or (as) after the name of all other prophets is an abbreviation meaning peace be upon him derived from Alaihis salatu wassalam which are words that a Muslim utters out of respect whenever he or she comes across that name. The abbreviation ra or (ra) stands for Raziallahu Ta ala anhu and is used for Companions of a Prophet, meaning Allah be pleased with him or her (when followed by the relevant Arabic pronoun). Finally, rh or (rh) for Rahemahullahu Ta ala means the Mercy of Allah the Exalted be upon him. In keeping with current universal practice, local transliterations of names of places are preferred to their anglicised versions, e.g. Makkah instead of Mecca, etc. SUBSCRIPTION Subscription Contacts: India - Khursheed Ahmad india@reviewofreligions.org Tel: Tel: Fax: USA - Adnan Ahmed Bhalli usa@reviewofreligions.org Tel: Canada - Muhammad Dawood Khalid canada@reviewofreligions.org Tel: Nigeria - Qasim Oyekola nigeria@reviewofreligions.org Tel: Ghana - Naeem A. Cheema ghana@reviewofreligions.org Tel: UK - Athar Ahmad Bajwa uk@reviewofreligions.org Tel: For all other subscription issues or for general enquiries info@reviewofreligions.org or contact Head Office: Tahir House 22 Deer Park Road, London SW19 3TL

37 The Review of Religions, in print since 1902, is one of the longest-running comparative religious magazines. The objective of the magazine is to present the teachings of Islam, reflecting its rational, harmonious and inspiring nature. It also brings together articles and viewpoints on different religions and seeks to make discussions on religion and religious philosophy accessible to a wider readership. The magazine is devoted to promoting intellectual and lively debate that is based on respect for all prophets and religions. Islam repeatedly stresses the need to seek knowledge and The Review of Religions provides a unique platform for people to acquire, and share knowledge. Yearly subscription is only 15 sterling or $30 for overseas customers. To subscribe, or for more info, visit Follow us on spine november 2015 World Peace & Security From the letters of Connecting to Khi The islamic dilema Islamic Publications, 2015 ISSN No The Critical Issue Our Time vol issue eleven