Bulletin December 2003 THE FIRST ISLAMIC MISSION IN THE U.K. ESTABLISHED 1913 C.E. AS THE WOKING MUSLIM MISSION Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha at Islam Lahore (U.K.) Dar-us-Salaam, 15 Stanley Avenue, Wembley, HA0 4JQ, U.K. Imam & Head of Mission 020 8903 2689 President 020 8524 8212 Secretary 01753 692654 Book Depot 020 8903 2689 Fax 0870 131 9340 E-mail aaii@saziz.globalnet.co.uk http://www.islamic-book-depot.org.uk December 2003 C.E. Meeting Assalamu alaikum Venue: Dar-us-Salaam Date: Sunday, 7 th December 2003 Time: 3 pm Topic: Religion vs philosophy as a Guidance for Mankind By Dr M A Hami Regular Activities Dars-i Quran: Every Friday at 2:30 pm. Meeting of the Executive: First Sunday of every month at 2 pm. Meeting of the Jamaat: First Sunday of every month at 3 pm. Contents Hazrat Amir s Id message Page 1 News Page 2 An Id Khutba by Shahid Aziz Page 5 Hazrat Amir s Id message In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful. And swallow not up your property among yourselves by false means, nor seek to gain access thereby to the judges, so that you may swallow up a part of the property of men wrongfully while you know. (The Holy Quran 2:188) Dear brothers and sisters, I am sure you have all had the spiritual experience of observing the Ramadan in its true spirit. You have had an opportunity to charge your souls with fresh enthusiasm to serve Islam and spread it to every person in the light of the message of Ahmadiyyat. Now you are getting ready to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr. I join you in your happiness and wish you not only a very happy day but also a very blessed life ahead. Unlike many festivals celebrated to mark various traditional or religious occasions, Islam lays great emphasis on the simplicity and dignity of our festivities. The Happiness, which in Arabic is Eid, is actually a happiness to mark the completion of an effort to attain nearness to the Creator of mankind. The Creator has not only blessed us with a body but also a soul. Observing the fast for a month is an effort to raise the soul nearer to the goal of being subservient to Allah s will. Having achieved that and harnessed our desires even for lawful needs for a month, it is very important to remember that the day of Eid becomes a day of making a determined-resolve; a resolve to continue to refrain from all the unlawful and forbidden things, which Allah has commanded. The verse from the Holy Quran that I have cited above is the last verse in the section that deals with the subject of fasting. It is appropriately placed at the end of the section as it tells the believers: Now that you have fasted to attain nearness to your Creator by giving up the lawful things, make a firm resolve not to indulge in any unlawful things. Further it reminds us to continue in the spirit of Ramadan and not to abandon the nearness to Allah by being unmindful in our time of celebrations. Brothers and sisters, I hope that you and I will continue to strive in Allah s way and continue to look after the newly planted seeds of Taqwah by refraining from the forbidden and following the commands of Allah. Let us all make a firm resolution to nurture the saplings that will Inshallah sprout out from these seeds; make every effort to see the saplings grow into strong, sturdy trees that will bear the fruits that both we and our generations to come will reap. May Allah grant us success in our effort and determination. (Aameen).
2 December 2003 Bulletin On behalf of the Central Anjuman and on my own behalf I wish all the women, men and children associated with the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement the world over a very happy Eid-ul-Fitr. Signed Professor Dr. Abdul Karim Saeed Ameer-i-Jama at International Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement News It is with the deepest regret that we announce the passing away of the following members of our jamaat. Begum Shakoor Sahu Khan (Vancouver, Canada) who was stricken with a stroke passed away on Friday, November 28th at 20:00 Eastern Canadian time. She left behind two sons Brs. Feroze and Fazal Sahu Khan, and two daughters Mrs. Farida Fatiq and Mrs. Gohar Jan Alam Khan. Her two brothers Usman Gani Buksh and Jaffar Ali Buksh together with family members were her at bedside. Brs. Mehboob Raza and Abid Raza Sahibs are her nephews. Prof. Nurudin Zahid (Kashmir, Indian held) passed away on Sunday 23rd November 2003. He was a scholar of Arabic and Persian and played a prominent role, first in Kashmir and then in India, in the jamaat. Sister of Prof. Aziz Ahmad (Pakistan) Sister of our Secretary General at the international headquarters, Prof. Aziz Ahmad. Thank you Messages The following members who have recovered from their illnesses thank the members of the jamaat for their prayers:- Noer Sardar (Holland), Dr. Habeeb Sahu Khan (Australia), Rafi Shareef (U.S.), Maulana Abdul Manan (U. S.), Chaudry Masud Akthar (U.S.), Samina Malik (U.S), Begum Tazim Raza, mother of Brs. Mehboob Raza and Abid Raza (Fiji), Begum Hila Pierkhan (Suriname), Mohammad Ali (Germany) Nayeb Haroun (UK) and Mrs Akhtar Aziz (UK). Literary work (USA) Certificates of approval from Al Azhar have been received for:- Teaching of Islam Ideal Prophet Muhammad and Christ Introduction to the Quran (Arabic) Living thought of Prophet Muhammad (Arabic) Before her trip to Pakisktan in December, Mrs Samina Malik will be visiting Al Azhar to present the Grand Imam the Russian, English and French Quran for approval. Muhammad the Prophet has been printed in Arabic. The section on Jihad from the Religion of Islam has been printed in Arabic as a booklet. The USA Jamaat printed ten thousand copies of the booklet Jihad in Islam in English and it is being distributed to all the congressmen, senators and news paper editors. Dr Noman Malik and his brother Ijaz Malik have paid all the cost for this book on behalf of their parents. The Islamic Review is being scanned and compressed in DJVU for the US jamaat s website. Work on issues for the first almost ten years has been completed. Holland jamaat Ulamon education centre In the last issue of this paper we announced the foundation of an education centre to enhance the knowledge of Islam and as an instrument to help fulfil our mission. On Saturday 31 May this education centre was officially launched in Hotel Mercure in The Hague. On this occasion a lecture was organised on the theme: The different movements in Islam. On this evening also the name of the education centre was revealed: NIBIS (Netherlands Institute for the Promotion of Islamic Studies). The evening started with a welcome by Mr. M.H. Mahawat Khan, chairman of AAII(L)N. Dr. G.A. Wiegers from the University of Leiden gave his lecture. He discussed the different movements we know in Islam (modernist movements, Islamist/ fundamentalist movements and traditional movements) and the characteristic differences between these movements. After this lecture there was time for everyone to react and ask questions. After the break, Hadji J. Keeskamp, one of the pioneers of the Ahmadiyya Movement in the Netherlands, officially opened the education centre and revealed its name. Mr. M. A. Mahawat Khan, project manager of NIBIS and board member of ULAMON, went on to describe the mission, its goal, ambitions, and programme of the Centre. The students who passed the exams of a course on Islam were given their diplomas. The evening was closed with a pleasant get together. Islam and Ecology Summary of a presentation given by Ria Arfa Shairmohamed at the training weekend in June, organised by AAII(L)N Islam means to submit oneself to the will of Allah by making peace with yourself and your fellow man. Ecology is the teaching of the relationship between organisms (among others, man) and the surroundings (the environment) in which they live. We human beings and all animals and plants are part of this earth; we are formed out of the elements of the earth and are completely dependent on it. Our fate is connected with the fate of the earth and at the same time we treat the earth as if we have it in our power. Strangely, we do not think about the solidarity and mutual dependence anymore, in other words, we do not have a durable relationship
December 2003 Bulletin 3 anymore. However, a relationship that lasts forever is very necessary. Is it possible to positively influence our actions towards the Creation from a religious point of view? The answer is yes. Let us see what the Islam tells us. In chapter 2, verse 30 the Holy Quran says: And when thy lord said to the angels: I m going to place a ruler (a khaliefa) in the earth Man is the khaliefa of God and he may speak on earth on behalf of Him on the condition that he obeys the rules of the Creator. Being the substitute for God is the greatest honour for man but at the same time brings along a huge responsibility. Man and nature are both creations from God and therefore submitted to His will. On the one hand man is capable of changing nature to a certain extent. On the other hand nature decides the fate of man. So, man is the substitute for God as well as his server. He may use nature but may not destroy it and always has to answer to God. Allah is Rahman and Rahiem, merciful, so a Muslim should also be merciful towards his surroundings. Allah is al-razzaq, the Keeper, so man should also be the keeper of nature. This is clearly expressed in the following verses: (41:10), (79:30-33), (7:56), (10:24), (57:20), (30:30), (30:41), (6:141), (7:31) and (17:27). The Holy Quran also frequently refers to the universe. The salaat follows the rhythm of the sun and the Islamic calendar follows the cycle of the moon. Religion vouches for a harmonious relationship between man and environment. This is clearly expressed in the Islam. Man should live in complete submission to God s will and hence in peace with God, himself and other creatures. The thought that man is at the centre of the existence does not exist in Islam. The Quran points out to us that we should lead a useful life. Paradise or The Gardens which are mentioned in many verses, do not only imply life at the other side, but are also meant as creating paradise on earth. Just like humans, animals live in communities (ummahs) and return to God. God also speaks to the animals and has given them specific instructions. Many animals are mentioned in the Quran and man should respect animals. He may use them but also has to take care of them. Tauhid (unity) is a means to peacefully end conflicts and to bring about respect for nature. The Holy Quran makes an appeal to the intelligence of man to understand the signs of nature so he can learn to know God. God has given man special qualities and free will to know the difference between right and wrong. He also assigned to us finding harmony and balance in ourselves. The body, soul and ego (badan, rooh and nafs) have to be in balance. Mental development leads to inner peace, which has to radiate towards your surroundings, fellow creatures and nature. Islam is a natural religion. It is a religion that gives evidence to the truth of human nature. With the creation of man morality in nature was born and if man causes problems in the environment, it ultimately strikes back. We have to protect the earth, also against our own destructivity. The Quran warns us about fasad, meaning corruption and destruction. In different Quran verses the prohibition of wasting is mentioned. It should by now be clear to us that abusing and wasting of that what was lend to us by the Creator and true Owner does not fit in the notion of Khalifahship. HOLLAND REGIONAL NEWS ULAMON Amsterdam: On Sunday 24 August 2003 ULAMON organised a sports day at sports park `De Eendracht` at Bok de Korverweg 1. The Hague: Seminar on 11 October 2003. The theme of the seminar was Islam and citizenship. Two lectures will be held on the scientific and Islamic approach of Islam and citizenship followed by discussions with political and media representatives Training weekend: A training weekend was held on 7, 8 and 9 June 2003 at the conference centre Mennorode in Elspeet. This year the theme was Ahmadiyyat in the service of Islam. During these three days 4 persons from the different ULAMON jamaats discussed 4 chapters from The Ahmadiyya Movement, by Maulana Muhammad Ali. There was also a competition between the four jamaats in which a representative of each jamaat had to give a presentation on a certain theme. This competition was won by Mrs. Ria Shairmohamed of SAII. A summary of her presentation on Islam and ecology. The possibilities to enhance the participation of Ahmadies in Dutch society and in the development of Ahmadiyyat were discussed. Many young people took part in this training weekend, which they found a valuable experience. NMO (TV broadcasting station for Muslims) broadcast a documentary programme about Ahmadiyyat in Holland on 22 June 2003. It highlighted the history of Ahmadiyyat as well as the difference between the Lahoris and Qadianis. Stichting AII The Hague On Sirat-un Nabi on 25 May SAII organised a get together to discuss the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Because this get together was held close to the date of the decease of the founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement (26 May 1908) there was also a discussion on this aspects of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. Decorations for members of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Community. On the occasion of 130 years Indian immigration to Surinam, mayor Deetman of The Hague awarded Mrs. Sakoenat Hassanmohamed and Mr. Noer Sardar. Mrs.
4 December 2003 Bulletin Hassanmohamed was awarded for her guidance of the elderly in the home for the elderly Transvaal and her efforts in other rest homes and her participation in various projects in The Hague. Mr. Sardar was awarded because of his helpfulness for the Indian Surinam community in The Hague, his participation in and organising of major festivities and his activities in the neighbourhood organisation Regentes/Valkenbos. Congratulations on behalf of SAII. World tour in own city 2003 On 15 June 2003 SAII again participated in World tour in own city. During this Hague activity many people from the Dutch community visit the mosque of SAII. Every year a special topic is chosen for this activity. This year the theme was: Jihaad, the situation today and a hundred years ago. A letter from Mr Mahawat Khan Assalamo alaikum wrwb Dear brother and sisters, In addition to the regular ULAMON news which we send to you all we would like to inform you about the development and activities of our Jamaat in Holland. We celebrated this year on 12 October our 27th anniversary with a Seminar with the theme Islam and the civic society Our aim is that every year on the occasion of our anniversary to have a seminar with a theme that interacts with Islam and the society where we live. Two years ago we had a three days conference with the theme Islam in the western societyand last year we had seminar with the theme Islam about acceptance, participation and integration. Our program set-up is to invite press, media, politicians, universities, organizations and other Muslim groups besides all our own Ahmadi brothers and sisters in Holland. Our strategy is comparable with the marketing strategies major corporate companies use for their product namely Branding. We want a breakthrough in Holland for the Lahore Ahmadiyya movement. Therefore we want a campaign of big awareness of the name Lahore Ahmadiyya. At the same time we want that everyone to know what we stand for. And then we will spread all our messages and books. With the help of Allah we are making good progress. Our last seminar and in the wake of it all media attention is a major breakthrough. I am honestly touched by the amount of attention and press coverage given to Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement due to the seminar and my personal interviews with press and media. To mention some: 1. We had in the major national newspaper of Holland the same day a coverage of our seminar and about the Lahore Ahmadiyya movement and about misunderstanding in the community about over beliefs. This was a master piece. 2. We had an article (mentioning the Lahore Ahmadies) the next day in a newspaper that covers about 3 million readers 3. We had national Radio coverage where there was a live interview where I mention our movement etc. 4. We had an article in a Christian newspaper 5. I was last weekend live on national TV where we mention the Lahore Ahmadies 6. We had an article in a strong Christian newspaper 7. We had 2 articles on Ahmadiyyat in a newspaper read mostly by immigrants such as Surinames and Turks and Moroccans. This has a tremendous impact because mostly Sunni Muslims can read about us now. 8. We had TV coverage in a local TV mostly viewed by immigrants. the same impact as in the news paper. 9. The international press association AFP is going to produce an article for whole Europe. I have stressed to mention the name Lahore Ahmadiyya movement. All this attention with the name of Lahore Ahmadis and their effort to propagate Islam gives us a place on the map. These were major breakthroughs since we were never mentioned before. My biggest concern is to keep this and I also pray with you to keep all my brothers and sisters together and work as one big family. I share this success with all my Jamaat members and the other Jamaats as well. I thank Allah for His help and guidance. Honestly I was very emotional to see how everyone, all sudden, is interested in the Lahore Ahmadis. Allah rewards good work. Coming Friday we have the presentation of the book we produced with the title Islam about acceptance, participation and integration. The Governor of the Queen is going to take a book in the press centre of the Parliament of The Netherlands. We have organized a press conference after the hand over of the books. The aim is to inform the media and via the media the society about us. We hope that we can move a step further. We will keep you informed. May this good news encourage all my other brothers and sisters all over the world to step up our efforts to propagate Islam with our (Lahore) Ahmadiyya view. Please give our salaam to the whole Jamaat and may Allah bless you and help you in effort to take this movement further. Wassalaam Hikmat Mahawat Khan President of Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha'at Islam (Lahore) Netherlands (AAIILN).
December 2003 Bulletin 5 Id ul Fitr A Khutba By Shahid Aziz O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard against evil. For a certain number of days. But whoever among you is sick or on a journey, (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days. And those who find it extremely hard may effect redemption by feeding a poor man. So whoever does good spontaneously, it is better for him; and that you fast is better for you if you know. The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance to men and clear proofs of the guidance and the Criterion. So whoever of you is present in the month, he shall fast therein, and whoever is sick or on a journey, (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days. Allah desires ease for you, and He desires not hardship for you, and (He desires) that you should complete the number and that you should exalt the greatness of Allah for having guided you and that you may give thanks. And when My servants ask thee concerning Me, surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should hear My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way. (2:183 186) These are verses 183 to 186 of Al Baqara, the second chapter of the Holy Quran where Muslims are commanded abstinence. The verse starts with O you who believe as do many other verses and Commands of the Holy Quran. There has always been a debate whether it is better to do the right thing for the wrong reason or the wrong thing for the right reason. In giving its instructions in this manner the Holy Quran tells us that we should do the right thing for the right reason. By starting these verses with these words the Holy Quran encourages us, telling us that Muslims have been taught the correct beliefs but that belief alone is not enough to achieve salvation. To achieve salvation belief must be followed by action. There are some religions where it is said that mere faith in some dogma is enough to achieve salvation. This then raises the question that if it is enough to believe to achieve salvation then why should we do good deeds? Why should we make sacrifices? Why should we give up our time and money to help others? Why should we restrain ourselves from exploiting the weak, the needy and the poor? Our objective is to achieve salvation and this we achieved by declaring our belief in a creed. Islam totally rejects this idea. According to Islam Muslim can no more achieve salvation just by declaring his faith in the Shahadah than a Christian by declaring his faith in the blood of Christ. But then another question arises. What about non-muslims who do good deeds? Would they be rewarded? Would they achieve salvation? Of course they would be rewarded for the Quran tells us that every soul shall have the reward of the good it does and the punishment for the bad things that it does. Justice demands that it should be so and Islam is the most Just religion. In Surah Fatiha we are told that Allah is Maliki yaum mid deen. That is say that He is the Final Judge and Arbiter and for us to have confidence in a judge we have to believe that he does not show favouritism or take side. Even in this world, when we speak of various policies, we say that these policies must be colour blind meaning that when implementing this policy we should not have regard to a man s colour and that it must apply to every one equally. If we demand this here on Earth from our temporal master, should we expect anything less from the Master of the Day of Requital? It could not be otherwise. As a sign of Allah s justice we find the Holy Quran telling us that there are good people amongst every nation who remember Allah and care for His creation. If there are good people in all religions and they will be rewarded for their deeds then why should we embrace Islam? After all, these days when Muslims are called terrorists and abused and blamed for all the ills of the world, it is not easy to be a Muslim, let alone one who is actively engaged in propagation of Islam. The answer to this question takes us back to what I said in the beginning and that is that we must do the right thing for the right reason. Let me give you an example. You are in a room looking for a way out. If the room is in total darkness it would not be very easy to find the door. You will stumble, perhaps even fall, knock yourself against the furniture and even after your best efforts you may not find the door. However, if there was light in the room, you would very easily, and without hurting yourself, find the door. Let us take another example. If you don t know English Grammar and you tried to communicate with some one, there is no certainty that you will be understood. Even if you are understood on one occasion you cannot guarantee that you will be understood all the time. But if you know English Grammar and you use it properly, you can be certain of being understood most of the time. This explains why it is important to have the correct beliefs as well as correct actions. Next, this verse tells us that fasting is prescribed for you. The word translated as fasting actually means abstaining. A better way of expressing Allah s Command may be to say that abstinence is prescribed for you. I prefer this expression because fasting seems to imply that we should give up only eating and drinking. Islam demands more of us. In Imam Malik s Muwatta it is said:... Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger
6 December 2003 Bulletin of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, Fasting is a protection for you, so when you are fasting, do not behave indecently or foolishly, and if any one argues with you or abuses you, say, I am fasting. I am fasting. (Book 18, Number 18.22.57) Thus every one who is fasting should make greater efforts to be truthful, to be honest, to do one s duty with greater dedication and so on. We need to consider how much more important it is to abstain from forbidden things at a time when we are told that we should abstain from that which is lawful. The fact that we give up those things which, in the normal course of events are lawful, is meant to stress how important it is to abstain from the things forbidden by Allah Next we are told: as it was prescribed for those before you. Allah is telling us that His fundamental message to all the people, at all times has been the same. And it could not be otherwise. I have already said that Islam is a Just religion, it treats the whole of humanity equally and there are no favourites or chosen people who shall achieve glory in the eyes of Allah simply by belonging to a particular religion. At every moment in history and in all places on this Earth Allah must have sent Guidance to explain to people how He wanted them to live. If we look at religions, which preceded Islam, we find that they all have fasting as a religious duty in one form or another. Let us look at what some other religions say about fasting. The author of Encyclopaedia of Hinduism says: Since ancient times the Hindu Sages have emphasized that the body is not the true self; the mind is not the true self; only the spirit is the true self. The body is perishable; the mind is merely a function of the body; but the spirit is eternal. The goal of all spiritual and religious practices is to shift the consciousness away from the body-mind-emotions and make one exist in consciousness of the spirit. Therefore, when one approaches God, one should approach with the spirit. In order to help the consciousness forget about the bodymind-emotions and all their unending desires, and become absorbed in spirit alone, fasting is used. Often, this fasting is more than just physical abstinence from food and may also include fasting from speaking by keeping silence or fasting of the mind by meditating. Meditation is a practice that keeps the mind focused only on the names of God or on a verse of scripture in order to silence the incessant thinking that it is usually engaged with. Fasting is prescribed by scriptures and by the spiritual Masters of Hinduism for different occasions. Many people fast weekly on a particular day which is held sacred to them. For instance, Monday is held sacred to Lord Shiva; Tuesday is sacred to the great deva Hanuman; Thursday is dedicated to honour one's guru, spiritual Master. In addition to fasting, one should remember God as often as possible throughout the day. Also, twice a month, Hindus observe fast on the eleventh day of each lunar cycle. Those who are dedicated to the Vishnu aspect of God fast on the birth anniversaries of God's incarnations in human form. Hindus who are devoted to the Shiva aspect of God observe fasts on the first day of every solar month. Fasting is also performed as a preparation for observing a vow or for taking a pilgrimage. One may also take up a fast in penance for sins. And fasts observed on the days of the eclipses, solstices, and equinoxes are particularly auspicious. Fasting is also observed on the death anniversary days of one s parents. Fasting may include complete abstinence from all food for a designated duration, or the avoidance of particular foods for that time. Some fasts require eating only once a day, others may require eating only prescribed foods. One type of fasting is to restrict oneself to only foods produced in one's own village. Another is to restrict oneself to only foods one can find by foraging in the forest. During a fast one should avoid excessive drinking of water, sleeping in the daytime, and sexual intercourse. In Buddhism it is said: In the early scriptures known as the Pali Canon, the Buddha has a number of significant things to say about food. The first stems from his six year search for enlightenment during which time he experimented with various forms of dietary restriction in extremis. For example, for a period he settled for eating only one grain of rice a day! The result? My body reached a state of extreme emaciation...the hair, rotted at its roots, fell from my body as I rubbed. The Buddha realized that spiritual progress and starving the body were in no way compatible. It was only when he began to eat sufficiently that he was able to make the final steps necessary to win enlightenment. The Buddhist attitude to the body is to simply look after it and one aspect of this is to feed it properly. This means avoiding extremes - overindulgence on the one hand and rigorous abstinence on the other. Both are potentially damaging to health and thereby create obstacles for the effort and energy required for spiritual and ethical development. (Buddhism and Food) In Jainism we find: The special efforts to destroy karma is done through Tapas or austerities. Austerity means restraint, which is done willingly by giving away some of the bodily comforts to discipline our mind from passions and pleasures. Austerities are performed at various occasions and in various different ways.... Austerities may be performed at two levels: 1. Physical manner or 2. Psychic manner. In the physical manner the person performs the austerity, but does not have the inner desires to change his or her life and therefore, it is just a physical act. While in the psychic austerity the person controls his or her inner desires along with performing a physical act. Unless the austeri-
December 2003 Bulletin 7 ties are performed in psychic manner, they do not produce the much needed results. After all, the whole purpose of austerities is not just to simply make the body suffer, but to change our desires. Once that happens the person will be on the path to spiritual uplift. Austerity is part of right conduct. (www.jainworld. com/education/seniors; nirjara) So in these ancient religions there are many different types of fasts. For example, fasts not to eat cooked food, fast not to speak which may be a favourite of many husbands if their wives were to observe it, etc. Now we come to the other two major religions Judaism and Christianity. There are 6 days of fasting in Judaism: Yom Kippur, the great Day of Atonement The fast of Gedaliah: the day after Rosh Hashanah The 10 th of Tevet (January) The fast of Esther: the day before Purim The 17 th of Tamouz (mid-july) The 9 th of Av (end of July or beginning of August). A modern view of fasting in Judaism is given in an article Choosing A Difficult Fast by Cynthia Barnard (Shabbat Shuvah, September 17, 1999)... fast leads us directly to the three pillars of Judaism, to God, Torah and Israel, and that its difficulty is part of the process.... As the rabbi spoke on erev Rosh Hashanah, gratitude is the essential basis of religious feeling - our hunger must remind us, by its very novelty, of how fortunate we are.... We are commanded (Deut 8:10), You shall eat and be satisfied, and you shall bless.... In some traditions, fasting is mortifying the flesh. Is this our view of fasting? Torah uses the term afflict in ordaining our observance of Yom Kippur (Lev 16:29 and 16:31): in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all. It shall be a Sabbath of rest to you, and you shall afflict your souls...... It is up to us to choose to afflict ourselves for a specific purpose. And the affliction of the body, the fast, is not an end in itself, it's a way to get our own attention, to reach deeper inside ourselves. Fasting in Judaism is not punishment, it is not mortification of the flesh, and it is not in service to some ascetic ideal. Fasting is a choice we make. It is a commandment, and we accept it, we accept the Torah, in order to teach ourselves to be closer to God, by noticing the absence of food, the absence of blessings, the absence of our normal daily rituals.... You have, right there, the food in your hands and the growl in your stomach. You can see and feel how our choices as adults give these children the opportunity to learn about being Jews and about being strong, courageous, thoughtful adults who can make their own choices.... The fast is about God and it is about Torah, our tradition, and it is about Israel, valuing our community and each other. The Talmud teaches that The merit of a fast day lies in the charity dispensed (Berachoth 6b) and, If on a fast day, the distribution of alms is postponed overnight, it is just as though blood were shed since the hungry, who needed it, might have died of starvation. Recall the Haftarah for Yom Kippur, in which Isaiah roars to Israel, this is the fast that I have chosen to undo the bonds of oppression, to let the crushed go free, and to break every yoke to share your bread with the hungry, and to take the outcast poor into your home. (Isaiah 58) In this way, the fast connects us beyond all of Israel and with all of humanity. Finally, then, let's remember what the fast is not. The fast is not magic or a quid pro quo. It's not a button we push to get results. We don't have the right to bargain with God, to say, OK, I fasted and now you gotta give me - whatever it is I want. Private days of fasting are observed in Judaism. The bride and groom fast on the day before their wedding. The purpose of this fast is for the couple to review and renew their lives. The fast ends when the married couple shares a cup of wine under the wedding canopy. A person will fast after a bad dream to bring joy to the believer. A private fast is observed on the anniversary of the death of a close relative. It was practiced in the early days with the belief that the food was offered for the deceased, who would then have nourishment in the afterlife. Another private, but obligatory, fast is the Fast of the First Born. First-born Jewish males observe this fast on the morning before Passover. These private days of fasting are observed by various Jews throughout the year. Fasting is also practiced in Christianity. In the early centuries of Christianity, many days of the fast were observed. These days included Wednesdays and Fridays until 3 P. M., the six weeks of Lent, the weeks of Advent, and so on. However, today only two days are obligatory fast days to Christians. These two days are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Christians between the ages of sixteen and fifty-nine are required to fast. Children younger than sixteen are encouraged to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all of the other Fridays during Lent. Abstaining from certain foods or daily fasting, on days other than Ash Wednesday Good Friday, during the Lent are voluntary practices. The forty days of Lent end with the celebration of Easter. Repentance is a common reason for fasting in Judaism and Christianity. On Yom Kippur or The Day of Atonement, Jews fast to repent for the wrongs the have committed against God. Prior to Yom Kippur they reconcile with people they have offended. Christians also repent and seek forgiveness from their sins during Lent. Fasting, a vital practice in the monotheistic religions of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, has lost some of its religious value in a society where enjoying physical pleasures has become of primary importance. The purpose for which Allah Com-
8 December 2003 Bulletin mands us to fast is different from other religions. We are told to fast so that so that you may guard against evil. It is reported in Malik Muwatta Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z Zinad from al- A'raj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, Fasting is a protection for you, so when you are fasting, do not behave obscenely or foolishly... (Book 18, Number 18.22.57) You may ask the reason for having to fast year after year when the fasting of one year should surely teach us these lessons. Let me illustrate this by giving you the example of a trainee airline pilot. After being taught the theory he is placed in a flight simulator. In that machine he is subjected to everything that may happen during a flight and made to practice his routines over and over again. That is why when disaster strikes and the passengers are all screaming the pilot is calm. If the worse happens and they have to check the recording in the black box to determine the cause, they find that the pilot is going through his routine until the last minute. He has been trained in the simulator and he faces every eventuality as if he has been through it many times. He then flies a plane on a daily basis and repeats over and over again, everything he has learnt. Fasting is like a Muslim going through this simulator. He trains himself by giving up things which are lawful in the normal course of events. Why does he do so? He does this to make it easier for him to reject the temptations of unlawful things when they tempt him. If this defence against sin and evil is not developed in our souls then all we have done is to go hungry. We have not fasted in the true sense of the word. In many countries where Muslims are in a majority people get up have their breakfast and then go to sleep again. These days they sleep until 11 in the morning and then they go to work. They work for a few hours and then go home because it is time to break the fast. Let me pose this question to such people. What benefit are you getting from a fast if you are using it as an excuse to avoid doing your duty? The second object of fasting is given in the concluding words of verse 185 quoted above which say: that you should exalt the greatness of Allah for having guided you and that you may give thanks. So fasting is a means of thanking Allah for providing us with guidance which enables us to make spiritual progress. There are three aspects to human life. There is the physical part of our lives for which we need food to grow and develop. Then there is the intellectual aspect for which we need knowledge and learning to grow and develop. Food we eat or our age plays no part in intellectual development at all. Just because some one is provided with good food or is six foot tall or is fifty years old does not mean that without input of knowledge and learning they are going to become intellectual giants. In the same way, we need a different kind of input for our spiritual development. Whereas we can obtain food and knowledge through our own efforts, it is not possible for us to acquire the means of spiritual development through our efforts only. Spiritual development can only take place through taking the spiritual food provided by Allah. Think of a poor and hungry person who comes to you begging for food. Would it not be right for this person to thank you for saving him from a physical death or disability through lack of sustenance? In the same way we should thank Allah for providing us with spiritual food and saving us from spiritual disability or spiritual death. And the reason that we should thank him especially during Ramadan is that the revelation of the Holy Quran began in this month. Allah also tells us that He is very close to us, so it is not very difficult to glorify Him and to thank Him. We glorify Him and we thank Him by engaging in Zikrullan or remembrance of Allah, about which my brother Dr Hami spoke so eloquently during his speeches and khutbas in Ramadan. In hadith it is said:... Abu Hurayra said, When Ramadan comes the gates of the Garden are opened and the gates of the Fire are locked, and the devils are chained. (Muwatta Malik. Book 18, Number 18.22.59) Let us all resolve to chain our devils for the whole year. These devils include our ego, our pride and our intolerance of others. Remember this also that we are not to forget the lessons we learnt during this month of fasting. We should remember what we learnt and continue to behave as a better person so that during the Ramadan next year we build on what we learnt this year. Otherwise we will keep repeating the same lesson over and over again. Comparing this to a school year we can see that we remember what we learn in Year 10 and build on it in Year 11. We do not spend the whole of our time at school repeating the same things over and over again. If we did, we would not make any progress or learn anything new. Fasting is the same. We are required to retain the improvements we made to our behaviour and the lessons learnt by our soul so that the following year we move from the spiritual Year 10 to Year 11. During Ramadan we have been waking up early for our breakfast and then saying our Fajr prayers. We can continue with this practice so that we become regular in our early morning prayer. Let us not keep repeating our Year 10 over and over again. In a moment when we pray let us remember all human beings who may be ill or suffering for some other reason that Allah may ease their burden but especially pray that Allah may open the hearts and minds of our own Muslim brothers and sisters to the teachings of the Holy Quran, the example of our beloved prophet Muhammad and to love and respect for others. I bid all of you a very happy Id.