English PDF - Ahmadiyya Gazette Canada

one of them differs from the othersin its interpretation of it, andmany of them use the expressiononly as a cloak to hide theirpolytheistic beliefs. ButIslām is wholly free frompolytheistic conceptionsand doctrines and hascompletely uprootedall beliefs and practiceswhich even remotelysuggest such ideas. It hasdefined and explained the doctrineof associating aught with God soexhaustively that nobody is left inany doubt concerning it.The Holy Qur’ān classifies Shirk (orassociation of other gods with God)into four kinds. First, a belief in aplurality of gods. Second, a beliefthat any other being shares, in agreater or lesser degree, in God’sattributes, irrespective of the factwhether such being is or is notcalled a deity. For instance, a beliefthat a particular person can createliving things or can bring the deadto life amounts to Shirk, althoughthe person to whom such attributesare ascribed be a human being. Forhere, there is a difference only inname, and the essence of Divinityhas been ascribed to another. Third,to look upon a being other than Godas worthy of worship although thatbeing is not considered a god, noris believed to share in the attributesof God; as, for instance,parents were worshippedin some tribes in ancientؤُ‏ regard days. Fourth, toa human being asinfallible. For instance,a belief that a particularsaint or holy person iswholly free from the naturalweaknesses of man and musttherefore, be implicitly obeyed inThe Islāmic Conception of Godَُ رذُ‏ذَل َ all matters, however objectionablehis orders may be, and practicallyto prefer his commands to those ofGod, although as a matterof belief that person isnot regarded as God.ا َّ ‏لاؤَو ‏لُ‏ ا ‏ل‏ ا آ ذ ا ذَّ‏ ل ‏عَ‏ رُ‏ ا ‏لْ‏The Holy Qur’ānindicates these fourkinds of Shirk in thefollowing verse:‘O, people of the Book,let us agree in this one matter,which both of us accept, that weworship none but Allāh, Whohas no partner, and that weassociate with Him none in Hisattributes and that we prefer toHim nobody from among Hisservants. If they refuse, say, bearwitness ye people that wesubmit ourselves to Godin this manner.’(Al-e-‘Imran, 3:65)‏َّا complete What arefutation of all kindsof Shirk is containedin this one brief verse! Inview of what is laid down inthis verse when a Muslim says hebelieves in one God, he means thathe worships none but God, that hedoes not ascribe to any other beingany of the attributes of God, that heconsiders Him free from all earthlyrelationships, that he believes thatGod is above assuming humanform, that he believes thatGod is not subject todeath or hunger orthirst, that he bows tonone except God, thathis hopes are centredin no other being, thathe addresses his prayersto none but Him, and thatalthough he venerates the Prophetsof God, he does not regard them asا ‏لْوَا ‏َیَ‏ ا ‏لْمُ‏ یََل ‏َیا ‏لْ‏ ذمعَرُّا ‏ل صیَّو ذُ‏ذُ‏ذُو ‏لرَّ‏ ‏و‏ُّایَ‏ ‏مُ‏ ا ‏لْ‏یَ‏َ ا ‏لْمُ‏ ذْ‏anything more than human. Thisis what Islām teaches him and towhich he holds throughout his life.Generally speaking, all religionsagree with Islām in declaring theUnity of God, but when we cometo details we find that each religiondiffers greatly from the others.In short, the conception of God,both in principle and in detail,which is presented by Islām is mostperfect and a contemplation of itdraws men to God in a mannerwhich is not possible in the case ofany other religion. Islām explainsevery attribute of God in detail andstates the effect which each of theseattributes produces on the daily lifeof man. It also describes the interrelationof different attributesand the limits of theiraction and reaction.Hence a complete andperfect conceptionof God is presentedbefore the eyes of man’sjudgment, and his heartoverflows with love. Otherreligions may share with Islāmonly the names of the attributes ofGod, but none of them shares withit the reality of those attributes. Itis obvious that in judging differentreligions we must consider thereality and not merely the name.Continued from page 4...Hudūr aa further added thatby the grace of Allāh, the 76 thyear of Tahrīk Jadīd came toits conclusion on October 31 stleaving us with all its blessings.Hudūr aa said, “Today I announcethe commencement of the 77 thyear of Tahrīk Jadīd. May itbring us even greater blessings.Āmīn.”15