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01
Munir-ud-din Shams (Chairman)
Mansoor Shah (Secretary)
Naseer Ahmad Qamar Editorial
Mubarak Ahmad Zafar World peace will only become a reality when true
Mirza Fakhar Ahmad
Abdul Baqi Arshad justice is established for all.
(Syed Amer Ahmad, UK) . ........................................................ 2
CHIEF EDITOR & MANAGER
Mansoor Ahmed Shah
The Future of Islam – Part 1
EDITORIAL BOARD In this epic piece the Promised Messiah(as) elucidates
Adam Walker
Syed Amer Ahmad. the fact that of all world religions, only Islam has the
Bockarie Tommy Kallon ability to avoid natural decay.
Fareed Ahmad
Fauzia Bajwa Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), the Promised Messiah
Fazal Ahmad and Mahdi). ........................................................................... 4
Khullat Munir
Mansoor Saqi
Sarah Waseem Establishing Peace, Love and Harmony in
Tanveer Khokhar.
the Society
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS Real justice requires that even if you have to testify
Amatul Hadi Ahmad
against a close relative then you should do so.
PROOFREADERS (Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya
Abdul Ghany Jahangeer Khan Muslim community) ............................................................................ 26
DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Tanveer Khokhar Forefathers of the Promised Messiah(as)
DISTRIBUTION A remarkable and detailed insight into the ancestral
Muhammad Hanif lineage of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), portraying
PUBLISHER his origins in Iranian heritage and his ancient roots
Al Shirkatul Islamiyyah in Samarkand, one of the oldest inhabited cities in the
All correspondence should be forwarded to the world. (Hadhrat Maulana Abdur Raheem Dard(ra))....................... 33
editor at:
But the Christians did not stop Hinduism had met a similar fate
here. They went further still and before the appearance of Islam.
abolished many of the Old Idol-worship was prevalent
Testament laws which had been throughout India. Corrupt beliefs
given for all times. In short, the had replaced the true and simple
Christian religion has undergone monotheistic doctrines. The
a complete metamorphosis and is same corruption still prevails in
so completely changed that if the beliefs entertained by the
Jesus(as) himself were to come Arya Samaj who hold that the
back, he would not recognise in Creator, like mortals, stands in
Christianity the religion which he need of material to make things.
had taught and preached. It is One error called forth another
astonishing indeed that men who and as a necessary consequence
being and God is infinite, and by the appearance of Islam, all the
the power of the infiniteness of religions had become corrupt on
His existence, He can bring other account of the errors which had
things into existence. Such is the crept into them and that they had
mighty power of His God-head. no spirituality left in them. Our
If He too, like men, had Holy Prophet(saw) was accordingly
depended upon other things in the greatest reformer of the
the exercise of His power, He world inasmuch as he restored to
could not have been anything it the truth which had utterly
more than a mortal. Is there any disappeared from its face. This is
one who can resist His will or an eminence to which none but
withstand His power? Is He, the the Holy Prophet(saw) attained. He
mighty God, unable to create found the whole world involved
earth and heavens in the in darkness which gave place to
twinkling of an eye if He so wills light by his appearance. He did
it? Those among the Hindus in not depart from this world until
whom learning went hand in the whole nation, in which he
hand with spirituality, and for had appeared, had thrown away
whom a false logic had no the clothing of Shirk (associating
charms, never entertained the partners with God), and donned the
erroneous belief which the Arya garments of unity. Not only did
Samaj holds. Such a belief gains he succeed in a wonderful
currency only on account of an manner in firmly establishing the
estrangement from the Divine Unity of God, but he made the
Being, which is, in other words, people who had answered his call
the absence of spirituality. In reach the highest pinnacles of
short, the prevalence of corrup- faith and show such faithfulness,
tion in every religion was a clear constancy and certainty as are
sign of the necessity of a pure without a parallel in the history
religion, which need was satisfied of the world. Such marvellous
by the advent of Islam. success was not granted to any
prophet except the Holy Prophet
Every student of history is Muhammad(saw), and it is one of
obliged to admit, that just before the most convincing arguments
Another argument for the truth support of the truth of the Holy
of the Holy Prophet’s(saw) mission Prophet’s(saw) mission applies with
is furnished by the following equal force to the truth of my
circumstances. It appears from claim. For according to the
the Holy Qur’an as well as the division suggested above the sixth
books of previous prophets that thousand which begins with the
the present cycle of the world fourth century after Islam and
which begins with Adam(as), will ends with the thirteenth, is the
last for seven thousand years, time of the prevalence of error.
every alternate thousand In the traditions of our Holy
representing a period of the pre- Prophet(saw), the men of this time
dominance of goodness and evil are described as the ‘Faij-e-
in succession. Thus beginning Aawaj’ [crooked generation]
with the first thousand, every odd With the commencement of the
thousand was a period of the fourteenth century the world
prevalence of truth and virtue, enters upon a new era, the
and every even thousand that of millenium, which is a time of the
the spread of error and evil. Now predominance of truth. As it is
according to this division, the the last thousand, so it is
fifth thousand from Adam(as) was necessary that the reformer of
a time of the spread of goodness the last ages should appear at its
and it was in this thousand that commencement. No Messiah
our Holy Prophet(saw) made his comes after the Messiah who has
appearance and re-established already appeared but he who
the doctrine of unity which had appears as his image. The
almost disappeared from the face Promised Messiah(as), therefore,
of earth. His appearance in the appears as the reformer of the
thousand which had been fixed fourteenth century (for Almighty
from eternity as the time of the God had promised that every
predominance of virtue is one of century would have a reformer)
the most powerful arguments for and also as the reformer of the
his truth. last thousand. It is a fact upon
which the Jews and the
The argument adduced above in Christians are both agreed that
time can be fixed from Adam(as) to thousand years, but we cannot fix
the end. These people have never the hour at which it must take
given a thought to the Divine place, for an addition or subtrac-
books. It is a fact strongly tion of several years would not
supported by the testimony of affect the calculation.
the Jews and the Christians and
the Holy Qur’an and the books There are numerous signs which
of prophets. From the traditions indicate clearly that the Day of
of our Holy Prophet(saw), it also Judgment has drawn nigh, and a
appears that we are in the last mighty revolution has taken
ages and the signs of the place in the world. The signs of
promised time have all been the last ages as given in the Holy
witnessed. The statement that Qur’an are mostly fulfilled. The
the hour of judgment cannot be time of the appearance of the
known to any mortal requires to Promised Messiah has come and
be explained. It does not mean the question naturally arises,
that we must remain quite in the whether he must appear from
dark as to the Day of Judgment. among the Muslims or any other
Had such been the case, why people. Almighty God says in the
should the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Qur’an, that the Holy
traditions have described the Prophet Muhammad(saw), had
signs by which the approach of complete resemblance with
that hour could be known? Not Moses(as). This resemblance was
only does the Holy Qur’an give at first witnessed in the person of
us the signs by which the the Holy Prophet(saw) himself. As
approach of that hour can be Pharaoh and his hosts, the
known, but it tells as also that enemies of Moses(as), were
that hour has drawn nigh. The destroyed before his eyes, so Abu
Gospels and the previous books Jahl who was the Pharaoh of his
also mention the signs of its time met with destruction
approach. What is meant, there- together with his army at the
fore, is this that the exact hour is hands of the Holy Prophet(saw).
not known to anybody. We fix it Thus was fulfilled the prophecy
roundly at the end of seven contained in the verse, ‘A prophet
has been sent to you like the prophet prophetic word, and like Jesus(as) I
who was sent to Pharaoh’ have been sent to preach
(Ch.73:V.16) where the unbe- forbearance and forgiveness.
lievers are threatened with a fate Moreover, I have come at a time
similar to that of Pharaoh and when the Muslims society has,
his hosts. This is a point of like the Jewish, rotten to the core,
resemblance in the beginning of and spirituality, which is the life
the two systems. A similar and essence, having departed,
resemblance is promised at the nothing has remained in the
end. hands of the Muslims but the
husk of lifeless ceremonies.
The Mosaic system was brought
to an end by Almighty God This state of the Muslim people
raising a prophet who did not had been foretold in the Holy
possess temporal power and who Qur’an, as in one place it uses of
abolished religious wars and them the very words which it uses
taught forbearance and forgive- of the Jews, indicating that power
ness. He came at a time when the and kingdom would be granted
Israelites were morally in a state to the Muslims, but that they
of degradation and evil had would be deprived of it in the last
found way among them. They ages because of their evil deeds
had lost all temporal power and as the Jews were deprived before
lived in subjection to the Roman them. Again in Sura Nur (the
rule. This prophet appeared in Light) the Holy Qur’an clearly
the fourteenth century after says that successors would be
Moses(as) and was the terminating raised to the Holy Prophet(saw) like
link of the Israelite chain of the successors of Moses(as). Thus
prophets. In like manner has among the successors of
Almighty God raised me in this Moses(as), Jesus Christ(as) was a
age in the spirit and character of prophet who did not take up the
Christ(as), son of Mary. Religious sword nor waged religious wars.
wars have been abolished in my A similar Messiah must appear
time as they were in that of among the Muslims to complete
Jesus(as), in accordance with the the promised likeness spoken of
been thrown on every side of the you are strangers to the sweetness
question. Therefore you cannot of faith. The weakness and
bring forward any excuse for errors, the love of this world and
sticking to this error. the darkness in which the
Muslims are involved naturally
As for my truth, heaven has call for one who, being inspired
borne witness to it and the earth from heaven, should rise and take
has offered its testimony. There is them by the hand.
also the evidence of Muslim
saints in support of my claim, Still I am called a dajjal
some of whom described me so (Antichrist). How deplorable
minutely as to give even my must be the condition of a people
name and the name of my to whom at the critical moment
village. They died long before my in their life a dajjal is sent! How
appearance, but still gave unfortunate the nation which
evidence that I was the Promised when standing at the brink of
Messiah. All this will be found destruction, is visited by another
published in my books. More destruction from heaven! They
recently some of the spiritual call me accursed and a heretic,
leaders of Muslim people with but there is nothing new in that.
hundreds of thousands of The same epithets were given to
followers, being inspired by God Jesus Christ(as) and are still given
or informed by the Holy to him by the Jews. But those who
Prophet(saw) in a vision, have will be punished in hell for their
borne witness to the truth of my evils, will say:
claim. Besides this, thousands of
heavenly signs have been shown Why see we not the men whom we
by me, and the holy prophets of numbered among the wicked?
God predicted the exact time of (Ch.38:V.63)
my appearance. If you reflect,
even your hands and feet and The world has ever been an
your hearts will bear witness to enemy to the messengers of God,
the truth of my claim. Too many for the love of the world and the
are your weaknesses and most of love of God’s righteous prophets
cannot go together. Had you too Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the
not loved the world, you could Messenger of Allah;’ whereas
have seen me, but now you they slew him not, nor crucified
cannot. If it is true that the verse him, but he was made to appear to
‘But Almighty God raised him to them like one crucified; and
Himself ’ (Ch.4:V.159) refers to the those who differ therein are
physical ascension of Jesus(as), certainly in a state of doubt
where has then the Holy Qur’an about it; they have no definite
decided the matter in dispute? knowledge therof, but only follow
The Jews, whom the verse plainly a conjecture; and they did not
refutes, denied the rafa’ of Jesus(as) convert this conjecture into a
(i.e., his rising to God) only in the certainty.
sense that he was an impostor (Ch.4:V.158)
and not a truthful and righteous
servant of God and that Here the words which mean that
accordingly his soul did not rise they did not crucify him, are
to heaven. They have never coupled with the words ‘and they
contended that a man’s death on did not murder him’, thus
the Crossrenders impossible his indicating that being nailed to
bodily ascension to heaven. What the Crossdid not by itself bring a
they say is only this that in man under the curse of God
accordance with the Word of unless death was caused by this
God, the man who dies upon the process; or by the attendant
Crossremains under the curse of process of breaking the legs
God and his soul cannot rise to which in such cases is resorted to,
heaven. Now if we read the Holy to make death sure. In these
Qur’an, we will see that its object words, the Holy Qur’an,
is to deny the death of Jesus(as) therefore, tells us that none of
upon the Crossand thus, to assert these events, took place in the
his rafa’ or the rising of his soul to case of Jesus, i.e., neither he died
heaven. Thus the verse in dispute upon the Crossnor were his legs
is preceded by the verse: broken.
And their saying, ‘We did kill the History bears witness to the truth
take a just view of things, they grace of God, we could not have
would find that without the living attained His knowledge. Grace
and perfect certainty which is clears and brightens knowledge
granted from heaven through the and removes all intervening veils.
holy prophets and messengers of It brushes away the dust cast by
God, their prayers are only the disobedient spirit and gives a
lifeless ceremonies and their power and life to the spirit. It
fasting mere starvation. takes the spirit of man by the
hand and draws it out of the pit
The truth is that no one can of disobedience, purifies it of the
actually obtain a release from the dross of evil desires and saves it
bondage of sin or love God from being swept off before the
perfectly or fear Him as he ought flood of passions. A trans-
to fear, unless and until he is formation is then brought about
granted power from above and within a man and he hates the
Divine knowledge through the impure life of sinfulness.
grace and mercy of God. It is
self-evident that love or fear of a The first movement to which
thing is generated in the heart Divine grace leads the soul is
only by knowledge of it. If we prayer. Do not think that I mean
were to consider the reason by prayer the ordinary prayers
which makes a man love a thing that you say daily. The prayer to
or fear it, we would find that which the soul is led after it has
these states of mind are con- attained Divine knowledge
sequent only upon knowledge of through Divine grace has quite a
the thing loved or feared. It is different nature. It is a thing
true, however, that the knowledge which brings about annihilation,
of God cannot be attained but a fire which melts the soul, a
through His grace, and with its magnetic power which draws
attainment is the way opened for mercy, a death which gives life, a
a man to see the truth. It is, raging flood which afterwards
therefore, grace only which becomes the life-boat. It mends
opens and re-opens the gate of all deteriorations and impair-
truth, and had it not been for the ments, and makes every poison
F
(Khalifatul Masih V) irst of all I would like to thank
all the distinguished guests,
who with an open heart and
kindness have joined us here
today. By doing so you have
Establishing fulfilled the humanly bond of
Peace, Love friendship and have shown that
you hold in high regard the
and Harmony sentiments of others. India is a
vast country where people
in Society belonging to different casts and
religions abide, and for the
survival of the nation it is
important to respect the feelings
The following is an address and sentiments of each other.
given at the Taj Residency
Hotel, Ernakulam, Kerala on Today the world consists of
people belonging to different
30 November 2008 religions and the founders of
those religions have all taught
their followers to worship the one
God and discharge the rights
owed to Him and His creation.
About 1400 years ago, God
Almighty sent the Holy
Prophet(saw) and the law revealed
to him in the form of the Holy
Qur’an. About this law-bearing
book, God Almighty has said in
the Holy Qur’an:
Hence, people who believe in the justice, even if the person concerned
Holy Qur’an have been advised be a relative, and fulfil the covenant
to show integrity in all their of Allah.
endeavours and work to promote (Ch.6:V.153)
goodness and righteousness
within their societies. But before Justice requires that even if you
one can counsel others towards have to give evidence against your
such ways, one must practice dear ones then do so. Today, when
what one preaches. You cannot we take a closer look around us,
counsel others if you do not we observe that most of the
follow the path of righteousness disputes and causes of dissention
yourself. If all people who claim amongst people are due to not
to be righteous abided by this observing proper justice. We only
principal then their counsel would think of our vested interests, or
be effective; they would be that of our dear ones, without
considered valued members of considering the fact that the
the society. Others would respect others might be hurt by our
them, give importance to what actions; and once grievances
they say, and obey them since they develop it becomes difficult to
understand that this person is eliminate them.
adopting such an approach not
for his own good but with the In terms of international rela-
welfare of others at heart. He tions, the level of justice we are
exercises extreme justice in his expected to show is commanded
dealings and when enjoining by the following words in the Holy
others to abstain from evil and Qur’an:
adopt virtue, he also expects this
from his dear ones. O ye who believe! Be steadfast in
the cause of Allah, bearing witness
How (are we) to establish justice in equity. And let not a people’s
and promote peace, love and enmity incite you to act otherwise
brotherhood in society? The Holy than with justice. Be always just,
Qur’an says: that is nearer to righteousness. And
fear Allah; surely Allah is aware of
And when you speak observe what you do. (Ch.5:V.9)
“
In its history, if ever wars were fought then
they were because they were initiated by the
enemy. Even in such wars the Holy Prophet(saw)
always expected justice to be carried out. He
always ordered his companions that no child, no
woman, no old or weak one was to be harmed. No
religious leader belonging to any religion, living
peacefully in his house of worship was to be hurt.
Even trees were not to be felled in enmity.
Promised Messiah
(as)
XXXVIII, No. 4)
Community. He was the first Imam of the London Mosque, the first Mosque
built in London in 1924, and also served as Private Secretary to Hadhrat
Khalifatul Masih II from 1920-1924. In 1933 he persuaded Muhammad
Ali Jinnah to return to India from London and resume leadership of Indian
Muslims, which ultimately led to the creation of Pakistan. Mr Jinnah said
‘The eloquent persuasion of the Imam left me no way of escape.’ (see The
Sunday Times, London, April 1933).
T he Promised Messiah(as)
belonged to a most distin-
guished family. He was a
Iranians. The word Samarkand
itself is of Iranian origin. The
word Barlas also is Iranian and
descendant of Haji Barlas who means ‘A brave man of noble
was the uncle of Amir Timur stock.’ Hence the Promised
(commonly known as Tamerlane Messiah(as) was Iranian by race
in the West). It is an established and not Mughal as is generally
fact of history that Timur supposed.
belonged to the famous tribe of
Barlas which had lived and ruled A member of the family, Mirza
in Kish for two hundred years. Hadi Beg, came to India from
This part of the world was known Samarkand with Babar, the great
in ancient times as Sogdiana of conqueror of India, or perhaps
Samarkand was the capital. The slightly later, on account of some
Encyclopaedia Britannica says that domestic dissentions or an
the Sogdians were a tribe of affliction. He brought with him
his followers and servants, the filled important offices under the
party consisting of about 200 rule of the Mughals.
persons. He was treated by Babar
with great respect; and he In the days of the decline of
selected for settlement a place Mughal rule, Mirza Faiz
about 70 miles from Lahore, and Muhammad, the great grand-
founded a village on a flat piece father of the Promised Messiah(as)
of ground below which, at a took measures to suppress the
distance of 9 miles to the North anarchy that prevailed in the
East, flows the River Bias. The Punjab, whereupon, in the year
village was named Islampur. 1716 A.D., Farrukhsiyar,
Emperor of Delhi, bestowed
As he belonged to the ruling upon him the rank of Haft-
family, a ‘jagir’ (a fief) consisting of Hazar, thereby authorising him
several hundred villages was to keep a regular force of 7,000
immediately granted to him by soldiers. It may be mentioned
the King, and he was also here that this rank was, till the
appointed Qadhi (judge) of the reign of Farrukhsiyar, restricted
surrounding district. The name to the members of the royal
of the village, therefore, became family and was conferred only on
Islampur Qadhi, signifying that it a very limited number of persons
was the seat of the Qadhi. outside the royal circle. In
Gradually Islampur was dropped addition to it the Emperor also
and it was known only as Qadhi. conferred on him the title of
The letter: ‘dh’ ‘Azadud Daulah’, i.e., strong arm of
the Government.
The Sikhs were still in power. to peace, and they came to enjoy
Mirza Ghulam Murtaza was very religious freedom.
worried, and his family remained
in straightened circumstances. It The whole family felt the change
is said that he travelled far and in its fortunes, and attributed it to
wide but no ray of hope was yet the happy birth of their blessed
visible. In his moments of distress son. And it proved to be a blessing
and disappointment he even for the whole country as better
thought of going to Kashmir and days were in store for all. The
settling there; for he had already Sikhs lost power in a few years.
served there in the capacity of a Ranjit Singh died in 1839.
Subedar, a kind of Governor. He During the next ten years the
devoted his time to study and British rule extended throughout
prayer. He tried his best at the the country, ushering in a most
court of Ranjit Singh, but the peaceful and prosperous era in
latter was selfish, avaricious, the history of India. The Sikhs
drunken and immoral. At last, made, in their last days, an
the birth of the Saviour drew abortive effort to kill Mirza
near. Ghulam Murtaza and his brother
And Ranjit Singh was so Mirza Ghulam Muhyud Din,
convinced of Mirza Ghulam who were confined by them in
Murtaza’s goodness and nobility Basrawan near Qadian; but they
that in the latter period of his were soon rescued by their
reign somewhere in 1834-1835, younger brother Mirza Ghulam
he restored to him five villages of Haidar.
the lost ancestral estate. Thus the
very birth of Ahmad, the illus- It would not be out of place to
trious reformer of the world, give here a quotation from The
blessed his parents and his family Punjab Chiefs by Sir Lepel Griffin
in a wonderful manner. Light and Colonel Massy, revised by
came and darkness vanished. Mr. (now Sir) Henry Craik (1910):
The days of adversity were
turned into peace and prosperity. ‘In 1530, the last year of the
They had a twofold reason for Emperor Babar’s reign,
gratification: they were restored Hadi Beg, a Mughal of
38 The Review of Religions – February 2009
Forefathers of the Promised Messiah(as)
Prophet(saw), mixed with the love thick and thin she remained a
of this world, is nothing better devoted wife and an excellent
than a false coin. companion to Mirza Ghulam
Murtaza, who had a deep respect
His disappointment with regard for her. He always sought her
to his worldly affairs was very advice on account of her
keen and he often regretted that prudence, sagacity, and virtue.
he had not served God with all
his means and powers. He wrote She was a most loving mother.
in his will that he should be She lavished her most tender
buried in a corner of the Mosque care upon her children. The
he had built in the centre of the worldly members of the family
town, and that, perchance, God perhaps looked upon the holy-
would have mercy on him. He minded Ahmad (peace be on
fixed as the site for his own tomb him), as a worthless young man,
the spot where it still stands in but his other-worldliness
accordance with his wishes. It has appealed most of all to his
been enclosed by a brick wall mother. She died in 1868 and
about four feet high. He died of was buried in the family
dysentery (June 1874) at the age cemetery (known as Shah
of 85 when the Mosque was Abdulla Ghazi) in the West of
nearing completion. Qadian. The Promised
Messiah(as) loved her intensely.
Mirza Ghulam Murtaza was Whenever he spoke of her his
married to Chiragh Bibi, the eyes filled with tears. He used to
sister of Mirza Jamiat Beg of go to her grave and there pray for
Aima, a village in Hoshiarpur her. May she rest in peace forever
District. Chiragh Bibi was a and ever.
generous, hospitable, cheerful
and good-hearted lady of
exemplary piety. She looked after
the poor while they lived and,
when they died, provided them
with a decent burial. Through
Allah the Almighty has used the Surely, those who have purchased
word ‘Muslim’ in this verse, [or acquired] disbelief at the price
which according to the lexicons, of faith cannot harm Allah at all.
has the connotation of peace and (Ch.3:V.178)
amnesty.
That is to say, if the world of
The traditionally held beliefs in Islam faces any danger, it is from
this regard dictate that if the the weakness and vice of the
opponents do not listen to us, we Muslims themselves; the non-
must attack them, conquer their Muslims cannot damage Islam.
lands and enslave and imprison Further commenting on those
their men and women. The who turn away from faith, Allah
Divine word of Allah the the Almighty says in the same
Almighty clearly advises us that and next verse:
even if the opponents refuse to
believe and turn away, we are And they shall have a grievous
only to call them to witness that punishment. And let not the
we are Muslims and offer peace disbelievers think that Our
and amnesty. granting them respite is good for
them; the result of Our granting
Verses 178 and 179 state that them respite will only be that they
Allah the Almighty has granted will increase in sin; and they shall
respite to those who renounce have a humiliating punishment.
their faith and return to a state of (Ch.3:Vs.178-179)
disbelief ! Contrary to the Divine
direction, the commonly held It is to be observed that Allah the
views preach that whether or not Almighty declares in this verse:
God has granted respite, we must ‘We have granted respite to the
not give any respite to such non- disbelievers’, whereas the zealots
believers and we must seize them would say that the disbelievers
from the clutches of disbelief should be given an ultimatum of
with the sword, lest they threaten three days. If they do not accept
the world of Islam! As against faith after that, the zealots would
this, Allah the Almighty says: demand that their heads be
separated from their bodies
bearance and to turn away from you. Allah the Almighty says:
such a person and reassures us
that there is no cause for great …So, if they keep aloof from you
alarm or fear over such an and fight you not, and make you
individual’s misdeeds. The an offer of peace, then remember
believers are advised to place that Allah has allowed you no
their trust in God as He is way of aggression against them.
Beneficent, Provider of all (Ch.4:V91)
provisions and has the power to
settle everything. In Verse 92, the clarification has
been made:
It has been pointed out in Verse
85 of Surah Al-Nisa that where Therefore, if they do not keep
the Muslims have been urged to aloof from you nor offer you peace
fight, the aim is to weaken the nor restrain their hands, then seize
force of attack and also to them [you have the full right] and
apprehend the enemy. The aim is kill them, wherever you find them.
not the spread and publication of
faith. Allah the Almighty says: ‘Punishment by death’ is
generally considered the
Fight, therefore, in the cause of appropriate punishment for an
Allah – thou art not made apostate. The Holy Qur’an has
responsible except for thyself – made no mention of it. The Holy
and urge on the believers. It may Qur’an mentions this treachery
be that Allah will restrain the and warns of Divine punishment
might of those that disbelieve… but nowhere does it enjoin the
(Ch.4:V.85) killing of an apostate. Allah the
Almighty says:
It is quite clear that for the
believers to take up arms, the aim Those who believe, then
is to stop the aggression of the disbelieve, then again believe,
enemy and nothing else. Hence, then disbelieve, and then increase
it is stated categorically in Verse in disbelief, Allah will never
91 that you have no permission forgive them nor will He guide
to attack those who do not attack them to the way. Give to the
hypocrites the tidings that for them people should be cut out. Does
is a grievous punishment. the Holy Qur’an provide any
(Ch.4:Vs.138-139) justification for such a course of
action?
These verses speak of those who
are converted to faith and then Allah the Almighty says:
backslide and turn away, after a
while they return to faith again, And He has already revealed to
only to again revert to their old you, in the Book, that when you
beliefs and to continue further hear the signs of Allah being
and further in their rejection of denied and mocked at, sit not with
faith. The result of this conduct them until they engage in a talk
has been declared to be other than that; for in that case
deprivation of forgiveness and [sitting with them] you would
guidance from God; furthermore be like them. Surely, Allah will
Muslims are enjoined to inform assemble the hypocrites and the
such people of the wrath and disbelievers in Hell, all together.
punishment of Allah which shall (Ch.4:V.141)
surely befall them.
It is said in this verse of the Holy
According to the traditionally Qur’an that if in a gathering, the
held beliefs, there would be no signs of Allah are being rejected
question of repeated conversion and ridiculed, it is impermissible
and back-sliding – the first time a to remain in such company until
person gives up faith, he is to be the topic of conversation
put to death! After that, what is changes. That is to say, if they
the meaning of relaying to him begin talking of something else, it
the tidings of punishment from is permissible then to sit in their
Allah the Almighty? company.
[These people who mock are] Allah the Almighty says that at
Those who wait for news the time of Moses(as), punishment
concerning you [of destruction]. If was given by Allah the Almighty
you have a victory from Allah, and forgiveness was given by
they say, ‘Were we not with Allah the Almighty – no
you?...’ authority was given to Moses(as) to
(Ch.4:V.142) punish the culprits. It is quite
clear that if Allah the Almighty
It follows therefore, that those had kept the authority in His
mentioned in the first verse are own hand when the mockery and
those living within the ridicule was of a greater nature.
jurisdiction of Islamic govern- The same holds true now and
ment. Allah the Almighty alone has the
authority to take punitive action.
The nature of the crime is not women from among those who
such that the punishment or were given the Book before you.
reward for it may be meted out (Ch.5:V.6)
by human beings. In such
matters, punishment and reward Now it is to be noted that the
are in the hands of God. Holy Qur’an declares the food of
the People of the Book lawful for
Chapter 5: the believers and declares that
(Surah Al-Maidah) the chaste women of the people
Leaving the masses aside, even of the Book are also lawful for
Muslim ‘scholars’ express the you to marry. Alas, some of the
view that the use of force may be Muslim ‘scholars’ do not
considered lawful, like force- consider it lawful for the People
feeding medicine to a sick of the Book to be permitted even
person. According to these so to live without accepting Islam!
called scholars, forcibly conver- Their animosity against the
ting non-Muslims to Islam is not People of the Book directs them
against the directive of Allah the to ignore all requirements of
Almighty which states: ‘There fairness and justice. The Holy
should be no compulsion in Qur’an on the contrary, instructs:
religion.’
O ye who believe! Be steadfast in
In such a case, it is perplexing the cause of Allah, bearing
that the Holy Qur’an gives witness in equity; and let not a
permission for social relations people’s enmity incite you to act
with the people of the Book, who otherwise than with justice. Be
are non-Muslims. Allah the always just, that is nearer to
Almighty says: righteousness.
(Ch.5:V.9)
This day all good things have been
made lawful for you. And the food You can well observe that the
of the People of the Book is Holy Qur’an admonishes fair-
lawful for you; your food is lawful ness and justice for even those
for them. And lawful for you are who hold animosity against
chaste believing women and chaste Islam. The traditionalists would
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