English PDF - Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada

A H M A D I Y Y A
Gazette
C A N A D A
NOVEMBER 2010 | WWW.AHMADIYYAGAZETTE.CA
And pilgrimage to the House is a duty which men
— those who can find a way thither — owe to Allāh.
The Holy Qur’ān - Chapter 3 Verse 98

Tāhir Hall &
Jāmi `a Ahmadiyya
Project Overview
By the Grace of Allāh, with the growth of Jamā`at Ahmadiyya Canada, the needs of the community have also grown.
In 1992, when Bai`tul Islām Mosque was inaugurated on the 25 acre property, members of the Jamā`at knew that this
was the beginning of a master plan for development to meet the needs of the community. However, with further growth
of the community across Canada, a number of capital projects took priority over further developments around Bai`tul
Islām Mosque.
Recently, Allāh has blessed us with this opportunity to build two much needed facilities in close proximity to Bai`tul
Islām Mosque. Humanity First has received partial government funding for a Community Centre. The Jamā`at will help
Humanity First to build the Community Centre which would include the much awaited “Aiwan-e-Tāhir” (Tāhir Hall).
Taking advantage of this project, the Jamā`at will also add a facility for Jāmi`a Ahmadiyya Canada along with the
Humanity First Community Centre.
By the grace of Allāh, with the approval and prayers of Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa , the work on both projects has
started. Please donate generously for these much needed projects. The Jamā`at is making every effort to complete
the Community Centre by March 2011 and the Jāmi`a facility by September 2011.
Jāmi`a Ahmadiyya
Last year, Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa instructed Jamā`at Canada that a permanent facility for Jāmi`a Ahmadiyya
should be in place within 3 years (i.e 2012). By the grace of Allāh this desire of Hudūr aa will now be fulfilled with the
construction of the Jāmi`a facility along with the Community Centre. Jāmi`a Ahmadiyya Canada was established in
2003 and the Bai`tul Hamd property in Mississauga was used as temporary facility for Jāmi`a. One big challenge was
students commuting from Peace Village to Jāmi`a in Mississauga. This is not only expensive but also much time is
wasted. With the Jāmi`a facility at Bai`tul Islām, time and money will be saved.
The Humanity First Community Centre will house a large sports facility. The gymnasium will be the much awaited
Aiwan-e-Tāhir (Tāhir Hall) named after Hadrat Mirza Tāhir Ahmad, Khalīfatul Masīh IV rh who was the founder of
Humanity First. In 1994, Hudūr rh approved a sports facility to be built on the property of Bai`tul Islām.
Tāhir Hall
Tāhir Hall will also be used as an extension of Bai`tul Islām Mosque to accommodate the over-flow of worshippers. The
direction of this facility is facing Qibla so that it can be used as a prayer space. Khuddām, Atfāl, Ansār and Lajna have
to rent gym facilities in various schools on a regular basis to hold their events. By the Grace of Allāh, Tāhir Hall will
reduce this need to rent facilities for sports activities.
Tāhir Hall will have the following sports facilities:
One full size basketball court that can be converted into two High School size courts with full partition, two volleyball
courts, six badminton courts, one table tennis room, two change rooms, and a large stage for auditorium like events.

Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada
An Educational and Spiritual Publication
Volume 39 - No. 11 - November 2010
Dhi-Qa`ad-Dhil-Hajj 1431 AH and Nabuwwat 1389 HS
Pearls of Wisdom
Selection from the Holy Qur’ān and Ahādīth p.2
So Said the Promised Messiah as p.3
Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa
Summary of Friday Sermons p.4
Articles
Reconciling Faith With Loyalty p.8
Can Only Muslims Visit The Holy Ka`aba? p.10
Hajj (Pilgrimage) and ‘Īdul Adhiyya p.12
The Institution of Hajj (General Introduction) p.18
So What do You Want to be When You Grow Up? p.21
Sri Guru Granth Sahib —A Brief History p.25
Book Review: An Introduction to the Hidden Treasures of Islam p.30
Announcements p.31
Amīr Jamā`at:
Lal Khan Malik
Chief Editor:
Prof. Hadi Ali Chaudhary
Editors:
Ansar Raza
S.H.Hadi
Assitant Editor:
Hana Malik
Manager:
Mubashir Khalid
Graphics Layout:
Farhan A. Naseer
Web Magazine:
Muzaffar Ahmad
Official Photographers:
Bashir Nasir
Muzaffar Ahmad
Printing:
Jamnik Graphics
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Table of Contents

And complete the Hajj and the ‘Umrah for the sake
of Allāh: but if you are kept back, then make whatever
offering is easily available; and do not shave your
heads until the offering reaches its destination. And
whoever among you is sick or has an ailment of the
head, should make an expiation either by fasting or
almsgiving or a sacrifice. But when you are safe, then
he, who would avail himself of the ‘Umrah together
with the Hajj, should make whatever offering is easily
obtainable. But such of you as cannot find an offering
should fast three days during the Pilgrimage, and
seven when you return home; these are ten complete.
This is for him whose family does not reside near the
Sacred Mosque. And fear Allāh and know that Allāh
is severe in punishing.
The months of the Hajj are well known; so whoever
determines to perform the Pilgrimage in these
months, should remember that there is to be no foul talk,
nor any transgression, nor any quarrelling during the
Pilgrimage. And whatever good you do, Allāh knows
it. And furnish yourselves with necessary provisions,
and surely, the best provision is righteousness. And
fear Me alone, O men of understanding.
(Chapter 2 - Al-Baqarah, Verses 197-198)
The Holy Qur’ān
Abu Huraira ra narrates:
Hadīth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa
The Prophet sa said, “Whoever performs Hajj for Allāh’s
pleasure and does not have sexual relations with his
wife, and does not do evil or sins then he will return
(after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew.”
(Bukhārī Kitābul Hajj)
2 Pearls of Wisdom

So Said the Promised Messiah as
“Another form of worship is Hajj—the Pilgrimage;
which does not mean that a person should carry out the
formality of the Pilgrimage by providing for his journey
across the ocean with money lawfully or unlawfully
acquired, and having repeated the prayers and formulas
according to the directions of the servitors of the Ka`aba,
should come back and boast that he has performed
the Pilgrimage. The purpose that God Almighty has
appointed for the Pilgrimage is not achieved in this
manner. The truth is that the last stage of the seeker’s
journey is that withdrawing himself altogether from the
demands and desires of self he should be completely
engulfed by the love of God and complete devotion to
Him. A true lover sacrifices his soul and heart; and the
circuit of the House of Allāh is a visible sign of such a
sacrifice. As there is a House of Allāh here below on the
earth, so there is one in heaven. Until a person performs
the circuit of the House above, his circuit of the House
below is not truly performed. One who performs the
circuit of the House below puts aside all garments,
retaining only one of them to cover his body, but he
who performs the circuit of the House above discards
all garments altogether and becomes naked for the sake
of God. The circuit is a sign of the lovers of God. They
go round the Ka`aba as if they have no will of their own
left and they are devoted wholly to Him.”
(Malfūzāt, vol. 5, p. 87)
Pearls of Wisdom
3

Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa
God Striving in the Way of Allāh
Summary of Friday Sermon delivered on September 3, 2010
On September 3, 2010, Hadrat
Khalīfatul Masīh V aa delivered the
Friday Sermon at Baitul Futūh
Mosque, London.
Hudūr aa began the sermon with
the recitation of verse 70 of Sūrah
Al-‘Ankabūt, which is translated as
follows:
4
“And as for those who strive
in Our path—We will surely
guide them in Our ways. And
verily Allāh is with those who
do good.” (29:70)
Hudūr aa said that the Promised
Messiah as has taught us various
ways and means of attaining Allāh’s
nearness in the light of this verse.
Hudūr aa further said that we are
now passing through the last ten
days of Ramadān. This month has
a special significance with regard
to the acceptance of prayers, and
these ten days are particularly
important in this regard. Today is
Friday which is also a blessed day
during which there comes an hour
in which our prayers are accepted.
All these occasions have come
together to draw our attention to
Allāh’s bounties. But this should
not be a passing sentiment. When
one succeeds in finding God, he
is transformed forever, but this
requires unwavering effort.
Hudūr aa elaborated that Ramadān
provides us an atmosphere in
which our prayers and fasting bear
fruit and our efforts lead us to God.
In order to attain God’s nearness
and to be among the righteous, it
is important to remain steadfast in
piety and virtue. We must always
strive to attain this objective to the
best of our ability. Let us not become
lazy and callous and resort to selfish
excuses. There are many levels of
nearness to God. The greater the
effort and sincerity one shows, the
closer he comes to God. In order
to find Him, we should do as He
has commanded us and perform
the good deeds that we have been
taught by the Holy Qur’ān and the
Holy Prophet sa . Allāh says in the
Holy Qur’ān,
“Those who strive in Our path,
We will surely guide them in
Our ways.”
It is also for this purpose that He
also taught us the prayer,
“Guide us on the right path.”
Through prayer the blind are
granted sight and there are many
who have found guidance through
prayers. We come closer to God
in accordance with the sincerity
and devotion we show to Him.
Allāh helps the fortunate ones to
overcome their shortcomings and
purifies them and they come to
love that which He loves. They
are granted power for doing good
that is not followed by weakness.
They are granted Taqwa that is not
followed by transgression. They are
granted steadfastness, and the path
to Divine love and knowledge is
made easy for them. They are also
helped to overcome their sins.
Hudūr aa said that while those who
seek God find Him and are blessed
with His bounties, the hearts of
those who turn away from Him
become twisted and they continue
to sink in the quagmire of sin. They
follow the misguided paths, their
reason is taken away from them and
they never find correct guidance.
Continued on Page 11...
Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa

A Discourse on Various Prayers at the Last Day of Ramadān
Summary of Friday Sermon delivered on September 10, 2010
On September 10, 2010, Hadrat
Khalīfatul Masīh V aa delivered the
Friday Sermon at Baitul Futūh
Mosque, London.
Hudūr aa said that today is the last
day and also the last Friday of
Ramadān. May Allāh make this
Ramadān a source of innumerable
blessings for us both as individuals
and as a Jamā`at. The triumph of
the Jamā`at has been destined. If
Allāh causes it to happen within
our lifetimes, it will be His favour
upon us. Let us pray that may Allāh
always continue to bless us with
His grace and blessings and may
we be able to win His pleasure and
reap His bounties.
Hudūr aa quoted several prayers
from the Holy Qur’ān, Ahādīth and
writings of the Promised Messiah as
in which we seek self-purification,
Divine blessings, progress of the
Jamā`at and refuge against the
mischief of our opponents. The
Holy Qur’ān teaches us to pray,
‘O Lord, admit me among Thy
righteous servants. Our Lord,
grant us of our spouses and
children the delight of our
eyes and make us leaders of
the righteous. Lord, grant us
good of this world and of the
Hereafter, and protect us from
the torment of the Fire .’
The Promised Messiah as says that
when a believer engages in worldly
pursuits, he also bears in mind the
reward of the Hereafter and tries to
fulfil his obligations to God and to
man. The Holy Qur’ān teaches us to
pray,
‘O Allāh, forgive us and have
mercy on us. Lord, enable me
and my children to observe
the Prayers. Deliver me from
Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa
the likes of Pharaoh and their
evil, and deliver me from the
transgressors. Lord, let not our
hearts become perverse after
You have guided us. Lord, do
not punish us, if we forget or fall
in error. You are our Master; so
help us against the disbelievers.’
Hudūr aa also quoted the following
prayers from Hadīth:
‘O Allāh, I seek refuge with
You from indolence, from old
age, from sins, from fines and
damages, from the torment of
the grave and from the torment
of Fire. Save me from the trial
of wealth. O Allāh, forgive me
my sins and purify my heart
from all types of sins. O Allāh,
illuminate my heart, my eyes,
my ears, my right and my left,
and place light behind me and
in front of me and above me
and below me. O Allāh! Make
me an embodiment of light. O
Allāh, grant me Your love, grant
me the love of those who love
You; grant me the love of the
actions that win me Your love.
Lord, make Your love dearer to
me than the love of myself, my
family and even the love of cool
fresh water .
Hudūr aa offered the following
prayer in the light of the prayers of
the Promised Messiah as :
‘O my Powerful God, my
Beloved Guide, show us the
path that the pure and the
truthful adopt and win You
and Your favours and save us
from the ways that only lead
to worldly desires, malice or
rancour. Forgive my sins and
include me among Your sincere
servants. I seek refuge with
Your Noble Presence that Your
chastisement should not befall
me. Have mercy on me and
protect me from the afflictions
of this world and the Hereafter
“The triumph of the Jamā`at has been
destined. If Allāh causes it to happen
within our lifetimes, it will be His favour
upon us.”
for all blessings are in Your
hand. Lord, hear my prayer and
destroy your and my enemies,
fulfil Your promise and help
Your servant and show us
Your signs. Lord, never close
the doors of Your Mercy and
Bounty upon us. Always cover
our weaknesses and our errors
and pardon us and never
cease Your blessings upon us.
May we become completely
devoted to Your Prophet and
always invoke salutations and
blessings on him. Kindly enable
us to become perfect models of
Your obedience. Protect us from
all troubles and grief and save
us from all tribulations.’
Continued on page 6...
5

First Ahmadiyya Mosque in Ireland
Summary of Friday Sermon delivered on September 17, 2010
On September 17, 2010, Hadrat
Khalīfatul Masīh V aa delivered the
Friday Sermon at Galway, Ireland.
Hudūr aa recited verses 128 and 129
of Sūrah Al-Baqarah, which are
translated as follows:
‘And remember the time when
Abraham and Ishmael raised
the foundations of the House,
praying, ‘Our Lord, accept
this from us; for Thou art All-
Hearing, All-Knowing. ‘Our
Lord, make us submissive to
Thee and make of our offspring
a people submissive to Thee.
And show us our ways of
worship, and turn to us with
mercy; for Thou art Oft-
Returning with compassion
and Merciful.’(2:128-129)
Hudūr aa said that this is my first
visit to Ireland and I have come
to lay the foundation of the first
Ahmadiyya mosque in this country.
Galway, where Allāh has enabled
us to build this mosque, is also
considered a corner of the world.
Our sole purpose in building
mosques is to be able to purify our
hearts and to bow down before our
Lord five times every day.
Hudūr aa further said that when
Allāh gave the Promised Messiah as
the glad tiding that He would
spread his message to the corners
of the earth, He spoke of the same
message which has been conveyed
to us by the Holy Qur’ān in the form
of the perfect Law. Today we can see
that the message of the Promised
Messiah as is reaching every corner
of the earth through the medium of
MTA. This clearly proves that Allāh
has and will always continue to
fulfil His promises to the Promised
Messiah as .
Hudūr aa said that it is true that the
friends of God are certain of the
fulfilment of His promises, but
they are also aware that Allāh is
Independent and Besought of all.
Hence, they are anxious lest any
weakness on their part should delay
the fulfilment of these promises.
They do not leave any stone
unturned in their endeavours, in
their prayers and in their sacrifices.
They seek Allāh’s blessings and
their hearts are awed by Him.
Hudūr aa added that the verses I
have recited are usually read out
on the occasion of building a new
mosque and remind us of the
true purpose of the building of
mosques. We have to look deep
into ourselves and offer sacrifices
while beseeching Allāh to accept
them and enable us to come closer
to Him.
Hudūr aa said that one achieves
nearness to Allāh only if he fulfils
his pledges and demonstrates
the loftiest standards of loyalty
and devotion. Every Ahmadī has
made a pledge to be ever ready to
sacrifice his life, his possessions,
his time and his honour. When it
comes to sacrificing one’s wealth,
what would be more appropriate
than to spend it for the building of
a mosque so that those who wish
to worship Allāh may be able to do
so. On these occasions, Allāh has
taught us to pray that our children
may also form a Jamā`at of pious
people, who worship Him, stick to
nizām-e-Jamā`at, show the highest
morals and fulfil their obligations
to mankind. This is the purpose
which requires all our efforts and
prayers.
Hudūr aa continued on to say that
our mosques should be such as
are built upon taqwa. The building
of this mosque will become an
occasion of true joy if it makes us
more obedient to God and if we
are able to fill it with eager and
devoted worshippers. In the above
verses we have also been taught to
pray that Allāh may enable us to
make sacrifices that are acceptable
to Him. We have also been taught
to pray that Allāh may have mercy
on us, may overlook our faults and
forgive us, for He is oft-returning
with compassion.
Hudūr aa said that the new mosque
will also open for us new avenues
of Dawat Il-Allāh and we will have
to put in more effort to convey
our message. We will also have
to present a good example before
others and also to pray that Allāh
may have mercy on us, and give us
the power to do good deeds. May
Allāh enable us to do so. Āmīn.
Continued from page 5...
At the end, Hudūr aa informed the
Jamā`at of yet another martyrdom
in Pakistan. Naseer Ahmad Butt
Sahib, son of Allāhrakha Butt
Sahib, of Faisalabad was martyred
in the month of Ramadān. Hudūr aa
spoke of his devotion to the Jamā`at
and his excellent qualities and led
his Namāz Janāzah Gha’ib after the
Friday prayer.
6 Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa

Sacrifices of Youth and Establishment of the Unity of God
Summary of Friday Sermon delivered on September 24, 2010
On September 24, 2010, Hadrat
Khalīfatul Masīh V aa delivered the
Friday Sermon at Baitul Futūh
Mosque, London.
Hudūr aa said that the Annual
Ijtimā‘ of Khuddāmul Ahmadiyya,
UK, starts today. This occasion has
reminded me of the Ijtimā‘t that
I used to attend in Pakistan as a
young man. These days Ahmadīs
in Pakistan have been deprived
of their right to come together for
these Ijtimā‘ whose only purpose
is spiritual training and learning
about Allāh and the Holy Prophet sa .
But it is our firm faith that things
will not remain so forever. Let us
remain steadfast and seek Allāh’s
help through prayers. All Ahmadīs
should pray for their brothers in
Pakistan.
Hudūr aa cited the Qur’ānic account
of the circumstances of Ashābe-Kahaf
(the people of the cave)
and said that this was the case of
a people who did not have before
them the lofty example of the Holy
Prophet sa and his Companions.
But we have their example before
us and it demands that we keep
our pledge of sacrificing our
lives, our possessions, our time
and our honour for the sake of
righteousness. No worldly desire
or consideration should stop us
from fulfilling this pledge.
Speaking about the hardship faced
by Ahmadīs in Pakistan and in Arab
countries, Hudūr aa said that by the
grace of Allāh, these circumstances
will change and history is a witness
that they do change and will
definitely change. Our sacrifices
are drawing us closer to the days
of victory. Every new day brings
us fresh tidings of the progress of
Ahmadiyyat.
Speaking about his recent tour
Guidance from Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh V aa
of Ireland, Hudūr aa said: I laid
the foundation stone of our first
mosque there and it was followed
by a reception in which I was able
to convey the beautiful teachings
of Islām to more than a hundred
dignitaries belonging to political
and religious and various other
sections of society. Our message
also reached a wide audience
through the electronic media. Thus,
while on the one hand the enemy is
trying to suppressus, on the other
hand Allāh is opening for us new
avenues for Da‘wat Il-Allāh.
Hudūr aa recited verses 3-5 of Sūrah
Al-Anfāl, which are translated as
follows:
“True believers are only those
whose hearts tremble when the
name of Allāh is mentioned,
and when His Signs are recited
to them they increase their
faith, and who put their trust in
their Lord, Who observe Prayer
and spend out of that which We
have provided for them. These
it is who are true believers. They
have grades of rank with their
Lord, as well as forgiveness and
an honourable provision.” (8:3-
5)
Hudūr aa said that these verses
define a believer as one who
remains steadfast in the face of
adversity, whose words and deeds
are in keeping with Allāh’s will and
one who fears Allāh and is mindful
of his prayers. The Khuddām who
are attending this Ijtimā‘ should
safeguard their prayers during the
Ijtimā‘ and also after the Ijtimā‘.
Those who are on duty should not
make their work an excuse to skip
this obligation.
Hudūr aa commended all the
Khuddām of Pakistan who come
to the mosques for duties and said
that these are the people who are
ever ready to sacrifice their lives,
their time, their possessions and
their honour. These are the people
who merit Divine approbation.
Addressing the Khuddām attending
the UK Ijtimā‘, Hudūr aa said to try
to understand your obligations
and try to bring about a permanent
transformation in yourselves. Try to
advance in righteousness and raise
the standards of your prayers. Do
not be drawn by the attractions of
the western world. Do everything in
your power to convey the message
of Ahmadiyyat to all those around
you. The Promised Messiah as says,
“O people of my Jamā`at,
remember that this world
is nothing and cursed is the
life that is devoted to it. You
should take God as One and
without a partner. Become pure
of heart and free yourselves of
egoistic passions and biases,
and become truly sympathetic
towards mankind. Fulfil your
obligations to God with fear
and humility. And supplicate a
lot in your payers so that God
may draw you to Himself and
may cleanse your hearts, for
man is weak.”
May Allāh enable us to follow
these teachings of the Promised
Messiah as . Āmīn.
7

Reconciling Faith With Loyalty
Mehreen Khan
During the US Presidential
election, two contestants were in
the running: Nixon and Kennedy.
Being a Catholic, doubts were
raised over Kennedy’s loyalty to the
role of President. Most Catholics
are followers of the Pope, and strict
in their religious affiliation. If US
interests demand one thing and
the Pope (or Kennedy’s own faith)
another, what will Kennedy do? Of
two conflicting loyalties, which one
will he choose? Will he choose his
country and his high office or, will
he choose his Catholic faith? Will he
carry the role of President a hundred
percent? Or will he compromise it
by his fealty for the Pope? Astute
Kennedy survived the question
and got away with a simple answer.
Should the two loyalties-the Pope
and the Presidential office-conflict,
Kennedy said,
“When my office would
require me to either violate
my conscience, or violate the
national interest, then I would
resign the office, and I hope
any other conscientious public
servant would do likewise. But
I do not intend to apologize
for these views to my critics of
either Catholic or Protestant
faith, nor do I intend to disavow
either my views or my church
in order to win this election. If
I should lose on the real issues,
I shall return to my seat in the
Senate satisfied that I tried my
best and was fairly judged”.
Source: New York Times,
September 13, 1960.
Kennedy’s answer proved satisfying
to Americans. The election swung in
his favor and he became President.
Taking a closer look, however,
Kennedy’s reply could not be
correct even in Christian terms.
Was not Jesus confronted by a
similar question? And what was
Jesus’ reply? Did he not say, “Unto
Caesar, Caesar’s and unto God, God’s”
(Matt. 22:21-22)
Kennedy did not say this. Maybe, he
did not wish to risk his popularity
with American voters. Maybe, if
he had done so, American voters
would have become confused,
uncertain whether Kennedy was a
good enough American.
Being Muslims, and particularly,
Ahmadī Muslims, we find no
difficulty or dilemma to reconcile
our Islāmic faith with loyalty
to our country. Some extremist
groups, adamant to polarize the
Muslim and Western world, have
successfully attracted youth ready
to die in what they see as a Jihād
against the infidel. Indeed, some
Muslims born and raised in Europe
and North America have ventured
to the East with this misguided
dream of martyrdom in mind.
Ahmadī Muslims all over the world
are disappointed and offended
to see people who come to these
western countries, benefit from
their economies, derive benefit
from their social systems and yet
are not loyal to these democracies.
These individuals enjoy the benefit
of the west but their loyalties
reside elsewhere. This has led to an
ongoing world-wide debate about
patriotic loyalty within Islām. Also,
are Muslims, affected by the plight
of their brethren in other parts of
the world, justified in combating
soldiers from their own country,
serving their own Government?
Islām places great emphasis on
the spiritual kinship between
all Muslims, irrespective of
denomination and nationality. The
strength of fraternity in the Ummah,
or body of Muslims globally, is a
testament to their profound love for
the Holy Prophet sa . However, the
Holy Qur’ān also deems obedience
to one’s Government—whether it is
Muslim or not—as a religious duty:
O ye who believe! Obey Allāh,
and obey His Messenger and
those who are in authority
among you. And if you differ
in anything among yourselves,
refer it to Allāh and His
Messenger if you are believers
in Allāh and the Last Day. That
is best and most commendable
in the end. (4:60)
8 Reconciling Faith With Loyalty

The question arises, then, how
can Muslims balance both
commitments, particularly when
their own country is at war with
fellow believers? This is not the
first time Muslims have faced
this dilemma. But whilst many
intellectuals throughout Islām
Islāmic history have attempted
to address this issue, only the
name of Hadrat Mirza Ghulām
Ahmad as of Qadian, an unrivalled
inspiration in Islāmic ideology,
stands out. Hadrat Ahmad as who
lived under British rule in India
and is today regarded by millions
as the Promised Messiah, was
instrumental in enlightening
Muslims on the principle of loyalty
to one’s country. Notwithstanding
the ills of colonialism, he observed
that there were many virtues of
Queen Victoria’s reign, one being
its guarantee of freedom of faith.
Hadrat Ahmad as wrote in his
booklet, British Government and
Jihad,
“The life, property and honor of
Muslims are safe. We live under
the protection of a peaceful
and kind government which
has never shown any religious
prejudice.”
He elucidated the illegality in Islām
of defying such an authority—even
if it clashed with Muslim nations.
He further said:
“How can we even think of
doing or saying or uttering a
word against this government
which gives us a peaceful
society, where justice is
established, where justice is
delivered, where there is no
strife between the different
communal groups, where there
is a beautiful atmosphere of
dialogue and debate, where
Muslims, Christians, Jews and
Hindus can debate in peace.
They can disagree on certain
issues, of course, but the
government guarantees that
freedom for everyone. In these
circumstances, how can we
act treacherously against this
government?”
He also used to say:
“The Holy Qur’ān states: “Is the
reward of goodness anything
but goodness?” (Ch.55 V.61). Is
this the reward we should give
to this excellent government
who has given us freedom
and who has given us freedom
of conscience, freedom of
expression, freedom of practice
of our religion?”
Although Muslim’s may question
the state’s policies, they are dutybound
to comply. Disagreement
is one thing, disobedience quite
another. Islām says that you
cannot create mischief in the land.
You cannot create disorder; and
Allāh loves not those who create
mischief.
Then, how can extremists
rationalize destroying the World
Trade Center or bombing the
railway transport system in Spain
or blasting the Underground in
London, UK and with going to
paradise? God does not teach this
kind of conduct. The Holy Prophet sa
also said:
“Love of your homeland is part
of your faith.”
This is such a beautiful saying of
the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa
and the love of one’s country is
more than just having loyalty to
a government. The Holy Qur’ān
presents the ideal concept of
governance and enumerating a
few basic ideas, teaches that these
must be a part of the basic mandate
of a government. It is amazing
to discover that all those points
are found within our governing
system in Canada. These points are:
• Integrity of judiciary;
• A social welfare system;
• Consultation of people;
• Freedom of religion;
When we consider loyalty, another
aspect that should not be forgotten
is gratitude. A person who is
grateful can’t be disloyal. The Holy
Prophet Muhammad sa said;
“He who is not grateful to
people, cannot be grateful to
God.”
Clearly, Muslims who enjoy the
liberty to practice and preach their
faith are required to honour their
country and its government, living
as decent, law-abiding citizens.
It is in this spirit that Ahmadī
Muslims around the world proudly
raise their national flags at their
gatherings. The present worldwide
Ahmadiyya head, Hadrat Mirza
Masroor Ahmad aa , said:
“A true Muslim can never raise
his voice in hatred against
his fellow citizens, nor for
that matter against the ruling
authority or Government of the
time. It is the responsibility of
a true Muslim that he should
remain loyal and fully abide by
the laws of the land of which he
is a subject.”
This is a Community which upholds
the banner and timely message,
Love for All, Hatred for None.
Ahmadī Muslims, in particular,
consider it a religious duty to make
a positive contribution to their
country. Not only does this enable
Muslims to fulfill their duties as
citizens, it should help to promote
a greater appreciation of Islām
amongst the population. Evidently,
being faithful to a government that
ensures religious freedom and
tolerance constitutes an important
article of Islāmic faith. The peace
of any civilized nation depends on
upholding these precious values.
Reconciling Faith With Loyalty
9

Can Only Muslims
Visit The Holy Ka`aba?
Ansar Raza
O ye who believe! Surely, the
idolaters are unclean. So they
shall not approach the Sacred
Mosque after this year of theirs.
And if you fear poverty, Allāh
will enrich you out of His
bounty, if He pleases. Surely,
Allāh is All-Knowing, Wise.
(9:28)
Islām is a universal religion and
invites everyone to its fold. There
is no discrimination on the basis of
religion, race, or culture. However,
based on a wrong interpretation
of the above verse of the Holy
Qur’ān, some Muslim scholars
believe that non-Muslims cannot
visit the Holy Ka`aba or even enter
in the two holy cities Mecca and
Medina. However, a simple study
of the above verse and the perfect
and sublime example of the Holy
Prophet sa shows that the above
interpretation is incorrect.
First of all, we need to understand
that apparently, only those who
associate others with God, I’ll
call them idolaters, are declared
unclean and prohibited to
approach the Sacred Mosque.
Their uncleanness or impurity is
not physical but spiritual, based
on their belief in other gods beside
God, their old rituals during Hajj
and Umra of naked circling around
Ka`aba and having their idols with
them. According to Hadrat Imām
Abū Hanifā rh and certain other
Hanafī scholars, these idolaters
can enter any mosque, even the
Sacred Mosque. However, they are
not allowed to perform Hajj and
Umra with their idolatrous rituals.
A scholar, Wahbā Al-Zahīlī, teacher
of fiqh and head of department
of Islāmic Shari`a in Damascus
university, Syria has explained in
Vol.6, pg. 434-435 of his book (
) “The Islāmic Fiqh
and its Arguments”, published by
Dar-ul-Fikr, Damascus:
that it is not the meaning of
the verse (surely, the idolaters
are unclean. So they shall not
approach the Sacred Mosque)
these people are prohibited
to enter Sacred Mosque. The
meaning is that they do not
perform Hajj or Umra as
they used to do in the time of
ignorance.
Secondly, the above verse explicitly
declares the idolaters ‘unclean’
and specifically forbids only
them to enter the Sacred Mosque
and perform idolatrous rituals.
Consequently, the followers of
monotheistic religions, e.g., Jews
and Sikhs, are not prohibited to
visit the Holy Ka`aba and enter in
the two holy cities, i.e., Mecca and
Medina.
Another argument in favour of
this explanation is that this House
of Allāh has been declared in the
Holy Qur’ān to be made not only
for Muslims but for all of humanity.
Surely, the first House founded
for mankind is that at Becca,
abounding in blessings and a
guidance for all peoples. (3:97)
Therefore, a place, founded for all
of humanity from day one, cannot
be limited to one particular section
10 Can Only Muslims Visit The Holy Ka`aba?

of people.
It is very well known fact that the
Mosque of the Holy Prophet sa in
Medina is also a Sacred Mosque.
During the life-time of the Holy
Prophet sa , a group of Christian
priests visited Medina. This group
was not only allowed to enter in
the Mosque of the Holy Prophet sa
but also allowed to worship there
according to their faith.
In the light of the above verses of the
Holy Qur’ān, the best example of
the Holy Prophet sa , and the Islāmic
Fiqh rule, non-Muslims are allowed
to enter in Mecca and Medina and
visit the Sacred Mosques there
provided they respect the sanctity
of these places and do not perform
idolatrous rituals worshipping
somebody other than One True
God.
Continued from page 4...
Hudūr aa further said that one of
the means of attaining Allāh’s
nearness is to adopt His attributes
in one’s own self and to find God by
becoming one with Him. But this
can only be done by putting in
the required effort. For instance, if
water is to be found after digging
twenty feet, it will never be reached
by just digging one or two feet. One
should strive to the best of one’s
ability without tiring. If a student
who spends his nights studying
ends up succeeding, then how is
it possible that those who strive
towards God with sincerity and
prayers and purify themselves
should fail? But this requires true
repentance and estrangement from
everything but God. The door is
opened for him who knocks. So we
should always keep trying to attain
Allāh’s nearness. May Allāh enable
us to live by the pledge of Bai‘at
we have all made to the Promised
Messiah as . Āmīn.
Hudūr aa informed the Jamā`at of the
terrorist attack on the Ahmadiyya
Mosque in Mardan, Pakistan, and
praised the devoutness and services
of Sheikh Amir Raza Sahib who was
martyred in the attack. Hudūr aa led
his Namaz Janāzah Gha’ib after the
Friday prayer.
Surely, the first House founded for mankind is that at Becca,
abounding in blessings and a guidance for all peoples. The Holy Qur’ān - Chapter 3 Verse 97
Can Only Muslims Visit The Holy Ka`aba?
11

Hajj (Pilgrimage) and ‘Īdul Adhiyya
Dr. Karimullah Zirvi
To perform a pilgrimage of the
“Ka`aba”, which is also called
“Baitullāh”, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia,
in addition to other performances
like staying at Arafāt, Muzdalfa,
and stoning the devil is called
Hajj. Like the month of fasting, the
time appointed for the pilgrimage,
ten weeks after the Festival of the
breaking of the fast (‘Īdul fitr) is fixed
according to the lunar calendar, and
rotates throughout the year. The
pilgrimage thus falls in all seasons
of the year. God Almighty says in
the Holy Qur’ān:
And pilgrimage to the House
(House of Allāh) is a duty which
men - those who can find a way
thither - owe to Allāh. (3:98)
One finds the institution of
pilgrimage in all religions of the
world, but the sites for pilgrimage
are scattered at different places in
one or more countries. One does not
find a single central place, which
all the followers of a religion must
visit at least once in a lifetime. In
Islām, Mecca is such a place, where
Muslims from all over the world are
expected to gather and spend about
ten days entirely dedicated to the
remembrance of God. The pilgrims
come from all countries, all nations,
all races and all ages. Men, women
and children all gather once a year
for Hajj, running into millions.
The Requirements of Hajj
1. Hajj is obligatory on a
Muslim when the following
requirements are met:
i. The person is an adult.
ii.The person is healthy.
iii.Can afford travelling
expenses to Hajj and the living
expenses of the family left
behind.
iv. There is peace on the way to
Hajj.
v. A safe mode of travel is
available.
If anyone of the above
conditions cannot be met then
Hajj is not obligatory.
2. One is required to perform Hajj
at least once in his lifetime if
economic and other conditions
are favorable.
3. If a person cannot perform Hajj
due to ill health, but has deep
desire to perform Hajj, the
person can ask someone else to
perform Hajj on his behalf. This
is called Hajj-e-Badl.
4. Hajj can be performed only on
the fixed time, while Umrah
can be performed at any time
during the year.
5. There are three months of Hajj
(Shawwāl, Dhul-Qa‘dah, and Dhul
Hijjah) during which one has to
wear the Ihrām. The pilgrims do
not wear any sewn garments;
rather they dress in two loose
sheets which are called Ihrām.
Women dress themselves in
simple clothes, and are not
required to cover their faces.
6. The components of Hajj include,
circuit of Baitullāh, brisk walk
between Safā and Marwah,
Prayer at Muqam-e-Ibrahīm,
Rami-ul-jumar (Stoning of the
Satans) and stay in the field of
‘Arafāt on 9th Dhul Hijjah.
The institution of pilgrimage
can be traced back to the time
of Hadrat Ibrahīm as . The Holy
Qur’ān describes it as an ancient
institution, starting from times
immemorial when the first House
of God was built in Mecca, which
was pronounced in olden times as
Bakka. It is also called Baitul ‘Atiq, or
the most ancient house. It is stated
in the Holy Qur’ān about Ka`aba:
Surely, the first House founded
for mankind is that at Becca (The
valley of Mecca), abounding in
blessings and a guidance for all
people. In it are manifest Signs;
it is the place of Abraham; and
12 Hajj (Pilgrimage) and ‘Īdul Adhiyya

whoso enters it, enters peace.
(3:97-98)
Hadrat Ibrahīm as raised it from the
ruins, which he discovered under
Divine guidance, and about which
he was commissioned by God to
rebuild with the help of his son
Ishmael. It is the same place where
he had left his wife Hagar and
infant son Ishmael, again under
Divine instructions. But work on
the House of God awaited attention
until Ishmael grew to an age
where he could be of some help.
So, both of them worked together
to rebuild the house and to restart
the institution of pilgrimage. In the
Holy Qur’ān God Almighty says
about Ka`aba:
And remember the time when
We made the House a resort
for mankind and a place of
security; and take ye the
station of Abraham as a
place of Prayer. And We
commanded Abraham and
Ishmael, saying, ‘Purify
My House for those who
perform the circuit and those
who remain therein for devotion
and those who bow down and
fall prostrate in Prayer.’ (2:126)
Obligations of Hajj
Many rites performed during
pilgrimage are rooted in the early
days of the reconstruction of the
House of God, and some even
go beyond that. For instance, the
running between Safā and Marwah,
two small hillocks close to the
House of God, is done in memory
of Hagar’s search for some signs of
human presence to help her and her
child in their dire hour of need. The
child is described as having become
extremely restive with the agony of
thirst, striking the earth with his
Hajj (Pilgrimage) and ‘Īdul Adhiyya
heels in desperation. There, it is said,
sprouted a fountain in the shape of
a well called Zam Zam, which has
dried up. The water in the well is
considered to be a blessed water.
Most of the pilgrims who perform
the Hajj try to bring some water
from there by way of blessings
for their relatives and friends. The
well, Zam Zam, has dried up. At
present, water is poured in the well
and distributed to those who go to
Mecca for Hajj or ‘Umrah as Zam
Zam water or blessed water.
The various rites of Hajj are as
follows:
i. Putting on Ihrām: The pilgrims
do not wear any sewn garments;
rather they dress in two
loose sheets which are called
Ihrām. Women dress themselves
in simple clothes, and are not
required to cover their faces.
ii. Going around the Ka`aba
seven times.
iii. A fast walk between Safā and
Marwah near the Ka`aba.
iv. Visiting and staying at Minā,
‘Arafāt and Muzdalifah.
v. Throwing pebbles at three
fixed places in Mina.
vi. Shaving or trimming hair:
The shaving of the head is an
important feature which is also
universally found as a symbol
of dedication among monks,
priests, and Vishnu. Women are
exempt from shaving, but they
have to symbolically cut a little
of their hair as a token.
vii. At the end of the pilgrimage,
every pilgrim who can afford
it, sacrifices an animal (sheep,
goat, cow or camel) or joins in
making a sacrifice.
Ihrām
Ihrām is a dress which is worn by
the pilgrims performing Hajj or
‘Umrah. A person who intends to
perform Hajj is required to discard
his usual garments and put on the
Ihrām when he/she arrives at one
of the prescribed places, some
distance away from the city of
Mecca. The Ihrām consists of
two white unsewn sheets of
cloth. One sheet is wrapped
around the waist covering
the lower abdomen, while the
second sheet is slung over the
left shoulder so that the right
shoulder and the head remain
bare.
Women dress themselves in simple
clothes, and are not required to
cover their faces.
Hajj Service
Hajj is performed during the
period from the 8th to 13th Dhul
Hijjah, the twelfth month of the
Islāmic calendar, each year. When
the season of Pilgrimage arrives,
Muslims from all over the world
converge to the Ka`aba which is
located in the courtyard of the
great mosque at Mecca in Arabia,
clad in Ihrām. The Ihrām effaces all
marks and distinction of wealth,
rank, office, family, nation or place.
13

Everyone is on the same level.
During the pilgrimage, brotherhood
and equality of Muslims become
particularly evident. There is no
privilege. All have to go through
the same rituals. Clad in Ihrām,
all pilgrims offer two Rak‘at of
voluntary Prayer and constantly
occupy themselves with the
remembrance of Allāh. The simple
garb signifies that the pilgrim has
responded to the call of Allāh, as
he will answer the last call when
his time to depart this life arrives.
All vanity is purged, and king
and subject, master and servant,
white and black, yellow and
brown, hasten from all directions
to the sacred house repeating the
Talbiyyah:
Here I am O Allāh; here I am.
Here I am, there is no associate
with Thee, here I am. Indeed,
all Praise and Bounty are Yours,
and Thine is the Kingdom.
There is no associate with Thee.
(Sahīh Bukhārī, Kitābul Libās,
Babut Talyidi)
After putting on Ihrām one
should frequently repeat the
Talbiyyah along with other
prayers and also should invoke
sa
blessings on the Holy Prophet .
When one reaches near Mecca
and Baitullāh becomes visible,
at that time, while reciting
the Talbīyyah and Takbīr one
should pray fervently and
with humility for his pious
objectives, as this is a special
time for acceptance of prayers
by God Almighty. (Nīlulautār,
Bab Raf’a Yadain, pg.36-37)
When one arrives at the Ka`aba, he/
she should perform seven circuits
(Tawaf) walking briskly around the
Ka`aba anti-clockwise, starting from
the Black Stone (Hajr-e-Aswad), a
stone embedded in one corner of
the building. After the circuits, two
Rak‘at of voluntary Prayer should
be offered as close as possible to
as
the place of Abraham (Muqāme-Ibrahīm).
Then there is the swift
walk seven times between the
heights called Safā and Marwah.
God Almighty says in the Holy
Qur’ān:
And take ye the station of
Abraham as a place of Prayer.
(2:126)
On the eighth of the month of Hajj
(Dhul Hijjah), the pilgrims leave
Mecca for Mina, a small town
nearby, and spend one day and
night there, offering all five daily
Prayers. Next day after Fajr Prayer
they proceed to the plain of ‘Arafāt
where they encamp. They arrive
there after mid-day, offer Zuhr and
‘Asr Prayers together and occupy
themselves with the remembrance
of Allāh till sunset.
From ‘Arafāt they proceed to
Muzdalifah where the Maghrib and
‘Isha’ Prayers are combined and
the night is spent in praising God
Almighty and in meditation.
The next morning, after Fajr Prayer
and praying at Mash‘ar al-Harām,
they travel back to Mina. At Mina,
Jamratul ‘Aqba, one of the pillars
representing Satan, is pelted seven
times, each time with Allāhu akbar
said aloud. These pillars are erected
on the site where Abraham as was
tempted by Satan against offering
Ishmael as a Sacrifice in fulfilment
of his dream. Thereafter an animal
is sacrificed. It is desirable to have
a haircut or shaving of the head
after the sacrifice, and to proceed
to Mecca to perform the circuits of
the Ka`aba again, and then return
to Mina , where seven pebbles are
thrown at each of the three pillars
(Jamratul ‘u la, Jamratul Wasta, and
Jamratul ‘Aqba), one by one, starting
with Jamratul ‘Aqba. The same may
be repeated on the 11th, 12th and
13th Dhul Hijjah. After throwing
the pebbles, if one intends to offer
sacrifice of an animal, he should go
to the slaughter house and slaughter
the animal (sheep, goat, cow or
camel). If one does not intend to
sacrifice an animal, he can take off
14 Hajj (Pilgrimage) and ‘Īdul Adhiyya

the Ihrām after either cutting hair
from the head or shaving the head.
Women can remove Ihrām after
cutting few hair from their head
with a scissor. It is not lawful for
a women to fully cut hair or shave
the head. On the 13th, the pilgrims
leave Mina for Mecca to perform
the farewell circuits, and thus
completes the ceremony of Hajj.
‘Umrah
While particular days are
prescribed for the performance
of the Hajj, the‘Umrah, sometimes
called the lesser pilgrimage, may be
performed at any time of the year.
Thus, ‘Umrah is a short pilgrimage,
which essentially comprises of
performing seven circuits of Ka`aba
and seven rounds of the sacred hills
Safā and Marwah, while being in
the state of Ihrām. Some prescribed
prayers are recited during ‘Umrah.
Regarding Safā and Marwah God
Almighty says in the Holy Qur’ān:
Surely Al-Safā and Al-Marwah
are among the Signs of Allāh.
It is, therefore, no sin for him
who is on Pilgrimage to the
House, or performs ‘Umrah, to
go round the two. (2:159)
Types of Hajj
Hajj is of three kinds:
i. Hajj-e-Mufrid
ii. Hajj-e-Tamattu‘a
iii. Hajj-e-Qiran
i. Hajj-e-Mufrid
The procedure to perform Hajje-Mufrid
is the same as described
above.
ii. Hajj-e-Tamattu‘a
Regarding Hajj-e-Tamattu’a God
almighty says in the Holy Qur’ā n:
He, who would avail himself
of the ‘Umrah together with
Hajj (Pilgrimage) and ‘Īdul Adhiyya
the Hajj, should make whatever
offering is easily obtainable.
But such of you as cannot find an
offering should fast three days
during the Pilgrimage, and
seven when you return home;
these are ten complete. This is
for him whose family does not
reside near the Sacred Mosque.
(2:197)
In Hajj-e-Tamattu‘a, one first puts
on Ihrām during the months of Hajj
and after reaching Mecca performs
‘Umrah. After this he relinquishes
Ihrām and either on 8th of Dhul
Hijjah or before re-enters the state
of Ihrām for Hajj. Then he performs
the rites of Hajj as described above.
Thus, offering of first ‘Umrah and
then Hajj with new Ihrām is called
Hajj-e-Tamattu‘a. Tamattu‘a means
to get benefits. In Hajj-e-Tamattu‘a,
a pilgrim gets the benefit of
performing both ‘Umrah and Hajj
during his travel for pilgrimage. For
a person performing Hajj-e-Mufrid,
it is not necessary to sacrifice an
animal on 10th of Dhul Hijjah.
However, a person performing
Hajj-e-Tamattu‘a must sacrifice an
animal. If someone cannot sacrifice
an animal then he must keep ten
fasts. Three fasts needs to be kept
during the Hajj (i.e., on 7th, 8th and
9th Dhul Hijjah) and the rest of the
seven fasts have to be kept after
reaching home.
iii. Hajj-e-Qiran
In Hajj-e-Qiran, one puts on
Ihrām right at the beginning for
the intention of performing both
‘Umrah and Hajj and says the
following Talbiyyah:
O Lord, I intend to perform Hajj
and ‘Umrah. Make both these
events for me easy and blessed.
(Hidaya, Babul Qur’ān, p. 221/1)
A person who performs Hajj-e-
Qiran must offer sacrifice like in
Hajj-e-Tamattu’a. If he is unable to
offer a sacrifice then he has to keep
ten fasts as stated above.
Indiscretions During Hajj
and the Reparations
It is forbidden for a pilgrim to cut
hair or pare nails, to cover his head
or to put on socks, to use perfume,
to hunt an animal or to slaughter it,
to engage in flippant loose talk, to
squabble or quarrel and to behave
in an undignified manner.
1. 1. If someone while in Ihrām
due to some reason wears
sewn clothes or shaves his
head due to lice in the head,
then one has to pay Fidya
(expiation) as reparation for
these indiscretions. However, if
someone does not have unsewn
clothes he can wear sewn
clothes but he has to pay Fidya
in this situation also.(Hidaya,
Kitābul Hajj, p. 199/1)
2. If someone, while in Ihrām, does
hunting of an animal then as its
atonement he has to sacrifice an
animal equivalent to the animal
he has hunted, e.g., if one
has hunted a deer he should
sacrifice a goat or a sheep in the
slaughter house at Mina. If he
has hunted an ostrich he should
sacrifice a camel. If one cannot
afford to sacrifice an animal
then he must provide food to
six poor people. If one cannot
do even this then he must keep
three fasts. (Fiqh Ahmadiyya,
Ibādat, p. 337)
‘Īdul Adhiyya
‘Īdul Adhiyya marks the completion
of the pilgrimage to Muslims
from multifarious nations of the
15

world on the tenth Islāmic month
Dhul Hajj. It is obligatory to bring
the pilgrimage to a successful
termination with the sacrifice of
an animal. Like Prayer and fasting,
the performance of pilgrimage is
a mode of worship seeking the
spiritual, social and economic uplift
of Muslims.
Pilgrimage accustoms a person to
leave home and, for the sake of God,
to undergo separation from friends
and relatives. It also serves as a
symbol of respect for the holy places
of God frequented by the Holy
Prophet of Islām sa . When visiting
these sacred places the pilgrim
experiences spiritual elation.
The universal bond of Islāmic
brotherhood is also strengthened as
pilgrims of worldwide nationalities
gather together in a spirit of unity
and harmony.
The pilgrim offers the sacrifice of an
animal at the end of the pilgrimage
which is also done by Muslims
all over the world. This is done
in remembrance of Abraham’s as
readiness to sacrifice his son
Ishmael as (not Isaac as as recorded
in the Bible) who, in turn, resigned
to being sacrificed under the belief
that it was the Will of God.
We read in the Holy Qur’ān:
And when he was old enough to
work with him, he said, ‘O my
dear son, I have seen in a dream
that I am slaughtering thee. So
consider what thou thinkest of
it!’ He replied, ‘O my father. do
as thou art commanded; thou
wilt find me, if Allāh please,
of those who are patient.’ And
when they both submitted to the
Will of God, and he laid him on
the ground face down. We called
to him ‘O Abraham, ‘Thou hast
indeed fulfilled the dream.’
Thus indeed do We reward
those who do good.’ (37:103-
106)
The Holy Qur’ān succinctly
describes the significance of animal
sacrifice:
Their flesh reaches not Allāh,
nor does their blood, but it is
your righteousness that reaches
Him. (22:38)
The act of sacrifice is symbolic
reminding the person who offers
it that as the animal is inferior to
him so he, also, is inferior to God
and should, therefore, be ready
to sacrifice himself and all his
personal interests and inclinations
for the sake of God when he is
required to do so. The attainment
of righteousness should be the goal
of every Muslim.
The Holy Qur’ān states:
Verily, the most honorable
among you, in the sight of Allāh,
is he who is the most righteous
among you. (49:14)
Verily, he truly prospers who
purifies himself, and remembers
the name of his Lord and offers
Prayers. (87:15)
Such of them as do good and act
righteously shall have a great
reward. (3:173)
The act of sacrifice is in no way
an atonement for the sins of the
person making the sacrifice. Islām
emphasizes that no creature or
person can atone for the sins of
anyone else and, therefore, rejects
the Christian Doctrine of Atonement
which declares that Jesus as atoned
for the sins of mankind by shedding
his blood on the cross.
‘Īdul Adhiyya is an occasion on
which Muslims everywhere are
encouraged to make every kind of
sacrifice for the spiritual, moral,
social and economic uplift of
mankind and especially their own.
If they make it a common cause and
strive to manifest in themselves the
attributes of God in accordance
with the teachings and guidance
of the Holy Qur’ān and teachings
sa
of the Holy Prophet then, indeed,
the message of ‘Īdul Adhiyya would
have borne fruit.
On the occasion of ‘Īdul fitr, one
should pay Fitrana and ‘Īd Fund
before the ‘Īd Prayer. One should
have a full breakfast before
proceeding to the ‘Īdgah, the place
where ‘Īd Prayer is to be offered.
On the occasion of ‘Īdul Adhiyya,
however, Muslims are expected to
keep fast until after the ‘Īd Prayer.
It is preferable for those who offer
animals for sacrifice that they break
their fast with the meals prepared
from the meat of those animals.
As was the practice of the Holy
Prophet sa , Muslims generally go to
the ‘Īdgah by one route and return
by another route.
The time of ‘Īd Prayer is before
noon. Like Friday Prayer, ‘Īd Prayer
is always offered in congregation.
No Adhān or Iqamah is called for
‘Īd Prayers. In the first Rak‘āt of
‘Īd Prayer, after reciting Takbīre-Tahrima
and Thana, but before
reciting Atta‘awwudh, the Imām
raises his hand to his ear lobes seven
times saying Allāhu Akbar each time
in a loud voice and then drops his
arms to his side each time until
after the seventh Takbīr when he
folds his arms in the normal fashion
and proceeds with the Prayer. The
followers also raise their hands to
their ear lobes saying Allāhu Akbar
16 Hajj (Pilgrimage) and ‘Īdul Adhiyya

ut in an inaudible voice and then
leave their hands hanging to their
sides as done by the Ima m. In the
second Rak‘at there are five Takbīrat,
i.e., the Imām and the followers
raise their hands to their ears five
times saying Allāhu Akbar and then
leave them hanging on their sides
each time.
At the end of second Rak‘at, after
the recitation of Attashshahud, and
Durood and some of the prescribed
Prayers, the Imām turns his face
towards the right saying Assalāmu
‘alaikum wa rahmatullāh and then
turns his face to the left saying the
same, to mark the end of the Prayer.
After the ‘Īd Prayer, the Imām
delivers a sermon. Like for Friday
Prayer, ‘Īd sermon consists of
two parts. It should be noted that
the sermon for the Friday Prayer
precedes the Prayer, while on the
occasion of ‘Īd, the sermon follows
the Prayer.
After performing the two Rak‘at of
‘Īdul adhiyya and ‘Īdul fitr Prayers,
the Imām and the congregation
recite the following words of
glorification of God in an audible
voice:
Allāh is the Greatest; Allāh is the
Greatest. There is none worthy
of worship except Allāh; Allāh
is the Greatest and all Praise
belongs to Him(Kitabus -Salāt,
Writer: Ibni Abu Shaibah)
Similarly, from the time of Fajr
Prayer on the 9th Dhul Hijjah
till the ‘Asr time of the 13th
of Dhul ijjah, loud recitations
of the above verses are made
after each Fard Prayer service.
(Mustadrik Hakim, Vol 1, p 299,
Published in Bairut)
To recite the above mentioned
verses while going to the ‘Īdgah and
while coming back, is to follow the
practice of the Holy Prophet sa .
Congratulations!
We are pleased to announce that
God Almighty has blessed Ansar
Raza Sahib, editor Ahmadiyya
Gazette, with a beautiful granddaughter,
Ayesha Khan on Oct-21,
2010. The baby’s parents Mehreen
Khan (Ansar Raza Sahib’s
daughter) and Kamran Khan live
in Newmarket, Ontario. We pray
that may Allāh grant her a long,
healthy, and prosperous life and
make her comfort of her parent’s
eyes.
`
I am here, O Allāh I am here. You have no partner, I am here, Verily all
praise and favours are yours and the kingdom, You have no partner.
Hajj (Pilgrimage) and ‘Īdul Adhiyya
17

The Institution of Hajj
General Introduction by Usman Shahid
Islām is the final and most perfect
religion sent by God. As such it is
also the only religion in the world
which is Universal and is meant to
unite all of Mankind under one flag
and establish a living relationship
with Allāh. It naturally follows
that Allāh would provide different
means to bring mankind together
and unite them. While all pillars
of Islām follow the two major
objects of providing mankind the
opportunity to attain love of Allāh
and love for his creation, one such
pillar is the institution of Hajj.
What is the importance of Hajj and
on whom is it mandatory? What
is the historical importance of the
Ka`aba? What is the real philosophy
behind the concept of Hajj? These
are some of the questions which
need to be considered when trying
to understand the great Islāmic
Institution of Hajj.
Importance of Hajj
Perhaps the most important aspect
of Hajj is the instruction of it being
obligatory. Allāh Almighty has
said in the Holy Qur’ān,
And it is enjoined upon
mankind to perform the circuit
of the House for those who find
a way (A’al Imrān:98)
There are other verses which
shed light on the importance and
mandatory nature of Hajj such as:
‘And proclaim unto mankind
the Pilgrimage. They will come
to thee on foot, and on every
lean camel, coming by every
distant track, ‘That they may
witness its benefits for them
and may mention the name of
Allāh, during the appointed
days, over the quadrupeds of
the class of cattle that He has
provided for them. Then eat ye
thereof and feed the distressed,
the needy. ‘Then let them
accomplish their needful acts of
cleansing, and fulfill their vows,
and go around the Ancient
House.’ (Al-Hajj: 28-30)
The sayings of the Holy Prophet sa
also indicate the nature of Hajj and
its importance. Not only is Hajj
mandatory but is considered to be
one of the five pillars of Islām as is
indicated by the following hadīth:
Ibn Umar relates that the Holy
Prophet said: Islām is based on
five articles: Bearing witness
that there is none worthy of
worship save Allāh and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allāh, observing Prayer, paying
the Zakāt, Pilgrimage to the
House of Allāh, and observing
the Fast of Ramadān (Bukharī
and Muslim) (Gardens of the
Righteous, Chapter 232, On
Pilgrimage, hadīth # 1079)
The institution of Hajj has
tremendous blessings at the
individual, societal, national and
international level both in the
spiritual and physical world. This
grand and blessed congregation
involves the unification of all
mankind, creating an element of
love, brotherhood and equality.
In this blessed event, people from
all walks of life with diverse,
racial and national backgrounds,
economic and social background
all converge to perform this sacred
worship. God has indeed made
the institution of Hajj a hallmark
of Islām and made it a source of
acquiring the Love of God and Love
for Mankind; the two branches are
in fact linked with one another in a
manner that one cannot be attained
without acquiring the other.
According to Islāmic teachings,
Hajj is mandatory once in a life
time for those who meet a certain
criteria. There are three main
conditions under which Hajj
becomes mandatory for a mature
and normal Muslim. Firstly, that he
is economically stable and can incur
all the travel expenses. Secondly,
18 The Institution of Hajj

that he is healthy and able to travel.
Thirdly, that the political conditions
are favourable and safe and there
are no obstacles from going. (Fiqh
Ahmadiyya, pg. 330)
Historical
Importance of Ka`aba
In order to understand Hajj and
its importance, it is necessary to
understand the importance of
Ka`aba which is the focal
point of the institution
of Hajj, the place where
circuits of the Ka`aba are
performed and is the House
of Allāh. Firstly, it should be
understood that the Holy
Ka`aba was the very first
House of Allāh, which was
established for the worship
of Allāh. Allāh the All-
Knowing has explained in
the Holy Qur’ān:
Surely, the first House
founded for mankind is
that at Becca, abounding
in blessings and a
guidance for all peoples.
In it are manifest Signs; it
is the place of Abraham;
and whoso enters it,
enters peace. (A’al Imran:
96-97)
Secondly, numerous verses
of the Holy Qur’ān shed
light on the historical
importance of the Ka`aba in
relation to Hadrat Ibrāhīm as .
However, it must also be noted that
this is the very area where Hadrat
Ibrāhīm as offered a very great
sacrifice of leaving his wife Hadrat
Hājra as and child Hadrat Ismā`īl as
in the wilderness of the desert at
the command of God. This was a
grand sacrifice by Hadrat Ibrāhīm as
who had attained extremely old age
The Institution of Hajj
and left his only son in conditions
that would appear no less than
destructive. It was beside the
Ka`aba near the hillocks of Safa and
Marwa that Hadrat Hājra as ran in a
state of desperation seeking water
for a thirsty and crying baby, and
after running back and forth seven
times at those hills, it was when she
returned in a state of hopelessness
to the baby that Allāh’s help came;
she discovered that a fountain
had gushed forth near the baby.
It was this outstanding and
unprecedented sacrifice of Hadrat
Ibrāhīm as , Hadrat Hajra as and
Hadrat Ismā`īl as that God preserved
forever. The institution of Hajj in
fact has been made a part of the
Pillars of Islām to engrave, in the
hearts and minds of all people, the
purpose and philosophy of sacrifice
and to give full and honourable
acceptance to the prayers of Hadrat
Ibrāhīm as such as:
‘Our Lord, I have settled some of
my children in an uncultivable
valley near Thy Sacred House
— our Lord — that they may
observe Prayer. So make
men’s hearts incline
towards them and provide
them with fruits, that they
may be thankful. (Ibrāhīm:
38)
Thirdly, another verse of the
Holy Qur’ān points to the
rebuilding of the Ka`aba and
raising the foundations of the
Ka`aba by Hadrat Ibrāhīm as
and Hadrat Ismā`īl as :
And remember the time when
Abraham and Ishmael
raised the foundations of
the House, praying, ‘Our
Lord, accept this from us;
for Thou art All-Hearing,
All-Knowing. Our Lord,
make us submissive to Thee
and make of our offspring a
people submissive to Thee.
And show us our ways
of worship, and turn to
us with mercy; for Thou
art Oft-Returning with
compassion and Merciful.
And, our Lord, raise up
among them a Messenger
from among themselves, who
may recite to them Thy Signs
and teach them the Book and
Wisdom and may purify them;
surely, Thou art the Mighty, the
Wise.’ (Al-Baqarah: 128-130)
The most significant aspect of
this prayer which was offered
19

y Hadrat Ibrāhīm as and Hadrat
Ismā`īl as was the prayer of raising
of a prophet from among their
progeny who would recite the signs
of God, teach the Book, the Wisdom
and Purify them. The coming of the
Holy Prophet sa was also a grand
fulfillment of this prayer. The Holy
Prophet sa was born and given his
universal mission in this very area
of Mecca and carried out the tasks
indicated in this prayer as also
indicated in:
He it is Who has raised among the
Unlettered people a Messenger
from among themselves who
recites unto them His Signs,
and purifies them, and teaches
them the Book and wisdom,
although they had been, before,
in manifest misguidance;(Al-
Jumu’ah: 3)
Fourthly, the significance of the
Ka`aba can also be seen in the
commandment of Allāh given
to Hadrat Ibrāhīm as and Hadrat
Ismā`īl as . Allāh says:
And remember the time when
We made the House a resort
for mankind and a place of
security; and take ye the station
of Abraham as a place of Prayer.
And We commanded Abraham
and Ishmael, saying, ‘Purify My
House for those who perform
the circuit and those who
remain therein for devotion
and those who bow down and
fall prostrate in Prayer.’ (Al-
Baqarah:126)
The points stated above indicate
the significance, history and sheer
blessings which are associated with
the Ka`aba; It is no wonder that
the Ka`aba has been made the very
focal point of the Institution of Hajj,
apart from the fact that in Salāt it is
also the Qibla or direction to which
Muslims face no matter which part
of the globe they are located in. The
Ka`aba has very significant and
symbolic meanings.
The Philosophy of Hajj
To understand the overall
institution of Hajj, one also needs
to understand the real philosophy
behind this commandment.
Apparently it may seem ritualistic,
but it must be understood that the
rituals have a profound impact
on one’s heart and soul and
are symbolic in their meanings
and importance. The Promised
Messiah as has very beautifully
summarized the philosophy of Hajj
in the following words:
“In the world of love the human
spirit constantly revolves
around the beloved and
kisses his threshold. Similarly
a physical model has been
given in the Holy Ka`aba for
the true lovers; and God has
said, ‘this is My House and
the Black Stone is the stone
of My Threshold’; He gave
such commandment that man
would physically demonstrate
his passion, affection and love.
Thus, people, who perform
the Hajj, physically circle
around the place of Hajj; and
appear as if they are mad and
intoxicated in the love of God.
They remove all beauties, shave
the head … And they kiss the
black stone as if it is the stone
of God’s threshold. And this
physical enthusiasm gives birth
to spiritual passion and love;
and the body circles His house
and kisses the stone of His
Threshold and simultaneously
the soul circles around the real
Beloved (God) and kisses His
spiritual threshold; and this
practice does not spell any
sort of Idolatry. When a lover
receives a letter of a beloved he
also kisses the letter. Neither
any Muslim worships the
Holy Ka`aba, nor prays to the
Black Stone. In fact it is only
considered a physical model
appointed by God and that is it.
Just as when we prostrate on the
earth our prostration is actually
not for the earth, similarly we
kiss the Black Stone but the kiss
is not actually for the stone.
The stone is just a stone, which
can neither benefit nor harm
anyone, but belongs to the Hand
of the Beloved who has called
it a model of His Threshold.
“(Chashma-e-Ma’arifat, Rūhani
Khazain, Volume 23, pg. 100)
Furthermore, the use of a white,
unstitched and seamless sheet also
represents purity of the heart like
a new born child. The white sheets
are also a reminder of the coffin
and death and people encircling
the Ka`aba in these clothes also is
a reminder of the Day of Judgment
when every person will be brought
to question for his actions.
The Institution of Hajj is an
excellent form of worship and
is full of blessings and benefits
of diverse nature. It is a worship
which uses symbolic language to
remind mankind of the true object
of one’s life:
And I have not created the Jinn
and the men but that they may
worship Me (Al-Dhariyyat: 57)
20 The Institution of Hajj

So What do You Want to be
When You Grow Up? (Part 1 of 2)
Dr. Ijaz A. Rauf – National Secretary Ta‘līm
Part I
General Advice
And everyone has a goal which
dominates him; vie, then, with
one another in good works.
Wherever you be, Allāh will
bring you all together. Surely,
Allāh has the power to do all
that He wills.(2:149)
Do you know where your life
is heading? Are you on track,
implementing your plan, or
waiting for someone else to tell you
which direction your career should
take next or are you just letting
opportunities and offers come your
way hoping they provide what you
truly desire in your life?
As students approach high school,
they start to set their sights on the
future. Career development, for
most people, is a lifelong process
ranging from educational, skills
development and employment
opportunities. Every process
is influenced by many factors,
including their environment,
personal aptitudes, and educational
qualifications. A major turning
point in students’ lives is the career
choice they make while in high
So What do You Want to be When You Grow Up?
school. Generally, it is viewed by
family and community as a mere
start of professional life; however,
this decision plays a major role
in establishing a career path that
opens as well as closes a multitude
of opportunities.
The interdependence of family,
school, and community culture
plays a critical role in shaping our
occupational choice. The economic
and social circumstances of the
broader community also colour
and influence our perceptions
of appropriate career choices.
It is almost impossible to reach
our goals without a
destination. As we use
a map to find our way
to a new destination,
a map for our career
is just as important.
Without an address
and directions, you
will end up lost. Some
teenagers fail because
they have no plans.
When a teen wishes to
have a specific career in
the future, he is much
likely to graduate
compared to someone
who has no plans at
all. At high school,
through interactions
with the family, school,
and community we live
in, we learn about and
explore careers and make choices
that can ultimately transform us
to useful contributing members of
the society. Parents usually wish
their children to become successful
but in many situations it is difficult
for children to become what they
really wish to be. For this reason,
parents, community leaders and
career counsellors are there to help,
of course with the help of prayers.
Many students sometimes think
that high school is too early for
them to decide their ultimate career.
They tend to forget that planning
their future during high school
21

will have a big impact on making
decisions in their life especially in
their future careers. As a student,
you must have a forward vision
about your future. Believe it or
not, if you are in high school right
now, you are at a great point in
your life. You have your whole life
in front of you. And now is a good
time to start thinking about your
future, to make some initial plans;
just remember that plans can be
easily changed. Remember too, that
experts predict that the average
person will change careers -- not
just jobs -- more than five times in
his or her lifetime. Now is the time
to pursue your dreams! And as
you start thinking about potential
educational and career paths here
are some useful tips:
Study hard and get good grades.
Academic progress is the first
key to have a good future career.
Education is very important if
you want to have the best career
someday. Having good grades
in high school and college will
make building your career easier.
You can do this by going to study
sessions, reading books and being
at the top of your class. Academic
achievement is your greatest tool to
realize a dream career for yourself.
Getting a University degree or an
MBA, for example, someday is an
advantage when you apply for a
job. So make the most of your high
school and undergraduate days.
And this hard work in your high
school days pays off in your later
years in life.
Get as much education as you can.
We are now a society in which many
jobs and careers require additional
education or training way beyond
high school. Most of the careers
even require a graduate degree
before you can work in the field.
Take advantage of all educational
opportunities that come your
way, such as summer educational
opportunities and educational
trips abroad. Being an Ahmadī
Muslim, you are supposed to lead
the world and for this reason it
becomes extremely important for
you to seek higher education -- and
there are many ways to help make
it so -- attend university; university
graduates make a much higher
salary, on average. It is obvious from
Figures 1 & 2 that getting higher
education pays off and for this, one
has to plan and prepare in early
years in the high school. Besides,
it is obvious from Figure 3 that
the world around us is becoming
more and more competitive with
an increasing number of university
graduates and post graduates and
a shrinking number of people with
only a high school diploma. In
order to land a decent job, you have
to obtain at a minimum, a bachelors
degree from a university.
Never stop learning. Read, grow,
and expand your mind. Don’t
pass-up opportunities to learn
and experience new things. Many
teachers offer or assign summer
and supplemental reading lists --
look at these as opportunities for
growth rather than a drag on your
summer. The more you read, the
more you will know. It is a cliché,
but knowledge is power.
Be involved in different activities.
Every student has a unique talent
and abilities and you should
develop and make use of these
skills and talents. But it does not
mean that you will only concentrate
on what you can do. Step out
from your comfort zone and try
something else. Don’t be afraid to
discover new things because this
will be an effective way to develop
your self-confidence and self- trust.
So when opportunity comes, grab
it & volunteer for it. You will earn
your volunteering credits, valuable
skills and experience that will go a
long way.
Now that you are in later years
of your high schools, discuss the
possibilities of each university /
institution with parents; it is always
good to get a variety of trusted
opinions. Visit the high school
guidance counsellor and collect all
available information on any local
or private grants, scholarships, and
financial assistance that might have
been overlooked. Knowing what
you want to study, you are now able
to identify a university which has a
top reputation in that field. Because
22 So What do You Want to be When You Grow Up?

you are so focused and committed
to the field, with prayers and the
help of Allāh, you have no problem
getting into that school.
Furthermore because you are focused
and you know what you want to do, you
find yourself meeting people in your
chosen career and they help you land
the best possible learning opportunities
in the field. Perhaps you land a summer
internship working in the field of your
choice. When studies get tough, and
your classmates are thinking of quitting
and moving into an easier major, you
stay on track. With the help of Allāh,
you know what you want to do. You
have a road map to the future. You have
confidence and direction, something
most other students will not have. You
have a competitive advantage.
When you graduate from a
university, even if times are tough
and there aren’t many job openings,
you have made connections. You
have made an impression on people
in your chosen field. Your biggest
problem will be deciding which
job offer to take. You have scored
your first job. Since you targeted
this career through the career
planning process, you are in a job
you can do well. Opportunities and
promotions come your way with
the help of Allāh. You enjoy what
you do. The rewards start flowing
in. You are able to support your
family, give charity, buy that dream
car, and the dream house. Your
dreams have become reality with
the grace of Allāh.
Sound too good to be true? Not
really. If you consider that most
of your peer groups will not have
access to any career planning, you
can have a competitive advantage.
Most students do not get the
opportunity to figure out what
they want to do. In most cases, it is
because no one shows them how.
That is where your prayers, parents,
community leaders and guidance
So What do You Want to be When You Grow Up?
counsellor can help.
Now that you are convinced that
a little planning in the high school
and higher education can go a long
way in placing you in overdrive
mode for your career. Besides
exploring your own inner self and
getting career guidance you may
also want to see how the Canadian
job markets are doing so that
you can match your abilities and
interest with high demand fields
of the future (when you complete
your education).
Part II
Workforce Projections
in Canada:
In Canada the total employment
is expected to grow at an annual
average rate of 1.1% to 2015.
The Canadian economy should
still create about 1.9 million new
jobs over the next 10 years. Over
the next 10 years, employment
growth in the service sector (1.2%)
is expected to outpace that in the
goods-producing sector (0.8%),
continuing a long running trend.
This is largely the result of stronger
productivity growth in the goodsproducing
sector, as manufacturers
are expected to continue improving
efficiency in order to remain
competitive in the face of the
lofty Canadian dollar and intense
international competition.
Among services, employment
growth should be particularly
strong in the health, computer
system design and professional
services sectors. This vigorous
growth will be mainly the result of
increased public spending in health
care made possible by the improved
financial position of governments,
to the continued shift towards a
knowledge-based economy and to
increased investment in research
and development.
Within the goods-producing
sector, high energy prices will
continue to spur investment
spending and output in the
oil and gas sector, while the
computer and electronic products,
other transportation equipment
(especially aerospace), and
fabricated metals manufacturing
industries will benefit from strong
global demand and high corporate
profits. In contrast, the auto and
parts sector is expected to struggle
in the face of faltering auto demand
in North America, as are the forestry
industry and the wood products
manufacturing industry, which will
be affected by the weakening of
residential construction
Over the next 10 years period, it is
expected that about 1.7 million new
non-student jobs will be created
as a result of increasing economic
activity (expansion demand),
while close to 3.8 million existing
positions will be freed up by
retirements. In other words, about
70% of all job openings during that
period will be associated with the
need to replace retired workers, up
from an average of about 51% over
the last ten years. Retirements will
account for an even higher share of
total job openings over the longer
term. Key occupations that will face
strong retirement pressures include
elementary/secondary school
teachers and registered nurses,
as well as managers in public
administration, health, education,
social and community services.
Over this period, about two
thirds (65.9%) of job openings
resulting from both expansion
demand and retirements are
expected to be in occupations
usually requiring postsecondary
education (university degree) or
in management (again requiring
university degree and experience),
up slightly from 63% over the last
ten years.
23

The highest rate of expansion
demand is expected to be in
occupations that require a university
degree or postgraduate diploma
(annual average rate of 1.6%),
spurred by the continued shift to
a knowledge-based economy and
by increased public spending in the
health care sector. Overall, highskilled
occupations will account for
about 70% of all new jobs created
over this period, compared to 60%
over the last ten years.
Given these projections of future
job openings and new job seekers,
as well as the assessment of current
workforce market situations,
numerous occupations are expected
to continue to face imbalances
between demand and supply over
the medium term.
Most of the management
occupations currently facing
pressures are expected to continue
to do so over the next 10 years, as
the projected number of new job
openings is expected to be greater
than the projected number of new
job seekers. The growing need to
replace retiring workers will open
up positions in many occupations,
including legislators and senior
management, human resources
managers, as well as supervisors
in trades, facility operation, oil
and gas drilling and service, and
processing. Shortage pressures are
also expected to emerge in two
other managerial occupations:
managers in health, education,
social and community services, and
managers in public administration.
Increased health care needs
resulting from the aging of the
population will result in demand
outpacing supply for several health
care occupations. Occupations
such as physicians, optometrists,
health diagnosing and treating
professionals, head nurses and
supervisors, nurse aides and
orderlies are expected to continue
to face shortage pressures over
the next decade. At the same time,
other occupations in the health
field — therapy and assessment
professionals and medical
radiation technologists — are likely
to continue to display signs of
pressure even though projections
point to a relative balance between
new job openings and new job
seekers. This result stems from the
fact that future supply would have
to outpace future demand in order
to alleviate the current pressures.
Shortage pressures among human
resources and business service
professionals are expected to
remain as employers continue to
place greater emphasis on recruiting
and retaining quality employees to
handle the increasingly complex
jobs of our economy.
Pressures are also expected to
persist over the next decade among
oil and gas well drillers, servicers,
testers and related workers as a
result of an increase in demand
associated with large capital
spending projects, such as the
tar sands development projects
in Alberta. Finally, strength in
non-residential construction and
in renovation will benefit civil
engineers and residential home
builders and renovators.
However, some occupations
currently facing shortage pressures
should move in the coming years
towards a better balance between
workforce demand and supply.
These include occupations in
the residential construction and
real estate sectors, as a result
of an anticipated slowdown in
residential investment after the
recent boom. Pressures among
university professors are also
expected to lessen, as more people
complete their doctoral studies,
though some shortage may subsist
in specific disciplines. The same can
be said for geologists, geochemists
and geophysicists, mainly thanks to
the high number of people enrolled
in fields of study related to physical
science. Computer and software
engineers should also have enough
workforce supply to satisfy the
demand for workforce. All the
occupations currently in excess
supply are expected to remain in
this situation over the next 10 years.
These occupations are mainly in
low-skilled categories.
In summary, the following two
graphs indicate to you which broad
categories of occupation will see
the highest growth and which 20
more specific occupations will
have the highest growth rates in
Canada. This will help you choose
the education you wish to pursue.
Obituary
Mohtarram Tahir Bukhari Sahib, a
pioneer of Canada Jamā`at passed
away on September 5, 2010 in
Maple, Ontario at the age of 81
years. Inna lillahī wa inna illaihi
rajioon. Late Bukhari sahib first
came to Canada in 1952, arriving
in Toronto Canada. He became the
first Amīr Jamā`at of Canada in
1967. He was a long time volunteer
at the Ahmadiyya Mission House
in Toronto, Canada and served
the Jamā`at in various capacities.
He was hospitalized for two and
half months prior to his death.
He leaves behind his wife, Mrs.
Yasmin Bukhari sahiba and their
son, Shehzad Bukhari Sahib. May
Allah elevate Bukhari sahib’s
status in heaven and gave solace
to his family and friends. Āmīn.
24 So What do You Want to be When You Grow Up?

Sri Guru Granth Sahib —
A Brief History
Ansar Raza
Structure of SGGS
Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS)
is the most respected and sacred
book of the Sikhs. It contains 5894
hymns, called Shabads, composed
in 18 ragas (musical patterns). Out
of these 5894 hymns, 976 are by
Guru Nanak; 61 by Guru Angad;
907 by Guru AmarDas; 679 by Guru
RamDas; 2216 by Guru Arjan; 118
by Guru Tegh Bahadur; and 937 by
the 15 bhagats and bards. The 1430
pages of SGGS are divided into 33
sections.
The first section consists of three
prayers: Japji—the Morning Prayer;
Sodar - the Evening Prayer; and
Sohela - the Bedtime Prayer. The
next section is composed of the Bani
of Gurus and Bhagats. Almost every
verse of Bani of each Sikh Guru ends
with the pen name of ‘Nanak’ as the
author, whether it was composed
by Guru Nanak himself or by the
other Sikh Gurus who succeeded
him. This was designed by Guru
Arjan, for presenting oneness in the
authorship of all the Sikh Gurus and
oneness in the whole philosophy
of Guru Nanak under the pen
name of ‘Nanak’. Nevertheless, the
identity of the contributing Guru
is specified under their succession
number to Guru Nanak. Each part
is called Mahla by Guru Arjan.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Thus, the contribution of Guru
Nanak is identified as Mahla 1 as
he is the founder of Sikhism; the
verse of the Second Guru, Angad,
is identified as Mahla 2 as he is
the second in succession to Guru
Nanak; the verse of the Third Guru,
Amardas, is identified as Mahla 3;
and so on. This system has been
followed consistently throughout
the main text of the SGGS.
Bhagat Bani section contains the
Bani of 13 Bhagats (devotees)
namely Kabir, Farid, Namdev,
Ravidas, Trilochan, Beni, Dhana,
Jaidev, Sain, Pipa, Sadhana,
Ramanand, and Parmanand; 4
Sants namely Bhikhan, Surdas,
and Sundar. These Bhagats were
involved in the Bhagti Movement in
the medieval India. They revolted
against the malpractices in various
religions of India. The Swayiae of
Bhatts are grouped together under
one section in the SGGS, followed
by Mundavani (Conclusion or Seal).
The last section is Acknowledgments
(Sloka). This is the end of the whole
text of the SGGS in which Guru
Arjan has thanked the Almighty for
enabling him to complete this big
task of compilation of the divine
wisdom into a SGGS. Guru Gobind
Singh, the tenth and last Guru,
declared SGGS to be the eternal and
living Guru. The community called
‘Panth’ is considered the body with
‘Granth’ as its soul.
Recitation Types of SGGS
Shabad Kirtan
Daily recitation of the hymns of
SGGS, morning and evening prayer,
is called Shabad Kirtan.
Akhand Path
An Akhand Path refers to the
reading of the SGGS, with no breaks
and in full from page one through
to page 1430 over a pre-determined
period of time. The period of time
is usually within 48 hours, but there
are also variants of the Akhand Path
which denote different time spans.
Compilation History
The process of its compilation has
been the subject of considerable
discussion. The traditional view
is that the Banis, (poetic sayings /
writings) including the collected
compositions of saints and mystic
poets were passed down the line,
successively from the first to the
fifth guru and finally completed by
the tenth Guru. The compilation
of SGGS was accomplished in two
stages. Its first compilation is known
as the Adi Granth, compiled by the
fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev
in 1604 CE, known as ‘Kartarpuri
25

Bir’. The second version, called
‘Damdami Bir’, was compiled in
1708 by Guru Gobind Singh, the
tenth Guru out of his memory,
when descendants of ‘Dhirmall’,
grandson of Guru Hargobind
Singh, the sixth Guru, refused to
give him the original copy. Guru
Gobind Singh dictated SGGS, to
Bhai Mani Singh adding the Bani of
Guru Tegh Bahadur, his father and
the ninth Guru. He also compiled
two books called ‘Dasam Granth’
and ‘Sarab-loh Granth’. The later,
containing belligerent teachings
incited Sikhs to fight
against Moguls. It was
kept strictly secret by
Akali Nihang Sikhs.
Near the end of his life,
Guru Gobind Singh
ended the line of human
Gurus by investing the
SGGS with the status
of Eternal Guru and his
official successor.
It is narrated that
before his death, Guru
Nanak passed on
his writings and the
collected compositions
of the saints to one of his disciples
and successor Guru Angad, earlier
known as ‘Lehna’, who in turn
passed on the collection along
with his own compositions to
Guru Amar Das the third Guru.
The latter added his compositions
to the collection. Guru Amar Das
had two sons Mohan and Mohri
and a daughter Bibi Bhani. Being
the elder son Baba Mohan aspired
to succeed his father as the fourth
guru. However Guru Amar Das
thought otherwise and nominated
his son-in- law, Bhai Jetha, to be the
fourth Guru and called him “Ram
Das.” Baba Mohan seems to have
sensed this in advance and was
jealous of Bhai Jetha. It is believed
that he laid his hands on the
collected compositions including
those of his father. They were not
made available to Guru Amar Das
for handing over to the fourth Guru
on transfer of guruship. These
collections are called Mohan Pothis.
When Guru Arjun was appointed
as the fifth Guru, he only had the
compositions of his father, his own
and those of the saints which were
presented to him. When he decided
to compile the Granth, he needed
the writings of the first three gurus
and saints which were with Baba
Mohan. He sent Baba Buddha and
Bhai Gurdas, one after the other,
to request Baba Mohan to hand
over the books, but they returned
empty handed. It is narrated
that Guru Arjun then personally
went to Baba Mohan and recited
a Shabad praising Mohan who
lived in a tall house. Baba Mohan
was moved to hear the hymn. He
came downstairs with the pothis
(manuscripts) and presented
them to the Guru. However, Prof.
Devinder Singh Chahal, PhD, in
his article “AAD GURU GRANTH
SAHIB—Fallacies and Facts”, refutes
this story as fabricated. He is of the
view that these Pothis were already
with Guru Arjun and the shabad
attributed to him is in praise of God
and not for Baba Mohan.
In continuation of the above story,
it is narrated in Sikh history books,
like Gurbilas and others, that the
completion of SGGS was celebrated
with much jubilation. Sikhs came
in large numbers to see the SGGS.
Among the visitors was Bhai Banno,
who had led a group of
Sikhs from Mangat, in
western Punjab. Guru
Arjun, who knew him
as a devoted Sikh,
instructed him to take
AGGS to Lahore and
have the Book bound.
As Banno left Amritsar
with his sacred charge,
it occurred to him to
have a second copy
transcribed. The first
copy, he argued, would
remain with the Guru,
and there must be an
additional one for the
congregation. His companions
wrote with love and devotion and
nobody shirked his duty whether it
was day or night. By the time they
reached Lahore, the second copy
was ready. But Banno had added
to it some apocryphal texts. On his
return he presented both volumes
and explained to Guru why he made
another copy. But the Guru put his
seal only on the volume written by
Bhai Gurdas and installed it in the
centre of the inner sanctuary of the
temple on August 16, 1604.
26 Sri Guru Granth Sahib

Reason for Compilation of
SGGS by Guru Arjun
The reason why Guru Arjun took
initiative to compile AGGS was that
a rival of Guru Arjun, Meherban son
of Prithi Chand [elder brother of
Guru Arjun], had started compiling
and circulating his own Granth
under the pen name of ‘Nanak’.
The Sikh community started getting
influenced by his compilation and
respecting him as Guru. Sant Sewa
Singh describes this event in his
book “Guru Granth Sahib Darshan”:
“During the life span of Guru
Arjun Dev Ji, Meharban, the
elder son of
Pirthi Chand
had begun to
write his own
i m m a t u r e
verse under
the name of
“ N a n a k ” .
The ordinary
simple folks
amongst the
congregation
were often
c o n f u s e d
and duped
by this. They
were at a loss to know how to
differentiate real Gurbani from
Meharban’s poetry as both
pieces of verse had “Nanak”
at the end. Meharban added
his own poetry to the original
verses of the first four Gurus
under Nanak’s name and
created a Granth.”
Different Versions of
SGGS (Birs)
Regarding different ‘birs’
(manuscripts) of SGGS Mohinder
Singh, Director, National Institute
of Punjab Studies, Bhai Vir Singh
Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi, writes in
his article Conserving Guru Granth
Sahib Manuscripts:
“Since printing or any other
mode of making copies of the
scripture were not available in
those days, making handwritten
copies of the bir was considered
an act of religious merit.
Devotees spent months together
in copying the birs neatly for
the benefit of the congregations.
However, a survey of some of
the rare Guru Granth Sahib birs
pertaining to seventeenth and
eighteenth century shows that
in spite of Guru’s disapproval
of the bir copied by Bhai Bano,
some of the devotees also
made its copies along with the
Kartarpuri Bir.
Since the original Kartarpuri
Bir was not given to Guru Tegh
Bahadur by the Guru’s rivals,
Dheermal and his supporters,
the tenth Guru, Gobind
Singh had to prepare another
version of the Guru Granth
Sahib, popularly known as
the Damdami Bir, which also
included a few hymns of his
father Guru Tegh Bahadur. It is
this version of the Granth that
provides the authentic text of
the printed Guru Granth Sahib.
The first serious attempt at
locating and cataloguing rare
Guru Granth Sahib manuscripts
was made by Sardar G.B. Singh,
a high ranking official of the
Indian Post and Telegraph
Department. As an outcome
of it, he published a book
called, Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Dian Prachin Biran, popularly
known as Prachin Biran (rare
manuscripts). In his preface
to the book, G.B. Singh writes
that he became interested in the
study of rare Guru Granth Sahib
m a n u s c r i p t s
when the Sikh
Sangat of Dhaka
presented him
with some rare
H u k a m n a m a s
of Guru
Te g h B a h a d u r
during his visit
to that place in
1915 A.D.
During his long
tenure in the
postal service,
he tried to locate
and study some more rare
Guru Granth Sahib Birs while
travelling to different parts
of India. Since facilities like
photocopying, microfilming or
digitization were not available
then, G.B. Singh took exhaustive
notes himself. Whenever he
found any writings in these
manuscripts in the hand of
the Gurus, he tried to make
their copies faithfully by using
the tracing paper and has
reproduced these rare writings
in his book referred to above.
In the second part of his book,
27

G.B. Singh mentions the rare
manuscripts that he was able to
go through during his research.
These include rare manuscripts
such as the Kartarpuri Bir, the
Damdami Bir, Bhai Bano Bir,
Bura Sandhu Bir, Pindi Lala
Bir (destroyed during the army
action in the Golden Temple
in 1984), Dehradun Bir and
other rare manuscripts at Agra,
Mirzapur, Lucknow, Ayodhya,
Allāhabad, Burhanpur and
Patna.
Even though the fifth Guru
did not approve of Bhai
Bano’s action of copying the
Adi Granth, it is interesting
to note that the devotees kept
on making its copies since the
original Bir, now known as
Kartarpuri Bir, had gone into
the hands of the descendents
of Dheermal who did not allow
its access to anyone. Under
the circumstances, the devout
Sikhs were left with no option
but to make copies from the
Bano Bir which was easily
available. Therefore, we find
many manuscripts of the Bano
recession. According to popular
belief, the original Bhai Bano Bir
was kept with a family of Bhai
Bano in village Mangat, District
Gujarat (now in Pakistan). After
the partition of the country, this
Bir was temporarily kept in the
house of one Bhai Mastan Singh
in village Barot, District Meerut
(U.P.). It was here that this Bir
was exĀmīned by Bhai Randhir
Singh, a Gurdwara Inspector
of the Shiromani Gurdwara
Parbandak Committee. Later
on, this Bir was installed in a
Gurdwara built in the memory
of Bhai Bano in Jawaharpur,
Kanpur. Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya
Sadan, New Delhi, has six
manuscripts of Bhai Bano Bir
pertaining to different periods.
RAAG MAALA
Prof. Devinder Singh Chahal, PhD
Writes about this section of SGGS:
“After the Sloka
(acknowledgments) there is a
small script called Raag Maala
(Musical modes). There is a
lot of controversy about the
authenticity of Raag Maala
being a part of AGGS. As it
is written after Mundanvani
and the Sloka, which suggests
the end of AGGS, therefore, it
cannot be considered a part of
AGGS under any circumstances.
But according to the “Sikh
Rehit Maryada” published
by the Shiromani Gurdwara
Prabandhak Committee
(SGPC), Amritsar the “Bhog of
Akhand Path” (uninterrupted
recitation of the whole AGGS)
can be performed after
recitation of the AGGS up to
Mundanvani including Sloka or
recitation of Raag Maala could
also be included. The SGPC left
it to the choice of the Granthis
(who recite the Akhand Path)
or the individuals, to recite
Raag Maala or not, till further
decision is taken by the SGPC.
About 60 years have elapsed
since the above decision was
taken; the controversy has not
been resolved yet. Recently
Gyani Gurdit Singh has again
raised this issue in his book,
Mundawani, which has been
recently banned by Bhai
Iqbal Singh, Jathedar of Takht
Patna Sahib. His critical study
indicates that it is not the part
of the AGGS and Mundawani is
seal of the AGGS.”
Languages of SGGS
The main language of SGGS is the
Punjabi dialect prevalent about
500 years ago in northern India.
However there are also some hymns
in Persian, medieval Prakrit, Hindi,
Marathi, Sanskrit as well as Arabic.
All of these hymns are written in
the standard Punjabi script known
as Gurumukhi. However, the
grammar used within the SGGS is
unique to the scripture and is not
found in standard written Punjabi.
Prof. Devinder Singh Chahal, PhD
Writes:
“The language spoken today in
Punjab (India) is quite different
from that spoken during the
period between the 12th and
17th century when the Bani
was composed by Bhagats and
Sikh Gurus. Although the Bani
was composed and written in
the language spoken by the
then people, with the time it
has become very difficult to
understand and interpret it now.
Therefore, knowledge of old
languages and their grammars
is essential to understand the
Gurbani in its entirety and
originality.”
Reverence of
SGGS by Sikhs
Guru Arjun directed that during
daytime the Holy Book should
remain in the Harimandir and
by night, after, Sohila was read,
it should be taken to the room he
had built for himself. As evening
advanced, Bhai Buddha recited
Sohila and made the concluding
ardas or supplication. The Granth
Sahib was closed and wrapped in
silks. Bhai Buddha held it on his
28 Sri Guru Granth Sahib

head and marched towards the
chamber indicated by Guru Arjun.
The Guru led the congregation
singing hymns. The Granth Sahib
was placed on the appointed seat,
and the Guru slept on the ground
by its side. Daily, in the morning,
the Holy Book is taken out in state
to the Harimandir and brought by
night to rest in the room marked
for it by Guru Arjun. The practice
continues to this day. But the volume
is not the same. That original copy
was taken to Kartarpur when
Guru Arjun’s successor, Guru
Hargobind, left Amritsar in 1634.
There it passed into
the possession of his
grandson, Dhir-Mall. It
has since remained in
that family.
Some Sikh scholars
criticize this practice.
Prof. Devinder Singh
Chahal, PhD writes
about the reverence of
SGGS by Sikhs:
“One of the reasons
has been explained
by Dr Gopal Singh
that due to improper
understanding of ‘Sabd’ (Guru’s
Word) the Granth started to be
worshipped more than read,
uttered as a magical formula or
a Mantram for secular benefits.
Now in almost all the Gurdwaras
in the world, whether they are
under the Shiromani Gurdwara
Parbandhak Committee
(SGPC), Amritsar or any
other organization, the Aad
Guru Granth Sahib (AGGS)
is treated almost as an idol.
However, the idol worship
is condemned in Nanakian
Philosophy. Moreover, I was
surprised to note, when I was
Sri Guru Granth Sahib
casually glancing through “The
Cambridge Factfinder”, which
says under the subheading of
‘Beliefs in Sikhism’ as: “Worship
of the Adi Granth” as one of the
beliefs [11 - p 411]. It appears
that such is the impression
about Sikhism in the printed
literature.”
He further writes:
“The irony is that the Sikhs
are following the historical
information in which the ‘Sabd
Guru’ has been successively
changed to ‘Granth Guru’ to
‘Visible Body of the Guru’ to
‘Darshan Guru’. Consequently,
the Sikhs started to pay more
and more attention to ritualistic
aspects to the ‘Granth Guru’
than on the deliberation on
the philosophy given in the
‘Sabd Guru’… Guru Nanak’s
observation that there would
be very few Sikhs, who will
deliberate on the Bani/Sabd to
be called as Gurumukh, is so
true today as it was then at the
time of Guru Nanak. There are
many (apparent) Gurumukhs,
but rare are those who
understand the Bani in its real
perspective. Therefore, Guru
Nanak thought it necessary
to emphasize the importance
of listening, understanding,
practicing the philosophy
embodied in the Bani (Stanzas #
8-15 of JAP) Guru Amardas also
noticed that many Sikhs used to
come to have his darshan (just
to visit the Guru to see/meet
him) but were not interested to
listen to his philosophy:
All the humans of the world
desire to behold the True Guru.
One does not get salvation
by merely seeing (the True
Guru1), unless one deliberates/
contemplates on his
Sabd (Word). AGGS.
M. 3, pg. 594.
Guru Amardas clearly
means that it is the
‘Sabd’ that is the
‘Guru’ not the human
body as the ‘Guru’.
The same situation
is seen today when
most of Sikhs visit the
Gurdwara just at the
time of Bhog, paying
their respect to the
Aad Guru Granth
Sahib for a few minutes then
go to Langar Hall.… Since the
Granth has been declared as
Guru more and more attention
is being paid to treat it as an
idol and to have its Darshan
(seeing). Moreover, continuous
recitation of the AGGS (Akhand
Paath) is considered a mantram
for their worldly benefits as
pointed out by Dr. Gopal Singh
or it has become a fashion to
entertain relatives and friends
but never for deliberation of
Sabd to understand the wisdom
given in the Sabd Guru.”
29

Book Review: An Introduction to the
Hidden Treasures of Islām
A Taste of 91 Invaluable Books of the Promised Messiah as An Introduction By Syed Hasanat Ahmad
Review by: Hidayatulah Hadi
Islām International Publications
London, UK has recently published
an important book, An Introduction
to the Hidden Treasures of Islām
comprising of 91 books of the
Promised Messiah as .
Islām International Publications
has also published a new electronic
version of all 23 Volumes of Hudūr’s
book and all are available online.
According to a quotation published
in Sīrat-ul Mahdī by Hadrat Mirza
Bashir Ahmad Sahib rh :
“Hadrat Maulvi Sher Ali states
that the Promised Messiah as
once observed that the members
of the Jamā`at should read our
books at least three times and
the one who does not study our
books, I have doubts about his
faith.” (Volume 2, pg. 417)
This highlights the importance of
these 91 books. In order to satisfy
the thirst of the English reading
Ahmadīs, Mr. Syed Hasanat Ahmad
started work on this English book
in 1978 when he submitted an
essay on the introduction of the
books of the Promised Messiah as
to the Fadl-e Umar Foundation
Rabwah who had invited Ahmadīs
to submit scholarly essays on
Ahmadiyyat and Islām. This won
the first prize as best essay. Hadrat
Khalīfatul Masīh IV rh informed Mr.
Syed Hasanat Ahmad in 1980 of
this good news who by that time
had immigrated to Canada.
Mr. Syed Hasanat Ahmad began
to work on the draft of this book
in 1998. Drafts were submitted
to Rabwah for checking and rechecking.
Hadrat Khalīfatul V aa
found that the real number of the
books of the Promised Messiah as
totals 91 and 3 unpublished books
were added to the collection.
Work on this book was completed
in 2010. In his forward to the book,
Additional Vakīl Tasnīf Maulana
Munir ud Din Shams Sahib
acknowledged the hard work done
over a period of several years by
Mr. Syed Hasanat Ahmad.
The finished work provides an
excellent summary of each book.
The author devoted three or four
pages to each book providing vital
information on each book. It also
contains the name of the book, the
English translation of the book’s
name, the language the book is
written in, the number of its pages,
when it was written and where it
was published.
With the introduction of each
book, Mr. Syed Hasanat Ahmad
provides a background of the book
and what prompted the Promised
Messiah as to write the book, and its
impact. A sample from each book
of the Promised Messiah as is also
included.
This process required an immense
amount of checking references
and cross referencing and the best
possible rendering in English of a
selected passage from each book.
This book is a must read for
every Ahmadī who can read and
understand English.
One of the finest features of this
book, spread over 426 pages, is an
alphabetical index of the books,
which can enable the reader to go to
the correct volume in order to access
the book in the original 23 Volumes
set. 27 books of this collection have
already been translated in English.
30 Book Review

Announcements
Constable Shumail Mian
Peel Region Police
The Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada is
pleased to announce that Constable
Shumail Mian, proud son of
Muzaffar Ahmed Mian & Mrs.
Muneera Nahid Muzaffar, joined
the 12th Division of Peel Regional
Police on September 1 st , 2010 after
8 months of extensive training at
the Ontario Police College and
Peel Regional Police Training
Bureau. Shumail also holds a
position of Secretary Tabligh
in Toronto Central Jamā’at. We
congratulate Shumail and his parents
on his amazing achievement. May
Allah bless him and reward him a
shining career in his Jamā’at roles.
Ali Shah
Winner of the 2009
Jim Novo Award
and graduate of the UBC Award of
Achievement in web analytics
The Ahmadiyya Gazette is pleased
to announce that Ali Salman
Shah, son of Mr. Nasir Shah of
Newmarket, Ontario, has earned
the 2009 Jim Novo Award of
Academic Excellence. Mr. Shah
completed the program last year
with an astounding 99% grade
average in his courses.
The award is presented annually
to the graduate with the highest
grade average over all four courses
of the UBC Award of Achievement
in Web Analytics. First launched
in 2005 by the University of British
Columbia Continuing Studies, the
UBC Award of Achievement in Web
Analytics is comprised of four 100%
online courses that teach students
how to measure website traffic in
order to optimize the effectiveness
of the site’s content, navigation and
structure, thereby improving the
customer’s experience at the site.
NOW RECRUITING…
Excellent Experience Opportunity!
The Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada, the official publication of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamā’at Canada,
is recruiting volunteer Graphic Designers and Web Developers.
We seek graphic designers and web developers who know that educational magazine design must be tasteful, artistic,
simple and professional, and who are creative and can assist us with layout and design. If you have this talent and keen
interest in graphic designing, we are looking for you!
Minimum Required Qualifications:
• Experience in Adobe Indesign and related Graphics Software, CorelDraw X4 and experience with
Inpage (Urdu Software) will be an asset.
• Able to meet deadlines and respond to changes efficiently and in a timely manner.
• Able to work efficiently in a team environment
• Familiarity with Jamā’at traditions
• Able to attend monthly meetings
Please call or email your resume to:
Mubashir Khalid
Manager, Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada
manager@ahmadiyyagazette.ca
T: 647-988-3494
Announcements
31