The Light June 2020 06

ِ 

June 

2020 

س ی ْ ِ الرَّح 

ن 

س 

س ‏ْب سِ‏ اہللس الرَّْحْ‏ ٰ 

I Shall Love All Mankind. 

The Light 

International Organ of the Centre for the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat Islam 

WE BELIEVE 

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) is the Last Prophet. After him, no prophet, old or new, can ever come. 

The Holy Quran is complete, and no verses are missing from it. 

The Holy Quran is perfect and none of its verses are abrogated. 

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

www.virtualmosque.co.uk 

Editors 

Editor in Chief Dr Zahid Aziz 

Managing Editor Mr Shahid Aziz 

Suriname Dr Robbert Bipat 

South Africa Mr Ebrahim Mohamed 

The USA Mrs Zainab Ahmad 

Mrs Faryal Abdoelbasier 

Contents 

The Call of the Messiah 2 

The forgotten women who helped to build 

British Islam 3 

Coronavirus and the Birth of a Spiritual 

New World Order By Ebrahim Mohamed 4 

Walking in the footsteps of Beloved Jesus 

By Declan Henry 8 

Muhammad (s) 11 

Broadcast times (UK time) 

1. Mon to Thur 1900 - Urdu & English - Reflections 

on the Holy Quran 

2. Friday Sermon 13:00 

3. Sunday 09:00 – Urdu & English Call of the 

Messiah 

4. Sunday 13:00 English – Lessons in Islam 

First Sunday of month lecture 15:00. 

Broadcast Venues 

‣ www.facebook.com/LahoreAhmadiyyaMovement 

‣ www.youtube.com/channel/UCloNEE9FUnpX07thpLeKffQ 

‣ Radio Virtual Mosque @ mixlr.com 

Our Websites 

‣ International HQ 

‣ Research and History 

‣ The Woking Mosque and Mission 

‣ The Berlin Mosque and Mission 

‣ Quran search 

‣ Blog 

The Promised Messiah said: . . . 

. . . There are many who give the 

appearance of being meek and 

gentle, though they are wolves inwardly; 

and there are many who 

appear harmless, though they are 

serpents in disguise. So be mindful 

of the fact that you cannot be acceptable 

to God until your outward 

persona and your inner 

moral state are true to each other.

June 2020 The 

Light 2 

The Call of the 

Messiah 

by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam 

Ahmad 

The Promised Messiah and Mahdi 

(Editor’s note: Any quotations from the 

Quran are translated from the author’s explanations 

and are not literal translations of the verse 

quoted. This extract is from the book Kishti-e 

Nuh, translation by Akram Ahmad, pages 10- 

12) 

Seek Nearness to God: 

Believe in God and give Him precedence 

over all your personal desires, relationships, 

temporal amenities, and other mundane trappings; 

courageously perform virtuous deeds, always 

remaining true and loyal to Him. Though 

worldly people do not give preference to God 

over their means and resources and their dear 

ones, you should give preference to God over 

everything so that you are recognized by Him as 

His Jama‘at. 

Exhibiting signs of divine mercy has been 

God’s tradition from time immemorial. And you 

can partake of this divine tradition only if there 

remains no separation between Him and you; if 

your will becomes nothing but His will; if your 

wishes become nothing but His wishes and if 

you wholly resign yourselves to His will, in 

every circumstance and during all times, 

whether you experience success or failure. So if 

you conduct yourself in this manner, God, who 

has kept his visage concealed for a long time, 

will appear in you. Is there anyone from among 

you who will conduct himself thus and become 

the seeker of God’s pleasure, instead of being 

cross and vexed by what He has ordained? 

When some tribulation besets you, it should 

serve only to increase your zeal in His way — 

such zealous efforts are the means of your spiritual 

progress. And exert yourself with all your 

might to propagate the Unity of God in the 

world; be merciful to His creation, and do not 

oppress anyone, through your words or your 

deeds or your plans; persevere in promoting the 

welfare of humanity; never act conceitedly towards 

anyone, though he may be your subordinate; 

do not curse anyone, though they may cast 

maledictions at you; and become poor of heart, 

meek, sincere and sympathizers of people. If 

you act in this way, God will accept you. 

There are many who give the appearance of 

being meek and gentle, though they are wolves 

inwardly; and there are many who appear 

harmless, though they are serpents in disguise. 

So be mindful of the fact that you cannot be acceptable 

to God until your outward persona and 

your inner moral state are true to each other. If 

you are stronger, take the weaker under your 

wings of mercy, and remain vigilant lest you ridicule 

anyone; if you are a scholar, counsel the 

simple people, and be wary lest you humiliate 

them through your conceit; and if you are 

wealthy, serve the poor, and be prudent lest 

your pride induces you to act arrogantly. I also 

urge you to dread the ways of ruination. Thus, 

fear God and embrace the ways of piety; do not 

worship mortals; submit yourself completely to 

God with earnest resignation, and harbor aversion 

and disgust for this world; live for Him 

alone; and loathe every sort of vice and transgression, 

because God is Holy. 

Transform your moral state so that each 

new morning testifies that you spent the prior 

night in piety, and every approaching night proclaims 

that you spent the day with the fear of 

God in your heart. Do not fear curses of the 

worldly because, like smoke, they vanish before 

your eyes and cannot turn light into darkness. 

Instead, dread the disgrace that is from God, 

which descends from the heavens and on whom 

it alights it ruins him in this world and the Hereafter. 

You cannot save yourself through pretence 

and show because God is aware of the innermost 

depth of your soul. Do you think you can 

fool Him? I urge you to mend your moral state, 

to purify your soul, and to become morally upright. 

And remember that if even a trace of vice 

remains in you, it will extinguish all your spiritual 

light. If there is even a vestige of arrogance, 

hypocrisy, conceit, or laziness in you, then you 

will not be worthy of God’s acceptance.(Return 

to contents) 

Lahore Ahmadiyya Community



The forgotten women who 

helped to build British Islam 

women were included in Eid celebrations, debates 

and other events. The women at the Liverpool 

mosque also ran a 

home for the city's 'destitute' children, 

which was established in January 1897. 

(From: 

https://menafn.com/1099813828/The-forgotten-women-who-helped-to-build-British-Islam) 

(MENAFN - The Conversation) 

The two first British mosques were established 

in 1889 in Liverpool and Woking, and 

women played a major contribution to the communities 

that helped to set up these mosques. 

But you wouldn't necessarily know it. Indeed, 

women's contributions throughout history are 

consistently forgotten – often lost so the past 

becomes 'his story'. I hope my new research will 

play a part in changing this. 

I used archive material linked to the two 

earliest British mosques to examine the everyday 

lives of women in these historical communities. 

This research presents a coherent and 

compelling narrative of women's lives and roles 

as contributors and leaders of their communities. 

Women in these communities were usually 

middle-class converts, who encountered Islam 

through travel, mosque publications or public 

lectures. They lived in an environment that 

viewed Islam and Muslims with suspicion and 

ridicule. British Muslims were perceived as 

'loyal enemies' and 'infidels within' the society 

of that time. 

At both the Liverpool and Woking mosques, 

Women wrote for mosque publications, 

which also celebrated women's achievements. 

In January 1895, the Liverpool 

Mosque newsletter noted that Mrs Zubeida 

Ali Akbar had the honour of being presented 

to the Queen. On March 20 1895, it noted 

that Miss Teyba Bilgrami, 'a young Mahommedan 

lady of Hyderabad', had passed the 

first exam in the arts at Madras University. 

Refreshments and entertainment 

Women were nearly always in charge of refreshments 

and 'entertainment' at mosque 

events, including an annual Christmas breakfast 

that the Liverpool Muslim Institute organised. 

Women were initially excluded from the literary 

and debating society – this being only for 'young 

men'. Then in March 1896, for the first time a 

woman, Rosa Warren, gave a talk on the poet 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 

Articles in mosque publications, usually 

In this photograph from the Woking Mosque Archives, 

a few women sit at the back participating in 

the prayer. Author provided 

written by men, show how Muslim patriarchy of 

the time converged with that of Victorian society 

to marginalise women. For example, poetry 

published in the Liverpool Mosque newsletter 

derides 'the New Woman' who: 

Trailblazing women 

Yet there were also women who challenged 




these patriarchies. As part of my research, I uncovered 

many interesting stories of women and 

their roles in the mosques. There was Mrs 

Nafeesa T Keep, for example, a convert to Islam 

who arrived in Liverpool from the United States. 

She gave talks on Islam and women's rights, 

challenging both patriarchal understandings of 

Islam and stereotypes of Islam. She was appointed 

the assistant superintendent of the Medressah-i-iyyum-al-Sebbah, 

an institution 

aimed at educating young Muslims on religion. 

Zainab Cobbold (born Lady Evelyn Murray) 

was a Scottish diarist, traveller and noblewoman 

who was known for her conversion to 

Islam in the Victorian era. Author provided 

There was also Madame Teresa Griffin Viele 

(1831–1906), who took the Muslim name 

Sadika Hanoum. She was a news correspondent 

for the Liverpool Mosque, writing the 'Resume 

of Political Events' in its journal from September 

1894 to April 1895. And Lady Evelyn Zainab 

Cobbold, a high-profile convert from an aristocratic 

British family, who became one of the first 

European women to perform the Hajj or pilgrimage 

to Mecca. Extraordinarily for her time, 

she performed the pilgrimage on her own, in a 

motor car and then wrote a best-selling book in 

1934 about her experiences. 

Other women 

in this community 

include Fatima 

Cates, who was a 

key member and 

indeed founding 

treasurer of the 

Liverpool Muslim 

Institute, the body 

that itself founded 

Britain's first 

mosque in the city. 

Meanwhile, another 

woman, Begum Shah Jahan of Bhopal, India, 

funded Britain's first purpose-built mosque 

in Woking. Women were therefore central to the 

foundation of the first mosques in Britain. 

Indeed, as my research shows, history puts 

women at the 

centre of the establishment 

of 

Islam in Britain. 

And in their 

own different 

ways, these 

women took on 

roles of leadership 

and representation. 

They 

lived at a time 

that was socially 

and culturally 

extremely 

different 

from that of 

contemporary 

One woman, Jessie Ameena 

Davidson, wrote about her 

conversion in The Islamic Review 

in June 1926. Author pro- 

British Muslims. 

Yet the issues 

these women encountered in their practice 

of Islam, their negotiations with multiple patriarchies, 

and their daily lives are not unlike the 

issues around gender and mosque leadership 

debated in contemporary Britain. 

By shining a light on the history of Muslim 

women in Britain, contemporary issues seem 

less insurmountable. These women shaped the 

Muslim communities of their time and it is imperative 

that their stories are known.(Return to 

contents) 

Coronavirus and the Birth of 

a Spiritual New World Order 

By Ebrahim Mohamed 

President, AAII South 

Africa 

Since the outbreak of 

the coronavirus, life in 

many parts of the world as we know it has not 

been the same. However, one cannot help but 

conclude that the problem is far greater than 

the physical trauma the virus is causing. 

If one looks further than the physical, one 

sees an even more urgent need for a global, 

moral and spiritual healing. This pandemic has 




indeed heightened the need for serious introspection 

and spiritual transformation of all nations. 

For, let’s face it, 21 st Century moral standards 

across all spectra of life, secular as well as 

religious; have dropped so low that it was just a 

matter of time for some social implosion to occur 

that would evoke a much needed spiritual 

awakening across all borders. That time, itwould 

seem, has arrived! Or, at least, has appeared 

on the horizon. Many, for good reasons, 

see this as a blessing as it bodes the only 

guaranteed path to a lasting peace on earth. 

Man, it is clear from his history, has not 

learnt much from past trials and tribulations. 

Since the very first industrial revolution, man’s 

race for pelf and power – the creation of a dominant 

World Order of Materialism - has accelerated 

enormously to the extent that a kind of 

‘survival of the fittest’ culture has today become 

the accepted norm of most political and social 

structures in the world. Already the mad race 

for power has led to two World Wars which unleashed 

such ‘man on man’ savagery that have 

caused the gruesome deaths of millions. The 

‘hot’ wars were hardly over when it was replaced 

with equally destructive ‘cold’ trade 

wars, sanctions, and civil unrests, instigated by 

ideologues of the so called ‘exceptional’ super 

empire, Mammon, to oust non-conformists. 

These are but some of the nefarious means 

powerful nations use with impunity to gain access 

to the rich natural resources of weaker nations. 

In addition to this, ruthless profiteering 

and over industrialization are the pernicious 

economic viruses created by modern man. To 

give an example; the gross behaviour of large 

pharmaceutical and food producing companies 

in favour of a few ultra rich has resulted in a 

stranglehold on the poor middle class whose 

suffering under these economic strains seems 

to never end. Those made to suffer under these 

unfavourable conditions often wonder when 

the rich and powerful will learn that this life is 

merely transient and that nothing lasts forever? 

The rhetorical question that naturally flashes 

through the minds of those truly concerned 

about the wellbeing of humankind is, ‘Has man 

not learnt anything from the natural disasters; 

the floods, the earthquakes, the hurricanes, and 

the plagues that have already visited our 

planet?’ 

This is the unfortunate situation prevalent 

in the world today despite the fact that most religious 

scriptures are replete with narratives 

that point to the fact that whenever man’s humanity 

had degenerated into savagery as a result 

of his lost faith in a Higher Power and his 

resultant greed for material wealth, trials and 

tribulations have been God’s way of bringing 

him back to his senses. 

If we consider that according to God’s natural 

Law, every ‘cause’ has an ‘effect’ and that the 

predominant nature of God Almighty that we 

observe from Nature, is that He is Beneficent 

and Merciful, it should come as no surprise to us 

that man’s misery is self-inflicted. 

Now there might be a lot of speculation as 

to what caused the coronavirus outbreak, however, 

what is certain though is the devastating 

effect it has had on all facets of human life thus 

far. While still out of control, the virus is the 

cause that all activities including secular and religious 

across the world have been curtailed for 

safety reasons. Indeed a hard lesson for man to 

once again learn, that without divinely inspired 

qualities of humanity, morality, and spirituality; 

there is just no hope for the survival of humankind. 

That an urgent shift from the prevailing 

grossly ‘immoral’ paradigm foolishly regarded 

by the many delusional members of society as a 

‘social norm’ back to a state of complete subservience 

and accountability to Almighty God, the 

Possessor and Controller of the heavens and 

earth, is indeed now no longer a matter of debate. 

If man will not bring about a change, God 

Almighty in the interests of the survival of His 

creation will enforce a change. Thus we find 

that as events unfold before our eyes, daily, it 

seems more and more as if the Creator had 

pressed a ‘reset button’ to show man the way 

back to his original ‘Garden’ that he had strayed 

so far from. And thus we ask, ‘Is this the long 

awaited “spiritual awakening” gone viral (no 

pun intended) that’s finally on almost everyone’s 

minds and lips?’ Is this the beckoning of 

the New World Order of Spirituality that will 




overtake the forces of materialism? Thus we 

find, after mentioning the collapse of the old order, 

the Holy Quran promises: ‘And certainly We 

wrote in the Book after the reminder that 

My righteous (God-fearing) servants will inherit 

the land.’ – 21:105 

The Holy Quran warns man not to become 

too pre-occupied in materialism to the detriment 

of their souls: ‘Say: Shall We inform you 

who are the greatest losers in respect of deeds? 

Those whose effort goes astray in this 

world’s life and they think that they are making 

good manufactures. 

Those are they who disbelieve in the messages 

of their Lord and meeting with Him, so 

their works are vain. Nor shall We set up a balance 

for them on the day of Resurrection’ – 

(18:103 – 105) 

Like never before, gigantic money spinning 

industries and institutions of commerce, trade, 

entertainment, tourism, and sports across the 

world have come to a virtual standstill, literally, 

overnight as a result of a miniscule virus. Who, 

just a while ago, would have thought that bustling 

cities such as New York, Paris, Milan, Madrid 

etc. that ‘never slept’ would become virtual 

ghost towns in comparison with its erstwhile 

‘proud’ vibrant status; with no one around to 

worship their ‘neon gods’ and party and relish 

in such debauchery that makes Sodom and Gomorrah 

look like a Sunday School in comparison. 

With this global lockdown, we cannot but 

help wonder, is this perhaps God’s way of taking 

back control? Thus on a positive note, we have 

seen many blessings emerging amid the unfortunate 

trauma caused by the virus. For example, 

as a result of the significant slowdown on pollution-generating 

traffic and industries, someone 

observed that one can now experience rare 

clear, blue skies in China. A recent clip on BBC 

showed how crystal clear the waters in Venice 

have become, so much so, that for once one can 

actually see the fish! We have already also seen 

acts of compassion and empathy spread across 

the globe like never before. Hostilities seem to 

have been wisely suspended – we can only pray 

that it will stay like this forever. 

Thus on a spiritual level we might ask, is 

this perhaps the collective ‘stillness’ our souls 

need for its own healing? A breakaway from the 

never-ending wheeling and dealing that have 

overwhelmed our bodies, minds and souls for 

too long? It is an ideal time to savour the quiet 

moments for introspection, for connecting with 

our loved ones, and recharging our humane batteries. 

The words of the prophets might not be 

written ‘on the subway walls’ anymore, but perhaps 

now is a good time for all faith communities 

to revisit the words of wisdom of Confucius, 

Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, 

and Muhammad; time to give prominence 

to the laws of God and seriously consider transformation 

of our lifestyles so that it become 

more in tune with the universe and the needs 

and rights of all fellow human-beings that we 

share this earth with. 

In the context of the current viral attack on 

our personal safety, perhaps a good place to 

start would be to highlight the importance of 

practising hygiene and healthy diets as recommended 

by all health experts and as commanded 

by God Almighty in His Scriptures. 

Basic Hygiene 

If we probe the Holy Quran, the sayings of 

the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the 

Bible, we find that God in His Infinite Wisdom 

and Mercy has provided man with the ways and 

means to a clean and healthy lifestyle. If we reflect 

on it, we realize, in the light of what is happening 

in the world, that God has done this for 

a very good reason – a reason that is often ignored 

or taken for granted or even scoffed at by 

foolish sceptics, until something like ‘corona’ 

comes along and shakes them all to the core so 

that even something as basic as ‘washing of the 

hands’ has become the repeated frantic call of 

the day. Thus addressing the Holy Prophet Muhammad 

(pbuh), Almighty Allah says:‘O thou 

who wrap thyself up, arise and warn and thy 

Lord do magnify, and thy garments do purify 




and uncleanness do shun.’ – (74: 1 -5) 

This command is in line with a Muslim’s obligation 

to perform an ablution before the obligatory 

five daily prayers as commanded by 

God in the Holy Quran: ‘O you, who believe, 

when you rise up for prayer, wash your faces 

and your hands up to the elbows and yourfeet 

up to the ankles.’ – 5:6. 

Although the ablution is intended to elevate 

the mind to a state of readiness for prayer, medical 

science affirms its enormous physical benefits 

in the prevention of the spread of diseases 

such as the highly contagious coronavirus, 

which the majority of scientific experts, amidst 

many conspiracy theories to the contrary, agree 

is due to poor hygienic and dietary practices. 

The Holy Quran also calls for bathing after 

sexual intercourse and the use of water to clean 

oneself when using the toilet. Only if one finds 

oneself in a part of the country where there is 

no water, pure earth should be used. – (5:6) 

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of 

God be upon him) also emphasised the washing 

of hands before and after a meal. He is reported 

to have said: ‘The blessing of food is the 

washing of hands before it, and the washing of 

hands after it’ – (Tirmidhi, Mishkat ) 

The Importance of Following, a Clean, 

Healthy Diet 

The Holy Quran prescribes clean, healthy 

diets. The first overriding condition is that all 

foods must be lawful (halaal) and good (tayyib: 

i.e. it must be clean, nutritious and 

wholesome at all times): ‘O men eat the lawful 

and good (tayyib) things from what are in 

the earth.’ – (2:168) 

This excludes everything that is harmful for 

human consumption such as rodents, bats, and 

snakes that are treated as a delicacy among 

some Asians said to have been the cause of the 

deadly virus. 

The Holy Quran 1 also strictly prohibits the 

consumption of impure, decaying meat of animals 

that: 

• Died of itself, 

• Were strangled to death 

• Were beaten to death 

• Were killed by a fall 

• Were gored to death with a horn 

• Were partly eaten by wild beasts 

Those animals which include fowl, lamb, 

sheep, goats, bulls, cows, camels that are 

healthy and properly slaughtered in a manner 

that ensures all the blood flows out of it to rid it 

of all toxicity, are lawful (halaal) and good for 

human consumption. 

The other items that are also strictly forbidden 

for consumption are: 

• Blood and the 

• The flesh of swine. 

The flesh of swine is also forbidden by the 

Law of Moses that states: ‘And the pig, though it 

has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is 

unclean for you. You must not eat their meat 

nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean for 

you.’– (Leviticus 11:7) 

Jesus Christ, a faithful Jew, declared: 

‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the 

Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish 

them but to fulfill them.’ – (Matthew 5:17) 

The obvious conclusion one draws from this 

is that Jesus observed the dietary laws as prescribed 

by the Prophet Moses with regard to the 

prohibition of eating pork in fulillment of the 

Law. 

The Holy Qur’an speaks of the first three 

forbidden foods, i.e. the decaying flesh of dead 

animals, blood and pork, as unclean things, 

detrimental to man’s physical and moral wellbeing. 

It then adds a fourth prohibition that af- 

1 Holy Quran 5:3; 2:173; 6:145; 16:115 




fects the spiritual well-being of man. These refer 

to those animals on which a name other than 

that of Almighty Allah was mentioned and those 

offerings made to idols. The reason for this is 

not far to seek if one considers that the fundamental 

pillar on which Islam is based is pure 

monotheism. Islam prohibits all forms of idolatry 

as unclean and immoral - harmful to the unfoldment 

and growth of the human soul to perfection. 

In the light of the current pandemic, those 

who are still silly enough to scoff at these basic 

hygienic practices, as prescribed in divine scripture, 

should think again. 

Will there be a cure for the disease? 

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: 

‘Allah has sent down both the disease and the 

cure, and He has appointed a cure for every disease, 

so treat yourselves medically, but use 

nothing unlawful.’– (Sunan Abi Dawud 3874) 

Indeed, it is just a matter of time that man 

will find the cure that will arrest ‘corona’ and 

bring it under his control. The Holy Quran also 

says: ‘He has made subservient to you (mankind) 

whatsoever is in the heavens and the 

earth, all, from Himself. Surely there are signs 

in this for a people who reflect.’– (45:13) 

It is now up to the medical scientists and 

other experts in the field to pursue and study 

the signs and unlock the mystery surrounding 

this virus and render it subservient, 

meaning it can be made to serve a 

useful purpose as a vaccine, for example, 

or rendered completely impotent. 

Will and His Laws. We should not be too proud 

to ask for His forgiveness for our sins and shortcomings. 

And when He delivers us from this 

evil, we must continue to show gratitude for His 

Mercy by serving Him through good deeds and 

forbidding evil. 

It will not harm humankind to use this opportunity 

to reconnect with that Higher Power 

of Love, Compassion and Mercy, Whose Spirit 

resides in all of us, regardless of race, religion, 

colour or creed. 

We humbly beseech Almighty God to forgive 

and have mercy on His creation and weaken the 

strain of the coronavirus and rapidly stop its 

spread in the world. May He protect us all, 

Amen! (Return to contents) 

Walking in the footsteps of 

Beloved Jesus 

By Declan Henry 

(Note: Declan Henry is 

the author of ‘Voices of 

Modern Islam – What it 

means to be Muslim Today’ 

published by Jessica 

Kingsley Publishers, 

London. (Available 

to buy on Amazon) www.declanhenry.co.uk) 

By virtue of fulfilling the Biblical calling I 

Refrain from evil; Seek God’s 

Forgiveness and Pray for 

Help 

There is indeed a general consensus, 

even from hardened sceptics, 

that we cannot fight off this virus 

without the help of Almighty 

God. But first we need to commit to 

a life of complete obedience to His 

A view of Masjid Al Aqsa from the Western Wall, (Wailing Wall), in the Old 

City of Jerusalem, a place of prayer and pilgrimage sacred to the Jews. 




went on a profound 12 day pilgrimage with 

friends to the Holy Land. We started our pilgrimage 

around the Sea of Galilee where Jesus 

lived for thirty years. I swam in its waters which 

felt surreal and made me realise that I was surrounded 

by a beautiful and holy place, however, 

it was not until we sailed across the sea in a boat 

resembling one that Jesus used that the tranquillity 

of its surrounding hills was most appreciated. 

The area is unspoilt making me think I 

was seeing what Jesus would have seen around 

him 2,000 years ago. The Jewish town of Tiberius 

is only visible inhabitation around the landscape 

of the sea. The countryside around Galilee 

is quite barren but as we made our way to Nazareth 

I noticed farmers driving tractors in the 

fields to tend to their bales of hay and straw. 

Israel is full of beautiful churches which are 

mainly either Catholic or Greek Orthodox. Magnificent 

paintings and icons of Jesus, Mother 

Mary, and others significant religious figures 

featured heavily in each church. Three very 

special Catholics churches stood out. The first 

was the Church of the Beatitudes located on the 

Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus delivered the 

Sermon on the Mount outing the eight beatitudes 

(as contained in St Matthew’s gospel) 

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the 

kingdom of heaven.’ (Matthew 5:3). The gardens 

around this church were astonishingly 

beautiful. The peacefulness inside was eager to 

impart harmony to troubled hearts. The second 

church was The Primacy of Saint Peter, 

a small Franciscan church located off the shore 

of Galilee. Jesus appeared here to St Peter after 

the resurrection to demonstrate he had forgiven 

him for denying him three times before 

the crucifixion. Jesus cooked Peter some fish on 

a large rock before he reinstates him as chief 

among the Apostles. I kissed this rock which is 

laid before the altar in the church. Jesus also 

performed one of his best known miracles in 

this area when he fed 5,000 people in the parable 

of the five loaves and two fishes. The third 

Church was called the Pilgrimage Church of St 

Peter in Capernaum where archaeologists discovered 

the ruins of St Peter’s house. It was 

around this area that Jesus healed the sick and 

anointed the dying. The church is built of the 

site of St Peter’s house where Jesus raised Peter’s 

mother-in-law back to life. 

The middle part of our pilgrimage consisted 

of visiting Jericho, Palestine and the West Bank 

before stopping en-route at the River Jordan. Jesus 

was baptised in the river as an adult by John 

the Baptist. I, too, was baptised in its waters. 

The ceremony was a very private and peaceful 

spiritual experience. It was a reminder that we 

are all mortal beings. After surfacing from being 

submerged in the water, the sky is a shade of 

blue never seen before. 

I loved Palestine and have nothing but complimentary 

comments to make about its people 

who I found warm and affable. Some are Christian 

and some are Muslim but all appeared liberal 

and welcoming to visitors. We visited an 

area called Qumran in the Judaean Desert, close 

to the Jordanian border. It was here where the 

Dead Sea Scrolls (ancient Jewish manuscripts of 

the Old Testament) were discovered in the 

1950s. Evidence was also discovered at the time 

of an ascetical Jewish sect where Jesus often visited. 

Indeed, it is here high and deep in the rocky 

terrain that there is a cave where Jesus often 

used. I climbed this high peak along with ten 

others to see the cave. It was a very hot day as 

we navigated the narrow pathway to the cave 

and when we reached it, I went and sat at the 

back of it and meditated reflecting that I was in 

a place where Jesus prayed, ate and slept. I experienced 

a gentle cool breeze from the scorching 

heat outside. The peace of the moment was 

enhanced by birds flying in and out of the cave. 

Spiritual experiences don’t get any greater than 

this. It’s impossible to ask for grace and healing 

A garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem 

where Jesus was arrested the night before his crucifixion. 




and not receive it. Before we left Palestine, we 

visited the Dead Sea. Nothing lives in the Dead 

Sea, hence its name, mainly because of its strong 

salt content. Going into it was rather treacherously 

over slippery muddy rocks but once inside, 

friends encouraged me float which was 

easily done given the heavy salted water’s natural 

buoyancy. 

Our tour guide, Nadal told us, ‘When God 

handed out ten units of beauty, he gave nine to 

Jerusalem and one to the rest of the world but 

when God handed out ten units of pain and suffering, 

he gave nine to Jerusalem and one to the 

rest of the world.’ Jerusalem is indeed a beautiful 

city. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is built 

on the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. I used to be 

moved to tears as a child every time I heard the 

story of Jesus forgiving one of the thieves that 

was beside him on the cross after the thief said, 

‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your 

kingdom.’ And Jesus replied to him, ‘Assuredly, I 

say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise’” 

(Luke 23:39-43). And there I now stood at 

the site where these words were spoken. The 

Holy Sepulchre church is very large and was 

planned to enclose both the site of the crucifixion 

and Jesus’ tomb was in close proximity to 

Calvary. The slab of stone where his body was 

laid after being taken down from the cross is on 

display in the church. 

Jerusalem is home to Jews, Christians and 

Muslims. Orthodox and ultra-orthodox Jews are 

particularly visible walking its streets. They are 

quiet people and rarely interact with others 

outside their communities. They are also extremely 

religious people who grief the loss of 

their temple destroyed in battle, which dated 

back to the time of King Herod, and was the 

original home for the Ark of the Covenant ( a 

gold-covered wooden chest containing the two 

stone tablets of the Ten Commandments). 

Feigned grief and demonstrations of mourning 

are commonplace scenes at the Western Wall 

(also known as the Wailing Wall) which is on 

the boundary of the Temple Mount. Jews are eager 

to rebuild the temple but are faced by an 

enormous obstacle. A large Islamic shrine 

(Dome of the Rock) stands on the Temple Mount 

and is considered a sacred place by Muslims 

who believe the Prophet Muhammad visited 

this site in Jerusalem the night before his death 

before ascending to heaven. Close to this stands 

a mosque (Al-Aqsa). A compromise appears impossible 

resulting in the holiest of cities constantly 

on the brink of conflict. 

I truly loved the Garden of Gethsemane 

which is situated close to the Mount of Olives 

and allows for panoramic views all across Jerusalem. 

This is the garden where Jesus prayed on 

the night of his arrest before crucifixion. The 

garden contains olive trees dating back 2,000 

years. It is immaculately well kept with flower 

beds containing white, yellow and red roses. 

While in Jerusalem I also visited the Syriac 

Orthodox Monastery of Saint Mark in the heart 

of the city which is believed to be the ancient 

site of Mary, mother of St Mark the Evangelist 

and contains the room where the last supper 

took place. I spent at least thirty minutes in this 

room and when not meditating recalled all my 

childhood memories of listening to stories 

about the last supper and wondering was Jesus 

and the disciples ate and spoke about on that 

fateful night. 

Our final trip was to Bethlehem, which lies 

10 kilometres south of Jerusalem, to visit the 

Church of the Nativity which is built on the site 

of the cave (stable) where Jesus was born. Access 

to the cave is allowed and once there I 

quickly became absorbed in the silence and 

sense of peace that was present. Bethlehem 

now has a Muslim majority, but is still home to 

a significant number of Palestinian Christians. 

The Church of the Nativity has remained 

unchanged for centuries and contains many fascinating 

wall mosaics and paintings. Over the 

centuries, three different monasteries have 

been built on this compound: one Greek Orthodox, 

one Armenian Apostolic, and one Roman 

Catholic. I visited the Catholic Church where a 

christening was taking place. I couldn’t help but 

think how lucky the baby was being baptised so 

close to where Jesus was born. 

The Holy Land was much different to what I 

imagined, having listened in Church throughout 

my life to the manes of places where I visited 




and imagining them to be still preserved. However, 

that is not to say that I disappointed by 

what I seen after better realisation that the Holy 

Land’s story relates to over 2,000 years ago and 

given that the country has seen much war and 

destruction century upon century since then, 

it’s a miracle that so many ruins and remnants 

of Jesus’ still exist and are so well preserved. If 

you haven’t visited the Holy Land, I recommend 

that you do because you will be enriched by the 

experience of visiting the country where Jesus 

was born and lived and where his messages to 

mankind of hope, love and peace never dates including 

his words: ‘You should love each other, 

as I have loved you.’ (John 13:34). This message 

is as important now as it ever was given the ongoing 

tension between Israelis and Palestinians 

with peace appearing a long way ahead on the 

horizon. (Return to contents) 

Muhammad (s) 

As Others Saw Him. 

Lamartine, Histoire de la Turquie, Paris 

1854, Vol II, pp. 276-77: “If greatness of purpose, 

smallness of means, and astounding results 

are the three criteria of human genius, 

who could dare to compare any great man in 

modern history with Muhammad? The most famous 

men created arms, laws and empires only. 

They founded, if anything at all, no more than 

material powers which often crumbled away 

before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, 

legislations, empires, peoples and dynasties, 

but millions of men in one-third of the then 

inhabited world; and more than that, he moved 

the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the 

beliefs and souls... the forbearance in victory, his 

ambition, which was entirely devoted to one 

idea and in no manner striving for an empire; 

his endless prayers, his mystic conversations 

with God, his death and his triumph after death; 

all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm 

conviction which gave him the power to restore 

a dogma. This dogma was twofold, the unit of 

God and the immateriality of God; the former 

telling what God is, the latter telling what God is 

not; the one overthrowing false gods with the 

sword, the other starting an idea with words.” 

“Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, 

warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational 

dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of 

twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual 

empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all 

standards by which human greatness may be 

measured, we may well ask, is there any man 

greater than he?” 

Edward Gibbon and Simon Ocklay, History 

of the Saracen Empire, London, 1870, p. 54: 

“It is not the propagation but the permanency of 

his religion that deserves our wonder, the same 

pure and perfect impression which he engraved 

at Mecca and Medina is preserved, after the revolutions 

of twelve centuries by the Indian, the 

African and the Turkish proselytes of the 

Quran...The Mahometans[1] have uniformly 

withstood the temptation of reducing the object 

of their faith and devotion to a level with the 

senses and imagination of man. ‘I believe in One 

God and Mahomet the Apostle of God’, is the 

simple and invariable profession of Islam. The 

intellectual image of the Deity has never been 

degraded by any visible idol; the honors of the 

prophet have never transgressed the measure 

of human virtue, and his living precepts have restrained 

the gratitude of his disciples within the 

bounds of reason and religion.” 

Bosworth Smith, Mohammed and Mohammadanism, 

London 1874, p. 92: “He was Caesar 

and Pope in one; but he was Pope without 

Pope’s pretensions, Caesar without the legions 

of Caesar: without a standing army, without a 

bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed 

revenue; if ever any man had the right to say 

that he ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammed, 

for he had all the power without its instruments 

and without its supports.” 

Annie Besant, The Life and Teachings of Muhammad, 

Madras 1932, p. 4: “It is impossible for 

anyone who studies the life and character of the 

great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he 

taught and how he lived, to feel anything but 

reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the 

great messengers of the Supreme. And although 

in what I put to you I shall say many things 

which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel 




whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, 

a new sense of reverence for that mighty 

Arabian teacher.” 

W. Montgomery, Mohammad at Mecca, Oxford 

1953, p. 52: “His readiness to undergo persecutions 

for his beliefs, the high moral character 

of the men who believed in him and looked 

up to him as leader, and the greatness of his ultimate 

achievement – all argue his fundamental 

integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor 

raises more problems than it solves. Moreover, 

none of the great figures of history is so poorly 

appreciated in the West as Muhammad.” 

James A. Michener, ‘Islam: The Misunderstood 

Religion’ in Reader’s Digest (American 

Edition), May 1955, pp. 68-70: “Muhammad, the 

inspired man who founded Islam, was born 

about A.D. 570 into an Arabian tribe that worshipped 

idols. Orphaned at birth, he was always 

particularly solicitous of the poor and needy, 

the widow and the orphan, the slave and the 

downtrodden. At twenty he was already a successful 

businessman, and soon became director 

of camel caravans for a wealthy widow. When 

he reached twenty-five, his employer, recognizing 

his merit, proposed marriage. Even though 

she was fifteen years older, he married her, and 

as long as she lived, remained a devoted husband. 

“Like almost every major prophet before 

him, Muhammad fought shy of serving as the 

transmitter of God’s word, sensing his own inadequacy. 

But the angel commanded ‘Read’. So 

far as we know, Muhammad was unable to read 

or write, but he began to dictate those inspired 

words which would soon revolutionize a large 

segment of the earth: “There is one God.” 

“In all things Muhammad was profoundly 

practical. When his beloved son Ibrahim died, 

an eclipse occurred, and rumors of God’s personal 

condolence quickly arose. Whereupon 

Muhammad is said to have announced, ‘An 

eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. It is foolish 

to attribute such things to the death or birth of 

a human-being.’ 

“At Muhammad’s own death an attempt was 

made to deify him, but the man who was to become 

his administrative successor killed the 

hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in religious 

history: ‘If there are any among you who 

worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is 

God you worshipped, He lives forever.’” 

Michael H. Hart, The 100: A Ranking of the 

Most Influential Persons in History, New York: 

Hart Publishing Company, Inc. 1978, p. 33: “My 

choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the 

world’s most influential persons may surprise 

some readers and may be questioned by others, 

but he was the only man in history who was supremely 

successful on both the religious and 

secular level.” 

Encyclopedia Britannica: “....a mass of detail 

in the early sources show that he was an 

honest and upright man who had gained the respect 

and loyalty of others who were like-wise 

honest and upright men.” (Vol. 12) 

George Bernard Shaw said about him: “He 

must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe 

that if a man like him were to assume the 

dictatorship of the modern world, he would 

succeed in solving its problems in a way that 

would bring it much needed peace and happiness.” 

(Return to contents) 

The Call of the Messiah! 

To walk with me is to tred a 

thorny and stonny path. O Ye 

with delicate feet, leave my 

side now. 

Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at Islam Lahore 

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

E-mail: editor.thelight@aaiil.uk 

Websites: www.aaiil.org/uk | www.ahmadiyya.org | www.virtualmosque.co.uk

The Light June 2020 06

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