ِ ی م م الرَّح

ن

ِ

سب ا ہللِ‏ الرَّْحم ٰ

ْ م ِ

The Light

International Organ of the Centre for the Worldwide

Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat Islam

2018

April

2016

January

Germany

Guyana

India

Sweden

Suriname

The only Islamic organisation upholding the finality of prophethood.

Webcasting on the world’s first real-time Islamic service at

Editors

- Amir Aziz

- Abd ul Muqtadir Gordon

- Gowsia Saleem & - Prof. Shahab

Shabbir

- Kaleem Ahmed

- Robbert Bipat M.D, Phd

South Africa-Ebrahim Mohamed

UK

USA

- Shahid Aziz & - Mustaq Ali

- Zainib Ahmad

Contents

The Call of the Messiah 2

Science_is_Not_Going_to_Destroy_ 3

Religion

by Peter Harrison

Extremism_and_the_Holy_Quran 6

By Ebrahim Mohamed

Broadcasts (UK time)

1. Skype Urdu lecture: Sunday 09:00

2. Live on www.virtualmosque.co.uk

‣ Friday Sermon 13:00

‣ First Sunday of month lecture 15:00.

3. Radio Virtual Mosque

Websites

1. International HQ

2. Research and History

3. The Woking Mosque and Mission

4. The Berlin Mosque and Mission

5. Quran search

6. Blog

www.virtualmosque.co.uk

Interesting external links

‣ Indian and Arab Sunnis Handed over

Jerusalem to Christian armies

‣ Blame the British for the Pakistani Blasphemy

Law!!!!!.

‣ Women translate the Holy Quran into English

- at last.

‣ Is there such a thing as a secular Muslim?

‣ .Teach Children About Islam - says Church of

England

‣ Trying to Modernise Arguments for the Punishment

of Apostacy

‣ Jesus was Married.

‣ Ancient temple mentioned in the Old Testament

found

External Links

The Light is not responsible for the content

of external sites. The inclusion of a link to an external

website should not be understood to be

an endorsement of that website, the views it expresses

or the site's owners (or their products/services).

Some links may have research, which disagrees

with our beliefs. It is for us to consider

such material and provide a rebuttal. Ignoring it

will not make it go away.

We welcome all scholarly contributions to

The Light.

I Shall Love All Mankind.

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January 2018 The

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The Call of the

Messiah

by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam

Ahmad

The Promised Messiah and Mahdi

(Translator’s note: Although given in

quotation marks, the Quranic references

are explanations rather than literal translation

of the verse quoted.)

Treatment Of others

As for faith, I will now consider the course

pointed out by the Holy Quran for observance in

practice. This verse summarises its teachings

regarding our treatment with others:

Almighty God commands you to be just and

fair to others. That is to say that you do to them

as they do to you. And (if you wish to attain to a

higher stage of perfection) then do good to

those who have not done any good to you. And,

(to rise higher still) do good to

others not to lay an obligation

upon them or to receive

thanks in return, but with the

natural inclination of a

mother for her child. And He

forbids you to do any violence,

or remind others that you

have placed them under any obligation or do

any evil to the one who has done you good or

shown sympathy. (16:90)

As an explanation of this verse, the Holy

Quran says on another occasion: ‘And they (the

righteous) feed the poor and the orphans and

the prisoners, simply for the sake of, and out of

their love for, God, and do not wish from you

any reward or thanks in return for this service.'

(76:8-9) Again, concerning the requital of evil,

the Holy Qur'an says this. "The recompence for

an evil is punishment like it. But if a person

forgives and his forgiveness encourages good

and does not lead to further evil, under these

circumstances forgiveness is better than

requital. And the person so forgiving shall find

his reward from God (for instance, the evil-doer

is likely to reform his conduct and refrain from

evil in the future),' (42:40)

I Shall Love All Mankind.

Thus, the Holy Quran does not teach us to

turn the other cheek always, whether in place or

out of place, for this is against true wisdom.

Good done to an evil-doer is sometimes equivalent

to the doing of harm to a good man. The

Holy Quran further teaches us as follows. 'If

anyone does good to you, return his good deed

with a greater good, and the result would be

that even if there is an enmity between you, it

will turn into sincere friendship and he would

be to you as a friend and near relative.' (41:34)

Other verses containing teachings on this

point are: 'One of you should not backbite another,

does one of you like that he should eat the

flesh of his brother who is dead? Nor should one

class of people laugh at another that it belongs

to a higher class and the other to a lower; it may

be that those laughed at, might be better than

the others. Verily, to God, the more honoured is

he who is greater in virtue and righteousness.

To Him, the distinction of nationality means

nothing. Do not call others with scornful names

which they regard

as offensive or insulting.

Otherwise,

you will be counted

wicked near God.

(49:11-13) Keep

away from idols and

falsehood, for they are both impurities. And

when you speak, speak with reason and wisdom

and refrain from irrational talk. (25:72) And

you should all in one body and with all your faculties

and powers devote yourselves to the obedience

of God.' (3:103)

do good to others not to lay

an obligation upon them or to

receive thanks in return, but

with the natural inclination

of a mother for her child

'The many occupations of the world divert

your mind from God, and you remain negligent

from Him until you visit the graves. This is an

error, and you will soon know it. I tell you again

that this is an error which you will soon discover.

Had you the knowledge of certainty, you

would have soon seen by its application your

hell, and would have known that this your life in

sin is a hellish life. If your certainty increases,

you would see with the eye of certainty that

your life of sin and disobedience to God is a life

in hell. A time will then come when you will be

cast into hell. And, there, you will be questioned

about your excesses in the delicacies that were

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January 2018 The

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given to you, (i.e., being made to suffer the punishment

you will realise that certainty)." (Ch.

102) These verses show that certainty is of

three kinds. First, that obtained through

reasoning and deduction. An example is that the

existence of fire in a place is inferred from the

presence of smoke only. Secondly, the certainty

gained when the thing itself is seen like the fire

in the above example. Thirdly, the highest

degree of certainty is attained when the

existence of a thing is fully realised as that of fire

by casting one's hand into it. These are the three

degrees of certainty which are termed

respectively Haq-ul-yaqeen, ain-ul-yaqeen and

alim-ul-yaqeen.

In these verses Almighty God has taught

man that his true happiness lies in the nearness

and love of God, and in breaking connection

with Him a man leads a hellish life which ultimately

becomes clear to him, though it be at the

time when he is about to depart from this world

and leave all his property behind him.

Referring to man's heavenly life, the Holy

Qur'an says this. Whoever, out of respect for the

honour and majesty of his Lord, and fearing that

he shall have to stand one day in His presence,

forsake sin, shall be granted two paradises; that

is, a paradise in this world and a paradise in the

next. (55: 46) The paradise in this world means

a heavenly life which begins with a pure transformation

in this life when Almighty God becomes

the sole administrator of one's affairs,

and the paradise in the next means the eternal

bliss and enjoyments of after-life which shall be

granted to the righteous. Elsewhere the Holy

Quran says: "Verily We have prepared chains

and collars and that which burns the heart for

those who do not believe in God, and hence do

not entertain love for God and are bent low

upon earth. (Their feet are enchained with the

love of this world and in their necks are collars

of estrangement from God which keep their

heads bent down upon the world and do not allow

them to raise them up towards heaven, and

their hearts burn with the unsatisfied desires of

this world). But the righteous are made to drink

in this very world of a cup which is mixed with

camphor which cools the love of this world and

quenches the thirst of seeking the world. It is a

spring of camphor which is granted them, and

they divide it into running streams and thus

place its refrigerant waters within reach of the

thirsty near and far. (When the standing water

of the spring is made to run into a stream, and

the power of faith is strengthened) they are

then made to drink of another cup with which

is mixed ginger. (For when the camphorated cup

has benumbed the love of this world, another

syrup is needed which should generate in the

heart the warmth of Divine love. This is what is

meant by the syrup mixed with ginger because

the quality of ginger is hot, and it is, therefore, a

symbolic expression for the warmth of love). It

is a spring which is called salsabeel, (lit., ask the

way from God) meaning that when the wayfarer

has reached the spiritual eminence indicated in

the preceding verse, he is entirely in the hands

of God and asks his way from no other than

God" (76:4)

Again, the Holy Qur'an says: Verily he who

has purified his soul is released from the constraint

of sensual passions and is granted a

heavenly life, but whoever remains bent down

upon earth and does not turn to heaven, shall

end his days in grief and despair. (91:8-10)

(Return to contents)

Why religion is not going

away and science will not destroy

it

by Peter Harrison

Note: This article was originally published at

https://aeon.co and has been republished here under

Creative Commons. See: https://aeon.co/ideas/why-religion-is-not-going-away-and-science-will-not-destroy-it

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter Harrison is an Australian Laureate Fellow and director

of the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Hu-

I Shall Love All Mankind.

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January 2018 The

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manities at the University of Queensland. His most recent

book is The Territories of Science and Religion

(2015), and his edited collection Narratives of Secularization

(2017) will be published later this year.

thesis.

Scientists, intellectuals and social scientists

In 1966, just over 50 years ago, the distinguished

Canadian-born anthropologist Anthony

Wallace confidently predicted the global

demise of religion at the hands of an advancing

science: ‘belief in supernatural powers is

doomed to die out, all over the world, as a result

of the increasing adequacy and diffusion of

scientific knowledge’. Wallace’s vision was not

exceptional. On the contrary, the modern social

sciences, which took shape in 19th-century

western Europe, took their own recent historical

experience of secularisation as a universal

model. An assumption lay at the core of the social

sciences, either presuming or sometimes

predicting that all cultures would eventually

converge on something roughly approximating

secular, Western, liberal democracy. Then

something closer to the opposite happened.

Not only has secularism failed to continue

its steady global march but countries as varied

as Iran, India, Israel, Algeria and Turkey have either

had their secular governments replaced by

religious ones, or have seen the rise of influential

religious nationalist movements. Secularisation,

as predicted by the social sciences, has

failed.

To be sure, this failure is not unqualified.

Many Western countries continue to witness

decline in religious belief and practice. The

most recent census data released in Australia,

for example, shows that 30 per cent of the population

identify as having ‘no religion’, and that

this percentage is increasing. International surveys

confirm comparatively low levels of religious

commitment in western Europe and Australasia.

Even the United States, a long-time

source of embarrassment for the secularisation

thesis, has seen a rise in unbelief. The percentage

of atheists in the US now sits at an all-time

high (if ‘high’ is the right word) of around 3 per

cent. Yet, for all that, globally, the total number

of people who consider themselves to be religious

remains high, and demographic trends

suggest that the overall pattern for the immediate

future will be one of religious growth. But

this isn’t the only failure of the secularisation

I Shall Love All Mankind.

the association of science with a

secularising agenda has backfired,

with science becoming a collateral

casualty of resistance to

secularism

expected that the spread of modern science

would drive secularisation – that science would

be a secularising force. But that simply hasn’t

been the case. If we look at those societies

where religion remains vibrant, their key common

features are less to do with science, and

more to do with feelings of existential security

and protection from some of the basic uncertainties

of life in the form of public goods. A social

safety net might be correlated with scientific

advances but only loosely, and again the

case of the US is instructive. The US is arguably

the most scientifically and technologically advanced

society in the world, and yet at the same

time the most religious of Western societies. As

the British sociologist David Martin concluded

in The Future of Christianity (2011): ‘There is

no consistent relation between the degree of

scientific advance and a reduced profile of religious

influence, belief and practice.’

The story of science and secularisation becomes

even more intriguing when we consider

those societies that have witnessed significant

reactions against secularist agendas. India’s

first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru championed

secular and scientific ideals, and enlisted

scientific education in the project of modernisation.

Nehru was confident that Hindu visions of

a Vedic past and Muslim dreams of an Islamic

theocracy would both succumb to the inexorable

historical march of secularisation. ‘There is

only one-way traffic in Time,’ he declared. But

as the subsequent rise of Hindu and Islamic fundamentalism

adequately attests, Nehru was

wrong. Moreover, the association of science

with a secularising agenda has backfired, with

science becoming a collateral casualty of resistance

to secularism.

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January 2018 The

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Turkey provides an even more revealing

case. Like most pioneering nationalists, Mustafa

Kemal Atatu rk, the founder of the Turkish republic,

was a committed secularist. Atatu rk believed

that science was destined to displace religion.

In order to make sure that Turkey was on

the right side of history, he gave science, in particular

evolutionary biology, a central place in

the state education system of the fledgling Turkish

republic. As a result, evolution came to be

associated with Atatu rk’s entire political programme,

including secularism. Islamist parties

in Turkey, seeking to counter the secularist ideals

of the nation’s founders, have also attacked

the teaching of evolution. For them, evolution is

associated with secular materialism. This sentiment

culminated in the decision this June to remove

the teaching of evolution from the highschool

classroom. Again, science has become a

victim of guilt by association.

The US represents a different cultural context,

where it might seem that the key issue is a

conflict between literal readings of Genesis and

key features of evolutionary history. But in fact,

much of the creationist discourse centres on

moral values. In the US case too, we see antievolutionism

motivated at least in part by the

assumption that evolutionary theory is a stalking

horse for secular materialism and its attendant

moral commitments. As in India and

Turkey, secularism is actually hurting science.

In brief, global secularisation is not inevitable

and, when it does happen, it is not caused by

science. Further, when the attempt is made to

use science to advance

secularism,

the results can damage

science. The

thesis that ‘science

causes secularisation’ simply fails the empirical

test, and enlisting science as an instrument of

secularisation turns out to be poor strategy. The

science and secularism pairing is so awkward

that it raises the question: why did anyone think

otherwise?

Historically, two related sources advanced

the idea that science would displace religion.

First, 19th-century progressivist conceptions of

history, particularly associated with the French

I Shall Love All Mankind.

philosopher Auguste Comte, held to a theory of

history in which societies pass through three

stages – religious, metaphysical and scientific

(or ‘positive’). Comte coined the term ‘sociology’

and he wanted to diminish the social influence

of religion and replace it with a new science

of society. Comte’s influence extended to

the ‘young Turks’ and Atatu rk.

The 19th century also witnessed the inception

of the ‘conflict model’ of science and religion.

This was the view that history can be understood

in terms of a ‘conflict between two

epochs in the evolution of human thought – the

theological and the scientific’. This description

comes from Andrew Dickson White’s influential

A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology

in Christendom (1896), the title of which nicely

encapsulates its author’s general theory.

White’s work, as well as John William Draper’s

earlier History of the Conflict Between Religion

and Science (1874), firmly established the conflict

thesis as the default way of thinking about

the historical relations between science and religion.

Both works were translated into multiple

languages. Draper’s History went through more

than 50 printings in the US alone, was translated

into 20 languages and, notably, became a

bestseller in the late Ottoman empire, where it

informed Atatu rk’s understanding that progress

meant science superseding religion.

Today, people are less confident that history

moves through a series of set stages toward a

single destination. Nor, despite its popular persistence,

do most historians of science support

the idea of an enduring

conflict

between science

and religion. Renowned

collisions,

such as the Galileo affair, turned on politics

and personalities, not just science and religion.

Darwin had significant religious supporters

and scientific detractors, as well as vice

versa. Many other alleged instances of sciencereligion

conflict have now been exposed as pure

inventions. In fact, contrary to conflict, the historical

norm has more often been one of mutual

support between science and religion. In its

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January 2018 The

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formative years in the 17th century, modern science

relied on religious legitimation. During the

18th and 19th centuries, natural theology

helped to popularise science.

The conflict model of science and religion

offered a mistaken view of the past and, when

combined with expectations of secularisation,

led to a flawed vision of the future. Secularisation

theory failed at both description and prediction.

The real question is why we continue to

encounter proponents of science-religion conflict.

Many are prominent scientists. It would be

superfluous to rehearse Richard Dawkins’s

musings on this topic, but he is by no means a

solitary voice. Stephen Hawking thinks that ‘science

will win because it works’; Sam Harris has

declared that ‘science must destroy religion’;

Stephen Weinberg thinks that science has

weakened religious certitude; Colin Blakemore

predicts that science will eventually make religion

unnecessary. Historical evidence simply

does not support such contentions. Indeed, it

suggests that they are misguided.

So why do they persist? The answers are political.

Leaving aside any lingering fondness for

quaint 19th-century understandings of history,

we must look to the fear of Islamic fundamentalism,

exasperation with creationism, an aversion

to alliances between the religious Right

and climate-change denial, and worries about

the erosion of scientific authority. While we

might be sympathetic to these concerns, there

is no disguising the fact that they arise out of an

unhelpful intrusion of normative commitments

into the discussion. Wishful thinking – hoping

that science will vanquish religion – is no substitute

for a sober assessment of present realities.

Continuing with this advocacy is likely to

have an effect opposite to that intended.

an enemy out of religion, or insisting that the

only path to a secure future lies in a marriage of

science and secularism.

(Return_to content)

A Critical Look at Extremist

Ideology Through the

Microscope of the Holy Quran

By Ebrahim Mohamed

The current generation of Muslims has been

plagued by incessant waves of extremism over

the last decades, which have caused much mayhem

and confusion in its ranks. The endearing

landscape of Islam, a religion of peace based entirely

on absolute Monotheism and the unity of

humankind, has been invaded by the weeds of

sectarian division spawned by archaic, debilitating

ideologies opposed to the spirit and letter

of the Holy Quran and the example of the Holy

Prophet Muhammad (s) 1 .

In the late 19th, early 20th century the

Founder of the revivalist Ahmadiyya Movement

in Islam, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad addressing the

situation, called Muslims: ‘Back to the Quran!’

In an environment where the general practice of

Muslims is to give precedence to the exegeses of

legists (fiqh) 2 and Hadith 3 over the Holy Quran,

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s call: ‘Back to the Quran!’

was indeed timely and well founded. These ideologies,

when viewed through the lens of the

Holy Quran, an unsightly picture of extremism

emerges. The Holy Book, we will see, indeed refutes

the ideologies of misguided extremists

such as ISIS we have been exposed to so much

recently and still today albeit on the decline.

The following Quranic teachings are there-

Religion is not going away any time soon,

and science will not destroy it. If anything, it is

science that is subject to increasing threats to

its authority and social legitimacy. Given this,

science needs all the friends it can get. Its advocates

would be well advised to stop fabricating

1

Sallallahu alayhi wassalaam –peace and the blessings of God be

upon him

2

Reference to law-makers

3

Reports of the Prophet (s)

I Shall Love All Mankind.

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January 2018 The

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fore indispensable for all ‘Peace Lovers’ especially

all Muslims trapped in the middle of the

ideological torrent of extremism and the flotsam

of fanaticism, bigotry, prejudices, intolerances

etc. that go with it.

1. Freedom of Religion

One often hears the tedious rhetoric of delusional

fanatics about the merits of forced conversions

as if such deplorable behaviour is Godordained.

On

the contrary, it

is universally

known that the

Holy Quran

teaches absolute

freedom of

religion with

such force and clarity as not to be found in any

other religious scripture of the world. Tolerance

and respect for other faiths are teachings that

permeate the Holy Quran. To illustrate, these

are but some references from the Holy Quran

which are self-explanatory: (please note that all

highlights for emphasis are that of the author).

And if thy Lord had pleased, all

those who are in the earth would

have believed, all of them. Will you

then force people till they are believers?

-10:99

2. “There is no compulsion in religion.”

- 2:256

This verse serves as a Magna Carta for universal

religious freedom that ought to be intrinsic

to the constitutions of every country across

the world. This is especially so for those Muslim-ruled

countries such as Pakistan for example

with its deplorable human rights record.

Here is a Muslim nation that finds pride in oppressive

blasphemy laws much abused by the

majority — with the blessing of the authorities

who choose to turn a blind eye to the frequent

injustices and worst kind of religious persecution

that is inflicted on minority groups, in the

name of the ‘law of the land.’ This is the only

country of note in the world where you will still

come across situations where the perpetrators

of the worst kind of human rights abuses are

applauded as heroes in a frenzy of vulgar patriotism.

Here, the rare voices of justice are often

summarily silenced by the assassin’s bullet to

the sinister glee of fanatical clerics who hold

sway over millions of blind, sheep-like followers,

who in turn, through their sheer numbers,

I Shall Love All Mankind.

force politicians to comply to their whims and

fancies. Often these fanatical extremists are under

a delusion that it is their pious duty to bring

the whole world to a state of ‘belief’.

We will show that this self-imposed authority

has no basis in the Holy Quran. In fact, the

Holy Quran is full of statements showing that

belief in this or that religion is a person’s

concern and that he is given the free choice of

adopting one way or another.

If he accepts the

truth, it is for his good; if

he sticks to error, it is to

his detriment. The following

statements are self-explanatory:

“And if thy Lord had pleased, all those who

are in the earth would have believed, all of them.

Will you then force people till they are believers?”

-10:99

“The Truth is from your Lord; so let him

who please believe and let him who please disbelieve.”

– 18:29

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (s), the divinely

appointed Messenger of God, was made

clear by Almighty God what his role was, and indeed

coercion, compulsion, force etc. were not

part of it; so how can it be assumed that such

behaviour is fine for his weak followers? The

Holy Quran is clear on the limited role of the

Holy Prophet (s): “Your duty (O Prophet) is only

the delivery of the message, and Ours (God’s) is

to call (people) to account.” -13:40

“And you (O Prophet) are not one to compel

them. So remind by means of the Quran him

who fears My warning.” – 50:45

“And obey Allah and obey the Messenger;

but if you turn away, the duty of Our Messenger

is only to deliver the message.” – 64:12; see also

5:92

It is quite clear from these statements that

God alone comes between a man and his conscience,

and He alone stands in judgment of

man. Even the great prophet of Islam was limited

to deliver the message only and to lead by

example and not by force.

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January 2018 The

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3. Islam recognises all religions:

Addressing the whole of humankind, the

Holy Quran states: “…For every one of you We

appointed a law and a way. And if Allah had

pleased He would have made you one religious

community, but He wishes to try you in what He

has given you. So vie with one another in virtuous

deeds. To Allah you will all return, and He

will then tell you about your differences.” – 5:48

It is taught here that all religions preach the

doing of good according to their revealed laws,

and their followers should, therefore, try to

outdo each other in virtuous deeds. Differences

in doctrine will always be there as long as we

are on this earth; the consequences of our beliefs

and actions, whether good or bad, will be

manifested in the after-life. There is, therefore,

no need for

religious disputes;

the

only things

that Muslims are taught to say to people of other

faiths, are: “Allah is our Lord and your Lord. For

us are our deeds and for you, your deeds. There

is no contention between us and you. Allah will

gather us together, and to Him is the eventual

coming.” – 42:15

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) lived by

the word of the Holy Quran and illustrated by

way of personal example how to implement and

practice religious tolerance and not merely pay

lip-service to it.

4. Christians pray in the Holy

Prophet’s mosque:

There is a well-known event that took place

a year or so before the death of the Holy Prophet

(s), that illustrates his strong commitment to

the freedom of religion. A large contingent of

Christians from Najran, near Yemen, headed by

their religious leaders, came to meet him and

discussed with him the doctrinal differences between

Islam and Christianity, especially

whether Jesus was mortal or divine.

Upon their arrival, the Holy Prophet lodged

them in rooms connected with his mosque. Before

the discussion began, the time came for the

I Shall Love All Mankind.

Christians to hold their prayer and they enquired

from him where they could pray. The

Prophet invited them to say their prayers inside

his mosque. This incident is recorded in the biographies

of the Prophet and serves as an example

to all generations of Muslims on the high

level of hospitality expected of a Muslim host.

5. Invite to Islam peacefully

“There is no compulsion in religion.” -

The Holy Quran 2:256

“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom

and goodly exhortation and argue with them in

the best manner. Surely your Lord knows best

him who strays from His path, and He knows

best those who go aright.” – 16:125

‘Wisdom’ here means to appeal to reason

and knowledge, and not to exploit people’s prejudices

and ignorance. ‘Goodly exhortation’ is to

give good advice and to

inspire goodness in others.

If differences do

arise, Muslims are cautioned

and advised to argue in the ‘best manner’.

This means you are to present the truth

backed by solid evidence and facts in a manner

that is becoming and polite, with due consideration

for the sensitivities of others.

6. Tolerance towards ‘idol worship’

Every Muslim is called upon to exercise tolerance

and respect even for the idols of others

to avoid unnecessary conflict:

“And if Allah had pleased, they would not

have worshipped others (besides God). But We

have not appointed you (O Prophet) as a keeper

over them, and you are not placed in charge of

them. And abuse not those whom they call

upon besides Allah, lest, exceeding the limits,

they abuse Allah through ignorance. Thus, to

every people have We made their deeds fairseeming;

then to their Lord is their return so He

“We have not appointed

you (O Prophet) as a

keeper over them, and

you are not placed in

charge of them”

will inform them of what they did.” - 6:107-108

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January 2018 The

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The Holy Prophet (s) is clearly told that he

has not been appointed to be the ‘keeper’ over

such idolatrous communities and that he has

not been placed ‘in charge’ of them. This applies

equally to all Muslims, especially those fanatical

self-appointed ‘defenders of the faith.’ Again,

God alone is the judge and eventually it is He

Who will ‘inform them of what they did.’

5. All places of worship should be

protected

The shameless violation by Muslim ‘extremists’

of the Quranic injunction to protect all

places of worship, is a disgrace to the proud legacy

of justice, fairness and religious tolerance of

Muslim governance throughout history. By desecrating

churches and mosques, extremists

have placed themselves in the position of the

much-loathed ‘perpetrators’ that the Holy

Quran warns against and calls on all rightminded

people to repel:

“And if Allah did not repel some people by

others, cloisters, and churches, and synagogues,

and mosques in which Allah’s name is much remembered,

would have been pulled down. And

surely Allah will help him who helps Him. Surely

Allah is Strong, Mighty.” - 22:40

This verse is unique in the realm of religious

scriptures. Not only is it incumbent on all Muslims

to show tolerance and respect for all other

faiths, but they should be in the forefront to protect

all places of worship when it comes under

attack by irreligious forces. Here the places of

worship of all Abrahamic faiths are mentioned

by name which goes to show Islam makes no

distinction when it comes to the preservation of

all places of worship. A similar injunction is not

to be found in the Torah or the Gospels. So Muslims

are expected to lead by example when it

comes to religious tolerance because that is

what the Holy Quran demands of them.

7. Unprovoked, aggressive wars and

murder prohibited

Unprovoked, aggressive wars and murder

are prohibited and a clear warning is sounded

for all terrorists who commit atrocities in the

name of Islam. There is no ambiguity about

these very clear commandments of the Holy

Quran and Muslim educators would do a great

service to Islam if they prioritised these teachings

in their syllabuses:

“And fight in the way of Allah against those

who fight against you but be not aggressive.

Surely Allah loves not the aggressors.” 2:190

“And if they incline to peace, incline thou

also to it, and trust in Allah. Surely He is the

Hearer, the Knower.” - 8:61

“And help one another in righteousness and

piety and help not one another in sin and aggression,

and keep your duty to Allah. Surely Allah

is Severe in requiting (evil).” - 5:2

“O you who believe, devour not your property

among yourselves by illegal methods except

that it be through trading by your mutual

consent. And kill not your people. Surely Allah

is ever Merciful to you.” - 4:29

“And who so does this aggressively and unjustly,

We shall soon cast him into fire. And this

is ever easy for Allah.” - 4:30

Whilst defensive wars are permitted for

good reasons, all forms of aggression, killings

and murder are prohibited. If the enemy stops

hostilities and raises the flag of peace, Muslims

are told to stop all fighting and resort to peaceful

means of resolving disputes even if the enemy

might be insincere.

8. ‘Rebellion’, ‘tyranny’, and ‘acts of

terror’ are expressly prohibited

Islam prohibits all acts of ‘rebellion’, ‘tyrannical

rule’, and all acts of ‘terror’ that cause upheavals

and undue disruption in society. The Arabic

word used in the Holy Quran to describe

these acts is baghyi 4 :

“Say: My Lord forbids only indecencies,

such of them as are apparent and such as are

concealed, and sin and unjust rebellion

4

Root word meanings- Acting wrongfully, injuriously or tyrannically,

corruptly, unjustly, insolent, disobedient, exceeding limits.

I Shall Love All Mankind.

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January 2018 The

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(baghyi).” - 7:33

“Surely Allah enjoins justice and the doing

of good (to others) and the giving to the kindred,

and He forbids indecency and evil and rebellion.

He admonishes you that you may be

mindful.” - 16:90

Hundreds of thousands of innocent men,

women and children have died and became misplaced

as a result of the ‘uncalled-for’ rebellion

that took place in Libya and Syria and the mayhem

created in Iraq by ISIS supported by foreign

nations with their own selfish agendas. The

Libyans and Syrians, prior to the wars, had a

fairly safe and high standard of living, enjoyed

many social benefits that Westerners merely

dream of. Christians and Yazidis were living in

peace with Muslims. So what was the reason to

rebel? Rebels emerged from factional extremist

groups with military and financial support from

the Saudis and the West using them for their

proxy wars to gain power in the region. The rebellion

was the work of minority mischief-makers

of which the majority of peaceful ‘law-abiding’

citizens were not part of. These Muslim factions

who brazenly disobeyed the command of

Almighty Allah NOT TO REBEL (baghyi) – must

now take most of the blame for the ruin and suffering

that followed. The Holy Quran is replete

with narratives highlighting the woeful end of

those who chose to defy the will and guidance

of the All-Wise, Lord of the worlds in pursuit of

their own misguided, selfish ends. If regime

change was indeed a pressing need, shura – i.e.

bilateral consultations is prescribed in Islam as

the primary mode of action and not ‘aping’

western style aggression and unbridled violence

that lead to a state of anarchy. This applies

to both the ‘ruler’ and ‘ruled’: “And their rule is

by counsel among themselves” -42:38

“Pardon them and ask protection for them,

and take counsel with them in affairs of state.” –

3:159

When faced with a tyrant, non-violent protestation

or some form of passive resistance is

allowed. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) is reported

to have said: The most excellent jihad is

the uttering of truth in the presence of an unjust

ruler. – (Tirmidhi, Mishkat)

I Shall Love All Mankind.

If the desired change is beyond reach, then

as a last resort it is recommended to migrate

and seek refuge in another country: “Have We

not made the earth an expanse” -78:6

The taking up of arms and resorting to violent

rebellion is prohibited in Islam and should

be avoided at all costs especially so in a country

where you are free to worship and do not face

religious oppression and persecution. ‘Rebellion’

is classed with acts that are regarded as

‘evil and indecent’ in the Holy Quran to show

the severity of its disapproval in the sight of

God. And we can see why. The Holy Prophet (s)

said: He who dislikes an order of his Amir

(Ruler) should withhold himself from opposition,

for he who rebels against the king by a

span dies the death of ignorance – (Bukhari

93:2)

Have we not witnessed the meaningless

horrors sufficiently that such upheavals create

in the world? In the end, it is always the innocent

women and children that suffer while

greedy ‘warmongers’ with their thriving arms

industries laugh all the way to the bank.

Syrians, interviewed by a journalist, Mona

Mahmood, of the Guardian in March 2015, expressed

mixed reactions that consisted of much

confusion and bewilderment about the rebellion.

Although there were those, who supported

the rebellion (not knowing why?) many were

against it. Um Naji, 45, a mother of three was

one of many. She gave a good insight of what

was happening on the ground: The truth is that

[before the uprising] we all had a good life, even

middle-class families. They could go on holiday,

eat well and buy medicine. Those who were

demonstrating were bribed; people were paid

to buy weapons and kill their brothers. Other

protesters were disillusioned and were given

promises they would be leaders in a new government.

Those who protested and claimed that

they wanted freedom had personal interests,

not a national goal. They were the first people

to send their families abroad and then they

joined them. The government provided people

with coupons for basic food items, which the

FSA (rebels) confiscated for themselves. Their

commanders became rich from hijacking trucks

loaded with goods heading to Damascus.

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January 2018 The

Light 11

Today, large parts of Libya and Syria are lying

in ruins. Syria will have to go through many,

many years of healing. With Assad still in control,

we ask with utter despondency, so what

has this misplaced rebellion achieved? – Except

untold misery and destruction? Did it bring

about stability and a higher standard of living or

more freedom? After the death of approximately

500,000 people, Syrians, nay all Muslims,

should ask themselves, would it not have

been better to have rather obeyed Allah’s command

NOT to engage in rebellion which He has

strictly forbidden? After all, Muslims are reminded

of this Divine decree every Friday from

the pulpits of every mosque around the world.

Let this be a lesson to all Muslims not to ignore

the commandments of Almighty God.

9. All kinds of ‘suicidal acts’ are prohibited

The lowest form of indoctrination that evilminded

extremists with malevolent political

agendas often resort to is to persuade vulnerable

youths to commit atrocities with the false

belief that they will enter heaven as martyrs.

The Holy Quran prohibits all forms of suicidal

acts and destruction of human life. The verse

below clearly warns against such ‘suicidal acts’

and immediately follows up with a command to

do ‘good to others’ instead. This is NOT what suicide

bombers are doing

when large numbers of innocent

people are killed in

open public places even in

the sanctity of places of

worship.

The Holy Quran

commands clearly: “And

do not cast yourself to destruction with your

own hands and do good (to others). Surely Allah

loves the doers of good.” - 2:195

“And help one another in righteousness and

piety and help not one another in sin and aggression,

and keep your duty to Allah. Surely Allah

is Severe in requiting (evil).” - 5:2

“Whoever kills a person, unless it is for murder

or mischief in the land, it is as though he had

killed all men. And whoever saves a life, it is as

“And help one another in righteousness

and piety and help

not one another in sin and aggression,

and keep your duty

to Allah. Surely Allah is Severe

in requiting (evil)” - 5:2

I Shall Love All Mankind.

though he had saved the lives of all men.” – 5:32

These verses underscore the importance

placed on the sanctity of human life in Islam.

Any form of unjust killing is a grave sin the severity

of which is equal to killing ‘all men’. In

fact, the clear commandments of the Holy

Quran which blinded extremists conveniently

ignore are to engage in the ‘doing of good’ and

to partake in acts of ‘righteousness and piety.’

This means we have to go out of our way to save

human lives and preserve the environment;

fight diseases and illiteracy; work for the uplifting

of the living standards of humanity; take

care of the needy and disadvantaged, etc. Selfdestruction

and the mass destruction of human

lives, therefore, have no place in Islam.

10. It is unlawful to keep ‘sex slaves’.

Unfair, ‘blinkered’ critics of Islam like to

portray Islam as a religion that advocates female

gender abuse. Unfortunately, the behaviour

of Muslim subscribers of the ideologies of

the likes of ISIS and other extremists, do not

help much to eradicate this misconception.

These warped ideologies, it has been adequately

proven, has absolutely no basis in the

Holy Quran, the ultimate primary source of obedience

of a Muslim. Anything that contradicts

the Holy Quran including spurious reports attributed

to the

Prophet Muhammad

(s) should be

summarily rejected.

Nothing can supersede

the ‘Word of

God.’

If we now turn our

attention to the Holy Quran, we will find that it

is unlawful for a Muslim to force women into

marriage: “O you who believe it is not lawful to

take women as heritage against (their) will.” -

4:19

Moreover, taking women as ‘sex slaves’, was

expressly prohibited. This was ground-breaking

reform brought about by Islam at a time

when slavery was still very much entrenched in

the Arabian society. We, therefore, find that although

Islam abolished slavery completely, it

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January 2018 The

Light 12

could unfortunately not ‘wish it away’ overnight

much like the remnants of ‘racism’ here and

everywhere else in the world, cannot be wished

away. Thus, Islam made provision for the rights

of slaves as we see here in the Holy Quran: “And

marry those among you who are single, and

those who are fit among your male slaves and

your female slaves” - 24:32

The Holy Quran states: “In their histories, there

is certainly a lesson for men of understanding”

-12:111

“Do they not travel in the land and see what

the end of those before them was? They were

more numerous than these and greater in

strength and fortifications in the land” - 40:82

“So, marry them with the permission of

their masters and give them their dowries

justly, they being chaste not fornicating nor take

them as paramours. (i.e. mistresses, concubines,

sex slaves etc.)” - 4:25

Thus we

find that only

‘legal marriages’

entered

into

‘without

force’, and

with due consequential rights and obligations

for both spouses, are allowed in Islam. The Holy

Quran prohibits taking women as ‘mistresses’

or ‘concubines’ for sex purposes only, a practice

more common in the ‘free sex’ culture of Western

societies now on the increase with the introduction

of the internet.

11. There are lessons in ancient history

and relics

Another tragic act of idiocy and cowardice

of extremists such as ISIS is the wanton destruction

of ancient artefacts. This is typical Wahabistyle

‘cleansing’ rituals - a form of extremism

which has seen even much-prized relics of our

Holy Prophet (s), his family, and companions,

destroyed. The Holy Quran nowhere advocates

the destruction of ancient relics and the eradication

of the historical records of past generations.

On the contrary, it views it as a source of

knowledge for future generations to build on.

I Shall Love All Mankind.

There are indeed intellectual and moral lessons

in archaeological findings that adorn our

museums and libraries. The Greeks, we know,

contributed much to modern civilisation, but

their knowledge was buried and lost to the

world for centuries until Muslim scholars unearthed

much

of it, translated

it into Arabic

and made it accessible

to the

world. The maniacs

who now

deem it fit to run around destroying these treasures

of knowledge belong in an institution for

the mentally sick.

The Holy Quran nowhere advocates the destruction

of ancient relics and the eradication

of the historical records of past generations.

On the contrary, it views it as a source of

knowledge for future generations to build on.

Conclusion:

Ideologies that lead to religious intolerance;

that stir up rebellion; the carrying out of mass

destruction of innocent, men, women and

children; the engagement in forced

conversions; the desecration and destruction of

places of worship regardless of whose religion

it belongs to; the ill-treatment of women, and

the suppression of knowledge, have no home in

the HOLY QURAN, which is the only ‘True Guide’

for all MUSLIMS – THE GENERATION NOW and

NEXT!

We strongly condemn all acts of aggression

and terror including all violations of basic human

rights specifically those carried out in the

name of Religion or State! (Return_to content)

Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at Islam Lahore (UK)

Founders of the first Islamic Mission in the UK, established 1913 as the Woking Muslim Mission.

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